Dream Actors I Want to See Star in Wes Anderson Films

       Hello people! As you may have figured out, I am a bit out of ideas for the blog. Anna was kind enough to suggest this idea to me on Twitter and here I am!

          With the recently released poster and trailer for Wes Andersons highly anticipated eighth feature, The Grand Budapest Hotel, everyone's been buzzing about the filmmaker and the incredible cast he has amassed for the film. There are a number of new names there, none more impressive and frankly perfect as that of Ralph Fiennes. I have been going a bit crazy about it all and therefore Anna suggested that I should make my own list of dream actors that I would like to see in a Wes Anderson movie.

         I must say that I took the idea up rather excitedly and got 31 names the first time. I have narrowed the list down to 14 actors, who I have chosen for many reasons such as curiosity, intuition or maybe just their looks.

Honourable mentions: Mark Ruffalo because who doesn't want to see a Brothers Bloom reunion, Joaquin Phoenix because who doesn't want to see him in everything ever, and Emily Blunt because she's adorable and sexy.

The obvious one

Johnny Depp

If you recall, there was a rumour that had started about Johnny Depp starring in The Grand Budapest Hotel. I had become very excited because this would have been exactly the kind of role Depp needed to get out of this awful weird-character-blockbuster muck he's been stuck in. Unfortunately, it all ended up being totally untrue and while I am more than happy about Fiennes, I do still want a Depp-Anderson collaboration to take place. Before Depp became a big star, he was the guy who starred in interesting off-beat films and made a name for himself. A film with Anderson would be a return to such films for him. And yes, some of us do think that Depp should put his eccentric side to rest but even at their most quirky, Wes Anderson characters have very human aspects to them, and I think Depp still has enough talent left in him to play someone like that.

The curious cases

Marion Cotillard, Daniel Day Lewis

Ralph Fiennes is usually considered a dramatic actor but anyone who has watched In Bruges and, well, the trailer of The Grand Budapest Hotel, know that he has the most surprising comic side to him. Cotillard and Day-Lewis are two actors whose comedic side I would really like to see. The former has mentioned in interviews that she would like to do something funny and I think she has the kind of beauty that would work really well in a Wes Anderson movie. And as for the latter, I have only ever seen him play very serious roles and considering what a great actor he is and just how sweet he seems in real life, I am very curious to see how he would tackle something lighter. As mentioned above, Anderson's movies are a unique blend of quirky and dark and actors such as these two can do wonders.

The ones I think will just belong- males

Michael Shannon, Christoph Waltz

Right? There is something about Shannon, in spite of his towering figure and crazy eyes, that I can see fitting in a Wes Anderson movie. I mean even though he usually plays somewhat scary characters, he kind of makes me laugh because of the slight confused expression he always has on his face and I think that's interesting. As for Waltz, I think he'll be perfect. Think about Willem Defoe's character in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and try telling me that Waltz wouldn't have been cast in that role if the film had been made after his big Hollywood breakout. His dialogue delivery, comic timing and general awesomeness will really work in a Wes Anderson movie.

The ones I think will just belong- females

Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence

The American Hustle girls! But seriously, I think both of these women can do the sexy, lonely, misunderstood, deadpan thing that the female characters in Wes Anderson movies have. In case of Adams, firstly think about her hair and how it will look in the Wes Anderson colour palate. Next is the fact that she can do both funny and icy really well and that combination can work wonders. As for Lawrence, Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook when she's not being manic is pretty much a female character from a Wes Anderson film. I think she has that down.

My Brit obsessions

Daniel Radcliffe, Arthur Darvill

I am loving Radcliffe's career choices so far and it will be great if he gets to work with someone as brilliant as Anderson. I think he's talented enough and then there is also his height. Honestly, I just thought of Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore and Tony Revolori in The Grand Budapest Hotel and then came to the conclusion that DanRad will fit right in. That's how my brain works. As for Darvill, he has a natural quirkiness and oddness to him and he can be very funny very effortlessly and I think he would do great in a Wes Anderson film. Also, I think both of them can embody the struggling genius motif that runs through many of Anderson's films pretty well.

The Indians

Kalki Koechlin, Nimrat Kaur

One of my favourite things about Wes Anderson is his affinity towards India. He has set a film in India and has worked Indian actors like the late great Kumar Pallana, Waris Ahluwalia and the amazing Irrfan Khan (something I had forgotten because he was in this list earlier). So I really wanted to include Indian actors. However, the problem with Bollywood actors, which is more my area of expertise, is that they tend to overplay while acting which just won't work. Having said that, there are a number of Indian actors who do have the kind of subtlety that will be better suited to an Anderson film. Koechlin just has such a unique look (thanks to her part-Indian-part-French heritage) that I think she will be brilliant in a Wes Anderson movie. Kaur, on the other hand, has a very Indian look. She's obviously beautiful but she isn't as glamorous as the other Bollywood actresses and so if anyone was to play a real Indian woman, she would be perfect. And both of them are fantastic actors of course.

I just really really want to know what this will be like

Woody Allen, Diane Keaton

I know what you're thinking but let me explain. The moment this crazy idea came into my head, I tried to brush it away as something totally mental but it just kind of stuck along with a big "What if..." Just try and imagine Allen and Keaton as directed by Wes Anderson. Don't you want to watch that? I sure do.

The eyessssssssssssssssssssss

James McAvoy
McAvoy has the most ridiculous blue eyes on the planet, which is something everyone knows. Now all I want is to see them in a Wes Anderson movie with the Wes Anderson colours. Come on, you know you want it too...

       So that's it! Thanks once again to Anna. I hope you all liked this. Or not. It's perfectly alright. Tell me in the comments below how good my chances are of becoming a casting director :)

"What's the S stand for?"

            SERIOUS it seems. When the first trailers of Man of Steel hit the net, I was a little concerned about it looking too grim. And well, it really really was.

           Man of Steel (2013) takes us back to the origins of the famed son of Krypton (a very accurate description actually), when Jor-El sends his only son Kal-El to Earth as their home planet is on the verge of destruction due to natural factors and the rebellious General Zod. Kal grows up as Clark Kent, raised by human parents who believe that the world isn't ready for his superhuman powers and his extraterrestrial truth. When he departs to look for answers about himself, Clark constantly, though discreetly, helps people around him. This grabs the attention of Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Lois Lane who tries to find out who this guardian angel is. When finally Clark finds out the truth, the fact that he is a child of two worlds, he has to make the choice about what kind of man he wants to be. In the midst of all this, an old enemy resurfaces.

              Let me start with what I really loved about Man of Steel, and that are its beginning and its ending. The film starts off in Krypton, but unlike the slightly bland planet shown in the first Superman movie, this is a wondrous alien world with all sorts of structures and creatures. One can understand why it is considered advanced. Here we meet Jor-El, played remarkably well by Javert Russell Crowe, trying to drill some sense into the Kryptonian bureaucrats and then kicking ass once Zod attacks. We see the kind of sacrifices made in order for Kal-El to live. It's a spectacular retelling of a story we're all familiar with. Then there is the ending, which after some two hours of oh so seriousness, shows us another well-known facet of this tale- Superman as Clark Kent, and also gives us much-needed levity and cause for hope. It is interesting to note that in a film all about hope and whatnot, it is this part that succeeds best.

        Now for the really big chunk in the middle. Right before I saw Man of Steel, I revisited Superman (1978) and properly watched for the first time Superman II (1980), and I really enjoyed myself. I thought it was a good idea to remind myself of the tale and the man before watching the latest installment of this saga. In retrospect, that hasn't worked out for the best as we should really not compare them. If anything, people should now start weighing all superhero movies against Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. And this precisely was my biggest issue with Man of Steel. As much as I loved the trilogy, I hate that all superhero movies now think that they too need to get all deep and serious (except my beloved The Avengers of course). That formula worked with Batman, but it just feels off with something as fun and, well, slightly silly (you can try and make us forget the red underpants as much as you want) as Superman. Now I am not a comic book person so maybe I am getting this all wrong, but I really wish Man of Steel was a little more lighthearted than that.

            I understand that they were trying to make us more familiar with who Superman is, and I appreciate it as well, but it could have been done with a little humour, no? And I felt that the film had the right elements for it too. I really admired what Henry Cavill was doing when he was being slightly condescending to humans. Christopher Reeves's Superman too had that smirky endearing quality to him. Coming to the villain though, I was really saddened by how they made Michael Shannon's Zod kind of dull. Okay, he's bad and he has different motivations than Terrence Stamp's megalomaniacal one, but then? My favourite part of a superhero movie is always the supervillain (unless you are Tony Stark of course), and that's because they are entertaining. He didn't even say "Kneel before Zod" which is an awesome catchphrase! And honestly, where were the catchphrases? He was just evil. Meh. Before watching the movie, I was certain that I would get to see Shannon bring his special brand of zany villainy to the game (see: Premium Rush) but he didn't, and that was really disappointing.

          Next, the love interest. I was most excited for Amy Adams's casting as Lois Lane. I personally like Superman Returns, but even I can't defend Kate Bosworth who was terribly miscast as the feisty lady love of the man of steel. Adams seemed perfect, but alas, she caught the serious bug too. Again, I was intrigued by the film showing Adams's Lois as a proper, determined, intelligent, investigative journalist who is actually able to find out who Superman really was and who does not fall for that completely idiotic glasses on-and-off schtick of his. However, somehow in all of that, all her charm was lost which is insane because when I think of Amy Adams, I picture sunshine and rainbows. Sadly, none of that made it into the movie. Margot Kidder was absolutely adorable as Lois Lane in the original Superman movies and I really believed that they would get this right with Adams.

          And then there was the romance. I think I prefer Superman II a little over Superman except for two sequences in the latter, both of which had to do with Superman's and Lois's relationship. The first was when Superman took Lois on a flight (that's literally what it was) and it is simply one of the most magical scenes in film history. And then when, spoilers for those who haven't watched the film yet, he turns back time to save her. I mean, god that's romantic and where can I find a guy who can do that for me?! But I digress. Of course the ending gives us hope for such things in the definite sequels, but my problem here was that Man of Steel lacked that magic that their relationship brought to the other films. And I didn't understand why, spoilers again, they even had that romantic moment. They had this mutual respect thing going on that I could get behind, but then that happened and I was left very confused.

            My final issue with the film is the fight sequences in the climax. They just went on and on and on. I was completely desensitised by the end of it, and somehow I think so was Superman. The amount of destruction that this film shows possibly surpasses those in any other such films. It just felt really pointless and counter-productive, to be honest. And it was so weird to see Superman really not caring about any of it and just going on fighting and probably destroying more things than the villains would have done themselves. I think if they had cut out one of the three major action sequences at the end, probably the first one in Smallville, it would have been so much more effective and less brain-hammering. The seriousness followed by all the chaos and noise became too much for me at times.

             Even though all this makes it sound like I hated the movie, I assure you I did not. I liked it actually, just not too much. I praise the overall look of the film. Most of the wide shots were absolutely breathtaking, and the effects with Krypton and their very unique-looking technology were really cool. Some of the fight scenes, especially the hand-to-hand ones did look video game-y at times, but that can be ignored.

         As I touched upon earlier, I thought that Henry Cavill was quite commendable as our hero. He fits the role as snugly as the new suit fits him ^^ He was just really believable as this extraordinary man, both physically and emotionally. And as the female soldier says in the end, he's hot and that does not hurt one bit (all the chiseled jaw-ness *sighs*). Again, Russell Crowe did a pretty good job too, even though I laughed the loudest when his character died. Well, no one else actually laughed but that's because their sense of humour sucks. Kevin Costner, who played Papa Kent, was also good, although admittedly I did not like the character a lot till we saw what he did for Clark in a really fantastic scene that resonates with me more than that entire cacophony of a climax. My favourite supporting character in the film however was Martha Kent played by Diane Lane. I absolutely loved her. She was so wonderful and caring and her relationship with Clark was perfect. I have nothing to say about Lawrence Fishburne's Perry White except that he was boring and forgettable.

          Zack Snyder, who directed the film, was an interesting choice for it. It must be noted that he *has* made one of the best superhero movies ever, Watchmen. As I said, even though I liked that he showed us how Superman came to be, properly and in detail, I just wish he had been less heavy-handed with the material. He got the tone so right with Watchmen, it is a shame that he got side-tracked with the Nolanisation in this. Of course Nolan is a producer and though that will bring audiences into the theatre, I don't know how happy it will make them once in there.

             I went to watch this with my little brother and my mother. My brother absolutely enjoyed every second of it and my mother got a headache and therefore hated it (thank god, we didn't go for 3D. I would not have heard the end of it). Though I am more on the side of my twelve-year-old-going-through-a-weirdly-aggressive-preteen-phase sibling, I can understand my mother's viewpoint too.

         If I were to make an equation for Man of Steel it would be Snyder's Superman + Nolan - Charm. If you are up for it, do go and watch it.

I dreamed a dream.

      The New York Times Magazine has come up with its annual set of videos that celebrate the best performers of the year. This time around it is all about the ladies and their dreams, shot by Tierney Gearon, as they give us Hollywood Heroines: Wide-Awake.

1) Quvezhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)- It was kind of cute. I especially liked the Barbie-in-distress part. I kind of miss her big Hushpuppy hair though.
2) Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables, The Dark Knight Rises)- This was one of the segments that I actually understood. It was v. pretty, and Anne was as amazing as always.
3) Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect)- Yaay mermaids. The beginning of this is quite odd.
4) Naomi Watts (The Impossible)- This was clearly reminiscent of Mulholland Drive when Watts's character has several mood/character changes. I love her eyes.
5) Kerry Washington (Django Unchained)- I like her slight sass in this. Again, a very elegant.
6) Elle Fanning (Ginger and Rosa)- Ugh her almost unnatural beauty is devastating. Elle Fanning is generally quite fairy princess-y, so this segment was perfect for her.
7) Keira Knightley (Anna Karenina)- I'm sorry but her face looks paralyzed to me in this.
8) Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook, The Hunger Games)- While she looked stunning, this was a very weird idea/dream. Indiana Jones would not approve.
9) Helen Hunt (The Sessions)- This was um, extremely strange. She looked happy though.
10) Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone)- This segment was just beautiful. It reminded me of all those women artists who killed themselves. And Cotillard is exquisite. 
11) Shirley Maclaine (Bernie)- Yeah, dogs. Moving on.
12) Amy Adams (The Master)- I didn't exactly get the segment, but I loved the use of Adams's sparkly dress and she looked mesmeric.
13) Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)- Oh this was just so happy and lovely. Adorable.

        My favourites were Watts, Cotillard and Riva and I thought Hathaway, Fanning and Adams were some of the most beautiful looking segments. Among those missing were Best Actress front-runner Jessica Chastain and one of my favourite performers of the year, Rachel Weisz.

What did you think?