Yes, No, Maybe So: "Cloud Atlas"

Beau here to give Cloud Atlas the Yes No Maybe So treatment while Nathaniel remains otherwise occupied.

Ben Whishaw and Doona Bae in "Cloud Atlas"

Jesus. What to say? I’m struck by the visual nature of the beast, but that’s to be expected given the caliber of talent involved with the project. At the same time, something so grandiose and ambitious has a natural inclination to tip, like the leaning tower of Pisa. Beautiful to look upon, but you don’t want to get to close lest the thing actually crumble under its own weight. Gravity is tricky that way. [More...]

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Please Please Please Let Me Link What I Want

PopBytes gives Kristen Stewart advice re: her custody battle with Robert Pattinson (they share a beautiful dog)
Kirsten Dunst shares Garrett Hedlund tempting a squirrel with his nuts! (We used to do this as a little kid -- until my sister got bit!)
My New Plaid Pants remembers delicious latent homo Michael Biehn in The Fan. The internet is a wonderful time-free zone where people can obsess on Biehn like it's 1982 whenever they damn well want!
Gawker on Demi Moore's long cinematic rough patch 
The Playlist Nicole Kidman will play a small role in Lars von Trier's pornographic The Nymphomaniac (2013). Oh how I love them both. Please please please let this be as good as The Idiots.

Stale Popcorn Glenn reviews Cosmopolis and Step Up Revolution together because, duh, obvious double feature
i09 has the greatest unintentionally funny lines in genre films/tv. Love #8 and #1 so much. 
In Contention Spike Lee to be honored in Venice
NY Times profiles the rising Ukrainian boy band of sorts, Kazaky, featured in Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" video 
Vanity Fair gives Olympian Ryan Lochte the Ryan Gosling 'Hey Girl' treatment 
Slate Dana Stevens embraces her inner punk rocker while staring at the Sight & Sound List 
Movie|Line I'm a bit confused by this article about Elizabeth Olson praising 50 Shades of Grey but then "no, no, no" about starring in it. I think we're missing a quote or a follow up question from the reporter!
Comic Book Movie Hugh Jackman on set as The Wolverine. Please please please let these be better than X-Men Origins: Wolv --oh never mind. It would be nigh impossible to be worse!

Finally... I think it's worth noting as a die hard fan of Bring It On (2000) -- which made my top ten list in its year and which I do not, in any way, consider a "guilty" pleasure, just a pleasure full stop --  that the stage musical version is upon us. My friend Tom liked it which gives me hope but I'm still leery. Screen to stage transfers are often very problematic and weirdly the number one thing they seem to get wrong seems very basic to me; super short scenes, of which movies are typically composed, are fussy and distracting on stage especially if they're constantly making adjustments to the sets or trying to keep up the manic visual pace of movies. Too many stage musicals pretend that you can just act the movie out on the stage but that's absolutely the worst way to go. I'm also worried because Bring It On's deserved reputation as one of the best high school comedies and best girly comedies has been utterly tarnished by a lengthy string of straight-up-terrible straight-to-video "sequels".

If any of you have seen it in previews, do share your reactions. Should I go?

The Future of "Hit Me..."

Breaking: Hit Me With Your Best Shot has been renewed for a Fourth Season. The response to the last few episodes was warm enough to suggest that it'd be worth one more year. It might never be as widely participatory as I'd hoped but the people who are into it are really into it, so we continue. It's like one of those critical darling tv series that the diehard fans keep alive.

THREE EPISODES LEFT IN SEASON 3. Don't be shy, join the party!

Wed August 8th, SHERLOCK JR (1924)
Buster Keaton's silent comedy is only 45 minutes long so you've got time to watch it. Don't pretend you don't! And it's available to instant watch on Netflix so join us in choosing a favorite, er, best shot. 

Wed August 15th, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)
The Sight & Sound Poll clearly wasn't in the mood to celebrate Gene Kelly's crowning achievement and dropped the film by 10 places just in time for our favorite song & dance man's Centennial --  Rude! Singin' in the Rain is like a shot of undistilled joy. Can't wait to see it again for the nth time.

Wed August 22nd, DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975)
Confession: I've never seen this movie and blog projects are often the best way to finally get around to something. This sweltering bank robbery drama was inspired by real life events which took place on this very day 40 years ago.

poll by twiigs.com

Jessica & Chaplin

Remember when we interviewed Jessica Chastain and it was so obvious that she was that beautiful semi-rarity among famous actors: a complete cinephile. Well guess what? To further underscore the point her dog's name is Chaplin. How cute are they together?

Answer: Very.

Chaplin recently visited her on the set of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His. Although I'm not sure about taking your best animal friend for a walk while wearing animal print. I'm glad Chaplin isn't her pet leopard.

P.S. Friend of TFE Katey Rich, met Chaplin on a set visit. He has only three legs! Now we must love him even more.

MIFF 1: Battle of the Aussie Pop Stars

[Editor's Note: Glenn of Stale Popcorn fame, pictured left, will be covering the Melbourne International Film Festival for us. Yay!  He'll hit titles we're interested in because we've definitely perused his plans. -Nathaniel]

Glenn checking in. As I type this it is August 2nd, opening night of the 61^st annual Melbourne International Film Festival. With the festival proper beginning tomorrow, I have 32 films booked (whether I get to them all is another thing altogether...) but I've caught a few biggies beforehand.

You have probably heard about Wayne Blair’s The Sapphires, what with its rapid ascent from unknown Aussie musical to full blown Harvey Weinstein pet project. While I can’t see this chintzy sixties-set musical garnering much in the way of Academy buzz – unless the music branch’s “no end credits original songs!” attitude suddenly changes for the swingin’ original tune “Gotcha” – I can’t see how its light-as-air sensibilities can’t turn it into a pretty money-maker for The Weinstein Company and net itself a couple of those eternally in flux “Musical or Comedy” Golden Globe nominations in the process. 

Musical Madness, Kylie Minogue and Holy Motors after the jump...

The Sapphires

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