Year: 2016

Happy Birthday: Amy Irving

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amyirving.jpgAmy Irving

Born: September 10, 1953 in Palo Alto, California, USA

Married to:
Kenneth Bowser (1 November 2007 – present)
Bruno Barreto (27 September 1996 – 29 January 2005) (divorced) (1 child)
Steven Spielberg (27 November 1985 – 2 February 1989) (divorced) (1 child)

(1977, about her decisions on working with her then partner) I would love to work for Steven [Spielberg] but, right now, I want to make it on my own first. I do not ever want to be known as “Steven Spielberg’s girlfriend”.

MOVIE POSTERCARRIE
1976
dir. by Brian De Palma
Stars:
Sissy Spacek
Piper Laurie

posterCROSSING DELANCEY
1988
dir. Amy Irving
Peter Riegert

 

Happy Birthday: Chris Columbus

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chriscolumbus.jpgChris Columbus

Born: September 10, 1958 in Spangler, Pennsylvania, USA

Married to:
Monica Devereux (1983 – present) (4 children)

I was up on 140th Street in Harlem, in 1992. It was 3 in the morning, and I was walking back to get a cup of coffee. These two young kids came up to me and said to me, “What movie is this?” I said, “Home Alone 2,” and they said, “What do you do?” And I said, “I’m the director.” They said, “Oh, you’re John Hughes!”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
2001
dir. Columbus
Starring
Richard Harris
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
dir. Chris Columbus
I LOVE YOU BETH COOPERI Love You Beth Cooper
2009
dir. Columbus
starring
Hayden Panettiere
Paul Rust
MOVIE POSTERHOME ALONE
1990
dir. Chris Columbus
Stars:
Macaulay Culkin
Joe Pesci		 MOVIE POSTERHOME ALONE 2
1992
dir. Chris Columbus
Stars:
Macaulay Culkin
Joe Pesci
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002
dir. Columbus
starring
Daniel Radcliffe

 

Happy Birthday: Harry Treadaway

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harrytreadaway.jpgHarry Treadaway

Born: September 10, 1984 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK

You know the way that children play make-believe in the garden? I did that and I thought, ‘This will do for life. Why would I want to do anything else?’

MOVIE POSTERTHE LONE RANGER
2013
dir. Gore Verbinski
Stars:
Johnny Depp
Armie Hammer

CONTROLControl
2007
dir. Anton Corbijn
Starring
Sam Riley
Samantha Morton
City of Ember
2008
dir. Gil Kenan
Starring
Tim Robbins
Murray

 

Happy Birthday: Bill O’Reilly

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billoreilly.jpgBill O’Reilly

Born: September 10, 1949 in New York City, New York, USA

Generally speaking, the elite media believe that the majority in this country — white Christian Americans — are prone to oppressing the minority. The elites rightfully point to the civil rights struggle as an example of how the majority can hurt a minority until the forces of reason stepped in.

Because look … when 2 percent of the population feels that you’re doing them a favor, just forget it, you’re not going to win. You’re not going to win. And I don’t have any respect by and large for the Iraqi people at all. I have no respect for them. I think that they’re a prehistoric group that is — yeah, there’s excuses.

Happy Birthday: Ryan Phillippe

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ryanphillippe.jpgRyan Phillippe

Born: September 10, 1974 in New Castle, Delaware, USA

(On working and being with Reese Witherspoon on the film Cruel Intentions (1999)): It was great. I’m the luckiest guy in the world. Not only personally but professionally. She was an asset to the movie and we begged her to do it. She didn’t have as colorful a role as Sarah’s and mine, but she did an amazing job. Really elevated the piece.

Cruel Intentions
1999
dir. by Roger Kumble
starring
Phillippe
Witherspoon		 The Lincoln LawyerTHE LINCOLN LAWYER
dir. Brad Furman
Stars:
Matthew McConaughey
GOSFORD PARKGosford Park
2001
dir. Robert Altman
Starring
Helen Mirren
Kristen Scott Thomas		 MOVIE POSTERCRASH
2004
dir. Paul Haggis
Starring:
Don Cheadle
Sandra Bullock
Chaos
2005
dir. Tony Giglio
starring
Jason Statham
Phillippe
Wesley Snipes		 FLAGS OF OUR FATHERSFlags of our Fathers
2006
dir. Clint Eastwood
Starring
Phillippe
Jesse Bradford
BREACHBreach
2007
dir. Billy Ray
Starring
Chris Cooper
Phillippe		 Stop-LossStop-Loss
2008
Directed by Kimberly Peirce
Starring
Phillippe
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
FRANKLYNFranklyn
dir. Gerald McMorrow
Starring
Ryan Philippe
Eva Green		 actorDAMAGES Season 5
Starring:
Ryan Phillippe
John Hannah

Happy Birthday: Guy Ritchie

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guyritchie.jpgGuy Ritchie

Born: September 10, 1968 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Married to: Jacqui Ainsley (30 July 2015 – present) (3 children)
Madonna (22 December 2000 – 21 November 2008) (divorced) (2 children)

I’m not politically motivated. I used to be – passionately. I used to be very Left wing. Then I went very Right wing, and now I rest somewhere in the middle.

 

Snatch
2000
dir. Ritchie
Starring
Benico Del Tero
Brad Pitt		 MOVIE POSTERSHERLOCK HOLMES A GAME OF SHADOWS
dir. Guy Ritchie
Stars:
Robert Downey Jr.
Jude Law
RocknRollaRocknRolla
2008
dir. Ritchie
Starring
Butler
Tom Wilkinson
SHERLOCK HOLMES Movie PosterSherlock Holmes
2009
dir. Ritchie
Stars:
Robert Downey Jr.
Jude Law
Rachel McAdams
posterLOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS
1988
dir. Ritchie
Starring
Jason Flemyng
Dexter Fletcher

Happy Birthday: Colin Firth

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colinfirth.jpgColin Firth

Born: September 10, 1960 in Grayshott, Hampshire, England, UK

Married to:
Livia Giuggioli (21 June 1997 – present) (2 children)

[on losing the girl to both Ralph and Joseph Fiennes] If I want my career to go on, I’m going to have to find some more Fiennes brothers! However, any similarity between them basically stops at their last name. I was in no way reminded of Ralph by working with Joe. I got on fantastically with both of them. I have huge admiration for them as actors but I couldn’t compare them.

The English Patient
1996
dir. Anthony Minghella
Starring
Fiennes
Juliette Binoche		 Love ActuallyLove Actually
2003
dir. Richard Curtis
starring
Hugh Grant
Bill Nighy
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRINGGirl with a Pearl Earring
2003
dir. Peter Webber
Cast
Scarlett Johansson
Firth		 THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBANDThe Accidental Husband
2008
dir. Griffin Dunne
Cast
Uma Thurman
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Mamma Mia
2008
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Starring
Pierce Bronson
Amanda Seyfried		 A SINGLE MAN Movie PosterA Single Man
dir. Tom Ford
Stars:
Firth
Julianne Moore
Matthew Goode
DORIAN GRAY Movie PosterDorian Gray
dir. Oliver Parker
Starring
Firth
Ben Barnes		 A Christmas Carol Movie PosterA Christmas Carol
dir. Robert Zemeckis
Stars:
Jim Carrey
Gary Oldman
Firth
MOVIE POSTERTHE RAILWAY MAN
2014
dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Stars:
Nicole Kidman
Stellan Skarsgard		 MOVIE POSTERTINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
dir. Tomas Alfredson
Stars
Gary Oldman
Colin Firth
MOVIE POSTERMAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT
2014
dir. Woody Allen
Stars:
Emma Stone
Colin Firth		 MOVIETHE KING’S SPEECH
2010
dir. Tom Hooper
starring
Helena Bonham Carter
Colin Firth

 

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: SIERANEVADA (Romania 2016) ****

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

sieranevada_poster.jpgSIERANEVADA (Romania 2016) ****
Directed by Cristi Puiu

Starring: Mimi Branescu, Mirela Apostu, Eugenia Bosânceanu

Review by Gilbert Seah

Romanian director Cristi Puiu is not known for his short films. His last success “The Death of Mr. Lăzărescu” clocked in at 150 minutes while his latest SIERANEVADA runs longer at 176 minutes and takes place mainly in three rooms in a cramped apartment where members of a family argue and argue and argue. Skeletons come out of the closet with no end. When a few guests leave the apartment, they still argue outside.

Is Puiu’s film unbearable? It will be to some, but his film is quite a masterwork of black humour well orchestrated and his film is actually very funny. The main character is Lary (Mimi Brănescu) who is first seen in an extended sequence lasting close to 15 minutes arguing with his wife Laura (Cătălina Moga) in their car.

They are attending a memorial dinner with relatives. The big joke is that nobody ever get a chance to eat until the very end. One wonders too, how Puiu places his camera in such a tiny apartment with all the characters running around.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=906FeQTD3iQ

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: MA VIE EN COURGETTE (MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI) (Switz/France 2016) ***** Top 10

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

my_life_as_a_zucchini_posterMA VIE EN COURGETTE (MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI) (Switz/France 2016) ***** Top 10
Directed by Claude Barras

Starring: Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccoud

Review by Gilbert Seah

The surprise hit at Cannes and the Swiss entry for the Best Foreign Film at the next Academy Awards, MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE is pure delight. It is stop-motion claymation full of life and emotion – the story of an orphan who lands himself in a foster care home after accidentally killing his mother.

All the other orphans have endured traumatic experiences including child abuse, neglect and crazy parents. Yes, it is an adult, black comedy that is suited for adults and older children. There is also a very funny sex education portion, so parents with littler children should note.

The boy, called Courgette by his mother, is at first bullied but finally finds no only acceptance and true love but a new foster father. The bully not only becomes Courgette’s best friend but saves the day. Barras knows how to tell a a story and evoke emotion like tears of joy.

The sensitive script is penned by Céline Sciamma (writer-director of GIRLHOOD and TOMBOY) adapted from Gilles Paris’ novel Autobiography of a Courgette. Running at only 66 minutes, this is one film you would not want to end.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d9N5Y_sN8Q

 

Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: DOG EAT DOG (USA 2016) Starring: Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

dog_eat_dog_poster.jpgDOG EAT DOG (USA 2016) **
Directed by Paul Schrader

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, Louisa Krause

Review by Gilbert Seah

Paul Schrader, best known as the writer of TAXI DRIVER and RAGING BULL and director of AFFLICTION, directs this crime black comic cape (based on a 1995 novel by writer and ex-convict Edward Bunker) about three ex-convicts out to make good with one last score.

Trouble is that the three, led by Troy (Nicolas Cage) with Mad Dog (Willem Dafoe) and Diesel (Christopher Matthew Cook) are all violently crazy and cannot b trusted to do anything right. Worst still luck never seems to be on their side and trouble seems to follow them wherever they go.

Schrader has a cameo as the mafioso “The Greek” who has just the job of kidnapping a mobster’s baby. But the film is not as good as it sounds. The trio’s antics get boring after a while. The fact that the audience has no sympathy for any one of the three does not help either.

The last segment of the film makes little sense in continuity. Over violent, a staple in Schrader’s films, does not always work in black comedies.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt0FkSTyffs

Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

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