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Stardust, The Air I Breathe, Playing by Heart, The Good Shepherd, Hairspray & He’s Just Not That Into You: 6 Good Movies with Brilliant Casts

Posted on April 10, 2010 Written by ripitup

If you are anything like me, you have some actors whose projects really entertain you. But sometimes those actors come together to star in a film. So for instance what’s better than seeing Michelle Pfeiffer acting with Robert De Niro? Adding Mark Strong to the list. And you provide the comic relief with Ricky Gervais. Beauty? Siena Miller. New talent? Charlie Cox. Before you know it, you have one hell of a cast. Here’re my 6 favorite ensemble casts:

1) STARDUST

Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Claire Danes, Siena Miller, Charlie Cox, Ben Barnes, Ricky Gervais, Mark Strong and Henry Cavill.

Magical, thrilling, romantic and visually wonderful story of a young man (Charlie Cox) after a star (Claire Danes), the star co-operating so that she can go home, princes after a crown necklace and the witches after the star’s heart. For many more details, photos and trailer of Stardust:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/20-reasons-to-love-stardust/

2) Playing By Heart

Playing by Heart starring Sean Connery, Angelina Jolie, Gena Rowlands, Ryan Phillippe, Gillian Anderson, Madeleine Stowe, Jon Stewart, Dennis Quaid. There’s also Ellen Burstyn and Jay Mohr. I love this movie and the cast. Photo: http://www.moviegoods.com

Starring:Angelina Jolie, Sean Connery, Dennis Quaid, Madeleine Stowe, Jon Stewart, Gillian Anderson, Gena Rowlands, Ellen Burstyn, Jay Mohr, Ryan Phillippe.

It is romantic, sweet and at times really funny. You can check out the plot here.

3) The Air I Breathe

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Emile Hirsch, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

If you like any of these actors and enjoy intersecting stories, you will enjoy this one. Sure, the undertone is very dramatic and it is slightly depressing but it is hopeful. Love, hatred, depression, anger, revenge, fun, loyalty,….. You name the emotion and you will find the story. No event is unrelated here. Andy Garcia is the villain. Kevin Bacon plays a really nice guy. Refreshing, right?

4) The Good Shepherd

Starring: Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Lee Pace, William Hurt, John Turturro, Billy Crudup and Alec Baldwin.

1960s. CIA agent Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) is faced with a crisis as some crucial information might be leaked to enemies. As the agents try to figure out who is responisble and who the info was given to, we start learning about Edward’s past with flashbacks going into the late 30s. We learn about what made he who he is from his childhood to his days at Yale, from the ww2 and onward. The cast is by far one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen. It might be due to the fact that De Niro is the director. Great film. It is a drama thriller.

5) He’s Just Not That Into You

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johannson, Drew Barrymore, Justin Long

Don’t wait by the phone, don’t make excuses. If he is not calling you, he is just not that into you. Based on the refreshing relationships book by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo. Extendend review for both the movie and the book can be found here.

6) Hairspray

Hairspray starring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes. Fun, colors, the hair and more fun…Photo: drkruznutty.files.wordpress.com

Now, you may have watched an Hairspray film made in 1988, written and directed by John Waters. And it is not that its cast is unknown, featuring names like Sonny Bono and Deborah Harry. However, you might realize that it was rated 6.8 votecd by over 8.000 people. However the Hairspray film that I’ll brag about I from 2007 and it is rated 7.2, voted over 40.000. So yes, we are facing a remake rated higher than the original.And I have no intentions of seeing the original.

Because John Travolta is a terrific actor and a singer and he is playing a woman! The wife of Christopher Walken! Absolute hilarity! And you have seen the cast, right? Yes, Michelle Pfeiffer makes a kick-ass bitch. James Marsden is a great actor, yeah- but here he shows us that he is an amazing singer too. And br ready to forgive Zac Efron for the Highschool Musical series. Yeah he still plays a guy in high school but the guy can sing rocknroll. Just forget about his pop idol/teenage-girl magnet reputation. If a guy can sing rocknroll well, he will have my respect. I also vote for the jet black hair.

If you aren’t entertained by this film-regardless of how you feel about musicals- I am sure what will put a smile on your face. Directed by Adam Shankman (A Walk to Remember).

Feel free to add your favorite ensembles. In the meantime, here’s a list of posts on these actors:

ANGELINA JOLIE:

Beyond Borders

Lara Croft Tomb Raider The Cradle of Life

The Most Gorgeous Women in Haollywood

Lee Pace:

Possession

The Fall

Soldier’s Girl

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

James Marsden:

Julie Delpy:

Bradley Cooper:

Yes Man

Zac Efron:

17 Again

City by the Sea starring Robert De Niro, Frances McDormand and James Franco

Posted on February 20, 2010 Written by ripitup

City by the Sea with Robert De Niro, Frances McDormand and James Franco. Gripping, emotional, intense. Just the way we like to get from De Niro. Plus, James Franco is really good too.

Police Dedective Vincent LaMarca (Robert De Niro) has had walked out on his wife and eventually his son Joey (James Franco) and moved away from Long Beach. He is happy hanging with his girlfriend Michelle (Frances McDormand) and just doing his job.

Meanwhile, his estranged son has turned into a junkie and killed a drug dealer in a fight. With his son’s name as the head suspect, Vincent’s other past secrets will resurface and he will have to deal with everything he has run away from. Things are not what they seem and his girlfriend might just regret she ever wanted him to open up…

***

Need I say De Niro is great as the estranged father with a troubled past? His character Vincent has flaws he is not proud of but he has done a good job of avoiding them so far.

James Franco is really good as the bright-boy-turned-junkie. The movie is really good asking some troubling moral questions and dealing with the relationships between the characters.

City by the Sea is by no means a thriller. It is a slow-paced, strong drama with characters you care about. It makes you react to events and question motives and reasons. Expecting action sequences will only disappoint you. This is a fine drama which should especially be seen by Robert De Niro and James Franco fans.

6.1 on imdb. It deserves something over 7, at the very least. Hell, 10/10 for Robert’s acting and presence alone. Let me know what you think.

20 Reasons to Love Stardust- feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro & Charlie Cox

Posted on January 22, 2010 Written by ripitup

Stardust starring Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro. Image via amazon.

Stardust is- hats off- one of the most entertaining, beautiful, fun and impressive movies I have ever seen. The story is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman. It is an advanced fairy-tale for adults which children can enjoy as well. It is complicated, original, life-like and lovely. Complete with witches, kings, throne-thirsty princes, stars, pirates…The whole works. Yes, I am extremely positively biased because I love absolutely everything about the movie. Hang around and see if you agree.

1. The Novel: Neil Gaiman

The story is based on Neil Gaiman’s novel.

2. The Story: Jane Goldman – Matthew Vaughn

Little English village Wall is bordering next to a magical kingdom called Stormhold. While Wall is a typical English town with typical humans, Stormhold has witches and weird stuff going on. Right now, the main question for the King and the remaining sons (3 sons have been murdered by their brothers) is who will own the crown. The king-to-be is supposed to acquire the jewel, which flies out the window and into the sky. The sons start chasing the star while trying to get rid of each other.

The jewel causes a massive reaction in the sky, causing a star (Yvaine) to fall down- in the form of Claire Danes, wearing the jewel.

Tristan Thorn is young man has to get the star to show to his beloved Victoria. Victoria is a spoiled young woman who is merely using him. Tristan and Yvaine have to start an unwilling alliance, since she needs Tristan’s magical candle to go back home. How Tristan came to possess the candle has a beautiful story of its own.

But of course things are more complicated: 3 sister witches need to get the star. One of them goes out to get it- they need to cut out the star’s heart and eat it, to restore beauty and youth. The journey is full of adventure, surprises, interesting characters, dangers, romance and fun.

3. Direction: Matthew Vaughn

Vaughn is a British director who previously directed Layer Cake with Daniel Craig. Haven’t seen it yet, but I fully intend to. Of course has nothing in common with Stardust, apart from Vaughn himself. But I don’t care if he doesn’t direct anything I like ever again. Stardust is perfect and Vaughn deserves a lot of credit for that.

4. The whole movie crew: Especially production, cinematography, effects and make-up.

Amazing. If you saw the movie, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, wait till I go over the cast members.

5. The Score:

Just right. Adds to the magic, action and romance.

THE CAST

6. Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer in Stardust. No worries, we see both versions in the movie. Image credit: People.com

She is the witch out after our star. She is just breath-takingly beautiful and cunning. Michelle Pfeiffer is brilliant as the main villain. She has always been my favorite actresses and one of the women I find truly gorgeous. She is a woman to be envied and admired.

7. Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro in Stardust. If you thought Jack Sparrow was interesting…

You have never seen him De Niro this. I watched tens of movies of him and I thought I had seen all his faces. I was wrong. His performance as the captain of a lightning- catching pirate ship (now, that sounds like a great job) is just hilarious. Without him, the movie would just not be half as good.

8. Charlie Cox

Charlie Cox in Stardust — Charlie plays Tristan. And I thought all the good looking men were born in the 60s…Shame on me.

Cox Plays our male lead Tristan. He makes a perfect transition from the naive boy to the smart guy- getting only more handsome with the captain’ touches to his image. He grows wiser but remains nice and romantic. The result? Eye candy and lovable character all in one. Cox is growing up nicely. I previously watched him in Casanova. Period pieces and swords just become him…

9. Claire Danes

Stardust- Claire Danes with Charlie Cox — Claire Danes is lovely as Yvaine.

She is just adorable as the star Yvaine. She shines (both literally & metaphorically) throughout the movie. She has the truest observations about mankind. She is pretty and I totally forgave her for boring me to bits in Romeo + Juliet (I dislike the movies as a whole, not just her as Juliet)

10. Ben Barnes

Ben Barnes has a small part as Tristan’s father’s youth. He conveys innocence, curiosity and fascination perfectly. I wish he had a bigger part but hey, the film-makers worldwide seemed to agree with me that Ben is a great actor so he went on to get leading parts in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Kasbian, as Prince Kasbian and Easy Virtue. They also seem to agree that Ben is just as beautiful as a man can get since they cast him as Dorian Gray in Dorian Gray.

11. Mark Strong

Mark Strong in Stardust — Mark strong rocks as the ambitious prince after the jewel.

I had first seen Mark Strong in Body of Lies starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo di Caprio. He played his accent so perfectly; I could swear he wasn’t a native English speaker. He is English however and he is a marvelous actor. He can make you forget you saw him in any other role. He truly becomes his character. He is perfect as the King’s smartest, most cunning and charismatic son. He also makes one badass villain in Sherlock Holmes.

12. Henry Cavill

When I found out that the guy playing Victoria (Sienna Miller)’s arrogant jerk of a boyfriend- who also seemed really awfully blond and stupid- was the same gorgeous Henry Cavill who stars in The Tudors next to Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Wow! Kudos to making department for making Henry repelling. That takes talent.

Henry Cavill in the Tudors — Henry in The Tudors. Now, that’s the Henry Cavill we are used to.

13. Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller in Stardust — Sienna Miller as Victoria. Tristan’s journey starts because of her.

I don’t know why people think she can’t act. I think she gives whatever the role requires. She plays the beautiful and superficial Victoria just right. I also loved her as Casanova’s true love in Casanova.

14. Kate Magowan

Well, Tristan owes his existence to her. Literally. She is one of the key characters. I can’t imagine anyone else for the part. She is pretty, strong and determined.

WITH

15. Peter O’ Toole

He has only about 5 minutes as the king but who cares? He is Peter O’Toole and we love to see him on the screen.

16. Rupert Everett

Same 5 minutes goes for Rupert, but he really is good for an idiotic prince.

17. Nathaniel Parker

He play’s Tristan’ s father. Aside from the best father figure one can have, I think he is a good choice for Ben Barnes’ grown-up version. However I can’t see Ben turning into him in 18 years. Maybe 36? But hey- I guess it was tough being a single dad during those times…

18. Ricky Gervais

Always funny to see him. I especially enjoyed his part this time I saw Stardust- having recently watched The Invention of Lying and Ghost Town.

19. Ian McKellen

How is that for a narrator?

20. Seriously? You need more reasons? You have got to be kidding me!!!

7.9 from IMDB, voted by over 87.000 people. Not bad, but I voted it a 9, just for the record. What are you waiting for? Let the magic begin. I think I saw it 4 times already. And no, I am not done with the movie yet.

The trailer is below.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6_gBg4XjWk[/pro-player]

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GARY OLDMAN: Talk about diversity!

Posted on June 19, 2009 Written by ripitup

Gary as himself,probably during Batman times

So your friends adore him and think he is a terrific actor.You have seen him in Leon and saw that in deed he can pull “psycho” off very well.You see him in a bunch of other movies and realize he is talented. But you also tend to” forget his face”. What I mean is, Gary in JFK looks nothing like the Gary in Murder in the First.Is he really in The Contender too? And you appreciate his acting more. His voice differs,his expressions change.Why am I talking about him like I have never seen any other actor do it? Well,frankly I have never seen an actor to transform so utterly without the help of the renowned make-up artist Rick Baker! Wanna challenge me on that? Cool. Let’s take Robert De Niro. He is an amazing actor. But I don’t think I’m the only one who finds his roles a little too familiar? How many times have we seen him as the ex- macho/horribly dangerous who will destroy you in a second guy ending up in a funny situation? (Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, Analyze This, Analyze That, Showtime…) or the mobster? Yes, I respect him. I have seen Cape Fear and all that. But he tends to repeat himself. All actors do at some point, I guess. Frankly,recently he has only pleasantly surprised me was in Stardust. I have seen so many of his movies,spread out in over 4 decades but I hadn’t seen the facial expressions and physical comedy he performs in Stardust. Totally different role,totally different guy. Kudos to De Niro.

Let’s get back to Oldman though.He is barely recognizable- all the time!

Actors get into a variety of styles. Brad Pitt plays in Fight Club and Meet Joe Black. Have you seen him in Legends of the Fall? But it is so obviously Brad Pitt. Di Caprio can play the pretty Romeo and then a CIA agent under cover in Middle East, perfectly mixed with the locals. His accents change, not his voice. His clothes change, not exactly his mannerisms. And this is not exactly a bad thing…I am just stating an observation.

Al Pacino was unrecognizable in what movie exactly?Maybe I should post pictures of him in particular roles for the sake of visualization. Think Scarface. Think the Godfather. Think Frankie and Johnny. Think The Devil’s advocate. He is terrific but he is obviously Al.

Now; back to Gary:

?n The Unborn — The Unborn: The movie might be bad, but Gary never fails his role.

Gary-Oldman-The-Scarlet-Letter_2