Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

New Downsizing Trailer – Matt Damon & Kristen Wiig get small in Alexander Payne’s latest

By Leave a Comment

Sideways and About Schmidt director Alexander Payne has wanted to make Downsizing for a long time. It’s only now he’s managed to, with those who’ve seen it suggesting that this is Payne on a larger scale than we’ve seen before, but still with his idiosyncratic take on things.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Downsizing imagines what might happen if, as a solution to over-population, Norwegian scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall and propose a 200-year global transition from big to small. People soon realize how much further money goes in a miniaturized world, and with the promise of a better life, everyman Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) and wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in Omaha in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.’

The movie, which stars Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Jason Sudeikis, is out in the US in December, and arrive in the UK on January 19th. Take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: , , ,   DIRECTORS:   

Downsizing Trailer – Matt Damon & Kristen Wiig get small in Alexander Payne’s latest

By Leave a Comment

Sideways and About Schmidt director Alexander Payne has wanted to make Downsizing for a long time. It’s only now he’s managed to, with those who’ve seen it suggesting that this is Payne on a larger scale than we’ve seen before, but still with his idiosyncratic take on things.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Downsizing imagines what might happen if, as a solution to over-population, Norwegian scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall and propose a 200-year global transition from big to small. People soon realize how much further money goes in a miniaturized world, and with the promise of a better life, everyman Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) and wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in Omaha in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.’

The movie, which stars Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Jason Sudeikis, is out in the US in December, and should arrive in the UK not long afterwards. Take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: , , ,   DIRECTORS:   

Reese Witherspoon Will Be Downsizing Alongside Matt Damon

By Leave a Comment

reese-witherspoon-wild-slideReese Witherspoon has been slightly in the filmic wilderness for the past few years, but coming off her well received performance in Wild she’s circling for a new film from a director beloved by the Academy, as she’s in talking Alexander Payne’s Downsizing, according to Deadline.

It’s her second time round on the project, as she was previously attached way back in 2009, before Payne but the project on the backburner.

The slightly odd sounding film is about a man (Matt Damon) who decides that his life would be much better if he shrunk himself. It’s previously been described as being a social satire.

It’s not 100% clear who Witherspoon will play, although she was previously set to play a woman who met the shrinking man (who at that point was set to be played by Paul Giamatti).

The main sticking point with Witherspoon’s involvement is scheduling, as it’s believed Damon will shoot the new Jason Bourne movie before Downsizing, and so it’s difficult to pin down exactly when it will go in front of the camera at the moment.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: ,   DIRECTORS:   FILMS:   

Matt Damon Is Going To Be Downsizing With Director Alexander Payne

By Leave a Comment

matt-damonIn the seven year gap between Sideways and The Descendants, Alexander Payne worked on several projects, but despite the success of his earlier films he had difficulty getting a movie off the ground. One of those projects was Downsizing, which got trapped in development despite having a cast in place including the likes of Paul Giamatti, Reese Witherspoon and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Now though it’s back and it may have a better chance of getting made, as Deadline reports that Matt Damon is on board and 20th Century Box is backing it.

The slightly odd sounding film is about a man (Damon) who decides that his life would be much better if he shrunk himself (he must have never seen Honey I Shrunk The Kids, or he’d know shrink rays are a bad idea).

As with Sideways, which won them a Best Screenplay Oscar, Alexander Payne co-wrote the script with Jim Taylor. It isn’t known Downsizing will shoot, but it won’t be for a while as Damon is just about so start shooting The Martian for Ridley Scott.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS:   DIRECTORS:   

Alexander Payne Finds The Judge’s Will

By Leave a Comment

alexander-payneSideways director Alexander Payne next film Nebraska, hits cinema fairly soon and he’s already looking at what he’ll do next, as Deadline reports that he is in talks with Fox Searchlight to direct The Judge’s Will.

The filmis based on Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s final article for The New Yorker, which was published in March, before she died in early April. It’s about the complicated relationship between an Indian judge in New Dehli and his much younger wife. They share a home, but the husband and wife lead very separate lives. With the judge on his death bed, he makes sure she will be cared for and not shunned by society after he passes.

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is best known for her work with filmmakers Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, writing the screenplays for classics such as Howards End, The Remains of the Day and many more.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
DIRECTORS:   

Nebraska Trailer – Will Forte & Bruce Dern star in the latest from Sideways director Alexander Payne

By Leave a Comment


Alexander Payne’s Nebraska has been generating interest at film festivals, and now we get to take out first look at the black and white film. Payne has been trying to make the film for years. Now it’s in the can and set for an Oscar qualifying US run later this year.

The movie follows Bruce Dern as a struggling alcoholic who believes he has won a sweepstakes lottery, so he hops in the car with his underachiever of a son (Will Forte) to claim his prize. ‘Shot in black and white across four states, Nebraska tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America.’

Black and white is going to be a tough sell to mainstream audiences, but Payne’s films are almost always worth a look. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: ,   DIRECTORS:   FILMS:   

Bob Odenkirk On For Alexander Payne’s Nebraska

By Leave a Comment

Having started out as a writer on Saturday Night Live, Bob Odenkirk is best known for out and out comedy, usually of the rather silly type, but more recently he’s been flexing his muscles in Breaking Bad.

Now he’s teaming up with director Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants) for Nebraska, with Omaha.com reporting that Stacey Keach is also aboard. June Squibb, who played Jack Nicholson’s wife in About Schmidt is in talks to play Dern’s other half in this.

The long-gestating project, which Payne has been working on for years, will follow Bruce Dern as a struggling alcoholic who believes he has won a sweepstakes lottery, so he hops in the car with his underachiever of a son (Will Forte) to claim his prize.

Odenkirk will play Forte’s older brother, while Stacey Keach is set to be an old colleague of Dern’s grumpy central figure. The movie set to start shooting on October 15.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: , , ,   DIRECTORS:   FILMS:   

Alexander Payne Seeks Bruce Dern & Will Forte For Nebraska

By Leave a Comment

It took Alexander Payne seven years to get a follow-up to Sideways made, but he’s hoping that it’ll be a lot quicker to get his low budget movie Nebraska made. Deadline reports that he’s already thinking about casting it, and has zeroed on on the actors he wants for the lead role, Bruce Dern and Will Forte.

While neither actor has been approached yet, the chance to work with Payne will be tough to pass up, so we’d expect them to sign on. If they do, Dern will play a struggling alcoholic who believes he has won a sweepstakes lottery, so he hops in the car with his underachiever of a son (Forte) to claim his prize.

While SNL star Forte is only really known for full-on comedy, he’s struck me as a versatile talent. Payne obviously agrees, and believes he can do justice to his brand of drier humour. The director hopes to shoot the black and white road trip film before the end of the year.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: ,   DIRECTORS:   

The Descendants

By Leave a Comment

Starring: , , , ,
Director:
Running Time:
Certificate:
Release Date: ,

The Descendants was no doubt Oscar bound at its inception – directed and written by Alexander Payne (of Election, Sideways and About Schmidt fame) and starring one of The Oscars current favourites, George Clooney. With five nominations, the only question now is whether it’ll win.

Matthew King’s (Clooney) wife has been involved in a major accident and is on a life support machine. He is a lawyer as well as the executor of his extended family’s massive estate, even though he’s completely out of touch with his immediate family. The plot centres around Clooney coming to terms with, taking control of and understanding more about his fractured family, whilst also learning about his wife’s infidelity. [Read more…]