Ang Ang Ang

[Brown Eyes]

Here's a direct link to the Ang Lee interview on The Colbert Report.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/247154/august-19-2009/ang-lee


Colbert:  You directed Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm, and now Taking Woodstock.  Why don't you ever break the mold and do something new?  It's always the same thing, movie after movie.

(lots of laughter)

Colbert:  Why are you doing Taking Woodstock?  Why now?

Ang:  I did six tragedies in a row.  I just couldn't take it anymore.

Thanks Elle!  Yeah, I thought it was a fun interview.  And the part you highlight here is very interesting... the idea that Lee needs a break from tragedies.  I can see how that makes sense.  I thought Lee was a great sport in the interview.  And, I totally, totally love the Colbert Report.

[belbbmfan]

Yay! I've just discovered that Taking Woodstock will be released here in November.

Phew, I wonder what took them so long to get a release date settled. I was getting worried.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

OMG, I saw it this weekend, and I am ready to go see it again. It is wonderful!!!!

Where to start, THE PARENTS! OMG, Imelda Staunton as Sonia Teichberg, give this woman an OSCAR! She is amazing. You see her and it is real, she is the real deal. Henry Goodman as Jake Teichberg is amazing too, but with his character being married to Sonia, he does not get to talk as much. When he goes after the mob with a baseball bat you want to stand up and cheer.

Another thing I liked was that all the actors looked different enough that you could keep up with them. I hate it when movies are full of beautiful people. These people are by an large so average looking it is wonderful. When Eugene Levy apprears as Max Yasgur, you know it is him. And the Earthlight Players, whipping off their frocks and dancing nekkid as the helicopter descends at the motel for the first time, it is like "welcome to fairy land!"

Dmetri Martin as Elliott Teichberg is perfect. He is just a lovely, serious gay nerd you want to give a big hug too. Here he is with the herculean task of saving his parents motel and his town and fate provides his with a answer, an answer that will change everything. The whole thing is well balanced and told like a tale of transcendence and redemption, Vilma the pistol packing transvestite arriving out of nowhere to maintain order, Billy, the Vietnam Vet childhood friend of Elliott's who finally recognizes he is home.

But the best part, aside from Elliott and the construction worker kissing on the dance floor, is when the parents get into the Hash Brownies. The whole theater was laughing their heads off at those two, dancing in the rain the dances from the old country, the gut splitting laughter pouring out of them like it had never before. That was my favorite part.

So many good lines in the movie, the girlfriend of the promoter who wore the hat, saying something like "everybody's perspective, it gets in the way of the love..." The draft cards being burned, the bras being burned. It was like evidence of a great exhale on the part of humanity, a moment when a hundred years of pretence was dropped and everyone just looked at each other, really looked at each other for the first time in their lives.

You got to see this movie. You just got to.

[Ellemeno]

OMG, I saw it this weekend, and I am ready to go see it again. It is wonderful!!!!

Where to start, THE PARENTS! OMG, Imelda Staunton as Sonia Teichberg, give this woman an OSCAR! She is amazing. You see her and it is real, she is the real deal. Henry Goodman as Jake Teichberg is amazing too, but with his character being married to Sonia, he does not get to talk as much. When he goes after the mob with a baseball bat you want to stand up and cheer.

Another thing I liked was that all the actors looked different enough that you could keep up with them. I hate it when movies are full of beautiful people. These people are by an large so average looking it is wonderful. When Eugene Levy apprears as Max Yasgur, you know it is him. And the Earthlight Players, whipping off their frocks and dancing nekkid as the helicopter descends at the motel for the first time, it is like "welcome to fairy land!"

Dmetri Martin as Elliott Teichberg is perfect. He is just a lovely, serious gay nerd you want to give a big hug too. Here he is with the herculean task of saving his parents motel and his town and fate provides his with a answer, an answer that will change everything. The whole thing is well balanced and told like a tale of transcendence and redemption, Vilma the pistol packing transvestite arriving out of nowhere to maintain order, Billy, the Vietnam Vet childhood friend of Elliott's who finally recognizes he is home.

But the best part, aside from Elliott and the construction worker kissing on the dance floor, is when the parents get into the Hash Brownies. The whole theater was laughing their heads off at those two, dancing in the rain the dances from the old country, the gut splitting laughter pouring out of them like it had never before. That was my favorite part.

So many good lines in the movie, the girlfriend of the promoter who wore the hat, saying something like "everybody's perspective, it gets in the way of the love..." The draft cards being burned, the bras being burned. It was like evidence of a great exhale on the part of humanity, a moment when a hundred years of pretence was dropped and everyone just looked at each other, really looked at each other for the first time in their lives.

You got to see this movie. You just got to.

I am so grateful to read this, because some things I've read have been less than kind.  I look forward to it with renewed hope.  It DOES have a great cast.

[Ellemeno]

http://www.examiner.com/x-22152-Entertainment-News-Examiner~y2009m8d29-Emile-Hirsch-inspired-by-Heath-Ledger-in-new-film

Emile Hirsch inspired by Heath Ledger in new film
August 29, 2009
 
Alpha Dogs actor Emile Hirsch claims a conversation with passed actor Heath Ledger about famed director Ang Lee is a "big part" of the reason he has signed on for the anticipated Taking Woodstock, despite not reading the script.

Hirsch, whose film credits include Speedracer and the provocative Milk (in which he co-starred with actor Sean Penn) told Parade.com he had always been a big fan of Lee, but it was a conversation with Ledger that impacted the young star after the success of Brokeback Mountain.

"I'll always remember talking to Heath Ledger just after he finished that movie and he was going on about working with Ang and how incredible he was," says the 24-year-old.

When offered the role, Hirsch states he accepted on the spot.

"As soon as I heard Ang Lee was interested in me, I knew I was going to do the film even before I got the script," Hirsch revealed, saying, "I've been a fan of Ang ever since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which I absolutely adored."

Hirsch, a growing favorite, initially gained mainstream recognition after his role in 2004's The Girl Next Door and has been successfully building an impressive resume. He is currently dating fashion student Briana Domont.

While it's Ang Lee who brought Hirsch to the film, set for release on November 6th, some wonder whether or not the film's hippy influence tempted the actor, who described his own childhood living in a 'hippy community' in Topanga, California.

Hirsch said, "They have this festival there called Topanga Days, which is like this cool kind of eclectic hippy mix with a few tourists from the rest of LA, but it's like a mini Woodstock in a sense."

[Penthesilea]

OMG, I saw it this weekend, and I am ready to go see it again. It is wonderful!!!!

Where to start, THE PARENTS! OMG, Imelda Staunton as Sonia Teichberg, give this woman an OSCAR! She is amazing. You see her and it is real, she is the real deal. Henry Goodman as Jake Teichberg is amazing too, but with his character being married to Sonia, he does not get to talk as much. When he goes after the mob with a baseball bat you want to stand up and cheer.

Another thing I liked was that all the actors looked different enough that you could keep up with them. I hate it when movies are full of beautiful people. These people are by an large so average looking it is wonderful. When Eugene Levy apprears as Max Yasgur, you know it is him. And the Earthlight Players, whipping off their frocks and dancing nekkid as the helicopter descends at the motel for the first time, it is like "welcome to fairy land!"

Dmetri Martin as Elliott Teichberg is perfect. He is just a lovely, serious gay nerd you want to give a big hug too. Here he is with the herculean task of saving his parents motel and his town and fate provides his with a answer, an answer that will change everything. The whole thing is well balanced and told like a tale of transcendence and redemption, Vilma the pistol packing transvestite arriving out of nowhere to maintain order, Billy, the Vietnam Vet childhood friend of Elliott's who finally recognizes he is home.

But the best part, aside from Elliott and the construction worker kissing on the dance floor, is when the parents get into the Hash Brownies. The whole theater was laughing their heads off at those two, dancing in the rain the dances from the old country, the gut splitting laughter pouring out of them like it had never before. That was my favorite part.

So many good lines in the movie, the girlfriend of the promoter who wore the hat, saying something like "everybody's perspective, it gets in the way of the love..." The draft cards being burned, the bras being burned. It was like evidence of a great exhale on the part of humanity, a moment when a hundred years of pretence was dropped and everyone just looked at each other, really looked at each other for the first time in their lives.

You got to see this movie. You just got to.

Wow. Thank you Truman, for your wonderful enthusiasm .
Leslie recommended it, so I wanted to see it anyway. But after reading your post, I'm dying to see it. I ran over to IMDB to check when it will be released in Germany. Lucky me, it will come out this Thursday .

[Penthesilea]

Yay! I've just discovered that Taking Woodstock will be released here in November.

Phew, I wonder what took them so long to get a release date settled. I was getting worried.

Come over again the next weekend, and you can see it in a couple a days instead of waiting till November .

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I am so grateful to read this, because some things I've read have been less than kind.  I look forward to it with renewed hope.  It DOES have a great cast.

You know I had heard that too, on NPR the day before I went. OMG, those people are so jaded, I am glad I didn't listen to them.

You know Emile Hirsh's Billy did remind me of Heath, I remember thinking that would have been such a good role for him.

But the construction worker dude, I think played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, man, sizzling.

[serious crayons]

http://www.examiner.com/x-22152-Entertainment-News-Examiner~y2009m8d29-Emile-Hirsch-inspired-by-Heath-Ledger-in-new-film

Emile Hirsch inspired by Heath Ledger in new film
August 29, 2009

Interesting! I like Emile Hirsch -- I thought he was really good in Into the Wild as well as Milk. The article forgot to mention that he and Heath appeared together (and were both good, of course) in Lords of Dogtown.

[Meryl]

That's more words than you've said in the last two weeks, Truman! 

I saw it today with John G., smellykellyjay, teresa, Sue (Mainegirl) and her husband Dan.  Such an Ang film!  It's all about the details with him.  We all felt like we'd been at Woodstock afterwards: dirt, rain, crazies, cars, port-a-johns, naked folks, kids tripping on drugs, bra-burners, cops, horses, mud and the tacky, run-down motel sitting in the middle of a dead resort area where it all was centered.  The characters were perfect, too, especially Elliot's parents.  There were a few times when I thought it got too slow, but overall it was fun to just sit back and wonder at the improbability of all those strangers hanging out together in such an incongrous place.  Bravo!