But there’s certainly more meaningful content underneath if one finds the interest to go through the pages. Chris Heath (aptly named) of GQ Magazine paints a beautifully moving portrait of the unsure yet undoubtedly strong woman whom we all love with his cover story, and more importantly offers a glimpse at her life as an actress and as the mother of Heath Ledger’s daughter.

If I had my way, she’d take home the Oscar statuette in a jiffy. Maybe this will help.

The opening paragraphs from the feature after the cut:

Here is what happens in this article: I meet with Michelle Williams on three days in two different cities over a bit more than a week. Much does not go as either of us expects. On the first day, we mainly talk about her youth, and I make her cry. On the second, we mainly talk about her becoming Marilyn Monroe. This is the only dry-eyed meeting. (Unless—quite possible—I was too insensitive to notice.) On the third, we mainly talk about her life with, and without, Heath Ledger. At the end of the third day, we walk around a park in the dark. At the end of the second day, we tidy up the leftovers of her daughter’s birthday cupcakes. At the end of the first day, she leaves in tears, her parting words: “That was really awful.”

That’s about all. There’s also a moment at the very end of the article that could be taken as an atmospheric, ambivalent allegory about the chasing of dreams, but is probably just a brief account of a long hike. The rest is taken up with all that kind of stuff that people sometimes say when they’re asked enough questions. If any of it breaks your heart, it was probably already a little broken to begin with.

Read More:

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201202/michelle-williams-gq-february-2012-cover-story-article#ixzz1jt9pgBY6

I am officially reviving my blog after about a one year hiatus, even if it is just for one day.

So, I work as a producer at a young creatives agency called OnMedia Creative Solutions, Inc. that’s been so generous and kind to me that I get to be flexible with my time. Today was one of those days where I didn’t have any work that was particularly pressing so I decided on impulse to head out and take a crack at visiting the biggest film production ever done in the Philippines, the fourth installment of the massively successful Bourne franchise. I mean, I’ve never been on a Hollywood film set, let alone one being shot in my hometown, so being the big movie guy that I am of course I’d head down even if it was just for a couple of hours (and of course take as many photos as possible).

I’ve heard random stories of the security being quite tight, specifically around photographers, but obviously I was going to be stubborn and bring my Canon HV40 camcorder just in case. I didn’t end up using it much and you’ll see why later. I also didn’t want to bring a car and drive through the hell of Manila traffic, so after taking my sweet time I ended up commuting at around 2PM via the LRT2 and LRT1 all the way to the Quirino station along Taft Ave., very near De La Salle University. I didn’t really plan to stay long, just long enough to possibly catch a glimpse of Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz and see how everything was going.

A seven minute stroll down San Andres St. led me to Bocobo cor. Remedios Circle, and the place was a lot less crowded than I’d imagined. There were the average onlookers, a couple of big TV network cameras on the side (prohibited to shoot I suppose) but that was that. Nothing compared to the rabid fans if somebody local turned up, let’s say Anne Curtis or John Lloyd Cruz. On a side note, I’ve heard rumors that Jericho Rosales, Iza Calzado and Sid Lucero have all been cast in the film. I wonder if those guys might cause a scene downtown.

The portion they were shooting for the day was the interior of an old, abandoned building on the corner of Bocobo St. Large contraptions at the top of the building were being set up, most certainly suspending lights, while I saw a couple of American crew members setting up a moderately sized crane near the front, giving me hope that something outside might be shot for all of us to see.

As I arrived on set I almost immediately took out my camcorder and tried to document everything I saw, only to be told off by several security officers, crew members and local officials each and every time I changed my spot around the set. I begrudgingly tucked it safely back into my backpack and waited for some action to unfold. In general the security was doing a good job at limiting the number of nuisances to the production, while the crew on the other hand were quite friendly and at ease with the locals.

Photo: This is the Remedios Circle. On the left side you’ll see some tents set up at the very center of the rotonda (or roundabout) where all the American film personnel were stationed. Couldn’t get a very good look if I knew any of the crew members because the area was cordoned off. Couldn’t see director Tony Gilroy nor cinematographer Robert Elswitt at this point. On the right you’ll see the building where they were filming. The area where they were shooting was pretty much off limits but you could get around quite indiscreetly if you weren’t causing any trouble.

About 30-45 minutes after I arrived as I stood on the corner of a small alleyway near the front of the building, Oscar-nominee Jeremy Renner (of The Hurt Locker fame) walks by and lands on set, maybe about five meters away from me, surrounded by some film crew. Having my camcorder deep into my backpack didn’t help and I wasn’t in the slightest prepared to snap a photo of the guy, and Mr. Renner slips by into the back of the building with barely a whimper from any of the bystanders. And if I hadn’t learned my lesson, Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz (a.k.a. Mrs. Daniel Craig) arrives two minutes later in a convoy of two heavily-tinted black cars, offers a smile to the crowd and then disappears. I get a quick look at Oscar-nominated director Tony Gilroy (of Michael Clayton fame) as his two leading thesps make their way in, and as I on the other hand was being ushered away. Hell, it was Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz and Tony Gilroy all in Manila. AND NO PHOTOS.

I was quite disappointed and excited at the same time at what had just happened so I stayed a little while longer to see if I could catch anything else. All the front of the building could offer the next hour or so however was a few distant shouts of “ROLLING!” and “ONE, TWO, THREE, GO!”, and some applause after some commotion was going on from the inside. I assumed and imagined Jeremy Renner beating up some helpless Filipinos in a scene, and it might prove to be partially true – I caught the news tonight and saw some guy on a harness running after the film’s star.

Photo: This is the front of the building where they were shooting the day’s sequences. As you can see I was pretty close! The Panavision crane I was describing earlier is seen along with the camera at the opposite end of its hilt. A few huge Arri lights were positioned to simulate daylight hitting the building’s windows.

Nothing of note really happened for a while until the skies started turning ominous and the crew was forced to cover up their equipment. I supposed whatever exterior shots they were planning for the day was pretty much done for and I started to move away from my position to some place nearer the rear of the building in case Mr. Renner or Ms. Weisz stepped out.

It was funny because all afternoon I was hoping to get a chance to chat up any American I could get near to, and the rain offered the perfect opportunity when a couple of guys stood next to me by a sari-sari (convenience) store. After some small talk I ended up asking them what their role was in the production, assuming that because they were caucasian obviously they were part of the team. “Oh we aren’t part of the production, we’re just neighbors who live right around the corner.” I guess Manila’s got more expats that we think.

The highlight of the day came as I continued my conversation with my new acquaintances. Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswitt (of There Will Be Blood fame) walks out of the set towards my direction and I almost immediately call him out. He was gracious enough to shake my hand while I told him how big of a fan I am of his work, and I almost completely forgot to take a photo with him. Luckily enough he walks past again two minutes later and I get a photo-op!

Photo: A photo with Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Elswitt. His film credits include Punch Drunk Love, Syriana, Michael Clayton, Good Night and Good Luck, The Town, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and of course the one he won the Oscar for, There Will Be Blood. Was an honor to meet the guy. Check out the sweat! I call that work ethic!

Photo: Another take, just to be sure!

Five minutes later Jeremy Renner slips out bearing an umbrella as I told myself to get whatever I could with my handy iPhone 3GS, and thus the photo below. I think Rachel Weisz was sneaky enough to board her car without my knowledge because I saw it drive off.

Photo: Jeremy Renner in the black umbrella and gray shirt. Yeah, it’s pretty far out and his face is blurred because of the umbrella, but hey, it’s something!

And that’s that! Quite an exciting two and half hour mini-coverage around the Malate area and the sweat and the rain was all worth it! Probably won’t get to visit the Navotas Fish Port or Ayala Ave. when they shoot there, but who knows!

The Bourne Legacy opens in cinemas this August.

Imagine the trenches in The Hurt Locker and Saving Private Ryan. Now imagine Mordor in The Lord of the Rings, with a thousand orcs coming at the protagonists and not even inducing a single scratch on them. Imagine 300 with just about every bit of convoluted mess that Zack Snyder could’ve pulled out of his sleeve, and that’s pretty much what you get out of his most disappointing outing yet in Sucker Punch – all style and no substance.

Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing; I’ve been known to love bright lights and flashy cars all my life. The problem with Sucker Punch though is that it’s just a little too much, with no room for a cohesive plot to put things into perspective. Compare that to Inception, where Christopher Nolan just nails how to use a grand idea and turn it into one of the biggest movies in history, Synder simply gets lost in his childhood fantasy.

We never know much about the other girls, and we sure as hell never know where the heck that old white guy came from. Yeah we get it’s all imagination, but seriously? The battle sequences seem forced and characters certainly one-dimensional and sadly, the suspension of disbelief does not function well in Sucker Punch and all hell breaks loose without any reasonable reason.

And yes, I enjoyed Battle: Los Angeles way better than this disappointment, even with all of Snyder’s Nazi ghouls and Charizards, and most especially even with his very gorgeous and capable lead schoolgirl in Emily Browning. Sucker Punch feels an awfully lot like a restrained 15-year old in desperate need of some guilty pleasure. Some scantily clad girls here, Call of Duty there, and oh right, lots of zombies. Instead of going all the way what we get is a watered down tease, and I feel that if Synder was given total creative control for this film it might’ve been a lot more fun, albeit far from perfect. Everything was tame, and for something supposedly over the top that’s not usually a good sign.

Never mind the bad acting and the bad lines. I know Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung can’t act so just get on with it. And yes, maybe it’s not Snyder’s fault that the film was reduced to its current bland PG-13 form. What I can’t understand is how Zack Synder could’ve overlooked what could’ve been something special, something meaningful and something worthwhile. Yeah, he went out and had some fun, but directors don’t become famous for having fun – they’re remembered for their stories.

Again, I haven’t read the novels yet but from what I’ve gotten from my friends who have and from blogs I’ve gone through is that the book’s main character, Katniss Everdeen, is essentially a petite 16 year old brunette, a far cry from the busty blonde that Ms. Lawrence is. As much as I am stoked with the news and as much as I adore her, I can’t help but feel a little uneasy with the casting choice, especially given the long list of highly capable actresses who were up for the role.

The long list includes people I honestly would have loved to see in the role, and personally I might’ve preferred Kaya Scodelario (Skins), Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), or Emily Browning (Sucker Punch).

But no matter. I still love Jennifer Lawrence, and with her new image as superhero bad-ass via her upcoming X-Men: First Class, it’s nice to see that a great up-and-coming actress such as her is getting the attention she deserves.

And so the tide turns.

The 83rd Academy Awards is now over and the race has officially begun for 2012. I did pretty abysmally this year with my predictions totaling to 12 correct calls out of the 20 categories I attempted to predict.

But whatever, it’s over and I’m way over it. Hopefully we get some justice next year.

The best parts of the night were the very well deserved win for Wally Pfister and Inception‘s ethereal cinematography as well as the Reznor/Ross nod for The Social Network‘s fantastic score. Other than that the winners circle proved to be uneventful, unsurprising, and totally lackluster.

Full list of winners after the cut, with full commentary on the telecast to follow tomorrow.

Best Picture: The King’s Speech
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
Best Director: Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Editing: Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter, The Social Network
Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister, Inception
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, The Social Network
Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland
Best Costume Design: Alice in Wonderland
Best Visual Effects: Inception
Best Make-Up: The Wolfman
Best Sound Mixing: Inception
Best Sound Editing: Inception
Best Song: We Belong Together, Toy Story 3, Randy Newman
Best Documentary Short: Strangers No More
Best Live Action Short: God of Love
Best Animated Short: The Lost Thing
Best Foreign Language Film: In a Better World, Denmark
Best Documentary: Inside Job

With that said, I’ll do a quick rundown of each of the categories and hopefully I’ve successfully pushed my own preferences out the window, all in the name of good fun. Again I am opting out of the short form categories out of sheer lack of knowledge.

BEST PICTURE

Now here’s the tricky part. The King’s Speech (TKS) has since clamped down on The Social Network‘s (TSN) unbelievably quick start and has emerged as the logical frontrunner heading into today. After overwhelming support from critics groups, TSN has hit a dead end after falling out of favor by the industry guild awards, with TKS thundering towards the finish line.

The broad appeal of TKS’s plot and classical storytelling is right up the Academy’s alley as compared to TSN’s darker and snider structure. One can argue using the recent tide of atypical Oscar winners including The Hurt Locker, The Departed and No Country For Old Men, but even those were feel good stories in their own right (first woman director, and the Coens and Scorsese being overdue).

History very slightly favors Hooper’s historical drama, but if Zuckerberg loses this one it’ll be the first to lose with this many precursor awards under its belt. One can’t deny smart money is on TKS, but if we see an upset today, you heard it here only from yours truly.

• Prediction: The Social Network
• Alternate: The King’s Speech
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: Blue Valentine, The Town, Shutter Island

BEST DIRECTOR

A Picture/Director split is uncommon in the Academy but certainly not unheard of. Many Oscar watchers speculate that the universal support behind TKS is indicative of a sweep, but I personally think this is where the race’s margin will be exemplified. Fincher is a modern master and deserves to be rewarded while Hooper is a relatively young director with a whole career ahead of him, but then again, that could be just me talking.

• Prediction: David Fincher, The Social Network
• Alternate: Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
• Preference: David Fincher, The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: Christopher Nolan, Inception

BEST ACTOR

Colin Firth is a charming and warm Brit whose career has finally taken flight after last year’s A Single Man and his award-winning turn in this year’s TKS. Look for this to be one of the easiest, if not the easiest, calls to make for today.

• Prediction: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
• Alternate: none
• Preference: Javier Bardem, Biutiful
• Should Have Been There: Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine

BEST ACTRESS

In a race often dubbed as the young and the pregnant versus the long overdue veteran, Natalie Portman leads the pack of a formidable group of women, garnering the most recognition leading up today’s event. Annette Bening was outstanding as a strong and hard-nosed lesbian mother in The Kids Are All Right, but the film may have to settle for no trophies when all’s said and done. Despite Bening’s longevity, I just can’t see Portman’s performance and overwhelming star power go unnoticed. In fact, she might just be too noticed these days – she stars in this year’s No Strings Attached and Thor - and never count out the power of the belly; being pregnant never hurts anyone’s Oscar chances.

• Prediction: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
• Alternate: Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
• Preference: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
• Should Have Been There: Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

My favorite surprise during the Oscar nominations announcement was the well-deserved nod for John Hawkes from Winter’s Bone, whose brooding presence was one of the best parts of the film. Another favorite of mine, Jeremy Renner, received The Town‘s only nomination, an unfortunate situation for an underrated film. After his breakthrough role in Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Picture opus The Hurt Locker, Renner is poised to have a good long career ahead of him, with his most recent casting as Hawkeye in the Marvel tentpole flick The Avengers. This category however belongs to Christian Bale’s turn in The Fighter, but if the stars align and for some damned reason Geoffrey Rush pulls a doozy… well, I’ll be damned.

• Prediction: Christian Bale, The Fighter
• Alternate: Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
• Preference: Christian Bale, The Fighter
• Should Have Been There: Andrew Garfield, The Social Network

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Now this is one of the toughest, especially among the acting categories, to predict. Pundits are saying Melissa Leo (for a one-two punch with Bale in The Figher), while hopefuls are saying Hailee Steinfeld, given how she’s essentially a lead in True Grit, others an upset for either the bland queen in TKS, Helena Bonham Carter, or even Animal Kingdom‘s matriarch in Jacki Weaver. Well on my part, beats me. All I know is that Steinfeld will definitely be a gorgeous actress in the near future.

• Prediction: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
• Alternate: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
• Preference: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
• Should Have Been There: Mila Kunis, Black Swan

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Without a doubt, TSN should prevail here with no questions asked. Aaron Sorkin’s blazing rush of a script was the backbone of the sleazy and edgy Facebook movie (okay maybe not sleazy) and whether or not the film wins Best Picture, they should have the least amount of decency and award it in this category.

• Prediction: The Social Network
• Alternate: Toy Story 3
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: Shutter Island

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The glossy and fussy TKS is pretty much a gimme here, save for a last minute ditch for a Christopher Nolan consolation prize. Given that the film missed out on Director and was unbelievably snubbed for Editing only points toward the truth – it isn’t happening. The Kids Are All Right was another great script this year, proving that great writing almost always leads to great filmmaking. It too unfortunately will have to settle for its nomination being the prize already.

• Prediction: The King’s Speech
• Alternate: Inception
• Preference: Inception
• Should Have Been There: Blue Valentine

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Admittedly I’ve only seen one of the films listed among the nominess, that being Greece’s Dogtooh. Hopefully the Greek satire gets some recognition tonight because I’m pretty sure it’s the most original and the most creative out of the bunch here.

• Prediction: In a Better World (Denmark)
• Alternate: Dogtooth (Greece)
• Preference: Dogtooth (Greece)
• Should Have Been There: Confessions (Japan)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

This is another category where I’ve only seen one of the five. Banksy’s art satire blew me away, and hopefully that translates to an Oscar tomorrow. Of course Banksy himself won’t be at the ceremony, but what the hell, wouldn’t it be so cool if he just crashed?

• Prediction: Exit Through The Gift Shop
• Alternate: Inside Job
• Preference: Exit Through The Gift Shop
• Should Have Been There: Catfish

I won’t be able to do a full commentary for each of the tech categories, but below I have all of my predictions for tonight.

ART DIRECTION

• Prediction: Inception
• Alternate: True Grit
• Preference: Inception
• Should Have Been There: Shutter Island

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Prediction: True Grit
• Alternate: Inception
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: Shutter Island

COSTUME DESIGN

• Prediction: Alice in Wonderland
• Alternate: The King’s Speech
• Preference: True Grit
• Should Have Been There: Black Swan

FILM EDITING

• Prediction: The Social Network
• Alternate: The King’s Speech
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: Inception

MAKEUP

• Prediction: The Wolfman
• Alternate: The Way Back
• Preference: The Wolfman
• Should Have Been There: 127 Hours

ORIGINAL SCORE

• Prediction: The King’s Speech
• Alternate: The Social Network
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: TRON Legacy

ORIGINAL SONG

• Prediction: 127 Hours
• Alternate: Toy Story 3
• Preference: 127 Hours
• Should Have Been There: Any of those songs from Burlesque

SOUND EDITING

• Prediction: Inception
• Alternate: TRON Legacy
• Preference: TRON Legacy
• Should Have Been There: Shutter Island

SOUND MIXING

• Prediction: Inception
• Alternate: Salt
• Preference: The Social Network
• Should Have Been There: TRON Legacy

VISUAL EFFECTS

• Prediction: Inception
• Alternate: Alice in Wonderland
• Preference: Inception
• Should Have Been There: TRON Legacy

Director: Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement)

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett

Genre: Action, Adventure

Release: April 2011

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård

Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure

Release: May 2011

Director: Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass)

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence

Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure

Release: June 3

In the meantime, I’ve updated the blog below with what I thought were the four best Super Bowl movie spots for this year. Apart from the ones below, there were also lackluster spots for Pirates 4, Cowboys and Aliens, Captain America and Fast Five, which you can all find on YouTube at your own time.

My favorite of all of them must be the ones for Battle: Los Angeles (of which I was expecting to suck, but the trailer’s gotten my attention) and JJ Abrams’ Super 8. The latter’s bringing a little E.T. vibe to it so it’s definitely shot up my most anticipated list for the year.

I’ve also gotten around to seeing The King’s Speech and Love and Other Drugs, both of which you can expect reviews for in the coming days.

Thanks again for sticking around for NO POPCORN ALLOWED’s incubation period. Maybe I can hit 100,000 clicks in another week… in my dreams.

Bookmark me, guys!