Applause greets End of Watch's test screening, out and about with Jake and WDW's Tuscan Interlude continues

It's one of those good old days when we have a bit of catching up to do with Jake Gyllenhaal. Firstly, End of Watch has had its initial test screening and, thanks to Mermon, we know a little bit about it. One of the lucky people who was there couldn't give much away, as you'd imagine having had to sign umpteen bits of paper, but she did say that there was applause at the end and that it was: 'a mix of Harsh Times, Drive, Cops, and Training Day. Very emotional, funny, and realistic.' Sounds great! And it also sounds nearer...

Thanks to Twitter we also know that Jake was back at Edible Schoolyard this month. A photo has been released of Jake with Edible Schoolyard founder Alice Waters and a bunch of schoolkids who are reaping the benefits of this project.

On 13 December Jake attended a Kanye West and Jay-Z concert in LA where apparently the two stars sang one track ten times. The picture below is courtesy of Jake Weird. There is more information on the star-glittery occasion at the Staples Center here.

While Source Code didn't make the Golden Globes list for some reason known only to single cell organisms, there has been a bit of love for Jake's films this week. As the new Sherlock Holmes film opens, the San Francisco Chronicle has been ruminating on some of Robert Downey Jr's other top movies, including Zodiac. I always enjoying seeing this, quite possibly my favourite of Jake's movies, receiving some love and recognition. Den of Geek has been reflecting on the significance of Source Code for Jake's and Duncan Jones' career and Source Code was among the top 11 films of the year for the Sun-Times. As the year's end draws ever nearer, I am sure there will be more lists with a Jake film on them.

We do like so see Jake in the polls, especially the more outlandish ones. Jake's name makes an appearance in the latest poll from British Airways in which 'Madonna, Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, Salma Hayek and Matthew Fox emerged as the top celebrities to spend Christmas with'. Obviously, Jake's a good cook - double bonus - and I'm quite sure he's not above a spot of washing up. It seems appropriate to post another photo of Airport Jake (and Airport Jake Fashion), thanks to IHJ.

WDW Italian Interlude Part 2!

I regret to inform you that the WDW Italian Interlude continues. This time it features Lucca - a beautiful walled Tuscan town which is built on the footprint of a Roman settlement - and Fiesole - a small hilltop town outisde Florence with the most wonderful Roman and Etruscan remains, including a theatre complete with vomitorium. Essential for bad theatre, I'm sure you'll agree.

Lucca's main square isn't square, it's round and that's because it was originally the Roman amphitheatre. When we were there it was taken over by a film crew that seemed to spend an awful amount of time not doing very much (and seemed to follow us around like a bad penny). Trees grow on towers in Lucca.

Fiesole sits high in the clouds, making it a very atmospheric sport for some Roman drama, followed by a dip in the bathhouse.

My review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is now up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal - actor, rocker

I may not be a geneticist (seriously, I'm not) but it could be fair to say that if one of the little blobs in Jake Gyllenhaal's DNA string had been a little bit bigger, or a little bit to the left or right, or a different colour, maybe we would be applauding Jake on the Glastonbury stage from a muddy field instead of on the silver screen. Indeed, Jake shows all the signs of a potential rock star. He may have said that he wanted to be a professional basketball or soccer player, but perhaps its a rocker's starlight that may have suited Jake best in an alternate universe. So, inspired by our glimpse of Jake at a magical, intimate gig, guitar in hand, with his favourites Mumford and Sons, here is a little taster of Musical Jake.



Talking of harmonicas, who could forget Jake on TRL back in those Zodiac days...?



Jake's musical ability has been commented on by Natalie Portman in People: '"Jake is the kind of guy who can do a spot-on impression of someone you work with that will make you giggle," raves Brothers costar Natalie Portman about the 28-year-old. "He plays guitar and has a great voice. Kids and dogs love him. He loves his mom and sister and girlfriend. He's perfect. Too bad he's ugly."'


He was also in a band as a teenager, as a guitarist: 'The band that I was in, "Holeshot," broke up. I am not currently in any band...but I am writing music and playing. I listen to all different kinds of music. I love The Pixies, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Bob Dylan, The Toots and the Maytals, Beck, Belle and Sebastian, and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few.'


Jake elaborates here: ''Well, I think every actor says they're a singer. I don't know any actor who doesn't. They claim to be, every actor wants to be a rock star and every rock star wants to be an actor, which is probably true. But I've been singing all my life. My band, which broke up, was called Holeshot, and it was like rock, fusion kinda like, a little bit of like, I guess you could say influence like jazz. I love to play music.' What music do you like listening to? 'I love Tom Waits, I really love Tom Waits, I love Radiohead, I love Belle and Sebastian. I love so many and every time I remember answering this question and I go to my CD collection, I'm like, 'Oh! I should have said this, and I should have said that!' Because there are so many bands that I love so much, but those are the ones that are in my head.'

There are other things I'd prefer to forget.


But even that photo comes with a pleasant footnote. The Interview photographer, Mark Seliger, said at the back of the magazine: '"What I like about Jake is that he's got a fun, gentle side,"... The pair even took time to harmonize on what Seliger describes as "a pretty C-minus version" of John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery."'



Jake's singing and dancing powers are indeed legendary and another matter altogether but I cannot help posting this video which remains one of my very favourite Jake moments.



So when that musical happens, as it surely will one day, we won't be surprised by what we see but many no doubt will be. And also let's not forget, Jake has also inspired music.

Includes pictures from IHJ.

I've been busy this evening, I've done a post on robots! for Bleeding Cool and a post on Source Code for Man Made Movies.