| HIGH-DEF DISC NEWS TAGGED "HDD STUDY HALL" | Receive High-Def Disc News via RSS |  |
HDD Study Hall: Gary Oldman
Thu Dec 08, 2011 at 02:55 PM ETTags: HDD Study Hall, Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
In theaters this week is the new highly complex and equally confusing espionage investigation flick 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.' At the top of the credits is Gary Oldman, easily one of today's best working actors.
During his 30 years on screen, Oldman has played nearly every type of character imaginable – hero, villain, cop, outlaw, rebel, vampire, drug dealer, musician, reverend, doctor, spider, terrorist, traitor, devil, and werewolf hunter. He's even done Robert Zemeckis' creepy motion capture stuff.
While a lot of folks learned to love Oldman from his roles as Sid Vicious in 'Sid and Nancy,' I was too little to have that be my first experience with him. A few years after it was released, after visiting the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, Texas, my old man and I sat down and watched a VHS copy of 'JFK.' Watching Oldman's performance as the notorious Oswald marked the first performance I saw him in. It wasn't until 'The Fifth Element' that I saw him again. After that, he became an actor and a face that I'd look forward to seeing in every movie – both the good and the bad.
I'm not going to make the bold statement that the list below contains the best of Oldman's roles. Instead, I'm going to fill it with what I consider to be the most memorable of them all. Be warned, there are spoilers lurking in these waters.
Commissioner Gordon in 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight'
 |
Let's go ahead and get these out of the way first. If you think back to the pre-Nolan 'Batman' movies, Pat Hingle's Jim Gordon was nothing more than a scenery-chomping side character that carried no weight or relevance to the story at hand. He didn't protect or serve Gotham City – no, that was Batman's task. Batman was doing everything that Commissioner Gordon and his men couldn't. Then Christopher Nolan took over and gave that role a lot more importance.
Gary Oldman not only entered the picture giving it his standard best, but he made you love him. I'd go so far as to say that if he wasn't in the series, it simply wouldn't be as good. All along, with Nolan's series, he's made the familiar elements from the graphic novels unpredictable by tweaking the comic book mythos. My prediction is that the Bane character's well-known story will be twisted around by having him break Commissioner Gordon's back in 'The Dark Knight Rises.' If I'm right, it will be a lot more devastating to see Oldman's back broken than it would to see Hingle's. You wouldn't even care if that had happened to Hingle's character, but if / when it happens to Oldman's, you'll surely feel it.
Sirius Black in 'Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban,' 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' and 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'
 |
With the exception of 'The Deathly Hallows,' I walked into the 'Harry Potter' movies fresh, not knowing who was good, who was bad, nor the fate of any of the characters. When Sirius Black was introduced in 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' (arguably the best 'Potter' film in the franchise), I was excited to see Oldman playing a crazy dark wizard. As the movie progressed and he became more evil and ominous, I was eating it up. But when the surprise was revealed that he was actually good, much to my surprise, I loved him even more. At the risk of sounding cheesy, he was reminded me of how my cool uncles treated me when I was a kid.
'The Goblet of Fire' (arguably the worst film of the franchise) missed out on the opportunity to let him shine once again, using a horrendous CG effect to his recreate his face out of smoldering talking embers. It's ridiculous how bad that effect looks compared to all of the other effects in the 'Potter' movies – even the corny Chris Columbus ones. They managed to ruin the one scene of 'The Goblet of Fire' in which he appeared. Luckily, 'The Order of the Phoenix' hurried along and brought Sirius back in a great way.
While watching 'The Order of the Phoenix,' I was again eating up all of great Oldman moments. It was a best case scenario. But it quickly turned into a nightmare during the climax. The second Sirius stepped through the deadly archway, I started my trail down the five stages of grief: Denial – "He's not really dead. Just like Gandalf, they'll find a way to bring him back." But they didn't; Anger – "This is bull! They just killed the best character! I'm done with this series!" But I wasn't; Bargaining – "I'll just keep watching 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' over and over again. Then he won't be dead." But he was; Depression – "Who cares if Voldemort wins? It's just a stupid kid's book anyway." But it's so much more than that; and Acceptance – "Don't worry, dude. If Harry keeps seeing the ghost of his parents, before long, he'll see Sirius' ghost too." And he did!
Agent Norman "Stan" Stansfield in 'Leon: The Professional'
 |
Three great loves were born from 'The Professional' – my love of Natalie Portman, Jean Reno and, of course, Gary Oldman. This was it. This was the film that I walked away from thinking that he was one of the very best actors. This was the movie that made me realize that even when he appears in terrible movies like 'Lost in Space' and 'Red Riding Hood,' he still gives it his all, usually making his performance the only thing worth watching.
In 'The Professional,' Oldman plays one of the most evil, despicable characters put on screen. "Stan" held the title of Most Evil Movie Villain in my book up until I saw Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in 'No Country for Old Men.' Stan is a sleazy, dirty junkie pretending to be something that he's not - a DEA agent. Watching him gun down innocent men, women, and children is highly disturbing, but Oldman's ability to make you forget his past the second you see him in another film keeps the dark roles from distracting you during the light ones, and vice versa. Some actors carry about that weight, always making you associate them with past performances – but not Gary Oldman.
Carnegie in 'The Book of Eli'
 |
The concept behind 'The Book of Eli' is much better than the movie itself. Falling victim to poor execution, it starts strong but gradually falls apart. Despite the good movie turning into a mediocre one, Oldman stands strong and I give him full credit for this not turning into a laughably bad movie.
When a blind man (Denzel Washington) carrying a precious gift wanders into a post-apocalyptic town, Carnegie, the leader of this territory's gang, does everything he has to in order to uncover the blind man's secret. The film turns into a battle between the two, where Washington's character, the nameless man with integrity and a good heart, is tempted to give up something sacred to a man promising temporal rewards.
'The Book of Eli' isn't the most driven film, but the conflict between Oldman and Washington is what keeps it going. This is one of the films in Oldman's credits that leaves you wondering why he took the part – but had he turned it down, it would have been filled by some B-list actor with whom the film would have failed miserably. No other actor could have played Carnegie and made the slightly above par movie work.
Lord Shen in 'Kung Fu Panda 2'
 |
Too many movie actors undeservedly land voice roles in animated movies. Just because an actor is great in front of the camera, it does not imply that he / she has what it takes to command a purely vocal performance – but Gary Oldman pulls it off perfectly.
DreamWorks has pointlessly given a few 'Kung Fu Panda' voice roles to celebrity actors who don't add a thing to the motion pictures, but the decision to cast Oldman as the villainous peacock Lord Shen in 'Panda' sequel was brilliant. Just as the story of 'Kung Fu Panda 2' is a bit darker than the first (it's like the 'Empire Strikes Back' of the 'Panda' universe), so is its bad guy. When a soothsayer prophesied that a panda would stop him from ever reigning over China, Shen sent his henchmen wolf pack to ethnically cleanse the nation of pandas – which is why our Dragon Warrior central character Po was raised by a goose. The genocide began when Po was just a cub. When the wolves raided their village, his mother placed Po in a radish box that ended up in a vegetable delivery on his "dad's" porch.
For such an evil villain, an actor with the rich talent of playing heinous characters was necessary. Oldman knocks it out of the park. He's disturbing, creepy and absolutely ruthless – a bad guy you love to hate. This one is well worth checking out!
Now that I've shared what I believe to be some of Oldman's most memorable roles, let us know which are your favorites in the forums.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: Martin Scorsese
Wed Nov 30, 2011 at 04:25 PM ETTags: HDD Study Hall, Martin Scorsese, Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Without question, Martin Scorsese is one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. Although his achievements may not be measured through his count of Academy Awards, he is still revered as one of the finest cinematic storytellers around. His credits are interesting to read through because he does so much more than the average filmmaker. As well as writing and/or directing some of the most iconic films in history, he has produced, edited, acted in, and advised even more.
Scorsese entered the Hollywood scene with peers like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola. Together, they were known as the "Film School Generation," (though Spielberg was actually a dropout) contributing highly to the "New Hollywood Movement" also known as the "American New Wave." These four stormed into Hollywood and quickly made their mark. Along with other filmmakers characterized in the New Hollywood Movement, they brought artistic integrity back into mainstream cinema and changed the way the game was played. Mind you, at the time, they were four of the first new American filmmakers in a long time to make names for themselves.
Although he hit the ground directing, writing, and producing, Scorsese quickly dropped the latter two and focused his efforts in directing. During this phase, he made 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore,' 'Taxi Driver' and 'Raging Bull,' just to name a few. Along the way he began making documentaries, short films, contributing to television series, and even tryig his hand at music videos. In 1990, Scorsese began writing again, and from there he began branching out in many different directions.
Instead of going through the list and revisiting five of his past credits, this edition of the HDD Study Hall will begin by taking a look at his life and many achievements and wrap up with a list of five Scorsese documentaries that many of us probably have not seen. Let's kick this thing off with a little game I like to call ...
Did you know ... ?
Did you know that Scorsese edited the 1970 'Woodstock' documentary? That's right. Click here to read Roger Ebert's brilliant write-up from Feb. 15, 1970 about how more than 120 hours of footage from the epic concert were filmed, compiled and condensed into a single Oscar-winning documentary. From shooting, to editing, to injuries, to helicopters and hippies - it's insane what went into making the historic film.
Did you know that Scorsese has directed 17 different actors to Oscar-nominated performances. Have you ever seen a bad actor give a fantastic performance? Whenever this rarity occurs, it is typically due to a strong director actually tweaking a solid performance out of his star. I'm not saying that Scorsese casts terrible actors in his films, but he knows how to mold an actor's performance to get what he wants. The number of acting nominations to come from his films speaks for itself. Of the 17 nominations, five went on to win the Oscar.
Did you know that Scorsese directed the music video for Michael Jackson's "Bad?" Fan of Michael Jackson or not, if you were watching music videos in the late '80s, you certainly remember seeing the video for "Bad" quite a bit. Well, Scorsese was the man behind the camera. On Michael Jackson's music video compilation DVD, the full "Bad" video runs at 17 minutes. However, the televised version you're probably familiar with was shortened to just a few minutes.
Did you know that "Marty" is an avid proponent of film preservation and restoration? In his new film 'Hugo,' he integrates his strong belief in these programs via the story's third act. In 1990, Scorsese created The Film Foundation, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to protect, preserve and restore films. For those of us who love Blu-rays with pristine transfers and clean prints, this is an organization to donate to. With Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, George Lucas, Robert Redford, Steven Spilberg, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Curtis Hanson, Peter Jackson, Ang Lee, and Alexander Payne all working on the Board of Directors, this is one amazing organization that Scorsese has put together. Hopefully, they'll begin putting their restored movies on Blu-ray some time soon.
Did you know that it wasn't until his fourth Best Picture and Best Director nominations that he finally earned those two coveted Oscars? In 1980, 'Raging Bull' lost to Robert Redford's 'Ordinary People.' In 1990, 'Goodfellas' lost to Kevin Costner's 'Dances with Wolves.' And in 2004, 'The Aviator' lost to Clint Eastwood's 'Million Dollar Baby.' It wasn't until 2006 that he finally won both awards for 'The Departed,' beating out 'Babel,' 'Little Miss Sunshine,' 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and 'The Queen' for Best Picture, and Clint Eastwood ('Letters from Iwo Jima'), Stephen Frears ('The Queen'), Paul Greengrass ('United 93') and Alejandro González Iñárritu ('Babel') for Best Director.
Did you know that Scorsese serves as the executive producer of 'Boardwalk Empire?' He even directed and won an Emmy Award for the self-titled pilot episode. I haven't seen a second of this series, but now that I know this, I'm going to have to play catch-up.
5 Presumably Promising Scorsese Documentaries
'George Harrison: Living in the Material World'
 |
Directed and produced by Scorsese, this new film premiered at the this year's Telluride Film Festival where it received fantastic reviews. The positive reviews boast about the film's intimate study of The Beatle's personal life. To achieve this deeply personal level, the film is full of new interviews and archival footage with the folks that Harrison surrounded himself with - Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono and Tom Petty. The only thing that the positive and negative reviews hold in common is the complaint that 'Living in a Material World' runs a too long. With a three and a half hour runtime, it's no wonder. Still not available on video, unless you caught it at a festival or saw it on BBC, you - like me - might have to wait a while to see this.
'My Voyage to Italy'
 |
This 1999 film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Much like 'George Harrison,' 'My Voyage to Italy' also features an extremely long runtime - 246 minutes. In it, Scorsese takes you on a journey through the Italian films that inspired and molded him the most. He introduces us to his family, takes us to his home, shows long clips from his very favorite Italian films that he grew up watching and explains the personal and social context to their importance. Many reviews cite specific moments within the film where Scorsese's voice-over reveals the tears that these clips bring to his eyes. These are films that literally move him and he openly dissects them and shares him intimate experiences about them. We all have films that we're passionate about, it sounds pretty amazing to have Scorsese share four hours of them with us.
'A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies'
 |
Yet another four-hour film, 'A Personal Journey' is much like 'My Voyage to Italy,' only with American films. The interesting thing about this film is Scorsese begins at the dawn of cinematic history and ends in 1969, the year that Scorsese began making films. Apparently, he says, "I wouldn't feel right commenting on myself or my contemporaries." These are the American films that inspired him to become a filmmaker. Unlike 'My Voyage to Italy,' 'A Personal Journey' features clips of front profile "confessional" style interviews with Scorsese explaining his connection to the films and their social relevance. As the clips roll, Scorsese also lends a voice-over narration. There's nothing cooler than watching someone knowledgeable explaining their deep passion. That's the reason this documentary made the list.
'No Direction Home: Bob Dylan'
 |
The majority of Scorsese's documentaries revolve around music. 'No Direction Home' focuses on Bob Dylan's odd transformation over five years of his career. Through archival footage and modern interviews, 'No Direction Home' shows you how he went from struggling young folk artist to a lyrically vocal protester. Once again, this is another near 4-hour documentary that features one genius artist (Scorsese) fleshing out another (Dylan) through the creative medium that he's mastered.
'Public Speaking'
 |
Of the five Scorsese documentaries that peaked my interest, this is the only one with a standard runtime - 84 minutes. HBO debuted this documentary last November. It dives into the personal and professional life of Fran Lebowitz, a well known satirical writer. She worked as a columnist under Andy Warhol and soon thereafter began publishing compilations of her works. In the early days of the 'Late Night with David Letterman,' she was a recurring guest. She's also popped up as a returning judge on 'Law & Order.' The purpose of 'Public Speaking' is to show her unique opinions on modern day living the New York city culture and lifestyle of which she has become a major figure.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: George Clooney
Mon Nov 28, 2011 at 04:00 PM ETTags: HDD Study Hall, Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Actors who begin in television don't always make it big in film, but George Clooney has proven that if one has real talent and star power, the transition isn't impossible. If Clooney is the best example of this scenario, then, at the other end of the spectrum, rest David Caruso.
Being the son of Nick Clooney and the nephew of Rosemary Clooney, George's involvement in the entertainment industry was almost guaranteed. He began with bit parts on television before landing a regular role on the sitcom 'E/R' which ran for one season between 1984 and 1985. Over the next ten years he would land reoccurring roles on 'The Facts of Life,' 'Roseanne,' and the series that would launch him into the big leagues, oddly enough, also titled 'ER.' Throughout his five full seasons as Dr. Doug Ross on 'ER,' he would simultaneously make the successful jump to the big screen.
One truly impressive aspect of George Clooney's career is that he's not only become an Oscar-winning actor, but also an Oscar-nominated writer and director. In 2006, Clooney won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 'Syriana', as well as nominations for co-writing and directing 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' He earned Best Lead Actor nominations in 2008 for 'Michael Clayton' and in 2010 for 'Up in the Air.' Having given two solid performances this year in 'The Ides of March,' which he also co-wrote and directed, and in Alexander Payne's 'The Descendants,' it's almost guaranteed that he will receive at least one more nomination this year.
In this edition of the HDD Study Hall, we're going to look back at five of George Clooney's very best performances. Instead of sticking solely to roles that earned him critical praise, we'll also take a peek at the fan favorites.
 |
Prior to 'Three Kings,' I'd liked Clooney from his roles in 'ER,' 'From Dusk Til Dawn' and 'Out of Sight,' but I hadn't fallen in love with his acting abilities yet. 'Three Kings' was the film that made me a full-on George Clooney fan. Prior to leaving the U.S. for two years in late '99, knowing that I wouldn't get to see new movies for quite some time, I watched 'Three Kings' in theaters three times because I loved it so much.
Written and directed by David O. Russell, 'Three Kings' is a wild and unique film – both on camera and off. This is the film where Clooney allegedly punched Russell in the face between takes. It begins as a comedy showing the lazy shenanigans of U.S. troops during the cease-fire after Desert Storm, turns into an intense drama, and ends as an action movie with a major moral at its core.
In 'Three Kings, Clooney plays a disgruntled military leader who goes AWOL with three other military misfits (Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze) in an attempt to steal a load of Iraqi gold before being shipped home. Along the way, Wahlberg is taken by Iraqi soldiers and the other three meet-up with and fight along side a group of Iraqi civilians trying to obtain their freedom while trying to rescue Wahlberg.
'Three Kings' is well balanced. Some of the content is extremely heavy, so it's balanced with action and humor. In the end, it even has the balls to get very emotional. It's not common for a Hollywood film to slug you in the gut with a bold moral, but 'Three Kings' does it – and it does with entertaining grace.
 |
There are two things that frequently come to mind when I think of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' - the first, Dapper Dan pomade. Honestly, is there any other brand? The reccurring joke of Clooney's character searching for Dapper Dan is a classic Coen Brothers joke. The second is a line repeatedly uttered by Clooney when he and his company are backed into a corner. “Damn! We're in a tight spot!” Over 11 years after its release, I still quote this line whenever I'm parking my compact car between two big trucks.
'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' is the Coen Brothers' "adaptation" of Homer's 'The Odyssey.' George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson play three escaped convicts on a trek to dig up a buried bank heist treasure on their way home. Of course, Homer's obstacles stand in their way – like a “cyclops,” tempting sirens, et cetera.
Like almost all Coen Brothers movies, you either get the humor and love them or you don't. Personally, I find them hilarious, intelligent, and witty. Homer's 'The Odyssey' isn't exactly the best-paced and most entertaining story, but the Coen's took a classic piece of literature and turned it into an enjoyable film.
The musical plot interwoven with the treasure-hunting journey is unexpected, the music itself being creative and original. 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' earned cinematography and adapted screenplay Oscar nominations, but proved to be a winner by taking home the Best Soundtrack award at the Grammys.
 |
Where most filmmakers wouldn't consider remaking a classic film, let alone one by the Rat Pack, Steven Soderbergh did - and it turned out to be even better than the original. It's a shame the two sequels were almost pure garbage. Even though 'Ocean's Twelve' and 'Thirteen' tarnished the franchise's name, they didn't damage it enough to the point of making 'Eleven' a miserable experience (unlike the 'Pirates' series).
Much like his character in 'Three Kings,' in 'Ocean's Eleven' Clooney plays a ringleader who assembles a team for a heist. Their target – three major casinos on the Vegas strip. Although he says it has nothing do with revenge, his crew believes that he's targeting the owner (Andy Garcia) of these three casinos for stealing away his ex (Julia Roberts).
What makes 'Ocean's Eleven' better than the original is it's genius script and original characters. Brad Pitt makes for a great sidekick – especially when he's eating in almost every scene. Casey Affleck and Scott Caan play two obnoxious Mormon brother constantly trying to annoy one another. Don Cheadle is the pack's explosives expert and Bernie Mac is the cherry on top. Combined with all of the other solid actors in leading, supporting and cameo roles, 'Ocean's Eleven' is jam-packed with great performances.
What really works in 'Ocean's Eleven' is how the plan is never revealed to the audience prior to the heist. The first time you watch it, you're so entertained by the film that you never realize that the plan hasn't been detailed for you. As the heist comes about, you're just as clueless as to what's going on as is Garcia's character. 'Ocean's Eleven' is one of those rare films that you wish you could go back and watch again for the first time.
 |
Coming off the success of four-time Oscar winner 'No Country for Old Men,' most audiences expected so much more from the Coen Brothers' follow-up. But in reality, 'Burn After Reading' is exactly what it was advertised as – a wacky, unpredictable Coen Brothers comedy.
'Burn After Reading' is the ensemble story of several different people whose lives become intertwined in the most odd of ways. It's a farce about a handful of bad people, all idiots, who get make assumptions, act upon them and get what they deserve in the end – nothing good.
John Malkovich plays the man who starts the ball rolling, an ex-CIA agent who decides to write his memoirs after being “let go.” A disc holding his memoirs mistakenly ends up in the hands of two gym workers (Francis McDormand and Brad Pitt) who believe the stories are government secrets and try selling it to the highest bidder. What Malkovich doesn't know is that his wife (Tilda Swinton) has been cheating on him with a dim-witted State Department Marshall (Clooney). When all the stories become connected, things get quirky and crazy.
While Pitt receives a lot of praise for his role as a physically fit dummy, Clooney also deserves the same amount of love for his role. He plays a creepy, dirty, sexual deviant unlike anyone else – something we've never really seen him do before. The picturesque last look on his face is priceless, reminiscent of the films of the '40s and '50s.
 |
Most movie actors aren't capable of properly lending their voices to animation. See: 'Rio.' Better yet, don't see 'Rio.' It's awful. Just take my word on it. Not only is the movie itself flavorless, but the majority of the “stars” who lend the voices to the main characters are dreadful. No other actor could have phoned-in a more boring voice-over than Jesse Eisenberg as the lead blue macaw, Blu. If 'Rio' is a perfect example of how casting movie actors doesn't work, then 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' is brilliant example of how it can.
George Clooney voices the titular character, Mr. Fox, in this Wes Anderson stop motion family flick. When Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) became pregnant, she made Mr. Fox promise to stop stealing hens from the local farmers' coups. Several fox-years later, he's back at it and the three ruthless farmers will stop at nothing to kill Mr. Fox and his family.
Based on the book by Roald Dahl, 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' is not only entertaining for children, but for adults as well. It's full of the elements that keep kids entertained: mild peril, kid characters who need to learn lessons, silly action, et cetera. The elements that will entertain the adults are the Wes Anderson-isms: the playful directing, the witty dialog, the use of music and moving pictures, and so on.
Perhaps the most entertaining of the elements that compose 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' is that fact the Anderson wrote a kids' screenplay full of swearing and profanity, but changed every foul word to “cuss” in order to not have an R-rated family flick. “Don't cussing point at me!” “If you're gonna cuss with somebody, you're not gonna cuss with me, you little cuss!” And my personal favorite, “What a cluster cuss.”
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: Clint Eastwood
Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 03:45 PM ETTags: Clint Eastwood, Luke Hickman, HDD Study Hall, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Placing both the known and the secret lives of J. Edgar Hoover on the big screen, opening nationwide tomorrow, is Clint Eastwood's new dramatic bio-pic 'J. Edgar.' With Eastwood seemingly always in the running for Academy Awards, I figured he would be a worthy topic for Study Hall, only this time we'll review his past in a different format. Instead of looking at a few of Eastwood's classic titles, we're going to take a look at the many filmmaking roles he's successfully filled over his 56-year career.
Acting
Eastwood started in the business in front of the camera. Until the last decade, he was known first and foremost as an actor. His first few years in Hollywood were spent playing small roles in television shows and uncredited bit parts in small movies - mostly war flicks and, as you know, westerns. It didn't take long for him to find his niche. After four short years in the business, Eastwood landed the role of Rowdy Yates in the popular television series 'Rawhide,' and the rest is history.
After 217 episodes of 'Rawhide,' Eastwood made his way back onto the silver screen in Sergio Leone's spaghetti western 'A Fistful of Dollars.' One year later, he appeared in Leone's 'For a Few Dollars More' and just one year after that, they again reteamed for 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.' Arguably, this trio of films, known as 'The Man with No Name Trilogy' is the most well-known credit on Eastwood's resume. Personally, 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' is not only my favorite western but my favorite of the films in which Eastwood stars.
Over the 14 years following his work with Leone, Eastwood appeared in at least one film a year - westerns, war films, and then crime dramas. In 1971, Eastwood kicked off a the five-film 'Dirty Harry' series, where he played a San Francisco cop who didn't play by the rules. Unlike 'The Man with No Name Trilogy,' Eastwood spread his Dirty Harry roles over 17 years, filling the gaps with notable titles 'The Outlaw Josey Wales,' 'Every Which Way But Loose' and 'Escape from Alcatraz.' Alng the way, he's received two nominations for acting in 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Unforgiven,' but hasn't won.
The older he's gotten, the less films he's acted in. Eastwood's current focus is placed on producing and directing.
Directing
Eastwood began directing while shooting his 1971 film 'The Beguiled.' When not in front of the camera, he was behind a camera of his own shooting a making-of documentary about the film's director Don Siegel short called 'The Beguiled: The Storyteller.' He must have caught the directing bug because he stuck to it. His feature directorial debut was 'Play Misty for Me,' after which he directed some of his own westerns and war flicks, as well as one 'Dirty Harry' film.
Along the way, he would occasionally direct a film that he would not act in, but after 2004's 'Million Dollar Baby,' he's only returned for one film - 2008's 'Gran Torino.'
Eastwood won his first Academy Award for directing 'Unforgiven.' In 2005, he won another Academy Award for directing 'Million Dollar Baby.' He's also have had two other Academy Award directing nominations for 2003's 'Mystic River' and 2006's 'Letters From Iwo Jima.' Along the way he has directed ten actors to Oscar-nominated performances.
Producing
Since he started directing, Eastwood has produced nearly all of his own films, as well as a few musical and historical documentaries. If you see the Eastwood-produced 'You Must Rememeber This: The Warner Bros. Story' on your TV's listings, be sure to set your DVR to record this fascinating tale of the studio's formation, trials and successes from creation to modern releases.
As a producer, Eastwood has won two Best Picture Academy Awards for 'Unforgiven' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' as well as two additional nominations for 'Mystic River' and 'Letters From Iwo Jima.'
Composing
How many other director/producer/actors out there have also composed their own music? My guess is very few.
To date, Eastwood has composed six big screen scores. 'Mystic River,' 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Flags of our Fathers,' 'Changeling' and 'Hereafter' were all his own films, but 2007's 'Grace is Gone' is the surprise title under his composing credits. Eastwood has no apparent connection to the filmmakers nor the studio that distributed the indie film, yet he composed the simple score. Perhaps he was drawn to the intimate script about a father (John Cusack - who appeared in the Eastwood directed 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil') trying to cope with the death of his wife serving in the Middle East while looking for the right moment to break the news to their daughters.
Conclusion
Even though I personally view the Eastwood-directed flicks as hit-and-miss, there's no arguing that he's a filmmaking legend. The guy has proven himself in numerous roles within the Hollywood system.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: Steven Soderbergh
Thu Sep 08, 2011 at 07:50 PM ETTags: Luke Hickman, HDD Study Hall, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Although his name is not as widely known amongst average moviegoers, every cinephile knows director Steven Soderbergh very, very well. Each year, the Sundance Film Festival somehow finds a way to stick him in the unique pre-show reel. Exploding onto the film scene at the 1989 Sundance Film Festival with 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape,' Soderbergh is one of the biggest directors to come from the then-small festival.
Since then, Soderbergh has been all over the place, never sticking to just one studio, one genre, or one style. He's made both big budget studio flicks and small unconventional indies – sometimes back to back. Long before films began debuting on video on demand services, Soderbergh took a chance playing with different mediums. His small film 'Bubble' was released in theaters, on DVD, and on pay-per-view services on the same day.
Currently, Soderbergh is working as the second-unit director on 'The Hunger Games,' a highly-anticipated film series based on a trilogy of wildly popular teen novels. What Academy Award-winning director takes a measly second-unit director job by choice?! Needless to say, Soderbergh is innovative, creative, more than willing to take risks and not above anything.
With his latest film 'Contagion,' a biological thriller with an enormous ensemble cast, opening this week, here is a look at five noteworthy films from Soderbergh's credits. Some are iconic Soderbergh films, some passed under the radar.
 |
George Clooney stars in this comedic and romantic heist flick based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same title, playing a convicted bank robber who escapes from prison, sparks a romance with the female U.S. Marshal (Jennifer Lopez) hot on his trail, and plots a climactic final act robbery.
A fun fact about 'Out of Sight' is that it takes place in the same world as 'Jackie Brown,' Quentin Tarantino's adaptation of Leonard's novel 'Rum Punch.' Michael Keaton appears as the same cocky FBI agent in both films. This is one of the absolute best Elmore Leonard adaptations, and its success is largely due to Soderbergh's skillful work behind the camera.
Soderbergh earns bonus brownie points for bringing a strong and completely unannoying performance out of always-annoying Jennifer Lopez. In every other Lopez film, I've pitied the poor sap who ends up with her. But in 'Out of Sight,' she is so likable that you actually want Clooney's character to end up with her.
'Traffic'
 |
Soderbergh was nominated twice for Best Directing at the 2001 Academy Awards with two different films. Both 'Erin Brockovich' and 'Traffic' earned him the prestigious nominations, 'Traffic' being the one that finally earned him a directing Oscar. 'Traffic' also went on to win Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Benicio Del Toro), Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Looking at 'Traffic' and 'Contagion,' it's obvious that Soderbergh enjoys making complex films with many great actors playing key characters. 'Traffic' dives into America's gritty war on drugs, covering the story from four angles on both sides of the border.
For 'Traffic,' Soderbergh rounded up a huge cast, including Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Albert Finney, James Brolin, Dennis Quaid, Clifton Collins Jr., Viola Davis, Benjamin Bratt, Luis Guzman, Topher Grace, Erika Christensen, and Salma Hayek.
Although heavy-handed, 'Traffic' never comes across as preachy. Soderbergh tells the complicated tale through genuine characters whose lives naturally intertwine. If you haven't seen 'Traffic,' it's definitely worth looking at. If you saw it once and didn't care much for it – like I did after my first viewing – give it another go. As it did with me, a second viewing completely changed my outlook on it.
 |
Just like the original Rat Pack film, Soderbergh's 'Ocean's Eleven' cast features some of the hottest actors of it's day. Were there any more popular male actors in 2001 than Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Matt Damon? Adding Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliot Gould, Andy Garcia, and Don Cheadle to the mix only made it better. Oh, and did I mention Julia Roberts? Again, Soderbergh likes his ensemble casts.
Without a doubt, 'Ocean's Eleven' is Soderbergh's biggest mainstream studio film. Sitting fresh at 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, 'Ocean's Eleven' won over both the critics and the general audiences with it's superb cast, witty script, unpredictable story and all-out fun.
Although the successful remake spawned two sequels, neither made it to the level of quality as Soderbergh's first. 'Twelve' received a rotten rating – probably for being the first heist-less heist film and featuring Julia Roberts' character being told that she looks like Julia Roberts – so 'Thirteen' tried to return the series to it's witty roots. Not nearly as good as the first, 'Thirteen' was still leaps and bounds above 'Twelve.'
Audiences may not have had as much fun with 'Twelve' or 'Thirteen,' but neither did enough damage to ruin the memorable nature of 'Eleven.' Perhaps the best thing about the two sequels is that it's obvious Soderbergh and company had a great time making the trilogy. Too bad we couldn't be brought along with them.
 |
Awards season takes place at the worst time of the year. Most deadlines for end-of-year voting in critics circles are just days before Christmas. The month leading up to the busiest holiday of the year is always crammed with last minute screenings and ton of screeners – meaning it's time to play catch up. Both of Soderbergh's 'Che' screeners weren't available to me until two days before voting for the Utah Film Critics Association, so I had to fly through them – all 269 minutes of it. Even with a rushed viewing, 'Che' was boldly intriguing.
It's no wonder why Soderbergh decided to make a film (or two) depicting the revolutionary leader's life and death – the details are extremely interesting. Benicio Del Toro plays Argentinian Che Guevara, the man who became the leader of Fidel Castro's rebel forces in Cuba during the 1950s. 'Part One' is absolutely enthralling. It shows Che's role in overthrowing Cuba's dictator. 'Part Two,' not nearly as interesting as 'Part One,' relocates to Bolivia ten years later as Che tried to spark a revolution in South America. Watching 'The Motorcycle Diaries' followed by both of Soderbergh's 'Che' films will give you a full biography of one of the most notorious revolutionists in the history of the world.
Just like 'The Motorcycle Diaries,' Soderbergh's 'Che' films intimately reel you into his life. You see life through his eyes. You understand the cause and watch your friends die trying to fight for it. The political rationale behind the Cuban revolution is invalid here. You're watching an intimate character story that takes place during the revolution, not a film about the revolution itself. Had Soderbergh flipped it the other way, 'Che' would be nothing more than another war film. But as is, it's a very strong character piece.
 |
For some reason, 'The Informant!' didn't receive much love. The story told is wildly entertaining – and not knowing the true story that the film is based upon makes it even better. Anyone who didn't follow the true story on the news prior to see the film will be shocked once the whole story is unfolds. You walk away thinking, 'I didn't know I was about to watch a film about that.'
Matt Damon plays a whistle-blower giving away a lot of company secrets to the feds. The agents working with him eat up all of the information, knowing that they've got a major case on their hands. But the agents stumble across a problem when they realize that their whistle-blower is a total idiot completely incapable of collecting the evidence necessary to launch their official investigation.
Showing how much of an idiot Damon's character really is, during different scenes that should be important to his character, we hear his random thoughts as his mind drifts off in boredom. Some of the lines delivered during these A.D.D. moments are priceless.
Not only is it obvious that Soderbergh enjoys complex scripts requiring large casts, but he also enjoys certain flavors of witty scripts. He isn't bound to just one genre. Au contraire, he enjoys blending genres. He can tell major, all-engulfing stories as well as quiet simple character studies. Like every director, he doesn't have a perfect track record, but at least he's always trying to branch out and attempt something new. He passionately puts all of his effort into his work – and it shows.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: Paul Rudd
Thu Aug 25, 2011 at 08:00 PM ETTags: HDD Study Hall, Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
This week we're taking a look back at the impressive and diverse career of Paul Rudd. He can currently be seen in 'Our Idiot Brother,' a hilarious, heart-felt, R-rated indie comedy that premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
Rudd is one of those rare actors that cannot be pegged to just one genre. Sure, he's best known for his comedic roles – because he's just so good at them – but he's just as fantastic at dramatic and romantic roles as he is comedies. From performing Shakespeare in Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet' and horror in 'Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers' to character turns in films like 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and the romantic lead in 'How Do You Know,' Rudd has done it all.
In many ways, Rudd is like John Cusack (By the way, where has he be lately?): both are great at comedy, great at drama, play perfectly convincing leading men, and they're completely charming. Personally, when playing love-lorn leads in romantic roles, each portrays the type of guy I feel like deep down inside, making it very easy to connect with them. I know I'm not the only guy who feels this way.
Listed below are five of Paul Rudd's credits that exemplify why he's so lovable, and why we never want him to disappear.
'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy'
 |
Playing field reported Brian Fantana, Rudd got everyone's attention with his sleazy mustached character. As a character actor, it feels like the role came naturally to Rudd as he grew out his chops, glued on the mustache, and donned the vintage suit and greasy long wig.
Perhaps his most notorious scene from 'Anchorman' is the one in which he convinces Ron that his Sex Panther cologne will win over new office hottie Veronica Corningstone. It's “illegal in nine countries,” is “made with bits of real panther,” and “60 percent of the time, works every time.” But let us not forget his fourth wall-breaking introduction, his tighty-whitey distraction dance, and his office freakout scenes.
Not only does Rudd take the cake for his character piece in 'Anchorman,' but also 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' 'Night at the Museum,' 'The Ex,' 'Walk Hard' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall.'
 |
'I Love You, Man' just might be Rudd's funniest film to date. Perhaps it's the way that the script is written like a standard male/female romantic comedy, yet filled with two completely heterosexual grown adult males. If you were loosely paying attention to the film, you'd believe that it was about two gay men.
Coming off the success of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall,' you'd think that 'I Love You, Man' was another Jason Segel-penned screenplay. The comedy lies within the same vein, it's just as witty and non-stop hilarious. You'd never guess that it was written by two guys who also wrote terrible films 'Little Fockers,' 'Doctor Dolittle,' and 'Along Came Polly.'
For those lucky enough to catch a Rush show last summer, you got to see Rudd and Segel reprise their roles as Peter Klaven and Sydney Fife in an on-stage extra.
To this day my poor wife is driven crazy be me telling her all of her accents sound like leprechauns and that I like to “slappa da bass, mon.”
 |
At first glance, Rudd's character in 'Role Models' isn't all that different from the one in 'I Love You, Man,' but when you put a little more thought into it, they're quite a bit different. In 'I Love You, Man,' Rudd played a genuinely nice, somewhat effeminate guy looking to gain a male best friend. In 'Role Models' he's quite a selfish prick. But that's not the reason 'Role Models' makes this list.
'Role Models' is worth noting because this is the first screenplay that Rudd wrote (with friends). Not only is the comedy up to par with that of seasoned writers, but it lets the inner geek shine. Is it odd to anyone else that movie dives deeply into live action role playing – so much so that one would have to participate in it to write about it in such detail? If you've ever known anyone involved is such highly nerdy associations, you know that 'Role Models' nailed its portrayal of the geek culture.
One of the best payoffs and climaxes to a film, there aren't many other comedies that get you so ramped up and excited as when Rudd puts on the costume and make-up and dives into the live-action battle, completely playing along with the part. No wonder Elizabeth Banks' character changed her opinion of him – he's geektastically awesome by the end!
 |
While everyone is quick to jump on the hate train when it comes to 'How Do You Know,' I truly believe that most people are judging it without having seen it. Not being a big fan of James L. Brooks, 'How Do You Know' is actually my favorite of his films. If every romantic comedy was written with the style of humor, the genuine heart and characters of 'How Do You Know,' I'd be a huge fan of the genre. It steers clear of cliché and isn't predictable in the slightest. It never feels the need to rush, it takes its time, naturally building up to a believable finale.
In 'How Do You Know,' Rudd plays an average nice guy subpoenaed for corporate fraud. The problem is that he has no idea what he has done and how to correct it, but because of legal requirements, he's forced to leave his job – the one place that can offer answers. As his entire life crumbles around him, he meets a charming girl (Reese Witherspoon) whose life is also falling apart. The two would make a perfect couple, only she's already taken.
'How Do You Know' is the prefect film to exemplify my idea of Rudd playing a character that any guy can connect with. Watching films like this, it's easy to place one's self in his shoes, often rhetorically making the same decisions that he makes. Along with John Cusack, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has this same ability.
If you fall into the category of people who have not seen 'How Do You Know' (which, judging by box office numbers, is most of you), do yourself the favor of checking it out. It will pleasantly surprise you – especially as Rudd charms his way through another fantastic role.
'Our Idiot Brother'
 |
'Idiot Brother' director Jesse Peretz must enjoy working with Rudd, for this is their third time working together. The first was an indie flick called 'The Château' and the second was a cameo role in Zach Braff/Jason Bateman vehicle 'The Ex' as an uptight, greasy fine dining kitchen manager.
Watching the trailer, one could jump to the conclusion that Rudd simply plays a hippy version of dummy Brian Fantana – but one would be wrong to assume such a thing. Sure, he's kind of a dummy, but his 'Idiot' character Ned has nothing but great intentions. If you assume that the stupidity and naivete of Ned is nothing but a gag to create comedy, you're wrong. By the end of 'Our Idiot Brother,' Ned shows his true colors.
Again, Rudd is joined by a stellar supporting cast. With Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and T.J. Miller supporting you, it would be hard to fail.
If you're as much of a Paul Rudd lover as I obviously am, go check out 'Our Idiot Brother' this weekend. I promise it will win you over from the very first scene. By the end, you'll be fairly surprised by how well-rounded an R-rated comedy it is.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: 5 Fantastic Performances by Emma Stone
Thu Aug 11, 2011 at 03:55 PM ETTags: Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff, HDD Study Hall (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
By now, Emma Stone should be a household name. In her four short years on the big screen, Stone has appeared in almost every genre of film.
She hit the ground running with comedic supporting roles in 'Superbad,' 'The Rocker,' 'The House Bunny,' 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' and horror comedy 'Zombieland.' She voiced the best friend of man's best friend in family flick 'Marmaduke,' earned a Golden Globe nomination with her first leading role in the teen comedy 'Easy A' and has already hosted 'Saturday Night Live.'
At this precise moment, Emma Stone can be seen in three movies currently playing in theaters: 'Friends with Benefits,' 'The Help' and 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Mostly known for her comedic chops, in her latest release, 'The Help,' Stone shows that she's got the dramatic, serious role skills too. All she has left to do is appear in a thriller and an action flick.
Next summer, Stone will appear in what is expected to be her biggest movie yet, 'The Amazing Spider-Man.' In the reboot of Sony's 'Spider-Man' franchise, Stone will play Peter Parker's love interest, Gwen Stacy. For the role, Stone returns to her unseen-on-the-big-screen blond roots.
As Emma Stone continues to rise in popularity and success, lets take a moment to reflect on five of her very best roles to date.
 |
Matthew McConaughey's (supposedly) romantic comedies are the worst out there. Not only are they all the same, but he's always playing the same character in each one. There are two things that 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' has going for it: one, Kate Hudson isn't in it(!!) and, two, Emma Stone is.
Despite 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' being a terrible, terrible movie, Emma Stone shows up and acts circles around every other character out there. Putting a spin on the Ghost of Christmas Past from 'A Christmas Carol,' Stone plays the '80s-tastic Ghost of Girlfriends Past who walks a womanizing McConaughey (go figure) through his past, present and future of failed relationships.
While 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' is so bad that it could not be saved, Emma Stone's performance is the shining light that helps you get through the dark mess that is unoriginal and cliched modern romantic comedy. Unless you obsess over Emma Stone, this isn't a recommendation to raise 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' up on your Netflix queue, more of a speck of hope in case your significant other makes you sit through it.
 |
Anyone who had seen Emma Stone on screen prior to 'Zombieland' knew that she was something special, but 'Zombieland' is the little horror comedy that made everyone fall in love with her. With caked-on dark eyeliner matching her smoky voice, her role as Wichita was unforgettable.
When you first meet Wichita in 'Zombieland,' she's about to shoot her own infected sister. She's vulnerable and helpless, a perfect match for Jesse Eisneberg's leading character Columbus. But in the flip of a switch her tough conman persona comes out and we see an aspect of Stone's abilities in Wichita that we hadn't seen before.
As corny as it may sound, Wichita is a complex character with many sides. She and her actions are unexpected and unpredictable. She can go from tough to soft, and vice verse, in a heartbeat. True, the character is written this way, but it's Stone who brings it to life and for this we love her.
'Easy A'
 |
There comes a point where every young, relatively unknown actor must prove him/herself by taking on the lead role in a run-of-the-mill movie to test his/her marketability. For Emma Stone, that film was 'Easy A.'
In 'Easy A,' Stone plays defiant Olive, a proper high school teen who fights the social norms of rumors and gossip by creating negative false gossip about herself to boost the self esteem of the lowly unpopular kids on campus.
Olive's downward spiral begins when her best friend mistakenly spreads a rumor that Olive had sex with a college age guy. When a gay friend approaches Olive about the rumor, he asks her for permission to spread a rumor that he, too, slept with her, hoping that it will put the gay rumors about him to rest. Since her image is already tarnished, Olive agrees. But before long, the unpopular boys around campus hear of Olive's self-sacrifice to lift others up, so they beg for her help in the same fashion. Geeks aren't geeks if everyone thinks they've slept with the school hussy.
Stone takes what should have been a mediocre teen movie and turns it into something sugary sweet and entertaining. She absolutely shines in 'Easy A.' Proving that she has the up-and-coming star power needed to carry and drive a film, 'Easy A' went on to gross more than seven times its budget during its domestic box office run. While 30-year-old men shouldn't be bragging about owning teen movies, 'Easy A' is a Blu-ray that I proudly admit to having in my collection.
 |
How often do you see an actor start getting cameos after only four years of experience on the big screen? Never. I cannot think of another actor getting to do this – but Emma Stone does.
Stone shows up in the opening scene of 'Friends with Benefits' as the girlfriend Justin Timberlake has placed on the back burner behind his job. When he arrives late to her favorite artist's sold-out concert, she dumps him and races off to the concert by herself. Knowing that she comes second in his life, she says, “It's not you - it's
With 'Friends with Benefits' being from the same director as 'Easy A,' you can make the claim that she only got the cameo because of their having worked together in the past – but you'd be wrong. Stone has shown off her character acting muscles and is more than worthy to have cameo status.
 |
From the trailers, you would expect Emma Stone to get a lot more screentime in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' than she actually does. But even though she may not appear as much as you'd like, her character is nonetheless essential to the story at hand. Those who have seen the film know what I mean. For those you who have not, I will keep this spoiler-free for you.
In 'Crazy, Stupid, Love,' Stone plays Hanna, a graduating law student who is about to take the Bar exam. Hanna is a little conflicted. Because of the hoity-toity attitude that comes with the profession, she feels like she must tone herself down to match the low energy level of her colleagues. Hanna's best friend is the complete opposite of her law school friends – she drinks too much, stays out late, and isn't afraid to go home with a guy she meets while clubbing. She frequently teases Hanna about being too uptight and leading a PG-13 life, daring her to live on the wild side.
As the film progresses – and as we see in the trailer – Hanna accepts the challenge and tries stepping up to an R-rated life by hooking up with a wealthy womanizer played by Ryan Gosling. As if Stone's character wasn't completely lovable before this point, she will win you over even more through the rest of the film. In a setting far different from 'Zombieland,' Stone again shows off her ability to play multifaceted characters.
Emma Stone isn't just the one-trick comedic sideshow pony that so many young actors who start off in comedy tend to be. She's miles ahead of her 'Superbad' co-stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera. Not only can she be funny, but she can believably play tough, vulnerable, charming, cute, crazy and dramatic as well. Whatever lies ahead in her career path, you can be sure that she will be fantastic.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
HDD Study Hall: Tom Hanks
Tue Jul 05, 2011 at 03:30 PM ETTags: HDD Study Hall, Luke Hickman (all tags)
by: Luke Hickman
If you followed suit with almost everyone else in America, you probably went to see 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' this holiday weekend. But if you were out hoping to see something refreshingly different, you likely saw Tom Hanks' latest feel-good film, 'Larry Crowne.' While everybody knows Hanks for his on-screen performances in such stellar classics as 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Forrest Gump,' many don't realize that he possesses several potent behind-the-camera talents. Aside from being an actor, Hanks is also a producer, a screenwriter, a songwriter, a director and the co-creator of the production company Playtone – which also produces television series like 'Big Love' and 'The Pacific' and soundtracks for films, such as 'Josie and the Pussycats' and 'That Thing You Do!'
Trained and educated as a theatre actor, Hanks quickly made his way onto television, only to make it even quicker onto the big screen once spotted by Ron Howard while guest starring on 'Happy Days.' From there, Hanks' career took off. Sure, he's had his fair share of failures, but the two-time Academy Award winner has had a 30-something year streak of being able to do whatever he wants because of his successes.
This week we take a closer look at five noteworthy credits that Tom Hanks surprisingly had a role in making.
'Band of Brothers' (2001)
 |
Although not a film, Hanks deserves credit for his work put into making one of the best miniseries of all time. Hanks not only served as executive producer for two episodes, but also wrote two episodes and directed another. Alongside Steven Spielberg, Hanks' production company Playtone worked hand-in-hand with DreamWorks to produce the 10-episode HBO series.
While 'Saving Private Ryan' is a perfect five-star film that literally could not have been made any better, 'Band of Brothers' deeply expounds on the intimate characterization of soldiers during a wartime conflict. 'Saving Private Ryan' is the 169-minute film that offers audiences the chance to get a taste of what fighting in World War II was truly like, 'Band of Brothers' is the 705-minute miniseries that allows you to experience every aspect of it for yourself. Of course, most of us weren't there to attest for the authenticity of wartime portrayed in 'Band of Brothers' – that's why we have the fascinating special features showing the personal testimonies of the real-life characters.
'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' (2002)
 |
Another Playtone title, Hanks produced the sleeper comedy which went on to gross more than $368 million worldwide – which sure isn't bad considering it was made on a budget of $5 million. 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' was the fifth-highest grossing film of 2002 and still stands as the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time.
The PG-rated situational romantic comedy tells the story of a single Greek woman's mid-life crisis as she finally meets Mr. Right. The only problem, Mr. Right isn't Greek and her family is quick to constantly remind her of it. The finished product is a light-weight rom-com fit for anyone, a delightful crowd-pleaser.
'Starter for 10' (2006)
 |
Yet another great Playtone title, 'Starter for 10' is a low-budget dramedy starring known actors James McAvoy ('X-Men: First Class'), Catherine Tate ('The Catherine Tate Show'), Alice Eve ('Sex and the City 2') and Rebecca Hall ('The Town'). McAvoy plays the central character, an out-of-place Bristol University freshman whose dream of appearing on the quiz show 'University Challenge' is finally coming true.
Receiving a very limited release, 'Starter for 10' was not a commercially successful giant, but it's a film well worth watching. Give Tom Hanks one more notch for producing another genuine character-driven film.
'The Great Buck Howard' (2008)
 |
Light-weight feel-good movies that somehow sneak their way into the Sundance Film Festival are usually poorly received. 'The Great Buck Howard' is one of them.
Starring Tom Hanks's son, Colin, 'The Great Buck Howard' follows a law school drop-out who decides to follow his dream of becoming a successful writer. Sound familiar? Colin Hanks' character story is not all that far off from that in his first feature film 'Orange County.'
To sustain himself while he tries to write his first masterpiece, he takes the job as road manager for a washed-up, has-been mentalist named Buck Howard (John Malkovich, 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'). Along the way, he romantically connects with a fellow traveling publicist (Emily Blunt, 'The Adjustment Bureau') and learns more about himself than he knew before.
As you can tell, Hanks likes to produce low-key character pieces. Most of them are extremely simple and always charming – the types of films that serve as a breath of fresh air amidst the edgy content typical of these days. The movies he produces feel like they belong in another era -- one of optimism, improvement and happiness.
'Where the Wild Things Are' (2009)
 |
Although I personally gave 'Where the Wild Things Are' a terrible review, I was surprised to see Hanks listed as a producer. Based on a ten-sentence children's book, 'Where the Wild Things Are' didn't need to be a drawn-out 101-minute snooze fest. It lacked genuine emotional connections with it's characters and didn't have any direction whatsoever.
But despite all of it's many flaws, 'Where the Wild Things Are' is rich in creativity and aesthetic. Hanks deserves recognition for putting faith into such an different type of film and having the stones to follow through and produce it. Was it great? No. But it did a lot of daring and creative cinematic things that most producers would not have stood behind. Although the film itself didn't work, those things did.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
» High-Def Digest home page
