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Tuesday, March 01, 2011

R.I.P. Jane Russell (1921-2011)

"The girl with the summer-hot lips and the winter-cold heart". "There are two good reasons why men go to see her. Those are enough" - Howard Hughes, quoted in Robert Hale's "The Humour of Sex"

"Publicity can be terrible. But only if you don't have any" -Jane Russell

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell putting their signatures in cement at Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, 1953

Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" directed by Howard Hawks in 1953

"She once got her life so balled up that the studio hired a full-time secretary maid for her. So Marilyn soon got the secretary as balled up as she was, and she ended up waiting on the secretary, instead of vice-versa" -Jane Russell on her co-star Marilyn Monroe

Source Code TV Spot and new pics



First look at the new TV Spot for Source Code, the Duncan Jones-directed film hitting theaters on April 1st. The action thriller stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright.

In "Source Code", decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he's ever known, he learns he's part of a government experiment called the "Source Code", a program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. With a second, much larger target threatening to kill millions in downtown Chicago, Colter re-lives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he can solve the mystery of who is behind the bombs and prevent the next attack.

"Donnie Darko" celebrated in Genre Films at the Spirit Awards

Jake Gyllenhaal leaving the Vanity Fair Oscar party in LA on 27th February 2011
Jena Malone (Jake's co-star in "Donnie Darko") attending The Vanity Fair Oscar Party in LA on 27th February 2011

"Best First Feature category has been a hotbed for filmmakers who quickly make their mark with genre films. Although audiences didn't immediately embrace Richard Kelly's time-travel drama "Donnie Darko" in 2002, the Spirit Awards instantly recognized the qualities that would make it a cult classic with nods in the Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay categories. Jake Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone as Donnie and Gretchen in the theatre scene from "Donnie Darko" (2001)

Last year, the biggest stir when nominations were announced came with the announcement of Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity" the surprise box office hit that was made for just around $15,000 by a software programmer and went on to gross $107 million domestically with the simple premise of a couple tormented by supernatural house guests.

Still of Ashley Bell in The Last Exorcism (2010)

This year, another found footage flick found its way into the category with "The Last Exorcism" which also earned a nomination for its star Ashley Bell in the Best Supporting Female category for her portrayal of a young woman that appears to be possessed by the Devil. Incidentally, the film isn't actually the first from director Daniel Stamm, whose previous mock doc thriller "A Necessary Death" won an audience award at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles in 2008 and brought him to the attention of executive producer Eli Roth after the film's original directors, screenwriters Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland had to leave to direct their other script in development, the comedy "The Virginity Hit." That bit of luck gave Stamm the chance to show his mettle on a substantially larger (but still meager $1.8 million) budget and paired him with Roth, who has injected a much-needed sense of humor into the usually deadly serious arena of horror.
The somewhat tricky nature of Spirit Award paperwork led to a similar nomination oddity in 1997 and 1998, though it was no less prescient when Larry Fessenden picked up the Swatch Someone to Watch Award a year before the Spirit Awards would nominate him again for Best Director - the catch is they were for both for the same film "Habit". Still, there's no argument here about acknowledging Fessenden, who has gone on to become one of the most prominent and important promoters of independent genre films, both as a director himself on films like 2006's Ron Perlman frightfest "The Last Winter" but as the chief of Glass Eye Pix, which has produced such films recently as "Bitter Feast" and "The House of the Devil", introducing the world to filmmakers like Ti West and Joe Maggio.

Duncan Jones director of "Source Code" (starring Jake Gyllenhaal) was a revelation with his indie debut "Moon", a low budget sci-fi film.

In general, indie filmmakers have long pushed the boundaries that often prevent even most mainstream films from presenting the world as they know it, so it only makes sense that many work in horror and science fiction, where at its best, they can offer effective social commentary in a way few other genres of films can be. That the Spirit Awards chooses to acknowledge it keeps the ceremony on the cutting edge and always ahead of what's next". Source: www.ifc.com

Monday, February 28, 2011

Jake Gyllenhaal in good company at the 83rd Academy Oscars ceremony

Jake Gyllenhaal with Amy Adams presenting two Awards at the Oscars
Jake Gyllenhaal with Zodiac co-star Robert Downey Jr.
Jake Gyllenhaal with his "Proof" co-star Gwyneth Paltrow
Michelle Williams greeting Jake Gyllenhaal at 83rd Oscars ceremony

Jake Gyllenhaal attending the 83rd Annual Academy Awards on 27th February 2011

Winners of Oscars 2011

Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Melissa Leo and Colin Firth

Best Picture
Winner: "The King's Speech"
Best Leading Actor
Winner: Colin Firth for "The King's Speech"
Best Leading Actress
Winner: Natalie Portman for "Black Swan"
Best Director
Winner: Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech"
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Christian Bale for "The Fighter"
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Melissa Leo for "The Fighter"

Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams present short film and documentary Oscar Awards

Michelle Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards on February 27, 2011 in Hollywood

"Jake Gyllenhaal hit the Oscar stage to present an award with Amy Adams and managed to steal the spotlight from her bedazzled dress. Gyllenhaal’s suit fit to perfection, highlighting the importance of tailoring in menswear. The actor’s made-to-measure Salvatore Ferragamo tux boasted a double breasted jacket with gros grain details". Source: thecelebritycafe.com

Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams speak onstage during the 83rd Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on February 27, 2011
Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams were the presenters of Oscar Awards in categories:

Best Short Film, Live Action
Winner: God of Love (2010) - Luke Matheny
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Winner: Strangers No More (2010) - Karen Goodman, Kirk Simon

83rd Oscars ceremony stream live


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