On The Rise: Ten Actors We Expect Great Things From

In our "On The Rise" series so far, we've already looked at screenwriters and cinematographers, two cinematic professions that often don't get the credit they deserve. This week and next, we're going to be looking at another key role that simply doesn't get enough attention -- actors. No matter how hard they try, the poor thesps never seem to get the attention or pay they deserve.

So we're being a little facetious here -- actors are so often the figures that films are sold on, and do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing. But for all of the stunning cinematography and special effects wizardry of modern cinema, those who neglect a film's performances do so at their peril. One of the reasons we do what we do is that we love actors -- we find the casting process fascinating, and little beats the thrill of walking out of a movie having discovered an actor that you'll be watching for years to come. With that in mind, we've rounded up 10 of our favorite relatively unknown male performers that we're sure we'll see bigger and better things from in the future (with ten women of equal talent to follow next week).

By sheer coincidence, Variety picked their own 10 rising stars of 2010 today, and, while there's some crossover with their list, we've tried to pick some names that you haven't necessarily been hearing about all year long -- the likes of Rooney Mara, Aaron Johnson, Josh Hutcherson and Blake Lively are all likely to be big stars, but they're all fairly high profile as it is. So with no further ado, here are our 10 picks: five veterans on the verge of moving to the next level, and five less familiar faces who are shining equally brightly.

Established
Lee Pace
While he’s yet to become a household name, Lee Pace hasn’t wasted any time in working with some talented folk. Tarsem Singh (“The Fall”), Robert De Niro (“The Good Shepherd”) and Tom Ford (“A Single Man”) have all utilized his skills. While he is poised to get his biggest exposure yet with a role in the upcoming “Breaking Dawn” films, our hope is that it's just a brief flirtation with the world of franchise films and that he carves out a niche as a go-to character actor because he’s got the makings of a Mark Ruffalo. He can do sensitive heartthrob as evidenced in his solid turn in the criminally ignored “Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day”; as he can do slimy ex-boyfriend in the otherwise awful “When In Rome” and he practically walks away with Max Winkler’s “Ceremony” in his pocket with a hilarious turn as the arrogant, self-involved documentary filmmaker Whit Coutell. Pace has got lean leading-man looks and rugged boy-next-door charm, as he demonstrated with his quirky performance in the cult, much-missed TV series "Pushing Daisies." He’s got a couple more films on the horizon, the comedy “30 Beats” and Hilary Swank horror film “The Resident,” but this is a guy who needs to be cast in an ensemble drama or character-driven comedy. We’ve certainly noticed his talents, here’s hoping the casting directors out there do too. And they forget "Marmaduke" swiftly as well...

Jason Sudeikis
Sunset Boulevard is littered with the broken bodies of Saturday Night Live stars who've tried to become movie stars. For instance, Chris Kattan will dance for a penny, and relate stories from the making of "Night at the Roxbury." With the show in something of a creative dip at the moment, you'd think that the chances of any of the current cast breaking out and becoming the next big comedy star would be fairly slim, but that's not the case. Kristen Wiig's well on her way, particularly with next summer's Apatow-com "Bridesmaids," but may be a little too out-there for mainstream success. But the next guy who could really break out as a leading man in a big way is Jason Sudeikis. Kansas-born Sudeikis (the nephew of "Cheers" star George Wendt, fact fans!) was spotted at Second City, something of a breeding ground for SNL writers and performers, and joined the show's writing staff in 2003 before becoming a full-blown cast member in 2006. He's had small roles in the ignominious likes of "The Rocker," "Semi-Pro" and "What Happens In Vegas," none of which made as strong an impression as his recurring role on "30 Rock." But it was his recent role in the above-average rom-com "Going the Distance," alongside "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Charlie Day as Justin Long's two best friends, that points the way to potential stardom. Profane and hilarious, the pair provide the bulk of the film's laughs, but it was Sudeikis' likeable everyman charm that saw him stand out. He's got two high-profile comedy roles next year in the Farrelly Bros' "Hall Pass," alongside Owen Wilson, and reteaming with Day, along with Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx in "Horrible Bosses," one of the best comedies we've read in a while, on the page at least. He's got the comic abilities and the range to suggest that, if either or both of those films hit, he could become Hollywood's go-to comedy lead.

Adam Scott
At some point, we're going to discover something that 37-year-old Adam Scott can't do. I mean, it's not fair to the rest of us otherwise, right? He's handled serious drama in HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me," and his terrific performance in the woefully underseen indie "The Vicious Kind." He can carry off comedy both gonzo -- stealing the show in "Step Brothers," his coke-addled cameo in "Eastbound and Down" -- and grounded -- his subtle TV work on "Party Down" and "Parks and Recreation" displays supernaturally good comic timing. Hell, the guy can even fire a shotgun while piloting a jetski, as in the recent horror "Piranha 3D." It's somewhat baffling that Scott hasn't made the A-list yet, considering all that, his leading-man good looks and the fact that he's been working steadily for over 15 years. He can't stay Hollywood's best kept secret for too much longer though -- he's in the tantalizing cast of "My Idiot Brother" alongside Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Rashida Jones, Emily Mortimer, T.J. Miller and Steve Coogan, and in Jennifer Westfeldt's comedy "Friends With Kids" alongside Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig. It can only be a matter of time before someone gives him a high-profile lead, and if they don't, we'll just have to do it ourselves.

Edgar Ramirez
What, you weren’t dazzled with Ramirez’s performance as Keira Knightley’s bounty-hunting beau in Tony Scott’s under-appreciated fever-dream “Domino?” Or as a conspirator in forgettable “Vantage Point”? Or a baddie in “The Bourne Ultimatum?” Well, quite frankly, neither were we. But it’s hard to ignore the kind of raw charisma he brings to Oliver Assayas’ epic, three-part “Carlos,” which is even more impressive considering he is portraying a notorious global terrorist who brought destruction and ruin to much of Europe in the '70s and '80s. As Carlos, he’s a bit of a braggart, a man who gets by on pure charisma until he can sell himself to the next regime that wants wholesale bloodshed. Even while staging elaborate plots, Carlos remains human, thanks in large part to Ramirez and to Assayas’ shrewd decisions, like devoting some of the last act to Carlos’ inflamed testicle. Throughout much of the movie, you wonder how Carlos got away with all of this mayhem for so long, but in the capable, expect hands of Edgar Ramirez, it seems like a breeze. Because, really, he’s just that good.

Joel Edgerton
We recently described Australian actor Joel Edgerton as "the thinking man's Sam Worthington," and, while that's not quite fair on the latter -- for all the grief we give him for his wooden blockbuster performances, the guy can act, as anyone that's seen him with Abbie Cornish in "Somersault" will attest to -- we stand by it. Edgerton's been a semi-familiar face for a while; after starring in the cult Australian series "The Secret Life of Us," he cropped up in two of the "Star Wars" prequels as the young Uncle Owen, in the Heath Ledger vehicle "Ned Kelly," and among the deceptively strong cast of Antoine Fuqua's "King Arthur." He demonstrated some decent leading man chops in the British comedy "Kinky Boots," but has barely been heard of outside Oz in the last few years. Not that he's been idle -- along with brother Nash (who directed this year's thriller "The Square," which Joel appeared in) and David Michod ("Animal Kingdom," which Edgerton also contributes a strong supporting performance), he set up Blue Tongue Films, which is turning into a veritable renaissance of the Australian film industry. Now that that's underway, Edgerton is coming back to Hollywood. He voiced villain Metalbeak in Zack Snyder's "Legend of the Guardians," but he'll be more prominent in 2011, both as Tom Hardy's older brother in Gavin O'Connor's MMA drama "Warrior," and as the lead, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead, in the prequel to "The Thing." If those films connect, on top of the likes his subtle, yet simmering turn in "Animal Kingdom," Edgerton could well find himself eclipsing his country-mate Worthington on the A-list

Honorable Mentions:
As we mentioned at the top, we disqualified a few names who, despite our feelings that they're set to be big stars in the near future, were just a little too well-known to make a list such as this. These names included Jon Hamm, who demonstrated big screen chops on "The Town," Aziz Ansari, who graduates to leading man alongside Jesse Eisenberg in next year's comedy "30 Minutes or Less," Oscar Isaac, who's been seemingly cropping up everywhere, including proving the highlight of the otherwise dull "Robin Hood," David Tennant, who having won over fans as TV's Doctor Who, makes his Hollywood debut next year in what should be flamboyant fashion in "Fright Night," Demetri Martin, who's becoming something of a Steven Soderbergh favorite, moving from his aborted version of "Moneyball" to his next film, "Contagion," and Bryan Cranston, who's lined up a host of movie roles between seasons of his Emmy-winning performance on "Breaking Bad."

In terms of those who only just missed out on the list, Max Minghella wiped away memories of patchy previous roles with a strong performance in "The Social Network." Like Edgerton, Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn looks set to convert his blinding performance in "Animal Kingdom" into big screen work -- he's already taken a villainous role opposite Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage in "Trespass." French star Romain Duris had an honest-to-god crossover rom-com hit with "Heartbreaker," and we're sure he'll start to become a Hollywood fixture before too long. If "Monsters" finds the audience it deserves, Scoot McNairy could well find himself become a sought-after actor before too long. And as for Brits, Riz Ahmed was the grounded center of "Four Lions," bringing a heap of pathos to his role as a prospective suicide bomber, while Luke Evans was the breakout star of "Tamara Drewe," and has already lined up a host of Hollywood gigs, while Edward Hogg has the lead in Roland Emmerich's "Anonymous," and should follow in his footsteps fairly quickly.

Many of the names who just missed out on our list also come from TV. Ty Burrell, for instance, has gone from character actor to MVP on the hit sitcom "Modern Family," and will figure heavily in next year's "Butter," a role nearly taken by Jim Carrey. Sudeikis' "Horrible Bosses" co-star Charlie Day looks set to be the big break out from cult show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," while Chris Pratt has become "Parks and Recreation"'s secret weapon, and has a plum supporting role in Bennett Miller's "Moneyball" coming up. "Community" star Joel McHale should prove a fixture in comedies in years to come, and has a lead in Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids 4" coming up, alongside Jessica Alba. On the other side of the pond, while we hear "Womb" is something of a disaster, current Doctor Who Matt Smith has charisma and talent to burn, and will undoubtedly convert his success on the sci-fi show to the big screen at some point. Similarly, Benedict Cumberbatch, who's made a decent living out of playing uptight Brits in the likes of "Atonement," was a revelation in the BBC's "Sherlock," and he'll be exposed to an even wider audience next year with a big part in Tomas Alfredson's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Finally, Irish actor Chris O'Dowd ("The IT Crowd") has become something of a Hollywood comedy favorite of late, with "Dinner for Schmucks" this year and "Gulliver's Travels" and "Bridesmaids" on the way.

Newcomers
Armie Hammer
While Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield will be getting an endless amount of awards love for “The Social Network,” neither was as truly challenged, technically speaking, as Hammer, who was faced with the formidable challenge of giving distinct and memorable identities to the would-be Facebook champions, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Hammer (ably assisted by the body-doubling of Josh Pence) was so convincing that audiences are still shocked to find out he didn’t have an actual twin. Perhaps most impressive is that the actor has taken each of his roles with the professionalism of a seasoned veteran, when others in similar situations as him would be content with a heartthrob status. Hammer was already set to break through in George Miller's "Justice League" film as Batman, which failed to take off, and he'd been stuck in TV world for a while, albeit in memorable roles in the likes of "Reaper," but his indomitable personality and sophisticated throwback look, make it a case of not if, but when, Hammer is going to be an A-lister.

Jake Johnson
The first time we really noticed Jake Johnson was in the Charlyne Yi/Micheal Cera quasi documentary “Paper Heart,” where Johnson did a convincing job of playing the director, Nicholas Jasenovec (we don’t really learn until the credits that it’s not actually Jasenovec). It was a serviceable quiet turn, but it didn’t really prepare us for his unexpectedly hilarious turn as Teddy, Uma Thurman’s drunken sad/happy brother in Max Winkler’s “Ceremony.” We had our various issues with the film, but we’d be lying if we said the actors (include Pace above) weren’t riotously funny in their comedic performances. Orphaned since a young child, Johnson’s Teddy is loathing the fact that is older sister (Thurman) is about to get married and during the weekend getaway wedding comedy, the character spends the weekend entirely soused and acting as the life of clown-ish life of the party. But underneath his booze-sozzled facade is an ache and fear of losing his only family member and Johnson turns on the tears and charms instantly often with delicious delivery. Aside from Pace, Johnson steals every scene he’s in and it basically wants us to go back and check out every Funny or Die clip or TV show he’s been involved in. Directors will be quickly catching on if they’re not already. Next up for him is a role in Ivan Reitman’s “No Strings” (formerly titled, “Friends With Benefits”) starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.

T.J. Miller
You watched the destruction of New York City through his eyes in the Matt Reeves sci-fi disaster flick "Cloverfield," and with his distinct commentary along the way, T.J. Miller ably stood in for the audience, who screamed, "what the fuck was that?!" in harmony with his camera-toting character, Hud. The comedian was a standout in the the lightweight rom-com-for-boys "She's Out Of My League," as the Napoleon Dynamite on steroids best friend, Stainer, a high point in an otherwise lackluster bit of fluff. He's also made made memorable appearances in "Get Him to The Greek" and "Extract," and he will next be seen in the unfortunate-looking "Yogi Bear," the Jack Black version of "Gulliver's Travels," and the awesomely cast, "My Idiot Brother." But Miller is more than just the new funny sidekick on the scene. Aside from Spike Jonze’s “I’m Here,” the best short we saw at SXSW was the one he wrote,"Successful Alcoholics" (co-starring his "Cloverfield" crush Lizzy Caplan and directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts). Hilarious, but then ultimately kind of heartbreaking, we adored the short (sorry for not doing a full review guys, trailer is here) and crammed in laughs and then delivered an emotional punch at the end that did not feel out of nowhere. Based on that short alone, Miller’s gutbusting performance and the writing, he’s one to keep a close eye on. Our suggestion: you and Vogt-Roberts team up once more (hell, bring Caplan) too and make a feature-length effort.

David Oyelowo
It's entirely possible that the name of 34-year-old Brit David Oyelowo is entirely unfamiliar. Even in the UK, where he made his name with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and starring in the original cast of TV series "Spooks" (alongside Matthew MacFayden), he's not exactly a household name. But all that should change in the near future. He's had major roles in the likes of Kenneth Branagh's "As You Like It," and as James McAvoy's Ugandan colleague in "The Last King of Scotland," but 2011 should see him step up in a big way. He's got a key supporting role in the Emma Stone period drama "The Help," and he'll crop up in a role originally earmarked for Don Cheadle in next year's blockbuster "Rise of the Apes," alongside James Franco, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto and Andy Serkis, so he'll be near-inescapable in summer 2011. But most important, and promising, was his casting as Martin Luther King Jr. in Lee Daniels' "Selma." While the project's been delayed, and indeed, may well never happen (Daniels is circling the similarly themed "The Butler" with Denzel Washington), but the casting of the actor as a figure as charismatic and powerful as King only hints at his powers as an actor. Even if "Selma" doesn't come together, we're sure another part of the same calibre is on the way.

Tahar Rahim
If there's been a more blazing debut performance than Tahar Rahim in "A Prophet," you'll have to remind us -- close to a year since we've seen the film, we haven't been able to get Rahim out of our heads. While Jacques Audiard's film isn't as wholly successful as the director's last film, the stunning "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" (this writer never quite bought the more impressionistic moments), it's still one of the year's best, and French-Algerian actor Rahim's performance, as he transforms from terrified teenager to powerful gang lord over a prison spell, was indelible. Winning the Best Actor Cesar, and picking up a BAFTA Rising Star nomination, we clearly weren't the only ones who thought so, and Rahim's already been picked out -- he'll play the villain in Kevin Macdonald's "The Eagle," and has otherwise shown a terrific taste in projects, lining up roles in Lou Ye's "Bitch," Emir Kusturica's Palestine-set drama "Cool Water" and, most recently, Jean-Jacques Annaud's "Black Gold." With all this in mind, we're unlikely to see him cropping up in a Katherine Heigl rom-com any time in soon, but he's all the more promising for that.

Honorable Mentions:
There are a bunch of relatively young names who have been touted for big roles all year, so much so that they felt a little too well known for the list. Taylor Kitsch, for example, broke out in "Wolverine," and already has blockbuster leads lined up in "John Carter of Mars" and "Battleship." The latter co-stars "True Blood"'s Alexander Skarsgard, who'll also move to the other end of the spectrum next year in Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia." Logan Lerman and Josh Hutcherson were both hotly tipped to play "Spider-Man," but neither should take it to hard -- the former's the lead in Paul WS Anderson's "The Three Musketeers," and the latter has Neil Patrick Harris' "Aaron and Sarah" and the sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth" lined up.

Johnny Simmons stole the show in 'Scott Pilgrim,' and Donald Glover is so great on "Community" that a fan campaign to have him play Spider-Man managed to gain ground -- it's only a matter of time until both get bigger roles. Michael Angarano also proved he could carry a movie on his shoulders with "Ceremony," while Keir Gilchrist was more than decent in "It's Kind Of A Funny Story," even if the film was something of a misfire.

As for names that just missed the list, many did so simply because they're unknown quantities, picked from nowhere to headline big movies. Among them were Luke Kirby ("Take This Waltz"), Ezra Miller ("We Need To Talk About Kevin"), Henry Hopper ("Restless"), Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons ("Red Riding Hood"), Sam Clafin ("Pirates of the Caribbean 4") and Jeremy Irvine ("War Horse"). If the filmmakers' faith in these actors is rewarded, expect them all to feature heavily in this list next time around.

James Frecheville was another "Animal Kingdom" breakout, and has been taking meetings all over town, while Joel Kinnaman ("Snabba Cash") has already started booking high-profile Hollywood gigs, starting with alien invasion picture "The Darkest Hour." Timothy Spall's son, Rafe Spall ("Hot Fuzz"), has his highest profile job to date next year alongside Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in rom-com "One Day," while Aaron Paul's been gaining such plaudits on "Breaking Bad" that he's bound to make a big-screen splash soon. Joseph Mazzello wiped away any memories of "Jurassic Park" with "The Pacific" and "The Social Network," while Reece Thompson was another stand-out in the "Ceremony" ensemble. Daniel Kaluuya converted his amazing stage performance in "Sucker Punch" to a big part in "Johnny English Reborn," while identical twins Luke and Harry Treadaway have been poised to break out for some time now. -- Oli Lyttelton, Kevin Jagernauth, Adam Sweeney, Drew Taylor, RP

>>> On The Rise: Ten Actors We Expect Great Things From >>>

Exclusive: Olivier Assayas Says 'Carlos' Was "Hell," Is Planning New "Small Scale" Film With Juliette Binoche

This week, the Sundance Channel will be airing Oliver Assayas' brilliant, three-part biographical thriller "Carlos." The true-life story of Carlos the Jackal, an international terrorist played with much flair by Edgar Ramirez, who reigned chaos on much of Europe in the '70s and '80s, Assayas' five-and-a-half-hour long film is the rare ultra-personal epic, one in which an inflamed testicle has as much narrative importance as a days-long hostage operation and the true measure of a man is not in his convictions or political leanings, but in his ability to hustle and maintain the momentum of his own mythology. Those that claim that "Carlos" doesn't divulge enough personal information seem to be missing the point, as he seems to be a self-stylized cipher, one whose violent convictions are sold to the highest bidder. We got to speak to the prolific French director about the making of the film, the difficulties that he encountered while creating such a knotty tale, and what's up next. Don't forget to check out our exhaustive retrospective on Oliver Assayas' films we posted yesterday.

The Playlist: The scale here was immense. What was it like going from such a small drama like "Summer Hours" to a huge epic like "Carlos?"
Olivier Assayas: It was hell! I don't think I would do it again. I got myself into this thing and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I think the process of making "Carlos" at some point was self-generating. When I initially started getting interested in the material, started taking notes, and seeing how I could center it, I had no idea it would take me into this madness. I had no idea it would be a film on that scale, that it would be a triptych, that it would be shot all over the world. I was just attracted to the material as a writer. I liked the idea of trying to do something with real life ideas, commenting on modern history, but it was very much from the point of view of a writer. And also because this was completely new to me, I started doing the kind of things you don't do when you write a French film — not being cautious about the number of locations, about the number of characters, about the logistic complexities, and just go for trying to capture the complexities of modern politics and the way they interact on the big stage of the whole world.

You just forged forward.
Once I had the outline of this extraordinarily complex story that it kind of dawned on me that it would be a very long, very complicated film. It looked impossible and un-doable and I was convinced at one point or another that I was going to jump out of the ship. But it never happened. I was convinced that somebody, at some stage, would tell me that I couldn't do it, that there would be a stop sign somewhere. But then, no! Everybody seemed to be excited by the thing! It was just self generating- the TV channel, the co-producers, were all excited by the material and everyone wanted to see the film. And I got dragged in. It was a crazy process, especially since we had to do the film on a much smaller budget than we actually needed. So it was a very complex process to get it right, because we didn't have, at our disposal, the kind of budget that such a subject would require. So I would never do it again.

In America, we're getting the picture in a couple of different versions, so what do you think is the best way to watch "Carlos?"
To me, it's pretty simple. It's a film. And it's a very long film. And that's it. I never imagined it as anything else. And then I knew that it was going to be shown in different formats, because that's the logic of the financing of the film, and also because you really can't get away, in the States or in France, with a five-and-a-half hour-long movie. But while we were shooting it, we were shooting a five-and-a-half hour movie. Period. That was kind of the framework, which was kind of bigger than even the framework of very long films. So we knew, in terms of distribution, that there would have to be a shorter cut. We knew we needed the money from the French TV to finance the film because we couldn't have found the budget for a five-and-a-half hour long film in French cinema so we knew it would have to be, at one stage or another, presented on TV and we knew we would have to make a shorter cut for the multiplexes, to reach a wider audience. But in the back of my mind, in the back of our mind (and I'm really talking for the whole crew), we were convinced that what we were doing was a big-scale, crazy feature.

It was a pleasant surprise, knowing that it aired on television, that there wasn't a cliff hanger at the end of each section that made sure you came back for the next installment.
The thing is that, to get it ok'd by Canal Plus, the French company that footed the bill... This was a completely new format for them. They don't do three-part miniseries, they don't do two- or three- or four-part series so it was kind of an issue for them to have believable cuts between part one and two and part two and three. In the case of the cut between part one and two, it was pretty obvious, because we cut it in the middle of the action, so they kind of accepted that (hopefully) the audience would come back for the following week to watch what was building up at the end of the first part. But the cut between part two and three was trickier, because it was like a new chapter of Carlos opening up.
The editorial work in "Carlos," stretches for so many years, with people's weight and age fluctuating and with the third part, the clipped editorial pace symbolizing the authorities closing in on Carlos.
The film is structured in big chapters, right? Like one chapter being the events leading to the shoot out, the third chapter being the OPEC operation and its aftermath. The fourth chapter being how Carlos was arrested in Sudan. The big problem was chapter three, which is how Carlos reinvents himself after being fired and how be becomes an entrepreneur of terrorism in the 1980s and somehow, at some point, the fall of the Berlin Wall comes as a wake-up call.

All of a sudden, he realizes, that he's a creature of the Cold War and after the Cold War there's no more relevance for him. But that we had to condense. Because the other chapters were pretty big chapters and were extremely documented, there's lots of material. These 15 years are the least documented in Carlos' life and they are extraordinarily complex, because it's a time he's dealing with six or seven different governments, he's going back and forth between secret services, terrorist organizations like the IRA, he's sub-contracting terror actions for the Romanians for the Yugoslavians. It's extraordinarily complex. Where we could get into the detail of the operations we were narrating in one, two, and four, in chapter three we really had to condense things - it was a different approach, it was a different pace. And of course, in terms of structuring the story and the narration, it was by far the most complex.
How did you make the decision of what to leave in and what to remove?
Well, the process was not that difficult, in the sense, that the film's perspective on Carlos is French-centered. For me, it was easier to use the specific operations that had to do with France and specifically the events surrounding the arrest of Magdalena Kopp [played in the film by Nora von Waldstatten], which of course, in terms of narration, are very strong. Because she's an important character and gets into major trouble in very cinematic ways. But ultimately, for the reasons I tried to describe, basic narrative reasons, I had to make really difficult choices, because there are many operations of Carlos at that time. And very specifically I chose not to use one of the most famous, which is the bomb at the Maison de France in Berlin which is the most documented case of that period because it was the one operation that has been on trial.

It was the one operation that people were indicted for, it was the one operation that the Stasi operations was indicted for, and even the Syrian ambassador in Germany. But, at that moment, in the narrative, it was too complicated, there was no space to go again into the most minute detail. At that stage it was more about time passing, the world changing, and Carlos being crushed by the wheels of history. And at that point I was more interested in getting to the last chapter, which was his decline and fall.
Can you talk about choosing Edgar? Was he always at the top of your list?
Edgar was always #1 in a list of one. I think it's the miracle that made this film possible. I ended up meeting for pretty obvious reasons, because I was looking for an actor from Venezuela who could act in three different languages (in English, French, and Spanish), who had the physicality of Carlos, who was the right age, because the story was between Carlos in his 20s and Carlos in his 40s, and Edgar happens to be 30, so he was right in the middle. He was pretty obvious, on the paper, without even meeting him. But upon meeting, I felt he had all the prerequisites, but way beyond. He had a very charismatic presence, he is a very smart man with a very solid knowledge of the politics of the '70s.

He also has a very broad range. I mean he has the physicality of Carlos but also he is someone who is a very quick thinker and who has a lot of subtlety in his handling of the emotions of his characters. In the end, his input in the film is way beyond embodying Carlos. I think he really brought to the film an energy, a generosity, a drive, that translated to the whole crew. I mean, we made this film in very difficult situations. We didn't have the kind of budget we needed, which means we had to win small battles every day to make the film. So the fact that we had Edgar, who has this type of conviction and generosity, constantly in a good mood, constantly ready to fight to get things right, was communicated to the whole crew.

So what's next? Obviously, anything after "Carlos" is going to be smaller than "Carlos." Are you going to do another small drama?
Yes, I have a project with Juliete Binoche that we should shoot sometime early next year and it's going to be small scale. I think I have to start again from scratch. Maybe after a while I will want to return to a big canvas. But right now I don't even want to hear about one.

"Carlos" hits theaters this week in both its original, king-sized version (which will be playing at places like New York's IFC Film Center) and in the shorter, truncated version. It will be available On Demand starting next Wednesday.

>>> Exclusive: Olivier Assayas Says 'Carlos' Was "Hell," Is Planning New "Small Scale" Film With Juliette Binoche >>>

NYFF '10 Reviews: 'Carlos,' 'Oki's Movie,' 'Film Socialisme'

The 2010 New York Film Festival wraps up this weekend on October 10, and while you may have read other reviews on these films from Cannes 2010, here's another take:

"Carlos"
Oliver Assayas hopes you like your counter-revolutionary rebels naked and set to post-punk. The seductive “Carlos,” opening this weekend in truncated form, is a three-part epic detailing the life and affiliations of terrorist networker Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known to many as Carlos the Jackal. As played by Edgar Ramirez, he’s got good looks, a soft voice and movie-star swagger. It’s not hard to see how he charmed those with similar interests into taking his side.

“Carlos” begins with the upstart rebel lacking ambition, merely interested in working his way up the ranks, unconcerned with his cause. He’s naturally oblivious when that cause, originally rooted in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, passes him by, and with no tenet worth fighting (or dying) for, concessions are made to survive, globetrotting to various countries with no extradition policy. In the meantime, he seduces men with his promises of revolution and anti-capitalist rhetoric, and women with his washboard abs, playful fingers and natural aggression.

“Carlos” works wonderfully in its three-part harmony arrangement, which is why we’re saddened to see it cut down. In part one, his ravenous chase for power leads him to become point man for a few botched operations. When failure becomes his reward, he takes it as a lesson in exile in part two to stage more ambitious operations, with an ill-fated siege of the OPEC headquarters that ends in a plane full of hostages sitting on a tarmac waiting for an engine refill. Part three finds Carlos, the former rock star, at his most pathetic, on the run under various identities as his potbelly and womanizing finally defeats him long before the authorities arrive.

Assayas has always been an outspoken political filmmaker, but he’s wise to let the material speak for itself, filling almost every frame with Ramirez’s lupine sexuality and slurred accent. The director doesn’t take sides in using a broad canvas to create truly global cinema, with a scope that allows for multiple countries to provide a backdrop for backroom dealings, the languages spoken at length nearly in double digits during the five-and-a-half-hour run time. Most efficiently, it’s a portrait of a time when all “political revolutionaries” realized that the cause everyone answers to is the almighty dollar, and as Carlos watches the Berlin Wall fall, it’s as if he’s finally aware his pretensions have no place to find sanctuary. [A] [Compare to our original Cannes take.]
"Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives"
Uncle Boonmee is dying, and his loved ones are gathered to usher him into the afterlife. But shed no tears for the elderly farmer, because in Apichatpong Weerasethakul's world, it's only a transition phase. He soon starts seeing spirits, visions of the past, but when they appear to others, its clear they are nonthreatening. Boonmee's son returns as a hirsute ape spirit, while his wife appears not to warn him, but to assure him. Passage into the next life will be merciful, full of bliss.

Weerasethakul makes a detour, showcasing a princess longing for beauty only to find acceptance in the arms of a chatty catfish. In showcasing this illicit connection, which is never revisited, our story becomes inexorably tied to the connections between the farmer and his land, the princess and all she rules over. Symbiotic, no, but certainly sensual, yes, a call to give up material obsessions and merge with the land, for it will flatter our spirits if we accept them. It's in this attitude that Boonmee, a restless spirit in life, is able to settle in death. Warm and funny, "Uncle Boonmee" is touching in an altogether unexpected way. [A] [compare our original Cannes take]
"Film Socialisme"
Jean-Luc Godard's latest is more of a video essay than a film, a playfully rebellious diatribe against capitalism and the accompanying defiance of art. Godard's first location is a cruise ship, populated by a microcosm of high society, from the disinterested bourgeoisie to the affected, troubled difference makers who think grousing and infighting will create change. The perspective shift is sudden, unprompted, to a gas station where a young girl dreams of going to America, speaking English to her being a reflection of true success. A film crew tries to interview her about her desires, but is shooed away from the locals, Godard playfully condemning the information seekers and those unwilling to provide insight. This is all a guess, of course, since most of the film is either untranslated or willfully obtuse, using inaccurate subtitles for the number of languages spoken, only three words appearing onscreen at a time to reflect whatever opaque themes are being addressed. The film closes with a furious rush of still images and archival footage to connect the dots between varying ideologies. From the man who pioneered the French New Wave, it's aggression with a sarcastic smile, as if he's now rejecting the art form he's evolved to extremes. It's defiant, often funny, but truly, honestly bewildering, constantly defeating whatever thesis you've arrived at within seconds, a messy game of hotfoot amongst topics suddenly taboo and otherwise demented. And it's brilliant. [A-] [compare our polar opposite Cannes take]
"Oki's Movie"
Hong Sang-soo is a South Korean director that piques our interest if only because, unlike his contemporaries (folks like Playlist favorite Bong Joon-ho), he isn’t interested in genre. Not in the slightest. Instead, he makes odd, meandering dramas that have less to do with plot and more to do with character, slathered in rich, high-minded philosophizing and some broad social criticism thrown in for good measure. The last movie we saw of his, "Night and Day," was during 2008’s New York Film Festival. Whereas "Night and Day" was obscure but still accessible, a dreamy, not-entirely-coherent film about extreme culture clash, his new film "Oki’s Movie" is almost impenetrably strange.

Like Godard's WTF-worthy NYFF entry "Film Socialisme," "'Oki's Movie" takes place in three movements. In each section the same actors are present but take on different roles. In one, the protagonist is a professor – in the other, a student. Sometimes he’s married. Sometimes he’s not. It’s hard to figure out and even harder to care. As far as experimentation goes, guess there’s something to be said for this kind of thing, although the repetitive (and, we're guessing, ironic) use of graduation staple "Pomp and Circumstance" is enough to drive anybody up the wall. If you're willing to simply go with it, 'Oki's Movie' offers some potential chuckles, especially if you have a degree in philosophy or if you like your films with a lot of experimentalism but not a lot of plot. Without any emotional foothold, though, "Oki's Movie" is weirdness without purpose, clever without smarts, and even at 80 minutes, a total slog. [C-] — Gabe Toro and Drew Taylor

>>> NYFF '10 Reviews: 'Carlos,' 'Oki's Movie,' 'Film Socialisme' >>>

Olivier Assayas' Gangster Epic 'Carlos' Gets Fantastic Poster & New Trailer; Theatrical Cut Will Run 2 Hr 20 Min

For most critics (including us) who've already seen "Carlos," we've watched it in its full three-part, five-and-a-half-hour as originally conceived. And though it will be hitting theaters via IFC in a shortened, but still lengthy, two hour and twenty minute cut (believe us, this is a hard film to whittle down) we do advise you take the time to watch the full cut when it airs on the Sundance Channel.

Anyway, we now have a beautiful, fresh, very 1970s poster for the film and brand new trailer for the film as well. If anything, we hope the film's fall release brings some attention to Edgar Ramirez who is absolutely phenomenal in the lead role of Cold War terrorist Carlos The Jackal. He gives a powerful body-morphing, sexy, multi-lingual, cross-continental performance that makes Vincent Cassel's turn as Mesrine look like child's play. We really hope Hollywood is paying attention because Ramirez proves himself to be the real deal. Also in evidence is the weird jangly guitar score that we pointed as distracting in our review, and is still distracting here. We simply don't get it. But it's a niggling problem in an otherwise very, very strong piece of work.

You can watch the trailer in HD over at Apple; the embed is below. "Carlos" will open in select theaters on October 15th. Sundance Channel will air all three parts starting on October 11th.

>>> Olivier Assayas' Gangster Epic 'Carlos' Gets Fantastic Poster & New Trailer; Theatrical Cut Will Run 2 Hr 20 Min >>>