Interviews

The new film “Winter’s Bone” provides a glimpse into the dark shadows of the Ozarks, an underworld of bloodlines, drugs and the secrets that keep them together. It was these and other gripping elements that attracted writer/director Debra Granik to adapt the novel of the same name written by author Daniel Woodrell.

“I found it to be a very compelling read,” Granik said. “I thought it was gripping. I thought Woodrell had done a great job putting together this simple structure. What drew me was the female protagonist. I liked Ree Dolly.”

Ree, as played in the film by Jennifer Lawrence, is a 17-year-old girl who is forced to take on an even more responsibility than she already has. She cares for her mentally-ill mother and two younger siblings. However, all four of them run the risk of losing their home when Ree’s father, a crystal meth cooker and dealer, posts the house as his bond to get out of jail; if he skips his court appearance, Ree and her family will be forced out. Instead of waiting on law enforcement to find him, Ree decides to travel through backwoods and dark farms to find her father.

Granik goes on to explain that next level of responsibility Ree must discover was the central part of what she refers to as a “juicy little book.”

 "ARE WE THERE YET?"

 TERRY CREWS AND ESSENCE ATKINS INTERVIEW

 

Rilio Mastrantonio: The show is neat. I'm going to take you way back. Obviously the first show that really broke the barrier in the family was all the way back to Ozzie and Harriet and all the days of Father Knows Best.

 

Essence Atkins: I am wearing this dress to channel those!

 

RM: June Cleaver!

 

Christopher Egan is going to make a big splash with his new film "Letters To Juliet".  As we sit in a nice hotel in Chicago, Illinois, Christopher has a great energy of excitement going about his new movie.  Wearing blue jeans, sweater, and a tie in British fashion, we settle down for a nice talk about a very entertaining film.   Expect to see a lot more of Christopher Egan in the future...

 

While talking with him about the explosive new comic-book film “Kick-Ass,” star Aaron Johnson keeps looking out the windows from atop the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Chicago. It’s a sunny day in the Windy City, but it is possible he's more than just admiring the beautiful vantage point of Lake Michigan and the Loop. Does he have a sixth sense that evildoers are threatening an innocent civilian? Will he have to excuse himself from our interview, ripping his shirt wide open to expose skin-tight green and yellow uniform to dispense vigilante justice as the film’s title character?


Judging by his yawning in the moderately-sized meeting room, he may have already done a late-night version of such dispensing of bad guys and is showing shades of possibly snoozing like Christian Bale did as Bruce Wayne in “The Dark Knight.”


And such is the plot of “Kick-Ass,” based on the comic book series written by “Wanted” scribe Mark Millar. Johnson plays average American geeky teenager Dave Lizewski, who wonders with his friends why nobody has ever tried being a superhero. Dave tries to be, in a modified scuba suit as the aptly-named Kick-Ass.

Andy Garcia sits down with Rilio Mastrantonio, Hollywood Snitch Pulisher, dons some stylish glasses,  and reflects on his new film "City Island".   He plays "prison guard" Vince Rizzo who has a very complicated family life.  After huge hits like "Oceans 11" and the "Untouchables", he puts together his usual strong performance with a good cast, including Julianna Margulies and Emily Mortimer.

 

Q:  Tell us about your character Vince Rizzo.

 

Sinbad, that smiling, upbeat stand-up comedian and actor who has been out of the spotlight, returns Sunday, February 21 with his first stand-up special in over a decade, “Where U Been?” on Comedy Central and on DVD Feb. 23.

And, to be honest, where has Sinbad been?

“I’m on the road,” he said backstage before his performance on Feb. 13 at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Ill. “I’m where I’ve always been: traveling, doing stand-up.”

He had three stand-up specials in the ‘90s, starred in the TV show “A Different World” and films such as “First Kid,” “Coneheads,” “Houseguest” and “Jingle All the Way” before nearly disappearing completely.

Now, in addition to the stand-up special, Sinbad will be a contestant on the latest celebrity edition of “The Apprentice.”

The closest I will ever get to meeting Tolstoy is an interview with Michael Hoffman who directed "The Last Station".  With Mr. Hoffman comfortably sitting on a couch in a Chicago hotel suite, I prepare to hear about a movie with an all-star cast, including James McEvoy, Hellen Mirren, and Christopher Plummer.  He also directed "Restoration" and " One Fine Day", starring George Clooney.   Set in modern day Chicago, we begin..

Q:  How did you derive the title?

Jane Lynch has seen her star rise in recent years.

After successful turns in Christopher Guest’s “Best in Show” and Judd Apatow’s “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” she parlayed her new found success into TV roles, including her latest in Fox’s hit “Glee” as Sue Sylvester, which has garnered her first major award nominations: the Golden Globes for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television and the Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, awards which will be handed out on January 17 and January 26, respectively.

One notable fact about Lynch is her reliability as a guest actor on TV series. Whether it’s dating back to "The John Larroquette Show" to her current recurring role on “Two and a Half Men,” she has earned many guest-starring roles on high-profile shows.

On Sunday, January 10, she will venture into guest-starring on an animated series when she voices new teacher Mrs. Eck on Fox’s “Family Guy” spinoff “The Cleveland Show.” Lynch took part in a conference call recently to talk about her work on “Cleveland,” her recognition on “Glee” and her fame boost in recent years.

Actress Kristanna Loken hit the big time with “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger as his foe, the T-X.

She went on to such roles as the title characters in the film “Bloodrayne” and TV series “Painkiller Jane,” as well as a recurring guest spot on the hit Showtime series “The L Word.”

These credits wouldn’t have happened without the success and notoriety she gained from the third film in the “Terminator” franchise.

“[‘Terminator 3’] opened up numerous doors for me,” Loken said. “It gave me publicity on a silver platter. It was an amazing opportunity.”

Actress Lori Petty gained notoriety and recognition when she starred opposite Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in “Point Break” in 1991.

The following year, her fame exploded when Penny Marshall’s “A League of Their Own” was released, with Petty as Geena Davis’ younger sister Kit in the film, which chronicled the All American Pro Girls League during it’s existence during and following World War II.

“In the Army Now” with Pauly Shore and “Free Willy” followed, but her career hit a snag with the unsuccessful “Tank Girl.”

However, the film has gained a cult following in the recent decade, with Petty reemerging on TV shows (“ER” and “NYPD Blue”) and independent films (“Prey for Rock & Roll” and “Broken Arrows”).

Now, Petty is heading into non-acting territory, as her directing debut, “The Poker House,” is released onto DVD. The film, starring Selma Blair, David Alan Grier, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophia Bairley and Chloe Moretz, is based on Petty’s childhood growing up in small-town Iowa.