Franco options The Adderall Diaries

It is all over the internets that Spiderman alum and James Dean-esque  Franco has optioned Stephen Elliott's ADHD driven book "The Adderall Diaries". /film is reporting that he may even write the adaptation, direct and star in the final product.

As fractured as the book is, the adaption is going to be a tough write. Not sure Franco is the man to do it, but his career has had touches of genius in between the tons of commercial plebeian crap he has decided to waste his time in. That being said, 127 Hours is getting tons of good press and may be worth the time.

127 Hours Trailer

For those of you that have not experienced the madness that is "The Adderall Diaries" Scott Indrisek seems to have captured the voice perfectly.

In a single rotund paragraph, Elliott can ping-pong between webcam sex, financial anxiety, hypothetical affairs with college students and murder confessions. Everything reminds the memoirist of something else, something to do with that irrepressible “I.”

And although not really mainstream fodder, an adaptation would do well in art houses across the country....either that or Franco will have to chop up the novel and turn it into something it is not.

James Franco at IMDB
Stephen Elliot at Wiki, Amazon, Home page

Bansky: Nominated for Grierson Prizes

Bansky's Exit Through the Gift Shop has picked up two nominations for the British Documentary Awards that are handed out in London....also known as the Grierson prizes. Bansky, better known for his stencil graffiti, made his directorial debut this year with Exit. It got the nod for:

Best Cinema Documentary and Most Entertaining Documentary

If you remember, Sundance went crazy for this piece that many still believe to be a mockumentry or a giant practical joke on the art community. 

Joaquin: When avant garde misses its mark

We have held off on commenting about Joaquin Phoenix's (pictured below in his Phat Jesus persona) attempt at intellectual performance art because we were waiting for a comment from an anonymous source close to the filming of I'm Still Here. That source has delivered and here it is:

"... from what I was privy to, the idea started as an experiment in mocking the modern audience's inability to distinguish art from farce. As it progressed it became much darker and more disturbing. Joaquin descended so far into character that I remember Cas came to the conclusion that Joaquin would probably not survive the production.

It went from a joke on the audience to documenting the implosion of an artist given free reign to go as far as he wanted. Cas joked that if Joaquin died in the production they would market the film as last experiment of an avant garde artist and the danger of plunging head first into character...."

That explains the Hollywood community's muted response to the film. The hushed rumors floating around are that Joaquin almost took this gag to far and that the shocking portrayal stems from the demented imagination of an artist that has hidden, a self destructive, black streak deep underneath his cool exterior.

  Joaquin Phoenix as Phat Jesus

The King's Speech - Oscar Radar

If The King's Speech is not nominated for Best picture it will be a complete shocker. Even if it gets snubbed, which is a long shot, it is worth a few hours of your time. Colin Firth stars as the stammering King George VI and his performance is one of his best. Of course Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter play their usual typecast characters, but Rush seems to give a little more bite to the character. We can see them both getting a nod.

It is worth noting that Oscar Winning Jenny Beaven did the costume design for this film and it is beautiful. With costume credits that include Sherlock Holmes, Gosford Park, Anna and The King, etc... It is almost a sure thing that she gets nominated......again....for this one.




The King's Speech at Netflix, IMDB

Polanski's The Ghost Writer

OK this film should definitely make your 2010 list and it really should be nominated for an Academy Award. Is the film really this good? After all it only took Silver at the Berlin IFF?

While it is a classic cerebral thrill ride directed by the great Roman Polanski, and the cast is overflowing with talent, the real highlight here is the cinematography. This riveting thriller is one of the best looking films of 2010.

Pawel Edelman is the man Polanski chose to polish this gem, and Edelman's genius can be seen in every frame. Pawel's earlier work has included Ray and The Pianist, both of which were nominated for a variety of awards in cinematography.....including an Oscar nod for his work on The Pianist.

Don't miss this one.



This film is adapted from the novel The Ghost by Robert Harris.
The Ghost Writer at Netflix, IMDB, Wiki

Sean Harris in Harry Brown

While the film Harry Brown is nothing more than another forgettable vigilante movie, there is a gem of a performance by little known actor Sean Harris. His short appearance is the most haunting portrayal of a smacked out druggie since Trainspotting. Amazing stuff.

Mr. Harris trained at Drama Centre, London and is currently working on a little thriller called
A Lonely Place to Die. Reports are that the plot involves several friends hiking in the Scottish Highlands that happen upon a body of a young Serbian girl.

Harry Brown at Netflix, IMDB.