Joe Wright Videos

Last summer, it was reported that Columbia was setting up a remake of My Fair Lady and that Keira Knightley was pursuing the iconic, Cockney role of Eliza Doolittle. While Knightley has been "attached" ever since, The Telegraph reports that Scarlett Johansson was also vying for the role. But Knightley won out, and the Telegraph not only confirms that she's got the role, but that Joe Wright will be directing. Emma Thompson is writing the script. Knightley has been taking singing lessons ever since the possibility came up (and I actually think she proved she had a good voice in The Edge of Love), and I think she'll be absolutely charming as Doolittle. But then I'm biased towards her. Even if you aren't (and I expect many "too skinny!" comments), I think the combination of Wright and Thompson pushes this into very, very promising territory. Thompson can do no wrong by me. What will really tip the balance is who they cast as the grumpy, misogynist Professor Henry Higgins. The Telegraph reports that Daniel Craig is being considered, and he'd certainly be ideal as the grim Higgins, probably moreso than the dapper Hugh Jackman. I wouldn't mind seeing Patrick Wilson become a contender, and I half wonder if Gerard Butler's vocal chords were trotted out on Saturday Night Live as an audition. Just you wait, and practice your R's, and we'll see whose face Knightley must become accustomed to. Filed under: Classics, Music & Musicals, Romance, Casting, Sony, RumorMonger, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jason Solomons meets Spike Lee on the 20th anniversary of Do the Right Thing and discusses music and mental illness with The Soloist director Joe WrightJason SolomonsXan BrooksObserver

I'm shamelessly stealing this idea from a discussion posted on last week's episode of Slashfilm After Dark. A reader asked the good hosts over there what director or cinematographer's world they would most like to live in. Of course, this is one of those questions you think of a thousand answers to after the fact, but at the time I picked Joe Wright. I want to live in his misty, sun-drenched version of the English countryside where it rains only if you happen to be in a Grecian temple with Mr. Darcy and are thus trapped for hours. But over this weekend I indulged in a little Douglas Sirk, and I may have to add him as a second choice. I abhor the stuffy social circles presented in his films (he may be critical of it, but it doesn't make it easier to live in!), but I would rather love to be drenched in popsicle-hued Technicolor, the light coordinating perfectly with my lipstick. I'd love to be dressed impeccably, enjoying cocktail hour, secure in a misty land of economic bliss and fabulous furniture. On the other hand, it would be pretty dull (do you get to truly enjoy popsicle Technicolor if you're living in it? Isn't it hard on the eyes?), so perhaps Sirk is best kept as a vacation away from Wright. Here's where the sharp and classy tastes of the Cinematical readership can jump in. What director or cinematographer's world do you want to live in? Filed under: Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hollywood loves to stereotype people with mental illnesses as being merely quirky, or easy to cure if you just give 'em a lot of the right kind of love. The Soloist aims for a more realistic portrayal, and even tries to build awareness about the problems of homeless people in America. Unfortunately, the overall film isn't compelling, and the plot falls into the easy traps of traditional melodrama. Steve Lopez's nonfiction book was adapted by Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich, Catch and Release). Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) is always on the hunt for more material to fill his LA Times column space, even cannibalizing his own cycling accident to tell a good story. When he encounters Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) playing violin by a statue of Beethoven, and learns that this homeless man once attended Juilliard, he figures he's hit the columnist jackpot. Little by little he starts to try to "fix" Nathaniel -- finding him a cello and a safe place to play, taking him to symphony rehearsals -- but it's not all that easy. And naturally, Steve's life starts to change too, and he's not sure how to handle it.Filed under: Drama, Theatrical Reviews, DreamworksContinue reading Review: The Soloist Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pressed into weekend service by the Tony Stark to my Pepper Potts (aka Scott Weinberg), I'm getting my revenge by posting the girl movie of all girl movies ... Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice. I know for a lot of people, there is only one version of this story, and that's the legendary BBC production starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. For me, it's Wright's, although it's taken awhile for me to get past a few touches that are terribly inaccurate to the book and Regency period ... such as everyone's badly dressed hair (I'm looking especially hard at you, Jena Malone), the peeling paint in the Bennet's house, Lady Catherine visiting Elizabeth in the dead of night, everyone running around half dressed in front of each other, etc. I've loosened up on it after every viewing, and after reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies I've shrugged all those minor annoyances off. After all, if you're going to add to the story, it might as well be for purely aesthetic and sexy reasons, like the scene below ... and it better be done well enough to sweep you off your feet. Incidentally, if you visit Jane Austen's Chawton cottage, the gift shop is full of P&P gifts. The official Mr. Darcy is still Colin Firth, but the Elizabeth Bennet is Keira Knightley. Despite doing a wonderful job, Matthew MacFadyen just can't dethrone Firth from the tea towels. Filed under: Romance, Trailers and Clips, Scenes We Love Permalink | Email this | Comments

We're used to seeing women in peril on the big screen every day; Mary Sues, damsels in distress, call it what you want -- but the sad truth is that for most women, being victimized isn't just limited to the box office. The recent events surrounding Rhianna and Chris Brown have brought the issue of domestic abuse into the spotlight once again, and the disturbing fact remains that most young girls still have some very strange ideas about what constitutes abuse. So while most celebrities don't like to be role models (because they need role models themselves), it's nice to see someone in 'Young Hollywoood' take a stand. Keira Knightley is now starring in a PSA that will be shown on TV and in theaters in the UK about domestic violence for the charity Women's Aid. The ad has Knightley leaving the set to come home to a jealous and abusive boyfriend, as the abuse continues you see the camera pull away with the tag line, "Isn't it time someone called cut?" as you hear Knightley screaming in the background. The shocking (but highly effective) spot was directed by Joe Wright, who directed Atonement and Pride and Prejudice with Knightley and everyone involved devoted their time for free for the PSA. The ad will begin airing in the UK on April 6th, with an extended version shown in theaters in front of over 15 films. Do Wright and Knightley take things too far here in depicting domestic violence, or do you feel it's necessary to take things to a very nasty place in order to get the message across? Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Politics, Trailers and Clips Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Genre: Biography , Drama Cinema Premiere: 11/09/2009 Production Country: United Kingdom , United States Directed By: Joe Wright Cast: Robert Downey Jr. , Jamie Foxx , Catherine Keener , Tom Hollander , Lisa Gay Hamilton Film Duration: 109 min Production Year: 2008 Plot Outline: In “The Soloist,” an emotionally soaring drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Oscar® nominee Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives...

Genre: Biography , Drama Cinema Premiere: 06/02/2009 Production Country: United Kingdom , United States Directed By: Joe Wright Cast: Robert Downey Jr. , Jamie Foxx , Catherine Keener , Tom Hollander Production Year: 2008 Plot Outline: In “The Soloist,” an emotionally soaring drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Oscar® nominee Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives. “The Soloist” is directed by Joe Wright (Golden Globe winner for Best Drama and Oscar® nominee for Best Picture “Atonement”).

Donald Sutherland and director Joe Wright discuss the challenges of adapting Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.