This & That: Oscar's Reunion, Hardy's Trapezius, Rudolph's Princess
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 3:12PM So... before he starts filming the Tom Hooper directed film version of smash hit epic musical Les Miserables (more on that in a second) we're going to have to sit through one of the most ridiculous movies of all time (that's a guess) just to satiate our love of Mr. Jackman. The things we do for Hugh.
Here's the poster for Real Steel.
I almost want to remove those arm bandages (tenderly!) and reapply them to the face mummy style, so as to save that wonderful movie star mug from B-film embarrasments. If you're going genre, go all out: wouldn't it awesome if a mummy was training boxing robots?
The Wrap In other Hugh Jackman news, we're getting our post Oscar 2009 ceremony wish: Anne Hathaway will probably be playing Fantine in the film version of Les Miserables. Ah, Hugh & Anne singing again. Together. Sort of. I can't recall if they have any songs together but I don't care. They're both finally doing a musical!
My New Plaid Pants Good Morning World, it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Twitch Film Josh Brolin confirmed to lead Spike Lee's remake of Oldboy. I am one of those rare souls that hates the original movie but they're still going to have a tough time surpassing its chutzpah, you know?
Just Jared Tom Hardy in the new issue of Dazed and Confused on this 'manpanion' trainer and more (I personally wish he'd lay off the bulk a little; his trapezius in Warrior is frighteningly over-sized...
Playbill Sadface. Looks like that Nicole Kidman / James Franco Broadway revival of Sweet Bird of Youth is off. I do think it's wise that Franco starts dropping projects from his ridiculously overbooked calendar (you have to have time to do things right, you know) but I hope Kidman still pursues it. Would love to see her take on that classic role.
Awards Daily I knew this would happen but it doesn't make it any less painful to see Ides of March trading in its excellent and interesting teaser poster -- the one with the magazine half faces -- for something so boring I already forgot what it looked like the second I started typing this sentence.
SplitSider a review of the porn parody of The Big Lebowski. Yes, really.
And I'm very happy to share this video of Maya Rudolph's Prince cover band Princess -- i didn't know there was such a thing (thx WoW) -- but I love them instantly. Here they are doing "Darling Nikki" once of Prince's most infamous numbers.
Come back Nikki! Come back!!! ♪
Finally, I have no idea why there's a sudden rush of Captain America postings but here ya go...
Austin Translation "Thor Loser"
Art of the Title Sequence on Captain America: The First Avenger
Comic Book Movie Curious. Joss Whedon will digitally resurrect the 40s actress Joan Leslie for The Avengers.
Reader Comments (21)
The end credits sequence for Captain America is so representational of what I enjoyed about that movie, and I'm extremely skeptical that the character will ever work for me in a modern day context.
Also, I'm not one to complain too much about remakes. I think they've been done well in recent years, and I think the 'remakes suck' discussion is one of the most tired and boring film conversations being had today. I think with Spike Lee attached, I'm interested to see how they would rework Oldboy.
Joan Leslie is still alive-I wonder if they could get her to do a cameo in the film for the twelve people who saw that name and imdb'd Joan Leslie to see if she's still alive.
Am I the only one who think Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson are the unlikeliest couple in the world?
Nathaniel, I agree that Jackman and Hathaway should be in a musical but is this the one for them? I mean, they're both good but.. ugh, I hate it that this adaptation also has to be full of stars.
I prefer to see someone I've never heard of in my life but who can sing really tough songs.
Some of these songs are too hard for Jackman and Hathaway, I'm afraid
Can Anne hit the high notes in I Dreamed A Dream with the power I want her too?
Plus, I read "Helena Boham Carter, Emma Watson,Russel Crowe" as some of the possibilities (or certainties?).
Really??
(I know I should have waited for the more relevant post but...)
James T -- see i have no fear that Hathaway and Jackman can handle a musical. They both have great voices and having seen Jackman on stage IN a musical, he's amazing in that context. It's the stars that can't sing that we have to worry about. I mean I love helena bonham carter but ANOTHER musical for her? wtf.
Re: HBC, exactly. The role suits her but it's also about the voice, people...
But I can't fully support the Jackman Hathaway choices either because it's Les Miz and I get perfection-obssesed about it. I've heard the songs from amazing voices and "just good" won't do for me.
But maybe I underestimate them. I hope so.
I've tried, I've really tried to read the entire review of the Big Lewoski porn parody. But I can't, it's all spoilery :) with no spoiler alerts to be seen. I'm kidding obviously, but there's some truth down there. Kudos to the writer for writing a review which is in a high percentage plot. Plot! For porn! Even if it's for comedic effect.... maybe film criticism "still have a leg up in the whole “plot” department."
I do wonder if someone makes his/her porn watching decisions based on reviews and if so what's to be valued in porn movies reviews.
I'm not a musical guy, so this doesn't excite me. (If I want to watch Les Miserables (though probably wouldn't want to), I'd stick with the 1934 adaptation.)
James T -- i guess we have different definitions of "just good" Jackman's voice is, to me, superior to many Jean Valjean's i've heard. He has a great voice. I've only heard Anne Hathaway sing that one time (at the Oscars) and she was on key and natural/effortless which is more than can be said for many people Hollywood tries to cast in musicals... especially the natural/effortless part ;)
I know you love Nicole but I always felt she was wrong for that part so I'm king of glad.
Re: Tom Hardy
I had to vote "Other" because I have no idea what a trapezius is.
Liz,
It's the muscle that begins on the back of your necks and extends to your shoulder and to 1/3 of your back. http://nicktumminello.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/trapezius.jpg1.png
Gotta agree about HBC. Love her, but she don't got the singing chops to be in a muscial. Neither does Russell Crowe, really. Even though he's the frontman for his band (something with 'grunts' in the name, if I recall correctly), he's not really all that good.
For a musical, my dream cast of male actors would be Hugh Jackman, James Mardsen, and Patrick Wilson. All three are dreamboats, and can act AND sing.
Re: Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson. Wtf, I did not know this. Unlikely union indeed! Obviously, I'm now wondering what their brainchild would be like...
Re: Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. Glad to have actors that can even sing. But I've yet to be fully impressed by Jackman's awards-show singing (even on the Tonys for The Boy from Oz), where you can often hear the vocal straining. He's probably the only movie star in that age group for the Valjean role, though... JEFF BRIDGES, maybe?
I'm more optimistic about Hathaway's singing ability, but Fantine feels like it should go to an unknown, not least because I doubt anyone can look at Hathaway and imagine her a pitiful single-mother outcast.
Also, someone please grab Jonathan Groff for Marius, asap. I just caught his sweet angel-faced hippie in Taking Woodstock (the only reason to even watch that movie), and combined with his singing chops he'd be perfect for Marius.
Amy Adams can sing, dance and act, least from I see and hear. What about her?
Colin -- by brainchild do you mean collaboration? cuz they already have two actual children ;)
they have three children -- she just gave birth to their son recently
Jackman seems like such a better Javert it's not even funny. Maybe we'll get Patrick Wilson in full sinister mode though.
These names... hearing Patrick Wilson and Jonathaon Graff is wondrous but Hollywood has no respect for proven musical talent so I doubt they'd even be in the discussion. The only reason Jackman and Hathaway are is that they're big semi-bankable stars.
I love Hugh Jackmann so much, I'll probably watch a strange robots movie.