It can’t exactly be denied at this point: Kristen Stewart made a pretty big mistake this summer. And while the actress didn’t directly address the affair that nearly cost her Robert Pattinson , she did open up to Mexican magazine 15 a 20 this week – as part of her international promotion for Breaking Dawn Part 2 – and acknowledged past errors in judgment. However, “if you’re an honest person you’ll make mistakes, but it’ll be OK,” Stewart told the publication. “The most interesting things happen after making mistakes.” That’s certainly true. The past couple months have been interesting for us all. What about the movie franchise that made her a household name? Will she miss playing Bella Swan? Sort of, Kristen said. But she doesn’t view the conclusion to the Twilight Saga as anything finite. “I’m taking her with me,” Stewart says of Bella. “I won’t have to miss her…I don’t feel like I have to come back and do something for her. It sounds weird, but I feel close to all the characters I’ve played.” Summit Entertainment, meanwhile, has released a new clip from the film. It stars Stewart and it shows off her arm wrestling prowess.
Wu-Tang rapper-turned-actor and composer RZA makes an explosive directorial debut with The Man With The Iron Fists , a vibrantly stylized homage to martial arts cinema that could only have sprung from the mind of the lifelong kung fu fanatic, hip-hop fixture, and Quentin Tarantino protege. Who else would think to set a Shaw Brothers-esque opening fight sequence to the infectious battle anthem “Shame on a Nigga,” a Wu-Tang classic that RZA also used to inject a little of his late cousin and bandmate Ol’ Dirty Bastard into Russell Crowe ‘s swaggering Jack Knife? RZA also stars in the film, co-written by Eli Roth, as The Blacksmith of Jungle Village, where warring clans, government agents, deadly spies, and secret enemies (including Crowe, Cung Le, Byron Mann, Lucy Liu, David Bautista, Rick Yune, and Daniel Wu) plot to slice, dice, and destroy their enemies for a prized shipment of gold. Ahead of his Iron Fists tour, RZA rang Movieline to discuss the many influences that inspired his martial arts homage, what he learned from studying under movie master Quentin Tarantino, how he landed the legendary Gordon Liu for a key role, and the elusive and obscure kung fu movie he’s been dying to add to his collection. [ GALLERY: Eye-popping images from RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists ] Your history with kung fu, martial arts, and wuxia movies goes back a long way to your early days, but how did your love of these films synthesize within you into this story you’ve wanted to tell for years now? At what point in your life did you realize you could tell it in this way? There were many days of imagining, of course, about making my own movie, just day dreaming, but I think it was more like once I worked on Kill Bill with Quentin [Tarantino] watching him work I saw that there was a way to bring some of these ideas into reality. I’ve been watching so many movies and being around it, as far as being an actor or a composer, I just wanted to one day be able to tell my story that I devised. When I talked about it to buddies like Eli [Roth] he found the story entertaining, so I figured I’d study, prepare myself, keep the dream alive and one day bring it to life. You speak of it in terms of learning, of dedicating yourself to being a student of cinema under the tutelage of these mentors, as you did with Isaac Hayes for music. What do you feel that you learned the most from Quentin? I basically learned to go from a musician and actor to a director. It was his guidance to lead me to feel I could command a crew, I knew how to work a camera, move cameras, and think in a director’s mind. I knew that I could bring something to the world of cinema that would be cool and even unique. Now, what it was going to be, I wasn’t sure. I wanted it to be Iron Fists ; I had another one called A Hard Way To Live , but that one seemed not ready yet. But Iron Fists , I felt like I could really bring this one to life – I see it, I know how to do it. So from him I picked up that complete knowledge of what it takes to be a director. Working on the set with him on Kill Bill and Death Proof – it basically was a college course, yo. With Quentin Tarantino it’s as much about film literacy as it is about on-set, isn’t it? What did you learn from watching movies with him? You know, I missed Fantastic Fest but I came down many times and watched a lot of obscure films there. I also came out to QT Fest and there we watched six movies a day. So all that, every time I watch a movie I watch how Quentin watches it; we watch for education. What he taught me about watching a film was to watch for curves, dives, dips, themes, dialogue, or just even characters. People may ask, ‘Why would RZA watch a movie called Revenge of the Werewolf Woman [ Werewolf Woman , 1976]?’ But in that movie, which is a sick movie, it opens with a werewolf dance and a sexy lady looking like a wolf just dances to music. And you watch a lot of Korean movies and you see there’s always a dance scene in every movie. So in my movie, I don’t have a dance scene but I do have the women on stage representing the Asian culture with the long silks that they wear. I love that; you’ve always got to put a piece of culture in a film, regardless. You’ll notice in my film that, since the Chinese are known for the Chinese Opera – Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, they started from that – so I put a minute of Chinese Opera in my film to pay homage to the culture. But I learned these things by watching films with Quentin and these are things he points out. That movie Revenge of the Werewolf Woman , there’s a scene where a doctor actually explains the scientific reason why werewolves exist. The way he’s doing it is so convincing but it’s all a total lie. But it’s so convincing that as the audience watches, you believe it. And when you watch Iron Fists you’ll see that there are certain dialogue scenes that try to convince you of the myth of the movie – like how Obi-wan Kenobi taught Luke Skywalker about the Force. These types of things, people leaving the theater believe the Force really exists. And that’s what movies will do. Can you name some of the films that influenced Iron Fists ? It’s really a collage of film study and watching many movies and trying to create something of my own. When I was making music I would sample different songs and, as they say, mash them all together to make a new beat, right? Then you can’t tell where the original comes from. I think I did the same thing with the film but even in a different way because I was able to just go from total imagination with something that doesn’t even exist at all. There’s never been an idea that you could take chi energy and animate metal, or animate something else – but there’s a martial arts idea that you would take chi energy that transfers through your weapon. It really does feel like these films and citations and cultural lessons that you’ve accumulated over the years are filtered into this one vision, and it feels so singular from the casting to the music. Russell Crowe’s character, for example, you’ve said was inspired by Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Yes! How did that come about? When we talked about the character one day we had a little problem that we had to figure out on the set. And it seemed like we were going to have a bad day, so I had to go to his trailer and tell him what was going on; to get him to feel comfortable at the time, I told him a story about ODB. The story was, one day ODB walked into the studio late as hell. He was so late, he’s ruined a whole day and wasted all this money. The beat is playing, he walks in, and in one take he performs “Shame On A Nigga Who Try To Run Game On A Nigga.” He does this song in one take and if you notice in the song there’s a part where he goes, “Shame on a nigga who tries to run game on a…” He doesn’t really finish the hook. I was like, ‘Do it over.’ He said, ‘No – that’s it. I’m keeping it. That’s what I like!’ One take. And this one take idea, I explained to Russell, is sometimes just a moment we capture. It doesn’t have to be done over and over. He’s a guy that would come in and do it in one take. So I know we’re out of time, but for today you might have to go one-take, ODB-style. Now of course Russell’s a master anyway and he’ll do it in one take. But I think telling him that story at that time helped because we were about eight hours late and it helped us capture a lot of things in that one day that it would have taken us two days to do. When you see the film you will see a couple of ODB references and you’ll go, ‘Okay – that’s where he got that from. He does an ODB move exactly like ODB would do! What was it like to have Gordon Liu on set? Obviously he and his films influenced your entire career, dating back to the very beginnings of Wu Tang. What was your first meeting with him like and how easy was it to get him onboard? Gordon Liu, first of all, was a blessing for me. To think of when I watched the movie The 36th Chamber of Shaolin , which became the title of our first album, Gordon Liu had played a character called Master Killer, where he had to go to Shaolin to learn how to fight to get revenge for his family. But when he got to Shaolin he started at the 35th chamber but he wanted to go to the top, and when he got to the top the monks weren’t doing kung fu, they were teaching philosophy. And the philosophy that they taught was actually very profound. Now Gordon Liu is known for fighting, in Kill Bill and all of his films, but when I came to him for the role I said, ‘Gordon, I want you to play that monk that you see in 36 Chambers – not the monk who fought but the monk who disseminates all the wisdom.’ He thought about that, and he’s a real Buddhist and everything, so he agreed to do it. It was an honor and a privilege for me. I came to find out he was a musician so I gave him a guitar. [Laughs] And we had a great time. He really helped this film a lot. For me, it was a blessing to have him. Word has it he’s not been seen much lately because of his health, after filming Iron Fists . Have you been in contact with him since? After Iron Fists he got sick and everything. I wish him well. I’ve not communicated with him personally. You’re a known martial arts film scholar – if you had to guess, how many kung fu movies are in your home library? At least a thousand, yo. Great, so we’re all coming to your house to borrow DVDs. [Laughs] Everyone has some holes in the films that they’ve seen. What’s one martial arts film you’ve always wanted to see but never had the chance to? Well, there are actually a few that I want to collect that I can’t get my hands back on. That’s my problem! I can’t find one movie, and it’s called something like Ghost Killer – it’s the first time you had a character that was called Ghostface, and he’s so terrifying that he’ll walk up to his victim and when they turn around they die just from looking at him. I saw it in a movie theater when I was a kid, it was a triple feature with a movie called Fearless Fighters . I got Fearless Fighters , I’ve got most of these movies, but I could never find that movie. Nobody could find it, so far. I think it’s called Ghostly Face , and it’s a movie that has vampires in it and a guy with this ghost mask. He’s a killer. It’s dope. The Man With The Iron Fists is out November 2 – stay tuned for more from RZA’s martial arts debut. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
MTV News had the film’s cast create succinct descriptions for the challenging tale, but whose tagline triumphs? By Kara Warner Halle Berry and Tom Hanks in “Cloud Atlas” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
This week is about threesomes, in two movies that couldn’t be more different. Although both are the products of legendary filmmakers, one’s a restrained British drama while the other is a knockabout farce. (And if these movies put you in the mood for more ménage-a-cinema, check out 3 , Cloud Atlas co-director Tom Tykwer’s last film, a sexy and intelligent movie that got very little traction in this country.) HIGH: Sunday Bloody Sunday (The Criterion Collection; $29.95 DVD, $39.95 Blu-Ray) Who’s Responsible: Written by Penelope Gilliatt; directed by John Schlesinger; starring Peter Finch, Glenda Jackson and Murray Head. What’s It All About: Jewish physician Daniel (Finch) and divorcee Alex (Jackson) are both having a relationship with artist Bob (Head). Both Daniel and Alex are aware of the arrangement, and they put up with it because each does not want to lose the emotionally elusive Bob. Why It’s Schmancy: Sunday Bloody Sunday made history for its then-shocking kiss between Finch and Head — made all the more revolutionary in 1971 for Schlesinger’s refusal to treat it any differently than a heterosexual smooch. But what has made the film endure is the core honesty of the characters. (In an interview on the DVD, Head says that Schlesinger had once shared a boyfriend with a woman and that the film was a way for him to disentangle the experience.) Brilliantly acted, sensitively written and beautifully shot, Sunday Bloody Sunday is, as author William J. Mann notes on the DVD, Schlesinger’s masterpiece. W hy You Should Own It: Once again, The Criterion Collection packages its releases brilliantly. In addition to the extras with Head and Mann, there are excerpts from a 1975 AFI lecture given by Schlesinger, interviews with production designer Luciana Arrighi, cinematographer Billy Williams and Schlesinger’s longtime partner Michael Childers. An accompanying booklet includes a new essay as well as Gilliatt’s introduction to the published screenplay. The picture and sound are both exquisite as well, particularly in hi-def. LOW: Micki + Maude (Part of a four-film collection from Mill Creek Entertainment; $9.98 DVD) Who’s Responsible: Written by Jonathan Reynolds; directed by Blake Edwards; starring Dudley Moore , Ann Reinking, Amy Irving and Richard Mulligan. What’s It All About: Rob Salinger (Moore) really, really, really wants to have a baby, but his wife Micki (Ann Reinking), an assistant DA, seemingly has no interest in having children. When he falls for Maude (Irving), and she becomes pregnant, he prepares to marry her and divorce Micki — until it turns out that Micki is also with child. Not willing to cross Maude’s pro-wrestler dad, Rob marries her anyway, leading to the harried two-timer spending days with one wife and nights with the other. Cue the inevitable delivery room sequence, with both spouses in adjoining suites and Rob trying his best to keep the charade going. Why It’s Fun: The premise sounds like a turn-off, but Reynolds, Edwards and Moore manage to make Rob a sympathetic character: he really wants to be a father, and he really loves both of these women. So, through some miracle, this bigamist scoundrel comes off as a decent guy just trying to do the right thing. Few American filmmakers do door-slamming farce as well as the late, great Edwards, and the big hospital scene at the end ranks as a real comic gem. Micki + Maude isn’t often listed among the director’s greatest films, but it’s overdue for a reappraisal. Why You Should Buy It (Again): The film comes packaged in a very mixed bag of romantic comedies, ranging from the great ( Modern Romance ) to the forgettable ( There’s a Girl in My Soup , starring frequent Edwards collaborator Peter Sellers, and Hanky Panky ). The real reason to own this film is that much of Micki + Maude ’s comedy relies upon Edwards’ masterful use of the anamorphic screen, so this really isn’t a movie you want to watch on TV unless it’s letterboxed. Alonso Duralde has written about film for The Wrap, Salon and MSNBC.com. He also co-hosts the Linoleum Knife podcast and regularly appears on What the Flick?! (The Young Turks Network). He is a senior programmer for the Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles and a pre-screener for the Sundance Film Festival. He also the author of two books: Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas (Limelight Editions) and 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men (Advocate Books). Follow Alonso Duralde on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
The Voice returned with a trio of battles on Monday night, and with only a few spots remaining on each of the four teams, the Battle Rounds are nearing their conclusion. Who advanced, who was eliminated and who was stolen? Let’s find out and relive the head-to-head battles below! Alexis Marceaux vs. Daniel Rosa – “Whataya Want From Me” (Team Cee Lo) Alexis Marceaux vs. Daniel Rosa – Whataya Want From Me (The Voice Battle Round) Winner: Daniel! Brandon Mahone vs. Nicole Nelson – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Team Adam) Brandon Mahone vs. Nicole Nelson – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (The Voice Battle Round) Winner: Nicole! Devyn DeLoera vs. MarissaAnn – “Free Your Mind” (Team Christina) Devyn DeLoera vs. MarissaAnn – Free Your Mind (The Voice Battle Round) Winner: Devyn! Steal: Blake! Loren Allred vs. Brian Scartocci (Adam); Cassadee Pope vs. Ryan Jirovec (Blake); Joe Kirkland vs. Samuel Mouton (Adam) Loren Allred vs. Brian Scartocci; Cassadee Pope vs. Ryan Jirovec; Joe Kirkland vs. Samuel Mouton (The Voice Battle Rounds) Winners: Loren, Cassadee and Joe! Which singers were your favorite? Whose team is shaping up to be the best? And are you excited that The Voice’s battles are coming to a close this evening?
Tony Pieper and Blakeley Shea Jones of Bachelor Pad have called off their engagement. Just one month after Tony proposed to his partner on the reality hit, they’ve parted ways. “Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as we had hoped,” said single dad Tony, who presented Jones with a $100,000 Neil Lane diamond on the Bachelor Pad 3 finale. “No one is to blame. It just ended up being a lot harder than we expected. I wish her nothing but the absolute best. She deserves total happiness.” Blakeley Shea Jones and Tony Pieper seemed an unlikely pairing from the start, but you could tell they really liked each other; we’re sorry to hear the news. Jones, who first appeared on Ben Flajnik’s season of The Bachelor in 2010, had relocated Portland, Oregon, to be near her fiance and his 11-year-old son. She is expected to move back to Charlotte, N.C., shortly. Rough couple of weeks for the franchise. Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson and Emily Maynard and Jef Holm , the two couples who got engaged on ABC in 2012, both ended things this fall.
Ashley Benson and James Franco have a secret, and they just can’t keep it. According to New York Post sources, the Pretty Little Liars star and the do-everything actor are totally a new item. Benson and Franco – who both appeared in the film Spring Breakers – were spotted on multiple occasions over the past few weeks, first at Washington Square Park and then holding hands at the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. “They have been seeing each other for a little over a month, but things are going well,” an insider tells the newspaper . Reps both have remained silent regarding the rumor. Franco, meanwhile, was actually linked to Kristen Stewart at the Toronto International Film Festival. But those reports were never confirmed.
Ashley Benson and James Franco have a secret, and they just can’t keep it. According to New York Post sources, the Pretty Little Liars star and the do-everything actor are totally a new item. Benson and Franco – who both appeared in the film Spring Breakers – were spotted on multiple occasions over the past few weeks, first at Washington Square Park and then holding hands at the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. “They have been seeing each other for a little over a month, but things are going well,” an insider tells the newspaper . Reps both have remained silent regarding the rumor. Franco, meanwhile, was actually linked to Kristen Stewart at the Toronto International Film Festival. But those reports were never confirmed.
When Entertainment Weekly posted an exclusive photo of actor Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin, the super-villain who rocks Tony Stark’s world in the upcoming Iron Man 3 , it resurrected a thorny question around the virtual office here. In the Marvel universe, the Mandarin is the son of one of pre-Revolutionary China’s wealthiest men and an English noblewoman, as well as a descendant of Ghengis Khan. So, why, as Executive Editor Jen Yamato wondered when news broke that Ben Kingsley would play him, did the job go to a half-Indian, half-English actor? The answer, according to Marvel Studios Kevin Feige , appears near the bottom of the EW post. As a villain, it turns out, the Mandarin is kind of a mutt. According to EW, Feige says Marvel “wanted to blur the background” of the Mandarin portrayed in Iron Man 3 . “It’s less about his specific ethnicity than the symbolism of various cultures and iconography that he perverts for his own end,” Feige explained. ” As EW further explained: “From his samurai hair, to his royal robe, to his bin Laden-esque beard, and the AK-47 he keeps at his side, Kingsley’s interpretation is a hodgepodge of various warrior motifs. That way, I guess no single ethnicity, particularly one with a population of 1.3 billion, can be offended by Kingsley’s portrayal or his character’s evil doing. Please feel free to weigh in on the debate. Or, if you just want to look at pretty pictures. USA Today also posted some exclusive shots from the film. Here are a couple: Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
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