Greg Nicotero, Don Hertzfeldt and Many More Featured in Fantastic Fest 2010’s Short Film Slate
Welcome to Framed, a column at Cinematical that celebrates the artistry of cinema — one frame at a time.
For most of his career, Canadian director David Cronenberg has been known for his intelligent and disturbing genre films. However, Cronenberg isn’t just a horror filmmaker — he’s a genuine auteur with a keen visual eye and a recurring set of thematic concerns that turn up in the majority of his work. Unfortunately, it has taken the director crossing over into more mainstream fare to get people to notice how truly talented he is. Yet, even Cronenberg’s more commercial cinema marries beautiful imagery and extreme violence in an uncomfortably alluring fashion. One need look no further than his work with actor Viggo Mortensen for proof of that.
Today we’ll be looking at a frame from one the duo’s collaborations, 2007’s Russian mob drama Eastern Promises.
Mortensen plays Nikolai, the chauffeur/cleaner for a Russian mafia boss in London. He meets Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife, after she starts snooping around in his boss’ business when she finds a diary on a young Russian girl who dies in childbirth. Nikolai tries to keep her out of harm’s way while rising through the ranks of the Russian crime syndicate and finding his own life in peril. It’s hard to discuss the film’s narrative with any more detail than that because to reveal too much ruins what is a masterful film. Trust me when I say that if you haven’t seen Eastern Promises, you should.
You should also stop reading here because there is a big spoiler ahead. Hopefully you’ll see the movie — which is definitely a Blu-ray worthy purchase — and then come back to read the analysis.
Filed under: Drama, Critical Thought, Columns, Images
Continue reading Framed: Eastern Promises
Watch Joe Warren KO Joe Soto for Bellator featherweight title
The Netherlands begin their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign against plucky San Marino, but as you can see here, they’ve picked up where they left off in the World Cup final. Nigel De Jong is very excited.
But no, that’s not really the Dutch — new captain Mark van Bommel would never allow such a weak display even in training — it’s actually something called Fight Football. Here’s how they describe it on the Fight Football League’s website…
Fight Football League (FFL), is an organization which promotes a new
form of entertainment that takes
inspiration from an ancient game called "Harpastum".This very popular game during Roman Empire was practiced as a training
for battle, it is the foundation of modern Soccer and Rugby and it is
still played once a year since 1500 in Florence, Italy with the name of
"Calcio Storico".Fightfootball takes the essence of these legendary games, introducing
innovative rules and equipment to develop a tough but safe game.In the FFL the objective is to score goal, however, players are allowed
to fight their opponents using several fighting techniques. FFL Rules
are manifold, it is only allowed to fight only one against one, it is
not allowed to strike when running or towards whom is running, no
hitting from the back or on the ground, injuries or
KOs can consequence into the elimination of the player.Footballfighters are athletes coming from different backgrounds, mainly:
Calcio Storico, Rugby, Boxing, Wrestling and "Mixed Martial Arts". FFL
training is the ultimate workout, Footballfighters need to be in
condition to run and fight to defend themselves, their share of playing
field, their teammates and ultimately score goal.
Two thoughts immediately come to mind after reading that. 1) Rino Gattuso missed his true calling, and 2) if the Azzurri practiced Calcio Storico it just might solve all their problems.
Romulo Barral Crossing Over and Back to MMA
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News
Less than a year after Dana White tweeted that Karo Parisyan would never fight again in the UFC, “The Heat” has been welcomed back to the organization and offered a fight against Dennis Hallman at UFC 123 in Auburn Hills, Mich.
MMA Fighting confirmed the news with two sources close to the situation, as well as Parisyan himself Thursday afternoon.
Both Parisyan and Hallman have yet to sign the bout agreements, which have been issued to both fighters, but both fighters have verbally agreed to the welterweight bout.Karo Parisyan Welcomed Back to UFC, Offered Dennis Hallman at UFC 123
Maria Sharapova Deserves More Respect
Filed under: Athletics, AL West
NEW YORK — Craig Breslow pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings Wednesday night for Oakland at Yankee Stadium but he compiled a more impressive statistic a few hours earlier.
“We raised about $12,000,” Breslow said before the Yankees beat the Athletics, 4-3. “It’s pretty unique to offer a fundraiser on the road at a visiting stadium. To put the Yankee name on anything kind of drives up interest.”
Breslow sponsored a luncheon in a Stadium steakhouse for his Strike 3 Foundation to battle cancer in children. His older sister overcame it when she was young and Breslow still entertains thoughts of medical school. To stage a charity event in a rival’s stadium before a game is unusual but Breslow is hardly a stereotypical athlete.
A Yale graduate with a single degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, Breslow is, among other things, the archetypal “Moneyball” player sought by A’s general manager, Billy Beane.
Breslow was undervalued by other teams and got away from Milwaukee, San Diego, Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota. He paid dues in the minor leagues. But the 30-year-old lefthander who works out of the bullpen is having his second consecutive good season in Oakland.Athletics’ Craig Breslow Pitches In to Battle Childhood Cancer
LSU QB Jordan Jefferson Has Aged More Than a Year in Past 12 Months
Filed under: Michigan, Ohio State, Big 10
Ohio State vs. Michigan football is one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports.
With changes to the format of the Big Ten Conference, fans could see this matchup twice a season starting next year. FanHouse TV’s Terence Moore thinks Woody Hayes would have loved it.
Click to watch:
.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
The ‘OMG’ singer overcame personal drama and proved his staying power on the charts over the past year.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
src="http://www.mtv.com/news/photos/u/usher_onenightstand_kickoff_110208/promo/281x211.jpg"/>
Usher
Photo: Brad Barket/ Getty Images
Usher has reigned as Pop & B royalty since he hit the scene as a teen crooner in the ’90s. Back when his 16-year-old protégé, Justin Bieber, was still a toddler, the ATL singer was making the ladies faint with hits like “You Make Me Wanna” and “Nice & Slow.” But his early success was just a prelude to the music-world domination he’s achieved with club bangers and deeply personal slow jams in the years since.
Usher’s divorce from Tameka Foster was the latest personal development to fueled his 2010 chart-topping album Raymond v. Raymond. Now the singer is set to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, and his smash “OMG” will battle it out for a Moonman in three categories: Best Male Video, Best Dance Video and Best Choreography. Here’s a look at how the singer’s recent success has steered him toward VMA accolades:
Following the release of the divorce-themed “Papers,” his more upbeat video “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” premiered in January 2010. The clip followed the romantic superstar as he tried to juggle the demands of his professional and personal life.
In March, Usher talked to MTV News about incorporating that balance into Raymond Vs. Raymond. “I think this is the one time where I’m able to put it all in, emotionally and the good times — super-freaky and then also super-emotional.”
So, it wasn’t a big surprise that when Raymond Vs. Raymond finally landed on shelves after several delays, it landed at #1 on the Billboard 200 with over 300,000 scans during its first week.
He went from romantic to racy, busting out his signature, fluid, hip-swiveling moves in the video for “Lil Freak,” featuring Nicki Minaj. The star didn’t hold back in the visuals or the lyrics, which both detail a freaky rendezvous with some very game ladies. Usher revealed that this track, like many of his other hits, was inspired by real-life experiences.
The club anthem “OMG” featured Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am and revealed the R&B kingpin’s more club-friendly side. The accompanying video showcased Usher’s easy swagger and ever-sharp dance skills.
Raymond was such a hit that in August the singer released Versus, an extension of the smash album featuring songs like the Jay-Z collabo “Hot Tottie.”
Usher, who has a history of tearing up the VMA stage, will return to the main event this year. He recently reminded his fans that live television paired with his onstage wizardry can result in some seriously unforgettable moments. “You never know what’s gonna happen on an MTV VMA stage,” he said. “I look forward to making it a night to remember.”
The star has also made one of the most savvy moves in recent pop music history by signing teen phenom Bieber, who has gone on to induce global tween hysteria and set YouTube records.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12. The party starts with MTV News’ VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through September 12.
Related Artists
Elle Fanning Arrives at Venice Film Festival
Enjoying her time overseas, Elle Fanning was spotted making her arrival at the 67th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy today (September 3).
Joined by costar Stephen Dorff and director Sofia Coppola, Miss Fanning looked lovely in a plaid dress and knee-high boots as she posed for the paparazzi.
Elle is in town to promote her new movie ?Somewhere,? set to premiere at the festival this week before hitting theaters in the States on December 24th.
Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, ?Somewhere? is about a hard-living celebrity who changes his life when his daughter comes to live with him.
Chris Brown
Victoria Beckham
Deanna Russo
Will Smith
Paul McCartney
Wes Craven Praises Young Additions To ‘Scream 4′ Cast
‘[Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell] do have a very significant and exciting role in the film,’ director reveals.By Kara Warner
Wes Craven
Photo: Getty Images
Wes Craven fans have a lot to be excited about these days, as the beloved writer/director has not one, but two highly anticipated projects on his plate, the first of which is a horror/thriller due October 8.
The second project is “Scream 4.” the long-awaited fourth chapter in Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson’s hugely popular franchise, which not only reunites the original cast (David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox), but includes a slew of popular young stars, including Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Rory Culkin, Shenae Grimes and Lucy Hale.
When we caught up with Craven to discuss “My Soul to Take,” we couldn’t help but prod the man in charge for some “Scream 4″ scoop, beginning with how he managed to assemble his original stars.
“Well, I could take credit for it, but it wouldn’t be accurate,” he said.
By the time Craven was asked to direct, Dimension studio head Bob Weinstein had already secured Cox, Arquette and Campbell.
“It was just a matter of me saying, ‘Sure,’ ” Craven added.
For the director, the allure of rejoining the team to work on a good script was icing on the cake.
“I think all of us wanted to do something written by Kevin [Williamson] and to work together again,” he said. “We all had such wonderful times on the first three. It has been a return to a great deal of fun — just the pleasure of working together again. We know each other inside and out. There’s a lot of shorthand and a lot of fun memories from our past escapades.”
Regarding the new additions to the franchise, Craven was full of praise for his young stars.
“The young cast is amazing,” he said. “They’re extremely bright and a very varied cast. … They’re just great to work with. It’s fun to be doing that combination of the sort of classic actors of the first three and this new group of kids. [They] have very different and fresh personalities and great acting talent.”
And what about the plot? How does it fit within the franchise, and how does it differ?
“It’s a clear and/or pretty well-known [fact] that it’s a return to Woodsboro for Sydney Prescott, who is Neve’s character,” Craven said. “Courteney and David have, as they did in real life, have gotten married and are living in Woodsboro, so it’s the story of Sid’s return to Woodsboro and the series of events that take place there where those three are thrown together in a wild and crazy way, and then a group of kids that get meshed in the plot.”
Speaking of that group of kids, Craven went on to say that managing the appearances of all his young stars — most of whom are speculated to be making quick cameos — has been a pleasure rather than a headache.
“Well, that’s the great joy — it’s fun,” he said. “A lot of these actors I didn’t know that well or have not worked with most of them, or any of them, as a matter of fact,” Craven explained. “They always say, ‘It’s great working with you. I’ve wanted to work with you for a long time,’ but it’s wonderful working with actors like this that are very young and have a large following already because of their talent, and just to spend one or two days with them to do these kind of set/bit pieces is a lot of fun.”
With regard to those one- or two-day roles, we tried to get Craven to reveal a few specifics about two recently announced “guests” in particular: Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell.
“I don’t know what I’m allowed to say,” he laughed. “They do have a very significant and exciting role in the film, let me put it that way.”
What do you think of the star-studded “Scream 4″ cast? Who do you think will be the villain? Tell us in the comments!
From the saucy Jessica Alba in “Little Fockers” to James Franco’s grueling journey in “127 Hours,” the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films’ biggest stars.
Check out everything we’ve got on “Scream 4.”
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
Exclusive Clips From The Fall’s Most Anticipated Films
Related Photos
Fall Movie 2010 Preview Week: Exclusive Photos
Phoebe Cates
Lauren Conrad
Kevin Federline
Fergie
Patricia Arquette
SPEED’s Heat Fact Press conference, CM & BTS
Members of the super idol group SPEED attended to the press-conference of Aeon Co.’s ”Topvalue: Heat Fact” winter collection in Tokyo, on Sept. 2th.Heat Fact is a clothing line AEON released in September 2009. Yukina Kinoshita used to be the spokesperson from 2009 till half of 2010. Now SPEED has been chosen to represent the brand’s winter collection, which includes warm undergarments, leggings, simple tops and so on. SPEED members walked down the runway, presenting 4 fresh and grown-up styles: Takako wearing an adult yet cute garment, Hiroko in a mountain girl style, Eriko in a simple red garment and Hitoe making a multi-layered bold statement.Meanwhile, from the reporters were asking their questions, Takako chants out loud "Heat Fact, Heat Fact!". The group looked at her in surprise and laughed along with the audience. Hiroko had to bow down and excuse her fellow bandmate for being so loud and hyper. SPEED, having such a strong friendship bond, even though the CM process took a long time, they said they enjoyed it and had a great time. Along with the new song produced by Hiromasa Ijichi: ’Let’s HEAT Up!’, which will be released eventually (according to Hitoe), the CM and clothing styles, we get to see their different and rather unique personalities. Even if a PV is released for this song, I don’t think it’ll be the same as the video shown in the CM. (Just like NEWS RUSS K CMs) PS. Takako’s such an airhead, as always LMAOSource: speedisback.net
Angelina Jolie
Leila Arcieri
Nicole Richie
Lily Allen
Katy Pery
Colonel Tigh for Dumbledore, Laura Roslin for McGonagall
NBC develops ‘adult Harry Potter’ seriesThe creator of Battlestar Galactica is developing a new magic-based series for NBC.Deadline reports that Ronald D. Moore is working with Sony TV on a new project described as “an adult Harry Potter” set in a world where magic rules and the laws of science do not apply.The new series is believed to have received pilot and series penalties totaling close to $2m.Moore previously signed a two-year deal with Sony in May. His previous work includes Battlestar and spinoff series Caprica, both of which were co-produced by David Eick.In addition to Moore, Sony has also made a drama development deal with Smallville creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, who are currently working on a reboot of Charlie’s Angels.Source
Leila Arcieri
Nicole Richie
Lily Allen
Katy Pery
Spencer Pratt