Hey everyone! (If there is any still left out there...) This is an announcement that Popcorn and Cigarettes is coming out of semi-retirement in order to participate in StinkyLulu's Supporting Actress Blog-a-thon. If you have a blog of your own (it doesn't matter what the usual subject of your blog is) you can find out all of the details on how to submit your own entry right here!
So if you are as excited as I am, come back to the blog tomorrow and read who I picked for my Supporting Actress of 2010!
You can also find my past entries for 2009 (here) and 2008 (here). Whoever my choice is tomorrow, she will definitely be in good company.
On a sidenote, I thought that this was an interesting tidbit, both Rinko Kikuchi and Julianne Moore, my two choices for previous Supporting Actress Blog-a-thons were both muses to Tom Ford and both walked the catwalk in his latest women's wear collection. The video is below if you are interested!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Supporting Actress Blog-a-thon 2010!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
StinyLulu's Supporting Actress Blog-a-thon Class of 2009
So just like last year, Popcorn and Cigarettes will be participating in StinkyLulu's Supporting Actress Blog-a-thon.
It was a lot of fun to see who supported who last year, and so I am excited to be doing it again. Unfortunately, Rinko Kikuchi will have to sit this year out (click here to see my post on her performance from last year).
Just like last year, any blog may participate, so even blogs that aren't focused on film may enter their own posts! Click here for all of the information on how to enter. I highly recommend you enter, not only because it is a lot of fun, but also because it is great to write about highly deserving performances that probably do not get as much recognition as they deserve.
See you on January 17, 2010!
-Cigarettes
Friday, June 5, 2009
TRAILER: Map of the Sounds of Tokyo
So, what the hell?! I just found out that my beloved Rinko Kikuchi's new film has a trailer online, and no one has bothered to post on it? (Update: It turns out some people actually have posted the trailer online... whatever. I had to find out for myself)
Anyways, for those of you who haven't heard of this film, it is the latest film from Isabel Coixet, who recently directed Elegy. The film, with an estimated budget of $8 Million, stars the lovely and talented Rinko Kikuchi. The film actually just had it's world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Palm, and where Aitor Berenguer (the film's sound recordist) took home the Technical Grand Prize. Here is the synopsis from the film's Official Website:
Ryu (Kikuchi) is a solitary girl whose fragile appearance is in stark contrast with the double life she leads, working nights at a Tokyo fish market and sporadically taking on jobs as a hit-woman.
Mr Nagara (Takeo Nakahara) is a powerful impresario mourning the loss of his daughter Midori, who has committed suicide. He blames David (Sergi López), a Spaniard who runs a wine business in Tokyo.
Mr Nagara's employee, Ishida (Hideo Sakaki), was silently in love with Midori and hires Ryu to murder David.
A sound engineer, obsessed with the sounds of the Japanese city and fascinated with Ryu, witnesses this love story which searches the shadows of the human soul, reaching deep into places where only silence has the power of eloquence.
Sounds amazing, no? Well without further ado, I give you the trailer... oh, and just a warning, it is NSFW.
-Cigarettes
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Rinko Kikuchi in The Brothers Bloom
A little side-note before we begin. The film The Brothers Bloom was originally supposed to be released on October 3rd, 2008, but Summit Entertainment in their infinite wisdom, decided to push back the release date to December 19, 2008. It was then delayed again from December to May 15, 2009 (limited) and May 29, 2008 (wide). I was fortunate enough to catch this gem at the Toronto International Film Festival, and so I hope all of you readers can bear with me while I gush about a supporting actress that no one else has likely seen. One of the reasons I chose Rinko (other than her being the most memorable supporting actress I've seen in 2008), is because I hope that this post will convince at least one reader to go out and see this film (and wonderful performance) when it does eventually come out in theatres. I will try to keep this post as spoiler free as possible.
Rinko Kikuchi plays Bang Bang, superb con artist and accomplice to the Brothers Bloom. The job that is given to her by director Rian Johnson is not an easy one. She has to share the screen with the likes of Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, and Mark Ruffulo, not to mention that her character is almost completely silent throughout the film. However, above all of this she still manages to steal the show right out from under them.
As I said before the character is almost completely silent throughout the film (territory I'm sure Ms. Kikuchi is familiar with), and Rinko must completely rely on glances, facial expressions, and gestures to express anything and everything she is feeling. Of course Rinko goes far beyond physical mannerisms and nuances, she creates a being that seems to be operating on a level higher than any of the con men in their troupe, and perhaps the audience as well. I am almost certain that Bang Bang is in absolute control of almost every situation that she is put in, and is generally able to maintain her composure at all times. This could have been a problem with a less talented actress because playing a character that always maintains composure and sees and knows everything, could have turned out quite dull. Lucky for us Rinko knows how to maximize her opportunities.
Although Bang Bang seems to be completely capable to do anything and everything, Rinko plays her with a certain sense of improvisation and openness. Any task that looks as though it required much planning and construction seems to be done on a complete whim by Bang Bang. This leaves a sense of playfulness when we see her onscreen that keeps the audience wondering what she will do next. When we see her working alongside the other actors, she adds touches of humor to every scene through her actions and reactions, which elevates and adds dimensions to the scenes she is in. She gives off energy that the other actors are clearly aware of and react to, which is generally the job of a supporting actress, no?
There is also the fact that Bang Bang is so damn cool. Just take a look at her wardrobe. She is easily the most awesome looking con man alive. This part could have been played in a way that made the character completely cold and inorganic, but Rinko plays her in such a way that even if the audience isn't playing at the same level as Bang Bang, we still end up wanting to know her or be friends with her. Or be her.
I know I left the movie theatre after the screening of The Brothers Bloom thanking whoever it was who had the great idea of casting Rinko Kikuchi in this part. I'm sure when you see her performance, you will be thinking the same thing.
- Cigarettes
[This post is part of the Supporting Actress Class of 2008 blog-a-thon happening over at StinkyLulu. You should head on over there if you haven't already and check out more of the entries from all the other bloggers. I know that's where I'll be.]
