Randomness: Xavier, Fassy, Pedro, Hathaway and "Best" Directors
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 1:13PM 
My New Plaid Pants reminds us that Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen are reuniting (YES) post Hunger for a movie called Shame, which is not a remake of the Ingmar Bergman flick but a contemporary drama about sex addiction. Carey Mulligan, who looks nothing like Fassy, is playing his sister. Filming now!
It just occurred to me that I've been calling The King's Speech "Royalty Porn" for months now. It has a whole new meaning now.
In Contention does some investigative journalism about that gay porn / King's Speech controversy we were just discussing last night. As for Guy's note that the porn was shot before production on The King's Speech began I have no idea what to think. I can only assume that the wall treatments discussed in the film experience interview were done to emphasize preexisting conditions -- Stewart didn't claim she made up the look, only that she was recreating it and layering it (perhaps to make it read better on film?). Not to get all serious about a very funny news story, but I do hope this doesn't overshadow Stewart's accomplishments. I mean, Christ, Topsy-Turvy. You know?
Less smutty links!
The Movies Were Wrong About Everything TRILOGY METER.
In Contention Kris Tapley's annual good (cinematography) read: top ten shots of the year. Love the inclusion of a sweet moment from Cairo Time as it's quite unexpected.
The House Next Door on writer/director/actor/wunderkind Xavier Dolan (Heartbeats, I Killed My Mother)
i09 interesting interview with Andrew Chambliss, a sci-fi television writer on what that particular grind is like.
The Wrap Costume Design Guild winners: The King's Speech (period), Black Swan (contemporary) and Alice in Wonderland (fantasy)
The AV Club ponders the age-old question: Can Natalie Portman act? I wish Nick's piece on Portman were done to be in conversation with this one.
OMGBLOG Natalie Portman cries a lot, a supercut.
Here's the latest Oscar Host in Training Videos. These are SO fun. This one features Anne Hathaway vs. the teleprompter.
Finally, EW releases a "25 Greatest Working Directors" list. To save you all the trouble of viewing 25 pages. The list goes like so:
- David Fincher
- Christopher Nolan
- Steven Spielberg
- Martin Scorsese
- Darren Aronofsky
- Joel & Ethan Coen
- Quentin Tarantino
- Terrence Malick
- Clint Eastwood
- Pedro Almodóvar
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Guillermo Del Toro
- Roman Polanski
- Danny Boyle
- Kathryn Bigelow
- David O. Russell
- David Lynch
- James Cameron
- Peter Jackson
- Edgar Wright
- Spike Lee
- J.J. Abrams
- Brad Bird
- Mike Leigh
- Wes Anderson
It's a curious lineup for sure. And it's absolutely bizarre to see Almodóvar below 9 other people but whatevs. He makes films that require US list-makers to read (GASP). Most of the obvious casualties (Weerathesakul, Haneke, Assayas, Audiard, Desplechin, Denis, etcetera) are wildly acclaimed filmmakers working outside the English language so it's kind of a miracle to see Pedro up so high even though he should be higher. Despite its curious choices, it's also just as expected since you can always tell when a list was made based on what's on it. And you can tell that this list was made within the past 5 or so months since 4 of the 5 current Best Director nominees and heat from the Oscars last year is also accounted for. I'm still chuckling about everyone suddenly claiming they've been a fan all along of Kathryn Bigelow last year. (I have been which is why I know people are lying through their teeth about their devotion! It was a lonely fandom.)
P.S. [UPDATED] Speaking of Almodovar though... People are getting excited for this new reportedly horrific film The Skin That I Inhabit which released this curiousity-inducing original teaser poster to the left and now this fan art has popped up which I'm sure it well intentioned (as fan art always is) but it makes the movie look a bit like a Saw knockoff.
And if there's one thing one could never say about Almodóvar, it's that he's not imitative. People steal from him. Not the other way around ;) [Thanks to Iggy for sharing the link]
P.P.S. Pajiba offers a compare and contrast list to EW's list 25 Most Profitable Directors and Awards Daily responds with a 50 They Forgot list.
Reader Comments (20)
Xavier Dolan is obnoxious and his films are really pretentious. I'd go into more detail but I'm far too hungover.
Nathaniel, have you seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDHk2-p_EA&feature=player_embedded#at=132
I'm still laughing so hard and I've watched it like half an hour ago. Awesome. Stupid but awesome anyway.
Nat, apparently the 2nd Pedro poster is fan-made art and not official. A friend, and devotee of Spanish cinema, mentioned that Agustín Almodóvar tweeted about it (or something to that effect). That 1st, official poster is intriguing though. Can't wait for more on the film.
No mention of Wong Kar-Wai's exclusion?
Nathaniel, have you seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDHk2-p_EA&feature=player_embedded#at=132
I can't stop laughing at the absurdity of it all!
Thank you, Dan. I will never shut up about how Dolan's character in Heartbeats bought a $500 sweater as a gift to impress some bisexual tease he was 'in love' with. If I was ever near anyone that stupid, I'd con him. In fact, if he went to my high school, his hear would have been in the curb.
(Sorry for the physically aggressive rant. His Canadian experience is FAR removed from mine.)
Jorge Rodrigues - Looool. I loved it!
Btw i think Hathaway's dress is the one Winslet wore when she was nominated for Iris.
Craig's right. Those are not official posters.
EXCITED for Hathaway and Franco !
What with the boredom of Colin and Natalie and blah blah blah, for me, the most exciting thing of this years Oscar's is the hosts.
I'm sorry, my bad. I thought they (the posters) were real. It's a relief to know they're not. It would've been a strange move to use that kind of posters, specially considering he produces his own movies, why would he try to hide himself under those predictable posters? I should've thought about that. Again, sorry.
Is it only one woman on that list, c'mon EW, where is Sofia Coppola if you want to stick with American directors?
Nathaniel, I wish I knew you back in the late 80s, early 90s when I was the only person I knew who could pick Kathryn Bigelow out of a lineup. (And I have James Cameron to thank for it, because the only reason I checked out Near Dark was because it starred half the cast of Aliens). I used to have "the oeuvre of Kathryn Bigelow" as my "favorite films" list on Friendster :-)
There's JJ Abrams but no Michael Mann? You gotta be kidding me.
Fincher's number one position is ridiculous. Almodovar's position is even more pathetic, too pathetic for words.
No Jane Campion? What, was there room for only one woman on the list? And one "person of color", (if I'm not mistaken)? Speaking of - where the hell is Ang Lee? (and yes, WKW.) Or Lars von Trier?
And I know you're a fan of Bigelow, Nat, but - more important than David O Russell, David Lynch and Spike Lee? Really?
Janice -- i didn't say that. I just think she's awesome and was commenting that people were full of it claiming they always thought so.
Amanda -- that's what comes from the list being made RIGHT THIS SECOND :)
The most disheartening thing is seeing David Lynch so low on the list. And I agree with what someone said earlier--if they wanted to honor more women filmmakers, then why aren't Sofia Coppola and/or Jane Campion on the list??? Baffling. Both are very deserving.
Yes, Wong Kar Wai, Ang Lee, Von Trier, Woody Allen??????????
No Mike Nichols? No Spike Jonze? womp womp.
How obnoxious is this list that it is mostly full of US directors. What about Park Chan-Wook? Zhang Yimou? Hayao Miyazaki?