Of course, but direct and star?

A producer could have sold him both those jobs. There's nothing telling in the information so far, but "I bet we can get Affleck to [star in/direct] this script I [have written/ got from by barista] if I also let him [direct/star in] it" is more than simply plausible, it's not uncommon. Hell, they buttered Colin up that way, albeit with a TV movie. (eta: Aha! He's also a producer--now that smells like it, but also him offering to star might have been a concession to get to direct it, or whatever. I just don't know how to guess with no background information, and I haven't found the right article yet (I did get distracted from looking pretty quickly, tho))

Cheesey martial arts with lots of blood and gore

I find my tolerance for this weirdly waning. So RZA is an apt director? (Writer/actor/...) The trailers made me think of QT and I am not a fan.

Okay, here's what I learnt--Affleck was given the script by the studio and before it reached him, it had been in the hands of Clooney (who, technically, looks a *smidge* more like Mendez but not enough...) and Grant Heslov, who had been working on it for more than five years. It seems like they gave it to him to direct and produce and he decided he wanted to star. Did te studio know this when they gave it to him? Who suggested it?

I don't know, and maybe I'll do more research from the ER.

So RZA is an apt director?

No. The editing is bad, especially for the fight scenes, although some of it might be intentional, to amp up the cheeze factor. The plot barely holds together; the film was cut down from 4 hours to 90 minutes. Rza acquits himself as an actor; he was smart enough to be the straight man and play off the other actors who were hamming it up, especially Russell Crowe.

But I still found it to be lots of fun.

Thanks, Tom. That's exactly what I needed to know in order troritiwdes

Would you say it's in any way Taranttineuqest?

Saw Les Misérables last night. Given that they are live singing and there was almost no ADR, it was pretty frakking incredible.

Saw Les Misérables last night. Given that they are live singing and there was almost no ADR, it was pretty frakking incredible

Cool!

I am SOOOOO excited for Les Mis. As a theatre person, I still feel a little embarrassed about that, as in certain circles liking stuff like Les Mis brands you a not a "real" theatre person. In fact, liking musicals at all is a little suspect. But I just loved it so much in high school, and the anniversary concerts make me cry (especially when all the international Jean Val Jeans come out), and I really want to be excited about and like the movie and not be cynical!

As a theatre person, I still feel a little embarrassed about that, as in certain circles liking stuff like Les Mis brands you a not a "real" theatre person. In fact, liking musicals at all is a little suspect. But I just loved it so much in high school, and the anniversary concerts make me cry (especially when all the international Jean Val Jeans come out), and I really want to be excited about and like the movie and not be cynical!

Les Mis was huge when I was a theater geek in high school, so my friends from high school who are going to be in town over Christmas are already planning to go. I can't wait.

I cry pretty easily, but there were multiple cry points for me.

I knew nothing about it going in, and didn't realize they were live singing, which took getting used to, because it meant that notes weren't held as in the theater (because, hey, multiple full takes throughout the day). In that way, it was a bit more like the original French concept album. However, in the end, I think it would have be weird to have them power singing throughout; this was much more intimate.

I'm seeing it in (checks watch) less than 3 hours! It is a little embarrassing how *giddy* I am about it, but LES MIZ!!!