TEN Notable Foreign Actors to Watch

I love lists. Don’t you? I consider myself sort of a list-a-holic, well as far as movies are concerned of course.

As with any list, it’s a matter of opinion/preference, and it’s impossible to please everyone, as is often the case with my other top ten lists. This one in particular is not meant to be a prediction of ‘the next big thing,’ whatever the heck that means, but more of an indication that these non-American actors have been generating some buzz for current or upcoming flix, or accolades for their performance in the past year. The criteria is that they’re virtually unknown to the average moviegoing public (even if they have seen their movies), but are definitely on the radar of cinephiles and movie bloggers alike. I’m also excluding those who’ve won or been nominated for major Hollywood awards such as Golden Globes or Oscar as that means they have ‘graduated’ from this list (i.e. Marion Cottilard, who won Best Actress Oscar for La vie en rose last year).

Anyhoo, I’m sure there are far more than 10 people that belong on this list, so I’m keeping the age range between 20-40 years old and that they’ve at least been on my radar. So, without further ado, here they are:

FlixChatter's Top Ten Foreign Actors to Watch

1. Tom Hardy (Bronson, Rocknrolla)
   This 32-year-old actor first came to my attention in Rocknrolla and got rave reviews for playing Charles Bronson in Bronson. He’s got good comic skills but can pull off a drama/thriller convincingly. That versatility will surely keep him from being typecast in a given role. We’ll see him next in Chris Nolan’s Inception and the new Mad Max action adventure Fury Road, two projects that’d surely put his name on the Hollywood map.
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2. Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar, Clash of the Titans)
   I’m beginning to sound like a broken record when it comes to this Aussie thespian. My friend Mike asked me a few months ago who’s the next big thing when it comes to actors, and my answer remains the same today. This rugged actor’s got an undeniable charisma and intelligent strength in the vein of Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler. He’s the reason I haven’t ruled out seeing Terminator Salvation on DVD (eclipsing even the great Christian Bale!) and a big factor why I can’t wait to see Avatar. Hollywood’s definitely fallen in love with him, as evidenced in the barrage of roles poured upon him. No surprise there. Surely I’m not the only one who’d rather pay 10 bucks to see this guy than Brad Pitt any day! He’s quite a fascinating guy off-screen too, just check out the bad-ass Esquire interview.
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3. Carey Mulligan (An Education)
   I hardly noticed her as Kitty Bennett in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice, but the movie blogs and sites have been abuzz with praises for her performance in An Education. She’s won all kinds of breakthrough awards — including Berlinale’s Shooting Star Award —and she could very well be a shoo-in for next year’s Oscar. Her next projects are a good mix of more mainstream stuff (Wall Street sequel), as well as smaller artsy one (Never Let Me Go with Keira Knightley). With talent like this, we’ll be seeing more of miss Mulligan.
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4. Tobey Kebbell (Rocknrolla, Prince of Persia)
   I just realized that three actors on this list have been in Rocknrolla! Pure coincidence really, but it goes to show how Guy Ritchie’s pretty good at spotting real talents (as he pretty much ‘discovered’ Jason Statham). Like his co-star Mark Strong, Kebbell is quite a versatile character actor with serious screen presence. He’ll appear in the Bruckheimer’s Prince of Persia movie, and was recently cast as John Wilkes Booth in Robert Redford’s The Conspirator.
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5. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Inside Man, American Gangster, Children of Men)
   I always calls him the guy with the impossible name to pronounce but I sure notice him every time he comes on screen. I particularly liked him in Children of Men, such passion in his performance, but you can say that in almost any role he’s in (well, except perhaps Love, Actually). The handsome London-born actor could very well be the next Denzel, oh and if the Broccolis are ready to make a Black James Bond, he would be an excellent contender.
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6. Michael Fassbender (300, Hunger, Inglorious Basterds)
   300 sure made Gerry Butler a star, but the flick’s got quite a few other talented actors as well. Vincent Regan, Dominic West, David Wenham … but it’s Fassbender who got the best lines as Stelios with his ‘Then we’d fight in the shade’ and ‘Beautiful death’ quips. This German-born actor who grew up in Ireland has been catching all sorts of buzz for his notable turn in Fish Tank, Inglorious Basterds and Hunger. In the last one, he dropped down to 130 pounds (he’s 6-feet tall!) to play Irish republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. I always admire actors who willingly suffer for their art like that. I’m intrigued by his upcoming Roman-themed actioner with 300 alum Dominic West called Centurion. I guess I have a penchant for men in leather skirts =)
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7. Abbie Cornish (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Bright Star)
   She’s perhaps known in the gossip columns as the actress that broke up Reese Witherspoon/Ryan Phillipe’s marriage. Be that as it may, the Aussie actress is definitely buzz-worthy for her acting. She stole scenes in Elizabeth, and that’s saying a lot given that Cate Blanchett is the lead actress! She also drew rave reviews for her performance in Candy with Heath Ledger, as well as in the recently released  Bright Star — an aptly named film indeed as her co-star Ben Whishaw is another talent whose star will shine brightly for years to come.
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8. Sharlto Copley (District 9)
   If you have any qualms why he’s on this list, just check out District 9. I’ve been touting this South-African actor ever since that sci-fi flick came out this past Summer. The fact that he’s got virtually zero acting experience made his haunting performance even more fascinating. So far he’s only got The A-Team reboot listed for his next project, but I sure hope he’s got more dramatic roles lined up soon.
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9. Gemma Arterton (Rocknrolla, Quantum of Solace, Prince of Persia)
   Like his Clash of the Titans co-star Sam Worthington, Arterton has been offered a plethora of high profile roles in the past couple of years. Her diverse resume include everything from literary adaptations (Wuthering Heights, Lost in Austen) to big-budgeted fantasy flicks like the two mentioned above. The prestigious RADA grad’s career is so enviably juicy right now it’s mindboggling the fact that her first acting role was only as far back as 2007!
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10. Ben Whishaw
    I have to admit I have not seen one film of his, but I’m going to make an exception because well, it’s my blog darn it =) I first saw him in the creepy Perfume trailer, then Brideshead Revisited, and most recently Bright Star. There’s a calm intensity & understated sexiness about him that’s quite magnetic. The fact that he’s not exactly movie-star handsome actually makes him more all the more interesting.

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Honorable mentions:

Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, 21, Fifty Dead Men Walking)

Rupert Friend (Cheri, The Young Victoria)

Idris Elba (Rocknrolla, Obssessed)

Rebecca Hall (The Prestige, Dorian Gray)

Ben Barnes (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Dorian Gray)

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Well, what do you think folks? Any new talent you noticed recently? Would love to hear from you.

Casting & Misc. News: FlixChatter’s Highlights

A myriad of casting news have been popping up in the last few days. Here are a few that caught my attention:

• Dame Helen Mirren has joined a comic book-based thriller Red, alongside Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman. According to Empire, Willis will play a legendary assassin — he’s freakin’ John McClane, of course he’s legendary — who must come out of retirement when Freeman’s CIA director decides that he knows too much, and decides to rub him out. Mirren will apparently play one of Willis’ old colleagues, to whom he turns for assistance. Filming will begin in January in Toronto and Louisiana, and set to be released November 19, 2010.
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• The Tourist is certainly hitting one bumpy ride after another. First it was supposed to be a project by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) starring Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron, then Cruise walked off and was replaced by Sam Worthington. Soon Naluri left, followed by Theron who’s then replaced by Angelina Jolie. You’d think that Worthington would jump for joy at the chance to work with Jolie, but he’s now off the project as well. Rope of Silicon reported that Worthington might be replaced by none other than Johnny Depp — much to the dismay of my friend Corinne who immediately theorized that he’d soon hit marital trouble with Jolie as his co-star. Not that far-fetched an idea given her track record but regardless, I think having the two on-screen would be quite electrifying. If he’s indeed on board, Depp would play an American tourist drawn into a web of intrigue and danger by a female Interpol agent (Jolie) as she attempts to locate a criminal who was once her lover. Several directors are still circling the project, including Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men). Well, with a topsy-turvy pre-production like this, the movie better be good.
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• Sir Anthony Hopkins has agreed to star as Ernest Hemingway. According to EMPIRE, actor/director Andy Garcia has been working with Hemingway’s granddaughter Hilary to get the project off the ground. The project titled Hemingway and Fuentes is a drama that chronicles the two decades in Cuba that led to Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1952 novel The Old Man and The Sea. Garcia himself will play the role of Gregoria Fuentes, Hemingway’s closest friend. Rounding out the cast is Annette Benning, who’s committed to star as Hemingway’s third wife, Mary Welsh Hemingway.
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• 

  Ralston with his new 'arm'

  British director Danny Boyle apparently likes projects with numbers in them.He’s done the horror flick 28 Days Later, and now he’s set to direct a mountaineering-gone-wrong tale called 127 Hours. Even the writer at EMPIRE noted the squirm-inducing, shudder-prompting factor of the movie that’s clearly not for the faint of heart. This could be a movie I’m likely too chicken to watch. Get this: American adventurer Aron Ralston was climbing in Utah in 2003 when a boulder dislodged itself and pinned his lower right arm. He was stuck there for five days, and had to amputate his own arm in order to survive. He’s got a blog of his own if you’d like to read more about his amazing story. No news on the casting front, but one commenter suggested MichaelFassbender (300, Hunger, Inglorious Basterds) whom I think is not be a bad choice at all. Ryan Gossling could fit the bill as well IMO.

Friday Flix Question: What’s your guilty pleasure flix?

Ahhh… weekend is just around the corner, always a good thing. Just to change things up, I thought I post a question for you dear readers, ‘coz it’s Friday and we all want something fun on Fridays.

I have no qualms to fess up that I have quite a few, heck perhaps half of my DVD collections are probably comprised of them. They’re not only fun for pure indulgence sake, but also quite handy. They’re the kinds that can spice up any routine cardio workout, or offer the perfect antidote for a cold, rainy afternoon. It’s no surprise that one flix I’m going to highlight today involve a certain Scot best known for playing a Spartan King =)  No, it’s not 300, though that’s a pretty good one to pop in during a workout naturally, but it’s the 2001 USA network TV miniseries Attila — where he plays another warrior King — that’s easily one of my ‘guiltiest.’

Check out the trailer below:

It’s not aiming for historical accuracy by a long shot, but that’s a given on a production like this. I mean just look at the guy portraying Attila himself. Wikipedia describes the historical figure as “short of stature, with a broad chest and a large head; his eyes were small, his beard thin and sprinkled with grey; and he had a flat nose and tanned skin, showing evidence of his origin.” Well, Gerry Butler looks incredibly tanned for sure, looks like he had been baking under the Mediterranean sun non-stop for a full straight month. But short he ain’t, nor the rest of the description matched him in the slightest. Just take a peek at the illustration here and compare it with the promo shot of GB for the movie here. That never fails to make me chuckle.

Despite some cheesy dialog, the flick itself is quite entertaining, not bad at all for a TV movie. The cast include Powers Booth (whom I’ve never seen before but is pretty good here), Steven Berkoff, Tommy Flannagan, and Tim Curry. As you probably know, Berkoff is the actor who gave Butler his first ever acting job on the London stage. I even spotted Isla Fisher, Sacha Baron Cohen’s gal pal, as one of Attila’s many wives. I never noticed her before, but then again she hasn’t made it big until fairly recently. But the star is definitely Butler — there’s that wild and raw quality about him that’s perfect for playing Attila. Plus, he’s never looked as good as he did here, his gray/green eyes looked even more piercing with his darker complexion and jet black hair. But his commanding screen presence is what makes him so captivating to watch, it’s no surprise to me that his breakthrough role five years later had him playing another military leader. So thanks to Ralph Fiennes for casting him as Roman general Tullus Aufidius in his Corionalus project. I’ll never tire of watching Butler being all raw, intense and powerful… now, having him go toe-to-toe against Mr. Fiennes is definitely icing on the cake!

Anyway, enough about that. Now, it’s your turn, readers. I’d love to hear about your guilty pleasure!

Why the Brits/Aussies will always rule US TV

Upon learning this news that David Tenant — the popular star of BBC’s Dr. Who — will be a part of the Peacock network, I thought I’d resurrect my old post I did back in June. Funny how things haven’t changed one bit since then. Brits/Aussies still very much saturate our shows. Just this Fall, another Brit Joseph Fiennes —who’s most famous role is playing the Bard himself in Shakespeare in Love — is starring in ABC’s new drama Flash Forward. So the Scottish star’s foray into American TV is hardly surprising. According to THR, he’ll have his debut as the title character in NBC’s hourlong pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. It centers on Rex Alexander (Tennant), a top Chicago litigator who begins suffering panic attacks and takes up coaching clients to represent themselves in court. So I’m guessing he’d have to adopt a Chicagoan accent? Bummer, I wish these Brits – and Aussies too for that matter — could just keep their own accent. I mean, LOTS of real people living in the US retain their native accents (me included).

Anyhoo, here’s what I wrote back in June:

If you watch just enough TV (or in my case, read a lot about what’s on the telly but don’t actually watch them), it’s hard to deny that the Brits/Aussies are a mainstay in our living room.

We can argue the same case with Hollywood that’s pretty much overrun by foreign actors (case in point: last year’s Oscar winners consist of one Aussie actor, a British and Spanish actress, and a British director (whose film Slumdog Millionare won Best Film). That’s just the major contenders!

Now, as in the case of TV, it’s as if we’re seeing more and more foreign actors playing Americans, which begs the question: what gives? Truthfully, I’m often astounded that upon hearing some actors speak in interviews, I suddenly realize they aren’t Americans. Then I get annoyed that the producers don’t just let them use their own adorable accent and play their own nationality on TV. For some reason, they HAVE to make them play Americans–which they often do a darn decent job on–but sheesh, what a pity! I personaly would rather listen to their native tounge any day! Take Jamie Bamber who plays hunky Lee ‘Apollo’ Adama in Battlestar Galactica. I was flabbergasted when I first heard his very thick British accent on the behind-the-scenes stuff, as he pulled off such a natural American accent on screen! I’m sure most people feel the same way about Hugh Laurie, who plays that callous-but-intriguing doctor in House (whom I already knew was a Brit from Sense & Sensibility). Another example is Sophia Myles of the now-cancelled Moonlight, she has a super thick British accent in real life but her American accent is down-right flawless! Aussies seem to have equal knack for faking American accents, as displayed by Simon Baker in The Mentalist and my personal fave, Alex O’Loughlin in Moonlight. And the list goes on.

Bending accents aside, what these Brit/Aussie actors also have in spades is talent. Now, I’m not saying the home-grown ones are lousy performers, but there’s just something beguiling about expat actors that I can’t put my finger on. Perhaps it’s in the water somehow that they’re ‘born’ to be that good, or perhaps they just work harder to perfect their craft? Most of them admit that they feel lucky to be able to work in Hollywood. Frankly, the film industry in their home countries are nowhere near as robust as the US counterpart in producing dozens of shows a year. And there are only so many period dramas an actor can be involved in one lifetime (as BBC is known to make way more than one can count!). Whatever the case may be, I for one welcome the fact that foreign actors are here to stay.

Here’s the ten-best list of notable expats on TV (from current and past seasons) who play Americans convincingly:

Aussies:

1. Alex O’Loughlin – Moonlight, Three Rivers, CBS

2. Simon Baker – The Mentalist, CBS

3. Julian McMahon – Nip/Tuck, Showtime

4. Toni Colette – United States of Tara, Showtime

5. Poppy Montgomery – Without a Trace, CBS

6. Anthony LaPaglia – Without a Trace, CBS

7. Rachel Griffiths – Six Feet Under, HBO

8. Jesse Spencer – House, NBC

9. Christopher Egan – Kings, NBC

10. Rose Byrne, Damages, USA

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Brits (Irish, English, Scottish):

1. Hugh Laurie – House, NBC

2. Jamie Bamber – BSG, SciFi

3. Sophia Myles – Moonlight, CBS

4. Jason O’Mara – Life on Mars, ABC

5. Rufus Sewell – Eleventh Hour, CBS

6. Matthew Rhys – Brothers & Sisters, ABC

7. Johnny Lee Miller – Eli  Stone, ABC

8. Dominic West – The Wire, HBO

9. Ian McShane – Kings, NBC

10. Lena Headey – The Sarah Connor Chronicles, FOX

Honorable mention:
Stephen Moyer with his Southern drawl in True Blood.

Now, who’s had you fooled so far?

Upcoming Flix Spotlight: Thor

Branagh, Hopkins, Portman & Hemsworth

Is this a comic-based flick or another Hamlet adaptation? The cast for the upcoming Marvel comic adaptation Thor is is looking pretty high brow. First, we’ve got Shakesperean actor/director Kenneth Branagh at the helm. Second, the lineup includes the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Samuel L. Jackson.

I’d never peg Branagh to be doing a movie like this, which is all the more reason I’m intrigued to see what he’ll bring to the table. Seems that more and more serious thespians are joining the comic-book bandwagon, just this week it’s been reported that Dame Helen Mirren will star in an espionage thriller Red, which is based on a DC comic. Now, some might think they are merely wanting a little piece of the superhero pie as one Cinematical writer put it. She also astutely noted that the quality of these genre flicks have been greatly improved over the years that if there ever was a stigma of being involved in those, it’s quickly eroding. I’d say it’s a win-win trend for everyone involved: the project gets some kind of prestige-boost, the actors get a heftier paycheck (as films of this genre usually get a relatively bigger budget), and we the moviegoers get to see higher-caliber acting alongside some kick-ass CGI. That’s definitely not a bad thing, especially the fact that with the continued success of both DC and Marvel projects, comic book flicks surely aren’t going away any time soon.

For anyone not familiar with the comics, here’s a quick plot summary from THR’s blog: The movie’s story sees the god of thunder Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions re-ignite an ancient war. As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans. Once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Hopkins will play the Norse god Odin, who is Thor’s father and ruler of Asgard. Newcomer Chris Hemsworth (who’s last seen as Capt. Kirk’s father in Star Trek) has been given the role of Thor and Natalie Portman will play his love interest.

The movie is set to be released Summer of 2011.

Conspicuous Trailer of the Week: Prince of Persia

Another day and another swashbuckling extravaganza from Hollywood. This time courtesy of über producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure franchise, to name a few), starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the warrior prince.

I heard about this video-game based flick quite a while ago, but have been blissfully ignoring it, opting instead to keep my radar focused on another one of similar genre, Clash of the Titans. But now that the trailer’s come out, I thought I’d give my two-cents that pretty much confirmed my initial feelings about this movie.

The thing is, I’ve never been a fan of Jake’s acting (though I’m a big fan of his sister Maggie). He comes across as rather bland in the movies I’ve seen him in (October Sky, The Day After Tomorrow, Rendition), nor do I find him particularly attractive. Perhaps my taste in men is slightly off-kilter as I can’t fathom what’s so great about Brad Pitt, either.

There have been numerous gripes over the fact that Jake doesn’t look ‘Persian’ enough. I personally think Oded Fehr (who was in The Mummy series) would’ve been a better choice. But not only is he too old to play a young prince (he’s 10 yrs older than Jake), he doesn’t exactly have the star power to carry a big-budget movie like this. Regardless, as absurd as the casting choice may be, I’m willing to suspend my disbelief and come to terms with it if the actor in question has charisma and believability beyond just the physical level. Alas, despite his shiny 12-pack abs rivaling that of King Leonidas, I just don’t buy Jake as a macho action hero. He’s neither bad-ass or witty enough to carry off such a role IMO. His British accent is all right, it’s not as horrifying as I some have said, but that’s the least of his problem. Bruckheimer is probably hoping Jake would pull off a  Johnny Depp, who’s able to elevate the campy Pirates series into a huge blockbuster. But Jake ain’t no Johnny, who doesn’t need abs of steel to have a magnetic screen presence.

The trailer itself looks a heck of a lot like The Mummy, and the action and special effects are what you’d expect from a Summer popcorn flick. The rest of the cast looks decent though, it’s got Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina, as well as Brit ‘it girl’ Gemma Arterton, who’ll also star in Clash of the Titans. All things considered, this flick will probably do well. I mean, if you’re in for an entertaining romp with all kinds of sand-related SFX you could possible want to see in a movie, then this movie will surely deliver.

Speaking of video-games, I recently saw a short movie made for Assassin’s Creed game set in the Italian Renaissance era. They’re mixing live-motion (with real actors) with CGI, but it looks fantastic visually. Check it out on YouTube, no doubt it will eventually be made into a movie.

So what do you think folks? Does the trailer pique your interest?

CBS Three Rivers: Episode 5 Review

Talk about wish granted! It’s been such a slow-burn as it were, but finally the writers of Three Rivers delivered. The ‘Alone Together’ episode was by far the most entertaining and emotionally-charged episode ever. It’s got humor, wise words, heart-tugging scenes, and at long last, an engaging — albeit fleeting — love story!

The beginning felt a bit too procedural — something I’d expect out of CSI or even Law & Order series — but quite gripping nonetheless. Right in the middle of an arrest, Officer Lombardi suddenly suffers a heart attack and his partner Rena calls the ambulance to take ‘em to Three Rivers hospital. Here are the highlights of the rest of the episode:

• Finally, a glimpse into Andy’s personal life. We’re introduced to Rena, a gorgeous-looking detective, who’s none other than Andy’s estranged wife. “She’s my wife,” Andy tells Pam Lisa (the blond pony-tailed doctor) when she asks the detective to leave the ER. Lisa sort of stops for a brief moment, but then recovers quickly and greets her. Hmmm, a harbinger of things to come perhaps?
• Andy and Rena have a quick chat as Lombardi is whisked to get his x-ray taken. Things are awkward, but Rena does her best to hide it (the actress’ acting seems stiff but perhaps it’s intentional? Can’t really say). Andy asks her if she got his text about ‘counseling,’ and she says she’ll think about it and goes off to wait for Lombardi’s fiancee. Wow, things clearly haven’t been good between these two.

Dr. Jordan and Lee attend to Mr. Boyle

• Dr. Lee’s gets assigned to a ‘difficult’ patient, Mr. Boyle, whose disparaging and racist comments makes his skin crawl. Yet another hint of Lee’s ladies man’ reputation being mentioned, seriously I’ve never even seen him with the nurses all that much! Still, his comment about whether wearing a brassiere would make Lee pay more attention to him is quite amusing.
• Dr. Jordan and Dr. Lee come to see Boyle with good news that they’ve got a liver for him. Instead of being grateful, he insults Lee with his Yo Yo Ma remark. We later learn some facts about Lee through Boyle’s insightful observation, that he’s a rich kid who’s lived a privileged life all his life. They end up insulting each other, and Lee’s ready to give up on Boyle. But the ever-so-wise Dr. Jordan won’t let him, as she has a lesson up her sleeve for Lee to learn. “The secret to being a great doctor is loving the unlovable,” she says. Wise words indeed. I’ve always loved Alfre Wooddard’s performance, but I absolutely adore her here.

Andy and his estranged wife, Rena

• Lombardi and his fiancee Rebecca share a tender moment. Rena is inspired and holds Andy’s hand as they both tear up. Alex looks really, really good in this scene, something about his melancholic expression is so darn irresistible =) Sorry I digress, perhaps there’s hope for this couple after all?
• Miranda and Ryan are assigned to retrieve a liver for Mr. Boyle in West Virginia. There’s no ambulance to pick ‘em up, leaving them stranded in a high school football field. To top it off, they end up getting soaked as the sprinkler system suddenly springs up on them. Still, nothing can dampen Ryan’s spirit, ever the optimist! Once in the hospital, there’s a procurement mishap as the head surgeon claims the liver is his and he’s just about to operate his patient. Minor squabble ends up with Miranda accidentally breaking the arrogant doctor’s nose, the whole thing is pretty intense and funny. Probably one of the best in the show so far!
• Again, through Boyle’s astute observation, a juicy secret is revealed. Was Dr. Jordan the former lover of Three Rivers founder, Dr. Foster (a.k.a Miranda’s dad)? Well, that could make for an interesting storyline down the line for sure.
• Andy and Rena have another heart-to-heart… their exchange is short but speaks volumes. They still love each other — that’s never been a problem for them — but Andy’s married to his job, leaving Rena to spend Christmas and birthdays with her own colleagues year after year. But even when Rena tells him that, he still refuses to meet her half-way. They kiss, but it’s a parting kiss, as we know it’s over for them. The rock-star doctor can save a lot of people’s lives, but he can’t save his own marriage.
• Boyle and Lee patch things up. It’s a moving scene, even if somewhat expected, that shows Daniel Henney’s dramatic chops.
• The episode ends with Andy playing Rock Band in his extended-stay hotel with his Sudanese heart patient. Being ‘alone together’ is better than being singularly alone I suppose, and the two share a bond in their loneliness. Of course it’s also a not-so-subtle attempt to get Alex O’Loughlin shirtless somehow (I’m not complaining, mind you). But then again, the dude clearly spends more time at the gym than he does with his wife.

I hope to see more scenes of these doctors outside of their work. I want to see more ’soul’ and relatable scenarios, that beneath the scrubs, they’re people with issues just like the rest of us. The clip for next week episode shows a glimpse of Andy and Lisa possibly having a thing? I may be reading too much into it, but if that’s indeed true, well, BRING IT ON! =)

In conclusion, a solid episode with the kind of character insights I’ve been yearning for from the start. There are still too much hyper-realistic surgical scenes for my liking, but overall it’s definitely an improvement. If the writers keep this up, this show can — and should — be saved!

NewsFlash: Joe Wright NOT directing My Fair Lady remake?

What??! Darn, I was pretty excited about this project and Wright at the helm. But The Playlist just reported over the weekend that it was all a lie. There’s even a video on that post of the director himself admitting he passed on the directing offer, but for some reason, the press already got a hold of the false info that he was on board. He clearly didn’t sound too enthused about it, though he was rather coy about the real reason he didn’t want to direct.

Not sure if this mean this My Fair Lady remake project is now in limbo, though Wright did say Keira Knightley still might do the role of Eliza. Well, I’ll definitely keep an eye on this one. I’ll post updates as soon as I get ‘em.

 

NewsFlash: Charlize Theron & Tom Hardy cast in Mad Max 4

Charlize Theron & Tom Hardy

I mentioned last week that Sam Worthington is rumored to be involved in the 4th Mad Max sequel. But Variety reported that the role has gone to British actor Tom Hardy, who garnered rave reviews recently for his performance and physical transformation in Bronson. He’ll be joining Charlize Theron in the sequel titled Mad Max: Fury Road, with producer-director George Miller. Filming is set to start next August in Australia. No word on whether Mel Gibson — who originated the role back in 1979 when he was merely 21 — is going to have any part in the movie.

For those of you not familiar with the franchise (me included), here’s a quick synopsis courtesy of MTV movie blog: The Mad Max franchise takes place in a post-apocalyptic Australia populated by wastelands, vicious inhabitants and general lawlessness. Following the deaths of his wife and son, police officer Max Rockatansky ventures off into the great unknown of Australia’s wastelands, with his own humanity hanging on by a very thin thread.

I think Tom Hardy is an excellent choice, having seen him in Rocknrolla (as Handsome Bob who has a crush on Gerry Butler’s character, OneTwo), as well as in the Bronson trailer. He pulled off a Christian Bale by gaining 40+ pounds and muscular physique on his usually lithe 5′9″ frame to play the role of Charles Bronson. He’s definitely in my Top Ten Foreign Newcomers to Watch list, which I’m hoping to wrap up this week.

Are you a fan of the franchise? If so, what do you think of the casting choice?

Happy Belated Birthday, Rufus Sewell!

Last Thursday, the talented and ridiculously handsome British actor turned 42. Most TV watchers know him as Dr. Jacob Hood in the recently canceled CBS show Eleventh Hour — which I personally think wasn’t exactly worthy of his talent. But there’s so much more to this versatile actor, whose compelling performance is always the highlight of any movie he’s in. Whether he’s portraying a villain (The Legend of Zorro, The Illusionist), charming bad boy (Jasper in The Holiday), or historical statesmen (Alexander Hamilton in HBO’s John Adams, Thomas Clarkson in Amazing Grace), it’s hard to take your eyes off him!

The dashing Roof as Lord Marke

Among his diverse body of work, my personal faves are the 1998 period drama set in Venice called Dangerous Beauty, followed by acclaimed sci-fi crime thriller and cult favorite Dark City. There’s also his scene-stealing role as noble Lord Marke in Tristan + Isolde, one that made me wish I had Isolde’s dilemma. With a betrothed subject like that, I definitely wouldn’t be fretting over my long lost lover!

Rufus’ versatility also stretches to theater work. He performed as Jan in Tom Stoppard’s Rock and Roll at the Royal Court Theatre in London, which he later reprised on Broadway until March of last year.

My friend — and fellow Roof admirer — Becky also tipped me about this 45-minute harrowing UK documentary as a tribute to the 9/11 tragedy called 9/11: out of the blue, narrated splendidly by Rufus. It’s based on a specially-commissioned poem by award-winning poet Simon Armitage. To call it a narration is a gigantic understatement. Anybody with a decent voice can do a narration, but it takes a special artistry and no less than sheer brilliance to pull off what Rufus did here. It was mesmerizing and heartbreaking at the same time.

Rufus will appear next in a TV miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, based on a historical novel by Ken Follett about the building of a cathedral in Kingsbridge, England. More on that in a separate post.

I was hoping to leave you with the bridge scene of him and James Franco in Tristan + Isolde, but no such luck. Added 11/1: With special thanks to Becky, here’s the bridge scene in Tristan + Isolde that stole her heart (and I’m sure countless others alike, including yours truly):

And here’s a scene from ShakespeaRe-Told, a BBC four-part adaptation of Shakespeare in contemporary form. Rufus plays Petruchio in the Taming of the Shrew episode. Enjoy!

Here’s wishing Mr. Sewell many happy returns! And of course, a long lasting cinematic career.