lifestyle WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Music & Movies

Film Review Zac Efron in ‘We Are Your Friends’ t long last, fans of Electronic Dance Music Brentwood estate. But as the two grow closer, have a movie to call their own-a moving boozing and mixing music together in prepara- Aand authentic portrait of the artist as a tion for a gig at a summer music festival, Cole’s young DJ, struggling to find himself in that tricky eye unsurprisingly begins to wander in the gray zone where personal and professional direction of James’ gorgeous girlfriend/personal desires converge. But enough about Mia assistant, Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski). In a movie Hansen-Love’s “Eden.” For viewers who prefer that doesn’t exactly challenge the bro-heavy their coming-of-age stories told in broad, demographics of EDM culture (or, for that mat- believe-in-yourself brushstrokes, say hello to “We ter, address the charges of sexism that have Are Your Friends,” a brashly entertaining, none- dogged it in recent years), Sophie emerges as too-persuasive tale of a talented 23-year-old less a character than a catalyst, and Ratajkowski, musician from the San Fernando Valley trying to whom sharp-eyed viewers will remember as Ben penetrate the glittering upper echelons of Affleck’s mistress in “Gone Girl,” has been cast Hollywood nightlife. Striving to capture a defini- along similar lines here. Her job (apart from tive screenshot of millennial angst, Max Joseph’s modeling a series of unfailingly lovely outfits formally creative, dramatically conventional designed by Christie Wittenborn) is to ensure directing debut probably won’t earn raves from that James and Cole’s friendship, like so many EDM devotees, particularly those who reject the cinematic mentor-student relationships before notion of Zac Efron as their head-banging it, will soon turn sour with lust and betrayal.As Hollywood poster boy. Cole and James sort out their issues while Still, there’s no denying that the star’s hard- Sophie smolders from the sidelines, “We Are to-resist appeal will draw mainstream eyes and Your ears to a picture that would rather spin an acces- sible underdog yarn than tap into the more res- Narrative rhythm onant specifics of its milieu. As co-host, camera- Friends” increasingly plays like a synth-heavy man and co-producer of MTV’s “Catfish” reality soap opera (“As the Table Turns,” anyone?) that series (and a director of numerous commercials, doesn’t so much delve into the EDM phenome- From left to right, actor Jason Mantzoukas, actress Alison Brie, actress Andrea Savage, and director Leslye Headland seen at the special screening of IFC musicvideos and viral shorts), the 33-year-old non so much as scan it for easy dramatic hooks Films feature film ‘Sleeping With Other People’ presented as part of the Visionaire Screening Series at The London West Hollywood on Monday in West Joseph was a smart choice to helm an up-to- and emotional entry points. For all its techno Hollywood, Calif. — AP the-minute feature film about the creative and beats and occasional stylistic departures, the professional pursuits of young people in an ever story has been composed in a vivid yet familiar more competitive digital era. Working from his key of cornball melodrama-from the regular own screenplay (co-written with Meaghan shots of Cole stuffing wads of cash into an Oppenheimer, from a story by exec producer Adidas shoebox under his bed, to the tragic Wanted: Transgender actors for Richard Silverman), Joseph establishes a punchy, development that arrives more than halfway direct-address style at the outset, using through, perhaps in an attempt to bolster Efron’s voiceover narration and onscreen text to give us claim that the movie is a “Saturday Night Fever” Hollywood, little experience required a wry welcome to the San Fernando Valley-that for our times. By that point, it’s clear that “We Are flat, unenticing stretch of Los Angeles County Your Friends” isn’t content to be the story of a hen director Sean Baker was looking for winning Netflix series set in a women’s prison. time,” said Thomas, who was a member of the famed for its porn shoots, vapid blondes and young climber; it has bigger, more epochal fish transgender women to appear in his But many of the new transgender faces in 200-person transgender choir that appeared on unbeatable sushi. It may be situated mere miles to fry. But if Joseph’s movie is meant to be some indie movie “Tangerine,” he did not turn Hollywood are far less experienced. Scott Turner Fox television’s “Glee” in February. The choir was W north of Hollywood, but it might as well be sev- sort of millennial statement, it’s one that feels to a traditional talent agency. Instead, he found Schofield, 34, spent years as a speaker on diversi- assembled through grassroots communities and eral worlds away where a kid on the bottom awfully predictable and secondhand, especially them through a Hollywood LGBT center. As the ty issues and in regional theater before making social media. rung like Cole (Efron) is concerned. when compared with the aforementioned producers of daytime CBS soap “The Bold and the his TV acting debut in May on “The Bold and the “When I first got the job on ‘Glee,’ I looked very “Eden,” a richly immersive, decades-spanning Beautiful” were developing a transgender story- Beautiful” as the first transgender man in a major hard for an agency that would represent trans- Popular Hollywood epic that unfolds against Paris’ garage-rock line this year, they approached the advocacy role on a US daytime drama. gender people but there wasn’t a single one,” said Along with his best friends-aspiring actor scene. group GLAAD for leads on casting. Fueled partly Thomas, who also appears as an extra in the Ollie (Shiloh Fernandez), get-rich-quick dreamer Set to an altogether more familiar narrative by acclaim for TV series such as “Transparent” and Lady luck upcoming second season of Amazon.com’s Mason (Jonny Weston) and shy tagalong rhythm, “We Are Your Friends” holds up a sym- public fascination with the transition of former Both Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez are “Transparent.” Although her venture has yet to Squirrel (Alex Shaffer) — Cole longs to escape pathetic yet simplistic selfie-cam to a restless Olympic champion Bruce Jenner to a new life as transgender women who worked in the sex busi- launch formally, Thomas says she already has the Valley, with its dried-up lawns and empty contemporary youth culture that doesn’t know Caitlyn Jenner, Hollywood is seeing a boom in ness and had never been on camera until helped fill two transgender roles for the producer swimming pools, and break into the biz in a big what to do with itself. The young men we see movies, TV shows and reality series about trans- “Tangerine” director Baker hired them for his of a small feature film. way. The closest these guys can get, at least ini- have learned to be technologically savvy and gender topics. 2015 movie about a prostitute looking for the “I worked with another lady putting together tially, is a popular Hollywood rave called Social, relentlessly self-promoting, to seek out innova- To meet the demand, casting directors and pimp who broke her heart. “We found Mya at the a transgender weight loss show who had been the so-called “best dance party in LA,” where tion in a world of imitators, and to look beyond producers are often going through unorthodox LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) searching for weeks to find people. I was able to they work as low-level promoters. It’s here that the traditional avenues of a college education channels to find transgender talent - experienced center in Hollywood and she opened up that come up with eight people in a week that were Cole has his fateful first encounter with James followed by gainful, entry-level employment. or not. “As a transgender man myself, I see a lot of world to us. For me to find the two of them like fully qualified,” she said. GLAAD’s Adams said the Reed (Wes Bentley, excellent), a wealthy, well- To the film’s credit, it’s smart enough to show runners coming to me and asking about that was serendipity and luck,” Baker said. “I think need for transgender talent is becoming so press- traveled DJ with a perpetual air of liquor and dis- acknowledge the soullessness of some of the any transgender actors I know of,” said Nick the major talent agencies are finally stepping up ing that he hopes to set up a workshop for illusionment. “He used to be good,” Cole private- alternatives, as we observe when Cole and his Adams, director of programs for transgender (now) because this has just reached the zeitgeist Hollywood casting directors in the fall. “What I ly notes. “I think now he just gives the people buddies land lucrative day jobs at a mortgage media at the Los Angeles headquarters of in the last year and a half, and recently it’s been a hear anecdotally is that casting directors don’t what they want.” company run by the unscrupulous Paige (Jon GLAAD, which promotes lesbian, gay and trans- little bit easier to find people,” he added. understand much about the transgender com- It’s a shrewd enough observation, even if it Bernthal). The subsequent cold-calling scenes gender issues in the media. “That’s how it’s been - Ann Thomas, currently an extra in Hollywood, munity. There are many transgender actors out sets up a defense of uncompromising artistic are not the only ones here that suggest a a loose network of transgender people who have was so frustrated by the lack of a one-stop shop there, but casting directors just don’t know integrity that the movie doesn’t quite have the younger-skewing remix of “The Wolf of Wall these databases of friends and acquaintances. for transgender talent that she decided to set up where to find them,” he said.—Reuters ability or nerve to follow through on. The script’s Street,” albeit one whose protagonist repeated- Otherwise the casting system is just not set up to one herself. Thomas plans to team up with cast- most sincere yet dubious-sounding line is Cole’s ly questions the morality of cashing in on other search for them,” Adams said. ing directors, actors, extras and production staff early declaration that, to succeed as a DJ, “all you people’s misery.—Reuters Laverne Cox, the transgender star of “Orange when she opens her TransgenderTalent venture need is a laptop, some talent and one track.” Still, is the New Black,” had acting training and profes- in Los Angeles before the end of the year. “As far that one track is promising enough to earn him sional credits before she was cast in the award- as I know, it will be the first such agency at this an extended audience with James, who gives him some pointers on zeroing in on his own voice, and even lets him DJ a party at his glassy Vin Diesel teases third ‘xXx’ movie in Diesel is looking to bring back his Xander Cage character for another Vin Diesel V“xXx” movie, announcing that the untitled project will begin shooting in December in the Philippines. A spokesper- son for Revolution Studios, which owns the rights to the franchise, told Variety that Diesel is in negotiations to return. “While I French sci-fi film may was filming XXX, guys on set called me Air Diesel... The time to return has come. Filming starts December in the Philippines,” be made abroad the actor revealed in a post to his Instagram account. Diesel starred in the original 2002 film, This photo shows Emily Ratajkowski, from left, Wes Bentley, and Zac Efron in a scene from because of US-UK stars directed by Rob Cohen, as underground Warner Bros Pictures’ and Studiocanal’s romantic drama, ‘We are Your Friends.’ — AP sports star Xander Cage, who was black- alerian”, an upcoming big-budget French sci-fi mailed by the US government to take movie, may have to be filmed outside of France down a gang of international terrorists. The because it will star American and British actors, its “V film, released by Sony, performed well with director, Luc Besson, said this week. The filmmaker, perhaps $277 million worldwide. Diesel was not second film. Revolution Studios, founded best known globally for his high-octane-and English-lan- Variety names 10 actors part of the sequel, with Ice Cube playing by Joe Roth in 2000, produced both films. guage-”Transporter” and “Taken” movie franchises and “The the lead role in 2005’s “xXx: State of the The company was acquired last year by Fifth Element”, explained to French radio that “Valerian” would Union,” which grossed $71 million world- Fortress Investment Group, which manages likely not qualify for French tax credits because it would be to watch for 2015 wide for Sony. Lee Tamahori directed the $60 billion in assets. —Reuters filmed in English, not French. ariety is pleased to announce its annu- Watch: Christopher Abbott, the star of “James Those credits are vital for the movie, which will star Clive al list of 10 Actors to Watch, an honor White,” soon to be seen in “Criminal Activities” Owen, Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan and whose budget Vthe publications has bestowed since and “Fun House” Bel Powley, the breakout star of around 170 million euros ($195 million) — unprecedented 1998. Variety VP and executive editor Steven of “Diary of a Teenage Girl,” soon to be seen in for France-rivals those of big Hollywood productions. “There’s Tom Cruise wings into Gaydos says, “Actors to Watch turn up in edgy Drake Doremus’ “Equals” and as the titular a small problem called tax credits... I have a French film being little indies, studio blockbusters and from all character in “Carrie Pilby” Emory Cohen, seen made in English so I have the right to zero (credits) as a French corners of the world. You’ll see some of these in “The Place Beyond the Pines” and “Beneath film,” Besson told radio station RTL on Monday. Even if he tried Colombian Amazon actors in upcoming awards season films, and the Harvest Sky,” soon to be seen romancing to pass the movie off as a foreign production, he said he you will have seen some of them in current Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn” Rebecca would still not qualify because his production company ollywood superstar Tom Cruise, fresh Escobar’s pilots,” said Major Cristian Caballero summer hits. We feel they all have one thing Ferguson, currently wowing audiences in EuropaCorp is French. off his latest “Mission: Impossible” hit, of Jungle Army Batallion 50. The movie is in common: uncommonly bright futures.” “Mission Impossible-Rogue Nation,” soon to “I’m in a legal black hole,” he complained. As a result, “I Hwas in Colombia filming scenes for a based on the life of US pilot Barry Seal, who Past honorees include many future Oscar be seen in Stephen Frears’ “Florence Foster don’t know if I can film it in France” even though “I want to new film in a remote Amazon basin region, worked for the legendary Colombian drug winners and nominees such as Viola Davis, Jenkins” and “The Girl on the Train” make it in my country with a French crew”. He noted that, if he military sources said Monday. kingpin who was killed in Medellin in Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer, Patricia Thomas Mann, star of the Sundance hit filmed in Hungary, he could recover credits worth up to 40 Cruise, 53, was “working on scenes for an December 1993. — AFP Clarkson, Samantha Morton, Lupita Nyong’o, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” soon to be percent of his company’s investment. “I’m a patriot, but 15 to upcoming film about the life of one of Pablo Michael Shannon and Melissa Leo. This year’s seen in “Some Freaks” and “The Preppie 20 million (euros) starts to get a bit heavy.” Besson’s public air- honorees will be feted in the Oct. 6 issue of Connection” Jason Mitchell, currently earning ing of the problem, which seemed aimed at pressuring French Variety, in conjunction with coverage of the raves as Eazy-E in “Straight Outta Compton,” authorities, came weeks after EuroCorp confirmed that the 56- Hamptons International Film Festival, which soon to be seen in “Keanu” Maika Monroe, year-old French filmmaker had become a US tax resident. runs Oct. 8-12. This marks the fourth year star of “The Guest” and “It Follows,” soon to be Besson says he still pays most of his taxes in France. Variety has collaborated with the festival to seen in “Independence Day: Resurgence” “Valerian”, which is slated for a July 2017 release, is based present Actors to Watch. Keith Stanfield, now on screens as Snoop on a long-running French graphic novel series started in the David Nugent, artistic director of the festi- Dogg in “Straight Out of Compton,” previously 1960s about an eponymous space- and time-travelling agent val, says, “The Hamptons International Film seen in“Short Term 12” and soon to be seen in and his smart and sexy female companion Laureline. DeHaan, Festival is delighted to partner with Variety Oliver Stone’s “Snowden” Tessa Thompson, a 29-year-old American actor who played the villain Green again in highlighting the work of these actors recently seen in “Selma” and soon to star in Goblin in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”, will be the star whose work thus far promises bright futures “Creed” and “War on Everyone” Jessie T Usher, of the movie, alongside 23-year-old British model-actress ahead. We have a long history of celebrating star of “Survivor’s Remorse,” soon to be seen Delevingne as Laureline. Clive Owen, also a Briton, will play a the next wave of acting talent at early stages in “Independence Day: Resurgence” —Reuters space commander. Filming of the movie is expected to start of their career including Emily Blunt, Jessica early next year and 1,200 crew members will be involved in Handout photo released by the Colombian Army of US actor Tom Cruise posing with Chastain, Adam Driver and David Oyelowo, the six-month shoot. — AFP Colombian soldiers during his visit to the ‘General Luis Acevedo Torres’ battalion, in and this year’s group is amongst the best Araracuara municipality, Amazonas department, southern Colombia. — AFP we’ve had.” These are the year’s 10 Actors to