Results tagged “ralphfiennes”

Mark Kassen, writer and producer

- Nicolette Sheridan does not look over-Botoxed with fish lips!

It's Labor Day which means the "official" (if not the technically scientific) summer is coming to and end. No more summer Fridays and no more outdoor Summer film series. After this year's (dare-we-say unwarranted) freak-out about box office grosses, Hollywood studios are likely happy to close the book on the season. Labor Day weekend is notoriously weak for the box office, therefore, we're not generally treated to anything good. In fact, the major studios think of this holiday weekend (and much of September) as a bit of a dumping ground. However, there's still plenty to see in and around New York, and although most people are probably trying to find their way out of town, that should just make it easier for you to score a seat in your favorite air-conditioned movie theatre.

It seems like sacrilege, but apparently Neil Jordan's remake of Bob Le Flambeur, The Good Thief is actually good. Elvis Mitchell says, "The movie feels more like a breezy, jazz-inflected version of the original: it's a triumph of flourish, all weathered, movie-star-size gestures." Nick Nolte stars, as well as Ralph Fiennes, but I'm actually interested in director Emir Kusturica's performance.

I saw the new film, Spider, from the strange yet compelling David Cronenberg last night, with Cronenberg giving a Q&A afterwards. He's very smart and funny, two important qualities in a director. He was talking about his technique and then confessed "I only get to say this now in hindsight - I don't know what I'm doing while I'm filming." Yes, charming is another important quality, though not necessary - just critical if one wants to get the film financed. He seems a little unhinged too, or at least enough to write Dead Ringers among other things and put the fear of gynecologists into many women. Anyway, he also praised Patrick McGrath's screenplay from McGrath's own book because there's "no direct translation for books to screen." Which makes sense and is probably why I hated The Hours - too literal a translation. Anyway, Spider itself subtly sucks you into the main character's fevered mind. Ralph Fiennes does a fine job playing insane and Miranda Richardson needs more high-profile gigs - she's too good not to be seen more.