In Contention

Tag: Kate Hudson

  • BERLIN: ‘The Killer Inside Me,’ final notes

    Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson in The Killer Inside MeHaving named its prizewinners yesterday, the Berlinale officially wraps today. I meant to file my last post on the festival once I arrived home on Friday night, but assorted tasks and distractions kept it on the back burner. Too many things, too many things, as Amber Waves would say.

    My last day in Berlin served up one of the films I’d most been looking forward to, tireless British filmmaker Michael Winterbottom’s Jim Thompson adaptation “The Killer Inside Me.” Winterbottom’s baldly violent noir arrived in town with the embers of its Sundance controversy still glowing, hoping to liven up a staid Competition. Werner Herzog’s jury might not have taken the bait, but many audience members at the press screening I attended did.

    “Fuck you!” yelled one German journo, rather lamely, at the screen once Casey Affleck’s Texan sheriff (and moonlighting serial killer) had finished pummelling Jessica Alba’s lovely face to the texture of steak tartare. After that, obediently outraged grumbles greeted assorted scenes of sex and sadism, while a chorus of boos accompanied the end credits.

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  • Listen to Kate Hudson’s ‘Cinema Italiano’ from ‘Nine’

    Kate Hudson in NineWednesday we featured the original song “Take It All” from Rob Marshall’s “Nine.” Today we’re happy to feature the other tune conceived by Maury Yeston specifically for the film: “Cinema Italiano,” performed by Kate Hudson.

    Hudson’s Vogue journalist Stephanie was expanded considerably for the film, a lustful young thing who announces, “Style is the new substance.  It’s what my readers want.”  Her song kicks in during an attempt at seducing Daniel Day-Lewis’s crisis-stricken filmmaker Guido Contini and is meant to reflect the flashbulb-popping chic and panache of the entertainment industry, and certainly, Stephanie’s place in that shallow world.

    I would say it stands out as the most catching tune of the piece, but it’s also the most out of place and has some fairly trite lyrics (and some odd rhythm shifts), but it’s a sure bet for a nod, along with the aforementioned “Take It All.”  Give it a listen below and tell us what you think.

    [audio:http://www.incontention.com/audio/cinemaitaliano.mp3]

  • ‘Nine’ gets big response from SAG

    (from left) Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis in NineRob Marshall’s hotly anticipated movie musical adaptation “Nine” played before a jam-packed SAG Nominating Committee crowd at the Pacific Design Center Wednesday night, and judging by the response, we’ve got a real player on our hands.

    Of course, one can never tell with these things.  Especially SAG Nom Comm, which tends to be a bit, shall we say, star-drunk when it comes to these seasonal screenings.  The evening’s Q&A boasted most of the cast — Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard — so it was inevitable that standing ovations would occur.

    But even still, given the mood of the crowd, I’d say they sincerely ate it up.  One guy even said the film was better than “8 1/2” (make of that what you will) before asking a question about Fellini when the session was turned over to questions from the audience.  And everyone was certainly in awe of the stars (or their careers, at the very least — gee, I’m cynical.)  It seemed that nary an opportunity to applaud was missed.

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  • Kate Hudson sings in new ‘Nine ‘trailer

    The song “Cinema Italiano,” by the way, is one of the film’s original compositions vying for Oscar glory. Based on this snippet, I think some melody wouldn’t have gone amiss. But that’s me.

  • The Great Performances: 2000

    Tom Hanks in Cast AwayMichael Douglas was robbed.

    The already Oscar-christened actor gave a career-best performance in 2000 in Curtis Hanson’s “Wonder Boys,” but he got no love from the Academy. Worse, his performance was easily among the five best of the year and won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Actor prize.

    That having been said, I don’t think Douglas actually deserved the Oscar in 2000.  That honor belonged to Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” for a performance that was nothing less than astounding. For two and a half hours Hanks commands the screeen, moving into silent film territory for a stretch, the actor using strictly his body and face for the performance. Anyone who has ever, and I mean ever, doubted his range needs to take a hard look at this film.

    The five nominees for Best Actor in 2000 were Hanks, Russell Crowe for “Gladiator,” Ed Harris in “Pollock,” Geoffrey Rush in “Quills” and Javier Bardem in “Before Night Falls.” For me, Douglas was the most glaring omission, followed by George Clooney’s Gable-esque work in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” which I think remains one of the actor’s very best pieces of work.

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  • Annie Leibowitz’s ‘Nine’ photo shoot for Vogue

    (Courtesy: Thompson on Hollywood)

  • OFF THE CARPET: Looking at the supporting ladies

    Vera Farmiga in Up in the AirA few weeks ago in this space I took a dedicated look at the lead actress category.  With little in the way of actual development (this season is curiously divided on the timeline as we’ve got maybe another month before more major titles begin screening), I figured it would be a good idea to keep things going on that front and take a look at the supporting actress race.

    It’s a little difficult to ignore the fact that Mo’Nique stands way out ahead of the pack in this race for her work in “Precious.” Unless her reported behind-the-scenes drama-queen tactics somehow poison the cause, she should be holding a statue in four months’ time.  She is fierce and focused in a monstrous role and when viewers get over the initial “she had this in her?” shock, they’ll also see it for the expert piece of acting that it is.

    Mo’Nique is joined in her film, however, by what I’d call an awards-worthy turn from Mariah Carey.  The singer-turned-actress has been lurking in Mo’Nique’s shadow throughout the film’s publicity and festival tour this year, and she also lost something of a diva battle with Mary J. Blige to have a featured track in the film.  The poor girl can’t catch a break here, but I think she deserves a look from voters and, perhaps, even prognosticators.

    A few weeks ago I mentioned in an episode of Oscar Talk that “Up in the Air” star Vera Farmiga would be pushed as a lead actress.  Some things have changed.

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  • Kate Hudson joins ‘Nine’

    I wrote back in May about the embarrassment of riches that is the cast of “Nine” – Rob Marshall’s upcoming filmization of the hit Broadway musical based, in turn, in Fellini’s “8½.”

    Now, as if Daniel Day-Lewis, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard weren’t enough names to fit on the marquee, word is out that room must be made for another – Kate Hudson. (I must have missed the memo when Day-Lewis was confirmed for the project, but it appears he’s definitely in.)

    You could say that she’s the least accomplished thesp on the list so far, but nevertheless, I’ve always liked Hudson, and it sure would be nice to see her in a good (or at least promising) film again. (“Almost Famous” is starting to seem awfully long ago.) The role – a Yank fashion reporter abroad – has reportedly been created especially for the film adaptation to showcase what Marshall describes as Hudson’s “revelatory skills as a singer and dancer.”

    Finally, an interesting detail that I hadn’t heard before: credit for the screenplay is shared by Michael Tolkin (already interesting enough, no?) and none other than the late Anthony Minghella. Shooting begins in the UK on October 10; sounds like The Weinstein Company have a very hot property on their hands here.