Anne Hathaway

Blu-Ray Review: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson in Supernatural ‘Passengers’

BrianTT — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:20:09 -0600

CHICAGO – There have been several interesting movies about plane crashes, none more so than Peter Weir’s amazing “Fearless” with its career-best performance by Jeff Bridges. There’s something nearly supernatural about surviving falling from the sky in a several-ton hunk of metal. It’s that otherworldly quality that Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson use for creepy thrills in the moderately effective “Passengers,” now on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

When a movie doesn’t even open in Chicago and heads straight to the Netflix queue, most viewers, including this critic, have a natural pessimistic apprehension. But I couldn’t believe that such a talented cast as Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Andre Braugher, Dianne Wiest, and David Morse could produce something truly horrible.

I was right. There are parts of “Passengers” that truly work. It’s not horrible and vastly superior to the loathsome “Bride Wars”. But it’s also easy to see why Sony didn’t know how to handle it with a script full of odd tones changes and a final act that simply gets away from everyone involved.

Passengers was released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

Wilson (“Little Children,” “Watchmen”) plays a rather unusual survivor of a horrific plane crash. He remembers an explosion and then waking up on a beach. He seems almost invincible and baffles the therapist (Hathaway) brought in to handle the survivors. The great Andre Braugher (“Homicide: Life on the Street”) plays Hathaway’s superior.

Passengers was released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

The first act, as Hathaway starts to work with her patients and realizes that they all have different stories and theories about the crash, is truly interesting. Hathaway is believable and Wilson is intriguing. And when survivors start to suggest that perhaps the airline is trying to silence them in whatever way possible, the conspiracy theory drama has an interesting edge.

Hathaway brings gravity to her role and Wilson is always a fascinating actor. The two actually have chemistry, although the romantic entanglement feels superfluous to the mystery of the crash.

It’s when Ronnie Christensen’s screenplay starts to live up to its tagline that “Passengers” begins to unravel. “Behind the mystery lies a secret…not of this world.” “Six Feet Under” director Rodrigo Garcia excels at the character and drama usually missing from supernatural stories but doesn’t have as firm a grasp on the material that feels like a discarded “X-Files” script (even ‘The Cigarette Smoking Man’ makes an appearance).

Bluntly, when Hathaway starts screaming about her missing passengers and a ghostly, haggard man shows up claiming to be one himself, “Passengers” stops being effective and becomes mostly boring. It’s an interesting set-up with a dull follow-through, but might be worth a rental for serious fans of the stars or the supernatural. “Passengers” may not work, but I was expecting a heck of a lot worse.

The Blu-Ray release for “Passengers” is a good one with excellent video quality and crystal clear audio. Sony continues to rock in these departments and the well-mastered 1080p picture can not be faulted. Neither can the expertly mixed TrueHD 5.1 audio track.

Special features on “Passengers” include deleted scenes, a commentary with Rodrigo Garcia and Patrick Wilson, “In the Night Sky: The Making and Manifest of Passengers,” and “Analysis of the Plane Crash”. The deleted scenes are interesting, fleshing out the final act into something more emotional than what kind of felt like a cheap twist in the theatrical version. It’s a well-rounded and complete collection for a film that’s not quite.

‘Passengers’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Andre Braugher, David Morse, Clea Duvall, and Dianne Wiest. It was written by Ronnie Christensen and directed by Rodrigo Garcia. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on May 12th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

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

Blu-Ray Review: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway in Loathsome ‘Bride Wars’

BrianTT — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:43:08 -0600

CHICAGO – Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson star in the awful “Bride Wars,” an alleged comedy with a great 3-disc Blu-Ray edition that still can’t hide the awful movie underneath.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

Liv (Hudson) and Emma (Hathaway) are best friends who have always dreamed of getting married at the Plaza Hotel. When their nuptials are accidentally scheduled for the same date, they begin torture campaigns against each other, trying to see who will flinch first and move their date or cancel their wedding altogether.

Bride Wars was released on Blu-Ray on April 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

What were they thinking? Kate Hudson has made some bad choices in recent years, but would the young actress who shined so brightly in “Almost Famous” please come back? And Anne Hathaway should simply know better. It’s not hard to believe that “Bride Wars” hurt her Oscar campaign for “Rachel Getting Married”. It’s as drastic a leap from best film of her career to worst as nearly any actress has taken with back-to-back movies.

Bride Wars was released on Blu-Ray on April 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

I have to admit that I was dreading “Bride Wars”. The commercials seemed toxic and the 24 on Metacritic is shockingly low. Yes, that’s 24 out of 100. Judged on a very low bar of expectations, “Bride Wars” slid over, coming off as dull more than offensive or awful. What’s shocking about “Bride Wars,” except for the offensively stereotypical portrayal of marriage-hungry women, is that it’s just dull, dull, dull.

When the boredom of “Bride Wars” is shattered, it’s only done so because of loathsome behavior on the part of the two lead characters, two women who deserve to fall in an open sewer grate about as much as they deserve the wedding of their dreams. For the most part, “Bride Wars” is about as exciting as watching someone else’s nuptial videos.

Spreading pregnancy rumors, messing with spray tans and dye jobs - no ONE does this kind of thing to another human being and there’s just nothing funny about it. It’s a sad statement about what Hollywood thinks of women, especially brides. When these two Oscar-nominated actresses are reduced to a sexy dance-off on a strip club stage, it produced much more sadness than laughter.

Bride Wars was released on Blu-Ray on April 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

And the worst thing about “Bride Wars” is the classic move of these loathsome comedies in that the writers and director actually want you to cheer when the film comes to its predictable happy ending. There’s nothing funny about this dull, predictable, unlikable comedy, one that you should only see if you’re a giant Kate Hudson or Anne Hathaway fan. But don’t be surprised if you’re no longer after suffering through one of the most unremarkable comedies in years.

The movie may be horrible, but the 3-Disc Blu-Ray is truly impressive. The first disc features the HD version of the film and hours of extras. The second disc includes the standard DVD version of the film and the third disc is the digital copy.

The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track.

Special features include “Something old, Something New and What That’s Gonna Cost You” Pop-Up Trivia Track, deleted scenes, improvisations, “Meet Me at the Plaza,” “The Perfect White Dress,” “FOX Movie Channel presents In Character with Kate Hudson,” “FOX Movie Channel presents In Character with Anne Hathaway,” “Caught On Tape: Man-den, Maid of Honor, and Amanda-Cam”. The DVD version includes deleted scenes and the “White Dress” featurette as well.

‘Bride Wars’ is released by Fox Home Video and stars Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, and Candice Bergen. It was written by Greg DePaul and Casey Wilson & June Diane Raphael and directed by Gary Winick. The film was released on April 28th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

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

DVD Review: Anne Hathaway’s ‘Rachel Getting Married’ Deserves Huge Audience on DVD

BrianTT — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:28:56 -0600

DVD Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married” was easily one of the best films of 2008, featuring Oscar-worthy work by Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, screenwriter Jenny Lumet, and its acclaimed director. Full of energy, passion, love, and pain, “Rachel Getting Married” is a must-see, one of the few films of 2008 that will stand the test of time and the Sony DVD treats this excellent film with the respect it deserves. It’s a great release.

“Rachel Getting Married” can be a tough sell. A movie with a star known mostly for her mainstream comedies like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Bride Wars” that’s shot with mostly handheld cameras and recreates an experience akin to being at someone else’s wedding is not the first flick most people reach for at the video store.

Rachel Getting Married was released on DVD on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

The truth is that, especially with the current depressed state of the national consciousness, drama is a tougher sell than the escapism of action, comedy, or even horror. The real world has enough drama. Why watch it? Because when it’s this well-done, even depressing drama can be uplifting.

Rachel Getting Married was released on DVD on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

“Rachel Getting Married” is about a woman who so hates herself that she admits in an AA meeting that she thinks she’s unworthy of God’s love. What would be harder to handle for a woman so full of self-loathing than a massive celebration of love at her sister’s wedding? That’s the basic set-up for “Rachel Getting Married” - a woman who believes she unlovable overwhelmed by a constant flow of it.

Kym (Anne Hathaway) is a recovering addict with an incredibly tragic past. Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) is her sister, whose wedding has brought all of their family and friends together for a weekend of speeches, dancing, and, of course, some raw emotion. “Rachel” is about a wedding in the same way that “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is about a dinner party. It’s a set-up for so much more.

What earned the most praise during the theatrical run of “Rachel Getting Married” was the tour-de-force performance by Anne Hathaway, one that arguably should have won the Oscar (personally, Anne would be #2 after Sally Hawkins on my list but the Academy didn’t nominated Sally). It’s an unbelievable role. In one part, Hathaway gets to play tough, fragile, beautiful, and damaged.

Kym is not only the black sheep, she could easily feel that she’s the only one at the wedding with even the slightest character flaw. Demme and Lumet surround Kym and her family with a sweet-and-gentle groom (Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio), musicians galore (including Robyn Hitchcock), cultural dancers, and more speeches than you’ll hear at most real rehearsal dinners. It’s the wedding of Jonathan Demme’s dreams. Even Roger Corman stopped by to say hi.

Rachel Getting Married was released on DVD on March 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Video

Like I mentioned earlier, if you’re going for escapism or something to thrill you after a long week, “Rachel Getting Married” is not for you. Even viewers looking for melodrama should look elsewhere. Demme and Lumet have a great way of allowing the pain to come out in bursts, explosions of emotion that almost immediately becomes repressed yet again. They don’t linger on the pain and don’t tie things up in a pretty bow.

Life is a continuous emotional rollercoaster, especially for someone as damaged as Kym. Melodrama would paint her as completely joyless, but that’s not real. What’s real is fifteen minutes of rehearsal dinner speeches followed by just a couple of true emotional bloodletting. Each one of the toasts lets down a bit of the barrier that allows for what comes after. Yes, a lot of “Rachel Getting Married” is repetitive and arguably boring, but that’s what gives the emotional scenes their power.

And the ensemble is amazing. Hathaway got the press she deserved if not the Oscar but Irwin, DeWitt, Winger, and even Adebimpe are note-perfect.

See what all the buzz is about on the Sony DVD, presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with an English 5.1 audio track. Upconverted on a Blu-Ray player, it looks fantastic.

Even better is the collection of special features. “Art movies” like “Rachel Getting Married” often don’t get the collection of special features they deserve but what’s included with Demme’s film is a collection that perfectly enhances the film itself. Viewers will find deleted scenes, a commentary by Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel), a commentary by Neda Armian, screenwriter Jenny Lumet and Editor Tim Squres, cast & crew Q&A at the Jacob Burns Center, “A Look Behind the Scenes of Rachel Getting Married,” and “The Wedding Band”.

“Rachel Getting Married” was perfect in theaters. Luckily, it’s lost none of its powers and been given the treatment it deserves on DVD.

‘Rachel Getting Married’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Tunde Adebimpe, Mather Zickel, Anna Deavere Smith, and Debra Winger. It was written by Jenny Lumet and directed by Jonathan Demme. It was released on March 10th, 2009. It is rated R.

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

DVD, Blu-Ray Round Up, Mar. 10, 2009: ‘Scarlett Johansson Collection,’ ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ‘Witch Mountain’

BrianTT — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:02:32 -0600

CHICAGO – The Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s famous recurring column about lesser Blu-Ray and DVD titles that may have slipped through your fingers at the store recently, is in clean-up mode this week. With a DVD collection for a famous young actress, an old cartoon, a straight-to-video horror movie, and three movies with the word “Mountain” in the title, the only word that comes to mind to tie these titles together is “random”.

You know those bins of “impulse buy” items you’ll see in stores near the cash register? Stuff that you may not have put on your shopping list and that you may not even know you want until you see them? That’s what this week’s Round-Up column is like. Peek in the bin and take a look at “Jonny Quest,” “The Scarlett Johansson Collection,” “Dead in 3 Days,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Escape to Witch Mountain,” and “Return to Witch Mountain”.

“Jonny Quest - The Real Adventures: Season One, Volume One” was released on February 17th, 2009.

“The Scarlett Johansson Collection” was released on February 24th, 2009.

“Dead in 3 Days” was released on March 3rd, 2009.

“Brokeback Mountain,” “Escape to Witch Mountain,” and “Race to Witch Mountain” were released on March 10th, 2009.

“Brokeback Mountain” (Blu-Ray)

Photo credit: Universal

The film that should have beaten “Crash” for Best Picture, “Brokeback Mountain,” is finally out on Blu-Ray, probably timed to coincide with the release of Focus Features’ “Milk” this week, another film that arguably should have won Best Picture from the same DVD company. It’s also possibly a tie-in with “Race to Witch Mountain,” opening in theaters this Friday, but really the Ang Lee film shares nothing but a word in the title with the Rock movie. Whatever the reason, “Brokeback Mountain” is an amazing film, a movie that should have won Heath Ledger his first Oscar and will truly stand the test of time.

“Brokeback Mountain” stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Kate Mara. It is written by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana and directed by Ang Lee and is rated R.

“Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain is a sweeping epic that explores the lives of two young men, a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection. The complications, joys and heartbreak they experience provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal deliver emotionally charged, remarkably moving performances in “a movie that is destined to become one of the great classics of our time” (Clay Smith, The Insider).”

“Brokeback Mountain” is presented in 1080P High-Definition Widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and Spanish and French DTS 5.1 tracks. Special features include “A Groundbreaking Success,” “Music From the Mountain,” “Impressions From the Film,” “On Being a Cowboy,” “Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee,” “From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana,” and “Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain”.

“Dead in 3 Days”

Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

Another week, another straight-to-video horror movie. This week’s entry comes from “Dimension Extreme,” the studio that has produced “Feast III: The Happy Finish,” “Eden Lake,” and “Zombie Diaries” in the last few months. If you have seen any of those movies, this title may be of interest to you. If not, there’s probably something else out there for ya.

“Dead in 3 Days” stars Sabrina Reiter, Julia Rosa Stockl, Laurence Rupp, Nadja Vogel, and Michael Steinocher. It is written by Thomas Baum & Andreas Prochaska and directed by Prochaska and is rated R.

“A peaceful mountain lake community is terrorized when a close-knit group of friends becomes the target of a mysterious deranged killer. Triggers by an ominous test message sent to each of their cell phones, one-by-one the friends are killed by their stalker. As the clueless police scramble to find a suspect, the vicious murders continue — until the last survivors come fact-to-face with their relentless stalker. Tense, suspenseful and frightening, Dead in 3 Days is a “slick, well-shot and engaging slasher” (bloody-disgusting.com).”

“Dead in 3 Days” is presented in a matted widescreen format and with an English and German Dolby 5.1 track. Special features include, well, nothing. Maybe the movie is special enough.

“Escape to Witch Mountain”

Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

With the Dwayne Johnson remake hitting theaters this weekend, Walt Disney Studios have reached into the vault and pulled out the two films that inspired “Race to Witch Mountain” - 1975’s “Escape to Witch Mountain” and 1978’s “Return From Witch Mountain”. Each film has been given the “Walt Disney Family Classics” label and accompanied by a new trivia track. Before you see the new version of “Witch Mountain,” catch up with where it all began.

“A vehicle floats in midair…a coat rack comes to life and attacks a sheriff…and wild animals are putty in the hands of Tony and Tia Malone in Disney’s thrilling fantasy adventure about the psychic powers of two young orphans. Their clairvoyance prompts evil millionaire Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) to lure them to his mansion to exploit their powers. While escaping, they meet a friendly camper (Eddie Albert) and begin to unravel the mystery of their origin. Soon, all three are fleeing townspeople who have branded the children witches. But then IT happens! Someone with even greater powers takes over and leads the children - and the audience - into a dazzling and unexpected experience…one that is truly out of this world!”

“Escape to Witch Mountain” stars Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards, and Ike Eisenmann. It was written by Robert Malcolm Young and directed by John Hough. It is rated G.

“Escape to Witch Mountain” is presented in 1.75:1 widescreen enhanced for 16x9 televisions and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound track. Special features include a new pop-up fun facts track, “Making the Escape,” “Conversation with John Hough,” “Disney Sci-Fi,” “Pluto’s Dream House,” “Disney Effects - Something Special,” “1975 Disney Studio Album,” and an audio commentary.

“Return From Witch Mountain”

Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

“In this thrilling sequel to Disney’s Escape to Witch Mountain, automobiles mysteriously fly and humans float in thin air as sinister masterminds Christopher Lee and Bette Davis unleash a diabolical plan. The entire city of Los Angeles teeters on the brink of nuclear disaster when the greedy criminals manipulate a young boy’s supernatural powers for their own devious gain. But the youth’s sister and a streetwise band of truants join forces in a desperate attempt to save the city from destruction.”

“Return From Witch Mountain” stars Bette Davis, Christopher Lee, Kim Richards, and Ike Eisenmann. It is written by Malcolm Marmorstein and directed by John Hough. It is rated G.

“Return From Witch Mountain” is presented in 1.75:1 widescreen enhanced for 16x9 televisions and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound track. Special features include a new pop-up fun facts track, “Making the Return Trip,” “The Gang’s Back in Town,” “Disney Kids with Powers,” “The Eyes Have It,” “Lost Treasure: Christopher Lee, The Lost Interview,” “1978 Disney Studio Album,” and an audio commentary.

“Jonny Quest - The Real Adventures: Season One, Volume One”

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

I’m a huge fan of old cartoons, but I can’t look at “Jonny Quest” the same way since becoming a “Venture Bros.” nut. “Venture” so perfectly satirizes old-fashioned action cartoons like “Quest” that it’s hard to look at them the same way. Still, it’s cool for animation collectors to be able to include thirteen episodes of “The Real Adventures” in their collection. This version of “Quest” aired from 1996 to 1997. Consider it a cult item.

“In this thrilling reinvention of the classic animated series, adventurous teen Jonny teams with his scientist father Benton Quest, bodyguard Race Bannon, Dr. quest’s paranormally powered assistant Hadji - and a new character, Race’s smart and intrepid daughter Jessie. Circling the globe in a cool armada of air, land and sea vehicles to unravel mysteries, uncover strange phenomena and face danger head-on, the Quest crew always goes where the action is. That can be our real world - or the dazzling virtual reality domain called Questworld, rendered via groundbreaking-in-its-time computer animation. The fantastic 2-disc collection of the series’ first 13 episodes places you right beside them. Buckle up for real excitement!”

“Jonny Quest - The Real Adventures: Season One, Volume One” is presented in standard, full-frame format with an English language 2.0 track. The only special feature is a featurette called “Jonny Quest Returns: Modernizing a Classic for a New Generation of Fans”.

“The Scarlett Johansson Collection”

Photo credit: Lionsgate

A collection for Scarlett Johansson? Is she really old enough for a collection? Don’t ask Lionsgate. If they get the rights to three movies they can link together with a director or actor, they will. And I don’t mean that in a negative way. These low-priced collections are great “sampler packs” for fans of a certain director or star. But Scarlett Johansson? And these three films? One is certainly among her most highly acclaimed roles. Consider the other two just long special features.

“Girl With a Pearl Earring”: “Seventeen-year-old Griet becomes a maid in the house of Johannes Vermeer, where she gradually attracts the master painter’s attention. The result will be one of the greatest paintings ever created.” The film co-stars Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, and Cillian Murphy. It was written by Olivia Hetreed and directed by Peter Webber. It is rated PG-13.

“A Good Woman”: “Newlywed Meg Windermere enjoys the season in Italy until notorious seductress Mrs. Erlynne descends - and sets her sights on Mr. Windermere! The gossips eat it up, but Meg is determined to serve a steamy dish of revenge. Based on a play by Oscar Wilde.” The film co-stars Helen Hunt and Tom Wilkinson. It was written by Howard Himelstein and directed by Mike Barker. It is rated PG.

“An American Rhapsody”: “Persecuted by an oppressive Communist government, a Hungarian couple makes a daring flight for freedom. Their escape comes at an unthinkable price - their daughter Suzanne is left behind. An American Rhapsody is based on the true story of a young girl’s unforgettable journey of self-discovery.” The film co-stars Nastassja Kinski, Tony Goldwyn, Mae Whitman, and Emmy Rossum. It was written and directed by Eva Gardos.

All three films are presented in widescreen with an English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Audio track. All of them come with trailers. “Girl With a Pearl Earring” includes “Anatomy of a Scene”. “A Good Woman” includes director and producer commentary. “An American Rhapsody” includes a commentary by writer/director Ava Gardos and producer Colleen Camp.

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

Slideshow: 27-Image Oscar Gallery From on Stage at 81st Annual Academy Awards

BrianTT — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:15:25 -0700

CHICAGO – This 27-image slideshow contains a selection of the award-winners and presenters at “The 81st Annual Academy Awards,” which aired on ABC on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009.

Winners and presenters include Hugh Jackman, Penelope Cruz, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, Anne Hathaway, Ben Stiller, Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel, Beyonce Knowles, Jerry Lewis, A.R. Rahman, Reese Witherspoon, Zac Efron, Alicia Keys, Robert Pattinson “Twilight” and “The Twilight Saga’s New Moon,” Amanda Seyfried of “Mamma Mia,” Danny Boyle, and Steven Spielberg

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Michael Yada and courtesy of ABC. All Rights Reserved.

oscars2009_stage_01: Host Hugh Jackman
oscars2009_stage_02: Host Hugh Jackman and Performer/Nominee Anne Hathaway
oscars2009_stage_03: Host Hugh Jackman
oscars2009_stage_04: Penelope Cruz Wins Best Supporting Actress
oscars2009_stage_05: Kate Winslet Wins Best Actress
oscars2009_stage_06: Sean Penn Wins Best Actor
oscars2009_stage_07: Host Hugh Jackman
oscars2009_stage_08: Host Hugh Jackman and Performer/Nominee Anne Hathaway
oscars2009_stage_09: Presenters Robert Pattinson and Amanda Seyfried
oscars2009_stage_10: Presenters Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman
oscars2009_stage_11: Presenter Jessica Biel
oscars2009_stage_12: Performer Beyonce Knowles
oscars2009_stage_13: Performer Beyonce Knowles
oscars2009_stage_14: The Family of Heath Ledger Accepts Best Supporting Actor
oscars2009_stage_15: The Family of Heath Ledger Accepts Best Supporting Actor
oscars2009_stage_16: Phillippe Petit Accepts Best Documentary
oscars2009_stage_17: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Jerry Lewis
oscars2009_stage_18: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Jerry Lewis
oscars2009_stage_19: Zac Efron and Alicia Keys Present Best Score to A.R. Rahman
oscars2009_stage_20: Performer/Winner A.R. Rahman
oscars2009_stage_21: Presenter Reese Witherspoon
oscars2009_stage_22: Danny Boyle Wins Best Director
oscars2009_stage_23: Kate Winslet Wins Best Actress
oscars2009_stage_24: Kate Winslet Wins Best Actress
oscars2009_stage_25: Sean Penn Wins Best Actor
oscars2009_stage_26: Presenter Steven Spielberg
oscars2009_stage_27: Producer Christian Colson and the Cast and Crew of Slumdog Millionaire Win Best Picture

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

Anne Hathaway ‘Randomly,’ Inadvertently Awarded Early Golden Globe For ‘Rachel Getting Married’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:10:11 -0700

CHICAGO – At least one “Web site technician” for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) revealed a secret crush on Anne Hathaway’s lead role in “Rachel Getting Married” when the worker “randomly” awarded the actress an early Golden Globe two days before the official NBC telecast.

For a very short period of time, a star was noticed indicating Hathaway as the winner on the official Web site of the Golden Globes for her against-type role as a recovering junkie in “Rachel Getting Married”.

If the star stands, she’d best a powerhouse of other actresses in the lead-actress category including Angelina Jolie for “Changeling,” Meryl Streep for “Doubt,” Kristin Scott Thomas for “I’ve Loved You So Long” and Kate Winslet for “Revolutionary Road”.

Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Quickly after the snafu went public, the HFPA posted the following whoopsie notice on Jan. 9, 2008 on its Web site:

In the process of preparing for Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, a technician working on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Web site made a mistake and a name of a nominee was randomly marked as a winner. The mistake was immediately corrected.

The ballots are tabulated by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. Only four executives of the accounting firm know the identity of the winners before the envelopes are opened and recipients are announced during the live telecast.

No one else – including the members of the HFPA – knows who the winners are prior to the live announcement.

The 66th-annual Golden Globes will air on NBC at 8 p.m. EST on Jan. 11, 2009. The full official list of Golden Globe nominees can be found below.

Read the official results of the 66th-annual Golden Globes.
Read more HollywoodChicago.com articles on the Golden Globes.

Best Motion Picture, Drama
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kristin Scott Thomas, “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road”
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
“Burn After Reading”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“In Bruges”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Rebecca Hall, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Frances McDormand, “Burn After Reading”
Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia!”
Emma Thompson, “Last Chance Harvey”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Javier Bardem, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Colin Farrell, “In Bruges”
James Franco, “Pineapple Express”
Brendan Gleeson, “In Bruges”
Dustin Hoffman, “Last Chance Harvey”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penélope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Tom Cruise, “Tropic Thunder”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Ralph Fiennes, “The Duchess”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Best Animated Feature Film
“Bolt”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“Wall-E”

Best Foreign Language Film
“The Baader Meinhof Complex” (Germany)
“Everlasting Moments” (Sweden, Denmark)
“Gomorrah” (Italy)
“I’ve Loved You So Long” (France)
“Waltz With Bashir” (Israel)

Best Director, Motion Picture
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Sam Mendes, “Revolutionary Road”

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (written by Eric Roth)
“Doubt” (written by John Patrick Shanley)
“Frost/Nixon” (written by Peter Morgan)
“The Reader” (written by David Hare)
“Slumdog Millionaire” (written by Simon Beaufoy)

Best Original Score, Motion Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (composed by Alexandre Desplat)
“Changeling” (composed by Clint Eastwood)
“Defiance” (composed by James Newton Howard)
“Slumdog Millionaire” (composed by A. R. Rahman)
“Frost/Nixon” (composed by Hans Zimmer)

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Down to Earth,” “WALL-E” (lyrics by Peter Gabriel)
“Gran Torino,” “Gran Torino” (lyrics by Jamie Cullum)
“I Thought I Lost You,” “Bolt” (music/lyrics by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele)
“Once in a Lifetime,” “Cadillac Records” (music/lyrics by Beyoncé Knowles, etc.)
“The Wrestler,” “The Wrestler” (music/lyrics by Bruce Springsteen)

Best Television Series, Drama
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“House” (FOX)
“In Treatment” (HBO)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Sally Field, “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order”
January Jones, “Mad Men” (AMC)
Anna Paquin, “True Blood” (HBO)
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer” (TNT)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter” (Showtime)
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men” (AMC)
Hugh Laurie, “House” (FOX)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, “The Tudors” (Showtime)

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
“30 Rock” (NBC)
“Californication” (Showtime)
“Entourage” (HBO)
“The Office” (NBC)
“Weeds” (Showtime)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?” (ABC)
America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
Tina Fey, “30 Rock” (NBC)
Debra Messing, “The Starter Wife” (USA)
Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds” (Showtime)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock” (NBC)
Steve Carell, “The Office” (NBC)
Kevin Connolly, “Entourage” (HBO)
David Duchovny, “Californication” (Showtime)
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk” (USA)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
“A Raisin in the Sun” (ABC)
“Bernard and Doris” (HBO)
“Cranford” (PBS)
“John Adams” (HBO)
“Recount” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Judi Dench, “Cranford” (PBS)
Catherine Keener, “An American Crime”
Laura Linney, “John Adams” (HBO)
Shirley MacLaine, “Coco Chanel”
Susan Sarandon, “Bernard and Doris” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Ralph Fiennes, “Bernard and Doris” (HBO)
Paul Giamatti, “John Adams” (HBO)
Kevin Spacey, “Recount” (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland, “24” (FOX)
Tom Wilkinson, “Recount” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Eileen Atkins, “Cranford” (PBS)
Laura Dern, “Recount” (HBO)
Melissa George, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Rachel Griffiths, “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC)
Dianne Wiest, “In Treatment” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
Denis Leary, “Recount” (HBO)
Jeremy Piven, “Entourage” (HBO)
Blair Underwood, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Tom Wilkinson, “John Adams” (HBO)

Read the official results of the 66th-annual Golden Globes.
Read more HollywoodChicago.com articles on the Golden Globes.

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

Slideshow: 16-Image Gallery For ‘Bride Wars’ With Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson

BrianTT — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:32:00 -0700

CHICAGO – This 16-image slideshow contains official press images for Fox’s “Bride Wars,” which stars Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Candice Bergen, and Kristen Johnston from writers Greg DePaul and Casey Wilson & June Diane Raphael and director Gary Winick. The film opens on Jan. 9, 2009.

“Bride Wars” is a comedy about two best friends who become bitter rivals when they both happen to schedule their upscale weddings on the exact same day. The comedy is rated PG and opens on Friday, January 9th, 2009.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises. Photo credit: Claire Folger.

BrideWars01: Liv (Kate Hudson) finds the perfect wedding gown.
BrideWars02: Emma (Anne Hathaway) reflects on the joyous occasion of the wedding of her best friend.
BrideWars03: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) has mixed reactions to best friend Emma’s (Anne Hathaway) engagement.
BrideWars04: Best friends Live (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) take in the action at a friend’s wedding party.
BrideWars05: Liv (Kate Hudson, top) and best friend Emma (Anne Hathaway) exalt in their catching of the wedding bouquet.
BrideWars06: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) delight in catching the bouquet at a friend’s wedding.
BrideWars07: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) and Liv (Kate Hudson) can’t wait to hear what a wedding planner has in store for their respective nuptials.
BrideWars08: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) share peaceful and friendly moments before their bride wars get underway.
BrideWars09: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) shares in the joy of her best friend Liv’s (Kate Huson) marriage to Daniel (Steve Howey).
BrideWars10: Battling brides Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have an emotional reunion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars11: The calm after the storm: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) helps make the wedding of her best friend Liv (Kate Hudson) a memorable one.
BrideWars12: Battling brides Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have an emotional reunion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars13: The “bride wars” between Liv (Kate Huson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) come to a memorable conclusion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars14: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) and Liv (Kate Hudson) go shopping for bridal gowns.
BrideWars15: Emma (Anne Hathaway) leaves little doubt as to what her answer will be when boyfriend Fletcher (Chris Pratt) pops the question.
BrideWars16: Actor-producer Kate Hudson confers with director Gary Winich on the set of Bride Wars.

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

In ‘Get Smart’ Lifeless Retread, Steve Carell Can’t Fill Don Adams’ Shoe

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:37:59 -0600

CHICAGO – Observing the new “Get Smart” film, which is based on the 1960s TV sitcom of the same name, is to note how much has changed since the Cold War ended.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

KAOS and CONTROL – the U.S. and Russian spy agencies that square off in the movie – seem like relics of another era. In this age of homeland security and unlimited government wiretapping, it’s difficult to create fictional comedy that can compete with real-life absurdity.

The film version of “Get Smart” lives up to that truth. Combining dull action-movie elements, badly cast movie stars and an uncomfortable romance, the film has forgotten all about its TV roots and most of the humor.

Read Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Get Smart” in our reviews section.

View our full, high-resolution “Get Smart” image gallery.

Played by Steve Carell, Maxwell Smart is a Russian interpreter and communications administrator in the secret government spy agency CONTROL.

The chief (Alan Arkin) wants Smart to stay in the administration even though he longs to join spies like Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson) and work in the field.

After KAOS – a rival Russian agency – infiltrates and wrecks the CONTROL offices, Smart is promoted to field agent and partnered with super-spy Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). Their mission is to find out who’s behind KAOS and identify their evil plans.

“Get Smart,” which stars Steve Carell, Anna Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, Bill Murray and Ryan Seacrest, opened everywhere on June 20, 2008.

Steve Carell stars as Maxwell Smart (left) and Anne Hathaway stars as Agent 99 in “Get Smart”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Anne Hathaway (left) stars as Agent 99 and Steve Carell stars as Maxwell Smart in “Get Smart”.
Photo credit: Tracy Bennett

Read Patrick McDonald’s full “Get Smart” review.

‘Snow Angels’ an Essential Examination of Yin, Yang in Our Vulnerable Lives

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:56:43 -0600

CHICAGO – Staying sane is truly an edge-of-the-knife proposition. We are all the sum of our past environments, our present circumstances and our future worries. The sludge that is generated by such a mixture becomes the psyche that’s ready to interact with other psyches we deem important or are forced to be around through family or commerce.

Director David Gordon Green inspects the tipping point of this interaction in the unsparing new film “Snow Angels”.

Arthur (Michael Angarano) is the teenager who walks through all the lives of this multi-storied road. His old babysitter, Annie (Kate Beckinsale), is amid a separation from her husband, Glenn (Sam Rockwell), who has attempted suicide because of the relationship’s fallout.

Click here to read Patrick McDonald’s full review
of “Snow Angels” in our reviews section!

Click here for our full “Snow Angels” image gallery!

Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale in “Snow Angels”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Michael Angarano in “Snow Angels”.
Photo credit: IMDb

First-Look Production Stills: New ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Get Smart,’ ‘10,000 B.C.’; ‘Speed Racer’ Poster

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:00:16 -0700

Following our Dec. 11 post, which featured a slew of new production stills from 2008 Warner Bros. films, even more have just been released by the studio. We now see the first stills from “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “10,000 B.C.” and “Get Smart”.

Steven Strait as D’Leh in the epic adventure “10,000 B.C.”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”.
Photo credit: Jaap Buitendijk

Anne Hathaway stars as Agent 99 and Steve Carell stars
as Maxwell Smart in “Get Smart”.
Photo credit: Tracy Bennett

Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart in “Get Smart”.
Photo credit: Tracy Bennett
Also, I’m adding a sweet “Speed Racer” production still from Dec. 11. Below it, we see a new lenticular “Speed Racer” poster that – in person – is literally in 3D. /Film says: “The helmet under [Speed Racer’s] arms pops out at you and the background is also in 3D.”

Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer in the Mach 5 in the film “Speed Racer”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Lenticular “Speed Racer” poster in 3D.
Image credit: FirstShowing.net