Movies, Heath and the Oscars

Saddened to read of the death of young actor Heath Ledger.

I wonder how many millions of people died all over the world on Tuesday, but he's someoene I never met, yet somehow will miss and felt some sorrow at his untimely passing.

This Empire cover (which is the finest movie mag in the World without question) shows what will be his last onscreen role. The Joker in the Dark Knight (not sure how much he managed to complete of the Terry Gilliam movie he was working on in London, Gilliam, never has it easy does he-check out "Lost in La Mancha" to see what I mean.)

I guess this is the kind of publicity Chris Nolan and the Batman crew would never have wanted, but it will create added interest in what already looks like a brilliant, intelligent Summer blockbuster. The trailers show Ledger to be a lot more of the comics depiction of the character of the Joker, more than the portly Nicholson interpretation.

Watching The Dark Knight will now be a totally different experience, does the Joker die at the end of the movie? What lines will we shake our head slowly at, now seeing the unwitting irony? Will Nolan change anything about the film because of what has happened? We will wait and see, knowing we will never see this talented actor onscreen ever again will be hard, and certainly never seeing this Joker ever again. A little like watching "Studio 60" which I am currently consuming on dvd, knowing it was cancelled after one series and won't be coming back (not to everyone's tastes but certainly to mine, having watched "Saturday Night Live" for about 3 years every week when I was living in Canada-the Wade boys are ahead of me again!)

So goodbye Heath, I loved you in 10 Things I Hate About You, and A Knight's Tale, and I know I will be relishing every moment of your clown who likes to dance in the pale moonlight come July.

So, the Oscars, feeling very nonplussed about them this year. Sure, I hope they go ahead and I get to consume bad food with my film-making buddies in the Wade front room (always a quandry-do I pull an all nighter, or try and set the alarm clock so I get a few hours sleep, but then I always oversleep and miss the best supporting actor award!)

Would love Day Lewis to win so I can hear his self depreciating speech and I currently think he is the finest screen actor alive today. Great acting, total believability would be the most important attribute, but versatility? No-one has it like this guy. Totally different character in every movie.

Haven't seen Juno, but this year I am rooting for the underdog. I guess I am looking to very low budget quirky teenage romantic comedies to do well at the moment! Partly because I am in the middle of making one! You want to see quirky? Wait till you see our drama teacher, billiantly portrayed by the oldest Wade boy- Paul.

So that's it, living in a town which only presents popcorn and none of the best picture nominees can be annoying, why is that? Let's re-open the ABC and create a great art-house cinema!!

"Much Ado About Lauren" continues, really proud with what we are achieving and we need to start some serious publicity, as ideally I would like the premier to be in May (near the time I have the world premier for my new play called "The Removal Firm" at the Library Theatre, and some new Spielberg film comes out about an archeologist called Indy!)

My good friend Steve Warner (who's a Spurs fan so I'm not actually that keen on him at the moment!) has been working on original songs for the movie, hopes to record some of them soon. Gotta keep going! We started shooting back in September and we will finish this, and finish it well!

Thoroughly enjoyed most of "No Country For Old Men". Masterful story telling and movie-making. They don't really make films like this any more. So much so, I don't think I was paying enough attention! Need to see it again to understand some of the subtleties, and exactly why that is such a brilliant ending! Performances could not be faulted, the trouble was I was watching Fargo or Raising Arizona in my head when I should have been letting this new experience unfold before me.

Happy New Year!!

So here we are in 2008!!

A lot has been going on, I have been to see some movies!

Thought I Am Legend was quite good, but agree with the Wade boys and Empire about the terrible CGI on show. Will Smith was very good as was his K9 companion.

Thought Golden Compass was poor, didn't draw me in at all, cool polar bear scrap but that was it, and how embarressing was the last 5 mins which was there to set up the back to back sequels which will probably never happen due to the poor box office in the U.S.

Enchanted was all I expected it to be, good, but wanted a little more and maybe more edginess.

Disappointed with Bee Movie, I guess I was hoping for a cartoon 88 minute episode of Seinfeld, but it wasn't and I fell asleep! My nephew Josh liked it though, and here is a photo with his thumbs up approval to prove it after we left the theatre.


Great to go to Wales for New Year and see the family. Good times!




Much Ado About Lauren continues!

Got 66mins edited in "the can". Of course when we have finished filming everything, the film will be too long and have to be cut back, but that won't be for a few months yet.

At the end of last year we shot some audition footage which is fun. Hired a chicken costume and a superman outfit. But who'd have thought a £1.98 fake plastic knife would cause so much hilarity!?

We had a number of game people involved, including a great juggler and uni-cyclist (doesn't mean he cycles at a Uni, he rides a bike with one wheel!) called Dan, and I got to film my short cameo in the film. John ate marshmallows and we had puppets as well!

Filmed Becky's audition which took a while, but looks good after a bit of creaive editing.

We also filmed the scene which involved Tom, Simon, Gillian and Natalie. Greg learns how to woo women!! Went well.

Filmed the notorious "headmaster flashback" with 2 friends of mine from the St. Christopher players, Maggie and Steve Jones. Very funny.

In Wales I filmed, Josh and Charlotte in a flashback which involves the character of Greg being slapped round the face as a 9 year old! Many takes!

Into the new year, we were able to put Dylan into the movie (he is the adopted Romanian son of the Wade boys wonderful sister, Sarah.) He was great fun, and is very cute on screen working as Paul's (playing our drama teacher) PA.

The schedule will slow down a little now as everyone is involved with local plays but the film lives on! Even if we only film one scene a week, we are doing well.