Feb 11, 2010 By Chris Tinkham Philipp Stölzl

In making North Face (Nordwand), an adventure film about alpinists ascending the most dangerous rock face in the Alps, German writer/director Philipp Stölzl and cinematographer Kolja Brandt disregarded such Hollywood films as Cliffhanger and Vertical Limit and aimed instead for the authenticity of the documentary/reenactment film Touching the Void.

Jan 13, 2010 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

In the British film In the Loop, out this week on DVD and Blu-ray, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi plays Malcolm Tucker, an intimidating, acid-tongued communications chief to the Prime Minister. When a flaky government minister claims during a radio interview that war with the Middle East is “unforeseeable,” Tucker runs rampant amid the crisis, cussing out various government types while trying to administer damage control. “You should feel sorry for my mother,” says Capaldi, “because she gets to come to the premiere of the movie with her son in it and sees him up on screen talking about lubricated horse cocks.”

Jan 09, 2010 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

In Wonderful World, Matthew Broderick plays Ben Singer, a former children’s folk singer whose staunch idealism has led him down a dark path to disappointment and despondency.

Dec 22, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Maggie Gyllenhaal

If Bad Blake, the haggard country singer played by Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart, appears to resemble Kris Kristofferson with his wavy hair and gray beard, it’s no coincidence. “Kris and I are buddies,” Bridges acknowledges. “We did a movie 30 years ago, Heaven’s Gate.” Yet, despite Bridges’ physical resemblance to Kristofferson in Crazy Heart, it’s songwriter/guitarist Stephen Bruton, a longtime member of Kristofferson’s band, whom Bridges says was the biggest influence on his character.

Dec 13, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

English model Lily Cole has appeared on the covers of the world’s top fashion magazines and has been working with renowned photographers and designers since she was 14 years old. Rubbing shoulders with artists and celebrities is nothing new to her, but she’s a relative newcomer to films. When she auditioned for the role of Valentina in Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, she didn’t know that the part would require her to share scenes with revered thespian Christopher Plummer, or that the film would give her the opportunity to dance with one of her favorite musicians, Tom Waits. Least of all, Cole had no idea that she would be the last screen actress to perform opposite Heath Ledger.

Dec 13, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender welcomes risks and extreme challenges to his screen performances. The Irish actor, who stands at about six feet, was under constant medical supervision as he whittled down to 128 pounds for his role as IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands in 2008’s Hunger. The film also required Fassbender and actor Liam Cunningham to perform a dramatic dialogue-driven 17-minute scene in a single take. For his latest film, Fish Tank, Fassbender committed to the project without seeing the script, primarily because of his admiration for director Andrea Arnold’s previous feature, the 2006 Cannes Jury Prize winner Red Road.

Oct 30, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

In his latest film, the satirically titled comedy (Untitled), Adam Goldberg plays Adrian Jacobs, a brooding avant-garde composer with an unorthodox, oftentimes ridiculous, approach to music performance. Although Adrian’s pieces were written by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, Goldberg was able to bring his own musical insights to the role. A songwriter and musician, Goldberg released his debut album Eros and Omissions under the moniker LANDy this summer.

Oct 24, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

New York-based Chilean writer/director Sebastián Silva is a busy man. Not only does he have three film projects in the works, but he also is an accomplished painter, illustrator and musician. It was beneficial that he found time to make his award-winning feature The Maid when he did, because it immediately had a positive effect on the woman who inspired the story.

Oct 09, 2009 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

Three weeks prior to the release of her new film Peter and Vandy, lead actress Jess Weixler followed through on two major decisions. First, she moved to Los Angeles after living in New York for more than a decade. Second, she bought a car. “I’ve never had a car, ever,” Weixler says with a laugh. “It makes me feel so adult.”