San Diego Comic-Con End of Watch update

As we'd suspected, Jake Gyllenhaal didn't join co-star Michael Pena and director David Ayer for the End of Watch panel at Comic-Con in San Diego yesterday. It would seem that An Enemy kept him in Toronto. However, that didn't stop Jake from introducing the film to the SDCC crowd via video and this included three clips. One of them is available for us to watch over at hula. Interesting use of beeps, especially if they make it into the movie itself.

ScreenCrave, amongst its other coverage, has great descriptions of the other two scenes. The first:

It’s POV shot from the front of a police car accompanied by a voiceover. The narrator is Officer Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and he’s giving a monologue about his devotion to the law. “A thin blue line protects the prey from predator, the good from the bad. We are the police.” The car is in a high speed chase with a black vehicle in a residential area.

The police car catches up to the rogue vehicle, forcing it to crash into a yard. The driver and its passenger immediately hop out with guns blazing. At this point, we’re still watching from the point of view of an anonymous the car. There’s a quick cut and we see Taylor and Zavala standing in front of the windshield aiming their guns at the assailants. They let off several rounds killing both men. Zavala walks over to their lifeless bodies, turns them over and handcuffs them. America Ferrera‘s character (Officer Orozco) appears in frame and looks at the damage. She exclaims, “Holy shit!”

The second:

Taylor and Zavala arrive on the scene of a house fire. A woman runs off her porch and screams that her two-year old daughter’s inside. Taylor immediately runs in to save her, with Zavala screaming, “No.” Cut to a scene filled with red lighting and puffs of smoke. Both men are shown crawling on the floor where they find the little girl.

Taylor grabs the child and covers her face with a blanket. Zavala tries to lead them out of the home but they’re stuck. They lose contact with one another because of the smoke. Luckily, they latch on to each other again and escape. The next thing we see is a group of firemen approaching the scene. Taylor and Zavala are on the ground shaking, sweating and struggling for breath. The firemen try to help them up, but Taylor yanks his arm and asks where were they.

According to MySpace: 

The unconventional camera coverage was chosen because David has the philosophy that with YouTube and video games the audience has learned to view footage and come to expect a certain level of reality in ways big studios don’t show. They built cameras to show the POV of the actors. Michael had to spend a lot of time running with one of these cameras strapped to his chest, which was hard because when he started he was out of shape and Jake loves to run.

You can read a full round up of the panel at Collidor, whose editor moderated the panel. Ayer doesn't spare Michael Pena's blushes, calling him fat compared to Jake at the beginning of filming. As time went on, Michael felt more like the 'Mexican RoboCop'. The whole experience, including the training, made Jake and Michael very close and so, no doubt, this charisma between the pair will be something to watch when the film is released. In fact, David Ayer wanted Jake and Michael to appreciate and feel the bond that police officers feel for their partners, a bond that is 'closer than marriage'.

Jake's voiceover to a car chase scene (source): 

“I’m the unpaid bill. I am fate with a badge and gun. Behind my badge is a heart like yours. I bleed, I think, I love. I can be killed. We stand watch together. A thin blue line, protecting the prey from the predators. We are the police.”

You can watch a video interview with Michael and David here at Shockya. 

All in all, End of Watch suddenly got a lot more exciting and it can't come soon enough - 28 September for the US, 23 November for the UK.

An Enemy in the can? Comic-Con still on? A shaven Jake Gyllenhaal in NYC and Annie Funke cast in If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet

Jake the Sasquatch is no more! Again! Proving true the ancient adage: 'You can always tell when Jake Gyllenhaal has finished filming because he shaves' - an adage that can be reversed: 'You can always tell when Jake Gyllenhaal has started filming because he shaves' - Jake was espied in a restaurant in NYC without the beard. Jake will now have to store excess food in his napkin like most other people.

There are further new images of Jake not only shorn on his face but also on his head. While we'll have to wait for tomorrow (or Sunday UK time) to learn if Jake does make it to San Diego's Comic-Con as the programme lists, we can still enjoy the images. Incidentally, the media has been a little surprised at the inclusion of End of Watch at this Comic-Con Superhero/Sparkly Antihero/Alien fest. There's this from E! and more from Hollywood.com. The verdict seems to be that Jake puts bums on seats - reason enough! Let's hope the absence of his name in this tweet was an oversight.

UPDATE: Jake didn't attend Comic-Con. Instead his message was presented as a video. Details to come in the next post.

Meanwhile, the actress to play Anna, the teenager in Jake's imminent play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet has been cast. She is conveniently called Annie (Funke).

My review of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is now on MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal to appear at Comic-Con in San Diego on 14 July

An Enemy is now into its last couple of weeks of filming in Toronto; its last scheduled date is 13 July. The indication is that as soon as Jake Gyllenhaal wraps, he'll be ready to move on. With no time to waste, Jake will  be heading down to San Diego to to publicise End of Watch at Comic-Con on Saturday 14 July.

Bleeding Cool has published the entire schedule for the event at San Diego's Convention Center and it includes:

'Saturday, July 14 – Open Road panel in Hall H at 12:45 p.m. with Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña and writer/director David Ayer.'

Good news! We'll have the first opportunity in quite a while to hear Jake talk about his work. If it's half as good as what came out of San Francisco's WonderCon in April 2010, then we are in for treats. Of course, back in 2009 Comic-Con gave us our first tantalising hints of Prince of Persia.

Talking of An Enemy:



Thanks to BBMISwear for the heads up!

Jake Gyllenhaal - a hairy debate - and Peter Sarsgaard at Comic-Con

As debate intensifies across Gyllendom, with opinion divided, communities split and voices raised and squeaky, I thought it was high time to adress the issue, presenting all the evidence, so at last we can settle the matter of Jake Gyllenhaal and the Face Fuzz. In tonight's post, I present, with the utmost scientific accuracy and objectivity, a presentation of Jake Gyllenhaal's facial hair in recent years - if I had a psychic octopus handy I would of course make use of him to identify the most appropriate level of beard for Jake by means of a series of intensive but animal-friendly tests. As I don't, we'll have to do.


Hot on the heels of HatGate 2009, Jake Gyllenhaal's arrival back in LA last week shows there is no end in sight to BeardGate 2010. This may mean one of four things: 1. Jake Gyllenhaal has lost his razor. 2. Naomi no longer exerts shaving influences. 3. There is a drastic razor shortage in the United States, although Brad Pitt now suggests that the contrary is true. 4. Jake took to heart the comment he received during the PoP publicity - that he should play a biblical character. On with the presentation - please imagine a series of overhead projections and a pointy laser stick thing.


1. Very hairy.

Believe it or not, July 2010 beard levels are not at their most extreme for Jake. In January 2010, Jake Gyllenhaal attended a party with Marion Cotillard. Jake did indeed shave soon afterwards - it is, therefore, more than likely that Marion said something encouraging.


Before this, Jake was at his hariest during the promotion for Rendition, in the Autumn of 2007. Blame was placed on Brothers and Tommy although the evidence indicates that Tommy Cahill was a lot less beardy than Jake.





This beard is the Itchy Beard.



It even inspired the President of Iran.



Peter Sarsgaard can provide beard-growing companionship for Jake.



2. No beard.

The no beard phase is a much rarer beast and is usually work related. For instance, one was able to tell almost immediately that filming on Love and Other Drugs had finished. Jake is often non-bearded when in the company of family. It also makes him more aerodynamic.









Nothing like a film to make the foam come out...


3. Moustache

While Jack Twist's dodgy 70s 'tache can be excused as a movie prop (perhaps with a life of its own)...


... the same cannot be said of this. This is from 2 May 2007.


But, the very next day - 3 May 2007. An audible sigh of relief swept through the fandom.


4. Just a touch

Arguably, not too much, not too little is the best course of shaving action, as is ably demonstrated by these fine photographs.








I would now redirect your eyes to the first two pictures of the post again.

And so, which is it to be?

Comic Con 2010

Peter Sarsgaard made an appearance on the Green Lantern panel in Comic Con at San Diego yesterday. Am I the only one who wants to give Peter a good meal? Source. Great to see Peter getting some attention, though.



And finally...

These two videos have just been reposted - the first was posted here during the PoP party but may have been overlooked (and it's very funny) and the second is posted just cos it gave me a good laugh!




Includes pictures from IHJ and links.

Jake Gyllenhaal parties, Source Code's first showing and Peter Sarsgaard to go (possibly) to Comic-Con

On Martha's Vineyard, in the summer, non-famous people are so few and far between, they stand out as a bit of a curiosity. Every summer the island sinks a few inches further into the Atlantic Ocean, such is the weight of the influx of arty, movie, music types. At the same time, as the Exodus empties Beverly Hills, one can wander through the deserted streets of Hollywood, tumbleweed blowing past one's ears, vultures circling overhead. Should you be fortunate enough to be on MV at this golden time of year, it is more than likely that you will be outnumbered by the famous, who will mill round you, excited to hear what life is like for this outnumbered breed of non-famous.


Last Friday, there was an account on Facebook that 'Mitchell enjoyed dining with the stars (tho not dancing with them) Friday at the home of Tamara Weiss of Midnight Farm on Martha's Vineyard. Name dropping--impossible to resist...Tamara's husband cooked for Mitchell and Carly Simon, Jake Gyllenhall, Jim Belushi, Amy Brennerman (Private Practice/Judging Amy), Busy Phill...ipps (Cougartown), and NY restaurateur Keith McNally (Pulino's, Balthazar, Minetta Tavern...)...'


It's great to see Jake spending more time with fellow godparent for Matilda Busy Philipps. I wonder how these parties go when the stars turn up - do they get introduced, I wonder, or are people expected to know who everyone is and what they do? What is MV Star etiquette? Do you learn it or are you just born with knowledge of it? I will also admit to thinking that 'Cougartown' was another place on MV, like Edgartown. Sounded like an interesting place.


Source Code

Source Code is coming together! A Jake Gyllenhaal director who tweets is to be reasured and Duncan Jones has been doing a great job of keeping us up to date with developments to Source Code. Admittedly, Duncan's about as good as most other people in knowing how to spell Jake's name, but he had this to say on 19 July: 'Just finishing the edit. it's called Source Code, and Jake Gyllenhall is in it! Should be fun!'


On 14 July there was a significant and triumphant tweet: 'Finally got a chance to show a cut of Source Code to a small audience last night... saw a woman in front of me jump in her seat! Victory!' This means one of three things: a) Duncan gave her a tickle; b) the audience was very short; c) SC was bloody good and full of surprises. I believe that Duncan will be at Comic-Con in San Diego this week but not because of SC, but as a visitor.


Comic-Con

One other person who may well be at Comic-Con this week in San Diego is our very own Peter Sarsgaard. Peter, of course, plays the baddie (Hector Hammond) with the very big head in the Green Lantern starring Ryan Reynolds. Tim Robbins plays his father. Peter is expected to be in San Diego, as is another of Jake's co-stars Natalie Portman, who will be publicising Thor. More details here and here. This will be a fun event to follow.


Many thanks to IHJ for some wonderful new old stills and on set photos from that most amazing of Jake movies, Zodiac. They illustrate the post tonight.

Comic-Con enjoys Doctor Parnassus and Gilliam remembers Heath

While we wait to hear what happened when Jordan Mechner took the Prince of Persia stage at Comic-Con today, there is time to take a breath and remember that PoP is not the only film at Comic-Con this year with which we have a connection. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is also getting a great deal of attention and today Terry Gilliam received an honorary ink pot from Comic-Con before he settled down to discuss his film along with cast member Verne Troyer.


You can read a full account of the panel discussion here. A snippet: 'Early into the audience questions, a fan asked Gilliam and Verne to share their experiences while working with Heath. Verne shared his thoughts first, explaining how although he only worked with Heath for a short time, he felt as though they were old friends. Verne continued to say it was an “honor and a privilege” to work with Heath. An emotional Gilliam added how Heath was “an exceptional actor and human being.” He ended with sharing how he thought Heath displayed a “wisdom beyond his years” and a how he had a playful and fearless approach to his work.'



The video below captures a little of the atmosphere during Gilliam's discussion of his film and of his 'lucky charm' Heath Ledger.



In an interview today, Gilliam said: 'It's hard to know what to say. You've got Heath passing and the other guys coming in, the whole thing is so extraordinary and it's never been done before and not going to probably happen again, where the main actor dies and three actors come in and take over. It's extraordinary. But it does tell you how much they cared about him.'


And what about Jake? Yesterday a twitter spotted Jake Gyllenhaal at the Jim Henson lot in LA, suggesting Jake is intriguingly busy...


Coincidentally, I watched The Dark Knight this evening - what a fine film...

We have merchandise... PoP treats, sounds and back to the 60s

We have PoP merchandise! Well, not quite yet... but we will, and soon. The weekend after next Comic-Con descends on San Diego and, while the Prince of Persia movie is currently missing from the Disney schedules, it is missing in a tantalising way. As in a hide behind the sofa and leap out at the birthday girl yelling 'Surprise!' kind of way. What we do know is that goodies associated with the movie will be popping up and dancing seductively in front of our open wallets.


First off, we have The T-shirt. Twelve exclusive and closely guarded t-shirts will be unveiled for the discerning Comic-Con crowd. And the good news is 'The collection also includes classics from Mighty Mouse and a new design for the Spring 2010 Disney movie, "Prince of Persia".' Tempted as I am by a Mighty Mouse classic, I would need to have a PoP t-shirt for each day of the week. It's hard to imagine an occasion (or a pair of shoes) that a Jake Gyllenhaal t-shirt woudn't suit or match. The shirts will be available at the event but they will also be available, in limited numbers and at limited times, from Stylinonline. Keep watching...


And then we will have The Book. Jordan Mechner, the creative genius behind the Prince of Persia franchise, will be attending Comic-Con a week on Friday to discuss his new project, a second graphic PoP novel. However, as Jordan says on his blog, this book will not be about the game prince, 'the Disney book is firmly in the universe of the movie. It offered a chance to establish, and expand on, the characters’ world and back stories beyond what’s in the film.'

'The book is a prequel to the movie (I use the word “prequel” advisedly, for those who think time is like a river that flows swift and sure in one direction), with each chapter drawn by a different artist in a different style. It’ll be published next April as part of the Prince of Persia movie pre-launch.'


Jake and Reese didn't just attend a Hollywood Bowl concert last weekend, on the Friday they were seen at a much more low key event - a gig in Ojai to launch a CD, Granada Doaba, by Californian and Spanish hiphop band Gnawledge. They bought the CD and you can download the album here. Canyon Cody, a member of Gnawledge, took a picture of their famous guests that night.


And finally...

After yesterday's post, which included the new poster for An Education, I'm thrilled to see the trailer today. This film looks amazing - and at last I can hear Peter Sarsgaard's English accent again.



Includes pictures from IHJ and links.