WEIRDLAND

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Joaquin Phoenix's curious behaviour

Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger speak on stage during a TV break at the 78th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre on 5th March, 2006 in Hollywood.
"Joaquin Phoenix’s curious behaviour shifted up a gear in the early hours of this morning when he was dragged away by security guards after leaping from a nightclub stage to confront a heckler.

The 34-year-old, who recently announced he had given up acting to become a hip-hop artist, stopped rapping after a man in the audience of the Miami Beach club disturbed him.

"We have a f****** a******* in the audience", Phoenix announced.

“"I've got a million f***** dollars in my f***** bank account. What have you got?" he taunted before jumping from the Miami Beach stage and heading for the man.

The two were face-to-face when security guards caught up with Phoenix, dragging him on to the stage and then escorting him off through the wings.Phoenix, who has been nominated for two Oscars, kept the crowd waiting until 2am before he appeared. Many of his fans had been there since the doors to The Fontainebleau hotel's nightclub, Liv, opened at 10pm.

He walked on stage smoking a cigarette and sporting the dishevelled look that he has favoured since giving up acting".

Source: entertainment.timesonline.co.uk

Joaquin Phoenix arrives at LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau before his hip-pop performance at the venue on Wednesday (March 11) in Miami, Florida.

"The 34-year-old actor/rapper jumped off stage in the middle of a performance at the club to confront someone who was heckling his rapping. “We have a (double expletive) in the audience. I’ve got a $1 million in the bank. What have you got?,” Joaquin said before jumping into the crowd.

Security guards had to separate the two and then dragged Joaquin away". Source: Justjared.buzznet.com

Joaquin Phoenix on The David Letterman Show in promotion of his latest movie, "Two Lovers":

Nails in "Nailed"

"Actress Malinda Williams has fuelled reports her Nailed co-star Jake Gyllenhaal is set to marry girlfriend Reese Witherspoon after confessing she expects wedding bells soon". Source: www.imdb.com

"Malinda Williams has nailed her shot at stardom.The Somerset County woman is scheduled to co-star with actors Tracy Morgan,
Jessica Biel and Jake Gyllenhaal in the romantic comedy "Nailed", which in July completed filming in South Carolina. The movie, which revolves around a waitress who gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head and causes unpredictable behavior, is scheduled to arrive in theaters this summer, Williams said in a recent telephone interview.

Williams, 33, who studied at The Actor's Conservatory in New York, has been acting for more than 20 years. Her most notable role was starring in the Showtime network television series "Soul Food" as the younger sister, Tracy "Bird" Van Adams. Williams also has appeared in several television series shows such as "The Cosby Show," "Moesha" and "Sister, Sister."

"Lots of people noticed it — because the Minx nails are so major right now", Williams said. "They sparkle, they are very reflective and they definitely catch the light." Source: www.mycentraljersey.com

Mandy Moore marries Ryan Adams

Do you remember those remote times when Jake was vaguely linked to Mandy Moore? Yes, Jake has been linked to almost any Hollywood it hottie who happened to come across his way. Now Mandy has just married Ryan Adams in a small ceremony in Savannah, Georgia on Tuesday, 10th March.Newlywed Mandy Moore is featured on the April 2009 cover of Marie Claire, on stands March 17. Interview highlights below:

On ex DJ AM: “Adams is like family. [If anything's wrong,] I’d go in a heartbeat.”

On fiance husband Ryan Adams: “He’s a good egg. I’m in awe of him: his brain, his passion. He’s truly one of a kind.”
Instead, you see her mixing it up on the cred-conferring Entourage, holding her own opposite Diane Keaton in Because I Said So, and looking reasonably at home in edgy indies like Mandy Moore in "Southland Tales" (2006), directed by Richard Kelly.

Dedication, Southland Tales, and, most notably, as a wonderfully creepy queen bee in Saved! Not that any of it came easily. "I feel like I keep coming up against the same thing: They think I'm very cute and so sweet," Moore says, tucking her down parka around her lap like a blanket. "But that won't cut it anymore. I don't want to be a wallflower. I don't want to be shy. Give me the opportunity to get in the room and have a conversation as to why I know I can do this. It's OK that you see me as this person, but I'm an actress, and I'll work my ass off to play the part."

And yet . . . "It has to be right," Moore quickly adds. "I've had the opportunity to play the drug dealer who gets gang-raped, and I'm like, For what reason? Doing it just to do it? To just show people that I can be sexy or dark? I don't want to do something just to make that point. It needs to happen organically, and I'm really confident it will. I'm a pretty patient person, and I'll wait until we find the right stuff." Source: www.marieclaire.com

GET YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD OF MANDY MOORE'S I COULD BREAK YOUR HEART ANY DAY OF THE WEEK

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

"Milk" Bonus Features

BONUS FEATURES include: (both DVD & Blu-ray)
• Deleted Scenes
• Remembering Harvey - Film clips and photos from the set of Milk illustrate stories and reflections from people close to Harvey: Cleeve Jones, Daniel Nicoletta, Frank Robinson, Carol Ruth Silver, Anne Kronenberg and Allan Baird
• Hollywood Comes to San Francisco - Cast and crew discuss the development of the script, making of the film and share stories from the set
• Marching for Equality - People on hand for the shooting of the march sequences (including Gilbert Baker, Cleeve Jones, and Daniel Nicoletta) discuss the shoot and remember the marches of the 1970s

(Blu-ray only)
• BD Live — My Scenes Sharing
• BD Live — Download Center: Deleted Scenes
Source: www.dvdtown.com


"Milk" short video from Jake Weird on Vimeo.

Ang Lee remembers Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger as another tragic clown in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus ".

"The fantasy film, directed by TERRY GILLIAM, tells the story of a travelling theatre that lets the audience go through a magic mirror and explore their imaginations.

Heath plays an outsider called Tony who joins the troupe.

After his tragic death, pals JOHNNY DEPP, JUDE LAW, and COLIN FARRELL took over the character – playing Tony at different points in the film.

It’s due for release next year". Source: www.thesun.co.uk


"On January 22, the deadline-skimming day I was scheduled to interview filmmaker Ang Lee for this page, I received an email from a friend informing me that the day also happened to mark the one-year anniversary of Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger’s untimely death. -Do you remember where you were when you got the news that Heath died?

-I was landing at the Tokyo airport when I got an email from James. Heath died during my flight. That’s always strange to think about.

-What is your favorite memory of him?
-It also happens to be one of my favorite shots of my career: his “barfing” scene in Brokeback, when he was hitting the wall with his fists. We were on the third take, his fists were bleeding, he’d literally spilled all his guts, and something in the background struck me as being perfect. I think it was the clouds. I wanted to do another take, but Heath was totally exhausted. My producer said, “That’s bullshit. The actor has had enough.” But the clouds were perfect! We did another take, and after it was over, Heath said, “Wow. That felt good.”
Source: 7x7.com

Congressman Michael Burgess interview

"Topics ranged from healthcare reform and the economic crisis to the commuter rail lines in Texas. Congressman Burgess also proposed tax cuts as a remedy for the nation's economic woes.

“We've seen this before, we saw it with Kennedy, we saw it with Reagan, we saw it with Bush in 2003”, said Burgess in the interview. “You want the economy to hum, you help the people who actually make it work in the first place. And that would be… the place I would start.”

When the subject of health care reform came up, the Congressman spoke about his views on what the American people were concerned with in regards to the implementation of universal health care.

“If Medicare is the model for reform aren't we obligated to get it right first before we expand it to other populations?” asked Burgess.

Burgess believes that instead of national health care that Congress ought to be focused on the affordability of private health care.

“Affordability is really the central issue when we talk about health care”, said Burgess.

Burgess believes the universal health care run by the government would result in millions of Americans losing their health care that he believes they prefer".

Source: www.getliberty.org

Morphing into Jared Leto?

"How Did I Miss Jake Morphing Into Jared Leto?

Homoerotic soft porn king Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead, Brokeback Mountain) was recently photographed on the set of The Prince of Persia looking vastly confused/perturbed. AND SHIRTLESS.Q: Why would Jake, an Oscar-nominated indie darling, schooled in the tradition of playing melancholy/mentally disturbed/or otherwise emotionally afflicted individuals who never smile and have a 50% chance of dying by the end of any one movie, sign on to a Jerry Bruckheimer-helmed blockbuster based on a video game and full of gratituous male half-nudity?

A: So the guy can't have LAYERS?! (See Bubble Boy.)

Q: What if the plot is too stupid?

A: Directly from IMDb, Jake will be playing, "an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing A SANDSTORM THAT COULD DESTROY THE WORLD." (Caps mine, to emphasize the ridiculousness of asking the above question.)

Q: What if Jake has to wax his chest?!!!

A: CLEARLY, as seen in the above photographs, Jake has retained his dusting of downy chestal hair. Our little man! All grown up!

And now that I have tackled these tough issues, I will address a few comments that I read on The Huffington Post:

Comment: I liked this guy a lot before I saw him without a shirt.

My response: No one would ever actually say this. Ever.

Comment: He is supposed to be Persian?? He must be one heck of an actor!! :)

My response: When you think about it, that doesn't even make sense.

Comment: [in response to above] Box Office - he's a name - duh.

My response: I don't mean this in a mean way, but Jake is not exactly an opening weekend kind of guy. In fact, he's never carried a blockbuster. In fact, he probably won't carry this one...but the SANDSTORM OF DOOM MIGHT.

Comment: WHERE are his NIPPLES??!!???

My response: N/A

Comment: Nothing against Jake, but he looks ridiculous. That greasy wig! He looks like a cheap gigolo.

My response: HAHAHAHAHA! That's hilarious. But seriously, shut up, bitch, that's totally his real hair". -by the sans pareil blogscribe Prophecy Girl.
Source: blogs.myspace.com

Springsteen's drummer buys Gyllenhaals' home

BUYER: Max Weinberg
SELLERS: Naomi Foner and Stephen Gyllenhaal
LOCATION: Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: We hear it's around $3,100,000
SIZE: 2,563 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
"Naomi Foner and Stephen Gyllenhaal–that would be Jake and Maggie's parents–finally sold their Mulholland Drive house which had been listed since early in 2008.

Junebug also told Your Mama that the buyer is Max Weinberg, the well known drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band as well as the leader of late night chat king Conan O'Brien's house band. Given that the property was first listed at $4,200,000 and later reduced to $3,495,000, Your Mama imagines that while the fighting Foner/Gyllenhaals must be thrilled to finally unload their real estate white elephant, if Junebug is right, they pocketed much less than they had hoped on the 2,563 square foot house that listing information and property records indicate contains 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.Gyllenhaal/Foners have long owned a house on Martha's Vineyard and while we suspect one of the two is holed up there, we find it hard to believe both would still be occupying that single residence". Source: realstalker.blogspot.com

Gemma Arterton tongue-kissing Jake

"Gemma Arterton got "carried away" and stuck her tongue in co-star Jake Gyllenhaal's mouth while shooting their new movie.

The British actress admits she broke a strict rule while filming love scenes for their upcoming film 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'.
She explained: "There's an unspoken no-tongues rule on set. But I got so carried away, it kind of slipped out."

Despite shocking Jake - who is dating actress Reese Witherspoon - Gemma insists that her co-star should be thankful.

She added: "Everyone said I was lucky to be kissing him, but he's the lucky one!"
This is not the first time Gemma has made an embarrassing blunder while filming a love scene.

The 23-year-old star previously confessed to being a "giggling mess" when she filmed an intimate encounter with Daniel Craig for recent James Bond movie 'Quantum of Solace'.
She said: "Kissing Daniel was great - I can't pretend it wasn't. It was my first day on set and I'd only met him once before - and then suddenly we were expected to kiss.

"He was very cool and I was a giggling mess. I mumbled something like, 'I just kissed you!' and he just coolly said, 'Yes, you did. And now we have to do it again.' Fortunately, he's an incredible kisser". Source: www.myparkmag.co.uk

If I were Reese, I'd be red-faced crazily jealous right now, I guess it's inevitable flirting a bit when you're shooting these heated or romantic scenes, but it seems Gemma crossed the line with gusto!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Nick & Norah different from the novel

Read my review of the book "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" again.

"The book I speak of is 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. A basic synopsis goes like this:

Tortured emo boy meets equally tortured indie girl. Boy and girl make out at boy's show. Hijinks follows with both boy and girl's exes, good international food, burlesque with nuns and hotel rooms.

Suffice to say it's a GREAT book.

HOWEVER
Michael Cera splits the starring role with Kat Dennings as Nick and Norah respectively. Michael Cera is SO WRONG for this role. Yes, we saw in Juno that he pulls off tortured very well. But, as much as I hate to say it, HE'S NOT EMO ENOUGH!!!! UGH!!! He is described in the book as being a huge hipster...where's the lady bangs? Where's the tight, artfully ripped girl jeans? Where's the scenester band guy I've come to know and love??? Ugh. They could have gotten some fabulous up and coming actor...HELL they could have gotten ROBERT PATTINSON for all I care.
And Kat Dennings...sorry girl. I loved you in Charlie Bartlett...but you're TOO pretty to be Norah. And you're not NEARLY icy enough. YOU ARE supposed to be playing the Tin Woman here. A little more ice would be nice!!!
Tris isn't slutty enough, Caroline spends WAY too much time in the trailer [...]
And WHAT is with the emphasis on Caroline?? She's BACKGROUND. She DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH AS NICK AND NORAH'S PAINFULLY AWKWARD BUT PASSIONATELY LOVING RELATIONSHIP! She DOES NOT get lost in the city and 'meet Jesus' whilst being drunk. EVER. I mean yeah, I haven't read the book in a while, BUT I KNOW THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

In short: Nick's not emo enough, Norah is supposed to be more plain and endearing, Tris isn't slutty enough, Caroline gets WAY too much air time, and where the fuck is Tal?"

Source: st-jimmyhavok.livejournal.com

"Brokeback Mountain" on Blu-ray

"On a purely cinematic level, 'Brokeback Mountain' never seems to take a wrong step. Here is an example of a filmmaking team firing on all cylinders. Every aspect of the production excels, yet does not overpower the whole -- the writing, the direction, the cinematography, the performances, the score and on down the line. And that's really saying something, when you consider that 'Brokeback' could be the career best for all involved. Director Ang Lee, who took home an Oscar for 'Brokeback,' was the perfect choice to portray a story about characters who can't address their feelings. 'Sense & Sensibility,' 'The Ice Storm,' 'The Wedding Banquet,' even 'Hulk' -- they are all strands of the same thematic thread, but never has Lee evoked the tortures of repressed passions as beautifully as in 'Brokeback.' The actors are also, dare I say, revelations. Yes, that is an overused critical phrase, but few could have ever expected such a level of subtlety, perception and restraint from Ledger and Gyllenhaal".Not to mention fellow Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (forever erasing any memory of 'Dawson's Creek'), and Anne Hathaway, who with one immensely powerful last scene, facilitates a whole new understanding of the film with just a flitter of the eye and a few simple pauses between words. Finally, we can't forget screenwriters Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, who will likely never be able to write another such perfectly modulated, perceptive script as this.Long after the endless parade of lame "gay cowboy" jokes and pointless bickering about awards tallies are over, I think the film will easily stand on its own as a landmark cinematic achievement. 'Brokeback Mountain' will last because it is about not about issues, but the human condition itself. It leaves us both haunted by the prejudices that doomed the lovers of Brokeback Mountain, and emboldened into believing that our society can, at last, rise above them.

The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

'Brokeback Mountain' on Blu-ray trails the HD DVD release by a couple of years, but packs no new surprises. The film is again presented in 1.85:1 widescreen and 1080p/VC-1 video, and I could not detect any difference in the transfers. In general, this is lovely and occasionally even gorgeous presentation that suitably captures the movie's earthy, film-like texture

No, this is not a pristine presentation. There is grain throughout, but I didn't find it intrusive; rather, it adds to the experience by giving the movie a touch more grit. Colors are quite good, from the lush greens of the mountain countryside to the vivid blues and reds of the oft-cited fireworks shot used in much of the promotion for the film. Yes, hues are a bit more subtle and natural than most modern films, but colors remain stable and clean, and fleshtones lovely. Depth and detail are also excellent, particularly compared to the previous standard DVD edition. The early scenes as Jack and Ennis first meet up on the mountain are more textured and three-dimensional. Close-ups are also improved, and I could see every strand of Anne Hathaway's ever-more-hilarious hairstyles as the movie progresses.
For example, in the key scene near the end of the film as Ennis visits the Jack's parents, there is a low, almost whispery sound of the outside wind that fills the rear channels. Moments like this are eerie, haunting and highly effective. Also more active is the "fireworks" scene with Ennis, and a couple of rodeo and bar scenes. Ultimately, 'Brokeback Mountain' on Blu-ray still doesn't really overwhelm or pummel, but faithfully replicates the subtle style of the soundtrack.

The Supplements: Digging Into the Good Stuff

* Featurette: "A Groundbreaking Success" (HD, 14 minutes) - The most relevant of the new featurettes. The usual assortment of film critics and historians are trotted out to proclaim 'Brokeback' a classic, as well as what looks to be comments new and old from cast and crew (the Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal chats seem fresher, while Ang Lee's interview in particular appears dated). Unfortunately, at only 14 minutes, this barely scratches the surface. I read interviews with Ledger and Gyllenhaal, both of whom said they got letters from fans whose lives were changed by the film. Where is this kind of emotional material? How about some genuinely insightful perspective on how 'Brokeback' has influenced the political landscape for gays and lesbians in America? Or the backlash against the film? 'Brokeback Mountain' is the kind of hot-button movie tailor-made for a substantial documentary, but sadly, this isn't it.

* Featurette: "Music from the Mountain" (HD, 11 minutes) - Next we have this nice look at the making of the film's score, although I only really liked it because of the vibrant personality of composer Gustavo Santaolalla. He's passionate and enthusiastic, and having won an Oscar for his efforts, certainly deserves his own featurette.

* Still Montage (HD, 3 minutes) - "Impressions from the Film" is total fluff -- a nearly 3-minute montage of movie stills over excerpts from Santaolalla's score. How about a real still gallery, with never-before-seen production and publicity photos? Maybe Universal is saving that for the next special edition?

* Original Featurettes (SD, 25 minutes) - The remaining extras are all from the first 'Brokeback' release and will already be familiar (i.e., boring) to fans. "Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee" (8 minutes), "From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana" (10 minutes) and "On Being a Cowboy" (6 minutes) are pretty good, but were clearly produced before the film was released and offer no perspective on the film's impact. A bonus is that even supporting cast are interviewed, including Randy Quaid, Linda Cardellini and Anne Hathaway. This fluff might be fairly interesting if you'd never heard anything about 'Brokeback Mountain,' but it's just a yawner otherwise.

* TV Special (SD, 22 minutes) - Finally, there is the Logo television special "Sharing the Story: The Making of 'Brokeback Mountain,'" which runs 22 minutes. This, too, has been played so incessantly on cable that it's now yawn-inducing. More interviews with all the cast & crew and plenty of on-set footage make it a good little TV doc on its own terms, but this is old news if you've already seen it on TV, or on the original DVD release.

Source: bluray.highdefdigest.com

Dakota Fanning as Cheri in The Runaways

"Dakota Fanning is negotiating to play lead singer Cheri Currie in "The Runaways" the biopic of the '70s all-girl band that already has "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart playing Joan Jett.

Scripted and directed by Floria Sigismondi, the film begins production in late spring.
At 15, Fanning is the same age Currie was when she made her debut with the Runaways as the lead singer who belted out hard-edged tunes like "Cherry Bomb." Currie became caught up in drugs and a hard-partying lifestyle.

John and Art Linson are producing with River Road Entertainment's Bill Pohlad, with Jett serving as exec producer.Fanning, who most recently starred in "The Secret Life of Bees" and "Push," and voiced "Coraline," is also booked to play a vampire in the "Twilight" sequel "New Moon." Source: www.variety.com

Dakota Fanning could pass as Amanda Seyfried's little sister.

Environmental policies

"A nationally-recognized Washington Post environmental reporter spoke in Moscow Monday. Juliet Eilperin’s headlining presentation was held at the 1912 Center. She spoke about the environmental policies of President Barack Obama, specifically whether or not she believes he will be able to follow through with environmental promises made during his campaign. “This is a rare opportunity for an inside-the-Beltway perspective from one of the country’s top environmental reporters,” said Kenton Bird, director of the School of Journalism and Mass Media. “Juliet Eilperin will help us better understand how well President Obama will be able to implement his agenda for the environment, including climate change, public lands and the Endangered Species Act.”She graduated from Princeton University in 1992 after working on her undergraduate thesis in Mexico City. After college, she lived in Seoul, South Korea for a year on a fellowship. She began reporting for the Washington Post in 1994 as its House of Representatives reporter and has been the Post’s national environmental reporter since 2004.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Salma Hayek at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, on 22th February 22, 2009.She ventured to the Arctic with Salma Hayek and Jake Gyllenhaal to investigate climate change, and traveled with Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential race.

Eilperin said her background in politics helped her with her environmental reporting, especially while on the campaign trail.

She published her first book, “Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives.”

“Congress isn’t a representation of the people … because of how we draw congressional lines”, she said".
Source: www.uiargonaut.com