| days till The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ? | days till ? POTC 2? | days till Rum Diaries | days till ? Charlie & the Chocolate Factory | days till ? Libertine ? | days till ? POTC 3? |
December 2004
From the Omaha News
(excerpt)
The finest in film for 2004BY BOB FISCHBACH
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERSo what's so magical about the number 10? I don't know, but suddenly I'm facing a deadline for choosing my top 10 movies of the year. And I'd like a few more weeks, a few more screenings and a list longer than 10.
Still to come to Omaha, but on others' top 10 lists, are "Million Dollar Baby," "Hotel Rwanda," "Bad Education" and "The Merchant of Venice."
Movie studios sent DVDs of "A Love Song for Bobby Long," "Vera Drake" and "The Sea Inside," which also haven't arrived on big screens here yet.
And contenders I chose not to see, because of extreme violence, were "The Passion of the Christ" and "Kill Bill: Vol. 2."
But, with those disclaimers, here are my top 10 movies from 2004:
Finding Neverland
Johnny Depp again mesmerizes in this quiet, contemplative slice of "Peter Pan" author J.M. Barrie's life. Gentle and observant, Barrie simultaneously writes his play, looks after a fatherless family and tries to save his troubled marriage. Radha Mitchell, as Barrie's distant wife, and Julie Christie, as a disapproving matron, also stand out.
CNN places "Finding Neverland" in its Top 10 Films of 2004
(excerpt)
Friday, December 31, 2004 Posted: 1947 GMT (0347 HKT)
(CNN) -- Amid all the big hits, sequels and comic-book-inspired capers, one trend ruled the year: the biography film.From singer Ray Charles to billionaire Howard Hughes to Dr. Alfred Kinsey, the lives of some extraordinary people were saluted in celluloid. And now I'll salute them as well: five of my top 10 films for 2004 are biopics.
Starting with those five -- and in no particular order -- here are my 10 best movies of the year.
# "Finding Neverland"
Directed by Marc Forster; starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman and Freddie Highmore"Finding Neverland," a whimsical tale exploring how Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie created his greatest work, "Peter Pan," is deeply touching without being overly sentimental. Barrie -- here played by Johnny Depp -- supposedly based "Peter Pan" on Peter Llewelyn Davis, the youngest son of a beautiful widow (a luminous Kate Winslet). Young Freddie Highmore will break your heart with his performance as Peter. Dustin Hoffman and Julie Christie also deliver wonderfully in supporting roles. The film is a delightful blend of magic, humor and human redemption. Bring plenty of tissues. (See full review.)
Liz O'Leary found this in her local paper's weekend "TO-DO" section on Fri, Dec. 31, 2004:
2004 year-end Billboard video charts:
2004 Year-end Top VHS Sales
1. Finding Nemo
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2004 Year-end Top Video Rentals
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2004 Year-end Top DVD Sales
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
From the Calgary Sun
(excerpt)
Hell wasn't so badby Louis B. Hobson
Dustin Hoffman is proud of the sacrifices he made for his art and that includes losing the tip of a finger during the filming of Finding Neverland.
In this story of how J.M. Barrie was inspired to create his classic children’s story Peter Pan, Hoffman plays the writer’s American agent.
“I just have a few scenes in the movie and (director) Marc Foster was kind enough to shoot them all over a couple of days, so it didn’t mean spending an extended time in England,” recalls Hoffman.
His second day on set, Hoffman was sitting in a chair that collapsed.
“In the fall to the floor, I sliced off the tip of my finger.
“They rushed me to the hospital and operated, but they couldn’t reattach the piece I’d sliced off.”
Hoffman is proud to note he didn’t “set the picture back even a day. I was back on set right away.”
He slyly adds that he “doesn’t remember all that much about the scenes we filmed that day because I was on really strong pain killers.”
In the film, Hoffman hides his hand in the scene that was filmed that day.
Before Hoffman flew back to America, the film’s star, Johnny Depp, invited him to a supper at the actor’s rented London apartment.
“I was so proud of my war wound that I was showing it off,” says Hoffman.
“Johnny’s dad was visiting.
“He said “Join the club, Dustin.’ and held up his hand.
“He had an entire finger missing. It sort of put things in perspective for me.”
From Projo. com a slightly surreal take on things with a Johnny mention
Robert Whitcomb: Shadow, sun and silver
Friday, December 31, 2004This is the season when old movies tend to get played a lot on television: It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, of course, but also such chestnuts as Casablanca and the great film noirs of the late '40s.
I recently watched a movie called Dead Man, starring the very pretty and very strange Johnny Depp, shot entirely in black and white -- which made this weird tale of a doomed young man (from Cleveland!) on a funny, preposterous but then increasingly violent and tragic trip across the Wild West even more haunting than its plot, settings and characters would have made it alone. (I confess that the effects might have been heightened in my case by the fact that I watched it in a still house in the gloaming of a winter's weekday, having left work after an unsettling spell of vertigo had made me incapable of arguing with senior management, dealing with my disputatious colleagues or, most important, filling out expense sheets. I was in a rather hallucinogenic place already.)
What is it about black-and-white films that makes them stick in your mind in a different way than color movies do? Maybe the lightness-darkness contrasts are more suggestive, moodier, more dignified, without the distraction of color. Shadow and sunlight can be presented in ways that get to deeper places in the psyche and emotions than color. The curling smoke of cigarettes never looks better than in black and white. Maybe color is just too realistic, too literal -- or too garish.
Black-and-white movies can be dreamlike and ghostlike -- much of Dead Man certainly is -- getting to the deeper "realism" of our consciousness and our dreams. (Do you dream in color or in black and white?) Casablanca is far more romantic than the Technicolor Gone with the Wind, not just because the characters are more interesting but also because black-and-white film is a better way to convey longing, memory and melancholy.
And it makes some other media clearer. My industry, newspapers, has made much of using color in the past few decades, but I wonder if we've pursued the expensive and complicated chimera of color printing far too much as we've tried to compete with color television -- indeed, some newspaper pages look like television screens with cable news turned on.
Do readers really care that much? Isn't there enough anxiety-provoking color in the rest of the world? Maybe newspapers should be a kind of visual safe house. (We have tried color on these pages a couple of times, with some lovely paintings and photographs from the area's famous arts community, but gotten little written reaction -- just a few "Gee, I didn't know you ran color" comments from friends.) (Talk is cheap; send us something nice in print, for a change!)
Perhaps more people than you'd think want the old-fashioned clarity of black and white in publications -- even as they long for the dreaminess of black and white in the movies: a dreaminess that comes back when you remember how you felt watching a not-so-old-then movie on a rainy Saturday 50 years ago with artful cigarette smoke on the screen and acrid cigarette smoke in the house.
-- Robert Whitcomb
From Northern Territory NewsDepp finds inner child
By Michael Bodey
30dec04JOHNNY Depp now commands more per film ($US20 million) than the entire budget of his latest work, Finding Neverland.
Good thing he committed to Marc Forster's reverential biopic about the author of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, five years ago. That was a time when Depp was still the art-house urchin, the man who shunned commercial cinema in favour of the offbeat, esoteric or just plain mad.
That was before his rock'n'roll spin on Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean earned him an unlikely Academy Award nomination and eventual entry to Hollywood's A list.
Comparisons between Depp and Barrie aren't so extreme; Barrie was the man who wouldn't grow up, Depp seemingly the actor who didn't want to grow up - the actor who still goes by the name "Johnny".
Depp prefers to see Barrie's story as inspirational rather than tragic.
"Children are children for a very short period of time and all too soon the weight of the world starts throwing muck on your shoulders and we lose some of the qualities we have as children - a curiosity about things, a fascination and openness to things," Depp says.
"And we become jaded very early, especially in this day and age.
"I find it inspirational, the idea that it is important to try and save those things and maintain them and use it in life. I think what he was trying to say was, 'Fight it, do your best not to grow up so quick'."
Depp first saw the Disney film of Peter Pan when he was "maybe seven" but he was more into monster and mystery movies at the time.
He wasn't too aware of Barrie's life either "apart from the speculation, the innuendo over his relationship with the boys".
In Finding Neverland, the struggling writer, Barrie, befriends Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and her four fatherless sons (although in real life, Mr Davies was still alive when Barrie first met the family).
They became the inspiration for Peter Pan, although since, rumours have surfaced of Barrie's alleged predatory behaviour around the young boys.
"It's the same when you hear about Lewis Carroll," says Depp. "That's all I knew. But as I started to dive into the research, those boys were interviewed later in life and it was absolutely not the case.
Not even close. They spoke about him with such love." Barrie was merely a big kid, Depp says.
"And not very big actually," he laughs, referring to the fact Barrie stopped growing at age 14.
"He was almost rigid in social situations and I tried to show a bit of that in the film, especially in his suit and what is expected of you in those situations. He was totally uncomfortable and it was totally foreign to him.
"He had less than a "handful of adult friends that he could deal with on that level because a lot of times, socially, we end up lying and making small talk and stuff like that and he couldn't do it.
"When he hung out with the boys, for example, he came alive, he blossomed, because they were pure, innocent, there was no bullshit to it, they weren't after anything - money or social status - they just wanted to have fun, pure and simple. And he adored that."
Barrie remained the boys' guardian until his death and left the rights to Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
Depp is content that his two-year-old son and five-year-old daughter will soon be able to enjoy Finding Neverland and Peter Pan.
"They will have to wait 40 or 50 years to see The Libertine," he jokes. "Jesus, I hope they wait."
In The Libertine, Depp will play the sexually devious Earl of Rochester, a role more suited to Depp's past than his present as the drawcard for the upcoming Pirates Of The Caribbean sequels and as Willy Wonka in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (due in Australia September 1) for director Tim Burton.
"It's going to be fun," he says of the remake of the classic kids' film.
"Tim is doing beautiful stuff, the sets are incredible and the work has been a ball and for me going back into the ring with Tim (his Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow director) is like being home."
As is working with the extraordinary young actor, Freddie Highmore, who as one of the Davies' children, blows Depp and Winslet off the screen.
"The kids were amazing," Depp agrees. "Freddie is 12 and a very, very special young man. Funny, sweet, pure, honest, sharp as a tack, very, very smart. And what is more is that he has a very good head on his shoulders and he is so great about all of the hullabaloo. I don't worry about him at all in that sense. He is not even really sure he wants to be an actor.
"He's kind of doing it because it's what is happening for him right now. He loves going to school, he loves playing with his mates.
"He is obsessed with football and PlayStation and all the right things for a little kid, you know, so he is really enjoying just being a kid. It's quite admirable."
From CNN
Depp, Lohan top IMDb's celeb rankingsThursday, December 30, 2004 Posted: 1511 GMT (2311 HKT)
LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Actor Johnny Depp topped IMDb.com's 2004 STARmeter. Lindsay Lohan placed a strong second in the rankings.The movie resource and database Web site also had Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Angelina Jolie rounding out the top five as it unveiled its top 25 movie stars.
The rankings are determined by the site's STARmeter, available since 2001 through its subscription service, which ranks celebrities' popularity among IMDb.com's more than 22 million monthly visitors. The listings are an aggregate of search and page view patterns of the Web site, reflected in weekly rankings. The list is the compilation of the year's data.
According to Keith Simanton, IMDb managing editor, Depp and Lohan were in a heat for the top spot, with Depp popular in the first half of the year, no doubt because of the success of "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," while Lohan was tops in the second half.
What surprises Simanton every year, however, are the people left off the top 25.
"There's Tobey Maguire, for example, who was in the No. 2 movie of the year," Simanton said. "He's in our top 100, but he's not in the top 25. Neither are Mel Gibson and Michael Moore. The data means a lot of things, particularly good will and star appeal and not necessarily success at the box office. But fascination certainly."
Pascalle sent in this scan from a Dutch newsapaper about who is in and out for 2005 - Johnny is in!
From Sky
Actors For London Gongs
Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are set to pick up acting gongs from the London Film Critics' Circle.
Vera Drake star Imelda Staunton is also in line pick up an award, along with Monster star Charlize Theron, and Birth actress Nicole Kidman.
Minnie Driver is in the running for best British supporting actress after her scene-stealing performance in The Phantom of the Opera.
The 25th annual awards ceremony is due to be held at London's Dorchester Hotel on February 9th.
British director Ken Loach is to be honoured during the bash for his outstanding contribution to cinema.
Loach will receive a special award for his 40-year career which has included Cathy Come Home, Kes and My Name Is Joe.
Geoffrey Rush has been nominated for best actor for his role in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
Freddie Highmore, the 12-year-old star of Finding Neverland, is up for best British newcomer.
Johnny Depp is up for his role in Finding Neverland, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator, and Kate Winslet could win for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Johnny Number 10 in Forbes Celeb Power Poll
Found by gronki in an interview about "Finding Neverland" with Rhada MitchellRM: "The woman who did the costumes was a stickler for detail, so we had to wear the exact same corsets as people really wore at the time. She also had us in authentic shoes and she wouldn't let Johnny out of his coat, which was really tight."
Q: Did you arrive on set going 'Oh my God, it's Johnny Depp!'
RM: "No, not really. But he's so very gracious and funny and a great person to work with. I'd been a fan of his for some time. He came to Australia on some publicity tour for 21 Jump St and my friend kissed him a nightclub. It was a big deal! (laughs). So he resonated with me on many different levels."
From Rediff
Johnny Depp on Broadway?December 28, 2004 17:52 IST
Johnny Depp in 'Finding Neverland'When success comes to a low-budget film production, in the form of Golden Globe nominations, a bushelful of various awards, and tons of Oscar buzz, not to mention well enough box-office clout to ensure a sizeable chunk of profit, the question asked is simple: How to not make it ever stop?
Finding Neverland, armed with the honours for Best Picture of the Year at the National Board of Review awards, is facing such a dilemma. Johnny Depp's dishy mug could soon be gracing dishes and mugs, but the film about the Peter Pan creator is a poignant tale, and really not one given to McDonald's Happy Meal merchandise.
So producer Nellie Bellflower wants to carry the legacy of the film forward by making Finding Neverland - The Musical.
Netscape reports Bellflower gushing excitedly: 'I think it will make a wonderful musical. I think Harvey (Weinstein, head of Miramax studios) is getting behind that. If so, I get to produce!'
Finding Neverland, about the life of J M Barrie, is a biopic garnering much critical acclaim, and stars Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman. It is too early to speculate if any of the stars will hop aboard the Broadway version, but it is not unlikely that Depp might essay the role for a limited first run.
From AZ
Johnny Will appear on Critic's Choice Awards on The WB on January 10th!
7pm Central time
8pm Eastern time
More info HERE
From Pascalle
The Japanese Finding Neverland Site is cool - check it out HERE
L.A. Magazine (January 2005) has a large article about Johnny and Peter Pan. Once I get it transcribed, I'll post the article here. For now, here's the illustration.
(Scan by Karen from Johnny Depp Reads) (Transcript by Cassady)AMERICAN INNOCENT
LA Magazine 01 2005by Steve Erickson
Johnny Depp is the man of our dreams
It's impossible to imagine Johnny Depp old. Such contemporaries as Sean Penn, Russel Crowe, even the eternally boyish Tom Cruise, already seem older. When he's 70, the more mature "John Depp" still won't fit him
as well as "Johnny" does in all its teen insolence. In role after role over the last decade and a half, Depp has roamed the borderland between childhood and manhood, drifting for awhile into the country of one
before wandering back to the other. In the new film Finding Neverland, when the young boy who's inspired the Edwardian playwright J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan points at Barrie and says, "I'm not Peter, he is" there's no other actor we can so readily picture at the end of that boy's fingertip as Johnny Depp. Many of the characters that Depp has played remain, like Barrie, in the thrall of the childhood dreams that other Depp characters embody: A boy who has scissors for hands, for instance, might be something that Z-movie director Ed Wood though of, and buccaneer Captain Jack Sparrow might be a figment of Barrie's imagination. But
rather than locked into diabolical pursuit of Peter Pan like Captain Hook, Captain Jack and Pan are pals, allies in flight from adulthood, joining up somewhere in Neverland with Keith Richard.
It's already become part of the movie lore that there's more than a little of the Rolling Stones lead guitarist in Sparrow from 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean. (Richard is rumored to play Sparrow's dad in the Pirates sequel). As an actor Depp came by his rocker cool more honestly than most, or as honestly as an actor comes by anything, since before he became a TV idol on 21 Jump St in the '80's, he played guitar with a band that once opened for Iggy Pop. Other actors spend whole careers cultivating the Viper Room image and sex appeal that come so naturally to Depp; he must be the only young movie star who can get away with rolling his own cigarettes while being interviewed on Inside the Actor's Studio and not look completely affected. Britain's leading magazine, Empire, has named Depp the hottest male star of all time, and
I actually know straight guys who have called him "dreamy." It's not difficult to understand how it applies to Depp in his incarnations of both dream and dreamer. Pauline Kae] once called Cary Grant
"the Man from Dream City." but Depp is the Man from the Dream Projects, not quite urbane enough to be Grant or as socially comfortable, more unbound and nomadic, a squatter drifting through the world's abandoned rooms a step ahead of the authorities."He tries everything in his power," Neverland costar Dustin Hoffman has said admiringly about Depp, "not to be a star." Of course Depp is so cool in part because the dreamers he plays are so unabashedly
uncool, and also--in defiance of the actor's heartthrob status--so sexually confusing. For someone whose conquests might impress Tommy Lee (Winona Ryder, Sherilyn Fenn, Kate Moss, the French singer Vanessa Paradis, who is the mother of his children), Depp has porttrayed characters of a certain sexlessness: cross-dressing Ed Wood, for whom love is never more complicated or tawdry than a high school dance;
the mentally unbalanced Don Juan de Marco, whose commitment to romance is so uncompromising that it's hard to say whether he's the one who's deluded or it's the rest of the world; the repressed constable
Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, more befuddled by Christina Ricci's breasts than desirous of them; the Kabuki-Goth Edward Scissorhands, who's doomed to adore Winona Ryder from afar because his touch is more lethal than caressing; even the transvestite Cuban hooker Bon Bon in Before Night Falls, who for all his worldly experience seems to have the soul of a
13-year-old girl just dressing up.Many of these are parts that other stars wouldn't touch, at least not more than once every decade or two. Depp has a made a modus operandi of them. Of his generation Depp is the most defined in his work by an
audacity crossed with pathos, which is distiguished from the pathetic by a purity of spirit; in 1989, Tim Burton cast the then relatively untested Depp as Edward Scissorhands because the young TV star reminded him of a silent-film actor. There's something about Depp both opaque and open, a reckless ingenuousness that he shares with his characters, a tension between the inwardly intuitive and the outwardly expressive, between stoicism and uncalculated physicality, between normality and an eccentricity verging on madness, that was also apparent in 1993's Benny and Joon, right down to the Buster Keaton clothes Depp wore. The title
character of Ed Wood may be a fool in the way his sense of wonder and his love of movies exceed his talent, but he's too lacking in cynicism to be a hack; he believes in his dreams and even converts a world to them by the force of his belif, however ineptly he fulfills those dreams and however short of his dreams the dreamer falls. Wood's passion for movies isn't a frame less ferocious than Orson Welles's. Wearing the women's angora sweaters that he loves, Wood exposes hmiself as much as any great artist, his psychic nakedness as heroic in it own way as any mere
genius.
Two back-to-back roles in the mid-'90's represent Depp's passage as an actor from childhood to adulthood. Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man is William
Blake's Song of Innocence and Experience set in the Wild West, and in it Depp is the civilized man, an innocent descending into American dementia while at the same time transcending the things about
civilization--or adulthood--that are artificial. Acquiring the wisdom of Blakean experience, he finds within himself the primal clarity of a child; as he becomes more innocent, he becomes more violent. Given the weetness and whimsy of the roles that preceded Dead Man, Depp seemed a curious choice for the part at the time, and the movie revealed a complexity in him
that no one had seen before. The inner danger that Depp drew on for Dead Man was underscored by his next movie, Donnie Brasco. That film's director, Mike Newell, would later surmise Depp drew on a secret
capacity for mayhem that came more easily than anyone might have supposed. Donnie Brasco found Depp at his most morally ambiguous, as an undercover cop for whom the ends barely justify the means, assuming they ever do. One of the underrated films of its decade, badly mishandled by the studio on its original release, Donnie Brasco was the clear prototype, even more than Scorses's GoodFellas, for The Sopranos two years later,
introducing such catchphrases as "Forget about it" and "What are you going to do?" to the modern lexicon of the mob. (One of the movie's best scenes is where Depp ruminates on all the variations of meaning that "Forget about it" can entail.) Since Depp had become a star ten years earlier playing an undercover cop on TV, there was something darkly poetic about Donnie Brasco in terms of his career--a man's return to an adolescent pose, bringing with him the consequences of an adult world where men betray and kill one another and are never lovable or glamorous about it for a moment.Few actors convey such a thematic arc in their body of work, and whether Depp found that arc or the arc found him probably doesn't matter. With Depp, either is a distinct possibility. He doesn't seem the sort to
overthink things, while at the same time he seems more thoughtful than most; it doesn't seem an accident that on so many occasions he's played crazy people and writers, which is to say people who live inside their
heads more than may be good for them.Whether by any grand design, Depp keeps pushing the extremes of adulthood and childhood; Just as Captain Jack Sparrow was arguably his most flamboyant performance, and a perfect example of how one bravura piece of acting can lift a movie to another level, J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland is his quietest work in a movie that itself is so quite and so reluctant to risk sentimentality that it's a bit underwhelming. More
extreme yet may be Depp's next two films, The Libertine, in which he plays the debauched 17th-century poet the Earl of Rochester, and Tim Burton's
Charlie and the Chololate Factory, in which he plays Willy Wonka. If no other actor implies as many contradictions--between youth and maturity, between sanity and insanity, between male and female, between dream and dreamer, between existential instinct and intellectual premeditation, between rock and roll abandon and literary sobriety--the most interesting may be the very contradictions of innocence itself, and the way innocence in a grown man can seem perverse.In Neverland, Barrie finds himself under social suspicion when he becomes extraordinarlily attached to the children of widow Kate Winslet a the cost of is own childless marriage. Barrie plays the children's games
and conspires with them in the creation of a child's magical world, and soon London society is buzzing; and if we as the movie audience are meant to find this altogether closed-minded, and if in fact there was
never any indication that real-life Barrie's relationship was anything more than innocent, the fact is that even as presented by the film, Barrie is the somewhat less weird Michael Jackson of his day. He's childlike
in a way that doesn't seem altogether "natural," whatever that is. In his most subtle performance since Donnie Brasco, Depp casts no judgments on Barrie, because no great actor would and because there don't seem to be any to cast. As with Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood and Captain Jack Sparrow, however, Barrie is yet another character that no one but "dreamy" Johnny Depp could have played, distilling innocence in its mysteries and unfathomable terrors and the euphoria of the imagination that, once we grow up, is forbidden forever.
From theage.au.com
Stars make a cameo among the gum trees
By Carolyn Webb
The big screen lights up with Johnny Depp in Finding Neverland as the sun sets on the outdoor Cameo Cinema in Belgrave.
Photo: Michael Clayton-JoneIf you didn't want to pay, you could climb a tree and watch the Cameo Cinemas' new outdoor film screenings for free. But you wouldn't hear anything because paying punters wear cordless headphones.
They are the reason that Cameo owner Eddie Tamir doesn't expect any noise complaints about the outdoor program, which runs nightly at 9.15pm until Easter.
Mr Tamir has spent $200,000 setting up the cinema behind the four-screen indoor complex on Burwood Road, Belgrave. He knocked down an old house and laid fresh turf in the Cameo's backyard, which faces the sunset and is surrounded by gum trees. He installed the Dolby digital headphone system, a 14-metre-wide screen and deckchairs.
Unlike its rival Moonlight Cinema at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the outdoor Cameo will run first-release films. The animated comedy, The Incredibles, is screening until New Year's Eve and other scheduled movies include the Peter Pan epic Finding Neverland, the French gypsy flick Exiles and Racing Stripes, a children's film about a zebra who thinks it's a racehorse.
AdvertisementAdvertisementPatrons can bring food from home or buy a hamper from the cinema cafe. Alcohol is BYO.
After Mr Tamir bought the ailing Cameo Cinemas in September last year, he renovated them, reopening that Boxing Day. A fifth indoor cinema opens on Australia Day.
"I came to the hills because I love the forest and I love old cinemas," Mr Tamir said. "You arrive at dusk . . . break open your bottle of wine and watch the sunset for an hour. Why it will work is because of the magic of the forest and the magic of cinema."
Found by Pamela at the Memphis Flyer
Make-Believe
Finding balance in Finding Neverland.Next year, the long-awaited Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will arrive, with Johnny Depp inheriting the top hat from Gene Wilder, whose 1971 bizarro Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory has become an oddball classic. During the search for the right Wonka, I wondered who in Hollywood could blend strange, affectionate, magical, and gently disturbing without tipping the scales over into Creepyland and was actually disappointed when Depp won out. Although I was impressed with the range of roles he had played and the consummate dedication with which he embraced eccentricity within them, I still had not seen what I wanted in terms of pure heart. After seeing Finding Neverland, my reservations are allayed.
Armed with a soft and pleasingly Scottish brogue and an uncommon restraint, Depp plays J.M. Barrie, a frustrated novelist and playwright whose latest play is a flop and whose producer, Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman), is anxious to scrounge a quick success. Barrie is married to the beautiful but cold Mary (Radha Mitchell). It is a stilted, formal arrangement, complete with separate bedrooms and a long dinner table across which they sparsely converse.
One day, while walking in the park, Barrie comes across widowed mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her four boys, and it is not long before his aching, starving heart is filled with affection for Sylvia and these sons that he never had. Barrie's affection for Sylvia is odd chaste, really and it is almost as though he loves her more as the mother she is to her boys than anything sexual or even romantic. This doesn't stop the rumor mill from kicking into high gear, not only for the impropriety of the married Barrie spending so much time with a recent widow but also with whispers about what he may be feeling for the boys. Sylvia's mother, Mrs. Emma du Maurier (Julie Christie), soon swoops down on her family to protect them from gossip and what she sees as Barrie's unhealthy influence. (He plays with the boys.)
Meanwhile, Barrie's literary imagination has been reignited. Sylvia's youngest son, Peter (Freddie Highmore), is a serious young man hardest hit by his father's death. He's a boy who didn't quite get to be a child, which inspires Barrie to write about a boy who is nothing but: Peter Pan. By creating a boy of perpetual youth, Barrie gets to live out some of the childhood he himself never got to experience, and it creates a fictitious "double" for whom young Peter Llewelyn Davies can live and imagine vicariously. But this feeling of youth is fleeting, for both Peter and Barrie must accept that Sylvia is ill. Peter may grow up with no parents, and Barrie may lose the one woman he can love as both mother and wife.
Thank God for Depp, who manages to live inside a man of limitless whimsy while restraining his delivery. Winslet, likewise, balances lightheartedness and the gravity of motherhood with soft bohemian flair, while Christie and Mitchell play cold women without resorting to villainy. Again, balance is key here. This film takes us to a magical land while simultaneously preparing us for a death. In Barrie's play, we see the wires that allow his characters to fly, and in director Marc Forster's (Monster's Ball) film, we know that those wires that hold Sylvia may soon be cut.
Finding Neverland brushes over the tragedy of Barrie's youth: His brother died while young, and the family's means of grieving were to call Barrie by the dead brother's name in a way, killing Barrie. Unmentioned are the fates of the Llewelyn Davies boys, who die in war or by suicide. Young Peter came to resent his namesake Pan, and the specter of pedophilia never left Barrie, though there is no evidence aside from rumors to substantiate the accusation. It's an ironic coincidence that a modern-day Peter Pan, Michael Jackson, literally built a Neverland and now faces the accusations in court that only haunted Barrie as gossip. Lesson to all: We must grow up sometime. But Finding Neverland succeeds because it doesn't pretend that the tragic before and after doesn't exist. Rather, it captures that in-between place where most of us live for a while when we're young our own Neverland before reality and work and finances and death make us grown-ups.
From SciFiWire
12:00 AM, 27-DECEMBER-04
Hollywood Seeks PiratesAbout 7,000 pirate hopefuls answered a call for extras to appear in Disney's back-to-back Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, which are scheduled to start shooting in February and running into early 2006, Variety reported. Shooting will take place in Los Angeles and the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, the trade paper reported.
Sande Alessi Casting in North Hollywood, Calif., issued the casting call for "extreme character types ages 18-50" with very thin builds, missing teeth, wandering eyes and "serial-killer looks," with real long hair and beards. The extras are wanted to play members of Capt. Jack Sparrow's (Johnny Depp) crew and other pirates., the trade paper reported.
and found by Emma at Variety
Posted: Sun., Dec. 26, 2004, 6:00am PT'Pirates' booty call
'Caribbean' draws in the extras
By DAVE MCNARYH'wood shakes its pirate booty for Disney pics. Though Hollywood is fighting piracy, apparently every extra in Hollywood wants to be a pirate.
This has nothing to do with illegal duplication. Instead, extras are coveting work in Disney's back-to-back "Pirates of the aribbean" sequels, scheduled to start shooting in February and running into early 2006.
Steady work is always a lure, even at the guild's $118-a-day standard. But the big draw is that the lensing will take place in L.A. -- and the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.
A recent open call by Sande Alessi Casting in North Hollywood, Calif., drew 7,000 hopefuls.
This also presents a great opportunity for those who are not exactly pretty faces. The casting notice says the pic is looking for "extreme character types ages 18-50. They had very thin lean builds or were extremely skinny. Missing teeth, wandering eyes and serial killer looks are best with real long hair and beards. Wigs and makeup are not what we're looking for."
So, in hoping to play crew members of Jack Sparrow's and Barbosa's ships, male extras about town are growing beards and long hair and losing weight.
Also being sought: sailors (hair should be shoulder-length or longer), tall-ship sailors (must be able to row, rig and climb the mast), Marines (military training, rifle/marching experience helpful), townspeople (all ages, shapes and sizes), amputees (all types and ages) and wenches (British-looking women with voluptuous figures).
"Usually, guys with long hair and beards don't get a lot of work, so everyone's really excited about these films," notes casting director Jacque Lawson, who also coordinates casting for extras group the Wild Bunch. "Who doesn't want to dress up like a pirate and run around all day waving a sword?"
Found by Pamela at E!online
(excerpt)
'Pirates of the Caribbean' star JOHNNY DEPP made about $28 million for the year, and he'll probably do the same next year. "Some fans liked him, some critics liked him, but he was never considered a box office matinee idol," says Kafka. "He was never paid like that. The 'Pirates' movie changed all that, so now he's going to get $17-and-a-half million for the next Willy Wonka film. He'll get $17-and-a-half or $20 million for the sequel to the 'Pirates' movie. And meanwhile, he could do some arty critic's favorites like 'Finding Neverland,' which don't pay him that much, but, who knows, could get him an Oscar®."
Still no release date for the US for "The Libertine." In the meantime, people are reporting seeing "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" trailers for the past 2 weekends, and the CATCF posters are up in theaters across the US. For those trying to buy this poster, I've found it at only one spot: www.moviegoods.com
Kazren
From Sabre:Attention Southern California Residents
Pirates of the Caribbean will be having special showings at the Hollywood El Capitan Theatre January 13th through 30th.. There will be costume contests nightly plus commemorative free button. Opening night show starts at 7pm. CAll 1-800-DISNEY6 for tickets. On the 13th at 7pm there will be a panel of Film Makers. Everyone wearing costume will get a commemorative button.
MTV.com has an update on POTC 2 & 3Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is negotiating with Geoffrey Rush to star in a third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. "That's if there is a third one," Bruckheimer said. "We're hoping to start shooting the second and third movies in March, but we're waiting for a very big check from Disney." Bruckheimer said talk of Keith Richards playing Johnny Depp's father is premature, although Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are all signed on to return, along with the director and writers from "Curse of the Black Pearl."
From Pamela typed from the L.A. Times, 12/21A more cautious soul might be content to remake old movies. Not King. When Paramount approached him about partnering on "Alfie" and "The Italian Job," he passed. "I told them, 'No way. Those are classics. If you're going to remake them you better have the goods.' " In order to get access to the best material in town, King has production deals with stars like DiCaprio and Johnny Depp, figuring they'll be magnets for good scripts. It's telling that the upcoming project King is most excited about is "Shantaram," a Depp vehicle based on a semi-autobiographical 944-page novel about an Australian heroin addict who escapes from prison and flees to India, where he becomes a doctor in the Bombay slums and a gun-runner battling Russians in 1980s Afghanistan.
The days when a major studio would finance a project like that are gone. If "Shantaram" gets made, it will be because King raises most of the money. He is still amazed that no studio wanted to make "The Aviator." Before Miramax got involved, the project was turned down everywhere. "They all went 'pass, pass, pass — we don't like it,' and yet they're happy to turn around and greenlight some ordinary action film you could see any day of the week," King says, still sounding slightly incredulous.
Found by Pamela at foxnews.com:Oscars Yes, Audiences No
Here's a strange dilemma: So far, most of the films that will be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture are having trouble finding audiences.
"Million Dollar Baby," "Finding Neverland," "Sideways," "Ray," "Kinsey" and "Hotel Rwanda" are all waffling at the box office in their limited releases.Only odds-on favorite "The Aviator," which has so far received a very limited release, seems to be attracting big crowds.
"Million Dollar Baby," for example, has played on just eight screens since Friday. Though the movie has excellent reviews, a small budget and ovations at the conclusion of most shows, the Clint Eastwood tearjerker had bit of a rough weekend.On Monday, the total take was a mere $24,640. This followed a Saturday high of $73,000, which rolled down by a third on Sunday and then half as much again on Monday.
What do you compare this number to? How about Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou"? The Bill Murray-Owen Wilson comedy is not an Oscar contender, but it did almost the exact same business on Monday playing on just two screens nationwide.
Both films will go "wide" on Friday and Saturday, but at this point "Aquatic" — certainly nowhere near the masterpiece "Million Dollar Baby" is — looks like the sure winner in a head-to-head race.
So what's going on?For one thing, the ads for "Aquatic" make it look like fun. You wouldn't necessarily know until well into your third gulp of soda that it's a thin premise built around aborted punchlines.
On the other hand, "Million Dollar Baby" looks grim — which it is.
The problem for "Million Dollar Baby," as well as finely made films like Mike Nichols' "Closer" and Nicole Kassell's "The Woodsman," is that they are not holiday movies. They're best suited to release in other time periods.But the studios are hoping for an Oscar bounce, so they release their prestigious films during the Christmas doldrums.
Can you imagine wanting to escape from the family this weekend, only to choose from films about a doomed female boxer, four people all cheating on each other or a recently paroled child molester re-assimilating into society?
Me? I'll take drinking alone in the basement — it's cheaper.
Then, of course, there's the case of "Finding Neverland."
The Marc Forster-directed biography of J.M. Barrie, which stars Johnny Depp, is a huge favorite among critics. Even the suspicious National Board of Review named it Best Picture.With a Golden Globe nomination, "Neverland" is certainly going to be an Oscar nominee. Audiences that see the film love it.
But so far, moving from limited release to almost 2,000 screens, "Neverland" is not translating to breakthrough acceptance yet.
Is it because Johnny Depp is so low-profile? Maybe.
Is it because there's no real love story between Depp and Kate Winslet? Could be.But "Neverland" may be a publicity-resistant movie and one that will only take flight with strong word of mouth, which it's already getting, and the inevitable Oscar nomination.
And then there's "Sideways." Has a relatively cheap indie film ever gotten so many awards and unanimous hype? The Alexander Payne-directed road trip film has taken in $16 million, but it only cost $12 million to produce, so it will earn its keep nicely.
So far audiences are not swarming theaters to learn about wine, love and women. Golden Globes, Spirits, city critics — nothing has added up to people storming the doors. In fact, "Sideways," which was released in October, looks like it may be eating itself instead of growing or expanding its reach.None of this accounts for the remaining Oscar contenders in various categories like "Kinsey," "The Sea Inside," "Being Julia," "Hotel Rwanda," "Bad Education" or "Ray."
We can only be hopeful that audiences will check out all of these films. If not, you can't issue that often-heard complaint: "There's nothing to see. All the movies are bad."
We're having a bumper crop right now. Don't miss it.
More info on the Second Season of 21 Jump Street on DVD at TV Shows on DVD21 Jump Street - Jump into the 2nd Season in about 10 weeks!
Posted by David Lambert
12/23/2004Yep, in just 10 weeks (maybe a bit closer to 11) you will be able to walk into the store and pick up 21 Jump Street - The Complete 2nd Season on DVD. Or better yet, let it come to you and just place your pre-order now with Amazon.com, where they have it on sale for 30% off right now. That's good, because the SRP is a bit higher this time around, at $59.98 (twenty dollars more than the first season - which was 41% shorter in the episode count - cost). That makes Amazon's price $41.99 for this Anchor Bay release of the classic Stephen J. Cannell series. Oh, and that exact street date is March 8th.
Other than the fact that this set ought to contain all 22 episodes of the hour-long action/drama's second season, there are no other details to report at this time. It's a cinch that Anchor Bay is wanting to get this out (and possibly the 3rd season out as well) in time for the mid-July debut of Johnny Depp's new tentpole film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Depp plays Willy Wonka). Stay tuned and we'll bring you all the details about the box set once the information becomes available. Our thanks to reader Jason Stillwell for the tip-off about the Amazon listing.
The Johnny Depp Birthday Project donated $5000 to the Association on American Indian Affairs for 2004
If you are interested in donating again for 2005, please let Don Juan's Darling know. You can email DJD bhhankes@mtholyoke.edu The web address is: The Johnny Depp Birthday Project
From Boston.com
THIS STORY PAN-NED OUT It appears that the boy who "won't grow up" is turning 100. To mark the centennial of "Peter Pan," the Peter Pan Children's Fund and Miramax Films are holding screenings of the Johnny Depp film "Finding Neverland" in 12 cities, including Boston. On Monday, tickets to the first screening of "Finding Neverland" at the AMC Fenway will be given to the Peter Pan Children's Fund. As for the date of the screenings, Monday is the 100th anniversary of the date "Peter Pan"' author J.M. Barrie's play premiered on the London stage.
From CNN
Three in a row for 'Rings'
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Manage alerts | What is this?LONDON, England (AP) -- It's a hat trick for Tolkien.
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" -- the third movie based on the trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien -- has been voted best film of the year in a poll for the British Broadcasting Corp. television program "Film 2004," hosted by Jonathan Ross.
The two previous "Lord of the Rings" films, "The Two Towers" and "The Fellowship of the Ring," took the title in 2002 and 2003 respectively.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, was at No. 2 this year, followed by another Winslet movie, "Finding Neverland," that starred Johnny Depp as Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie.
"Lost in Translation," a quirky film that starred Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, was fourth, with "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" coming in fifth.
The low-budget British film "Shaun of the Dead" was at No. 6, followed by the Chinese martial arts epic "Hero."
Animated hit "The Incredibles," blockbuster "Spider-Man 2" and the Tom Cruise thriller "Collateral" completed the top 10.
Don't forget to check the "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" pages for the latest spoiler (page 8)
and from Ask Jeeves come's the Top Ten Most Searched for Pictures:
2004 Top Picture searches
1. Britney Spears
2. Christina Aguilera
3. Orlando Bloom
4. Paris Hilton
5. Usher
6. Johnny Depp
7. Eminem
8. Pamela Anderson
9. Hilary Duff
10. Jessica Simpson
Once again, Sexiest Man at Handbag.com
handbag.com readers' top 20 sexiest men of 2004
1. Johnny Depp
Our sexiest man of 2003 has kept his crown in 2004. Those prominent cheekbones and brooding dark eyes are still as gorgeous as when he starred in A Nightmare On Elm Street 20 years ago, and Johnny hasn't lost any of that je ne sais quoi. Depp fans will be pleased to hear that soon we'll be able to see him in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, The Corpse Bride and Pirates Of The Caribbean 2
From Intelliseek
December 22, 2004Johnny Depp, ``Fahrenheit 9/11'' Captured Bloggers' Attention in 2004, Intelliseek Finds; BlogPulse.com Year-end Review Examines Entertainment Trends in Blogging
CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 2004--Actor Johnny Depp, the "Star Wars" trilogy DVD and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" provided much of the entertainment-related discussion in blogs in 2004, according to a year-end analysis of blog content by Intelliseek's BlogPulse.com portal.
Bloggers showed a preference for both mainstream and offbeat entertainment, making "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" the second most-mentioned movie in blog postings and exchanging a quirky collection of online images and audio/video clips throughout the year, including President George Bush's bird-flipping "one-fingered victory salute" (No. 1) and JibJab.com's satirical "This Land is Your Land" (No. 3) animation.
"Early consumer 'buzz' plays a critical role in the entertainment industry, and it's clear that bloggers are seeding and fueling the discussion of movies, personalities, music, imagery, books and other forms of entertainment," said CMO Pete Blackshaw.
Data was compiled by Intelliseek's BlogPulse (http://www.blogpulse.com), an automated blog portal that tracks and analyzes more than 3.5 million blogs daily. Short for "weblogs," blogs are easily published web sites that serve as online diaries, journals, newsletters or sources of opinion, information and expertise.
This and other key 2004 blog data, including top personalities, news stories, blogs, news sources, web sites, blog postings and more, is available at http://www.blogs2004.com. Entertainment findings:
Most blogged-about actors/actresses: Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Hilary Duff, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, Lindsay Lohan, Jude Law, Mandy Moore and Tom Hanks.
Top audio files cited: Comedian Eric Idle's "FCC Song;" Bush's description of "tribal sovereignty;" music by the band Hard 'n Phirm; a Nickelback mix; and William Shatner's version of "Common People."
Top video files cited: Bush's "one-fingered victory salute" during his Texas gubernatorial campaign; the "GOP convention in 60 seconds" montage; JibJab.com's "This Land Is Your Land" animation; a film clip proposing a 9/11 Pentagon conspiracy; and a TV ad for a Transformer-dancing Citroen car.
Top movies: "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Ying Xiong (Hero)," "The Day After Tomorrow," "Shaun of the Dead," "Garden State," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "The Incredibles," "Spider-Man 2," and "Team America: World Police."
Top products at Amazon.com: "Star Wars: Trilogy" (DVD), "Garden State" soundtrack (CD), U2's "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" (CD), "Fahrenheit 9/11" (DVD), "Firefly - The Complete Series" (DVD), and Philips HeartStart Home Automated External Defibrillator.
Top books at amazon.com/bn.com: Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry; The Da Vinci Code; The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction; My Life; Eats Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.
About Intelliseek (http://www.intelliseek.com)
Cincinnati-based Intelliseek provides technology solutions that help marketers derive intelligence from numerous data sources, including internal CRM systems and the growing amount of consumer-generated media (CGM) found in online discussion forums, message boards, review sites and blogs.
Found by Pamela -
A bigger photo of Victor (Johnny's character) from the Corpse Bride Click button-
Found by Pamea at Box Office Mojo:Finding Neverland finally went wide, expanding to 985 locations from 537 last weekend. The Johnny Depp drama about Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie was up 16% to $2.0 million. In 38 days, it's made $16.9 million.
Entertianment Weekly's poll is about Wily Wonkahttp://www.ew.com/ew/article/poll/0,6115,1009327_1_0_,00.html
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
There's been more changes to the Official Charlie & The Chocolate Factory web site
Found and typed by JDBirthDayBud from the Manchester Evening News Dec. 21. 2004In the Depps of the Cotswold countryside is one of the prettiest villages in England. Chipping Campden is so beautiful, with it's honey coloured stone buildings and quaint shops that it could have been built as part of a Hollywood movie set.
Very fitting, then, that it was home to one of Tinseltown's finest-Johnny Depp- while he was filming his latest movie, The Libertine, in the area.
Arguably the most handsome man in the world was staying in the suitably majestic surroundings of The Old Grammar School. He had the two bedroom suite all to himself and could call up a chef from the main Cotswold House Hotel to cook his tea in the kitchen.
Word on the village grapevine was that Johnny, a confessed Anglophile with a taste for English comedy like The Fast Show and The Office, had also taken a big liking to traditional sticky toffee pudding, which he had sent down specially from Cotswold House's sister hotel The Noel Arms.
This is a hotel that obviously has an attraction for heartthrobs: in the 16th century it was a coaching inn, and the future Charles 2nd, a renowned ladies' man, stayed there in it's original 1657 four poster bed.
Ask for room six.
From BusinessWire
(Excerpt)
December 21, 2004IMDb.com Unveils the Year's Top 25 Movie Stars; Johnny Depp Tops IMDb.com 2004 STARmeter -- Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, and Angelina Jolie Also Among Top Five
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2004--IMDb.com (www.imdb.com), the Earth's biggest movie database, today unveiled the top 25 stars of 2004 as determined by the site's STARmeter(TM), which ranks celebrities' popularity among IMDb.com's more than 22 million monthly visitors. Johnny Depp earned the year's top honors, followed by Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightley, and Angelina Jolie. The full list of the year's top 25 celebrities can be seen at www.imdb.com/starmeter in the site's "Road to the Oscars" section.
From joni @ JDZ and Amazon.comMore 21 Jump Street
Stephen J. Cannell's company, Anchor Bay, is releasing Season 2 of 21 JUMP STREET on DVD on March 8, 2005. The six-disc set will retail for $59.98, although Amazon is offering a pre-order price of $41.99. No word yet on what extras will be included.Product Details
* Encoding: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries..)
* Format: Box set, Full Screen
* Rated: Unrated
* Studio: Anchor Bay
* DVD Release Date: March 8, 2005
* ASIN: B00076ONSM
From Sara found at Dark Horizons"Pirates" Sequels Still Casting
Posted: Monday December 20th, 2004 10:42pm
Source: POTC Fandom
Author: Garth FranklinPOTC Fandom attended the open casting call in Los Angeles last Sunday for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequels and later interviewed casting director Sande Alessi. The agency is still looking for extras it seems for the March 2005 start of shooting date in Los Angeles where the shooting will alternate between the Californian city and St. Vincent.
According to the casting director, pirate crew extras are being selected early so they can complete training in sword play and other pirate skills before filming starts. Many female extras are needed, as well as people to play soldiers, marines, fishermen, and townspeople in Port Royal and other film locations. Extras of various ethnic backgrounds will be needed, especially if Chow Yun-Fats character needs crew members or other associates.
Meanwhile, "The Office" star Mackenzie Crook, who played a pirate constantly losing his wooden eye in the first film, was on T4 yesterday in the UK, where he confirmed that he would be returning for though didn't specify wether he would be appearing in one or both of the sequels.
Thanks to 'Patrick', 'Diane' & 'Jas'
From Novosti
2004-12-20 14:17 * US * RUSSIA * FILM * AWARD *RUSSIAN-AMERICAN FILM WINS AWARD IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK, December 20 (RIA Novosti, Andrei Loshchilin) - A Russian-American film, "Black Prince," won the Grand Jury for best feature film at the New York International Independent Film Festival.
The film, which was directed by Anatoly Ivanov, is about Alexander Pushkin and modern Pushkin scholars. Events form the 19th and the 21st centuries are interwoven in the film. It stars Ray Charles Jr., the son of the famous singer and pianist, as an African-American historian, and ballerina Anastasia Volochkova as a stranger from St. Petersburg. They both love Pushkin's poetry and St. Petersburg.
In the part of the film during Pushkin's life, Anastasia Volochkova plays the poet's wife. Georgian actor Levani Uchanishvili plays Pushkin.
The film was filmed over a year in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Bakhchisarai, Moldova and California. Ray Charles composed the music to the film.
"The Grand Jury Prize of the New York independent film festival is a recognition by professionals and is especially valuable because Russian films did not win at foreign contests in the past few years," Mr. Ivanov said. "Apart from that, the prize promises good distribution for the 'Black Prince' in the United States. I have already received more than a dozen offers."
In regard to the director's future plans, he said he intended to start preparations for a film about a legendary and scandalous dancer, Rudolf Nuriyev (1938-1993). Mr. Ivanov plans to offer Johnny Depp the role.
(Note from Kazren: Seems like everyone wants Johnny to star in their movies these days, but Nuriyev would be a stretch, even for Johnny, with all the dancing it must invovle. I was fortunate enough to see Rudolph in person several times, and he was very msuclar in a dancer's way, and able to do leaps that made it appear he was hung from a thread. )
Found by DeepInDepp(JDZ) at London 24
Stars are naturals at shifting trees20 December 2004
A GALAXY of stars were selling Christmas trees outside a pub to raise money for charity.Celebrities Tara Fitzgerald from Brassed Off and Sirens, Stephen Moyer and Navin Chowdhry from Ny-Lon and Lloyd Owen from Monarch of the Glen were selling the trees to raise cash for the NSPCC.
Matthew O'Keefe, pub manager said: "It was great to get some local celebrities involved in such a worthy cause and have some fun at the same time.
"The customers loved hanging out in the winter garden, meeting the stars and sipping the mulled wine.
"The celebrities turned out to be naturals when it came to selling Christmas trees, and as an unexpected surprise, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton also popped in for lunch."
The stars were outside The Spaniards Inn, Spaniards Road in Hampstead.
Found by Pamela From ThisIsWiltshire.co.uk
First published on Friday 17 December 2004:Quinn plays Wonka's twin
CHIPPENHAM NEWS: A CORSHAM actor working his way to fame and fortune will star in a major new film as Johnny Depp's body double.
John Quinn, 26, has just finished five months filming Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is set to hit the big screen next summer.Johhny Depp, plays eccentric chocolate factory owner Willy Wonka.
Mr Quinn said he does not look exactly like the film star, but was chosen because he is a similar height and build and because of his acting experience."My face was only used in long distance shots but I had to practise until I had the same mannerisms. I also had to wear high heels and train my legs to be able to walk in them, which was quite difficult," he said.
He copied the actor's moves so they could be filmed from different angles when Johhny Depp had to rush off for other filming jobs. (?)It was the biggest job of Mr Quinn's career so far and he is quite sad that filming, at Pinehurst (Pinewood)Studios in Bristol, has finished.
As well as meeting Johnny Depp he worked with director Tim Burton, the man behind some of the Batman movies, and even got to have a cup of tea with actress Helena Bonham Carter, who also stars in the film.He said: "Johnny Depp was brilliant. He was really cool and it was amazing to watch him act because he's so experienced. He's also a really nice guy, very smiley and chatty."
Mr Quinn said he was a bundle of nerves when he turned up for the first day of filming in July. "I was terrified. They had to cut my hair into the style of Willy Wonka, which was quite unnerving. "It was my first time on a big film set and Johnny Depp was just wandering around.
"At one point I had to dance and I started dancing around like an idiot and didn't realise Tim Burton and Johnny Depp were stood behind me laughing their heads off."Mr Quinn, who grew up in Rudloe, near Corsham, before moving to Bath two years ago, has been interested in acting from a young age.
He studied for his A-levels at Corsham School and spent a few years travelling before joining some acting agencies and workshops.
He has had roles in Casualty and The Bill, as well as some short films and adverts. "One advert was for Pizza Hut and I had to eat pizza for two days which was horrible actually," he said.Despite getting to mingle with the stars Mr Quinn said the fledgling actor's life is often a struggle but he plans to try his hardest to make the big time. He has auditions for a new part in Casualty and is considering moving to London to find work.
Found by Pamela
Hot Gossip - Music ManJohnny Depp's iPod almost brought filming of his new film, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, to a halt when he mislaid his treasured gadget. Johnny, who plays Willy Wonka, is renowned for using music to inspire his performances and freaked out', when the iPod went missing. He was about to do a dark scene and had tracks ready to get him in the right mood,' says a source. He had the whole set searching for the thing.' Filming was resumed after the actor's driver found it. Johnny grabbed it like a lost child,' adds our insider. And gave the guy £50 as a reward.'
You Lucky UK TV viewers.
AT this site;
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds17598.html
Is the Holiday tv line up, including a Christmas Eve "Chocolat" and a new Vicar of Dibley episode (I love that show)Check it out.
From CassadyWonderful review in this mornings "Ticket magazine". The review is by Roger Ebert.
Some comments are...
"Johnny Depp's performance makes Barrie Not only believable, but acceptable. And he does it without evading the implications of his behavior. The movie doesn't inoculate Barrie a "family friend", but shows him truly and deeply in love with the widow and her boys, although in an asexual way; we wonder, indeed, if this man has ever had sex- or ever wants it."
Another nice comments....
"For Depp, "Finding Neverland" is the latest in an extraordinary series of performances. After his Oscar nomination for "Pirates of the Carribean", (2003), here is another role that seems destined for nomination. Then think of his work in "Secret Window" (2004), the Stephen King story about the author caught in a nightmare, and his demented CIA agent in "Once Upon A Time In Mexico " (2003).
And wait until you seen him in "The Libertine", as the depraved and shameless Earl of Rochester. That the flamoyance of his pirate and the debauchery of the earl, could exist in the same actor as the soft-spoken, gently inward J.M. Barrie is remarkable.
It is commonplace for actors to play widely differing roles, but Depp never makes it feel like a reach. All of these notes seem well within his reach. "
From Entertainment WeeklyPoll Question #3. Who's the movie actor of the year?
25% Jamie Foxx, ''Ray''
23% Johnny Depp, ''Finding Neverland''
15% Jim Carrey, ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind''
11% James Caviezel, ''The Passion of the Christ''
7% Zach Braff, ''Garden State''
7% Tobey Maguire, ''Spider-Man 2''
4% Jude Law, ''Closer''
3% Paul Giamatti, ''Sideways''
2% Gael Garcia Bernal, ''The Motorcycle Diaries''
2% Clive Owen, ''Closer''Total votes: 25,185
Source: IMAX CorporationCharlie and the Chocolate Factory to be Released as IMAX(R) Film in Summer 2005
Thursday December 16, 2:23 pm ETWarner Bros. Pictures Continues to Embrace IMAX(R) Theatres as a New Release Window with Seventh Film Commitment
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX - News; TSX: IMX - News) and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the highly anticipated film reuniting Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, and produced by Brad Grey and Richard D. Zanuck, will be simultaneously released to IMAX(R) and conventional 35mm theatres on July 15th, 2005. The announcement follows on the heels of previous successful Warner Bros. Pictures' IMAX DMR(R) releases, including the record-setting holiday hit The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an adaptation of the best- selling Roald Dahl novel and will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to IMAX theatres worldwide.Director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the Roald Dahl classic about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp) and Charlie (Freddie Highmore), a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka's fantastic world. The screenplay is by John August.
"We have worked with IMAX on six projects in the past two years, and the box office performance and response from moviegoers has been consistently outstanding for each release," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "With this track record of success, we plan to continue releasing films in IMAX's format day-and-date - to capitalize on a new release window and offer audiences a uniquely immersive way to experience our blockbuster pictures. We look forward to working with IMAX on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and presenting Tim Burton's next masterpiece in IMAX's format."
"Warner Bros. Pictures was one of the first studios to realize the potential of IMAX DMR and we're thrilled to be working with them once again on such a stellar motion picture," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEO's Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "Millions of moviegoers around the world have enjoyed Warner Bros. Pictures' releases digitally re-mastered into The IMAX Experience, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, much like The Polar Express, is exactly the type of family event movie that has proved to be so popular in IMAX's format. We believe this spectacular film will be a terrific summer attraction and a box office draw for the IMAX theatre network."
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a magical story based on a renowned piece of literature from an imaginative filmmaker; it's an ideal IMAX release that will appeal to the diverse venues within the IMAX theatre network, as well as moviegoers of all ages," added Greg Foster, IMAX's Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment. "The film will be a key title on our 2005 commercial release slate and we're excited to bring it to IMAX theatres."
There's POTC 2 & 3 news - see link above.
Found by JohnnyCake
Johnny's handprint & autograph at eBay for Charity. HERE
From JP posted at Johnny Reads (From Rolling Stone)JOHNNY DEPP
How he found his own private "Neverland"In Finding Neverland, Johnny Depp plays Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie with muted, understated ease, and in so doing he may well wind up with his second Oscar nomination. It's been quite some year for Depp, 41, both good and not so good. His friend Marlon Brando died in July. But then came Neverland. He recently finished filming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for his friend and frequent director Tim Burton. He's soon to start shooting the sequel, maybe two, to his biggest hit ever, Pirates of the Caribbean. He recently plunked down $3.6 million for a deserted island in the Bahamas.
What was the best present you got this year?
Probably this gig, playing Willy Wonka.
Favorite movie this year?
Yeah, it's an old one 1944 called The Mask of Demitrios, with Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet. I watched it about five times in a row. Brilliant. I don't see new movies that much. If I do see a new movie, it's a kids movie. The Incredibles was really, really great. My son, Jack, now runs around with his little Mr. Incredible doll. The beauty is, Jack calls Mr. Incredible "Mr. Credible," which really killed me. Mr. Credible. Ha ha.
What are your plans for 2005?
If we do Pirates of the Caribbean Two and Three together, that'll be the whole year. Work and kiddies. Work and kiddies.
ERIK HEDEGAARD
(Posted Dec. 15, 2004)
From AZ
Release dates for
The Libertine (2004)
Country Date
Canada 16 September 2004 (Toronto Film Festival)
France 9 March 2005
Czech Republic 21 July 2005
From Pamela
The IGN FilmForce.com has deemed Finding Neverland best drama of 2004:Best DramaFinding Neverland Studio: MiramaxCast: Johnny Depp, Kate WinsletFilmmakers: Marc Forster (Director), David Magee (Writer)MPAA Rating: PGWhy it Rocked: Finding Neverland is a superbly made film that follows Peter Pan writer J.M. Barrie on his creative journey - from his first inspiration to the plays opening night. The film is based on a play by David Magee called The Man Who Was Peter Pan - Magee adapted the screenplay himself and it couldn't have been in better hands. Director Marc Foster has crafted a movie that just seems to pop off the screen. It's sweet, funny, poignant and never falters. Depp and Winslet are at their best here, totally at home in the period setting. And the supporting cast also brings it in a big way: Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman and Radha Mitchell all showcase their formidable talents. Finding Neverland is magic in every way.Runners-Up: Collateral, Fahrenheit 9/11, Hotel Rwanda
While they declared Jamie Foxx Best Actor, they have named Christian Bale of the Machinist and Johnny as runners up.
and
UK Television Alert
Peter fever continues THE Kirriemuir-Peter Pan connection is set to be highlighted in a major hour-long special on BBC1, writes Philip Murray.
High-budget docu-drama "Happy Birthday Peter Pan" is currently pencilled to air on January 2 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Peter Pan.Starring the likes of Harry Potter star Rupert Grint as the voice of Peter, and Jane Horrocks as his smitten fairy companion Tinkerbell, the programme will look at the 100 year phenomenon surrounding the boy who never grew up.
Using dramatic reconstructions, film and TV clips and archive footage of people and places – including Kirriemuir – the programme will explore the full story of Pan from his inception to the modern day.
The star-studded affair will also include interviews with the likes of 'Finding Neverland' stars Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, Jason Isaac (who played Hook in the recent 'Peter Pan' live action movie) and Great Ormond Street Hospital patron Cat Deeley.
"It's a peak time slot and is probably geared to families, and it's wonderful that it will reach such a large audience and hopefully raise our profile," said Barrie's Birthplace curator Ingrid Turner.
"As the year has gone by the centenary celebrations have picked up a lot of momentum through the new film, TV and radio, but this is fantastic," she added.
This latest TV production caps a superb centenary year for Kirriemuir's Peter Pan links.
As well as news that a sequel to Barrie's seminal work has been commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital, Hollywood hit 'Finding Neverland' also sparked major interest in Barrie and his story.Produced by Diverse TV for the BBC, the one-off production will take the viewer through a magical journey from Pan's creation by Barrie in London to its first performance in 1904.
Using cleverly interwoven readings and scenes from the story the programme will then follow the 100 years since the first performance and explore the biographical, cultural and geographical history surrounding Peter and Neverland.
"Local people have been aware of the potential significance of Pan's centenary for some time but it has taken a major media event to bring it together," said Kirrie historian Sandra Affleck.
"It's largely thanks to the 100th anniversary but also particularly 'Finding Neverland' that this connection has at long last come to national and international media attention, which can only be a good thing for Barrie's Birthplace and tourism around Kirrie in general.
"And this new show must have a nice, generous budget, which is terrific news as well," she added.
"I hope the interest won't be just a one-day wonder, because the story has lasted for 100 years and still stands the test of time.
"Perhaps what the show will do is bring this very important link to the awareness of a younger generation.
"In the 1930s people were very aware of the Barrie-Kirriemuir link but because it is now being brought to the attention of young people through the likes of Johnny Depp, then perhaps it will generate a new audience.
"Hopefully this new generation will see Kirriemuir and Barrie's Birthplace as a place worth visiting," she added.
In an interview with Terry Gilliam HERE he says he and Johnny keep talking about finishing Quixote, Good Omens, and that they talked a great deal when Johnny was in London. And Debb found this story explaining what "Good Omens" is about HERE
From USA Today
excerpt
Whitney Matheson: Pop Candy - And the honorees are ...
Wed Dec 15,12:16 PM ET
Whitney Matheson, USA TODAYConfused? Each year, when compiling this humongous column, I ask myself which pop-culture figures affected me the most during the past 12 months. Not tabloid magazine sales - just little, entertainment-lovin' me. (Related item: Chat with Whitney Wednesdays at 1 p.m. ET)
Hopefully, this list will both ring true (I know I'm not the only one who loved that Loretta Lynn record!) and turn you on to some stuff you missed:
2. Johnny Depp (news). If he doesn't win the Oscar this year for Finding Neverland, I'm going to burglarize the home of the man who does. (That is, unless Liam Neeson gets it. I don't think I'd win that fight. But I could easily take down Paul Giamatti.)
From BFCA Broadcast Film Critics Association
Finding Neverland nominated for 7 awards this morning in The Critics Choice Awards
Johnny. Marc , Freddie, Kate, picture , screenplay and family film BFCA. The winners will be revealed on the tenth annual Critics' Choice Awards show on January 10th at the Wiltern theater in Los Angeles, to be broadcast live on The WB television network.
Found by Peanut at ET Online
'Finding Neverland' star JOHNNY DEPP, who found a Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama nod, had the following comment: "I would like to express a huge 'thank you' to the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for this fantastic surprise. I feel honored and privileged simply to be considered amongst such distinguished talent."
L.A. December 13, 2004
The Golden Globe nominations were just announced and Johnny is nominated for Best Male Actor in a drama for "Finding Neverland." Also, "Finding Neverland" is nominated for best drama.
From Belinda
Have you finished your holiday shopping ?. If not, I have a good suggestion. The soundtrack to movie Finding Neverland.. Pick up a few copies plus spread the word about the soundtrack to everyone you know.
The CD is available in stores and on line. The record label's website, where you can order direct is www.iclassics.com. You can also get it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble ( etc)
(Kazren's note - I own this CD and it's wonderful)
From Pamela
THE RAZZ: JOHNNY'S SWEET ON HIS NEW ROLEDec 11 2004
With Beverley Lyons And Cath Bennett
JOHNNY DEPP is taking method acting to the extreme by scoffing chocolate for his role as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
In fact, the Pirates of the Caribbean star has made sure there's enough for everyone. An insider said: 'Johnny thought it was weird that they were making a film about a chocolate factory yet there was no real chocolate - it's all fake because of the heat of the lights.
'He ordered himself a huge consignment because he said eating it helps him understand his character. 'He's also insisting that all the cast and even the crew eat some, too.'
From Belinda
The Golden Satellite nominations are out. Surprisingly, no Leo. Not surprisingly - there is Johnny:
Actor In A Motion Picture Drama
Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries (Focus Features)
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland (Miramax)
Sean Penn, The Assassination Of Richard Nixon (Thinkfilm)
Javier Bardem, The Sea Inside (Fine Line Features)
Liam Neeson, Kinsey (Fox Searchlight)
Kevin Bacon*, The Woodsam (NewmarkFilms)
Don Cheadle*, Hotel Rwanda (United Artistss)
(*Tie)
From Rolling Stone - their review of "Finding Neverland" HERE
"Cry Baby" will be screened at the Baltimore Movie Museum in April 2005 - info HERE
Yahoo is talking about Johnny and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory teaser:
See Johnny Depp as the scrumpdeliciously mysterious Willy Wonka in the teaser trailer for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.'
Charlie Trailor on line http://movies.yahoo.com
E! New Daily on Thursday will have some of the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" trailer.
Johnny helping a charity (again) HERE
From VH1
40 Gets Fabulous on VH1
Wednesday December 8, 8:01 pm ET
Premiering Sunday December 12 8:30 PM* "The Fabulous Life Presents: The Fabulous 40"LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- From 40 to 1, we'll show you the biggest, and baddest expenses ever when "The Fabulous Life Presents: The Fabulous 40." Premiering Sunday, December 12 at 8:30 p.m., this 2-hour special takes a look back at Fab-history and looks forward into the future of Fabulous in this countdown of the most incredible items on the planet. From diamond encrusted iPods to $2000 cocktails, we'll show you what a billion dollars and a famous face really gets you. No one lives as large as Tinkerbell Hilton, Paris's mini-pooch, who dresses in Chanel couture and travels by way of a Louis Vuitton Carrier. And no one travels quite like Donald Trump whose 727 Jet features gold-plated seat-belt buckles and one of a kind oil paintings and costs $2 million a year just for the upkeep. And speaking of basic upkeep, Fab celebs pay for their every need with the Centurian Card, the world's most exclusive power card. With an unlimited credit line, stars like Jessica Simpson and Jerry Seinfeld can purchase anything from a Fendi purse to a yacht on the spot. But if you've really got the cash to spare, you can spend it on an island. Oprah Winfrey rents the private island of Musha Cay for $25,000 a day and Johnny Depp owns his own in the Bahamas.
From Kitty
Walmart.com has Finding Neverland DVD listed as coming out April 12th! (USA)
Shantaram has a website: http://www.shantaram.com
From Contact Music
DEPP, LAW, PAM AND FOXX LAND ON MOST LISTJOHNNY DEPP, JUDE LAW, PAMELA ANDERSON and JAMIE FOXX are among the celebrities celebrated in film magazine MOVIELINE'S HOLLYWOOD LIFE's new Most List.
Depp has been crowned Most Inherently Awesome on the new list, while Law's run of hit films has made him Movieline's Most Valuable Player.
Anderson has been named this year's Most Surprising Best-Selling Author after scoring success with her memoirs STAR, and Foxx has been honoured with the magazine's Most Breakthrough Year.
Other celebrity winners in the end-of-year list include: CHARLIE SHEEN (Most Rehabbed Image); JAY-Z (Most Dubious Retirement Announcement); MERYL STREEP (Most Continually Impressive); SIENNA MILLER (Most Stylish Newbie) and THE VILLAGE star BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD (Most Dazzling Debut).
08/12/2004 09:22
LIBERTINE HAS A US DISTRIBUTOR
Found and typed by Pam From The Hollywood Reporter's
Women In Entertainment: The Power 100 (December 2004)#67 Tracey Jacobs
Partner/motion picture agent
UTAJacobs has ridden the crest of the Johnny Depp wave as his agent, steering him (albeit reluctantly) into big-budget studio features last year with "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and then this year packaging him into "Shantaram" for Warner Bros. Pictures (written by UTA client Gregory David Roberts). She also this year placed client Tea Leoni in Sony's "Spanglish," packaged Lasse Hallstrom into Buena Vista's "Casanova," signed filmmaker Laurence Dunmore and helped him sell his film "The Libertine" to Miramax and put together the deal with screenwriter Daniel Clowes and direction Terry Zwigoff for "Art school Confidential." Her clients also include Harrison Ford, Nathan Lane, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack, Ryan Phillippe, Rose McGowan and the recently signed Seann William Scott.
For those who ordered dolls from Kyrila
I have the best news ever!!!The dolls came in TODAY!!! I was so excited! My daughter and her friend helped me tonight and we got ALL THE DOLLS packaged, labeled and stacked on the loading dock to be put on the UPS truck tomorrow (Wednesday!) I started typing labels at 5:30 p.m. when I got off work and between the three of us we finished the last box at a little past 8:00 p.m. I was so surprised it went so quickly and also pleased to have it all over with. This is quite a burden lifted off my shoulders and now I can focus on my job.
So HAPPY CHANUKAH to ALL of you who waited so-o-o-o-o patiently for your Captain Jack Sparrow action figures.
Now, those of you who ordered more than two dolls, you will be receiving more than one box - two dolls to the box. For instance, if you ordered four dolls, you'll get two boxes, nine dolls (yes, someone ordered NINE dolls) you'll get five boxes.
I have your tracking numbers and I will attempt to send each of you your tracking number. If you don't receive an email with your tracking number by Sunday, please email me at my email address. Don't put any messages in my profile here or I may not see it.
As for the shipping charges, some of the charges were under what I charged by a little bit, and some of the charges were over what I charged you. It all balanced out perfectly.
Thank you so much for your patience and support throughout this ordeal. I am so glad these dolls are now on their way to you IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!!! (Drinks all around!) And I must say you all are the most amazing women I've ever had the pleasure to know and I am so thankful for your friendships.
All the best,
Happy Chanukah
Merry Christmas!
A very tired Kyrila
Merry Christmas,
Kyrila
From Stormy
SAFETY ALERT
I've heard there are people around the internet pretending to be Johnny Depp or claiming to know him. They contact people through e-mail, message boards and instant messenger programs, sometimes promising meetings or contact with Johnny. These people are frauds. Do not reveal any personal information to someone like this, including your name, address, phone number or any other contact information. You never know what their true intentions are, so please just be smart and play it safe. There are plenty of real people out there who appreciate Johnny Depp and enjoy talking with other fans. Those are the ones to interact with, not the ones who claim to be something they're not.
From Melrose.com
Finding Johnny DeppUnlike legions of other Hollywood stars, hipster heartthrob Johnny Depp says he actually enjoys aging. The boyish-looking Depp — who plays the author of Peter Pan in his latest picture Finding Neverland— was asked if the children's character famed for never growing old made him wish for the same power.
Nowadays, it's all a question of surgery, isn't it?" he joked to reporters at the 61st Venice Film Festival last month.
"No, of course the notion is beautiful — the idea of staying a boy or a child forever. But I think you can. I've known plenty of people in their later years who were like little kids, had the energy of little children, the curiosity and fascination. I think we can keep that. It's important we keep that," he said.
"But I think it's great fun growing old. I think it's great."
Depp also discussed the Scottish accent he assumes for his role as writer J.M. Barrie.
"Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn't quite get a hold of it," he said. "Luckily I found this dialect coach who helped me out a great deal. ... Also, we had a couple of crew guys who were Scottish who picked up the falsities."
Depp has left the hills of Tinseltown for the south of France and he's found happiness in his new role as a loving dad. Here Depp dishes on family life, George W. Bush, pirates and inner peace.
Remember the infamous legend of Johnny Depp, that swashbuckling pirate of Hollywood, renowned for his incendiary performances onscreen as well as his notorious offscreen love affairs and hotel room broadsides. Well, that legend currently resides deep within Davy Jones' locker, because the new and improved Depp, despite having played a pirate in the box-office smash Pirates of the Caribbean, has transformed himself into a mellow papa.
These days, Depp spends his time with the lovely French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis. The couple have been together for the past six years, and their blissful alliance has produced to adorable children, Lily-Rose, 4, and Jack, 2 months. Having a family has resulted in a much lower-key lifestyle for Depp...and the former brooding bad boy couldn't be happier. I could never imagine that having a family would bring me so much joy, reveals the handsome-as-ever star. The birth of my children has completely changed my life. They have calmed me down and made me aware of all the love I am surrounded with.
He sat down with Isabella Caron of Freewheelin Magazine for some ono-on-one.
You sound like a very happy and proud papa.
Before my children were born, I didn?t know that the most beautiful thing in life is one's own family. I am deeply touched by the love I feel from Lily-Rose and Jack. They have brought me a happiness that I never knew existed.
You have been a notorious chain smoker, is it true that you?ve stopped smoking cigarettes because of them?
Almost, but not entirely just yet, because it?s very hard to stop for me. But now I have such a great incentive. I mean, when I look at Lily-Rose and Jack, I want to live long enough to see them grow, to see them having their own children. That pushes me to live a very healthy life. So you see, not smoking is a sacrifice I will very happily make. I would do anything for my family because they are the key to a happy life at home.
And where is home now for the Depp clan?
I have homes in Paris, the south of France and in Los Angeles.
Jack, your little boy, is only a year-and-a-half old. What's he like?
He's strong, healthy and a real terror! He touches everything and breaks things, and falls down constantly. It's like living with a drunk! [laughs]
Are you a hands-on father?
Of course, I do all the things that a mother or father does. I changed Jack's diapers, give my children baths, I sing them songs, tell them stories, play with them, console them and love to cuddle them. This paternal instinct just comes naturally to me, and, to be honest, I find it tremendously enjoyable.
You and Vanessa have been together for six years.
She is the sweetest person I know. The kindest. She has a heart of gold. I can tell you that at a time when people marry and divorce quickly, Vanessa and I are a very solid couple who care about each other deeply and work at
making each other happy.
Was it love at first sight?
Yes. When I first met her (on the set of the Roman Polanski film Ninth Gate), what struck me was her beauty. I fell in love with Vanessa the moment I set eyes on her. I was a lost cause at that point. But what touched me immediately afterwards was her tenderness. Very quickly I realized that I couldn't live without her. It was only a few months later that we found out she was pregnant with Lily-Rose and I made the decision then to join her in Paris and start a new life with her over there.
As an American, how has it been to live in France?
Fantastic, I haven't become a French citizen, but have felt so welcome by everyone I meet in France that for the first time in my life I truly feel at home there. More so than in Los Angeles, where we also have a house.
Since America's involvement in Iraq, have you felt any strong anti-American sentiments in France?
You know, the French are polite and well-cultured people. They do smile when the name George W. Bush is mentioned, and they laughed when the Americans changed the name of french fries to "Freedom Fires" because of the anti-French sentiment a the beginning of the Iraqi war.? But that's all.
And what are your thoughts about President Bush?
I think that he is a bad liar. It would be one thing if he lied well, but being a bad liar is unforgivable. If you are going to lie, do a good job of it.
In a way, being an actor is also being a liar.
Actually, it's only pretending and realizing your dream. For instance, when I played a pirate, for me it was going back to my childhood, being a little boy on the beach with my friends pretending to be Jean Laffitte or Blackbeard.
Would you have made a great pirate?
Oh, yes. Like them, I don't work for the money or treasure, but for the adventure and pleasure. I would have loved to roam the seven seas, free as a bird. I have always watched pirate movies with great envy.
With two young children at home, do you have time to see any movies in the cinema?
Not really, but we watch a lot of them on TV. We rent cassettes of all the Disney movies because Lily-Rose loves them.? At night, when the kids are in bed, I will watch movies that Vanessa made.? She is quite an amazing actress.
What has Vanessa brought to your life?
She makes me feel like a human being and not just a Hollywood movie product. Because she possesses such a joie de vivre, Vanessa has taught me to be positive instead of negative. And she has also inspired explosions of creativity within me.
Do you ever plan on getting married?
Vanessa and I consider ourselves already married. We just haven't gone though the formalities, like signing papers. To each other, we have been husband and wife since day one.
How is your French these days? Are you speaking the language fluently?
[Laughs] Non! But I have made enormous progress. Vanessa is a great teacher, and so is my daughter. With me she speaks English, but Lily-Rose speaks French with her mother all the time, therefore she's able to help me when I'm struggling with my French.
What kind of girl is Lily-Rose?
She's very smart and very curious. She never stops asking me questions.? Not too long ago she came to me and said, Daddy, does God have a maid? I couldn't give her an answer because I really don't know. I mean, I haven't seen a script on that particular subject yet! [Laughs]
Spending a great deal of your time in France, have you remained close to your friends in Hollywood?
Of course. But I am not into the movie industry scene. I don't follow who is doing what, who is the new thing, or the old thing, who is a failure or a success. I am totally in the dark when it comes to Hollywood, but you know what they say...ignorance is bliss.
You have always been a reluctant celebrity. Did your perception of Hollywood change when you moved to France?
I was kind of bitter and angry about Hollywood, but at the same time very lucky to have been able to work steadily. I was also lucky to have done movies that I wanted to do. Films that weren?t necessarily commercial, but that meant something.
You never wanted to sell your soul to play the Hollywood game, working only for the monetary rewards. Why?
Because I felt that everybody, the public, the actors were being cheated. Hollywood had become an assembly line of garbage, for the most part, and I just didn't want any part of it. I had tasted a little of that when I did 21 Jump Street and never liked the feeling.
That was the show that launched your career. What memories do you have of it?
Bittersweet. We would make one episode after another and it was exhausting. But at the same time I am proud of the series because we were telling stories about AIDS, abused children and drugs.
What provokes anger in you today?
Ignorance, greed, nastiness, prejudice and injustice.
Your involvement with charities shows that you are trying to make a difference in this world.
I work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They grant wishes to terminally ill children around the world. These are children who have less than six months to live, although some, defying all odds, do stick around longer. I consider myself lucky everytime I meet one of them. They have shown me more strength and courage than I could ever have in their situation. I also work with D.A.R.E. [Drug Abuse Resistance Education] which educates children and their parents about the dangers of drug use. It's a very good organization that we should all help.
It's seems as if fatherhood has changed you not only as a person, but as an actor as well. There's much more responsibility now in choosing the films you want to make.
That certain key you have been given when you become a father makes you a better human being. But with this key you also have much more responsibility. Suddenly, everything you do matters because your children will be watching, following your actions. That knowledge has given me a certain bravery, a certain force, to move forward in a decent manner that will make my children proud of their father. The way I look at it, Vanessa and I didn't give birth to our children, they gave birth to us. I strongly believe that they chose us so they could teach us about life. So, today I feel better about my work because I feel better about my life.
How would you define yourself as an actor?
I am an actor who wants to touch his public to make them laugh or cry, and especially to think. That's been my goal.
And how would you define yourself as a man?
I have never been happier, having lost my rebellious nature and rage. After living 35 years in a fog, not really living but barely surviving, with nothing to look forward to, I am now living the most magical time of my life. I have become a truly blessed father whose principal concern is his family, and I thank my stars each day.
As a cool 41 year-old, It seems that Johnny Depp has finally found hmself.
By Isabella Caron of Freewheelin Magazine
From web India123
Johnny Depp loves Kate Winslet!Johnny Depp has revealed that he fell in love with Kate Winslet when he realised what a great mother she was.
The Hollywood heartthrob , was absolutely smitten by his 'Finding Neverland' co-star because he found her to be not only a great girl but also a great mum.
"She's amazing. We hadn't worked together before. She is so cool. There's no pretence, no weirdness, no diva," he was quoted by the Q magazine , as saying.
"She is a great girl first, a great mum, which is impressive and made me love her even more ,and obviously she is a great actress.
It's so great not to have to lie about someone. I can gush on and on about Kate," he added.
From the Herald Sun
Depp Oscar tip
By Nick Papps in Los AngelesACTOR Johnny Depp's new film about the creator of Peter Pan is the early frontrunner to win the Best Film Oscar.
Finding Neverland has been named Film Of The Year by the prestigious New York National Board of Review, the first gong of the award season and a pointer to February's Academy Awards.
Finding Neverland tells the story of Peter Pan's author, JM Barrie, and has won rave reviews, along with its stars, Depp and Kate Winslet.
Jamie Foxx yesterday won the board's Best Actor award for his portrayal of musician Ray Charles.
Veteran Annette Bening's chances for her first Oscar have risen after she won the Best Actress award for her role as an ageing diva in Being Julia.
Last year, the board gave its Best Actor award to Sean Penn, who then won the Academy Award.
Foxx is the Oscar favourite this year, with Leonardo DiCaprio from the new film The Aviator the only other tipped winner.
The board's Best Supporting Actress award was yesterday won by Laura Linney from the film Kinsey, which stars Liam Neeson and tells the story of sex researcher Albert Kinsey.
Australian actress Cate Blanchett is still the hot favourite to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar at February's awards after a brilliant performance as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator, a film about reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes.
Best Supporting Actor was yesterday awarded to Thomas Haden Church for the film Sideways, a story about men growing old and looking back on their lives.
Other awards issued by the board included Best Director to Michael Mann for the Tom Cruise thriller Collateral. Best Animated Feature went to The Incredibles and Best Documentary was won by Born into Brothels, a film about child prostitution in India.
A freedom of expression award was given to Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion of the Christ but the movie about Christ's last hours is not expected to fare well at the Oscars because of its perceived anti-Semitism.
The board, which is made up of New York film professionals and students, also listed its top 10 films of the year.
They were, in order: Finding Neverland, The Aviator, Closer, Million Dollar Baby, Sideways, Kinsey, Vera Drake, Ray, Collateral and Hotel Rwanda
From Karen at ISD
Swank talks DeppIn a recent Q&A that actress Hilary Swank did for her upcoming movie Million Dollar baby, Johnny was mentioned:
The interviewer complimented her on her work in the past and then all of a sudden she wins the Oscar and boom new found fame.
Hilary states no not me. I did not get half of what some others got.
Look at Johnny Depp, someone I admire so much for years.
He made POTC and then here comes tons of fans. New fans that are now trying to watch and find all of his old movies. Now that is a story.Then she went on to say that it could not have happened to a better person.
Then she said that the best part of it all is that he handled it so well.
Same manager, agent . Those are ususally the first to go. But nothing has changed with him and I just love it.Then she went on to say that she tries to be like that.. Just the same old girl that she always was before she became famous
Later on she was asked if there was any one she wanted to work with. She said would you all be surprised if I say Johnny . Then she laughed.
Found by Pamela From the January issue of Empire magazine:
“We want to make it very clear that this isn’t a remake,” Richard Zanuck, producer of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, tells the Insider. “It’s Tim Burton’s vision of Roald Dahl’s book. The Gene Wilder film took a lot of liberties, but we’ve really gone back to the book, both in story and tone.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve heard that before with the ‘reimagining’ of Planet of the Apes. However, from what we’ve seen on the set, Burton’s vision has a lot more in common with Dahl’s dark prose than the now considerably dated 1971 Mel Stuart picture. Burton and Johnny Depp’s Wonka will, as the slightly sinister yet rather slickly psychedelic poster shows, be a much more mysterious character than Wilder’s, with no singing or dancing and a lot more of the book’s back-story. This chocolate certainly won’t be sugary.
Release dates for CATCF ~ July 15. 2005
and The Corpse Bride ~ Sept. 23, 2005http://www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=distributor&id=warnerbros.htm
From Leslie,
If you call this Miramax number(Tel: 212 - 941 - 3800 Fax: 212 - 941 - 3949) to request "Finding Neverland" come to your area (see below), you should ask to be transferred to Liz Berger in Publicity
From CassadyBosses of America's MARK HOTEL chain are keen to have JOHNNY DEPP stay with them again after a 1994 New York hotel-trashing incident led to a boost in business.
Hotel publicists have since got in touch with Depp's aides to thank the movie hunk for his night of insanity, when he smashed up a room after a run-in with the paparazzi and got himself arrested.
The actor says, "The owner approached my publicist about two years after the incident and thanked her.
"He said, 'It was so great for us that Johnny got arrested at our hotel and sent to jail - you can't imagine the business we got out of it."
jdsmylove found more on the Robert Rodriquez pic "Madman" from Dreamwatch magazine
Depp Plays Madman
Pirates star linked to lead role in offbeat superhero filmSin City's Robert Rodriguez is poised to co-direct quirky comic book adaptation Madman, with Johnny Depp linked to the leading role. Created by Mike Allred, the Dark Horse Comics publication sees an unidentified man killed in a car accident and brought back to life by scientist Dr Boiffard. Dubbed Frank Einstein after Frank Sinatra and Albert Einstein, and with no memories of his past life, Madman fights crime armed with super-human co-ordination and precognitive powers.
Allfred reports that he is poised to co-direct the film with Rodriguez, whose previous credits include From Dusk Till Dawn and Spy Kids. "Robert has made a multi-picture deal with Miramax/Dimension and Madman is part of that," says Allred. "In fact, Robert convinced them that the best way to make a comic-book movie is to have the creators co-direct the films."
A treatment based on an outline by Allred and Rodriguez is currently being developed by Rodriguez's long-time friend and associate George Huang, who wrote and directed the independent hit Swimming With Sharks. "So, when that's approved we kick into the screenplay and, if approved, shoot the movie," reports Allred.
"We alredy have our Frank 'Madman' Einstein," Allred reveals. "He's (the) star of 2003's biggest moneymaker. I'm pretty sure it was the biggest box office flick - that should get a few tongues waggin."
Allred is believed to be referring to Johnny Depp, who starred in one of 2003's biggest hits, Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp is said to have been recently spotted carrying a script called Madman, and previously had a role in Rodriguez's 2003 film Once Upon A Time In Mexico.
Depp has been filming his role as Willy Wonka in Tim Burton's adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He is due to begin filming two sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean next spring.
"It seems to me this is just gonna be one of those projects that take a long time to hit the big screen," Allred says of Madman. "Keep in mind I was first approached about making a low-budget Madman movie right out of the gate in 1992. It should be obvious why I stopped holding my breath. But when I'm called on - jus try to hold me back!"
From Bev:
"It has been suggested that Miramax might actually offer to the U.S. a wide release of " Finding Neverland "if enough people request it, so the following is their contact information. if you've seen this film, let them know what you think about it. if you haven't seen it, or if it's not playing in your area or city you can let them know."Mr. Harvey Weinstein
Miramax Films
375 Greenwich St.
New York, NY. 10013 - 3800
Tel: 212 - 941 - 3800
Fax: 212 - 941 - 3949
News from Karen at Johnny Depp Reads:
I am so very pleased to announce that ED WOOD screenwriter Larry Karaszewski has graciously agreed to answer questions from Johnny Depp Reads members!! This will coincide with our January discussion of ED WOOD, the movie.A HUGE JDR "thank you" to Belinda from DeppCon for helping me contact Larry! ....thanks Belinda!
So email your questions for Larry to me at JDReadingList@aol.com I will compile them, add some of my own and send them off to Larry! In order that we get them to him in a timely manner, please have them completed and to me no later than Dec 10, 2004. This is your chance to ask Larry a question and know that you will get a personal answer! And no, he doesn't know Johnny's cell phone # LOL
The link for my bookclub is http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/johnnydeppreads
You will need to be a registered member of JDR to ask a question of Larry.
A bit about Larry:
Larry and Scott met while roommates at USC college in Los Angeles. They became writing partners shortly after.
They won the Golden Satelitte, The Writer's Guild's Paul Selvin Honory and the Golden Globes Awards in 1997 for the screenplay of People vs/ Larry Flynt. They were also nominated for a Writer's Guild Award for Best Screenplay written directly for the Screen for Ed Wood. They have written the screen play for the upcoming movie The Pacifier staring Vin Diesel in theaters later this year. They have recently announced that they will be writing the screenplay for an upcoming movie on The Marx Brothers.
Jolene sent in a reminder for us to VOTE at the Peoples Choice Awards HERE
For those living in So.Cal they are having open casting calls for extras for POTC 2 & 3 at:
The Del Amo Mall, Torrance, California
10am-4pm (please do not arrive before 9am or after 3pm)
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Casting Hotline: 818-725-2905
Found and transcribed by CA Pam
This is an interview with Oliver Stone and, naturally enough, Johnny's name came up.From "The Making of Alexander" by Robin Lane Fox:
Oliver: "OK: for me, this sex-question is not the big one. Alexander had sexuality, he might love a male, he might love a woman. And he wasn't so unusual at the time."
Robin: "No," I said, "although we don't happen to know of named male lovers for his other officers or for his early successors."
Oliver: "Do you know Johnny Depp?" Oliver interrupted, "He's a good friend, a good actor: he jokes with me that he won't be in this film because it will be nothing but sex. Why do people think that about this film without seeing it?"
This was sent in by Carrie - HERE is the link to a page discussing a movie Universal bought with the hopes of
having Johnny & Brad Pitt star in it.
From Contact Music
DEPP'S EPIC JOURNEYS HOMEHollywood hunk JOHNNY DEPP is finding life away from his partner and children during the filming of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY so tough, he spends nearly 10 hours travelling to see them every weekend.
The movie is being shot near London, but Depp's partner VANESSA PARADIS, daughter LILY-ROSE, five, and son JACK, two, are still at the family home on the French Riveria.
But Depp enjoys spending time with them so much, he is willing to spend endless hours in planes and cars.
A source says, "Every weekend is the same.
"On Friday night after work Depp takes a two-hour flight to Nice, followed by a two-hour drive to the family house in a tiny French village, then heads back to London again on a Sunday night."
02/12/2004 09:42
At Yahoo, Entertainment Highlights in History include:
1990: Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands," starring Johnny Depp (news) and Winona Ryder, opened in movie theaters nationwide.
From JMW1807
Finding Neverland awarded best picture by National Board of Review, per Gold Derby news page.
“FINDING NEVERLAND” NAMED 2004 BEST FILM OF THE YEAR
BY NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEWJamie Foxx and Annette Bening named Best Actor and Best Actress
New York, NY, December 1, 2004 – The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures named Finding Neverland 2004 Best Film of the Year. The film imagines how the famous writer, J.M. Barrie, derived the inspiration for his legendary play Peter Pan.
The following honorees will be presented with awards at the annual gala on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 in New York City.
TOP TEN FILMS OF 2004
1. Finding Neverland
2. The Aviator
3. Closer
4. Million Dollar Baby
5. Sideways
6. Kinsey
7. Vera Drake
Found by Françoise at "Metrofilms"
The release date for "Libertine" in France is March 9, 2005. The photo they are using is this one originally seen in Empire Magazine
From Moliere found in the Dec 4 Entertainment Weekly
Front cover: "Found! 24 Projects They Don't Want You To See: Depp, DiCaprio, Jerry Lewis & The Stones"pages 40-41--"Buried Treasure"
p 41--"Want to know WHERE TO GO to find Johnny Depp's directorial debut, THE BRAVE?"
p 42--2/3 page color photo w/ commentary. Yellow arrow w/ red lettering pointing to outsized date, 1997. Caption: Want to see The Brave? Better head to Europe.
Good specific summary, nothing new except Tim Carvell's last sentence about why Johnny has not released it in the U.S. "Alas, calls about the subject to Depp's publicist returned a definite 'no comment.'"
Guess who is Number 1 in the 10 best Celebrity Interviews at Cinema Confidential
1. Johnny Depp – “Pirates of the Caribbean”
Author: Sean Chavel
Original Post Date: July 9, 2003I still feel the movie jammed too much CGI (computer generated imagery) to overwhelm Depp’s otherwise marvelous performance, but it was a complete joy sitting down with the actor. Not caught up in the industry hype, Depp is a totally unassuming and practically as easy-going an actor as you’re likely to find. My best memory from his interview is how he discussed that he almost turned down the part if the producers refused to allow him to use his ugly gold teeth and braids in his hair for the role. Depp remains cool because he upholds principles of creativity when everyone else chooses to go the safe route. - SC
Read the complete Interview HERE
Interesting Story from The New York Observer about the futre or fate of Miramax
Found by Sugarcookies
ACTOR JOHNNY DEPP ENJOYS A NIGHT OUT AS HE WAS SPOTTED DINNING AT ONE OF MAYFAIR'S TOP RESTAURANTS, CIPRIANI. MAYFAIR, LONDON. UK. 29TH NOVEMBER 2004
