Posts Tagged ‘John Malkovich’

There aren’t many actors out there who shrug off their new movie as “just a film,” but Diego Luna does.

The 28-year-old told People at the premiere of his newly released film, “Milk,” that his almost four-month-old son, Jeronimo, changed his perspective on life.

“I’m here just talking about a film – it’s just a film – everything now is just what it is,” he said. “It can’t be so important. Now, there’s just one thing that really matters.”

Luna was born in Mexico City, Mexico to an English mother and Mexican father, but sadly his mother died in a car accident when he was two. Luna, whose father is a celebrated theater, cinema and opera set designer, began acting at an early age and became friends with fellow actor, Gael Garcia Bernal.

Luna got his big break in 2001 when he starred with Bernal in the critically acclaimed Mexican film, “Y tu mama también,” and he has gone on to star in films such as “Frida,” “The Terminal” and “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.”

In his latest role in Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” he falls in love with Sean Penn’s character, Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay elected official. “Milk” has earned rave reviews from critics and is already garnering Oscar buzz.

Making great films is something Luna cares a lot about even starting a production company with Bernal. They will next be producing a documentary directed by John Malkovich about illegal aliens.

But it seems films will be a little lower on his priority list these days because of Jeronimo.

“There is just one reason for you to be here,” he told People. “It’s to make sure someone else is happy, and has everything he needs. It’s as simple as that.”

Chances are you’ve seen Angelina Jolie scream “I want MY son back” in the trailers for Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling” opening last Friday, but there’s much much more to this harrowing tale based on a true story. 

In 1928 Los Angeles, Christine Collin’s (Jolie) son, Walter, disappears from their home. She desperately searches for him and five months later the police bring back her son in a media-glitzed, self-congratulatory reunion. 

The boy the police brought back from DeKalb, Illinois, however, was not her son. He was three inches shorter than Walter, was circumcised, had different dental records, and was not recognized by Walter’s teacher and classmates. 

The police, in an ignorant attempt to look good in front of the media, refused to listen to Christine and ultimately had her thrown into the mental ward along with other women who violated Code 12 (meaning they dared to challenge the police).   

Meanwhile, the story shifts to a different case that ties back into what may have happened to her son while dishing up a strong, emotional commentary on capital punishment.  

Despite the many commentaries on child abduction, police corruption, and capital punishment that contribute to an exhaustive 140 minutes, Eastwood successfully reigns in the story by filtering it through Christine’s strong but emotional perspective. 

Her strong delivery in acting as a mother who is falsely accused and abused by the police while maintaining her hope that her son will return to her one day is both believable and incredibly provoking. She makes you want to cry with her but also root for her in her maverick ways. 

While “Changeling” is reminiscent of “Chinatown” with the noir-like jazz soundtrack, cinematography and flapper fashion, Eastwood doesn’t get caught up in the glamour and mystery of Los Angeles in the 20s and 30s. 

The film is more of a character study and social commentary where Eastwood’s not afraid to tell the story how it is, such as in his unwavering depictions in the scenes of a hanging and brutal killings. 

I only wish the great John Malkovich who co-stars in an under-used role as a radio preacher fighting against police corruption who took up Christine’s cause would have had a bigger role.  

“Changeling,” like Eastwood’s previous films such as “Million Dollar Baby,” is a must-see film but one you may not want to see over and over again because of the emotionally exhausted mood it will leave you in.

Starring John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Tilda Swinton

If you found “No Country for Old Men” a tad dark for your tastes, then “Burn After Reading” will light up your cinematic sensations.

Joel and Ethan Coen’s first film since winning Best Picture for the aforementioned “No Country” uses a similar plot involving a cat and mouse game. Only this time instead of getting the creeps from an air-gun toting psychopath stalking the hunter who stole his $2 million, now you’ve got a down-on-his-luck CIA agent prone to cussing (Malkovich) trying to get back a disk containing his memoirs from two bumbling, benign gym employees (Pitt and McDormand) sending you into fits of laughter.

Despite its lighter tone, “Burn” does retain the element of danger that “No Country” possessed. While this works for the latter film’s overall dark tone, “Burn” loses its spark when its tone abruptly shifts and it results in an uneven and identity crisis-plagued film.

What’s more is that the film continually jumps from character to character while sharing their different perspectives, so you never quite relate or bond with any one in particular.

The shifting of tones and characters, however, succeeds in conveying “Burn’s” exploration of a hypocritical world where cheating couples cheat on each other, gym employees would rather undergo plastic surgery than do some sit-ups, and most of all… no one – not even the CIA- seems to know what’s going on.

Perhaps it’s the Coens’ satire of our approval rating-sunken government or just a way to score laughs from a helpless and hopeless water bottle-sucking Pitt or a rambling, cartoon-esque McDormand.

In fact, “Burn’s” greatest attribute is its wacky, random performances from major film stars willing to look like complete idiots for our viewing pleasure, as well as the actors’ subtle, comedic expressions that give the impression that the camera lingered just a little bit longer after a scene to show what the character was really feeling.

“Burn” is an absurdly wacky world in which you’ll be glad to spend a little time in, but it’s doubtful it’ll make film history as did its “No Country” predecessor.

Burn After Reading: Fresh off their Best Picture-winning No Country for Old Men, the Coen brothers bring us this comedy with an all-star cast. Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand play foolish gym employees who try to extort a CIA agent (John Malkovich) after finding his top secret CD-ROM. Best Supporting Actress Tilda Swinton and George Clooney also star. Sept. 12

Righteous Kill: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino team up for the first time since 1995’s Heat to play NYC detectives searching for a serial killer. De Niro and Pacino are reason alone enough to go. Sept. 12

Eagle Eye: Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan are being tracked by a stranger on their cell phones in a story conceived by Steven Spielberg that is pertinent in today’s technological times when everyone’s always within reach of a Blackberry or iPhone. Sept. 26

Rachel Getting Married: Anne Hathaway takes a departure from her chipper roles as a recovering drug addict and black sheep who’s attending her sister’s wedding. Oct. 3

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist: Michael Cera of Superbad and Juno and Kat Dennings of The 40 Year-Old Virgin play high schoolers who fall in love en route to a secret late-night concert in a realistic teen comedy. Oct. 3

Changeling: Clint Eastwood’s 1920s story of a woman (Angelina Jolie) whose young son disappears is already creating Oscar buzz for Jolie. Oct. 24

Quantum of Solace: The highly-anticipated “Bond” film picks up an hour after Casino Royale left off. Nov. 7

The Soloist: In this potential Oscar fare, Jamie Foxx plays a musical prodigy who ends up homeless and mentally ill on the streets of L.A. and is paired with Robert Downey Jr. as a journalist. Nov. 21

Milk: Sean Penn stars in this biopic of Harvey Milk who was the first gay man elected to political office. Directed by Gus Van Sant and also starring Emile Hirsch and James Franco. Nov. 26

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Brad Pitt ages backwards from age 80 to eight in this fantasy based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story. Also starring Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton. Dec. 25

Marley & Me: Dog lovers rejoice! Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star in the film adaptation of the beloved book about the “world’s worst dog.” Dec. 25

Revolutionary Road: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite for the first time since Titanic – only this time they’re not a love-struck couple. This is a story about what happens to a suburban-living married couple after they fall out of love. Dec. 26

Laurence Fishburne, the megastar best known as Morpheus in the Matrix trilogy, as well as his startling portrayal as Ike Turner in the Tina Turner biopic, What’s Love Got to Do With It?, has landed the coveted spot in CBS’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, one of the hottest shows on network TV.

Fishburne beat out other notable actors (rumor has it John Malkovich was in the running) and will be introduced this fall after several episodes that will eventually see Grissom – aka William Petersen – leaving the show for good (so they say).

Be truthful: Did you really see this one coming down the pike when Fishburne – aka Cowboy Curtis – showed up every Saturday morning at PeeWee’s Playhouse?