MovieZen Blog

Don’t burn this, just read about rad Brad

The coolest party of the year – at least two days into the 33^rd annual Toronto Film Festival – was thrown by Focus Features, et al Friday night to celebrate the hugely entertaining “Burn After Reading,” the latest from the Oscar-winning brothers Coen, Ethan and Joel.

Both were on hand – by the way immediately heading right for the buffet spread at the ultra-hip Spice Route restaurant -- upon entering from the gala showing of their CIA comedy follow-up to the extensively more serious “No Country for Old Men.”

Most of their stars were there, too, save for George Clooney, who apparently got his fill of adoring Toronto crowds last year during his “Michael Clayton” tour. Tilda Swinton, the Best Supporting Actress (for “Clayton”) wasn’t there, either, though she was scheduled for interviews the next day.

Regardless, scene-stealing Brad Pitt, who plays a clueless and very funny health-club trainer, sneaked in the back door for the private party but chose to sit with pals Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo. They’re in Toronto as “The Brothers Bloom,” con men extraordinaire in a convoluted caper-comedy of the same name.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, “Burn” people Richard Jenkins, John Malkovich and a terrific-looking Frances McDormand (she’s Mrs. Joel Coen) partied politely hardy. So did “RocknRolla” stars Gerard Butler and Jeremy Piven, who were left over from doing press for their Guy Ritchie film.

One special moment: As I was leaving, three of the great character actors around -- Jenkins, Malkovich and Piven (whose “Entourage” begins a new season on HBO Sunday night) – were spotted engaging in deep conversation. How special would a film with these three be? Only, who would play the lead?

Another thought: If Pitt stayed over until Saturday, which he likely did since he was still at Spice Route well after midnight, he could run into ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. The “Friends” star, still trying to make a major mark in movies, was expected to fly in for the world premiere of a dark festival comedy called “Management,” which co-stars the ever-versatile Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson.

Stay tuned here. We’ll let you know if Brad/Jen re-connect – and some other movie stuff – when we bring you more from Toronto in a few days.

John M. Urbancich
**Read more articles by John Urbancich** 

“RocknRolla” opens strong in Toronto

“Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist” takes the cake for sweet, “Ghost Town” dominates for downright funny, and “Passchendaele” and “Miracle at St. Anna” offer extreme wartime brutality.

Still, if you’re looking for the edge on edge, then “RocknRolla” is the one to see after Day One of the 33^rd Toronto International Film Festival.

I mean, even sweet, sexy Thandie Newton talks the talk about Guy Ritchie’s down and dirty action comedy. Just don’t dare call her lovely.

Newton began after someone uses the term to describe her appearance on the same interview podium with co-stars Gerard Butler and Idris Elba. “I had an agent once who was really wound up because whenever they were doing conference calls, she was always the only woman with a bunch of men and always the introduction to the call would be, 'OK, so we've got Gerry on the phone, we've got Idris on the phone, we've got so and so on the phone and the lovely Carol.' She thought, 'Why am I the lovely Carol?'

“So, thank you for commenting on how good I look, but why are women always the ones called fucking lovely?"

The woman who portrays Condoleeza Rice in Oliver Stone’s upcoming “W,” was joking, of course. Regardless, the tone of the quip is not unlike the smart and conniving accountant she plays among the characters of double-crossing, double-dealing men trying to make headway in Ritchie’s ever-crowded London crime arena.

“Funnily enough, the thing that I found slightly challenging about doing this film was that, because there was the air of spontaneity -- and Guy liked you to come up with new ideas, fresh ideas and try out new stuff on the set -- I found that I just wanted to swear all the time because it's a Guy Ritchie film."

"Even though I'm speaking in a very clipped English accent, fuck would just come out all the time. Guy was like, 'No! Cut. Thandie, no swearing. You're not allowed to swear.'"

“It was a good idea actually because it makes her much less accessible. I think that you have to feel quite loose to swear and that was a bit of a challenge. Everyone else got to.”

Especially Butler, who plays a member of band of thieves called “The Wild Bunch.”

“There was a scene with Idris, and I watched it with a couple of people and they just raved on about it.” Butler recalled. “They said, 'That's the funniest scene ever.' But I noticed that I said fuck in every single sentence. I thought, 'Are you kidding me?' Every time I spoke I was like, 'Fuck. What the fuck? Fuck this. Fuck.' I learned a few acting lessons in that one, but in actual fact I think it does make the scene funnier.”

By the way, Mrs. Ritchie, that chanteuse named Madonna, did not attend Thursday night’s North American premiere, where her writer/director husband was joined on the red carpet by Newton, Butler, Elba, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jeremy Piven, newcomer Toby Kebbell and producers Joel Silver and Susan (Mrs. Robert) Downey.

Earlier, though, Ritchie was asked if he ever considered his bride for the role eventually taken by Newton and if the couple might ever work together again. “I didn't think about casting my wife in this movie,” Ritchie said, “ and I don't know is the answer to the other question.”

“RocknRolla” is not expected to open in wide release until late October, but remember to keep joining us here for more reports from the Toronto fest, which runs through Sept. 13.

John M. Urbancich
**Read more articles by John Urbancich**

Toronto again rolls out red carpet for film stars

Want to meet a slew of real live movie stars such as Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Hudson and Matt Damon?

Well, then come on up north for the 33^rd Annual Toronto International Film Festival, which starts to unreel 312 movies Thursday (Sept. 4) before bringing down the curtain Saturday evening, Sept. 13, with a closing night gala screening, “Stone of Destiny,” from writer/director Charles Martin Smith.

Before then, Theron will be on hand for Guillermo Arriaga’s “The Burning Plain;” Pitt arrives with the Coen Brothers’ “Burn After Reading;” and Hudson for “The Secret Life of Bees.” Damon will be there for one of a few “Maverick” discussions, sharing the stage with Josh Brolin to give audiences an early glimpse of a documentary called “The People Speak” from historian, playwright and social activist Howard Zinn.

Naturally, there will be some big Hollywood films generating the kind of buzz that resulted in Oscar noms last year for “Atonement,” "Juno,” “Michael Clayton,” and the Coens' award-winning “No Country For Old Men.” The Best Picture contenders kept TIFF’s reputation alive and well by first showing off their stuff last year in Toronto.

Among this year’s many, many world or North American premieres: “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist” (Michael Cera, Kat Dennings); “Pride and Glory” (Colin Farrell, Ed Norton); Spike Lee’s “Miracle at St. Anna” (Derek Luke); Ed Harris’s “Appaloosa” (Renee Zellweger, Viggo Mortensen); “Ghost Town” (Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni); Rod Lurie’s “Nothing But the Truth” (Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon), and Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married” (Anne Hathaway), to name but a few.

Certainly all the stars will be there, too. Here’s a complete film schedule and a list of more than 500 celebrities expected to attend. Oh, and keep checking back at MovieZen during the next two weeks for festival updates on all of it, even maybe a few parties.

John M. Urbancich
**Read more articles by John Urbancich** 

Denver Goes Hollywood

So many celebrities, you’d think they were handing out Oscars.

Denver, Colorado will be party central for dozens of Hollywood heavyweights this week. The Mile High City is hosting the Democratic National Convention and there is no shortage of stars around town. Oprah is there (reportedly renting a mansion for $50,000 per night) as is Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Annette Bening, and Jessica Alba. Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and the Dave Matthews Band kicked off the week with a concert amid the magnificent natural rock formations of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver.

Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson will also be lending her voice to entertain the crowds descending on the city this week. Word has it the star of the mega-party in Denver, presumptive Presidential candidate Barack Obama, asked Hudson to sing the national anthem on Thursday – the day he will give his much-anticipated address to supporters.

The 26-year-old "Dreamgirls" Oscar winner and "Sex and the City" movie co-star, whose self-titled album will drop next month won’t be the only celeb exercising her pipes for Obama. Bruce Springsteen is scheduled to close the convention Thursday night.

In addition, Hudson is not the only Oscar winner, who will be on hand earlier in the week. Actor Ben Affleck also flew from Hollywood to Denver to perform at a roundtable event for SeaChange Ideas Forum.  He will also be packing food for the needy and playing poker to benefit paralyzed veterans.

Jennifer Garner’s husband will join Barack Obama's wife Michelle on Wednesday to box produce for the charity America's Second Harvest, a day after he takes on pros at the Poker at the Ballpark event. Affleck will team up with fellow celebs including Paul Rudd, Sarah Silverman and Seth Meyers to raise money for physically disabled veterans. Later that day Affleck will share the stage with Josh Brolin, Rosario Dawson and Kerry Washington to perform live scenes from producer Chris Moore's film, "The People Speak."

Lucia Kim
**Read more articles by Lucia Kim**

Defining Beauty: Nonsensical Lists of Pretty People

People Magazine recently came out with their annual "Beautiful People" issue. Instead of the expected list of 50 of the world's most beautiful, this year the list was 100 strong. And oddly, it excluded every single one of my favorite attractive people in Hollywood. Every. Single. One.

Which got me thinking. Either People has some sort of contractual obligations to the celebrities they chose, or beauty is just such a subjective thing that they chose to stick to the popular kids with current projects, hoping that readers would nod along to the eye candy and take their word for it. If it's in print, it must be true. Well, my mom told me, "Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see." So I don't believe them.

Oddly, the Sexiest Man Alive, Matt Damon, didn't even make the list. I suppose sexy isn't beautiful. Or to be both is monopolizing too many positions on too many lists. Just as I suppose considering Batman (Christian Bale) as beautiful would undermine his brooding, tortured superhero soul. And the prettiest cast on television, that of Lost, was shut out. Because they're scruffy and unshowered? Whereas the Grey's Anatomy folks pretty much dominate the list.

To me, the very fact that such a list exists is odd. And unnecessary. Most movie fans have their personal favorites. They are drawn to certain entertainers. They defend them at the water cooler and scan for their names in the headlines. So I find it a little awkward that we have to be told that the person we're staring at is beautiful. I don't know about you, but I can discern that for myself. And my personal definition of beauty goes beyond "skin deep." So pictures of The Hills cast doesn't do much for me.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I believe that. I also find that the most powerful performances win me over. Before my eyes, previously nondescript actors become stunning. Likewise, I've seen plenty of pretty people become vacantly and excruciatingly bland as they stumble on the big screen in roles they can't handle.

I propose that a list be made of beautiful characters, not beautiful people. Because I don't know if Kate Hudson is a beautiful person. I've never met her. Her perky blondness could be masking a disturbing monster. I do know that Guido Orifice (Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful), while no conventional heartthrob, is stunning.

Nadine Bells
on her toes

**Read more articles by Nadine Bells**