The Wrestler

Iran Wants Apologies for The Wrestler and 300
March 2, 2009
A group of Iranian people are angered over a couple of American-made films that they think is offensive to their people. One is the more recent movie The Wrestler, and the other is from back in 2006, 300.

Art advisor to Iran’s president Javad Shamaghdari has demanded an apology from a group of visiting Hollywood actors and film industry executives, including Annette Bening. The group is currently in the country holding seminars in directing, screenwriting, acting, and other film-related subjects.

But Iranian film officials want an apology before they’ll meet with them. Shamaghdari said in a statement, “Cinema officials will only have the right to have official sessions with... Hollywood movie makers when they apologize to the Iranians for their 30 years of insults and slanders.”

Citing The Wrestler and 300, he also said, "The Iranian people and our revolution has been repeatedly unjustly attacked by Hollywood.” They believe 300 portrayed their Iranian ancestors as blood thirsty, while The Wrestler is being booed by countrymen for Mickey Rourke’s scene in which he tears the Iranian flag.

Shamaghdari added, "We will believe Obama's policy of change when we see change in Hollywood too, and if Hollywood wants to correct its behavior towards Iranian people and Islamic culture then they have to officially apologize.”

Correct us if we’re wrong here, but these are movies we’re talking about which means they are meant to be fictional and not real life. Do you think the Iranian people deserve an apology?
The Wrestler Wins Big at Independent Spirit Awards
February 22, 2009
 Image by wenn.com
With all eyes on the Oscars this weekend, we almost forgot about the award show called the Independent Spirit Awards! The show always precedes the Academy Awards by one day, honoring the smaller films in the industry. But this year, an Oscar contender himself won big.

Mickey Rourke and The Wrestler took home three statues last night; one for Best Feature, one for Best Male Lead, and one for Cinematography. How’s that for a comeback?

Other winners included Melissa Leo, who won Best Female Lead for her work in Frozen River, while James Franco was awarded Best Supporting Male for Milk.

Penelope Cruz was named Best Supporting Female for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Woody Allen won Best Screenplay for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Best Director went to Tom McCarthy for The Visitor, which came as a surprise to many.

Here’s the full list of winners:

BEST FEATURE
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie
Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

BEST MALE LEAD
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco (Milk)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire

FOREIGN FILM
The Class (France)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams

IFC/ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance
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Writers Guild Announces Nominations
January 8, 2009
The Writers Guild of America have announced their nominations for this years award show, and all of the usual suspects have made the cut. Leading the nominations are Milk, starring Dustin Hoffman, and The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke, which are both up for best screenplay. The other nominees in that category are Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Burn After Reading, and The Visitor.

The nominees for best adapted screenplay look pretty familiar! In the running are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, Slumdog Millionaire, The Dark Knight, and Frost/Nixon.

As is this case with the Producers Guild, the Writers Guild picks often foreshadow who will be nominated for the Academy Awards. This is because many Writers Guild members are also Academy members. We definitely think the list will look similar.

All of the movies in the adapted screenplay category are top notch. We’ll have to wait until January 22nd to hear who’s in the running for this year’s Oscar! Shortly after, catch the Writers Guild Awards on February 7th.
Mickey Rourke Comments on Possible Oscar Nomination
December 22, 2008
 Image by wenn.com
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Mickey Rourke's latest movie, “The Wrestler.” The flick, which is directed by Darren Aronofsky, stars Rourke as a 230-pound beast named Randy “The Ram” Robinson. He makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival. Fans and critics believe it's Rourke’s best performance to date.

Even though Rourke was never “out of work” per say, he has suffered the ups and downs of fame--just like his character in the film. He went from being Hollywood's golden boy to an industry liability with multiple DUI arrests, then took on boxing and since his return to prominence in Sin City.

Thanks to The Wrestler, Rourke is now raking in Golden Globe nominations, Independent Spirit nominations and might be in the running for an Oscar nomination.

When Hollyscoop caught up with Rourke at the Los Angeles premiere he told us he was "thrilled to death" about the nomination. "I found out at 5:30am and I couldn’t go to sleep,” he said.

In regards to a possible Oscar nomination, Rourke said, ”I don’t know, that’s out of my hands. I'm just glad that I'm experiencing this night tonight, it's just such a great feeling, I can't put it to words.”

Rourke isn’t the only one getting all the Award show buzz, his co-star Marisa Tomei also scored a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as a stripper.

Hollyscoop hit the star studded Los Angeles film premiere to find out why “The Wrestler” is this season's must see movie. Enjoy!

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