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Critic’s Pick: ‘The Bling Ring’

July 11, 2013 By Thelma Leave a Comment

Must-See Movies Beyond the Blockbusters
Emma Watson in 'The Bling Ring'

Love her or hate her, Sofia Coppola has cornered the market on the world of privilege and its discontents. And so it goes with the writer-director’s latest movie, “The Bling Ring,” based on a Vanity Fair true-crime-in-the-Hollywood-Hills article. The film, in limited release this weekend focuses on a celebrity-obsessed Bonnie and Bonnie and Bonnie and Bonnie and Clyde gang that robs from the rich – Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom – and lines their own Prada pockets.

Led by relative newcomers Katie Chung and lush-lipped Israel Broussard, the high school heist comedy benefits from low expectations. Think a dark teen comedy in the tradition of “Mean Girls” and “Heathers.” Both Broussard and Chung are delightfully decent as ringleaders Marc and Rebecca, but the film’s focus frequently shifts to supporting player Emma Watson. In micro-minis, her head bobbling on her slender neck, Watson plays La-La lost girl Nicki, a child of divorce incompletely healed by the New Age platitudes of her mother (Leslie Mann). [Read more…]

Filed Under: Criticism, Movies & TV Tagged With: Critic's Pick, Emma Watson, Sofia Coppola, The Bling Ring, Women Directors, Yahoo! Movies

THE PERKS OF BEING EMMA WATSON: THE HARRY POTTER ACTRESS COMES OF AGE AND, GASP, IS DEAD SEXY

September 24, 2012 By Thelma Leave a Comment

Actress Emma Watson (L) and director Stephen Chbosky attending “The Perks Of Being A Wallflower” premiere during TIFF2012 on September 8, 2012. (Sonia Recchia/Getty Images North America)

Drew Barrymore. Jodie Foster. Lindsay Lohan.  We’ve seen them on screen as girls and then grow into women before our eyes. Few career transitions are trickier than the stage that “Harry Potter” superstar Emma Watson navigates now: morphing from naive child star to sexually aware lead actress.  In “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” she plays Sam, a stylish high school senior with a gay best friend Patrick (Ezra Miller) and the dream-girl of the wallflower himself, Charlie (Logan Lerman).Her extroverted character, the princess of a circle of misfits, also has a history of abuse, no spoiler for the many millions that have read the book. In one holiday scene, Watson’s nipples are clearly visible under Sam’s tight red sweater. Hermione would have worn a cardigan! I sat down at the Trump International at Toronto and talked to a barefoot and travel-weary Watson and her charmingly protective director Steve Chbosky, who also adapted his own hugely popular novel for the screen:

 

THELMA ADAMS:  Emma, why this part, when you could step out of Potter and pick any roles? And, Steve, why cast Emma?

EMMA WATSON: I read a lot of high school coming of age pieces they didn’t feel authentic. This spoke to me. I love that Sam is such a unique individual girl: creative, fun-loving, spontaneous and big hearted. I loved her.

STEVE CHBOSKY: it is true that I saw Emma in all the “Harry Potter” roles. She was always getting better. I saw her in “Goblet of Fire” in this beautiful scene in front of the staircase with Daniel Radcliffe. It broke my heart. But it was meeting her that was the icing on the cake. In Emma I saw a kindred spirit that takes the weight of the world on her. I knew she would make me a better director because I felt an enormous responsibility to her as an artist and a person because of the transition from what she was to what she was going to be. Because what i recognized in Emma was greatness. This is the beginning of an amazing discovery of a young actress.

TA: There seems to be a rite of passage for child stars to transition to adult roles through taking more sexually explicit parts. Why is this evolution such a challenge?

EW: Gosh. I guess it is a difficult transition for child actors because you catch someone when they are still forming themselves and identity and they haven’t yet become what they are going to be. You don’t if they are even going to want to be an actor. It’s a tenuous path. I went through a point where I didn’t know if I was a good actress or even wanted to be an actress. One of the reasons I wanted to work with Steve, was that he was my Charlie: he gave me so much belief in myself. This movie really helped me find my feet. It made me want to go and do more.

SC: Can I add, one of the reasons in terms of the message about sexual abuse in the movie, and Sam’s revelation of her past abuse at the hands of her father’s colleague, is that Sam’s past would be especially powerful because when she says it first happened when she was eleven, we know what she looked like. We knew Emma at eleven. It’s quite a respectful way of making something typically swept under the carpet relatable. It helps girls — and boys — who have been through it.

TA: Another powerful message of the movie – and the book – is what it can be like to be gay in high school, embodied in the character of Patrick, Sam’s best friend.

SC: What I wanted Patrick to be, when I thought of the character to this movie, was Ferris Bueller. I looked up to Ferris Bueller when I was growing up. He was the cool guy who did it all. In this movie that guy was gay. I thought: he’ll be the most protective. When people call him a bad name he’s going to turn around and clock them. The idea of gay acceptance is so second nature to hundreds of millions of gay people all over the world. Patrick a character any gay kid could look up to. They don’t have to be victims. Similarly the character of Brad…

TA: …Patrick’s closeted football player boyfriend…

SC: Yes. Brad is a cautionary tale for not being true to who you are.

TA: Emma, one “Harry Potter” question. Is the cast of “Harry Potter” like your outsider high school clique in “Perks” – or is it completely separate.

EW: I would say more so the “Perks” cast. They were the companions for my accelerated American high school teenage experience – onscreen and off-screen. In “Harry Potter,” we went through a completely unique experience together and that will always bond us.

TA: You grew up together in front of an adoring audiences eyes for over a decade. Is it odd to be out promoting a movie without Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint at your side?

EW: Yes and no. We always did interviews on our own. It’s weird not to be promoting a “Harry Potter” film, because I had all my answers then. I don’t any more.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Movies & TV Tagged With: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Harry Potter, Logan Lerman, Rupert Grint, Steve Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Countdown to TIFF – 8 Days — Movie Trailer “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

August 29, 2012 By Thelma Leave a Comment

This trailer totally sells coming-of-age movie even though that’s become my nearly least favorite genre. (OK, maybe torture porn is my least favorite). My daughter is crying at the prospect of me maybe interviewing Emma Watson at TIFF (the request is in; will the Gods be favorable?). I interviewed Ezra Miller at the Hamptons last fall for “We Need to Talk about Kevin.” Bright? More like fluorescent. And then there’s my daughter’s favorite, the wallflower himself, Logan Lerman from “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” This is another reason why my kids hate that back to school for them means off to Toronto for Mummy.

Filed Under: Movies & TV Tagged With: Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Hamptons International Film Festival, Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, TIFF12

“My Week With Marilyn” Trailer

October 7, 2011 By Thelma Leave a Comment

I want to be loved by you, by you and nobody else buy you….

Filed Under: Movies & TV, Oscar Race Tagged With: best actress, Best Supporting Actor, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, Marilyn Monroe, Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn, Oscars

DVD Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

April 13, 2011 By Thelma 1 Comment

Radcliffe, clothed

Us Rating: ***

Following headmaster Dumbledore’s death, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) flee Lord Voldemort — again. With a darker tone, the plot-heavy seventh installment has some emotional highs (Harry smooches Ron’s sister) but concludes too abruptly with a stay-tuned style finale. (The series’ last film hits theaters July 15.) (Warner Home Video, $29

Filed Under: Criticism, Movies & TV Tagged With: Daniel Radcliffe, DVD Review, Emma Watson, Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort, Rupert Grint, Us Weekly

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