Orlando Bloom at the Giffoni Film Festival 2015 in Valle Piana, Italy (Photo by Stefania D’Alessandro / Getty Images for Giffoni Film Festival)
Actor Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit film series) is the 2015 recipient of the Britannia Humanitarian Award presented by British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles). The Britannia Humanitarian Award is bestowed on an individual “who has used the art form of the moving image or their position in the entertainment industry to create positive social change, and actively shine a light on important humanitarian issues.”
“At BAFTA Los Angeles, we recognize that our industry’s power to raise social awareness and push for change is enormous. Orlando Bloom’s incredible work with UNICEF and many other charities demonstrates that immense power and he has consistently gone above and beyond as an active, engaged campaigner for real solutions to urgent global issues,” stated BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman, Kieran Breen. “We are delighted to honor Orlando with this award and to draw a spotlight on the issues he cares about most.”
Previous honorees include Idris Elba, Richard Curtis, Don Cheadle, Colin Firth, and Mark Ruffalo.
Bloom is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and travels the globe in that capacity working with UNICEF to reach children in underdeveloped countries. “We applaud Orlando’s passionate commitment to the rights of young people around the world,” said Event Co-Chairs, Deborah Kolar and Adam Bialow.
Oscar winner Meryl Streep was previously announced as the recipient of this year’s Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film. Sam Mendes will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing, James Corden earned the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year, and Amy Schumer was named the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy winner. The awards ceremony is set for October 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA.
Tom Hanks attends the Opening Night Gala Screening of Disney’s ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ at the AFI Film Fest at the TCL Chinese Theatre (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
The story of Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger’s heroic landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River is being brought to the big screen with Clint Eastwood directing and Tom Hanks starring as Captain Sully. Filming is currently underway on Sully, a Warner Bros. Pictures production based on Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters by Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow. Todd Komarnicki adapted the book and Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney are on board as Sully’s co-pilot Jeff Skiles and Sully’s wife, respectively.
Eastwood, Eastwood, Frank Marshall, Allyn Stewart and Tim Moore are producing Sully, with Kipp Nelson executive producing. Filming began in New York on September 28, 2015 with the production also set to shoot in LA, Atlanta, and North Carolina.
The Plot: On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger (Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.
Sullivan Stapleton as Kurt Weller in ‘Blindspot’ (Photo by Virginia Sherwood / NBC)
NBC’s new dramatic series Blindspot premiered on September 21, 2015 as one of the highest rated (and best reviewed) new shows of the fall season. Created by Martin Gero, Blindspot stars Jaimie Alexander as a woman found naked in Times Square covered in tattoos. She has no memory of how she got there or why her body is covered with new tattoos, but she does have an FBI agent’s name tattooed prominently on her back.
Sullivan Stapleton co-stars as Kurt Weller, the FBI agent whose name is on Jane Doe’s back and who, because of this connection, is assigned to help Jane recover her memory.
Blindspot airs on Monday nights at 10pm ET/PT and in support of the show’s first season, Stapleton took part in a conference call to discuss his character, the appeal of the series, playing an FBI agent, and working with Jaimie Alexander.
Sullivan Stapleton Q&A
How much are we going to find out about your character and about his backstory over the course of the season?
Sullivan Stapleton: “Well, you know, we’ll find that a lot that gets lost in how focused he is on his job and trying to help solve the case of who Jane Doe is.”
What was the appeal of becoming involved in this particular series?
Sullivan Stapleton: “This is an awesome story and it’s obviously been created by [Martin] Gero who’s a great man. The premise for the show sort of excited me to actually see where this will go throughout the season. And, also, it’s shot in New York, and the people who created it and the NBC and Warner Brothers family – it was an easy ship to jump on board.”
Agent Weller seems like a very complex character to play.
Sullivan Stapleton: “Yes, it is and obviously you [will] find out more about Kurt as we go on. But yes, it’s interesting to find out what drives him to become an FBI agent and then also what is his connection between these two people, Kurt Weller and Jane Doe. So yes, it’s a great start.”
We’ve seen so many FBI characters on TV and often they’re kind of cookie-cutter characters. Can you speak to what you like about this character and how he’s different from so many FBI agents we’ve seen on television?
Sullivan Stapleton: “Yes, that is what I love about this character of Kurt. It’s not, as you said, the cookie-cutter FBI agent and it’s not just each case procedural. We get to explore his past and his connection between himself and Jane Doe. You see the drive that makes this man who he is. You know, he is a very layered man, very focused at work but yet you do see some of the emotional characteristics of him, you know?”
How does Kurt feel about Jane? He’s been very good to her but he must be a little suspicious of some of the interesting things that she says.
Sullivan Stapleton: “Well, I think at first we are quite suspicious as to why the FBI was directly linked to this case, this target, and as to what the connection is, and why his name was tattooed on her back. And then through obviously the investigation and the tests they’ve put her through, he realizes that she’s telling the truth. And so therefore I think we do see that sort of almost caring nature of him and the fact that he does sympathize or empathize with the fact that she’s lost and obviously understands that it would be quite hard to lose your identity and who you are or where you’re from.”
Do you see him getting more suspicious of her as he starts to realize that she’s got all these skills?
Sullivan Stapleton: “No, I don’t know about suspicion. I think that just opens up the door to actually really trying to find out who she is or how she understands the different aspects of the world we’re in. You know, she understands weapons and fighting. I think that just sort of becomes more intriguing for them as they’re finding stuff out.”
What characteristics do you like about Agent Weller compared to your other roles?
Sullivan Stapleton: “Well, actually Kurt is a pretty honest and straight-up guy. He’s obviously very focused at his job, and for good reasons. Something happened in his past that I think drives him to sort of try to make the world a better place by, I guess, chasing criminals [and] solving cases which in turn saves people’s lives. So I think I like the fact that he’s got a big heart and that’s how he lives his life. He’s got things to do. He seems to come from a very positive place.”
Can you talk about what it’s like working with Jaimie Alexander?
Sullivan Stapleton: “She’s awesome. She’s an awesome girl to work with and she’s good at her job. I think sort of working with that every day and working with that aspect, it just makes work easier. Jaimie and the rest of the cast, we all just get along really well. We sort of do our best to try and make the show the best that we possibly can.”
Did you meet with any FBI agents to learn more about your character?
Sullivan Stapleton: “Yes, I did. I met up with a couple of agents that we just talked about how they approach work and what it was. It was an honor to meet the men who do this for real, and to hear some of the stories they told me it was really eye-opening and exciting.”
In what ways would you say you’re similar to Kurt, if at all?
Sullivan Stapleton: “Yes, I would say I’m similar. I think we’re both very focused to our work and I guess even though Kurt rights the wrongs in the world, I guess I’d do the same. If something’s not right, I’ll fight against it so it’s similar in that sense. And then also the camaraderie between obviously Kurt and the other agents, that again is very similar to myself, working with a great crew that we’re working with and my fellow actors that I’m working with.”
Glee‘s Dianna Agron falls for Paz De La Huerta in the dramatic film Bare coming to theaters and VOD on October 30, 2015. And with the release date a month away, Sundance Selects just released the official trailer for the film, which marks the directorial debut of Natalia Leite.
The Plot: After a lifetime of living in her sheltered and rural hometown, without any apparent means of changing a certain fate, Sarah (Agron) discovers a possible way out in Pepper (De La Huerta), a mysterious female drifter. Through Pepper’s influence, Sarah is motivated to take a job at a highway strip club where Pepper sells drugs.
Underneath Sarah’s search for freedom is her discovery of love. But as their friendship develops into a romance, and Sarah’s life veers further away from what it was. She soon finds herself trapped in a double life and quickly realizes what happens when real life collides with fantasy.
Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ (Photo by Randy Holmes / ABC)
The long-standing feud between Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon (soon to be seen in The Martian) finally resulted in a trip to a therapist. In the session, Damon revealed his anger and disappointment at being kept waiting in a room every night for 12 years only to be told each night there’s no time for him to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Kimmel and Damon also rehashed that one time when Damon took over as host by kidnapping Kimmel and how Kimmel never even bothered visiting the zoo after Damon bought it for him.
New Regency and 20th Century Fox just released a new trailer for the dramatic thriller The Revenant starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter. Co-written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant will open in limited release to qualify for awards consideration on December 25, 2015, expanding in 2016.
The Plot:
Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.
“Monsters are coming, Mr. Mayor. Monsters who will cleanse this city in blood and fire,” says Theo (James Frain) to the Gotham City mayor. Theo’s holding the mayor captive, torturing him with a small prison box covering his head as FOX’s Gotham season two’s second episode begins.
Theo gives the mayor a choice: he can either tell his secretary that he’s running off with his mistress or he can die. Obviously, the mayor chooses the mistress story and it makes front-page news on the Gotham Gazette. Theo is also grooming his little band of escaped convicts to become the worst gang of criminals Gotham has ever seen.
Back at the Gotham City Police Department, newly instated Commissioner Essen (Zabryna Guevara) and Gordon (Ben McKenzie) are putting teams of four officers to work together to collect information and find the escaped Arkham inmates who now call themselves the Maniax. They murdered a handful of men from the shipyard and left the word printed on their bodies. Along with Jerome (Cameron Monaghan) and Barbara (Erin Richards), there’s Robert Greenwood (Dustin Ybarra) the cannibal, Arnold Dobkins (Will Brill) the schizophrenic rapist, and Aaron Helzinger (Stink Fisher), a man who murdered his family with his bare hands.
Almost sensing he’s about to be in way over his head, Jim goes to see his ex-partner Bullock (Donal Logue), who’s still tending bar and claiming he’s enjoying the civilian life, to see if he can convince him to team up again and rejoin the force. Harvey’s fiancée Scottie makes no secret that she wants Bullock to have nothing to do with being a cop again and Jim realizes it’s no use. Before he leaves Harvey tells Jim to focus on the shipyard victims during the investigation. “They could have picked victims from anywhere, but why the shipyard?”
Meanwhile back at Theo’s place, Jerome and Greenwood argue about who’s in charge of the Maniax gang when Theo intercedes and lets the two decide by playing a game of Russian roulette. Jerome shows no fear by taking not one, not two, but three turns pulling the trigger after Greenwood’s first attempt, getting him to back down and to agree Jerome is the captain of the group.
At Wayne Manor, young Bruce (David Mazouz) and Alfred (Sean Pertwee) have a horrible fight when Alfred, desperate to stop Bruce from activating the computer in his father’s secret cave, smashes it, destroying all of its contents. Angry and feeling betrayed, Bruce tells Alfred to leave and never come back. He’s is fired. This cuts Alfred to the quick and, obviously hurt, he agrees to leave.
Gordon discovers that while the Maniax were kidnapping their victims at the shipyard they stole a service vehicle filled with gasoline. He finds out all too soon what they plan to use it for. Led by Jerome, the Maniax cuts off and pins a school bus and begins to douse the inside and out with gasoline covering the terrified cheerleaders and the bus driver in it. Thankfully, Gordon arrives with the police just as Jerome’s lighter won’t work and a shootout ensues. Jerome, Aaron, and Robert are able to escape but Arnold is left behind to set the bus ablaze. Gordon jumps aboard and drives the bus to safety. Gordon is about to question Arnold about who helped them break out of Arkham when Arnold is suddenly shot in the head by a sniper. Jim goes for cover never seeing that up on a rooftop Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) is the deadly shooter.
While waiting at the train station Alfred is joined by Bruce who admits he knows that Alfred was only trying to protect him and he doesn’t want him to leave. Bruce and Alfred make a deal that Bruce will go back to school, train every day, and do what Alfred says, but Alfred must fix the computer he broke and work with Bruce in discovering the truth about his father and the family business. Alfred then approaches Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) and tells him in a very round-about way that he helped fuel Bruce’s will to find out about the dark secrets of his parents and their company. The two men come to an understanding and agree to work together to help Bruce.
Back at GCPD Gordon gets a phone call from Barbara who lets him know she’s at the precinct. He spots her and gives chase. Barbara leads Gordon away from the police station and down a dark alley. Really? Jim seems to have zero survival instincts and unfortunately his old partner Harvey isn’t around to save him this time. While Gordon runs into Barbara’s trap, Jerome and Robert enter the police station dressed as cops along with some other thugs and begin to shoot up the place. Edward (Cory Michael Smith) puts himself at great risk and dives to save his office crush Kristen (Chelsea Spack) from the gunfire and ends up getting shot in the arm. Jerome corners Commissioner Essen, making her watch her men and women in blue fall and tells her that his team will “leave a mark on this city.” When Robert begins to step on his line Jerome shoots him dead.
Back in the alley, Gordon gets jumped by Aaron while chasing Barbara and gets beaten within an inch of his life. Barbara tells Aaron he’s had enough and climbs on top of Jim to tell him he never understood her and that she’s not crazy…she’s finally free. When Gordon finally gets back to the precinct he’s horrified to see the bloody massacre of Gotham’s finest. He discovers to his relief that his girlfriend Leslie (Morena Baccarin) hid under her medical examiner table when she heard all the shots and was not found by the killers. Bruce and Alfred show up after hearing the news of the massacre to check and make sure Jim is okay. Bruce apologizes to Gordon for his comments days earlier and, feeling emotional, hugs Jim who is both surprised and touched by the young man’s show of affection.
Harvey shows up dressed in his old detective clothes ready to go back to work. When Gordon tries to tell him he doesn’t have to do this Harvey answers back, “We are who we are, right? No use fighting it.” The two men then watch the videotape Jerome made of the attack with his monologue saying that the residents of Gotham are prisoners, cogs in a machine, and they should be free like him. The video ends with Jerome saying, “I promise you haven’t seen nothing yet,” and his diabolical, eerie laughter.
Violent, action-packed, and even at times heartfelt, Gotham season two episode two titled “Knock, Knock” kicks the crime serial into high gear and raises the bar. This is what last week’s season premiere should have been. The episode barely gives the viewer a chance to grab his/her breath before the next insane deadly act from the escaped psychopaths.
There are many stand-out performances in this episode including Erin Richards as Barbara whose wide-eyed portrayal of the psycho gives all new meaning to the phrase “crazy ex-girlfriend”. When Jim’s phone rings and she says, “Hello Jim,” on the other end of the phone it’s so disturbing. Two other great performances are delivered by David Mazouz and Sean Pertwee as Bruce and Alfred. The scene down in the secret cave when Alfred breaks the computer and Bruce fires Alfred for his actions is filled with emotion. The way Mazouz sinks down almost into a ball – as boys do when feeling lost and helpless – rings so true to anyone who can remember being young and seemingly betrayed by the person they love most in the world. The look of fear and hurt on Pertwee’s face when Bruce fires him and tells him to leave captures wonderfully the realization of his mistake and regret. Truly these two actors work beautifully together and have the best chemistry on the show.
Cameron Monaghan is both outlandish and a little cartoonish as Jerome, the crazed wildcard among the escaped inmates. It’s undeniable at this point that his character has to be the one who will eventually become Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime…The Joker. Playing Jerome closer to Mark Hamill’s Joker from the animated series as well as a bit of Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman, the journey of the Captain of the Maniax is sure to be an interesting and insane one.
With the GCPD shot to oblivion, the commissioner dead, and the Maniax group running wild in the city, Gordon and Bullock look to be fighting an uphill battle. This episode of Gotham is hands down one of the best of the crime series to date and has begun what was promised during all the commercials and ads for the show: The Rise of the Villains. Bring on episode three…can’t wait!
Michael Angarano and Clive Owen in ‘The Knick’ (Photo: Mary Cybulski / Cinemax)
Season two of Cinemax’s drama The Knick premieres on October 16, 2015 at 10pm ET/PT with Clive Owen, Andre Holland, Eve Hewson, and Juliet Rylance in starring roles. The 10-episode second season was directed by Steven Soderbergh, with Soderbergh, Clive Owen, Gregory Jacobs, writer Michael Begler, writer Jack Amiel, and Michael Sugar executive producing.
The returning cast also includes Jeremy Bobb, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, Cara Seymour, Eric Johnson, Maya Kazan, David Fierro, Grainger Hines, Leon Addison Brown, Tom Lipinski, Charles Aitken, Jennifer Ferrin, Perry Yung, Rachel Korine, and Michael Nathanson. New to the series in season two are Emily Kinney, Arielle Goldman, Annabelle Attanasio, Andrew Rannells, and Zaraah Abrahams.
The Plot:
New York City, 1901: The Knick faces an upheaval, as Dr. John Thackery’s absence (due to his hospitalization for cocaine addiction), a dearth of affluent patients, and financial missteps have led to the board’s decision to shutter The Knickerbocker Hospital in favor of a new building uptown. In this world of corruption, invention and progress, everyone is searching for the new path that will help him or her survive. Whether it’s a path toward justice, freedom, love or just plain survival, nothing comes easy.
As relocation plans proceed, the gifted but under-appreciated Dr. Algernon Edwards jockeys to become Thackery’s successor as chief of surgery, while fellow doctors, nurses, nuns and administrators grapple with challenges at work and in their private lives.
The Characters, Courtesy of Cinemax:
– Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen), the Knickerbocker’s chief of surgery, is a brilliant but drug-addled surgeon who pushes the boundaries of medicine, morality and race while battling personal demons.
– Dr. Algernon Edwards (André Holland) is a gifted, Harvard-trained surgeon, whose determination to be recognized for his abilities is put to the test as he faces opposition and bigotry among his peers, despite his considerable talents.
– Lucy Elkins (Eve Hewson), once a naïve young nurse from West Virginia, has seen her personal and professional veneer hardened by heartbreak and her abilities challenged as she struggles to find her way.
– Cornelia Robertson (Juliet Rylance), formerly head of the hospital’s social welfare office and chair of the hospital’s board of trustees, must deal with her new married life and her husband’s expectations to forego her job, as well as the community activism and moral responsibility she has come to embrace.
– Herman Barrow (Jeremy Bobb) is an obsequious, deceptively greedy hospital administrator whose seizes the opportunity of the new Knick’s construction to line his pockets and pay off his debts.
– Dr. Bertram “Bertie” Chickering, Jr. (Michael Angarano) has grown from an eager surgeon-in-training to a talented doctor whose allegiance to The Knick comes into question.
– Tom Cleary (Chris Sullivan) is a jovial Irish ambulance driver whose crude, opportunistic behavior takes a turn to help a friend in need.
– Sister Harriet (Cara Seymour) is an Irish Catholic nun who ran the orphanage affiliated with The Knick, until it was discovered she was compassionately terminating pregnancies for the wealthy and the poor.
– Dr. Everett Gallinger (Eric Johnson) is an aspiring, disgruntled surgeon on Thackery’s staff, whose personal problems, innate bigotry and hatred for Dr. Edwards affect his career.
– Jacob Speight (David Fierro) is a health department inspector.
– Eleanor Gallinger (Maya Kazan), the troubled wife of Dr. Gallinger, returns to her home following a brutal stay in the sanatorium, where she was placed after the death of her infant daughter.
– Captain August Robertson (Grainger Hines) is Cornelia’s father and the leading benefactor of The Knick.
– Philip Showalter (Tom Lipinski) is Cornelia’s husband.
– Henry Robertson (Charles Aitken) is Cornelia’s brother.
– Dr. Levi Zinberg (Michael Nathanson), chief surgeon at Mt. Sinai, is Thackery’s rival.
– Opal (Zaraah Abrahams) is a woman from the past.
– Ping Wu (Perry Yung) is a Chinatown druglord.
– Genevieve Everidge (Arielle Goldman) is a fiery young journalist.
– Dorothy Walcott (Annabelle Attanasio) is Eleanor Gallinger’s sister.
– Frazier H. Wingo (Andrew Rannells) is the architect of the new Knickerbocker Hospital.
– Junia (Rachel Korine) is Barrow’s mistress.
– Nurse Daisy Ryan (Emily Kinney) works at The Knick.
The Knick October 2015 Episodes:
Episode #11 (season 2, episode 1)
Debut: FRIDAY, OCT. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other CINEMAX playdates: Oct. 16 (11:00 p.m., midnight), 17 (9:00 p.m., 12:10 a.m.), 18 (5:30 p.m.), 19 (8:00 p.m., 10:50 p.m.), 20 (10:00 p.m.) and 21 (9:00 p.m.), and Nov. 4 (7:00 p.m.)
As Barrow (Jeremy Bobb) and The Knick prepare to move uptown, Dr. Edwards (André Holland) lobbies the hospital board to be appointed permanent chief of surgery in Dr. Thackery’s (Clive Owen) absence. Though his suspension has been lifted, Dr. Gallinger (Eric Johnson) refuses to return as Edwards’ subordinate, so he heads to Cromartie Hospital in hopes of getting Thackery to return to work.
Lucy’s (Eve Hewson) attempts to make amends with Bertie (Michael Angarano) are rebuffed; Cleary (Chris Sullivan) schemes to make extra money; Ping Wu (Perry Yung) demands regular medical checkups for his prostitutes; Speight (David Fierro) attempts to trace the origins of a new plague; Cornelia (Juliet Rylance) nourishes a quarantined neighborhood in San Francisco.
Written by Jack Amiel & Michael Begler; directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Episode #12 (season 2, episode 2)
Debut: FRIDAY, OCT. 23 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Other CINEMAX playdates: Oct. 23 (11:00 p.m., midnight), 24 (9:00 p.m., 11:35 p.m.), 25 (4:45 p.m.), 26 (8:00 p.m., 11:10 p.m.), 27 (10:00 p.m.) and 28 (9:00 p.m.), and Nov. 4 (8:00 p.m.)
Dr. Thackery sets his sights on a return to The Knick – a request that doesn’t sit well with the board. After a shocking discovery, Cornelia enlists Cleary to do a dirty job, for a price. Bertie makes a change; Robertson (Grainger Hines) pushes a new subway initiative; Barrow drives up construction costs; Lucy is surprised by an unexpected visitor from home.
Written by Jack Amiel & Michael Begler; directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Episode #13 (season 2, episode 3)
Debut: FRIDAY, OCT. 30 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Other CINEMAX playdates: Oct. 30 (11:00 p.m., midnight) and 31 (9:00 p.m., 11:35 p.m.), and Nov. 1 (5:25 p.m.), 2 (8:00 p.m., 10:50 p.m.), 3 (10:00 p.m.) and 4 (9:00 p.m.)
Thackery enlists Edwards to help him test a new hypothesis. After rejecting Robertson’s advances at The Knick, Lucy learns that confession isn’t always good for the soul. Young journalist Genevieve Everidge (Arielle Goldman) works on a story about one of Thackery’s rivals. Cornelia is dismayed by the limits of her husband’s (Tom Lipinksi) sympathies; Barrow faces a new adversary at Tammany Hall; Gallinger is intrigued by a discussion of eugenics at a class reunion; Edwards deals with a surprise visitor.
Written by Jack Amiel & Michael Begler; directed by Steven Soderbergh.
The Weinstein Company unveiled a new trailer for Burnt, an upcoming comedy/drama starring Bradley Cooper as a talented cook with a bad reputation. Directed by John Wells, Burnt also stars Sienna Miller, Omar Sy, Daniel Brühl, Matthew Rhys, Uma Thurman, and Emma Thompson.
Weinstein Co’s planning an October 23, 2015 theatrical release.
The Plot:
Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) had it all – and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, the former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, he’ll need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller).
TV series veteran John Stamos elevates Fox’s Grandfathered into a heartwarming half-hour comedy. The premise is incredibly simple: a 50ish good-looking bachelor spends his time managing a trendy restaurant and bedding hot women whose names he quickly forgets. And then one day he discovers he’s not only a dad to a grown son, Gerald (played by Josh Peck), but also a grandfather to an adorable baby girl.
Hijinks ensue as he struggles to wrap his mind around the fact that A) an ex gave birth without telling him and B) that he’s old enough to be a granddad.
To go into slightly more depth about the setup, the restaurant Stamos’ character Jimmy owns is named Jimmy’s. It has a celebrity clientele which will likely mean we can expect random celebs to show up in cameos throughout the season (there were a handful sprinkled in the pilot). Jimmy knows how to flatter his customers, working the restaurant’s guests and treating each as if they’re the single most important person to ever come through his restaurant’s doors. But even with his personal touch, the pilot episode reveals business is trending down as a rival trendy restaurant is pulling away Jimmy’s customers, something which will also likely play into future episodes more so than it did in this first one.
Peck’s Gerald isn’t nearly as suave, sophisticated, or self-assured as Stamos’ Jimmy. There’s not much of a resemblance in their personality or behavior, but after seeing a photo of Gerald’s mom Jimmy is quick to believe he is the father of this young man standing awkwardly before him. In this day and age, he’s actually a little too quick to believe it without asking for a paternity test, but that wouldn’t set up Jimmy as the nice guy he needs to be in order for audiences to forgive him for not knowing he had a son.
Stamos plays the reaction shot as Jimmy’s being introduced to his granddaughter perfectly, following it up by continuously stumbling over “grandfather” as if it was a word plucked from some unknown foreign language.
Series creator/writer Daniel Chun (The Office) scripted this one perfectly in Stamos’ wheelhouse as his charm allows Jimmy to get by with calling the baby an “it,” reacting without thinking and slapping an employee who calls him a grandfather, and instantly regretting how he attempted to send his newfound son off with just a business card so they could maybe connect sometime in the future. The audience will quickly forgive Jimmy because of how much we like Stamos…unless of course, you don’t in which case there’s no reason to tune into Grandfathered as the series rests squarely on his shoulders.
Chun did a fine job with casting the supporting players, in particular Paget Brewster who plays Sara, the ex who brought up Gerald without ever reaching out to Jimmy. Does Jimmy still have feelings for Sara? I hope so as that would mean more screen time for Brewster. Kelly Jenrette as Annelise, Jimmy’s lesbian assistant restaurant manager, delivers some of the first episode’s best lines. Annelise is a straight-talker who doesn’t put up with any nonsense, even from her boss. Both Sara and Annelise are strong, intelligent female characters and both Brewster and Jenrette match up well with Stamos.
Where can Grandfathered go now that Jimmy knows he has a family? How long can Stamos continue to play reluctant dad/granddad without the jokes getting old? Will Grandfathered turn into just another family comedy or will it be slightly edgy but with a lot of heart like the pilot? So many questions that will have to remain unanswered for a while as the series heads into season one. It’s great to have Stamos back on primetime TV, so I for one am hopeful Grandfathered will evolve into a tasty treat for adult audiences.
GRADE: B-
Fox’s Grandfathered premieres on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT.
