Tight - a Hung parody by Diablo Cody

Tight w/ Michaela Watkins from Diablo Cody

This is hilarious, especially if you have watched HBO's Hung. Go Diablo!!

HBO Signature Films: Einstein and Eddington Trailer (HBO)

I just heard about this today from Awards Daily.  It looks awesome, plus it's the Doctor and Gollum!

Einstein and Eddington is a British single drama produced by Company Pictures and the BBC, in association with HBO. It featured David Tennant as British scientist Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington, and Andy Serkis as Albert Einstein. This is the story of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, his relationship with Eddington and the introduction of this theory to the world, against the backdrop of the Great War.

It premieres on HBO Signature on March 23rd.

True Blood Finale Music Video

Two more days till the finale!!

Oh, man. When Eric wipes his mouth in this video!

Game of Thrones comes to HBO

When I heard about this, I did my little happy dance. 'Game of Thrones' is acknowledged as one of the best works of fantasy fiction. It's part of a 7 book epic series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," by author George R. R. Martin.

From Hollywood Reporter:

Tom McCarthy has come aboard to direct HBO's fantasy pilot "Game of Thrones," on which the star of his first feature, "The Station Agent's" Peter Dinklage, has been tapped for a key role.

Peter Dinklage is author Martin's dream casting for the role of Tyrion, the Queen's brother who is treated as an outsider because of his size. Tyrion is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a fantasy novel, and Peter Dinklage will be just fantastic in the part.

From Wikipedia:

Tyrion is a misshapen dwarf nicknamed "The Imp" and "The Halfman". As a fan-favorite character, he is the personal favorite of the series' author George R. R. Martin as well.[1] Though Tyrion shares his father's talent for political maneuvering, he receives little respect from Tywin because of his deformity, sharp tongue, penchant for whoring, and the death of his mother during his birth. He is capable of cruelty to his enemies, but also has great sympathy for fellow outcasts and the mistreated.

HBO has greenlit the filming of a pilot in Northern Ireland later this year.

Taking Chance - Mini-review

My husband and I attended Sundance as part of a package, and one of the films they picked for us was Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon. I read the description, and frankly I wasn't looking forward to it because I just didn't want to see another movie about the Iraq war. This film ended up being the film that moved me the most out of all 12 films we saw at the festival. This is a movie that everyone should see.

Taking Chance is based on the true story of Lt. Col. Mike Strobl, who volunteered to escort the body of Marine Chance Phelps who died in Iraq. You'd think this would be the most depressing film, but seeing all the kindnesses along the way was so heartwarming. The military have not allowed any pictures of the flag draped coffins, and the public has no idea all the care each fallen soldier is given, and how they are escorted every step of the way home to their families. At least I didn't know, and I was very glad to learn about it.

You don't see the Chance Phelp's face until the very end when they show home video of him. That's when I really lost it. I had been tearing up before, but I started sobbing then. It was cathartic. I feel like I have been numbed by all the reports from Iraq: another roadside bomb, the casualty totals, a constant drip, drip of bad news that ceased to catch my attention. This film made me face the human cost. The director Ross Katz said that he wanted Chance Phelps to be like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -- he is every life lost over there.

We got to talk to Lt. Col. Strobl (maroon sweater on right) after the film, and he told us how it came to be that HBO approached him about making the film. He had to write a report when he returned from his escort duty. He thought some of his fellow Marines might be interested in what it was like, so he emailed it to 8 friends. They then emailed it to 10 of their friends and it became a viral sensation on the internet. He realized how far it had gone when people started sending it back to him! Someone at HBO saw the email story, and approached him about making a film out of the story.

Kevin Bacon just has that carriage of a Marine. This is the third one he's played, including his role in the recent Frost/Nixon. He's not given much dialog and he's just fantastic, as he usually is. We were lucky that he came to the Q&A at our screening. Ross Katz has been a producer on films like Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette, and Taking Chance is his directorial debut, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Mike Strobl. HBO will air this film starting Feb. 21st. Trust me. You need to see this film. Three and a half stars and a very strong recommendation. I went up and thanked the director and Mike Strobl for making this film as it's a true tribute to Chance Phelps and every other fallen soldier.

Golden Globes Reaction

I was thrilled that Colin Farrell won for Best Actor Comedy for In Bruges. I adored that film, and thought he was possibly his best ever in it. He seemed genuinely surprised. It was a huge night for Slumdog Millionaire with 4 wins. Heath Ledger's posthumous win for The Dark Knight was expected, but Kate Winslet nabbing TWO statuettes was a stunner. She seemed totally shocked to win the second, the Best Actress for Revolutionary Road. I haven't seen either of her films yet, but they've just come to my local multi-plex. Still hoping The Wrestler will come out to the 'burbs, too, as Mickey Rourke won Best Actor, Drama.

A huge night for HBO, too, with multiple wins for John Adams, Laura Dern for Recount (yeah!), Gabriel Byrne for In Treatment (double yeah!) and shocker Anna Paquin for True Blood! Squee! Fun night!

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

HBO is featuring Documentaries every Monday night throughout this summer at 9 pm. I was fortunate to meet director Marina Zenovich of tonight's documentary feature, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired at Sundance. Her film was the first film picked up at the festival. Interestingly, HBO is premiering it on cable TV, and then it will have a theater run later this summer. Marina Zenovich made a wonderful documentary film about Sundance called Independent's Day. I wasn't able to see her film on Roman Polanski at the festival, but had a delightful conversation with Marina and her husband. I wish her every success on this film, which looks fascinating. Roman Polaski is certainly a complex figure, winning the best director Oscar for The Pianist, but unable to come to America to accept his award.

LA Times:

Roman Polanski. You can start a heated conversation just uttering his name. He has led a life so large that it's often chopped down to a few phrases: Oscar-winning director of such film classics as "Chinatown," "Tess" and "The Pianist." Survivor of the Nazi occupation of Poland. Married to actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant when she was stabbed to death by members of the Manson Family. Had sex with a 13-year-old and, after being convicted of unlawful intercourse with a minor, fled the United States for Paris, where he has been for the last three decades.

This last bit is both the catalyst and subject of Marina Zenovich's compelling documentary “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired," which premieres tonight on HBO. A surprisingly haunting examination of the politics, personalities and legal complexities of the 1977 case, the film dispels the conventional wisdom that Polanski ran away to France simply to avoid serving time.

HBO's Recount - mini-review

I know, I know. You're sick of politics. You don't want to hear any more about the stolen election of 2000. That's the way I felt, too, and I was hesitant to watch HBO's Recount. I saw a rave review of it on Ebert & Roeper, so I thought I'd give it a try. Wow. This compelling film moves at a fast clip and even though you know the outcome, no one even at the time knew all the twists and turns the story takes. This film is chock-a-block FULL of stars doing amazing work. There are sure to be many Emmy nominations for this film, and Kevin Spacey and Laura Dern will be at the top of the list. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Gore's former chief of staff, played by Spacey, who headed up the recount fight in Florida. Laura Dern plays Katherine Harris in some of the film's funniest moments. This film does have plenty of humor, and according to the people who were in the middle of it at the time, captures the intensity and craziness of those fateful 36 days. The casting is spot on -- Tom Wilkinson as James Baker, John Hurt as Warren Christopher. Dennis Leary, Bob Balaban and Ed Begley, Jr. also are fantastic. What a cast! Jay Roach is known more for lighter films, and he really treated the subject with a deft touch. Trust me, this is a film worth watching if you have HBO -- and I'm sure it will be on DVD soon.