LONDON INSIDER - UK Office
Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.
Well, happy 2012, readers! Now what was that date to when the world is meant to end? I hope it’s not anytime soon as there’s a few decent-sounding movies in the works and a fair amount of cool ones already in the can and that I’d like to see.
As we’re already into January and the supposed doom of our planet as we know it is fast approaching, I’ll be quick off the mark with my column.
2011 Top 3 For Me:
1. RANGO – Gore Verbinski’s Ace Animation
2. THE WAY – Beautifully Crafted by Emilio Estevez
3. 13 ASSASSINS – Takashi Miike’s awesome actioner
The Worst of 2011: It wasn’t an impressive year in cinematic creativity for me. Lots of sequels, not a lot of substance. A fair few failed-to-keep promises. The list of disappointing movies is too long and like I said, we’re at World’s End, damnit!
Here’s to 2012: Tarantino’s Western ‘Django Unchained’, starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Joseph Gordon Levitt. ‘Brick’ director, Rian Johnson’s ‘Looper’, starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt. ‘Premium Rush’ starring, um, Joseph Gordon Levitt. Am I sensing something familiar here? Good job, I didn’t mention my number four being ‘Lincoln’.
Middle name’s Judy, with a silent ‘M’: However you like to pronounce the name Ralph, you have to admit that he’s a Fiennes actor indeed. Yes, I am talking about Ralph Fiennes, who I’m hearing is set to take over from Judy Dench at some point as James Bond’s boss ‘M’. This, of course, is said to be after the new 007 movie ‘Skyfall’, with Daniel Craig as the serious Bond (apart from Dalton, who was also serious, but ahead of his time, though he wasn’t trying to be a British Jason Bourne, because Bourne didn’t exist. Well, he did, but in literary form, oh and in a dodgy Richard Chamberlain flick called, um, ‘The Bourne Identity’.) Anyway, I digress, super-actor Fiennes, apparently features in ‘Skyfall’ as a senior ranking officer of MI6 and once Dame Judy Dench parts ways after this film, Ralph is rumoured to be slipping into her shoes.
A Lost Boy: One of my favourite 80’s cool kids, Corey Feldman, is indeed a contestant on the ITV shoe ‘Dancing on Ice’. It’s like Dancing with the Stars, but on ice. These reality talent shows are said to be career boosting for those who take part. Indeed they are! Because we all have the hit album Vanilla Ice released after his participation in last year’s show, right?
Frozen Ground : ex-“Neighbours” (big popular Aussie soap that does huge numbers in Britain!) starlet Radha Mitchell is sharing the screen with Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens and 50 Cent in this icy new thriller. We got sent the poster this week :
Best Title of the Week: This has to go to this little known fire-cracker of a title. ‘Iron Monk’. Yes, it seems to do exactly as says on the tin. A Buddhist monk, who’s like iron! The British-made film is done and dusted and shows off some real martial-arts talents, claming no CGI or wire-work in its trailer, which you can find here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKe5Ad2rSOI
Tough Love: UK hard man Vinnie Jones is fronting a new campaign for the British Heart Foundation. In his familiar guise as a tough London gangster, the former football player turned actor takes centre stage in the series of ads being played on UK TV in an attempt to inform the public on basic First Aid. You can find Vinnie getting hearts pumping here: http://www.bhf.org.uk/ Filmwise, Vinnie has joined the cast of “Life Outside”, Alexander Poroso Cuenca’s UK lensed actioner thriller about a homeless ex-cop out to find his kidnapped daughter. Jones’s co-stars include Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, Fred Williamson, Sean Brosnan and Sebastian Street.
Daniels Downunder : Gary Daniels (“The Expendables”) is headed to Australia to film “Branson’s County”, the story of an Aussie police officer who is forced to change his ways. Aussies Vernon Wells, Tony Bonner and Louis Mandylor are also attached to the film, which director Arthur Allan Seidelman is currently scouting locations for.
Malcolm McDowell on a rampage : The UK great, last seen giving Ari Gold a run for his money in “Entourage”, will play a serial killer/con-man in Dark House Film’s new thriller “Monster Butler”. “Species II” helmer Peter Medak is attached to direct.
The Four: My popular section where I list those who are on the up and up. A mixed foursome here beginning with tall tough kicking Julie Kitchen. UK girl Julie is a Thai Kickboxing champion who’s setting producing tongues wagging. She’s said to have doubled actors in the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman movie and word is she might just gain an entire movie in her own right. Next up are two guys, Curt Blakeney and Richard Botto, writers and actors and co-founders of the new movie social media site Stage 32. These two are linking creatives from all around the world, both amateur and professional. I’m sensing great things for these guys, both for their screenwriting work and possibly taking the crown from IMDB. Definitely two to take note of. Finally UK actress Kristin Mcilquham. Presently on the stage in a production entitled ‘The Shallow End’, this talented performer is set for good things in 2012.
Until next time.
“Damn good riding with you, Chavez.”
