Penelope Cruz loves acting challenges

Penelope Cruz says she loves taking on different acting challenges and wants to continue working in Spanish films. Topping her wishlist are films in which she can experiment with her accents.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz said at the Toronto International Film Festival that she will never stop making films in Spain and in Spanish, but that she also would like to play a character with a British accent and take on the role of a stereotypical California "valley girl". Cruz presented her latest film "Venuto al mondo" (Twice Born), an Italian-Spanish co-production directed by Sergio Castellitto and also starring Emile Hirsch, Adnan Haskovic and Saadet Aksoy, Thursday at the TIFF. "I love being part of projects like this, although I'll always want to keep working in my country and in Spanish. I'll never stop for many reasons. It's also quite refreshing to go back and work in my own language," Cruz said. "Because in this (film), as much as I loved it, it was a big challenge to shoot 70 percent of the film in English and the rest in Italian. But the English had to have an Italian accent. I love those challenges, but I can't say it was easy," she added. Penelope Cruz, whose upcoming projects include British director Ridley Scott's The Counselor and Spanish filmmaker's Pedro Almodovar's "Los amantes pasajeros" (I'm So Excited), said she has a passion for accents. "I love accents. Now that I'm more comfortable in English, I'd like to play (a role with) a British accent. I have a character. She's really fun, but I can't talk about her. But it's a character with a British accent," she said. "And I'd also like to play a 'valley girl'. One day," the actress said laughing. In an interview published last Saturday by Italian daily La Stampa, Cruz said that she plans to produce at least two films a year in her homeland to create jobs amid sky-high unemployment. "I want to bring jobs to my people ... I'll use my privileged position. It's what interests me the most right now. I know it's a grain of sand in the desert, but it's a responsibility I think I have," Cruz said. "I'll produce a couple of films a year. A way to give work to hundreds of people. It's a set idea I have." Cruz, winner of a best-supporting actress Oscar for her role as an unstable artist in Woody Allen's 2008 comedy-drama "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", said she has worked hard but also has had a lot of opportunities in life. The talents of "an entire generation of highly trained young people" in Spain are being wasted, Cruz said, adding that though they have lots to offer there is nothing for them to do but "bang their heads against the wall or go out in the street and protest." Spain's economy has been battered in recent years by the collapse of a massive real-estate bubble in the context of the 2008-09 global recession. The country's unemployment rate stands at nearly 25 percent and at more than 50 percent among young people. Despite the high joblessness, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government has opted for a series of austerity measures in recent months to bring a high budget deficit into line with European Union mandates. Those measures have been harshly criticized by unions and sparked large-scale street protests. Cruz told the Italian daily that her role of a single mother who brings her teenage son to Sarajevo in "Venuto al Mondo" and the character she played in Almodovar's "Volver" (To Return) have been the two most challenging of her career thus far. Source: ApunKaChoice.com

Read More........ → December 20, 2012

Venice, the world's oldest film festival

Here are some details about the Venice film festival, the world's oldest, which has its 69th edition from Wednesday to Sept. 8 on the Lido seafront. The first Esposizione d'Arte Cinematografica was in 1932. The first film to be shown was Rouben Mamoulian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, screened in August of that year. The second festival, held in August 1934, included the first competition. Nineteen countries took part with more than 300 accredited journalists. The Coppa Mussolini was also introduced for best foreign film and best Italian film. The festival was held three times during World War Two, from 1940 to 1942, but they are not counted in the total number of festivals. Participation was limited to countries in the Axis and their sympathisers. A short festival was held in 1946. The 1947 festival was held at the Ducal Palace. It saw the return of the Soviet Union and the new popular democracies including Czechoslovakia, which won first prize for Sirena by Karel Stekly. During the 1950s, the festival experienced a period of international expansion, with the inclusion of films from Japan and India. Japanese cinema became well known in the West largely thanks to the Golden Lion awarded to Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon in 1951, and through the Silver Lions won by Ugetsu Monogatari (1953) and Sansho Dayu (1954) by Kenji Mizoguchi. Taiwanese director Ang Lee's sexually explicit spy thriller Lust, Caution was a surprise winner of the top award at the 2007 festival, just two years after he won with Brokeback Mountain. * Russian director Alexander Sokurov's Faust, loosely based on Goethe's classic German text, won the Golden Lion for best picture in 2011. Deanie Ip won best actress for her appearance in A Simple Life (Hong Kong) and Michael Fassbender best actor for his role in Shame (Britain) Source: Screen India

Read More........ → November 13, 2012

Katie Holmes finds Tom Cruise is "Mission: Impossible"

LOS ANGELES: Actress Katie Holmes has filed for divorce from her superstar husband Tom Cruise, ending a six-year marriage that produced one daughter and captivated celebrity watchers worldwide. Holmes filed papers in New York City on Thursday, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking sole custody of the couple's six-year-old daughter Suri in a move that came "out of the blue" for the "Mission: Impossible" actor, said one source with knowledge of the situation. The source said Cruise is out of the country filming a movie in Iceland and the filing came as a surprise. The actor's spokeswoman issued a brief statement, saying: "Kate has filed for divorce and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children. Please allow them their privacy to work this out." No further comment was made Los Angeles-based attorney Bert Fields, who has represented Cruise in other matters but is not handling the divorce, confirmed the filing but declined to give further details. "Tom wants to be very private," Fields said. Earlier on Friday, People magazine quoted Holmes' attorney Jonathan Wolfe as calling it "a personal and private matter for Katie and her family ... Katie's primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest." The couple's marriage, which began at an elaborate, Italian castle wedding in November 2006, has been closely followed by the celebrity press ever since the pair, dubbed TomKat, began dating in 2005. At the time, Holmes, now 33, was a rising star and Hollywood ingénue who found fame on TV's "Dawson's Creek" and earned her acting chops in independent films such as "Pieces of April." Cruise, 16 years her senior, was among Hollywood's highest paid stars who enjoyed a string of box office blockbusters in action flicks ranging from 1986's "Top Gun" to his "Mission: Impossible" movies that began in 1996 and continue today. He proposed to Holmes atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris and famously went on Oprah Winfrey's talk show, jumped on her couch and shouted out his love for Holmes in front of a TV audience of millions. Cruise, a practitioner of Scientology, was previously married to actress Mimi Rogers and actress Nicole Kidman, with whom he has two children. Holmes' marriage to Cruise was her first. (Reuters) Source: SAM Daily Times

Read More........ → July 05, 2012

Review: 'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' Is A Fun, Vibrant & Colorful Experience

What continues to feel like an animated U.N. PSA, the ever so cute Madagascar journey exits one continent (Africa), crash-landing us on another (Europe). With snarky antics and scenarios, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted maintains its unique style of animated fun, however, this time around adding more humor, vibe and color. Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) are still scraping, fighting and reinventing ways to get home to their beloved NYC. Latching on to them are the usual, questionable, funny-buddies with King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), Maurice (Cedric the Entertainer) and the hilarious

penguin gang. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they rehash – Madagascar style. Without question it doesn’t come at an easy price as jumping from one place to another, attracts unwanted attention, leading to a chase and possible capture – mainly Alex’s. Psyched by the idea of such a prized-capturing-possession, Europe’s best and flawless animal hunter, Captain Chantel DuBois (Francis McDormond) is contracted to take the mission. Accepting it, she declares a “game on” approach by any means necessary. From its opening scene, to its final, Europe’s Most Wanted has to be one of the best animated films this year. As it embarks on challenges and creative approach within their core, the script provides a hip and jovial feeling with a bit of maturity during moments calling for it. The balance between them gives off enough for children and adults to simultaneously enjoy it. Quickly, yet nicely paced, with what seemed to be an arc of achievements as

they come full-circle, the crazy antics, motion and music  behind scenes are well matched. Adding to the fun are new characters which include an Italian sea lion named Stefano (Martin Short), a gorgeous Italian jaguar named Gia (Jessica Chastain) and the trio’s leader, a bitter tiger named Vitale (Bryan Cranston). There wasn’t anything before end-credits determining a fourth (4th), but I’m pretty sure – like the first two (2) – with what will be a successful release (June 8), DreamWorks won’t have an issue mustering up another one. Fun summer flick to watch – recommend it! __________________Grade: A / Genre: Animation, Action/Adventure, Comedy and Sequel / Rated: PG / Run Time: 95 Minutes Starring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer Director(s): Eric Darnell, Conrad Vernon, Tom McGrath, © 2012 Starpulse.com, Photo Credits: Paramount Pictures , Source: Starpulse.com 

Read More........ → June 07, 2012

I’d like to work with Rahman: Madonna

Hindustan Times, By Collin Rodrigues, Mumbai, Although hugely popular in India, Madonna has somehow never performed for her fans here. Talking about what’s kept her away from the country, she says, “I haven’t got the chance to tour India, but I would surely love to.” Ask the international pop icon if she has considered collaborating with India’s very own global musician, AR Rahman, and she says, “I would like to work with him when the opportunity comes, and things work out. Only then we will be able to decide on the music.” Pop star Madonna at an event.On her last trip to the country in 2007, the musician had visited Jodhpur and Udaipur with her then-husband Guy Ritchie and her children. Reports had claimed that she even extended her trip by a few days because she loved the desert state so much. “I really did. I had gone with my family and friends and I completely fell in love with the culture and traditions of Rajasthan. I also heard a few folk songs and saw some traditional dances,” she reveals. Although at one time the Like A Virgin singer was married to a filmmaker, she hasn’t watched any Bollywood films. “But I know they are very colourful and have huge dance sequences. I’m sure I’ll enjoy them,” she says, before talking about desi music, “I haven’t heard a lot, but I’m familiar with Indian music.” Madonna’s recently released 12th album debuted at number one across charts in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Italy and Spain. Called MDNA, the compilation even has a few collaborative tracks with American musician Nicki Minaj and Sri Lankan artiste M.I.A. Talking about the ‘trippy’ title, she says, “MDNA mainly signifies my name. It also represents Madonna DNA. I’m happy that it has done well. Even today, I’m anxious to know everyone’s response to my work.” Source: Hindustan Times, Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → May 18, 2012