Q&A: Resurrections, Musicals and "Julianne Pfeiffer"

I feel like if I talk about the Oscars anymore than I already do I will slowly become one! Gold plating, lopped off head, ... the works. This week's question were extremely Oscar focused. In order to escape my immobile sword-holding genital-free fate, I'm not answering them just yet. I'm also not answering any "top ten" questions but feel free to go on giving me top ten list ideas ;) 

I'm suddenly realizing this Q&A series is like writing 10 blog posts at once. Which is... well, must rethink this series! So only non-Oscar focused questions today and then we'll just gag on naked gold men tomorrow and Wednesday, K? 

Here we go.

Luiserghio: If you could resurrect one classic director to direct a modern actress/actor?
Nathaniel:  My first thought was William Wyler for just about any actor or actress that needs a chance to really nail a top flight dramatic adult piece. Who has a better track record for directing actors to grand serious performances with nuance and depth? Nobody. But then Vincente Minnelli directing Anne Hathaway popped up and I'll go with that. Not because she wants to play Judy Garland and he's the expert but because he understands color and musical numbers and Hathaway would soar under both conditions. Plus she seems to have an 'Old Hollywood' soul as it were so she'd be perfect for any resurrection.

Mandy Patinkin, Eartha Kitt and Toni Collette in "The Wild Party"Robert G: If you could guarantee one stage musical from any time in history would be adapted to a film, what would it be?
Nathaniel: If you'd ask me this five years ago I would've said Sweeney Todd. 

This is such a tough question as there are so many great ones. Many stage musicals I love wouldn't transfer well like A Choru -- whoops! I regularly try and picture "The Light in the Piazza" and "Caroline, Or Change" as feature films. I think a masterpiece could be made from Sondheim's "Follies" but what director alive is both genius enough to handle the complexity of it and has enough industry muscle to demand that only extraordinarily gifted singing actors handle the vocally demanding songs? So maybe I should just say Michael John LaChiusa's "The Wild Party" because I am weirdly obsessed with it and because there's more room for error. By which I mean it's busy with noise and dancing and banter and that's easier for modern Hollywood to understand than pure singing musicals. If they made a mistake here and there they wouldn't destroy a masterwork and we'd still get an entertaining film. Please note: This guarantee wish comes with Toni Collette reprising her lead role as alcy showgirl "Queenie".

Queenie was a blonde and her age stood still and she danced twice a day in the
... vau-de-ville ♫ 

Sean C: Which of the four actors do you think has the biggest opportunity to drop the theatrical dramedy-ic ball in CARNAGE?

John, Jodie, Christoph and Kate checking out TFE's Oscar charts!

Nathaniel: Such a mean-spirited (or maybe just worried?) question. I'll give you my answer after the jump.

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When Bad Things Happen To Good Actresses (Part Zillion)

What are the chances that Trespass (2011) in which my beloved Nicole Kidman is soiled by association with hacktor Nicolas Cage is as terrible as Next (2007) in which my beloved Julianne Moore was soiled by association with hacktor Nicolas Cage?

Slim? I mean Next is an atrocious movie... so Trespass would have to be less embarrassing, right? Famous last words?

The only reason I saw Next back in the day was because I'm a masochist/completist with Julianne. Even Julianne herself felt sorry for me when I told her I'd seen nearly all of them.

Really? My god, you've seen some junk then!

I haven't been anywhere close to a completist with Nicki Kidman

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Lazy Stupid Link

Links starring the cast of... u guessed it.
My New Plaid Pants 'Today's Fanboy Delusion' featuring Ryan Gosling.
Film Dr thinks the movie is "mostly stupid" 
La Daily Musto in praise of Marisa Tomei. Nearly twenty years since that Oscar win and still going strong.

Movie|Line 9 milestones in the evolution of Julianne Moore
Grantland on Julianne Moore's adulteress film tendencies. 

At this point, her very presence in a movie alerts us to an unstable sexuality lurking just below the surface — or at least at the bottom of that extra glass of Chardonnay. She’s a marriage-wrecking, conflict-creating, ginger-haired Jezebel.

It's true. The adulteress thing is getting as default mode as the Bad Mommy thing we've discussed repeatedly.

Miscellania
Bat Blog Tom Hardy on the set of Dark Knight Rises 
Boy Culture Abel Ferrara and his DP remember Dangerous Game. Lots of Madonna stories.. and yes, she was good in that film, detractors be damned. 
Television Blend Rosie O'Donnell gets a show on Oprah's network.
The Wrap Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt plan to do less acting. Sigh and also: hasn't Angelina already been doing less acting even as she's continued to make films ;) ?

And finally just a heads up that Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking is now available on DVD. It's funny. My favorite part was the celebrity genealogy section that sprung from the Elizabeth Taylor vs Debbie Reynolds Eddie Fisher scandal. 

Red Carpet: Crazy Stupid Pockets, Friends With Penis Dresses

‪Nathaniel: For this episode of Red Carpet Convos, I'm joined by our resident fashion-obsessive Jose and Guy Lodge of In Contention. We begin with a Lineup, culled from the premieres of Friends With Benefits, Horrible Bosses, and Captain America, respectively. This triple feature is now available at your local multiplex.‬

Emma Stone, Jennifer Aniston, Captain & Love Interest, Somebody

Guy: Oh, I see why you got me for this one
Jose: hehe I see Jen again
Nathaniel: Guy, I should admit right up front that I think Jen looks hot here and I mean that both ways.
 Jose: ‬ ‪is that thing made out of leather?‬
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Right? IN THE SUMMER.‬
 Guy: ‬ ‪Ha! I like that, in playing her first real vamp character, she's committed to the cause off-camera‬
It's like something Angie would have worn back when she was still fun.
 Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Spoken like a totally biased member of Team Aniston. Grrrr! I'm sorry but the news told me that it's over 100˚ outside -- I'm pretending outside doesn't exist (curtains drawn, air conditioning at full blast) -- so i can't even deal looking at this.‬
 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪But it's short! At least her legs are breathing.‬
 ‪
Jose: ‬ ‪speaking of which, both Jen & Angie tend to do the same over and over when it comes to clothes, so I'm actually thrilled that this time Jen gave her standard look (black and mini) a slight twist‬
 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪That's a very good point -- and the hair looks a little choppier and more summery. (Sorry, this is getting stalker-y on my part)‬
 ‪Jose: ‬ ‪I still never will get dress pockets though, especially in such a tiny dress, does she have her whips and feathered handcuffs in there?‬
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Or mash notes from Guy.‬ And a restraining order.

Guy: ‬ ‪I'm all for dress pockets. Why should guys get all the comfort?‬
 ‪Jose: ‬ ‪because we don't get to have fabulous bags * sad face *‬
 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪I like stars who go a little bit casual (but still chic) for premieres -- save the real glamour for awards season, otherwise we'll never know when it ends.‬
Nathaniel:‬ ‪Point: Guy. But I don't approve of pockets on anything unless they're holding treats inside for pets... or hungry fans.‬
 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪ ‪Anyway, at leat Jen's pockets aren't on the OUTSIDE of her dress. What's going on with Emma Stone?‬
 ‪Jose: ‬ ‪don't mess with Lanvin, Guy!‬
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Her pockets are big enough to fit other starlets inside. If those are indeed pockets. I feel compelled to tell you that this is my least favorite color combination that has yet been invented.
 

‪Jose: ‬ ‪her dress makes me sad for two reasons‬.‬ ‪it's obviously from the collection where Juli got hers for January and i think they would've been MUCH better if they had switched them, apparently pale redheads dig crazy pink Lanvin? ‪I do think it's a fantastic, bold look though, a bit too old for Emma maybe, but I loooooove it‬

 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪I actually like the red-pink clashing and the mini-Alexis Carrington shoulders... but it'd look so nice and trim without the sewn-on clutch bags. (I realise she's going to see Horrible Bosses, but how many flasks does she need to carry with her?)‬
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Actually she was at Friends With Benefits so back off. Flasks fully justified.
Guy: ‬ ‪I'm glad she's a redhead again, though, even though she's a natural blonde, and even though I  usually criticise starlets for doing the reverse... it's all very confusing.‬
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Yes.‬

Nathaniel: Moving on. Every time I try to think about what to say about Captain America and his love interest (Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell) I fall asleep.
 ‪Jose: ‬ ‪LOL‬. I resent that this Chris Evans person is trying to pretend he's all geeky and stuff now, every time I see him all Benjamin Button-ized in the trailer I want to kick his ass

 ‪Guy: ‬ ‪Is that Chris Evans? I didn't recognise him behind his cunning "look, I'm smart" disguise. And without his abs.‬
Nathaniel: Is he going for a Clark Kent thing here or is he ready to let himself go since he's said that those grueling two hour workouts to look like a super soldier made him want to vomit daily?
Jose: ‬ He's just being a drama queen. If I had those abs I would not bother with clothes EVER‬.

THERE'S MORE: Chris Evan abs (in motion), Ryan Gosling's perfection, Vanessa's unfortunate frock, Hayley Atwell's identity crisis and the über sexy cast of Crazy Stupid Love at their premiere AFTER THE JUMP.

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TV @ The Movies: Parks and Recreation

Summer is a strange time at Chez Nathaniel. Though I'm a film guy, summer movie season isn't really even close to my favorite movie time. And though I'm not totally a TV guy, I miss my shows (No Mad Men this summer is going to be the strangest).

Fr'instance, I'm already missing Parks & Recreation since the fantastic two part Season Finale aired a week back.

The Haverford Charm Ray! wah-wah-wah

You know I LOL'ed at this moment when Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) decides to use the "Haverford Charm Ray" on an old lady who works on the dread 4th Floor. How to do it? Flatter her with screen goddess comparisons.

He wants this old lady to do his work for him. Time to butter her up.

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