We discover that 'most Canadians would rather bump into George Clooney (41%) over Matt Damon (33%) or Brad Pitt (26%) at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)'. Unfortunately, I can't find figures for Jake. Canadians also 'believe that Reese Witherspoon (49%) will wow the crowds over Kiera Knightley (28%) and Cate Blanchett (23%). As for the films themselves, Canadians are most excited to see Brad Pitt's flick The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (53%) over Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal's Rendition (33%) or Sean Penn's directorial effort, Into The Wild (14%).' I've got to say 33% doesn't sound at all bad for a movie abour extraordinary rendition. Here is an interesting article, at the same site, about The Terrors of TIFF, which, apparently, unites the globe in a gluttony of films.
Rendition and War of the Movies
Rendition is beginning to gain more attention and has featured in a number of newsites today, including the Guardian, in their lists of films to look out for in the Autumn and Fall of 2007. It seems that the Oscar nominees are expected from this bunch and, if you look at the lists, you can see why. It's good to see Heath's I'm Not There and Ang's Lust, Caution also in the lists.
Rendition has drawn extra attention because of its subject matter which, on the surface, may seem like an unusual choice for a traditionally conservative Hollywood but, this year, is one of several films which shows the studios may be at odds with US foreign policy. I'm going to look at this in more detail again, but here are coupl of new articles that draw attention to this new move in Hollywood, which looks to be taking the debate into the theatres.
The New York Post, in Another Vietnam, suggests the reason maybe because 'directors out in Cali figured that if President Bush refuses to read a newspaper, he might at least see a movie.' Rendition is one of several films this year which is not afraid to tackle terrorism and the US' relationship with the Middle East. The Sunday Times last Sunday reported on Hollywood Going to War and argues that 'Hollywood is taking a huge gamble here. Apart from some propagandist films made during the second world war, the studios have never tried targeting war so directly while American troops were still on the ground, and have shied away from making films, in the middle of a war, that could be seen as even slightly critical of the conduct of serving American soldiers.' Will American audiences pay to see films about war and unsavoury practices applied by the government in its fight against terror?
As the Edmonton Sun says in its article Tug of War: 'After months of escapist razzle-dazzle, Hollywood is set to do a sudden about-face, tackling the U.S. war on terror and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan with an A-list roster of dramas starring some of the world's biggest stars. Remarkable? More like unprecedented. Hollywood has gone to war before, of course, but never have filmmakers dealt so nakedly -- and in such numbers -- with a conflict before its cultural wounds have healed. After all, it took years after the Vietnam had ended before Coming Home, The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now appeared in theatres. Moreover, the new war-themed projects are pointedly anti-war and anti-Bush -- nothing like the propaganda you could have expected in decades past.'
But what does an actor like Jake Gyllenhaal, or Reese Witherspoon, or Meryl Streep think about this when they sign on the dotted line? They must want to be in films audiences want to see, but they must also believe that some films and messages are worth the risk and will stand the testament of time and establishment disapproval, as well as audience apathy.
Includes pictures from IHJ.
46 comments:
Oh I can't wait to see how the film does at the festival. You know without a lot of promo for it yet those percentages sound pretty good. I think it is a very good time for this film to come out. I do not know a lot about Renditions going on now and feel a need to be more informed on this. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out with the Amercian public. I think it will make a lot of people sit up and take notice for sure. I just hope with all the crap that idiots have come up with lately about Jake that it does not over shadow his time on the red carpet. It has to be the most stupid bunch of bull shit I have read lately. I love your blog here WDW and I am so glad that you stick to what Jake says and not what other idiots makeup about him....unbelievable...I can't even wrap my head around it....ugh!
Hi Anon Thanks so much for your comment. I agree with you that what matters right now is Rendition and Toronto. This is an important movie with something to say and it would be terrible if that were overshadowed by anything else. But weighing everything up, I think it won't. Instead, Jake's experience on the red carpet will do nothing but reassure him of the respect and love in which he's held by the vast majority. I'm so glad you like the site and its focus. Do drop by again :)
The film is about a politically controversial subject, but one not widely known by the general public.Because Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep are in it, besides Jake and Peter, more people will see it than ordinarily go to "political" movies. I'm most interested in seeing how it is received by critics and by audience reaction.I believe it's probably a really well done film and will be around for a long time...like Jake's other films.When Jarhead first came out not even some critics "got it." IMO,it is a really complex and well executed film.I think it's a masterpiece of it's genre. As for the nonsense going on about Jake again, I think you might be referring to some crazy blogger I've never heard of,spreading rumors about Jake so the blogger can gain noteriety and generate traffic to his site. It will raise $$$ everytime he gets a click. It intrigues me how these rumors seem to come up every time Jake has a new film. They came out around Zodiac time with something similar but different, and now there is a real intense effort to generate the wrong kind of buzz once again. Distract people by talking about his private life instead of his film work. I hope there are no nasty hecklers on the red carpet at TIFF. Bcz I will be there and I will definitely be carrying an extra pair of very high heels!!!
BTW: I barely clear 5'. But I'm in easy reach of a few kneecaps.LOLOL!
Hi WDW...thanks again for keeping up such a wonderful site...I am afraid too that audiences might not come out for Rendition...but I am hoping that their curiosity gets the best of them..and in some morbid way they want to see what all the fuss about U.S. torture...renditions..if you will..is all about. Most have probably either heard about it on the telly or read about in press, but they do not quite know what to believe...and maybe Hollywood will give them something to believe. I agree with you that the actors want to be in films that the public supports, but I also think that bankable stars such as Streep and Jake will do films with not so popular themes..because they believe in them so strongly...I hate to say it..but I would see anything Jake is in...LOL!! Thanks again...Michele
I agree Bobbyanna - this is no ordinary film about a controversial subject - I believe audiences will want to see a film to which Jake, Reese, Meryl, Peter, and all the other well-known actors who play a part in it, have committed. Like you, I know Jake's films and when have we been disappointed? No, we haven't. This one will be right up with the rest. How I love Zodiac and I think this will be even greater!
I very much doubt that there will be any hecklers at the red carpet. It will be a wonderful experience and you'll have such a time of it, Bobbyanna!
Hi Michele I fear that as a big fan I would also buy several DVD releases of Jake reading my shopping list but I don't think we have anything to fear about this one. I think a lot of people, who aren't so familiar with Jake, may go for Reese but there'll leave ,mightily impressed by Jake.
I agree with everything you said WDW and Bobbyanna. Yes that was the idiotic crap I was talking about....ugh! I did not know this had come up before around film release time so that was good to know and helped.....so sad though huh?
Oh I am the anon that posted first. I figured I should get a name since I post here a bit and stop being a "anon".
I personally think it may do well at the box office not only because of the stars in it but I think the general public will be curious about Renditions and what it is all about as I am.
LOL on your extra pair of high heels bobbyanna!!! I hope you will share your experience with us. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the festival and movie. You are so lucky you get to go! Do have a wonderful time!
Hey Twofold! Pleased to meet you and I'm glad you've got a name - that's so much better :) I trust that a lot of people will be made curious by Rendition and they'll walk away impressed. Looking forward to hearing from you again :D
I know with big budget extravaganzas like POTC, box office on opening weekends is critical. Same for Spiderman and a lot of the more commercial stuff. Gavin Hood has now put himself squarely in their company by signing on to direct the Wolverine spin off of X-Men. But there are films like A Mighty Heart, and others as well that are important for different reasons and while they don't open wide on a lot of screens, and do amazing box office, they are good solid films that will do well on DVD and continue with steady sales for a very long time. Donnie Darko is such a film if I'm not mistaken. As I said before. I think Meryl and Reese will bring in a wider audience out of curiosity. People already know what to expect with Jake and Peter. (BTW: I don't really expect hecklers.Only if Rendition earns some awards nominations later on.) right here in the USA
Hey lets not forget Alan Arkin; he's no chopped liver. Solid cast, this.
I think that Jake accepted to do a film like Rendition because he follows his heart in choosing his characters, and that's good for the film itself because he is one of the few actors in the world that can show even a CIA agent has a conscience and he is human after all...;)
He's got heart, he's got guts and he's got talent too!:)
Morning everyone :)
Hi Bobbyanna - I agre and what a good tink it is that studios can see beyond the opening weekend box office and see the longer term goal of a film that will have lasting appeal and merit. As you say, just think how many people love Donnie Darko now and hardly anyone saw that at the pictures.
Hey Positively Pia - too right. I saw Alan Arkin at the Baftas, he's a great actor.
Hi Xenia - I love this: he is one of the few actors in the world that can show even a CIA agent has a conscience and he is human after all...;) ! And yes he's all those things and more :D
Thanks for commenting :)
Girls, I'd suggest you be careful when slagging off that other blog that reported the bunch of bull; our own Wet, Dark and Wild happens to be a subscriber to those very theories and as such, you'll notice she never quite got around to dissing all that nonsense in her responses to you.
By the way, WDW, can we look forward to seeing you in Toronto as well? You've been quite mum on that sitch here on your blog. I'd've thought you would be announcing your next red carpet excursion by now.
Bobbyanna, I wish I could go with you! Please have a blast and report back to us absolutely everything that happens! And I hope you won't have to use those high heels, but if you do, I have a lawyer friend who might be able to help you out. ;)
Seriously, I think the crowd in Toronto will be much classier than that, and it won't be an issue. I expect Rendition to be a smash at the festival...and ho-hum in the box office. As an American, I'm ashamed to say that my fellow countrymen are not as politically curious as they ought to be, and really do seem to prefer to watch escapist fare (and not even high-quality escapist fare--that piece of garbage about the two hetero guys pretending to be married seems to be doing quite well). However, I agree that it should be a film of lasting presence.
P.S. I don't think anyone in America would refer to Hollywood as "conservative"--if anything, it has a reputation for liberal propaganda. Why the news sources see this barrage of war movies as unusual has me baffled, unless it is, as the one article mentioned, due to the timing of the events. Well, I guess we're all a little impatient with the situation right now, and Hollywood doesn't want to wait an interminable time to start saying, "Hey, not all Americans are like Mr. Bush!"
Maybelle - this is not a gossip site. I'm sorry you haven't noticed that, or the quality of the comments here.
Hi Cherita - thanks for the great comment. I agree that the crowds at Toronto should be classier than that. And thanks for the view on Hollywood. I suppose when I wrote 'conservative' what I meant was going for the easy buck, just giving audiences what they've traditionally wanted. I can see where these newspapers are coming from, especially the ones outside the US, as it does feel like several movies are coming out on the same theme which, as you say, does happen periodically - thinking of that spell of Vietnam movies. Thanks for commenting :)
Great post WDW and interesting comments too!
WDW is probably hard at work at the moment, but I hope she won't mind me saying in her absence(and she can delete this later if she wishes) that maybelle you are assuming a lot there on little evidence.
WDW is unwaveringly supportive of Jake and his career on this blog. I'm sure most of us support her in maintaining that focus and level of respect despite whatever else is going on out there.
Looks like WDW isn't working as hard as I thought she was. ;) We should both get back to work! :D
Oh jeez, I'm sorry. In my rush to make a point I never included any sort of info to back the theory about WDW's 1) support of the preposterous Jake rumors and 2) that at one time a little goss DID rein on WDW.
http://wetdarkandwild.blogspot.com/2007/04/happy-birthday-austin.html
My mistake.
Let's all keep open minds and respect for whatever might be going on out there. Open minds - remember that film, Brokeback Mountain?
Thanks for another great post, WDW, it will indeed be interesting to see how Rendition plays.
Maybelle I stand by all my posts, including one wishing Austin a happy birthday all those months ago. I am not getting drawn into a discussion of any rumours, that belongs elsewhere, and you do not speak for me. This discussion ends here.
Anouska Thanks for your voice of reason.
Ruby thanks! Yes, I'm trying to work to :)
To all anons who want to post personal insults, I will continue to delete your comments. If you don't like the site, move on.
Anoushka said "remmber that film Brokeback Mountain". well it seems you cannot forget it except replacing Heath with Austin Nichols. I wonder if Jake ever regrets agreeing to make it (especially now).
You know Anon - I'm going to leave that one up because it's just so bizarre and I thought Anouska might want to see it.
But I will repeat - I will not tolerate personal insults and I especially will not tolerate insults against Jake.
Can we all get back to work now please?
Thanks for steady hand on the tiller, WDW.
Thanks Pia
I am sorry I did not mean to insult Jake but all this business these last couple of days is just bizarre and then to find out you are actually in the Jake/Austin camp was just to much especially as Jake himself has said on numerous occasions he is straight and you seem to disbelieve him I would say that is more insulting. I normally enjoyed your blog but now I cannot read it in the same light.
Trolls should be ignored and definitely deleted. WDW has a great blog, here and many of us appreciate her hard work. positively pia, I love Alan Arkin. I once saw a film on AMC I think or TMC, anyway it was an old movie starring my dear Audrey Hepburn. She played a blind woman in the movie, Wait Until Dark. It was one of the most suspenseful, chilling films I've ever seen. And that was the first time I remember seeing a young Alan Arkin. He played a bad guy, very convincingly. Thanks for the tip about the lawyer, Cherita. I think I'll be fine. I wish you were coming too. It would be fun. I think now that people know the actual schedule, there may be a lot of last minute arrangements. And oddly, pricing might be better if people are flexible enough to do a last minute thing. I just know you can find me on the red carpet Friday! So I hope if people can come, they will.I find my inspiration in the Nike commercial: "Just do it!" LOL!
Thank you Bobbyanna for bringing the discussion back on topic with Rendition and Toronto. Ummm, another Nike girl :)
Anon - if there is something you want to discuss, you can email me. The link is on the front page. I do not want a discussion of Jake's private life on WDW - comments referring to it will be deleted.
Don't worry WDW : trolls always come with fame. That means you're doing well my dear...;)
And bobbyanna : I'll be with you in spirit girl, make ourselves proud!:D
Thanks Xenia :)
And bobbyanna : I'll be with you in spirit girl, make ourselves proud!:D
Yep, we'll all be there in spirit. Have fun bobbyanna, show our amazing guy the support he deserves. :)
I think what Xenia said is right. You're doing great WDW! And there are people out there who can't stand a good thing. They like to disturb the peace and aim poison arrows. WDW I don't think we need them to like this blog - we can do without. Thank you for this amazing place. We are like a family here and we are not about to change that.
I'm feeling so restless waiting for Rendition. And of course I've no idea how long the wait will be for me in this remote corner of outer space!!
Bobbyanna you'll do us all proud on that red carpet. You go girl!!
Ah, yes, and speaking of political leanings of the cast of Rendition -
Alan Arkin's parents were accused of being Communists during McCarthy period and his father blacklisted. This story would be attractive to him, Im sure.
Thanks WDW for leaving the 14:40 post. It is bizarre, and unrelated to the point I was making, which had to do with tolerance. Given that Jake demonstrates that virtue in abundance, I'm sure he is still happy he made the film.
Actually, sod tolerance. Acceptance.
Hey WDW! Another great post! Rendition can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned!
Bobbyanna, you're so lucky to be going to Toronto, I hope you have a wonderful time:) If my lottery numbers come up on Saturday I'll be right there with you! But that's unlikely, so just tell Jake I said "hello"!! :D
I'm not surprised really that people voted for Clooney, Pitt and Damon, rather than Jake. As much as I love Jake, he's nowhere near as well known as those three.But he's also a lot younger, so in a few years time I fully expect him to be right up there. Anyway, I'd rather he was more respected as an actor than being a famous movie star, although the two don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive, and if anyone can combine the two it's our Jake:)
I don't know enough about rendition, or the mind-set of the American movie going public to really comment, but I do know that a lot of things are going on here in the UK in the name of "national security" and the "war against terror" that make me feel very uneasy, so anything that offers an alternative to the propaganda we're fed by the Government can only be a good thing imo. The fact that this is going to be combined with Jake taking on a new type of role, and looking hotter than a fire in a fireworks factory is just an added bonus!
On a separate note,I just want to say that I come here to discuss Jake's films,and his hotness, and any other subjects that derive from that. There are plenty of other sites where people can discuss his private life if they wish, but I want to thank WDW and all the other regular posters here, for not making this one of them:)
Look, what I just found at IHJ
http://www.cinematical.com/
2007/08/29/exclusive-one-sheet
-for-rendition/
Can someone please explain, what "One sheet" means? Is that the official poster?
Bobbyanna, most of us will sit at the PC that friday night - and for us Europeans it will be a long night *lol* - good to know it is weekend.
"Rendition" is one of the few films in Toronto that is NOT shown in Venice. So there won´t be much information before and I hope this makes people more excited to see it at last. There are already some heated discussions on IMDB about the plot.
WDW, I like that this blog is gossip free and concentrates on Jakes work - and his sexyness...
Thanks everyone!
Thanks Carla so much for the link. I'm going to put that up right now :)
thanks for posting the poster WDW! It's a good one. Way back in Moonlight Mile Dustin Hoffman wondered how come Jake got top billing - anybody in the know about how these things work? clever contract demands, or whut?
excitement mounts.
Sorry if this is a double post!
The publish option doesn't want to publish and you know me and technical issues!
Just wanted to take a moment to check in here at lunch time and glad I did. Great post, WDW. It sounds like Rendition will be another chance for all of us to practice the tolerance and self-reflection Jake's film rolse stand for.
Maybe i'm reading the mood of the American film-going public wrong (I'm in the more liberal northeast), but it seems like the climate here is more open to self-examination about the war and our military practices than it was. Maybe that will help gain the film a chance to make its point. But no matter how it's received, it will surely become part of the ongoing debate about how we relate to one another in this complex world of ours.
Hi all - I'm back now having managed to get some work done - it's so late now!
Good to see you all here this afternoon - thanks for your comments. And I can see the excitement building for Bobbyanna :D
That's interesting about Alan Arkin's parents Positively Pia - I didn't know that.
I definitely agree Twisted Logic, that if anyone can bring together movie stardom and great acting in films with a conscience, that person is Jake.
Hey Kim - that would be good if audiences will be more receptive than the media is leading us to think.
Carla - thanks again for the link. And that's an interesting point about Rendition not being at Venice - quite a surprise that. Full attention will be on Toronto and it will be full attention indeed. Very exciting :)
My apologies being somewhat late responding to this post WDW. It so happens, I'm in the 33% of the Canadian votes for Rendition...woo hoo, lol! Got to admit, yes Brad Pitt is easy on the eyes and all, but I'm not what you'd call excited about his movie The Asassination of Jesse James. I remember hearing when he was filming it in Edmonton, Alberta and that him and Angelina were spotted at a shopping mall, a shopper took a pic and I think sold it and got a good chunk of $$. Both Brad and Angelina are good actors, but I find these days their relationship sometimes overshadows their acting/films.
Let me also add how I like that your blog is gossip free as well. I think its much better having a Jake community like we have here, that respects Jake. Thanks WDW!
Thanks Jantoinette. I agree about Brad and Angelina although I like both of them individually - I find the two of them as a couple a little scarey! Brad's film has been a long time in the making, I wonder what it'll be like.
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