The Killer Inside Me

I recently saw The Killer Inside Me and really liked it. The film came out this past year. There was another adaptation that came out in 1976. Both films are based on the novel of the same name by Jim Thompson that came out in 1952. This particular adaptation was adapted for the screen by John Curran and directed by Michael Winterbottom.

The film is classic pulp noir with a twist. Unlike other films of this kind, the Killer Inside Me really delves into the mind of a killer, and Casey Affleck is perfect in the role. He plays Lou Ford, a quiet and polite deputy sheriff. He lives and works in a quiet Texas town, but due to circumstances, is slowly unmasked as a killer.

Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson were each superb as the two women that love him. Hudson plays Ford's first love, the sweet and respectable Amy Stanton. Alba plays Joyce Lakeland, a prostitute that lives on the outskirts of town that manages to awaken the hidden side of Ford. The rest of the cast includes Elias Koteas, Simon Baker, and Bill Pullman.

I would definitely recommend this film. It is definitely a must-see!

Dream Cast Thursday! Roman Holiday

This week's Dream Cast Thursday is Roman Holiday. The film originally came out in 1953 and was written by Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton and directed by William Wyler. This film has always been one of my favorites. The characters and actors are completely intertwined within my head, so going in, I knew that finding a new cast would be difficult.

The first character that I recast was Princess Ann. She was originally played by Audrey Hepburn. This was probably the hardest character to cast, because in my mind, there is no one like Audrey Hepburn. She is a legend and an icon. I went back and forth between many actresses. For my adaptation, I finally decided on a French actress named Audrey Tautou.

The second character that I recast was Joe Bradley. This was somewhat easier, but still a really hard decision to make. He was originally played by Gregory Peck. For my adaptation, I chose an Australian actor named Simon Baker.

The last character that I recast was Irving Radovich. This was the easiest of the decisions to make, because once I had the actor that I finally chose in mind, there seemed to be no one better suited for the part. He was originally played by Eddie Albert. For my adaptation, I chose another Australian actor named Joel Edgerton.

So what do you all think? Have you seen the original? Who would be in your adaptation?

Women in Trouble

When I was working at the Chicago International Film Festival this past October, there were a lot of movies that looked really good, that I was sadly just unable to see. Women in Trouble was one of them. I am really happy that I finally got a chance to see it. It was written and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez and had a wonderful ensemble cast.

Several women (and one girl) in L.A. are hiding something from someone else, or discovering something hidden from them. Maxine (Sarah Clark), a therapist, discovers her husband (Simon Baker) cheating on her with the mother of Charlotte (Isabella Gutierrez), a 13-year old patient. Addy (the other women, Caitlin Keats) and her sister Doris (Connie Britton) have withheld from the girl the truth about her parentage. Holly (Adrianne Palicki), and adult film actor, isn't telling her friend Bambi (Emmanuelle Chriqui) how she feels about her, and another actor, Elektra (Carla Gugino), who discovers she's pregnant, hasn't told the baby's father (Josh Brolin) that she loves him. A stuck elevator, a car crash, mid-air turbulence, a flight attendant, a shotgun-wielding bartender, and her roommate, who's a masseuse, help the women communicate. 

This film is definitely a must-see!

Dream Cast Thursday! Sunset Boulevard

For this week's "Dream Cast Thursday," I will be recasting Sunset Boulevard. There have been countless stage adaptations. The original film was directed by Billy Wilder in 1950. It stars William Holden as Joe Gillis, Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer, and Erich von Stronheim as Max von Mayerling.

As Norma Desmond, I recast Glenn Close (I cheated a little since she recently played Norma Desmond on Broadway, but once I had the image of her in my head as Desmond, I couldn't get it out. I recast Simon Baker as Joe Gillis. I recast Rachel McAdams as Betty Schaefer, and Anthony Hopkins as Max von Mayerling.

So what are all of your ideas? What do you think of my recasting? How would you recast it?