Indeed, Plummer is the odds-on favourite as the Oscars prepare to roll February 26. We thought it might be apropos to tally some trivia. Herewith, stuff you (maybe) didn’t know about Christopher Plummer.

He is the great-grandson of Canadian Prime Minister Sir John Abbot, the nation’s third, who served from June 16, 1891 to November 24, 1892.

Though he is arguably best known as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music – and he admits the film was well-made – Plummer dislikes the role, even declining to attend the 40th anniversary cast reunion in 2005, but he did provide commentary on the DVD release that same year.

His daughter Amanda Plummer (see: Honey Bunny/Yolanda in Pulp Fiction), who Plummer had with his first wife Tammy Grimes, is an accomplished actor in her own right, often selecting offbeat roles over obvious Hollywood fare.

Plummer has been married more than 40 years to his current, third wife, British dancer and actress Elaine Regina Taylor, whom he thanked touchingly when he nabbed the Golden Globe for Beginners earlier this year.

He is Sagittarius, which makes him free-spirited, curious, courageous, fun-loving, prone to pranks, and highly intuitive.

All of which makes the arrival of a new, late-night series at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema of Nicolas Cage, worth noting. Starting January 28 and running at 10 pm over consecutive Saturdays until April 7, highlights of Cage’s cinematic career grab the spotlight. If ever proof were needed of how versatile our man can be, this is it. We swing from sweet teen rom-com (1983’s Valley Girl, January 28) to loony-tune baby burglar (1987’s Raising Arizona, February 25) to action hero (1997’s Con Air, February 18) to über-neurotic nerd (2002’s Adaptation, March 24) while hitting just about every other archetype in between.

Also playing: The Rock (February 4), Face/Off (March 3) Wild at Heart (February 11), The Wicker Man (March 10), Snake Eyes (March 17) The Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (March 31 and Vampire’s Kiss (April 7).

The series is worth it just for the stylistic range of directors on offer, from John Woo to Neil LaBute, Joel Coen to Michael Bay to David Lynch. Sure, you could rent any of these titles, but there is no comparing Cage – all hangdog eyes, wild hair and itchy movement – on the big screen.

We’d call this appointment viewing.

]]> Comedy Drama Film Kim Hughes Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:55:46 -0500 http://blog.inmovies.ca/2012/01/nic-cage-unleashed-in-new-late-night-series.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/hollywoodnorthblog/~3/Dhp8XZYfvK0/big-chill-director-goes-to-the-dogs.html http://blog.inmovies.ca/2012/01/big-chill-director-goes-to-the-dogs.html Is it possible to eagerly anticipate a movie and dread it at the same time? Apparently, the answer is yes,...
Is it possible to eagerly anticipate a movie and dread it at the same time? Apparently, the answer is yes, and that movie is the forthcoming Darling Companion.

Ace director Lawrence Kasdan has brought us Wyatt Earp, The Accidental Tourist, Body Heat, French Kiss and, most notably The Big Chill. He also penned Darling Companion, which augurs well since past writing credits also include a litany of hits (The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark).

Plus the plotline is simple yet rich with comic possibility: Darling Companion tells the story of a woman (Keaton) who loves her dog more than her workaholic husband (Kline) who accidentally loses the dog.

Cue acidic quips and deliciously fraught exchanges. And everybody loves dog movies, right? Heck, there is even, apparently a sub-plot involving psychics. What’s not to love?

And yet… and yet… the first trailer is out today and it makes two blunders that almost always point to a (forgive me) dog of a film: it practically tells the entire story, and it doesn’t even try to mask the movie’s overriding sentimentality.

Speaking to the Santa Barbara Independent on his first film in eight years, Kasdan says, “Nowadays, when Hollywood says a movie is a comedy, they’re usually referring to some big broad knockdown film or a big farce. Comedy has become so narrowly defined.

“It used to be that Hollywood comedies were some of the greatest. Movies like Tootsie, Being There, or Dr. Strangelove. Now Hollywood says this is a drama… but this is really a comedy.”

So, wait. Kasdan is defending his movie against criticism that it’s not funny enough while positioning it as a comedy in league with that master of thigh-slappers, Stanley Kubrick? Oh dear. It's just so dammed dsappointing when films that really should be good just aren't.

Darling Companion is set to open April 20… fingers crossed all advance suggestion of it being complete cheese are completely wrong.  Check out the clip and have your say.

Tyrannosaur opens with Joseph (Peter Mullan) beating his dog to death, setting the tone for a bleak and fascinating look into the lives of two very different, very lost souls. Joseph’s hateful outbursts are almost always followed by a remorse that makes him quite pitiful to behold. But Hannah (Olivia Colman), a Christian charity shop worker,  seems poised to help Joseph find—if not the light—some light in his life...until her studied air of bourgeois repression begins to crack, revealing secrets as dark and brutal as Joseph’s.

I caught up with actor-turned-director Paddy Considine when he was in Toronto for TIFF. We met at the Intercontinental Hotel—a world away from the stark council houses in Leeds, where most of his debut film takes place.

Here’s what he had to say….

On killing the dog:

In actual fact, [Joseph’s] violence has led him to kill his last companion. And the reason a dog is because, you know, dogs are just so loyal…And it’s a very brutal act and I know it’s very shocking, but I think it has to be, because it’s the moment that he realizes that he can’t go on the way he is.

In England, still—still—we’re so defined by class, you know? And it’s hard to get away from it…But I suppose what Tyrannosaur does that maybe other films haven’t is that it brings these characters together from two different sides of life, if you like. One from the working class area and the other from the middle class area, which being a middle class area—a quiet suburb—seems to signify that there’s some sort of peace and quiet in there, and there’s something quite idyllic about it, when in actual fact in this story it’s where the true horror is.  And that’s not my comment on the middle classes, it’s more the sort of idea of how we can’t help but make face value judgments about people that we meet.

On his connection to his characters:

I suppose I just fell in love with them…To me I think they’re heroic because they’re baring their souls to you, and I couldn’t help but care for them. There were times on set when I took myself to the corner because I got quite upset, and I didn’t realize how much I loved them. I guess it was just that I sympathized with their journey, and I wanted redemption for both of them. But in this film it doesn’t come in a conventional way, which it doesn’t in life sometimes. But I did love them.  

On his inspiration for the film:

I just think it’s a buildup of my life growing up, and the people that I was around. And that’s not to say it’s autobiographical, but it certainly references people that were close to me or around in my community. And to be honest with you, I think a lot of it is me trying to make sense of a lot of things, and a lot of people.

On Tyrannosaur’s critical reception:

I think before Sundance I was quite terrified, and I think over the last few months I’ve realized that I have no control over how it’s going to be received, and I can’t take it personally. I hope that the film’s genuine enough and I hope that there’s a truth in there enough for people to realize that I’m not trying to bulls**t them in any way.

Well, Paddy, you certainly had this reviewer convinced. Tyrannosaur opens in Toronto January 27.

Rating: 9/10

Check out a clip below.

In 1919, a camera crew from New York was sent north – way north - capturing images of Canada’s indigenous people, fur trappers, traders and the brilliant, often hostile landscape they inhabited.

But what began as a propaganda film happily resulted in an exceptional historical record of a time that, in some respects, shows how little the region has changed in the intervening years.

According to the doc’s official site, “the film crew lugged their crates of gear by foot, canoe, dogsled and icebreaker, trudging through the Arctic, the boreal forest and up some of the fiercest rivers in the world.

“The filmmakers perched their cameras in places never before filmed. By the time they completed filming at the end of December [1919], they’d gathered 75,000 feet of film, some eight hours of viewing time. The footage was rushed to New York where editing began. By mid-April, a first draft was complete, and clocked in at four hours. A month later it was cut in half.”

The film debuted in 1920 in Winnipeg – HBC’s headquarters – but “soon after the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, barely a decade after The Romance of the Far Fur Country was filmed, the footage from the epic Hudson’s Bay Company film disappeared from public view, the canisters of nitrate film stock were packed away by the HBC in an archive in London for safe keeping— but lost to the world.”

Not so fast… experts found eight hours of raw footage in Britain, along with diary notes from the filmmakers and a new, two-hour version of the film was created. It screened recently in Edmonton and is expected to be taken to wider audiences soon.

This really is a remarkable and very lucky.  According to a story about the film recently run by the BBC, “The HBC Archives always knew the footage was in England, but it wasn't until 2011 that a transfer took place.

"Bringing these films back to Canada provides a window to the past," Maureen Dolyniuk, the keeper at the HBC Archives, tells the BBC, "not only for researchers and filmmakers, but for the residents of the communities captured in the films."

Sadly for Coriolanus (also played by Fiennes), his taciturn nature is mistaken for hubris and he is banished from his Roman environs by an angry mob. Furious and disenchanted, Coriolanus joins forces with his (and Rome’s) sworn enemy to exact revenge on those who cavalierly cast him out.

Also starring Gerard Butler as Coriolanus’s nemesis-cum-ally plus sudden ‘it’ girl Jessica Chastain and Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus is just the kind of meaty, dramatic heavyweight that commands notice during award season, a point not lost on a small handful of international journalists (and moi!) invited to chat with the articulate and gracious Fiennes during TIFF last September, where the movie was screened.

Some highlights of that interview:

On having his actors recite Shakespearean dialog despite being placed in a modern setting:

“It’s been done before. I was once in a production of Julius Caesar that was all modern dress. To my ear, there is something quite potent about people speaking in a fantastically expressive form of drama [but existing] in a world of suits and mobile phones. Shakespeare’s writing is thrilling and challenging and moving and sexy and I love that mix.”

On the offbeat choice of play when Hamlet and Macbeth are so much more familiar to audiences:

“I just really love the play and the part. It seems really pertinent all the time. The themes of authority, integrity, nationalism, the people’s right to be heard are constant conflicts. And I felt this play is the world we’re in.”

On acting in and directing the same movie:

“Clearly it’s been done before and some actors seem already on the edge of doing it. I am very alert to choices that directors are making and very attuned to things like camera angles. I know some actors just want to be the part but I can’t help having a great curiosity about how it’s being put together.”

On casting Gerard Butler who, post-300, has seemed positively eager to make crappy rom-coms (and yeah, the question was phrased like that to Fiennes):

“I needed to have a convicting antagonist, someone who could challenge me in every sense with their on-screen charisma. So we sent him a script and he liked it. I did not know him prior [to this film]. I also wanted a movie star; the whole package was really strong. And funny enough, it turned out that his first job was a production of Coriolanus. He walked on with a spear.”

On casting Jessica Chastain who is everywhere in 2011 and 2012:

“I had a tip that she was electric. I was actually afraid that she would be wowed by a Scorsese or Cronenberg and Speilberg and I wouldn’t stand a chance. But she stayed true – and it took 18 months to put this film together. She has extraordinary depth and translucence.”

On the easiest and hardest decision made during filming/editing:

“The easiest decision was casting Vanessa Redgrave and the hardest was probably editing and losing things. They say you have to kill your darling and I had a time constraint contractually. And the funny thing is, they were tiny cuts… not even big scenes but very meaningful bits.”

On the likelihood of the audience switching sides during the film:

“That’s absolutely fantastic; I love that the audience don’t know where to put their allegiance. I would be very reluctant to say to the audience.’ You must like this person and hate this person.’”

Keeners will recall a very funny Super Bowl ad last year for the VW Passat, in which a kiddo Darth Vader tried (and succeeded, with the help of Dad) to summon magical powers. Clip below. You can also find out about this year's promotion here.  In the meantime, I am just enjoying the clip (especially the little “Wookiee” dog!)

What’s notable this year at Sundance - which still claims to be the premier showcase for independent film despite consistently attracting marquee names and big-budget films – is the sheer number of movies grabbing proverbial ink in advance of screening.

We surveyed a bunch of most-anticipated lists – from the Hollywood Reporter to SPIN and others – and added our own two cents. Herewith, films debuting this month at Sundance that we can’t wait to see.

For a Good Time, Call…
The debut feature from Toronto-based director Jamie Travis – which boasts an incredible ensemble cast including Seth Rogen, Nia Vardalos, Mimi Rogers, Ari Graynor and Justin Long – tells the story of two women who launch a phone sex line. In the post-Bridesmaids universe, a raunchy female-dominated comedy holds all kinds of appeal.

West of Memphis
Director Amy Berg’s documentary on the West Memphis Three – three teens convicted of murder in an alleged Satanic plot whose case became a cause célèbre when dubious investigative details emerged – promises unprecedented access to the key players. Billed as “an examination of a failure of justice in Arkansas,” the film draws currency from the 3’s release from prison last year.

Celeste and Jesse Forever
Everybody loves SNL’s Andy Samberg and his big-screen turn in this so-called comedic “out-of-love story” as a guy who tries to maintain a friendship with his ex (Rashida Jones who also makes her screenwriting debut) as the pair pursue other romantic interests sound five kinds of charming.

Under African Skies
The documentary tells the story of the making of Graceland, Paul Simon’s landmark 1987 recording and the controversy (accusations of cultural tourism et al) that cropped up in its wake. Director Joe Berlinger (Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) travels with Simon back to South Africa 25 years after his first visit. Anyone who loves this album (and we are legion) is counting the days until this opens.

Bachelorette
Once again, the specter of Bridesmaids looms large. Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and Lizzy Caplan star in this Will Ferrell-produced comedy about bridesmaids who must plan the bachelorette party of a girl they called Pig Face in high school. Hahahahaha! Count us in.

The 3 Best Jim Carrey Movies…

1.    The Truman Show (1998)
People like to point to Carrey’s full-on inhabitation of guerilla comic Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon as the apex of his acting chops but IMHO convincingly broadcasting innocence is much harder that marshalling bat-shit craziness. Watching Carrey’s Truman gradually come to realize the extent to which his life has been hijacked by others for gain is a revelation.
2.    The Cable Guy (1996)
Yes, yes, I know Carrey was infamously paid a record-breaking $20M for his role as the eponymous unhinged technician to Matthew Broderick’s tightly wound Steven M. Kovacs… and he was worth every penny. The apparently improvised scene at the Medieval Times restaurant, where Carrey channels Hannibal Lecter while Broderick – gamely trying to suppress uncontrollable laughter and pretty much failing – is pure cinematic gold.
3.    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Carrey made me believe to my very core that his Joel adored Kate Winslet’s Clementine, fully transcending himself and his status as Jim Carrey, Hollywood Actor™. Once again, Carrey channels tenderness and vulnerability with the precision only a comedian can muster.

The 3 Worst Jim Carrey Movies….

1.    Bruce Almighty (2003)
It had funny moments, and Jennifer Aniston and Morgan Freeman gave solid support, but the film’s arch and downright sneaky religiosity tacked onto the end marred the good that came before. Carrey should have leveraged his clout and fought back harder against that.
2.    How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Hardly a surprising choice but a solid one just the same. Reviled on release, this misguided live-action remake of the beloved Dr. Seuss classic was wrong in every conceivable way, representing the kind of film agents should get fired over.
3.    The Mask (1994)
The Mask feels less like a movie than a highly orchestrated series of set-ups designed to illustrate Carrey’s rubber-faced antics. Yeah, we get it: he’s craaazy. Plus it’s aged horribly, something that just doesn’t happen with classics.

The occasion begs the question: do average Canadians care about the Genies? More significantly, will they tune in to watch the ceremony when it airs on CBC March 8?

The Hollywood Reporter today ran a story about the sad state of box office for homegrown movies (with the exception of Quebec, of course) and wonders why people would tune in to see awards given out to films they hadn’t seen by Canadian “celebrities” that don’t quite sparkle as brightly as those Stateside.

“Though led by new leadership and new competition rules, the Academy is taking baby steps to make the Genies more relevant and watchable for ordinary Canadians,” the Reporter writes. “The entry fee for low-budget short and feature films has been cut to secure more awards show bait.

“And a commercial theatrical release is no longer required for a local movie to qualify for Genie consideration. Screening at two accredited film festivals now makes a film eligible.”

Wow. So the average punter really won’t have had a chance to see a potentially nominated film. Way to handicap a keener's best efforts.

But will it make a difference to the TV broadcast? The Reporter notes that the Genies could be sexed up somewhat: “The goal is producing a better Genies to get tuxed and gowned celebrities, many American and British stars in Canadian movies like Barney's Version and Splice, to show up and walk down the red carpet so Canadians will tune in,” the Reporter adds.

“After all, the interest factor plunges when Canadian distributors don’t get top talent to an event that promotes their product and industry. Award shows, like much TV celebrity coverage, are formulaic.”

At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I just don’t see how any of this will grab eyeballs among the Canadian public. English-language Canadian films, many of which are excellent, just don’t seem to capture the popular imagination the way foreign films do. I don’t know why but I think we can all agree it’s pretty much a fact. 

That the same cannot be said for cinema in other smallish nations such as Sweden and Australia - which have a comparatively thriving local film scene - makes the situation here all the more perplexing. Are we really that dull as a nation that we can’t bear to watch ourselves, not even wrapped in a protective coat of fiction?

The idea of parachuting foreign talent in to gussy up the awards also seems counterintuitive. And unnecessary; Russell Peters, Paul Gross, Sarah Polley, Jay Baruchel, Don McKellar and Atom Egoyan would constitute a respectable lineup of talent. I still don’t think Canadian viewers would care.

Add Ryan Gosling, Seth Rogen and Rachel McAdams maybe... but still, considerably short of comparable awards shows.

Maybe less effort should be spent on hyping the films (to what end anyway, one could justifiably ask) and more directed towards distributing them, so that English Canada can begin to legitimately cultivate an audience for stories by us and about us the way Quebeckers do. Make the films accessible, and maybe people will go see them.

Really, if the beleaguered Canadian music industry can make the Juno Awards exciting and relevant – and organizers have done an excellent job over the last few years of creating grassroots enthusiasm for homegrown music and slapping that enthusiasm across small screens for all to see – then surely the film industry can do the same, right?

Until that happens, award shows just don’t make a lot of sense, especially ones aired by our national broadcaster.  Maybe they should show a movie, instead.

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