Catch up! Jake Gyllenhaal's 'career best' performance in Prisoners, videos, photos, interviews and news - Prisoners and An Enemy

After a wonderful week in deepest Cornwall - with no internet, phone, or electricity, just an awful lot of sea, sunshine, clotted cream, seals and Tribute ale for company - it's time to catch up a bit. I hope you all had as good an August as I did.

Prisoners has had its premiere. It appeared, to some surprise, last Friday at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado and to great acclaim too. Scott Foundas' review for Variety is a joy to read, it really is, with its talk of 'career best performances' for both Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman. 'It immediately enters the ring as an awards-season heavyweight.'



'Det. Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is spending his Thanksgiving alone, flirting with the waitress in a lonely Chinese diner, when he first responds to the case. In the best film-noir manner, rain is sheeting down, and the camera of the great d.p. Roger Deakins (who has shot the film in wintry blues and blacks with an expressionist edge) pushes in slowly from behind. Loki, we are told, has never failed to solve a case, though this is at odds with the man’s solemn demeanor, his haunted gaze and the elaborate tattoos jutting out from his collar suggesting reserves of private rage. Compare this to the eager-beaver murder sleuth Gyllenhaal played in David Fincher’s “Zodiac” and the full breadth of his impressive range immediately comes into focus.'

All in all, it couldn't bode better for Prisoners' appearance at Toronto later this month. And don't forget (An) Enemy - The Buzz certainly hasn't. There are some great new stills from An Enemy - thanks so much to IHJ for them. 

Jake will be making the rounds of the TV talkshows. We know that he recently recorded Inside the Actor's Studio but there are more details from The Wrap (as well as the photo below). The programme will air on 19 September and in it Jake discussed 'his films "Brokeback Mountain," "October Sky," "Donnie Darko," "End of Watch," and the upcoming "Prisoners." In addition, he discussed his famous Hollywood family and revisited his relationship with late friend and "Brokeback Mountain" co-star Heath Ledger.'

On 16 September, Jake will be among the stars featuring on the very first Queen Latifah Show, along with Will Smith and John Travolta. This show will tape in LA on 12 September. 

This post is illustrated with scans from Jake's appearance in Germany's winter edition of GQ Style - with thanks so much to Sasha for not only scanning the article but also going to the trouble of translating the interview. You can read and see all on Sasha's Tumblr here. It's an interesting interview in which Jake talks about the craft of movies - including that he reads a couple of scripts a day. Also:

'In any case I got very agitated when I sensed being labeled as a “celebrity”. I don’t want to get certain roles in expensive movies because I’m well known. What I am really interested in, is the craft of being an actor. That means understanding everybody else’s craft on set as well: cinematographers, make-up artists, costume designers. I have been extremely lucky, but right now I just want to be part of a functioning group. In short: yes, the team is the key.' I think these two photos of Jake must rank very high (or low) in my list of least favourite portraits.

Jake is also interviewed in the October issue of Total Film. Again, thanks to IHJ for the scans below.

Thanks again very much to Sasha and IHJ for all their help with this catch up post. More to come!