Source Code in Madrid part 2! And Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones reach Rome

Greetings from Berlin! I've made it at long last and I'm doing the great self-sacrificing task of sampling the beer ahead of the arrival of Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones tomorrow. I am using a little notepad that doesn't believe in putting letters in the right order so apologies for excessive typos. While some of us may be in Berlin, Jake and Duncan have been sprinkling the Source Code magic across Rome. This post includes pictures from Rome but it also includes more wonderful photographs from Madrid yesterday, courtesy of Eureka and Carlota. There are video and audio goodies to come but I'm not able to deal with that this evening in my haggard state. But, now, I can put my feet up because the rest of this post is Eureka's account of a day I think she's going to remember for such a long time. Over to Eureka...



'What a Wonderful Day.That's how I'd start the account of yesterday. I met with Carlota and Carmen to go to the hotel where Duncan and Jake were to meet the press. My first time ever to attend an event like this. So it was great to be in their company.The hotel was really nice, Kate posted already a link to the hotel website. And old palace with garden. We were shy and took our seats in the conference room. Waiting for Jake and Duncan to enter the room. While we waited, Carmen looked out one of the room windows and noticed there was a photocall poster and photographers were already there waiting for the stars. We wanted to go out, but we did not know if we were allowed. She asked and they said yes.'


'It was a sunny and beautiful day in Madrid so it was very good the photocall was outdoors. So there we went speedy and joing the photographers, there were many, so it was hard to squeeze to be able to take a shot.We waited for a while, very anxiouly...and finally Jake did this nice entrance down the stairs Kate posted yesterday. Waving and smiling. My first thought was: He is indeed very nice. Photographers took lots of shots and then Duncan joined Jake. They were joking while posing. And then Jake left, I did my best to picture him leaving but I got his back. Then was photos just for Duncan and that was easier. There were less photographers for Duncan. It's true Jake was the star for the pictures.'



'After that we ran again indoors to the conference room and waited a little. They entered the room smiling. My eyes could not believe it at first, after so many internet pictures and videos I felt I was in front of my laptop. But this time, no, this time was for real. They were there, there was Jake in flesh and blood. I wanted to take pictures and video but I also wanted to see it all with my own eyes.'


'The questions they received were both for Duncan and Jake. But the biggest part were for Duncan. It was somewhat different cause they were escorted by two interpreters one for Duncan and another one for Jake. Some people asked in Spanish others directly in English. But it was fun to watch their faces listening the Spanish questions and waiting for the translation. They asked things about the conection of this movie with Moon, the free will of human beings. At one point a person asked several questions in a row for Duncan and Jake. And Jake said, let me answer first cause I'm an actor and I forget very quickly. That made us all laugh. At some point he did forget something and we all laughed again.'


'Duncan was also asked about the movie budget but very nicely said he could not share that piece of information since producers did not either but he joked. He said that "as Director it was never enough and it will never be enough but I will always make it work". Jake was asked if we was in the same situation as Colter what would he do, and he said he had thought a lot about that. And that what gets the character through the situation is his expertise as a pilot. That he is told in his job to try his instict, what sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But Colter's expertise as a military man helped him. But him knowing all he knows at this moment he would be fine.'


'"I know all about the source code. I know what it does, I know who is in control, and I know I'm screwed so I think I'd be ok knowing about it all now". That answer made us laugh. A neat question for Duncan was: Do you think our reality is an illusion and if it is so what is the path to scape from it? And Jake jumped in (funny cause I think he understood the question in Spanish cause interpreter did not translate until later) and said "You should ask that to an actor. For an actor reality is an illusion" Duncan said he wished he knew how to escape his question. He said all he could say is that what drew him to the script and working with Jake was he believes good films are relying on the care the audience has for the main character. The situation Colter finds himself in is unique, bizarre but he wanted the audience to relate to him.'


'Before closing Duncan, who was such a wonderful sweet and warm person, said he was very excited for the football game there was yesterday in Madrid, Real Madrid vs Tottenham. He said he wished he could play for Tottenham cause he's awful bad and that would make sure Real Madrid would won. That won even more the audience if possible. By the way the result was: Real Madrid 4 Tottenham 0.'



[You can see the whole press conference here. Thanks to Snow for the link.]

'After that came the most exciting time Jake stepped down the platform and all the ladies in the room rushed forward and he posed with them for pictures. He received gifts. I had printed some stills for the movie with the idea to have his autograph. It was hard you know. Carlota and Carmen met their goal. They will explain themselves but you already saw their picture with Jake. Me, I met and surpassed mine. I got his signature. OMG! I saw his face and his eyes so close.... I just can say they are incredibly beautiful. More than in the movies. He then moved forward to the end of the line of ladies. And on his way back I asked for a picture with him. And he did stop and got that moment too. That's AMAZING. He is super professional and nice. And he listens with intention to the people. Then he left for the one to one interviews with the press.'


'First part of the adventure was over. I was in a levitating trance. I tell you. Me and Carlota and Carmen. Jiggling and smiling like tripping. He,he. We went for lunch and came back to the hotel thanks to a friend of theirs and there was another little adventure with Ducan which they will tell. Pretty exciting too. We saw Jake briefly, he was seated in a table with reporters but it was an instant then the door closed.'


'Next stop was the cinema premiere for Source Code for fans. These tickects were won by a Tweeter and Facebook contest. I'm so thankful to Carlota and Carmen who won tickets and they invited me to join them. So we arrived so early we made it to the front row. What can I say. A perfect, perfect day. Moving from one thing to another enjoying the ride. And then they came, went down the stairs from the projection room. They were introduced by the Director of AURUM (the movie distributor in Spain). And you can see what happened here:'



'It was brief but funny. The Aurum director told Duncan he knew he was a great tweeter and asking to tell a tweet about what SOURCE CODE is about, he said: "Colter Stevens on a commuter train, blows up things get weird". And Jake said : "You have your whole seat but you'll only need the edge" Duncan said he had a great feeling presenting the movie in Madrid cause here he got his first award for MOON and that motivated him to continue making movies. And when making movies you are always at work even when the movie is done. Duncan asked people, please, if you do like the movie please tell everyone you know to come and see it, cause if the movie does not work he would have to go back to his old job selling second hand cars. That made us all laugh. Then they left off to Rome as we were told earlier. Then SOURCE CODE movie and this amazing adventure was over. Go and watch it!'


'I want to thank Kate for putting me in contact with Carlota, Carmen and Snow who finally could not come to Madrid for the screening. We had an amazing unforgettable day. I wish you the same for Berlin.'


Thank you so much, Eureka! It makes me feel as if I had been there...




Pictures thanks to Eureka, Carlota and IHJ.

First exclusive report from Source Code's day in Madrid with Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones! Much more to come...

This is an emergency post, brought about by the extraordinary experiences that WDW friends Eureka and Carlota enjoyed today in the beautiful city of Madrid. Indeed, the city was made even more striking today by the addition of Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones. This is a stop gap post, giving them the time to digest their adventure - and it involved chatting with Jake, giving him presents, talking about football (with Jake and Duncan) and selling secondhand cars - and me to process the files. In the first picture we have the lovely Carlota and her cousin Carmen with Jake.


These pictures were taken by Eureka. As you can see, our friends were able to watch the photocall.





There is a lot more to come, including the press conference itself, and some great video, but I think it's time to let Eureka and Carlota sleep and recover. And thanks so much to them for sharing this incredible day with us all!

And finally...

As mentioned in the post earlier this evening, I have not one but TWO tickets available for the screening on Thursday night in Berlin, introduced by Jake and Duncan. The tickets are not together but they are in the theatre (which is what counts). You will need to be in Berlin for 8.30pm on Thursday night. If you're interested email me using the contact link on the top left hand corner of the front page here. Thanks to reader Mrs JG for contributing one of the tickets.

Photos from Carlotta and Eureka!

Source Code reaches Madrid! Rome next, then Berlin - fancy a ticket to see Jake and Duncan?!

After a full-on week in the US, the Source Code Train is now in Europe - to be more precise Madrid! This morning and lunchtime a photocall and press conference took place at the Hotel Santo Mauro, ahead of a screening this evening introduced by Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones. It's been a full day of press today and there were some amusing moments courtesy of Rodene, who video blogged some of the junkets. More details and a fine map over at Duncan and Rodene's blog.





I am delighted to say that the intrepid WDW reporters were at the press conference this lunchtime (and will be at the screening this evening) and fully captured it! Reports will follow shortly (once they've stopped enjoying themselves with Jake...). So many thanks to them for doing such a great job. And for the snippet that the Source Code Train will next roll in to Rome!


Then, of course, it's Berlin on Thursday. I'm flying off to Germany tomorrow, ready to enjoy a spring break that has a bit of Jake in it. There will be interludes... And the good news is that I have not one but TWO tickets available for the screening on Thursday night in Berlin, introduced by Jake and Duncan. The tickets are not together but they are in the theatre (which is what counts). You will need to be in Berlin for 8.30pm on Thursday night. If you're interested email me using the contact link on the top left hand corner of the front page here. Thanks to reader Mrs JG for contributing one of the tickets.


And finally...

Among the links from today, I do recommend this interview with Duncan from Little White Lies.


Pictures from PoPSugar, Daylife and Just Jared.

Michael Pena to star with Jake Gyllenhaal in End of Watch, why Jake loves London and too many Source Code goodies to list!

Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones - aka Team Source Code - have landed in Madrid and are getting ready for press day tomorrow. So while Jake relaxes with Rescue Remedy, goes for a run, checks out local restaurants and drinks lots of water (I'd recommend San Miguel myself), we have a chance to catch up and there is an awful lot to catch up with. First off, it looks like Jake has a co-star for End of Watch and he is Michael Pena. Shooting will start in July in LA. Jake will play cop Taylor while Michael will be cop Zavala. Thanks to Monica for the heads up.


Secondly, I am delighted to post a link to a great interview with Jake in which he says how much he loves London, Britain and Brits. We love talent, and if we see a sprout, we fertilise it and let it grow. I am thrilled to hear Jake talk about how much Britain, a nation famed for its love of Donnie Darko, means to him. After Prince of Persia, Jake is, of course, an honorary Brit. He has the 'estuary accent' to prove it. Ostensibly, Jake was there to talk about Edible Schoolyard...


Talking about good causes, not to mention Gyllenisms, Jake has also been quoted in the New York Post from his New Eyes for the Needy appearance at the weekend: 'While sheepishly admitting that he wore contacts, and glasses if he "needed to look smart," the star told the audience how he first learned about the organization: "When I was a kid, my grandfather asked me to donate my glasses to Needy Eyes. 'No way,' I said, 'I can't part with them . . .' I have since learned the error of my ways." He closed by begging the crowd to pay up, telling them, "Fork over your dollars like an old man at a strip club!"'

There is more from the Apple chat on Friday night: 'When asked by a high schooler if acting was a viable career path, Gyllenhaal immediately quipped, "Is there something wrong with you?... It's just about doing it right when it feels right. It's about listening to people and being present with other people," said the Academy Award-nominated actor, who grew up with both parents working in Hollywood. "That's what they always say about acting."'


'"The best directors I've worked with have the people around them they've started out with. When I met Jim Sheridan, he had the same people around him since the beginning." On his favorite actress he's starred with, Gyllenhaal was initially less diplomatic. "Definitely not Michelle! No, each one has their own special..." he grinned, then turned to his female costar. "Man, this iPad is really going to be worth it!."'

The MTV movie awards are on the way and you can nominate nominees. May I suggest Jake? Jake and his films feature in a fair few of the categories. Thanks to a reader for the heads up!


We have some more video interviews today. There is this one and then there are these from On the Red Carpet.



In another, non-embeddable one, Gino sits down with Jake Gyllenhaal. Jake and Duncan also sat down with JoBlo. Note the hand gestures...




And finally...

This is going to be an exciting week on WDW. We have reporters covering Madrid for us and Berlin later in the week. So don't go anywhere...


Includes pictures from IHJ.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Nic Cage on SNL

Last night Jake Gyllenhaal made a surprise appearance on SNL. Even better, the skit also featured my second favourite actor Nic Cage.



Earlier in the evening, Jake went to see the musical The Book of Mormon at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on Broadway.


This is an emergency post - there could very well be more later on.

Thanks to IHJ for the picture.

Meet the Filmmakers: Jake Gyllenhaal, Duncan Jones and Michelle Monaghan at Apple, plus Jake in the Telegraph and even more interviews!

There's a huge amount to post this evening but before we get going on the Gyllengoodies, it appears from initial US box office reports that Source Code was second on its opening night (inevitably beaten by a film about a rabbit that poops jelly beans) and is well on its way to achieving $15 million from its first weekend. So congratulations to Duncan Jones, Jake Gyllenhaal and all concerned in creating a movie that has got everyone talking and has attracted fantastic reviews. I rather liked this summary as well as this look at Duncan Jones, the tweeter.


In my local Apple store, you get a few iPads and iPhones on display and even an available shop assistant if you're very lucky. In NYC, you get Jake Gyllenhaal. Last night, Jake, Duncan and Michelle Monaghan (wearing the most extraordinary heels that make me dizzy just looking at them) took part in a Meet the Filmmakers session in the store. Not everyone managed to get in. You can get an idea of the atmosphere from this picture. But for those who did...








Also last night, Jake, Michelle and Duncan introduced another screening.



There are also some further pictures from the screening in NYC the night before, 31 March.






Earlier in the evening, Jake had taken part in a silent auction for New Eyes for the Needy and you can read a little about that here. Jake talks a little about the charity in a great feature in today's Telegraph. The magazine not only features Jake on the cover, it also has a fascinating interview in which Jake mentions that he's spent an entire year publicising films (three of them) and as a result has not been able to make any. With End of Watch set to begin filming in July, presumably in LA, it looks as if Jake will be glad to be back at work. You can read the interview here - just click on the scans.






Source Code has been attracting an enormous amount of attention across the media. It is also the number one film to see in this week's Entertainment Weekly. Many thanks to BBMISwear for the scan.


Baack to the interviews and videos. There are a few today.




Do also take a look at this interview here. The MySpace interview below, from the LA premiere, is particularly worth a look. Jake also talks, once more, about how he still wants to play Joe Namath.


Source Code Black Carpet Premiere

Marquis Movies | Myspace Video

Includes pictures from links and IHJ. There are lots more there. Many thanks to BBMISwear for the help with the post today.

Good luck Duncan, Jake, Michelle and everyone involved as Source Code opens today! More videos, interviews, pics, screenings, auctions...

The day is here - Source Code is released today in the UK and US and is set to sweep across the rest of the globe in the coming days and weeks. This means that I could very well me talking to myself this afternoon because I'm hoping that a good proportion of you have your bums on theatre seats. But to keep you entertained, hopefully, while you wait, here are some more updates to go with the videos of Good Morning America and Regis and Kelly, which I posted late last night in the post below. The latter featured a rather romantic moment and, at a glamorous red carpet screening in NYC last night, Jake Gyllenhaal talked some more about how he gets involved in affairs of the heart.



As for the NYC screening, there are pictures in this post, which show that Jake and Duncan Jones have more than a love of scifi and making cracking movies in common - yep, knitware.



Earlier in the evening Jake attended a silent auction for one of his most well-known good causes, New Eyes for the Needy.


As you can imagine, release date brings with it lots more interviews. Here is one from MTV.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

There are also lots of written interviews. The Independent featured a double-page spread on Source Code yesterday. This interview is both excellent and extremely spoilery and so click this link at your own risk. I have scanned the image from the paper.



These few little snippets are not spoilery but you'll want to read them: '"As giddy and innocent as Duncan is in his press, which I think is genuine and very wonderful and positive," ventures Gyllenhaal, "when he's on set he reminds me of someone like Ang Lee. He's quiet, he hardly says a word. He's strangely confident in this way where he allows people to be themselves and then ultimately you realise you're in his vortex! He really empowers his actors. I responded to his confidence as a visionary with Moon – I could feel it in that movie – and because I also have a certain amount of experience there was a real camaraderie between the two of us. Duncan and I had to be almost in sync because you see the story through the character I'm playing so if he made a choice I had to move with that choice, we couldn't really veer off each other's choices."'


'"Bottom line is that, as a director, Duncan feels like a contemporary but at the same time he's just as in charge as somebody like Ang Lee or David Fincher or Sam Mendes or anybody I've worked with which is a rare quality for a young film-maker on a second movie."'

"When I was first working, I would just take whatever I was cast for. But now, it's like I have to have 'that feeling'. I've done movies where I didn't have that feeling and I knew the audience didn't either. So every time I have that feeling, I know that I'm taking the audience along with me and they're gonna say, 'What's this about?' because I've made enough consistent choices that they go, 'It may be interesting what he's doing, let's check it out'. I just feel the responsibility to people who might go see it that there is something new in it. I respect the audience so much and I think it comes from growing up with storytellers. I watch movies a lot, I get feelings from movies, I love watching trailers, I love hearing directors, actors and everybody whose job has to do with movies".


'"A lot of times, the most wonderful, interesting movies are not exactly fun to make. One of the hardest processes I went through – and I'd say that every actor would agree on this – and which wasn't a tonne of fun was Brokeback Mountain. Yet we loved each other on that movie so much that we are all still close and we will be for the rest of our lives. Also if that movie would have been successful or not, financially or whatever, there was still something special about it, even though it didn't feel good at the time. So in accepting this role, working with Duncan, I wasn't sure if it would be fun but I knew it was gonna be rad! There's a mystery about Duncan that is totally original."'


'"I think everybody has time to fall in love when they're doing anything. I think there's always some time for that. But don't just take it from me, you should ask the presidents of countries if they have time to fall in love while they're trying to save the world."'

SheKnows has also interviewed the man it has found the sexiest alive (understandably). There's an interview at Flicksandbits. And a quick Q&A with the Daily Record reveals that Jake might like to use those eight minutes to alter things for the good for Abraham Lincoln.


So it's the Apple store tonight and more to come, no doubt, before the publicity train comes over to Europe. Do keep watching Duncan and Rodene's blog and Man Made Movies for further updates.

Many thanks to IHJ for the pictures, there are many more there.