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George Hadley-Garcia
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 29, 2015
Scott delivers epic tale with 'Exodus'
While promoting his new film "Exodus: Gods and Kings," Christian Bale referred to his character, Moses, as "likely schizophrenic" and "one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 11, 2014
Armies ready for battle in final 'Hobbit' film
There's a scene in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Volume 2" where Michael Madsen's Budd character asks Daryl Hannah's Elle: "Now you ain't gonna hafta face your enemy on the battlefield no more, which 'R' are you filled with: relief or regret?"
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 6, 2014
Dan Stevens goes from Crawley to creepy in 'The Guest'
Dan Stevens achieved TV stardom via his role as English gentleman Matthew Crawley on the popular British period drama "Downton Abbey," and he has now set his sights on the big screen. Will it happen?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 11, 2014
Dreams made in a galaxy far, far away
Is Chris Pratt on his way to becoming Hollywood's next big action hero? The guy whose face you may recognize from various romcoms, but more likely know as Andy Dwyer from the U.S. sitcom "Parks and Recreation," has been raking in the praise for his latest film, "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 28, 2014
Johansson brings some superhero savoir faire to 'Lucy'
If Scarlett Johansson were to have one superpower, perhaps it would be the ability to master any language possible.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 7, 2014
The robots return in 'Transformers: Age of Extinction'
Filmmaker Michael Bay thinks there's something interesting about Japanese samurai that sets them apart from English knights.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 10, 2014
Angelina Jolie takes evil to new places in 'Maleficent'
Websites such as Buzzfeed have made an art of the "listicle," a news article that comprises a top 10 on a designated topic. Thanks to childhood nostalgia, Walt Disney characters often make their way onto such listicles, and a quick look at the Top 10 Disney villains of all time often ends with one woman...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 15, 2014
Blanchett channels Blanche for Oscar-winning role in 'Blue Jasmine'
When actress Cate Blanchett took to the stage at this year's Academy Awards, winning the best actress Oscar for her performance in "Blue Jasmine," she delivered a memorable and eloquent speech.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 27, 2014
Smaug the dragon to get fans fired up for 'Hobbit' sequel
The middle film in a trilogy can be a risky venture. The first film? Audiences are introduced to new characters and exciting possibilities. The final film? Hollywood pulls out all the stops to send those characters off with a bang. The middle? Well, directors often save their best tricks for the finale....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 20, 2014
McConaughey, Leto transform for roles in 'Dallas Buyers Club'
Acadamy Award nominee Jared Leto, who plays a transgender person with AIDS in the film "Dallas Buyers Club," says he was recently called a shape-shifter.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 23, 2014
Getting a hustle on the Oscars
David O. Russell's "American Hustle" is cleaning up in the early part of an awards season that was meant to belong to Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave." And that ain't no con.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 26, 2013
'Hunger Games' star continues to burn bright
Jennifer Lawrence says that first and foremost, she watches her latest film, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," as a fan. She was "stunned" when she saw the end result.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 12, 2013
Patience pays off for Bullock with 'Gravity'
Sandra Bullock is the first to admit she's no psychic.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 12, 2013
Bill Murray relishes FDR's 'human' side
Biographical movies can be a daunting task. Their subjects often have larger-than-life stories that are focal points for controversy. Actor Bill Murray says that what attracted him to the role of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) in "Hyde Park on Hudson," was less of the former element and a...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 14, 2013
'Great Gatsby' reunites Luhrmann, DiCaprio
"The Great Gatsby" is a classic novel from 1925 that is often a required part of the school curriculum in North America. However, it has yet to become a classic film.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 5, 2013
'Extreme' characters fuel the plot of 'The Master'
Critics have called 'The Master' a triumph of style over substance. That is, the acting wins out over direction and writing.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 1, 2013
Inequity of slavery reaps vengeance in 'Django'
Quentin Tarantino, whose film plots are often fueled by a mania for vengeance, has struck again with the Oscar-winning “Django Unchained.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 15, 2013
Bigelow, Chastain get real in 'Zero Dark Thirty'
Oscar can be fickle. At a ceremony in 2010, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to take home the Academy Award for Best Director, for 2008's "The Hurt Locker." However, she was not nominated for the prize for this year's Oscars, which will be handed out next week in California.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 11, 2013
Gordon-Levitt, Willis take film fans for a loop
Film director Rian Johnson and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt are neighbors in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. They're also pretty close, since Gordon-Levitt says they hang out at each other's house and he also praises Johnson's cooking.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 14, 2012
Jackson bids for more magic with 'The Hobbit'
When asked what "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" offers that "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy didn't, actor Sir Ian McKellan pauses before answering.

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