Tag: Actor

RENTAL FAMILY – Review

Brendan Fraser and Akira Emoto in RENTAL FAMILY. Photo by James Lisle/Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

There is unexpected depth in RENTAL FAMILY, a comedy/drama starring Brendan Fraser as an American actor living in Tokyo who takes a job with an agency that supplies actors to play a part in people’s lives. There are sweet moments but nothing saccharine in this a film that thoughtfully explores issues about identity, role-playing and self-deceit as well as human connections.

Odd as it seems, such rental agencies really do exist in Japan. Brendan Fraser gives a touching performance in RENTAL FAMILY, which is partly in English and partly Japanese with subtitles, as an American actor who has been living in Tokyo for seven years but still feels like an outsider. With work becoming sparse, the out-of-work American actor takes a one-time job with a company that provides its customers with people to play roles in their lives, such as a mourner at a funeral, or even impersonate someone in their lives. The company asks him to stay one but the actor is hesitant at first. He is persuaded to take the job when the business owner points out it is still acting, like improv, and that the service is helping people.

That is not always true, as the American finds out. Some of the assignments are short-term, but others are longer. In one such case, a single mother hires the actor to impersonate the American father her young daughter never met, in order to help her gifted daughter get into an exclusive school. In another, the daughter of an older Japanese movie star, who hires the American to play a journalist who has come to interview the once-famous, aged actor, who fears he has been forgotten. The one rule in the work is not to get too involved, which Fraser’s big-hearted character struggles with that at times. This charming, beautifully-shot drama, partly in English and partly in Japanese with subtitles, is mostly sweet, warm and sometimes even comic, but it also has some surprising, and even unsettling, food-for-thought moments, as well as offering reflections on identity, human connections and role-playing in our own lives.

While there is plenty of humor, there is also a poignancy to RENTAL FAMILY, as it explores issues around role-playing in our lives and human connections, There is a sweetness to but it is naver cloying or false in tone, and always grounded in real human connections.

RENTAL FAMILY, partly in English and partly Japanese with English subtitles, opens in theaters on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.

RATING: 3.5 out of 4 stars

Actor Alan Rickman Dies At Age 69

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

The world has lost British great, Alan Rickman. The actor sadly died at the age of 69.

From the AP:

Rickman’s family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.

Born to a working-class London family in 1946 and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.

His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Christopher Hampton’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.”

Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber who tormented Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990’s “Truly Madly Deeply”; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually.”

Millions know him from the Potter films, in which he played the potions and defense against the dark arts teacher Severus Snape, who was either a nemesis or an ally — possibly both — to the titular teenage wizard.

His villains were memorable, and included an Emmy-winning turn as “mad monk” Rasputin in a 1996 TV biopic.

But Rickman’s screen roles were remarkably varied, and included the upright Col. Brandon in Ang Lee’s 1995 film version of “Sense and Sensibility” and Irish politician Eamon de Valera in 1996 historical drama “Michael Collins.”

He had a sideline in comic sci-fi, bringing knowingness and fun to the spoof “Galaxy Quest” in 1999 and delivering existential ennui as the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” in 2005.

He appeared frequently onstage, earning Tony Award nominations for “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” in 1987 and Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” in 2002.

Rickman was also a filmmaker, directing and co-starring opposite Kate Winslet in 2014 costume drama “A Little Chaos.” Seventeen years earlier, he’d directed Emma Thompson and her mother Phyllida Law in “The Winter Guest.”

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2

Frequently charming in person, Rickman was, by his own account, uncompromising as an actor. During the filming of “Harry Potter,” he maintained Snape’s air of haughty disdain even off-camera.

“The animal in me takes over,” Rickman told The Associated Press in 2011 when he appeared on Broadway in Theresa Rebeck’s play “Seminar.”

“You’re as polite as possible, but it’s not always possible.”

Rickman is survived by his partner of 50 years, Rima Horton, whom he married in 2012. Funeral details were not immediately available.

Our condolences to Rickman’s family and friends.

MALADIES – The Review

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Perhaps Natasha Leggero said it best on Comedy Central’s Roast, when attempting to explain James Franco’s choice in artistic endeavors…

First I was wondering why James Franco would do this roast, and then I saw Spring Breakers and I was like, “Oh! He’ll do anything!”

Being fully aware I was choosing to watch a film starring James Franco, I was entirely unprepared for what I was getting into, which is a conundrum commonly associated with watching anything starring James Franco.

MALADIES is written and directed by multimedia artist Carter. This is Carter’s first feature-length film. Combining the quirkiness of Spike Jonze — but more mellow — and complex philosophical musings like those of Charlie Kaufman — but less dizzying — MALADIES manages first to catch me off guard, then just as my interest slowly begins to dwindle I am captured in a random moment of realization that I am enjoying the film.

James Franco plays, well… himself. Not officially, but the film eludes to the presumption. James is an actor, retired early. Either by choice, or not. This detail remains up in the air the entire film. Now, James is a writer. He is writing a book. No, James is struggling, somewhat, to write his book. After a short, yet successful career as a Soap Opera star, James put away his thespian masks due to a perceived mental illness. Stricken with memory loss, confusion and spells of dizziness, James now resides in a small town along with his adorably deranged sister Patricia, played by Fallon Goodson, and his best friend Catherine, played by Catherine Keener. Together, we witness their lives and how each of their respective character flaws, or maladies, play out in each others’ company.

MALADIES begins with a long, slow opening sequence depicting two men in alternating shots, quietly walking or sitting in reflection. Meanwhile, we hear narration from a calm, familiar-sounding voice waxing poetically about our central character, James. Not until the narrator begins to verbally interact with James, do we truly realize something is different about this film. This is just one of the various unorthodox methods Carter uses to set his film apart from the crowd. At times, James himself even takes to narrating his own thought process.

The charm of MALADIES comes to fruition only through James’ interaction with his sister, his best friend, and another older man named Delmar, played by David Strathairn. Despite his obvious symptoms, James is perhaps the most grounded and stable of these four characters. Patricia is sweet, but absent-minded and completely at a loss for living within reality as we know it, while Catherine is a self-absorbed, often unlikable artist. Catherine does not particularly like Patricia, while Patricia really wouldn’t know it if it were painted in bright red 10-foot tall  letters everywhere she looked. Delmar, on the other hand, is a very likable, albeit curiously eccentric character. Strathairn seems to conjure up a strong presence of Jimmy Stewart for his performance, but it works well. Together, these three do their best, in their own ways, to take care of James in his currently fractured state of mind.

MALADIES moves at a comfortably slow pace, establishing some depth to the characters. There is a spontaneity to the script that stands out, awkwardly tossing curve balls into the story to keep the viewer on their toes while inducing the occasional double-take. Wait, did he just say that? Or, those moments where you think you know what will happen, but then something completely different occurs. You go along at first as if you were right, then realize you were totally not right. MALADIES definitely maintains a slight hint of improvisation, but never so much that it feels winged or incoherent.

Meandering. This is a word that describes MALADIES. Seemingly shuffling along an uncertain path of aimless neurotic exposition, only to suddenly stumble upon a smile. This is how I experienced watching the film. This is not a happy film, but it will warm your heart and inspire some laughter. This is not a sad film, but there are reasons you will feel concern or empathy for the characters. Carter proves he has a cinematic vision worthy of an audience. Carter has not created a perfect film, by any sense of the word, but he has succeeded in making me think and allowing me to laugh. On any good day, this is a winning cinematic concoction.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Available on iTunes & VOD: March 25, 2014. Select theatrical release beginning: March 21, 2014.

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Top Ten Tuesday: The Best of Michael Fassbender (So Far)

Michael Fassbender is perhaps the most talented, fastest rising international star. Originally born in Germany, Fassbender has grown rapidly from being primarily a television actor into a worldly thespian of staggering proportion, garnering ecstatic praise both in Europe and the United States for his unflinching, intense performances in roles that are often controversial and extraordinarily demanding. Fassbender has received some of his breakout roles in genre films, a cinematic place that only rarely produced tremendous genre-spanning talent.

In honor of this tremendous new acting force, we’ve compiled our list of Top Ten performances from Michael Fassbender. His latest role may prove to be his most stellar, even controversial one yet. Appearing in his second film directed by Steve McQueen, SHAME has Fassbender portraying a sex addict. SHAME is opening soon, with dates varying depending on your location.

Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: The Best of Michael Fassbender (So Far)

Discuss: Obvious Collaborations That Never Happened

While sitting and thinking about the upcoming remake/sequel to ALICE IN WONDERLAND (trust me, it’s not something I do all that often), I couldn’t help but stumble upon one, key element about the film.   It’s Tim Burton.   It features Crispin Glover.   One has never directed the other before, and this is a surprising notion to come across.   Granted, Glover provided a voice in 9 last year, and Tim Burton was a producer on that film.   Before that, though, there has never been a collaboration between these two giants of weird.

This got me thinking.   What other obvious collaborations are there that, for whatever reasons the cinema Gods felt necessary, never came to fruition.   What directors have such an identifiable style that coalesces with the style of an actor or actress that have just never merged together on any, one project?

Here are a few I’ve found:

Martin Scorsese and James Caan
Granted, there are hundreds of thousands of actors who have NOT worked with Martin Scorsese, some of them fairly obvious. I’m sure it would surprise you all to learn he has never directed Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini, either. This one, though, shocks me, as James Caan, the quintessential guy’s guy and badass Corleone son, Sonny, has never been directed by Scorsese. Caan has played heroes in his career more than he has villains and mobsters. Nonetheless, this seems like a marriage that should have happened long ago.

John Hughes and Bill Murray
Okay, this one might not be all that head scratching. Hughes mostly directed teen comedies and Murray was mostly in adult-oriented comedies like CADDYSHACK and STRIPES. However, these two were comedy powerhouses throughout the ’80s and most of the ’90s. How their stars never crossed paths, I’ll never know. And I don’t count that tiny cameo Murray had as himself at the end of SHE’S HAVING A BABY. I’ll give you that, Hughes was behind the camera and Murray was in front of it, but the fact that these two never did a full-fledged comedy together is quite surprising.

Ivan Reitman and Steve Martin
This non-collaboration is even more of a head-scratcher than Hughes and Murray. Ivan Reitman had a hand in many an SNL and SCTV alumni’s career, but he and Steve Martin never crossed paths. The closest they come to working together is appearing as themselves in the documentary, STEVE MARTIN: A COMIC LIFE. The fact that Reitman, for all the ’80s, comedy clout he had, never roped Martin in for a role in one of his films is almost sad to consider. There is still time, though, as both of their careers are chugging along quite finely.

William Wyler and John Wayne
Maybe this one isn’t so obvious. William Wyler isn’t exactly known as a director immersed in the Western genre, but the guy did make a movie called THE WESTERNER, and the Duke wasn’t in it. Wyler was also known to make a war movie here or there, and, though most of them dealt with human side of war, none of these featured John Wayne, either. It’s certainly not as surprising as the next one in line, but it’s still somewhat of a surprise to know these two powerhouses in the ’40s and ’50s never crossed paths.

John Ford and Gary Cooper
This one shocked the hell out of me when I uncovered it. On one side, you have John Ford, the man whose name became synonymous with the sense of Americana in the ’30s and ’40s, the man who directed the great Westerns like STAGECOACH and THE SEARCHERS. On the other side, you have Gary Cooper, the quiet but firm, American, leading man who seemed the perfect fit for the protagonist of such films as HIGH NOON and Sergeant York. I guess, if you really want to get technical, John Ford did do uncredited work on 1938’s THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO starring Gary Cooper, but the fact that there was never a full-fledged collaboration between these two is absolutely staggering.

Robert Wise and Vincent Price
Notably, Robert Wise is not most known for the horror or science fiction films he did. The Val Lewton-produced THE BODY SNATCHER & THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL weren’t exactly Wise’s bread and butter. When you look back and really think about their careers, maybe it isn’t such a surprise that Wise and horror master Vincent Price never collaborated, but you can certainly imagine how astounding it would have been had it ever happened.

Garry Marshall or Nora Ephron and Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock was in some of the most memorable romantic comedies (heavy on both sides of that coin) of the ’90s and early 2000s. How none of these were directed by Garry Marshall nor Nora Ephron is beyond me. Granted, Marshall’s clout has somewhat petered off since he peaked with PRETTY WOMAN in 1990, and Ephron had a pretty rough period there in the late ’90s and early 2000s when Meg Ryan decided to call it quits. Nonetheless, there is still plenty of time for these behemoths of the romantic comedy genre to come together. Maybe not so much for Marshall, but the other two have all the time in the world.

Quentin Tarantino and Gary Oldman
You can’t count Drexl Spivey. TRUE ROMANCE was only written by Tarantino, and that Tony Scott film was so re-written and tossed about, it seemed more Roger Avary than Tarantino, anyway. Even so, you cannot imagine how incredible Oldman would be working from an unfiltered Tarantino screenplay with Tarantino himself guiding the performance. This is one that, if it never happens, I will go to my grave shocked at the world. This should happen. This better happen. It’s still white boy day, and Spivey could very easily have a twin brother out there, somewhere.

Steven Spielberg and Gene Hackman
Okay, maybe this one is just personal to me. Gene Hackman is my all-time favorite actor, and throughout the late ’70s and ’80s, he seemed like the kind of person who wasn’t afraid to take on some meaty roles in big budget fare. Call it sacrilege, but just about any Richard Dreyfuss role would have been better served with Hackman the one delivering the performance, and one cannot help but wonder, as good as SUPERMAN was, how much better it would have been with Spielberg at the helm instead of Richard Donner.

Those are just a few I have come up with anyway.   Down the road a bit and with a whole lot more digging, I may come up with a part two of this list.   What are some collaborations that you are surprised to find have never come to fruition?   Let us know.   Shoot us a comment with your favorite “would be but never were” Hollywood collaborations.