Eric Bana Sees Green

Submitted by Paul Fischer on Fri, 06/20/2003 - 01:11

Stage 12 at Universal Studios is a long way from Melbourne, but sitting in this soundstage, Aussie Eric Bana is feeling relaxed. Sporting a slight beard and longish hair for the epic film Troy, which he is in the middle of shooting, the 34-year-old actor remains unconcerned at the level of stardom he may attain following the release of Hulk, this year’s anticipated Ang Lee - directed take on the classically dark comic strip.

Moore's Lore Re-evaluates US Gun Culture

Submitted by Paul Fischer on Thu, 06/19/2003 - 16:00

After Columbine, I just kind of had it. It seemed like back then there was like a school shooting a week, and I just thought: Oh, gees! I've got to do something with this!

Thus bombastic, talkative 48-year old Michael Moore started his investigation into America's dangerous obsession with guns.

Moore, who reveals in the feature-length documentary that he is a card-carrying member of the NRA, recalls starting off "with a sort of typical liberal view point, in that if only we had less guns and more gun control laws, we'd have
less violence."

Carrey Back To His Schtick

Submitted by Paul Fischer on Sun, 06/01/2003 - 12:51

Jim Carrey was full of energy when he met the press in a Los Angeles hotel recently. In good spirits, he seems to have forgotten the critical drubbing he received with the release of Bruce Almighty. 

Back in top comedic form in Bruce Almighty, here playing an ordinary guy suddenly endowed with the powers of God (played by a scene-stealing Morgan Freeman), Carrey knows exactly what he would do if he really had the power. 

Maggie Gyllenhaal on S&M Comedy Secretary

Submitted by Matthew Arnoldi on Wed, 04/30/2003 - 21:16

Steven Shainberg’s black comedy Secretary was awarded a Special Jury Prize for "originality" at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. The jury led by John Waters, revealed to Shainberg afterwards that they were intending to give him an award for ‘daring’ or ‘audacity’ but in the end ‘originality’ became the official term for a film that explores the sexual spanking games enjoyed by a lawyer boss and his only-too-willing secretary.

Singularly Olivia

Submitted by Paul Fischer on Mon, 04/28/2003 - 03:07

Beautiful Olivia Williams is having quite the year, but admits that had she not been discovered by Kevin Costner as his leading lady in The Postman, she would have given up acting ages ago.

"I think I would have stayed in the theatre, would have had a gradually dwindling career in that, would have given up acting at around 30 and then re-train to be a lawyer and I would now be happily married with two children and a slightly part-time divorce family law practice,” she says. 

Laura Linney Bares All

Submitted by Brian Pendreigh on Fri, 03/07/2003 - 04:09

Laura Linney explains why going completely naked in The Life of David Gale was no frivolous attention-grabber.

Although Hollywood actresses have never been slow to take their tops off, they have seemed less keen than their European cousins when it comes to stripping completely. But Laura Linney, star of films as varied as Congo, The Truman Show and The House of Mirth, earns the dubious distinction in her latest movie of appearing not only in a full-frontal nude scene, but doing it with a plastic bag over her head. 

Taking Stock Of Britpop

Submitted by Brian Pendreigh on Sat, 03/01/2003 - 04:19

A new documentary from Oscar-winning producer John Battsek aims to get behind the Britpop phenomenon of the Nineties.

While one rock legend analyses the importance of politics and the class system in his band’s success, his brother emphasises the importance of his hairstyle. Welcome to the world of Noel and Liam Gallagher, the driving force between Oasis, arguably the most important British pop group since the Beatles and stars of a new feature documentary on the phenomena of Britpop and Cool Britannia that helped define the 1990s in Britain.