Philip Seymour Hoffman Channels Capote by Brad Balfour Though the actor is almost a head taller than the late author and social figure Truman Capote, Philip Seymour Hoffman brilliantly recreates the writer for the film about his life during the creation of his literary masterpiece, In Cold Blood – the story of two killers who massacre a … Continue reading
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Sarah Silverman Is Magic
SARAH SILVERMAN IS MAGIC by Brad Balfour Even when she was growing up in New Hampshire, they thought she was from New York. “I am one of you” she used to tell her neighbors back home. Nonetheless, Silverman did move to New York to kick off her comedy career and eventually landed in Los Angeles, … Continue reading
Alyson Hannigan Makes Her Dates
ALYSON HANNIGAN MAKES HER DATES by Brad Balfour Though 29-year-old actress Alyson Hannigan made her rep as Willow Rosenberg, the dorky lesbian sorceress pal of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she has really established herself as a new comic talent through her work in films like those in the American Pie series of films and her new TV show How … Continue reading
Sienna Miller – An Actress Goes Against Domesticity
SIENNA MILLER AN ACTRESS GOES AGAINST DOMESTICITY by Brad Balfour Though she’s gotten lots of public attention in past months, actress Sienna Miller has received the spotlight more for her personal hassles with fiancé Jude Law rather than for her work. With the Christmas release of director Lasse Hallstrom’s Casanova she hopes to change that focus. In … Continue reading
Naomi Watts Takes On Kong
NAOMI WATTS TAKES ON KONG by Brad Balfour For Australian-raised Naomi Watts, taking on the challenge of playing Ann Darrow – the role made famous by Fay Wray in the original King Kong – was both daunting and a career move as well. Having been known as industrious actress willing to do anything from the sexually provocative Mullholland … Continue reading
Richard Gere – The Season for Getting Spiritual
RICHARD GERE THE SEASON FOR GETTING SPIRITUAL by Brad Balfour Because Richard Gere has spent years alternating between being a cinematic sex symbol (Chicago, Pretty Woman) and Tibetan Buddhist devotee, he had a unique experience to enhance his role as Saul Naumann, the college professor who encourages his young daughter Eliza to both become a spelling bee … Continue reading
James Mangold – A Director Walks the Fine Line Towards the Oscars
James Mangold A Director Walks the Fine Line Towards the Oscars by Brad Balfour Throughout his career, New York-born director James Mangold has offered an uncanny look at relationships since his first film Heavy, whether it be with cops (Cop Land), women (Girl, Interrupted), or a couple (Kate and Leopold). Now, with his latest, Walk the Line, he again examines a couple … Continue reading
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint On Fire About Harry Potter
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint On Fire About Harry Potter by Brad Balfour Obviously, the best place to start investigating the fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is to begin with talking to the series’ youthful stars – Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione), and Rupert Grint (Ron) – … Continue reading
Atom Egoyan – Finding the Truth in Directing
ATOM EGOYAN FINDING THE TRUTH IN DIRECTING by Brad Balfour For Canadian director Atom Egoyan creating Where the Truth Lies offered a challenge of constructing something that was almost a genre film but not quite. Wrestling with musician/composer Rupert Holmes’ novel of the same name, Egoyan takes a story that plays on the conventions of the classic … Continue reading
Holly Hunter Has Nine Lives
Holly Hunter Has Nine Livesby Brad Balfour In the nine vignette-composed feature Nine Lives by director Rodrigo Garcia, Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter joins an ensemble cast of other established actors such as Glenn Close and Aidan Quinn, in talking about the lives of various women at moments of crisis. Since this project had a scant budget and time constraints, … Continue reading