It's July 1st, and you know what that means (or maybe you don't; either way, keep reading!): a First-Half Review!
Last year, I managed to catch 40 films, and devote two posts to all of them. This year, I caught 40 again, but I ain't about all that work. Instead, here are my six least favorite experiences, two guilty pleasures, five enjoyable confections, and eight I really loved. But first...
The Fence
I have no idea yet where these two will fall, as I just saw them this weekend, but I really enjoyed both The Bling Ring and The Heat, although there were one or two caveats with each. Still, I'd probably see them again. Katie Chang!
Now for the rest. Many of these were reviewed on Cinemaniacs, my show on BiteSize TV with Ben Mekler, so I've linked those title, for further persual. Onward.
Showing posts with label The Great Gatsby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Great Gatsby. Show all posts
Monday, July 1, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Top 25 Most Anticipated of 2013
All right, folks. Amateur hour is over. February is upon us. That means Casting Coup Month begins tomorrow, with a re-imagining of the 1975 classic Jaws, followed by more modern actors cast in roles made famous 30-60 years ago by the likes of Charlton Heston, Meryl Streep and Ava Gardner. And the, of course, we have the Hollmann Awards honoring the films of 2012.
But before we look back, I want to take this last moment to look ahead. To the upcoming year, I mean. Yes, it's time for another Top 25 Most Anticipated Films!
Monday, April 2, 2012
I'm Back; So Is Oscar
Is it time for that alfready? Of course it is. Nathaniel Rogers was the first to establish April Fool's Day as the start of Oscar predictions for the coming year, for what could be more follish than to try to guess the finalists eight months in advance? Well, he waved the green flag, so it's a go for all of us.
Last year, I did "eh" on my predictions, as per usual. It's difficult, sometimes, to see things like Midnight in Paris or The Artist coming -- especially since no one knew about the Hazanavicius until Cannes. But these were never about my predicting prowess. This is mainly about looking forward to the year ahead, much like my Top 25 Anticipated. There are films as yet unknown that will fill some of these spots; there are films seen here that will crash and burn. It happens. Until then, a guy can dream, can't he?
Because of that rule change, I've had to clarify my predictions here. Remember, it's five at the least, ten at the most, and everything in between, depending on how voting goes. Still, those first five are safe either way. The next five are ranked in order of likelihood, not to be taken seriously since it's only April. We are fools, aren't we?
God, 2012 is looking to be such a strong year for my favorite filmmakers. I'm taking a chance and saying Luhrmann becomes the first director ever to be honored for Gatsby. Fleischer's probably the wildest card here, since his previous films are action-comedies: Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less. Will Hooper score again? Will Anderson finally get his?
Despite that clunky-looking trailer, People Like Us boasts a central female role that attracted such Academy darlings as Amy Adams and Hilary Swank -- expect eventual star Banks to reap the rewards. Knightley and director Joe Wright are a superb combo, and I can only imagine the camp wonder that Kidman's femme fatale could bring to a Lee Daniels film. I'm less confident in my predictions for Bullock and Streep, and am half-tempted to throw in Seyfried for Lovelace...but I can't quite decide who to kick out for her. We'll see...
Early buzz says John Hawkes is a shoo-in, and as Demian Bechir can attest, sometimes it's good to come out early. Day-Lewis as Lincoln seems as obvious a get as Morgan Freeman as Mandela. If ever this was going to happen for Jackman, it would have to be for a lead role in a musical -- if not now, when? Cooper's more or less my shot in the dark, yet I have a good feeling about it. And Hoffman as a charismatic religious leader for PTA....the only threat to his win (calm down, Walter, it's only April) is Hugh Jackman!
Isn't Stone at the right age for an Oscar nom? You know they love 'em young... Speaking of, newcomer Barks will probably fill that STAR IS BORN slot, with a role as ripe for rewards as, say, Effie White? I'm following Surrogate buzz to include Hunt, and logic to include Adams -- she's their favorite supporting actress, it seems. Hathaway will probably win an Oscar someday, though I'm not going to declare it for Fantine just yet. Still, a nomination for Les Mis is a step in the right direction.
Penn as Jewish mobster Mickey Cohen? Crowe as Inspector Javert? DiCaprio in a Tarantino flick? You'd be mad not to assume these three, at the very least, are getting in. Ben Affleck has gotten nominations for Amy Ryan and Jeremy Renner, so you know someone's getting in from Argo -- perhaps the never-nominated, always-beloved John Goodman? If the movie's any good, Gandolfini could get in for his New Jersey father whose son starts a rock band in the 60s. I admit, though, he's probably my least certain choice.
Pixar returns triumphant after Cars 2, Tarantino's words work their magic, Lewin for the indie slot, David Chase is welcomed (partly for The Sopranos, let's be real), and director Anderson takes it.
Best Picture nominees, plus Anna Karenina!
If there's one question mark, it's Inside Llewyn Davis, scheduled for a tentative 2013 release which could turn into a late 2012. We'll see.
Last year, I did "eh" on my predictions, as per usual. It's difficult, sometimes, to see things like Midnight in Paris or The Artist coming -- especially since no one knew about the Hazanavicius until Cannes. But these were never about my predicting prowess. This is mainly about looking forward to the year ahead, much like my Top 25 Anticipated. There are films as yet unknown that will fill some of these spots; there are films seen here that will crash and burn. It happens. Until then, a guy can dream, can't he?
BEST PICTURE
The Gangster Squad
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Lincoln
The Master
Les Miserables
Anna Karenina
Django Unchained
The Silver Linings Playbook
The Great Gatsby
Gravity
Because of that rule change, I've had to clarify my predictions here. Remember, it's five at the least, ten at the most, and everything in between, depending on how voting goes. Still, those first five are safe either way. The next five are ranked in order of likelihood, not to be taken seriously since it's only April. We are fools, aren't we?
Last year: 2/10 - The Tree of Life, War Horse
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
Tom Hooper, Les Miserables
Baz Luhrmann, The Great Gatsby
Ruben Fleischer, The Gangster Squad
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
God, 2012 is looking to be such a strong year for my favorite filmmakers. I'm taking a chance and saying Luhrmann becomes the first director ever to be honored for Gatsby. Fleischer's probably the wildest card here, since his previous films are action-comedies: Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less. Will Hooper score again? Will Anderson finally get his?
Last year: 1/5 - Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
BEST ACTRESS
Elizabeth Banks, People Like Us
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina
Meryl Streep, Great Hope Springs
Despite that clunky-looking trailer, People Like Us boasts a central female role that attracted such Academy darlings as Amy Adams and Hilary Swank -- expect eventual star Banks to reap the rewards. Knightley and director Joe Wright are a superb combo, and I can only imagine the camp wonder that Kidman's femme fatale could bring to a Lee Daniels film. I'm less confident in my predictions for Bullock and Streep, and am half-tempted to throw in Seyfried for Lovelace...but I can't quite decide who to kick out for her. We'll see...
Last year: 3/5 - Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs; Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady; Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper, The Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
John Hawkes, The Surrogate
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Early buzz says John Hawkes is a shoo-in, and as Demian Bechir can attest, sometimes it's good to come out early. Day-Lewis as Lincoln seems as obvious a get as Morgan Freeman as Mandela. If ever this was going to happen for Jackman, it would have to be for a lead role in a musical -- if not now, when? Cooper's more or less my shot in the dark, yet I have a good feeling about it. And Hoffman as a charismatic religious leader for PTA....the only threat to his win (calm down, Walter, it's only April) is Hugh Jackman!
Last year: 2/5 - George Clooney, The Descendants; Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, The Master
Samantha Barks, Les Miserables
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Surrogate
Emma Stone, The Gangster Squad
Isn't Stone at the right age for an Oscar nom? You know they love 'em young... Speaking of, newcomer Barks will probably fill that STAR IS BORN slot, with a role as ripe for rewards as, say, Effie White? I'm following Surrogate buzz to include Hunt, and logic to include Adams -- she's their favorite supporting actress, it seems. Hathaway will probably win an Oscar someday, though I'm not going to declare it for Fantine just yet. Still, a nomination for Les Mis is a step in the right direction.
Last year: 0/5 - predicted Chastain for Tree of Life instead of The Help
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Russell Crowe, Les Miserables
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
James Gandolfini, Not Fade Away
John Goodman, Argo
Sean Penn, The Gangster Squad
Penn as Jewish mobster Mickey Cohen? Crowe as Inspector Javert? DiCaprio in a Tarantino flick? You'd be mad not to assume these three, at the very least, are getting in. Ben Affleck has gotten nominations for Amy Ryan and Jeremy Renner, so you know someone's getting in from Argo -- perhaps the never-nominated, always-beloved John Goodman? If the movie's any good, Gandolfini could get in for his New Jersey father whose son starts a rock band in the 60s. I admit, though, he's probably my least certain choice.
Last year: 1/5 - Christopher Plummer, Beginners
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Brave - Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi
Django Unchained - Quentin Tarantino
The Master - Paul Thomas Anderson
Not Fade Away - David Chase
The Surrogate - Ben Lewin
Pixar returns triumphant after Cars 2, Tarantino's words work their magic, Lewin for the indie slot, David Chase is welcomed (partly for The Sopranos, let's be real), and director Anderson takes it.
Last year: 0/5 - this bodes well
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Anna Karenina - Tom Stoppard
The Gangster Squad - Will Beall
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
Les Miserables - William Nicholson
The Silver Linings Playbook - David O. Russell
Best Picture nominees, plus Anna Karenina!
Last year: 1/5 - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
If there's one question mark, it's Inside Llewyn Davis, scheduled for a tentative 2013 release which could turn into a late 2012. We'll see.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
It's Coming, It's Coming, It's Coming...
Yes, it's another Top 25 List, but one that looks forward instead of back. It's always a ball to see what we're looking forward to at a given time; apparently, Butter and Water for Elephants had me positively salivating with anticipation, more so than War Horse or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, respectively. Of course, Butter never got released, but I had such high hopes for Elephants. Of the 21 films actually released last year, I saw 17 of my listed desires. Hopefully, I shall do better this year. I made it a New Year's Resolution to see over 100 2012 films this year. Let's see if I can do it!
Certainly, if all pans out with the release dates, these will get top priority. Compiled from an initial list of 64, these are the 25 Films I Most Anticipate for the coming year:
October 5, 2012
Lee Daniels is awesome. Precious improves exponentially on each viewing -- a film that was only in my Top 25 of 2009, but should've been a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Picture. Shadowboxer is terrible, but a very get-drunk-with-friends-and-rewatch-countlessly terrible. And you can't say he's a safe filmmaker in regards to editing, cinematography, and casting. SO -- now we have this film, with a poster that promises a pulpy good time with the underrated Zac Efron and the great Nicole Kidman. Coming from Daniels, I am assured of one thing: it won't be boring.
October 5, 2012
Tim Burton turns his live action short into a stop-motion feature. This could be his most personal film in years, and Lord knows I've been waiting for that. True, at first I was skeptical, but then it was announced that the cast would include Ed Wood's Martin Landau, Beetle Juice's Catherine O'Hara, Edward Scissorhands' Winona Ryder (yes, she was also in Beetle Juice, but to me she'll always be Kim Boggs) and Mars Attacks' Martin Short. Gah!
I rarely miss a Seyfried film, but it's safe to say that if this film wasn't happening, Inferno with Malik Akerman would be here. The heyday of the porn industry is fascinating, a time already beautifully covered in Boogie Nights and defined by such notable films as Alice in Wonderland, Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door. Now we've got an all-star cast in a drama about one of the industry's most famous and infamous figures. Yeah, I'm there.
August 31, 2012
Jessica Chastain now has to fulfill the promise she made to us in 2011. A bootlegging crime flick is probably the way to do it (and sail right into my heart while you're at it!). From a screenplay by Nick Cave (!), who co-composed the lovely, elegiac score for The Assassination of Jesse James.
July 3, 2012
Deep inside, I know this cynical cash-grab is not a great idea. The first trilogy is still so fresh in my mind, and it'll be made all the weirder when Peter Parker shows up in Gatsby the same year. Nevertheless, Andrew Garfield is always great, Emma Stone is always lovely, and holy fucking shit MARTIN SHEEN. MAAAAAAARTIN SHEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!
June 29, 2012
Getting your script directed by Hollmann Award Nominee Steven Soderbergh? A step in the right direction, Channing Tatum. Set to show off the full range of his talents, Magic Mike has Tatum playing a mentor to novice male stripper Alex Pettyfer. It could be gold, it could be camp, but it can't be boring. God help me it if it is. I also can't say the title without singing it to the tune of Village People's "Magic Night".
May 25, 2012
From the trailer, it looks like Wes Anderson's delivering a retro romance between runaway adolescents. That's a tune I can groove to, as my love for Super 8 should surely display. I also just kind of love Wes Anderson, who's made one dud (Darjeeling), three masterworks (Tenenbaums, Zissou, Fox) and the delightful Rushmore. Plus a movie I haven't seen! And that cast! Could I love this ensemble more?
I don't know what to expect. That thrills me.
Because I'm secretly an old man, easily entertained and satisfied by the unchallenging direction of Roger Michell. But I'm also a supporter of Bill Murray and Laura Linney, so to have them together...in period garb...as FDR and his mistress...sounds right up my alley. I do enjoy a bit of juicy gossip, too, which is probably why I like tell-all memoirs more than those perfectly respectable and perfectly dull autobiographies. Finally, Eleanor Roosevelt is groovy.
This movie would have already made it in based on my appreciation for the films of Joe Wright and the literary origins alone. It's like Merchant-Ivory up in here! Now, there's word that the film is going to be more experimental, taking place on a soundstage that reflects the false surfaces of its characters. Double intrigue!
April 20, 2012
It's a film about a married couple wherein the wife loves the dog more than the husband and the husband "loses" the dog. What's the fuss? I'll tell you the fuss. It's the return of Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist), the pairing of Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline, and the presence of Dianne Wiest. I am powerless against a Wiest Infection.
May 4, 2012
Man, I love it when I can have the same movie on two anticipated lists in a row. But it's finally, actually coming out in May, and comes equipped with a trailer that promises a warm, enjoyable romp about spiritual awakenings for senior citizens. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith both appear, which means it's going to be a four-star spectacular featuring superlative costumes.
December 2012
Long-awaited biopic finally hits theaters! And while for years all I could imagine was how perfect Liam Neeson was for the part, the swap for Daniel Day-Lewis is undeniably a step up. I love Neeson, don't get me wrong, but DANIEL DAY-LEWIS. Rare is the time when he is miscast (Nine), and even then, he makes the most of it.
After Midnight in Paris made good on my expectations, you better believe I'm ready for another Woody Allen. The man's back in front of the camera, alongside Allen vets Judy Davis, Penelope Cruz and Alec Baldwin and newbies Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig, Jesse Eisenberg and Roberto Benigni. To see Rome from Allen's eyes is to invite magic, surely, and as Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Sex showed, the man's expert with an anthology.
October 19, 2012
I'm getting the same rush of anticipation I got from Public Enemies, a film that almost won the Hollmann Award for Best Picture. This one's got some of my favorite working actors involved - Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin - as well as Ruben Fleischer, whose Zombieland was great and whose 30 Minutes or Less was pretty fun. Tone shifts always get my interest.
June 15, 2012
After Hairspray, I will follow Adam Shankman into the fires of Mordor itself.
November 9, 2012
JAMES. BOND.
With one film, Tarantino will answer a number of questions that have lingered with me. When is Jamie Foxx going to be good again? When will people take Sam Jackson seriously again? Wouldn't it be awesome if Tarantino tackled the Civil War era?
December 7, 2012
Long have I awaited an adaptation of this musical. I've even got a Casting Coup for it! The King's Speech made it to my Top Ten of 2010, so I naturally want to see what Tom Hooper does next. I'm curious to see what will be cut, how much dialogue, if any, will be added. And the cast: Hugh Jackman finally singing on screen, Russell Crowe playing Javert (I cast him as Valjean), Amanda Seyfried...
December 25, 2012
On April 4, 2009, I posted this Casting Coup featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. It was actually a reworking of a cast list I made for English class back in April of...2006. I argued with the teacher that the ONLY person capable of playing Gatsby would be Leonardo DiCaprio...if he can keep his brow from furrowing. Now DiCaprio is Gatsby, what else could I ask for? Well, I have always said that since the strength of Gatsby lies in its words, then a film version should emphasize the visual aspect. The '74 version doesn't completely work because it tries to keep much of the text. All it would need is a visual director. Someone like, oh I don't know, BAZ LUHRMANN? God, I am so excited for this film.
Certainly, if all pans out with the release dates, these will get top priority. Compiled from an initial list of 64, these are the 25 Films I Most Anticipate for the coming year:
25. Leatherface 3D
October 5, 2012
I actually liked the Texas Chain Saw remake and its prequel, though I hear this one is more of a sequel to the '74 original. Even better, says I, since I believe the original is one of the greatest films of its year (certainly better than The Godfather: Part II). I'm also more on board with 3D than most everyone else, although that's strictly for films actually shot in 3D. Unless James Cameron is involved, keep your post-conversion away.
24. The Paperboy
Lee Daniels is awesome. Precious improves exponentially on each viewing -- a film that was only in my Top 25 of 2009, but should've been a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Picture. Shadowboxer is terrible, but a very get-drunk-with-friends-and-rewatch-countlessly terrible. And you can't say he's a safe filmmaker in regards to editing, cinematography, and casting. SO -- now we have this film, with a poster that promises a pulpy good time with the underrated Zac Efron and the great Nicole Kidman. Coming from Daniels, I am assured of one thing: it won't be boring.
23. Gravity
November 21, 2012
It's Cuaron's first narrative feature since Children of Men...in 2006. If you've looked back, you'll see that Cuaron was nominated for Director and Writer at the first Hollmann Awards, so naturally the follow-up is of interest to us. I've always liked Sandra Bullock, even if I don't agree with her Oscar win, and I love George Clooney, so I'll be fine with them tethered together. Oh, and that plot: two astronauts hurtling through space, tied to each other. What is that about??
It's Cuaron's first narrative feature since Children of Men...in 2006. If you've looked back, you'll see that Cuaron was nominated for Director and Writer at the first Hollmann Awards, so naturally the follow-up is of interest to us. I've always liked Sandra Bullock, even if I don't agree with her Oscar win, and I love George Clooney, so I'll be fine with them tethered together. Oh, and that plot: two astronauts hurtling through space, tied to each other. What is that about??
22. Frankenweenie
October 5, 2012
Tim Burton turns his live action short into a stop-motion feature. This could be his most personal film in years, and Lord knows I've been waiting for that. True, at first I was skeptical, but then it was announced that the cast would include Ed Wood's Martin Landau, Beetle Juice's Catherine O'Hara, Edward Scissorhands' Winona Ryder (yes, she was also in Beetle Juice, but to me she'll always be Kim Boggs) and Mars Attacks' Martin Short. Gah!
21. Lovelace
I rarely miss a Seyfried film, but it's safe to say that if this film wasn't happening, Inferno with Malik Akerman would be here. The heyday of the porn industry is fascinating, a time already beautifully covered in Boogie Nights and defined by such notable films as Alice in Wonderland, Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door. Now we've got an all-star cast in a drama about one of the industry's most famous and infamous figures. Yeah, I'm there.
20. Wettest County
August 31, 2012
Jessica Chastain now has to fulfill the promise she made to us in 2011. A bootlegging crime flick is probably the way to do it (and sail right into my heart while you're at it!). From a screenplay by Nick Cave (!), who co-composed the lovely, elegiac score for The Assassination of Jesse James.
19. The Amazing Spider-Man
July 3, 2012
Deep inside, I know this cynical cash-grab is not a great idea. The first trilogy is still so fresh in my mind, and it'll be made all the weirder when Peter Parker shows up in Gatsby the same year. Nevertheless, Andrew Garfield is always great, Emma Stone is always lovely, and holy fucking shit MARTIN SHEEN. MAAAAAAARTIN SHEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!
18. ParaNorman
August 17, 2012
Stop-motion kids adventure film with zombies and monsters and stuff? Is Christmas in August now? This trailer:
Stop-motion kids adventure film with zombies and monsters and stuff? Is Christmas in August now? This trailer:
17. The Dark Knight Rises
July 20, 2012
Well, OF COURSE. I'm one of those people who thinks both Batman movies should have been major contenders! And the trailer was all ALFRED BANE FOOTBALL COLLAPSE WHAAAAAA??? Goosebumps, I tells ya!
Well, OF COURSE. I'm one of those people who thinks both Batman movies should have been major contenders! And the trailer was all ALFRED BANE FOOTBALL COLLAPSE WHAAAAAA??? Goosebumps, I tells ya!
16. Magic Mike
June 29, 2012
Getting your script directed by Hollmann Award Nominee Steven Soderbergh? A step in the right direction, Channing Tatum. Set to show off the full range of his talents, Magic Mike has Tatum playing a mentor to novice male stripper Alex Pettyfer. It could be gold, it could be camp, but it can't be boring. God help me it if it is. I also can't say the title without singing it to the tune of Village People's "Magic Night".
15. Prometheus
June 8, 2012
14. Moonrise Kingdom
May 25, 2012
From the trailer, it looks like Wes Anderson's delivering a retro romance between runaway adolescents. That's a tune I can groove to, as my love for Super 8 should surely display. I also just kind of love Wes Anderson, who's made one dud (Darjeeling), three masterworks (Tenenbaums, Zissou, Fox) and the delightful Rushmore. Plus a movie I haven't seen! And that cast! Could I love this ensemble more?
13. Cloud Atlas
I don't know what to expect. That thrills me.
12. Hyde Park on Hudson
Because I'm secretly an old man, easily entertained and satisfied by the unchallenging direction of Roger Michell. But I'm also a supporter of Bill Murray and Laura Linney, so to have them together...in period garb...as FDR and his mistress...sounds right up my alley. I do enjoy a bit of juicy gossip, too, which is probably why I like tell-all memoirs more than those perfectly respectable and perfectly dull autobiographies. Finally, Eleanor Roosevelt is groovy.
11. Anna Karenina
This movie would have already made it in based on my appreciation for the films of Joe Wright and the literary origins alone. It's like Merchant-Ivory up in here! Now, there's word that the film is going to be more experimental, taking place on a soundstage that reflects the false surfaces of its characters. Double intrigue!
10. Darling Companion
April 20, 2012
It's a film about a married couple wherein the wife loves the dog more than the husband and the husband "loses" the dog. What's the fuss? I'll tell you the fuss. It's the return of Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist), the pairing of Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline, and the presence of Dianne Wiest. I am powerless against a Wiest Infection.
9. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
May 4, 2012
Man, I love it when I can have the same movie on two anticipated lists in a row. But it's finally, actually coming out in May, and comes equipped with a trailer that promises a warm, enjoyable romp about spiritual awakenings for senior citizens. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith both appear, which means it's going to be a four-star spectacular featuring superlative costumes.
8. Lincoln
December 2012
Long-awaited biopic finally hits theaters! And while for years all I could imagine was how perfect Liam Neeson was for the part, the swap for Daniel Day-Lewis is undeniably a step up. I love Neeson, don't get me wrong, but DANIEL DAY-LEWIS. Rare is the time when he is miscast (Nine), and even then, he makes the most of it.
7. Nero Fiddled
After Midnight in Paris made good on my expectations, you better believe I'm ready for another Woody Allen. The man's back in front of the camera, alongside Allen vets Judy Davis, Penelope Cruz and Alec Baldwin and newbies Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig, Jesse Eisenberg and Roberto Benigni. To see Rome from Allen's eyes is to invite magic, surely, and as Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Sex showed, the man's expert with an anthology.
6. Gangster Squad
October 19, 2012
I'm getting the same rush of anticipation I got from Public Enemies, a film that almost won the Hollmann Award for Best Picture. This one's got some of my favorite working actors involved - Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin - as well as Ruben Fleischer, whose Zombieland was great and whose 30 Minutes or Less was pretty fun. Tone shifts always get my interest.
5. Rock of Ages
June 15, 2012
After Hairspray, I will follow Adam Shankman into the fires of Mordor itself.
4. Skyfall
November 9, 2012
JAMES. BOND.
3. Django Unchained
December 25, 2012 With one film, Tarantino will answer a number of questions that have lingered with me. When is Jamie Foxx going to be good again? When will people take Sam Jackson seriously again? Wouldn't it be awesome if Tarantino tackled the Civil War era?
2. Les Miserables
December 7, 2012
Long have I awaited an adaptation of this musical. I've even got a Casting Coup for it! The King's Speech made it to my Top Ten of 2010, so I naturally want to see what Tom Hooper does next. I'm curious to see what will be cut, how much dialogue, if any, will be added. And the cast: Hugh Jackman finally singing on screen, Russell Crowe playing Javert (I cast him as Valjean), Amanda Seyfried...
1. The Great Gatsby
December 25, 2012
On April 4, 2009, I posted this Casting Coup featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. It was actually a reworking of a cast list I made for English class back in April of...2006. I argued with the teacher that the ONLY person capable of playing Gatsby would be Leonardo DiCaprio...if he can keep his brow from furrowing. Now DiCaprio is Gatsby, what else could I ask for? Well, I have always said that since the strength of Gatsby lies in its words, then a film version should emphasize the visual aspect. The '74 version doesn't completely work because it tries to keep much of the text. All it would need is a visual director. Someone like, oh I don't know, BAZ LUHRMANN? God, I am so excited for this film.
It was tough whittling it down to 25, but I decided to cut out the films that may be delayed until 2013: Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, Charlie Kaufman's Frank or Francis?, the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, and Neil Labute's Crooked House. I also cut out Titanic 3D, since it's just a remastered, 3D'd re-release of a 1997 flick, but holy shit, I will finally get to see that movie on the big screen!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I Know This Song: Best Adapted Score, 1974
In 1974, the Academy had two separate designations for the music categories: Original Score and Adapted/Song Score. We all know the former, but the latter was made especially for either original musicals or films that depended on arrangements of preexisting work. Previous winners included the documentary Let It Be, the musical Cabaret and the period caper film The Sting. Indeed, the category still exists, but Academy rules dictate that it is only to be used if there are a substantial number of films meeting the guidelines. Since the idea of the original musical went out with Xanadu, there's little chance of that happening, though as this year shows, sometimes all you needed was an arranger t get the Oscar.
I feel so sorry for this movie. The intention is there, the actors are trying, the sets and costumes are perfect, but it just falls flat. Should we blame the editor obsessed with dissolves, the director obsessed with the trappings, or the cinematographer obsessed with nothing of interest? Certainly the script, credited to Francis Ford Coppola but rewritten by Vladimir Nabokov and Philip Roth, is part of the problem, with a large portion devoted to insipid romantic scenes between Gatsby and Daisy. And, of course, there's the miscasting of Mia Farrow in the lead role. It all looks pretty, but it's all for naught.
Riddle's score, actually, is part of the problem. Yes, The Great Gatsby is the novel that summed up the 1920s, but that doesn't mean we can't mix it up a little. Must we hear the Charleston every thirty minutes? Does "Whispering" have to occur at every Gatsby party? And, I swear, if I heard Redford and Farrow making pillow talk during "What'll I Do?" one more time, I would've unburied the corpse of Nelson Riddle and beaten the shit out of him. Mind, if I had the album with just the music, I probably would listen to it again and again, but within the film itself it's just all too much.
Here is the first of two original musicals nominated in this category. The film as a whole is pretty uneven, but what works is largely due to the songs. Beginning with simple, repetitive music and lyrics, the emotional oomph of the score matures as the characters develop -- just compare the opening tune "It's a Hat" with closing number "The Little Prince". Maybe it's just the delivery of these songs -- I'll take Gene Wilder and Bob Fosse over a bizarrely-shot close-up of Joss Ackland any day.
Though the songs may vary from simple and annoying to downright beautiful, the music by itself is typical of Frederick Loewe's greatness. The success of the entire second half of the film depends, I would say, on Loewe's music, most effective when it is unaccompanied by Lerner's words. The montage of the Pilot and the Prince at the oasis is effectively joyful because of the arrangement of "Why is the Desert"; the finale inspires tears because of the arrangement of "Little Prince" combined with "Closer and Closer and Closer". It's phenomenal work.
I'm on record: Phantom of the Paradise is one of my favorite horror movies, ever. It's also one of my favorite musicals, ever. I've listened to this soundtrack more times than I can keep track of, in whatever way I could. When it came on TV one time, I recorded the songs with a tape recorder held to the speaker. When YouTube was born, I sought clips from the film and played it again and again. When my girlfriend got the soundtrack, you better believe we listened to that CD in the car for days (the music is in our respective ranges, too, so that helps). Now I finally have the score on my iTunes, and it's so gooood.
This is very much a song score, though. I think I can name off the top of my head all the instances of non-singing score: the conversation between Philbin and Swan when they first hear Winslow's music; the montage of Winslow trying to contact Swan after the music mogul stole his cantata; and the grand finale.
Oh my God, but does one really need an isolated score when the songs are this amazing? The greatest crime committed at the 1974 Oscars was the complete shut-out of Phantom of the Paradise from the Original Song category. Williams' "Beauty and the Beast" deserves constant play. "Old Souls" and "Special to Me" are beautiful songs, showcasing the talents of the long-missed Jessica Harper. Few finales sum it all up quite like "The Hell of It".
Oscar awarded The Great Gatsby, but I don't think it's any surprise to hear me go for something else entirely.
Nelson Riddle adapting songs of the 1920s for The Great Gatsby
***
I feel so sorry for this movie. The intention is there, the actors are trying, the sets and costumes are perfect, but it just falls flat. Should we blame the editor obsessed with dissolves, the director obsessed with the trappings, or the cinematographer obsessed with nothing of interest? Certainly the script, credited to Francis Ford Coppola but rewritten by Vladimir Nabokov and Philip Roth, is part of the problem, with a large portion devoted to insipid romantic scenes between Gatsby and Daisy. And, of course, there's the miscasting of Mia Farrow in the lead role. It all looks pretty, but it's all for naught.
Riddle's score, actually, is part of the problem. Yes, The Great Gatsby is the novel that summed up the 1920s, but that doesn't mean we can't mix it up a little. Must we hear the Charleston every thirty minutes? Does "Whispering" have to occur at every Gatsby party? And, I swear, if I heard Redford and Farrow making pillow talk during "What'll I Do?" one more time, I would've unburied the corpse of Nelson Riddle and beaten the shit out of him. Mind, if I had the album with just the music, I probably would listen to it again and again, but within the film itself it's just all too much.
Angela Morley and Douglas Gamley orchestrating the song score by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe for The Little Prince
****
Here is the first of two original musicals nominated in this category. The film as a whole is pretty uneven, but what works is largely due to the songs. Beginning with simple, repetitive music and lyrics, the emotional oomph of the score matures as the characters develop -- just compare the opening tune "It's a Hat" with closing number "The Little Prince". Maybe it's just the delivery of these songs -- I'll take Gene Wilder and Bob Fosse over a bizarrely-shot close-up of Joss Ackland any day.
Though the songs may vary from simple and annoying to downright beautiful, the music by itself is typical of Frederick Loewe's greatness. The success of the entire second half of the film depends, I would say, on Loewe's music, most effective when it is unaccompanied by Lerner's words. The montage of the Pilot and the Prince at the oasis is effectively joyful because of the arrangement of "Why is the Desert"; the finale inspires tears because of the arrangement of "Little Prince" combined with "Closer and Closer and Closer". It's phenomenal work.
Paul Williams and George Aliceson Tipton orchestrating the song score by Williams for Phantom of the Paradise
*****
Um, that's a super spoilery clip, but it features the best uses of the original score and song. I suggest only looking if you don't mind spoilers or if you're familiar with the film.
I'm on record: Phantom of the Paradise is one of my favorite horror movies, ever. It's also one of my favorite musicals, ever. I've listened to this soundtrack more times than I can keep track of, in whatever way I could. When it came on TV one time, I recorded the songs with a tape recorder held to the speaker. When YouTube was born, I sought clips from the film and played it again and again. When my girlfriend got the soundtrack, you better believe we listened to that CD in the car for days (the music is in our respective ranges, too, so that helps). Now I finally have the score on my iTunes, and it's so gooood.
This is very much a song score, though. I think I can name off the top of my head all the instances of non-singing score: the conversation between Philbin and Swan when they first hear Winslow's music; the montage of Winslow trying to contact Swan after the music mogul stole his cantata; and the grand finale.
Oh my God, but does one really need an isolated score when the songs are this amazing? The greatest crime committed at the 1974 Oscars was the complete shut-out of Phantom of the Paradise from the Original Song category. Williams' "Beauty and the Beast" deserves constant play. "Old Souls" and "Special to Me" are beautiful songs, showcasing the talents of the long-missed Jessica Harper. Few finales sum it all up quite like "The Hell of It".
Oscar awarded The Great Gatsby, but I don't think it's any surprise to hear me go for something else entirely.
PAUL WILLIAMS and GEORGE ALICESON TIPTON
for
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Casting Coup: The Great Gatsby
My junior year of high school, we were given an assignment: create a movie soundtrack for The Great Gatsby. This was exciting for someone like me. Not only did it ask me to find use for my collection of Louis Armstrong and 1920s music, but I could also create "stills" of the film, and a recreation of the poster and cast listing, meaning...I GOT TO CAST IT!!!
This led to a discussion with my teacher over whether my choices were appropriate or not. But more importantly, it led to a discussion with my current editor, whose favorite book happened to be this Fitzgerald classic. Now, she believes Gatsby is basically unfilmable. It is a great piece of literature, the written word, thus why every attempt to make a cinematic adaptation has failed miserably. It isn't the Daisy/Gatsby plot -- hell, it isn't even Gatsby -- it's Nick Carraway and the American Dream and the 1920s. And how do you possibly film this:
Now me, I think it is that language that makes it so rich for film. And I don't mean just voiceover work from an actor with a voice suitable for both the role and for reading the phone booth in an addictive fashion. I'm talking about the way the curtains float in the wind when Nick first meets Daisy and Jordan. Or the sight of Gatsby staring at the green light. Of course, the main problem has been making Nick Carraway an afterthought, instead focusing on Jay and Daisy. I mean, Nick's really the lead, isn't he? It's not just that he narrates, he's the one that actually goes through a character arc.
Anyway, I know I cast this before on the livejournal way back when, but the announcement of Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby sparked another conversation between my editor and I. This, of course, was about casting. And the conversation we had meant it was time to reevaluate and recast. So, in this special edition, where I would usually put "Originally Played By", I will put "I Originally Cast".
HENRY C. GATZ
Who is He: Gatsby's estranged father. "Left in the past by his son, he shows Nick a well-worn photograph Gatsby sent him of his mansion and a notebook from Gatsby's youth that he feels illustrates his son's drive and ambition." (from the Wikipedia article)
I Originally Cast: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Apocalypse Now), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Subject was Roses), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Bobby, The Departed)
Martin Sheen (The Echelon Conspiracy, The Missiles of October)
My New Choice:
Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, A History of Violence)
Sheen is too famous a face, it would be distracting. I wanted someone with that Midwest look that would be the appropriate age and not take the audience out of the film. McHattie was good enough in Watchmen so that I remembered him, and he has the right look.
MEYER WOLFSHEIM
Who is He: The Jew, an underworld figure with ties to Gatsby. He wears molar cufflinks, and is rumored to have fixed the World Series.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Winner for Best Director (Annie Hall) and Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Film (The Purple Rose of Cairo), Best Director (Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters) and Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, Husbands and Wives), DGA Award Winner for Best Director (Annie Hall), Golden Globe Winner for Best Screenplay (The Purple Rose of Cairo), WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Broadway Danny Rose, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors)
Woody Allen (Anything Else, Scoop)
My New Choice:
Woody Allen (Shadows and Fog, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion)
He'd be a colorful presence for the film. His reading of the Wolfshiem would be the right amount of humorous and scummy. A glorified cameo, but it would be a damn good one.
OWL EYES
Who is He: One of the guests at Gatsby's parties, he is enamored of the books in the library.
I Originally Cast:
Christian Clemenson (United 93, TV's Boston Legal)
My New Choice: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (A World Apart)
Another great character actor that would not be distracting. Looks like an owl when he wears those spectacles. This isn't say Clemenson was wrong for the part, just better suited for another, and Suchet was always in the running for this part. In my head, I mean.
EWING KLIPSPRINGER
Who is He: A boarder at Gatsby's mansion, he sponges off the man and plays the piano. A wastrel, really.
I Originally Cast:
Richard Schiff (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Michael)
My New Choice:
Christian Clemenson (TV's The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Armageddon)
Clemenson, I feel, is better suited for this than Schiff. While Schiff is a marvelous actor, Clemenson has the right voice for this role, you know what I mean? It's at that perfect pitch to sing "Ain't We Got Fun?".
GEORGE B. WILSON
Who is He: The mechanic who runs the garage out at the Ashes. Wilson is an unassuming man, whose wife is having an affair.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone, Drowning Mona)
My New Choice:
David Arquette (Never Been Kissed, Scream 3)
Arquette isn't a skinny ninny, and I could believe him as a mechanic. But I remember his reputation as the nerdy Dewey from the Scream flicks. It's that performance, admittedly, that I have in mind when I think of Arquette as the cuckolded, vengeful George.
MYRTLE WILSON
Who is She: George's bored wife, a pretentious loudmouth who also serves as Tom Buchanan's mistress. There is something tragic about a woman who cheats on her colorless husband with someone who breaks her nose.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone)
Amy Ryan (Dan in Real Life, Changeling)
My New Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (My Cousin Vinny), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (The Wrestler), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (In the Bedroom, The Wrestler), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Unhook the Stars) and Best Ensemble (In the Bedroom)
Marisa Tomei (What Women Want, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
Now, this comes from my editor's father. This is the same man who introduced me to Nashville, the greatest movie ever made, so you bet your bottom dollar I took notice when he suggested Tomei for the role of Myrtle. Yes, she can play the brassy type (My Cousin Vinny). Certainly she can be a little tramp (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead). And she would add that layer of subtext, that sadness that must come from being someone like Myrtle (What Women Want, The Wrestler, etc.). Yeah, Tomei would be perfect.
JORDAN BAKER
Who is She: Only my favorite character ever. Like, of all time. Books, movies, TV and radio combined, Jordan is Number One. (Not if we include historical figures, though, for Nixon and the Kennedys are pretty close to my heart) Jordan is a golfer who fills in soem of the blanks on Gatsby and the Buchanans for the benefit of both Nick and the reader/audience. She carries on with Nick, but both seem aware that is shallow and won't last.
I Originally Cast: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Drama (SherryBaby) and Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Secretary)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Dangerous Woman, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind)
My New Choice:
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Stranger Than Fiction, Monster House)
There is no better casting, in my mind, than Maggie Gyllenhaal as Jordan Baker. I might write Baz about it. In the two or three years that I've been doing Casting Coups, this is still my favorite marriage between actor and character. She has the balls for it, she can play the disinterested rich, she can sound like Money. She's IT, friends.
TOM BUCHANAN
Who is He: The abusive, arrogant, careless millionaire and polo player. Married to Daisy, he carries on an affair with Myrtle. He ignores his daughter and is generally seen as a not very nice person -- not that he is malicious, just that he doesn't seem to be aware of the existence of other people's emotions.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line) and Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line) and Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Walk the Line), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line), Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator) and Best Ensemble (Gladiator, Hotel Rwanda)
Joaquin Phoenix (We Own the Night, Two Lovers)
My New Choice: SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Crash)
Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, The Quiet American)
Not only does he look the part of a pampered, self-centered former athlete -- he could play it, too. Phoenix is too broody, plus he's decided to take a break from films for the time being. Fraser, though, I could see him breaking Myrtle's nose, scoffing at Gatsby, losing his temper at the idea of Daisy cheating on him. Fraser would be great in this part.
DAISY BUCHANAN
Who is She: The Girl of Gatsby's Dreams. She is the beautiful former flame of Jay Gatsby, who married Tom, and eventually begins an affair with her old beau. "Daisy, although engaging, cheerful, and attractive, is pampered and superficial." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (Monster), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (Monster, North Country), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (Monster), SAG Award Winner for Best Actress (Monster)
Charlize Theron (Celebrity, TV's Arrested Development)
My New Choice:
Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day, Pride & Prejudice)
Theron was all wrong, too well-known for a role like this. Pike is known to many, but the audience at large does not have a relationship with her in quite the same way. Pike is beautiful, young, blonde, rich-looking. She's a great actress, and she could absolutely own in a movie like this. Look at her layered performance in Pride & Prejudice. Pike can hit all the right notes, and it gives the audience a chance to fall in love, too.
NICK CARRAWAY
Who is He: The narrator and protagonist of the story. Daisy is his second cousin, once removed, and Gatbsy is his neighbor. "Nick graduated from Yale in 1915; after fighting in World War I and an unsatisfactory postwar return to the Midwest, he moved to New York City to "learn the bond business" in "the spring of twenty-two." Nick declares that, following his father's advice, he avoids judging people: a habit that has caused trouble, exemplified by events concerning a man named Gatsby." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: WGA Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (Garden State)
Zach Braff (The Last Kiss, The Ex)
My New Choice:
John Krasinski (Leatherheads, the upcoming Away We Go)
Well, for one thing, Krasinski does some great voicework in those cell phone commercials. He looks like your average guy -- good-looking, but not out-and-out stunning, you know? He can play the unassuming Nick, and he looks more the part. I mean, Braff is a little...Jewey. I know how that sounds, but considering the time period and the characters, Nick has to be a Goy if the Buchanans are to accept him. And even if Krasinski isn't, he at least looks like one. Besides, can you imagine the turn out if everyone heard Jim Halpert was going to be in an F. Scott Fitzgerald picture? Benjamin Button times ten, people, I'm telling you right now.
JAY GATSBY
Who is He: The title character, "a young, mysterious millionaire...with shady business connections and an obsessive, nostalgic love for Daisy Fay Buchanan." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, Blood Diamond) and Best Supporting Actor (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, The Departed), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Drama (The Aviator), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, Blood Diamond), Best Supporting Actor (The Departed) and Best Ensemble (Marvin’s Room, Titanic, The Aviator, The Departed), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Departed)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo+Juliet, Revolutionary Road)
My New Choice:
Leonardo DiCaprio (This Boy's Life, Body of Lies)
No, DiCaprio and DiCaprio only could play this role, man. Young and good-looking, the only thing he would need to do is learn to stop furrowing his brows. Which he accomplished in Revolutionary Road, so yay! Yeah, I know he's currently rumored to playing the role in Luhrmann's version, and all I have to say to that is, "Duh."
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, John Krasinski
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike
Best Supporting Actor: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei
Best Supporting Actress: David Arquette, Brendan Fraser
This led to a discussion with my teacher over whether my choices were appropriate or not. But more importantly, it led to a discussion with my current editor, whose favorite book happened to be this Fitzgerald classic. Now, she believes Gatsby is basically unfilmable. It is a great piece of literature, the written word, thus why every attempt to make a cinematic adaptation has failed miserably. It isn't the Daisy/Gatsby plot -- hell, it isn't even Gatsby -- it's Nick Carraway and the American Dream and the 1920s. And how do you possibly film this:
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter —tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
Now me, I think it is that language that makes it so rich for film. And I don't mean just voiceover work from an actor with a voice suitable for both the role and for reading the phone booth in an addictive fashion. I'm talking about the way the curtains float in the wind when Nick first meets Daisy and Jordan. Or the sight of Gatsby staring at the green light. Of course, the main problem has been making Nick Carraway an afterthought, instead focusing on Jay and Daisy. I mean, Nick's really the lead, isn't he? It's not just that he narrates, he's the one that actually goes through a character arc.
Anyway, I know I cast this before on the livejournal way back when, but the announcement of Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby sparked another conversation between my editor and I. This, of course, was about casting. And the conversation we had meant it was time to reevaluate and recast. So, in this special edition, where I would usually put "Originally Played By", I will put "I Originally Cast".
HENRY C. GATZ
Who is He: Gatsby's estranged father. "Left in the past by his son, he shows Nick a well-worn photograph Gatsby sent him of his mansion and a notebook from Gatsby's youth that he feels illustrates his son's drive and ambition." (from the Wikipedia article)
I Originally Cast: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Apocalypse Now), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Subject was Roses), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Bobby, The Departed)
Martin Sheen (The Echelon Conspiracy, The Missiles of October)
My New Choice:
Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, A History of Violence)
Sheen is too famous a face, it would be distracting. I wanted someone with that Midwest look that would be the appropriate age and not take the audience out of the film. McHattie was good enough in Watchmen so that I remembered him, and he has the right look.
MEYER WOLFSHEIM
Who is He: The Jew, an underworld figure with ties to Gatsby. He wears molar cufflinks, and is rumored to have fixed the World Series.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Winner for Best Director (Annie Hall) and Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Film (The Purple Rose of Cairo), Best Director (Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters) and Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, Husbands and Wives), DGA Award Winner for Best Director (Annie Hall), Golden Globe Winner for Best Screenplay (The Purple Rose of Cairo), WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay (Annie Hall, Broadway Danny Rose, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors)
Woody Allen (Anything Else, Scoop)
My New Choice:
Woody Allen (Shadows and Fog, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion)
He'd be a colorful presence for the film. His reading of the Wolfshiem would be the right amount of humorous and scummy. A glorified cameo, but it would be a damn good one.
OWL EYES
Who is He: One of the guests at Gatsby's parties, he is enamored of the books in the library.
I Originally Cast:
Christian Clemenson (United 93, TV's Boston Legal)
My New Choice: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (A World Apart)
Another great character actor that would not be distracting. Looks like an owl when he wears those spectacles. This isn't say Clemenson was wrong for the part, just better suited for another, and Suchet was always in the running for this part. In my head, I mean.
EWING KLIPSPRINGER
Who is He: A boarder at Gatsby's mansion, he sponges off the man and plays the piano. A wastrel, really.
I Originally Cast:
Richard Schiff (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Michael)
My New Choice:
Christian Clemenson (TV's The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Armageddon)
Clemenson, I feel, is better suited for this than Schiff. While Schiff is a marvelous actor, Clemenson has the right voice for this role, you know what I mean? It's at that perfect pitch to sing "Ain't We Got Fun?".
GEORGE B. WILSON
Who is He: The mechanic who runs the garage out at the Ashes. Wilson is an unassuming man, whose wife is having an affair.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone, Drowning Mona)
My New Choice:
David Arquette (Never Been Kissed, Scream 3)
Arquette isn't a skinny ninny, and I could believe him as a mechanic. But I remember his reputation as the nerdy Dewey from the Scream flicks. It's that performance, admittedly, that I have in mind when I think of Arquette as the cuckolded, vengeful George.
MYRTLE WILSON
Who is She: George's bored wife, a pretentious loudmouth who also serves as Tom Buchanan's mistress. There is something tragic about a woman who cheats on her colorless husband with someone who breaks her nose.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gone, Baby, Gone)
Amy Ryan (Dan in Real Life, Changeling)
My New Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (My Cousin Vinny), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (The Wrestler), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (In the Bedroom, The Wrestler), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Unhook the Stars) and Best Ensemble (In the Bedroom)
Marisa Tomei (What Women Want, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
Now, this comes from my editor's father. This is the same man who introduced me to Nashville, the greatest movie ever made, so you bet your bottom dollar I took notice when he suggested Tomei for the role of Myrtle. Yes, she can play the brassy type (My Cousin Vinny). Certainly she can be a little tramp (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead). And she would add that layer of subtext, that sadness that must come from being someone like Myrtle (What Women Want, The Wrestler, etc.). Yeah, Tomei would be perfect.
JORDAN BAKER
Who is She: Only my favorite character ever. Like, of all time. Books, movies, TV and radio combined, Jordan is Number One. (Not if we include historical figures, though, for Nixon and the Kennedys are pretty close to my heart) Jordan is a golfer who fills in soem of the blanks on Gatsby and the Buchanans for the benefit of both Nick and the reader/audience. She carries on with Nick, but both seem aware that is shallow and won't last.
I Originally Cast: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Drama (SherryBaby) and Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Secretary)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Dangerous Woman, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind)
My New Choice:
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Stranger Than Fiction, Monster House)
There is no better casting, in my mind, than Maggie Gyllenhaal as Jordan Baker. I might write Baz about it. In the two or three years that I've been doing Casting Coups, this is still my favorite marriage between actor and character. She has the balls for it, she can play the disinterested rich, she can sound like Money. She's IT, friends.
TOM BUCHANAN
Who is He: The abusive, arrogant, careless millionaire and polo player. Married to Daisy, he carries on an affair with Myrtle. He ignores his daughter and is generally seen as a not very nice person -- not that he is malicious, just that he doesn't seem to be aware of the existence of other people's emotions.
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line) and Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line) and Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Walk the Line), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Walk the Line), Best Supporting Actor (Gladiator) and Best Ensemble (Gladiator, Hotel Rwanda)
Joaquin Phoenix (We Own the Night, Two Lovers)
My New Choice: SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Crash)
Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, The Quiet American)
Not only does he look the part of a pampered, self-centered former athlete -- he could play it, too. Phoenix is too broody, plus he's decided to take a break from films for the time being. Fraser, though, I could see him breaking Myrtle's nose, scoffing at Gatsby, losing his temper at the idea of Daisy cheating on him. Fraser would be great in this part.
DAISY BUCHANAN
Who is She: The Girl of Gatsby's Dreams. She is the beautiful former flame of Jay Gatsby, who married Tom, and eventually begins an affair with her old beau. "Daisy, although engaging, cheerful, and attractive, is pampered and superficial." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (Monster), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (Monster, North Country), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (Monster), SAG Award Winner for Best Actress (Monster)
Charlize Theron (Celebrity, TV's Arrested Development)
My New Choice:
Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day, Pride & Prejudice)
Theron was all wrong, too well-known for a role like this. Pike is known to many, but the audience at large does not have a relationship with her in quite the same way. Pike is beautiful, young, blonde, rich-looking. She's a great actress, and she could absolutely own in a movie like this. Look at her layered performance in Pride & Prejudice. Pike can hit all the right notes, and it gives the audience a chance to fall in love, too.
NICK CARRAWAY
Who is He: The narrator and protagonist of the story. Daisy is his second cousin, once removed, and Gatbsy is his neighbor. "Nick graduated from Yale in 1915; after fighting in World War I and an unsatisfactory postwar return to the Midwest, he moved to New York City to "learn the bond business" in "the spring of twenty-two." Nick declares that, following his father's advice, he avoids judging people: a habit that has caused trouble, exemplified by events concerning a man named Gatsby." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: WGA Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (Garden State)
Zach Braff (The Last Kiss, The Ex)
My New Choice:
John Krasinski (Leatherheads, the upcoming Away We Go)
Well, for one thing, Krasinski does some great voicework in those cell phone commercials. He looks like your average guy -- good-looking, but not out-and-out stunning, you know? He can play the unassuming Nick, and he looks more the part. I mean, Braff is a little...Jewey. I know how that sounds, but considering the time period and the characters, Nick has to be a Goy if the Buchanans are to accept him. And even if Krasinski isn't, he at least looks like one. Besides, can you imagine the turn out if everyone heard Jim Halpert was going to be in an F. Scott Fitzgerald picture? Benjamin Button times ten, people, I'm telling you right now.
JAY GATSBY
Who is He: The title character, "a young, mysterious millionaire...with shady business connections and an obsessive, nostalgic love for Daisy Fay Buchanan." (from the Wikipedia entry)
I Originally Cast: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, Blood Diamond) and Best Supporting Actor (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, The Departed), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Drama (The Aviator), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, Blood Diamond), Best Supporting Actor (The Departed) and Best Ensemble (Marvin’s Room, Titanic, The Aviator, The Departed), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Departed)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo+Juliet, Revolutionary Road)
My New Choice:
Leonardo DiCaprio (This Boy's Life, Body of Lies)
No, DiCaprio and DiCaprio only could play this role, man. Young and good-looking, the only thing he would need to do is learn to stop furrowing his brows. Which he accomplished in Revolutionary Road, so yay! Yeah, I know he's currently rumored to playing the role in Luhrmann's version, and all I have to say to that is, "Duh."
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, John Krasinski
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike
Best Supporting Actor: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei
Best Supporting Actress: David Arquette, Brendan Fraser
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