Ides of March co-star Evan Rachel Wood hit the late night circuit last night to push her latest, George Clooney ‘s political thriller Ides of March , by talking to Jimmy Fallon about… her recent bout of Bieber Fever. Sure, why not? She plays an eager 20-year-old in the film, after all. And in grabbing the mic to perform an impromptu version of Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” Wood kills two birds with one stone by pimping both the Clooney-Gosling Oscar hopeful AND the concert doc Never Say Never . Judge her Bieber-esque swag and stick around for more Buzz Break.
I don’t know how in touch you are with Dane Cook’s film career, but this December, the comedian-turned-actor stars in a kidnapping drama called Answers to Nothing . As a philandering husband whose wife is determined to get pregnant in spite of his infidelities, the leading role — which appears to be completely (and purposefully) humorless in the trailer — could be a step in a new direction for the 39-year-old stand-up. But can Dane Cook even be taken seriously as a dramatic actor at this point in his career?
Once casts a long shadow over the The Swell Season , a black-and-white tour documentary co-directed by Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins and Carlo Mirabella-Davis. For one thing the film, which follows musicians-turned-movie stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as they perform under the band name of the title, wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Once — the incredible, unexpected success of the Irish indie romance made celebrities of its leads and netted them an Academy Award for their song “Falling Slowly,” one of many we hear them play in the doc. Early on, we’re shown Hansard’s mother hefting her son’s Oscar and speaking of him with pride, musing that if the two musicians were to get married, their children would be able to say “ma and dad have an Oscar each!” Once has allowed the long-struggling Hansard and considerably younger Irglová to become a coveted live act, and it’s on tour that The Swell Season catches them, as the first flush of celebration has faded and weariness has begun to set in.
This morning, we revisited Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman and this afternoon, we get to see the Academy Award-winning actress as a suburban ice princess who returns to her hometown in sweats to lie to Hampton Inn employees, blatantly flirt with her married high school sweetheart and drink around the clock. Click through to see the first trailer for Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s next joint venture, Young Adult .
George Clooney’s The Ides of March is an actors’ movie, a picture that gives performers some provocative things to do without necessarily providing a great story for them to hang onto. It’s also a movie made for grown-ups, and Lord knows there are few enough of those around today. But this story of an idealistic young press secretary who finds his principles eroded at the hands of a corrupt Democratic presidential candidate keeps getting in the way of its own chin-stroking: It’s carefully designed to make us think it’s making us think, but in the end, what’s it really telling us? That politics — and politicians — can be dishonest and ugly? Please don’t stop the presses for that one.
“If I was in a room with Michelle Obama, and I thought she was right for a part, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask her.” Woody Allen cast French first lady (and former model-chanteuse) Carla Bruni in a small part as a museum guide in his Midnight in Paris “on a whim” after dining with the President and Mrs. Nicolas Sarkozy. He’d give Mrs. Obama a similar shot, he said on British T.V., if only he met with her first. Sounds like someone wants an invite to the White House! [ USA Today via Onion A.V. Club ]
How do you possibly promote a movie about a promiscuous high school student in the ’80s? If you’re ripping a page out of the Weinstein Co.’s Dirty Girl ‘s marketing book, try launching a blog where users can anonymously share their deepest, darkest, most twisted sexual fantasies… then making it accessible for anyone aged 13 and up! Um, guys…?
With September’s box office duelers on their way out, it’s time we clear space for two new contenders to duke it out for the moviegoing public’s vote. But try as he might, does George Clooney have what it takes to unseat Hugh Jackman’s crowd-pleasing sci-fi actioner, the probable weekend victor? He does have Ryan Gosling on his ticket. Not too shabby. Onward, to the polls! It’s your Weekend Forecast.
Happy Thursday! Also in today’s edition of The Broadsheet: James Bond’s 23rd may have a title… Octavia Spencer could deal for Diablo Cody… Javier Bardem may return to villainy (animation-style)… And the Nobel literature winner is… and more.
Every era has its misfits, people who feel out of step with their contemporaries and the world. As a plea for tolerance and understanding of oddballs, Dirty Girl , the debut feature from writer-director Abe Sylvia, hits every note so squarely on the beat that in the end, it’s nothing but square. It doesn’t matter that Sylvia has stocked the soundtrack with killer ’80s pop from the likes of Bow Wow Wow, Teena Marie and Joan Jett. The movie’s true poster girl is the drippy Melissa Manchester, urging us to sing from our souls, because she thinks we can make it.
