Award Watch: Colin Kennedy Nominated for Scottish BAFTA New Talent

Great news today, for as noted on his I Love Luci blog, Sigma's own Colin Kennedy has been nominated at the Scottish BAFTA New Talent Award!!! Along with Brian Coffey, writer director Colin Kennedy has been nominated in the "Music Video" category for his work on the We Are The Physics "You Can Do Athletics-BTW" video!!! Recorded at Film City Glasgow last year (almost a year ago to this date 0_0), be sure to check out these entries on Colin's blog for more on the making of the video, which you can see below. The New Talent Awards will be presented on Friday 13 March 2009 at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow, Scotland (Good luck I say, cause lmao its a day after my birthday woot lol), stay tuned (and PLEASE some one show mercy and post some pics from this, plllleaaase lol)

ALL CAP SUPER SUPER CONGRATULATIONS COLIN KENNEDY and Brian Coffey, and to the Physics, crew, Sigma and all involved. Awesome news!!! So so happy and proud of you,
GO COLIN GO!


Related: For those new to the blog, there is a fun "making of" video of Colin and the band creating this very video here. ENJOY (heart you Colin :D)




One last related award front news blurb: A movie blogger and part time b-movie producer (ie bad horror and lots of boobs tacky type of film) has issued a press release on his personal "Polished Apple" awards, and gave his best movie award to Mister Foe, noting lead actor Jamie Bell as a "wonderfully underrated actor" (where have we heard that before alas) and goes on to note that Mister Hallam Foe: “It’s not a creepy peeping tom film,” PollyStaffle.com senior editor Chad Freeman said. “It could have been, but it isn’t. Instead it’s a touching character study about love lost.” (Thanks for the reminder to post this Marit! Cheers!)

Mister Foe Available for Download Via US iTunes

Hallam is on the move again lol as Mister Foe is now available via the US iTunes. If you are a Machead like me, it's nice to get the version for the iPod to say the least! Available via this link, you can rent it for $3.99 or purchase for $14.999. Or if you loathe iTunes, do not forget (and its been out for a while as reported earlier), you can watch it on demand via Amazon for $14.99 as well. No word when the film will be available for download on iTunes in the UK, Canada or beyond.

A Sigma Films production and directed by David Mackenzie, Mister Foe (originally Hallam Foe for it's UK and global release) was released in the theaters last fall, and has been out DVD since November. If you are just discovering the film, be sure to check out the original blog for the film, written by Colin Kennedy. Mister Foe stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Claire Forlani, Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Sives.

Mister Hallam Foe, A National Board of Review Top Independent Film

Back from yet another whirling (yet very festive) weekend in New York, and dreadfully behind on just about everything...yet again. More great news awaited, and this one in particular is very satisfying:

The National Board of Review has released their annual awards, along with their top ten lists. A Sigma Films production and directed by David Mackenzie, Mister Foe is listed as one of the Top Independent Films of the Year!

BRAVO!! CONGRATULATIONS DAVID AND ALL AT MISTER FOE/SIGMA FILMS!
Quite the compliment I should think, not mention the fine (and in some cases very fine) films on the list, which is follows (per Awards Daily):

• FROZEN RIVER
• IN BRUGES
• IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS
• MR. FOE
• RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
• SNOW ANGELS
• SON OF RAMBOW
• WENDY AND LUCY
• VICKY CRISTINA BARCELON
• THE VISITOR

Now, there were no other nominations or individual recognition for Mr. Foe for the main awards (generally one of the harbingers of the increasingly long Oscars warm up season). Still I find this to be just terrific news, for this does have a bit of weight I think, or at least some casual film goers will think heh heh ok good stuff...which of course it is. I firmly believe David will be accepting a Best Picture/Best Director Oscar one day! In the meantime, it surely is a heartwarming and satisfying or more importantly hopeful and reassuring that hope is not lost in Hollywood, to know that the various film bodies, such as this group of film historians and teachers/student, are willing to take the time and effort to view these smaller quality pieces, and acknowledge them publicly...So yea this is great stuff and hell yea, GO HALLAM GO

Finally, Mister Foe DVD is Here

Sorry for the long delay in posting, life continues to interrupt my blogging fun- curses :P

Well one glorious week ago, my long awaited MISTER FOE DVD arrived promptly in the am from Amazon. I've watched the film several times now enjoying it more and more, luxuriating in the ability to watch a scene at my choosing, thinking back on some of the scenes Colin blogged about via GetYourPeople while filming and being able to pause it at that moment, marveling again at David's astonishing eye, demand and command of detail revealed with Giles superb cinematography-I MUST GO TO EDINBURGH SOOOON; all in all reveling in countless fangirl moments becoming enchanted with the movie all over again.

Super joyful moment: TWO OF Colin Kennedy's WONDERFUL podcasts/behind the scenes features made it to the disc! woot! Sure I have them already on my iPod, but still its a thrill to see them playing up on my Sony Bravia high def TV! woot! Not sure why Magnolia couldnt suck it up and put all of it on there- such a wonderful look and behind the scenes look at the making- surely the Jamie Bell fans alone would have reveled in it! whatever, at least there was this and I was glad to have that at least.

Also a couple deleted scenes- some in particular lovely camera movements following Hallam through the house, showing his relationship more with both his sister and his father. Not sure why these were deleted, would love to hear David's thoughts on why this was cut.

UBER WHINEY SELFISH MOMENT: NO DIRECTORS COMMENTARY- boooooooo! Stab stab stab through the heart again, I am deprived yet again of the opportunity to hear the thoughts of my favorite director on his work. What the hell? *slaps hand on head* Dear Magnolia, why why was this not included? WHY????? You just hate me right? :P Seriously though, when the filmgoing audience has the opportunity to hear someone of the high calibre and true visionary outlook that David has, why on earth was this not included. Man oh man, the UK DVD has more than this. baaaah.
I guess I will have to go buy the UK version just to hear it but it will be worth it-still a final piss on you move from Mag I guess heh.

Positive notes: Not sure how well the sales are going but the reviews seem to be mostly positive so far. Even Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+ which considering they didnt like the movie lol, this is good. Also the other day I happened to stumble over an older but nice review from Jeffery Lyons at Reel talk and they were very enthusiastic about the movie, worth a look if you are into watching these types of reviews.

New: Mister Foe DVD Back and Front Cover, Disc photos

As we know Mister (Hallam) Foe is coming out on DVD here in the US, just weeks after its limited theatrical release (and still continues to play in theaters for the remainder of the month plus one engagement next year.) Tonight, Huge Thanks going to CDcovers who originally posted this, we can now see the entire front and back cover art for Mister Foe, plus the disc. Woot! I can not wait to get mine Tuesday! :)))

Mister Foe is a Sigma Films Production, and is directed by David Mackenzie. The film stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani, Jamie Sives, Ewan Bremner. You can read more about the filming and journey of Hallam Foe via the original GetYourPeople blog written by Colin Kennedy and co. Check it out!

IGN Mentions Mister (Hallam) Foe DVD

IGN, one of the big game/movie/dvd sites out there (and one of the most reliable) has a small mention of the upcoming Mister Foe DVD that is due to be released finally here in the US on November 11. The uber brief mention just summarizes the plot and notes the DVD "will contain bonus materials and extra features, such as deleted scenes and feature commentary."

Hopefully it will contain director David Mackenzie's commentary, but I remain dubious any of the features/extras will be anything new ie not hopeful there will be new interviews conducted for the disc, but I do remain hopeful that there will be some of the fantastic stuff that 4C Slater/All things uploaded via their Youtube channel.

Most of all, I had really really wanted a hard copy of Colin Kennedy's fantastic documentary/behind the scenes features he worked on. I know that many are looking for info new clips here in the US and if you have not yet had the chance, or just want to watch again and dont have them on your iPod or MP3 player anymore, please go to iTunes and watch the Hallam Foe podcasts HERE. You can see-FOR FREE-many behind the scenes glimpses especially of Jamie and Sophia. I know many of their fansites also (and hte Ciaran Hinds folks do as well) have these uploaded as well as screencaps, so please go check them out! You can read more about the filming of Mister Hallam Foe via the well done GET YOUR PEOPLE BLOG here.

It should be noted that on the Magnolia Website it reads DVD release date Nov 4, but maybe that is the NetFlix date or who the heck knows. I pre-ordered mine from Amazon and Im getting it the 11th of November - a red letter day to say the least! (I think I will call it the Mister Foe Marathon day, when I watch the movie over and over along with all the various clips/interviews I can find!) The film also continues to screen in a very few theaters now and esp thru the entire month of Nov here in the States.

Mister Foe stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani, Jamie Sives, Ewan Bremner and was directed by David Mackenzie. Mister Hallam Foe is a SIGMA FILMS PRODUCTION

New Cover of US Mister Foe DVD Released!

Check it out-DVD Empire posted the new cover art for the Mister Foe DVD, which as reported before, is due out November 11, 2008.

Yes! MUCH MUCH BETTER than the horrible US poster for the movie!

As mentioned before, the DVD is available for pre-order via Amazon and more...btw it's actually 3 dollars cheaper to pre-order at the DVD empire than from Amazon for those keeping track at home lol.

Directed by David Mackenzie, Mister (Hallam) Foe stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani and Jamie Sives and is a Sigma Films production :)))

David Mackenzie Talks "Spread" with Ashton Kutcher

Several followups this am. First, apparently after reading that David and Jamie were to attend the LA premiere, the foe fanatic Ted sent a myspace message to David. Ted posted his response on his public blog which reads: "Jamie and I went to a q and a last night for the film on LA. The response seemed really good." Ted asked for more, and got a second reply that he copied and posted on his blog: "Stupidly we didn't take any pictures. But the questions were good. Jamie was very funny and the audience seemed very keen on the film. Now I hope they tell their friends."

Back in the days when I had a myspace, I had been lucky enough to be friended with David, but after I canceled the whole Myspace thing, I have not been in contact with him alas. Credit due where credit is due, it was actually pretty cool that D took time out to send Ted something, and am grateful that we heard that at least. Still mightly and seriously disappointed about missing such an opportunity, would have been a lovely and decent thing for us true and loyal fans (frankly remain hugely unimpressed with the whole handling of the rollout/release of Mister Foe...do I sound bitter? lol why yes :P ). Certainly if Magnolia or whoever had bothered to promote it properly and had there had been greater advance knowledge of this appearance, I am certain there would have been a far FAR larger turn out and more keen interest/response to the whole thing, but whatever, no one cares what I think obviously, one lone twee fan in the vast internet wilderness lol, and congrats go to the lucky handful that got to be able to see David and Jamie.


Second, as promised, Collider.com has now posted their new interview with director David Mackenzie online. Unfortunately a great bulk of the interview is wasted (imho) on a rather pointless discussion of rating of Mister Foe, but there was a bit from him on his next movie due out, called Spread that stars Ashton Kutcher. Quotage:

Collider: So your next film is called “Spread”, with Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche, is this a much more upbeat comedy, or does it have some of the same dark undertones.

DM: Oh, it’s got plenty of dark undertones. It’s not actually a comedy, really.

Collider: Oh, well it’s being described as a comedy.

DM: I mean, there are some comedic elements, but it’s, but I think it’s one of those things that you have to call a “dramedy” now. Well, you know it’s an interesting departure for Ashton and I really enjoyed working with him and making you know, an American movie about LA.

Collider: Would you like to make more American movies, or do you like working in the UK?

DM: I like both, really. I like working on a variety of projects, but I’ve enjoyed working here, and I’ve enjoyed the work I’ve done in the UK, but I just wait for the right project to come along.

....regarding Mister Hallam Foe....

Collider: Is it strange revisiting “Hallam Foe” a year later?

DM: It’s quite nice, actually. You know, it’s some degree of closure, and it would be really nice if “Hallam Foe”…I mean, “Mister Foe”…is able to find an audience in the US.

Collider: Well I think it will. It’s nice when distributors revisit a film because it means people liked it and they think it has a chance over here. It gives the film a second life.

DM: It’s great, yeah, and if that second life comes…I mean I’m not expecting it to break box office records, but if the film could find an audience…it will find an audience, whether it’s three or more, but I don’t think there’s anything particularly inaccessible about it in its Britishness or Scottishness.

Collider: No, I don’t either.

DM: Well good. I hope it goes over well.

Remaining Dates yet for showings of Mister (Hallam) Foe:

9/12/2008
San Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema

9/19/2008
Seattle, WA: Harvard Exit Theatre
San Diego, CA: Hillcrest Cinemas
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema
Denver, CO: Mayan Theatre
Chicago, IL: Music Box

9/26/2008
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz 5 Movies

10/10/2008
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Gainesville, FL: Hippodrome - Gainesville

10/22/2008
Wilkes-Barre, PA: FM Kirby Center for Performing Arts

Jamie Bell and David Mackenzie to Attend Premiere of Mister Foe Tonight

AGGGGGGH

I get a google alert, and its of a blog of a dude who says he got an email from the Landmark theater in LA that has some awesome but hugely upsetting news. I check the Landmark LA theater site, and indeed it says that Mister Foe is opening there TONIGHT, but guess what

DAVID MACKENZIE AND JAMIE BELL ARE DUE TO ATTEND TONIGHT, FRIDAY SEPT 5 AT 7:50 and 10:15pm

David is FREAKIN HERE IN THE STATES FOR A PUBLIC EVENT
and Im going to miss this??????????
OMg noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

*is hugely crushed and cries * :((((((((((

dammit all :(((((((( I am so disappointed, after all these years of ffing following the blog, his career this wonderful lovely film, let alone write this blog, I would have flown out there, organised a fan gathering for sure, why WHY do they not publicize these things for their fans, get the word out and help generate more excitement etc. why?Others I know would have done the same! gaaahhhhh. Please some soul have pity mercy and all sorts of compassion and upload some sort of pics, videos or a report?

New York Times Says Hello to Mister Foe, and then there's a Parade with Jamie Bell

For as long as I can remember, Ive loved to read, and read newspapers too. There is even an early photo of me at the orphanage at an age where I surely was unable to begin to read, holding a copy of the wall street journal of all things (guess the nuns were big on those bull markets or something) Anyway, Ive been waiting and hoping that the New York Times, which I still hold in reluctant highest regard, would review Mister Foe, and that has now come past.

A.O. Scott, author of some previously beautifully written movie reviews in the past, took a turn at the film and has posted a review of Mister Foe which is now online via this link. While I am not altogether sure if its a positive outlook-I think it is sorta maybe yes?, it was clear there are some praises bestowed on both Jamie and David, with kudos to other cast members ie Ciaran Hinds gets several lines, which is a big deal when column space is seriously limited. Highlights of note as follows:

Hallam (played by the excellent Jamie Bell, who has gained some skill and shed a bit of cuteness since “Billy Elliot”) would no doubt benefit from some counseling, and the melodramatic twists of the plot ultimately serve as a kind of substitute therapy. It’s certainly more entertaining to watch a confused young man work out his issues through kinky sex and daredevil wall-climbing than to be a fly on the wall as he talks things out with a shrink. And if the extremity of Hallam’s temperament tests the limits of our sympathy as well as our credulity, Mr. Bell’s ability to seem by turns sweet and scary prevents us from losing interest entirely.

So does Mr. Mackenzie’s success in translating Mr. Jinks’s prose into an atmosphere that is both gritty and picturesque. He infuses the examination of Hallam’s emotional disorder with enough macabre and comical touches to prevent “Mister Foe” from sliding into the clinical sensationalism of the case study. That is more or less what it turns out to be in the end, but the film is also a nimble, acrobatic tour of Edinburgh, traipsing through narrow alleyways, up drainpipes and across gables and gutters as it follows Hallam on his pathological way.

Kate’s insistence, late in the movie, that she is just that is both superfluous and unconvincing. In her loneliness, her toughness, her perfect mix of maternal warmth and sexual adventurousness, she is at heart a literary conceit, an inhabitant of that realm of the male imagination where lust and sentimentality meet and mingle. But Ms. Myles inhabits the role with such crisp and understated wit that she manages to hold such doubts at bay. Common sense might suggest that a woman in Kate’s position should change her locks, call the police or move to another town when a guy like Hallam shows up, but somehow she never seems more sensible than when she does the opposite of what prudence might dictate.

The smaller performances are nearly as strong as Ms. Myles’s and Mr. Bell’s, even when the characters are a bit too broadly drawn, like Ms. Forlani’s gold-digger or a philandering brute played by Jamie Sives. Ciaran Hinds, a welcome presence wherever he goes — from “Munich” to “Miami Vice” to “Margot at the Wedding” — strikes the right notes of obliviousness and paternal worry as Hallam’s father, vexed and concerned about his son even as he is unable to see how much of the boy’s waywardness is his fault.

To the rest of us it’s pretty clear from the start. And the main problem with “Mister Foe” is that Hallam’s strangeness is a puzzle only to him and those around him. He’s more of a mystification than a mystery, and never quite creepy enough to risk our not liking him."

INDEED!

In pale pale comparison, Parade now has their interview online with Jamie Bell. Surprisingly, they avoid (for the most part) asking the usual twee questions, with Jamie elaborating on his character of Hallam Foe:

We hear 'peeping Tom' and we think 'weirdo' but your character, Hallam Foe, is just a curious boy.

A: I think it was definitely a fine line. My character has an obsession with voyeurism, of observing people in various different forms of activity. And it was a tightrope walk to make sure that you don’t cross a line to portray him as a pervert because that's something that he definitely isn't. He’s very far removed from what voyeurism actually is. If anything, he’s observing people to learn about life, to learn things that maybe his mother would have taught him had she been around.

Q: His cleverness and his desperation can be funny too.

A: I feel like the loss of his mother made him very introverted. He went back inside of himself and removed himself from the world, really. And his only outlet is by observing people. So although the film does touch on many dark levels and many dark themes, I think that there's still definitely a lightness and a humor to everything that happens in the film.

Mister Foe Review Roundup

Last night was awesome, well spent with multiple viewings of Mister Foe on HDNet Movies, and have to say watching Jamie Sives three times in one night was a delicious bonus :) However Im slammed with work, got awesome news that I want to spend some time and post about properly later, plus my damm allergies are in high gear-mighty hard to type properly when you are sneezing like mad (9 times in an effing row gah, what a sight I was, Kleenex dropping like snowballs, and on the last sneeze, it was like one of those hokey absurd slow motion disaster moments: my headband slid off my head, laptop came crashing to the ground and my glasses went flying off my head and flew across the room and literally bammed on the back of a security guard in the courtroom I was doing an interview in and had been trying to make a good impression on the asst prosecuting attorney - what a sexy appealing sight that was... NOT!! good god, I should move to the nunnery right now lol)

Right, actual things of interest now and a quick rundown of the latest reviews and articles to hit the net preceding the Sept 5 screenings of Mister Foe (for a full rundown though I highly recommend my friends over at RottenTomatoes)

USA Today: Well ole Claudia doesnt like David too much alas, nor the plot but gives high praise to Jamie Bell as Hallam Foe. Noting the movie is only "mildly intriguing," she writes "Bell's portrayal of a compulsive and strange adolescent is intriguing, even occasionally sympathetic. And the cinematography and score add a sense of style.

Ultimately, however, the characters' motivations and emotions, particularly those occurring during Hallam's odyssey in Edinburgh, aren't believable. Even when viewed as an unsettling fable, the saga doesn't come together. What entertainingly offbeat quality it may have is undercut by occasional streaks of optimism and lightheartedness that feel jarring.

The story's two main elements — the mystery of the death of Hallam's mother and his weird, unlikely romance — don't blend well. Maybe the story would have been more potent had Hallam stayed in rural Scotland and investigated his mother's demise more thoroughly. The dark and brooding Highlands were a more appropriate setting for the sinister antics of such a haunted young man.

You find yourself wishing that what happened in Edinburgh stayed in Edinburgh."

VILLAGE VOICE: Completely opposite from the USA Today (in more ways than one lol) these guys LOVE the movie, 'GONZO MACKENZIE' was actually used once bless, and they are quite keen on Jamie Bell's performance as well, with the bottom line saying overall the film is "wit and extreme style, and that's enough. Mackenzie's camera is constantly moving, creating a sinuous trip. Cameras glide through rooms and zoom in on Glasgow's crowded buildings. Best of all, they crane over Foe's head when he's perched in one of his voyeuristic setups on the roof, inducing not vertigo but glee at Mackenzie's skill."

YAY!!!!

COMINGSOON.NET: Another pretty positive review, Ed is complementary of Ciaran Hinds ("another great role"), Sophia Myles ("revelatory performance") and especially on Jamie Bell's performance. There is a lot I liked what was written, as follows:

Like "Young Adam," the film isn't afraid to bare its fangs when necessary, nor does it shy away from graphic sexuality, but it does maintain your interest in this character who one might not assume would be particularly interesting at first. Much of that comes down to this being the first movie in some time where we get to really see what Bell is capable of as an actor. Though he doesn't talk for much of the movie, when he opens his mouth, he's clever and funny and far more likable than Ewan McGregor in "Young Adam," and the story itself is far more focused. The voyeuristic nature of the film does create many quiet scenes of just watching Hallam peeping on his subject, and it's hard to adjust to the disjointed pace, but McKenzie does an exemplary job creating a distinctive mood with the film's music and camera shots. You probably couldn't find a better filmmaker who can capture Edinburgh as beautifully as McKenzie does, as one admires Hallam's ability to navigate the rooftops and ledges of the city to get a better view of his latest subject. There are a few odd decisions that keeps the movie from completely winning you over like the strange opening credit animation that seems to have little in common with the rest of the film, but ultimately, it's a strong character-driven story with many terrific scenes and a satisfying resolution where everyone gets their due. It's a striking film but certainly more of one that grows on you rather than one that's immediately compelling. Rating: 7.5/10

Finally the New Yorker Magazine has an interview with Sophia Myles who again is as lovely classy and honest as always. She is quite gracious about Jamie Bell, echoing earlier statements about him as she said "Jamie, as far as I'm concerned, is a national treasure. I would say he's right up there at the top of my favorite co-stars, because in any scene between him and I, he's so good and moving that all I had to do was just react to whatever he was doing. He's made this seamless transition from child star to adult star without any of the rehab and all the nonsense."

The interview contains the usual questions, but there was one where she said what I and I think many others like about this film and her character and what David Mackenzie does in his films:

Kate has a line in which she says, “Sometimes I prefer sour, sometimes I prefer sweet.” It gives the sense that she's more than somewhat aware of some of the bad decisions that she's making. Did that appeal to you?
Absolutely. Women are often so badly written in movies — they're just completely one-dimensional, in the film to serve the man. Kate’s very confident, comfortable in her own skin, professional, graceful … but in fact take the mask off and behind closed doors she's a mess. She's got demons perched on both shoulders, talking to her in both ears. So often women in movies are just fluff, and that bores me senseless.

Mister Foe shares some similarities with a lot of David's other work, Young Adam and a couple of his short films, in that there are messy romances and passion and inappropriate sexual relationships.
What I love about David Mackenzie is that he doesn't do “happily ever after.” I think his films deal with reality, not fantasy, and that's what I loved about Mister Foe. The other thing that David does well is sex. I think he portrays it in a very realistic, non-gratuitous way — the rawness and often unsexiness of it. The scenes in this film aren't sensual by any means. I don't think, other than maybe for a few weirdos out there in the world, people are going to be turned on watching them.

Pre-Order the "Mister Foe" DVD

While Mister Foe officially opens this week in the handful of movie theaters here in the US, the US DVD of Mister Foe is NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER.

As seen here on Amazon.com, the Mister Foe DVD will be released on NOVEMBER 11, 2008, and is currently available at the early price of $18.99. This date matches what we heard earlier with the Netflix release, so rock on for that.

I believe we will still be getting extras, hopefully the David Mackenzie commentary please please please!!! plus fingers crossed for those wonderful making of/behind the scenes pieces made by Colin Kennedy. Im always hoping too for interviews with cast like the ones 4cslater has up on her youtube channel with Jamie Bell, Claire forlani, Ciaran hinds and JAMIE SIVES, but my fangirl beats hard and long and is resiliant in not giving up hope for these things lol-anyway GREAT NEWS indeed!

Sweet! Its a Parade of Sophia Myles New Interviews on Mister Foe

Two good mails today, both bearing word of new interviews with the lovely Sophia Myles, and mentions of Mister Foe, which will open in New York later this week (DONT FORGET, HDNET MISTER FOE SNEAK TOMORROW NIGHT 8pm ET then again 9:45 and 11:30 pm ET !)

First, Parade has a short new fluffy piece online here, where they focus on twee things like first kiss, past boyfriends, and naturally doing the sex scenes for Mister Hallam Foe. Parade is normally found in US newspapers as a weekend magazine thing, and usually contains nothing indepth; this article is proof of that alas. Here is what they asked her about Hallam Foe:

Q: In Mister Foe you have some pretty sexually explicit scenes. Was that uncomfortable for you?

A: I’ve always been very, very particular about nudity and sex in the movies I do because I think a lot of the time it’s very gratuitous, especially when a female is involved. So I’ve been very strict. I think the scenes in this film are of a sexual nature but they are not sexy at all. Actually, I quite enjoy keeping my clothes on. I don’t even like looking at my naked bottom in a mirror.

Q: Ever feel a little silly?

A: I did in Tristan and Isolde when another actress and I had to take off our clothes and hug a naked James Franco to thaw him out after he nearly froze to death. We found it so funny we couldn’t stop laughing. I think we did about 60 takes.


Thanks to my friends at Dark Horizons who let me know of their exclusive interview with Sophia Myles, and this piece is much much better, and shows the actress to have a fair sense of humor and wit-I really enjoy Sophia and look forward to more of her films (and yes I loved Moonlighting, damm shame to say the least that show isnt coming back) Sophia reiterates her previous praise of director David Mackenzie, and says she choose to do the role because "David Mackenzie had worked with Tilda Swinton, who's repped by my agent in London. And my agent said that he would trust his grandmother's life in David Mackenzie's hands. So the fact that we had a director who was so sensitive, and made us feel completely comfortable, and never exposed at any time - it made it pretty easy."

The part I most admired is that she addressed the fact that this character is multilayer and troubled, and that the sex scenes are in fact, not an erotic act-not the scenes with Jamie Sives that is for sure, for they were brutal and about power and taunting of JBell's character, not at all an act of romance or love, but sex at its most base, animalistic all most. From Sophia:

It's interesting, because American cinema is generally a lot more conservative than European cinema. Do you think that American audiences will find it difficult to deal with the sexuality of a film like this? Especially within its context?

Myles: I think everyone who sees this film will come away with a very different experience, and I think it will affect people in very different ways. I mean, I think what I like about this movie is that - like I said before, it's not - you know, take a bucket of popcorn and forget about your life for an hour and a half. It really is a film that kind of deals with archetypal themes, you know? So it's gonna have a profound effect on the human soul. I mean, it deals with the search for love. You know, it's about a voyage of self-discovery and growth, and also the fear of death. You know? And I think - so it will. You know, it's not - it's going to make people think. And it will make them feel. How it's gonna make them feel? I'm really not one to judge. But again, you know, the sexuality in the movie, it's not - like, all of the sex scenes, they're not there to be sexy. They're not sensual. When I watched the film, I didn't think, "Oh, that's erotic." I mean, it's not about that. And that's again why I felt very comfortable in being cast, because often nudity and sex is very gratuitous in movies. But this isn't - these movies aren't supposed to - the scenes aren't designed to turn people on.

Mister Foe Soundtrack Finally Available on US iTunes

The excellent soundtrack to Mister Foe is finally available today on the US edition of iTunes. The music for the film directed by David Mackenzie has received wide critical acclaim, along with a win at the Berlin Film Festival. The soundtrack, which features "Hallam Foe Dandelion Blow" written especially for the film by the wonderful FRANZ FERDINAND is available via this link on iTunes, and as noted previously will be finally be available in stores such as Best Buy here in the states next week. Btw: CHECK OUT the latest from the Franz guys who I adore so much: Lucid Dreams, just fabulous, here (also available for purchase via iTunes, tis from their forthcoming new album due out next year...be sure to poke around on the official Franz site, you will see loads of photos of pics and videos shot at FILM CITY GLASGOW TOO, just saying... :))




While just about every song on the score is awesome, its worth pointing out that this is not a traditional score/soundtrack, as they used entirely pop music to accompany the film (David spoke at length about having wanted to DJ his own movie and he did here ) .You can also friend/preview the soundtrack on MySpace here. While there were some really fabulous songs that did not make the final track list, songs that are on the CD are as follows:

Track 1 - Orange Juice – Blue Boy
Track 2 - U.N.P.O.C. – Here On My Own
Track 3 - King Creosote – The Someone Else
Track 4 - Sons And Daughters – Broken Bones
Track 5 - Junior Boys – Double Shadow
Track 6 - Clinic – If You Could Read Your Mind
Track 7 - Future Pilot AKA – Battle At The Gates Of Dub
Track 8 - Hood – Lines Low To Frozen Ground
Track 9 - Franz Ferdinand – Hallam Foe Dandelion Blow
Track 10 - Psapp – Tricycle
Track 11 - James Yorkston And The Athletes – Surf Song
Track 12 - Bill Wells Trio – Also In White
Track 13 - Juana Molina – Salvese Quien Pueda
Track 14 - Cinema – They Nicknamed Me Evil
Track 15 - Woodbine – I Hope That You Get What You Want
Track 16 - Movietone – Ocean Song

Bonus Video: Cool Franz Fan video set to their song for Mister Hallam Foe

New Yorker on Mister Foe and the Measure of a Name

It is with some hesitation that I read this am, the new review of Mister Foe in the New Yorker Magazine. The hesitation is due to a recent incident where my remarks were wrongly attributed to someone else, and it cast an grossly erroneous light on a matter that never existed at all...in other words sloppy shoddy journalism making its appearance in what is, for the most part, a fairly well written, well edited (and fact checked) magazine. Thus, it was keeping this in mind when I saw the review for Mister Foe come online there, but was relieved that the standards of old seemed to hold true, and they too, addressed the DREADFUL name change of the film from the original given title. While the review isn't overly glowing for director David Mackenzie nor the movie, its not exactly horrible either, with mentions of the actual cast besides Jamie (Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds and yay Jamie Sives) some key points as follows:

The original title of “Mister Foe,” when it opened in Europe, was “Hallam Foe,” and that was a better fit. It’s the name of the central character, played by Jamie Bell, and one thing he never feels like is a Mister. First, he doesn’t turn eighteen until halfway through the movie; and, second, he hardly slots into society with the assurance—either the ease of body or the confidence of spirit—that would lead anyone to call him Mr. Foe. On the one occasion when a friend at work does use that term of address, it is said with a sour snarl, as if to caution Hallam not to grow up too fast.

...

Behind “Mister Foe” lies a bundle of Hitchcock highlights: “Psycho” is here, of course, in the son’s contorted longings; “Rear Window” remains the template for all voyeurs; and there are whispers of “Rebecca” in the mysterious death by water of a first wife. Mackenzie is wise enough, however, not to try to ape the manners of the Master as well as his themes; “Mister Foe” is shifty and jolting to look at, immune to the charms of urbanity, and sprinkled with a rash of plaintive songs, courtesy of bands such as Franz Ferdinand, and drums that knock like heartbeats. Some of the best things in the movie zip by, as if to offset the earnestness of its main conceit: blink and you’ll miss the blink of Kate’s eyelid, framed in extreme closeup, as she fends off Hallam’s question “Is Alasdair your boyfriend?” with the lying rebuff “God, no, he’s got a wife and a kid.” The vigor and saltiness of her couplings with Alasdair, like the dirty talk between her and Hallam, show that Mackenzie, the creator of “Young Adam” (2003), has lost none of his taste for the explicit. “Mister Foe” flirts too often with the unlikely and the foolish, yet there is something to admire in the nerve of its reckless characters, so uneasy in their skins. If you can’t take sex or violence, be warned: there’s no violence here, but the sex looks like violence, and that makes it doubly difficult to forget. ♦

Jamie Bell on David Mackenzie's work in Independent Film: 'David is going to be at the forefront of that world'

There is that expression that when it rains it pours, and heh while in some cases too much rain (or hurricanes) is bad, the good news and new interviews are starting to pour in for all of us Mister (Hallam)Foe fans at last! Collider.com has a decent new interview online with Jamie Bell tonight -and promises his exclusive David Mackenzie interview to follow soon, with some new info too on "Spread" with Ashton Kutcher woot!-where Jamie discusses working on the soon to be released Mister Foe. Two highlights for me: One is when Jamie is directly asked, thank god, about the stupid name change for the release of the film here in the US, and he replied :

It’s strange, I don’t know why they’ve done that. I don’t know if it’s because it sounds like camel toe?

Collider: Maybe cause there’s no one named Hallam over here, some people would recognize it as a name.

JB: Right, right, that makes sense.

Collider: But at the same time, I like “Hallam Foe” better.

JB: No, I like “Hallam Foe” because it seems like a riddle or an enigma and it is kind of exactly what he is, but that’s alright.

EVERYONE LIKED HALLAM FOE BETTER!!!...except for those who hold the US distrib rights alas...

Although I quite QUITE was thrilled that the interviewer (Charlie Mihelich of Collider) actually bothered to do his homework and ask about reservations on doing the film after reading the script by Peter Jinks, with Jamie noting that he "Absolutely, I had every reservation. You know, working on the Clint Eastwood movie and portraying these kind of heroic marines who did this amazing thing and then there’s a script on my desk “a guy who draws lipstick in circles around his nipples, what?” but as the script continued and as the character evolved, that I really connected with."...my favorite part was of course hearing about the actors thoughts

on the director DAVID MACKENZIE, and spoke to the fine FINE work David does, taking on the role in a small independent film, and more Relevant Quotage:

It’s a tiny film. A tiny little British independent film, with a very ambitious schedule with a real visionary director behind the helm, tough but fun.

Collider: It’s always great when you get a tested director behind the wheel of an Independent film because then you know it’s got a chance.

JB: Right, right, absolutely, and you know it’s, in terms of the British film industry we’ve had some great talents come out recently, as far as Paul Greengrass, Chris Nolan, like really storming ahead, but this other realm of British filmmakers that are really into this independent world, smaller independent films, I think David is going to be at the forefront of that world, and it was a pleasure to work with him.

Hear HEAR!

Two More Interviews with Jamie Bell on Mister Hallam Foe

It would be a huge lie to say Im not at all panicked of late, because I am in fact, quite distracted and worried now that Gustav is about to pay a visit...my beloved old city still hasnt fully recovered, and now, god forbid, more doom on perhaps an even larger and more catastrophic scale, is surely about to befall that place. Family and dear friends drove hours and hours and hours to get out already, but still even now, some are in Baton Rouge which is at least above sea level!, yet I fear they will bear a huge blunt of the storm. New Orleans is below sea level, and when those levies fail, so much was lost-not sure if they will be able to survive this one. Example what would happen if say Venice got hit by a hurricane...The highest danger in all of this is from the flooding that will wreak such havoc on NOLA and the parishes to the south and west (not that 155 mile an hour winds dont pack a hell of a punch either...), so its good that everyone is getting the hell out (im not there but my heart very much is as twee as it is to say) Its also quite easy to tell yourself well tis nothing since youve been through several hurricanes in your life and they can be relatively ok to endure, but this one, I am not so hopeful, as it is especially hard on the elderly and the wee ones too, and its bloody well hard not to be worried..

Right so to distract myself today, got an mail from my friends at the wonderful LA Times about a piece they are running on Jamie Bell. While not sure if they went to the recent junket, its a good read, short but at least its something! (btw NEW DAVID MACKENZIE PHOTO, along with Sophia Myles and JAMIE BELL online at Hollywoodnewswire.net from the recent junket at the Four Seasons Hotel held last week on August 26 -David is looking very zen, with his longer hair and beard, cant help it David -ADORE YOU lol. You can see the non watermarked photos at the excellent SophiaMyles.org too)

Although there is plenty of other film discussions, including his work in the highly anticipated Defiance with Daniel Craig, Jamie does discuss a bit on Mister Foe and working with David in this LA Times piece as follows:

" 'Mister Foe' is a bizarre, twisted, multilayered character study," Bell said. "It deals with very many dark subjects, but David brought this incredible lightness to it as well, comedy elements. There's a sweetness which I think the film really needed. And also, it was the first time I'd explored myself sexually on-screen; especially because of 'Young Adam,' [Mackenzie] definitely does it in a way that's very visceral, very alive with energy."

Bell clearly put a great deal of thought into his title role in "Mister Foe": his motivations before, during and after the film. The complex story involves a young man struggling to understand the death of his mother, touching on voyeurism, suicide and Oedipal themes. "I don't think it's going to gross $40 million in its opening weekend," he said with a smile. "Even in England to some extent it was, 'That's really pushing boundaries.' But I enjoy that. It played very well in Germany!"

Although Bell had been working with top-notch directors such as Clint Eastwood and Peter Jackson on major Hollywood projects, he missed nothing in switching back to shoestring cinema.

"Loved it. Really loved it. Working six-day weeks, freezing Scotland," he said, beaming. "Because my first film, 'Billy Elliot,' was such a collaborative, small, communal experience, that's what I'll always prefer, rather than bigger things. If you're a mechanism in a big machine, of course you care and you put your energy into it, but it's not the same as if you are the machine."


In addition to the Times piece, the Hartford Courier also has an article online, but the discussion on Hallam Foe is quite limited alas. Quotage: Bell describes the movie as the "ultimate troubled boy to young man story" but feels his professional arc to grown-up parts will be near completion with the Holocaust epic "Defiance," out in December. "That's very much young boy to man," he says.

BTW: The official Magnolia site for Mister Foe has added a few new theaters where the film will actually be shown on the big screen. List as of now stands thusly:

Opening

9/5/2008
Los Angeles, CA: The Landmark 12
New York, NY: Angelika Film Center

9/12/2008
San Diego, CA: Hillcrest Cinemas
San Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema
Denver, CO: Mayan Theatre
Seattle, WA: Harvard Exit Theatre

9/19/2008
Chicago, IL: Music Box
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema

9/26/2008
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz 5 Movies

10/10/2008
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Gainesville, FL: Hippodrome - Gainesville

10/22/2008
Wilkes-Barre, PA: FM Kirby Center for Performing Arts

Sophia Myles to Promote Mister Foe on Craig Ferguson, Tickets Available for Sept 8th Show

So thanks to her major (and quite well done) fan site, there is word tonight that actress Sophia Myles is due to be a guest on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Show, Monday, September 8.

Now I checked into the site, and discovered that TICKETS TO THIS ARE FREE AND AVAILABLE, so if you are in the LA area and want to catch the live taping of the show with Sophia, you can do so by registering via this link. Available to people ages 17 years and up, you must arrive that day at 3:30pm. Yea it seems early but all of these shows make you get there early-there is a lot of standing in line, but fun chatting to everyone who is excited to see the show and such. I figure there will be a be a good demand (given there is are actually quite a lot of Moonlight fans). Anyway, good luck to all who try for these! Will keep an eye out to see if Jamie or others will be about to do press, not at all confident on that, but hope springs eternal (as witnessed by my refusal to give up and keep on with this blog lol) :)

ps- the other guest is actor Neil Patrick Harris, who is currently doing a great side gig on the Josh Whedon genuis/hilarious Dr. Horrible, which really is funny-this should be a good episode of Ferguson for sure!

*UPDATE: David Germain and the AP have now posted their annual fall movie preview. For those using google alerts, this means you will Mister foe pop up a bit more in the next day, as most papers/tv/websites world wide will carry the accompanying movie list, which includes MISTER FOE, described thusly: "MISTER FOE: A runaway Scottish teen (Jamie Bell) plays Peeping Tom, obsessing on a young woman who resembles his dead mother." David's main piece mentions just mentions Jamie Bell solely in context with the "Defiance" preview, and that film-thanks no doubt to mr. craig- looks like it will be getting loads of press in the coming months, so a plethora of new JB mentions/photos to look forward to for sure!

Mister Hallam Foe Opens in US, Pre-Order Soundtrack

What a long strange trip its been...years in the making, years of following the progress faithfully, almost daily for years, learning growing hoping and waiting- now, now at long last
Mister (Hallam) Foe OPENS TODAY IN THE US!

Screening today for the lucky down in Austin Texas, Mister Foe will be showing in a few locations here in the US. Not quite what I had hoped for of course (in fact pretty much a disappointment I wont be able to travel to one of the cities to see it -wont be in DC for a while and not in New York till end of next month, when Im sure it will be long gone-alas. Perhaps another road trip to Chicago again for it hmmm) Anyway, as of today, the official Mag pic site (and the mister foe mini-site) has ticket info up and the handful of theaters here in the US where you can actually watch this on the big screen over the next few weeks (and eerily the theaters are in places where the film screened earlier this year at various festivals I think too, not all but a few to be certain).

On Screen

Austin, TX: Dobie Theatre

Opening

9/5/2008
Los Angeles, CA: The Landmark 12
New York, NY: Angelika Film Center (6)

9/12/2008
San Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema
Seattle, WA: Harvard Exit Theatre

9/19/2008
Chicago, IL: Music Box
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema

9/26/2008
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz 5 Movies

10/10/2008
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Gainesville, FL: Hippodrome - Gainesville

10/22/2008
Wilkes-Barre, PA: FM Kirby Center for Performing Arts

If you are interested in the fabulous Mister Foe soundtrack, you can pre-order it here at BestBuy, or here via Target.com, and of course the ever reliable Amazon.com, plus Im thinking it might be on iTunes /the Domino site for download when its released here in the states on September 9.


Dear David Mackenzie
Thank you so so much for making this film. Thank you to all the great cast (Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani, Ewan Bremner, and of course Jamie Sives =much love and affection for them all for this film), thanks to the entire crew who worked so hard on the film, and fine folks at Sigma Films, to Peter Jinks for such a good novel (and screenplay) and most especially to Colin Kennedy for the writing the blog so faithfully and letting me and all us diehards who are still hanging on come along for this crazy wild and completely wonderful journey for the last several years now. I've grown so so fond of Hallam; very thrilled that he's finally made it here to our shores at last. Welcome Hallam Foe! Cheers and much affection, S

Press Release Finally Issued on Mister Hallam Foe Preview on HDNet

Even though its been on the Magnolia website for some time, a formal press release finally hit the wires recently about the upcoming sneak preview of Mister Foe on HDNet, Wednesday, September 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Now, while I hope there will be more dates added, the page on the US Mister Hallam Foe distributors website has the actual opening date of the August 22 screening in Austin, Texas, while many websites are still claiming the Sept 5 opening (and dont forget the soundtrack re-issue/issue for US Sept 9). Colin had also updated the front of the official blog with the August date some time ago as well, but no idea if he has any more updates coming with additional dates etc. Still thinking the best bet for most to see the film though, will be thru Netflix in November of this year.

While not everyone will be able to access the HDNet channel, this is one I actually can get and will remain firmly planted in front of the tv that night lol-perhaps I should haul out all the badger stuff I can find and have my own wee premiere party lol *sigh*
Right, here's what the release said:

HDNet Movies presents a special Sneak Preview of the movie MISTER FOE, starring Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Jumper), Sophia Myles (Underworld) and Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black). MISTER FOE premieres exclusively on HDNet Movies Wednesday, September 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Philip French of The Observer (UK) calls MISTER FOE " ... Erotic, well-acted and beautifully photographed," while Wendy Ide of The Times (London) says "The originality of this unexpectedly upbeat rites-of-passage film is a breath of fresh air."

In MISTER FOE Hallam Foe (Jamie Bell) is a troubled young man whose knack for voyeurism paradoxically reveals his darkest fears, and his most peculiar desires. Driven to expose the true cause of his mother's death, he instead finds himself searching the rooftops of the city of Edinburgh for love.

Directed and co-written by David Mackenzie, MISTER FOE is a darkly twisted, entertaining work of magical realism from one of the leading lights of new Scottish cinema.

MISTER FOE is the latest installment in the HDNet Movies "Sneak Preview" series. Only HDNet Movies presents these exclusive "Sneak Previews" of films to viewers before they premiere in theaters. All Sneak Preview films are free to HDNet Movies subscribers.

MISTER FOE premieres on HDNet Movies on Wednesday, September 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET with encore presentations at 9:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. ET.

As a reminder too (just like last month) here are the dates posted on the Magpics site

8/22/2008
Austin, TX: Dobie Theatre

9/5/2008
Los Angeles, CA: The Landmark 12
New York, NY: Angelika Film Center (6)

9/12/2008
San Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema
Seattle, WA: Harvard Exit Theatre

9/19/2008
Chicago, IL: Music Box

10/10/2008
Gainesville, FL: Hippodrome - Gainesville

10/22/2008
Wilkes-Barre, PA: FM Kirby Center for Performing Arts

Mister Foe is directed by the wonderful David Mackenzie, and stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Claire Forlani, Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Sives among many others. This film is very good, please give it a chance! If you are new and just learning about this movie, be sure to check out Colin's blog he wrote covering the filming of the movie, plus the official Hallam Foe YouTube channel for some great videos including one of my favorite trailers ever, the teaser trailer (and yea given that Jamie Sives features in it prominently probably has a lot to do why I think its fab too ;)