Inside Reel "Rendition"

Penelope's interview and clips

"Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci, “Sleepy Hollow”), born to wealthy socialites (Catherine O’Hara, “Home Alone” and Robert E. Grant, “Gosford Park”), is afflicted by the Wilhern spell that can only be broken when she finds love. Hidden away in her family’s estate, the lonely girl meets a string of suitors in her parent’s futile attempt to break the curse. Each eligible bachelor is enamored with Penelope and her sizable dowry …until her curse is revealed.

Lemon (Peter Dinklage, “The Station Agent”), a mischievous and eager tabloid reporter wants a photograph of the mysterious Penelope and hires Max (James McAvoy, “Atonement”) to pose as a prospective suitor to get the shot. The handsome down-on-his luck gambler finds himself falling for Penelope, but not wanting to disappoint her or to expose his surreptitious ways, he decides to disappear. Fed up by his latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family and ventures into the world alone. She finds adventure and Annie, her first friend (Reese Witherspoon, “Legally Blonde”) and becomes the person she was meant to be. MoviesOnline: What do you guys have in common as actresses and how do you differ?

Reese Witherspoon: Losing a lot of parts to other actresses [laughs] and being really grumpy, and miserable about it. No, I think we have a similar sensibility. She is younger than I am. In ‘The Opposite of Sex’ she’s got this great force of nature about her. You do want to wrap your arms around her and love her, that’s why I’m so excited about this film. I do think it’s an opportunity for audiences to really embrace her. She’s great and she’s got great taste too.

MoviesOnline: What about James McAvoy?

Reese Witherspoon: James, we were just lucky to get James. The casting director suggested him and at the time I didn’t know who he was. Christina had seen some of his work and she was a big champion of his. So was Jennifer Simpson, my producing partner. I watched some of his stuff and thought he was great. Of course he has become this big movie star now. I tease him and say ‘I got you when you were cheap.’ [Laughs] That’s not going to happen again, I’ll never get him again. He’s so great and I’m so happy for him to be having all this success. He’s really versatile. You can believe him as a doctor, but also as a super spy. He’s just wonderful.

MoviesOnline: What is the best career advice you have ever received and who gave it to you?

Reese Witherspoon: The best career advice was ‘never miss an opportunity to just be quiet.’ That is always a good piece of advice, just in life. It was actually put ‘Never miss an opportunity to just shut up.’ That was from my granddad. Also, the interesting thing about our business is it’s so ever evolving. Somebody said to me ‘Always be nice to everybody, particularly the people that answer the phones, because they are going to be your boss in four years.’ It’s true, it happens all the time.MoviesOnline: What do you hope that teen girls especially who are having a really tough time with image will take away from this movie?

Reese Witherspoon: I guess that there are all sorts of different definitions of beauty. Beyond the physical aspects of beauty, it’s about finding what makes you unique, what can be really defining in your life, and that it’s important to really know yourself".
Source: www.moviesonline.ca

Watch Penelope's trailer
and three clips from Penelope

Coolness factor

"Donnie Darko" (2001)/Jake Gyllenhaal
"Jake Gyllenhaal is a revelation in the title role. He manages to make Donnie this amazing amalgam of cool, ennui, geekiness and scariness that’s unexpected, but works to a tee. Jena Malone as Gretchen, the one person who really understands Donnie, is in a sense his female doppelganger, but without his more extreme traits". Source: Urbancinefile.com.au"Brick" (2005) /Joseph Gordon Levitt
"Brendan's is a cynical universe, in which everyone protects their own, but also one in which people are concerned with more than who's dating who and who's on "American Idol." Everyone is cool, and no one is cool. It's the vision of what every high school student wishes to be". Source: www.combustiblecelluloid.com"Superbad" (2007)/Michael Cera
"I think it's great how Evan is portrayed as the good guy and remains the good guy. He tries to be cool but it doesn't suit him. He doesn't even look cool when he acts cool. It's the awkwardness he goes through that wins the audiences attention because they all can relate to him". Source: www.la2day.com"Almost Famous" (2000) /Patrick Fugit
"They make you feel cool. And hey. I met you. You are not cool".
-Lester Bangs.
"I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn't".
-William Miller.

Playfulness loving scenes

Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway as Jack Twist and Lureen in "Brokeback Mountain" (2005):"If love is a train, I think I'll ride me a slow one. I want to ride right through the night making every stop." -Singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked.

Joseph Gordon Levitt and Nora Zehetner as Brendan and Laura in "Brick" (2005):

"When we start out on the loving and sexual trail, it is so full of emotion that it is almost impossible to contain the feelings of lust, the smile that dances at the corners of the lips, the heart bursting with anticipation every time the phone rings. We ride the waves of ‘being in love’ for all it’s worth. Surfing the white frothy sea of heightened emotions, wiping our salty, sweaty palms, the noise of our pumping heart so loud we are sure everyone can hear it. We know we are alive.

Soaring above day to day challenges flying through minor problems that present themselves, we are totally enveloped in the physical sensation of being in love".
Source: Womendoingit.com.au

Michael Cera and Martha MacIsaac as Evan and Becca in "Superbad" (2007):
"Moreover, Gergen found that playful aggression was positively associated with alcohol use and going steady in young people.

Baxter (1992) found intimate play in both same-sex and other-sex relations in college students. [...] She also found that playfulness in general positively correlated with relationship closeness". Source: findarticles.com

Joseph Gordon Levitt and Isla Fisher as Chris and Luvlee in "The Lookout" (2007):

"[...] she's a safe cracker
She kissed me first and then broke in

We slip and slide on the stay-together landmine
I make my mind up to never be myself
And every time I make a rhyme
I live my life for someone else

She's in the kitchen with bitter diamond drunks
(She's in the way)
I'm on the sofa (I'm in the way)
Hoping she leaves that punk cause

I'm the boy with the poetry power
I'm the boy, smells like flowers
And every time I make a rhyme
I live my life like I wasn't invited [...]"

Candyfloss ("Summerteeth" -Wilco)

Kirsten in Utah

"Actress Kirsten Dunst has found love in rehab, according to InTouch magazine.

The 25-year-old Spider-Man star reportedly met the mystery man at the Cirque Lodge rehabilitation centre in Sundance, Utah.
Kirsten & her rehab friend at Utah's supermarket, Feb. 2008.

An insider told the magazine: "The staff has asked the two to separate more than enough. She sits on his lap while smoking cigarettes."

Dunst's new boyfriend has asked his mum to send flowers to Kirsten at the clinic on his behalf.

Dunst was reportedly prompted to go into rehab after the death of Heath Ledger.

Eva Mendes and Lindsay Lohan have also undergone treatment programmes at the Utah clinic".
Source: www.digitalspy.co.uk

Rising Reese

"Penelope"´s photoshoop.
I like flowery dresses and shirts on Reese.
Jake and Reese, both wearing their shades again.

Juno "Anyone else" Video

"Anyone else but you" had always been a personal favourite from Kimya Dawson's band The Moldy Peaches, and I like how actors Ellen Page and Michael Cera played it in the acoustic final scene in "Juno", one of the best covers I've heard.