HOLLYWOOD ACTOR PREP by Dana Kaminski

Mo’Nique Had Just Won For Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role At The 82nd Academy Awards.

Here is the transcript of her backstage interview:

A.      Thank you very, very much, baby.  Hey.  Hey.

Q.      Hey, Mo’Nique.

A.      Hey, Sugar.

Q.      Right here.  It’s Sam from KTLA.

A.      Hey, Sam.

Q.      How are you?

A.      I am wonderful.

Q.      You’ve got all the time in the world now.  Everything you’ve wanted and what you said on stage was wonderful.  There was no red light or time pressure, and you could say anything you wanted to say.

what do you want to say, holding that in your hand?

A.      Everything I wanted to say and everything I needed to say, I said it.  Thank you, Sam.

117.  Is that how we do it?  Is this what they do at the Oscars?  117.

Q.      Mo’Nique?

A.      What we are going to do, sugar?  Who was 47?  Where is 47?

Q.      Right here on the right.

A.      After 160, we are going to do 117.  Okay?  Go ahead, sugar.

MODERATOR:  We are going to 117, then we will go to 147.

Q.      Mo’Nique, you’ve often said you are not an actress, you’re a standup comedienne.  That’s your baby, and you won’t call yourself an actress.

Now that you’ve won an Oscar, are things going to change?

A.      I am a standup comedienne who won an Oscar.

Q.      Okay.

A.      Oh, baby, I did it, me.

Q.      Thank you so much, my friend, Mo’Nique.  Congratulations.  We told you, you would be right here.  Okay.

I want you to just share the story with the audience and the world that you shared with us on the red carpet about Hattie McDaniel.  I don’t think people out there really got it?  Please explain the blue dress and the whole

A.      This is why I called your number, because I don’t know how many people would have taken out the time to ask about that dynamic woman.

The reason why I have on this royal blue dress is because it’s the color that Hattie McDaniel wore in 1940 when she accepted her Oscar.  The reason why I have this gardenia in my hair, it is the flower that Hattie McDaniel wore when she accepted her Oscar.

So, for you, Ms. Hattie McDaniel, I feel you all over me, and it’s about time that the world feels you all over them.  Thank you so much, baby.  I love you.

Q.      Congratulations.  Well deserved.

A.      Thank you, sugar.

Q.      Now, you are a very empowering woman.  So I want to ask you, what do you think would happen to Hollywood actresses if they had more natural figures and didn’t shave their legs?

A.      They’d win Oscars.

Oh, sugar, who is next?

Mickey, what question do you have, baby?  Do you have one?

Q.      Let’s go with 22.

A.      You know what, sugar, I am going to tell you why.  I have to go to the people I have to go to, because they were the ones that came to me when no one did.

You have a question for me, sugar?  Can we get a mic?  It’s as simple as walking.  Mickey, as soon as you get the mic, baby, we got you, sugar.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, sister.

Q.      So tell me, as awful as Mary Jones was, did you see any of yourself in her?

A.      Yes, in that last scene.  And I will ask you, have you ever had a dark moment when you were unlovable?  I am asking you the question.

Q.      Yes.

A.      Didn’t you want somebody to love you through it?

Q.      Yes.

A.      That was that same for me.  For as cruel as Mary Jones was, for the monster that she was, everybody    and I don’t care who you are and what crime you’ve committed, everybody deserves to be loved, even when they are unlovable.

Thank you, sugar.

Q.      Okay.  Does Mickey have a microphone?  Yes?  No?

A.      They are giving it to her, baby.  Thank you for your patience.

Q.      Hey Mo.

A.      Hey, sugar.

Q.      How’re you doing?

A.      I am good.  I’m a queen.

Q.      All right.  Did you and Sidney have a moment right when they announced your name?  Did anything go on between the two of you?  Did you say anything to each other?

A.      When they announced my name, Sidney and I went back to Ramblestown High School on the balcony, at 14 years old, in the 10th grade.

And I said, “One day we are going to be stars.”

And he said, “You first.”

That is the moment we went to.

Q.      Thank you.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      Hey, Mo’Nique, it’s

A.      Hey, sugar.

Q.      It’s Russ with BET News.

A.      Hey, Russ.  We love you, baby.

Q.      This moment culminates a very long career, and at your NAACP award, you dedicated it to all the Preciouses out there.

A.      Yes.

Q.      Can you tell us how it feels at this moment for that little girl from Baltimore who was told, “I can’t, you won’t, you will not, and you can’t,” what does it feel like in this moment?

A.      I feel like you can, you will, and I did.  God bless you, brother.

Q.      Thank you.

Q.      How has this powerful role shaped the rest of your acting career?

A.      You know what?  This role was not so    not about my acting career, this role has shaped my life to allow me not to judge and to love unconditionally.  Now, if that goes into my career, great.  But if it doesn’t and I am just a dynamic person that I strive to be every day, I’ve won, baby.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, brother.

Q.      Hi, Mo’Nique.  Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, sugar.  We are actually going to do this young lady.  Then, 85, then we can wrap it up with 244.

Q.      Uhm, thanks.  One of our viewers, Marilyn, wants to know about your technique:  ”How long did it take to you relax when you’d get home from Precious, in doing some of those really emotional scenes?”

A.      You know, and I have said this before, I am married to an angel, and oftentimes I tell him, “I can see your wings,” because the best advice he gave me was, “Don’t judge it, just be it, and leave it on the floor.”

So when Mr. Daniels said, “cut,” Mary Jones was left on the floor.  There was no deprogramming, there was no therapy where I had to be brought back.  Mary Jones was left on the studio floor, so when I went home, I was Mrs. Hicks, Sidney Hicks’ wife.  I was Mommy to David, Jonathan, Michael, and Shawann.

Thank you, baby.  85.

MODERATOR:  Okay.  And I am just going to add, unfortunately, we do have to end with 85.

Q.      First of all, congratulations.  I knew you were going to win it all along.  It was wonderful to see you up there.  I just wanted to ask you, you talked about, in your acceptance speech, the politics and talent, meting it out.

Can you talk a little bit more about that?

A.      Sure.

Q.      Thank you.

A.      Through this journey and process    and I’m sure some of you are sitting in this room right now    some journalist wrote, some reporters wrote, “Someone needs to teach Mo’Nique a lesson.  Someone needs to tell her how this game is played.”

And I am very proud to be part of an Academy that says, “We will not play that game.  We will judge her on her performance and not how many dinners she attended and how many pictures she took.  It’s on the screen.”

So I am proud to hold this Oscar in my hand because this Academy said, “We won’t play the game that the media wants to so readily put out there.”

Thank you, baby.  And God bless all of you.

Q.      Thank you, and congratulations.

But Adam Shankman’s Parents Wouldn’t Let Him

He’s had an interesting path to where he is now.

Here’s an excerpt from the LA Times, about this dancer, who grew up in Brentwood, California to become a recognizable name for ‘Dancing With The Stars’, and a movie producer. Someone who is a self-proclaimed workaholic, and is part of the Producer-Duo of the Academy Awards show this year.

Long before Shankman received calls from movie stars, he dreamed of being one. Growing up in Brentwood, Shankman wanted to be a child actor — something his therapist mother and his father wouldn’t allow.

“My parents couldn’t get me to stop cartwheeling up and down the aisles of restaurants,” he recalled.

His affinity for dance landed him a spot at the prestigious Juilliard School without ever having had any formal training. He dropped out about a year and a half later. Back in L.A., he began getting small jobs as a backup dancer in music videos for artists such as Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. He also got a gig as “Jack the Rubber Boy,” Rubbermaid’s dancing commercial spokesperson.

One job led to the next, and soon he was choreographing dance numbers in films. He created a short film involving dance that landed at Sundance and was soon offered his first directing job on “The Wedding Planner,” starring Jennifer Lopez.

Since then, Shankman has directed a number of movies, including “Bringing Down the House” and “Bedtime Stories.” Meanwhile, his production company has churned out popular films including “Step Up” and the upcoming Miley Cyrus film “The Last Song.”

Zac Efron, who worked with Shankman on “Hairspray” and “17 Again” and will be a presenter at this year’s Oscars, said he thinks the director is “able to connect with younger people because he’s maintained his own youthful energy.”

“I think people think of me for saccharine family movies,” Shankman acknowledged. “I’ve spent most of my career taking pretty schlocky ideas and turning them into something a little original. But I want to do something more adult than kids and animals.”

Shankman’s commercial sensibility has certainly been welcomed by the academy, which has long been trying to attract a younger viewership — Channing Tatum, who starred in “Step Up,” Cyrus, and a slew of dancers from “So You Think You Can Dance” will join Efron in appearances on the Oscar telecast.

Despite the frenetic pace of the last few months, Shankman has already been pondering his next career move.

“I think I do a lot of work so I don’t have to look at my life. I think that’s what my workaholism is about,” he said. “I’ve had the craziest year doing all these things I’d never seen myself doing, and a lot of people see me as diversifying, but I was just trying to fill up my time. And it’s not a sad thing. But my heart has now turned towards wanting to do things that make me happy.”

Source : LA Times, Amy Kaufman

If you haven’t been to my other site, called Oscar Prep, click on the name to go there now. There’s lots there, including a downloadable , printable Oscar Nominee list there, as well as an Oscar Bingo game with 9 game cards, to spice up the boring parts of the show…

Enjoy!

Dana

An audition is an audition.

Yeah, I know this is a site for actors, these are photos of an audition for dancers.

I think the photos are beautiful with talented people trying out for a show, so I put ‘em up to share them with you. It was an open call, held just recently; for The Oscars© Show, The Academy Awards.

I put a notice for this audition on this site, and on my other awards season site, called Oscar Prep.

All photos ©AMPAS.

Break a leg!

;~Dana

Please share Hollywood Actor Prep.

See the little squares peeking out, just below?

There’s one for Twitter, one for you to Email this article, one to put it up on your Facebook, etc.

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As Lead Actor In Brothers :: Tobey Maguire Plays A Different Type Of Role

Did Spiderman type him as stuck in young guy roles?

Or is that just the perception?

In this video from David Poland’s blog (DP30), Maguire answers questions about acting, taking risks as an actor, and type-casting.

He also talks about how and why he chooses roles. (Brothers had some political reasons.)

Tobey Maguire’s latest, Brothers, may show up at the Oscars, in some way. Here’s a heads up , just in case.

Gaborey Sidibe Acts, For The First Time, At Her Audition For Precious

This video is absolutely not for children.

UPDATE!!!

Next Post Will Feature Another Actor Who Has A Lead Acting Role In A Major Movie, This Year, Without Any Prior Film Credits…

When Sean Penn Accepted His Best Actor Oscar, He Transformed Before Our Very Eyes…   

He went from Bad-Boy-Sean 

…To a wise, seasoned, actor-statesman.  

(And I do like both those Seans; and all that magnificent talent and sensitivity, in between.)

Yes, he gave a dignified thanks to the Academy Members, and to the public. He even began with by alluding to his bad reputation.

“I want to make it very clear that I  do know how hard I make it for you to appreciate me–often.”

As he went on, he managed to include everything. Everything pertinent. Everything that actors are aware of, and need to know in order to play any character.  The things that most people don’t notice, or pay any mind to, or dare speak of, even though they may be thinking about it, consciously. Or may be acting on it, unconsciously.

He mentioned it all; and he did it gracefully, and so decently. With aplomb. A comfortable stance; that was both regal, and, at the same time, was ‘everyman’.

He spoke of the message of gay rights, human rights, which fueled Harvey Milk’s adult life, and ultimately, brought death.  That same theme steered the movie ‘Milk’, and, judging by Penn’s acceptance speech; it was the same message, and his passion for it, that made him choose this role, and guided his performance.  It seemed to dominate  his speech,  when he accepted his Oscar.  It was this part that got the strong reaction from the crowd.

To be a great actor, you need to have what is called “a strong inner life”.  Sean Penn didn’t raise his voice, or change his tone, but it was clear how passionately he felt about the theme of ‘Milk’, and what described as “equal rights for everyone”.

Most people have a false stereotype about actors. They think all that actors do is think and talk about themselves.

What I noticed about Sean Penn’s Oscar speech, is that he barely spoke about himself, at all. Not ever.

And, maybe you needed to be an actor, to really hear the importance of the other stuff, as well.  To recognize that which he felt important, to mention.

He talked about directors, and of Gus Van Sant…

“And particularly, as all us actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint,  to grant us a voice, or they don’t.  And it goes from the beginning: the meeting through the cutting room.

I’m very very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man as president, and a country, for all its toughness, that creates courageous artists; and this is in great due respect to all the nominees.

… Courageous artists who, despite a sensitivity that sometimes has brought enormous challenge, Mickey Rourke rises again, and he is my brother.”

Actors are brethren, we are different.  We honor you, Sean.  We honor you too, Mickey. We support you, and we, too, are proud.

  

Actor Sean Penn

The Stanislavsky Method, The Technique At The Actors Studio, Strasberg, etc.

I know that there is a lot of fun made of those who are “Method Actors”. 

You’ll hear about the “mumbling” of Marlon Brando, the “not looking at the other character” of Al Pacino, you’ll even hear stuff about James Dean’s behavior.   I remember there was lots written on actor Sean Penn, way back before anyone knew much else about him (or how good he was!) when he was that stoner character in “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”.  On set, at all times, he stayed in character, and didn’t answer anyone who didn’t call him by his character name, in the movie.

It sounded silly to me, at the time.  For that character, especially for that type of film.   (Well, baby, look at him now.) 

You don’t hear much about different acting techniques, anymore.  

Times are different. Publicly, we are more celebrity-focused, than artistry-interested.

The most well-known acting teachers have passed on, so much about technique and what actors use, has gone ‘underground’.

Even Robert Downey Jr. describes his Oscar nominated role (for “Best Supporting Actor”) as a “narcissistic Method actor”.

Since that Downey role was in a Ben Stiller movie, and Ben Stiller was in my acting class, as taught by Actors Studio well-known:  Sharon Chatten…(as was Amy Stiller, Vince D’onofrio, Cecilia Peck, Adrian Pasdar, and those who are not coming to me immediately…but were very talented and whose work was superb…)  …I know that he was very serious about his acting technique, as we all were; that’s why we all found Sharon, and those classes.  (He was the one who recommended her classes, and took me as an observer, originally.)

I know that Ben Stiller studied hard, working at learning the Stanislavsky Method.  Well before he got into doing comedy, or even creating his own stuff.

Now, in his writing, ‘nothing is sacred’. Especially not himself; and not the groups or communities that he is a part of, or born into.   His comedic style is defined by irreverence, and most often, his subject matter that gets “knocked” is within his own experiential realm.  (Note, please, the Jewish Producer, as played by Tom Cruise.  Um, Ben is Jewish.)

Why am I focusing on Method Acting now?

Why did I put up my post about how I am a Method Actor, and how I trained?

Because I am writing for lots of novice actors,  seeking information on how to get ahead, as a professional actor.

Having a good solid, able acting technique is ’square one’ for all actors who wish to become professional.

…You wouldn’t go to a dentist who got an office, a nurse and a receptionist; hung a shingle, and took started filling cavities…who hadn’t trained for dentistry, at a school..(Not even if you believed  him, that he was born-to-be-a-dentist, and even ‘looked like’ a dentist.)

A dentist who wears the outfit, and holds a dental drill, only hurts other people, if he didn’t go to the right school (or any dental school) first…

Actors, who don’t train with a strong solid technique, only hurt themselves.  Unless an actor looks like Brad Pitt, and even if you do! …You need good strong training, first priority.

I saw a video where Brad Pitt said that his early acting heroes were Mickey Rourke, and Sean Penn…

(I put it on my site called “Hollywood Oscar Prep”– http://oscarprep.com.)

They are both nominated for “Best Actor” this year, 2009, for an Academy Award.

Sean Penn already won a SAG award, this year.

Mickey Rourke already won a Golden Globe.

They both have won countless other awards this year, but most importantly…currently, they are two of our finest actors. They have a long history of incredible film work.  Incredible, mindblowing work.

Mickey Rourke, and Sean Penn, are Method Actors.

Here’s a short video, where Mickey Rourke talks about the public perception, and reality of, Method Acting…As well as his own early acting training…

*Hat tip to Newsweek’s Oscar Roundtable, and to The Hollywood Reporter, for the video…

Keep your faith in yourself,

;Dana

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You can use the “Save/Share” button down below (it is white) and it’s so easy.  

If you don’t, then some good solid information may not reach many actors, that could use it, to make their ‘path’ a lot easier.  You are creating good karma, for yourself, and you are supporting my efforts.  I do this to assist others. For no self-return…

Thank you.

This Hollywood Actor Prep Cheat Sheet lists only the 2009 Academy Award Nominees, in the Acting Categories.

Doesn’t everyone always talk about the “Best Acting” categories, primarily??

Or only??

I mean, everyone, everywhere.

Okay. Also, they talk about the “Best Picture Nominees”. Right?

Then, the other categories

…Maybe.

I’ve found…that is, to your average American ticket-buyer…the acting and best picture categories ARE their whole definition of “the movies”, when it comes to the Oscars.

Most movie-goers are in the dark …about what directors do…

And, about what producers do, fugedabowdit …total mystery. Like invisible… Right?

People watch the Oscars for the categories they are rooting for, the ones that they care about. It’s emotional…If they cared, while watching the movie; then they “care” during the Academy Awards. A–lot.

Acting + Best Picture: There are no other Oscar categories, to most.

Scientifically, I can prove it.

Monitor your own plumbing, during the Academy Awards television broadcast.

I’ll wager that almost no toilets are flushed, in any bathroom, in the entire USA…

…on February 22nd 2009..

…during the announcing of Oscar wins for any acting category, or best picture.

Okay.

The brilliant acting performances of this year….

The nominated actors are in alphabetical order, and not in order of my own favorites.

(…Come back to Hollywood Actor Prep this this weekend, for that…)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

ACADEMY AWARD ACTING NOMINEES 2009

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling”
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep in “Doubt”
Kate Winslet in “The Reader”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams in “Doubt”
Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis in “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor”
Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn in “Milk”
Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Josh Brolin in “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt”
Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight”
Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road”

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;Best,

Dana

The SAG AWARD NOMINEES were announced this morning. What makes this special, is that the focus is entirely about acting. Actors honoring acting performances. For me, that’s heaven,

And, in case you didn’t know, the SAG AWARDS are regarded, in Hollywood, as a kind of “Oscar E.S.P. ” (Oscar “channeling”?? Acad-Awards telepathy? SAG-The-Soothsayers??!

… Okay, enough…I know!)

Here’s a cheat sheet of all the nominees. Nice and brief.

Just one last thing, before I hit a show and after-holiday-party:

…This “Best Ensemble” category…well, the winner is usually the same movie that wins the Oscar for “Best Picture”, at the (a month later)… Academy Awards. We’ll see about that, this year we’ll check it out together, and I am psyched…

BEST ENSEMBLE
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk”
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Dev Patel, “Slumdog Millionaire”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

What Movies…How, and Why

Let’s start with “Indies”.  

There’s a lot of them, this year.  

Lots of good ones, too.  Many more…than ever before…may be nominated for Oscars.

Better Independent Films, then, influence the standard of American movies, altogether.  

If American movie quality improves, then, tastes rise. That means higher quality films will be continued to be made. 

The “bar” will be raised, significantly, which will effect on Hollywood Studio decisions, and blockbuster fare.

It’s not only good for right now, but this will have an effect on what will be made in the future.

Michelle Williams, "Wendy And Lucy"

As far as acting goes…That’s wonderful news.  

Because it means more creative roles, more types of roles.

When you are an actor who is truly passionate about the art of acting, the roles in “indies” are the better ones to play.  The fulfilling kinds of roles.

Various parts to be able to play; more depth, more complexity in each.  More authentic acting.

That’s right: more roles.  Variation for each actor.  (Because what actor really wants to play the same thing again and again?)

It also means there will be more parts for variable types.  

Film: Frozen River

The actors that have a tough time finding auditions, because of their “inherent type”, should not be as limited, when movies become more creative.  The truly dramatic, instead of melodramatic, widens the field.  

Independent movies have always been different than studio fare, simply because they enable artistic vision. They are fueled by someone’s creative vision.  Often, they are more unique, more literate.  Resulting in a deeper experience for the audience.

Independent movies are aptly named: they have less decision-makers, from above, telling them “no”. It’s a different tact, different mindset, different goal, when something is made to please the masses, or, mainly, for ticket sales. Art and depth have a hard time surviving, when made by committee.

Could mean a real evolution.

Benecio Del Toro

A solid one. 

This great movie trend can’t just go poof-in-the-night.

If you were worried, here’s your virtual valium…there’s something in the mix, that is here to stay.  

Because there is a basis for all this, that isn’t going away. 

No matter what happens in the economy.  No matter what, period.

It’s our lovely internet.  

And our internet, is us.

Before now, so much of a film success depended on it’s marketing.  In spades.  Both for major studio product, and for Independents.

Until now, movies were “pushed”.  Success was hoisted onto the public, by advertising.

The current economy has ended all that spending, for movie marketing. At the same time, the internet expanded, wildly, especially with sharing/spreading opinion, by the audience.  In other words, the old way was radically diminished, as the new way was expanding. 

The people,  on the internet, now, have more voice and more influence, on determining what will be a success, as far as movies go.

The internet has become a major “influencer”, a determinant; substantiating public opinion into a position of being a more “major player”.  A power-position, that isn’t going anywhere. 

Ticket sales.

Also been affected by the economy.  In a bad economy, “ticket sales” carry more weight, as messengers.

When people cut back on their entertainment spending, they cut back on how many movies they see.  The ones that they do see, are chosen, specifically. The preferred choice.  Aligned with taste level.

Buying tickets really makes a point, in times like this.  

Quoting “New Indies Make Splash?”, from Variety  (Dade Hayes):

“The general economic climate is becoming refreshing,” says Oscilloscope’s Fenkel. “Buying a nomination is going to be harder. A company like ours has the resources to be patient and cultivate grassroots support for films that really deserve attention.”

Yari agrees, citing the discernment of the adult audience as a parallel shift that plays to these newer campaigners’ advantage.

The ultimate year of reckoning for the American indie and specialty sector has turned into a rare kudos opportunity for the survivors….”People are being more disciplined in their spending,” notes David Fenkel, a ThinkFilm vet who heads marketing at Oscilloscope, which is pushing “Wendy and Lucy.” “The quality of films in the race has risen as a result.”

Focus, Miramax, Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures Classics — are “taking a lesson from ‘No Country for Old Men’ and ‘There Will Be Blood,’ ” argues Bob Yari, whose shingle has “Nothing but the Truth” and “What Doesn’t Kill You.” Last year’s campaigns for those pics “were successful, but they used up a lot of resources. What you’re seeing is a big pullback by studios and that’s left a lot of room for the independents.”

Overture, IFC, Samuel Goldwyn, Yari Releasing, Oscilloscope, Summit and Bleiberg Entertainment have a cluster of pics aiming to compete in major categories. Win or lose, they are bringing a sense of freshness to a process that had become machinelike in its predictability.

“We hold back a little bit,” Yari says of the indie hopefuls. “If the buzz organically starts building, then you have a validation. We don’t have the luxury of saying, ‘We love it, and we’re going to force it through.’ “

Best,

:Dana

Natalie Portman Describes The Power Of Sean Penn’s Acting Abilities

“Variety” has started a series, called “Actors Champion Fellow Colleagues In 2008 Performances”.

::What it is:  Well-known actors write a short piece on great acting performances, of a fellow actor::  

Natalie Portman’s “Champion” piece is my favorite. She wrote about Sean Penn’s performance in “Milk”… While describing, beautifully; that special, almost unconscious,  connection that good acting creates, between the character, and the audience member watching.  

Natalie Portman

What I found unique, and succinctly described… is how Ms Portman was influenced by this movie, and by the acting of Sean Penn.  Influenced to take some action; inspired to learn more about a related issue (a current societal issue); because she  experienced the life of Harvey Milk. 

She was able to be inside man’s life and his heart, and feel what he cared about, deeply.  

And, it’s because Sean Penn is such a magnificent actor.

Actor Sean Penn

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Natalie Portman on Sean Penn in ‘Milk’

“They only need to know one of us,” Harvey Milk explains to his campaign team in the film “Milk.” Sean Penn’s performance as Harvey does exactly that: You learn one man’s story, and his pains and triumphs become your own. It showed me how a great performance can also be a humanitarian act. When we know one character, one story, we recognize him as being of our own flesh and blood. When we understand his feelings, we put ourselves in his position. Not only is Sean’s performance honestly and lovingly humane, but it is also virtuosic — every note is so subtly tuned that the work behind it is never visible. He infuses Harvey’s courage with cowardice and his sexual prowess with hesitation. Sean’s Harvey is a cocky and charismatic orator, but always weighted by the foreboding dread of knowing his own tragedy. When the antigay Prop. 6 is unexpectedly voted down, surprise, elation and horror at the very existence of the referendum all rage in the blood beneath his skin. Sean Penn so inhabits Harvey Milk that I left the theater feeling the need to march against our frighteningly similar Prop. 8 to honor this man I now know.

These film trailers make the holiday season exciting, this year.

Sean Penn is one of my favorite actors, and this performance is creating an Oscar buzz…“Milk”...

“Doubt” was directed by John Patrick Shanley, whose name you may recognize. He’s a well-known playwright; and “Doubt” was originally written for the stage.   That’s when it won the Pulitzer Prize.

Great cast in the film version, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is getting some very good reviews, and a few that aren’t so great.  All agree, though, that it’s technically remarkable…

…And, according to Slashfilm, who got it from FirstShowing, you can listen to the entire soundtrack of “Benjamin Button” for free, on Warner Brothers’  ”For Your Consideration Site”. 

Here’s the playlist:

1. Postcards
2. Mr. Gateau
3. Meeting Daisy
4. A New Life
5. Love in Mourmansk
6. Meeting Again
7. Mr. Button
8. Little Man Oti
9. Alone At Night
10. It Was Nice to Have Met You
11. Children Games
12. Submarine Attack
13. The Hummingbird
14. Love Returns
15. Sunrise On Lake Pontchartrain
16. Daisy’s Ballet Career
17. The Accident
18. Stay Out of My Life
19. Nothing Lasts
20. Some Things You Never Forget
21. Growing Younger
22. Dying Away
23. Benjamin and Daisy

 

Enjoy!

;-Dana