Not only do they have a cool name, their music is...how do I describe it? Awesome. Broken Social Scene is exactly the kind of band you want on a soundtrack with their subtle indie rock big band sound.
You can hear "Love Will Tear Us Apart" in The Time Traveler's Wife where the band performs at a wedding scene.
"Stars and Sons" "Shampoo Suicide" and "Da Da Dada" are featured on the Half Nelson soundtrack.
And if you're in the mood for a thriller romance then check out their song "Lover's Spit" in Wicker Park.
Katerina Graham is excited about her role in the upcoming TV series, The Vampire Diaries, coming to The CW this fall. Graham will be playing Bonnie Bennett, a teen with psychic powers.
Younger viewers may remember Graham from various Disney Channel credits including Movie Surfers, Lizzie McGuire and Hannah Montana. Or her big screen effort in 17 Again. She's been in commercials and lent her voice to Will.i.am for his single "I Got It from My Mama."
Graham talked to me about her mixed roots (she's the daughter of a Liberian father and a Jewish mother), her web series and the allure of vampires.
On filming in Atlanta:
"There hasn't been that many Vampire Diaries billboards and stuff like that but apparently they’re like everywhere in New York and L.A. so the cast and I...we’re all very excited...we can’t wait to see them when we get back home."
On vampires:
"I’ve always loved vampires, shows and films. I don’t know many people who aren’t a fan of the genre. I hadn’t read Vampire Diaries until I started the audition process for my character and I had only known then that the show was actually based on a series of novels. And of course then I became a huge fan and I read through the books. The show is based on the books but it’s not word for word."
On how she learned so many languages:
“I speak English, Spanish, French, a little bit of Portuguese and Hebrew. My mom raised me, she’s Jewish so she spoke Hebrew and put me in Hebrew school and before that she had me in French school, and my father speaks fluent French. He moved to Portugal and I had this crazy crush when I was like 14-years-old on the Portuguese instructor guy, he was young too, and I learned Portuguese just by being able to talk to him because he didn’t speak English. And then I learned Spanish so that I could do interviews in Spanish for Fanta when I was doing the campaign for the soft drink."
On being black/biracial in Hollywood:
“Luckily I’ve worked my butt off. I’ve been able to do roles that weren’t necessarily meant for me because of what I look like. I’ve been fortunate enough to surpass certain expectations that anyone might have had of me. Sometimes it’s been hard, sometimes they’re like ‘oh you’re not black enough’ or ‘you’re not white enough’ or ‘we don’t know what to do with you’ or ‘you don’t match up with this person’. And sometimes it’s been a blessing, sometimes I’ve been able to blaze my own way trails and say: you know what I’m biracial, I don’t come from necessarily the background that some other people have but if you give me a chance I’ll promise I’ll do a good job and I know what I’m doing. And I think that color aside, and all of that aside, it’s work that matters. You being a good actor, being a good person, you know, it’s who you are inside that is going to make it either…you succeed or you fail.
And I have great parents. I have great people around me. I have a great cast who doesn’t judge each other on anything physical. It’s a very loving environment and I think that I’m just fortunate enough to break certain stereotypes and hopefully lead the way maybe for other African-American women who would love the same opportunities or who would love to do something different."
On her character and real-life:
"When people watch Vampire Diaries I want them to see Bonnie, that’s it. And when people watch my webisodes they can see me and I’m totally different. I don’t even dress the same way but I want I people to be able to love the character... and I appreciate all the fans that follow me on Twitter." (@KaterinaGraham)
The Vampire Diaries premieres Thursday, Sept. 10th on The CW at 8 p.m.
Kris Carr's personality is the star of this film. Not even cancer could overshadow her zest for life. I caught this on TLC about a year or so ago and for a movie with such a dark subject (the c word) it made me smile a lot.
Crazy Sexy Cancer is an irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding her life.
One of my favorite bloggers, Rama, sparked the idea for this list. The Hollywood Reporter recently noted that FOX just hired screenwriter Ryan Condal to write a script to build a franchise for the graphic novel Queen & Country.
The project, based on Greg Rucka's Oni Press comic, centers on a female Special Ops agent who is on the run after carrying out a high-level assassination in Eastern Europe. Those familiar with the project have described it as a female version of The Bourne Identity.
Who should play the lead character Tara Chase? Here are my top picks...
1. Elizabeth Banks - I could see the Zack and Miri star bulking up for this role, learning some martial arts and being able to cause some disarray in Eastern Europe.
2. Sophia Myles - She played a vampire in Underworld so why not give her the chance to kick butt like Kate Beckinsale?
3. Zooey Deschanel - With the right hair dye, some hand-to-hand combat training and an extra dose of her sense of humor Special Ops style she could make Tara Chase come to life in a very cool way.
4. Yvonne Strahovski - She's the obvious choice, her work as a CIA agent on NBC's Chuck sets her up perfectly. I totally believe that she could snap someone's neck.
Honorable mentions go to Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) and Allison Mack (Smallville). They might work for the role too.
So which actress do you most want to see star in her own action franchise?
If you haven't seen this movie already, you just gotta! It's one of those films that's heavy on the quirky in a completely delightful way. The cast, the town, the soundtrack it all adds up to a splendid piece of fimmaking.
Nathaniel over at Film Experience has a fun yet simple list-making meme going on. Post 25 pictures of your favorite (male) actors. Here's mine:
1-5: Johnny Depp | Liam Neeson | Denzel Washington | Leonardo DiCaprio | Joesph Gordon-Levitt
6-15: Ewan McGregor | Zach Braff | Michael Cera | Cary Grant | Joaquin Phoenix | Sean Connery | Adam Beach | Tobey Maguire | Antonio Banderas | Clive Owen
16-25: Josh Hartnett | Val Kilmer | Richard Gere | Orlando Bloom | Johnny Nguyen | Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson | Paul Walker | Takeshi Kaneshiro | Shahrukh Khan | Leonardo Nam
Join in and share some of your favs! Include the link to your blog post.
Can't say that I've ever seen a female trucker (I did interview some bikers back in J School) but I'm sure they have plenty of interesting stories to tell. And if they weren't on the road so much they'd probably be the first ones lined up to see this film. Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye) digs deep in a role that I suspect will offer a bittersweet tale of human connection (or lack thereof). Some critics are already linking her performance to an Oscar nomination.
A truck driver looks to turn her carefree life around after she takes in her estranged 11-year-old son.
Trucker opens in limited theaters Oct. 9th. which means if you're not in NYC or L.A. you're gonna have to wait a little while to see this film.
The first episode of the Hilarie Burton produced web series Friendship Union Community Theater debuted over the weekend via her official website www.sogopro.com
Friendship Union Community Theater (F.U.C.T.) tells the stories of a bunch of quirky creative-types set in a local theater in Florida. The highlight of the premiere was an audition that included an ode to Judith Light (that alone makes it worth a watch).
It's nice to see Burton making the transition from One Tree Hill to a career that lends itself to on camera and behind the camera opportunities. With film and TV actors bringing their starpower to the web it's quite possible that the Emmys will take notice of more web series like they did with Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Who knows, maybe next year Friendship Union could be up for a Streamy or Emmy nomination. And that's the beauty of the web, anyone has a shot at being the next big trend.
Juliette Binoche has an impressive resume with films like her Oscar-winning role in The English Patient to the Johnny Depp infused Chocolat and my personal favorite The Horseman on the Roof. Next up you can catch Binoche playing the role of a supportive sister in Paris.
A Parisian is sick and thinks he may die. His condition makes him look at all the people he meets in a new and different way. Imagining his death suddenly gives new meaning to his life, to other peoples' lives, and to the life of the whole city.
Available Sept. 18th on IFC In Theaters + On Demand
Finally some Jurnee Smollett news to post! She's one of those actresses I've been wanting to get more roles and I couldn't think of a more perfect fit since Friday Night Lights is a top-notch critically acclaimed show (and one of my favorites). According to The Hollywood Reporter:
Smollett will play Jess, the daughter of a onetime NFL hopeful who knows the game and helps raise her siblings with the help of her father.
I can't wait to see how they develop her character alongside the phenomenal returning cast members. And kudos to the show on their Emmy nomination for outstanding casting in a drama series, they made another quality pick.
First, Dawson has been cast alongside Kevin James in a romantic comedy called The Zookeeper. They make an odd couple but I'm sure it's going to be hilarious! Here's what Variety reported:
The Zookeeper centers on zoo animals trying to teach the keeper their methods of dating and mating to help him win back the woman of his dreams.
Adam Sandler, whose Happy Madison shingle is also a producer on the pic, will voice a capuchin monkey. Cher's voicing a giraffe, John Favreau a bear, Sylvester Stallone a lion and Judd Apatow an elephant.
Second, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Dawson joined the cast of Unstoppable, an action/thriller starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine (Star Trek).
Unstoppable is about the desperate efforts of a veteran engineer and novice conductor to stop a train laden with toxic cargo speeding out of control toward a nearby city...Dawson will take on the role of a train dispatcher helping the men via radio.
So that's two Rosario Dawson roles to look forward to in 2010!
In the mood for a "carpe diem" story? Then you might want to rent/buy The Guitar. Robert Redford's daughter, Amy Redford, directed this film and it got a nice amount of buzz during its run at Sundance.
The life of a woman is transformed after she is diagnosed with a terminal disease, fired from her job and abandoned by her boyfriend. Given two months to live, she throws caution to the wind to pursue her dreams.
In the mood for a thought-provoking documentary? Check out Twisted. I caught it on PBS a while back and it offered an impressive look at that lives of those with a neurological disorder called dystonia.
In Twisted, director Laurel Chiten’s narration connects the stories of Pat Brogan, a basketball coach and triathlete who developed dystonia after a bike accident; Shari Tritt, whose dystonia affects her whole body, and Remy Campbell, an artist who gambled on a radical form of brain surgery—and won.
Touchstone Pictures released the official trailer for When in Rome over the weekend. I blogged about it earlier here, check it out and tell me what you think.
When in Rome comes to theaters January 29th, 2010.
One reason to watch The Vampire Diaries: Paul Wesley. He's got that seductive brooding vampire stare. I'm already a fan of vampire stories so pictures like this only add to the appeal. The series premieres September 10th @ 8 p.m. on The CW. Anyone else planning to DVR the show?
In light of my recent trip to the Chicago Comic-Con over the weekend I've decided to highlight some actresses who have channeled their creativity into the comic book industry.
Rosario Dawson - She's a self-proclaimed comic book fan and released O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce) with plans on adapting it into a film or web series one day.
Rashida Jones - It doesn't surprise me that Jones decided to enter the comic book arena, she's a smart woman (she did graduate from Harvard) and the series she co-created is about an heiress turned spy. Frenemy of the State comes out soon via Oni Press.
Hilarie Burton - The One Tree Hill star posted a video on her Southern Gothic Productions site about her upcoming graphic novel plans. All I know is that Burton and her partner, writer Nicholas Gray, seemed really excited about the endeavor. Head over to their site and watch the video yourself.
Charlyne Yi - In an interview with Women & Hollywood, the Paper Heart star revealed her enthusiasm to make a comic book. Whatever the topic I'm sure it will be something I'd like to read.
And while I'm on the subject of comic books here's a short video of Justin Chung, illustrator for Star Wars, DC Comics and Marvel Comics (among other things) plugging ReelArtsy.com
It's refreshing to see films that focus on love stories outside of people in their 20s or 30s. This time Meryl Streep plays the "dream girl" for Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin's characters in It's Complicated. Who do think she will end up with?
You can catch It's Complicated in theaters Christmas day.
Once again, here's me being a fangirl at the Chicago Comic-Con. This time I chatted with Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh on Battlestar Galactica) about his upcoming projects.
It's an explosion of color. Her creativity is inspiring. Here's what she said about it on her website:
"Basically in this video you're going to get a cheap ride into my alternate universe--a little look at how my ideas spawn, whether from writing or drawing or just looking at things around me in real life."
This video captures how many writers, singers and artists feel when they're in that zone and their imagination runs wild. It's a fun place to be.
Lights new album, The Listening, comes out September 22 in Canada and October 6 in the USA. For more info visit www.iamlights.com
New York, I Love You offers a bunch of love stories where the true star of the film is the city itself. It features Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Shia LaBeouf, Ethan Hawke and the list goes on. Fans of Paris, Je t'aime will appreciate this American spin. And finally a trailer for those of you who have been eagerly awaiting...
This weekend I was about to catch up with Edward James Olmos at the Chicago Comic-Con. He played Admiral Adama on the critically acclaimed Battlestar Galactica remake. The show is up for six Emmy nominations this year including outstanding directing for a drama series.
John Hughes made outsiders cool. Especially in Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club. His '80s love stories had a distinctive style, setting the mold for several other teen angst films to come. He made Molly Ringwald a star and gave us quirky characters like Duckie. Hughes did what many filmmakers often aspire to: create lasting films that can be watched over and over again regardless of generation.
Here's a tribute to Hughes when he won a producer award featuring several interviews with actors from his films.
Mat Kearney's music has been played on Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. Au Revoir Simone is on the soundtrack for Medicine for Melancholy and Dedicated. The other two bands, I'm not so sure about their placement but they definitely have soundtrack potential!
You can catch the official lady of summer, Zooey Deschanel, on the cover of Self and Relevant magazine. And if you haven't seen her quirky rom-com 500 Days of Summer, what are you waiting for! It's a total winner from start to finish.
And here's a short behind-the-scenes video from her Self shoot:
This should be interesting! Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis will battle it out in a supernatural thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream).
Black Swan centers on a veteran ballerina (Portman) who finds herself locked in a competitive situation with a rival dancer (Kunis), with the stakes and twists increasing as the dancers approach a big performance. But it’s unclear whether the rival is a supernatural apparition or if the protagonist is simply having delusions.
So I'm guessing it's something along the lines of Fight Club meets The CW's Supernatural. I'll give it a try.
If you're a big indie rock fan (as I am) then you'll be intrigued by this...
Official Selection of the 2009 South By Southwest Film Festival and 2008 Montreal World Film Festival, DIED YOUNG, STAYED PRETTY is a candid look at the underground indie-rock poster subculture in North America that was reborn, post-Punk, with the launch of groupie Clayton Hayes’ website Gigposters.com. The documentary reveals a new breed of subculturists who’ve set out to destroy the mainstream through their controversial and intensely visceral design work.
I appreciate their creativity because it's become an essential part of the scene. And speaking of cool music related artwork check out Ghostly International. They're big on collaborations between artists and musicians.
Most quoted film descriptions are from IMDb.com, official sites, and press releases. ALL NAMES, TRADEMARKS AND IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.
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