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Posted: 25 May 2013 07:30 PM PDT

CANNES, France: A documentary on relatives wiped out in the Khmer Rouge's tyrannical grip on Cambodia in the 1970s earned Cambodian-French director Rithy Panh a major prize at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

Entitled "L'Image Manquante" - "The Missing Picture" in English - the 95-minute work earned the top award in the festival's "Un Certain Regard" category, which showcases films by emerging directors.

Panh, 49, has been previously singled out for praise for other documentaries on Cambodia's slaughter: "S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine" (2003) and "Duch, Master of the Forges of Hell" (2012).

"L'Image Manquante" - based on a memoir by Panh called "The Elimination" - mixes archive footage of the ultra-left fanaticism of the Khmer Rouge with hand-carved, painted figurines to represent his lost relatives.

In a review, The Hollywood Reporter praised it as "a deliberately distanced but often harrowing vision of a living hell."

"What I give you today is neither the picture nor the search for a unique image, but the picture of a quest," Panh said in notes to accompany the film.

The documentary coincides with the trial of the Khmer Rouge's two most senior surviving leaders at a UN court in Phnom Penh for crimes against humanity, genocide and other atrocities.

Another defendant, co-founder Ieng Sary, died in March aged 87, stoking fears that the regime's ageing leaders may not survive to hear verdicts on their alleged part in the atrocities.

Led by "Brother Number One" Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied cities and abolished money and schools in a bid to create an agrarian paradise.

Up to two million people were executed or died from starvation, overwork or torture.

The court has so far achieved just one conviction, sentencing former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, to life in jail for overseeing the deaths of about 15,000 people.

The jury prize in the "Un Certain Regard" category went to "Omar," an enthusiastically-received fictional tale of love and betrayal in the Israeli-occupied territories, directed by Hany Abu-Assad.

Abu-Assad shot to prominence in 2006 with "Paradise Now," about two would-be suicide bombers. The 12-day festival closes on Sunday with the awarding of the coveted Palme d'Or in the main competition, gathering 20 movies. -AFP

A tale of illusions and unbelievable heists in Now You See Me

Posted: 25 May 2013 07:04 PM PDT

Will the real Jesse Eisenberg please stand up?

HAVING only his on-screen persona as a point of reference, it is only natural to be curious what Jesse Eisenberg is like when he's not playing someone else. Does he have anything in common with Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook – an angry but brilliant young man whose words stumble out of his mouth faster than a speeding train (The Social Network)? Or was he just playing a version of himself as the anxious, somewhat frenetic and insecure nice guy in The Squid And The Whale, Adventureland and Zombieland?

When Eisenberg calls from New Orleans, Louisiana, to talk about his new movie, Now You See Me, he starts the 15-minute interview by engaging in small talk, saying he knows where Malaysia is located as he has visited a couple of countries in Asia including Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. He later adds that he likes Malaysian cuisine – "I can tolerate spicy food" – and has eaten at a Malaysian restaurant called Penang in New York, where he lives.

Throughout the interview, he remains friendly, polite and forthcoming. Perhaps what Eisenberg – who turns 30 this October – shares with the above-mentioned characters is that he's just as intelligent and fast-talking, often punctuating long sentences with erm(s) and short pauses.

Dave Franco, his co-star in Now You See Me, says Eisenberg is very serious about acting and is self-critical. Franco states: "Jesse is amazing. I just love that guy. He is so humble as well. I don't even know if he watches any of the things he's done. He is just genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever been around. It was inspiring to see just how much work he puts into the role."

In Now You See Me, audiences can expect to see a totally different Eisenberg. He plays a charismatic magician named Michael Atlas whose speciality is sleight of hand illusions. When Atlas gets on stage, he commands everyone's attention because he is just that good. Atlas is also the leader of the group known as The Four Horsemen – comprising three other equally talented magicians (Franco, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher), each an expert in their own field (picking pockets, mentalist and escapist).

Together, they pull off a series of bold heists (like robbing a bank in France, while staging a show in Las Vegas), which has the authorities (Mark Ruffalo) and other magicians (Morgan Freeman) baffled, and the people they rob from (Michael Caine) frazzled.

As it turns out, Eisenberg was drawn to the role because of his character's fearlessness. The actor shares: "I read the script while I was acting in a play in New York City. I was very nervous going to stage every night and I thought it was interesting how this character is so confident performing on stage. I thought it'd be really fun to play a character that was having so much fun on stage because I was so nervous doing my play. I also love the storyline; it was such an unexpected part. I haven't been in a movie like this – it was thrilling to read and I thought it'd be even more thrilling to watch."

To research for the role, Eisenberg watched a lot of magicians perform. Several professional magicians were also recruited by director Louis Letterier to figure out the art and craft of magic for the film, delving deep into the workings of illusions. This allowed Eisenberg to spend time with them, and further his skills. According to Eisenberg, the magic performed in the film are all very possible in the near future, and their secrets are revealed to movie-goers by the end. "So, you know, nothing about it is like phony or unexplained."

While magicians have had the luxury of practising eight hours a day for a number of years to perfect their craft, Eisenberg – in his limited time – managed to learn enough how to perform the tricks.

What is more important, the New Yorker did pick something up to help him personally. "All magicians have their own style, but there is a general confidence and command over the audience that seems to be common even in magicians who appear to be very casual. They are in great control during the performance.

"When they are performing, they are 10 steps ahead of the audience. They are aware of every possibility and I try to take on that feeling. So, now when I perform in New York, I try to have that same confidence – to be really in control and ahead of what the audience is expecting."

Now You See Me opens nationwide on May 30.

Related Story:
His own man

His own man

Posted: 25 May 2013 07:05 PM PDT

BESIDES the surname, somewhat similar features, the way they talk (and laugh) and being in the same profession, Dave Franco apparently doesn't have much in common with his older brother, James Franco.

In a telephone interview with the 27-year-old, the California native says: "If you meet the two of us, I mean, you'd understand how different we really are. We couldn't be more different."

Perhaps due to this, the two of them are drawn to different roles and projects. Franco's recent ventures saw him playing a scumbag highschooler in 21 Jump Street and a not-so-understanding boyfriend in Warm Bodies. His latest role – and the reason for this telephone call from New Orleans, Louisiana – has him working on the film Now You See Me, alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo and Isla Fisher.

In it he plays Jack Wilder, the youngest member of The Four Horsemen, a group of top magicians who not only perform dazzling magic tricks on stage, but also rob from the rich (in style) and give to the working class folk. At the same time, these four people are hiding an even bigger secret.

Although Franco dabbled in magic when he was younger – "I grew up with two brothers who taught me card tricks" – he got the chance to really get into the craft thanks to the film's magic consultant, David Kwong.

"I learned a couple of things from David Kwong. He taught me how to throw playing cards and I got so good at it that I can now cut a banana in half by throwing a card at it. That's probably the most impressive thing that I've learned. He also taught me how to solve a Rubik's Cube in under five seconds, which is pretty cool. He taught me a few sleight of hand tricks as well. I hold up an empty hand and I do like a snap on the wrist and then I have a deck of cards that appear in my hand. Yea, little things like that."

Learning is something Franco tries to do with each film he makes. He reveals that his ultimate goal is to become a director, so he wants to be around filmmakers he admires to see how they work and pick up useful tips from them. Actually, he has already directed a few internet videos for the Funny Or Die website, on top of starring in them as well. (Do check them out as they are hi-la-rious.)

One of the earliest skits on this site (Acting With James Franco, directed by Andrew J. Cohen) has the young Franco act out a scene from Rebel Without A Cause with his big brother mentoring him to a laugh-inducing result.

So will he ever collaborate with James on a film? "Yea, at some point. As much as I love and respect my brother, I have been trying to distance myself a little bit work-wise because people do draw comparisons. I love him to death but I don't want to be referred to as James Franco's little brother for the rest of my life. But, that being said, I would love to work with him down the line, if it ever gets to a point where I gain enough credibility and people allow me to stand on my own two feet. Then I would love to collaborate with him on something." – Mumtaj Begum

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Ahad, 26 Mei 2013

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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