Philip Seymour Hoffman

Interview: Director Richard Curtis on Rock, Politics, Sex & ‘Pirate Radio’

BrianTT — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:41:55 -0700

CHICAGO – The legendary Richard Curtis returns this week with “Pirate Radio,” the story of Radio Rock and the first disc jockeys to ever play rock and roll in the United Kingdom. Co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Sturridge, and many more, “Pirate Radio” is another ensemble comedy from the man who made the beloved “Love Actually” and wrote “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill,” and created “Black Adder”. Curtis recently sat down with HollywoodChicago.com (and Matt Fagerholm of Film Monthly and Locke Peterseim of RedBlog) to discuss his new film and its inspirations.

Naturally, if a writer is going to make a film about the power of rock music, he probably has a pretty close kinship to the tunes of the era himself. Curtis vividly remembers tuning into Radio Rock on his transistor, a moment copied for the very first shot of “Pirate Radio”.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (left), Rhys Ifans (center) and director Richard Curtis (right) star in Richard Curtis rock and roll comedy PIRATE RADIO, a Focus Features release.
Photo credit: Alex Bailey

Curtis says, “In England, it was hilarious in the sixties. I went to a boarding school, and it really was like 1949. All the hair was unbelievably short, you couldn’t run in the corridors, you couldn’t talk after lights out, you sung endless hymns with the wet pilgrim in them. That’s why it was so fantastic to listen to rock n roll undisciplined.”

Philip Seymour Hoffman stars in Richard Curtis rock and roll comedy PIRATE RADIO, a Focus Features release.
Photo credit: Alex Bailey

Even tuning into Radio Rock was an adventure in itself - “You were like a safe-cracker, because the stations were hard to get. They had very small frequencies, and it was the thing about volume level. If it was too quiet you couldn’t hear it, but if it was too loud, the matron who stalked along the corridors could hear it, so you had to get that perfect level.”

His first favorite song was “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” by The Four Tops, the first single he bought and a song he remembers watching climb the charts, as made-up as those charts may have been. Curtis says, “I remember Chapel was on, which was compulsory, and a guy called Richard Griffiths and I were hiding in the music rehearsal room. I remember the DJ saying that “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” had gone from number sixteen to number TWO. I was unbelievably excited, because these days all records enter in number one, but in those days they went from thirty, although the great thing about Pirate Radio is they made up the charts. They really were piratical. They didn’t pay PRS, they made up the charts.”

Beyond The Four Tops, picking the music for the incredible soundtrack to “Pirate Radio” was a crucial part of production - “Well, you know, it’s so interesting now because you write on computers which are also a jukebox. So the moment I started [writing] it, the first thing I did was download about sixty songs that I was tempted by, and that got up to about 300. I always use pop music to cheer me up during very long days of writing and about 15 of the songs were actually written in to the script. January Jones is called Eleanor so that we could play “Eleanor” [by The Turtles] and the guy was always going to say at the beginning, “We’re going to broadcast all day and all of the night” [making The Kinks song a natural fit].”

“And then I did an iPod with thirty songs per DJ to give them all a sense of it, and when we edited the movie, all of those were on a computer. We had a music editor, and he and I would meet at the end of each day and do a new section. I wanted music all the way through the film, apart from the Ken Branagh bits. We ended up being self-selecting. You think you want one song for a scene, and then you play it next to the scene and it doesn’t work. It’s a song that only becomes interesting after thirty seconds, and it’s only a twenty second cue. So you find your way, as if by magic, to the songs.”

Director Richard Curtis (left), January Jones (center) and Chris ODowd (right) on the set of Richard Curtis rock and roll comedy PIRATE RADIO, a Focus Features release.
Photo credit: Alex Bailey

What most interested Curtis about the story of Radio Rock might surprise you. It wasn’t just about the music. It was something that has always interested him - “friendship and group dynamics”.

Curtis explains, “In this movie, [while] the historical passion idea was pirate radio and pop music, the comic idea was eight megalomaniacs in a small house. I sort of thought whatever the American equivalent would be, David Letterman and Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien not only working in the same space, but actually living with each other 365 days a year. So that was the comedy idea, therefore that required eight big characters.”

His recent films (and “Black Adder”) have displayed a political motif in Curtis’ work. He says, “The Girl in the Cafe was clearly a political film. Black Adder is a series about how stupid older people are, so it’s a young man’s show. The political point here, in a way, is just that I always feel that governments are solving problems of the generation before. Young men of 28 join politics, and by the time they’re 45, they still seem to be dealing with old stuff. That’s why the environment issue still isn’t being taken seriously, because it’s a bunch of people who still think that oil is more important. I think it’s political by chance, but it’s a political story I’m quite interested in.”

Youth is clearly a major theme of “Pirate Radio”. “I think it’s a film partly about being 24—for everybody. I think most people end up in a flat with too many people, one of whom has had sex with everybody, one of whom has never had sex, dreadful food, bad hygiene, and listening to music all the time. For me, that was Camden Town, 1979—The Specials, Madness, Blondie, The Pretenders. In a way, it’s a movie about the freedom of your twenties when money doesn’t matter. You do the job you want to do, you don’t have any children. The weird thing is you often end up living with people you don’t like, because it’s a bit random. It’s the one person who can afford it, or it’s the guy who owns the place, or some girl who’s a friend of his mother’s who has to move in. I hated the four people I moved in with, and yet we were happy.”

Will Adamsdale, Tom Wisdom, Bill Nighy, Katherine Parkinson and Ralph Brown star in Richard Curtis rock and roll comedy PIRATE RADIO, a Focus Features release.
Photo credit: Alex Bailey

Philip Seymour Hoffman was the first choice to play The Count. Richard Curtis explains why, “My brief to them was that The Count was meant to be both funny—which I hope everyone is, he tries to say “f—k” first on the radio—but he was meant to be the soul of the film. I loved the idea of having a really good actor deliver that speech about, “These are the best days of our lives.” The first thing I ever wrote in the film, oddly enough, was the speech he delivers as the boat sinks. I was listening to “Don’t Dream it’s Over” by the Crowded House, and he actually says, “I want to say to all you politicians, don’t dream it’s over.” My intention when I first made the film was that at the end of the movie, we were going to have a compilation of all the great rock songs from the moment the boat went down to now. But it was very confusing when we hoped to get the final cut. So I wanted the best actor to play that part, not necessarily a comedian.”

As for returning to “Black Adder,” something that is appears as a rumor every few years, I’m sorry to report that Curtis offers no clarity on the subject, first saying no, but then pointing out - “Oddly enough, I love the fact that The Police got back together again, and Cream got back together again while they’re still alive. And when we were young, we always said that we’ll do another Black Adder when we’re old and hate young people. Because it was young people pretending to be old people and show what idiots they were. But Tony Robinson is in his mid-90s now, so I’m not hopeful.”

“Pirate Radio” will be released in theaters on Friday, November 13th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 ‘Pirate Radio’ Chicago Screening Passes With Philip Seymour Hoffman

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:23:20 -0700

CHICAGO – In our latest comedy edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Pirate Radio”! The film was formerly titled “The Boat That Rocked”.

“Pirate Radio” from writer and director Richard Curtis (“Love Actually,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill”) stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Sturridge, Rhys Darby, Talulah Riley and January Jones. The film opens everywhere on Nov. 13, 2009.

To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Pirate Radio” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question below. That’s it! This screening will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in downtown Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“Pirate Radio” stars Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Image credit: Universal Pictures

Here is the “Pirate Radio” plot description:

Rock and roll will live forever, but can it float? The newest ensemble comedy from filmmaker Richard Curtis (screenwriter of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill” and writer and director of “Love Actually”) spins the irreverent yet fact-based tale of a seafaring band of rogue rock-and-roll deejays whose “pirate radio” captivated and inspired 1960s Britain.

Playing the music that rocked a nation and a decade, the group boldly and hilariously defies the government that tries to shut them down.

Broadcasting live 24/7 from an old tanker anchored in the middle of the North Sea (just beyond British jurisdiction), Radio Rock sends out a vibrant and unifying signal to millions of people across the nation who range in age from wide-eyed pre-teens secretly tuning in long past their bedtimes to everyday people in need of a musical pick me up.

The Radio Rock roster – overseen by unflappable station owner (and ship’s captain) Quentin (Bill Nighy) – includes a risk-prone American known only as The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman); mystic deejay royalty Gavin (Rhys Ifans); slyly amorous Dave (Nick Frost); idiosyncratic New Zealander Angus (Rhys Darby); the rarely seen Bob (Ralph Brown); the aptly named Thick Kevin (Tom Brooke); lovelorn Simon (Chris O’Dowd); ladies’ magnet Mark (Tom Wisdom); shy Harold (Ike Hamilton); reporter News John (Will Adamsdale); and lesbian ship’s cook Felicity (Katherine Parkinson).

One night in 1966, Quentin’s teenaged godson, Carl (Tom Sturridge), comes aboard. While Carl harbors romantic aspirations that he hopes will be fulfilled during one of the biweekly visits by Radio Rock’s prettiest fans, he also hopes to find out more about his long-absent father.

As the ship sails on and rocks out, what Carl and the free-wheeling, free-loving Radio Rock gang don’t know is that back in London landlocked government minister Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) has embarked on a vehement crusade to permanently silence their signal. To stay afloat and keep their devoted audience plugged in, the crew will have to band together and trust in the power of music like never before.

The “Pirate Radio” trailer can be watched now below.

To secure your free tickets now, make sure you’re logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having an account with a valid e-mail address is required. Then, simply add a new comment in the form below. In your comment, include an answer to this question:

What’s the furthest you’ve gone to do what you believe in?

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is simple: Just submit your comment below and we will award 50 people randomly via e-mail for our “Pirate Radio” Hookup. Winners need to arrive early as seats are consumed on a first-come, first-served basis. Good luck!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Doubt’ Spotlights Spectacular Performances in HD

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:27:39 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The history of films to score four acting Oscar nominations would make for a very short list. And yet most critics knew the rare set of nods was inevitable when they saw the quartet of talent on display in John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt”. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis shine in “Doubt,” now available on Blu-Ray.

“Doubt” is not a perfect film. Some of the overt symbolism (the burned-out bulb, the changing winds) is a little too on-the-nose and the piece doesn’t quite break free from its theatrical roots to feel like much more than a filmed play, but what a play. This is an acting powerhouse, a dialogue-driven examination of faith that includes some of the best performances of 2008.

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

Essentially, “Doubt” is a three-character show - Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Sister James (Amy Adams). Sister A. finds herself up against the consistently changing tides of her Bronx Catholic school in the mid-’60s.

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

Father Flynn represents change and progress with his more laid back and lenient style with the students. It immediately makes Sister A. suspicious and those suspicions quickly turn into something more serious when one of the Father’s students, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), comes back from a meeting with Flynn acting unusually.

The uncertain younger sister feeds the elder’s doubts when she sees the Father placing Donald’s undershirt back in his locker and a battle of will between Flynn and Beauvier begins. The Father is unwavering in his denial of any wrongdoing, claiming that all his actions with Miller were to support a troubled child. Sister A. not only doesn’t believe Father Flynn but seems like a woman who would never admit if she did. Once she believes in something, she does with all her heart.

“Doubt” is a character piece with theme of faith, sin, change, and, of course, doubt. The exchanges between Steep, Hoffman, Adams, and Davis (who plays the young boy’s mother in two of the most powerful scenes of last year) are riveting. History will recognize that Kate Winslet may have won what was essentially a lifetime achievement award for “The Reader” but that Streep was more deserving for her work here. Many thought she might pull the upset and win her third Oscar.

And no one would have been surprised if Amy Adams or Viola Davis had walked off with an Oscar as well. (Hoffman’s very good but he should have been eligible for lead, not supporting, and in the latter category he never stood a chance against Heath Ledger.)

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

“Doubt” is well-worth the rental on Blu-Ray just for one of these four excellent performances, much less the sum of the acting parts. This may be Streep and Hoffman’s show, but Adams and Davis are nearly as good. This is the kind of old-fashioned, acting showcase that they don’t make that often any more. It leaves you in awe of the performances, even if the direction and writing may not completely match them.

“Doubt” is presented in 1080p high definition with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and has been given an English 5.1 DTS-HD track and a French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Miramax/Disney always produces quality video transfers and “Doubt” is no exception. This is not the kind of material that really displays the true potential of HD but the video and audio are never distracting.

The special features are not extensive but are appropriately detailed for a non-technical film that really kind of speaks for itself. The best special feature is the commentary by writer/director Shanley. No one knows this material better than the man who wrote the play and adapted/directed the film. It’s fantastic that he decided to take the time to discuss it.

The rest of the special features make up a pretty standard quartet of featurettes entitled “Doubt: From Stage to Screen,” “Scoring Doubt,” “The Cast of Doubt,” and “The Sisters of Charity”. No one’s coming to a Blu-Ray like “Doubt” looking for a gag reel or games to play, so a commentary and four featurettes is about what you’d expect.

‘Doubt’ is released by Miramax/Buena Vista Home Entertainment and stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. It was written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. It was released on April 7th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ensemble Make Trip to ‘Synecdoche, New York’ Worthwhile

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:41:13 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – With one of the most ambitious screenplays of 2008 and one of the most talented ensembles in years, “Synecdoche, New York,” now on Blu-Ray, is a must-see for fans of Charlie Kaufman’s earlier screenwriting work (“Adaptation,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) and the incredible ensemble, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, and Michelle Williams.

The brilliant Kaufman’s directorial debut produces, believe it or not, his least easy-to-define film, a movie that turns in on itself repeatedly until it somewhat loses its way. I was told that I needed to see it twice to really “get it,” but a Blu-Ray viewing after seeing it in theaters didn’t really change my opinion of this ambitious, well-performed, but deeply flawed motion picture.

Synecdoche, New York was released on Blu-Ray on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

The concept of “Synecdoche, New York” is so original and the cast is pitch-perfect (they won an ensemble award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards last month), but I think Kaufman’s writing requires truly masterful direction to truly come to life. “Synecdoche” is a film so overflowing with ideas about age, art, and identity that the weight of its concepts cause it to sink more than it would under someone else’s direction.

Synecdoche, New York was released on Blu-Ray on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

It’s clever, but not nearly as much fun as it should be. Kaufman and his talented team have crafted a great mental workout, but don’t be surprised if it gives you a headache.

Philip Seymour Hoffman shines as Caden Cotard, a theatre director with increasingly troubling health problems and a distant marriage to wife Adele (Catherine Keener). Caden feels uninspired in every way, both professionally and personally. After Adele takes his daughter and moves to Berlin to become a celebrated painter, Caden gets the MacArthur grant and stages a play about (and this is my interpretation, you could have a different one) the futility of trying to recreate reality through theater.

Caden rents a warehouse, builds what becomes a city, and casts people to go about their lives, with director’s notes, of course. The director tries to find love again with Hazel (Samantha Morton) and then Claire (Michelle Williams). He tries therapy but the shrink (Hope Davis) is more obsessed with her own writing than Caden’s work and he hates the influence that Adele’s friend Maria (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has on his growing daughter.

Of course, all of this makes it into the “play,” with Caden eventually having to cast someone to play himself (Tom Noonan) and even Hazel (Emily Watson). The line between theater and reality dissolves and you start to wonder if Caden isn’t experiencing a dream sequence or perhaps you are.

Synecdoche, New York was released on Blu-Ray on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

The only way to enjoy “Synecdoche, New York” is to give in to the fact that it’s not meant to be traditionally understood. I think if you try to figure out how it all fits together or if it does at all, then you’ll merely be frustrated. “Synecdoche” is poetry, not prose. Take in the ideas and the themes and make of them what you will.

The Blu-Ray release of “Synecdoche, New York” is presented in 1080p High Definition with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. Sony rarely fails to deliver with Blu-Ray and “Synecdoche” is no exception. It’s crystal clear, a great transfer.

“Synecdoche, New York” is one of those rare films where I think special features almost hurt more than help. No one can explain this piece in simple terms like you would find on a commentary track, so why bother? The conversation with Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Story of Caden Cotard” certainly doesn’t illuminate anything. Other special features include “In and Around Synecdoche, New York,” “Infectious Diseases in Cattle: Bloggers’ Roundtable,” Screen Animations and “NFTS/Script Factory Masterclass with Charlie Kaufman”.

‘Synecdoche, New York’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis, and Tom Noonan. It was written and directed by Charlie Kaufman. It was released on March 10th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: From Central Falls to Oscar With Viola Davis of ‘Doubt’

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:32:50 -0700

CHICAGO – Having met Viola Davis, Oscar-nominated for “Doubt,” it’s easy to believe that people who have spent time with this charming, fascinating woman might be more inclined to give her the edge in the very close Best Supporting Actress race.

It’s been long-rumored that an actor’s personality can play a major role in if they win an Oscar. It’s not that the performance isn’t the main focus of the award, but it’s human nature for people to want to reward colleagues that they respect and like. Davis is very easy to like and impossible not to admire.

Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller.
Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz/Miramax Film Corp.

Davis has been doing a quick PR tour to promote her role in “Doubt,” one that earned her a first Oscar nomination, alongside nods for Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, and she was kind enough to give a little time to HollywoodChicago.com. In an all-too-brief interview, Davis covered her past in Central Falls, Rhode Island, the process she used to bring Mrs. Miller to life, and what it feels like to be an Oscar nominee.

Going all the way back to the beginning, Viola Davis remembers vividly when she knew she wanted to be an actress. She was only six, living on Washington Street in Central Falls, when she saw Cicely Tyson in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and it was over.

“It was like Christ himself had appeared or Moses had parted the Red Sea,” Davis says. “She was dark-skinned. She had full lips. She had an afro. She looked just like my mother. She was vulnerable. She was feminine. I thought that I was watching a miracle unfold before me. And I said, “I want to do that. That’s what I want to do. I want to create that kind of magic.””

Growing up in Central Falls was not easy for Davis, but her background played in to her understanding of Mrs. Miller and influenced her performance in “Doubt”. She gave us a little history - “[“Doubt” is set in] ‘64. I was born in ‘65 in St. Matthews, South Carolina on a farm. My grandmother delivered me.”

Viola Davis from the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
Photo credit: TNT.

“Two months after I was born we moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island where my father groomed and trained horses. Central Falls is a predominately Catholic and white community. We were the only black family. And we’re not Catholic. So, we very much were on the periphery and very much wanting to be a part of something and be accepted. Shunned. I’ve had to see my mom being an advocate for us several times in situations that normally wouldn’t be thrown at you. So, a lot of my research came from life. I always say that Mrs. Miller makes a “Sophie’s Choice”. She doesn’t make your average, everyday choice.”

Davis admits that she saw the potential of her role in “Doubt” from the very beginning, largely due to the quality of her “perfectly cast” colleagues in the film, all of whom were signed on before Davis. And the part did win a Tony for the actress who played it on Broadway.

In fact, if anything, even though she’s won a Tony herself, Davis was intimidated by her fellow castmates. She says, “To me, when I walked into it, I said, they’re extraordinary, they’re exquisite. I felt like the hack. I felt like the unknown. I felt like the one who really had to prove herself and hold up my end of the bargain. I think that I felt, at first, that this could possibly just get me some attention and more work. That’s what I thought. And then once I went to my first rehearsal, I went into survival mode. I went from “It could get me attention” to “Oh my God, I just need to hold up my end of the bargain.”

Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius and Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller
Photo credit: Miramax Film Corp.

In working to hold up her end of the bargain, Davis wrote dozens of pages of back story for Mrs. Miller. As she notes, this was her only shot. “I don’t have another scene to establish her. I don’t have a scene where you establish her relationship with her husband or her son. I have nothing but this scene, so I had to create this back story.”

And Davis was careful not to be a social mouthpiece or merely a plot device for the rest of the film. She says, “For this role, I thought there was a trap where you could hear the argument with Sister Aloysius but not see the person behind the argument. You could get the effect. But I wanted to create someone where you could see what her life is like. “I can see that she loves her son. I can see that life is probably not what she thought it would be. I can see that she’s not always strong.” I wanted people to feel for her as well as hear the argument.”

After the film’s release and several nominations came the morning of January 22nd, 2009, when the Oscar nominations were announced. With a bottle of champagne and joined by her husband and publicist, Viola Davis slept for only an hour the night before and spent most of that morning “screaming down the frickin’ hallways of the Four Seasons. I think about now. It was so primal.”

And she hasn’t really stopped screaming. When asked if she still feels that primal joy that made her want to jump up and down, a full, beautiful smile crosses her face, she nods, and says, “Jumping up and down. Absolutely. Absolutely. Jumping up and down, still. I’ll be jumping up and down for years to come.”

‘Doubt’ stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. ‘Doubt,’ was written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, is currently in theaters.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Despite Smothered Direction, ‘Doubt’ Brings Out Best in Performers

Dustin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:01:00 -0700

CHICAGO – The inherit drama of a Catholic priest accused of molesting an African American boy during the 1960s would be enough to make for an interesting film on its own. In “Doubt,” this is one of the less-explored themes writer and director John Patrick Shanley examines.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Instead, there is a tale of Machiavellian ethics, power struggles within the church, and of course the gray areas that encircle certainty and doubt.

Read Dustin Levell’s full review of “Doubt” in our reviews section.

Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) is everything you could expect from a pre-Vatican II nun in 1964. Playing the strict disciplinarian at her Catholic St. Nicholas Church School in the Bronx, Beauvier doesn’t believe that the students should be coddled with things like ball point pens.

“Every easy choice today will have its consequence tomorrow,” she explains to her colleague, a cynically free and more hopeful Sister James played by Amy Adams. What seems to be a simple personality clash between Sister Beauvier and the younger, progressive thinking Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), comes to a head when Sister James reports that Father Flynn might have “interfered” with school’s first black student.

“Doubt” stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. “Doubt,” which is written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, opened on December 12, 2008. In Chicago, the film opened at Landmark Century Centre Cinema and AMC River East.

Continuing reading for Dustin Levell’s full “Doubt” review.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Amy Adams as Sister James in “Doubt”.
Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz, Miramax

Continuing reading for Dustin Levell’s full “Doubt” review.

Family of Heath Ledger Responds to ‘The Dark Knight’ Golden Globe Nomination

BrianTT — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:11:00 -0700

CHICAGO – Heath Ledger’s searing performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight” has been earning acclaim all year and the late actor landed a posthumous Golden Globe nomination this morning when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association revealed their choices for the best of 2008.

The family of Ledger responded this morning with a statement republished by People Magazine. The father of the nominee for best performance by an actor in a supporting role said, “We thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for honoring Heath’s performance in The Dark Knight.”

Kim Ledger went on to say, “This nomination is deeply appreciated and is not lost on those of us who continue to love and miss him. We are so proud our boy’s work is being recognized in this way.”

Heath Ledger stars as the Joker in “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros., copyright DC Comics

To win the posthumous Golden Globe award, Heath Ledger will have to beat both Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. from “Tropic Thunder”, Ralph Fiennes from “The Duchess”, and Philip Seymour Hoffman for “Doubt”. The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be broadcast live on NBC at 8 p.m. EST on January 11th from the Beverly Hilton.

Heath Ledger passed away on January 22nd from an accidental overdoe of prescription drugs in his New York apartment.

Heath Ledger has already been nominated for best actor for “The Dark Knight” from The Australian Film Institute and supporting actor from the Golden Satellite Awards. This morning’s Golden Globe nomination is the second for Ledger with the HFPA choosing him for his work in “Brokeback Mountain” in 2005, a nomination echoed by the Academy Awards that year.

Read about all of the Golden Globe nominees.

Get the details on the Dark Knight Blu-Ray release.

Check out Adam Fendelman’s Five-Star Review of The Dark Knight.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Analyzes 10 Oscar Contenders For Best Supporting Actor, Actress

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:37:32 -0700

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com film critic Adam Fendelman has analyzed the 10 nominated contenders for best supporting actor and best supporting actress (five in each category) and reveals his selections for the top prize. Hosted by Jon Stewart, the 80th Academy Awards ceremony will be presented on Feb. 24, 2008.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford”
Adam Fendelman says: Everyone remembers who assassinated Jesse James, but no one recalls who mowed down Robert Ford shortly thereafter. While Casey’s delivery of the spineless character might indeed embody Ford with authenticity, he ultimately shoots himself in his own back with a laissez-faire performance.

Ben Affleck (left) and brother Casey Affleck on Oct. 10, 2007 at the
Chicago International Film Festival premiere of “Gone Baby Gone”.
Photo credit: Adam Fendelman, HollywoodChicago.com

Javier Bardem, “No Country For Old Men”
Adam Fendelman says: No words necessary. The Oscar goes to Javier. (Disclosure: More words in this space only waste your time. We instead decided for no-nonsense brevity and award the haunting and brilliantly chilling villain with no contest. If the academy deviates from this path, something’s seriously gone awry.)

Javier Bardem in “No Country For Old Men”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Adam Fendelman says: We empathize for him here. After devouring the best-actor cake for “Capote,” the reality is he’s always brilliant and doggedly steals the show whether or not he’s in a lead or supporting function. The only reason he falls short in this category for this year is because he’s ousted by Javier Bardem.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Hal Holbrook, “Into the Wild”
Adam Fendelman says: As if he’s not actually acting, you absolutely feel his pain when denied a beautifully benevolent offer to father the family fearing Emile Hirsch. We wish two Oscars could be dished out here, and if the academy does side with him, it’ll be not only because of this performance but also his body of work.

Hal Holbrook on Jan. 26, 2008.
Photo credit: WireImage.com

Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton”
Adam Fendelman says: We take back the reverie for two Oscars in this category. There should actually be three equally shared between Javier, Hal and Tom. Wilkinson’s spot-on performance as an insanely intelligent but nonetheless insane maniac is one of the year’s most memorable and clearly defined supporting men.

Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There”
Adam Fendelman says: We know the rules. Of course an actress can score the winning nod both for best actress and best supporting actress. Because we so resiliently have Cate winning the best-actress statue for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” our chips are all in on the academy being distracted for awarding her doubly.

Cate Blanchett on Jan. 26, 2008.
Photo credit: WireImage.com

Ruby Dee, “American Gangster”
Adam Fendelman says: We have no shame confessing that we looked her up to see who the heck she was. Yes, she played Denzel Washington’s tough-loving mama, and we do grant props for her crack at slapping straight his gansta’ ways. You can’t take the chow outta the dog, of course, and this film’s entirely overshadowed by him.

Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement”
Adam Fendelman says: With two award wins and eight nominations, being recently born in 1994 is only a testament to Saorse’s burgeoning talent. She has a piercing way about her, and while her Oscar run will only go as far as a supporting-actress nomination, keep a vigilant eye on this one to take the big trophy in the future.

Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Amy Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone”
Adam Fendelman says: Oh. My. God. We can only assume Wikipedia’s not in a joking mood in its entry for Amy Ryan, which is a third justifiably comprised of lines actualizing the fact that she is nominated for this award by eight societies and actually won – we repeat loudly: WON – from 19. We can’t argue here with the masses.

Amy Ryan on Feb. 3, 2008.
Photo credit: IMDb

Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton”
Adam Fendelman says: While she has cutthroat competition in this year’s category from Amy Ryan, her delightfully shady character and bona fide ways as a high-powered, high-paid corporate snake earn Tilda Swinton a well-deserved first Oscar nomination. She’s just one penny short, though, for the big ticket.

Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”.
Photo credit: IMDb

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By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com