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Javier Bardem Makes Me Interested to See Eat, Pray, Love

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:30:25 -0700

I'll admit I wasn't totally on board for the film adaptation of Eat, Pray, Love when it was announced that Julia Roberts would play the lead role, memoir writer Elizabeth Gilbert. I like Roberts, but this seemed like some odd casting. Gradually, however, I've been warming to the project, as director Ryan Murphy (creator of Popular and Nip/Tuck, director of Running With Scissors) signed on, and Richard Jenkins was cast. Now that Javier Bardem is in talks to join the project, I'm full-on interested.

Bardem would play "Felipe, the man Gilbert meets and falls in love with on the final leg of a journey of self-discovery that began with the end of her marriage." In my opinion, Javier Bardem is sex on legs. I will watch pretty much anything he's in, and I look forward to seeing how he and Roberts play off one another. What do you think?

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Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Neurotic Mixed With Beautiful

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:30:32 -0700

I'd probably say I'm a medium-sized fan of Woody Allen. If I were ordering a dose of Woody Allen at Starbucks, I'd probably get it in a grande cup. His nebbishy dialogue style grates on my nerves after too long, and some of his movies remind me of me at my most neurotic, which is tiring. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is more of the same Allenistic stuff we've grown to expect, but it's also given a refreshing jolt from the (mostly) talented and entirely beautiful cast. There's a nice balance of overthinky anxiety, wacky storyline, and attractive people to make this Woody Allen film a medium-sized, easy-to-drink treat.

The movie is narrated as though someone is reading us a story, and the detached commentary provides occasional insights into the thoughts and feelings of the protagonists, which I appreciated in this case. Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) are girlfriends who set off for a Summer in Barcelona. They soon befriend a famous painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who is known for his volatile relationship with his ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).

Cristina becomes Juan Antonio's paramour, but before too long, Vicky finds herself drawn to him as well, despite her engagement to the wealthy, steady Doug (Chris Messina). The love triangle becomes a square when the emotionally unstable Maria Elena returns to live in Juan Antonio's house, which he now shares with Cristina. The tangled web gets messier - and funnier - as the Summer goes on. For more of my thoughts on all of this, read more.

It's easy to relax into this Summer-in-Spain atmosphere, and the city lends a softer, friendlier vibe to the film than the usual fast-paced craziness of New York City, Allen's frequent location of choice. Bardem and Cruz are two of the hottest human beings ever, in my opinion, and both are superb as the love-crazed, passionate artists forever enmeshed in a love/hate, push-pull relationship. Even if they weren't superb, I would love watching them (I mean, look at this photo of Penelope Cruz! Look at it!).

Using Spanish actors in a Spanish setting (as opposed to solely focusing on the Americans' experiences abroad) was wise, and these two often carry some of the wackier scenes simply because they are so comfortable in the setting. They're less easy with some of the anxious, uniquely Woody Allen-y dialogue, but frankly, so is Johansson. For all that talk of her being a "muse," she doesn't do very well with Allen's material. The one who really and truly does is Rebecca Hall, playing a character who thinks so much and so intensely about everything, she has a hard time just relaxing and being content. Sound like anyone else we could name? It's like she was born to star in a Woody Allen film, and I hope we get to see her in more of them.

Photos courtesy of The Weinstein Company

The Cast of Nine Might Trade One Oscar Winner for Another

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:30:32 -0700

It's possible that any we slice it, the cast of the movie musical Nine will be getting a heavy-hitting, Oscar-winning actor for the role of Guido Contini. Originally the part was going to be played by sexy Javier Bardem, but he recently dropped out due to exhaustion.

Now Daniel Day-Lewis is eying the role of Guido who is described as "a famous film director who experiences personal and creative crisis while trying to balance all the women in his life."

Rob Marshall (director of Chicago and Memoirs of a Geisha) is directing the film, an adaptation of the stage musical which was an adaptation of the Fellini film 8 1/2.

The incredible women rounding out the rest of the cast include Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench.

We can see Javier in the upcoming Woody Allen movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and I've been itching to see what Daniel Day-Lewis will do next. His movie projects always seem like carefully weighed decisions so we know it's got to be something special if he does end up putting his seal of approval on this one.

Of course, a spokesperson for the Weinstein Co. is saying to Variety that any casting rumors at this point are "pure conjecture" but still, how great would this be?

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Movie Preview: Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:30:39 -0700

The trailer for Woody Allen's latest effort Vicky Cristina Barcelona has no dialogue - only a montage of scenes from the film set to a song sung in Spanish. This is probably for the best, I suppose, so we can concentrate on all the making out that's going on (including a kiss between Penelope and Scarlett) and how good-looking Javier Bardem is. According to IMDB, the plot description is this: "A painter enters a relationship with two American tourists. Conflict begins with the painter's jealous ex-girlfriend."

The movie opens in theaters September 5. To watch all the beautiful people and tell me what you think of the dialogue-less trailer, read more.

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:30:00 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below, Guy Ritchie's Revolver and Southland Tales starring Justin Timberlake, The Rock, and Sarah Michelle Gellar are also available today.

Enchanted
Is it just me or does it feel like we've been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD for forever? Enchanted is a treat for anyone who grew up loving those good old-fashioned animated Disney films (remember life before Pixar?). I truly enjoyed this trip down Disney Memory Lane and I know a lot of you did, too. The movie, starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, and James Marsden is a wonderfully fun twist on the classic princess tale.

The story centers around Giselle (Adams), an amalgamation of Disney heroines from the days of yore who lives in a land called Andalasia. Giselle's chief concerns are marrying Prince Edward (Marsden), singing, and dancing with forest creatures. Edward's stepmother (Sarandon) is unhappy with Gisele and Edward's relationship, and she uses her evil magic to boot Giselle out of the animated world and into real-world Times Square. Once there, Giselle's simple, optimistic outlook on life is challenged by a force much darker and more cynical than any evil witch: a New York divorce attorney (Dempsey).

This DVD comes with lots of special featurettes including bloopers, a glimpse behind the creation of Andalasia, and extra shorts about Pip's (Giselle's trusty chipmunk friend) adventures.

More romance and adventure coming out this week, so read more.

I am Legend
I Am Legend was hit or miss with folks when it came out, but now that it's on DVD it's the kind of movie that will do the trick if you're looking to kick back and be entertained by some action. Plus, it's Will Smith and he's always good entertainment.

The film is based on Richard Matheson's 1954 sci-fi novel and follows Robert Neville (Smith), one of the few people who survives a virus that nearly renders humanity extinct. Robert's not alone however, there is another group of people, the infecteds, who have turned into "the night seekers." These scary things are like vampires/zombies that go around at night trying to infect surviving humans. Robert, a scientist, is working hard to find a cure for the disease before the creepies can get him. Thus, this sci-fi thriller takes you through a suspenseful race against time.

Special features include four animated comics as well as bonus material "exploring the history and current status of life-threatening viral infections."

Love in the Time of Cholera
I'm a big fan of Gabriel García Márquez’s wonderful 1985 novel Love in the Time of Cholera, as are many, but when I heard it was being adapted to film I had a hard time figuring out how that would work. In the book, plot isn't necessarily the driving force so much as the long, gorgeous sentences and the poetic feeling of the exquisite torture of longing for something you love. Like many, this film slipped off my radar and I still haven't been able to see this story brought to life onscreen.

I'm adding this to my queue partly out of curiosity, but also because the Oscar-winning super dreamy Javier Bardem stars as Florentino Ariza, a young man who falls hard (seriously, he loves her forever) for Fermina Daza (played by Giovanna Mezzogiorno). The film is directed by Mike Newell (Donnie Brasco, Four Weddings and Funeral) and was filmed in Columbia. Add it all up and this is one romantic drama I'm excited to get lost in at home.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below, family-friendly flicks Bee Movie and August Rush are available as well.

No Country for Old Men
If you haven't heard about No Country for Old Men, the staggering, Oscar-winning adaptation of Cormic McCarthy's novel, you might well be living under a rock. Not for those looking for warm fuzzies, this is the Coen Brothers at their best: entertaining, dark, and thought-provoking. Javier Bardem (um, how scary is he on that DVD cover?) won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Anton Chigurh, a demented serial killer whose evilness will haunt you for days. The film also stars Josh Brolin as a man on the run from Chigurh and Tommy Lee Jones a local sheriff on both of their trails.

Though the film's ending is obscure and has left many scratching their heads, I really thought it worked and I was completely entranced by the suspenseful cat-and-mouse plot. If you haven't yet seen this darn-near-perfect flick, now is your chance. Special features include a featurette about the making of the movie and one titled "Diary of A Country Sheriff."

One more release starring a beloved comedian if you read more.

Dan in Real Life
I will be the first to admit this wasn't my favorite movie of all time but like most people, I really love Juliette Binoche and Steve Carell, and I figured you may like to know that this one is out on DVD.

Dan in Real Life is about an advice columnist (Carell) raising three daughters on his own. Yet he could use some advice himself when he meets and develops "eyes" (as they say) for the beautiful Marie (Binoche) - who also happens to be Dan's brother's girlfriend. Much soul-searching over this and other life issues goes down when Marie joins a vacation with the entire extended family. One of the best things about the movie is the great music provided almost entirely by Sondre Lerche.

Oscar Winners: Where Will We See Them Next?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:32:29 -0800

With the 2008 Oscars now just a memory, I'm looking ahead today to where we'll see this year's big winners working next. As a group, they have numerous projects in the works for screens both big and small - and, conveniently for us, several of them will be working together. To see where you'll see all the winners next , just hit "start."

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Best Picture Breakdown: No Country For Old Men

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:30:04 -0800

The wait is almost over for the 2008 Oscars, which will air on Sunday night. This week, I've been breaking down the five contenders for Best Picture, giving you the scoop on why each film could win and why it might not stand a chance. I've already examined There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton, Atonement, and Juno. Today, I'm looking at the final nominee in the category, No Country For Old Men.

For this film, the Coen Bros. toned down their usual quirkiness to create a stark, spare thriller that creates an overwhelming feeling of dread. Adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name, the movie tells the story of a crazed killer, a man on the run, and a sheriff who desperately wants to intervene before the worst happens. It's won the most awards of any nominated movie this season by far, and it seems to be the presumptive favorite heading into Sunday's awards. But is it a sure thing? To see how I think the movie will fare in the Best Picture race, just read more.

Why It Might Win

It's the complete package. From the screenplay to the cinematography to the performances to the bold decision to not have a score, there's no weak link in No Country. Every moment seems perfectly calculated to create a particular stark, bleak, terrifying mood that stays with viewers long after they've left the theater.
It has one of the year's most memorable performances from Javier Bardem as the quietly savage murderer Anton Chigurh (not to mention one of the year's most memorable weapons, his air tank). When I left the theater after seeing the movie, my movie-going companion jokingly whispered "careful, he's still out there" - and I actually shivered. Bardem is just that convincing as a serial killer without remorse. The other actors in the movie - Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, most notably - rise to his level.
The Academy likes epics; it also likes smaller, well-told stories. This movie is both.
It's the most lauded film of the year, with a whopping 75 awards to its credit.

Why It Might Not Win

As I noted in my Juno breakdown, there's speculation that it and There Will Be Blood could split the vote, letting another film in.
There have been mixed reactions - among both critics and viewers at large - to the film's ambiguous ending, as well as its decision to skip over what could have been a major dramatic climax. While I thought both things largely worked, I'd understand if others consider them fatal flaws.
The Academy might want to be contrarian. Voters might feel that No Country has already gotten its due and turn its attention elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of Miramax

No Country, Juno Take Top Honors at Critics' Choice Awards

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 23:59:47 -0800

No Country for Old Men was named best picture and Juno took home the award for best comedy Monday night at the 13th annual Critics' Choice Awards.

No Country also picked up awards for directors Joel and Ethan Coen and star Javier Bardem, who won the Best Supporting Actor category. Juno, meanwhile, got a second award for its screenwriter, Diablo Cody.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Julie Christie, and Amy Ryan were among the other big winners in the acting categories. To see the full list of winners, just read more.

BEST PICTURE
No Country for Old Men

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie, Away From Her

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Hairspray

BEST DIRECTOR
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

BEST WRITER
Diablo Cody, Juno

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Ratatouille

BEST YOUNG ACTOR
Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, The Kite Runner

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS
Nikki Blonsky, Hairspray

BEST COMEDY MOVIE
Juno

BEST FAMILY FILM
Enchanted

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

BEST SONG
"Falling Slowly", Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, Once

BEST COMPOSER
Jonny Greenwood, There Will Be Blood

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko

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No Country for Old Men: Nor the Faint of Heart

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:30:50 -0800

The Coen Brothers' repertoire is filled with some of the most accomplished films of the past two decades: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski, Barton Fink, to name a few. But it is their latest film that most successfully emulates their greatest critical achievement, Fargo. I daresay No Country for Old Men might be even better. It's no secret that the Oscar bees have been buzzing around this film for a while and you can believe the hype - this movie really is that good. I officially predict it will be nominated for Best Picture, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin will be nominated for Best Actor, and Tommy Lee Jones might just snag a win for Best Supporting.

So what makes this movie so good? Exactly what made Fargo so compelling: an incredible plot (based on Cormac McCarthy's novel), sharp screenwriting, superb acting, and an insane amount of suspense. Seriously, I don't know if I've been so scared at a non-horror movie since The Silence of the Lambs. And just like that movie, No Country for Old Men works because the terror is believable. To find out what is so terrifying read more

The film follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) a simple man who stumbles across a disturbing crime scene in the desert: a drug deal gone very, very bad. Several men are dead and left behind is a whole lot of heroin and $2 million dollars. Naturally, Llewelyn runs off with the cash. But, of course, that large sum of money doesn't just go away unnoticed. Enter Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), the most horrifying villain since Hannibal Lecter. Anton is a killer without remorse, killing at leisure and with morbid gusto. Especially creepy is his weapon of choice, an oxygen tank. The irony there is the juxtaposition of a machine usually reserved for keeping people alive being abused in such an inhumane way. You will never look at an oxygen tank the same way.

Largely, the movie is a cat-and-mouse game between Llewelyn and Anton, supported by minor characters along the way. Tommy Lee Jones plays a cop who's trying to track down Llewelyn for his role in the drug deal. He also offers much needed comic relief, albeit a special dark brew of relief a la Frances McDormand in Fargo.

If there is any reason to complain about this movie, people will likely cite the film's obscure open-for-interpretation ending. Personally, I think it worked. More so I had a beef with the opening of the film. The audience is introduced to Anton in a seat-gripping scene, and while it certainly sets the tone, it feels disconnected from the rest of the story. Other than that, No Country for Old Men is without flaw.

Photos courtesy of Miramax