Stop, Mjöllnir time

If for some miraculous reason you haven’t heard the news you must be a) deaf or b) Osama Bin Laden. Anyway, the exciting juice is that I’m going to be quoted on the Thor movie poster! FREAKIN’ THOR! Paramount contacted me about it last week and after I hastily gave my approval (which went something like Me: “Of course you fucking can!” Them: *chuckle*) I wen t about shouting the news to the world. I tried getting it on News Of The World, but they didn't bite. I don’t know what exact quote they’re going to use or when the new praise posters are going up and out . . .but I will keep you posted. I always thought my first time quoted on a movie poster would be for some indie horror film only I liked, so there you go. I give good quote.


















In the meantime, this gives me the perfect excuse to share the above genius piece of poster art from Dave Williams. It’s a minimalist version of the Thor poster and put simply, it rocks.

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Thorsome

Thou shalt heartily enjoy the adventures of mighty Thor, the Hamlet of comic-book movies. He's the laughing stock of the Marvel universe, but director Kenneth Branagh has turned the hammer-wielding, old English speaking Thor into a Shakespearean hero. It's fitting, considering Branagh is a three-time Oscar nominee for writing, acting and directing film adaptations of Henry V and Hamlet. Essentially that's what Thor is; a Hamlet-esque family drama set within an action-filled fantasy film with comic-book leanings.

Unlike previous films based on popular Marvel comic-books (Iron Man, Spiderman, Hulk, Daredevil) Thor is set within two worlds; Earth and Asgard. Asgard is the fantastical realm where Norse gods such as Thor (Chris Hemsworth), God Thunder, and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), God Of Mischief, live under the rule of their father King Odin, played straight-faced by Anthony Hopkins despite wearing a ridiculous Gold eye patch. It's a land that has been living in peace since a brutal war with the frost giants, peace which is nearly jeopardised when Thor leads his brother and his warrior buddies Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Fandral (Josh Dallas) and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) into their realm for a spot revenge. But King Odin doesn't look kindly on Thor turning Frosty The Snowmen into gravel with his powerful hammer (which, like a boomerang, returns to him on command) and he banishes the ``vain, greedy, cruel boy'' to Earth. This is where Thor literally crashes into scientists Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and Professor Andrews (Stellan Skarsgard), and their assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings), who witness his arrival as an astrological event in the New Mexico dessert. As the trio try to help the fallen God adjust to his new environment and work out how he got there, a plot of treachery, revenge and moral corruption is unfolding back home in Asgard that could threaten the fates of both worlds.

In Branagh's first big-budget studio outing he has proved himself as mighty as his subject. While many directors have lost themselves and the story within the action-scenes, special-effects and CGI laden worlds of comic-book movies, Branagh has managed to include all of the above while grounding the film with an emotionally charged, complex family drama. Interestingly it's not within the breathtaking, utterly spectacular CGI-created world of Asgard where the magic happens; it's on Earth. Thor's arrogant, privileged manner provides much of the film's humour as the fish out of water tries to negotiate a world of mere mortals. And by negotiate, I mean ushering cars out of his way like lowly cattle as he walks down the main road or strutting into a pet store and demanding a horse.
"We only sell cats and dogs,'' says the startled shop keeper.
"Then give me one big enough to ride.''

Aussie Hemsworth gives a thundering performance as Thor, backed by Oscar winners Hopkins and Portman, and a plethora of other amiable supporting turns from Dennings to The Wire's Idris Elba. As has come customary with a Marvel Studios outing, there's an extra scene at the end starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the leader of the "super secret boy band'' S.H.I.E.L.D which funds The Avengers. It gives you a peek at perhaps one of the villains for Buffy creator Joss Whedon's highly anticipated super-hero mash-up, The Avengers, which will feature Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Captain America and more in 2012. Until then, comic-book geeks and mere mortals will be heartily impressed by the mighty Thor.

Thor opens in Australia on Thursday, a bunch of other countries April 27 and in the USA on May 6.

P.S. Marvel movie regular Agent Coulson returns, as well as Marvel’s Godfather Stan Lee in a chuckle-worthy cameo. And as you’ve probably heard by now, one of the main Avengers also gets some screen time in Thor . . .

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That's just Ludacris. No, really.

As one of the most successful rapper-turned-actors, Chris `Ludacris' Bridges has starred in Oscar-winning films such as Crash and Hustle and Flow. That's not to mention blockbusters like 2 Fast 2 Furious, RocknRolla and Max Payne, or his illustrious career as a Grammy-winning, platinum-selling rap artist. It would seem hes done everything, but there was still one thing on Bridges to-do list; a romantic comedy.

The 33-year-old stars in Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman's No Strings Attached and says he ``really enjoyed'' his first rom-com experience.
``I like doing roles where I surprise people and just doing different stuff a lot,'' he says.
``I really had a good time and it's the number one film here in the States, so I'm hoping to have the same kind of effect in Australia.''

In the film Bridges stars alongside Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman as best friends who begin a physical relationship.
He says working with the two actors was the highlight of his time on set.
``It was great working with Ashton,'' he says.
``He's really cool and laid back, just a humble guy; not necessarily the Punk'd person you see all the time.
``And Natalie Portman man, this is her year.
``She's come out with Black Swan and she's in three other movies this year.
``I think that she's just shining right now. I'm really proud of her and I wish her well.''Bridges is one of the few rappers who has been able to forge a successful career as an actor and be taken seriously in dramatic roles, unlike Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Ice Cube, DMX or Sisqo.
But he's quick to discount the praise and says he's just "glad people understand and respect what I'm doing.''
``I think Will Smith is the most successful rapper turned actor, but I appreciate the compliments,'' he says.
``It feels good, you know, I really like the acting.
``I love it so much and I think people understand how focussed and how much work I've put into it.''

He says his career as a rapper definitely helped a crossover into acting.
``I think because we're making music videos, it's already a form of acting; we've written the lyrics and we're kind of acting our own lyrics out on to camera,'' he says.
``I think that's half the battle, trying to be comfortable in front of the camera and being able to display words.
``It's the best transition and I think it helped out in the process of acting.''But unlike his peers, Bridges never intended to make the leap into movies. While working on the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack, it was Boyz N The Hood director John Singleton who pushed Bridges to join the cast.
``Actually John Singleton was the first person who asked me to be in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious and once I got in the movie I really liked it and the process and that I had a chance to do it, you know.
``I guess I can attribute John Singleton asking me to be in the movie to me loving it and continuing to do it now.''

No Strings Attached is out tomorrow.

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Aronofsky takes flight with Black Swan

A ballet horror film. It’s not a term commonly thrown around, but that’s what always-evolving director Darren Aronofsky has made in his latest feature Black Swan. The opening sequence alludes to what awaits audiences – both terror and beauty – as Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) dances a captivating ballet solo before being confronted by a demon. Alas it is all a dream, as once Nina awakes we are jostled into her life as a professional dancer at an American ballet company.

She is something of a kidult, with a bedroom resembling that of a 12-year-old Taylor Swift fan and gets tucked-in by her domineering mother (Barbara Hershey) – who she lives with - every night. But she is also ambitious and when it’s announced the company’s principal dancer (Winona Ryder) is going into a reluctant retirement, she sees an opportunity. Nina campaigns for the role of the Swan Queen in their upcoming take on Swan Lake. But landing the part is just the beginning of her problems. Although her “sweet girl” personality perfectly encompasses the White Swan, she has trouble as the seductive and evil Black Swan, leading to increasing pressure from the director (Vincent Cassel). As Nina becomes obsessed with trying to be “perfect” and find a darker side of herself, the line between reality and psychosis starts to pirouette out of her control. Black Swan is tipped as one of the films to lead the Academy Award nominations this month (it’s already up for four Golden Globes) and it’s easy to see why. It’s a majestic spectacle that examines the nature of ambition and how one’s personal demons can become literal. Darren Aronofsky is a director to be admired; from Requiem For A Dream and The Wrestler to executive producing fellow Oscar favourite The Fighter and his next project – the Wolverine sequel - he never does two films alike. It was a brave choice to make a film that wavers between dance drama, psychological thriller and full-blown horror, but it pays off. While others would have stumbled trying to capture the complexity and detail of ballet routines, he takes it with aplomb and plunges the camera deep within the sea of dancers, weaving us in and around their movements.

As much as the spectacular ballet and stunning costumes are engrossing, it’s the character development and unexpected thrills that draw you in. Portman’s portrayal of Nina is particularly absorbing and as she plunges deeper into madness, you’re dragged down with her. Like Aronofsky’s use of imagery throughout, Nina too is black and white, yin and yang, with Portman managing to be both fragile and terrifying. Acclaimed French actor Cassel is also superb, along with the ensemble cast in Ryder, Hershey and Mila Kunis (below) as a wild child and rival within the company.Unfortunately Black Swan is weighed down slightly by some ballet movie clichés, such as the bulimia moments, cattiness and stage parent/demanding director stereotypes. Like Aronofsky’s Requiem, it’s also brutally humourless, with Kunis providing the closest thing to a reprieve from the dark subject matter.

There hasn’t been an accessible ballet horror film since Italian horror filmmaker Dario Argento’s cult classic Suspiria in 1977, and while it’s sub-genre that will never exist outside of the sub, Black Swan makes the most of a rarely danced stage. It has been thrown into the same sentence as Oscar favourite; Christopher Nolan’s Inception, which was a concept-driven film, supported by great performances while Black Swan is a character-driven film, supported by great dancing. It takes the audience places few would dare to go and is ultimately an exercise in bravery as not only Aronofsky, but his entire cast (especially Portman), took huge risks to make this confronting and at times controversial film. Black Swan is out January 20.

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Favourite Movie Friday with director David Michod

The film critic-turned-filmmaker’s debut film Animal Kingdom took out a jury award at Sundance and a tonne of others at the IF Awards in Sydney last month (including best director and best lead actor). He also wrote Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natalie Portman vehicle Hesher, which is out next year, but most importantly, he shared his favourite movies (or movie rather) with me here:

“It’s so weird, there are so many different movies I really love but the one I think I love most is Apocalypse Now. In part because it works on such a grand scale, but it’s full of such beautiful detail. It was the first time I remember watching a movie and thinking `it would be fun to make that movie. Terrifying, but an adventure. It represents everything I love about films, making them and watching it.”



You can read my exclusive interview with David Michod here.

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It's what all the cool kids are doing . . . edition #3

Handsomecharlie Films

Run down:

Natalie Portman said she was sick of waiting around for studios to offer her juicy roles so she started her own production company. Through Handsomecharlie Portman has written and will direct her first feature film, Eve, which is due for release in early 2009.

Released films:

Only founded in April of this year the company hasn’t released any films.

Up and coming films:

Eve- see above for details

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits- due for release in June, 2009 in the US it stars Portman in the lead role in this comedy/drama that details the story of a woman's difficult relationship with her stepson.

Suspira- a remake of the classic Italian horror film this has a 2010 release date and no word yet as to who will star or direct. A bold choice for a project.

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