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Michael Shannon Gets Incredibly Adorable
Okay, it took me a while getting around to watching this, but thank god I finally did. As many of you may or may not know, Michael Shannon is one of the finest actors currently blossoming in Hollywood. He previously received a surprise Oscar nomination for Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road” and is currently in the running for his second for his astonishing performance in this year’s psychological mind-screw “Take Shelter.” Currently, he’s fighting with Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender and Gary Oldman for the final spot.
Now, I’m currently on the fence for whether I want that to happen, for he’s dueling with some stiff competition. However, this video may just put me over the edge. I’d like to see Jean Dujardin attempt to be this ridiculously adorable, adorable of course being the first word that comes to mind when one thinks of Michael Shannon. If you can’t see the satire in what I just said, then you need to go on Netflix and start watching some of his films. On top of that, you can check out the video, below:
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Michael Shannon to Play Villain in “Superman”
Once again, it’s pretty weird that I’m trying to be as on the ball as this on “Man of Steel” production updates, given that I’ve never been a huge fan of the comics or the character. I remember Amy Adams getting cast as Lois Lane and rushing to announce it, all the while, I’m asking myself why I care. Who knows? Maybe I’ve just completely given up on any potential aspiring from “The Dark Knight Rises,” what with its recent absurd string of press releases. I may end up eating those words but, come on. Pittsburgh as Gotham City? Yeah, good luck with that.
And now the news that they’re bringing back Ra’s Al Ghul as a villain in this film. He was one of the only things that heavily annoyed me in “Batman Begins” and now they’re bringing him back for another go-around? At least they picked a decent actor in Chris Pence, who did a hell of a job as the man behind the sunglasses (Armie Hammer’s body double) in “The Social Network.”
Anyway, I’ve gone off on a tangent. As I said, I have no overwhelming interest in the new “Super-Man” film, however, this recent news has me quite tickled. Michael Shannon, the audacious and exciting young actor from “Bug” “The Woodsman” and “Revolutionary Road” (which he received and Oscar nomination for), has been cast to play the villainous General Zod in Zack Snyder’s reboot. As I said, I know nothing about the comics. However, a segment of the report by Mike Fleming at Deadline.com shines some light on the character:
Snyder stated, “Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”
Not sure how much this raises my expectations for the film. However, I’ll say that if there were a reason to go see it now, it would be for this fine actor.
FYC Roger Deakins – “True Grit”
So, I’m not the biggest fan of this film. I’m not even sure if Roger Deakins will top my list of Best Cinematography of 2010. One thing’s for sure, however. Roger Deakins is probably one of the top five greatest cinematographers of all time and easily the best DP to never win an Oscar. His career first took off after shooting the independent feature “Sid and Nancy” which also launched Gary Oldman’s career. After taking the role of the Coen Brothers’ official DP, his talents went straight to the top of the list.
On top of his NINE Oscar nominations, including “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Fargo,” “O Brother Where Art Thou,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (the first three of which earned him wins from my personal awards), Deakins also did phenomenal work on “Revolutionary Road” “Dead Man Walking” and the visually astounding “Jarhead.” His work has had a truly lasting impact on the contemporary world of cinema, and from a film student’s perspective, there are not many people in today’s film industry who are more admired and revered.
When asked how he felt about receiving the American Society of Cinematographers’ Lifetime Achievement Award this month, he said he was slightly disappointed. He states that he likes to think of his career only halfway over and hopes to still do better work in the future. One can only hope that Roger keeps creating incredible visuals until the day he dies. But in the meantime, can we please just give the man an Oscar, already?
Check out this short video showing Roger Deakins work on the film “True Grit,” for which, if there’s any justice in the world, he will finally bring home a statue for:
The Edge of the Frame 