Favourite movies with the cast of I Love You Too

To celebrate the release of genuinely decent, funny and bitter-sweet film I Love You Too, I thought I would hit you with the casts (above) favourite movies. I spoke to Yvonne Strahovski, Brendan Cowell and Peter Helliar (writer, producer, star) last fortnight ahead of the films premiere at Movie World. Here are their choices:

Peter Helliar -

"The Godfather, it’s probably one of my favourites films. A great Serbian film called Underground. Sideways. I love Wes Anderson, so most of his stuff. And Boogie Nights, Magnolia and The Station Agent."

Yvonne Strahovski -

"Dancer In The Dark because it just had such an effect on me. I’ve carried from that trying to do films that have big effects on the audience. The Last Of The Mohicans. And when I was a kid Big, I had a big crush on Tom Hanks."

Brendan Cowell -

"The Blues Brothers, I watched that a couple o’ 100 times as a kid. I think it has everything and the music was awesome. I liked Punch Drunk Love, that was a beautiful movie. Secrets & Lies, that’s a Mike Leigh film. And anything by Lukas Moodysson, he’s my favourite director, so Show Me Love, A Hole In My Heart and Lilya 4-ever. And The Station Agent."

In semi-related news, Cowell mentioned he is next starring in a play titled True West, which is playing at Sydney’s The Wharf this October. It’s being directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman (below) and he had this to say about working with one of his idols:

"I think he’s arguably one of the greatest actors in the world. I love his choices. He inspired me a lot because he’s so instinctual from role to role, which is something I strive for and really inhibiting characters.

I auditioned for him in New York for a couple of hours and I learnt so much in those two hours working with him. I’d do the scene, look at him and he’d give me direction and then I would turn around and face the wall and go `it’s Phillip Seymour Hoffman!' "I Love You Too is in cinemas now.

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Me love you long time

Above: Yes, I am nerd. Peter Hellier, Movie Mazzupial, Yvonne Strahovski and Brendan Cowell at Movie World yesterday.

AS an 11-year-old boy, Australian comedian Peter Helliar came to Movie World and was picked out of the crowd to participate in the Lethal Weapon live show. Now, more than 20-years later, he returned to the theme park that captured his imagination with his own film.
"It's great, to be able to come back with my a movie of my own,'' he said.

Helliar was at Movie World with Brendan Cowell and Yvonne Strahovski, the stars of his film I Love You Too which premiered at the theme park last night. Shot in Melbourne, the romantic comedy follows a commitment-phobic man (Cowell) as he tries get back with the woman of his dreams (Strahovski) and say `I love you too'. Helliar, who wrote, produced and starred in the film, said the idea came to him when he forgot to lock his car on the way into the movies.
"It just came from a simple little story and I thought `what would be the worst thing that could be stolen from my car?'' he said.
"It would be something personal, not material, probably like a love letter which thankfully I didn't have in the car at the time.''

Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and Helliar is `confident audiences will be touched' by it.
"It's like I've seen the scans and the baby's healthy. Its heart beats fine,'' he said.
"Not a box-office result or review could change the way I feel about the movie.
"Watching it with a packed cinema of people ... it hasn't really hit me how vulnerable I've made myself.''

Last seen playing a courageous WWI hero in Beneath Hill 60, I Love You Too star Cowell joked he prepared for his role as leading man in a romantic comedy by watching Hugh Grant films.
"I'm honing my Hugh Grant,'' he said.
"He is a master. Harrison Ford is a master of running and Hugh Grant is a master of rom-com.
"That look that Yvonne and I have, the connection look, I studied that look in Notting Hill and he's very good at it.''

A rising star in America thanks to her role as a sexy spy in hit show Chuck, Strahovski was attracted to the role of Alice because she is a `normal girl'.
"She's like all girls in relationships and she wants to find someone, fall in love, connect, have a life with them and grow old with them,'' she said.
"It was different for me because I play a spy on Chuck I've been doing that for three years and it's very stylised and heightened.
"This is a lot more normal and closer to reality.''

I Love You Too also stars Peter Dinklage and super model Megan Gale in her debut movie role.
I Love You Too opens in cinemas on Thursday, May 6 and stay posted for some more exclusive stories, interviews, review and favourite films with the cast.

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The hills are alive...with Australian tunnelers

Based on a true story during WWI, Beneath Hill 60 follows a secret team of Australian tunnelers who are recruited to dig under the German lines. New to the group is Captain Oliver Woodward (Brendan Cowell) who leads them to blow up an integral German defence post. The victory sees the mish-mash of engineers, soldiers and diggers, such as Norman Morris (Gyton Grantley), Frank Tiffin (Harrison Gilbertson) and Sergeant Bill Fraser (Steve Le Marquand), given a new mission: to bring down Hill 60. Together they fight to defend a labyrinthine tunnel system under the German stronghold and fill it with enough explosives to change the course of the war.

As far as Australian war films go, this is one of the best. Packed with action and plenty of drama, this is a nail-biting film that utilises the claustrophobic environment to great effect. The performances in the trenches are solid, with a who's who of Australian actors filling out the strong supporting cast. Brendan Cowell gives the performance of his career as Woodward, one that should surely win him an AFI at the very least. The film falters in the flash back scenes to Australia, where the beautiful Bella Heathcote's turn as love interest Marjorie is so awkward and uneven you cannot help but cringe.

The special-effects are impressive and realistic looking, as are the sets, costuming and larrikin sprit that underlines much of Beneath Hill 60. Like all war films it is not easy going, but there is an Aussie spark throughout which should hit home with audiences. Despite being hugely entertaining, this is an important film for all generations as it sheds light on some of our most unrecognised soldiers.

Beneath Hill 60 opens in cinemas this Thursday, April 15.

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