Ledger's last film
Newshounds tread into a world of danger and death
Back to the beginning for Jackman's Wolverine
Isla goes shopping

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

» THE Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, to be released later this year in Sydney, is Heath Ledger's last film. It was screened at this month's Cannes Film Festival.

Ledger's death last year meant that several actors — Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law — have had to step in to fill the role he left vacant.

The film, a morality play concerning a traveling sideshow directed by Terry Gilliam, is to be released in Australia in September.

Russell Crowe in State of Play

» THE world of journalism, politics and big business go into overdrive in the movie State of Play starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams and Robin Wright Penn.

This is a story of suspicion, intrigue, murder and conspiracy with the highest of stakes thrown into play.

Crowe plays a Washington DC reporter who is drawn into a web of danger as he and a newbie reporter (McAdams) seek to ferret out the truth when a congressman's lead research assistant falls in front of a train on her way to a congressional hearing.

Affleck plays the congressman (an old college roommate of Crowe's character), while Mirren takes turn as Crowe's boss.

Wolverine

» FROM being the romantic lead in Baz Luhrmann's Australia, Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine in the X-Men movies but goes back to the very beginnings of the character he plays.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is actually the first chapter in the X-Men saga and unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them.

According to About.com's Hollywood Movies writer Rebecca Murray, this chapter of the X-Men movie franchise explores the background of the clawed mutant, exposing his tragic romance with Kayla Silverfox (played by Lynn Collins), and his involvement with some familiar players from the X-Men films along with a few new faces. And while there's a love story in this film, it's balanced with lots of "mutant" action.

Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic

» ISLA Fisher stars in the new P J Hogan movie Confessions of a Shopaholic.

She plays a 25-year-old with a shopping addiction living with her best friend in her best friend's flat.

And, well, yes, she tries cutting back on spending and tries making more money but her efforts don't seem to work.

Also in the cast are Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Hugh Dancy, Leslie Bibb, Kristin Scott Thomas, John Lithgow and Lynn Redgrave.

Director P J Hogan is probably better known to Australians as the director of Muriel's Wedding with Toni Collette and My Best Friend's Wedding with Julia Roberts.


thesydneyscene is published weekly except in the last two weeks in December and the first two weeks in January.
Copyright 2009 Larry Rivera