Colin Firth

 Colin Firth

 Colin Firth

 Colin Firth

Colin Firth

Olga Kurylenko Wants To Work With Hugh Grant

Olga Kurylenko

Hugh Grant

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, the 31 year old actress from Casino Royale has expressed her desire to work with Hugh Grant.

She wants to work in a romantic comedy opposite Hugh Grant - a different sort of movie which one can watch to just relax and eat popcorn. She feels she is unfortunate that nobody ever offered her such a role.

Hugh Grant might be consoled to hear this from a sexy woman such as Olga because it is being assumed that he must be really cursing himself for turning down the role that Colin Firth took in The King's Speech and which won Colin an Oscar.

Wow, I can't believe Hugh Grant didn't accept such a good role. It must be the best role of his life. Perhaps it just wasn't in his destiny and I guess Colin Firth being such a great actor really gave life to the entire story. I doubt if Hugh Grant could have done that.

This Link Roundup Will Soon Be Adapted Into a Stage Musical

Towleroad Far From Heaven being adapted into a stage musical. I've been burned on this sort of thing too many times but at least it's by the composer of Grey Gardens and that had a few lovely tunes.

 

And would make a good stage-to-movie candidate actually...

NYT the latest injury from the set of the Spider Man musical on Broadway. Wednesday matinee cancelled. I am 100% certain that someone will one day write a bestseller about the behind-the-scenes of this disaster prone production
Cinema Blend Peter Weir not interested in a sequel to Master & Commander. Awww. Maybe they should just adapt it for a stage musical instead. Kidding.

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Movie|Line has a jolly interview with Mike Leigh on the eve of the release of Another Year. I love this bit on why he'd never make a superhero film (no, really. the question was posed to him in a way that's not as crass as it sounds)

I use film to make a personal kind of film in a very specific, particular way. And there is no more reason for me to do what I think you're suggesting than there would for me to give up being a film director an become the pilot of a jumbo jet flying across the Atlantic. Or a brain surgeon or, indeed, a coal miner.

I love thinking of Mike Leigh as coal miner. Tee hee. Come to think of it. He would make a GREAT director for a coal mining movie or a... wait a minute. I have it. Topsy-Turvy demonstrated that Leigh can sell a musical number. So... Mike Leigh, directing the acclaimed musical Floyd Collins about that explorer trapped in a cave!

Floyd Collins is so pretty. Let's listen to a couple of its songs.

Her Awesomeness Audra McDonald & Hair's Will Swenson doing
"Through the Mountains" from Floyd Collins. 

Matt Doyle (Gossip Girl) doing "How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins.
This song is perfection but it must be hard to sing because there are a lot
of bad versions on YouTube. This version gets better as it goes.

My brain does like to wander. Obviously needed a break from thinking / writing about Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar...

Moving On...
Pop Eater have you heard this crazy story about 80s star Marilu Henner? Seems she has something called "superior autobiographical memory" - fascinating story really and totally unrelated: I've always thought Marilu was a hilarious celebrity.
Go Fug Yourself Fug or Fab Style: Mila Kunis
In Contention Jafar Panahi banned from making films. So terrible. As Guy says, this puts the silly annual Oscar bitching into perspective.
AV Club Will Smith and Mark Wahlberg offered $1 million to box each other for charity cuz they both starred in boxing picture, see? This story cracks me up on so many levels. Like, no movie stars would risk their billion dollar faces for charity. The only risk movie stars take with their moneymakers is plastic surgery.

Tired of critics awards yet? You can say so if you are. The London Critics Circle have offered up nominations. Sadly, The King's Speech -- the only British film that doesn't need any Oscar boost -- is the only one they're willing to back for crossover attention; it shows up on both their "Film of the Year and "British Film of the Year" lists and doubles up on Helena Bonham-Carter and Colin Firth in two acting categories, too. (sigh) Whew... I thought Colin Firth was in danger of losing his Oscar momentum there for a second. Thank god, they threw their weight behind him.

Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray has been one of my favourite books. It’s sure fun to read Oscar Wilde. When I was 12, I discovered he was gay & man I was literally mutilated as at that time, I loved almost every quote by this guy. Now it’s a different story…although I love him but at times I do find him a smartmouth. He’s a charming writer. One never gets bored of his writings.

Anyway when my sister told me that they have made a movie on this book, I have been all excited about it ever since. And I’m sure Ben Barnes & Colin Firth would do justice to the movie. Ben Barnes seems to be one cool Dorian Gray.

I even liked the idea of Faustus. However in this book the protagonist in exchange for eternal youth gives his soul to be corrupted by his mentor Lord Henry Wotton. He has been so very spellbound before the sight of his own portrait. Yeah it’s too vain but one can even worship himself! Anyhow Dorian only brings misery & death to those who love him. And the portrait is watching him all the while. The homosexual hints are deeply buried beneath Dorian’s conventional heterosexual villainies (the seduction of Sibyl Vane, the debauching of society wives, the ruining of young girls, the inhaling of opium).

Oscar Wilde very rightly says:

“It has been said that the great events of the world take place in the brain. It is in the brain, & the brain only, that the great sins of the world take place also.”

Dorian Gray comes across this work of literature that changes his life. And I really liked when he said, ‘I didn’t say I liked it, Harry. I said it fascinated me. There is a great difference.’

And I would like to share another passage & you’d notice his anguish & helplessness in it.

‘I wish I could love, ‘cried Dorian Gray, with a deep note of pathos in his voice. ‘But I seem to have lost the passion, & forgotten the desire. I am too much concentrated on myself. My own personality has become a burden on me. I want to escape, to go away, to forget.’