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Interview: THE GIRL actor Toby Jones on playing Alfred Hitchcock

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 10/22/2012

In THE GIRL, which re-airs on HBO this week, Toby Jones plays filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. It’s not an especially flattering view of the director/producer, as it deals with his unwanted fascination with actress Tippi Hedren (played in THE GIRL by Sienna Miller), who starred in THE BIRDS and MARNIE for Hitchcock. The London-born Jones is almost always working. A few recent credits include TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, THE HUNGER GAMES and the voice of Dobby in HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PT. 1. Speaking briefly about THE GIRL, Jones says […]Read On »

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Exclusive Interview: THE GIRL director Julian Jarrold talks Hitchcock and THE BIRDS

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 10/20/2012

Director Julian Jarrold on the set of THE GIRL | ©2012 HBO/Kelly Walsh

Filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock had such a specific way of depicting beautiful blonde women that “Hitchcock blonde” is still part of the Hollywood vernacular. At the time she starred in THE BIRDS and MARNIE for him, Tippi Hedren was the epitome of the Hitchcock blonde. Hedren kept relatively silent for many years, but according to her, Hitchcock was harrowingly abusive. THE GIRL, which premieres Saturday night at 9 PM on HBO, dramatizes Hedren’s account of their working experience, with Sienna Miller as Hedren and Toby Jones as Hitchcock. THE GIRL director Julian Jarrold, whose credits include the delightful musical KINKY BOOTS […]Read On »

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Movie Review: RED LIGHTS

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 07/14/2012

RED LIGHTS movie poster | ©2012 Millennium Entertainment

Rating: R Stars: Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, Elizabeth Olsen, Joely Richardson, Toby Jones Writer: Rodrigo Cortes Director: Rodrigo Cortes Distributor: Millennium Entertainment Release Date: July 13, 2012 It’s a measure of just how effective RED LIGHTS is that, even though we know there has to be a twist, we don’t guess what it is before writer/director/editor Rodrigo Cortes is ready to reveal it. Moreover, he plays fair throughout, leaving clues throughout. Unfortunately, the storytelling that gets us to this point is a bit muddled, so that we, along with the film, do some unnecessary traveling in circles […]Read On »

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Exclusive Photos from THE HUNGER GAMES World Premiere – Part 1- The Stars

By SUE SCHNEIDER 04/03/2012

Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth at the World Premiere of THE HUNGER GAMES | ©2012 Sue Schneider

Recently, Lionsgate held the World Premiere of THE HUNGER GAMES at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. This premiere had the same setup as THE TWILIGHT SAGA premieres that have been held down at Nokia…BIG is the word to describe it. Fans of the book series by Suzanne Collins were everywhere. They screamed as the stars arrived. Some wanted autographs and their photo taken with the stars. Seen walking the black carpet were the stars of the movie, which included: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley, Toby […]Read On »

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Movie Review: TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 12/10/2011

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY movie poster | ©2011 Focus Features

Rating: R Stars: Gary Oldman, Kathy Burke, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Dencik, Colin Firth, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy, Ciaran Hinds, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Simon McBurney, Mark Strong Writers: Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, based on the novel by John Le Carre Director: Tomas Alfredson Distributor: Focus Features Release Date: December 9, 2011 John Le Carre’s novel TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY is one of the most revered espionage tales ever. Its protagonist George Smiley is the anti-Bond, a British secret agent who wears glasses, has a dodgy marriage and, though he’s no stranger to violence, spends less time dodging […]Read On »

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Interview: CAPTAIN AMERICA composer Alan Silvestri throws his mighty shield

By DANIEL SCHWEIGER 08/04/2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA soundtrack | ©2011 Walt Disney Records

When it comes to the sound of military heroism, few of today’s movie composers can signal an old-school orchestral brass salute like Alan Silvestri. From bombastically playing the dark march of Stallone’s JUDGE DREDD to capturing the steely commando skills of Schwarzenegger in ERASER and PREDATOR, this one-time synthesist for the easygoing motorcycle cops of CHiPS has become the go-to composer for the epic sound of super soldiers, most recently with the wisecracking adventure of THE A-TEAM and the techno-symphonic gadgets wielded by the G.I. JOE squadron. For a composer who always brings out the big thematic guns in the […]Read On »

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Movie Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 07/22/2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA - final movie poster | ©2011 Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG-13 Stars: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones Writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely Director: Joe Johnston Distributor: Paramount Pictures Release Date: July 21, 2011 There’s nothing terribly wrong with CAPTAIN AVENGER: THE FIRST AVENGER as these things go. Chris Evans is likable and puts conviction into the title role, one Steve Rogers of Brooklyn, who desperately wants to enlist and fight for his country during WWII. Alas, Steve doesn’t meet the U.S. Army’s health requirements, but he is ultimately brought into an experimental unit. Thanks to a […]Read On »

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Movie Review: YOUR HIGHNESS

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 04/08/2011

Rating: R Stars: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Charles Dance, Rasmus Hardiker, Toby Jones, Damian Lewis Writers: Danny McBride & Ben Best Director: David Gordon Green Distributor: Universal Pictures Release Date: April 8, 2011 YOUR HIGHNESS tries to straddle the treacherous territory between MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL and the original CLASH OF THE TITANS. As might be imagined, that’s an easier feat to describe than to accomplish. The ambitious task is hindered by the fact that the screenplay by star Danny McBride & Ben Best relies more on genital humor, homosexual panic and […]Read On »