Movies: Broken Embraces Under a New Moon

Look out! He's about to twinkle!

NATHANIEL ROGERS
Nathaniel would live inside the movie theater but for the poor internet reception. He blogs daily at the Film Experience.

YOUR FEATURE PRESENTATIONS
Given Towleroad’s generous coverage of all things Twilight (all things equalling shirtless wolf boys and wild haired Pattisons) I had hoped to share a few thoughts on NEW MOON for today’s movie column. No can do. I wasn’t invited. Curiously I had been invited to the press screenings of Twilight. Perhaps I’ve been too openly disdainful of sparkle-in-the-sunshine vampires or creator Stephenie Meyers’ retrograde sexual politics (I had quite enough of that in my own Mormon years, thank you). So, it’s not for me. If it’s for you, no judgments, enjoy with the millions of screaming girls and moms.

For the second flick I predict: better special effects, more flesh to make up for the pro-abstinence agenda and better acting. The latter is nothing like a risky prediction since the only way is up. Plus, Dakota Fanning and Michael Sheen have joined the cast.
 
BROKEN EMBRACES, the latest film from the amazing Pedro Almodóvar and his current muse Pénelope Cruz is also opening. This is their fourth collaboration. May they make many more together.

The plot is a spiralling labyrinth of violent accidents, flashbacks, long-held secrets and films within films. The characters are typically Almodóvarian: a disabled filmmaker, a minor actress, a rejected gay son, an older abusive lover, a woman with too many secrets. Pedro Shows exquisitely but he can't stop Telling this time. But even if it's "minor" Almodóvar, his worst are better than some director's best. Few can touch him for memorable images and actress worship. And speaking of.... Penélope Cruz is still at the top of her game. This last run of performances (Volver, Elegy, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Nine and Broken Embraces) is just one triumph after another. How long can she maintain la perfección, anyway? 

MORE on Tony & Takeshi, Angelina Jolie, and A Single Man, AFTER THE JUMP...

Jake Gyllenhaal's Latest Teaser

Jake Gyllenhaal offers up his  bedroom eyes in a new image from Prince of Persia. It's the basis for the film's latest teaser poster, AFTER THE JUMP...

Twilight Fangbangers: Edward Cullen's Home for Sale

Those of you Twilight fans with a cool $3.3 million to drop can buy the Cullen home just outside of Vancouver:

"The five-bedroom home in West Vancouver was designed by Arthur Erickson and was totally renovated in 2001. It has a great room with 20-foot ceilings, massive picture windows and lots of blonde wood. The modern kitchen has a curved fireplace and gleaming countertops. The master suite includes a bathroom with a soaking tub and glass cabinet shower. For warmer weather there is a pool outdoors."

Don't try sleeping in it though.

Mario Lopez to Join Twilight Wolf Pack?

With all the frenzy surrounding Twilight: New Moon and its shirtless he-wolves, Mario Lopez is concerned he's missing out on the ab action:

"Lopez fits right in with Chaske Spencer, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Bronson Pelletier. In a sit-down interview with 'Extra,' Pelletier -- who is nicknamed 'Slater Jr.' -- joked to Lopez that, 'when we were casting this thing I thought I was gonna lose my role out to you.' Added Meraz, 'You're the missing wolf pack member!' Taylor Lautner says it's 'definitely a possibility' that Lopez could join the pack. Stewart was more sure. 'You totally could be,' she said. 'We'll get you in there,' Spencer promised."

Movies: Foxhole Messengers

NATHANIEL ROGERS

Nathaniel Rogers blogs daily at the Film Experience.

YOUR FEATURE PRESENTATIONS

George Clooney is a fox. You knew this already but now he's actually playing one onscreen. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a sly one and that's a description that happily fits all: character, star and movie containing them. Mr. Fox is living a peaceful life as a newspaper columnist but he can't tame the wild animal within. Some of the funniest gags in the movie play off this discord between the tendency of animated films to anthropomorphize everything and the character's realizations that they aren't behaving like animals of their species would. Fox wants to go back to stealing chickens and when he moves to a new home with a window view of three massive farms (belonging to the villains Boggis, Bunce and Bean), he just can't resist. Even if you aren't at all familiar with the book, you know how complicated it gets in the movies whenever a charming criminal decides to do one last big job. 

Roald Dahl's books have a rich history of onscreen adaptations from Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp's very different Willy Wonkas through Angelica Huston's sick transformation into the Grand High Witch in The Witches to the 90s animated version of James and the Giant Peach. Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the most successful transitions, merging director Wes Anderson's emotional affect, fondness for diorama like production design, and symmetrical compositions with Dahl's whimsical storytelling and sometimes ghastly humor.

Meanwhile at the movies, how did Ben Foster get that scar by his eye?

There's no answer, AFTER THE JUMP...

A Brief Glimpse of A Single Man

Very brief. AFTER THE JUMP...

Trailer HERE if you missed it.