Margin Call, a fact-based thriller concerning the beginning of the financial crisis, opens tomorrow with a stellar ensemble cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Simon Baker, and Mary McDonnell. (And Demi Moore. Hey, can’t win ‘em all.) Throw in last month’s Contagion (featuring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Bryan Cranston, Marion Cotillard, and Elliott Gould) and December’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones, and Mark Strong), and this is starting to look like the Season of the Ensemble. In celebration of these smart, adult movies flush with Oscar winners and fine character performers, we’ve assembled some of our favorite big-cast ensemble movies after the jump — check it out, and throw in your own in the comments.
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Long before the Kardashians had multiple TV shows on E!, Ozzy Osbourne had ever unintelligibly bellowed out “Sharon,” or Jon and Kate’s eight were even a twinkle in their eye, there was a family called the Louds who were the subject of a 1973 PBS documentary series called An American Family. Considered one of the first reality TV series, it also tackled many taboos of the day, chronicling Bill and Pat Loud’s separation and eventual divorce, as well as the sexuality of their openly gay son, Lance. HBO’s upcoming original movie Cinema Verite, which stars Diane Lane, Tim Robbins, and James Gandolfini, provides an imagined look at what went on behind-the-scenes as cameras took over their Santa Barbara home. Is it a little weird that a fictional movie is being made about a reality TV show? Sure. But thanks to a stellar cast, we think that this definitely looks juicy enough to tune in — if only to ogle their ’70s-inspired ensembles. Click through and let us know what you think.
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Given that Tim Robbins founded the Actors Gang in response to a lack of opportunities for independent writers and actors to produce socially and politically salient new work, it’s no surprise that his response to the threat of a paralyzing budget crunch was to curate an ambitious ten-week festival of theatre, dance, music, conversation, performance, and education. The WTF?! Festival brings together scores of voices as diverse as those of Tom Morello, Naomi Klein, Gore Vidal, John Doe, Sarah Silverman, anti-war Veterans, and members of Cirque du Soleil — all in the name of saving one of the country’s bravest voices for progressive art by raising not only money, but awareness.
Flavorpill’s Shana Nys Dambrot caught up with Robbins on the eve of the LA festival to talk politics, art, and record collections. Read More »
