Stars to Watch: Part 7 – Movies Spotlight – October 2011

Cinema constantly has new talent each and every year, making great films and opening audiences’ eyes to new characters, stories and worlds. October offers new films from three such talents.

Juno Temple

What She’s Been In:

A British actress, Temple, 22, got her start through her family connections – her mother is a producer, and her father is a director. In 2000 she got a small role in her father’s film Pandaemonium. However, her career did not really being until 2006 when she took a supporting role in Notes on a Scandal, only to follow it up with another supporting role in Atonement in 2007. Her performances were praised by critics setting her up for tons of supporting roles in both indie and Hollywood films, including: St. Trinian’s, The Other Boleyn Girl, Year One, Greenberg, and Kaboom. She won her first leading role in 2009, co-starring with Eva Green in Jordan Scott’s Cracks (which was not released until 2011).

Breakthrough:

While Temple has not had a big breakthrough yet in Hollywood or among average moviegoers, this month and next year should surely make her a known entity with high profile projects coming out. However, for critics and filmmakers, her work in Notes on a Scandal and Atonement placed her among the best young actresses. Each film was critically acclaimed – Notes on a Scandal receiving four Academy Awards nominations and Atonement receiving one win and six additional nominations including Best Picture.

October Films:

In October, Temple has two films. First, she stars in Dirty Girl about a high school student who does not fit in at school or in her small town. She decides to run away, bringing her gay friend Clarke along for the ride. It co-stars Jeremy Dozier, Milla Jovovich and William H. Macy. While it is a little indie film, it should showcase Temple’s ability to carry a feature in the lead role, which should translate into more opportunities for her. Then, later in the month, she has a supporting role in the big Hollywood action adaptation of The Three Musketeers. Temple plays Queen Anne, an ally to the Musketeers. It also stars Milla Jovovich, as well as Logan Lerman, Ray Stevenson, Orlando Bloom, Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans, and Christoph Waltz. The Three Musketeers will be the biggest release of her career to date.

Upcoming:

Temple has eight upcoming projects between now and early 2013 (so yeah, she has been busy). First up is Little Birds about two girls in trouble who run away to LA. Temple stars, while Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth and Kay Panabaker co-star. Next, she has a supporting role in William Friedkin’s new black comedy Killer Joe about a young man whose life is in danger due to mounting debts. He decides to put a hit out on his evil mother with the goal of collecting the insurance money from her death. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch and Thomas Haden Church. Then, she co-stars in Small Apartments with James Caan, Rebel Wilson and Dolph Lundgren about a man surrounded by strange events and odd neighbors. After that, she stars in the horror romance Jack and Diane with Riley Keough and Jena Malone about two teenage girls who meet in New York and have a connection, but one of them has a dark secret (hence the horror part). Then she stars with Alessandro Nivola, Emily Mortimer and Imogen Poots (also a star to watch) in the thriller A Single Shot about the tragic death of a young girl that starts a cat and mouse game between hunter John Moon and backwater criminals who are after him. Next, the film that could be her big breakthrough, even though she only has a small role: The Dark Knight Rises – Chris Nolan’s final piece to his Batman trilogy. After that she stars in The Brass Teapot with Alia Shawkat and Michael Angarano. It is a comedy thriller about a couple who finds a magic brass teapot that makes them money whenever they hurt themselves – how far are they willing to go? And last but not least is Magic, Magic a thriller with Emily Browning and Michael Cera about a young woman vacationing in a remote part of Chile who starts to mentally unravel.

Career Highlights:

1)      Notes on a Scandal (2006) – supporting (DVD, Streaming)

2)      Atonement (2007)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

3)      Greenberg (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

4)      Cracks (2011) – lead (DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Felicity Jones

What She’s Been In:

A British actress, Jones, 27, got her start growing up in a family that is passionate about film and theatre. Her uncle is the actor Michael Hadley. She started her career at age eleven in an after-school workshop. She got her first role in 1996 in the TV movie The Treasure Seekers and then got a supporting role in the TV series The Worst Witch. She continued to get TV roles including her first lead in Northanger Abby. In 2008 she got her first major film role in Britain as a supporting character in Brideshead Revisited. She then took a role in the Miniseries The Diary of Anne Frank and the movie Cheri. Appearing last year in Julie Taymor’s adaptation of The Tempest, she had her first theatrical release in America.

Breakthrough:

Jones has not had a major breakthrough for average moviegoers, however she had her first exposure in the States last year both appearing in The Tempest, which was poor received, and the underrated Cemetery Junction, which saw a straight to video release in the States after a theatrical run in the U.K. The film is by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and is a good comedy set in the 1970s about three working class friends in a dreary suburb of Reading looking to make better lives for themselves. The film has a nice nostalgic feel. Jones plays the love interest of the main character in the film. She is delightful and shines in all her scenes.

October Film:

Jones does have a chance to have a breakout performance with Like Crazy, a role that she already won the Special Jury Prize for Dramatic Acting at the Sundance Film Festival. The film is directed by Drake Doremus and also stars Anton Yelchin (a star to watch) and Jennifer Lawrence (also a star to watch). It is about a British (Jones) and American (Yelchin) student who fall in love, but when her visa expires she decides to illegally stay to be with Jacob. Then she gets deported. Can the two maintain their relationship so far apart?

Upcoming:

Jones has six upcoming projects. First she stars with Ed Westwick and Bill Nighy in the (most likely straight to video) snowboarding romance Chalet Girl. Next, she has a supporting role in the mystery Page Eight. The spy film also stars Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, Tom Hughes, and Michael Gambon. Then she stars in the drama Albatross about a bookish teenager who befriends a novelist who then has an affair with her father. It co-stars Julia Ormond and Sebastian Koch. After that she stars in the rom-com Hysteria about the invention of the vibrator with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy. It has been well received in advanced screenings. Then she stars in the comedy Cheerful Weather for the Wedding about a bride who realizes she is about to make a terrible mistake. And lastly, she is reteaming with her Like Crazy director for a still Untitled Project with Guy Piece, Kyle MacLachlan and Amy Ryan.

Career Highlights:

1)      Cemetery Junction (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Amber Heard

What She’s Been In:

An American actress, Heard, 25, got her start when she decided to drop out of high school at age seventeen and move to New York to model and act, and then on to Los Angeles to focus on acting. She got her first role in 2004 being cast on the pilot of The WB show Jack & Bobby. She got single episode roles on The O.C. and The Mountain as well. In 2004 she also got her first film role taking a supporting part in Peter Berg’s Friday Night Lights (which paved the way for the wonderful TV series). She took a number of roles in B-movies and TV movies before getting her next two good Hollywood roles, playing supporting parts in North Country and Alpha Dog. She did an episode of Criminal Minds and Californication as well. In 2006 she got her first leading part in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane directed by Jonathan Levine (who just made the great movie 50/50). It had a ton of positive buzz at that year’s Toronto Film Festival and was quickly acquired by The Weinstein Company, but never saw a theatrical release and after a year sitting on the shelve went straight to DVD. She next won a series regular role on the short-lived The CW series Hidden Palms (by Scream and The Vampire Diaries writer Kevin Williamson). She has since taken roles in smaller films such as Never Back Down, The Informers, The Joneses, The Stepfather, and And Soon the Darkness. Her biggest hit to date came in the form of a very funny small supporting role as 406 in Zombieland. This year so far she starred in Drive Angry 3D with Nicolas Cage, John Carpenter’s The Ward and the recently cancelled The Playboy Club (for which she was the main character).

Breakthrough:

While Zombieland and The Playboy Club increased her visibility for average-moviegoers (and TV-watchers), Heard’s first big hit (and biggest U.S. hit) was Pineapple Express co-starring Seth Rogen, James Franco and Danny McBride. The stoner comedy directed by David Gordon Green is about a process server who witnesses a murder and goes on the run with his marijuana dealer. Heard plays Rogen’s girlfriend. The film is quite funny and for most filmgoers it showcased her comedy skills for the first time.

October Film:

In October Heard stars in her potentially biggest film to-date with The Rum Diary, in which she plays opposite Johnny Depp. The film is directed by Bruce Robinson and is based on a novel by Hunter S. Thompson. It is about an American journalist (Depp) who takes a freelance job in Puerto Rico during the 1950s, only to experience a strange lifestyle balancing between the island culture and the ex-patriots who live there. Heard plays Chenault, the fiancé of a wealthy American businessman (played by Aaron Eckhart), who fools around with Depp’s character. This film, should it be well received, will likely serve as Heard’s big break in Hollywood.

Upcoming:

Currently, Heard only has one film upcoming, probably due to The Playboy Club being picked up, but with its cancellation, her slate should soon fill up. It is called Syrup and is about a slacker who has a million-dollar idea for a new soft drink. However, to see it through he must trust his attractive corporate counterpart (she works for Coke) who wants to help him succeed. Heard plays 6 (yup that is really her name), the girl at Coke that wants to help. It co-stars Shiloh Fernandez, Kellan Lutz and Brittany Snow.

Career Highlights:

1)      Friday Night Lights (2004) – supporting (DVD, Streaming)

2)      North Country (2005) – supporting (DVD, Streaming)

3)      Pineapple Express (2008) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

4)      Zombieland (2009) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

At the Movies – October 2011 – Part 1: Independent Films

Art-House Dramas:

Dirty Girl (Abe Sylvia) – Drama – Oct 7 [limited]

Summary: The film is about is Danielle, a high school student who just does not fit in. She decides to run away from home with her chubby gay friend Clarke, a bag of flour (a school project simulating childcare) and a Walkman full of 80’s tunes (as it takes place in 1987). Filmmakers: Writer-director Abe Sylvia makes his feature debut. He is working with an indie crew, including composer Jeff Toyne, good cinematographer Steve Gainer (Super) and production designer Alan Muraoka. Cast: The most intriguing aspect of the film is its great cast; it stars Juno Temple (who is ready to breakthrough in Hollywood), and has good supporting players in Milla Jovovich, Mary Steenburgen, Nicholas D’Agosta, William H. Macy, Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam, and Jeremy Dozier. Expectations: While I do not think Dirty Girl will make Juno Temple a known actress among most moviegoers, I do think it is another good role for her to get noticed by directors (plus, she has a supporting role in next year’s Chris Nolan film The Dark Knight Rises). The film itself looks like a decent indie drama – probably quirky and a little funny. But really, it is a vehicle to further springboard Temple who is a good emerging talent. Check out the trailer.

The Skin I Live In (Pedro Almodovar) – Drama – Oct 14

Summary: The Spanish film is about a brilliant plastic surgeon haunted by past tragedies who designs a new synthetic skin that can withstand any kind of damage. He decides to first try it on a mysterious volatile woman whom he is obsessed with. Filmmakers: It is the twenty-first feature film from Spain auteur writer-director Pedro Almodovar. He is again working with frequent collaborators very good composer Alberto Iglesias, cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine and production designer Antxon Gomez. Cast: The film stars Antonio Banderas with support from Elena Anaya, Blanca Suarez, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes, Barbara Lennie, and Fernando Cayo (a couple of which have been in a few of Almodovar’s other films). Expectations: The Skin I Live In was nominated for Best Picture at the Cannes Film Festival and is being heralded as one of Almodovar’s best works (as he seems to be on a great creative streak). It looks very fractured and strange (based on the trailer), but also aesthetically interesting. Many critics are calling it Banderas’s best work since Frida and a likely breakthrough for Suarez (at least in Spain). Check out the trailer.

Texas Killing Fields (Ami Canaan Mann) – Mystery Thriller – Oct 14

Summary: The film is about a Texas homicide detective who teams up with a New York City cop to investigate a series of unsolved murders in the bayous – a place where locals dare not enter. Filmmakers: Director Ami Canaan Mann (daughter of excellent filmmaker Michael Mann, who is also a producer on the film) makes her feature debut. She is working with a good group, including composer Dickon Hinchliffe (Winter’s Bone), cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh (Lone Star) and production designer Aran Mann (Ami’s half-sister, who was the assistant art-director on Collateral and Miami Vice). Cast: The film stars Jessica Chastain (who might be the breakthrough actress of 2011), Sam Worthington and Jeffrey Dean Morgan with supporting work from Chloe Grace Moretz (2010’s breakthrough actress), Stephen Graham and Jason Clarke, making for a really good set of actors. Expectations: I had high hopes for this film based on who is in it, but it is not playing well at festivals (sidebar, who is the best director whose parent(s) was/is also a director? I am drawing a blank other than Sofia Coppola). Even so, it is probably worth a rental for those who enjoy good performances and crime dramas. Check out the trailer.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin) – Drama/Thriller – Oct 21 [limited]

Summary: The film is about a young woman who is haunted by painful memories and paranoia as she struggles to re-assimilate with her family after escaping from an abusive cult. Filmmakers: Writer-director Sean Durkin makes his feature debut, and is working with composers Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes (Tiny Furniture) and production designer Chad Keith (Take Shelter). Cast: It stars Elizabeth Olsen (in what many critics are calling a breakthrough performance) with support from Hugh Dancy, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes. Expectations: Martha Marcy May Marlene was nominated for Best Film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and won Durkin the Best Director prize. It looks to be a great character drama, highlighted by strong performances. I suspect it will be among the Oscar Best Picture short list (top 25 contenders), but probably not among the final ten (though it should do well at the Independent Spirit Awards). Check out the trailer. Review.

Red State (Kevin Smith) – Horror Thriller – Oct 21

Summary: Set in Middle America, the film is about a group of teens who receive an online invitation for sex, follow up on it, only to discover that it is a ploy by fundamentalists with a sinister agenda (and then it gets crazy). Filmmakers: After probably the worst film of his career (Cop Out, living up to its name), writer-director Kevin Smith is back with probably his most unique film to date (given his past work). He is working with his cinematographer David Klein (who has shot almost all his films) and indie/TV production designer Cabot McMullen (Trucker). Cast: The film has a good ensemble cast featuring Kevin Pollak, John Goodman, Marc Blucas, Patrick Fischler, Melissa Leo, Kerry Bishe, Stephen Root, Anna Gunn, Kyle Gallner, and Michael Angarano. Expectations: Fed-up with critics, Smith decided to make Red State on his own dime and promote it himself taking it on the road to different cities across the States, where it has played to mixed reviews (the other two films he made for next to nothing were probably his best Clerks. and Chasing Amy). He also announced that it would be his third to last film (followed by the two-part hockey comedy Hit Somebody). Smith was among my favorite filmmakers of my teens (as with many my age – who does not like Mallrats at 15?) and one of my main influences to start writing and go to film school. Thus, I always want him to be successful and despite the mixed reviews I look forward to seeing this. Check out the trailer.