For Those in Peril and Screen Star of Tomorrow George Mackay picked up top awards.Scroll down for full list of winners
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, did the double at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013 last night.
At a ceremony in Glasgow, honouring both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions, lead actor George Mackay picked up the coveted best actor/actress in film award.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, also won best film beating competition from documentary Fire in the Night and ganger feature The Wee Man.
However, both runners-up picked up separate awards with Fire In the Night winning best single documentary and The Wee Man picking up the BAFTA Scotland Cineworld Audience Award, voted for by the public.
Emma Davie and Morag Mckinnon both collected the best director award for...
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, did the double at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013 last night.
At a ceremony in Glasgow, honouring both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions, lead actor George Mackay picked up the coveted best actor/actress in film award.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, also won best film beating competition from documentary Fire in the Night and ganger feature The Wee Man.
However, both runners-up picked up separate awards with Fire In the Night winning best single documentary and The Wee Man picking up the BAFTA Scotland Cineworld Audience Award, voted for by the public.
Emma Davie and Morag Mckinnon both collected the best director award for...
- 11/18/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
For Those in Peril and Screen Star of Tomorrow George Mackay picked up top awards.Scroll down for full list of winners
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, did the double at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013 last night.
At a ceremony in Glasgow, honouring both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions, lead actor George Mackay picked up the coveted best actor/actress in film award.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, also won best film beating competition from documentary Fire in the Night and ganger feature The Wee Man.
However, both runners-up picked up separate awards with Fire In the Night winning best single documentary and The Wee Man picking up the BAFTA Scotland Cineworld Audience Award, voted for by the public.
Emma Davie and Morag Mckinnon both collected the best director award for...
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, did the double at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013 last night.
At a ceremony in Glasgow, honouring both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions, lead actor George Mackay picked up the coveted best actor/actress in film award.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, also won best film beating competition from documentary Fire in the Night and ganger feature The Wee Man.
However, both runners-up picked up separate awards with Fire In the Night winning best single documentary and The Wee Man picking up the BAFTA Scotland Cineworld Audience Award, voted for by the public.
Emma Davie and Morag Mckinnon both collected the best director award for...
- 11/18/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Other film nominees include The Wee Man and Fire In The Night.Scroll down for full list of nominees
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.
Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.
The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.
Full list of nominees
Film Actor/Actress
Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending
Martin Compston The Wee Man
George MacKay For Those in Peril
TV Actor/Actress
Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour
Peter Mullan [link...
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.
Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.
The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.
Full list of nominees
Film Actor/Actress
Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending
Martin Compston The Wee Man
George MacKay For Those in Peril
TV Actor/Actress
Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour
Peter Mullan [link...
- 10/30/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Other film nominees include The Wee Man and Fire In The Night.
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.
Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.
The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.
The nominees are:
Film Actor/Actress
Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending
Martin Compston The Wee Man
George MacKay For Those in Peril
TV Actor/Actress
Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour
Peter Mullan The Fear
Sharon Rooney My Mad Fat Diary
Animation...
Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.
The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.
Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.
The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.
The nominees are:
Film Actor/Actress
Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending
Martin Compston The Wee Man
George MacKay For Those in Peril
TV Actor/Actress
Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour
Peter Mullan The Fear
Sharon Rooney My Mad Fat Diary
Animation...
- 10/30/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Given that this is the finale, we naturally start with our main character, Tech Lady, hot on the trail of her newest lead. It took her all season, but she finally found a friend with an iPhone who's agreed to share her Vine feed. She calls the friend on Skype and suggests user names for her to type in, “Fat Cats! Fat Cats Wearing Hats! Fat Drunk Babies! Parking Lot Surveillance Footage!” That last one works, and the friend holds her iPhone up the screen so Tech Lady can watch. It’s a video of Parker being put in the trunk of a car by two followers. “Oh, snap,” says Hardy. “That sucks. But real quick, go back to the video of the guy holding a photo of himself holding a photo. I want to watch that one again. And then after that, let’s watch every video on here.
- 4/30/2013
- by Starlee Kine
- Vulture
When Michelle Collins left Bwe several months ago, she compiled this list of her favorite posts of all time. In honor of Bwe’s final week, we’ve reposted this handy guide in case you find yourself suffering from BWEthdrawal in the coming weeks and wish to peruse some bona fide literary classics. She also would like us to clarify that she did not write the title of this post. Take it away, Michelle: Well, my time at Best Week Ever is coming to a close. But before I go, here are 37 things I am proud to have done over the last 6 years. Please note that putting this list together has given me life-altering anxiety this week because I can’t believe it’s over! So, presenting The Final Countdown: 37 Things I Did For Best Week Ever: 37. Fell In Love With Knut. Met Him. Then Mourned Him. Our...
- 6/14/2012
- by Michelle Collins
- BestWeekEver
We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.
Before this weekend’s Prometheus there was Alien, a little science fiction film in 1979 that was never made to inspire a franchise. Seven years later, the film received a sequel, Aliens, which cemented its status as a series with multiple stories and characters to be explored in further films.
Read Jeff Bayer’s Scorecard Review of “Prometheus”
Since then, the concept of making sequels and prequels has become an ol’ hat in Tinseltown, with numerous films inspiring various continuations, for better or for worse. Yet while a movie like Twins is set to be turned into a franchise with an upcoming sequel, there are plenty of films that are more worthy of such expansion.
These are films that should get the franchise treatment, with their characters, concepts, and stories having more to say beyond just one movie.
7. Stop! Or My Mom Will...
Before this weekend’s Prometheus there was Alien, a little science fiction film in 1979 that was never made to inspire a franchise. Seven years later, the film received a sequel, Aliens, which cemented its status as a series with multiple stories and characters to be explored in further films.
Read Jeff Bayer’s Scorecard Review of “Prometheus”
Since then, the concept of making sequels and prequels has become an ol’ hat in Tinseltown, with numerous films inspiring various continuations, for better or for worse. Yet while a movie like Twins is set to be turned into a franchise with an upcoming sequel, there are plenty of films that are more worthy of such expansion.
These are films that should get the franchise treatment, with their characters, concepts, and stories having more to say beyond just one movie.
7. Stop! Or My Mom Will...
- 6/9/2012
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Well, my time at Best Week Ever is coming to a close. But before I go, here are 37 things I am proud to have done over the last 6 years. Please note that putting this list together has given me life-altering anxiety this week because I can’t believe it’s over! So, presenting The Final Countdown: 37 Things I Did For Best Week Ever: 37. Fell In Love With Knut. Met Him. Then Mourned Him. Our journey with Knut was a deep one. We fell in love with the little scamp from birth, as did the other 1000 billion people living in China and beyond. But, like a little Lindsay Lohan except not quite as pale, the attention got to little Knuty, right around the time he started growing up into a less small, way filthy dirtier full grown polar bear. I was one of the millions to go to Berlin and meet Knut.
- 3/31/2012
- by Michelle Collins
- BestWeekEver
The internet is good for a few things. Keeping in touch with loved ones, staying abreast of the latest news and entertainment, porn. And one of the many things we personally rely on the internet for is the endless supply of photos and videos of fat cats. Yes, the Fat Cat is 80 percent of the reason the internet has succeeded. I myself used to be the proud owner of a fat cat named Lutzy, who passed away at 11 while looking like a beached seal with a peanut head. (That last sentence is Da Vinci Code for “I will make a great Mom one day.”) And it’s not like he didn’t exercise! Alas, he left us, and my search for the new Fat Cat King of the Internet continued… Until Today. It is with great honor and esteem that I present you the new King of Fat Cats on the Internet.
- 9/14/2011
- by Michelle Collins
- BestWeekEver
Afp / Getty Images Alexander McQueen
Design legend Alexander McQueen has left 50,000 pounds (about $82,000) to his three dogs, according to details of his will released Tuesday.
The dogs, called Minter, Juice and Callum, according to the Daily Telegraph, received the same amount as each of McQueen’s two housekeepers.
McQueen, who sent ripples across the fashion world when he committed suicide in February 2010, left behind a fortune of over 16 million pounds, the majority of which went into a trust for his Sarabande charity.
Design legend Alexander McQueen has left 50,000 pounds (about $82,000) to his three dogs, according to details of his will released Tuesday.
The dogs, called Minter, Juice and Callum, according to the Daily Telegraph, received the same amount as each of McQueen’s two housekeepers.
McQueen, who sent ripples across the fashion world when he committed suicide in February 2010, left behind a fortune of over 16 million pounds, the majority of which went into a trust for his Sarabande charity.
- 7/26/2011
- by Saabira Chaudhuri
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Chicago – Spending nearly two hours with Sarah Palin, midday on a Saturday, is a questionable use of time at best, especially when not an admirer of the half term governor and defeated vice presidential candidate. Producer Stephen Bannon creates an irony with the title of the Palin documentary, “The Undefeated,” but supporters don’t seem to notice.
Rating: 1.0/5.0
The screening room at the Gene Siskel Film Center was divided between the Tea Party member audience (or self proclaimed “Palinistas”) and members of the film press. The presentation was sponsored by the self-proclaimed “Kelly Truth Squad,” run by Chicago south sider William J. Kelly. I got the impression he wants to be a bombastic Fox News style pundit, but he came off more nervous and unfunny, especially as he kept repeating a comment that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was only giving him a permit for two hours of “truth.”
Next up was Stephen Bannon,...
Rating: 1.0/5.0
The screening room at the Gene Siskel Film Center was divided between the Tea Party member audience (or self proclaimed “Palinistas”) and members of the film press. The presentation was sponsored by the self-proclaimed “Kelly Truth Squad,” run by Chicago south sider William J. Kelly. I got the impression he wants to be a bombastic Fox News style pundit, but he came off more nervous and unfunny, especially as he kept repeating a comment that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was only giving him a permit for two hours of “truth.”
Next up was Stephen Bannon,...
- 7/25/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
We’ve all known for years that the internet mostly exists for cats and cat-related purposes (cat lists, c-mail, Wikipawdia), but those corporate America Fat Cats (human ones with suits and ashy cigars, not adorable fat internet ones) have been slow on the uptick to acknowledge this phenomenon, constantly rolling out phone commercials that brag about their devices’ “4G Speed” and “other stuff that is not ability to display cats.” Finally, like Dudley Moore in the movie Crazy People, Sprint has decided to Tell It Like It Is. Phone are for internet, which is for cats: For the record, I do acknowledge that this ad was likely made to bait bloggers into reposting it, but if Sprint had the double-foresight to admit that the internet is cats and that bloggers will enjoy the admission that the internet is cats, then they literally just won 7 Webbys.
- 5/23/2011
- by Dan Hopper
- BestWeekEver
BBC One's Waking The Dead pulled in almost 6 million viewers on Monday evening, trouncing Law & Order: UK on ITV1, according to the latest audience data. Series nine of Waking The Dead, which premiered the previous evening, continued with 5.91m (23.5%) for BBC One in the 9pm hour. The show totally outperformed series four of Law & Order: UK, which had 4.08m (16.3%) on ITV1, down a massive 1.4m week-on-week. An additional 191k (1.1%) watched the show on +1. Earlier on ITV1, The Lakes entertained 3.5m (13.9%) from 8pm. Elsewhere on BBC One, Panorama: Exposed - The Dark Arts mustered 2.58m (10.2%) from 8.30pm and comedy Mrs Brown's Boys amused 2.99m (22.4%) from 10.45pm. Coach Trip had 1.75m (11.1%) on Channel 4 from 5.30pm and 185k (0.9%) on timeshift. Later, Dispatches: Britain's Secret Fat Cats fetched (more)...
- 3/15/2011
- by By Andrew Laughlin
- Digital Spy
After making great club bangers, some rather questionable music videos, (cough… clearing throat), and the masterpiece of uncut musical clips for his group Disturbing the Peace with P. Poppin directed by wunderkind duo Fat Cats, Ludacris had set sights on feature films as an actor.
Having Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze direct his clip for Move, it gave witness to his charm, along with a comfortable, relaxed vibe with the camera. Blink and you may miss his guest spot in John Singleton’s 2 Fast 2 Furious; his next performance was as a carjacker who spoke with grace and intelligence in Best Picture Oscar Winner Crash, leading to strong performances that proved a great future that might very well rival Mos Def, with his work in Hustle and Flow, plus a two-episode story arc on Law and Order: Svu, which almost garnered a nomination. Also enjoyable are decent flicks like Gamer and Rock ‘N Rolla.
Having Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze direct his clip for Move, it gave witness to his charm, along with a comfortable, relaxed vibe with the camera. Blink and you may miss his guest spot in John Singleton’s 2 Fast 2 Furious; his next performance was as a carjacker who spoke with grace and intelligence in Best Picture Oscar Winner Crash, leading to strong performances that proved a great future that might very well rival Mos Def, with his work in Hustle and Flow, plus a two-episode story arc on Law and Order: Svu, which almost garnered a nomination. Also enjoyable are decent flicks like Gamer and Rock ‘N Rolla.
- 12/28/2010
- by Tony
- ShadowAndAct
"Glee" star Chris Colfer has a classic Hollywood discovery story: Even though he auditioned for another part on the hit Fox musical series, the producers liked his performance enough to write a character specifically for him.
Thus, Kurt Hummel was born, and the fans' fascination with the boy from Clovis, California began.
We already know quite a bit about him. Like Kurt, he didn't have the best high school social experience, and when he was a senior, he wrote and masterminded the production of "Shirley Todd," a gender roles-reversed version of "Sweeney Todd."
We're still on such a high from Colfer's incredible solo of "A House Is Not a Home" from the previous week's episode of "Glee," we thought we'd share even more to love about Chris Colfer:
5 Things You Didn't Know About Chris Colfer
1) His first public performance was in elementary school.
"It was fifth grade. We did 'You're a Good Man,...
Thus, Kurt Hummel was born, and the fans' fascination with the boy from Clovis, California began.
We already know quite a bit about him. Like Kurt, he didn't have the best high school social experience, and when he was a senior, he wrote and masterminded the production of "Shirley Todd," a gender roles-reversed version of "Sweeney Todd."
We're still on such a high from Colfer's incredible solo of "A House Is Not a Home" from the previous week's episode of "Glee," we thought we'd share even more to love about Chris Colfer:
5 Things You Didn't Know About Chris Colfer
1) His first public performance was in elementary school.
"It was fifth grade. We did 'You're a Good Man,...
- 5/4/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
On the April 16 episode of Bet's "106 & Park", Plies has made public a music video to promote his single "She Got It Made". The rapper anonymously sends a lucky lady for a makeover while he is doing a photoshoot and gives her a bag of cash at the end of the clip.
The video is inspired by Richard Gere's popular movie "Pretty Woman". Director E of Fat Cats said, "It's pretty much like a Pretty Woman-type scenario where the young lady's homeless. Plies comes past and sees her and wants to do something good for her."
"She Got It Made" features rapper/producer Bei Maejor. The track is listed in Plies' fourth studio album "Goon Affiliated" which is slated to come out in U.S. on May 25.
Other featured guests on the upcoming release include Beyonce Knowles, Trina, Trey Songz, T-Pain, Keri Hilson, Janelle Monae and Rick Ross.
Plies' "She...
The video is inspired by Richard Gere's popular movie "Pretty Woman". Director E of Fat Cats said, "It's pretty much like a Pretty Woman-type scenario where the young lady's homeless. Plies comes past and sees her and wants to do something good for her."
"She Got It Made" features rapper/producer Bei Maejor. The track is listed in Plies' fourth studio album "Goon Affiliated" which is slated to come out in U.S. on May 25.
Other featured guests on the upcoming release include Beyonce Knowles, Trina, Trey Songz, T-Pain, Keri Hilson, Janelle Monae and Rick Ross.
Plies' "She...
- 4/17/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
In this crazy world, acting crazy is a pretty good strategy, philosophers have written. At least it is for California senatorial candidate Jay Bulworth in Warren Beatty's acerbic farce about a politician who goes bonkers during the last weekend of his campaign, speaking in rhyme and violating every political truism in the book.
A raucous satire of the hypocrisy of the political process, "Bulworth" is no mere one-position candidate, boxed in by a platform of criticizing the two-party system. It's a big-tent hilarity of chases, intrigue, romance and nuttiness.
It's likely to appeal to a wide spectrum of viewers, from serious politicos to those who just want a blazing romp. Write in a sleeper hit for "Bulworth" and count on some considerable votes for this delirious deviltry in December, when critics powwow in smokeless rooms to cast their best-of-year ballots.
You'd probably have to go through the Louisiana or Chicago history books to dredge up campaign craziness as off-the-wall as Democratic Sen. Bulworth (Beatty) heads into the final weekend of his re-election campaign. Essentially, the only thing he has to do is make some fund-raising appearances in the L.A. area, perfunctory glad-handing stuff, telling each constituency exactly what it wants to hear. Rubber chicken it. But Bulworth is stressed out: He can't sleep or eat, and he's so fried and suicidal that he's hired a hit man to do him in so his daughter can collect the huge windfall. His brain has been rubbered by years of playing politics, and he can no longer bring himself to mouth the pat banalities his staffers have spoon-fed him. His faith in the entire process has been toileted.
Bulworth blazes and glazes through the major L.A. constituencies -- read: special-interest groups. First stop: South Central, where he's skedded to speak at a church and tell the black parishioners about his party's compassion for their plight. Two seconds into the speech, he can go no further: He tells them that neither party has any interest in them, simply because they bring no economic impact to their campaigns -- namely monetary contributions.
Next stop: the true blue of Trousdale, where a bunch of entertainment bigwigs gather a la one of those glitzy Wasserman-style, Democratic deals to pledge their support, with the string attached that Bulworth will speak for their interests -- namely get the government off their backs about violence and sex in the media. Instead, he tells them he's not so appalled by the sex and violence but more by the awfulness of their creations. Holy Jack Valenti!
Gobbling hors d'oeuvres, swigging booze, brandishing floozies, Bulworth is gaining momentum, and he's off to speak to corporate Fat Cats at the Beverly Wilshire. By now, his gyrations have taken him to an after-hours "club" in Compton, where he gets so honked he starts spewing rap. His staffers want him to get some "rest," thinking he's totally crazed. But Bulworth's cranked wisdom amazingly hits chords with his constituents, who appreciate his candor. The media can't help but notice.
Like a steamrolling Preston Sturges satire, "Bulworth" is an upside-down, needle-in-the-butt dose of the claptrap insanity of established institutions -- in this case, the hypocrisy of politicians actually serving the people. It's mercilessly merry and is, generally, a nonpartisan salvo that's likely to delight Republicans as much as Democrats. Although Beatty and co-writer Jeremy Pikser write in primary colors, "Bulworth" is shaded with insights and observations. Admittedly, Beatty sometimes shows his liberal arm patches, but "Bulworth"'s bull is wisdom more worthy than a whole slew of political science dissertations or 100 hours of issue-and-answer-ish drivel.
Beatty is sensational as the glazed gladhander, delivering a satirical performance so off-the-wall that he seems downright sensible. Admittedly, everyone else plays pretty much the same role -- amazed straight man -- as they watch the candidate careen against the system. A special Rose Garden bouquet to Oliver Platt for his credible dexterity in playing Bulworth's campaign manager and to Jack Warden for his seen-it-all visage as an old-time politico. Bringing some nimble moves and deadly heart to the caravan is Halle Berry, whose silken sizzle heightens this whistle-stopper. Don Cheadle brings added tough fiber, while Paul Sorvino's weary resolution lends darkness.
Beatty has pulled off a delirious delicacy, greasing the story with a blazing pace, balancing the serious message with rollicking farce and drawing the satirical line with a gerrymander's dexterity. It's a very well-stacked house of cards.
Despite a few minor lapses into serioso messagemaking, "Bulworth" nails its platform without aid of obvious audience cues. Hail to the technical team, primarily editors Robert C. Jones and Billy Weber for the manic movement and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro for the deep-tonaled look. The soundtrack, topped by Ennio Morricone's properly fat score, is a marvel of compositional constituencies, including -- from left to right -- Dr. Dre and John Philip Sousa.
BULWORTH
20th Century Fox
A Warren Beatty film
Producers: Warren Beatty, Pieter Jan Brugge
Director: Warren Beatty
Screenwriters: Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser
Story: Warren Beatty
Executive producer: Lauren Shuler Donner
Director of photography: Vittorio Storaro
Production designer: Dean Tavoularis
Editors: Robert C. Jones, Billy Weber
Costume designer: Milena Canonero
Co-producers: Victoria Thomas, Frank Capra III
Music: Ennio Morricone
Executive soundtrack producer: Karyn Rachtman
Casting: Victoria Thomas, Jeanne McCarthy
Sound mixer: Thomas Causey
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jay Bulworth: Warren Beatty
Nina: Halle Berry
Dennis Murphy: Oliver Platt
L.D.: Don Cheadle
Graham Crockett: Paul Sorvino
Eddie Davers: Jack Warden
Constance Bulworth: Christine Baranski
Bill Feldman: Joshua Malina
Vinnie: Richard Sarafian
Darnell: Isaiah Washington
Rastaman: Amiri Baraka
Gary: Sean Astin
Mimi: Laurie Metcalf
Fred: Wendell Pierce
Cheryl: Michele Morgan
Tanya: Ariyan Johnson
Running time -- 107 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
A raucous satire of the hypocrisy of the political process, "Bulworth" is no mere one-position candidate, boxed in by a platform of criticizing the two-party system. It's a big-tent hilarity of chases, intrigue, romance and nuttiness.
It's likely to appeal to a wide spectrum of viewers, from serious politicos to those who just want a blazing romp. Write in a sleeper hit for "Bulworth" and count on some considerable votes for this delirious deviltry in December, when critics powwow in smokeless rooms to cast their best-of-year ballots.
You'd probably have to go through the Louisiana or Chicago history books to dredge up campaign craziness as off-the-wall as Democratic Sen. Bulworth (Beatty) heads into the final weekend of his re-election campaign. Essentially, the only thing he has to do is make some fund-raising appearances in the L.A. area, perfunctory glad-handing stuff, telling each constituency exactly what it wants to hear. Rubber chicken it. But Bulworth is stressed out: He can't sleep or eat, and he's so fried and suicidal that he's hired a hit man to do him in so his daughter can collect the huge windfall. His brain has been rubbered by years of playing politics, and he can no longer bring himself to mouth the pat banalities his staffers have spoon-fed him. His faith in the entire process has been toileted.
Bulworth blazes and glazes through the major L.A. constituencies -- read: special-interest groups. First stop: South Central, where he's skedded to speak at a church and tell the black parishioners about his party's compassion for their plight. Two seconds into the speech, he can go no further: He tells them that neither party has any interest in them, simply because they bring no economic impact to their campaigns -- namely monetary contributions.
Next stop: the true blue of Trousdale, where a bunch of entertainment bigwigs gather a la one of those glitzy Wasserman-style, Democratic deals to pledge their support, with the string attached that Bulworth will speak for their interests -- namely get the government off their backs about violence and sex in the media. Instead, he tells them he's not so appalled by the sex and violence but more by the awfulness of their creations. Holy Jack Valenti!
Gobbling hors d'oeuvres, swigging booze, brandishing floozies, Bulworth is gaining momentum, and he's off to speak to corporate Fat Cats at the Beverly Wilshire. By now, his gyrations have taken him to an after-hours "club" in Compton, where he gets so honked he starts spewing rap. His staffers want him to get some "rest," thinking he's totally crazed. But Bulworth's cranked wisdom amazingly hits chords with his constituents, who appreciate his candor. The media can't help but notice.
Like a steamrolling Preston Sturges satire, "Bulworth" is an upside-down, needle-in-the-butt dose of the claptrap insanity of established institutions -- in this case, the hypocrisy of politicians actually serving the people. It's mercilessly merry and is, generally, a nonpartisan salvo that's likely to delight Republicans as much as Democrats. Although Beatty and co-writer Jeremy Pikser write in primary colors, "Bulworth" is shaded with insights and observations. Admittedly, Beatty sometimes shows his liberal arm patches, but "Bulworth"'s bull is wisdom more worthy than a whole slew of political science dissertations or 100 hours of issue-and-answer-ish drivel.
Beatty is sensational as the glazed gladhander, delivering a satirical performance so off-the-wall that he seems downright sensible. Admittedly, everyone else plays pretty much the same role -- amazed straight man -- as they watch the candidate careen against the system. A special Rose Garden bouquet to Oliver Platt for his credible dexterity in playing Bulworth's campaign manager and to Jack Warden for his seen-it-all visage as an old-time politico. Bringing some nimble moves and deadly heart to the caravan is Halle Berry, whose silken sizzle heightens this whistle-stopper. Don Cheadle brings added tough fiber, while Paul Sorvino's weary resolution lends darkness.
Beatty has pulled off a delirious delicacy, greasing the story with a blazing pace, balancing the serious message with rollicking farce and drawing the satirical line with a gerrymander's dexterity. It's a very well-stacked house of cards.
Despite a few minor lapses into serioso messagemaking, "Bulworth" nails its platform without aid of obvious audience cues. Hail to the technical team, primarily editors Robert C. Jones and Billy Weber for the manic movement and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro for the deep-tonaled look. The soundtrack, topped by Ennio Morricone's properly fat score, is a marvel of compositional constituencies, including -- from left to right -- Dr. Dre and John Philip Sousa.
BULWORTH
20th Century Fox
A Warren Beatty film
Producers: Warren Beatty, Pieter Jan Brugge
Director: Warren Beatty
Screenwriters: Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser
Story: Warren Beatty
Executive producer: Lauren Shuler Donner
Director of photography: Vittorio Storaro
Production designer: Dean Tavoularis
Editors: Robert C. Jones, Billy Weber
Costume designer: Milena Canonero
Co-producers: Victoria Thomas, Frank Capra III
Music: Ennio Morricone
Executive soundtrack producer: Karyn Rachtman
Casting: Victoria Thomas, Jeanne McCarthy
Sound mixer: Thomas Causey
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jay Bulworth: Warren Beatty
Nina: Halle Berry
Dennis Murphy: Oliver Platt
L.D.: Don Cheadle
Graham Crockett: Paul Sorvino
Eddie Davers: Jack Warden
Constance Bulworth: Christine Baranski
Bill Feldman: Joshua Malina
Vinnie: Richard Sarafian
Darnell: Isaiah Washington
Rastaman: Amiri Baraka
Gary: Sean Astin
Mimi: Laurie Metcalf
Fred: Wendell Pierce
Cheryl: Michele Morgan
Tanya: Ariyan Johnson
Running time -- 107 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 5/11/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Travolta presses the flesh in all its current presidential connotations in "Primary Colors", an enthralling, entertaining slant on the Clinton quest for the Oval Office.
Chock-full of doughnuts and drawl, Travolta's performance, together with Emma Thompson's pithy portrayal of a Hillary-esque mate, should lure sophisticated audiences to this Mike Nichols-directed film. Universal's chief marketing challenge will be to rally an electorate that is, perhaps, already sated and OD'd on news of the president's myriad marital infidelities. Still, come election time next year -- we're talking Oscar votes -- both Travolta and Thompson are likely to be leading contenders for their respective categories' nominations. It's easily the funniest and, perhaps, most cynical portrait of a political campaign since "The Candidate", in which Robert Redford starred as a pretty-boy candidate who had nothing on the ball but media allure.
In this "fictional" scenario, only the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent: Travolta stars as Jack Stanton, an ambitious governor of a Southern hick state who has decided to buck the odds and run for president. Based on the novel "Primary Colors" by Anonymous (a k a Joe Klein), "Primary Colors" takes to the narrative trail as the idealistic governor and his equally ambitious wife Susan (Thompson) begin their underdog and unlikely quest for the presidency. Prismed through the viewpoint of a conscientious young black campaign manager, Henry (Adrian Lester), who thinks the pragmatic, populist Stanton has a real chance at winning but who chafes at the candidate's personal practices, "Primary Colors" is, by extension, shrewdly positioned to look at both sides of the presidential posture here. It is at once laudatory and almost fawning over the candidate's genuine concern for common, everyday people, while at the same time it disapproves of the increasingly hardball nature of the Stanton campaign camp, as well as the candidate's propensity to, seemingly, bed every woman in range.
You'd probably have to go on a location shoot to find a more mixed bag of people than on a political campaign, especially one as contradictory as a liberal from a small Southern state running for president. To say that the Stanton campaign is made up of colorful characters is an understatement, beginning with the Carville-esque Richard Billy Bob Thornton), a sly "redneck" strategist who comes across as some sort of lefty Hunter Thompson, and troubleshooter Libby (Kathy Bates), an old Razorback friend who's done a stint in a mental home and packs a big gun, literally. In its most rollicksome, "Primary Colors" filmically resembles some sort of "Bad News Bears" on the road as the scrappy batch of outsider/Dixie underdogs take on all the big Fat Cats and political machines cross-country, including most challengingly "New Yawk".
At its most revealing, "Primary Colors" rolls with a telling back-of-the-bus, inside-the-motel feel, cluing us to the inside workings of a shoestring, but wondrously successful, political campaign.
There's no denying the appeal and charisma of candidate Stanton. His concerns for the "little guy" are genuine, and he becomes teary-eyed, seemingly, daily over their woes. Such compassion almost seems wasted by running for office -- this guy would make a great mortician, grieving sincerely over every deceased "customer."
Unfortunately, this is only one side of the candidate's coin; the other side reveals an almost pathological need to cohabit with any and every skirt in sight, despite the fact that it pains his stalwart wife terribly. In Elaine May's perceptive screenplay, it's almost as if this guy has a narcissistic, psychological need to screw up (we use this term in varied senses) so that he can rally his personality to once again win everyone's love. And this smart reel-lifer shows up-close what the real-life polls have been telling us -- he rises from the ashes of each encounter. Like "Titanic", we all know the ending going in, but it's in the hurly-burly of the quest itself that is most entertaining and illuminating.
The performances are splendid, beginning with Travolta's magnificent turn as the big-hearted but hardballing man with 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on his horizon. Travolta balances Stanton's contradictions, the type of guy who at the end of a punishing jog finds himself seated at the doughnut shop, talking politics to the counter man. There's a telling, marvelously composed scene of the candidate sitting alone in the wee small hours, downing apple fritters and empathizing with Danny, the handicapped counter man. You can't help but like this man -- a credit to Travolta's winning style that does great honor to the Man in the White House.
As Susan, the supportive-to-a-fault, enabler wife who wears the pants in the family (and keeps them on), Thompson's performance is also an astute balancing act, conveying both the steely nature of her character as well as the anguish she goes through in private. The "Bubba Brigade" itself is a terrific mix, beginning with Lester's measured performance in the touchstone part, the young man whose ambivalence about his leader is both painful and inspiring. Thornton is perfect as the wily, sharp-shooting strategist, while Caroline Aaron is terrifically scary as Susan's loudmouthed, buttinsky friend. Larry Hagman is stirring as a decent governor who has been felled by personal problems from the past, and Bates is perfectly pugnacious as a not-so-good ol' gal. Praise to casting directors Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis and Juel Bestrop for these fitting selections.
The technical bunting is a perfect, Southern-fried smear of red, white and blue, beginning with Michael Ballhaus' evocative compositions and colorations as well as Bo Welch's down and lofty production design. Ry Cooder's raucous and haunting music is a fitting blend of Southern discomfort, while costume designer Ann Roth's fabrics bring out the personal flavors on this rag-tag, history-making trek.
PRIMARY COLORS
Universal Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
Director and producer: Mike Nichols
Screenplay: Elaine May
Based on the novel by: Anonymous
Executive producers: Neil Machlis,
Jonathan D. Krane
Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
Production designer: Bo Welch
Editor: Arthur Schmidt
Music: Ry Cooder
Costume designer: Ann Roth
Casting: Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis, Juel Bestrop
Co-producer: Michele Imperato
Associate producer: Michael Haley
Supervising sound editor: Ron Bochar
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gov. Jack Stanton: John Travolta
Susan Stanton: Emma Thompson
Richard Jemmons: Billy Bob Thornton
Libby Holden: Kathy Bates
Henry Burton: Adrian Lester
Daisy: Maura Tierney
Gov. Fred Picker: Larry Hagman
Mamma Stanton: Diane Ladd
Howard Ferguson: Paul Guilfoyle
March: Rebecca Walker
Lucille Kaufman: Caroline Aaron
Running time -- 134 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Chock-full of doughnuts and drawl, Travolta's performance, together with Emma Thompson's pithy portrayal of a Hillary-esque mate, should lure sophisticated audiences to this Mike Nichols-directed film. Universal's chief marketing challenge will be to rally an electorate that is, perhaps, already sated and OD'd on news of the president's myriad marital infidelities. Still, come election time next year -- we're talking Oscar votes -- both Travolta and Thompson are likely to be leading contenders for their respective categories' nominations. It's easily the funniest and, perhaps, most cynical portrait of a political campaign since "The Candidate", in which Robert Redford starred as a pretty-boy candidate who had nothing on the ball but media allure.
In this "fictional" scenario, only the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent: Travolta stars as Jack Stanton, an ambitious governor of a Southern hick state who has decided to buck the odds and run for president. Based on the novel "Primary Colors" by Anonymous (a k a Joe Klein), "Primary Colors" takes to the narrative trail as the idealistic governor and his equally ambitious wife Susan (Thompson) begin their underdog and unlikely quest for the presidency. Prismed through the viewpoint of a conscientious young black campaign manager, Henry (Adrian Lester), who thinks the pragmatic, populist Stanton has a real chance at winning but who chafes at the candidate's personal practices, "Primary Colors" is, by extension, shrewdly positioned to look at both sides of the presidential posture here. It is at once laudatory and almost fawning over the candidate's genuine concern for common, everyday people, while at the same time it disapproves of the increasingly hardball nature of the Stanton campaign camp, as well as the candidate's propensity to, seemingly, bed every woman in range.
You'd probably have to go on a location shoot to find a more mixed bag of people than on a political campaign, especially one as contradictory as a liberal from a small Southern state running for president. To say that the Stanton campaign is made up of colorful characters is an understatement, beginning with the Carville-esque Richard Billy Bob Thornton), a sly "redneck" strategist who comes across as some sort of lefty Hunter Thompson, and troubleshooter Libby (Kathy Bates), an old Razorback friend who's done a stint in a mental home and packs a big gun, literally. In its most rollicksome, "Primary Colors" filmically resembles some sort of "Bad News Bears" on the road as the scrappy batch of outsider/Dixie underdogs take on all the big Fat Cats and political machines cross-country, including most challengingly "New Yawk".
At its most revealing, "Primary Colors" rolls with a telling back-of-the-bus, inside-the-motel feel, cluing us to the inside workings of a shoestring, but wondrously successful, political campaign.
There's no denying the appeal and charisma of candidate Stanton. His concerns for the "little guy" are genuine, and he becomes teary-eyed, seemingly, daily over their woes. Such compassion almost seems wasted by running for office -- this guy would make a great mortician, grieving sincerely over every deceased "customer."
Unfortunately, this is only one side of the candidate's coin; the other side reveals an almost pathological need to cohabit with any and every skirt in sight, despite the fact that it pains his stalwart wife terribly. In Elaine May's perceptive screenplay, it's almost as if this guy has a narcissistic, psychological need to screw up (we use this term in varied senses) so that he can rally his personality to once again win everyone's love. And this smart reel-lifer shows up-close what the real-life polls have been telling us -- he rises from the ashes of each encounter. Like "Titanic", we all know the ending going in, but it's in the hurly-burly of the quest itself that is most entertaining and illuminating.
The performances are splendid, beginning with Travolta's magnificent turn as the big-hearted but hardballing man with 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on his horizon. Travolta balances Stanton's contradictions, the type of guy who at the end of a punishing jog finds himself seated at the doughnut shop, talking politics to the counter man. There's a telling, marvelously composed scene of the candidate sitting alone in the wee small hours, downing apple fritters and empathizing with Danny, the handicapped counter man. You can't help but like this man -- a credit to Travolta's winning style that does great honor to the Man in the White House.
As Susan, the supportive-to-a-fault, enabler wife who wears the pants in the family (and keeps them on), Thompson's performance is also an astute balancing act, conveying both the steely nature of her character as well as the anguish she goes through in private. The "Bubba Brigade" itself is a terrific mix, beginning with Lester's measured performance in the touchstone part, the young man whose ambivalence about his leader is both painful and inspiring. Thornton is perfect as the wily, sharp-shooting strategist, while Caroline Aaron is terrifically scary as Susan's loudmouthed, buttinsky friend. Larry Hagman is stirring as a decent governor who has been felled by personal problems from the past, and Bates is perfectly pugnacious as a not-so-good ol' gal. Praise to casting directors Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis and Juel Bestrop for these fitting selections.
The technical bunting is a perfect, Southern-fried smear of red, white and blue, beginning with Michael Ballhaus' evocative compositions and colorations as well as Bo Welch's down and lofty production design. Ry Cooder's raucous and haunting music is a fitting blend of Southern discomfort, while costume designer Ann Roth's fabrics bring out the personal flavors on this rag-tag, history-making trek.
PRIMARY COLORS
Universal Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
Director and producer: Mike Nichols
Screenplay: Elaine May
Based on the novel by: Anonymous
Executive producers: Neil Machlis,
Jonathan D. Krane
Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
Production designer: Bo Welch
Editor: Arthur Schmidt
Music: Ry Cooder
Costume designer: Ann Roth
Casting: Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis, Juel Bestrop
Co-producer: Michele Imperato
Associate producer: Michael Haley
Supervising sound editor: Ron Bochar
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gov. Jack Stanton: John Travolta
Susan Stanton: Emma Thompson
Richard Jemmons: Billy Bob Thornton
Libby Holden: Kathy Bates
Henry Burton: Adrian Lester
Daisy: Maura Tierney
Gov. Fred Picker: Larry Hagman
Mamma Stanton: Diane Ladd
Howard Ferguson: Paul Guilfoyle
March: Rebecca Walker
Lucille Kaufman: Caroline Aaron
Running time -- 134 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 3/13/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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