Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Which is Hotter?

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I've had the 60th anniversary of James Dean's death marked in my calendar for a couple of years now but here we are and the day arrived and I almost totally spaced. As expressed in my earlier mood post, I'm a friggin zombie today. But this post isn't about me (okay technically all of the posts here are about me but you know what I mean), it's about 60 years of Dead James Dean and the legend that his too-young demise birthed. Dean is the Baby Bear of Brooding Fifties Movie Stars -- Clift was too sensitive and Brando too rough, but James Dean was jussssst right. Honestly I prefer the other two for their tipping of the scales whichever way, but the legend of Jim endures the strongest all these years later, so...

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Today's Mood

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Batman V Superman Was Just Rated...

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... PG-13 for "Some Sensuality."
You're telling me.
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Who Wore It Best?

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About-to-be Bond Girl (excuse me, Bond Woman) Monica Bellucci is 51 today and seeing as how she's currently straddling the space between Daniel Craig and now ex-husband Vincent Cassel I figured we too should straddle the two men...
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See more of those Cassel pictures here and here
and see more of the Craig pictures here.
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I Saw The...

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Honestly I really don't care much about a bio-pic of Hank Williams Jr. -- there aren't many musical genres that interest me less than Country (with several female exceptions a la Dolly & Loretta) -- and yet here I am, posting more pictures from I Saw the Light... well, they could go ahead and rename the film "I Saw the Folds of Tom Hiddleston's Trousers" and explain away my lurid interest in these posts. See more pics here and click here for a clip of Tom shaking what his Momma gave him. The movie's out at Thanksgiving.


Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Peeping Tom (1960)

Vivian: What would frighten me to death? 
Set the mood for me, Mark. 
Mark: Imagine... someone coming towards you... 
who wants to kill you... regardless of the consequences. 
Vivian: A madman? 
Mark: Yes. But he knows it - and you don't. 

Director Michael Powell, the British genius behind such classics as The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, and this film here (which I consider his masterpiece, and which also all but ruined his career, even as his contemporary Alfred Hitchcock was turning similar material into a powerhouse across the pond with Psycho), was born on this day 110 years ago. Have you seen many of the Powell-Pressburger films? I'm slowly working my way through them and as much solid entertainment as there has to be found nothing's come close to what I feel they accomplished with Peeping Tom, which was the very first film of theirs I saw. It's an astonishing thing.



Great Moments In Movie Shelves #17

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"What is this place anyway?"
"You said you wanted to sit down - it's the public library."

"You've never been here?"
"No. That makes two for me. I don't see any books."

For all my crowing about loving bookshelves I've never actually been inside the New York Public Library, isn't that something? Oh I've stood on its steps and caressed the lion statues I know too well from Ghostbusters (a scene we've already covered for this series) but I've never gone inside, so I've no idea if this is what it looks like.

I love the way George Peppard pulls out one perfectly placed drawer of the card-catalog just to rest his elbow so he can properly lean with requisite suavity. What a stud.

Of course, as it turns out anyway the Library
is not nearly as nice a place as Tiffanys.

Truman Capote was born on this day 91 years ago.
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Jack O'Connell Eight Times

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(via, thanks Mac)
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I Am Link

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--- Damned Spot - I'll be seeing the other 2015 Michael Fassbender movie this weekend (the "other" one in this case meaning Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs) at the New York Film Festival, but I gotta say I'm more excited for his Macbeth, which lord knows when I'll see that. Presumably with the rest of you people in December, sigh. Anyway there are some new pictures and posters and an interview with the likely suspects (Michael's wearing an awfully clingy little t-shirt) over at The Playlist today, with regards to Macbeth, so check those out if you care to.

--- Holy Waters - That BFI tribute to John Waters in London is starting tomorrow I think and BuzzFeed chatted with the director on what else, his dating techniques. Some very funny stuff in there though, as usual -- it makes me sad that I'm not totally on-board with his obsession with Boom! and therefore he hates me - I recognize its camp value but it's also tedious as fuck to watch.

--- Genitals Deep - Well this is unexpected and strange -- Deadline's gotten a hold of a contract that the extras working on HBO's reboot of Westworld had to sign, which details a whole lotta sinnin' going on:

"This document serves to inform you that this project will require you to be fully nude and/or witness others fully nude and participate in graphic sexual situations. By accepting this Project assignment, you may be required to do any of the following: appear fully nude; wear a pubic hair patch; perform genital-to-genital touching; have your genitals painted; simulate oral sex with hand-to-genital touching; contort to form a table-like shape while being fully nude; pose on all fours while others who are fully nude ride on your back; ride on someone’s back while you are both fully nude; and other assorted acts the Project may require. The Project will also include language and sexual situations that some may consider personally objectionable or uncomfortable.”"

That's 'Quote of the Day' stuff right there! Of course this will just be porny background noise, and I doubt that main players like James Marsden, Ben Barnes or Rodrigo Santoro will be involved with any "genital-to-gential touching"... dammit.

--- Always Bet On Bill -  I'm down with the essence of this piece over at HitFix - why is the 1990 comedy Quick Change with Bill Murray and Geena Davis so damned hard to find? It's an astonishingly funny film, from what I remember -- I loved it when I was a kid, but I haven't seen it in many years. Besides that that article also led me to this old interview with Mr. Murray which is a must-read to believe - he was at Elvis' funeral! He's the legendiest of legends.

--- A Hem's Worth - While this interview with Kate Winslet talking about making The Dressmaker is fun, I was kind of sad with the way she danced around the subject of "Liam Hemsworth's Abs" - clearly she's a pro and has been at this media game long enough to know that would be all of the headlines and she doesn't want to objectify poor Liam that way, but come on, Kate. It's Liam Hemsworth. His abs are a hashtag, not human.

--- No Guilt in Pleasure - Having seen the documentary De Palma at NYFF (and reviewed it) I've been looking around and clicking on anything having to do with the director, which led me to this 1987 interview with him talking about all of his so-called "Guilty Pleasure" movies, and it's quite the list. In a weird way I feel as if it speaks more to the man who was making movies at 1987 specifically (that's the year he put out The Untouchables) than it does to what he'd say today, which makes it even more interesting.

--- Big Book - I wasn't really very fond of Jurassic World so I'm not especially looking forward to whatever director Colin Trevorrow does next (besides another Jurassic movie because those damned dinos will always suck me in) but this is a pretty killer cast he's lined up for The Book of Henry -- Naomi Watts, Sarah Silverman, Lee Pace, Dean Norris, and that kid from Room that's getting all the raves alongside Brie Larson. (thanks Mac) No word on what the movie's about yet though.

--- Pose Struck - Last week we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Showgirls and I totally missed this piece at EW where they actually talked to director Paul Verhoeven about the film! (Thanks Mac) In fact I haven't read it yet, I'm saving it for today's lunch-time read since it's a bit lengthy - a blessing, not a curse! I did skim it to see if they got any information on him about the release of his "rape revenge" movie with Isabelle Huppert though, and saw nothing. Come on, man! I need that like air.
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Good Morning, World

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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Butcher Baker Bronson Maker

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Today is the 45th birthday of director Nicolas Winding Refn, who's coming off probably my least favorite film of his (although as I admitted the other day I haven't seen the Pusher trilogy) but gearing up to release the film that in theory is most aimed towards my personal interests -- the fashion horror flick The Neon Demon. So even if I didn't like Only God Forgives much he's built up plenty of goodwill. Anyway I'm curious -- what's your favorite Refn movie? 
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I'm condensing the Pusher films into one and leaving off his 2nd & 3rd movies (called Fear X and Bleeder) because come on, nobody's gonna pick those... cue somebody's angry comment otherwise. Anyway I haven't seen them either. Should I?
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Huge Jock Man

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Hugh Jackman likes the sports.


Make Mads A Strange Offer

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I hate the internet, you guys. I thought the "Mads Mikkelsen will be the villain in Doctor Strange" thing was all but confirmed, but unfortunately the source that probably most matters - Mads himself - has cast doubts upon that. Says he:

"I know as much as the rest of the world. So far it's been rumors, so I'm waiting on a phone call... It would be fantastic to be a part of the Marvel family. I mean, it's something we all grew up with. We all have our heroes, and Doctor Strange is definitely one of the more interesting things."

I suppose we have to believe him - I don't think the cast and crew of Doctor Strange are going to stage an epic Candid Camera episode, shooting the film around him without him realizing. I like picturing that, though! Picture it: Mads is walking down the street when Tilda Swinton just walks up to him in Old Chinese Man make-up and just starts screaming about Infinity Stones. I so want this to happen! You know Tilda would totally be up for it, too.
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The Missing Efron

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As happens when dealing with a incorrigible exhibitionist I managed to miss a few shots of Zac Efron flaunting his wares on the Neighbors 2 set the other day when I posted twenty or so pictures of Zac Efron flaunting his wares on the Neighbors 2 set -- his hot ass is hard to keep up with! So in the spirit of Zac's generosity let's all dig deep and hit the jump where I've got several more pictures of Zac Efron flaunting his wares on the Neighbors 2 set...

Cowboys and Aliens

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My third review of the day from the New York Film Festival is up at The Film Experience -- here's my take on Les Cowboys, which is a loose French update of The Searchers (man loses daughter to darker skinned people, freaks out for awhile) from the screenwriter of Rust and Bone. It stars actor François Damiens, seen above, looking much sexier in his on-screen Marlboro Man get-up than he does in any of the other pictures I've found of him online.

I guess he's usually thought of as a comic actor, and he's been making a stab at serious roles now? So he's kind of the Robin Williams of France, chest hair included. Gotcha.
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Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

To Die For (1995)

Suzanne: Well, you grow up, you know? You think it's all gonna be like a fairytale. Like you're Sleeping Beauty, and along comes this Prince Charming, and he looks at you, and it's night time, and he smiles at you and kisses you. 
Lydia: Yeah, I know that story. 
Suzanne: And then... then you wake up... and it's daylight... and you look at him. It's just when you work all day, trying to perfect yourself and create something meaningful, you expect some support. Does anyone ever say "Did you have a good shoot today?" or "How's the editing going?" or anything of that nature? 
Lydia: I guess not. 
Suzanne: No. I mean, the point is... Larry is a nice guy, you know? But he just doesn't know a thing about television. 

Gus Van Sant's best movie, full stop,
To Die For came out 20 years ago today!
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Five Frames From ?

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What movie is this?
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Today's Fanboy Delusion

Today I'd rather be...

... swept up in Thor's strong embrace.
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That there is one of the blooper reels from the Avengers: Age of Ultron blu-ray that's out in a few days -- I don't know why Joss Whedon couldn't have written a romance between Thor and Vision into the plot of Age of Ultron - clearly the actors were game to get some friction going between their spandex, and there's literally nobody that doesn't wanna see that. I'm less enthusiastic about the possibility of romance between Captain America and Iron Man...

... but just because I know that Civil War is coming and I don't think Cappy needs his heart broken anymore. Poor tender Cappy.
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Lick It Up Baby

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I got a little bit, uh, over-enthusiastic, while writing up my review of the new Brian De Palma documentary showing at The New York Film Festival this week... but really when it comes to De Palma can one be too passionate? Can one cross a line? I don't think you really can. The man inspires feelings! Anyway the doc, directed by Noah Baumbach & Jake Paltrow, is terrific, head on over to The Film Experience and read what I thought.
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Which Is Hotter?

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My boyfriend and I got into a disagreement while watching the first episode of Heroes Reborn the other night -- it wasn't over whether we were going to watch any more episodes; that we were unanimous on with a "HELL NO." No, we disagreed over whether Zachary Levi is hot or not. I'm a (qualified, not tremendously enthusiastic) Yea, while he's a Heck Nay. You can feel free to pick a side in the comments but since this is my blog we'll just assume I am correct, and move on. It's Levi's birthday today, and ever since he became a thing on Chuck it's all been about one question, for me...

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Take A Good Long Look

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I felt a bit subconscious, writing a review of Apichatpong "Joe" Weerasethakul's new film Cemetery of Splendour, coming at the esteemed filmmaker as a newbie (no I still somehow haven't seen Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), but come at him I did with my first review from the New York Film Festival for The Film Experience -- head over there and read what I had to say on the movie. And yes I will go watch Uncle Boonmee as soon as I have the time to watch movies that aren't part of the New York Film Festival again, I promise. What other films of Joe's (I've seen one so I can call him Joe now, right?) should I see?
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Good Morning, World

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I was at the movies a couple of weeks ago and during that so-called "pre-show entertainment" scourge where they scream over your attempts at conversation before the movie begins with advertisements for things that will be canceled within two weeks there was an ad for ABC's new show Quantico, which looks like just the literally five billionth generic procedural from where I'm sitting, and the friend I was with got all weirdly excited about the show, and I have no idea why. I don't think it was because Brian J. Smith -- most recently seen making out with Miguel Angel Silevstre (and everybody else too but it's the stuff with Miguel I like to focus in on) on Sense8 -- is on the show, but let's just pretend it was. And hey look they got him in his underwear (are those Mormon underwear?) in the pilot episode! Maybe the show is worth our time?
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Monday, September 28, 2015

I Gotta Go!

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After spending 90% of this weekend and 90% of today cooped up watching movies I gotta go home and think about something other than movies for a few hours. Although having just seen Carol this afternoon... that might prove difficult.
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It's a keeper. Anyway the rest of this week is pretty quiet screening-wise, so things here on the blog should settle back into the normal schedule for a bit. (Plus my NYFF reviews will start popping up any time now.) Until then, good night!
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