Reader Spotlight: Andrew
Friday, April 8, 2011 at 1:01PM 
The "Reader of the Day" was a popular feature during Reader Appreciation Month so we're going to share a Reader Spotlight a couple times a week now for another month. What'cha think about that? Get to know the Film Experience community!
Today's reader is Andrew, another Canadian. He's an actor, too. A lot of actors read The Film Experience. This makes me happy though I can't say that I knew it before starting these Reader Spotlights.
Nathaniel: So Andrew what's the first movie you remember seeing?
ANDREW: The first movie I can remember seeing in theatres was The Lion King, which I loved. I had a lot of Disney movies on VHS and I remember just watching them over and over again. Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, 101 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid, and The Rescuers... obsessively.
We are all children of Disney, really. No matter what generation. It's kinda scary!
Three Greats: Andrea Arnold and slowpokes: Baz Luhrmann and Jane CampionNew Question. You're suddenly in charge of world cinema for a year. Name 5 directors you'd give big budgets to with a blank slate. Wield your power!
Where do I start?! I would end up being a bit selfish (how could you not be?!) and pick directors that I personally would like to see more films from. I would love to see what Lars von Trier would do with a big budget and completely blank slate. Derek Cianfrance, Jonathan Glazer and Andrea Arnold are all filmmakers I have a personal interest in making sure they stick around. And funds to Jane Campion and Baz Luhrmann to give them some incentive to work more frequently. I love their films so much, but I hate that they take so long in between projects. I know I picked six, but it was difficult narrowing it down!
Three Favorite Actresses?
Kate Winslet. Meryl Streep -the quality of work she puts out is absolutely top notch, and you can look at any time in her career and find work that is intriguing and just as strong as any other actress out there. She is also so compulsively watchable on and off screen. However my absolute favourite actress has to be Nicole Kidman. Her film choices are so brave and unexpected, I would say she is definitely a risk-taker when it comes to her career and I love that about her. She really challenges herself as an actress.
Have you ever dressed as a movie character for Halloween?
I once went as "Bang Bang" from The Brothers Bloom for Halloween, but it didn't really last long because I got into the vodka and the costume came off pretty soon thereafter.
Bang Bang! And the awesome Joan Chen
LOL. Okay, the movie of your life. Cast it. Etcetera.
I am only 23 so I feel like my life has barely started. Actually it would just be a selfish excuse to work with Ang Lee who is one of my favourite directors. I would star in it myself. I am not Chinese but I think it would be a blast to have Joan Chen play my mother... her collaboration with Lee was so awesome in Lust, Caution so it would be a great reunion. I would also cast Chow Yun-Fat as my father because I think he is great and really underrated.
Reader Comments (18)
Speaking of Lars von Trier's movies...trailer for "Melancholia" is up!!
http://vimeo.com/22072654
Tang Wei's brother?
Love that this is back... It's great to get to know (in a way) and put a face on the persons whose commentswe've been reading all this time..
Wich I suppose it's even more exciting to you hehe...
@Marshall1- It looks really interesting, but very out there. From the trailer it doesn't look like Dunst will get an Oscar nom, but it is good to see her back doing more high profile films. I wonder if Nathaniel will do a YES, NO, MAYBE SO, post about it.
i'm suddenly wondering if anyone knew who Andrew was when he dressed up at Bang Bang. Quick show of hands: who has seen that movie?
it seems like one of those movies that never opened. But i rememebr that it did at some point.
also i fully endorse his 5 directors to fund.
I sorta remember watching 'The Brothers Bloom' a few years back. Can't remember the plot but do remember Bang Bang. It's kinda a cool choice for for a Halloween costume- definitely better than my Papa Smurf getup.
I actually own The Brothers Bloom but I've only watched it once. I wasn't as taken with it as I thought I would be, but I'd watch it again.
the brothers bloom is actually a pretty funny and decent film.
(i watched at a 11pm screening in downtown toronto, and there was only me and one other guy in the theatre. it was kinda creepy.)
but anyway, i thought ruffalo and brody's chemistry was pretty good.
I don't have a movie of my life (almost 21), but I do have a dream movie. I just read nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. (and yes, it is punctuated as "nextwave") and I would love someone to do it. Best part: "FIN FANG FOOM! Has been burning with the desire to mate since 1956. FIN FANG FOOM! Has absolutely no genitals whatsoever. FIN FANG FOOM! Oh, you cannot imagine how annoyed he is."
Dream Cast:
Aaron Stack: Michael Cera
Monica Rambeau: ?
The Captain: Brandon Routh (or Ryan Gosling)
Elsa Bloodstone: Katie Jarvis (seriously, I just want to see what else she can do. I can't believe it's been a year and a half since Fish Tank's UK release and she's been in exactly nothing.)
Tabitha Smith: Emma Stone
Dirk Anger: Bruce Campbell
Narrator (considering the text boxes are approximately 60% of the humour in the comic, a nextwave adaptation would have to have one): George Clooney. If not that, maybe Richard Jenkins or Morgan Freeman.
it's always great to read about love for the ever wonderful Joan Chen
I really liked The Brothers Bloom. It was one of my favorite movies of 2009. I thought Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, and Rinko Kikuchi were great. Mark Ruffalo was good too. I'll probably end up buying it sometime. I could see watching it a lot with my family. My mom and my brother loved it :)
Andrew, I've been following you on Twitter ever since I had it and I just find out what you look like now? And tweet more, I miss you.
Also, because I'm a snob, I have a favourite Middle Eastern actress, but I haven't invested time on knowing the canon of Asian actresses. I've only seen Joan Chen in The Last Emperor. What else is she great at?
Anyone who mentions lust/caution is gotta be good.
Hello, other Andrew who reads this site.
Joan Chen is wonderful also in:
SAVING FACE, charming and effective in a brilliant role
THE HOME SONG STORIES, great mother role...this is the one thanks to which Chen "stole" the Golden Horse to Tang Wei
RED ROSE, WHITE ROSE: Chen at her most sensuous in this wonderful melodrama from the ever great Stanley Kwan
THE TEMPTATION OF A MONK: a King Hu (or Kurosawa) wanna-be, but cinematography is luscious and Chen seduces as usual in a double role
LUST CAUTION: Chen, as the beautiful and (apparently) ingenuous Tony Leung's wife, Chen hasn't much to do in Ang Lee's second Golden Lion Winner, but you can't deny she does it really well
THE SUN ALSO RISES: in the sunny role of a sexy (are you surprised?) doctor, Chen gives us the best moment of Jiang Wen's movie
TWIN PEAKS: even if my heart belonged to Madchen Amick/Shelley Johnson, the presence of Joan Chen was one of reasons I started to watch David Lynch's pivotal drama series. A must!
Chen is not just a talented and charming actress; she also directed a very appreciated film, XIU XIU-THE SENT DOWN GIRL, based upon a tale written by the celebrated chinese writer Geling Yan...unfortunately after that she also made AUTUMN IN NY starring Nonie and Richard Gere :-(
@Nathaniel - You have a point! I do (slightly) remember that another one of the reasons I took the costume off was because not very many people knew who I was... Bang Bang was an awesome character, but not famous enough to make an awesome Halloween costume.
@mirko - Isn't Chen just fantastic?! I think she is great, but I guess I never realized how much work she's done! There are a lot of films on your list I haven't even heard of!
@Paolo - Haha, yeah I really should go on Twitter more often, I have definitely been slacking. Don't I have you on Facebook Paolo? I would hope you would know what I look like by now... If you haven't seen Lust/Caution I would highly recommend you go out and change that soon.
@Mark - Thanks! I couldn't agree more.
@Andrew R. - Hi other Andrew!
Totally agree with giving Baz Luhrman and Jane Campion incentives to bring out new movies more frequently!
Aslo, very good actress taste! ;o)
Definitely Andrew! Chen is fantastic! It's always nice to get in contact with another fan!