RENEE ZELLWEGER & COLIN FIRTH REUNITE AT "THE KING'S SPEECH" AUDI PARTY

Renée Zellweger & Colin Firth

She hasn't looked this good in years!  Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth did a Bridget Jones's Diary reunion of their own reunion at Château Marmont last night as Audi hosted a part for Oscar Contender The King's Speech. 

The Party was full of talent including the likes of Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Williams, Busy Phillips, Cory Monteith, Gerard Butler and Orlando Bloom.

The Party comes one day after the annual Oscars Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel where Nominees showed-up in full force except for a noticably absent Director David Fincher for The Social Network.



"W" MAGAZINE'S BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR PORTRAITS

Natalie Portman in W Magazine

I quite literally screamed when I saw these Photos.  Lynn Hirschenberg sits down with  the major Oscar contenders of 2011 in the February issue of W Magazine with stunning Photography by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.  The Photos are astounding.  

Interestingly we learn that my new favourite Natalie Portman is a huge fan of Dirty Dancing admitting, "I always loved Penny, probably because I was really like Baby. I was a Jewish girl from a Jewish family, so of course I liked the tall, skinny blond girl.”

Jeff Bridges reveals shockingly that he is a huge fan of the quirky Gay-themed Comedy Chuck & Buck, telling Hirschenberg, "I thought the best performance of the last decade was Mike White in Chuck & Buck.  I dug that performance."

TRUE GRIT (2010) - FILM REVIEW

Still from True Grit

It really did not need to be made, but The Coen Brothers have re-interpreted 1969 Western True Grit. This remake though, more closely follows Charles Portis' Novel than its predecessor zoning-in on its 14 year-old Heroine Mattie Ross, played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Mattie is out to avenge the murder of her Father by a Traitor named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin).

Left with none more than $320 and a Family to care for, the Girl hires the help of tough-talking, sharp-shooting Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help capture her Father's Murderer. Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) as it turns out, also is in pursuit of Tom Chaney. Despite having a bit of a challenge in persuading these two Men to aid in her cause, she manages to convince them and together they find themselves trekking through Arkansas in a dangerous guns-out fight for justice. Will Mattie be able to avenge the death of her Father or will she, Laboeuf and Rooster suffer a similar fate?

I'll admit that I am not a fan of Westerns and in a year where there have been many strong, original stories on-screen, it's easy for a Film like True Grit to be forgotten.  Everything about this Film though, feels authentic.  The Screenplay is brilliant and despite little back story being given, we somehow are left wanting to unravel the missing pieces to the murder of Mattie's Father and also understand Chaney's justification.  Chalk full of humorous and memorable one-liners, like Rooster describing Mattie's straight talking ways: "You give out very little sugar with your pronouncements", The Coen Brothers delve that one layer deeper into the Psyche. Never do they underestimate the intelligence of their audience.

Particularly engaging is Steinfeld in one of the finest breakout performances in recent memory.  The level of conviction she delivers here is breathtaking - of a maturity many years beyond her youth.  She nails the physicality and emotionality required of her role effortlessly.

WESTERN "TRUE GRIT" NOW AN OSCARS DARK HORSE

Still from True Grit

Looking more and more like a Dark Horse in the race for Best Picture at next February's Oscars, the reviews are now pouring in for The Coen Brothers' True Grit.  And they're unanimously positive and I mean unanimous.  Critical aggregate Rotten Tomatoes now has the Western at a stellar 96% on the Tomatometer.

Here's what many of the bigger names are saying about it:

Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post - "True Grit has sweep and scope and entertainment value to burn, but it's Mattie who invests even the grandest aesthetic elements with meaning."

Christy Lemire, The Associated Press - "It's sort of a screwball Western, if you will, with vivid performances and strikingly vast, picturesque vistas, the always gorgeous work of the always great Roger Deakins, the Coens' frequent cinematographer."

JEFF BRIDGES IS THE NEW HELEN MIRREN

Jeff Bridges on Saturday Night Live

Okay, everybody goes on about how hot Helen Mirren (65) is for someone in her Senior years, but I hereby am lobbying for Jeff Bridges (61) to be considered the new Poster Boy for Sexiest Senior honours.  Well technically, he is just a few years shy of actually meeting the requirement, but still....

Seriously, he looks amazing and dare I say - hot -  just now also hitting his best stride as an Actor, having won Best Actor at the Oscars earlier this year for Crazy Heart.  Above this, he still continues to get top billing in prominent Films like TRON:Legacy and the upcoming remake of True Grit from The Coen Brothers.  Now who says Hollywood entirely is Ageist?

For those of you who missed Bridges on NBC's Saturday Night Live last night, which he hosted, you must watch this hilarious Skit he did titled Jeff'd.  The spoof on Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd has him going around re-visiting some of his famous Co-Stars of the past, but instead playing incredibly lame and tame pranks on them.  He actually comes across v. endearing in the way a Child can find hours of endless entertainment on end in a new joke they picked-up from the Schoolyard.  It's safe to say he put previous weeks' barely funny Paul Rudd, Robert DeNiro and Scarlett Johansson to shame.

Watch Jeff'd below:

WALT DISNEY'S TRON: LEGACY 3-D - FILM REVIEW

Still from TRON: Legacy 3-D

Walt Disney's TRON: Legacy 3-D is a visual spectacle unlike anything you've ever seen. The story picks up in 1989 where Software Engineer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) mysteriously disappears and his young son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is left trying to understand what has become of his estranged Father.

Expressing discontent with the business affairs of ENCOM, the corporation which his Father and partner Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) helped build and in which he is a Stakeholder, Sam's rebellious spirit drives him to sabotage their massive software launch single-handedly.  Alan who remains an ally of Sam, supplies him with the Keys to an Arcade which his Father owned, where they both shared many a fond memory prior to his sudden disappearance. Sam then uncovers his Father's secret quarters in the basement of the Arcade and finds himself transported to his Father's virtual world of Danger and Fantasy, The Grid.

Certain that he has found his Father in this alternate reality, Sam encounters a virtual clone of Kevin named Clu (Bridges), who was created to help achieve programming perfection in a world divided by Users (Humans) and The Programmed (Virtual Beings). Clu we learn, has become over-ambitious, turning against his creator Kevin and hence some light is shed upon how he disappeared. Sam is led to Kevin by Quorra (Olivia Wilde), a trustworthy sidekick who was rescued by Kevin and now as a result, she is forever indebted to him. Together Sam, Kevin and Quorra are determined to escape The Grid in a race against time to reach The Portal, which would bring them back to reality. Will the three of them be able to escape the destructive Clu before he obliterates them?  Will Kevin have to pay the price for manipulating life's natural order?

THE OSCARS 2010: A QUICK RECAP

We're all strapped for time, so here's the Oscars recapped for those of you who missed it.

• Mo'Nique was absolutely no surprise in winning Best Supporting Actress for Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.  She delivered  a poignant speech thanking the Academy for not letting politics decide her fate and basing the award on merit.  Hardly modest, but the audience would seem to have agreed with her as they gave her a standing ovation.  The film also won the Best Adapted Screenplay award.
• Dapper German actor Christoph Waltz won for his terrifying turn in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, being the subject of hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin's Nazi jokes.  Expect his career to take off in North America soon.
• Designer and A Single Man director Tom Ford looked the gold standard in handsome.  I'm anxious to see what's to come next from him after such a strong reception to his first and only film.
• Sarah Jessica Parker arrived on the Red Carpet with husband Matthew Broderick looking like an Avatar character with her fluorescent blue eyes. The Grecian Goddess look constructed by Tom Ford, just didn't work for her and she looked over-tanned.  Broderick later paid tribute with Molly Ringwald (the original Lindsay Lohan) to the late great director John Hughes (Home Alone, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club).
• Helen Mirren looked stunning in a gray Badgley Mischka number.  It didn't even matter that she wasn't a serious contender for Best Lead Actress.

ALICE IN HOLLYWOOD

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland obliterated the competition this weekend at the Box Office, exceeding all expectations with $116.3 in domestic earnings alone.  This sets a March Box Office record for biggest opening ever.  The Buena Vista film wowed audiences in 3-D, proving that the strategy for a delayed release post-Avatar was actually a smart idea.  Read my review of it here.

Action drama Brooklyn's Finest debuted in distant second spot with $13.5 million in ticket sales, just edging out Scorcese's Shutter Island, which is still showing a lot of staying power.  Internationally, it has grossed $130 million in only three weeks of release.  Mighty impressive.

The Crazies slips to sixth spot this week, but has actually proven to be a profitable investment for Overture Films with $27 million in earnings to date.  Crazy Heart continues to perform very well in  ninth spot all based on Jeff Bridges' Oscar buzz.  The film has almost surpassed $30 million in earnings, having been made for only $7 million.  He'll more than likely take a golden statue home tonight.

VIDEO - TRON: LEGACY TEASER

Again, not into sci-fi/fantasy films, but after seeing the trailer for Disney's Tron: Legacy last night I must say I am very intrigued.  My friend even turned over to me and said "I'm totally wet".  Above is a teaser for the film, which features the music of Daft Punk, also stars Michael Sheen, House actress Olivia Wilde and tonight's Oscar Best Leading Actor favourite Jeff Bridges who looks Daddylicious here.  Tron: Legacy hits theatres in 3-D December 17, 2010.  Hurry up, December!

THE OSCARS RACE 2010: A DRAMA BASED ON A DRAMA | FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Check out some of these recently-released For Your Consideration pieces submitted by studios to Academy voters leading up to the Oscars. The ceremony will be televised Sunday, March 7, 2010 8 PM EST on CBS.  More of these pieces can be found on one of my favourite blogs, Awards Daily.

Best Picture favourite The Hurt Locker has raised a few eyebrows with some controversy surrounding one of its four producers, Nicolas Chartier who personally e-mailed a number of Academy voters in January urging they "not to vote for a $500 million film" (Avatar). This of course is a flagrant violation of Academy guidelines which prohibit competitors from "casting a negative or derogatory light on a competing film".  Needless to say, his invitation is now "magically" lost in the mail. How's that for drama based on a Drama?  

God, I love Hollywood!

REVIEW: CRAZY HEART

Everything about writer/director Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart is authentic.  The film is never without a moment where I feel I am truly watching a weathered and washed-up alcoholic trying to make amends with his troubled past.  And the thing is, I wanted him to succeed all the way.

Jeff Bridges is outstanding as Bad Blake, a country singer/songwriter who spends most of his days now playing small seedy bars when the story begins.  He cannot make it through his performance without vomiting mid-set.  Bad is introduced to Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a single mother and aspiring journalist who is eager to capture his story.  The sparks fly almost instantly between the two, developing into a genuine love story which otherwise on paper might seem unbelievable considering how different they both are.  Gyllenhaal truly embodies the spirit of a woman who has had her share of emotional disappointment in the past, once again channeling some of that fire she gave us in 2006's Sherrybaby.

Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), whom Bad had mentored and worked closely with in the past prior to a fallout, invites the struggling singer to open for him on his arena tour.  After finally being able to put aside his pride, Bad agrees to accept the offer, reviving his music career once again - Tommy encourages Bad to write for him.  Farrell is brilliant and completely believable as a humbled country music star,  undergoing a magical transformation of sorts here.

TIFF DAY 2

Just taking a quick break after an afternoon of Press Conference gawking. It was amazing getting up close and personal with Amanda Seyfried (again!), Diablo Cody (again!), Megan Fox (!!!), Jeff Bridges, Scott Bakula... Matt Damon (!!!!) and get this, George Clooney (!!!!!!!). It was mass pandemonium for the latter two.

Damon was extremely kind posing for photographs and signing as many autographs as he could, as was the case with Clooney who arrived today with a cast on his right hand. Not quite sure what the story is there but he is truly amazing. I was lucky enough to get both Damon's and Clooney's signatures also. Gratuitous.

My good friend Josh is going to squeal when he receives my personalized copy of Transformers: The Movie signed by Fox herself. Happy Early Birthday!

Check out these photos I got below:

Off to attend the gala for Steve Soderbergh's The Informant!, starring Damon. For those of you in the Toronto area, I'll be on CTV/CP24 around 9 PM EST as their TIFF correspondent, so don't forget to tune in! I was on earlier today being interviewed by George Lagogianes and that segment should also be on loop throughout the day.

xW