Hello friends! Today happens to be my birthday so I’m taking today off from work as part of my birthday present to myself
A few years back I chose a birthday-related movie to mark the occasion, which was David Fincher’s excellent-but-underrated thriller The Game. I highly recommend that if you haven’t seen it already.
Well, for today, I thought I chose five memorable movie birthday scenes which happens to be from five of my favorite films. I wish could embed the clip, but I’d have included this one from Gone with the Wind. It’s the celebration of Ashley Wilkes’ birthday where Scarlett O’Hara suddenly showed up as everyone was singing ‘Jolly good fellow’… wearing the sexiest red outfit hand-picked by Rhett Butler himself. If you’ve seen the film you know why it’s such an uncomfortable scene but definitely a memorable one.
Anyway, here are the four other embed-able birthday scenes, involving four great characters from four different genres!
Happy Birthday Bruce Wayne!
Great soiree and Bruce looks dapper in this tux… too bad Bryan Mills, er Ra’s Al Ghul has to be such a party pooper!!
Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins!
Life in the Shire sounds so awesome! The hobbits sure knows how to party, and having Gandalf the Great supplying the fireworks entertainment can’t be beat!
An Unexpected Guest at Honey’s Birthday
I LOVE, LOVE this scene from Notting Hill. It’s one of my favorite rom-coms ever (leave it to the Brits to make a rom-com nary of schmaltzy scenarios). Emma Chambers as Hugh Grant’s kid sister is pure comedic gold!
Another continuation of that scene that’s equally hilarious is this one with the always so reliable Hugh Bonneville.
A Birthday Toast from a Count
Well lookie here… two of mankind’s saviors in one party Jim Caviezel (two years before he was cast in The Passion of the Christ) as the mysterious Count giving a then 18-year-old Henry Cavill on his birthday. I wonder if that’s how he later became Man of Steel? I actually whispered to my husband during this scene that Cavill should’ve become Superman when he grows up. Yes I know, I should be a casting agent, ahah.
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Well, hope you enjoyed these clips, folks! Kindly leave a comment, and better yet, share away
Feel free to supply your own favorite Birthday scene in the comments.
It’s only been four years since The Dark Knight opens, but it feels like ages. I’m watching it as I’m typing this, though this post has been in my draft folder since I read this Hero Complex article a few months ago. Well, since I’m hugely anticipating the final installment of Christopher Nolan‘s supremely lucrative Batman trilogy, it seems like it’s as good a time as any.
Hero Complex editor Geoff Boucher asked Nolan to pick his favorite scene from The Dark Knight and he answered quickly,
Nolan: To be honest, it’s pretty easy for me. The scene that is so important and so central to me is the interrogation scene between Batman and the Joker in the film. When we were writing the script, that was always one of the central set pieces that we wanted to crack.
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This is the scene where Batman nearly lost it… he’s pushed to the limit like he’s never been before. In the article, Nolan shared that he couldn’t find a moment “…where you actually worry that Batman will go too far. A moment where his rage might spill over and he would break his rules.” But The Joker clearly had such power to get into anyone’s skin, including our dark knight. He’s just so ruthless and has absolutely nothing to fear. And all for no real motive, just like Alfred’s story about the Burmese ruby, it proves that indeed ‘some men just want to watch the world burn.’
Even his outlandish appearance makes you squirm, the way he moves, constantly licking the side of his made-up mouth… it’s all very disturbing. And I think it’s amplified tenfold in this scene.
This might be one of the most bright-ly lit scene in the whole entire movie. Instead of the common dark interrogation room, we’ve got a stark room with a harsh, bright light and you see every single detail of both Batman and The Joker. Nolan said that the Batsuit was specifically designed for the scene in a way that it would hold up to the scrutiny of that glaring light.
What I like about this scene is that it’s got humorous elements – hence an easy target for a spoof just on Batman’s voice alone – but it’s also highly sinister, wicked, merciless as The Joker holds the answer to the lives of two people our hero holds dear. So it’s extremely personal for Batman, I mean, one doesn’t go THAT berserk if it weren’t personal, and you just feel for him, his agony. No wonder he’s all ‘bottled-up fury’ as Mr. Boucher said in the interview. I mean, most people might not survive such pressure! Both Heath Ledger and Christian Bale are in top form here.
I like what Nolan said at the end of that article that sums up this scene perfectly: How do you fight someone who thrives on conflict? It’s a very loose end to be left with.
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You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain
That’s one heck of a great quote… and Aaron Eckhart is just brilliant in this role, absolutely brilliant. I feel like his character, just like Bale’s himself, is drowned out by people’s adulation for Ledger. And while that’s warranted because his Joker’s performance is truly iconic, there are other memorable characters that makes this film so rich.
Now, there’s a plethora of favorite scenes from The Dark Knight that would warrant its own top ten list, that truck flip scene is one of my top 20 scenes I could watch over and over, it’s just pure adrenaline rush! But the dialog is what makes a movie stand the test of time, and the conversation in this dinner scene is most fascinating to me. It’s not only the first time two of Gotham’s most powerful meet: Bruce Wayne and District Attorney Harvey Dent. Unbeknownst to him, Dent ends up defending the masked vigilante right in front of the man himself, and he believes that the Bat-man is on Gotham’s side. Thus, for the first time Bruce is hopeful that perhaps one day his city might not need Batman. That night he too, believes in Harvey Dent…
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I LOVE this scene! It makes it all the more tragic what happens to Dent at the end… nobody at the table knew that philosophical quote he uttered here is the harbinger of things to come. …
So have you been watching Nolan’s first two Batman movies before The Dark Knight Rises? What would you be YOUR favorite scene(s) from The Dark Knight?
Ruth’s note: Thanks to FC’s contributor Cecilia Rusli for this review. This film is now available on DVD/Blu-ray. View more information on the production of this movie as well as the trailer.
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It’s been a long time since I’ve last seen a Chinese movie at the cinema as I am getting less interested to see their martial arts movies all over again. When The Flowers of War played at the local cinemas in Indonesia, I heard good reviews about it and yes the fact that Christian Bale is one of the cast pretty much made me curious. This film tells the story of an American, John Miller (Christian Bale) who has to stay with school girls and prostitutes during attack and rape by Japanese army at Nanking in 1937.
The film with a combination of war, Asian army, and an American leading role that I remember pretty strong is The Last Samurai where I found the Japanese Ken Watanabe did a very good job with Tom Cruise. Now at The Flowers of War, Christian Bale succeeded in building a good emotion with the Chinese cast which consist of prostitutes and the students he met at the church. The conflict happens from the beginning of the film created a strong bond between the characters on the movie.
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Watching The Flowers of War leaves me with mixed up emotions. I laughed at some of the hilarious scenes, and also weep a couple of times at the heartbreaking scenes. Director Zhang Yimou created these sadistic and heartless Japanese army very well that it was painful to see. Brutal and bloody actions have officially made this film not recommended for kids. Regardless of some of the silly and cheesy drama scenes, all that I felt is this emotional built up that starts from the very beginning all the way until the end of the movie as it’s wrapped beautifully. It’s not just strong at the dramatic part, I also enjoyed the war tactics with explosions and shotguns at the beginning of the movie.
Christian Bale managed to give the audience different perspective and emotions on his character throughout the film. The script surely supports it. Moreover, Bale shows that he could be paired perfectly with the Chinese actress Ni Ni for the romantic scenes and also with Tianyuan Huang for some hilarious conversations.
Paul Schneider who plays the role as John’s friend Terry did not really have much screen time in the movie. The character is plainly ordinary and he is just supporting Miller’s character as an American.
Personally I feel that The Flowers of War is worthy to be selected as China’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards 2012. It is a pretty brave film as it contains some controversies between Japanese, Chinese, and American but managed to bring a strong dramatic movie for the audience. Don’t watch it when you’re in a gloomy mood though, as this film will make you even more depressed.
WHOA!!! I didn’t think it would be possible for me to get more pumped up about The Dark Knight Rises but Nolan just keeps upping the ante. This latest — and perhaps last — trailer is defintely PURE EPICNESS!!
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Yes, yes I realize it’s the geek in me speaking with mouth frothing with excitement, but really, I don’t think I’ll be disappointed with this one. I like the story angle where Batman has been semi-retired for a number of years after his battle with The Joker, and so he’s sort of unprepared and obviously overwhelmed by the scale of the attack Bane and his ‘army’ set on Gotham. Christian Bale looks convincingly dumbfounded, discombobulated, even, though I’m loving his disheveled look with the long hair. So that plotline in itself is very intriguing and make you feel even more for our dark knight.
I’m not afraid. I’m angry.
But then he turns around and see Bane [shudder].
Seriously, that mano-a-mano between him and Bane is gonna be so thrilling and also chilling to watch. Tom Hardy’s massive build alone is intimidating enough, then there’s that sinister mask. Props for the Nolan brothers (Chris and Jonathan) and David S. Goyer for crafting yet another worthy villain to match our compelling hero.
I LOVE seeing Batman’s old compadres back, Gordon (Gary Oldman), Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Looks like he gains a new one, the mysterious John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Of course it’s always lovely to see one of my favorite movie father figures, Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine). It’s even more clear Batman/Bruce needs Alfred more and more to ‘get back into the swing of things.’ I’m still not as enthused about Catwoman/Selina Kyle though I’m warming up to her more and more. That part about his *wife* leaving with his car is awesome!! It’s a much-needed comic relief amidst all the gritty intensity.
FIRE WILL RISE. Yeah, and so is my feverish anticipation. JULY 20 can’t come soon enough!!
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What say you, friends? Is this epic enough for ya?
Today is my 9th Wedding Anniversary.Can’t believe we’ve been married that long, I feel like we just got married a few years ago! I’ve been blessed to marry my best friend Ivan whom I still adore him as much — if not more — as when I first met him when I was only 19. I don’t really believe in the notion of a ‘soul mate’ but maybe he is mine as we’re both from the same hometown, went to the same Jr High, but yet we found each other thousands of miles away years later in Minnesota
Ivan and I in a gorgeous day in Venice
Now, I don’t mean to rant on my anniversary post, but as I was looking for a good list of great husbands in movies, I couldn’t find any. I did find some list of WORST movie husbands full of cheaters, psychopaths or wife beaters! There’s really not a lot of films depicting healthy marriages either, but you’ll be sure to find a plethora of those depicting troubled/doomed unions. Heh, I find that disheartening. But in any case, this post is my tribute to my gorgeous, loving husband who seems to only get better with age
If you’ve been following this blog long enough, you might notice that I included the four husbands I included in this list from Thanksgiving 2009. I added five more movie husbands that I think any woman would be blessed to have. The movie itself may not be perfect, but the husband portrayed here certainly seems that way.
John Rolfe – The New World
The Pocahontas-inspired story actually centers on her love affair with Capt. John Smith (Colin Farrell). But it’s the last twenty minutes of the 2.5-hour movie that touched me the most. Christian Bale’s John Rolfe fell in love with the grieving young woman after losing her first love, and eventually married her. His brief scenes with her show how patient and loving he was towards her, even until the end when their love is tested. Their scenes together are definitely one I can watch over and over again. It’s a testament of that Bale can play a hopeless romantic convincingly. I wish he’d tackle this type of role more often! …
Paul Child – Julie & Julia
I just love Stanley Tucci, the man can do anything. Now this is one of his underrated roles which my friend Paula guest blogged for me in this Flix Character Spotlight. This movie is definitely all about the heroine that is Julia Child. But just like the phrase ‘behind a great man, there is a good woman,’ the same can be true vice versa. Paul Child was a loving and sympathetic husband who stood by Julia even before she became famous, and even when fame beckoned, he’s still supportive of her instead of becoming jealous of it like a lot of men would. …
Duke – The Notebook
I’m probably the only woman on earth who isn’t head over heels in love with The Notebook nor Ryan Gosling. I do like parts of it, and mainly the love story of the older characters. James Gardner’s Duke shows how love transcends devastating circumstances. He never gave up reading their love stories over and over again to his Alzheimer-stricken wife Allie (Gena Rowland), giving us a whole new meaning and inspiration to what ‘in sickness and in health’ marital promise is all about. ….
Gerry Kennedy – P.S. I Love You
Gerry Butler might be a confirmed bachelor, but he sure can play a dreamy husband, dead or alive. Hilary Swank’s Holly can be quite a pill but Gerry handle her rants and mood swings in stride and sense of humor. His love for her even transcends death as he leaves notes from the afterlife to help her move on. Plus, any husband who’s willing to do this silly but sexy strip dance absolutely deserves to be on this list.
Oh btw, I LOVE this deleted scene when Gerry booked the vacation for his wife days before he died. They did a good job making Butler look frail and sick, but even in this delicate condition he still hasn’t lost his sense of humor!
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Bob Rueland – Return to Me
In this movie, David Duchovny doesn’t play the role of a husband for very long but in those brief scenes, he makes for such an adorable and supportive partner to his zoologist wife. He’s funny, charming, and sweet as can be. When he suddenly lost her, his grief was genuinely moving and heartbreaking that we all root for him to find love again. When he does, he was the epitome of a perfect boyfriend, too, which is a far cry from the womanizer role he plays in Californication.
Prince Albert – The Young Victoria
I always love a good period drama and this one is one of my favorite films about British Monarch. It takes a humble and loving man to take up the role of a queen’s husband. But Albert loves Victoria so much that it hardly matters. In fact, right from the start when they were playing chess, he understood her predicament and knew what a woman in her position would need.
Princess Victoria: You don’t recommend I find a husband to play it for me? Prince Albert: I should find one to play it with you, not for you.
It’s a heartwarming love story and it’s clear that Victoria relies on her husband’s support and love to carry through such a heavy burden of ruling a monarchy at such a young age. In fact, he’s instrumental in helping her build her self-confidence. It seems that there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his wife.
Michael Green – When a Man Loves a Woman
I saw this years ago and I was quite taken by Andy Garcia’s performance. The film is quite heartbreaking, as do films that deal with any kind of addiction. Now, his behavior might not always be wise as he loves her too much to put his foot down and confront her addiction, but what matters is he sticks by her. He abides by the ‘through thick and thin’ vow of his marriage that’s often forgotten by people as soon as trouble strikes. I think even if addiction is not involved, anyone can relate to this story as no marriage is ever perfect.
Walter Fane – The Painted Veil
Now if you’ve seen this film, you might initially disapprove of Walter’s decision to take his unfaithful wife Kitty to China. It seems like a punishment for her initially and there’s perhaps an element of that in Walter’s mind but he obviously loves her so much and wants their marriage to work. I reviewed this film a while back, saying that it’s rare to find a movie that tells a wonderful human drama without being too cutesy or overly romantic. I do think that love is more than a bed of roses or candlelit dinner in fact, it’s best experienced when you’d least expect it. The journey that these two go through together sends a hopeful message that nothing is beyond repair if we’re willing to take a personal reflection and seek forgiveness. …
Carl Fredricksen – Pixar’s UP
I’ve featured this scene a year ago on this day for my 8th wedding anniversary, so Carl Fredricksen definitely has to be on this list. Who says animated films can’t contain a profound message, certainly Pixar films have done so and it’s filmed in such a delightful, charming way. Of course it’s not always a picture of marital bliss and sometimes it’s downright tragic. But the real beauty is how they shared every moment of sorrow, disappointment, as well as happiness together. I certainly hope Ivan and I will grow old together like Carl and Ellie
Now, I’m not one to give advice but if I could give just one tip to anyone looking to get married… it’s the same as the one I said last year and the years after that: ‘Marry not just the one you love, but the one you LIKE spending tons of time together with.’
Thank you my darling Ivan, for putting up with my antics, mercurial moods and endless blogging hours
So to help me celebrate this special day, do tell me what’s your favorite film that depicts a healthy marriage. Bonus if you could name your favorite movie husbands
I’m sure everyone’s seen this trailer by now, several times over perhaps? Well I don’t blame you, I have seen it about seven times already and I have to restrain myself from being overly-excited about this movie. My friend Matthew from The Movie Mash tweeted this earlier today:
Tonight I finally get to see THE AVENGERS, a movie I’ve been dying to see. Sadly, all I can think about is THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.
Ahah, well I replied back saying that only Nolan’s Batman could compete w/ the killer buzz The Avengers‘ been getting. And with a trailer like this, naturally! …
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So here are just ten things I’m excited about from this trailer:
Bane’s mumbling voice is gone! He’s a lot more comprehensible here than in the previous stuff I’ve seen. That is massive good news as it’s hard to be menacing when you can’t understand a darn thing he says! …
Selena Kyle a.k.a Catwoman kicking some serious @$$ as Batman’s ally. She seems to be more of a colleague instead of a love interest, which I think makes it even more intriguing. Of course I’m still expecting some flirtatious banters between the two. …
Seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Gotham police officer … The trailer hints that he’d have more screen time in this film, but just who is John Blake and how does he fit into the bigger picture? I can’t wait to find out! …
The vibe is absolutely ominous, dark, and brooding… There’s a lot of emotional stuff going on amongst all of the action that’s going on. Proves that superhero movies aren’t merely bombastic fluff… …
… but yet still knows how to have fun and gives us the fantastic elements we go see a superhero movie for. That last part of Catwoman riding with Batman in what we know is NOT a car promises there are fun to be had with all of those awesome Bat vehicles being put to good use! …
How even more menacing Bane is… I love that Nolan is consistent in giving the hero a worthy foe, in fact it just gets scarier with each film. In this article, Tom Hardy explains the contrast between The Joker and Bane… “The Joker didn’t care. He just wanted to see the world burn, and he was a master of chaos and destruction, unscrupulous and crazy… Bane is not that guy. There is a very meticulous and calculated way about Bane. There is a huge orchestration of organization to his ambition. He is also a physical threat to Batman.” Ouch! …
We’ll see how a hero earns his stripes… that face-off between Batman and Bane looks vicious. Will Batman survive? In the comics Bane breaks Batman’s back but are we going to see some similarities to the ending of X-Men: First Class in regards to Xavier, or will Nolan do something even more drastic? It all remains to be seen but one thing for sure we’ll see the caped crusader’s darkest hour. …
Bruce Wayne’s in love again?? The trailer shows Bruce kissing the magnifique Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate. As fans had been speculating about the presence of Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia seeking revenge on the death of her father, could it be that Tate is the Two-Face in this story? …
The amazing shots shown in this trailer, that aerial shot of the bridge getting blown up and especially the one of Batman on the bridge looking over Gotham with his cape blowing in the wind looks spectacular. …
I love the fact that even with the fairly large amount of footage being shown, this trailer still doesn’t reveal too much about the plot so it’s still delightfully enigmatic. The dialog is kept sparse and the evocative music brilliantly builds up the suspense, ascending along with the the level of high octane action depicting Gotham in utter chaos. …
In Nolan We Trust… I expect nothing less than an epic conclusion to the caped crusader saga. Part of my anticipation of seeing The Avengers is seeing this trailer on the big screen. I tell you, July 18 can’t come soon enough! …
So those of you anticipating this movie, what do you think of this latest trailer?
In anticipation for Bond 23, a.k.a. Skyfall coming on November 9th, 2012, Ted and I are starting a new monthly series called 007 CHATTER… look for it sometime in the first week of each month. … I’ve also added a new category for this, so click on 007 Chatter on the category drop-down menu for all Bond-related posts.
A few weeks ago Daniel Craig said in an interview that he would love to keep playing Bond until the producers tells him he couldn’t anymore. Now I personally think Craig at 44 is already showing his age, I mean he looked like he’s already in his mid 50s in most of the photos from Skyfall [like this one]. I honestly can’t imagine how old he’d look five years from now!
Anyway, regardless of when Craig will hang up his Bond mantel, we thought it couldn’t hurt to come up with a list of actors we believe would be great as the next 007. Btw, although we’ve seen some people suggesting that non-Caucasian actors should also be consider playing Bond, we actually won’t be doing that here and here’s Ted’s reasoning why [which I agree]:
Let’s be real here as much as I like to see a non-white actor playing the part, there’s no way the studio or the producers would consider it. I don’t want to sound like a jackass or anything but some of you probably remember the uproar when Craig was cast as Bond in Casino Royale back in the mid 2000s. The media and fans alike were all over him, they called him ugly, too short, he’s blond and can’t drive stick gear and he’s white! Imagine the backlash the producers will get if they cast a non-white actor for the role. I’m being realistic here so I don’t believe we’ll ever see a non Caucasian actor as 007, well, not in my life time anyway.
So again, it’s not like we’re opposed of the idea of a black Bond, the opposite is true, but we’re just being realistic in that we don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon.
Anyway, with without further ado, here are the actors Ted and I believe should be considered for the next James Bond, starting with the two we both absolutely in agreement with.
RUTH’s & TED’s PICKS:
Luke Evans
TED: He’s not a household name yet but that will change when The Hobbit opens this December. He’s playing Bard in the movie and for those who’ve read the novel, you know how vital his character is to the story. Apparently Peter Jackson has expanded the role, in the novel he didn’t appear until half through the book.
I believe people will think of him as the next Bond once they see him in action, actually if you saw him in Immortals then you know he can definitely play an action hero. I think Evans has the look and acting chops to play Bond. He’s young enough and by the time Craig’s done with the role, he’ll be in a perfect age to play Bond. I say he’s a mix of Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton, two of my favorite Bond actors.
RUTH: Aside from Immortals, which is the first film I saw Luke in, I also saw a few interviews with him and he certainly oozes charisma. Bond should be handsome but not a pretty boy that’s why I think Luke is perfect. He’s tough-looking with that manly square-jawed face, but still has that elegant quality, not thuggish the way some people criticize Craig for. Oh, I’ve also seen him in person at Comic-con (not personally, though I had a pretty good seat at Hall H during The Raven panel). Mr. Evans looked appropriately rugged …
Richard Armitage
TED: Another actor who I think will be a household name after The Hobbit came out. He’s playing Thorin and again for those who read the book, you know he’s pretty much the second lead in the story. I first saw Armitage in the excellent British TV series MI-5 and thought to myself this guy will be great as 007. I think he’s the combinations of Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery, but I believe he’ll be a much better Bond than Brosnan. With his deep voice and piercing blue eyes, I think he’ll be quite popular with the female Bond fans.
RUTH:
I was thrilled when Ted suggested him as I’ve been a fan of his since I saw him in BBC’s North & South. Interestingly, both him and Evans will be in The Hobbit [man, what I'd give to work for just a day on the set of that film!!] The tall, lean actor has since done mostly TV works, most notably as the baddie Guy of Gisbourne in BBC’s Robin Hood and most recently the MI-5 series where he’s very much Bond-like! Not sure if the Bond producers have seen him on that show or not, but can’t imagine they’d have to look to far for their next candidate! Oh and btw, I think he’s the most like Dalton to me: both are the same height at 6’2″ (which was the tallest Bond so far), intense with piercing eyes, AND has that irresistibly deep, raspy voice to boot!
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TED’s PICKS
Joshua Bowman
I don’t think many people know this guy unless you’re a fan of the TV show Revenge. I started watching the show last year and noticed him and I thought he could be a good James Bond. He’s quite young so hopefully he’ll grow as an actor and maybe when he’s old enough, the producers of Bond films will give him a call.
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Christian Bale
Yes I know he already played another iconic character but how cool would it be if Nolan decides he wants to do a Bond flick and demands that the producers cast Bale as the next Bond? Come on now my fellow Nolan fan boys and girls, you know you’ll be jumping up and down with excitement. I don’t think I need to say anything more about why Bale will be great as the next 007, we all know he can act and also be an action hero.
RUTH’s note:
I actually suggested Bale as Bond in this post I did back in 2010. Check out the awesome fan-made video of Bale as the suave super spy!
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RUTH’s PICKS
Karl Urban
RUTH:
If you’ve read my review of RED from 2010, then you know that I’ve been pushing for Urban as Bond. I first saw him in the Lord of the Rings movie, and even amongst such a massive cast, he was quite memorable. He’s also great as Kiril in the second Bourne movie and also in JJ Abram’s Star Trek. What I love about Urban — well other than the fact that he’s devastatingly handsome — is that he’s got that quiet intensity. He barely talked as the Bourne villain but he’s got such a strong screen presence that he really didn’t need to. He can also be funny as he displayed in Star Trek. But seeing him in RED makes me think he’d be perfect as Bond! Yes I know that the last Bond actor from Down Under wasn’t successful but hey, let bygones be bygones okay? I’d say give this one at least a screen test!
TED’s Note:
I like Urban but I think he’s still somehow looks too young for Bond and he needs to beef up a bit. Maybe his role in Judge Dredd will get him notice even more.
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Jason O’Mara
The first time I saw O’Mara was in the ABC series Life on Mars. Though he’s playing American, right away I thought he’s a Brit. I was close, he’s Irish. Most recently he starred in the recently-canceled dinosaur sci-fi Terranova and seeing him do some of the action scenes make me think he’d be good as Bond. He’s tall and lean [ALWAYS a plus, in my book Bond should be at least 6 feet tall], rugged, but can also clean up well. I also think he’s got that effortless swagger without being cocky. If he got the job, he’d be the second Irish James Bond since Pierce Brosnan.
TED’s Note:
Good choice here since he already played a secret agent in the underrated TV show called The Agency a few years back. He might already be on the producer’s short list of actors to take over the role of Bond.
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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Ok, this is kind of an off-the-beaten-path choice as he’s neither British/Irish nor Australian, but hey, if he could pull off a convincing British accent, why not? Most of you know him as the king’s slayer in Game of Thrones, but I first saw him in the prematurely-canceled New Amsterdam on CBS and took immediate liking to him. Yes, he’s a blond but then again, so is Craig. I think seeing him in the Danish crime thriller Headhunters trailer recently makes me think he’s got that edge about him that’d work as Bond. I think I’d rather see Nikolaj rising out of the water in a Speedo than Daniel [ooops, did I just say that out loud?]
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If you select ‘Other,’ please let us know in the comments who it is.
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Ok, so these are our picks. Time to discuss amongst yourself. I’m sure you all have an opinion [or two] about Bond casting
My friend Nostra at My Filmviews started this back in mid March, as if he needed to prove to anyone that he lives up to the title ‘King of all Blog Series’ that I gave him What’s this relay race all about? I’ll let Nostra himself explain:
“So what’s the idea behind the relay? I’ve created a list of what I think are the best actors. At the end of the post I, just like in a real relay race, hand over the baton to another blogger who will write his own post. This blogger will have to remove one actor (that is an obligation) and add his own choice and describe why he/she did this. At the end the blogger chooses another blogger to do the same. The idea is to make this a long race, so that enough bloggers get a chance to remove and add an actor. We will end up with a list (not ranked in order) which represents a common agreement of the best actors”
Although he may not have had any roles that stood out in the last couple of years, he has proven what an amazing actor he is. Just think of his roles in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather: Part II, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, Heat and Cape Fear.
Daniel Day Lewis
Although he might not have appeared in as many movies as some of the other actors in this list he makes up for it in the amazing performances he gives. He really disappears in his roles. Some of his best work includes My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, In the Name of the Father and Last of the Mohicans.
Charlie Chaplin
Now this might not be someone you’d immediately think of, but when it comes to comedy and silent movies he was perfect, funny and knew exactly how to make his audience care about the character he played. Some of his best work can be enjoyed in The Kid, City Lights, The Great Dictator and Modern Times.
Gary Oldman
He has proven that he is a true chameleon, with a very distinct look in every movie he appears in. His acting is always a joy to watch. Some of his best known work is that in the Harry Potter series, Leon, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the latest Batman movies and Dracula.
Philip Seymour Hoffman
He started acting in 1991 and really has had a very versatile career appearing in movies that are loved in art houses, but in mainstream movies as well. His movies include The Ides of March, Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Wilson’s War, Capote and Magnolia.
Marlon Brando
Now I must admit that I haven’t seen many of his movies, but he was stunning in his most famous role in The Godfather, but also roles in Apocalypse Now, On The Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire he wowed audiences.
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall has had an amazing career as well. I don’t know much about his early work, but I always enjoy to see him on the screen. His characters always are injected with something that grounds them into reality. He appeared in movies like Get Low, The Godfather, Colors, Apocalypse Now and THX1138.
Christian Bale
With quite the diverse range in roles, Oscar-winner Christian Bale goes to great lengths for many of his roles. From losing weight to almost unhealthy standards twice (The Machinist, The Fighter) to taking dance and martial arts lessons for 10 weeks for Newsies (a film which he dislikes), Bale consistently goes to incredible lengths to bring a role to life. Other examples of his great work include: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Prestige, Empire of the Sun, Equilibrium, and 3:10 to Yuma.
Edward Norton
The star of one of the greatest films of all time; David Fincher’s Fight Club. He has made a career out of playing characters with two sides to their personalities. From an ‘innocent’ abused choirboy with a dark side in Primal Fear right up to his turn as The Incredible Hulk, Norton does Dr Jekyll and Mr Nutcase Hyde better than anybody! American History X and Fight Club are the standout performances of his career and though he might not have a huge filmography, his casting with Brando and De Niro in The Score was a significant baton-passing to the best actor of a new generation.
My Choice: Gregory Peck
Yes I realize my pick is quite predictable to most of you, ahah. But hey, we are talking about the best actors of ALL TIME here and after seeing twenty eight of his feature films in the last six months, I can confidently say he wasn’t just a great and versatile actor, he’s an acting legend! I think even fellow AFI Lifetime Achievement Award recipient DeNiro (and his co-star in the Cape Fear remake) would vouch for him. Interestingly, Mr. Peck passed away the night DeNiro received the AFI honor, and he called Peck “elegant, distinguished and a film icon” (per People).
Most of you know he won an Oscar as the quiet hero Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, but few know that it was his fifth Oscar nomination. He nabbed the other four Best Actor nominations within the first five years of his career. Though he’s known for portraying serious roles and a lot of noble men, I think he’s as adept and convincing in his more comic roles such as in Arabesque, Designing Woman and Roman Holiday. He’s also fun to watch as an all-out bad guy, such as in Duel in the Sun and Boys of Brazil (based on what I read anyway as I haven’t seen it yet), though by his own admission he wasn’t as keen on playing. I really think Mr. Peck is the real deal, a quintessential movie star with enormous acting talent and strong screen presence to boot.
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Who I Replaced: Paul Giamatti
Oh man, I am in tears that I have to remove Giamatti from the list because I really like this guy!! I’m so sorry Scott, since you’re the one who added him to this list but if it’s any consolation, I do think he’s excellent, excellent actor but I guess out of all the nine other actors on this list, I feel like Giamatti is the one who’s perhaps more successful as a character or supporting actor, but doesn’t necessarily have that ‘star quality’ to get people to see a film simply because his name is on the marquee. I guess you could argue that about Philip Seymour Hoffman as well (which was my second choice to take out), but I do think Hoffman is the stronger and more compelling performer one of the two.
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Ok, since it’s been mostly guys who’ve been picked to do the relay, I’m going to pick another girl for the next one. So I’m handing the baton over to… Kristin @ All Eyes on Screen. All right Kris, you’ve got a week to take part in the relay. Looking forward to see who you’d add and replace! …
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So what do you think of my pick? Who would you replace if you were me? Let’s hear it in the comments!
I always love a good opening/closing credit sequence. I compile ‘em from time to time and make a favorites list like this one from last year. Seems like the excitement for The Dark Knight Rises just keeps on building. The fan-made posters since have been popping up since almost a year ago and now we’ve got a fan-made opening credits that my hubby just showed me during dinner (via Screenrant). It’s quite impressive so I thought I’d share.
The video is created by a Turkish motion graphics designer by the name of Doğan Can Gündoğdu. It’s reminiscent of the opening credits for David Fincher’s SE7EN which is also seen from the point of view of the villain John Doe.
This video shows the footage of what appears to be some grisly criminal plan that Batman’s juggernaut nemesis Bane is concocting. It’s very forensic CSI-ish and feature the people of Gotham City as portrayed by The Dark Knight Rises‘ cast: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, etc. I love how each of the cast name is introduced and the music by Massive Attack titledSuck Me Up Dub combined with the sounds of rain & thunder creates a disturbingly creepy atmosphere. The breathing sound of Bane under his mask during the footage of Batman’s broken scowl is a nice touch too.
What do you think folks? Does this make you even more excited for Nolan’s final Batman film?
Woot woot! The moment all Nolan fanboys/girls have been waiting for is here! It’s been over two-and-a-half years since The Dark Knight was released in Summer 2008, and now we’ve got the first official glimpse as to how the Batman trilogy will conclude next year. Well, it certainly looks pretty bleak with our hero getting all banged up and Gotham in utter disarray. Check it out below:
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Man, I got goosebumps by the time Hans Zimmer’s score came on as the title’s revealed. All right folks, I’m gonna say it: this looks epic!! Ok, now that I’ve got that out my system… now it’s quite obvious from the official poster that the fight between Batman vs. Bane won’t end well for our tormented hero… his cowl is all smashed up on the floor as Bane walks away. There are even more glimpses of him in a far-from-triumphant state as Bane looks down at him, muttering something about giving him permission to die… and at the end the tagline clearly says: this is it… the legend ends here. That’s quite a fascinating contrast to the title which (seemingly) implies that our hero is to rise above his enemies. Well, will he?? Of course that is for all of us to figure out come next Summer, a friggin’ long seven-month wait (thanks a lot Nolan!)
Btw, Ted and I also saw the 6-8 minute prologue in front of MI4 at IMAX on Friday. Here’s Ted’s reaction to the prologue:
I’ve seen the prologue on IMAX twice now and I can’t get enough of seeing the action on the six-stories-tall screen. Nolan said the reason he shot the film with IMAX cameras was because he wanted the audience to experience the golden age of cinema when films were being shown on Cinerama or 70mm screen back in the 50s and 60s. I think he accomplished that with The Dark Knight and now The Dark Knight Rises. …
If there’s a true IMAX theater near you, I highly recommend you check it out on the tall screen. With that said, I thought the prologue wasn’t as good as The Dark Knight‘s opening scene; it felt rushed and yes Bane’s voice was hard to understand but the montage after that scene was great. It’s nice to see Catwoman in full costume and the new Bat jet. I’m quite sure they’ll fix Bane’s voice before the film opens next summer.
Yep, I think we’ll take another trip to IMAX next Summer, Ted! I also agree about Bane’s voice… seriously, you’d think it couldn’t get any worse than Batman’s intelligible growl?? Yes, Tom Hardy’s Bane cuts an intimidating figure but if we can’t understand a darn thing he’s saying, it’ll just be downright comical!
Anyway, I’m not as thrilled as the guys about Catwoman, I mean I don’t really have any strong feeling one way or the other about Anne Hathaway, I just think she lacks the sultriness of Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns but I’ll defer judgment until I see the movie. As I mentioned here a long while ago, I much prefer Marion Cotillard in that role. She’ll be playing Miranda Tate in this one, which according to Wikipedia, miss Tate is a Wayne Enterprises board member eager to help a still-grieving Bruce Wayne resume his father’s philanthropic endeavors for Gotham.
So folks, what are your thoughts on this trailer? Are you as excited about this one as I am?
Well, for today, I thought I chose five memorable movie birthday scenes which happens to be from five of my favorite films. I wish could embed the clip, but I’d have included this one from Gone with the Wind. It’s the celebration of Ashley Wilkes’ birthday where Scarlett O’Hara suddenly showed up as everyone was singing ‘Jolly good fellow’… wearing the sexiest red outfit hand-picked by Rhett Butler himself. If you’ve seen the film you know why it’s such an uncomfortable scene but definitely a memorable one.
I actually whispered to my husband during this scene that Cavill should’ve become Superman when he grows up. Yes I know, I should be a casting agent, ahah.
