You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July 2007.
(Newsflash! Newsflash, Applejack!! Apparently, TDL will be premiering at the Venice Film Festival alongside a 12 minute short film of Anderson’s co-starring Schwartzman and Natalie Portman! Awesome! And, contrary to previous rumors/beliefs, Portman’s part in TDL is only a cameo.)
Fox Searchlight has posted the official Darjeeling Limited site, and while there isn’t much up there yet, it is still pretty cool.
There are some production photos you can look at, my favorite being this one, a section with links to information about and photos of India, and lots of other interesting little things to play around with.
Can’t wait for this one, gang. It opens the New York Film Festival on September 29th and then will slowly, but surely make its way into a theater near us.
Owen, Jason, Adrien, Bill, Anjelica… Can you see how incredible this is going to be?
It’s been a pretty dry Summer for Grey’s updates around The Babble, but last season left me on uneven ground with our friends over at Seattle Grace Hospital. I felt that towards the end of the season, the show really started to lose its bearings and started to become one of those promiscuous soap operas I had avoided by getting into Grey’s in the first place. If you go here, you can read my review of the season finale, as well as a quote from Shonda Rhimes that gave me hope that Season 4 might be something different and something better. For the sake of this post, here’s that quote again:
“So that’s it. That was our season. I did my level best to burn it all down this season, to burn it to the ground so that we can have a place to build from next season. Burning it down was hard. But next season…oh, next season is all about the fun and the pain and the new beginnings. Because our interns are going to become residents. Because everyone is single again — well, there is the little matter of Izzie and George and Callie…but still…”
I was personally really glad to see that revelation from Rhimes. It was good to know that she understood that she pretty much destroyed everything they had built up. And while I always thought it was for the sake of cheap drama, I can see now that it was also for the sake of being able to rebuild everything in the fall.
Season 4 is going to be a huge change, let’s have a look why
- Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) is no longer associated with Grey’s Anatomy. In fact, he’s been signed on for a short run with NBC’s Bionic Woman series this fall. What I find most interesting about that is that there are reports that Washington was talking with NBC Exec Ben Silverman long before his off-screen drama occurred. If you go here, you can read Shonda’s interview on the topic. Hmmm… I really do think that Washington is a spectacular actor and I am a firm believer that his off-screen antics truly got in the way of the development they were hoping would take place in Season 3. Oh, well.
But, with losing a friend we gain apparently three more. If you watched the season finale, you’re well aware that George is out (of the program at least), and Lexie Grey (Meredith’s half-sister) is in. Set to be played by Chyler Leigh (who’s been seen around your TV set on various shows like The Practice and Reunion.). As much as I think this might be throwing us in the wrong direction, I’m trusting you, Shonda. No word yet as to who the other two interns are.
- Private Practice is geared up and ready to go for its Fall launch date. Starring Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, the story follows her character’s tail-between-her-legs departure from Seattle Grace to the bright and sunny shores of Los Angeles. This is not only the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard, but for a while made me incredibly angry, especially since throughout the end of season 2 and the first half of season 3, Addison was my favorite character on the show, by a long shot. I’m really not planning on following this show, gang. I might watch the first few episodes, but don’t expect any news updates. If you’re into the show, and bless you if you are, you can get your fix here.
-Finally, an AP interview with Shonda herself about the fate of Season 4 reveals, once again, that she is well aware of the mess she’s created on the show. She admits that her characters took a “darker journey” last season with the death and infidelity that occurred, but also hopes that people are going to stick with the show as they’re going to “get back to having fun” next season. This actually kind of makes me happy to read that. I think that it’s important to realize that it really was not fun to watch that second half of Grey’s. And as I’ve said before, it’s a shame that it was because of so much off-screen drama. And in my opinion, the fun episodes of Grey’s (Season 3’s camping episode which will go down as my all time favorite Grey’s EVER.) are always, always the best. They know how to write witty and they know how to write drama and they can pair those two like mac n’ cheese. I just hope we remember how to keep things on an even keel over there at SGH. I like that she’s previously admitted to burning it all down, but I hope this means that Season 4 won’t start with everyone having massive amnesia and forgetting everything that has happened.
And so, it’s with that I also introduce you to our newest tag on The Babble, simply titled, Grey’s Anatomy. While I’m working on a better title, you’ll be able to find all the Grey’s News and Reviews right over there.
So let’s press on to sometime in September for the premiere of Season 4. Rhimes herself said, “This season will be the redemption from that mayhem.” Let’s hope she’s right.
Pretty soon, I’m even going to be convinced that my brother is, in fact, myth, because no man could ever be as funny as he is.
I just received my homemade birthday card from my younger and farkin’ HILARIOUS brother, Iain. I’ll include some photos below the jump so you can read it for yourself. I’m seriously on the verge of tears from laughing so hard.
(Note: If you don’t know Iain Nathaniel James Acunis Graham, this might not seem as funny to you, but wow. Definitely made my day.)
This afternoon I decided to head down to massively awesome and beautiful Newport on the Levee for an afternoon lunch and movie date. After a pretty good lunch at Moe’s Southwest Grill, I headed up to the AMC Theater for my 2:40 matinee of Danny Boyle’s new sci-fi thriller, Sunshine.
I’m a big fan of science fiction, especially when it deals with outer space. And, I think that creative apocalyptic story lines, when done correctly, are impossibly cool and engrossing. To be totally honest, I wasn’t expecting Sunshine to be anything to write home about. I saw the preview and it was Cillian Murphy that threw my senses in a frenzy, whereas the concept and story made me nervous. But with all the excellent reviews I had been reading, I figured it might be worth the time and money to check it out. Let me tell you that Sunshine was worth my dollars and hours and ended up being an outstanding, well-paced and beautiful sci-fi thriller that didn’t let up.
The premise of the film is that some years from now, the Sun is dying out. While the earth is in solar winter, a team of astronauts are headed to try and reignite the Sun aboard Icarus 2, an odd space station looking thing attached to the bomb or “paylaod”, which can only be described as a large satellite dish looking thing. The first Icarus mission took place seven years prior and had failed for some unknown reason.
The film opens with a poetic narration by Capa, played by my Blue Eyed Baby Boy, Cillian Murphy, who we learn was the physicist who designed the device that is transporting them 50 plus million miles away to try and save the world. He’s accompanied by Cassie, the Pilot (Rose Byrne, Troy), Searle, the Medical Officer (Cliff Curtis, Live Free or Die Hard), Mace, the Engineer (Chris Evans, Fantastic Four), Harvey, the Communications Officer (Troy Garity, Barbershop), Kaneda, the Captain (Hiroyuki Sanada, The Last Samurai), Trey, the Navigator (Bebedict Wong) and Corazon, the Biologist (Michelle Yeoh, Tomorrow Never Dies, Memoirs of a Geisha).
The ship is absolutely incredible. There’s a room where Corazon is growing plants so they can have renuable oxygen, a room called “The Earth Room” where they can go and have an experience like standing in the middle of a forest or watching crashing waves for therapy when they’re homesick, and let’s face it, the technology is all just pretty darn awesome. In fact, there’s this one room that is pretty much like the front window of the ship. The crew can go and sit in there and use some protective screens to get some beautiful glances at the Sun as they approach it. Searle takes a particular liking to it and he describes being so close to it as taking a bath in the light. In fact, many of the images and sounds of the sun in the movie are really the Sun, courtesy of SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, one of my favorite science websites. And for the record, I think that the sounds the sun makes are some of the most terrifying and humbling sound clips to ever exist. Truly breathtaking.).
At the beginning (of course) the mission is going off beautifully, in fact they’re making better time than they thought and are informed that they’re going to be entering the magnetic field of the Sun and will no longer have communication with Earth, so that they need to send their, possibly final, messages home. Cue the lump in my throat as Capa spills out a goodbye that can only be described as perfect. It really carries through in the rest of the film as so much of the dialogue and Capa’s monologues truly are beautifully written.
As the mission continues, Cassie spots Mercury on the computer screen and they all gather in the observation deck to watch it pass in front of the Sun (more totally stunning actual footage.) Later in the day, Harvey discovers that there was an odd transmission that was sent while Mercury was passing, only to later learn that it is a distress signal from Icarus I that is suspended close to the sun, not too far from their projected course. Though it’s unlikely that any of the crew members are still alive, they decide to go and see if they are going to be able to possibly take their undetonated payload to use as a backup in case their’s fails. As this causes the crew to have to change their course, they encounter problems almost immediately.
It truly becomes an intense, heartbreaking and exciting journey and I was almost always on the edge of my seat. As the crew deals with a drastic cut to their oxygen supply, the mental state that comes from their delicate situation and a mysterious extra crew member, you’re truly hoping that the “particularly beautiful day” that Capa was talking about actually comes true.
I have one complaint, but it’s unfortunately a huge spoiler if I leave it here, so we’ll discuss it after you’ve seen it.
Even that complaint aside, I walked away from Sunshine pretty satisfied. The direction and cinematography was beautiful and I was truly impressed all around with the performances from all the actors. If you’re in the mood for some pretty awesome sci-fi thriller action, check out Sunshine, you won’t be sorry.
Oh! And! The Darjeeling Limited trailer! On the big screen! If you thought those colors were pretty on your computer screen…whew!
(That was SeaBabble’s 200th Post!!!)
Meet Kermit The Nano!
This afternoon when I was heading out to the wonderful Newport on the Levee for lunch and an afternoon movie, there was a loud knock at my door. Louder than necessary, I thought, but I went to answer it anyway. There wasn’t anyone there, so when I ruled out that it was The Joker coming to get me, I looked down and saw a box placed there by my mailman. The return address was from my brother, Iain, so I opened it an inside I found my birthday/graduation present from him! An iPod Nano! That I named Kermit The Nano! It’s totally cool and exciting and a new toy, so I’m happy.
When I went to my mailbox, it was flooded with birthday cards from home. Even Mookie sent me one! And one from The President. It was exciting stuff, guys, let me tell ya.
I think that until I find a new job, every week when I get a new box of Tazo tea from Starbucks, I’ll post it’s totally pretentious and eye-rolling description on the blog.
If you missed last week’s, it’s right here.
This week, we travel to India (How Darjeeling Limited of us!) for Tazo’s “reincarnation” of traditional, Chai Tea, usually native to South Asia and the Middle East. Chai actually just means “tea” in many languages of this region and is probably one of my favorites. It’s kind of a spicy black tea and tastes great with steamed milk and cinnamon powder.
Starbucks, however, describes the tea as this:
“A rich blend of teas and spices in the style of the hill dwellers of the Himalayas.”
“The hill dwellers of the Himalayas” makes me think of that nice man in Batman Begins that Bruce leaves Henri with after he very kindly, politely and quietly leaves the League of Shadows and informs them that he is no murderer. “I tell him you save his liiiiife.”
ANYWAY, our little “mood music, or description, for this fine product is:
“Throughout India, chai wallahs can be found serving up steaming cups of sweetly spiced chai to wandering souls. You’re with them now.”
And this is why I need a new job.
One of my favorite things on TV is Countdown with F.H. Keith Olbermann, and on his show one of the very best features is called “Worst Person in the World” where he runs down to the top three newsmakers who can most easily compete for the title of Worst Person in the World.
Last night was excellent, check it out here.
At first I wasn’t sure how this one slipped under my radar, but then I realized that it happened while I was in Guatemala. And pretty much, this is unacceptable that I haven’t reported on this until now.
This, being Future Husband John Krasinski had a ga-ga-ga-gooorgeous spread in GQ magazine.
This is how I feel when I think about you, too!!
Man in suit! Man in suit! Swoon!
More scans located here.
Hello, My Darling. I promise that when we’re married and living on our big beautiful, tree-y farm, we’ll have a basketball hoop in the driveway, and you can teach our children all the ins and outs of basketball. Maybe once a week we can have a family showdown and you can pick up Little Olivia June and help her slam dunk. And then, we’ll have BBQ and fresh-squeezed lemonade on the porch and watch the fireflies come out while Olivia and her sisters, Kennedy Jayne, Madeline Marie and Wyatt James (and their brother Will Sawyer) try and catch them in jars for night lights. See you then.
The Darjeeling Limited trailer is officially online!!!!!
Right here! Please watch it!
The first Wes Anderson movie I ever saw was The Royal Tenenbaums. Drawn in originally by a cast that to this day cannot be beat, I stuck around for a style of film making and storytelling that became my absolute favorite. Since that day in 2001, Wes Anderson has been the number one filmmaker in my heart and there are so many reasons why. Probably first and foremost is the characters he uses to tell his stories. It’s rare to turn on a Wes Anderson movie and find a tale of triumphant people headed to the top of their game. Whereas so many other movies develop the character into something great, Anderson takes the next step and shows what happens after they peak at their greatness. Max Fischer, from Rushmore, is president or founder or involved in nearly every club on campus, wrote a “little one act” about Watergate at the age of seven, and is an alternate for the wrestling team. But he’s also “one of the worst students” at a school that clearly means more to him than anything, Rushmore Academy. The downward spiral of Max’s journey is painful, to say the least, and while that sounds tragic and sad (and believe me, it can be), it’s truly a gift to be able to tell that story with humor and sweetness like Wes does. Another thing I really love about his movies is that they show the power of the people around you. It’s like a Beatles’ song, or something. When the world sticks it to the main characters and they’re thrust down in to the most painful of painful lows, friends, loved ones, and even the people you might have considered enemies are there to pick you back up to a place where you’re okay. And that’s a very beautiful thing. There’s an overwhelming amount of heart at the pit of all these stories, and it fills my heart to the brim, every time.
Also, the way that Anderson portrays a love story is absolutely gorgeous and touching. Anthony and Inez in Bottle Rocket? When you step back and really look at it, this should be the most awkward love story to have ever come to pass, and really, it is. But when you’re wrapped up in hotel sheets and in awe of how incredibly sweet and wonderful it all is to be in love like that, awkwardness doesn’t even come to mind. (One of my favorite scenes in that movie is when Anthony makes another attempt to call Inez from the party he’s at. “So… uh… word on the street, or should I say, rumor has it… that, well, you love me.” “Yes, I do.” And that’s my heart in a puddle on the floor, right there.)
Another thing that constantly mesmerizes me about his films is his careful attention to detail and set design. I think some of the most beautiful scenes that have ever been captured on film are in Wes Anderson’s movies. Probably my two favorite examples of this come from Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. In the Criteron Collection of Tenenbaums, the insert has a floor plan of 112 Archer Avenue, showing each room and little crevice in great detail. Every single thing is thought of and planned out how it should look, and that attention to detail is infinitely appreciated when you’re in awe of the design of each little thing on the screen. One of my favorite scenes in Zissou is when Steve very casually says (in a way that can only be done by Bill Murray) “Let me tell you about my boat.” and the screen pulls up to reveal this cut away vision of The Belafonte and Steve takes us on a tour of the ship that displays Team Zissou at its very best and most shameful. The brutal honesty that comes through in the set direction truly makes The Belafonte a character of its own. And I love that. When you can bring the inanimate objects around you to life with the life and vibrancy that Anderson does.
See what I mean? When I saw it in the movie, I felt like a little kid overwhelmed with Christmas for the very first time.
The reason I had to talk about all of these things is because it’s easier to say that I can see all of these things poking through in The Darjeeling Limited, and are all the reasons that it’s the movie I am currently most anticipating. I can see the tragedy and sadness of Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody’s brotherhood and characteristics. You can tell that this journey is going to take them through the highs and lows of everything under the Indian sun. And I like that. I like that I know this is going to hurt, but I know that the heart we’re going to find at the root of it all will be well worth it. His use of color and that careful attention to detail here is exactly what I’d expect from a movie like this and it’s going to be wonderful. I know I’m going to have to see it more than once to make sure I am able to take it all in.
Anderson’s films speak to a reality that is going to take you on an adventure of the highest degree. And it might hurt, it will definitely make you laugh, but in the end it’ll promise pick you up and embrace you like you’ve never been embraced before, all set to an amazing soundtrack and the most beautiful and whimsical colors and settings your brain can imagine.
So, that’s that. In a nutshell, it’s why I can’t wait to pay however much it costs to see The Darjeeling Limited.
As Steve Zissou put it best, “This is an adventure.” It always is, Steve. It always is.
I didn’t want to blog about the orgy of celebrity that’s happening in Hollywood right now over Becks’ and Posh’s arrival to the states to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but… at least one thing is worth being mentioned after looking through the photos in this article.
Recent Comments