Mystic River

Non sono poi molti i thriller che non perdono fascino alle visioni successive: Mystic River rientra appieno nella ristretta categoria, e resta uno dei miei Eastwood preferiti.


Le vite di tre amici d'infanzia si riallacciano dopo aver preso strade molto diverse: c'è chi è un fallito ex giocatore di baseball, chi fa il detective e chi non riesce a staccarsi da un passato criminale. La morte della figlia di quest'ultimo porterà i tre a confrontarsi con le loro vite ed il loro tragico passato: anni addietro uno di loro fu infatti rapito e violentato da un pedofilo, segnando per sempre la loro infanzia.


Una sceneggiatura (Dennis Lehane: vedi alla voce Gone Baby Gone e l'atteso Shutter Island
di Scorsese) di una bellezza quasi fastidiosa, con dei dialoghi perfetti. Tutto accade con il giusto passo, portando i tre ad una inevitabile (e superba) conclusione.

Personaggi stupendi, complementari in un quadro complessivo in cui nulla stona (diamine: i ruoli delle mogli sembrano essere secondari, ma se si va a guardare nel dettaglio sono spesso loro a muovere i fili!)

Persino le musiche - anche queste di Clint - sono perfette per un film cupo e crudo dove nessuno può dirsi davvero salvo.


La parte bella è che quanto sopra poteva benissimo non esserci: con Clint alla regia e gente come Sean Penn, Tim Robbins e Kevin Bacon (e pure Laurence Fishburne si comporta bene), si poteva pure tirare nel cesso la sceneggiatura e filmare una gara di rutti - ne sarebbe uscito un capolavoro a prescindere.


Voto: 10; da vedere e rivedere.
Tags: thriller, crimine, drammatico, Clint Eastwood, Dennis Lehane,
Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, morte, detective, criminale,
pistola, baseball, infanzia, amicizia, pedofilo, pedofilia, violenza, rapina,
figlia, padre, comunione, vendetta, moglie, polizia, sangue, corpo, autopsia, Mystic, molestie, confessione, auto, adolescenti, muto, linguaggio dei
segni, onore, banda, coltello, fidanzato, indagine, trauma, fuga, fiume.

Shutter Island (2010)

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Regista: Martin Scorsese
Scrittore: Laeta Kalogridis, Dennis Lehane

Genere: Drama, Mystery, Horror, Thriller
Durata: 138 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Leonardo DiCaprio .... Teddy Daniels
• Mark Ruffalo
  .... Chuck Aule
• Ben Kingsley .... Dr. John Cawley
• Emily Mortimer .... Rachel Solando
• Michelle
  Williams .... Dolores Chanal
• Max von Sydow .... Dr. Jeremiah Naehring
• Patricia Clarkson .... Ethel Barton
• Jackie Earle Haley .... George Noyce
• Ruby Jerins .... Little Girl
• Drew Beasley .... Henry

Trama:
It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an
assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.



Trivia random: Many parts were filmed in the old Massachusetts state mental hospital in Medfield, MA.
Citazione random: Chuck Aule: All I know is it's a mental hospital.
Teddy Daniels: ...for the criminally insane.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Penn, Sean (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Penn,
Sean Justin
Data di nascita: 17 August 1960
Altezza: 5' 9½" (1.77 m)
Coniuge: Robin Wright Penn::(27 April 1996 - present) (filed for divorce) 2 children, Madonna::(16 August 1985 -
14 September 1989) (divorced)

Ultimi lavori:

• Fair Game (2010) .... Joseph Wilson [attore]
• The Three Stooges (2010) .... Larry Fine [attore]
• The
  Tree of Life (2010) .... Adult Jack [attore]
• This Must Be the Place (2010) .... [attore]
• Milk (2008/I) .... Harvey Milk [attore]
• Witch
  Hunt (2008) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Into the Wild (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Persepolis (2007) .... Mr. Satrapi - Marjane's father (voice: English version) [attore]
• All the King's Men (2006) .... Willie Stark [attore]
• The Interpreter (2005) .... Tobin Keller [attore]

Biografia:
Powerhouse film performer capable of intensely moving work who has gone from strength to strength during a colourful film career, and who has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life and political viewpoints, California-born Sean Penn is the second son
of actress Eileen Ryan & director Leo Penn, also brother of Chris Penn. He first appeared in roles as strong-headed or unruly youths such as the military cadet defending his academy against closure in Taps (1981), then as fast-talking surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Fans and critics were enthused about his obvious talent and he
next contributed a stellar performance alongside Timothy Hutton in the Cold War spy thriller The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), followed by a teaming with icy Christopher Walken in the chilling At Close Range (1986). The youthful Sean then paired up with his then wife, pop diva Madonna in the woeful, and painful, Shanghai Surprise (1986), which was savaged by the
critics, but Sean bounced back with a great job as a hot-headed young cop in Colors (1988), gave another searing performance as a US soldier in Vietnam committing atrocities in Casualties of War (1989) and appeared alongside Robert De Niro in the uneven comedy We're No Angels (1989). However, the 1990s was the decade in which Sean really got noticed by
critics as a mature, versatile and accomplished actor, with a string of dynamic performances in first-class films. Almost unrecognisable with frizzy hair and thin rimmed glasses, Penn was simply brilliant as corrupt lawyer David Kleinfeld in the Brian De Palma gangster movie Carlito's Way (1993) and he was still in trouble with authority as a Death Row inmate pleading with a caring
nun to save his life in Dead Man Walking (1995), for which he received his first Oscar nomination. Sean then played the brother of wealthy Michael Douglas, involving him in a mind-snapping scheme in The Game (1997) and also landed the lead role of Sgt. Eddie Walsh in the star-studded anti-war film The Thin Red Line (1998), before finishing the 1990s
playing an offbeat jazz musician (and scoring another Oscar nomination) in Sweet and Lowdown (1999). The gifted and versatile Sean had also moved into directing, with the quirky but interesting The Indian Runner (1991), about two brothers with vastly opposing views on life, and in 1995 he directed Jack Nicholson in The Crossing Guard (1995). Both films received overall positive reviews
from critics. Moving into the new century, Sean remained busy in front of the cameras with even more outstanding work: a mentally disabled father fighting for custody of his seven-year-old daughter (and receiving a third Oscar nomination) for I Am Sam (2001); an anguished father seeking revenge for his daughter's murder in the gut-wrenching Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River (2003) (for which
he won the Oscar as Best Actor); a mortally ill college professor in 21 Grams (2003) and a possessed businessman in The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004). Certainly Sean Penn is one of Hollywood's most controversial, progressive and gifted actors.

Trivia random: Son, with Robin Wright Penn, Hopper Penn (b. 6 August 1993).
Citazione random: The horror of the Academy Awards
is what the press does leading up to it, to make it a popular TV show. Where they'll actually make it like it's an arm- wrestling event between two actors. That becomes very petty, and that's something that's embarrassing to follow up with accepting the invitation to the party.
Salario massimo: $5,000,000, per I Am Sam (2001)

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Filmography
links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Mystic River (2003)

Mystic River

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Regista: Clint Eastwood
Scrittore: Dennis
Lehane, Brian Helgeland
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Valutazione: 8.0/10 (108713 voti) [#214 nella top250]
Durata: 137 min
Paese: USA, Australia
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Sean Penn ....
  Jimmy Markum
• Tim Robbins .... Dave Boyle
• Kevin Bacon .... Sean Devine
• Laurence Fishburne .... Sgt. Whitey Powers
• Marcia Gay Harden .... Celeste Boyle
• Laura Linney .... Annabeth Markum
• Kevin Chapman .... Val Savage
• Tom Guiry .... Brendan Harris
  (as Thomas Guiry)
• Emmy Rossum .... Katie Markum
• Spencer Treat Clark .... Silent Ray Harris

Trama:
Childhood friends Jimmy Markum, Sean Devine and Dave Boyle reunite following the death of Jimmy's oldest daughter, Katie. Sean's a police detective on the case, gathering difficult and disturbing evidence; he's also tasked with handling Jimmy's rage and need for retribution.



Trivia random: The film that Dave watches on TV in the middle of the night is Vampires (1998).
Citazione random: [thinking about Katie after her death]
Jimmy Markum: I know in my soul I contributed to your death.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of
IMDb.

Fishburne, Laurence

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Nome di battesimo: III, Laurence J. Fishburne
Data di nascita: 30 July 1961
Altezza: 6' 0½" (1.84 m)
Coniuge: Gina Torres::(20 September 2002 - present) 1 child, Hajna O. Moss::(1985 - 199?) (divorced) 2 children


Ultimi lavori:

• 4Chosen (2011) .... Ralph Menar [attore]
• Predators (2010) .... Noland [attore]
• The Last
  Full Measure (2010) .... Harold Hunter [attore]
• Armored (2009) .... Baines [attore]
• Black Water Transit (2009) .... (executive producer)
  [produttore]
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Deadly Intent (2009) (VG) .... Dr. Raymond Langston (voice) [attore]
• 21 (2008) ....
  Cole Williams [attore]
• Days of Wrath (2008) .... [attore]
• Tortured (2008) .... Archie Green [attore]
• 4:
  Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) .... The Silver Surfer (voice) [attore]

Biografia:
Critically hailed for his forceful, militant, authoritarian roles, Laurence Fishburne, who is often confused with another tall, gap-toothed, mercurial African-American talent, Samuel L. Jackson, came out of the black theater in New York. Born in Augusta, Georgia, on July 30, 1961, Laurence's mother, who taught high school math, transplanted her family to Brooklyn after his parents divorced. At the age of 10, he appeared in his first play, "In My Many Names and Days," at a cramped little theater space in Manhattan.
He continued on but managed to avoid the trappings of a child star per se, considering himself more a working child actor at the time. Billing himself as Larry Fishburne during this early phase, he never studied or was trained in the technique of acting. In 1973, at the age of 12, Laurence won a recurring role on the daytime soap "One Life to Live" (1968) that lasted three seasons and subsequently made his film debut in the ghetto-themed Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975). At 14 Francis Ford Coppola cast him in Apocalypse Now (1979), which
filmed for two years in the Phillippines. Laurence didn't work for another year and a half after that long episode. A graduate of Lincoln Square Academy, Coppola was impressed enough with Laurence to hire him again down the line with featured roles in Rumble Fish (1983), The Cotton Club (1984), and Gardens of Stone (1987). Throughout the 1980s, he continued to build up his film and TV credit list with featured roles despite little fanfare. A recurring role as Cowboy Curtis on the kiddie show "Pee-wee's Playhouse" (1986) helped him through whatever lean patches there
were at the time. With the new decade (1990s) came out-and-out stardom for Laurence. A choice lead in John Singleton's urban tale Boyz n the Hood (1991) catapulted him immediately into the front of the film ranks. Set in LA's turbulent South Central area, his potent role as a morally minded divorced father who strives to rise above the ignorance and violence of his surroundings, Laurence showed true command and the ability to hold up any film. On stage, he would become invariably linked to playwright August Wilson and his 20th Century epic African-American experience after
starring for two years as the eruptive ex-con in "Two Training Running." For this powerful, mesmerizing performance, Laurence won nearly every prestigious theater award in the books (Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Theatre World). It was around the time of this career hallmark that he began billing himself as "Laurence" instead of "Larry." More awards and accolades came his way. In addition to an Emmy for the pilot episode of the series "Tribeca," he was nominated for his fine work in the quality mini-movies The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) (TV) and Miss Evers' Boys
(1997) (TV). On the larger screen, both Laurence and Angela Bassett were given Oscar nominations for their raw, seething portrayals of rock stars Ike and Tina Turner in the film What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). To his credit, he managed to take an extremely repellent character and make it a sobering and captivating experience. A pulp box-office favorite as well, he originated the role of Morpheus, Keanu Reeves' mentor, in the exceedingly popular futuristic sci-fi The Matrix (1999), best known for its ground-breaking special effects. He wisely returned for its back-to-back sequels. Into
the millennium, Laurence extended his talents by making his screenwriting and directorial debut in Once in the Life (2000), in which he also starred. The film is based on his own critically acclaimed play "Riff Raff," which he staged five years earlier. In 1999, he scored a major theater triumph with a multi-racial version of "The Lion in Winter" as Henry II opposite Stockard Channing's Eleanor of Acquitaine. On film, Fishburne has appeared in a variety of interesting roles in not-always-successful films. Never less than compelling, a few of his more notable parts include an
urban speed chess player in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993); a military prisoner in Cadence (1990); a college professor in Singleton's Higher Learning (1995); a CIA operative in Bad Company (1995/I); the title role in Othello (1995) (he was the first black actor to play the part on film); a spaceship rescue team leader in the sci-fi horror Event Horizon (1997); a Depression-era gangster in Hoodlum (1997); a dogged police sergeant in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River (2003); and a spelling bee coach in Akeelah and the Bee (2006). Earning multiple NAACP Image awards for his
contribution to the entertainment business, he has two children, Langston and Montana, from his first marriage to actress Hajna O. Moss, who appeared with him in the films Gardens of Stone (1987) and A Rage in Harlem (1991). In September, 2002, he married Cuban-American actress Gina Torres.

Trivia random: Appeared with Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now (1979), Cadence (1990), and Bobby (2006). He also worked with Charlie Sheen in Cadence (1990) and Emilio Estevez in Bobby (2006).
Citazione random: "For the last six months people have been coming up to me and saying, 'I
loved you in Pulp Fiction, Mr. Jackson.'" [1996]

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Scorsese, Martin

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Nome di battesimo: Scorsese, Martin Marcantonio Luciano
Data di nascita: 17 November 1942
Altezza: 5' 4" (1.63 m)

Coniuge: Helen Morris::(22 July 1999 - present) 1 child, Barbara De Fina::(8 February 1985 - 1991) (divorced), Isabella Rossellini::(29 September 1979 - November 1982) (divorced), Julia Cameron::(30 December 1975 - 1977) (divorced) 1 child, Laraine Marie Brennan::(15 May 1965 - ?) (divorced) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• Silence (2011) .... (screenplay) [scrittore]
• Sinatra (2011) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2011) .... [regista]


• The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (2011) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Shutter Island (2010) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Untitled George Harrison
  Documentary (2010) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Young Victoria (2009) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Gomorra (2008) .... (presenter: USA release) [misc]
• Lymelife (2008) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies (2008) .... (producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
After serious deliberations about
entering the priesthood - he entered a seminary in 1956 - Martin Scorsese opted to channel his passions into film. He graduated from NYU as a film major in 1964. Catching the eye of producer Roger Corman with his 1960s student films (including co-editing Woodstock (1970)), Scorsese directed the gritty exploiter Boxcar Bertha (1972). Mean Streets (1973) followed in 1973 and provided the benchmarks for the Scorsese style: New York settings, loners struggling with inner demons, pointed-shoes rock-meets-opera soundtracks and unrelenting cathartic violence. "Mean Streets" also featured Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel, two actors who
would help shape that style. After Scorsese directed Ellen Burstyn to a Best Actress Oscar in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), the trio was reunited for the dark journey of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976). The film achieved additional notoriety five years after its release when Bickle's (De Niro) concern for a teenaged hooker played by Jodie Foster inspired John Hinckley's assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. After New York, New York (1977) (which one critic described as a wife-abuse musical) and The Last Waltz (1978), Scorsese released Raging Bull (1980)
dedicated to his mentor Haig Manoogian. The biography of middleweight fighter Jake LaMotta earned two Oscars (Actor - DeNiro, Editing - Thelma Schoonmaker) and was later selected as the best film of the decade by U.S. critic gods Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Scorsese then explored fans as pariah (The King of Comedy (1982)), dark-comic dreams (After Hours (1985)), and revisited pool shark Eddie Felson from The Hustler (1961) ( The Color of Money (1986) with Paul Newman). Scorsese outraged some religious groups by attempting to portray a human son of God in The Last Temptation
of Christ (1988) before returning to more familiar territory with the Mafia in Goodfellas (1990). He followed with two films which were remakes, Cape Fear (1991) and The Age of Innocence (1993). Besides directing and co-writing, Scorsese has also acted. It's interesting to note he played the gunman at the finale of Mean Streets (1973) and the cab passenger planning to kill his wife in Taxi Driver (1976). He also had a role in Dreams (1990).

Trivia random: Daughter Francesca Scorsese born. [16 November 1999]
Citazione random: There is no such thing as pointless
violence. "City of God" [Cidade de Deus (2002)], is that pointless violence? It's reality, it's real life, it has to do with the human condition. Being involved in Christianity and Catholicism when I was very young, you have that innocence, the teachings of Christ. Deep down you want to think that people are really good - but the reality outweighs that.
Salario massimo: $6,000,000 (had to pay $3 million back due to budget overruns), per Gangs of New York (2002)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Eastwood, Clint

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Nome di battesimo: Jr., Clinton Eastwood
Data di nascita: 31 May 1930
Altezza: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Coniuge: Dina Eastwood::(31 March 1996 - present) 1 child, Maggie Johnson::(19 December 1953 - 14 May 1984) (divorced) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Hereafter (2010) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Invictus (2009) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me (2009) (TV)
  .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Changeling (2008) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Gran Torino (2008) .... (producer) [produttore]
• You Must Remember
  This: The Warner Bros. Story (2008) (V) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends (2007) (TV) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Flags of Our Fathers (2006) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Budd Boetticher:
  A Man Can Do That (2005) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Like most superstars, Clint Eastwood's success can be attributed to equal parts good fortune, tenacity, and talent. Eastwood may have been too young to fight in World War II, but he managed to miss out on action
in Korea too. On leave as a G.I., his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and steely-eyed Clint swam three miles to shore. He later was made boot camp swimming instructor and missed out on action in Korea (confined to base). Encouraged to try acting by two of his Army buddies, David Janssen and Martin Milner, he landed a contract at Universal Studios in 1954, earning 75 USD a week playing bit parts in B-grade movies like Revenge of the Creature (1955) and Tarantula (1955). He was dropped when some studio execs decided his Adam's
apple was too big. The determined Eastwood swallowed his pride and, over the next few years, he dug swimming pools between playing bit parts in movies and on TV. While visiting a friend at CBS, Eastwood was spotted by a network exec who cast him as cattle driver Rowdy Yates in the long-running western series "Rawhide" (1959). That, in turn, led to spaghetti stardom in a string of Sergio Leone westerns, beginning with Per un pugno di dollari (1964) ("A Fistful of Dollars"). Eastwood has seven children from five different women. He was married to model
Maggie Johnson and had a long time relationship with frequent co-star Sondra Locke. He lives in Carmel and has been married to his second wife Dina Eastwood since 1996.

Trivia random: Sondra Locke wrote an autobiography titled "The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly", which
included details about her troubled relationship with him.
Citazione random: If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.
Salario massimo: $12,000,000 (15% of gross), per Every Which Way But Loose (1978)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Bacon, Kevin (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Bacon, Kevin Norwood
Data di nascita: 8 July 1958
Altezza: 5' 10½" (1.79 m)
Coniuge: Kyra Sedgwick::(4 September 1988 - present) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Super (2010) .... Jacques [attore]
• Beyond All Boundaries (2009)
  .... Robert Sherrod - Time Magazine Correspondent (voice) [attore]
• My One and Only (2009) .... Dan Devereaux [attore]
• Taking Chance (2009) (TV) .... LtCol Mike Strobl [attore]
• Frost/Nixon (2008) .... Jack Brennan [attore]
• Death Sentence (2007) .... Nick
  Hume [attore]
• Rails & Ties (2007) .... Tom Stark [attore]
• Saving Angelo (2007) .... Brent [attore]
• The Air I Breathe (2007) .... Love [attore]
• Beauty Shop (2005) .... Jorge [attore]

Biografia:
Kevin Bacon's early training as an
actor came from The Manning Street. His debut as the strict Chip Diller in Animal House (1978) almost seems like an inside joke, but he managed to escape almost unnoticed from that role. Diner (1982) became the turning point after a couple of TV series and a number
of less-than-memorable movie roles. In a cast of soon-to-be stars, he more than held his end up, and we saw a glimpse of the real lunatic image of The Bacon. He also starred in Footloose (1984), in She's Having a Baby (1988), in Tremors (1990) with Fred Ward, in Flatliners (1990), and in Apollo 13 (1995).

Trivia random: Has never lived in Hollywood or Los Angeles.
Citazione random: And life has taught me that if I am to have a satisfying career, I have to take three things out of the mix. The first
is the size of my part. The second is the size of the budget. And the third is the size of my salary. Once you get rid of those things, your possibilities exponentially explode. You get to work with the directors who matter. You get to make
movies like The Woodsman (2004).
Salario massimo: $2,500,000, per Sleepers (1996)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Robbins, Tim (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Robbins, Timothy Francis
Data di nascita: 16 October 1958
Altezza: 6'
5" (1.96 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• Keeper of the Pinstripes (2010) .... (rumored) [attore]
• Possible Side Effects (2009) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• City of Ember (2008) .... Loris Harrow [attore]
• The Lucky Ones (2008) .... Fred Cheaver
  [attore]
• Behind the Director's Son's Cut (2007) (V) .... Erik [attore]
• Noise (2007/II) .... David Owen [attore]
• Catch a Fire (2006) .... Nic Vos [attore]
• Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) .... The Stranger [attore]
• Tim Robbins: The Punk Gets Responsible (2006) (V) .... [attore]
• Embedded (2005) (V) .... (executive producer) (producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Born in West Covina, California, but raised in New York City, Tim Robbins is the son of former The Highwaymen singer Gil Robbins and actress Mary
Robbins. Robbins studied drama at UCLA, where he graduated with honors in 1981. That same year, he formed the Actors' Gang theater group, an experimental ensemble that expressed radical political observations through the European avant-garde form of theater. He started film work in TV movies in 1983, but
hit the big time in 1988 with his portrayal of dim-witted fastball pitcher "Nuke" Laloosh in Bull Durham (1988). Tall with baby-faced looks, he has the ability to play naive and obtuse (Cadillac Man (1990) and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)) or slick and shrewd (The Player (1992) and Bob Roberts (1992)).

Trivia random: Considers himself the worlds biggest New York Rangers fan. He claims to own every highlight video released of their 1994 Stanley Cup Championship season. He is also a big New York Mets fan.
Citazione random: Haven't criminal acts occurred in government? Shouldn't
there be accountability for inept policy decisions? Shouldn't someone be fired? And you know something? I didn't hear any of that, because I am still thinking about that starlet getting out of the car without the panties.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Lehane, Dennis (II)

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Data di nascita: 4 August 1965
Coniuge: Sheila::(? - ?) (divorced)


Ultimi lavori:

• Shutter Island (2010) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Gone Baby Gone (2007) .... (novel) [scrittore]
• Mystic
  River (2003) .... (novel) [scrittore]

Trivia random: His last day job was as a chauffeur at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston.
Citazione random: "I found that I could write two kinds of short stories: I could write very absurd, kind of surrealistic, funny stories; or I could write very dark, realistic -- hyper- realistic -- stories. I was never happy with that, because I couldn't meld the two. And my view of life is that it's both." - August 1999

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

[mezze stagioni] Caprica

Visti i primi 7 episodi della prima - e presumibilmente unica - stagione di Caprica.

Considerato quanto ho adorato la serie di Battlestar Galactica, devo ammettere che mi approcciavo con scetticismo a questo prequel dalle strane caratteristiche: pochissima fantascienza di ambientazione spaziale e molta politica sembravano ingredienti abbastanza fuori luogo, in una serie figlia (o madre?) di uno dei picchi della sci-fi televisiva contemporanea. D'altra parte... frak! È BSG, non potevo davvero perdermela.

Una cinquantina di anni prima degli eventi di BSG (e quindi a pochi decenni dalla prima guerra coi Cylons), troviamo le colonie ancora molto disunite tra loro. La centralità di Caprica è però già evidente: una società evoluta ed edonistica, all'apice di una prosperità che sembra promettere solo ulteriori successi, ma che si rivelerà invece essere il trampolino di lancio verso la tragica caduta.

Da un lato abbiamo la famiglia Graystone, con un geniale capofamiglia che ha rivoluzionato la vita digitale con il mondo virtuale accessibile tramite l'holoband, e che ora sta progettando i primi Cylons.
Dall'altro gli Adama (sì, quegli Adama, con tanto di piccolo William), il cui padre avvocato cura con modi poco ortodossi gli interessi delle famiglie mafiose di Tauron.
I loro destini, e con essi quelli di tutti gli abitanti delle colonie, si incroceranno in seguito ad un atto terroristico in cui è direttamente coinvolta Zoe Graystone, non meno geniale del padre e seguace di una organizzazione religiosa devota al dio monoteista. Con lei moriranno decine di persone, tra cui moglie e figlia di Joseph Adama.
Un sofisticato avatar di Zoe è però ancora attivo nella rete, e finirà con l'essere assorbita in un chip sperimentale di un prototipo di Cylon.

Approfondimento psicologico, temi sociali e riflessioni sulla tecnologia sono i temi principali di questa anomala serie fantascientifica. Intrigante e drammatica, deve il suo fascino ad una cura maniacale dei dettagli: l'intera società in cui si muovono i protagonisti è pervasa di piccoli particolari (religione, abitudini sessuali, usi e costumi) che la caratterizzano come qualcosa di simile e al contempo diversa dalla nostra realtà.

Realizzata con soldi e cura, presenta una regia ed una fotografia sempre eccellenti (più che degni anche gli effetti speciali), e tutti i protagonisti sono perfetti nei rispettivi ruoli. La trama promette benissimo, ed i dialoghi sono sempre all'altezza.

Non vedo l'ora di vedere gli altri episodi, ma fin d'ora la considero come una tappa imprescindibile per gli appassionati dell'universo BSG, che grufoleranno di piacere tutte le volte che scopriranno retroscena e contesti di certi eventi ed abitudini visti in BSG (dalla ovvia genesi dei Cylons ad espressioni come "so say we all").

Voto parziale: 8. Ah, il doppiaggio italiano mi è sembrato degno, ma come sempre sono convinto che certe cose vadano viste in lingua originale.

secret ninja, roaring tiger

Si sa: sono dedito al perverso piacere della bruceploitation, ma con Secret Ninja, Roaring Tiger (anche "Dragon Claws" o "Ninja Fighters") si è davvero passato ogni limite! UTTERLY NONSENSE!

La trama - e tenete presente che si tratta di un film "singolo", non di un mix tra più pellicole - non ha né capo né coda, quindi accontentatevi di questo riassunto: nella spensierata Cina medievale c'è questo riccone che mette all'asta quel discreto cesso di sua figlia al vincitore di un torneo di arti marziali che si svolge in un bar/catapecchia. Tra i contendenti svetta Dragon Lee (quello c'era...)
Il guaio è che, al solito, la Bella Micicho^® viene rapita dal Cattivo di Turno^® (niente meno che Jang Lee Hwang) che poi forse non avrebbe neanche tuàtti i torti: la Bella Micicho non è figlia di quello che credeva il proprio babbino, che l'aveva separata dalla sua sorella da piccola (oh, avrà avuto i suoi ottimi motivi per farlo); nonostante questa shockante rivelazione lei vuol tornare dal babbione che la voleva svendere. Scelte di vita, suppongo.

Dragon Lee si mette allora in cammino senza alcuna meta precisa (ok, ok: il solito castello del malvagio, che all'inizio pareva girato l'angolo); lungo la strada incontra quel bel caschetto di Jack Lam - che sicuramente aveva i suoi scopi in questa vicenda, ma al momento mi sfuggono - e la succitata sorella della rapita, che non credo sapesse nulla e per motivi tutti suoi si finge uomo.

Nel mentre nel castello accadono alcuni fatti che non possono che lasciar perplessi: un allievo viene scoperto dal Grande Capo^® con un giornaletto porno-medievale nascosto sotto il vestito.
Come ovvio ed inevitabile, il giornaletto porno prende fuoco nelle parti intime una volta in mano al capo, che condanna quindi l'allievo a pane ed acqua per un mese. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKED FUCK?!?!
Per fortuna l'arrivo della ghenga di amici dà ai malvagi uno scopo: mulinare braccine e gambette in insensate coreografie. In un apice di fan-service, vengono anche mostrate un po' di tette che sembrano far perdere i poteri magici ad uno dei cattivi che, agitando al vento le sue ditina, è in grado di schiaffeggiare e/o solleticare l'avversario a distanza.
Ad un certo punto, il film finisce. Mai troppo presto, comunque.

Viene spacciato come diretto da Shi-hyeon Kim, ma - posto che non sia il suo milionesimo alias - la pesante manona di Godfrey Ho si nota parecchio (e nel dvd inglese viene accreditato come regista).
Si segnala in particolare per l'atroce dolore suscitato dalle lente e strazianti scene di lotta, tra le peggiori mai concepite da mente umana.
A meno che non siate davvero abituati al genere, ebbri e/o masochisti all'ultimo stadio ve lo sconsiglio, se non sotto stretta supervisione medica.

Voto: 1 Trashometro^® 10/10: ma che sofferenza!
Tags: ninja, azione, drammatico, Cina, medioevo, combattimento, agguato, arti marziale, magia, solletico, tette, sorella, travestimento, morte, castello, rapimento, matrimonio, torneo, vittoria, denaro, dita, fan-service, giornale porno, punizione, lento e straziante, atroce, noia mortale, trash.

Ho, Godfrey

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Nome di battesimo: Ho, Chi Kueng
Data di nascita: 1948

Ultimi lavori:

• Manhattan Chase (2000) .... [regista]
• The First Assignment (1995) .... (as Wallace Chan) [regista]
• Mr. X (1995) .... Godfather Ho [attore]
• Cui hua kuang mo (1994) .... (producer) (as Godfrey Hall) [produttore]
• Hei tai yang 731 si wang lie che (1994) .... [regista]
• Hong tian mi ling (1994) .... [regista]
• Catman in Boxer's Blow (1993) .... (as Alton Cheung) [regista]
• Ngam saat bing tyun (1993) .... (as Godfrey Hall) [regista]
• Hei tai yang 731 xu ji zhi sha ren gong chang (1992) .... [regista]
• Kickboxer Against the Odds (1992) .... [regista]

Trivia random: He is considered a master of B-movie Hong Kong actioners. However, a number of his movies are Z-grade movies made with a "cut-and-paste" technique. He would shoot footage for one movie, often using Caucasian actors for exportation, then edit the scenes into several other movies, mixing them with footage from old, unfinished or unreleased Asian movies (using Thai as well as Chinese or Filipino footage), then trying to make the story somewhat coherent through dubbing and voice-overs. He would then have four or five movies (of rock-bottom quality, of course) while having spent the budget of one.
Citazione random: "I used to be a movie maker. Now I am teaching people to make movies. It really makes me glad when my students are happily showing me their works. Only if you've been through the whole process, can you understand how satisfactory and delightful it is."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Injamun salsu (1982)

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Regista: Shi-hyeon Kim
Scrittore: Cheon-ho Jang
Genere: Drama, Action, Drama
Valutazione: 4.8/10 (52 voti)
Durata: 95 min
Paese: Hong Kong, South Korea
Lingua: Cantonese, Korean

Cast:

• Ryong Geo
• Dragon Lee
• Jang Lee Hwang .... Tiger So
• Jeong-a Seo
• Philip Chan
• Cha-ho Lim

Trama:
Dragon Kong, a victor of a millionaire's martial-arts contest, is about to begin the most dangerous mission of his life. For his prize, the millionaire's ravishing daughter Susan, has been stolen - kidnapped by a Ninja sect headed by Tiger So. a legendary Ninjitsu super-foot. Why tiger has taken Susan, Dragon can only guess, but as the shocking truth begins to dawn, and the final showdown approaches, the violence of the Ninja reaches its fatal peak.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Lee, Dragon

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Nome di battesimo: Yaksysnyi, Vyachaslev
Data di nascita: 1940

Ultimi lavori:

• Amheugga-ui hwangje (1994) .... Oh-seung [attore]
• Crime Stopper (1990) .... Marco [attore]
• Dragon's Showdown (1986) .... Shen Tai [attore]
• Dragons Never Die (1986) .... [attore]
• Ninja Dragon (1986) .... Dragon (uncredited) [attore]
• Ninja Champion (1985) .... [attore]
• Champ Against Champ (1983) .... [attore]
• Noigwon (1983) .... [attore]
• Solimsa yongpali (1983) .... [attore]
• Bruce Lee's Ways of Kung Fu (1982) .... Dragon [attore]

Trivia random: Ethnic Korean from the former Soviet Union

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Kim, Shi-hyeon

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Ultimi lavori:

• Daenam (1988) .... [regista]
• Salangui miro (1986) .... [regista]
• Bameul beotgineun dokjangmi (1985) .... [regista]
• Hong Byeong-mae (1984) .... [regista]
• Stafferyui bulcheonggaek (1984) .... [regista]
• Noigwon (1983) .... [regista]
• Solimsa yongpali (1983) .... [regista]
• Injamun salsu (1982) .... [regista]
• Yongmun pagyejeja (1982) .... [regista]
• Heukpyo bigaek (1981) .... [regista]

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Lam, Jack (I)

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Ultimi lavori:

• Tin dei hung sam (1997) .... [attore]
• Chains of Gold (1991) (TV) .... Che Che [attore]
• Screwball Hotel (1988) .... Juan [attore]
• Ninja Champion (1985) .... George [attore]
• Ninja Terminator (1985) .... Jaguar Wong [attore]
• Leopard Fist Ninja (1982) .... [attore]

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Hwang, Jang Lee

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Data di nascita: 21 December 1944

Ultimi lavori:

• Boss (1996) .... (as Hwang Jeong-Ri) [attore]
• Amheugga-ui hwangje (1994) .... [regista]
• Huang Fei Hong xi lie: Zhi yi dai shi (1992) .... [regista]
• Street Soldiers (1991) .... Tok (as Jason Hwang) [attore]
• Sai nga tiu daai tiu saai (1989) .... Sheung Siu Tung's hitman [attore]
• Tie dan xiong feng (1989) .... Chief Inspector Terry Chiu [attore]
• Hua xin ye mei gui (1988) .... [attore]
• No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder (1988) .... Ty [attore]
• Tian shi xing dong (1987) .... Chang Lung [attore]
• Zhong hua zhan shi (1987) .... Collaborator [attore]

Biografia:
Hwang Jang-Lee is the ultimate bootmaster. Known for his powerful and deadly kicks on screen as well as off, Hwang has a reputation as the Lord of the Superkickers. Born in Japan, Hwang's family moved back to their native Korea, where at the age of 14, Hwang began taking the national martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Hwang went on to teach the Korean Army TKD, and during his service, he killed a Vietnamese knife fighter in self defense. Hwang began his film career in his native Korea. In 1976, Ng See-Yuen, the founder of Seasonal Films, hired Hwang to play the villain Silver Fox in The Secret Rivals, where he goes toe to toe with Chinese superkicker John Liu. Hwang went on to establish himself as the best on screen kicker anyone has seen. He even played the villain in the two films that boosted Jackie Chan's career, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. In 1980, after playing the villain for so long, Hwang directed, produced and starred as the hero in Hitman in the Hand of Buddha. After making many films, Hwang retired in 1990, where at first he ran a golf-tee manufacturing company and hotel in Seoul. He also suppsedly ran a bodyguard agency. Nevertheless, Hwang has established and stamped his Hong Kong career as the king of the Bootmasters. In 1994, Hwang starred in two low budget Korean films while running a hotel as well as a bodyguard service.

Trivia random: This Korean powerhouse actually killed a man in real life (in self-defense). It seems the man was a "knife expert" who claimed that the knife is superior to "any" form of unarmed combat. Wang disagreed with that "statement" and an argument soon followed where the "knife expert" challenged Wang to "prove" his point to which Wang declined, went to turn his back when the guy lunged at him. Wang turned and fired a "round-kick" hitting the guy "square" in the temple, killing him instantly.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

dai ard 4

La saga di John McClane si è sempre mantenuta su eccellenti livelli: se poi ci si limita ai due capitoli firmati John McTiernan, siamo nell'olimpo del cinema d'azione.
Sfortunatamente il quarto episodio viene affidato all'inetto Len Wiseman e - peggio che mai - viene ampiamente riadattato per non avere noie, nell'ambiente casto e puro della facile-moralista Hollywood dei giorni nostri.
Manica di squallide fichette: il bello di Die Hard era il suo essere scorretto (ma "giusto"), fracassone ed esagerato; questa volta invece si punta ad ottenere un commercialmente utile PG-13 e le differenze con i precedenti R si sentono eccome.

Una squadra di temibili acheri informatici attacca in maniera sistematica le infrastrutture essenziali degli Stati Uniti: trasporti, comunicazioni, energia, ricerca e soccorso sono in mano loro ed il paese sprofonda nel caos.
Per puro caso McClane viene incaricato di recuperare un hacker che ha inconsapevolmente contribuito al disastro, salvandolo poco prima di una morte certa.
Con lo sfigatello di turno al seguito, inizierà la ricerca dei cattivi per la dovuta punizione. In mezzo, pure la maturazione d'ordinanza del pivello: triplo YAWN.

Come e più che in quella sopravvalutata porcata di Transformers, qui la tecnologia viene veramente usata come l'equivalente della bacchetta dello stregone: tre righe di codice e vien giù il mondo, due comandi ed attivi telecamere/ponti/dighe/vibratori dall'altra parte del mondo, componi un sms e riesci a riprogrammare il cellulare per collegarsi ai satelliti (sticazzi: fisicamente improbabile! )
Sarà deformazione professionale, ma mi uccide la sospensione dell'incredulità, oltre a risultare una via troppo comoda per risparmiare agli sceneggiatori la fatica di giustificare QUALSIASI COSA: "eh, l'ha fatto l'akaro kattivo kol kompiuter..."
Adesso basta, grazie.

La regia è ad esser buoni mediocre, scadente la sceneggiatura e la recitazione di Bruce Willis buttata un po' lì e con nessuna battuta davvero degna di nota. Si vede anche poca canotta degna di questo nome.
Taciamo poi sul fatto che Timothy Olyphant ed il pur pregevole corpicino di Maggie Q non possono neanche lontanamente sostenere il confronto con coprotagonisti come Samuel L. Jackson e Jeremy Irons. Altro calibro, signori.

Le scene d'azione, poi, mancano di originalità e sono dirette maluccio.
Credo che non ci sia molto da aggiungere.
Sprecata la presenza di Kevin Smith (ok, deve mangiare pure lui...)

Voto: 4.5 (oddio, alla fine si guarda anche, ma... a che pro?)
Tags: azione, thriller, avventura, Die Hard, Stati Uniti, hacker, attacco, terrorismo, finanza, economia, rete elettrica, comunicazioni, trasporti, attacco informatico, elicottero, sparatoria, morte, omicidio, arti marziali, figlia, rapporto padre-figlia, backup, cellulare, computer, caos, panico, incidente stradale, vendetta, inseguimento, canotta, ascensore, FBI, NSA.

McTiernan, John (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Jr., John Campbell McTiernan
Data di nascita: 8 January 1951
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)
Coniuge: Kate Harrington::(19 July 2003 - present) 2 children, Donna Dubrow::(1988 - 1997) (divorced), Carol Land::(12 October 1974 - ?) (divorced)

Ultimi lavori:

• Deadly Exchange (2009) .... [regista]
• The Camel Wars (2008) .... (attached) [regista]
• High Stakes (2008) .... [regista]
• Run (2008) .... [regista]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Basic (2003) .... [regista]
• Rollerball (2002) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The 13th Warrior (1999) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) .... [regista]
• Quicksilver Highway (1997) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]

Trivia random: John McTiernan, director of the hit films Die Hard (1988) and The Hunt for Red October (1990), in a criminal-information case filed by the U.S. attorney, plead guilty to lying to F.B.I. agents about having had Anthony Pellicano wiretap producer Charles Roven (Three Kings (1999), Batman Begins (2005)). Sentenced to four months in federal prison on 09/24/07.
Citazione random: You take it one step at a time and the basic rule is to work on movies you would like to go see because it takes too long and it's too hard to work on a project for somebody else just because it's a job. When it's four in the morning and you've been working 18 hours a day for 10 months straight you had better care about the film, otherwise you couldn't put out the way you have to. To do it well you don't have any other life, so it better be something you enjoy.
Salario massimo: $5,000,000, per Last Action Hero (1993)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Hensleigh, Jonathan

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Altezza: 6' 3" (1.91 m)
Coniuge: Gale Anne Hurd::(19 June 1995 - present) 1 stepdaughter

Ultimi lavori:

• Next (2007) .... (screenplay) [scrittore]
• Welcome to the Jungle (2007) .... [scrittore]
• The Punisher (2004) .... (written by) [scrittore]
• Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil (1999) (V) .... [scrittore]
• The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Trenches of Hell (1999) (V) .... [scrittore]
• Armageddon (1998/I) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Con Air (1997) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• The Saint (1997) .... (screenplay) (story) [scrittore]
• Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) .... (written by) [scrittore]

Biografia:
One of the most prolific screenwriters in the action/adventure genre, Jonathan started his career writing episodes of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1992) for George Lucas and ABC. He wrote Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995), reconceived from his original spec script "Simon Says." He followed that with Jumanji (1995). His script for the The Saint (1997) was completely re-written by others. After this frustration, he enjoyed a long working friendship with producer Jerry Bruckheimer with whom he collaborated on many projects since 1996. He re-wrote the whole script for The Rock (1996) without credit, which he tried desperately to achieve via WGA arbitration. He did uncredited re-writes on Con Air (1997) and the remake of Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) and received executive producer credits on both. Armageddon (1998/I), from Jonathan's original idea, was the second time Jonathan had the highest grossing film, worldwide, at the box office. The other was Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995). Jonathan's next projects are Gemini Man for Disney and "The Punisher" for Artisan/Marvel, which he will also direct in late 2002.

Trivia random: In 1998, Jonathan was set to make his directorial debut with the Marvel Comics hero The Hulk, but plans for that project failed. His wife Gale Anne Hurd was the producer.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Jackson, Samuel L.

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Nome di battesimo: Jackson, Samuel Leroy
Data di nascita: 21 December 1948
Altezza: 6' 2½" (1.89 m)
Coniuge: LaTanya Richardson::(1980 - present) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (2009) .... Fear (voice) [attore]
• The Spirit (2009) .... The Octopus [attore]
• Iron Man (2008) .... Nick Fury [attore]
• Jumper (2008) .... Cox [attore]
• Lakeview Terrace (2008) .... Abel Turner [attore]
• 1408 (2007) .... Gerald Olin [attore]
• "Afro Samurai" (2007) (mini) .... (co-producer) (executive producer) [produttore]
• Cleaner (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Resurrecting the Champ (2007) .... Champ [attore]
• Black Snake Moan (2006) .... Lazarus [attore]

Biografia:
Samuel L. Jackson usually played bad guys and drug addicts before becoming an action hero, as the character Mitch Henessey, in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) and in Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995). From character player to leading man. His performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) gave him an Oscar nomination for his character Jules Winnfield. He was active in the black student movement. In the seventies he joined the Negro Ensemble Company (together with Morgan Freeman). In the eighties he became well known by three movies made by Spike Lee - Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo' Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991). He received a Silver Berlin Bear for his part in the movie Jackie Brown (1997) as Ordell Robbi.

Trivia random: Before super-stardom, he played a very minor role in Goodfellas (1990), starring Robert De Niro. After super-stardom, he co-starred in Jackie Brown (1997), this time with Robert De Niro playing a supporting role.
Citazione random: "I've played Loch Lomond - that's the one with the bogs isn't it? I played the one with the lighthouse. When we were in Liverpool we used to take the ferry and go to Northern Ireland. Films get in the way of my golf, but they have afforded me the chance to play a lot of golf."
Salario massimo: $10,000,000, per Shaft (2000)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Smith, Kevin (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Smith, Kevin Patrick
Data di nascita: 2 August 1970
Altezza: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Coniuge: Jennifer Schwalbach Smith::(25 April 1999 - present) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• Kevin Smith: Sold Out (2008) (V) .... [scrittore]
• Red State (2008) .... [scrittore]
• Zack and Miri (2008) .... [scrittore]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... Frederick Kaludis - 'Warlock' [attore]
• Superman: Doomsday (2007) (V) .... Grumpy Man (voice) [attore]
• TMNT (2007) .... Diner Cook (voice) [attore]
• Bottoms Up (2006) .... Rusty #2 [attore]
• Catch and Release (2006/II) .... Sam [attore]
• Clerks II (2006) .... (written by) [scrittore]
• Doogal (2006) .... Moose (voice) [attore]

Biografia:
Born and raised in New Jersey and very proud of it, this fact can be seen in all of his movies. His first movie, Clerks. (1994), was filmed in the convenience store in which Smith worked. He was only allowed to shoot at night after the store closed. This movie won the highest award at the Sundance film festival and was brought to theaters by Miramax. The movie went over so well that Smith was able to make another movie, Mallrats (1995). This movie, as Kevin has said, was meant to be a "smart Porkys". Although it didn't do well at all in the box office, it has done more then well on video store shelves and is usually the favorite among many Smith fans. During filming for the movie Smith met his new close friends and stars of his next movie, Ben Affleck and Jason Lee and his new girlfriend, Joey Lauren Adams. Smith has said that his relationship with Adams has been much of an inspiration for his next movie, Chasing Amy (1997), Smith's comedy drama which won two independent Spirit awards: Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Role (for Jason Lee. Around the time that Chasing Amy (1997) was wrapping, Smith broke up with Adams, and then when the Spirit awards were approaching he met his soon-to-be wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith. After _Chasing Amy (1997) , Smith started on Dogma (1999), a controversial film about Christianity. Around this time Smith's wife gave birth to their first baby girl, Harley Quinn Smith. Harley Quinn and Jennifer both have roles in Smith's next film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). In this road trip comedy, the cult heroes, Jay and Silent Bob go on an adventure to stop the production of a movie being made about them, find true love, and save an orangutan. In 2004, he wrote and directed Jersey Girl (2004), starring Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler, and two years later he completed the sequel to his first film, Clerks II (2006). Smith has also written scripts for such comics as Daredevil and Green Arrow. He also wrote a script for a new Superman movie but decided to leave the project. Smith has opened a comic book store, has a production company, writes articles for Arena magazine, and does short films for the Leno show. He has accomplished so much and he has only been around since 1994.

Trivia random: Frequently refers to characters from his own movies. Ex: In Chasing Amy, Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) tells Holden (Ben Affleck) that she slept with Shannon Hamilton. Shannon Hamilton was the character Ben Affleck played in Mallrats.
Citazione random: They're like, 'I can't believe Kevin Smith gets into comics, and all he can do is a superhero comic.' Well, that's what I want to do.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Q, Maggie

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Nome di battesimo: Quigley, Maggie Denise
Data di nascita: 22 May 1979
Altezza: 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008) .... Cao Ying [attrice]
• Balls of Fury (2007) .... Maggie Wong [attrice]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... Mai Lihn [attrice]
• The Tourist (2007) .... [attrice]
• The Counting House (2006) .... Jade [attrice]
• Mission: Impossible III (2006) .... Zhen [attrice]
• Barbara Wood - Das Haus der Harmonie (2005) (TV) .... Harmony [attrice]
• Maang lung (2005) .... Yuet [attrice]
• Taped (2005) .... Maggie [attrice]
• Around the World in 80 Days (2004) .... Female Agent (as Maggie M. Quigley) [attrice]

Biografia:
Maggie Denise Quigley was born to a Polish-Irish American father (originally based in New York) and a Vietnamese mother. Her father met her mother during the Vietnam War. Maggie has two older step-siblings from her mother's previous marriage, and two older sisters. The family moved to Hawaii and settled in Mililani. Maggie dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but modeled and found herself bursting onto the Hong Kong movie scene - eventually becoming a full-fledged superstar in Asia. She changed her name to the easily pronounceable "Maggie Q" (for the Chinese audience). She had a cameo in the Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker smash hit Rush Hour 2 (2001) and is part of the supporting cast in Mission: Impossible III (2006), starring Tom Cruise.

Trivia random: Her mother is a property investor.
Citazione random: "Not only do I not want to be stereotyped as this Asian girl who fights - gee, what a wonder - but also I have more to offer than that."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Olyphant, Timothy

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Nome di battesimo: Olyphant, Timothy David
Data di nascita: 20 May 1968
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)
Coniuge: Alexis Knief::(1991 - present) 3 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Stop Loss (2008) .... Lt. Col. Boot Miller [attore]
• Bill (2007) .... Chip [attore]
• Hitman (2007) .... Agent 47 [attore]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... Thomas Gabriel [attore]
• Catch and Release (2006/II) .... Fritz [attore]
• The Girl Next Door (2004) .... Kelly [attore]
• Dreamcatcher (2003) .... Pete Moore [attore]
• A Man Apart (2003) .... Hollywood Jack [attore]
• Coastlines (2002) .... Sonny Mann [attore]
• Shadow Realm (2002) (TV) .... Eli West [attore]

Trivia random: 1986 graduate of Fred C. Beyer High School, Modesto, California.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Irons, Jeremy

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Nome di battesimo: Irons, Jeremy John
Data di nascita: 19 September 1948
Altezza: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Coniuge: Sinéad Cusack::(28 March 1978 - present) 2 children, Julie Hallam::(1969 - 1969) (annulled)

Ultimi lavori:

• The Magic 7 (2008) (TV) .... Thraxx (voice) [attore]
• Eragon (2006) .... Brom [attore]
• Inland Empire (2006) .... Kingsley Stewart [attore]
• Casanova (2005) .... Pucci [attore]
• Elizabeth I (2005) (TV) .... Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester [attore]
• Kingdom of Heaven (2005) .... Tiberias [attore]
• RSC Meets USA: Working Shakespeare (2005) (V) .... Narrator [attore]
• Being Julia (2004) .... Michael Gosselyn [attore]
• Mathilde (2004) .... Pukovnik Unprofora [attore]
• The Merchant of Venice (2004) .... Antonio [attore]

Biografia:
This very English actor began by busking, and then joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School His first break came in the musical Godspell, when he played John the Baptist alongside David Essex. Once described as 'the thinking woman's pin up' he has made his name in most notable, thought provoking films such as Dead Ringers (1988) and gained a Golden Globe Award in addition to an Oscar for Best Actor in 1990 for his role as Claus von Bulow in Reversal of Fortune (1990) alongside Glenn Close.

Trivia random: He currently owns Audi A6 Quatro estate, BMW cruising bike, and Ducati motorbike. He has owned Morris Minor, Honda 50, and a Volkswagen rag-top Beetle.
Citazione random: In an interview, he once explained the origin and pronunciation of his name thus: "My name is certainly not pronounced 'Eye-rons,' but just like the metal. In England we say, 'Eye-ons' -- we're lazy about our Rs. Here [USA] I guess you would say 'Ire-ons.'" The name is fairly common in England, it's probably short for Ironsmith."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Wiseman, Len

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Nome di battesimo: Wiseman, Len Ryan
Data di nascita: 4 March 1973
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)
Coniuge: Kate Beckinsale::(9 May 2004 - present)

Ultimi lavori:

• Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans (2009) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... [regista]
• Underworld: Evolution (2006) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Underworld (2003) .... (story) [scrittore]

Biografia:
Filmmaker Len Wiseman's career began through his work in the art department on the blockbuster hits like Godzilla (1998), Men in Black (1997), and Independence Day (1996). His design talents soon got him behind the camera directing commercials for PlayStation, Time Warner, Oracle, Intel, and Activision, and quickly lead to work in music videos. Len received numerous award nominations, including Best Art Direction at the 2002 MTV Awards for Quarashi's Gargandi snilld (2005) (aka Stick 'Em Up) and Best Director at the 2002 MVPA Awards for the Rufus Wainwright video "Across the Universe." In addition, Wiseman directed music videos for Megadeth, En Vogue, Static X, Paul Oakenfold and Brooke Allison.

Trivia random: June 2003: Engaged to actress Kate Beckinsale.
Citazione random: Die Hard, Indiana Jones, and Lethal Weapon were the movies that really kicked it off for me in high school. I saw a making-of Raiders of the Lost Ark documentary and thought, 'Man, that's the job I want to do.'

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Willis, Bruce

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Nome di battesimo: Willis, Walter Bruce
Data di nascita: 19 March 1955
Altezza: 5' 11¾" (1.82 m)
Coniuge: Demi Moore::(21 November 1987 - 18 October 2000) (divorced) 3 children

Ultimi lavori:

• The Last Full Measure (2009) .... [attore]
• Morgan's Summit (2009) .... [attore]
• Assassination of a High School President (2008) .... [attore]
• Pinkville (2008) .... William R. Peers [attore]
• Grindhouse (2007) .... Lt. Muldoon (segment "Planet Terror") [attore]
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Nancy Drew (2007) .... Bruce (uncredited) [attore]
• Perfect Stranger (2007) .... Harrison Hill [attore]
• Planet Terror (2007) .... Lt. Muldoon [attore]
• 16 Blocks (2006) .... Det. Jack Mosley [attore]

Biografia:
Bruce Willis grew up mainly in Penns Grove, New Jersey, and graduated from high school there before going to New York to become an actor. He waited tables and tended bar for a living until he began to get roles in plays. While tending bar one night he was seen by a casting director who liked his personality and needed a bartender for a small movie role.

Trivia random: His mother Marlene was born in Kassel, Germany.
Citazione random: I am baffled to understand why the things that I saw happening in Iraq, really good things happening in Iraq, are not being reported on.
Salario massimo: $100,000,000 (salary, gross and video participations), per The Sixth Sense (1999)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.