The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team. (This site is not for profit but for an expression of love for cinema & adjacent artforms.)
With the official fully costumed first release from Sony we know that they're calling the Spider-Man reboot The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
I love how Spider-Man is always so scrunched up or compressed in photos and drawings when he isn't all stretched out swinging on webs. He only has two physical modes and one of them is the one wherein he seems to be giving himself claustrophobia.
That's a neat photo but I've been totally giggling at the paparazzi shots of the filming. Fight scenes always look so ridiculous in still photos before special efffects and sound effects and score are added. Plus Spider-Man looks less amazing and more, uh, "Friendly" in these photos if you know what I mean.
Are you beginning to change your tune on this one with the neat texture and worn details of the costume and the terrific cast or do you think there's still no point?
A big screen adaptation of television's cult oddity supernatural soap opera "Dark Shadows" has been in development for ages now but it looks like it's finally happening. Tim Burton is finalizing his cast. In previous years this news would have thrilled me to no end. But it's been a long time since I could love a Burton film without reservation and adapting long form serials to the two hour demands of the big screen is wrought with... ahem... issues, no matter how talented the team. But maybe it's worth hoping that Burton could regain some early 90s glory? The last "vampires" (of sorts) that Tim Burton trained his camera on were actors playing them in his superb biopic Ed Wood (1994) so let's take that as a good omen.
And this:
"Elizabeth Collins Stoddard" and Michelle PfeifferDeadline reports that both Michelle Pfeiffer (wheeeeeeeee) and Helena Bonham Carter (duh! It's a Burton film) are both lined up for the major roles of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Dr. Julia Hoffman respectively.
Pfeiffer is finding herself very much in demand this new year.
Music to a pfan's ears.
Since I've never seen an episode of Dark Shadows (have you?) I had to look these roles up. Elizabeth sounds like a beauty of a part. She's the regal shut in matriarch of the mansion where the story takes place and Wikipedia says "Despite her imperious and reserved exterior, Elizabeth is a deeply passionate woman who harbors several dark secrets." Ice queen with deep wells of inner fire? That's what you call Pfeifferian. It's not exactly a stretch but let's pray that Burton gets performances as good as he got for Ed Wood (which won Martin Landau the Oscar as the drug-haunted, faded star Bela Lugosi).
Dr Julia Meet Dr HelenaAs for Helena's role, she's a doctor who specializes in blood disorders who discovers the vampiric lead character Barnabas Collins. Over the course of the series her relationship to the vampire changes apparently but since this is a feature film with only two hours to tell the story who knows if she's friend or foe.
Some of you may recall that my friend Susan wrote a piece on this movie a couple years back at the old Film Experience blog and wherein she saw HBC coming in this exact role, writing.
Dr. Julia Hoffman's questionable methods and attitude make her my favorite character (so far) from the original series. The epitome of Barnabas’s foolishness is that he can’t see how fabulous the not-so-good doctor is since he’s blinded by the boring (but youthful) babes. If Burton ends up directing this, I’ll expect Helena Bonham Carter to take on this role, and since she doesn’t have to sing, I think she’d be a pretty good choice.
I presume I don't have to tell you which movie star has the lead role of Barnabas Collins. Who else would it be? Yes, him. Eva Green as the witch Angelique and Jackie Earle Haley as the con artist Willie Loomis have also joined the ballooning cast.
Have you ever seen Dark Shadows? Do you like the casting?
I love Australians so much I feel like someone should offer me honorary citizenship. It's only right! In case you missed the previous Grammys posts, here's a better video of Nicole Kidman's already famous lipsynching moment. It makes me wanna put Moulin Rouge! in the DVD player right this second. 10th anniversary this summer!
But here we go again: Baz, stop partying! Get back to work.
Alexa here with your weekly arts and crafts. As Nathaniel pointed out, Black Swan has been quite an inspiration for graphic artists out there (with many a swell poster or t-shirt to be found). But I think this doll, created by Sébastien Lepitre, is the most beautiful Black Swan creation I've seen so far.
Sébastien started as an uninspired graphic designer and now follows his dream of creating heirloom-quality dolls and home products. His Nina doll is so exquisitely crafted that I would think the Mulleavy sisters had a hand in stitching the tutu. I can imagine it rising from the trash heap of Nina's discarded stuffed animals.
Alas, while this Nina doll is sold, he also has a sweet pair of Grady sister dolls for you Kubrick fans, and a Pris replicant doll for you Blade Runner lovers.
Sunday February 13th was quite the awards jam. Nicole Kidman was jamming to Katy Perry at the Grammys, Helena Bonham Carter was being crowned at BAFTA, and Javier Bardem was in Madrid winning The Goya to add to his huge statue haul.
Does Penélope Cruz know where his lips have been? He loves to kiss his trophies.
Javiin 2011 with his Goya; Javi in 2008 with his Oscar
'Oh to be a slab of stone / gold plating!' shriek millions of fans in unison.
Javier has won plentiful awards over the years for his in arguable screen presence and acting gift: one Oscar, one BAFTA, one Golden Globe, one Spirit Award, one "actor" from SAG, one NBR, two Volpi cups from Venice, two European Film Awards, two Gothams, two ADIRCAEs (no, I don't know what that is either) and numerous critics prizes. But it's at the Goyas, the Spanish Oscars, where he reigns supreme. His performance in Biutiful marks his fifth win. Fifth! He's won Best Actor thrice previously (Boca a Boca, Mondays in the Sun, and the Oscar winning The Sea Inside) and Best Supporting Actor once (Días Contados, 1994). His latest win is so fresh that IMDb hasn't even updated his awards page. How to keep up with him?
My favorite red carpet look at the Goyas (I'd do a lineup but good full body photos are hard to come by) is this one to your left. Dressing your doggie up in a tux for your big night? Brilliant. The night's big winner was the post civil war family drama Pa Negre (Black Bread). Some art house distrib really ought to snatch it up if it's this good.
Goya Winners Film: Black Bread Director: Agusti Villaronga (Black Bread) Original Screenplay: (Buried) Adapted Screenplay: Agusti Villaronga (Black Bread) Actor: Javier Bardem (Biutiful) Actress: Nora Navas (Black Bread) Supporting Actor: Karra Elejalde (Also the Rain) Supporting Actress: Laia Marull (Black Bread) Promising Actor: Francesc Colomer (Black Bread) Promising Actress: Marina Comas (Black Bread) European Film: The King's Speech full list of winners
Some art house distributor really ought to snatch Black Bread up if it's this good. Here's the trailer. Warning: contains both brief nudity and less brief very disturbing animal death.
And here's Javier being interviewed on the Red Carpet. I didn't understand a word except that the reporter obviously brings up the fact that he chose to come to the Goyas instead of going to the BAFTAs. And Bardem is all smiles about it. Film Experience contributor Jose and others on Twitter (thanks guys) tell me that Javier made a bet with the reporter that if he wins the Oscar, he'll do a weather report as a musical number. Quick Oscar voters, switch your votes to Bardem! ;)
Have any Spanish readers seen this one yet? Do tell if you have. Would you take your dog to the Oscars? They do love long walks and some red carpets are interminable treks.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 4:46PM 
