Monday, November 30, 2009

360 degrees of odd

With Brothers opening on Friday, director Jim Sheridan has given us some further insight into directing Jake Gyllenhaal:



... Jake is a kind of very - I kind of say Jake is a 360-degree actor. You know, he's watching what's going on 360 degrees, and it's like almost as if his family background, with his mother as a writer and dad as a director, has allowed him to live in the world of movies like a normal person, and he's great, and he's - like anybody who's really talented, they're kind of very odd, you know? I don't mean odd in the bad way. They just - they're alive, and they're not easily malleable, but an easily malleable actor is really a boring actor, you know?



New York Magazine reviewer David Edelstein, gives Sheridan kudos for the job he did with Jake and all the actors.

Empathy must come as naturally as breathing to the Irishman Jim Sheridan, director of My Left Foot, In America, and now the overpoweringly intimate Brothers. Working with screenwriter David Benioff (25th Hour), he skips among three protagonists and emotional states without losing the story’s pulse: Every narrative beat is also a heartbeat. ... Sheridan gets inside his characters’ heads without ever viewing them in isolation: Even separated by continents, no one can move without hitting someone else.

Who could have guessed that the stars who made their names as nerd heroes Peter Parker and Donnie Darko could be so credibly messed-up and volatile? Maguire isn’t big, but his tautness radiates strength. ...

As to the other two leads, Sheridan has gotten the best performances of their young lives. As much as I like Gyllenhaal, I’ve often found him fuzzy, as if he’s wary of losing control. Is that why he’s so affecting here? The dissolute Tommy turns out to be as tightly wound as his older brother, only too scared to focus. He looks pitifully vulnerable as he the supposedly dead Sam’s family and becomes protective. Portman has the kind of role that turns actresses into dullards: the wife who stands and looks stricken at her man (or men) in paroxysms of rage and grief. But she’s so grounded that as the others carry on, your eyes keep drifting to her. Yes, she’s almost unbearably pretty, but it’s her immediacy that keeps you glued to her face.

... Sheridan’s actors work with their intellects fully engaged—and they engage us on levels we barely knew we had.




As we know, the gossip game came full circle yesterday. Let's hope we return to Brothers news today. Please post if you see any noteworthy reviews or interviews.

(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Center of Attention

Brothers opens on Friday, and the publicity blitz includes articles in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the Toronto Sun feature on Jim Sheridan and the movie, a little glimpse into what it's like to work with Jake Gyllenhaal:

Of Jake Gyllenhaal he says, “He was always real on set, ‘cause he’s always finding something or looking for something. If you were the type of director who just wanted him to hit his mark, I think you’d curtail him in some way that doesn’t get the best out of him. ‘Cause I think he’s a charismatic actor, who’s always the centre of attention. Which drove me crazy for the first few weeks,” says Sheridan, deadpan, “as I wanted to be the centre of attention.”

Oh, Jim - face it: You never had a chance!









Unfortunately, Jake is NOT the center of much of the media attention for Brothers. Let's hope there are some articles and interviews as the week progresses. Looking forward to more reviews, as well.



(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving



Happy Thanksgiving! Echoing FL's comments from the last post, thank you to the GyllenBabble family. Thanks for visiting and commenting and making GB such a fun, friendly place. And thank you to FL for co-running this place and helping to keep all you in line :)



Hope you all are spending the day with people you love and have a happier day than Jack!





Thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal for bringing us all together.



And finally, thanks to Lionsgate for finally getting their act together and promoting Brothers. This is a new UK trailer. Now if we can get them to schedule more Jake's appearances... I'll make a wish on the wishbone!

Happy Day, everyone.

(Photos courtesy of Inquirer.net and IHJ.)

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Family photos

The cast of Brothers, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire, posed for photos over the weekend, at a press conference and later a cocktail party for their move, Brothers.

Here's our first photo of Jake with the two young actresses who play his nieces in the movie.



And the three leads - looks like they get along swimmingly!






Jake is a giant among men:






(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Busy weekend

Updated with some Jake interview videos - below yesterday's set pics.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and the cast of Love and Other Drugs filmed in a winter wonderland on Sunday, one made of Hollywood magic. Flickr photographer carolsmith38 took these photos on the set.




Fall and winter in one shot!


Interviews with Jake and Jim Sheridan:






There are also three videos with B roll - behind the scenes footage. Sadly, like most things Brothers-related, the focus is mainly on Tobey and Natalie. But Jake does appear in this one. Beware - Spoilers!



Many more interviews (with Natalie, Tobey, the parents and kids and the writer, among others) here.


After a Saturday press conference,Brothers had its world premiere in New York City last night. Jake Gyllenhaal did not make the red carpet, but was seen at the theater and party. Here's hoping someone snagged a shot of him. There were many rave snap reviews on twitter, and now some other media outlets are weighing in.



Yesterday, we got an early positive review from the Boston Herald:

As other leading sure things fade “Brothers,” which Lionsgate is releasing Dec. 4th, looks to soar in year-end awards categories. Director Jim Sheridan is a longtime Academy Awards favorite and there has been sometimes vocal, enthusiastic reaction at screenings of this intense, incredibly dramatic but dramatically credible remake of a 2004 Danish film of the same name. It helps that the cast, child actors who have grown up before our eyes and are now playing adults, are at the top of their game: Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal. I thought a day later of the impact James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo had in “Rebel Without a Cause” and I don’t the comparison is far-fetched here.

Variety posted their review and while they don't think Brothers lives up to the original, the review is positive:

Still, that cast largely impresses. Portman has rarely been more movingly subdued as a wife and mother who refuses to let grief overpower her sense of responsibility, while Gyllenhaal is effortlessly believable as a drifter who finds, to his delight and ours, that fatherhood suits him well. Sheridan's empathetic touch with tyke actresses, so evident in 2003's "In America," pays off beautifully in his work with young Madison, who's heartbreaking as the older and wiser of the two Cahill girls.

The Hollywood Reporter also prefers the original to the remake. A few lesser known sites also have positive reviews:

Though riddled with powerful performances — Portman is gracious as the grieving, confused widow. Maguire is enchanting as the traumatized war hero. Gyllenhaal is simply unforgettable as the misunderstood black sheep of the family — “Brothers” falters where it should be strongest. ...

Regardless, “Brothers” is a must-see exploration of family, grief and war. Move over “Twilight: New Moon,” because Hollywood can obviously make quality films for adults and perhaps should make them more often.


We'll try to update with interesting ones when we get them - please feel free to post reviews when you find them.



(Photos courtesy of flickr/carolsmith38, Hollywood Elsewhere and IHJ.)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Jake Week in Review

It was a hectic week for Jake Gyllenhaal fans, punctuated by three beautiful new photos. Tomorrow will be the Brothers premiere. But before that excitement, let's review the week in Jake. The big news of the week was People Magazine's choice for Sexiest Man Alive. For the 5th straight year, they got it wrong. But they did make up for it slightly by choosing a new photo of Jake:



I hear People put someone else on the cover, but here's the real sexiest man alice: Jake Gyllenhaal.

The week began with an InStyle photo of Jake - and a stunning photo it is:



Friday brought a gorgeous new poster from the Prince of Persia:



We also got new Brothers photos and I found bigger versions - just click:






And even better, clips - especially, The Kiss:



Of course, the week isn't over yet. Who knows what the day will bring...

ETA: Oh, look - a pic of Jake and Anne on set yesterday, courtesy of Visit Pittsburgh.




(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Friday, November 20, 2009

Prince Tommy

Some new images today from Jake Gyllenhaal's upcoming movies. Disney continues to release promotional photos for the Prince of Persia:



Over at Zap 2 It, there are some new, small pictures from Brothers - hope we'll get these in HQ soon:





Ack - look at Jake/Tommy in that first one. This movie is going to be wrenching. I can't wait!

And an onset photo:




If you don't want to wait, here are the clips from the last post. And don't forget this one, at Apple.



If you can't view the clip, you can download it here. Thanks to Stephanie :)


The folks at I Am Rogue have the clip of Tommy and Sam at the skating rink:






(Photos courtesy of IHJ. Clips from Moviefone and I Am Rogue.)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

I took you more for like an NSYNC fan

Update: Moviefone has a clip of The Kiss:









The folks at I Am Rogue have the clip of Tommy and Sam at the skating rink:




Thanks to Stephanie/IHJ for this full-color, fully-gorgeous scan of Jake Gyllenhaal's InStyle photo, where he discusses New Eyes for the Needy.




Apple has an exclusive clip from Brothers, featuring all three leads: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguie and Natalie Portman. It's the trailer's climactic scene, with Sam Cahill brandishing a gun and taunting the cops to shoot him. In the clip, we see Tommy Cahill pleading with the cops to back off and let him talk to his brother.





Very intense scene.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Can you see me now?

Thanks to get real for this scan of Jake Gyllenhaal from the lastest issue of InStyle. Jake's almost-modeling glasses and discussing his history of poor vision and his involvement with New Eyes for the Needy, which helps people get glasses in developing countries, as well as the United States.



Jake is passionate about the subject and did this video for the cause last year:



Though Jake is committed to helping get glasses to people in need, he hasn't been spotted wearing glasses himself. We'll keep an eagle eye out.




In other news, there's a report that Jake will host the December 5th episode of Saturday Night Live. Can it be true - will Jake actually be seen promoting Brothers? It's the weekend the movie opens, as if we need to remind you.



Who could forget Jake's first hosting gig, in January of 2007. Will we get more singing?



Rumored musical guest 50 Cent has a couple of Jake connections. For one, Jake drove future brother-in-law Peter Sarsgaard crazy by blasting "Candy Shop" every day while driving to the Jarhead set. Secondly, Brothers director Jim Sheridan helmed Get Rich or Die Tryin', which was loosely based on the rapper's real life. Maybe Jake and 50 can do a warped Brothers/Get Rich skit!



We'll keep you updated for official confirmation. Maybe Natalie will make a cameo! She and Jake and 50 Cent can all do a rap together.




(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)