In Contention

Tag: Public Enemies

  • *chirp* *chirp*

    Wow, there is quite literally nothing worth discussing today.  This has been a pretty eventless two-week spread, actually.  I have no interest in writing about the baseless “G.I. Joe” speculation.  Nothing to offer the “Taking of Pelham 123” discussion because I’ve yet to make my way to a screening.  Nothing to say about the limited releases that I haven’t already said.  Nothing to say about “Ponyo,” which I saw earlier in the week, until LAFF amps up.

    Nothing.  Just the healthy anticipation for the approaching fest, an upcoming look at “Public Enemies” and finally running an interview piece with Denis Leary that was a Santa Monica delight last week (even though we don’t cover TV — but I couldn’t resist an hour with the man).

    Call this an open thread to discuss what you will.  I got…nothing.

  • Depp, Bale, Mann talk ‘Public Enemies’

    From last night’s MTV Movie Awards.  It’s only just hitting me, by the way, the fortunate timing of this release:

  • Michael Mann talks ‘Public Enemies’

    Michael MannMaybe I’m slow on the uptake here, but I had no idea Johnny Depp has been circling the role of John Dillinger for 20 years now.  Chalk it up to one more reason to be chomping at the bit in anticipation of this summer’s “Public Enemies” from director Michael Mann.

    In this San Francisco Chronicle story, Ruthe Stein talks to the director about the film’s coincidental timeliness (what with the general negative attitude toward banks in these troubling economic times), Mann’s typical encouraging of his actors to heavily research their roles and the contention that the film glorifies a menace to society. There’s even a bit where Mann defends Bale in the wake of the “Terminator” outburst (which was probably nothing compared to the shit-fits Mann has reportedly thrown on sets).

    The most intriguing quote has to be this dissection of Depp by the director, leaving me to wonder whether Mann might have pulled a career-best performance out of the actor, whose grandfather was a bootlegger during the Depression and apparently served as an inspiration for the performance:

    “A lot of what goes on inside Johnny Depp could be used and revealed,” Mann said. “I know there are dark currents within Johnny and also from his past life, and I know he has a lot of John Dillinger inside of him. He has a deep understanding of a troubled past and a troubled life, but is someone who is a very passionate man. He could understand those currents in unique ways.”

    It’s a great read.  Check out the full piece here.  As previously reported, “Public Enemies” will be the centerpiece presentation of this year’s Los Angles Film Festival and will open nationwide on July 1.

  • Is Bale slacking?

    Christian Bale in Terminator SalvationThe first evaluations of “Terminator Salvation” are slowly creeping in (here’s AICN’s reasonably positive take if you’re interested), but I was more interested in something the Film Experience’s Nathaniel Rogers had to say about Christian Bale’s performance, which mirrors a grievance I’ve had with the actor’s work of late.

    Rogers likes the film well enough, but finds Bale’s contribution distinctly lacking:

    I am happy to report that unless Christian Bale’s eyes are particularly sensitive to bleached colors and shadowy sets, Shane Hurlbut’s lensing didn’t intrude on his thespian process at all. But Bale intruded on Bale’s thespian process.

    I liked Salvation a lot more than this next statement will imply but… John Connor was a dud. [editor’s note: Isn’t he always?] Christian Bale bored me silly. He used to be a thrilling and unpredictable actor. Now I feel like I’m seeing the same performance over and over again. It’s like he’s lipsynching to his own Arias of Intensity.

    I couldn’t agree more. Admittedly, I’ve never quite learned to love Bale — his most impressive performances (“The Machinist,” “American Psycho”) have a mannered quality that keeps me at arm’s length, while he has an unfortunate tendency to get outshone in talent-laden ensemble pieces (“Laurel Canyon,” “I’m Not There,” even “The Dark Knight”) — but he’s an undeniably accomplished and courageous actor.

    So it’s disappointing to see him applying the same shade of opaque intensity to one impenetrable hero after another recently. Here’s hoping he finds more notes to play in “Public Enemies.”

  • LAFF announces line-up, ‘Public Enemies’ to play as centerpiece film

    What a sweet move on the part of Universal Pictures to unleash Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” a week or so early at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June.  The Johnny Depp starrer will play as the fest’s centerpiece film.  This will be a great way to drum up more and more recognition for the film leading into its July 1 release date.

    Aside from that exciting news, I’m totally stoked for the “Behind the Scenes” screening of John Schlesinger’s “Midnight Cowboy,” which will include an extended conversation with actor Jon Voight.  “Midnight Cowboy” remains one of my favorite films of all time, so just from a cinema geek perspective, I’m there.

    The L.A. Film Fest runs from June 18 to June 28.

  • Billy Crudup talks ‘Public Enemies’

    Billy Crudup in Public EnemiesAt the beginning of the year, my two most anticipated films happened to feature Billy Crudup in pivotal roles.  “Watchmen” came and went and is perhaps better left in the rearview, though the actor received solid notices from proponents and detractors alike.  “Public Enemies,” however, still lies ahead as the summer movie season pushes forward.

    The film, directed by Michael Mann, has Crudup taking the reins as J. Edgar Hoover, the former F.B.I. director who declared a war on crime and mobster John Dillinger in particular.  I missed Susan King’s brief Los Angeles Times profile on the actor last week, but happily stumbled across it over the weekend.

    Crudup speaks briefly about his unexpected approach to the character in the following exchange:

    Crudup says that the “Public Enemies” script, by Ronan Bennett and Mann and Ann Biderman, was rich with character development — “filled with this mixture, which seemed always to be Hoover’s problem, of ego and patriotism. That was more than enough for me to tackle him.”

    Mann, says Crudup, always sort of characterized Hoover as a visionary to the actor. ” ‘Visionary’ to me speaks of somebody who is attempting to change society or culture for the good,” Crudup says. “It was interesting to think of him in a somewhat positive light.”

    “Public Enemies” opens nationwide July 1.

  • New ‘Public Enemies’ trailer

    Last month the first materials for Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies,” starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, finally hit the net.  At the time I thought the trailer (and certainly the poster) had something of a sheen to it, a high-gloss studio vibe that didn’t say “Mann” to me.

    Well this new trailer is a bit more slap-dash, less contrived and starts to dig into the characters with a little more grit.  It seems to be more of a trademark Mann construction to me, and I just love the eerie opening moments with the strings.

    (I believe MSN had the exclusive on this, so I’ll link there.)

  • On ‘Public Enemies’

    Public EnemeisDuring our week away, materials landed for one of my own most anticipated films of the year: Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.”  I haven’t taken a moment to really dig in to this yet, but here goes…

    The first thought I had when I saw the trailer was that this is the most un-Mann tease I’ve ever seen.  The latter half montage under Otis Taylor’s “Ten Million Slaves,” however, is vintage Mann, wallowing in the rush of narrative flow, images both beautiful and unusual, it’s all signature.  And for a guy like me who puts Mann on a pretty high pedestal, those final moments are exciting for those reasons.

    No one seems to want to admit the poster is just bad, and that’s fine.  Who wants to sour the mood?  But it screams “studio” and has no artistic focus.  It’s a figment of selling the film first and that’s okay, but it’s graphically awkward and visually impotent.  It says nothing.  Maybe we’ll see another one before release, but truth be told, I’ve never been particularly impressed with a poster for a Mann film.

    I’ve heard Marion Cotillard is quite good in the film, and of course, Johnny Depp looks like he’s cranking out a special performance.  Christian Bale will be nice background flavor but I don’t sense the symbiosis of, say, “American Gangster.”  I wonder if Billy Crudup might finally be on the cusp of “arriving” after nearly a decade of solid work without a real breakthrough to show for it.  His work here could mix with his positive notices for “Watchmen” and make a perfect publicity storm.  Or not.

    I’m most excited at the idea of Mann teaming up with lenser Dante Spinotti after a 10-year break.  I don’t think the director was tinkering with digital very much in their last collaboration, “The Insider,” but it’s become his adopted style as of late and it may or may not work in a period piece such as this.  Ultimately, I think it might make the film too slick to be seen as prestigious.  We’ll see.

    On the whole, I don’t get a big awards vibe from this film.  I think it’s perfectly positioned to make good money but it’s also very much on a “Road to Perdition” trajectory.  Maybe I’m just muting expectations, but I see commercial success, design respect, not much else.  But who cares about Oscars?  I’m stoked.

  • OFF THE CARPET: Handicapping 2009 a year in advance!?

    Ewan McGregor and Hilary Swank in AmeliaAhh.  The dust is settling.  And on the horizon, just visible through the mist and waiting to drive us all up the wall once again: the 2009 Oscar season.

    I’ve been writing this year-in-advance column for probably six years now, and I always look forward to gazing ahead.  No one dives in so pathetically deep this far out as yours truly, but in exchange for not having a life for the past few months, I get to unload this burden the day after our annual season’s peak and forget about little gold men entirely for a few months.

    It’s quite liberating.

    The most interesting thing about the season to come, from my vantage point, is the lack of a dreaded “frontrunner status” for any of the contenders.  Some might say Clint Eastwood’s Nelson Mandela project (which is not called “The Human Factor,” mind you — the director says the film is currently untitled and is based on John Carlin’s book “Playing the Enemy”).

    Others might say Rob Marshall’s “Nine” (coming from a money-tight company hoping to avoid echoes of “Memoirs of a Geisha”).  But I don’t see a “Geisha” from here, or a “Charlie Wilson’s War,” expected heavies waiting to miss the mark.  The field is curiously flat, and as a result, excitingly broad.

    Let’s get to it, shall we?

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  • My top 10 most anticipated films of 2009

    Johnny Depp in Public EnemiesNo explanations, just my annual unfiltered, edge-of-my-seat anticipations.  My tastes tend to skew entertainment from afar; I don’t look forward to the Oscar stuff until later in the year, when the pieces of that crazy puzzle are slowly revealed.

    Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

    1. “Watchmen” (Zack Snyder, Warner Bros. Pictures, March 6)
    2. “Public Enemies” (Michael Mann, Universal Pictures, July 1)
    3. “Avatar” (James Cameron, 20th Century Fox, Dec. 18)
    4. “A Christmas Carol” (Robert Zemeckis, Walt Disney Pictures, Nov. 5)
    5. “Terminator Salvation” (McG, Warner Bros. Pictures, May 22)
    6. “Shutter Island” (Martin Scorsese, Warner Bros. Pictures, Oct. 2)
    7. “Green Zone” (Paul Greengrass, Universal Pictures, TBA)
    8. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (Gavin Hood, 20th Century Fox, May 1)
    9. “State of Play” (Kevin Macdonald, Universal Pictures, April 17)
    10. “2012” (Roland Emmerich, Columbia Pictures, July 10)

    Least anticipated: “Inglorious Bastards”

    You?

  • 12/1 Oscarweb Round-up

    Christian Bale in Public Enemies(Back from vacation and ready to roll.  Thanks to Guy for keeping the ship sailing during the holiday.)

    • A first peak at what will likely be one of next year’s serious contenders: Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.” [Empire]

    • TV spotting “Gran Torino” with a little outside-the-beat commentary. [/Film]

    • Carl DiOrio reports on the surprisingly successful box office numbers of “Milk.” [The Hollywood Reporter]

    • Peter Knegt, meanwhile, talks with “The Times of Harvey Milk” helmer Rob Epstein about his 24-year-old documentary and Gus Van Sant’s take on the politician this year. [indieWIRE]

    • And Cristy Lytal catches up with the real-life Cleve Jones (played by Emile Hirsch in Van Sant’s film). [Los Angeles Times]

    • I almost feel this isn’t worth linking, but there isn’t a lot to choose from this morning: Marc Lee rounds up a couple of Oscar blog quotes to assess Kate Winslet’s Oscar hopes.  Are they paying him for this? [Daily Telegraph]

    • Scott Bowles tracks down Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise at the Burbank airport to discuss the risky business of “Valkyrie.” [USA Today]

  • ‘Dark Knight’ interviews with cast and crew

    Warner Bros. publicity has made the round table interviews from last weekend’s “Dark Knight” junket available.  There’s a lot of good, in-depth stuff from Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and the rest.

    There is, however, a big hole in everything, because you can’t help but wish Heath Ledger was there to discuss his approach to a character that seems to be an award-worthy swan song.

    Keep in mind that these are junketers…so sometimes you get a few doosey questions (usually the first person out of the gate).  But everyone weathers the storm well enough.  Pay attention to the end of the Bale file; he talks briefly about Michael Mann’s upcoming “Public Enemies” and McG’s “Terminator Salvation.”

    There is also a slight spoiler around the 11:00 mark of the Aaron Eckhart interview, however, one that you might want to skip.  It isn’t specific, but it’s enough information that could be irritating to know before seeing the film.  Enjoy.


    Christopher Nolan (writer/director):
    [audio:Nolan-TDKjunket.mp3]
    Download


    Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne/Batman):
    [audio:Bale-TDKjunket.mp3]
    Download


    Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent/Two-Face):
    [audio:Eckhart-TDKjunket.mp3]
    Download

    More after the jump, including Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jonathan Nolan!

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  • Goldenthal to score Mann’s ‘Enemies’

    Exciting news.  This is without a doubt my most anticipated film of next year.  The press release, in part, on Goldenthal jumping on board:

    Oscar-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal (Frida) has been signed to score Universal Pictures’ action-thriller from acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann, Public Enemies. Currently shooting in Chicago, Public Enemies stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in the incredible story of criminal folk hero John Dillinger (Depp), whose wave of bank robberies and the subsequent FBI manhunt, commanded by J. Edgar Hoover and run by Special Agent Melvin Purvis (Bale), fascinated the nation in the 1930s.  The film also stars Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Rory Cochrane, Stephen Lang, David Wenham, Stephen Graham, Channing Tatum, and Jason Clarke.  It arrives in theatres in July 2009.