There's a brief respite while we wait for Moviefone to post their 'Put your questions to' the cast of Brothers video. I'm going to fill it. First off, we have an interview with a very relaxed and laid back Jim Sheridan, who talks about his young cast, including the 'charismatic' Jake Gyllenhaal, who normally plays such 'sweet, kind and lovable characters'. You can watch it here, courtesy of Coming Soon. It's very good. There is also an interview with Jim here.
Good reviews continue to come in. We have the Playlist: 'However, Jake Gyllenhaal arguably has the toughest role of the bunch having to believably shift from a good-for-nothing ex-con to a reliable family man. But not only does Gyllenhaal do it, but he knocks it out of the park. In the early stages of the film, his charming asshole routine is largely lived through his dancing eyes and a perma-smirk etched onto his stubbled face. But when Sam is declared dead, the eyes and smirk are still there but become softer and his attitude, though still somewhat immature, is slowly shaded by the weight of responsibility. It's a great performance.'
The NYMag: 'As to the other two leads, Sheridan has gotten the best performances of their young lives. As much as I like Gyllenhaal, I’ve often found him fuzzy, as if he’s wary of losing control. Is that why he’s so affecting here? The dissolute Tommy turns out to be as tightly wound as his older brother, only too scared to focus. He looks pitifully vulnerable as he the supposedly dead Sam’s family and becomes protective. Portman has the kind of role that turns actresses into dullards: the wife who stands and looks stricken at her man (or men) in paroxysms of rage and grief. But she’s so grounded that as the others carry on, your eyes keep drifting to her. Yes, she’s almost unbearably pretty, but it’s her immediacy that keeps you glued to her face.'
On to that handsome hunk of a Prince of Persia. Ubisoft announced today that a new Prince of Persia game - Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands - will be out next year and, believe it or not, its release will be in May. I know, that didn't come as a huge shock to me either. 'Although Ubisoft did not specify how or whether the new title would tie into the movie launch, the company has strongly pursued a cross-media film and game strategy with other franchises. "The goal is to reach both...core and casual gamers," explained CEO Yves Guillemot on the company's first-half results call to investors. He promised "lots of combat," but stressed the aim of serving beginner-level gamers as well. "We are trying to cover both groups," he said.' Just the thought of the degree to which this game will pull in parts of the film - and Jake - is enought to make me dust off my console. Source.
While taking a look at Gamasutra, do read this other article from them about the sexual politics of the Prince of Persia character. It's a fascinating look at those pointless accusations which have faced both the cinematic and the game Prince - the Britishness, the not very Persianness, the muscles, his geekiness. Our delight in him.
The creator of the Prince of Persia franchise, Jordan Mechner, is releasing on his blog his old journals, charting the development of the PoP universe from the very beginning. He is also publishing sketchbook pictures from his visit to a very hot Morocco in the summer of 2008. We can see a drawing of a hand holding the Dagger of Time - and that is indeed Jake's hand. Jake accomodatingly agreed to be a hand model.
There is also more evidence for the fear that ostriches struck deep into the hearts and minds of all who dared to set foot on set. 'The star of the movie is an ostrich. The entire cast and crew are walking on eggshells for fear of disturbing its delicate temperament. Mike [Newell] refers to it affectionately as 'The blasted bird'.
Includes pictures from links and an ostrich (all right, an emu, but the photographs of ostriches scared me).
PostScript: I have decided that as Brothers won't come to me, I must go to it. Therefore, in a repeat of last year but hopefully with more cinematic success (ie, they're not going to delay the movie yet again), I'm going to force myself to endure some Florida sunshine in order to see Brothers. I may also have the odd margarita and - I don't want to go too far but - I might even risk Space Mountain. I leave Saturday - I'm counting on Brothers proving to be a formidable anti-jetlag device. I will of course be taking you with me - which is vital because this year I'm taking a chance on Universal Studios. We're talking Roller Coasters.
Monday, 30 November 2009
Sunday, 29 November 2009
[Update] Jim Sheridan on 'charismatic' Jake Gyllenhaal, poker-faced Tobey Maguire and 'true blue' Natalie Portman
Jim Sheridan has more to say about his star Jake Gyllenhaal: '“He was always real on set, ‘cause he’s always finding something or looking for something. If you were the type of director who just wanted him to hit his mark, I think you’d curtail him in some way that doesn’t get the best out of him. ‘Cause I think he’s a charismatic actor, who’s always the centre of attention. Which drove me crazy for the first few weeks,” says Sheridan, deadpan, “as I wanted to be the centre of attention.”' It all seems a million miles away from Jake's Trial by Fincher.
Tobey Maguire is the contrast. “You know the way his eyes are when you go in close on Tobey Maguire. He’s thinking. He’s like a poker player. You never know what he’s thinking, but it’s kind of benign. He’s like an everyman. I thought if you kind of took that away, and ended up with blank eyes, a stare, it would be very scary,” says Sheridan. “Because we know him as the opposite.” He then describes Natalie Portman as, “The person you want to have at your back in a war. She’s true blue.” Source.
This reflects Jim's previous comments to the SFGate: 'As an actor "Tobey likes to control a lot. That is the way he lives. He has a cook that cooks for him. His world is very controlled. Even when acting, he is not the kind of guy who would get loose. He's quiet and pensive and thinking about things."
By contrast, Gyllenhaal is a "free-wheeling actor. He is always looking around. He has three or four things going through his head, and normal stars just have one." It would mean trouble, Sheridan believes, if a director told Gyllenhaal to just stand there and hit his mark. "The way he lives in a scene is to be half there and half out there looking around. I found it completely fascinating."' Sam Mendes experienced something similiar during the filming of Jarhead.
In this interview, Sheridan also mentioned something interesting about the actors taking a paycut for this role, just as Jake had done for Rendition and Nailed. 'With a budget of only $25 million, financing came together easily. The actors took "a quarter or maybe even a 10th of what they usually get paid," Sheridan said.'
The concept that Jake found Brothers, along with previous roles, a learning experience both on and off camera, is strengthened by a story today that elaborates on Jake's press conference account of visiting young offenders in jail. 'Gyllenhaal, who plays a grown up juvenile delinquent in the film, spent time with convicted drug smugglers and murderers in an effort to determine what life behind bars for a teenager is like – and he admits the experience has changed his life forever.He met with 18 year olds who are serving life sentences and others who have since been freed and are trying to get their lives in order.One such teen, Victor, made such an impact on Gyllenhaal and director Jim Sheridan, they cast him in the film.The actor explains, “This kid Victor was in jail and he was released and had the opportunity to change his life and told us stories that were unreal to me.”He was hiding meth in the back of a lamp of a four wheel vehicle driving over the border and he was 16. He changed his life and is working for the governor’s office in Sacramento now.”Jim (Sheridan) ended up putting him in the movie in a scene where my brother Tobey Maguire’s helicopter goes down.”In the film, Maguire and Gyllenhaal play feuding siblings.' Source.
The New York Times has a substantial article on Brothers this weekend, which goes into some depth about how the film came to be made and how all were well aware of its predecessor. You can also see there the trailers for the two movies and so make your own comparisons about these sets of Brothers.
Throughout all these articles, Jim Sheridan's personality, passion and humanity dominate - listening to Jim describe the forces and blows that have shaped his own life and the movies he's filled it with is simply fascinating. He has brought this into Brothers, just as with the other films, and this suggests to me at least that there is much about this film that is unique.
If you fancy having a laugh, here is an R-rated video spoof of the making of Brothers and what things were 'really like' behind the scenes between Spidey and Bubble Boys.
Includes pictures from IHJ and JJ.
Update: You may, but may not have, noticed that I've added another link to the sidebar today. This is for a new experiment of mine - a site where I can whitter on about all the other things that interest me that I come across while researching for WDW. It's not intended to take up much time because obviously WDW is and will always remain my priority. It will just stop me boring everyone here with all my interludes!
Tobey Maguire is the contrast. “You know the way his eyes are when you go in close on Tobey Maguire. He’s thinking. He’s like a poker player. You never know what he’s thinking, but it’s kind of benign. He’s like an everyman. I thought if you kind of took that away, and ended up with blank eyes, a stare, it would be very scary,” says Sheridan. “Because we know him as the opposite.” He then describes Natalie Portman as, “The person you want to have at your back in a war. She’s true blue.” Source.
This reflects Jim's previous comments to the SFGate: 'As an actor "Tobey likes to control a lot. That is the way he lives. He has a cook that cooks for him. His world is very controlled. Even when acting, he is not the kind of guy who would get loose. He's quiet and pensive and thinking about things."
By contrast, Gyllenhaal is a "free-wheeling actor. He is always looking around. He has three or four things going through his head, and normal stars just have one." It would mean trouble, Sheridan believes, if a director told Gyllenhaal to just stand there and hit his mark. "The way he lives in a scene is to be half there and half out there looking around. I found it completely fascinating."' Sam Mendes experienced something similiar during the filming of Jarhead.
In this interview, Sheridan also mentioned something interesting about the actors taking a paycut for this role, just as Jake had done for Rendition and Nailed. 'With a budget of only $25 million, financing came together easily. The actors took "a quarter or maybe even a 10th of what they usually get paid," Sheridan said.'
The concept that Jake found Brothers, along with previous roles, a learning experience both on and off camera, is strengthened by a story today that elaborates on Jake's press conference account of visiting young offenders in jail. 'Gyllenhaal, who plays a grown up juvenile delinquent in the film, spent time with convicted drug smugglers and murderers in an effort to determine what life behind bars for a teenager is like – and he admits the experience has changed his life forever.He met with 18 year olds who are serving life sentences and others who have since been freed and are trying to get their lives in order.One such teen, Victor, made such an impact on Gyllenhaal and director Jim Sheridan, they cast him in the film.The actor explains, “This kid Victor was in jail and he was released and had the opportunity to change his life and told us stories that were unreal to me.”He was hiding meth in the back of a lamp of a four wheel vehicle driving over the border and he was 16. He changed his life and is working for the governor’s office in Sacramento now.”Jim (Sheridan) ended up putting him in the movie in a scene where my brother Tobey Maguire’s helicopter goes down.”In the film, Maguire and Gyllenhaal play feuding siblings.' Source.
The New York Times has a substantial article on Brothers this weekend, which goes into some depth about how the film came to be made and how all were well aware of its predecessor. You can also see there the trailers for the two movies and so make your own comparisons about these sets of Brothers.
Throughout all these articles, Jim Sheridan's personality, passion and humanity dominate - listening to Jim describe the forces and blows that have shaped his own life and the movies he's filled it with is simply fascinating. He has brought this into Brothers, just as with the other films, and this suggests to me at least that there is much about this film that is unique.
If you fancy having a laugh, here is an R-rated video spoof of the making of Brothers and what things were 'really like' behind the scenes between Spidey and Bubble Boys.
Includes pictures from IHJ and JJ.
Update: You may, but may not have, noticed that I've added another link to the sidebar today. This is for a new experiment of mine - a site where I can whitter on about all the other things that interest me that I come across while researching for WDW. It's not intended to take up much time because obviously WDW is and will always remain my priority. It will just stop me boring everyone here with all my interludes!
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Letterman raves for Brothers - 'The finest movie in the last 12, 20 years'
David Letterman is not a man to go over the top in his enthusiasm for the movies he sees for his show - 'most of it is junk' - but then Brothers came along. And Letterman can not stop talking about it, calling it 'The finest movie made in the last 12, 20 years'. 'There's not a false note in the entire thing'. At least he also gets Jake Gyllenhaal's name right, which is more than can be said for Tobey Maguire's. I want to post this clip quickly of Natalie Portman's visit to the Letterman Show this week because I don't think it will be on YouTube for long, but for now, all of us who couldn't see the show due to significant geographical reasons, we can grab a chance to watch it.
Friday, 27 November 2009
[Updated] Jake Gyllenhaal - 'lovable' becomes 'edgy' (and lovable)
It probably doesn't come as any surprise to you that Jim Sheridan is a man with a sense of humour - or should that be half-man/half-fish?: '"I called up the only person who could direct this movie and, within days, Jim was sitting on my deck talking about the project," producer Ryan Kavanaugh said before Sunday's School of Visual Arts screening. "About an hour into the conversation and, mind you, this is the first time I met Jim, he reaches into his coat pocket, whips out a pair of swim trunks, gets butt-naked, puts on the swim trunks and runs into the water and body-surfs for an hour. It was then that the ride of 'Brothers' began."' Source.
It is possible that this is also an indication that the Pacific Ocean has more going for it than the Irish Channel?
Therefore, we should also not be surprised that Jim Sheridan cast Brothers with an eye on playing games with us, the viewers, by not giving us quite what we expect from Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire: '“I wasn’t consciously trying to make my movie different,” Sheridan says. “I was only trying to answer questions in the original movie that were interesting to me.”'
'Jim Sheridan’s version of the film is — typical of his work — more family-oriented, focusing on how surviving a painful and spiritually challenging POW experience could change a soldier to the extent that his family can barely recognize him when he returns home. In the film, that soldier is played by Spider-Man himself, Tobey Maguire in a creative casting choice that works simply because audiences would never anticipate that Maguire would go through such brutal psychological changes. It was a casting decision made specifically by Sheridan to play with audience expectations. “That’s why we cast Tobey, so that no one would expect it,” revealed Sheridan.'
'That casting approach was also applied to the role of Maguire’s ex-con brother who is surprisingly played by the typically gentle Jake Gyllenhaal. “Jake is often thought of as the lovable centre-of-attention character,” said Sheridan. “I found it interesting to cast him as the edgy ex-con just to play with that image.”' Jake lovable? Let me think about that for one tenth of a tranosecond. Source.
[Update from the SFGate:] '"Where the movie lives and dies is in the relationship between the two brothers," says Sheridan, who says Maguire and Gyllenhaal deliver in roles that are more grown-up than what they customarily play. To look convincing as a prisoner of war, Maguire dropped 25 pounds from his already thin frame. "He is a vegan, so as far as I am concerned he doesn't eat anyway. He ate less vegan," said Sheridan, who worries about Maguire's extreme diet having a long-term effect. As an actor "Tobey likes to control a lot. That is the way he lives. He has a cook that cooks for him. His world is very controlled. Even when acting, he is not the kind of guy who would get loose. He's quiet and pensive and thinking about things." By contrast, Gyllenhaal is a "free-wheeling actor. He is always looking around. He has three or four things going through his head, and normal stars just have one." It would mean trouble, Sheridan believes, if a director told Gyllenhaal to just stand there and hit his mark. "The way he lives in a scene is to be half there and half out there looking around. I found it completely fascinating."'
Jake may also be something of a surprise (though a well-rewarded one) to some in Prince of Persia. This was addressed by Jerry Bruckheimer in a new, short interview: 'Q: Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t seem like an obvious choice to play the titular Prince of Persia, how did he come to be cast? Jerry Bruckheimer: First and foremost, because he’s a great young actor who’s already proven that he can play almost anything. Jake is also very athletic, and for his role as the Prince he put on a lot of muscle and worked out every day both before and during the shoot, which was very physically demanding. He’s really a perfect choice as the Prince, and a few people who have seen test screenings of the film have responded very enthusiastically to Jake’s performance.''
We have more fan pictures from the set of Love and Other Drugs, demonstrating very clearly that Jake attended the Brothers cocktail party very definitely dressed as Jamie Reidy. Many thanks to Bob and Michael who took the trouble to post their pictures.
To finish off today, how great is it that after all this time there is a new video - at least to me - from that shiniest of red carpets, Cannes and the Zodiac premiere. Hearing that music, seeing Jake, David, Chloe and Mark, brings it flooding back! Here's the clip.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Inquirer, Bob and Michael.
It is possible that this is also an indication that the Pacific Ocean has more going for it than the Irish Channel?
Therefore, we should also not be surprised that Jim Sheridan cast Brothers with an eye on playing games with us, the viewers, by not giving us quite what we expect from Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire: '“I wasn’t consciously trying to make my movie different,” Sheridan says. “I was only trying to answer questions in the original movie that were interesting to me.”'
'Jim Sheridan’s version of the film is — typical of his work — more family-oriented, focusing on how surviving a painful and spiritually challenging POW experience could change a soldier to the extent that his family can barely recognize him when he returns home. In the film, that soldier is played by Spider-Man himself, Tobey Maguire in a creative casting choice that works simply because audiences would never anticipate that Maguire would go through such brutal psychological changes. It was a casting decision made specifically by Sheridan to play with audience expectations. “That’s why we cast Tobey, so that no one would expect it,” revealed Sheridan.'
'That casting approach was also applied to the role of Maguire’s ex-con brother who is surprisingly played by the typically gentle Jake Gyllenhaal. “Jake is often thought of as the lovable centre-of-attention character,” said Sheridan. “I found it interesting to cast him as the edgy ex-con just to play with that image.”' Jake lovable? Let me think about that for one tenth of a tranosecond. Source.
[Update from the SFGate:] '"Where the movie lives and dies is in the relationship between the two brothers," says Sheridan, who says Maguire and Gyllenhaal deliver in roles that are more grown-up than what they customarily play. To look convincing as a prisoner of war, Maguire dropped 25 pounds from his already thin frame. "He is a vegan, so as far as I am concerned he doesn't eat anyway. He ate less vegan," said Sheridan, who worries about Maguire's extreme diet having a long-term effect. As an actor "Tobey likes to control a lot. That is the way he lives. He has a cook that cooks for him. His world is very controlled. Even when acting, he is not the kind of guy who would get loose. He's quiet and pensive and thinking about things." By contrast, Gyllenhaal is a "free-wheeling actor. He is always looking around. He has three or four things going through his head, and normal stars just have one." It would mean trouble, Sheridan believes, if a director told Gyllenhaal to just stand there and hit his mark. "The way he lives in a scene is to be half there and half out there looking around. I found it completely fascinating."'
Jake may also be something of a surprise (though a well-rewarded one) to some in Prince of Persia. This was addressed by Jerry Bruckheimer in a new, short interview: 'Q: Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t seem like an obvious choice to play the titular Prince of Persia, how did he come to be cast? Jerry Bruckheimer: First and foremost, because he’s a great young actor who’s already proven that he can play almost anything. Jake is also very athletic, and for his role as the Prince he put on a lot of muscle and worked out every day both before and during the shoot, which was very physically demanding. He’s really a perfect choice as the Prince, and a few people who have seen test screenings of the film have responded very enthusiastically to Jake’s performance.''
We have more fan pictures from the set of Love and Other Drugs, demonstrating very clearly that Jake attended the Brothers cocktail party very definitely dressed as Jamie Reidy. Many thanks to Bob and Michael who took the trouble to post their pictures.
To finish off today, how great is it that after all this time there is a new video - at least to me - from that shiniest of red carpets, Cannes and the Zodiac premiere. Hearing that music, seeing Jake, David, Chloe and Mark, brings it flooding back! Here's the clip.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Inquirer, Bob and Michael.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
[Updated] British trailer for Brothers released - and it's completely different
Today we get the first publicity for Brothers for the UK - we may have to wait longer than 4 December (22 January) but it is coming. As happy proof of this we have a new, UK trailer for the film and it is entirely different than the American version - different moments between Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire and new scenes of Tobey's experiences in Afghanistan, bringing the war with a jolt into this winter family drama. Source.
[Update] A new quote from Tobey Maguire suggests that it's not just Jake who gets the credit (or blame ) for films that aren't his. '“I’m told that I’m Jake sometimes,” says Tobey. “I have had comments about Brokeback Mountain a couple of times. It’s strange how that happens but I just go with it. Another one is Elijah Wood. I’ve had times where people ask me for my autograph and then they say, ‘Oh you were so great in that movie.’ Which I wasn’t in! So I just sign that person’s name, and say, ‘Thank you very much’.” Source.
So, if you're having trouble getting a Jake autograph, just ask Tobey, he'll give you one instead!
[Update] A new quote from Tobey Maguire suggests that it's not just Jake who gets the credit (or blame ) for films that aren't his. '“I’m told that I’m Jake sometimes,” says Tobey. “I have had comments about Brokeback Mountain a couple of times. It’s strange how that happens but I just go with it. Another one is Elijah Wood. I’ve had times where people ask me for my autograph and then they say, ‘Oh you were so great in that movie.’ Which I wasn’t in! So I just sign that person’s name, and say, ‘Thank you very much’.” Source.
So, if you're having trouble getting a Jake autograph, just ask Tobey, he'll give you one instead!
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
[Updated] Brothers, 'a woman's fantasy film' - 'I have Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in love with me and I want both of them'
The last few days have seemed like some kind of Gyllenbootcamp - admittedly I didn't have anyone throw a bottle at my head or make me run thirty miles with a bag of bricks on my back, but otherwise pretty close, I'd say. What with all of the Brothers hoohaa on top of exotic slices of Prince of Persia and little glimpses of Love and Other Drugs and tantalising hints of future scifi, it's been round the clock Gyllenhaalism. Gotta say - I like it! And today there's more, but it's a bit more gentle. We can take our time. It's not quite get-the-slippers-out time but you might not need the latest shox Nike.
The Brothers press conference was a few days ago and we're starting to get a little bit more from it, now that the journalists have got round to writing up the minutes. First off, we have an audio clip of Jake Gyllenhaal not talking about Brothers but talking about Love and Other Drugs. Jake reminisces that the night before the conference filming went on late in Pittsburgh, not least because every time he drove down the street the 'gas tank' would pop open and the scene would have to be reset. I must admit that I had to listen to this clip a few times, wishing I had one of these American-English Dictionaries. Here's the clip.
ComingSoon has now released more of the press conference, although much of what Jake says we'd heard before from the Boston Herald. However, there are little bits and pieces that are new and it's interesting to hear Tobey Maguire talk about his role. His approach is clearly different from Jake's. It's also good to hear Natalie enthuse about her two male leads: '"It was actually really exciting 'cause this is the first time I've ever worked with actors that I knew before. I met Tobey when I was 14, I met Jake when I was 18, so there was a level of familiarity from the first day, which was really a nice way to enter into it. We also had a nice rehearsal period for a few weeks before we started, where we got to go over each other's houses and talk about it and try things out."'
'"I had heard about this project happening a while before anybody was talking to me about it and then I heard about it again when Jim and Jake was involved," Maguire added. "I got really excited about working with these guys and getting to play that relationship with Jake. It was something that really attracted me to it, other than the subject matter. The idea of working with Natalie, like she said. I remember the day that I met her, she taught me a valuable lesson, which was the "three block rule." We were at a screening of a movie and I don't think I liked the movie that much and I was going to talk about it and she said, 'Wait a second, you don't know the three-block rule. You don't talk about the movie until you're three blocks away, cause you never know who is listening.' I've remembered that since then."' I don't think that applies to just movie-making...
I get a sense that the reporter became irritated by Jake's lighter mood and was not fully prepared for a press conference with Jake, which will inevitably feature some GyllenSpeak (treasured by many, incomprehensible to others): '"That (chemistry) was just there," Gyllenhaal continued. "It existed and it took very little to make that happen, and I think that's incredible. A little uncomfortable on set sometimes because what is real sometimes is also what is being pretended, but at the same time, as an actor, it's great food... for a great meal," he said screeching to a halt, realizing it wasn't going where he thought.'
'Gyllenhaal also stepped forward to address the idea of starring in a remake, first in earnest and then a little more facetiously. "I think we all felt this tremendous responsibility and a little bit of a burden in remaking a film. Because the first version of this film was so extraordinary, I think all of us approached each character--because I think we all did watch the movie and each one of the actors gave a pretty extraordinary performances--but I think in transposing it to America, you start to see cultural differences and reactions to situations that are different, depending on the culture. We all looked at that as a great opportunity. And then to have Jim, just coming from Ireland, it was interesting to see how he would say how he would expect the character to act and then how an American would respond to the situation."'
'Realizing that things were getting a bit too serious, he added with a smile, "But being in a remake is great fun. I suggest it to everybody, everybody in the room and every actor out there! Pick your favorite movie and redo it!" And he also immediately realized that as soon as saying that, the joke would appear as a quote in an article much like this one.' You can read much more here.
Jim Sheridan is an Irish national treasure and Irish Central is in no doubt today that Jim will walk away from the Academy Awards with the Oscar due to him. 'It’s not difficult to make this prediction. “Brothers,” Sheridan’s latest and most accomplished work to date, finds a way to skillfully address some of the most momentous questions now facing the U.S., but on a human scale, and in the process he inspires some unforgettable performances from his stellar cast.' It's a truism that Jim has accepted that in order for a film to win attention in Ireland, Great Britain and Europe, it must first attract American audiences: '“A movie has to open in America before it goes back home. They made the mistake of opening ‘Once’ and ‘The Crying Game’ in Ireland, and they did no business. It’s only when it exists within the American framework that it exists as a movie. What people think is we never heard of that, it didn’t open in America, so it can’t be a real movie.”'
As with all his films, Jim brought his own experiences of family to Brothers. '“I think there was a lot of vying for attention in our own family in Dublin, so it’s fairly easy for me to transfer that into an American family,” says Sheridan. “Those scenes with Jake and Sam Shepard (the noted playwright and actor), they’re just me and my dad. That’s all that is you know? I kind of understood where these characters were coming from.” Sheridan lost his own brother - inevitably that colours Brothers.
Despite the universal themes, Sheridan wanted to retain an Irish heart for the film. '“Jake had some problems with a few scenes because I’m not sure it’s a natural part of the American kid growing up to fight as much as we do in Ireland,” says Sheridan. “But the Cahills are an Irish American family so I felt like pushing it in that direction. I think the setup is very Irish too.”' Jake: '"Just coming from Ireland it was interesting how Jim thought my character would act compared to my own American take,” Gyllenhaal says. “There’s a moment in the film when Natalie’s character tells mine that my brother is dead, and Jim suggested I fall on the ground and make snow angels. I said to him very quietly I don’t know if an American would react like that.”'
And in the conclusion to this fine article: 'What happens to Maguire’s character puts him in such crisis that it becomes a live or die gamble. It also makes “Brothers” one of the most searing films about war and its consequences to have come along in years. With its tension and its stellar cast it is also likely to avoid the lack of interest shown to other recent films that address the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It definitely felt like it was about family to me, whether you define it to be about blood relatives or your husband, your battalion or your family,” says Portman. “It’s about what you sacrifice in order to protect that family. I remember Jim describing it to me as a woman’s fantasy film. I have Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in love with me and I want both of them. For that reason and many more it was a terrific experience making it.”'
A For Your Consideration poster for Brothers has now been released. It intrigues me because it lists Natalie as a candidate for Best Supporting Actress - who does she support exactly?
Updated to add another TV spot - Betrayal.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Lionsgate and links.
The Brothers press conference was a few days ago and we're starting to get a little bit more from it, now that the journalists have got round to writing up the minutes. First off, we have an audio clip of Jake Gyllenhaal not talking about Brothers but talking about Love and Other Drugs. Jake reminisces that the night before the conference filming went on late in Pittsburgh, not least because every time he drove down the street the 'gas tank' would pop open and the scene would have to be reset. I must admit that I had to listen to this clip a few times, wishing I had one of these American-English Dictionaries. Here's the clip.
ComingSoon has now released more of the press conference, although much of what Jake says we'd heard before from the Boston Herald. However, there are little bits and pieces that are new and it's interesting to hear Tobey Maguire talk about his role. His approach is clearly different from Jake's. It's also good to hear Natalie enthuse about her two male leads: '"It was actually really exciting 'cause this is the first time I've ever worked with actors that I knew before. I met Tobey when I was 14, I met Jake when I was 18, so there was a level of familiarity from the first day, which was really a nice way to enter into it. We also had a nice rehearsal period for a few weeks before we started, where we got to go over each other's houses and talk about it and try things out."'
'"I had heard about this project happening a while before anybody was talking to me about it and then I heard about it again when Jim and Jake was involved," Maguire added. "I got really excited about working with these guys and getting to play that relationship with Jake. It was something that really attracted me to it, other than the subject matter. The idea of working with Natalie, like she said. I remember the day that I met her, she taught me a valuable lesson, which was the "three block rule." We were at a screening of a movie and I don't think I liked the movie that much and I was going to talk about it and she said, 'Wait a second, you don't know the three-block rule. You don't talk about the movie until you're three blocks away, cause you never know who is listening.' I've remembered that since then."' I don't think that applies to just movie-making...
I get a sense that the reporter became irritated by Jake's lighter mood and was not fully prepared for a press conference with Jake, which will inevitably feature some GyllenSpeak (treasured by many, incomprehensible to others): '"That (chemistry) was just there," Gyllenhaal continued. "It existed and it took very little to make that happen, and I think that's incredible. A little uncomfortable on set sometimes because what is real sometimes is also what is being pretended, but at the same time, as an actor, it's great food... for a great meal," he said screeching to a halt, realizing it wasn't going where he thought.'
'Gyllenhaal also stepped forward to address the idea of starring in a remake, first in earnest and then a little more facetiously. "I think we all felt this tremendous responsibility and a little bit of a burden in remaking a film. Because the first version of this film was so extraordinary, I think all of us approached each character--because I think we all did watch the movie and each one of the actors gave a pretty extraordinary performances--but I think in transposing it to America, you start to see cultural differences and reactions to situations that are different, depending on the culture. We all looked at that as a great opportunity. And then to have Jim, just coming from Ireland, it was interesting to see how he would say how he would expect the character to act and then how an American would respond to the situation."'
'Realizing that things were getting a bit too serious, he added with a smile, "But being in a remake is great fun. I suggest it to everybody, everybody in the room and every actor out there! Pick your favorite movie and redo it!" And he also immediately realized that as soon as saying that, the joke would appear as a quote in an article much like this one.' You can read much more here.
Jim Sheridan is an Irish national treasure and Irish Central is in no doubt today that Jim will walk away from the Academy Awards with the Oscar due to him. 'It’s not difficult to make this prediction. “Brothers,” Sheridan’s latest and most accomplished work to date, finds a way to skillfully address some of the most momentous questions now facing the U.S., but on a human scale, and in the process he inspires some unforgettable performances from his stellar cast.' It's a truism that Jim has accepted that in order for a film to win attention in Ireland, Great Britain and Europe, it must first attract American audiences: '“A movie has to open in America before it goes back home. They made the mistake of opening ‘Once’ and ‘The Crying Game’ in Ireland, and they did no business. It’s only when it exists within the American framework that it exists as a movie. What people think is we never heard of that, it didn’t open in America, so it can’t be a real movie.”'
As with all his films, Jim brought his own experiences of family to Brothers. '“I think there was a lot of vying for attention in our own family in Dublin, so it’s fairly easy for me to transfer that into an American family,” says Sheridan. “Those scenes with Jake and Sam Shepard (the noted playwright and actor), they’re just me and my dad. That’s all that is you know? I kind of understood where these characters were coming from.” Sheridan lost his own brother - inevitably that colours Brothers.
Despite the universal themes, Sheridan wanted to retain an Irish heart for the film. '“Jake had some problems with a few scenes because I’m not sure it’s a natural part of the American kid growing up to fight as much as we do in Ireland,” says Sheridan. “But the Cahills are an Irish American family so I felt like pushing it in that direction. I think the setup is very Irish too.”' Jake: '"Just coming from Ireland it was interesting how Jim thought my character would act compared to my own American take,” Gyllenhaal says. “There’s a moment in the film when Natalie’s character tells mine that my brother is dead, and Jim suggested I fall on the ground and make snow angels. I said to him very quietly I don’t know if an American would react like that.”'
And in the conclusion to this fine article: 'What happens to Maguire’s character puts him in such crisis that it becomes a live or die gamble. It also makes “Brothers” one of the most searing films about war and its consequences to have come along in years. With its tension and its stellar cast it is also likely to avoid the lack of interest shown to other recent films that address the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It definitely felt like it was about family to me, whether you define it to be about blood relatives or your husband, your battalion or your family,” says Portman. “It’s about what you sacrifice in order to protect that family. I remember Jim describing it to me as a woman’s fantasy film. I have Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in love with me and I want both of them. For that reason and many more it was a terrific experience making it.”'
A For Your Consideration poster for Brothers has now been released. It intrigues me because it lists Natalie as a candidate for Best Supporting Actress - who does she support exactly?
Updated to add another TV spot - Betrayal.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Lionsgate and links.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Jake Gyllenhaal's Daily 10 video revelations - and the Brothers Saturday cocktail party was the one that mattered...
Jake Gyllenhaal dated Jim Sheridan - oh yes, he did. Jim was 'difficult' though and they both moved on. We also discover that Jake's iPod is chocca with Cirque de Soleil. This news is all straight from Jake's new interview from yesterday's E! Daily 10 as uploaded for us by Stephanie at IHJ. Thanks Stephanie! And I want one of those little Jake action figures more than I want food.
Jake Gyllenhaal may not have made it to the Sunday night cocktail party but no matter! He made it to the Saturday night cocktail party. Hopefully, Jake was still able to pick up a glass of 'Brotherly Love' (see previous posts for vodka cocktail reference). The cocktail party took place at the Four Seasons in NYC - and so we have some pictures where Jake and Tobey Maguire are wearing their interview clobber and others where they're not. Natalie looks beautiful here. I believe that she did not make the Saturday cocktail party but she did make the Sunday cocktail party. Jim Sheridan definitely made it to both. The particularly happy man is Executive Producer Ryan Kavanaugh.
I would just like to point out that the guy on the left is Jake Gyllenhaal.
We've had the cool, funny video - it's now time for the - opposite. This is 'A Powerhouse of Emotion'. It's 'Powerful' and 'Gripping'. Rated R. I'd say more but I've not the voice for it.
Many thanks to IHJ!
Jake Gyllenhaal may not have made it to the Sunday night cocktail party but no matter! He made it to the Saturday night cocktail party. Hopefully, Jake was still able to pick up a glass of 'Brotherly Love' (see previous posts for vodka cocktail reference). The cocktail party took place at the Four Seasons in NYC - and so we have some pictures where Jake and Tobey Maguire are wearing their interview clobber and others where they're not. Natalie looks beautiful here. I believe that she did not make the Saturday cocktail party but she did make the Sunday cocktail party. Jim Sheridan definitely made it to both. The particularly happy man is Executive Producer Ryan Kavanaugh.
I would just like to point out that the guy on the left is Jake Gyllenhaal.
We've had the cool, funny video - it's now time for the - opposite. This is 'A Powerhouse of Emotion'. It's 'Powerful' and 'Gripping'. Rated R. I'd say more but I've not the voice for it.
Many thanks to IHJ!
[Updated update] Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway on set, new Jake interviews (including a PoP one), new Brothers clips
Yep, you've guessed it - another update! This time, it's Love and Other Drugs. A local resident was fortunate enough to see Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway on the set last Friday and grabbed a quick film, plus some pictures of Jake's rather lovely movie porsche.
And another picture from the set, taken on 20 November and kindly posted by Coebabelghoti.
On with the post!
Anyone fancy starting the day with some more Jake Gyllenhaal? Me too! More videos and more clips (and quite a few funny faces). First off let's start with some Prince of Persia talk. Here you can watch and listen to Jake talk about learning how to run along walls while acting in a castle. And question of the day (and what really matters) - what do we think of the Love and Other Drugs hair that we see here?
In this interview, also for Access Hollywood, Jake talks about Brothers, acting with Tobey Maguire and the 'Three best actors of their generation' claims - there's also some confusion about 'sag' and 'shag'...
Jake has also been talking about the paparazzi. Here is the online clip. With many thanks to IHJ we can also see the longer TV version from Extra there. I don't know why there's a long gap here...
Meanwhile, we have a new clip from Brothers and this may well be my favourite so far.
Updated to add another clip - with also a lot of Jake.
I think its fair to say, I'll be back!
Includes pictures from links.
And another picture from the set, taken on 20 November and kindly posted by Coebabelghoti.
On with the post!
Anyone fancy starting the day with some more Jake Gyllenhaal? Me too! More videos and more clips (and quite a few funny faces). First off let's start with some Prince of Persia talk. Here you can watch and listen to Jake talk about learning how to run along walls while acting in a castle. And question of the day (and what really matters) - what do we think of the Love and Other Drugs hair that we see here?
In this interview, also for Access Hollywood, Jake talks about Brothers, acting with Tobey Maguire and the 'Three best actors of their generation' claims - there's also some confusion about 'sag' and 'shag'...
Jake has also been talking about the paparazzi. Here is the online clip. With many thanks to IHJ we can also see the longer TV version from Extra there. I don't know why there's a long gap here...
Meanwhile, we have a new clip from Brothers and this may well be my favourite so far.
Updated to add another clip - with also a lot of Jake.
I think its fair to say, I'll be back!
Includes pictures from links.
Monday, 23 November 2009
[Updated] A Brothers review, clips, cocktails, Love and Other Drugs' meteorological powers
Not much time to draw breath, I'm afraid, just a quick kick to the surface, a brief gulp of air, and then back down into that cosy cottonwool cloud of Jakeness. Mixed metaphors are a well-know side-effect of this amount of Jake Gyllenhaal. This post can be seen as complementary to this morning's. Please make sure you see that post for the two Jake video interviews, complete with beguiling hand movements, eyebrow expressions and a very fine jumper.
The question remains - was Jake at the premiere and after party last night? I'm inclined to think not and put the few tweets down to wishful thinking - after all, Jake has been busy on the Love and Other Drugs set, both yesterday and today. But if it turns out that Jake was able to pop back for a cocktail and a jig, that would be wonderful. His absence was keenly felt on the red carpet, despite the distraction of Natalie Portman's amazing pair of purple shoes. You can see a video report at ITN which, when you get past your displeasure at hearing Jake's name recklessly mispronounced, you can enjoy listening to The Edge. There are more photos here.
Natalie's spoken about how Jake made her giggle on set, well, at the after party, she revealed a little more about what Jake did: 'How did the stars stay sane on set? “We definitely needed the lightness to deflate the intensity,” Portman said of the cast’s attempts at humor between takes. “Jake would make [director] Jim [Sheridan] say things in his Irish accent that amused us; like the word third, he says turd, so that provided pretty endless amusement.” As for the starlet and her personal history with love triangles, she claimed innocence, but seemed game. “It would be fun if they were like Tobey and Jake,” said Portman, who wore a bright blue Spring 2010 Jason Wu dress and electric purple super-high Aldo heels. No arguments here.'
Talking of parties, you can see the speciality Brothers cocktail menu from the party here - I'll have a Brotherly Love please.
The reviews are now coming in for Brothers and while there is some discussion about the merits of one version of Brothers over another, the vast majority applaud the cast: 'The chemistry between Portman and Gyllenhaal is gorgeous and apparent... Though riddled with powerful performances — Portman is gracious as the grieving, confused widow. Maguire is enchanting as the traumatized war hero. Gyllenhaal is simply unforgettable as the misunderstood black sheep of the family' (The Pitt News).
And another: 'For his part, Gyllenhaal gives one of the most subtle and nuanced performances of his career.' Variety: 'Still, that cast largely impresses. Portman has rarely been more movingly subdued as a wife and mother who refuses to let grief overpower her sense of responsibility, while Gyllenhaal is effortlessly believable as a drifter who finds, to his delight and ours, that fatherhood suits him well.'
In addition to the video interviews this morning, more videos have come to light today, including another clip from Brothers - this is an intense exchange between Sam and Grace.
Filmsnmovies has a series of behind the scenes clips from Brothers, which show the fluidity of Jim Sheridan's direction - you can watch scenes shape and form before your eyes. There's very little Jake unfortunately, except for a tantalising glimpse in the video below, which shows a touching moment between the brothers and between the actors. But never enough Jake. You can see more here.
It's been a fast moving few days and I don't want anyone to to miss the press conference exchange between Jim and Jake. You can read that here.
While all this Brothers excitement has been taking place in NYC, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway have continued to fascinate, charm and impede the people of Pittsburgh as they go about their lives. Love and Other Drugs not only has the power to close roads and buildings, it also has some sort of mystical power over the weather, as can be seen in these pictures from the set (taken by CarolSmith38 at Magee Hospital on Sunday and hosted on flickr). I seem to recall that Jake had a similar unseasonable effect on the weather during The Day After Tomorrow premieres.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Natalieportman.com, JustJared and links.
The question remains - was Jake at the premiere and after party last night? I'm inclined to think not and put the few tweets down to wishful thinking - after all, Jake has been busy on the Love and Other Drugs set, both yesterday and today. But if it turns out that Jake was able to pop back for a cocktail and a jig, that would be wonderful. His absence was keenly felt on the red carpet, despite the distraction of Natalie Portman's amazing pair of purple shoes. You can see a video report at ITN which, when you get past your displeasure at hearing Jake's name recklessly mispronounced, you can enjoy listening to The Edge. There are more photos here.
Natalie's spoken about how Jake made her giggle on set, well, at the after party, she revealed a little more about what Jake did: 'How did the stars stay sane on set? “We definitely needed the lightness to deflate the intensity,” Portman said of the cast’s attempts at humor between takes. “Jake would make [director] Jim [Sheridan] say things in his Irish accent that amused us; like the word third, he says turd, so that provided pretty endless amusement.” As for the starlet and her personal history with love triangles, she claimed innocence, but seemed game. “It would be fun if they were like Tobey and Jake,” said Portman, who wore a bright blue Spring 2010 Jason Wu dress and electric purple super-high Aldo heels. No arguments here.'
Talking of parties, you can see the speciality Brothers cocktail menu from the party here - I'll have a Brotherly Love please.
The reviews are now coming in for Brothers and while there is some discussion about the merits of one version of Brothers over another, the vast majority applaud the cast: 'The chemistry between Portman and Gyllenhaal is gorgeous and apparent... Though riddled with powerful performances — Portman is gracious as the grieving, confused widow. Maguire is enchanting as the traumatized war hero. Gyllenhaal is simply unforgettable as the misunderstood black sheep of the family' (The Pitt News).
And another: 'For his part, Gyllenhaal gives one of the most subtle and nuanced performances of his career.' Variety: 'Still, that cast largely impresses. Portman has rarely been more movingly subdued as a wife and mother who refuses to let grief overpower her sense of responsibility, while Gyllenhaal is effortlessly believable as a drifter who finds, to his delight and ours, that fatherhood suits him well.'
In addition to the video interviews this morning, more videos have come to light today, including another clip from Brothers - this is an intense exchange between Sam and Grace.
Filmsnmovies has a series of behind the scenes clips from Brothers, which show the fluidity of Jim Sheridan's direction - you can watch scenes shape and form before your eyes. There's very little Jake unfortunately, except for a tantalising glimpse in the video below, which shows a touching moment between the brothers and between the actors. But never enough Jake. You can see more here.
It's been a fast moving few days and I don't want anyone to to miss the press conference exchange between Jim and Jake. You can read that here.
While all this Brothers excitement has been taking place in NYC, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway have continued to fascinate, charm and impede the people of Pittsburgh as they go about their lives. Love and Other Drugs not only has the power to close roads and buildings, it also has some sort of mystical power over the weather, as can be seen in these pictures from the set (taken by CarolSmith38 at Magee Hospital on Sunday and hosted on flickr). I seem to recall that Jake had a similar unseasonable effect on the weather during The Day After Tomorrow premieres.
Includes pictures from IHJ, Natalieportman.com, JustJared and links.