LADY GAGA MAKES ACTING DEBUT IN "MACHETE KILLS" AS LADY CHAMELEÓN

Official Artwork for Machete Kills

Director Robert Rodriguez might only have had lukewarm success with 2010's Machete, but he's giving it another go with Machete Kills.  This Sequel from 20th Century Fox, sees Machete (Danny Trejo) on a mission to track down an Arms Dealer looking to launch a weapon into Space.

Although its Cast already is pretty exciting with Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Mel Gibson, Jessica Alba, Vanessa Hudgens and Charlie Sheen cast, Rodriguez dropped the biggest Surprise of all today that none other than Lady Gaga will be playing La Chameleón in the Action Flick.  Rodriguez says on Twitter, "I just finished working with @LadyGaga on @MacheteKills, she kicked SO MUCH ASS! Holy Smokes. Blown away!".  

No confirmation yet on release date, but our interest has just been piqued. The Film is expected to get a 2013 release.

 (Photo credit: 20th Century Fox)

JODIE FOSTER IN TORONTO FOR CANADIAN PREMIERE OF "THE BEAVER"

Jodie Foster at Toronto Premiere of The Beaver

In an absolute surprise, it was announced last week that two-time Academy Award Winner Jodie Foster would arrive in Toronto to do Press for long-delayed Comedy/Drama, The Beaver.  Also included on her itinerary was an appearance at the Canadian Premiere for the Film at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this evening, treating an intimate audience of Fans and Media to a rare Q&A session.

Foster helms and acts in The Beaver which centers around Walter (Mel Gibson), a Toy Company Executive, Husband and Father of two, who suffers from Depression.  His illness strains his relationship with  Wife Meredith (Foster) and two Sons Porter (Anton Yelchin) and Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart).  Oddly, he gets a second wind in life, finding inspiration in a Beaver Puppet he stumbles upon one day by chance.  The Puppet gives him the strength, self-confidence and the courage to save his Company from Bankruptcy and also drive him to reconnect with his estranged Family.  Things become problematic though when we realize that Walter is unable to act out of his own Free Will with the Beaver deciding his every move.

Yes, The Beaver sounds absolutely ridiculous on paper but Foster makes it a heartfelt and tender experience.  Most of all, Gibson puts in a tour-de-force performance as troubled Walter, really giving it his all, drawing from that deep emotional well which has been accumulating under public scrutiny.  Supporting performances from Foster herself, Yelchin and Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence are insightful and authentic. Thanks to Kyle Killen's thoughtful Screenplay, we are entrenched deeply in the mind of a Man who wants to get better, while at once genuinely not knowing how to get better.

Foster answered questions from TIFF's Head of Film Programmes Jesse Wente and also audience members.  She explained what a struggle it was to get this Film off the ground and the fact that it is being released already in itself is a victory for her.  Believe me, those of us in Toronto have been waiting patiently.  With rumours of a TIFF 2010 Premiere never amounting to anything, Film Buffs have been united by their collective eagerness to see what the commotion is all about.

WINONA RYDER RECALLS A HOMOPHOBIC AND ANTI-SEMETIC MEL GIBSON

Winona Ryder at TIFF 2010

Winona Ryder is back in the headlines again and this time it's not negative press about her.  Ryder just revealed in an Interview with GQ Magazine, an encounter she had with shamed Actor Mel Gibson some years ago at a bash in Hollywood.

Ryder recalls "He was really drunk. I was with my friend, who's Gay. He (Gibson) made a really horrible Gay joke. And somehow it came up that I was Jewish. He said something about 'Oven Dodgers,' but I didn't get it. I'd never heard that before. It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, 'He's Anti-Semitic and he's Homophobic.' No one believed me!".  For your own knowledge, an Over Dodger is a crude term used to describe people of Jewish descent in reference to the cremations which took place during the Holocaust.

No surprises here. So much for the Public's forgiveness of Gibson for now - not that I've ever really been a big Fan of his to begin with.

On her period of addiction to Prescribed Drugs, Ryder explained "I broke my arm in two places. For about a month, I had to take it. But then I just kept taking it for, like... maybe three more weeks. But the thing I do remember is that once my arm was OK and they were still there, you kind of like... ".

All is forgiven Winona, welcome back!  The negative publicity you had was a good thing because it gave you a chance to come back and remind us why we loved you in the first place. Now stop being so mean to your Fans and sign some Autographs for crying out loud!  Horrible.

Read the Interview in full here.

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)