Tuesday, January 30, 2018

A late start



It's a new year, and I think it's past time for a new post. Too much to catch up on since last time, so let's make it simple with some outtakes from the recent NY Times Jake interview.





The interview seemed like part of a last-minute, fruitless push for Jake and Stronger to get some awards traction. Like most of the promotion for Stronger, it didn't do much.

A shame, because the movie and Jake deserved so much more. As many people agreed.

Eric D. Snider‏ Verified account @EricDSnider
Just realizing Jake Gyllenhaal isn't nominated for Best Actor. I haven't seen the Denzel movie, but I know Jake's performance was better.

Indiewire:
David Gordon Green’s “Stronger” was an acting powerhouse that could’ve made any of its performers a nominee this year, from Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role to Tatiana Maslany and Miranda Richardson.

Variety
Dear Academy: Don't overlook these great performances
First and foremost, there are a few contenders that seemed strong coming into the season, but have somehow been all but forgotten. Take Jake Gyllenhaal in “Stronger.” Here is one of the year’s most critically acclaimed films (93% on Rotten Tomatoes), dealing in a well-worn, Oscar-friendly genre (a biopic centered on a disabled person who beats the odds), featuring another great turn from an actor who has delivered a number of awards-caliber performances lately that have gone unrecognized by the Academy (“Prisoners,” “Nightcrawler,” “End of Watch”). What’s it going to take to put his name on the ballot?

But let's not get bogged down. 2018 got off to a strong start for Jake, as Wildlife premiered at Sundance to very good reviews.

Carey Mulligan got most of the heat, but Jake's turn was lauded, as well.

Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
An exceptionally sensitive portrait of a marriage headed off the rails, beautifully acted by Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal and impeccably directed by actor Paul Dano.

NPR
Kenneth Turan again
Yeah, there are two others that I really liked. One is called "Wildlife." It's the first directing for Paul Dano. He's an actor who people will probably remember from "Little Miss Sunshine." He played the young Brian Wilson in "Love & Mercy." He's taken a Richard Ford novel - this is a novel about a marriage kind of slowly falling apart. The co-stars are Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal. It just was a pleasure to experience this film.

Variety
Owen Gleiberman
Paul Dano, in his directorial debut, stages an artfully deliberate small-town saga, with Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal as haunted parents.
Jerry is a man who likes his beer, and though we never see him flat-out drunk, Gyllenhaal gives him the self-pitying short fuse of an alcoholic; he’s like a Don Draper who never made it to the city. Jerry blames everyone else for his problems, and he has too much misplaced pride to even take his job back when it’s offered to him.

The Film Stage
Jordan Raup
Gyllenhaal’s role may be minor, but his missing presence is certainly felt, and when his inexorable return occurs, and the cards are laid on the table, his brings an unexpected ferocity. In fact, so much so that the climax can feel rushed compared to the patient touch Dano had previously built up.

The New Yorker
David Edelstein
I like Gyllenhaal better here than in his showier roles. He hasn’t completely figured out Jerry, which I mean as a high compliment — Gyllenhaal sometimes pins his characters down too much. The key is that Jerry hasn’t figured himself out. He wanted to be a pro golfer, he wanted to be a big man, and he has shrunk to nothing in his own eyes. Seizing on the job of a faceless auxiliary firefighter living in tents alongside other men (many of them long jobless) is a way of burning off his ego as a start for reinventing himself. He works wonderfully with Oxenbould, who’s the opposite of your standard coming-of-age juvenile.

The Young Folks
Katey Stoetzel
Based on the synopsis, I was expecting Gyllenhaal’s presence to be minimal but was pleasantly surprised to find how much of the film he’s in. His earnest portrayal of a down-on-his-luck father and husband led by his pride is interesting and heartfelt.

Jon Frosch
I liked Paul Dano’s WILDLIFE a lot, even if it often feels self-consciously cautious and controlled. Mulligan and Gyllenhaal both excellent; Ed Oxenbould even better.

Nick Johnston @onlysaysficus
WILDLIFE: Oscillated between poles on this one while watching, but it’s ultimately a heartbreaking portrait of the collapse of a family. Dano’s got skills, especially with his actors and his staging. #Sundance18

Also Mulligan is brilliantly upsetting, and one scene with Gyllenhaal and his kid made me shed tears. “Grown men love each other, too.”

Assorted tweets:

WILDLIFE is so quietly devastating. Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ed Oxenbould are pitch-perfect. Paul Dano is not only one of my favorite actors today, but now one of the most exciting directors. #Sundance18

WILDLIFE stunning debut! Paul Dano filmmaker is also great. A hard but very well written drama of a family falling to pieces, emotional and very powerful. Jake Gyllenhaal Super but my girlfriend Carey Mulligan is extraordinary! The best of #Sundance now 👌🏼

Man.Paul Dano’s #Wildlife. Beautiful. Jake Gyllenhall & *Carey Mulligan* supreme. A film about many things, but perhaps central: what no ££ does to relationships, families... and yet .. how wealth gilds over disconnect. Ambiguous enough to leave hope ✅

(Photo Credit Bryan Derballa for The New York Times)

161 comments:

UltraViolet said...

The post is scattershot, but at least it's from this year!

I'll try to go back and add links to the reviews. There was a review that had a great snippet about a scene between Jake and Ed Oxenbould, but I can't seem to find it.

BlueJean said...

Yeah, a new post! Thanks UV! Happy new year! ;) :D

I love the pictures!

Diana said...

Thanx for the new post, UV! Nice choice of photos!

The latest country where Stronger opened in cinemas is Mexico. It´s made $362,673 since Jan 4th, the highest gross in a foreign country so far.

I am wondering if Jake does any more promo for Stronger in foreign countries, but I doubt it. It still upsets me that it didn´t do better. Life goes on!

I´m happy for the team of Wildlife that it got so many good reviews. As far as I´ve heard it hasn´t been picked up by a distributor yet. I hope that´s going to change soon.

bobbyanna said...

thanks, UV! I'm really enjoying all the great reviews for Wildfire. I'm spoiled enough to expect great reviews for Jake, and for Carrie Mulligan, but I was also pleasantly surprised at the raves for Paul Dano's direction. Hopefully Wildfire will get distributed and promoted better than Stronger was.

I hate to be nit picky, but I wish they would have acknowledged Zoe Kazan, Dano's life partner for co-writing the screenplay with him, based on Ford's book. She's such an accomplished actress, (I loved her Emily in The Big Sick!) people forget she's also a playwright and a screenwriter.

P.S. completely off topic, but here in the U.S. tonight, a lot of us will be watching movies on cable or netflix, or Amazon Prime.....; )

Diana said...

I was wondering... the Los Angeles Times has posted snippets of their interview series "the envelope roundtable" with Jake, Hugh Jackman, Jeremy Renner, Gary Oldman, Timothy Chalamet and James Franco. I thought these short cut-outs were kind of teasers for the whole thing, but I haven´t found it anywhere yet.

Any ideas where to find more or do you think it just hasn´t been published yet?

Chica said...

New post! Love all the new pics. Still pissed that Jake was snubbed again, he was brilliant in Stronger.

UltraViolet said...

Okay, get ready for a tweet/FB dump. I need to close my browsers on all these things, lol!

Jan 28
Ladies of NYC: you can't just casually announce in the women's restroom that you just saw Jake Gyllenhaal unless you're prepared to reveal precisely when and where. It's just good manners.

Ralphjayala @Ralphj86 7 Dec 2017
I am on the far left of this still picture. This is from the movie �� Stronger. We had to meet with director to see if we could handle being in this graphic scene. I sat next and spoke to Jake gyllenhaal for 4 days and saw how this brother got into character, he is an amazing.

@ChrissyCilento 20 Dec 2017
does it make sense that this pack of socks being sold at a roadside market in rural Laos has Jake Gyllenhaal from Brokeback Mountain advertising them? no. does it need to make sense? no.

Jan 20
Scientific fact..if Jake Gyllanhal smiles at you as he walks by, all the snow melts off of you.


Funny exchanges:

7:35 PM - 29 Jan 2018
So @ladyoftheNazgul saw Jake Gyllenhaal on the MTA and I’m so jealous I’m crying

holy shit

Can report that his face is an goddamn inspiration

Mariano G.G. ���� �� ���� ✨

i would’ve cried


And another:

I saw Jake Gyllenhaal today and I came away feeling very bad about the way I look, and the way I dress, and the way I talk, and the way I am.

OMG I love him so so so much. Where did you see him?

At his MOOOVIE premiere.

he was sat across from us at a restaurant in nyc and i’ve never felt less like a man


OH HI JAKE GYLLENHAAL
December 8
Yeah. This was fun. Photographed for @thewrap by moi #������ courtesy of the lovely @guerin_ad and @tatertatloveslu. Assist by @caseymathewson Styling by @mjonf. Grooming by @losigrooming #womenphotograph check out @strongerthefilm about Jeff Bauman, Boston Marathon bombing survivor.


NY Times Jake photo
Jake Gyllenhaal was the actor I was most excited to work with for the @nytmag Great Performers- Year of Horror He was very polite and really into the makeup collaboration. He had great ideas, watching his performance live was a highlight of this whole experience. I recently watched Stronger, the film where he plays the man from Boston who has his legs blown off in the Boston Marathon bombing. This hit close to home as I am from the greater Boston area, and I can see why people are applauding Jake's performance.

Amputees review Stronger

From Facebook:

Then saw Wildfire directed by Paul Dano (and co-written with his Zoe Kazan) - world's cutest couple....Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan are great - it is a really authentic look at a family and the flaws it can have. (leaving the theater, I walked past Jake...looked up...he smiled...I can die happy now.)....so, y'know....not a bad day

And more:

Fifth movie. This was excellent. Both Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal were awesome. Bittersweet story.

First movie at Sundance (for me) turned out to be a great one - Paul Danto’s directorial debut - WILDLIFE - beautifully nuanced - with searing performances from Carey Mulligan, Bill Camp and Jake Gyllenhaal - and a relative newcomer - Ed Oxenbould! Should be a real awards contender come fall!

UltraViolet said...

Part Two:

Hero:

Danielle Solzman was at Sundance‏ @DanielleSATM 12:00 AM - 21 Jan 2018
No photos but I met Jake Gyllenhaal tonight at the party and mentioned that I have been voting for him all season long @StrongerTheFilm #Stronger #Sundance

Lydia Snapper‏ @bendandSNAPPER 5:31 PM - 20 Jan 2018
I’ve been around Jake Gyllenhaal a fair amount of times over the past few months but each and every time I am truly in awe of how fantastic his hair is.


Too long to cut and paste, but some very funny replies about seeing Jake here and here:

update: I have lived in New York for 2.5 years and I still haven't seen Jake Gyllenhaal

where do I apply to my rent refunded because this whole city is a lie


Another funny exchange:

For those of you who missed the debut of the beautiful and brilliant @joanwalsh on @CNN with @jaketapper, you can find it here! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VogPAhrbdnc …

With all due respect, this is a lovely shoutout but we wouldn’t characterize a man appearing for the first time as “beautiful”. @joanwalsh is smart and insightful. Let’s talk about that. And maybe you mean she’s beautiful on the inside but if so, then specify.

With all due respect, she’s my sister!

@jaketapper
You say that as if your sister has any right to compliment you, and as if your sister knows you better than some random person on twitter knows you. OUTRAGE

call me old fashioned, but I wouldn't characterize any man as "beautiful", first time or hundredth.

Jake Tapper‏Verified account @jaketapper
not even Jake Gyllenhaal?


And finally, there are no words for this.

What editor allowed that?!

Diana said...

Wow, UV, that´s a lot!

So Jake is going to start shooting with Dan Gilroy in March. When Jake talks about Nightcrawler he often says that he learned the script like a play because it was so well written. I am wondering whether he does the same with this script? He said in an interview that he was completely blown away by the script, just like it had been with Nightcrawler (interview: dp/30 Jake Gyllenhaal - Stronger

I wish I could read the script....

BlueJean said...

"I have lived in New York for 2.5 years and I still haven't seen Jake Gyllenhaal"

LOL!

Diana said...

BJ, I laughed at that, too!!

There are a lot of postings about Stronger on twitter, it´s opening in France tomorrow.

UltraViolet said...

There are a lot of French tweets. I hope it does well there.

Thanks for appreciating that twitter exchange. I find these things so amusing - it's nice to know I'm not alone!

Diana said...

Oh those twitter exchanges can be real fun! I love searching for them. Some make me cringe but others are just soooo funny!

Shame I don´t speak French, and google translate is..... let´s not talk about it *lol*

UltraViolet said...

LOL - Google translate helps but only so much.

Great interview with Donald Mowat. Love this part:

And it has hauntingly realistic injury detail in it. What sort of demands did the work on that film entail?
Well, it’s funny you should bring it up, because yesterday, we were finishing First Man in Cape Canaveral in Florida. And I flew back, Orlando to L.A., and I watched Stronger. I’ve seen it before.

And I was so upset that Stronger didn’t get more attention or that it didn’t do better. I don’t know why, I’m not a producer, I shouldn’t really care, but it really bothered me. I’m actually really bothered that Jake’s not nominated for an Oscar.

Oh, he was wonderful in it, yeah.
I’m also really disappointed that he wasn’t nominated for a BAFTA for it, and I don’t really know how it was released in the UK.

We only showed it for a couple of weeks, it wasn’t out very long.
I don’t know what happened, people say it may have been the timing, the message, the bombing – I don’t know, I mean, that may or may not be true. What I do know is that I had one of the best professional experiences of my career on that film.

So I just feel a little bit hurt for everybody because I was there, I know what went into it. I thought Jake was tremendous. That character, Jeff Bauman, I am absolutely in awe of the respect I have for him.

I can’t even really explain it to anybody, it brings me to tears because of the courage involved to do that make-up. Doing Tatiana [Maslany] and Miranda [Richardson], and then Jake was just, it was fantastic. Everybody wanted to do it right and to do justice to the story and I had to replicate his amputations, and I was so deeply moved by meeting his surgeon. We recreated the whole Boston Bombing.

And I felt like the film wasn’t really about that, it was another story altogether which I think the press failed to get across, even in the television advertising. I think if they’d had another approach, people would have seen it as a story of great courage and survival and inspiration. I’m just so proud of the film, I can’t say enough about it. (Laughing) So, people will probably think I own shares in the studio or something and I’m trying to recoup money. But I watched it on the plane and I actually cried, and I’m not that person.

I felt that this film didn’t get a fair shake, and I really believe that. But the look of Jake, when Jeff’s nurses, they had cameos in the film, when they said to me, “Whatever you did to him, that is exactly how it looked”, I was so touched and flattered, and I felt honoured that I’d recreated something like that. Things like the colour of his skin, you know, the morphine-induced look. Everything about him and the way he looked, I was really happy, and as for the legs, we had some VFX that were very good. We brought in this company from Montreal who had done a film with Marion Cotillard called Rust and Bone.

So we brought them in to do the leg removals with the green stockings, but we have a couple of sequences where his legs are buried in the mattress in the hospital.

Oh yeah, the old school approach.
Old school, yeah. He was, you know, boiling hot in there and we had these stumps made that kinda went on like a pair of underpants that hold up and snap right on his knees. And I thought they were very good and my team made those. I was just very proud of it. And Jeff Baum, well, he’s just so concerned for other people, and I’d been really ill in the Summer with a heart thing, and Jeff was like, so concerned about me and I was like, “But you had your legs blown off.”

It was at the premiere, actually, at the Toronto Film Festival. Jake said to him, “I hear Don’s been having some trouble”, and right away, Jeff Bauman, on those titanium legs, came rushing over to me to make sure I was OK.


That sums up the way so many of us feel, I think. It's sad that the movie and Jake's performance have been so under-appreciated.

Diana said...

It really does! Reading this interview I thought that Donald wanted to talk some more about Stronger but got sort of cut off because it should mainly be about BR2049!

There is some news on the Jake front, seems like Jake has signed on a new project:

Jake Gyllenhaal, Ansel Elgort, Zendaya to Star in Crime Drama 'Finest Kind'

His IMDb page is not up to date - it still says "untitled Dan Gilroy project"

Anonymous said...

Would be cool if Jake shows up at the Calvin Klein show at NYFW.

Glad he has another new project and that his company is producing, but, eugh, Ansel Elgort.

BlueJean said...

"That sums up the way so many of us feel, I think. It's sad that the movie and Jake's performance have been so under-appreciated."

Absolutely.

Anonymous said...

He's in London

Hagen said...

Glad he has another new project and that his company is producing, but, eugh, Ansel Elgort.

It's probably a wise move to produce a more commercial movie than "Stronger" to get his production company back on track.

BlueJean said...

Just watched the German trailer for "Stronger'. They misspelled Jake's name in it! WTF :( :( ;)

https://www.film.tv/pressemeldungen/2018/stronger-erster-trailer-mit-jake-gyllenhaal-39543.html

Diana said...

Oh that misspelling makes me so mad! I´ve just posted on Studiocanal´s youtube page but I don´t think they´re going to correct it. How nonprofessional is this??

Funny that Jake was seen at a restaurant in London that I am very likely going to in may!

BlueJean said...

"How nonprofessional is this??"

Very! ;) I've just posted on their page as well. That'll teach them! :)

Hagen said...

Good news for "Wildlife":

Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan Drama ‘Wildlife’ Sells to IFC Films

IFC Films is planning a fall theatrical release and a 2018 awards campaign for the film that had its premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival last month. The movie tells the story of a boy who watches his parents’ marriage crumble after his mother falls in love with another man (The Wrap).


I suppose the film is rather an awards vehicle for Carey Mulligan than Jake. It'll probably be a niche release given its distributor (IFC Films). However a theatrical release is a success for Paul Dano's directorial debut.

UltraViolet said...

I'm glad Wildlife got a distributor. And it seems like a Mulligan vehicle so we won't have to agonize over Jake's awards chances.

Not crazy about Ansel Elgort. Don't know much about Zendaya. I hope this is the Helgeland of LA Confidential and not Legend. And as has been said, it would be good for Jake to have a hit. Fingers crossed on all fronts.

BlueJean said...

"... we won't have to agonize over Jake's awards chances."

Hm. I know what you mean UV, but... :/ Isn't it sad that we all prepare ourselves for another disappointment as far as Jake's awards chances are concerned? And 'Wildlife' isn't even out yet. I don't even want to get too exited about Jake's performance in it, although I know he'll be good. It's so disheartening.

Diana said...

I would be so happy for Jake if he would win an award, but I´m trying not to look at every film thinking "could this be the one"? Somehow it´s hard not to!

I think we all want him to participate in good movies and that these movies are commercially successfull and critically acclaimed. Awards are nice but when the movie isn´t accepted by an audience and doesn´t make enough money to cover the costs what are these awards worth then? Jake said himself "why do you make movies? Because you want people to see them".

Talking about box office results, does the box office mojo site stop to update at some point? Stronger came out in France last week and it´s not even on the list.... and I´m still looking for some some video footage of "The Envelope" with Jake. I still couldn´t find anything. I was under the impression that the clips that came out were shot from multiple angles so I thought why this effort for just a few short clips? I was pretty sure there is more... but maybe I´m wrong and it´s just print?

BlueJean said...

"I´m trying not to look at every film thinking "could this be the one"?"

Same here, Diana. I'm very well aware that not every movie is a masterpiece and not every performance can be awards-worthy. It's just that Jake has been doing some of his best work over the last years and it sucks that other actors get nominated for lesser / less interesting performances IMO. I still don't understand why 'Stronger' didn't do better.

BUT...: they corrected Jake's name in the German trailer (and removed our comments) ;) :)

bobbyanna said...

I'm just grateful Jake's making so many movies and most of them are so good! I remember after Brokeback Mountain it seemed like his career slowed down and he was only doing one or two projects at a time and his IMDB roster was spare. I was so glad he changed agencies. CAA was doing nothing for him, and things seem to have improved since he joined WME. The fact that he gets talked about so much when awards season approaches is a good sign. He works with some excellent directors and he is humming along with his own production company, so I'm happy for him. Sure I'd like to see his peers acknowledge his work. But it's not something I'm going to worry about. There are too many positives to focus on "glass half empty."

Diana said...

they corrected Jake's name in the German trailer (and removed our comments) ;) :)

Seriously?? We made an impact! *high-pinky*

bobbyanna, I agree with you. He´s busy, he gets talked about, and those directors wouldn´t choose him if he weren´t good so that´s all fine.

And let´s be honest, there are some really really good actors out there who have been in the business for much longer than Jake and still haven´t been rewarded with an Academy Award! To be honest I am more focused on the commercial success, like I said, a movie should make enough money to cover the costs, ideally more than that, of course. That makes sure Jake can still carry on working. And that´s what I want - more movies :)

Someone should lock him up in a theater every now and then, though, and not let him out unless he´s performed on stage..... next time he´s in London, could someone please take his passport away from him for this matter? *lol*

BlueJean said...

You're both right, of course. We should be happy Jake has so much work. And he's doing so well! You know, usually I don't even care about awards at all. I guess this time I had to get it off my chest somehow ;) And there's no better place to talk about it than here - people who understand.

"We made an impact!"

Yes, we did! :) *proud*

bobbyanna said...

Oh, I agree with you. The commercial success, the box office really seems problematic. Stronger is a perfect example. It sort of illustrates the problem perfectly. The comments by Donald Mowat were absolute truth! Here you had a well written, beautifully directed, compelling story, and the acting was simply outstanding from every cast member while Jake completely disappeared into his character taking it to another level. And yet it was all but ignored and dismissed. We can blame the distributors and the marketing, but the fact that it was a commercial failure had to hurt everyone involved. I'm hoping for better days. Stronger deserved better. It certainly would have boosted box office if Jake had gotten the acknowledgement he deserved. Too bad the "powers that be" decided not to back a more aggressive push. When I think of that too much I get angry....: ) so I try to stay positive.

BlueJean said...

I'll try, too :) Thanks, bobbyanna.

Anonymous said...

Is Jake at Berlinale 2018? There is a photo on ig by jasnaftitzibauer. Idk how to post it here, I guess it is recent? Has anyone seen any posts about him on twitter maybe?

Anonymous said...

I think he is back in NYC. He was a juror at the Berlinale a few years ago.

Diana said...

Here is the link:

Jasna Fritzi Bauer / instagram

It looks pretty much like Jake is there! I am wondering - maybe for Hondros? I doubt it is for Stronger, even though... THAT could be. Promoting maybe? It would come in handy as he´s in Europe anyway right now, and the movie comes out in April over here.

I´ll have to keep a close eye on social media, maybe he´s doing some interviews, too.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he is there with Paul Dano for Wildlife?

Diana said...

HA! Family meet-up! Jeff Daniels und Peter Sarsgaard will present the Miniseries "The Looming Tower" on tuesday.

I had a quick look at the program, Stronger, Hondros or Wildlife are not in the list.

UltraViolet said...

That looks like an old photo, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

Spotted at LAX

Anonymous said...

Chris Fischer married Amy Schumer, so I bet (I hope!) Jake was at the wedding. It was in LA.

EFK said...

Jake was at the wedding in Malibu. He must have gone from London to LA/Malibu. I agree with UV that picture from Berlin looks old. But it seems like it was thrown together quickly so who knows lol.

Surprise! Amy Schumer and chef Chris Fischer are married!

"The two tied the knot in a private ceremony in Malibu on Tuesday, a source has confirmed to PEOPLE.

Schumer and Fischer exchanged vows in front of about 80 people, including Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jennifer Lawrence, Larry David and David Spade."

Diana said...

It´s just unlikely that he was in London, then in LA and now in Berlin. And since the Berlinale opened TODAY I think it must be an older photo. So just forget about everything I posted *lol* The only thing that was right was the fact that Peter presents this mini-series.

It´s nice to hear Jake went to a wedding! All the best for Amy and Chris!

Anonymous said...

Aww. Amy just posted an Instagram story with Chris and Jake some other of his best men. Jake by his side. :)

Anonymous said...

That Berlin photo is old. Google Jake at the Berlin Film Festival and in that instagram photo he looks identical to how he did when he was there in 2012, even down to his suit. Compare it to that photo from Amy and Chris' wedding this week and he looks very different now.

Anonymous said...

also, MSBCMC placed herself in Berlin with Jake and he's not even there, LOL

UltraViolet said...

That is funny!

Wedding photo.

Congrats to Amy and Chris!

Anonymous said...

There was a tweet that said they were at a gym in Berlin on 2-14-18 and Jake was there.

MSBCMC, how can she still exist?? I don’t get her. She posts fake things and people still believe her. Why does she do it???

Anonymous said...

she does it for attention and the few people who believe she has a connection to jake.

UltraViolet said...

No need for an extended conversation about this, thanks!

Anonymous said...

I know, I’m sorry for bringing it up. You guys are the only ones I can vent to about it. On occasion it just gets to me.

Anonymous said...

Lovely looking wedding :) Congrats to the couple!

Would be really cool if Jake was the one who introduced them. Although some reports say that Chris's sister is Amy's assistant but it's unconfirmed. Sounds destined to be if both are true.

I hope this happens for Jake soon. He seems to want it. I can picture him marrying someone in the industry but not an actress - like a sreenwriter or something similar.

Monica said...

Stronger opened Friday in my country, but only in some cities, as always, not in mine.

BlueJean said...

Is that the Chris who is a childhood friend of Jake's?

Anonymous said...

Yes. He would visit Chris at Martha’s Vineyard and they have cooked together. Chris also used to date Jake’s other best friend, Greta!

Really? said...

How do you know Chris and Greta dated?

Anonymous said...

I read it in a interview Chris did about his farm and restaurant.

UltraViolet said...

Enough of the Greta and Chris show. No one really knows who, when or why about their lives.

More importantly: Monica, can you get to a nearby city to see Stronger?

Jake Gyllenhaal, James Corden, Mark Hamill to Headline Net-a-Porter's "Letters Live" L.A. Event:

Talk about a star-studded stateside welcome.

For its first-ever U.S. event, Letters Live — a literary program launched in the U.K. which enlists A-list talent to read and perform correspondence from iconic historical figures — has recruited the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Anjelica Huston, James Corden and Minnie Driver to star in its upcoming show in Los Angeles in partnership with Net-a-Porter and Mr. Porter.

The best part — the show is open to the public, and tickets ($50-$200) can be purchased online now. Net proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to women's charities 826LA, an organization dedicated to supporting students with creative and expository writing skills, and Women for Women International, a charity which supports women survivors of war living in some of the world’s most dangerous places to rebuild their lives and inspire hope for the future. ...

Past performers have included Tom Hiddleston, Jude Law, Sally Hawkins and other It-Brits, who read letters written by notables you may have heard of like David Bowie and Mohandas Gandhi. From Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin to Charlotte Bronte and Abraham Lincoln, the diverse authors make for a surely entertaining evening.

STFU said...

https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2009/08/27/private-chef-hustles-grow-gather-and-grill-island-meals

The next stop is the family farm at Beetlebung Corner, for fresh vegetables. Founded by his grandfather, Ollie Fischer Jr., who is in his nineties and can still be found tending his vegetable gardens on any given afternoon, Beetlebung Farm has been in the family for 40 years. Ollie’s daughter, Marie Scott, maintains gardens and a farm stand on the property, and Chris himself also keeps several gardens there, where with the help of his girlfriend, dark-eyed Greta Caruso, he harvests cabbage, kale, peas, fava beans and potatoes for sale and for his cooking.

bobbyanna said...

Wow calling people "fucking idiot" or liar, and disrespecting the owner/moderator of the blog, by continuing to belabor a topic after they've closed discussion? etc. Since when do we treat people that way? And on a fan blog at that! There is no place here for that kind of meanness. Not here. There are plenty of other places on the internet where that deplorable behavior might be acceptable but IMO some of you took a wrong turn by bringing that here.

Anonymous said...

I second that

UltraViolet said...

Thanks, Bobbyanna and anon. I deleted the profane troll, though I'm sure they'll be back.

Let's move on from this non-fascinating topic!

Monica said...

Monica, can you get to a nearby city to see Stronger?

No, unfortunately Brazil is very big. Only in the state in which I live, would take me more than one day to go in some cities.
I'm used to seeing his movies on the small screen.

Diana said...

Monica, that´s a shame! I´ve only seen Jake once on the big screen, but I have to admit with some movies I prefer to watch them at home. I cannot watch thrillers or horror at the cinema, that gives me nightmares for days!

I think I will have to drive to another city (again) to see Stronger on the big screen once more. I hope to drag some friends along!

UltraViolet said...

I know Brazil is big, Monica :) I wish it were a little smaller, Jakewise.

Those of us who can are very lucky to be able to see his movies on the big screen.

This is apropos of nothing, but it made me laugh. Found in a google search for something else, from an interview with Will Forte:

ELLE: What male SNL host has made the female cast members most flustered?
WF: Jake Gyllenhaal. Not only did every woman have a crush on him, it seemed like there were a lot of dude crushes, too.


Random tweets and news:

I asked Insta but I gotta ask Twitter too: have you ever met a celebrity or seen one in public?

I was in a hot yoga class with Jake Gyllenhaal a few years ago. I don’t know if I did any poses cause I was very distracted. He is radiant


Story about The Helicopter, sadly in Swedish. Well, sad for those of us who don't speak Swedish. The gist of the excerpt is that the author went to meet Jake after Sunday in the Park, but Jake took too long grooming his beard so he left.

I feel you, Helicopter Man.

BlueJean said...

"Jake took too long grooming his beard so he left."

LOL! That's hilarious! :) I can totally picture that!

Anonymous said...

Twitter:

@MegTohill1 Found out recently a distant cousin is dating Jake Gyllenhaal and I would just like to say EXCUSE ME?!

EFK said...

A short video of Jake and Timothee Chalamet talking on a red carpet. Even though Jake didn't go to the Golden Globes it looks like it was at an Instyle Globes after party. I hope they work together some day.

Anonymous said...

So I think I’ve seen these twitter posts before about “Jake Gyllenhaal is dating my sister...” or “Jake Gyllenhaal just waited for my sister outside a gym....” - I wonder how much of it is real? I don’t know if Jake would date just a average woman or like that their family is already posting about it on twitter lol. I read that when Jake was trying to find dates he had a lot of specifics of what he was looking for. People online do make up things all the time or embellish. Does anyone remember those previous tweets I mentioned?

Anonymous said...

Someone replied to her and asked why she was posting this publicly but not replying to anyone, said maybe you are looking for attention because that seems shady. I kinda think so too, like you are looking for attention from your friends and make a little post. I don’t know, Jake has been seen at many places with no female so either not real or a hookup? She shouldn’t have posted that on social media though, she knew people would see it.

UltraViolet said...

No one here knows whom Jake is dating, if anyone. Even the profane troll doesn't know. No need to speculate on vague posts like those or why someone would post them.

Looks like a combo of Homer, Donnie and Edward showed up to read at Letters Live tonight.

Lots of raves for the event and the readers. Not a lot of specifics about Jake's letter, but there is a brief video. A b&w photo from Greg Williams with a link to an app to see more from the show. And this:

Had the divine pleasure of seeing @letterslive this evening. All of the performers were spectacular. Notably, #JakeGyllenhaal makes for a great Texan, @HamillHimself can speak fluent speak, and @aishatyler is so humble.

UltraViolet said...

Slightly better photo

Diana said...

There are quite a few good photos on instagram now. I hope #letterslive will upload at least SOME filmed footage from the event, and I´m not just looking for Jake´s part.

I have also checked some photos of the venue, just wow! One could say a little bit too much here and there, but anyway.... I´d love to see it and also to see a performance there! Old buildings have such a unique atmosphere. Just thinking of what it was like to walk into the Hudson theatre last year gives me chills!

BlueJean said...

"Homer, Donnie and Edward"

That's so true! :) He looks so young! How does he do it? ;)

Anonymous said...

He looks tired/sad.

EFK said...

Thanks for all the updates from last night's event! Sounds like it was great. Hope there will be more video/pics. Wow Jake looks so young with that new haircut! Amazing.

UltraViolet said...

This may sound strange but I didn’t expect Jake Gyllenhaal to be so...big! Like I always pictured him as this scrawny guy, but he’s got some meat on him. And that’s all I’ll say since I’m a married woman 😉

From a description of the evening:

The evening was wonderful (although it started 1 1/2 hours after I thought it was supposed to start). Highlights included James Corden reading screenwriter Robert Pirosh's letter to studios to trying to get a meeting (It starts "I like words" in case you want to look it up). Other highlights were Isla Fisher reading an insulting letter to Continental Airlines management about her seat...29E (next to and almost in the bathroom), Jake Gyllenhall reading a brilliant letter to the Secretary of State called "The Not Rearing Hogs Business" discussing the government's payment for farmers not to rear hogs, Mark Hamill reading a letter to the editor from a diagnostic psychiatrist describing why Trump is not mentally ill and describing him so is an insult to those that are.... and Stephen Fry reading a letter from Eveyln Waugh to his wife.

There were also some touching letters such as one from a mother to her daughter right before the mother's execution by Nazis, a love letter from Katherine Hepburn to her long dead Spencer Tracy read by Angelica Houston and another from Richard Fineman to his long deal wife.
The show had a wonderful mix of correspondence. I could have lived without most of the musical numbers (there were 3 of which only this one beat boxer was enjoyable ... in my opinion).. I know I named most above, but the line up was amazing...Stephen Fry, Isla Fisher, Catherine Keener, Angelica Houston, Danny Houston, Jake Gyllanhall, Reggie Watts, Ian McShane, Jarvis Cocker, James Corden.. and more.


I saw another post that said Jake's second reading was a letter from a husband to his deceased wife. I can't find that post.

Larry Kramer, Oscar-nominated screenwriter said...

And the great director George Cukor was more or less openly gay; he was replaced on Gone With the Wind because Clark Gable didn't want a gay guy directing him. George Cukor, of course, was very friendly with Katharine Hepburn. Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were both gay. They were publicly paired together by the studio. Everyone in Hollywood knows this is true, but of course I haven't seen it printed anywhere.

Variety said...

Gyllenhaal was one of the few performers who read multiple letters. The first correspondence he read was a comical letter mocking the government for paying farmers subsidies not to farm. Gyllenhaal’s second note was a letter from a husband to his wife, who died two years earlier from tuberculosis. “I love you so that you stand in my way of loving anyone else,” Gyllenhaal said. “But I want you to stand there. You, dead, are so much better than anyone else alive.”

Unknown said...

Hello, today I saw four videos on YouTube from Sunday in the Park, I don´t know if anyone as posted them before, but I was anxiously waiting to see this, looks so good, if this was already posted please deleted UV!

https://youtu.be/Efdlda7R7GI

https://youtu.be/FVnzfDiz6jI

https://youtu.be/7DoM6vnNodc

https://youtu.be/kfAAg9PIOy0

UltraViolet said...

Paula, I'm late responding to this. Those videos are gorgeous. I hope that person can upload the whole show at some point. I like to hear the applause :)

It's really a shame this the show was not filmed for a general audience. As far as we know, at least.

Thank you for posting those!

Anonymous said...

This instagram account is claiming Jeff Bauman's twitter page isn't really him. Does anyone have any info on this? I always thought it was his page

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf8q25fDnNq/

Anonymous said...

That is Jeff’s Twitter, the people on that ig account are crazy Jake stans. I have correspondence with Jeff on that twitter before the movie even came out because I was a fan of his book. He doesn’t have a verified account because he doesn’t see himself as a celebrity I’m sure. Some of these Jake ig fan pages are just out of control. It is 100% Jeff.

UltraViolet said...

Here is the post from Jeff. From all appearances, this is Jeff's twitter account. There are a lot of public figures without the blue check.

As for the IG accounts, this isn't the place to discuss them.

It was heartening to see all the outcry about Jake's being snubbed by the Oscars lat night. Very sweet of Jeff Bauman to chime in, as well.

One of these days...

Anonymous said...

Sad news Ruthie Ann Miles

bobbyanna said...

The news about Ruthie Ann Miles was so awful. Apparently there is a gofundme set up for her and for her friend, who also lost her one yr old son in the accident. Ruthie is in stable condition, and they announced that her unborn baby is unharmed.They are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Anonymous said...

Broadway Star Ruthie Ann Miles Injured, 4-Year-Old Daughter Killed In Car Crash

Ruthie Ann Miles is going through something that no living being should go. My heart bleeds for her, and I'm sure Jake is heartbroken, too. Ruthie, Ashley Park, and Jake stayed close ever since SITPWG ended. They were at his Christmas and birthday parties... Oscars and showbiz machinations be damned - life and health are the most precious gifts of all.

Sweet angel

Diana said...

I read the news about Ruthie Ann Miles and her friend Lauren Lew before I went to bed last night and I can´t get it out of my head.

There is nothing worse I can imagine than losing a child. It happens every day, everywhere, and it´s breaking my heart. Noone should have to go through this.

UltraViolet said...

It is desperately sad. I can't even think about it for too long. I can't imagine the pain the families and loved ones are in. Very heartening to see the Broadway community band together in love and support.

Diana said...

I know from own experience that when something unspeakable like this happens you really tend to feel all alone with your pain. It´s really good to see that so many people reach out and offer support. It doesn´t make the pain go away but it helps to be able to lean on someone who cares.

We have a saying in my language that roughly goes

Shared joy is double joy
Shared pain halves the pain

It´s so true.

UltraViolet said...

That is so true, Diana. I'm sorry for your loss.

The latest update from the GFM page: Ruthie, while still stable but critical, is out of the ICU and is making improvements. Her unborn child is still OK.

Hagen said...

Variety: Netflix’s Dan Gilroy-Jake Gyllenhaal Film Sets Ensemble (EXCLUSIVE)

British actress Zawe Ashton, “Stranger Things” breakout Natalia Dyer, Tony Award nominee Tom Sturridge, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs, Academy Award nominee Toni Collette, and Academy Award nominee John Malkovich have signed on to join Gyllenhaal and Russo in upcoming horror-thriller.

Production is currently underway in Los Angeles, and the movie will bow sometime in 2018.

bobbyanna said...

Good Lord, that's a fantastic cast, thanks, Hagen!!!

Diana said...

Wow, that´s some work ahead of the team, if Netflix wants to release the movie in 2018! Shooting, post-production.... wow!

The cast is amazing!

Anonymous said...

Ha! Internet randomness

Hagen said...

Variety: Cannes Lineup Predictions

Cannes kicks off nine days earlier this year, on May 8, but the official lineup announcement remains under wraps until April 12, which means the guessing games are already underway. Jake Gyllenhaal (“The Sisters Brothers”), Riley Keough (with three films in the mix), and Juliette Binoche are all expected to walk the red carpet, while directors Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”), David Robert Mitchell (“Under the Silver Lake”), and Harmony Korine (“The Beach Bum”) are well positioned to screen in competition for the first time.
...
Political considerations aside, the red carpet craves stars, which bodes well for a handful of high-profile English-language movies, including “The Sisters Brothers,” a violent cat-and-mouse Western featuring Jake Gyllenhaal as the prey and Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly as the bloodthirsty siblings fast on his trail, directed by Palme d’Or winner Jacques Audiard (“Dheepan”).

UltraViolet said...

Thanks for posting that, Hagen. I don't have any idea what the film will be like. But it's always fun to see Jake in Cannes. And the cast for the movie he's shooting now is amazing. Can't wait for more details.

There have been a couple of posts referring to shooting, so it seemed to begin before March 19.

Anon 3/13: That dog thing was everywhere. And amusing.

Hagen said...

There are new pictures of Jake on Just Jared.

I like his current look. :thumbs up:

Anonymous said...

Hagen, I'm also liking the current look, save for this shirt...

Anonymous said...

Any thoughts on Steven Spielberg's contention that movies made for Netflix and movies with limited theatrical release should be ineligible for Oscars/Awards. Spielberg is a mega-billionaire with massive Hollywood influence.

Diana said...

I have thought about that for a while and some changes have to be made, I think. And I mean change in the form of clear(er) rules. We have the Academy Awards and the Emmys for movies. It should be clear that a movie can only participate in one of the competitions. My gut feeling tells me that - if possible - the moviemakers would try to go for the Oscars.

To me, there are not a lot of options, really.

1. A movie should only be able to participate for one of the awards.
2. The theatrical release has to be longer and in more theaters to be able to go to the Oscars

That would be in case both awards are remaining separated. Without above change (especially about the theatrical release) I think the only way to settle this dilemma would be to combine the Emmys and the Oscars and make one award out of it, and I doubt that would happen.

Anonymous said...

Jake's the new face of Cartier :)

Hagen said...

And apparently he's the first celebrity to star in a Cartier campaign (The Hollywood Reporter).

Monica said...

Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it!!

Diana said...

Happy Easter to all of you! And in case you don´t celebrate it - enjoy the extra days off! We´re having a long weekend, last friday and the coming monday being bank holidays. Bliss!

UltraViolet said...

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to all! Are you getting snow with yourEaster eggs, Diane?

There are nicer Cartier watches but that one isn't bad. (I prefer round-face watches.) I wonder why Jake has jumped on the advertising train. I know you've wanted him to do this for years, Bobbyanna :) I hope we get more than these shots for Cartier.

Mary said...

Happy Easter

bobbyanna said...

Happy Easter, and Happy Passover, everyone!

LOL! Yes, UV, I believe advertising products is a good way to raise Jake's visibility between his movie projects. (Matthew McConaughey is on TV every night driving that damned Lincoln.) Now if we can just find him a car commercial....

Plus, if his production company is involved in actually producing the commercials, he gets paid twice. : )

Chica said...

Happy Easter and Passover!

Hagen said...

Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all of you!

Diana said...

UV, there was no snow, but it rained yesterday! Saturday was gorgeous, though. Today it´s all cloudy but I don´t care - I´ve started spring-cleaning and after dinner we´re off to see Black Panther (finally!!!).

Stronger is out in Germany on April 19th - apart form the trailer on youtube I haven´t seen ANY advertising/marketing/promo/whatever-you-want-to-call-it anywhere.

I fear it will very quietly be released in some cinemas for two or three weeks, and then vanish.

UltraViolet said...

That will probably happen, Diana. Sadly. Hope you enjoyed Black Panther!

This is funny. Someone watching old Will & Grace episodes tweeted:

Who knew Will would have Jake Gyllenhaal as his phone screensaver but the question is who is his screensaver 12 years later? @EricMcCormack @WillAndGrace

And Eric McCormack answered:

Like me, Will isn’t sure how to change the settings on his phone, so... probably still Jake Gyllenhaal.

Several posts mentioning filming with Jake on the Dan Gilroy movie. And someone saw Jake at that vegan restaurant on Sunday, but she seems to have taken down her instagram post.

Diana said...

I´ve just seen a posting which says that Velvet Buzzsaw´s release date in the US is October 26th this year.

I have no idea whether this is correct, but I heard 2018 more than once.

Hagen said...

Variety: Jake Gyllenhaal to Produce, Star in Thriller ‘Welcome to Vienna’

Jake Gyllenhaal will produce and star in the thriller “Welcome to Vienna” for Focus Features. The project is based on the Kevin Wignall novel “To Die in Vienna,” which will be published in June by Thomas & Mercer. Gyllenhaal will portray a Vienna-based civilian surveillance contractor for hire who is tracking a Chinese scientist. He interrupts a break-in at his apartment and the intruder escapes, but then comes back and tries to kill him — leading the contractor to believe that the CIA may be trying to kill him.



I don't know the writer but the project sounds intriguing. And Vienna is always a nice background for a movie.

UltraViolet said...

Thanks for posting, Hagen. It does sound intriguing. Jake is "attached" to a lot of projects - it will be interesting to see how many of the movies get made.

Jake was seen at Crossroads again yesterday Definitely the LA CZ!

Anonymous said...

Cartier commerical out now.

He looks good!

Diana said...

Cartier. Jake Gyllenhaal. The Bold Interview.

No further comment.

Spring has finally begun.
The sun comes out.
Tulips and daffodils have welcomed it.
You can feel the earth breathing,
The trees stretching,
The leaves breaking out.
Birds chirp and squirrels hurry around.
Newborn offspring jumps around.
The dark and quiet is over.
A new circle of life begins.

Hagen said...

Jake told CNA Lifestyle that he won't be the next Batman. That's fine with me. There are certainly more interesting roles to play for him.

Anonymous said...

Good luck Chuck Syndrome: Jake's ex, Alyssa Miller, got married in LA yesterday.

UltraViolet said...

Congrats to Alyssa and her husband :) I always liked Alyssa.

Hagen, I'm mostly happy Jake won't be playing Batman. It means I don't have to see the movies, for one thing. I watched The Dark Knight for Heath, but he was the only good thing about it. I really don't have any interest in these comic universes. And we don't have to hear all the whining and criticism.

OTOH, it would certainly have brought a lot of Jake, in movies, interviews, features, fandom, etc. And if it's something Jake still wants to do, I'd be happy for him.

Meanwhile, Jake continues to be spotted in the LA CZ: Crossroads again last week and Blue Bottle.

Diana, spring is still elusive here...

Anonymous said...

I too also always liked Alyssa. She got a lot of flack for nothing. I've since followed her on Instagram and she seems nice.

Diana said...

To a long and happy marriage, Alyssa! Working in the public eye makes it difficult to find the right partner I think, so I´m always happy about news like that!

I always seem to miss the postings about where Jake has been seen *lol* I´m okay if there ARE not any because that makes me (maybe a bit naive) hope that he´s not pestered that much.

UV I´ve started working in my garden again and I am so happy about it! I need to shed some kilos and this is the kind of "workout" I love the most!

I hope there will be news about a theatrical release of Wildlife soon.

Hagen said...

Variety: ‘Wildlife’ With Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan to Headline Cannes Critics’ Week

The Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week, the parallel section dedicated to directors’ first and second films, will open with Paul Dano’s drama “Wildlife” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan. Charles Tesson, the sidebar’s artistic director, described “Wildlife” as a “director-driven film in the vein of Jeff Nichols’ films.” “‘Wildlife’ has a timeless dimension, as well as a social bent because it deals with the struggles of the white working class while also exploring the characters’ emotions with great sensibility,” said Tesson. “Wildlife” is the sole American film set to unspool at this year’s Critics’ Week. The rest of the selection, including the seven titles of the competition lineup, is dominated by European films.


Hopefully European distributors will acquire "Wildlife".

bobbyanna said...

Yaay for Alyssa!! Great news! I check in on her once in a while, too! LOL! She seems like a sweetheart, and I love her photography and her chickens and her cats! .... and her singing... : )

UltraViolet said...

Diana, you almost got your wish - Wildlife news, anyway! I hope this means Jake will go to Cannes. And that, as Hagen said, there will be an international distribution deal.

I don't remember Alyssa getting flack? Anyway, best wishes all around.

Anonymous said...

Cannes Jake would be awesome!

Alyssa had tons of nasty jealous comments on her pics when they first got together. You know how it is as soon as he's linked to someone ;)

UltraViolet said...

Ah, but that's not really worth even mentioning. Just the usual nonsense.

Another fake Jake sighting! Dinner with makeup man Donald Mowat.

Diana said...

UV, Hagen was quicker than me, I was about to post this article but she beat me to it!

I really don´t like it when people get nasty as soon as Jake (or anyone else) has a new girlfriend. It´s difficult enough to find someone and maintain a relationship for anyone, and even harder for people with jobs like Jake has where you don´t have a steady workplace and working hours. And then the "public interest" on top! Thanx.... I don´t get it but well - stupidity and ignorance will unfortunately never die out!

UltraViolet said...

True, but that's why we discourage that kind of talk and that kind of poster here :)

This is very cool:

Boris Becker Verified account @TheBorisBecker
People watch #stronger #JakeGyllenhaal !!! It may change your perspective on life !

BlueJean said...

My (British) copy of 'Stronger' arrived today - thank goodness for eBay. Can't wait to watch it. Hopefully tomorrow evening! :)

Facebook said...

Only in a WeHo trendy coffee place does Jake Gyllenhaal walk in while Vince Vaughn walks out, while a woman with sleeping baby in stroller asks to cut in front of 8 people in line (because she has a thirsty baby).

La La Land earning its name daily.

Diana said...

BJ, I have the dvd (hopefully bluray) of Stronger on my must-have-shopping-list for London in may!

Stronger is screening in 34 cities in Germany from tomorrow! It means some driving for me, the nearest cinema is about 45 km away so I have to sit down and figure out how to do it with my notoriously empty bank account (thanx, stupid house!) and my trip to London ahead of me! PLUS it will be dubbed (of course) and that holds me back quite a bit.

BlueJean said...

Diana, if I were you I'd wait for the bluRay instead - so you won't have to endure the German dubbing at the cinema ;)

I have to say I watched a bit of 'Stronger' already and I had to turn on the British subtitles as some of the dialogue was hard to follow, esp. in the Jeff-at-his-workplace and Jeff's-family scenes. And I don't like Jeff's mother - or the actress who plays her instead. So stereotype! :(

Strangely there's no sign of a DVD / bluRay release of 'Stronger' in the Netherlands. Same thing happened with 'Nightcrawler'. That was never officially released on DVD over here - no joke!

Hagen said...

Fortunately my local arthouse theater will screen "Stronger", the original version in English on Monday.

Diana, Hagen is a male name. ;-)

Diana said...

Nibelungenlied! Of course! Sorry, Hagen!

I will check the cinemas in Cologne repeatedly the next few weeks, there are a few that screen movies in the original language.

Cannes starts in 3 weeks! Is it a whole year already??

Anonymous said...

IMDb has the released date of The Sisters Brothers as January 17th 2019. Could it still be an Oscar contender with a date like that?

Anonymous said...

It can if it gets a limited release in major cities in Nov/Dec.

Hagen said...

IMDb has the released date of The Sisters Brothers as January 17th 2019. Could it still be an Oscar contender with a date like that?

It's the release date in the Netherlands, not in the USA.

UltraViolet said...

They just want BlueJean to know when to mark her calendar. Very considerate :) BJ, did you get to see Stronger in a theater? I can't remember. Can't wait for your reaction, though I know things are busy for you these days.

Diana, I hope you got to see it again without driving for days!

BlueJean said...

"BJ, did you get to see Stronger in a theater?"

Nope. I was in the middle of my move back then. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't find the time to go see it.

"Can't wait for your reaction, though I know things are busy for you these days."

Yes, they are. I did have a quick peek, but I've not watched the full movie yet. This weekend, I hope! :)

*marks calendar for 'The Sisters Brothers'* ;)

Hagen said...

Variety: ‘Deadpool 2’s’ David Leitch to Direct Jessica Chastain, Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘The Division’ (EXCLUSIVE)

"Prince of Persia" was fun, but the idea to adapt a video game is kind of stupid.

Monica said...

What a great news about jake coming back to Cannes.

Congratulations to Alyssa!

BlueJean said...

Just finished 'Stronger'. Watched it online, with Dutch subtitles - easier for me to read than the English ones.

What can I say? Jake was amazing - as I knew he would be. Tatiana was fabulous as well, which makes it even harder to understand why neither of them were nominated for any major awards. The scene that was the most powerful to me was the flashback scene which cuts back to the first moments after the bombing. Also the scene with Jake and Tatiana when they remove Jeff's bandages for the first time.

And yet... the film didn't "capture" me like I hoped it would. Maybe I need to see it again, but there were parts of the film that felt somewhat over the top to me - like the drunken drive scene with Jeff behind the wheel. And the Bruins and Red Sox scenes... I'm sorry, those are scenes you'll only "get" when you're American, I suppose. Europeans don't understand that sort of stuff ;)

I expect 'Stronger' as a whole to grow on me over time. It's happened before with some of Jake's films: I wasn't too keen on 'End of Watch' after the first viewing and now I think it's great. Same with 'Nightcrawler' and 'Nocturnal Animals'. Sometimes it just takes me a while to discover (and appreciate) all the subtle details in Jake's performances.

Anonymous said...

Where has it been confirmed Jake will be at Cannes?

Diana said...

UV, I´ve been to visit my sister for a few days so I haven´t had the chance to see Stronger yet. I´ve just come back last night. I really want to go, though, even if it´s dubbed. I really can´t complain about a movie not being successfull in the theaters and then not go myself, right? ;)

Two hours ago Donald Mowat posted on his instagram account that they´ve almost wrapped, I wonder what´s up next for Jake? Promoting Wildlife? I´ve had a lot of stuff to deal with lately so I´ve lost track a bit...

Anonymous said...

It's almost time for Cannes, so it's good he is wrapping this movie.

UltraViolet said...

BJ: My first reaction was that the movie might be TOO Boston for regular viewers. I don't think that was true, but it did seem like people didn't find the event compelling. A shame, as I think the movie is very compelling.

I'm sorry the movie underwhelmed and hope it will grow on you. I'm happy that Jake lived up to expectations. It's really one of his best performances and it's a shame it wasn't recognized as such.

Cannes Anon: I don't think it has been confirmed. People are just assuming. I hope Jake will go.

Monica, hello! I hope all is well with you.

Hagen: I don't think adapting a video game is necessarily a bad idea. But I don't have high expectations!

Diana: Not sure what's next for Jake. Hopefully Cannes :) I have been wondering if we'll get a theater announcement. It's a year since Sunday closed. Boy, do I miss that show.

I think Rio is supposed to film this year, but I don't know when.

From a tweeter in LA:

Jake Gyllenhaal in my exercise class, or maybe I was in his class, I don’t know, but all I could think was *penny, act normal. Just be normal. *drops down into a split, hair flick, roll onto back, to scissor kick, then cartwheel.

BlueJean said...

"BJ: My first reaction was that the movie might be TOO Boston for regular viewers."

Not so much "too Boston", but too American in general (I think) for international audiences. "We" just don't have a history with baseball and the World Series like you guys have, which might make it harder (for me) to fully appreciate that part of Jeff's story.

I will say I have nothing but respect for Jeff and while watching 'Stronger', it's obvious that his story is told with the greatest care, respect and love. It shows in Jake's acting, and Tatiana's. That is what matters to me most and that is why I think 'Stronger' will still be (or become) one of the most important films in Jake's career, awards or not. And it most certainly is one of the films he's most proud of professionally and personally - and that alone makes it worth watching.

Hagen, have you seen it yet? I'm curious to know what other Europeans think. Any others?

Anonymous said...

https://twitter.com/badpostsjake/status/987553553089810433?s=20

Diana said...

I really liked Stronger. I think since I´ve read Jeff´s biography and also a draft of the script I have been way more prepared when watching it than I usually would have been so I could imagine that my immediate reaction might have been different without that. I don´t know, though.

I think it´s very realistic, even in the parts that seem too much or too American. I always have the European´s passion for soccer on the back of my mind when I´m seeing football, basketball or baseball in a movie. Apart from that how do you get all of the important moments of this journey into a 119 minute movie? You have to pick the moments that stand out in the story. Difficult task when it´s a biopic, I think.

BlueJean said...

Oh, I must remember to read Jeff's book! I have a copy, but haven't read it yet due to a million and other things that's happening in my life right now. I'll try soon!

Anonymous said...

The video of Jake at the screening of that movie with Amy Adams is posted on the ig @Jakeovereverything and it’s better to watch because they’ve slowed down the video lol, you can see Jake more clearly. Yay!

UltraViolet said...

It was fun to see him and Amy together again, even if briefly.

Fun twitter posts:

I rewatched Source Code a few days ago and that movie is still super charming and good. I daresay I like it more than Looper.

My favorite memory of being at the SXSW where it premiered was being in a little hundred-person meeting room where the cast and crew did a mini-press-conference thing.
Like maybe a dozen UT lady students came out and sat in the front row and basically did this at Jake Gyllenhaal the entire time: (Indiana Jones ILY clip)

I confess I might've been doing it too; that dude is even more attractive in person than he is in movies.


And from Selma Blair's IG:

2005. Two people I wish I saw more of. #independentspiritawards #bridgetmoynahan #jakegyllenhaal #goodolddays #babies #stud

And Bridget Moynahan's response:

There is enough of #jakegyllenhaal for the both of us @selmablair #2005 #toolong

About Stronger: I really disliked Miranda Richardson on first viewing, to the point where she almost ruined the movie for me. I grew to like the performance more. And Jeff says she got it right, so what can you say?

BlueJean said...

"I really disliked Miranda Richardson on first viewing, to the point where she almost ruined the movie for me."

Okay :) I thought it was just me ;) Glad I wasn't the only one.

Diana said...

Donald Mowat posted a photo on twitter, writing:

That's almost kind of sort of a picture wrap!! Thanks to a rather superb funny cast and my crew for coming on this journey

I´ve watched Stronger at a cinema in Dortmund last night. It was so wonderful to see it again. Sadly we were only 7 people. I can´t wait to get my hand on the bluray.

Hagen said...

Hagen, have you seen it yet? I'm curious to know what other Europeans think.

I've finally watched "Stronger". I think it's an excellent movie, it totally grabbed me. There were quite a few scenes that were hard to stomach for me, for example how he struggled just to take a bath or how he fell off the toilet. The film feels very honest to me, it doesn't embellish anything. Jeff's appearance at the Boston Red Sox game is an iconic part of the story, so I didn't mind the baseball scenes at all.

Sadly we were only 7 people.
It was pretty much the same here. I don't complain. I'm very glad that I've watched "Stonger", but I wouldn't have seen it if Jake didn't star in it. It's not pleasant to see someone suffering and I don't see much commercial potential in it.


"Wildlife" will be released in France on December 19th, 2018.

Maura said...

New project with Fukunaga

Anonymous said...

So many new projects!

Anonymous said...

So excited for Jake to play Leonard Bernstein! He's going to kill it!

-Malavika

Chica said...

This is great news! I'm a big fan of Leonard Bernstein.

UltraViolet said...

Such big news meant a new post :)

bobbyanna said...

I'm really excited to see that he's working with Cary Fukunaga! I think this is an unbeatable combination!

Love Leonard Bernstein. he's delightful to watch...on You Tube.