Well well well, my favorite onscreen duo of last year are all set up to be back together on the big screen. None other than "The Wrestler"'s Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. They are set to star in "The Night Job", which will begin shooting this summer. The plot is listed as:
After ten years on parole, Jimmy Herron’s debt to society will soon be paid in full. But his old partner has recently moved into art smuggling and the NYPD wants Jimmy to frame him… or else. With his wife and child threatened, Jimmy’s life is turned inside out and he’s only got till morning to set things right.
No news onto who is playing what, but I will be there - thats for sure.
Mickey Rourke's career just got a blockbuster boost as finally today he was officially announced to play the villain in Iron Man 2. Rourke will play Whiplash, a true to form Russian Villain. However he will have some help, as Scarlett Johannson has been cast as Black Widow - the female baddie. I am super excited!
Today Mickey Rourke signed on for what could be his next shot at Oscar gold. He is signed on to at least 8 films in the next year .. all of which have huge box office potential, but most are action films or non-Oscar fare. However that may have changed today as he signs on for a very risky indie film, which is something Oscar loves to eat up. Paulo Coehlo's award winning and scandalous book "11 Minutes" is getting a screen revamp. He joins previously cast Alice Braga and Vincent Cassel in the film. Alice Braga plays the lead, a girl who swears off romance after being betrayed by a lover. She then somehow winds up as a high-priced hooker, with Cassel playing a music exec who gets her into S&M, and Rourke playing the manager of the sex club, who has hidden secrets of his own. The character in the book is very sympathetic although he runs what may be considered a "disgusting business". It promises to be another challenging role for Rourke. WONDERFUL!
Iron Man director John Favreau says that he still is in negotiations with Mickey Rourke's people about him playing the villan in Iron Man 2. "Things aren't solid yet, but let it be known. I want Mickey for the role. No one else should play it."
If he doesn't play the role - I now feel sorry for who does, seeing that the director just said that. I hope he gets it!
Although Mickey Rourke lost the Oscar - it is official that his career is back. Look at the movies he has coming out this coming year, some he is filming now, one he has already filmed, and the rest are to be filmed in the future:
* KILLSHOT starring Mickey and: Diane Lane, Joseph Gordon Leavitt, Thomas Jane, Roasario Dawson, Hal Holbrook, Lois Smith, and others
plot synopsis: Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an extortion scheme go wrong. Thinking they are at last safe, they are targeted by an experienced intimidating hit man and a psychopathic young upstart killer. The ensuing struggle will test Carmen to the limit.
* THE INFORMERS * starring Mickey and: Billy Bob Thorton, Kim Basinger, Wynonna Rider, Brad Renfro, Rhys Ifans, and more
Plot synopsis: A multi-strand narrative set in early 1980's Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting the intertwining strands are a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs -- and one another --with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano.
* 13 * starring Mickey and: Micheal Shannon, Jason Staatham, Ray Liota, 50 Cent, Natasha Lyonne, Ray Winstone, and more
plot synopsis: A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
* ST. VINCENT * starring Mickey and: casting currently
plot synopsis: A hit man, returning to his former New York City neighborhood to finish off the botched killing of an informant, masquerades as a priest and finds himself taking the confessions of his target.
* SIN CITY 2 *] starring Mickey and: Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Antonio Banderas, Rose McGowan, Jamie King, Brittany Murphy, and more
plot synopsis: The film's plot follows multiple storyline. One is based around A Dame to Kill For which follows Dwight (Clive Owen) and his former love Ava Lord (Rachel Weisz), who betrayed him and ended their relationship for a wealthier man. Ava now returns years later claiming her marriage is abusive and insisting that Dwight help her. After she frames him for the murder of her husband, Dwight, with the help of Marv, seeks to clear his name. Dwight's storyline in this film is a prequel to The Big Fat Kill, which occurred in the first film. It explains how Dwight came to have his "new face" and his connections with the Old Town prostitutes. Dark Horse describes A Dame to Kill For: "It's one of those hot nights, dry and windless. The kind that makes people do sweaty, secret things. Dwight's thinking of all the ways he's screwed up and what he'd give for one clear chance to wipe the slate clean, to dig his way out of the numb grey hell that is his life. And he'd give anything. Just to cut loose. Just to feel the fire. One more time."[3] Another storyline follows Nancy (Jessica Alba) as she grieves the death of Detective Hartigan, the man she had grown to love after he rescued her from That Yellow Bastard who had kidnapped and attempted to rape then kill Nancy when she was a child.
* THE EXPENDABLES * starring Mickey and: Sylvester Stallone, Sandra Bullock, Arnold Swartzenegger, Ben Kingsley, Forrest Whitaker, Eric Roberts, Jet Li, and more
plot synopsis: A team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator.
* BROKEN HORSES * starring Mickey Rourke and: still in casting
No plot synopsis yet
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Although the Oscar was gone - the career is BACK! Thats what matters.
After months of looking forward to and preparing for last nights Oscars, it is all over now. All of you great readers, can breathe easy that the Oscar season has now come to a close – if you heated my Oscar blogging, or long for next year – if you loved them.
I could go on and on about how it was a fantastic show last night. Hugh Jackman shockingly made a fantastic host. The montages, musical numbers, and the new format were impressive to say the least. It was wonderful to see the past Oscar winners award this years recipients.
After seeing the Reader, I am extremely happy for Kate Winslet’s success, because she was truly fantastic. Heath Ledger’s tribute, given through his Oscar winner performance, was extremely touching and deserving. And although all the supporting actresses were phenomenal, it was a delight to see Penelope Cruz win her first Oscar.
I thought Slumdog was overrated a bit, yet still was magical filmmaking, so the fact that it nearly swept was okay with me. Wall-E comes out on top as does Man On Wire, both bravo choices.
The gowns were gorgeous, and Angelina Jolie stole the fashion show for sure. I’m pretty sure she’s never looked better.
HOWEVER, the show took a turn for the worse for me when Best Actor rolled around. After winning the Independent Spirit Awards, just a day before (and giving his best speech of the season) it seemed Mickey Rourke would squeak out a win for his masterful performance. However, the award went to Sean Penn. It was silent as I watched the results, and then watched Penn’s wonderful and powerful speech. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. I felt hurt in a very strange way that I haven’t felt before at the Oscars. Sure, I have been angry at winners before – look at Julia Robert beating out Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream – but I had never felt saddened and hurt by the loss of an actor. Let’s be clear- The Oscars aren’t everything, for sure. But as an actor, a film lover, and an avid Oscar blogger – I was invested. Here are some thoughts as to why I think the Oscars made a huge mistake, why Sean Penn didn’t deserve the Oscar, and why Mickey Rourke did:
(note: Before I begin, let me be clear, I absolutely loved Milk. It and The Wrestler were my top 2 films of the year. I found both very moving and was touched in very different ways by both films. Nothing below should tarnish Sean Penn’s performance or the magnificent film Milk.)
- The main thing I take into consideration for the Oscars is: who gave the best performance. Not, who deserves it the most, who is most due to win, who has the better PR or backstory, who won the years awards, etc. It should be judged solely on, who gave the better performance. And, for me, out of these two actors – the clear choice is Mickey Rourke as Randy The Ram Robinson in the Wrestler. Here’s why”
• Compare the films, Milk to Wrestler. Milk was an ensemble piece. It was a statement film, and perfectly timed with the failure of gay marriage in California. It was a film about a movement, and the man behind it. Sean Penn was joined onscreen with James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Allison Pill, and many others. All turned in fantastic performances. The statement of the film is of course equality for all. And I feel that the statement was made with or without Penn’s performance. I could see many other actors playing the role of Harvey Milk, who know’s if they would have been as wonderful though. But the point is, the power behind Milk is more the statement and the history than the performance.
Now look at the Wrestler. The film lives and breathes because of Mickey Rourke. Althought there are strong performances by the supporting Marisa Tomei, and 2 scenes with Evan Rachel Wood, it certainly is Mickey’s film. The statement is his performance. Its all about his acting. The film isn’t trying to convince you to fall into a movement, it is simply showing you a man’s life. A slice into his world. Milk could have succeeded without Sean Penn, The Wrestler could not have succeeded without Mickey Rourke.
• Sean Penn was able to create his own character with a template in history. Watching interviews, reading biographies, etc, certainly helped his portrayal of the character. And he nailed the comparison. Mickey Rourke on the other hand drew more from himself. I hear people say a lot that Rourke was playing himself, and I do not agree with that. However, I do agree with the similarities between Rourke and Randy. On the surface both have been through a tough time, and are struggling to come back from the darkness. That makes the performance all the more raw for me. You can hear Mickey the person, facing his own embarrassing innermost feelings, when he utters such lines as: “Im a broken down old piece of meat, I just hope that you don’t hate me.” .. Or in his final scene in the boxing arena when he takes the mike, stands center ring, and says: “People keep telling me Im old and washed up and that I should just quit. But the only people who can ever tell me to quit is you people here.” The rush from the crowd begins, and Randy is home. This performance isn’t a copy of himself, it isn’t a mimicry, it isn’t trite or contrived in any way. This is a man who has taken on a character – and is exercising his own personal demons all at once. The fact that Rourke was able to play the washed up roll, involve himself in scenes concerning drugs (after a very rough battle with them himself), shows tremendous courage. Whereas Sean Penn is uplifting and characteristically Harvey Milk – Mickey Rourke is Randy the Ram. Randy is Mickey Rourke.
• Sean Penn played Harvey Milk, a very recognizeable character in history, especially to people involved in the gay community such as muself. Randy Robinson is a fictional character. And I predict that, because of Mickey’s performance, whenever someone says Randy the Ram 5 years from now, 10 years from now, people will understand the reference. I think he will enter film history with the performance, as one of the most memorable ever given to the screen. Sean Penn has many of those performances to his credit, look at Mystic River, Dead Man Walking, I am Sam, and others. All are fantastic, we come to expect good work from Penn – however that shouldn’t take hold of Academy voters, as I think it did. The popularity or respectability of a nominee shouldn’t hamper the true meaning for the Oscar ceremony – to choose the finest performance. Now I am not saying people didn’t choose Penn because they thought he was the best, I am sure many many did. But I do believe that some uptight voters chose Penn as a safe choice – because who knows what the future of Mickey Rourke holds. Who knows what he would say on the Oscar stage? Etc. None of this should matter. And while were on the topic, I don’t know when Sean Penn was ever the squeaky clean guy .. he is afterall beaten many paparazzi and a couple wives. But who cares? What does that have to do with the performances .. nothing. I certainly hope Rourke will keep his career on track and give Oscar another shot.
* I have heard the comment that Sean Penn’s win is good for the gay community, or that I should be excited, as a gay man for the Penn/Milk win. And my response to that is, that’s not what the Oscars are about. Especially best Actor, I could perhaps understand that argument in Best Picture (and would have loved for Milk to have won that). But the simple fact is, it should be voted on best performance, that’s what I am worried about. For example, I loved Brokeback Mountain and wanted it to win best picture. Not because it is a “gay” movie, but simply because it was the best movie. When it lost I was outraged. When Mickey Rourke, the best performance, lost last night I was outraged. My support of The Wrestler and Mickey Rourke comes from me being an actor. Knowing what is challenging, what is rewarding, etc. in a performance of my own. Therefore I get immensely involved in the actors each year. And this is the best performance for me. I should know, Ive been acting since I was 6. I know what I like, and what I liked was Rourke, and I know I am not alone. If I voted on my sexual tastes, perhaps I would have chosen Sean .. but that doesn’t come into my mind when I watch films.
Simply put, the honesty of Randy trumps the triumph of Harvey for me. Just seeing the camera follow Randy through the hallways of a high school gym in the opening moments of the Wrestler contain so much emotion. The way he walks, the way he talks, the way he sits, its all encompassing.
Put SIMPLY: It is easy to make people love Harvey Milk. He was a hero, a wonderful man. It is easy to make him likeable and loveable. However, when an actor can make a character like Randy “the Ram” Robinson, (a washed up wrestler, who cannot pay his rent at the trailor park, who is friendless, has desserted his daughter and family, who’s favorite hangout is the strip club, who falls onto barb wire and is stapled for money, who is into drugs, who is stuck in another decade, etc), when an actor can make this man sympathetic and endearing – you have something there. Mickey didn’t need theatrics, he didn’t need a supporting cast (he shined just as bright in scenes such as when he works in the grocery store alone, without Marisa or Evan), he didn’t need the glitz or glamour to help his performance. The performance was him, he was the performance. He was the film. He was the best actor of the year.
I couldn’t help but feel like I was in high school again, and the sweet school outcast had just lost out of prom king by 2 votes to the popular jock. I was silenced by the decision.
But now that I have been able to get out all my feelings, I will be able to leave it be. The Oscars are over, they aren’t the end of the world, and they often get it wrong. The only good thing to come of this, is that Mickey Rourke’s performance in “The Wrestler” will live on on DVD and video forever. As will Penn’s. And then people can watch and judge for themselves. I am solid in my knowledge that the wrong person won. And I am solid in believing that it is okay – I can still watch the performance and be inspired by the raw emotion of Mickey Rourke whenever I please. And that makes it okay.
Here is a look at what should have been, Mickey giving his best speech yet, when he won the Independent Spirit Award on Saturday:
In the end .. congrats Sean Penn. Congrats Winslet and Cruz. And congrats Slumdog. Until next time..
Mickey Rourke's precious pup Loki died yesterday of old age. The dog was 18 years old, which is OLD in dog years. Rourke has thanked his dog all season long, sometimes hinting that his dog was his best and only friend. How sad. I surely know that Loki will be proud if Mr. Rourke wins his oscar on Sunday. RIP puppy!
Mickey Rourke has stated that the rumor that he and Courtney Love are dating is NOT true. He actually said: "I'd rather be stranded on a deserted island" than date her. Ouch! I am guessing some PR person stepped in the way and told him not to mess with Love. I dunno. I still love them both. And if I was single -- Id love to date miss love.
Mickey Rourke was interviewed on Charlie Rose - and by all reports read, it is the interview of Mickey and Charlies career. I haven't seen it yet, but am told it is one of the most amazing, heartfelt, and endearing interviews ever. Enjoy!
After rumored fights and jealousy between the two this awards season, Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn have recorded an acceptance speech together for their dual win (a tie) at the Boston Film Critics. Its wonderful to see the 2 getting along (3 if you count Rourkes adorable pup). Enjoy .. and one of these men will be winning an Oscar in a week from today:
The internet is swirling with rumors of a new couple. Its my favorite actor of the year: Mickey Rourke, and my favorite rock goddess Courtney Love!! Here's the details:
Courtney told reporters at the Elle Fashion event 2 nights ago she had a crush on Mickey and finds him untterly compelling. The two have actually known each other for years, and rumored to have gone to AA meetings together a few years back. Mickey apparently texted Courtney the night of the Golden Globes - asking her out on a date. Mickey's reps say that they did meet up in secret and had a fantastic evening. They were spotted holding hands and even kissing. Mickey, returning from the Bafta's was rumored to have visited Love's home that evening.
Evan Rachel Wood has gone on the record to deny a romantic leak with Mickey Rourke, in a big way, here's what she had to say:
"I’m upset because I feel disrespected by the press and by Mr. Rourke. Just because I’m single doesn’t mean that you can take advantage of me. It’s unfair that the performances might suffer because of all of these distractions. I'm not attracted to him, he's too old for me. Nothing ever happened and nothing ever will."
My responce: YOU DATED MARILYN MANSON. He was 40! Come on.
Although Mickey Rourke romanced Marisa Tomei in the wrestler, it seems that a real life love connection is forming between Rourke and his on-screen daughter (in the Wrestler) Evan Rachel Wood is forming. Wow! The 2 were spotted "kissing romantically" at the SAG awards. Evan has an odd standing track record with her boyfriends, she dated Marilyn Manson for almost 2 years. But before you judge, I can understand the attraction. Rourke is amazingly talented, as seen in the movie, and in all of his interviews he seems very down to earth and likeable. It still is a bit weird.
Here's another pic of the two outside of a hotel ... hmmm
Mickey Rourke will follow up his Oscar winning (I HOPE) role in the Wrestler with this film: The Informers. It has quite the cast: Rourke, Billy Bob Thornton, Wynonna Ryder, Kim Basinger, and most noteably it is the final film performance of Brad Renfro who tragically died this past year. Here is the trailer:
Here is a clip of the wonderful Mickey Rourke on David Letterman this week. If these interviews dont make you have a soft spot for Rourke, nothing will. I sure do love a comeback!! ENJOY!
During his Golden Globe speech, for winning best actor, Mickey Rourke thanked his most loyal friend, his dog. (which may have been the most real and sentimental moments in awards show history) And now he and his pup are official spokesmodels for PETA. Here is the kickass ad.
Mickey Rourke (yes that is him pictured, from the 80's when he was hot to trot) opened up to Mens Health Journal how he bulked back up to prepare for his Golden Globe winning role in the Wrestler. He trained twice a day with an Israeli cage fighter for four hours and ate up to 7 seven large meals a day to bulk up. He plainly puts it: "When I'm a wrestler, I behave like a wrestler."
This blog is a gateway into my mind. Chicago 20-something actor here to tell you like it is. Pop culture, music, movies, my daily life, theatre, and much more. ENJOY!
