list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Devil Wears Prada on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Devil_Wears_Prada/269878/default.aspx Title: The Devil Wears Prada
Year: 2006
Director: David Frankel
Plot: Lauren Weisberger's best-selling novel about a young woman who stumbles into the hectic worlds of high fashion and publishing comes to the big screen in this comedy. Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a bright young woman from the Midwest who has just graduated from college and wants to work as a magazine writer. Andy has applied for a job at "Runway," America's most prestigious fashion journal; though Andy has little to no interest in the garment trade, they are one of the only magazines in New York with a job opening -- second assistant to editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). As Andy quickly learns, Miranda is a diva with plenty of power within the magazine business and she isn't afraid to use it, and though Andy lands the job (primarily by being in the right place at the right time), she soon learns that working for Miranda could test the patience of a saint thanks to her endless demands and refusal to acknowledge the end of a work day. Andy struggles to hold on to the job and her sanity, knowing that a recommendation from Miranda can open nearly any door at any magazine, but can she handle the pressure without losing her mind along the way? The Devil Wears Prada also stars Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, and Adrian Grenier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 110
Number of Lists: 54
Number of blog posts: 21
Number of discussion threads: 7
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:37:45 GMTThe Devil Wears Prada2006David FrankelLauren Weisberger's best-selling novel about a young woman who stumbles into the hectic worlds of high fashion and publishing comes to the big screen in this comedy. Andrea "Andy" Sachs (<a href="/players/P___292630/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Anne Hathaway</a>) is a bright young woman from the Midwest who has just graduated from college and wants to work as a magazine writer. Andy has applied for a job at "Runway," America's most prestigious fashion journal; though Andy has little to no interest in the garment trade, they are one of the only magazines in New York with a job opening -- second assistant to editor Miranda Priestly (<a href="/players/P____68676/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Meryl Streep</a>). As Andy quickly learns, Miranda is a diva with plenty of power within the magazine business and she isn't afraid to use it, and though Andy lands the job (primarily by being in the right place at the right time), she soon learns that working for Miranda could test the patience of a saint thanks to her endless demands and refusal to acknowledge the end of a work day. Andy struggles to hold on to the job and her sanity, knowing that a recommendation from Miranda can open nearly any door at any magazine, but can she handle the pressure without losing her mind along the way? The Devil Wears Prada also stars <a href="/players/P____72023/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Stanley Tucci</a>, <a href="/players/P___412768/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Emily Blunt</a>, and <a href="/players/P___263351/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Adrian Grenier</a>. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide110Tag Target (>10)542173http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t89129cm8jw.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Devil_Wears_Prada/269878/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Sundance_Documentaries/643/40032/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: rjsprague
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 1/28/2009 3:37:45 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] Tyson Never was into boxing and frankly any mention of the guy creeps me out, but it might be interesting to hear some of the wacky stuff he has to talk about. Art & Copy I'm thinking it's gonna be like Mad Men, but less sex. The September Issue Again, like The Devil Wears Prada, but less sex. We Live In Public Crazy rich people are always interesting to watch. When You're Strange Love The Doors and Tom DiCillo so I'm hoping this will be good. [/quote] Interesting choices. I also was fascinated by the Tyson doc. I was equally interested in When You're Strange and It Might Get Loud, but not enough to put them above my other selections. There is something about the whole environmental doc that seems to get me. I guess I feel that it is somehow related to some kind of apocryphal literature I've read, or something.
]]>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:37:45 GMTrjspragueCommunity Recommendations1/28/2009 3:37:45 PM[quote user="mercurial"] Tyson Never was into boxing and frankly any mention of the guy creeps me out, but it might be interesting to hear some of the wacky stuff he has to talk about. Art &amp; Copy I'm thinking it's gonna be like Mad Men, but less sex. The September Issue Again, like The Devil Wears Prada, but less sex. We Live In Public Crazy rich people are always interesting to watch. When You're Strange Love The Doors and Tom DiCillo so I'm hoping this will be good. [/quote] Interesting choices. I also was fascinated by the Tyson doc. I was equally interested in When You're Strange and It Might Get Loud, but not enough to put them above my other selections. There is something about the whole environmental doc that seems to get me. I guess I feel that it is somehow related to some kind of apocryphal literature I've read, or something. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Sundance_Documentaries/643/39934/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 1/26/2009 7:01:54 PM
Body: Tyson Never was into boxing and frankly any mention of the guy creeps me out, but it might be interesting to hear some of the wacky stuff he has to talk about. Art & Copy I'm thinking it's gonna be like Mad Men, but less sex. The September Issue Again, like The Devil Wears Prada, but less sex. We Live In Public Crazy rich people are always interesting to watch. When You're Strange Love The Doors and Tom DiCillo so I'm hoping this will be good.
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:01:54 GMTmercurialCommunity Recommendations1/26/2009 7:01:54 PMTyson Never was into boxing and frankly any mention of the guy creeps me out, but it might be interesting to hear some of the wacky stuff he has to talk about. Art &amp; Copy I'm thinking it's gonna be like Mad Men, but less sex. The September Issue Again, like The Devil Wears Prada, but less sex. We Live In Public Crazy rich people are always interesting to watch. When You're Strange Love The Doors and Tom DiCillo so I'm hoping this will be good. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_10_Scene_Stealers/190/39504/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: flair
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/14/2009 1:11:11 AM
Body: Any reason why this list of Top 10 Scene stealers took a turn toward testosterone? Here's some women who stand out even in strong casts: For redress, here's: 1) Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) 2) Sarah Polley in Go (1999) 3) Arsinée Khanjian in The Sweet Hereafter (1997) 4) Kerry Washington in The Dead Girl (2006) 5) Jenny Seagrove in Local Hero (1983) 6) Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice (1988) 7) Cher in Silkwood (1983) 8) Jane Birkin in La Belle Noiseuse (1991) 9) Natasha Richardson in A Month in the Country (1987) 10) Christina Hendricks in anything, including Firefly: Serenity, Part 1 (2002)
]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:11:11 GMTflairTop 51/14/2009 1:11:11 AMAny reason why this list of Top 10 Scene stealers took a turn toward testosterone? Here's some women who stand out even in strong casts: For redress, here's: 1) Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) 2) Sarah Polley in Go (1999) 3) Arsin&eacute;e Khanjian in The Sweet Hereafter (1997) 4) Kerry Washington in The Dead Girl (2006) 5) Jenny Seagrove in Local Hero (1983) 6) Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice (1988) 7) Cher in Silkwood (1983) 8) Jane Birkin in La Belle Noiseuse (1991) 9) Natasha Richardson in A Month in the Country (1987) 10) Christina Hendricks in anything, including Firefly: Serenity, Part 1 (2002) http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/17/38505.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/17/2008 6:00:27 PM
Body: One of the many things Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did this week — instead of resigning from his position, as many people desired — was sign into law an increase on tax credits for films produced in his state. So, it should be only appropriate, and somewhat bittersweet, for the inevitable movie about his life and corruption hearings to be shot there. Now that we’ve got a location for the film, it’s time to cast the players in Blogojevich’s scandalous tale. The Washington Post has already published a list of possible actors to portray the lead (John Travolta, Sean Astin, Gary Cole, Stephen Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Ray Liotta, Charlie Sheen, Mike Myers and Steve Carrell), but more difficult than casting Blogojevich (see our pick below) is determining what other significant figures should be prominently featured. A straight biopic calls for way too many characters, so we’ve narrowed the film down to focus on just Blagojevich’s arrest and subsequent (forthcoming) trial. As always, if there’s another character to be included or another thespian suited to a role we’ve cast, chime in with a comment. Also, due to the fact that we’ve previously done posts about Barack Obama casting, let’s just assume that he’ll only be portrayed by a voice on the phone, a la Al Gore in Recount. Sam Rockwell as Governor Rod Blogojevich The perfect look-a-like casting choice would be former Attorney General Janet Reno, but Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon) is also a pretty close match. The actor has already played a lot of sleazy characters, including the lead role in Choke, for which he was recently named one of the “most offensive male characters” of 2008 by the Women Film Critics Circle. Rockwell also has experience portraying a conceited and delusional celebrity in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. If that actor-director pair could link up again for this movie, Rockwell could certainly be looking at his first well-deserved Oscar nomination. Mary Lynn Rajskub as Patti Blogojevich Rockwell is a tad young for the role of Blogojevich, so it’s fair that we also aim younger in casting the actress to play Illinois’ First Lady. Few women are more perfect for the part than Mary Lynn Rajskub (TV’s 24), who is about 8 years Blogojevich’s junior, anyway. Talented for playing cranky and/or two-faced women (mainly we’re thinking of her character in Punch-Drunk Love), she would be excellent as the allegedly foul-mouthed wife of the Governor. Mario Van Peebles as U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. Fittingly the son of an important African American leader (though being an icon of black cinema is admittedly not quite the same as being an icon of the civil rights movement), Mario Van Peebles (Ali) is conversely too old to play this part, especially since Jackson looks a lot younger than he is. But he’s a great, underrated actor (too good for All My Children, that’s for sure) and he could easily pull off a portrayal of the congressman, who was one of the contenders for Barack Obama’s now-vacant Senate seat, and who has apparently been a longtime informant to feds regarding Blagojevich’s shady dealings. Martin Donovan as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald One idea for the part of the federal prosecutor in this case is Richard “John Boy” Thomas. He does look a little more like Fitzgerald, but Martin Donovan (Saved!)  got the Irish-American thing going for him, and it would be more interesting to see if he can do the Brooklyn accent. Plus, Donovan often works with Mary-Louise Parker, who would be perfect for the part of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan if she were an included character in the film. Brian Cox (or Albert Finney) as Defense Attorney Ed Genson An immediate idea following a Google image search was to jokingly cast actor Kevin Scannell, who played wheelchair-bound lawyer “Gar Girard” in The Player. But as it turns out, contrary to most photos available on the web, Genson no longer has such a handicap. So, a more appropriate suggestion for the famously tough lawyer (often called “the bulldog of the court room”), who formerly won R. Kelly’s child-pornography trial and who will now defend Blagojevich, is The Bourne Identy’s Brian Cox (not ever called “the bulldog of cinema,” though he should be). Or, in the event that you too think he’s easily interchangeable with Cox, Albert Finney (The Bourne Ultimatum) would also be suitable. Whichever of the two is cast, he’ll have to either get Genson’s accent down or have his dialogue overdubbed by William Hurt. James Woods as Lt. Governor Pat Quinn He may not really look like Quinn, but James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) is terrific at changing his appearance for Oscar-worthy supporting roles. This might not be a big enough part for an actor of his stature, but he’d be great at aping the wide-eyed expressions Quinn does when speaking publicly. Stanley Tucci as Antoin “Tony” Rezko It’s not certain yet if convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko will be involved in Blagojevich’s trial, though his testimonial would serve the prosecution well. If he is a major player, then Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada), with a puffy makeup job and fake mustache, should fill the role. Although Tucci is not Syrian like Rezko, he did once play a Middle Eastern assassin in The Pelican Brief. William Petersen as John Harris As Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff, who resigned from his position after his joint arrest with the governor last week, William Petersen (TV’s CSI) would callback to his similar role as a political scandal figure in The Contender. “The Football” as Itself One of the harshest punishments for Blagojevich would be for the feds to deny the Governor his beloved hairbrush, which is nicknamed “The Football” (after a term used for the president’s possession of bomb codes). Then, producers of the Blagojevich film should purchase the item for a cameo appearance. Because, as the Governor would declare, there’s no substitute for it. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:00:27 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/17/2008 6:00:27 PMOne of the many things Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did this week — instead of resigning from his position, as many people desired — was sign into law an increase on tax credits for films produced in his state. So, it should be only appropriate, and somewhat bittersweet, for the inevitable movie about his life and corruption hearings to be shot there. Now that we’ve got a location for the film, it’s time to cast the players in Blogojevich’s scandalous tale. The Washington Post has already published a list of possible actors to portray the lead (John Travolta, Sean Astin, Gary Cole, Stephen Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Ray Liotta, Charlie Sheen, Mike Myers and Steve Carrell), but more difficult than casting Blogojevich (see our pick below) is determining what other significant figures should be prominently featured. A straight biopic calls for way too many characters, so we’ve narrowed the film down to focus on just Blagojevich’s arrest and subsequent (forthcoming) trial. As always, if there’s another character to be included or another thespian suited to a role we’ve cast, chime in with a comment. Also, due to the fact that we’ve previously done posts about Barack Obama casting, let’s just assume that he’ll only be portrayed by a voice on the phone, a la Al Gore in Recount. Sam Rockwell as Governor Rod Blogojevich The perfect look-a-like casting choice would be former Attorney General Janet Reno, but Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon) is also a pretty close match. The actor has already played a lot of sleazy characters, including the lead role in Choke, for which he was recently named one of the “most offensive male characters” of 2008 by the Women Film Critics Circle. Rockwell also has experience portraying a conceited and delusional celebrity in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. If that actor-director pair could link up again for this movie, Rockwell could certainly be looking at his first well-deserved Oscar nomination. Mary Lynn Rajskub as Patti Blogojevich Rockwell is a tad young for the role of Blogojevich, so it’s fair that we also aim younger in casting the actress to play Illinois’ First Lady. Few women are more perfect for the part than Mary Lynn Rajskub (TV’s 24), who is about 8 years Blogojevich’s junior, anyway. Talented for playing cranky and/or two-faced women (mainly we’re thinking of her character in Punch-Drunk Love), she would be excellent as the allegedly foul-mouthed wife of the Governor. Mario Van Peebles as U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. Fittingly the son of an important African American leader (though being an icon of black cinema is admittedly not quite the same as being an icon of the civil rights movement), Mario Van Peebles (Ali) is conversely too old to play this part, especially since Jackson looks a lot younger than he is. But he’s a great, underrated actor (too good for All My Children, that’s for sure) and he could easily pull off a portrayal of the congressman, who was one of the contenders for Barack Obama’s now-vacant Senate seat, and who has apparently been a longtime informant to feds regarding Blagojevich’s shady dealings. Martin Donovan as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald One idea for the part of the federal prosecutor in this case is Richard “John Boy” Thomas. He does look a little more like Fitzgerald, but Martin Donovan (Saved!)  got the Irish-American thing going for him, and it would be more interesting to see if he can do the Brooklyn accent. Plus, Donovan often works with Mary-Louise Parker, who would be perfect for the part of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan if she were an included character in the film. Brian Cox (or Albert Finney) as Defense Attorney Ed Genson An immediate idea following a Google image search was to jokingly cast actor Kevin Scannell, who played wheelchair-bound lawyer “Gar Girard” in The Player. But as it turns out, contrary to most photos available on the web, Genson no longer has such a handicap. So, a more appropriate suggestion for the famously tough lawyer (often called “the bulldog of the court room”), who formerly won R. Kelly’s child-pornography trial and who will now defend Blagojevich, is The Bourne Identy’s Brian Cox (not ever called “the bulldog of cinema,” though he should be). Or, in the event that you too think he’s easily interchangeable with Cox, Albert Finney (The Bourne Ultimatum) would also be suitable. Whichever of the two is cast, he’ll have to either get Genson’s accent down or have his dialogue overdubbed by William Hurt. James Woods as Lt. Governor Pat Quinn He may not really look like Quinn, but James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) is terrific at changing his appearance for Oscar-worthy supporting roles. This might not be a big enough part for an actor of his stature, but he’d be great at aping the wide-eyed expressions Quinn does when speaking publicly. Stanley Tucci as Antoin “Tony” Rezko It’s not certain yet if convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko will be involved in Blagojevich’s trial, though his testimonial would serve the prosecution well. If he is a major player, then Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada), with a puffy makeup job and fake mustache, should fill the role. Although Tucci is not Syrian like Rezko, he did once play a Middle Eastern assassin in The Pelican Brief. William Petersen as John Harris As Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff, who resigned from his position after his joint arrest with the governor last week, William Petersen (TV’s CSI) would callback to his similar role as a political scandal figure in The Contender. “The Football” as Itself One of the harshest punishments for Blagojevich would be for the feds to deny the Governor his beloved hairbrush, which is nicknamed “The Football” (after a term used for the president’s possession of bomb codes). Then, producers of the Blagojevich film should purchase the item for a cameo appearance. Because, as the Governor would declare, there’s no substitute for it. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/13/36265.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/13/2008 4:00:59 PM
Body: In a crowded year for Best Actress contention, Anne Hathaway could be the only first-timer to receive an Oscar nomination in the lead category, possibly going up against mainstays such as her Devil Wears Prada costar Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet, as well as the less-nominated vets Nicole Kidman and Kristen Scott Thomas. Her main competition for the outsider, dark horse position is Frozen River’s Melissa Leo (who may benefit from her film’s initiatory screener campaign even though River’s theatrical release was early and hardly noticed), and Happy-Go-Lucky’s Sally Hawkins, whose film just debuted to favorable reviews citing her brilliant (as in talented and bright) performance. But Hathaway is sure to be the victor –– even though her performance in Rachel Getting Married is hardly deserving of such an honor. The Oscar buzz for Hathaway has been high for weeks now, enough that the actress apparently joked about it in her Saturday Night Live monologue earlier this month (I thought of it as less a current-year expectation than a general career goal, but it’s made Risky Biz Blog’s Steven Zeitchik compare Hathaway to Catherine O’Hara’s buzz-afflicted character in For Your Consideration). The fact that she’s a well-known movie star should make Hathaway’s buzz continually more reportable by the press and more noticeable by both the public and the voters, which gives her some advantage over Leo and Hawkins in terms of cultural consciousness. As much as the Academy loves Streep and Winslet (and Kidman and Cate Blanchett), and as much as voters like an Oscar comeback from a relatively M.I.A. past nominee like Scott Thomas (see Julie Christie, Sissy Spacek, Ellen Burstyn, etc.), the Academy really seems to have a thing for young, pretty, popular actresses who suddenly find their (probably once-in-a-lifetime) Oscar-worthy role. Hathaway will follow the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Elizabeth Shue, Helen Hunt, Renee Zellweger, Reese Witherspoon, Ellen Page, Charlize Theron and Keira Knightley (not to mention all of those in the Supporting Actress category), some of who have actually gone on to more nominations and therefore proven themselves deserving of their original transition into Oscar territory. However, for Hathaway it isn’t simply about box office beauties who take a pay cut and/or go bad (or at least more adult), as Tom O’Neill claims. If it were that easy, Hathaway should have been nominated for Havoc or Brokeback Mountain. Instead it’s more to do with the Oscar-favored tradition of recognizing the serious turn from the beauty-stripped Hollywood princess. And it helps Hathaway that Rachel Getting Married is additionally a strong film with countless strong performances, among which she stands out the most. But does she stand out because she’s that much better or because she’s that much more famous? To call Hathaway’s costars in Rachel comparative unknowns is a bit of an understatement. Plus, there’s the matter of Hathaway standing out because her character selfishly butts her way into attention-seeking situations. Yet despite this trait in her character and the basic plot of the film, a less-celebrated actress might have seemed more a part of the ensemble while still being the focal point of the story. It’s easy to notice Hathaway’s performance when you’re constantly reminded, thanks to star status, that it’s Hathaway as you’ve never seen her before. The sudden display of Oscar-worthy talent is what needs to be questioned, because oftentimes a surprisingly great turn by an otherwise fine actress is more the handiwork of the director than the actor or actress. Rachel helmer Jonathan Demme has a long history of nudging merely decent actors toward a nomination. Some of his one-hit-wonders include Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard), Christine Lahti (Swing Shift) and Dean Stockwell (Married to the Mob), and, of course, he’s the guy who first really convinced us that Tom Hanks could be a serious actor with Philadelphia. Demme shows his talent as an actor’s director best with Rachel, as the majority of the film’s cast could just as well receive Oscar buzz if only they had more familiar names or faces. Even Oscar vet Debra Winger might have had a better shot at another nomination if she were more recognizable (seeing Rachel at a matinee filled with old folks had me hearing the “is that…?” question almost as much as I heard it during Tropic Thunder). It’s actually a bit of a shock that relative newcomer Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays the film’s titular role, appears to be gaining heat in the Supporting Actress race, though that category’s major contenders include a number of unfamiliar names, according to In Contention’s Oscar Prediction Chart. Without Demme’s direction, Hathaway might not have delivered the goods, as possibly evidenced in her lack of Oscar notice for Brokeback Mountain. Ang Lee is hardly an actor’s director, and yet Hathaway’s three main costars in that film (Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Williams) were each nominated by the Academy. Hathaway also stood out in that film, mostly as miscast and out-of-her-element, but she was extremely overshadowed performance-wise. A year later, she was upstaged in Prada by Streep, who went on to receive her 14th nomination. Now, with Rachel, she’s the upstager, but it’ll only be enough to get her into the pool of nominees.  Up against Streep and the other more experienced contenders, her celebrity alone won’t help her actually win. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:00:59 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/13/2008 4:00:59 PMIn a crowded year for Best Actress contention, Anne Hathaway could be the only first-timer to receive an Oscar nomination in the lead category, possibly going up against mainstays such as her Devil Wears Prada costar Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet, as well as the less-nominated vets Nicole Kidman and Kristen Scott Thomas. Her main competition for the outsider, dark horse position is Frozen River’s Melissa Leo (who may benefit from her film’s initiatory screener campaign even though River’s theatrical release was early and hardly noticed), and Happy-Go-Lucky’s Sally Hawkins, whose film just debuted to favorable reviews citing her brilliant (as in talented and bright) performance. But Hathaway is sure to be the victor –– even though her performance in Rachel Getting Married is hardly deserving of such an honor. The Oscar buzz for Hathaway has been high for weeks now, enough that the actress apparently joked about it in her Saturday Night Live monologue earlier this month (I thought of it as less a current-year expectation than a general career goal, but it’s made Risky Biz Blog’s Steven Zeitchik compare Hathaway to Catherine O’Hara’s buzz-afflicted character in For Your Consideration). The fact that she’s a well-known movie star should make Hathaway’s buzz continually more reportable by the press and more noticeable by both the public and the voters, which gives her some advantage over Leo and Hawkins in terms of cultural consciousness. As much as the Academy loves Streep and Winslet (and Kidman and Cate Blanchett), and as much as voters like an Oscar comeback from a relatively M.I.A. past nominee like Scott Thomas (see Julie Christie, Sissy Spacek, Ellen Burstyn, etc.), the Academy really seems to have a thing for young, pretty, popular actresses who suddenly find their (probably once-in-a-lifetime) Oscar-worthy role. Hathaway will follow the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Elizabeth Shue, Helen Hunt, Renee Zellweger, Reese Witherspoon, Ellen Page, Charlize Theron and Keira Knightley (not to mention all of those in the Supporting Actress category), some of who have actually gone on to more nominations and therefore proven themselves deserving of their original transition into Oscar territory. However, for Hathaway it isn’t simply about box office beauties who take a pay cut and/or go bad (or at least more adult), as Tom O’Neill claims. If it were that easy, Hathaway should have been nominated for Havoc or Brokeback Mountain. Instead it’s more to do with the Oscar-favored tradition of recognizing the serious turn from the beauty-stripped Hollywood princess. And it helps Hathaway that Rachel Getting Married is additionally a strong film with countless strong performances, among which she stands out the most. But does she stand out because she’s that much better or because she’s that much more famous? To call Hathaway’s costars in Rachel comparative unknowns is a bit of an understatement. Plus, there’s the matter of Hathaway standing out because her character selfishly butts her way into attention-seeking situations. Yet despite this trait in her character and the basic plot of the film, a less-celebrated actress might have seemed more a part of the ensemble while still being the focal point of the story. It’s easy to notice Hathaway’s performance when you’re constantly reminded, thanks to star status, that it’s Hathaway as you’ve never seen her before. The sudden display of Oscar-worthy talent is what needs to be questioned, because oftentimes a surprisingly great turn by an otherwise fine actress is more the handiwork of the director than the actor or actress. Rachel helmer Jonathan Demme has a long history of nudging merely decent actors toward a nomination. Some of his one-hit-wonders include Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard), Christine Lahti (Swing Shift) and Dean Stockwell (Married to the Mob), and, of course, he’s the guy who first really convinced us that Tom Hanks could be a serious actor with Philadelphia. Demme shows his talent as an actor’s director best with Rachel, as the majority of the film’s cast could just as well receive Oscar buzz if only they had more familiar names or faces. Even Oscar vet Debra Winger might have had a better shot at another nomination if she were more recognizable (seeing Rachel at a matinee filled with old folks had me hearing the “is that…?” question almost as much as I heard it during Tropic Thunder). It’s actually a bit of a shock that relative newcomer Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays the film’s titular role, appears to be gaining heat in the Supporting Actress race, though that category’s major contenders include a number of unfamiliar names, according to In Contention’s Oscar Prediction Chart. Without Demme’s direction, Hathaway might not have delivered the goods, as possibly evidenced in her lack of Oscar notice for Brokeback Mountain. Ang Lee is hardly an actor’s director, and yet Hathaway’s three main costars in that film (Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Williams) were each nominated by the Academy. Hathaway also stood out in that film, mostly as miscast and out-of-her-element, but she was extremely overshadowed performance-wise. A year later, she was upstaged in Prada by Streep, who went on to receive her 14th nomination. Now, with Rachel, she’s the upstager, but it’ll only be enough to get her into the pool of nominees.  Up against Streep and the other more experienced contenders, her celebrity alone won’t help her actually win. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/17/35252.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/17/2008 3:01:17 PM
Body: Anna Hathaway has come a long way since The Princess Diaries, although speaking to her in person you sort of forget everything she’s done, from Brokeback Mountain to The Devil Wears Prada and now Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married, because she still looks like that young girl thrust into the role of suddenly becoming a princess. Although she might look the same, she’s definitely matured in both her acting and how she handles a press room. Read on to find out about her role as Kym in the movie, why she isn’t entirely satisfied with her previous acting roles, and what she’s doing next. You were in Venice and now in Toronto, and the film was well received in both places. How was that? I am not going to lie: two standing ovations at the world’s premier film festivals makes for a very good week [laughs]. I think, I need to stop celebrating with champagne now. Was this the kind of role you’d been waiting on for awhile? Meryl Streep said best––as she often does say best––that you do the best work you can from the material that is available. I am so thrilled that this part came my way. This is the kind of role, the reason why I became an actress. And of course I’ve loved the rest of my career and had so much fun working on these roles and had fun exploring other people, but this one, it is not “Oh, it is the one I have been waiting for,” but it is why I became an actor. And you don’t get roles like this every single time and I don’t expect to get a role like this every single time, but I am happy that I did get it and that apparently I executed it well. And quite frankly, I am proud of my own work in this and I have never ever ever been able to say that to myself about another performance. Are you happy with your performance in this? I hope it doesn’t make me sound conceited: I am really satisfied. I worked really hard on this character for a year and to have my intentions represented on screen exactly as I imagined them is overwhelming and I have never had that before. It is very heart wrenching to watch the movie and the performance, how much did you have to go into those emotions and how you were able really to let yourself be happy? It is a funny thing, and I am going to sound like such a pretentious actor and please excuse me, but from the second I read the script, it is like Kym and I were locked together and I just knew who she was and how she felt. I didn’t have to torture myself to feel a certain way. It wasn’t about me, it was never about me, it was always about her and she made sense to me.

I think, the hardest thing is sometimes when the script tells you to cry and you don’t feel like the character or feel a certain way and you don’t feel like the character’s earned it. Kym’s earned everything that she has and the good and the bad and the extremely extremely painful. And so, it always made sense to me that  and she is a dramatic person. She is an emotional person. She is just an incredibly well constructed character and as a result, she never felt like work. And like I said, I never had to beat myself up in order to get her to cry. Kym seems so far away from the Anne Hathaway we’ve come to know… I know, doesn’t she? Is she that far away from where you are? She is closer than anybody’s ever thought. [laughter] Is this the first time in your life where you’re not trying to please other people? Yeah, that is exactly where I am at in my life right now [laughs] actually. What changed that? I am sure it has a lot to do with my age and you know, just kind of… But, I have really… For the first time in my life, I am really comfortable in my skin. I think, I was tortured by the… Oh, my god I have just said that and bloggers are going to be like “Anne Hathaway was tortured…”

 [laughter] So, I’d like to retract that word and just say I was preoccupied with the fact that I was an actress, but I couldn’t call myself an actress to myself. I hadn’t done anything yet to earn that. And there I was out promoting it and people were complimenting me and I couldn’t accept it because it was just not true to me and I’ve all of a sudden now I have done work that I am proud off. I have done something that I believe in. I have done something that I worked really hard at and feel fulfilled by and feel satisfied by. And there was a clear delineation in my life before I did this movie and afterwards and I felt like after I made it, I could relax because I am just like “at last, I did it, I did it, I did it,” who knows if I will ever be able to do it again and I am sure I will get freaked out about something else, but for this exact moment, I am really really happy. 

And also about Kym as a character, Kym doesn’t have a filter, which I do, I was born with one, so I am never going to be able to change that. But, Kym is really comfortable going out there and saying, “Look I am true to myself, so if you like me or you don’t, that’s your problem, but I am just me.” And I have never given myself the freedom to do that and I am kind of exploring that for the first time in my life and I am really liking it. 

[laughter] Did you try to remove that filter? Well, yes, but I think that has more to do with me being an American than a celebrity. [laughter. boy she laughs a lot.] Was it hard for you to in a case like The Devil Wears Prada where Meryl Streep got most of the limelight? No, I’m a team player, what’s good for the movie is good for me and that is my attitude about it. I have long believed and still believe that you cannot cheat your character for the sake of giving a showy performance, which means if the emotional life in your character isn’t there to give a showy performance, you don’t just give one because that’s not going to work for the film. And even if that means sacrificing what you were just talking about, that’s what you have to do, that’s what you sign up for, that’s what it means to tell a story. Do you mean that you weren’t satisfied with your previous films? There were things I would have liked to change about all my performances, but Jonathan Demme managed to get something out of me that I was really proud of and wouldn’t change a thing about. The character Kym smokes very heavily in the film. Did you take up smoking for it, or do you have a smoking habit yourself? Reformed, reformed, reformed. I will say, it was tough to leave Kym behind when the movie was done and that was a habit that was tough to leave behind. Where do you go from here? I turned around and I made the same movie 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I made a movie called Bride Wars with Kate Hudson, which is going to be like the glossiest, most commercial thing you’ve ever seen. But, it’s fun. I thought it was fun, because in it, I play one of the superlikable girls that I play, but she’s having an identity crisis about being a superlikable girl. [laughs] So, I thought it was kind of interesting. Are you campaigning this fall? Are you going on the campaign trail? I am, yeah. I’m going go with the Creative Coalition and then let them use me as they see fit. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:01:17 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/17/2008 3:01:17 PM Anna Hathaway has come a long way since The Princess Diaries, although speaking to her in person you sort of forget everything she’s done, from Brokeback Mountain to The Devil Wears Prada and now Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married, because she still looks like that young girl thrust into the role of suddenly becoming a princess. Although she might look the same, she’s definitely matured in both her acting and how she handles a press room. Read on to find out about her role as Kym in the movie, why she isn’t entirely satisfied with her previous acting roles, and what she’s doing next. You were in Venice and now in Toronto, and the film was well received in both places. How was that? I am not going to lie: two standing ovations at the world’s premier film festivals makes for a very good week [laughs]. I think, I need to stop celebrating with champagne now. Was this the kind of role you’d been waiting on for awhile? Meryl Streep said best––as she often does say best––that you do the best work you can from the material that is available. I am so thrilled that this part came my way. This is the kind of role, the reason why I became an actress. And of course I’ve loved the rest of my career and had so much fun working on these roles and had fun exploring other people, but this one, it is not “Oh, it is the one I have been waiting for,” but it is why I became an actor. And you don’t get roles like this every single time and I don’t expect to get a role like this every single time, but I am happy that I did get it and that apparently I executed it well. And quite frankly, I am proud of my own work in this and I have never ever ever been able to say that to myself about another performance. Are you happy with your performance in this? I hope it doesn’t make me sound conceited: I am really satisfied. I worked really hard on this character for a year and to have my intentions represented on screen exactly as I imagined them is overwhelming and I have never had that before. It is very heart wrenching to watch the movie and the performance, how much did you have to go into those emotions and how you were able really to let yourself be happy? It is a funny thing, and I am going to sound like such a pretentious actor and please excuse me, but from the second I read the script, it is like Kym and I were locked together and I just knew who she was and how she felt. I didn’t have to torture myself to feel a certain way. It wasn’t about me, it was never about me, it was always about her and she made sense to me.

I think, the hardest thing is sometimes when the script tells you to cry and you don’t feel like the character or feel a certain way and you don’t feel like the character’s earned it. Kym’s earned everything that she has and the good and the bad and the extremely extremely painful. And so, it always made sense to me that  and she is a dramatic person. She is an emotional person. She is just an incredibly well constructed character and as a result, she never felt like work. And like I said, I never had to beat myself up in order to get her to cry. Kym seems so far away from the Anne Hathaway we’ve come to know… I know, doesn’t she? Is she that far away from where you are? She is closer than anybody’s ever thought. [laughter] Is this the first time in your life where you’re not trying to please other people? Yeah, that is exactly where I am at in my life right now [laughs] actually. What changed that? I am sure it has a lot to do with my age and you know, just kind of… But, I have really… For the first time in my life, I am really comfortable in my skin. I think, I was tortured by the… Oh, my god I have just said that and bloggers are going to be like “Anne Hathaway was tortured…”

 [laughter] So, I’d like to retract that word and just say I was preoccupied with the fact that I was an actress, but I couldn’t call myself an actress to myself. I hadn’t done anything yet to earn that. And there I was out promoting it and people were complimenting me and I couldn’t accept it because it was just not true to me and I’ve all of a sudden now I have done work that I am proud off. I have done something that I believe in. I have done something that I worked really hard at and feel fulfilled by and feel satisfied by. And there was a clear delineation in my life before I did this movie and afterwards and I felt like after I made it, I could relax because I am just like “at last, I did it, I did it, I did it,” who knows if I will ever be able to do it again and I am sure I will get freaked out about something else, but for this exact moment, I am really really happy. 

And also about Kym as a character, Kym doesn’t have a filter, which I do, I was born with one, so I am never going to be able to change that. But, Kym is really comfortable going out there and saying, “Look I am true to myself, so if you like me or you don’t, that’s your problem, but I am just me.” And I have never given myself the freedom to do that and I am kind of exploring that for the first time in my life and I am really liking it. 

[laughter] Did you try to remove that filter? Well, yes, but I think that has more to do with me being an American than a celebrity. [laughter. boy she laughs a lot.] Was it hard for you to in a case like The Devil Wears Prada where Meryl Streep got most of the limelight? No, I’m a team player, what’s good for the movie is good for me and that is my attitude about it. I have long believed and still believe that you cannot cheat your character for the sake of giving a showy performance, which means if the emotional life in your character isn’t there to give a showy performance, you don’t just give one because that’s not going to work for the film. And even if that means sacrificing what you were just talking about, that’s what you have to do, that’s what you sign up for, that’s what it means to tell a story. Do you mean that you weren’t satisfied with your previous films? There were things I would have liked to change about all my performances, but Jonathan Demme managed to get something out of me that I was really proud of and wouldn’t change a thing about. The character Kym smokes very heavily in the film. Did you take up smoking for it, or do you have a smoking habit yourself? Reformed, reformed, reformed. I will say, it was tough to leave Kym behind when the movie was done and that was a habit that was tough to leave behind. Where do you go from here? I turned around and I made the same movie 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I made a movie called Bride Wars with Kate Hudson, which is going to be like the glossiest, most commercial thing you’ve ever seen. But, it’s fun. I thought it was fun, because in it, I play one of the superlikable girls that I play, but she’s having an identity crisis about being a superlikable girl. [laughs] So, I thought it was kind of interesting. Are you campaigning this fall? Are you going on the campaign trail? I am, yeah. I’m going go with the Creative Coalition and then let them use me as they see fit. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_September_1_Work_Sucks/625/34624/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 9/1/2008 7:42:45 PM
Body: With this Labor Day Weekend (for those of us living in the United States - sorry for those elsewhere) coming to a close, I felt it apropos to dedicate this week's theme to all the films that celebrate those hardworking people out there that flat out hate their jobs. Undoubtedly the two movies that are referenced most often when one tries to relate their hatred for their work are Office Space and Clerks. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, both films have managed to reach an almost iconic level of quotability among a relativly broad spectrum of society. For whatever reason I've been drawn to the darker side of this sub-genre of film, those films like American Psycho, Secretary, Fight Club and Waiting... (if you didn't think a movie with Dane Cook putting his pubic hair in someone's food is dark, you need to watch it again) which show the extreme lengths working a job that isn't right for you can have on your psyche. On the lighter side, The Devil Wears Prada, Empire Records, 9 to 5 , Jerry Maguire and Super Troopers are all good for a few laughs (or tears depending on your current emotional state). Lastly, I felt that The Kid Stays in the Picture was a great portrait of Hollywood and someone that managed to maintain a successful career in it without jumping out a window or going to prison. So hurry up and share you favorite work related films before you have to go to sleep in order to get your precious 7 hours before going back to the grind tomorrow where we all know you're just gonna pretend to work while you sit and browse Spout . . . or porn.
]]>Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:42:45 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme9/1/2008 7:42:45 PMWith this Labor Day Weekend (for those of us living in the United States - sorry for those elsewhere) coming to a close, I felt it apropos to dedicate this week's theme to all the films that celebrate those hardworking people out there that flat out hate their jobs. Undoubtedly the two movies that are referenced most often when one tries to relate their hatred for their work are Office Space and Clerks. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, both films have managed to reach an almost iconic level of quotability among a relativly broad spectrum of society. For whatever reason I've been drawn to the darker side of this sub-genre of film, those films like American Psycho, Secretary, Fight Club and Waiting... (if you didn't think a movie with Dane Cook putting his pubic hair in someone's food is dark, you need to watch it again) which show the extreme lengths working a job that isn't right for you can have on your psyche. On the lighter side, The Devil Wears Prada, Empire Records, 9 to 5 , Jerry Maguire and Super Troopers are all good for a few laughs (or tears depending on your current emotional state). Lastly, I felt that The Kid Stays in the Picture was a great portrait of Hollywood and someone that managed to maintain a successful career in it without jumping out a window or going to prison. So hurry up and share you favorite work related films before you have to go to sleep in order to get your precious 7 hours before going back to the grind tomorrow where we all know you're just gonna pretend to work while you sit and browse Spout . . . or porn. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/4/33522.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/4/2008 3:01:15 PM
Body: It’s funny how out of control a rumor can spin on the web. The Angelina Jolie as Catwoman “news” has to be at the top of the list of most reported unconfirmed rumors ever. And it’s sad that it’s not actually true, because after seeing Jolie in the dominatrix outfit she wears at the beginning of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’d be perfectly fine seeing her wear another tight black costume for a possible third Christopher Nolan-directed Batman movie. But who instead could play the part, if Jolie is indeed not interested, or not even offered the role (or, obviously, if Catwoman is not in the movie, as screenwriter David Goyer has apparently hinted)? One theory says that Maggie Gyllenhaal will return in the follow-up to The Dark Knight, this time donning a catsuit (Graeme at io9 strongly disputes the idea). Another terrible suggestion is to cast the too-cute Zooey Deschanel as the villainess. A far more interesting recommendation, from Catherine Bray, is Tilda Swinton. But I think the character needs to be a little sexier. Plus, I want to dismiss Bray’s idea on the principle that it’s included in the DenOfGeek list, which consists mostly of the usual hot young actress ideas that probably get thrown around for every casting decision like this. I’m actually shocked that Eva Green wasn’t anyone’s pick, as she’s one of those hot young actresses, and she’s done the “good and bad at the same time” thing in Casino Royale. She was even part of my list until a better candidate edged her out, mostly on the idea that we don’t need to see her replay Vesper Lynd in a Catwoman costume. So, who did make the cut? Check out my 10 favorites, in descending order, after the jump: 10. Halle Berry - She is a good actress, and she was a great sport in accepting her Razzie for playing the character in Catwoman, so wouldn’t it be neat if Nolan gave her a second chance at the part? It certainly fits with the nine lives thing. Plus, with a better script, better direction and, most importantly, a better outfit, the Oscar winner would do a much better job. 9. Cate Blanchett - Another Bob Dylan vs. Bob Dylan showdown! (The Dark Knight’s Christian Bale and Heath Ledger each portrayed Dylan in I’m Not There, as did Blanchett). And Nolan can round out the villain casting with Ben Whishaw as Riddler, Richard Gere as the Penguin and Marcus Carl Franklin as Anarky (or he could be Robin?). Seriously, though, after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I’m not sure we ever need to see her as another blockbuster villain. Besides, there’s other Oscar-caliber actresses who would be more enjoyable. 8. Penélope Cruz - Like this sexy Spanish lady, who I thought of for the role based on her line from Vanilla Sky, “I’ll see you in another life, when we are both cats.” Wait, would that mean Tom Cruise would have to appear as Catman? Hell, I’d deal with that if I got to see Cruz prance around with a tail attached to a form-fitting bodysuit. 7. Maggie Cheung - It’s been 12 years since Cheung wore a tight black catsuit for Assayas’ Irma Vep, but she’d still be damn hot as Catwoman. Unfortunately, she has retired from acting, last appearing in Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 and Assayas’ Clean back in 2004. 6. Rachel Weisz - Something about her wonky eyes makes me think she’d be a good Catwoman. I can’t quite explain what I mean by that. She did a fine job as an attractive yet ultimately evil character in Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, so there’s another point for her. 5. Emily Blunt - A well-meaning bitch in The Devil Wears Prada, I’d love to see Blunt do more of the same, only in a catsuit. In a way, she’s like my fill-in for the excluded Eva Green, since I continually mix up their names, and Prada costar Anne Hathaway, who too many people think is as good a choice. 4. Emily Mortimer - Basically my choice for the obscure, indie-cred slot, since I don’t agree with the Deschanel suggestion. Plus, I can see her building off her short stint as the two-faced “Phoebe” on 30 Rock in order to play a terrific villainess. 3. Emily Watson - The last of three candidates named Emily, Watson has always been my favorite love interest for Christian Bale (she’s played opposite “Batman” in Metroland and Equilibrium). Third time’s the charm, I say. 2. Marion Cotillard - I know, I’m probably including too many Oscar nominees and winners in this list, but after Ledger’s performance as The Joker, the role of Catwoman requires talent along with beauty. Besides, Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for two Academy Awards prior to playing the part in Batman Returns and Halle Berry won an Oscar before giving her Razzie-winning performance in Catowman. So, as the most recent recipient of the Best Actress trophy, the chameleon-like star of La Vie en Rose seems the most appropriate. Oh, and some guy already did a rendering of what she’d look like. 1. Sean Young - The part she always wanted. And what fun it would be for Catwoman to be an older woman. You know, as in a cougar. Which is a kind of cat. There have been crazier ideas — though maybe not crazier actresses. However, Young’s unstable personality should make for an unpredictable and unbeatable performance. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:01:15 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/4/2008 3:01:15 PMIt’s funny how out of control a rumor can spin on the web. The Angelina Jolie as Catwoman “news” has to be at the top of the list of most reported unconfirmed rumors ever. And it’s sad that it’s not actually true, because after seeing Jolie in the dominatrix outfit she wears at the beginning of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’d be perfectly fine seeing her wear another tight black costume for a possible third Christopher Nolan-directed Batman movie. But who instead could play the part, if Jolie is indeed not interested, or not even offered the role (or, obviously, if Catwoman is not in the movie, as screenwriter David Goyer has apparently hinted)? One theory says that Maggie Gyllenhaal will return in the follow-up to The Dark Knight, this time donning a catsuit (Graeme at io9 strongly disputes the idea). Another terrible suggestion is to cast the too-cute Zooey Deschanel as the villainess. A far more interesting recommendation, from Catherine Bray, is Tilda Swinton. But I think the character needs to be a little sexier. Plus, I want to dismiss Bray’s idea on the principle that it’s included in the DenOfGeek list, which consists mostly of the usual hot young actress ideas that probably get thrown around for every casting decision like this. I’m actually shocked that Eva Green wasn’t anyone’s pick, as she’s one of those hot young actresses, and she’s done the “good and bad at the same time” thing in Casino Royale. She was even part of my list until a better candidate edged her out, mostly on the idea that we don’t need to see her replay Vesper Lynd in a Catwoman costume. So, who did make the cut? Check out my 10 favorites, in descending order, after the jump: 10. Halle Berry - She is a good actress, and she was a great sport in accepting her Razzie for playing the character in Catwoman, so wouldn’t it be neat if Nolan gave her a second chance at the part? It certainly fits with the nine lives thing. Plus, with a better script, better direction and, most importantly, a better outfit, the Oscar winner would do a much better job. 9. Cate Blanchett - Another Bob Dylan vs. Bob Dylan showdown! (The Dark Knight’s Christian Bale and Heath Ledger each portrayed Dylan in I’m Not There, as did Blanchett). And Nolan can round out the villain casting with Ben Whishaw as Riddler, Richard Gere as the Penguin and Marcus Carl Franklin as Anarky (or he could be Robin?). Seriously, though, after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I’m not sure we ever need to see her as another blockbuster villain. Besides, there’s other Oscar-caliber actresses who would be more enjoyable. 8. Penélope Cruz - Like this sexy Spanish lady, who I thought of for the role based on her line from Vanilla Sky, “I’ll see you in another life, when we are both cats.” Wait, would that mean Tom Cruise would have to appear as Catman? Hell, I’d deal with that if I got to see Cruz prance around with a tail attached to a form-fitting bodysuit. 7. Maggie Cheung - It’s been 12 years since Cheung wore a tight black catsuit for Assayas’ Irma Vep, but she’d still be damn hot as Catwoman. Unfortunately, she has retired from acting, last appearing in Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 and Assayas’ Clean back in 2004. 6. Rachel Weisz - Something about her wonky eyes makes me think she’d be a good Catwoman. I can’t quite explain what I mean by that. She did a fine job as an attractive yet ultimately evil character in Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, so there’s another point for her. 5. Emily Blunt - A well-meaning bitch in The Devil Wears Prada, I’d love to see Blunt do more of the same, only in a catsuit. In a way, she’s like my fill-in for the excluded Eva Green, since I continually mix up their names, and Prada costar Anne Hathaway, who too many people think is as good a choice. 4. Emily Mortimer - Basically my choice for the obscure, indie-cred slot, since I don’t agree with the Deschanel suggestion. Plus, I can see her building off her short stint as the two-faced “Phoebe” on 30 Rock in order to play a terrific villainess. 3. Emily Watson - The last of three candidates named Emily, Watson has always been my favorite love interest for Christian Bale (she’s played opposite “Batman” in Metroland and Equilibrium). Third time’s the charm, I say. 2. Marion Cotillard - I know, I’m probably including too many Oscar nominees and winners in this list, but after Ledger’s performance as The Joker, the role of Catwoman requires talent along with beauty. Besides, Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for two Academy Awards prior to playing the part in Batman Returns and Halle Berry won an Oscar before giving her Razzie-winning performance in Catowman. So, as the most recent recipient of the Best Actress trophy, the chameleon-like star of La Vie en Rose seems the most appropriate. Oh, and some guy already did a rendering of what she’d look like. 1. Sean Young - The part she always wanted. And what fun it would be for Catwoman to be an older woman. You know, as in a cougar. Which is a kind of cat. There have been crazier ideas — though maybe not crazier actresses. However, Young’s unstable personality should make for an unpredictable and unbeatable performance. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/jj79/archive/2008/6/6/30671.aspx Post By: JJ79
Post To: JJ79 Blog
Post Date: 6/6/2008 2:53:08 PM
Body: Released: David FrankelDirector: June 30, 2006*****A fun, if a tad shallow, summer film designed to counterprogram splashy blockbuster "boy" movies, The Devil Wears Prada provides glorious starring turns for both Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, yet comes off feeling empty in the end. Not because of a lack of trying; this story about an ugly duckling (Hathaway) undergoing a complete makeover-both inside and out-with the help of her much feared boss (Streep) wants to say something urgent and powerful about the way females are treated in the workplace-or maybe about fashion itself; it's too concerned with looking good to dig deep enough into the subject matter.Don't get me wrong: there is plenty to recommend on screen, from a wonderfully understated though over the top Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt in a fabulously droll supporting role to Stanley Tucci playing gay, not to mention the stylishly glamorous clothes. Aside from those positives, some points are made by other supporting characters, namely Andrea's boyfriend and art friend, about the changes she is undertaking in the name of a career. But in the end result, we never know exactly what endears Andrea to Miranda. Is it her pluky stubbornness? The concept of helping an up-and-comer make a name for herself? The realization there may be more to life than a career?We don't know. A seemingly pivotal scene in Paris during a fashion show wants to shed light on the more meaningful aspects of the story. The narrative looses sight of it, though, favoring a feel good finale over one that makes sense. Yes, Miranda has gone through two husbands in the course of her job. She's had to throw a friend under the bus to keep her position. And she's depressed over it-in private, mind you. We know in the final scene her motivations even if it's never said. Miranda and Andrea know it, too. In that regard, I guess it never needs to be vocalized. It is hard to understand, however, how this is the first time the editor in chief has come to any conclusions about her assistants. Either she's turned a blind eye or is finally coming back to Earth.Regardless of any quibble I might have with the eventual resolution to the story, Prada remains a good looking romp through the fashion world aided by worthy performances and a script which knows how to ratchet the humor up while remaining true to reality. A stalled romance with a reporter notwithstanding, the movie is like a runway model making very few false steps.
]]>Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:53:08 GMTJJ79JJ79 Blog6/6/2008 2:53:08 PMReleased: David FrankelDirector: June 30, 2006*****A fun, if a tad shallow, summer film designed to counterprogram splashy blockbuster "boy" movies, The Devil Wears Prada provides glorious starring turns for both Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, yet comes off feeling empty in the end. Not because of a lack of trying; this story about an ugly duckling (Hathaway) undergoing a complete makeover-both inside and out-with the help of her much feared boss (Streep) wants to say something urgent and powerful about the way females are treated in the workplace-or maybe about fashion itself; it's too concerned with looking good to dig deep enough into the subject matter.Don't get me wrong: there is plenty to recommend on screen, from a wonderfully understated though over the top Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt in a fabulously droll supporting role to Stanley Tucci playing gay, not to mention the stylishly glamorous clothes. Aside from those positives, some points are made by other supporting characters, namely Andrea's boyfriend and art friend, about the changes she is undertaking in the name of a career. But in the end result, we never know exactly what endears Andrea to Miranda. Is it her pluky stubbornness? The concept of helping an up-and-comer make a name for herself? The realization there may be more to life than a career?We don't know. A seemingly pivotal scene in Paris during a fashion show wants to shed light on the more meaningful aspects of the story. The narrative looses sight of it, though, favoring a feel good finale over one that makes sense. Yes, Miranda has gone through two husbands in the course of her job. She's had to throw a friend under the bus to keep her position. And she's depressed over it-in private, mind you. We know in the final scene her motivations even if it's never said. Miranda and Andrea know it, too. In that regard, I guess it never needs to be vocalized. It is hard to understand, however, how this is the first time the editor in chief has come to any conclusions about her assistants. Either she's turned a blind eye or is finally coming back to Earth.Regardless of any quibble I might have with the eventual resolution to the story, Prada remains a good looking romp through the fashion world aided by worthy performances and a script which knows how to ratchet the humor up while remaining true to reality. A stalled romance with a reporter notwithstanding, the movie is like a runway model making very few false steps. http://www.spout.com/blogs/tjl30/archive/2008/2/3/24672.aspx Post By: tjl30
Post To: tjl30 Blog
Post Date: 2/3/2008 2:25:33 PM
Body: This movie was not horrible but I don't really like this kind of movie. It seems a little stupid, and I wasn't crazy about the ending. If you find anything funny about the trailer then you might like the movie, otherwise I would not bother.
]]>Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:25:33 GMTtjl30tjl30 Blog2/3/2008 2:25:33 PMThis movie was not horrible but I don&#39;t really like this kind of movie. It seems a little stupid, and I wasn&#39;t crazy about the ending. If you find anything funny about the trailer then you might like the movie, otherwise I would not bother. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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