Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

Scary Movies: Trick or Treat?

I happen to hate scary movies -- how is being frightened fun? I've never had fun having the bejeezus scared out of me, which always happens with movies like The Ring or Candyman, both of which I shamefully yet honestly admit kept me sleepless several nights after viewing. These two are examples of more modern psychologically "scary" movies, both incorporating some amount of disturbing violence, but I hate the outright horror ones too. No gore for me thanks. If you'd prefer to go gore-free too, check out this list of top five scary movies for the squeamish.

'30 Rock' Rocks in Season 3 Premiere

Were you as psyched as I was last night for the -- at last! -- return of 30 Rock?! Of course, the season "premiere" actually premiered a week ago online. So you probably already caught it, as I did. But it was still so wonderful to see Tina Fey and company back on my television HD channel. This lady's got serious clout. The guest stars for this season include Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, and Oprah! Them's some big fish in that pond.

BIFA Nominees: Giving Love to 'In Bruges'

Sometimes, the British get it right. Okay, they were way off about that whole Revolutionary War snafu, but other than that, they're okay, as evidenced by the list of British Independent Film Award nominees, available here. One of the films that received multiple nominations that I hoped would also score some love in the States (but realistically doesn't have a shot) is In Bruges, which was released earlier this year to little fanfare, but remains one of my favorite movies of the year.

The tale of two hitmen forced to lie low in the tiny town of Bruges, Belguim after a botched job, the movie features spectacular performances from one of my favorite actors, Brendan Gleeson, and a funny, vanity-free turn by Colin Farrell. Ralph Fiennes also pops up in a great supporting role as their sociopathic boss. 

Writer-director Martin McDonagh doesn't need more love from the Academy--his 2005 short film Six Shooter, also starring Gleeson, already won him an Oscar and is certainly worth checking out. You can buy it here or download it on iTunes and it's just under 30 minutes of twisted fun balanced with heartbreaking tragedy. In short, a perfect primer forIn Bruges.  

--Jenelle Riley

Espresso Goes to Washington

It being election season and all, we're feeling a little wonky.

The Hollywood Reporter reports todayon how the media and entertainment landscape would change depending on whether Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama is elected.

Important issues to note: It seems Obama favors legislation protecting net neutrality, while McCain seems to view the issue as one of regulation vs. deregulation. (He would support the latter.) Similarly, Obama wants curbs on media consolidation, while McCain is opposed. The candidates have divergent views on legislation that would make unionizing easier. Obama supports, McCain does not.

Get the Best Seats in the House

How do you get the best seats in the house for the best price? Want all the latest buzz on Broadway and beyond? Avid and rookie theatregoers alike should be sure to catch this free upcoming event from The Theatre Museum.  

Frost/Nixon Redux

I just blogged yesterday about how happy I was that Universal wasn't going to go the "put them in the category they can get nominated in, not the one that's actually appropriate" route with Frost/Nixon. Now comes Tom O'Neil on Gold Derby, saying the exact opposite: urging Michael Sheen to go supporting for his stellar LEADING performance in the film. I really like O'Neil's work so I'll just say I find his "Open Letter to Michael Sheen" well-intentioned, if completely wrong. He openly acknowledges the unfairness of the situation and that Frost is a leading role--that it has even more screen time than Nixon. Then goes on to explain all the (business) reasons Sheen can't land a nomination in the lead category.

Just Visiting...

Tuesday night we had an "Evening With" event with the great Richard Jenkins and Haaz Sleiman of The Visitor, one of my favorite films of the year. I first saw Tom McCarthy's follow up to The Station Agent in Toronto in 2007 and have been saying ever since that the film is going to garner the always excellent Jenkins his first Oscar nomination.

Jenkins himself doesn't like to hear this--the guy is modest beyond belief as he demonstrated in our April cover story--but after years of stealing scenes in supporting roles in films like Intolerable Cruelty, North Country, and Flirting With Disaster, he's more than overdue for some leading man attention.

The film centers on a widower who finds his orderly life uprooted when he embarks on a friendship with a pair of immigrants he finds squatting in his apartment. What I love about this clever, insightful film is that it tackles the issue of immigration without ever being preachy or oversimplifying the issues.

For more on the event, including our exclusive video, see below. 

On an unrelated note, I have no idea why I look so orange in this picture.

-- Jenelle Riley

'Forbidden Broadway' Flops in Chicago

The Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones reports on his "Theater Loop" blog that Chicago's Forbidden Broadway: Dances with the Stars is closing this Sunday after only about three weeks of performances. The show was scheduled to run at the Royal George Theatre through at least Jan. 2009.

The show has received good reviews, and previous versions of the well-known spoof revue have had longer runs, but producers say Forbidden Broadway still "couldn’t sell a ticket to save its life."

Cambodia's First Rock Opera Opens in November

The Associated Press reports that Where Elephants Weep, Cambodia's first rock opera, will premiere in Phnom Penh next month.

Where Elephants Weep is an East-meets-West blend of traditional Cambodian music and Western rock that is modeled after Romeo and Juliet and inspired by the Broadway musical Rent. This is a cultural milestone in the Southeast Asian country where performing arts were banned during the brutal Khmer Rouge years (arts and entertainment were banned when the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia between 1975-79 and killed some 1.7 million people through starvation, disease, overwork and execution, according to the report).

Your Film Could Change the World

We all understand the extraordinary power of film and television to inspire and educate -- but how exactly will you get your next project to change the world?