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THE FILM STRIP: Does 'Superman' Have Soul?
Meryl Streep's 'Devil' is a Hollywood fixture, Anne Hathaway steps to the plate with charitable works, and Urbanworld Vibe Film Festival winners
*"Superman Returns" is well worth its 19-year wait, even though comedian Chris
Rock was not cast as Supe's sidekick Jimmy Olsen. Yes, it was rumored that Chris Rock would be Jimmy Olsen in director Tim Burton's version before the film landed in the hands of Bryan Singer. No one knows how Burton's project would've turned out had Chris been cast, but unfortunately for Richard Pryor, "Superman III," was one of the worst in the hero's series, if that's any indication.
So does the new Superman, Brandon Routh, have soul? Well, he should have because this survivor from an extinct planet spends most of his time saving poor souls here on earth. Dizzy Gillespie is among Routh's favorite artists. His father, once a jazz drummer, and mother play music in their spare time. His sister, Sara, is a singer/songwriter and appears on the new CD, "The Sound of Superman."
When asked how he feels about assuming the role of one of the most sought after
parts, Routh had no qualms about saying he was "blessed." With blessings come fortitude and Routh, who is part Native American Indian, showed that fortitude when he dismissed the whole Superman curse notion that has plagued actors over the years. "People have different lives and what happens to other people doesn't mean it's going to happen to me," he affirmed. "I don't live my life in fear and I'm going to do what I'm going to do. There are so many great things about this and I'm not going to bring any kind of negatives into it."
So, which do you feel is more like you, Clark Kent or Superman? "That's hard to
say," Routh replies, "because I've learned from both of them. At any one time I can be either one."
Don't think for a moment that Brandon Routh was the only one going into the time-honored classic with fears about filling the shoes of a predecessor. Kate Bosworth, who is Lois Lane, says she was mortified when she was offered the part. "I was, I mean, the idea of it was nerve wracking. But I think what was most nerve wracking for me was the investment and passion that the fans have for the film. And you know, I just wanted to do my best and honor them and how they view the film."
On to "The Devil Wears Prada," Meryl Streep should get an Oscar for her role as
Miranda Priestly in this movie. When asked if she has met anyone like her character, she laughs. "Yes, you want names?" But Streep didn't give up any names. However, she did say, "Compared to the people that I know-I was thinking about some of them-Miranda is so well behaved. She's almost like a diplomat compared to some people who are very, very powerful in our business."
It is Streep's hope that audiences don't see Miranda as a demon. "I was just interested in making a human being as contradictory and messy as we all are," she explained. "I think she is an exacting, highly disciplined, demanding, ambitious person who doesn't necessarily take the time for all the nice social lubricants that help make the work place grateful and fun. So she's not as good at it as many women are. From Miranda's point of view, she wants to excel on every level and it's really hard."
I asked Streep if there is a lesson that can be learned from this film? "Oh, I don't know. It's not instructional." It might not be, but there have been a lot of stories in the media about Streep's character, rumored to be based on Vogue's Anna Wintour. On one newspaper's Career page, advice was given under the title of "Dealing with a boss from hell." The New York Times did a piece called; "A Tyrant Boss, Even Without the Y Chromosome" and quoted a Penn State psychologist.
Meryl Streep may be hell on heels in "The Devil Wears Prada," but she meets her
match in the saintly form of Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway). Although Hathaway has
had some questionable roles, she is probably best known for her "Princess Diaries" films. Hathaway stars with Vivica A. Fox in my daughter's favorite fantasy, "Ella Enchanted."
When not on screen, Hathaway spends a lot of time doing charitable work. The Film Strip asked her if she could talk about her trip to Cambodia and Step Up Women's Network:
"Sure. I went to Cambodia in January 2005 as a part of Angelina Jolie's documentary, 'A Moment in the World,' and it was just one of those experiences that I was so grateful for. I thought that I was a pretty grounded person, and especially for an actress. I thought that my head was put in the right place. But I did, however, have a lot of emotional baggage, depression, insecurity, and inadequacy issues. Sometimes I would go to those dark places, thinking, 'Oh, life is so hard.
"Then I went to Cambodia and I see people, who if they're lucky, live in a shack. And if they're lucky, they make four dollars a day and they have ten siblings and eight children to support. They opened their homes to me and they were happy. Their lives were hard, but they actually found a way to be grateful and I just realized in those moments that I could never justify self-indulgence ever again.
"I'd been doing charity work for a long time - but that kind of lit a fire in me and made me really realize why it's a good thing to do, why it's actually important as a citizen of the world to be responsible not only for yourself, but for other people as well.
"The Step Up program picks a different charity every year and raises money for
it. Some people might say, 'Well, how much can you really help a charity in a year?' But they have women in every field and they bring businesswomen, accountants, business managers and they will help women in need. I'm truly grateful for the work that I'm allowed to do for them."
The 10th Annual Urbanworld VIBE Film Festival wrapped this year's run with a
closing awards brunch. "Wholetrain" won for Best Narrative Feature Film, Best Narrative Documentary Film (Feature Length) went to "American Blackout"; Best
Narrative Short Documentary Film was awarded to "Adios," "God Sleeps in Rwanda"
got Best Documentary Short Film nod, Best Music Video was "Churrp"; Best
Screenplay: "The Man Who's Never Been Kissed" and "Word Life: The Hip-Hop
Project" got it for Audience Award.
