Emily Watson

Paul Giamatti Does More With Less in ‘Cold Souls’

PatrickMcD — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:28:27 -0600

CHICAGO – How is the best way to discover the elusiveness of the soul? For Paul Giamatti, playing himself, the key is to store the legendary organ into the deep freeze, in his new absurdist comedy, “Cold Souls.”

Rating: 4.0/5.0

In what has to be one of the great challenges of naturalistic acting, Giamatti plays a character named Paul Giamatti, frantically trying to channel the depths of his new stage role as Anton Chekov’s “Uncle Vanya.”

Perplexed by the evasive character of the melancholy physician, Giamatti seeks a way to plumb a new sensibility out of a performance he can’t quite grasp. The chance encounter with an ad in a magazine discovers a clinic that can actually remove a person’s soul.

’Cold Souls’ has a limited release on August 21, 2009, and features Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun and Lauren Ambrose, and is written/directed by Sophie Barthes.

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full “Cold Souls” review.

Paul Giamatti Goes Through the Extraction Process in ‘Cold Souls’
Photo credit: Adam Bell for Samuel Goldwyn Films

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full “Cold Souls” review.

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

Ode to Ultimate Irish Director, Storyteller Jim Sheridan

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:58:46 -0600

HOLLYWOOD – What better way to wrap up a series of film columns on the Irish (earlier reading: part one; part two) than with an ode to the ultimate Irish storyteller? Dublin-born Jim Sheridan has brought some of the most influential Irish films to the big screen.

His writer-director ways paid off in spades when he was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 40 on his first film attempt, “My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown,” in 1989.

The mission of Rachel Faith – the Hollywood-based Silver Screen Indie Queen for HollywoodChicago.com – is to help avoid the “beige” film experience by providing easily accessible information on indie film, film festival favorites and must-see Hollywood classics. At the end of the day, it’s all about turning people onto new and different films using the Indie Queen’s film geekdom for good and not evil.

It tells the story of Irish painter Christy Brown who was born with cerebral palsy. With the help and love from his strong-willed mother (Brenda Fricker), Brown trained himself to become an accomplished artist, writer and poet with only the use of – you guessed it – his left foot.

Though Sheridan didn’t take home the statue, he did help put himself – along with little-known actor at the time Daniel Day-Lewis – on the map. Both Day-Lewis and Fricker won Oscars for their performances.

“My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown” helped blaze the path onto his next film – “The Field” in 1990 – which starred Richard Harris. Harris also received an Oscar nomination for his performance as “Bull” McCabe.

However, this film was not as widely received. I personally didn’t care for it, but since I can’t get the damn thing out of my head, it certainly struck some sort of chord and was by no means a waste of time.

Writer and director Jim Sheridan on May 9, 2003.
Photo credit: Jeff Vespa, WireImage.com

I’m not alone in my indifference to this film as it did little for Sheridan except to secure his next project: “In the Name of the Father” in 1993.

Along with a badass soundtrack (with the likes of U2 and Sinead O’Connor), Sheridan brought another piece of Irish injustice to the big screen: the story of the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven.

Daniel Day-Lewis (DDL) again joined forces with Sheridan and starred as slacker Gerry Conlin (whose only guilt was smokin’ a little too much dope and petty thievery). When his latest shenanigans prove to be the final straw for the IRA, his father steps in to send him to family in London.

Unfortunately, Gerry has a bad case of the “wrong place at the wrong time” and along with four others is picked up and coerced into confessing to an IRA bombing that none of them committed. Not only are the four thrown in jail but Gerry’s father, aunt and cousins are all tried and committed.

Though this film picked up seven Oscar nominations, still no dice. The tape is thin on my VHS copy due to my love of this film and I’m a serial “rewatcher” when it comes to the DDL.

The movie poster for the Jim Sheridan-directed film “My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown”.
Image credit: IMDb

Though Sheridan wrote a bit during this “break,” he didn’t resurface until “The Boxer” in 1997. This is one of those films I get in arguments about all the time. I’m sticking to my guns and saying though it is a bit long – yes, I’m admitting it’s long! – it’s a fantastic story with stellar performances.

“The Boxer” is well worth the price of admission. With Emily Watson and the DDL in his third collaboration with Sheridan, it’s truly impossible for it to be bad by any means.

This brings us to my favorite and the film that inspired this column in the first place: “In America” (2002). The swooning starts whenever it’s brought up in conversation, which proves the amount of hearts the endeavor has touched.

Its writing collaboration by all the Sheridans (Jim wrote with daughters Naomi and Kirsten) proves perfection.

Paddy Considine plays Johnny: the father who’s determined to provide a better life for his family. His acting dances gracefully with Samantha Morton who in my opinion walks on water in her spare time.

Everyone from the kids (played by real-life sisters Sarah and Emma Bolger) to the recluse and frightening-then-lovable neighbor Djimon Hounsou keep you entranced with their performances. You don’t just have tears in this flick. You break down and downright sob.

Then we have the shock that was heard around the world with “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” (2005). While this choice confused the hell out of everyone, legendary critic Roger Ebert stands his ground and confirms Sheridan’s ability to direct actors and create characters. Sheridan’s directing abilities were never in question as his way with actors proved to be successful and award worthy after all.

By RACHEL FAITH
Hollywood Correspondent
HollywoodChicago.com
rachel@hollywoodchicago.com