DC Heroes...
Unknown
Terrible, unmemorable title. I understand why it’s being marketed as “Taken” or even “The Bourne Identity”, but all that does is lead to disappointed to fans who saw early screenings and review it as a let down because they’re expecting high pace action (although I don’t remember “Taken” being that action packed).
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (director of “Orphan” and “House of Wax”--both films I loved, despite CMM in the latter), “Unknown” is the story of a man, Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) who upon arriving in Berlin for a conference gets in a car accident, slips into a coma and wakes up four days later looking for his wife (January Jones). With bits of his memory returning he locates her only she doesn’t know him as she is married to the real Dr. Martin Harris (Aidan Quinn).
With all traces of his existence gone, he seeks the help of the cab driver who saved him (Diane Kruger) and a former spy (the outstanding Bruno Ganz), attempting to prove his existence and see who would want to replace his life and why.
I loved it. I think it’s a thriller like Hollywood use to make. More story driven and not just back to back stunt pieces. It’s like “Sea of Love” or “Jagged Edge”, but noir-ish. There’s a great, great scene with Bruno Ganz and someone who holds the answers to who has targeted Martin and it’s like watching a play. And the way Collet-Serra sets up scenes is superb. The camera is usually off-set so you’re not only taking in what’s going on in the foreground and in the background, playing up the stark environment to add an air of foreboding and mystery.
Performance wise, Neeson strikes the same notes that he did in “Taken”. He’s a man on the mission and he kicks ass. But he works very well with Diane Kruger (who I love so much). Bruno Ganz, an older German actor is just wonderful; a true actor.
Then comes January Jones.
The only thing dramatic about her is her hair
I don’t watch “Mad Men” and I’ve only seen her cringeworthy hosting of SNL, but is it a known fact that she is in fact a femmebot? I can’t even say she’s wooden because wood comes in variety: there’s oak, pine, elm, cedar…a lot of variety there. January is plastic. I thought her bad acting was part of the plot like maybe she was under mind-control? No, she’s just a bad actress.
Critics are giving it a C, but I think it’s a very good drama, nice action at the end.
I went to the premiere. I got there as Liam was doing press, but I couldn’t get a look at him through the throng of people. I was right in front as Joshua and Diane were meeting fans (she worked one end, he worked the other). Autograph hounds had tons of “Fringe” glossies for him to sign and said how much they loved the show and Josh said, “Flattery usually gets you everywhere.”
Inside he was just as generous with the fans. Diane ducked through the backdoors and Josh remained with Scott Foley of “Felicity”. I guess those WB parties created friendships.
He puts his arms about people’s shoulders when he takes pics vs around the waist. That stood out to me for some reason.
I sat in the row behind Kim Kardashian and her mom Kris Jenner and had to keep my bile down as Kim ran up to Joel Silver to schmooze. So if you see her in some wretched Joel Silver production it’s because she was all up in his face at the “Unknown” premiere.
Robert Downey Jr was there to support his wife, Susan who is one of the producers of the film. He looked like a college professor with this greying hair (on the sides), glasses and sweater vest. There were people standing off to the sides with their camera phones at the ready just waiting for that one person to step forward to ask for a picture (that’s what I was waiting for too), but he stood in the lobby unbothered as he talked to a few women. No one approached him.
Since Pacey Joshua is so nice to his fans and Jasika Nicole is so beautiful, I think people should support “Fringe”. Josh even asks fans to save the show. Also, Fringe producers talk the future (spoilers)
~Speaking of “Mad Men”, I attended the Paley Center for Media’s screening of “All Star Superman” DC Comics 11th animated film starring Christina Hendricks as Lois, Jamie Denton as Superman and Matthew Gray Gubler as Jimmy Olsen.
MGG did the L.A screening with Jamie Denton, Dwayne McDuffie, Andrea Romano, director Sam Liu and animator Bruce Timm.
He’s “saying” hi
His “Criminal Minds” costar Kristin Vangness was there for support
When asked if he or Jamie were nervous about taking on the roles Matthew said when he told his father about the role he was extremely excited and told him, “Don’t mess this up.” Which led Matthew to ask, “What did I mess up before?!” He says he went in with sincerity.
Matthew says he considers animation the only true medium and views it as a “fun filed where there’s true creation. In (other mediums) you’re confined to reality”. He said he loved working with Andrea because she’s a great actress in her own right. That usually when you’re running lines with someone they give a non-emotive reading, but he was able to play back in forth with Andrea. He says the next role he wants to play is a dandy velociraptor. Or Jamie’s eyebrows (Jamie says that when he acts he tends to act with his eyebrows, but when doing voicework he was afraid he wasn’t conveying enough).
There’s a scene where Jimmy is in drag and the moderator Gary Miereanu (WB’s VP of Publicity-great moderator, great promoter. Where is he when “Smallville” needs him?) said that he loved how casual Matthew was in that scene.
Matthew: I was in drag when he shot that.
Jamie: You didn’t even know that you were shooting that scene that day.
Matthew: I didn’t even know. What a coincidence.
Matthew: I know. It was a coincidence.
Jamie was asked if Teri Hatcher gave him any advice and he says that they talked a lot about it She got a big kick out of the news. He talked earlier about when he was offered the gig he said yes immediately. He didn’t care how long it’d take, he didn’t care what it paid he wanted to do it. Driving to the studio on the first day is when the enormity of it hit him: the iconography of the history of the character, the importance of the character to the fans and fans of the comic. Andrea said he didn’t seem nervous whereas after every take Christina would ask, “Is that okay?” Jamie joked that “Guys don’t do that (admit their fears).”
Jamie says he and Teri laughed about the “crazy coincidence” of their playing husband and wife on “Desperate Housewives” and playing Superman and Lois. He says that he auditioned for “Lois and Clark” but didn’t get far enough in the process to audition with Teri.
Christina did the NYC panel with voice director Andrea Romano and Dwyane McDuffie who adapted the Grant Morrison comic.
Christina at the BAFTAs
~David E. Kelley has found his Wonder Woman. And it’s someone we know and love
Fake!Kara, Dead!Jess!!
Adrianne Palicki has been cast as Diana in Kelley’s odd reimaging of Wonder Woman. Early script reviews talk about the inane change that Diana has three personalities instead of just a cover. And it’s reported that Adrianne is the only actress to have actually screen tested so either she knocked it out the park or they just want to get something committed to film and review it before they see if this pilot could really work as a series.
And before you say, “But Wonder Woman isn’t a blonde” or “Wonder Woman doesn’t have a third eye.” I say Adrianne has dyed her hair red, so black shouldn’t be that bad on her and they can always airbrush out the mole. She’s tall that’s the main thing.
I wonder how she’d look with new Superman.
The actor playing Superman first name shouldn’t be Henry. We need something butch like George or Kirk.
Talking about Wonder Woman, Mac has come out with a Wonder Woman inspired line. I guess getting tarted up is what finally got Batman’s attention.
I’m definitely getting the nail polish. The box art is cute, but I can’t say I like the makeup bags. I think it’d fit if I wore halter tops and spandex hot pants, but I don’t’. And no one has since the early 80s.
~In more merchandising news Toy Fair took place and superheroes were all the rage.
Michael Bay, Rose Huntington Whitely and Optimus Prime
RDJ and his Tony Stark doll action figure
Captain America and Thor
*Michael Caine doesn’t have an Alfred doll action figure just yet, but he does have a car. Sir Michael does the voice of a British spy car in the upcoming Cars 2.
*Casting rumors are still circulating on the next installment of The Dark Knight. The latest is that Lukas Haas will join the cast to play the Holiday Killer a character Joseph Gordon Levitt was rumored to be playing. As it stands Joe's casting is still a rumor. It's been supposedly confirmed by Marion Cotillard's reps that she is in talks of joining the film.
Superheroes also came into play at NY’s Fashion Week. Designer Jeremy Scott did an homage to heroes.
Slightly better than Clark’s Thriller jacket
~Brandon Routh shows that he’s a superhero on the court…
or a dunce. I can’t tell how well he played.
Are you supposed to walk like an Egyptian during b-ball?
All I’m saying is I played Superman. You can either trust my strategy or listen to someone who didn’t play The Man of Steel.
Ooh, yeah. This is why I love this game.
He’s so adorkable
And politically minded. Brandon presented Sen. Tom Harkin with Edward M. Kennedy National Service Lifetime Leadership Award
*Alan Ritchson also plays basketball. He plays for the Hollywood Knights. He sang the National Anthem at their game two weeks ago.
He tweeted this picture of he and Jeremy Sumpter saying that Jeremy dunked on him right afterwards. Aquaman got dunked on by Peter Pan. Shameful. We always knew Aquaman was a worthless character and now he’s proving it.
*Matthew Bomer, the man who could’ve been Superman, played football like the Texan he is at a pre Super Bowl event for Direct TV.
Texas is known for football and executions
He’s getting ready to show these amateurs how it’s done.
Showing them how to be ridiculously handsome as well.
Take that, Joker Mouth!
I hated Hayden Pantierre because I couldn’t stand her character on “Heroes”, but now I hate her because Matty cuddled with her (because he collided with her, but still!)
Participants included
Joe Maganiello of “True Blood”
a wide-mouth bass Chord Overstreet
Josh Duhamel who is pointing out his misspelled jersey
Hayden P and Jessica Szohr
Tool-tastic Josh Henderson, newly cast in TNT’s “Dallas”
Jessica Lowndes whose character on “90210” is all over the place.
~A few more stray pics of Kyle and Kristin at Sundance.
The other half of the “Red State” cast
I think KK took these in the MTV photobooth during promotion of Street Fighter
*Good twin Aaron Ashmore is joining the cast of SyFy’s “Warehouse 13”. Aaron will portray ATF agent Steve Jinks, a human polygraph of sorts - he has the unique ability to discern whether someone is lying or not. After the events of last season, which saw Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) leave her post at Warehouse 13, Jinks has been recruited by Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder) to be Pete Lattimer’s (Eddie McClintock) new partner.
I leave you with
Tom’s stunning visage
