Awkward love, vampires and Hamlet

Jake Gyllenhaal with Kirsten Dunst at "An Evening With Sofia Coppola" - afterparty on 30th March 2004, N.Y.

"Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst make an awkward couple. I’m a fan of Across the Universe and even though 21 isn’t a quality film, Sturgess still shows he’s harboring major potential.Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess in "Across the Universe".

Apparently Emile Hirsch was originally in talks to play the role of Adam until it was offered to Sturgess. Except for the fact that Dunst might be a tad taller than Hirsch (certainly if she’s wearing heels), the two would have made an appropriate couple. Based on appearance, past roles and er – tabloids, Sturgess just seems too nice for Dunst. I’m not implying that Hirsch isn’t a good guy, but it’s hard to stop looking at him as the ultimate jerk, Johnny Truelove, from "Alpha Dog". Source: www.cinemablend.com

"Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are the perfect awkward couple. Their relationship is nothing short of complicated but is also very real. Stewart’s character Em, struggles with the idea that Eisenberg’s James might actually have good intentions. Moreover, she cannot believe she deserves the love and affection of such a good man. Her performance is gripping and thoughtful and Adventureland hits it right on the mark". Source: www.buddytv.com

"Underlining their intimate, ineluctable connections, the film renders such familiar ideas in grand landscapes and excruciating details, revealing their strangeness for Christopher Johnson McCandless (Emile Hirsch).An even more radiant reflection might be found in the long and loving gazes cast on Chris by Tracy (Kristen Stewart), an aspiring singer who lives in Slab City, an RV camp in California. Chris appreciates her performances for the camp, even flirts with her briefly, but at last turns back her tender and awkwardly adolescent desire". Source: www.popmatters.com

"Into the Wild" Sequences - The reactions and desires that Robert Pattinson felt for the “nymph” are based on scenes that Kristen Stewart had with Emile Hirsch in the movie "Into the Wild" I wanted to see what Robert Pattinson saw when he said he watched Kristen Stewart in Into the Wild and thought she was “the best actress of her generation.”

I thought it would be romantic if Robert Pattinson “fell” for Kristen Stewart at first sight, albeit, onscreen". Source: www.atwilightkiss.com

Michael Sheen quote: "In a way, playing a vampire is sort of like playing Hamlet, there have been so many depictions. Aro is dangerous and deadly and powerful, yet the way he is written he doesn't come across as a sinister Dracula character-- I love the idea that the vampires, generally, as a species are very attractive to their prey. They're the perfect predators, they've evolved to be able to lure their prey, the humans, to them." Source: community.livejournal.com

"So, we're using some of the cooler Shakespeare language, in a musical way. [My Hamlet] is like an [aspiring] rock star. He's got six people that go to his performances, go to clubs and listen to him. It's like an early Kurt Cobain.

Hirsch added that they will intentionally lower the ages of all the cast. A decision that is based on making this Hamlet the modern young version.Says Hirsch:

"It's exciting that we're able to have this modern version but keep the text. And the way we're going to do it, we're going to make it so that everyone can understand what the most brilliant poet of all time is saying". Source: themovie-fanatic.com

The Girl Next Door - Electric Music & Summer People

A musical video featuring some scenes and stills from "The girl next door", directed by Luke Greenfield, and starred by Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert.

Songs "Electric Music and the Summer People" by Beck and "You tell me" by Wendy James.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt- Uncertainty

"The opening scene shows Bobby (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and Kate (Lynn Collins) standing in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge discussing a choice to make. We’re never sure what choice it is, until Bobby flips a coin to make a decision. Suddenly they run off in separate directions with haste – thus jump starting this intriguing twister. The couple meet back up after the sprint, except we get to see two separate courses of action - like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure'. Plot #1 has the couple finding a lost blackberry in a cab. Plot #2 has the couple finding a stray dog on the street.In Plot #1 (defined to us by the couple’s matching yellow outfits) becomes a thriller as the Bobby and Kate discover the cell phone contains vital information wanted by a group of warring New York gangsters. When the couple is offered a reward of $500,000 for the phone, they find themselves involved in a taut cat-and-mouse life-threatening chase across the city. Plot #2 becomes a relationship drama as the couple visit Kate’s family and discuss their dilemma about her unwanted pregnancy.We essentially get two movies in one. The thriller is thought out very carefully. The actions of Bobby and Kate are played with noir-like plotting. They are ordinary people caught in a web of extraordinary and dangerous behaviour. The filmmakers are smart enough to keep the couple talking and questioning the minute details of their actions. Inevitably with this type of story the audience is forced to put themselves in the characters’ shoes and ask ‘what would I do in this situation?’ With the exception of a few small plot holes McGehee and Siegel keep it smart, logical and unpredictable". Source: www.dailyfilmdose.com
Joseph Gordon Levitt and Lynn Collins in "Uncertainty" (2008). Source : josephgordonlevitt.org

Terry Gilliam still looking for clues

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal at 'Brokeback Mountain' Press Conference - Venice, on 2nd September 2005, Venice, Italy.

"I’m good at being angry — it’s an occupation. I’m angry at all the bullshit they keep writing about Heath Ledger, our lead actor, who died during filming. They say he was a drug addict. Bullshit. They say he was a tortured soul because he played the Joker in The Dark Knight. Bullshit.
He was a joyous guy. He was so full of life and he was flying on this film. He was having more fun than he’d had in years. The fact the film was finished is a testament to the strength of Heath’s spirit.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Three A-list stars took over Heath’s part — Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law — and they all donated their fee to his daughter. I haven’t asked them to do any publicity — I’ve kept that hair shirt for myself. Last week my record was 42 interviews in one day. I’ve spoken on stage at Bafta and I’ve spent a morning in the HMV shop in Oxford Circus, signing anything that was put in front of me.

Lily Cole and Andrew Garfield as Valentina and Anton in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (2009).

Usually I spend all day at home in Highgate, north London, staring at my computer screen. So this week has been a shock. I’ve done so many interviews my voice is beginning to sound like a Buddhist chant. But the world is so youth-obsessed, I should be grateful anyone’s still interested in me at 68.TILTING AT WINDMILLSPeople talk about “the curse of Terry Gilliam”, because whenever I make a movie something seems to go wrong. When I attempted to film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote in 1999, the set flooded and the lead actor suffered a herniated disc. But next year I’m going to make it again. I’m lucky my first attempt failed, because I can see now that the script wasn’t good enough. In fact, I think I’m one of the luckiest people on the planet. My life is wonderful, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. But I still don’t have a clue about making films. I hope there’s still time to learn". Source: entertainment.timesonline.co.uk

Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess in "Upside Down"

Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst spotted together in New York, on 30th September 2009, picture courtesy of www.kirstenimages.com

"I’ve been keeping an eye on Juan Diego Solanas‘ surreal-sounding sci-fi story Upside Down for a while now. The picture has been in development with Onyx films and Studio 37 for a good while, and has never quite got off of the starting blocks - perhaps due to its mind boggling central concept.
Kirsten Dunst has been in talks to star for some months, I believe, but the news that Jim Sturgess will be taking on the male lead comes after earlier reports that Emile Hirsch was negotiating for the role. (Note from Weirdland: I'd prefer Emile, but this guy Sturgess seems fine for the role).Here’s an official synopsis for the film from the 2009 European Film Market Brochure:

Look up towards the sky and rub your eyes because you won’t believe what you see: cities, forests, and oceans with their own inverted gravity, only an arm’s length away, yet completely unreachable. Take a leap over to this alternate reality, two worlds – one above, one below? facing each other, and you’ll land in the extraordinary world of "Upside Down". Source: www.slashfilm.com

Screen Test: The Heartthrobs NY Times video

Screen Test: The Heartthrobs
The young British actors Rupert Friend, Aaron Johnson, Eddie Redmayne and Ben Whishaw discuss getting started in movies. Watch The Hearththrobs Screen Test video at video.nytimes.com

Screen Test: James Franco
The "Pineapple Express" actor talks to Lynn Hirschberg.
Watch James Franco Screen Test

Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan in "An Education" (2009).

Watch Peter Sarsgaard Screen Test. Lynn Hirschberg speaks with Peter Sarsgaard.

Watch Carey Mulligan Screen Test. Carey Mulligan Hollywood's breakout star talks about her love of killer lines and her near-death experience.