Monday, November 15, 2010

Getting a Hand on "Shame"

A sales poster for "Shame" featuring minimalistic art, surfaced last week, thanks to MFO and Collider:

You see a hand against glass, and a head hiding down maybe from the shame he's feeling.

Or involved with something,

Or who knows until the film comes out.

For those who watched "Hunger" and followed Steve McQueen's work throughout the process, minimalistic is common in his film work.  The first poster for "Hunger" was just a half black, half white poster with a quote from the film.  The second poster for "Hunger" featured the feces painted wall.

Minimal.

But minimal says a lot.  It gets your mind going and thinking, what exactly is this about?  What time in my life do I remember being in that position?  Or others?

This film will start production in January, pretty much right after X-Men is done.  It's one project after another for some time now.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Michael IS Rochester

It didn't take long for the studios to put out a trailer for "Jane Eyre".  In fact, it was the very next day after the poster was revealed on Monday.

Here's the video:


We've been holding our breath with this film, because so many naysayers weren't sure about Michael's ability to portray such a brooding, mad character.  If you've read our earlier posts about Michael's talent, you know that we've been trying to make people understand that he's done this before.  We knew he'd 'hit it out of the park' as we say in the states.

And he does.

People all over the place have been sharing their thoughts about how great Michael looks and performs in just this little snippet of film.

We're very happy fans.

We knew he could do it.  There was no doubt in our minds.

Many film enthusiasts, who have been following Michael's career recently, chimed in their excitement.  Most Jane Eyre book purist also expressed their anxiousness in seeing this 'gothic' tale.

We are relieved.

Now, we just have to wait for the film to hit theaters.

While we wait for pre-movie interviews, press junkets, premieres, etc, you can take a look at some of the sites that have posted screen capsfrom this little trailer.

http://mynewplaidpants.blogspot.com

http://enchantedserenityperiodfilms.blogspot.com



More pictures can be found on MFO's Forum and in their gallery, also on Mfmultiply's blog site.

Monday, November 8, 2010

"Jane Eyre" Poster Brings Mia and Michael into View

Last week, the Official Jane Eyre Facebook page announced that a new 'film asset' would be revealed this Monday.  As fans of Michael's work, we all wondered what a 'film asset' was.

Then a tweet came through from the distributor:
@FocusFeatures #JaneEyre fans. LIKE our Facebook page & be the 1st to see a brand new image from the film this Monday. Join now 4 access http://is.gd/gKPVu

We went around thinking, maybe a poster?

When we got online, we saw various news sites post about the new item:
a poster...with a little peek at Michael's look as Rochester.


















(we're two for two now, wishing for something and having it come true-see previous post for Fable III...hmmm).

We think that Michael's character is going to be somewhat of a secret surprise until studios or promotions put out stills. 

It's a very simplistic poster, which we like.  It's very mysterious like the story itself.  We like that it does somewhat feature Michael's profile.  We don't think there would be happy fans if Michael was left out from the first poster.  It's also protrays a beautiful profile of Mia as Jane. 

The film comes out March 11, 2011, but don't worry.  In a few months, or sooner, we'll start hearing about promotions, maybe interviews or something like the press junket/'premiere' for "Fish Tank" in NYC.  We hope it gets more of a promotion because Mia is better known by film enthusiasts.

Other things to note in the Michael world:

"Centurion" and "Jonah Hex" have been released in the states on dvd/blu-ray.  "Fable III" has been released in the states, UK and Japan.  "Jonah Hex" will available in the UK on dvd/blu-ray on December 27.  Order all these and more through MFO's Amazon store (region 1 items) and Amazon Shoppe (region 2 items).

Visit MFO's site and forum for more information and goodies for Michael's fans.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Game On! Part 2

Someone must have read our last post, because we had voiced our wishes to see more behind the scene of the making of "Fable III", and voila! Out comes a longer version of behind the scenes.

The video has interview clips and recording work for most of the major characters voiced by Simon Pegg, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jonathan Ross, John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Nic Hoult, Bernard Hill, Zoe Wannamaker, and of course, Michael Fassbender.

Take a look at what the actors have to say about their characters and what they thought about the process of making the video. If you are really into the game, there are some great tips at the end of the video.



And even better?! The video is continued....maybe the videos will be released in a weekly fashion, in order to drum up interest in the game.

Many of the actors are on Twitter. Here are just a few of them.

@SimonPegg
@stephenfry
@JohnCleese
@NicHoult
@Wossy (Jonathan Ross)

For Michael, he has quite a few fan supporting twitter accounts, which you can find on the sidebar of the site. If you want to be part of the affiliates, please let us know. We'd love to see more sites for Michael.

Remember to buy all your Fable III goods through MFO's Amazon store or UK shoppe.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Let's Play, Michael!

It's been announced for a while, thanks to MFO, that Michael was one of the many great voices to work on "Fable 3", which happens to come out at the end of October.  Other well known voices include John Clees, Simon Pegg and Ben Kingsley.

Michael's character is Logan, the 'evil' son of a king who has passed on, leaving his kingdom to his two sons.  According to reports, the object of the game is to defeat Logan and become the new king of the kingdom.

Yesterday, a new behind the scenes video came out, showcasing voice actors, including a scene from Michael's recording.  Quite a treat for fans of Michael and of the game. 



See Michael near the end of the video, around 1:30 or so.  We hope to see more behind-the-scenes clips, and maybe an interview about the experience. 

Preorder your copy of the game through MFO's Amazon Store or UK Shoppe

Friday, September 10, 2010

Michael Fassbender Revs Up on "Man on a Motorcycle"

According to MFO, BFI's London Film Festival will be showcasing film shorts entitled "A Working Class Hero Is Something to Be" during their film fest, including one starring Michael Fassbender:
John Maclean’s film short ‘Man on a Motorcycle’ starring Michael Fassbender will be screened at the 54th BFI London Film Festival!


Synopsis: “A ‘day in the life’ of a London motorcycle courier at breaking point in his profession and his life.” The short was shot on a mobile phone.
A mobile phone? That's quite an achievement and quite ballsy. With portable video shooting, film making is at your fingertips.

Show dates are 26, 27 September. To get tickets go to BFI.com. You'll also see screencaps from all the film shorts, including one of Michael from the film.

Check out IMDB's page for the short, with a couple of screencaps from the film.

If you are in London during those days, make time to watch those shorts and other films offered by BFI.

As Michael has a fondness for motorbikes, here's an extra treat-a miscellaneous bike shot.


Photo from the Brit magazine "Out There".

Find more news at MFO.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

"Shame" Brings Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen Together Again

Forget whatever actor/director combo you've heard of up until now.  Get ready for the fantastic work of director Steve McQueen and actor Michael Fassbender.  According to Variety:
Brit artist-turned-helmer Steve McQueen is reuniting with thesp Michael Fassbender for his second directorial effort, "Shame," which sales company HanWay Films will introduce to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival, which starts on Thursday.


Fassbender will play Brandon, a 30-something man living in New York, who is unable to manage his sex life. The drama, penned by McQueen and "Brick Lane" scribe Abi Morgan, will examine the nature of need, how people live their lives and react to the experiences that shape them.

Lensing will begin in January.
For those of you who became familiar with Michael's and Steve's work in "Hunger", you were probably hoping that the two would get together again to create a new work of art.  You wish has been granted.

If you are not familiar with "Hunger", you really should check it out.  Steve is a real artist and Michael and the whole cast are riveting.  You can order your copy through MFO's Amazon store located for
region 1 here
or
region 2 here.

"Hunger" won a bunch of awards for both Steve and Michael all over the world.  For those of use who watched the whole process with "Hunger", from filming to starving to winning awards, we are exceedingly happy for this news.  And those who got to know Michael's work and Steve's work through "Hunger", probably wanted to see more. 

"Hunger" was Steve's first film and Michael's first leading role in a film, if you don't count "A Bear Named Winnie," which was actually a movie made for TV. 

We'd love to think that "Shame" will really put the duo up among the best of the best of actor/director combos and even might nudge them both into the Oscars.

We can bet that the film will be thought-provoking, provocative, artistic, and well done. 

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Presenting Burke

The buzz last a couple of weeks ago was all about the new character posters for Jonah Hex. For Fassbender fans, there's only one poster we want to see-a fantastic visual feast appeared on the internet.


It's really good to see Michael being showcased as part of this film.

There's nothing wrong with a simplistic poster.  Some have mentioned that it's not 'artistic' or that it doesn't say anything about the film.  But to Fassbender fans, it says a lot.  It says that he's one of the main characters in the film, that the studios seem fit to put his face on poster in order to help sell the film.  And that he's an important part of the film. 

Personally, we don't care for a real busy poster, with all the artwork.  It reminds us too much of video games, which we don't really participate.  But as we always say, to each their own. 

As we've been reading the comments about this poster, there are questions being asked that are easily answered.

One comment was about how Michael's look is reminiscent of Clockwork Orange. Good catch! According to Michael's own words about his character Burke:

http://www.movieline.com/2009/08/the-verge-michael-fassbender.php
I’ve heard you had a lot to do with conceiving your villain in Jonah Hex.

I kind of got my ideas from makeup and wardrobe, to be honest. I had sort of a basic idea where I was going with the character, but it actually really changed massively when I arrived in New Orleans and met up with Michael Wilkinson, who did the costumes on 300 as well. And then Christien Tinsley was doing makeup, and he basically put these tattoos on that start at my chin and go all the way down my torso and up my forearms. So I had that look, and I thought, “Whoa, that’s kind of cool and interesting,” because it was Polynesian and suggests that the guy was a sailor, perhaps. On top of that, Michael had this three-piece suit, this suit that was kind of dandyish in its time but had been broken down and was kind of rough and ready now, and when I went through hats and put on this bowler hat, I thought, “I’ve got it. It’s sort of Clockwork Orange, or 1970s Riddler.”
Since the posters have come out, the studios have been slowing showing trailers and ads on tv.  We've seen up to 8 or 9 different ones right now.  You can find most of them on Youtube and they will be on our site at Multiply.com under "Videos".  We'll be posting all the videos we can find on there.  So check often for your video viewing pleasure. 

If you want to see the first two TV spots, go to the Jonah Hex movie site.  You should also check out the film site, because they've updated the site with games, downloads, comics, and other stuff.   The rest of the character posters are there, too. 

There are now three trailers, and we really like the latest web trailer.  It shows more of a story within the film.



Other interesting news, mainly a rumor, but NECA, the toy company who distributed and sold the "300" figures (which we were waiting for a third wave and never came, maybe they'll change their mind if the film comes out on 3-D), is also distributing the "Jonah Hex" figures.  A youtube reviewer mentioned that there is plans for a second wave of figures, with possibly one of "Burke", Michael character.  We will finally get a great action figure of Michael's character.

As a collector, we know that figures and dolls only capture a moment of a look, and we can only imagine how the figure might turn out.

We say to NECA, if they do put out another wave of characters with Burke, we will buy the whole set...all 6 of them, and maybe a few extra Burkes to give away for gifts.  We gave away some of the 300 Leonidas as thank you gifts to friends.

Jonah Hex comes to US theaters on June 18.  Hope to see you there!

Originally written 05/15/10

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Jonah Hex Rides Into the Masses

If you've been waiting for the Jonah Hex trailer, wait no longer.  It's all over the internet, including here:



Michael is very prominent in the video as the bad guy's right hand man. Looks like he had too much fun. Which reminds us of the word "Fassbendering" contrived by a one "Fergal Casey" - To Fassbender: to very obviously derive too much enjoyment from one's work. See Irish actor Michael Fassbender, who spends the entirety of 300 grinning like an idiot.

Also check out the poster, which does have Michael on the far left, looking quite insidious.

Photobucket

We are looking forward to the release of this film, in US theaters on June 18, and are very happy Michael has a pronounced place in the film.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Actionfest Premieres "Centurion"

For those anywhere near Asheville, NC, or near North Carolina, you should get to Actionfest this week, the first film festival dedicated to all action films. "Centurion" will be opening the festival and premiering on April 15-16. Lucky, lucky viewers and fans. We expect to hear a lot from the festival. It's sure to be a great time, full of excitement and surprises, the only way Actionfest could do it. 

Go to Actionfest.com for tickets and schedules.

A little treat for those of you watering at the mouth for some Centurion goods.  Here's a behind the scenes look at Centurion, with director Neil Marshall and Michael Fassbender. 


Source

Thanks to AbsoluteJJFeild

Friday, April 2, 2010

Birthday Celebrations!

 
A very Happy Birthday today to Michael Fassbender.  It's been quite a year of ups and downs and things inbetween.

It's a great start for his new birthday year, working on the set of Jane Eyre.

Happy 3rd birthday to MFO's forum, a great place to meet other fans of Michael.  You can donate to Barretstown for the birthday charity fundraiser. 

Enjoy a little picspam as a birthday treat:





Friday, March 26, 2010

We Like Mike!

To make a simple, this is one of the many areas of the internet that will continue to support Michael Fassbender and his work.


If you are a fan or member of MFO, Hexperience, Fassinating Fassbender, MFmultiply's site or forum, or any other site or extension of these sites, we are all in support of Michael.  If you support Michael, you can send your messsage of support to him on any one of these sites.  Click the links and you'll find your way there. 

Just a few weeks ago, we published a post called, Taking it to Heart, where we spotlighted a few of the good things Michael has done, to help others. 

While we wait to hear the outcome of all the hub-bub, why not take a look at some of Michael's work and see why he has been the talk of the town when it comes to talent.  His talent cannot be denied.  Fish Tank is nearing its last weeks playing in the US.  It's still scheduled to play in various international festivals.  Centurion will be opening Actionfest in April.


Although it's not official, there have been some hints about a Jonah Hex panel at San Francisco's Wondercon, April 2-4.  If there is one, you can bet we'll be there.

And don't forget that the charity fundraiser is still going on.  Donations for Barretstown are still needed. 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Centurion's first showing at SXSW

St. Patrick's Day MySpace Glitter Images


What better way to celebrate the day than to go to a parade and flaunt your cultural background. For those in Killarney, they had the extra pleasure of seeing Michael Fassbender as the Grand Marshall for the parade. Hope to see pictures later on.


In project news, Centurion had it's North American debut at a secret screening on March 15 at SXSW. Many times, these screenings are shown really late, after convention hours, and this was no different. Director Neil Marshall and his wife/actress Axelle Carolyn were on hand to introduce the film and answer questions.

A good percentage of comments and reviews were highly positive about the film.  Most fans who have enjoyed Marshall's past work, were excited for Centurion.
Centurion = solid action, good casting, bloody good fun. #sxsw

Yeah! Good ol' fashioned action adventure mayhem! Neil Marshall is officially 4 for 4, in 4 different sub-genres. CENTURION! #sxsw

Michael Fassbender was the man in Centurion. Gonna be a star. #sxswfilm

CENTURION was epic s$#!! Fassbender and West were as awesome as ever. Go see this! When you can, you know. #sxsw

CENTURION is more proof that Michael Fassbender is the Next Big Thing. #sxsw

Centurion: a rockin' good b-picture with savage bloodlust. #sxsw

Centurion slightly cheesy period B actioner, slo-mo bloody fighting, action babes in fur and mascara. Fassbender strong lead.

Centurion was a solid flick. Neil Marshall can make all battle scenes from now on. #SXSW
For more thorough reviews visit:
hollywoodreporter.com
indiewire.com
quietearth.us
aintitcool.com
flicksided.com
cinematical.com

Filmschoolrejects.com
posted a video interview with Neil and Axelle.



From what we gather from all the comments, if you like Marshall's work, or movies like '300', or any of the actors in the film, you'll really enjoy this film.  We are looking forward to it's release in August 2010 in the US.  It looks like Michael will have two movies out in August:  Centurion & Knockout.  Centurion will be out in the UK on 23 April 2010.

Knockout is continuing it's shoot in New Mexico for this week.  It's reported to be a three day shoot.  Could be more.  

Centurion was shown again at midnight last night at SXSW.  It will be premiering at Actionfest in North Carolina this weekend. 

News for fans:

Don't forget to send your messages to Michael through MFO.  Today is the last day. We're still working on the charity fundraiser.  Don't let the children with cancer down.  Donate today or tomorrow.  Just donate.

Join MFO's forum to talk about Michael's work all over the world.  Follow MFOnline and Hexperience on Twitter to get your latest updated news. 

Mfmultiply's forum has changed its look for the season.  Check it out.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Ready to Film

It's quite exciting to start a new project, whatever you do.

For those of us who enjoy movies, the whole notion of looking forward to a project to be  filmed/made/put together is lip lickingly delicious.

Earlier, we mentioned that Michael Fassbender starts filming "Jane Eyre" next week.  He was recently interviewed about how he feels about this new project:
"I was close to doing Wuthering Heights a couple of years ago, And you don't get Heathcliff, Rochester has got to be second on the list.

"It's a great role, there are so many layers to him. He's been hurt, and there's cruelty to him which I look for ward to exploring.

"And Mia is such a great talent; she's going to be a big star."
Source

In 'celebration' of this new project, we're going to be rereading "Jane Eyre".  Normally, we don't like to read the book before a movie comes out, because the book is always better than the movie, albeit a few have lived up to par.  There's always creative license taken with films that don't always live up to the book.  

We read Jane back in middle school or high school and don't remember the story well enough to remember what happened.  So, we're going to reacquaint ourselves with Jane, Rochester and the rest of the characters. 

While we're at the bookstore, we'll be looking for the Empire magazine from which the above interview has been published.  Plus we'll be looking for the March 2010 Italian Vogue magazine that has published a few nice photos of Michael and British actress Harriet Walter.













From The Fashion Spot forum, thanks to misss_ff
Originally written 3/16/10

Friday, March 12, 2010

Up His Sleeve

This year has been very busy, reporting all the news concerning Michael Fassbender's work.  We knew this would happen in the future...and the future is now.

The last week of March, Michael will be working on Jane Eyre with Mia Wasikowska, director Cary Fukunaga, and a list of other great actors.

Director Fukunaga has been interviewed about his version of Jane Eyre.  He gives insight to what he sees in the story.
“The Orson Welles-Joan Fontaine version was of an era. You wouldn’t make a film like that anymore. I’m a stickler for raw authenticity, so I’ve spent a lot of time rereading the book and trying to feel out what Charlotte Brontë was feeling when she was writing it. That sort of spookiness that plagues the entire story…there’s been something like 24 adaptations, and it’s very rare that you see those sorts of darker sides. They treat it like it’s just a period romance, and I think it’s much more than that.”
Source

After Jane Eyre, Michael will be jetting off to film with director David Cronenberg.  It was reported that co-star Christoph Waltz had to leave this project, playing Freud to Michael's Jung.  Christoph's filming schedule conflicted with a project he recently signed on to play.  Taking Christoph's place will be Viggo Mortensen.


It would have been the bee's knees to have Michael and Christoph working side by side, feuding on screen.  But alas, it's not to be.  Viggo is an excellent replacement.  The project will start filming after the middle of May for about 10 weeks, according to various sources.

Unbeknownst to most, the project was almost scrapped because of Christoph's conflicting schedule, despite Michael and Keira Knightly on board; that would have been a tragedy.  Hence, we thank Viggo for stepping in and leaving his partial retirement.  A few pictures of Viggo that have surfaced show that he could be easily transformed as Freud.










But before all that work, Michael will be having some fun as the Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Parade in his home town of Killarney, per Kerry's Eye Online.  They are sure proud of their boy!

Originally written 3/10/10 

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Taking it to Heart

While enjoying the limelight of awards' season, Michael Fassbender also took time to show that he's a caring person, too.  

He was part of a commercial for Ballygowan Pink bottled mineral water, which a supporter of the Marie Keaton foundation for breast cancer awareness.

Here's the commercial with John Rhys Myers, Matt Dillion and Michael Fassbender:



The next day, Michael spent a day at the Gaiety School of Acting, talking to students and answering questions.

Michael Fassbender, best known for his recent role in ''Inglorious Basterds'' visited the Gaiety School of Acting today in a memorable day for its students. Watched by all 1st and 2nd year students, Michael discussed the trials and tribulations of his career including his rise to fame. Michael was first taught by GSA tutor Donal Courtney and from there he went on to the Drama Centre in London. He first played the part of Burton 'Pat' Christenson in Tom Hanks and Steven Spieldberg's award winning Band Of Brothers. After a number of television roles, Michael then went on to star in some big productions, most notably 300, where he featured alongside Gerard Butler, Eden Lake and Hunger.

Michael also talked of his recent role in Hunger, a film detailing the last six weeks of the life of the Irish republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. The part required Michael to drop his weight to a dangerous 58kgs.

His life story was followed up by questions and answers from students of the GSA. After receiving a gracious round of applause, GSA director Patrick Sutton thanked Mr Fassbender for his visit and wished him the best in his future endeavours.
Source

For more information about the school and to see pictures of the class, visit Gaiety School of Acting site or their Facebook page.  It was very nice of Michael to take time out of a busy schedule and visit with students and his former acting instructor.  Some of us are still waiting for a Mr. Hanks to come back to his former community college in CA.

This isn't the first time Michael has been invited to talk at about his work at higher education classes or festivals.  But there's something different when you share your work with those whose dreams are still alive in doing the same thing you are already doing.

And since we are talking about giving, we're going to put another reminder for MFO's Charity Fundraiser and Birthday Messages.  Luckily for you, the date has been extend, so you can get your taxes back and send in a donation to help children with cancer through Barretstown.  You can also catch up on your movie collection by buying movies through Hexperience's Amazon store, where proceeds will go to Barretstown.  Thanks to Hexperience and Anita for offering her site's services.

Also, send a note of encouragement, or congratulate Michael for his awards, or tell him what you think about his work, by sending messages for his birthday.  Sign into MFO for information. 

Lastly, a beautiful, autographed "300" poster is being auctioned on ebay, which all funds will be going to Barretstown.  Autographs include Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, David Wenham, Lena Heady, Rodrigo Santoro, and others.  Click here to post your bid.

One thing to remember about all these charity fundraisers; you may never know when you might need the charity of others, or become dependent on the open heart and hands of others, especially in this day and age.  Give now, whatever it may be. 

Check out MFO's new look, too.

Originally written 2/23/10

Friday, February 19, 2010

Add Another Award!

Someone's going to need a bigger shelf for all those awards he's receiving for his performance!

Michael Fassbender won the London Film Critics Circle award for Best British Actor in a supporting role in Fish Tank.  Whew, that was a long title.

Michael did appear at the award's show, to pick up his award.  Backstage, he took time to answer press questions while humbly, yet proudly, holding his award:



For pictures, head over to MFO.

For a list of all the winners, like Colin Firth (very deserving), see Awards' List.  Congrats to all the winners!

We know Ireland loves Michael, and so does the UK.  We need to see a little more love outside the Isles in the next few years.  We're getting used toseeing Michael win awards. 

If you'd like to send a message of congrats to Michael, go to MFO for more information.  And while you're at it, send a donation for Barretstown. 

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Give a little more this Valentines


We always think about the people we love on Valentines, but what about those who need a little more love to get through the day, or who may have been forgotten?

If a more meaningful Valentines is floating through your mind this year, please donate to Barretstown.


2nd Annual MFO Birthday Charity Fundraiser Benefiting Barretstown

Celebrating Michael . . . Celebrating the Children . . .

Please help us celebrate the April 2nd birthday of the truly gifted and multi-talented Michael Fassbender by donating to the amazing Barretstown a ‘Hole in the Wall Camp’ founded by the late actor Paul Newman, which is located near the Wicklow Mountains Nat’l Park, Ireland.

Donating in Michael’s honor and for the courageous and beautiful children and their families is a gift that is greatly appreciated.

Our goal is to raise funds February 1 through March 15, 2010. Our hope is to do as much as possible to make a difference for the sake of the children and their families. Please help us achieve outstanding success!
Please visit the Barretstown website to see all of the wonderful things they do for the children.

Barretstown

To donate: Please see our Michael Fassbender Online Birthday Charity Page or or click on the charity widget on this site.
And when you donate, you are in the drawing for some nice gifts, many Michael related.

But in the end, donate because you truly want to help.

Finally! Hunger on dvd in the US


US fans wait no longer!  Skip Valentines' and move on to new releases' Tuesday.   Hunger will be released on dvd, on Tuesday, February 16, 2010.  It's also available on dvd in France on 11th, February.  

The movie was released in 2008, although we don't think it really had a date of release.  It was out for a week in the US in December to see if it could sway the Academy.  Then it was released in March 2009, where it still didn't have much of run.  Then it was on OnDemand.  Hunger has received an armful of awards, thousands of positive reviews, and has been watched over and over again when it was on OnDemand and other movie channels all over the world.  Every time a review of Michael's work on Inglourious Basterds or Fish Tank is published, all mention something about Hunger and the amazing performance by Michael, Liam and the rest of cast, AND the work by director Steve Mcqueen.

Michael has spoken very highly about the opportunity he had making the film.  From Anthemmagazine.com
I think it came just at the right time for me. I was working fairly regularly, but with that film coming out and the success it received at Cannes, it really helped me and allowed me to meet really interesting filmmakers.
Here's a video taken in Toronto in 2008, when Hunger premiered at the Toronto International film festival:



Here is the first 10 minutes of the famous 17 minute scene in Hunger:



Even though we promote Michael's work on this blog, we're not above saying that the whole cast was amazing and you should check out the other actors.

Liam Cunningham: http://www.liamcunningham.net/
Liam Mcmahon: Facebook, Facebook Fan page
The rest of the fantastic cast and crew at IMDB

Order your copy of this award winning, thought provoking, gut wrenching film.  And pass on the popcorn, because this is not a popcorn flick.

Written 2/10/10 1:09 pm

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Fish Tank Swims to a Wider Release

This weekend starts the wider theatrical release of Fish Tank. The film is also available on Video on Demand in the states, and available on dvd in the UK. Previously post on this blog, click to see what dates and where.

Reviews everywhere say that this is a must see movie if you like independent movies, movies by director Andrea Arnold, with the actors-Michael Fassbender, Kiersten Wareing, Harry Treadaway, Katie Jarvis, or if you are curious to see why Fish Tank has won so many awards.




Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Bring on Jonah!

There has been so much news and information lately, it's strange to have a break, especially when the pinnacle of it all, was the SAG win last weekend.

This week, "Jonah Hex" heads for reshoots.  Although there really isn't any information out yet about the main characters in the film, concerning the reshoots, there's been a little bit of buzz on Twitter by extras:
gotta be on set at 4pm photo double for the actor Lance reddick from the show the Wire...Jonah Hex movie lets go!!!!

Good morning everyone! How are you all?? I'm working Jonah Hex today, which should be awesome :). Love you all!!

Just found out I got a part in JONAH HEX...excited to work on a western !

So im a photo double for the actor Lance Reddick for the movie jonah hex a western..just got fitted today.shooting 2morrow

Hittin the Gym 2morrow at 730am then got a fitting for a photo double for the movie Jonah Hex at 4pm...lets do this

Getting ready to start up Jonah Hex additional photography on Monday!

My uncle Jim has a small part in Jonah Hex. Details to come.

Got a JONAH HEX audition today..be great to work with Megan Fox again n would love to do a western !
We can safely assume that reshoots have started in L.A. and will go on for about 10 days, according to reports.  You can't go wrong with Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Michael Shannon, Will Arnett, Megan Fox, and of course, Michael Fassbender.


Source

You have to wonder if celebs feel this excited about working on a film, as much as the extras do---or the fans, for that matter.

As fans, we'd really like to see a new photo or two, or some other kind of visual, news, or something other than the film is in reshoots.  We need something to make our mouths water and renew our excitement.  We'd even be willing to sit through the Superbowl or the Olympics for a great trailer.

While the wait is inevitable, why don't you get to know Jonah Hex in it's comic book form, if you haven't already.  Having a background in Hex history can enhance the enjoyment of the movie.  Go to Panel Patter to read about the latest issue, or head over to your favorite book store or comic store and ask for Jonah Hex.

Check out Jimmy Palmiotti's blog, one of the writers of Jonah Hex, or follow him on Twitter.   

Also, you can check out the original screen writers' site, Neveldine and Taylor, to see some of the storyboards from "Jonah Hex".  At least the story boards give the audience something to look forward to, until the studios release something.

A "Jonah Hex" movie site has been made although there's really nothing on it yet.  Look for updates in the following months.  You can follow the Jonah Hex Facebook page, too.

With the comic book genre, 'action figures' are more proned to appear.  We'd go for a great Josh Brolin version of Jonah, and a good Malkovich figure of Turnbull; even a Megan Fox version of Leila-although that could be a little much.  We'd be more happy with a Burke figure, since Michael got shot out of the 300 figures...c'mon, how could you not make figures of Delios, Astinos, Stelios and the Captain?   They were very important to the story, as much or more than the disfigured Spartan.

Getting a bit off topic...

Back to Jonah.  Let's hope that sooner than later, fans of the comic and of the film will get something to sink their teeth into.  And for a future wish, we are crossing our fingers that WB will bring a Jonah Hex panel to Wondercon in San Francisco in April.  It will be perfect timing to push the movie right before the summer.  Whether or not they do, we know at least the comic book will be there.  

Saturday, January 23, 2010

SAG Award winner!

Congrats to Quentin and his cast! They won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Inglourious Basterds.

Daniel Bruhl - Fredrick Zoller
August Diehl - Major Hellstrom
Julie Dreyfus - Francesca Mondino
Michael Fassbender - Lt. Archie Hicox
Sylvester Groth - Joseph Goebbels
Jacky Ido - Marcel
Diane Kruger - Bridget von Hammersmark
Melanie Laurent - Shosanna
Denis Menochet - Perrier LePedite
Mike Myers - General Ed French
Brad Pitt - Lt. Aldo Raine
Eli Roth - Sgt. Donny Donowitz
Til Schweiger - Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
Rod Taylor - Winston Churchill
Christoph Waltz - Col. Hans Landa
Martin Wuttke - Hitler

And of course, the superb Christoph Waltz won best supporting actor.  He's just racking those awards up, very deservingly so.  

What a great cast! And thanks to MFO, we have pictures of the lovely event. 


 

Added the video:


We hope that there will be more awards for the cast and for Michael.  On to the Oscars!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Blood Creek out today on DVD

Here's one of those movies where you wonder...what happened?

You have a great director-Joel Schumacher (he's done some good stuff, don't go there!)

three very good actors, who have good fan bases-Henry Cavill, Dominic Purcell, Michael Fassbender,

an interesting story-Nazi occultist traps a family, 60 years ago, and two brothers try to save the family and themselves,

serene and gritty scenery, great makeup effects (special kudos to Ken Niederbaumer),



and yet, this movie, which had it's title changed three times, still couldn't find a market.

Today, it's out on dvd.



We had the chance to watch the film in it's brief and strange release, pretty much out in the boonies.   

Personally, we liked it, although had Michael not been in it, we probably wouldn't have given the film a second thought.  We really enjoyed Henry Cavill, too.  We found his character very likeable.

The story itself, is a bit strange, though.  The CGI could have been cleaner, too, what little they used. 

Michael has done horror before.  Eden Lake was one, and you can probably put Hex down in the group, too.   

Michael does an excellent job being fearful, scary, unnerving, and all out gross. 

Just in case you aren't sure about the film, here are some not so biased reviews:

Fear.net
Quietearth.us
Briandorf.com

If horror movies still aren't your thing, even if you are curious about Michael's work, at least the first 15 minutes of the movie are worth the viewing.  Mr. Fassbender speaks German, and this was before Inglourious Basterds. 

Monday, January 18, 2010

The Fans Are Calling It

Recently heard on Twitter:

I called Sam Worthington 2 years ago... now I'm calling Michael Fassbender too. Just wait and see, he's brilliant.

Michael's star is rising, and there's bound to be more and more people, enjoying his work from whatever project he's working on.

Michael is going to be a star, or at least a respected actor, who continues to receive awards, accolades and more importantly, work.  He's a joy to watch.  We hope that the public doesn't get tired of him anytime soon.  We're sure that those who saw Michael's work back then, felt that one day he'd make it big, and it looks like that day will be coming soon.

Now people are making their calls, or making themselves known--when they became fans.  On Twitter, one fan wrote:

Just wanted to have on the record that I was a fan of Michael Fassbender from way before Fish Tank or Hunger or Basterds or even 300.

He was Christenson in Band of Brothers and don't you forget it, world.




 
 
Photos from MFO

Others have made similar reports...I was a fan way back when....I was a fan before Fish Tank, or Inglourious Basterds, or Hunger. 

That's really cool.  They were able to see such great talent way back when. But what does being a fan from way back when really mean?

We can say that we were fans from "300", and that's almost 3 years ago.  Just from his performance in "300", we knew there was something extra special that sparked our interest in Michael's work.  Curiosity led us to look for his earlier work, to watch that something special that caught our attention in "300".  Had we had the time, or taken the time to watch Band of Brothers back then, maybe we would have said the same thing, but much earlier.  We did have an interest in the movie, but never got around to it.  Ten hours plus of shows is hard to watch in one sitting.  But even after Band of Brothers, most of Michael's work was TV work in the UK, and we're in the US.  How could we have even known?

There's no way to really measure what a fan really is. One could say that you are a real fan if you share your interests with everyone around you. Or you create a site where fans can gather, like "Hexperience," the first known site for fans of Michael. Or you own every dvd.  Or memorize every article published.  Or attend public appearances.  Or write letters of appreciation.  Or blog about your admired.  Or sit quietly, enjoying the work until everyone else catches up with you. It really doesn't matter.

Whether you do something outwardly or not, doesn't make you a better fan.  Jumping on a bandwagon isn't a bad thing, as long as the jump is safe and is being constantly jumped by new people.  It's important to keep the old fans but also inspire new fans.  If you are just starting out within an interest, it's nice to know someone who knows the ropes.  Don't get overwhelmed with information, and don't feel bad that you don't know.  You'll know soon, and from there, you can be an expert, just like anyone else from 'way back when'. 

Whatever makes you feel like a fan, as long as it doesn't endanger you or someone else, should be a good enough level for you.  Which reminds us, we have a card to send out.

What is your fan level like?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

From the Past to the Present

Don't forget that if you are in the New York area, Fish Tank will be playing in town.  Check IFCfilms.com or previous posts on this blog.

Also, if you are in Cleveland this weekend, Francois Ozon's "Angel" will be playing at The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque on Saturday and Sunday.  If you can't wait for "Fish Tank" to make it near you, take a peek at "Angel".

Michael filmed this movie right after "300" and they both premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival at the same time.  He seems to be promoting more than one major film at a time during festivals.   

"Angel" is a very lush looking movie; beautiful costumes and rich scenery.  It's also over the top, so chuckling is allowed.  Michael's performance is great as Esme', Angel's brooding husband.



 



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

More New York Nights

A very short post for today.  More and more photos of Michael attending the New York Film Critics Circle, have made their way through to the masses.  With big names showing up like Clooney and Gandolfino, Michael was in good company and the photographers were ready.  Also in town and at the event was director Steve McQueen and actor Christoph Waltz.

Thoughts of Clooney and Fassbender in a movie sounds good.  Michael will be working soon, with director Steven Soderbergh, who worked with Clooney in the Ocean's Trilogy.  

To view a bunch of these great photos with Michael, dressed for the chilly New York January evening, go to MFO and join the forum.   

Day and Night with Michael Fassbender

This day is just full of Michael news, from interviews, to nominations, to reshoots, to pictures an videos.  Could fans not be more happy?

First a couple more interviews.  Every little interview uncovers something different about how Michael works or what he thinks about his work. From Movieline.com:

Last time Movieline spoke to you, Inglourious Basterds was about to come out. Since then, have you seen a change in how Hollywood has treated you?

I hasn’t really changed that much, to be honest. I’m just taking it job by job. Definitely, there’s an opportunity to get into certain rooms that I wouldn’t have had before. I guess in the independent market, I’d be getting offers, but in terms of big studio films, I still have to audition. I don’t think my name is that well-known, I don’t have much of a following to guarantee box office success yet. That’s something that hasn’t changed, let’s say, since we last spoke.


Michael, if you want to know what people think of you, check out The Things They Say or do a search on Twitter.  There are more people finding out who you are and appreciating your work.  We're sure that with such big projects like "The Talking Cure" and "Jane Eyre", all of that will change, hopefully for the good. 

From Tribecafilm.com:

How did you get involved with David Cronenberg's The Talking Cure?

Well, he just sort of approached my agent and said that he was interested in me doing this script, so I went up to meet him in Toronto—and, you know, he's a legend, so to meet him was really special. And then we just sort of had a really good chat, and we both like motor sports, and he was telling me [about] when he went to the Ducati factory in Italy: they really like him there because he based the pods in The Fly on a Ducati motor, the engine of a Ducati motorcycle.


And from Comingsoon.net:

CS: How excited were you to do a modern-day film? You've been doing so many period pieces and been all over history.
Fassbender: I know, know, yeah. It's nice, yeah, absolutely. It's always nice to do something contemporary, and it's nice to have a fresh contemporary piece, a new writer, a fresh topic and something that's taking place in the hear and now for sure. That's always nice. It's nice to mix it up.

CS: I know some actors who just love doing period pieces.
Fassbender: Yeah, I do like dressing up. (laughs)

CS: That might have to be the quote for the piece: "I like dressing up." Fassbender: (laughs) Yeah, exactly! Well, it's like a friend says to me, she's like, "You play dress-up for a living," and I think that's a really good way of putting it. So there is something quite cool about period pieces, because when you do put on all the little bits and pieces, it does give you the feel of a different era, and it gives you a little spring in your step as your character, gives you that little extra layer.


Then there's a new video interview by Cinemablend.com.  You can click the link or watch the video interview the side panel now. 

Michael was still in NY as of yesterday.  He attended the New York Critics Circle awards with some big names-George Clooney, James Gandolfino.  And he met up with director Steve McQueen and Christoph Waltz.  Photo from MFO.


With all that, the day ends.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Reshoots and Recognition

A few weeks ago, it was reported that the film, Jonah Hex, was going to be back doing reshoots.  Not sure what brought that up, but it was reported to be happening.
So then word has come out that early in 2010 reshoots will be taking place, seemingly as Cinematical reports here to create some whole new flashback scenes and also other newly created material set in the time of the story. Source
Yesterday, it was reported that Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox and Michael Fassbender would be included in a schedule of reshoots at the end of the month.  The original film location was in New Orleans, but the reshoots will be filmed in L.A.

Let's revisit that picture of Michael as Burke in "Jonah Hex", and those tattoos:



Source

Some have called the idea of reshoots a bad thing for the movie because it shows that there could be a problem with the movie.  From the Jonah Hex panel at Comic-con last summer, it had sound like both Michael and Megan didn't have a lot of scenes, so fans should be happy if either one of them are in more scenes.  Maybe they'll have some on-the-set photos available...would be nice.  A trailer out soon would also be a nice touch.  It could help all the bad press.  Just sayin' guys.  

The reshoots come just in time to be in town for the awards' season.  Michael is included in the best ensemble awards for Inglourious Basterds for the Golden Globes airing Jan. 17, 2010.

Michael has been nominated with various awards for his work in Fish Tank.  On the other side of the pond, two more award group have put up their nominations:

Irish Film and Television-Best Supporting Actor
London's Critics' Circle-Best Supporting Actor

Good luck to Michael and all nominees!

Fashion Forward

First, Vanity Fair, now GQ.  Are you sensing a trend?

Actually, for those who have been following Michael for a bit, he has been featured in a few fashion magazines in Europe before these big ones.

GQ did a 6-page spread on a very well-suited Michael last year.  The photos are phenomenal, photographed by Ben Watts, a magician with visual arts.




GQ met up with Michael in New York to catch a few words with him and you can read the interview on their site www.gq.com.  Titled The Best Irish Import Since Guinness which they used in their photo spread with Michael last year, he was asked about his upcoming work and his previous work in Inglourious Basterds and Fish Tank, which he was promoting.
When you're dealing with heavy topic matter, I think it's important to alleviate that by keeping it as light as possible in between shots.
 One of the best questions and answers has to be:
You know, the past like decade in America, we've gotten used to this sort of boy-ish kind of guy whose a little more soft than tough. And you ride motorcycles and drink beer damn it! How do you feel you fit into all of that? Do you feel like the shape of masculinity is changing in film?

I think men, in general, we are running scared at the moment, aren't we? [laughs] We're a dying breed! But if you look at Al Pacino and a guy like [American actor] Steve McQueen, they're different forms of masculinity. And different roles require different things of men. Maybe you have more of an artistic character who's more feminine and a lot of girls like that, too, I think. What's horrible is if it all becomes one though. You want to have all those various choices.
The article is a very quick read, so go ahead and indulge.  And don't mind revisiting Watts' photo shoot.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Diving into a theater near you

IFCfilms.com has posted quite a list of theaters for a limited run of Fish Tank.  Unlike when Hunger was released, and people had to actually search for theaters, IFC has done a great job giving Fish Tank a wider release, if that's possible with a limited release.  Seventeen states and DC, out of 50, not bad-over 35 percent. 



There are also other places that IFC will be showing Fish Tank, aside from the schedule below:
-Palm Springs Film Fest, Jan. 8 & 10
-UCLA Film and Television, Jan. 11 at the Billy Wilder Theater, Los Angeles, CA.
-San Francisco, Vogue Theater, Jan. 16

Here are the cities and dates:

California
1/29/2010  Berkeley, CA  Shattuck  Landmark
1/29/2010  Encino, CA  Town Center Laemmle
1/29/2010  Laguna Niguel, CA  Rancho Niguel Doug Freed
1/29/2010  Los Angeles, CA Sunset 5  Laemmle
1/29/2010  Pasadena, CA  Playhouse  Laemmle
1/29/2010  San Francisco, CA  Lumiere  Landmark
1/29/2010  Santa Monica, CA  Monica  Laemmle
2/19/2010  Santa Cruz, CA  Nickelodeon  Independent
3/5/2010  San Luis Obispo, CA  The Palm  Independent
3/15/2010  San Diego, CA  Ken Cinema  Landmark

Colorado
2/26/2010  Denver, CO  Chez Artiste  Landmark

Connecticut
2/5/2010  New Haven, CT  Criterion  Bow Tie
3/12/2010  Hartford, CT  Real Art Ways  Independent

D.C.
2/5/2010  Washington, DC  E Street  Landmark

Florida
3/26/2010  Miami, FL  Bill Cosford Cinema  Emerging
3/26/2010  Miami, FL  Miama Beach Cinematheque  Emerging

Georgia
2/26/2010  Atlanta, GA  Midtown Art  Landmark

Illinois
2/5/2010  Chicago, IL  Music Box  Independent

Indiana
3/26/2010  Indianapolis, IN  Keystone Art  Landmark

Massachusetts
1/29/2010  Cambridge, MA  Kendall Square  Landmark

Michigan
2/19/2010  Detroit, MI  Main Art  Landmark

Minnesota
3/19/2010  Minneapolis, MN  Lagoon  Landmark

Missouri
3/5/2010  St. Louis, MO  Tivoli  Landmark

New Mexico
3/12/2010  Santa Fe, NM  The Screen  Independent

New York
1/15/2010  New York, NY  Lincoln Plaza Independent
1/15/2010  New York, NY  IFC Center  Independent

Oklahoma
4/2/2010  Tulsa, OK  Circle Theater  Ind

Pennsylvania
2/12/2010  Philadelphia, PA  Ritz at the Bourse  Landmark

Texas
3/19/2010  Ft. Worth, TX  Modern Art Museum  Independent

Washington
2/26/2010  Seattle, WA  Varsity  Landmark

Source