The pattern returns again this
weekend with the art-house comedy, Igby Goes Down, a
coming-of-age story dealing with a seventeen-year-old's
struggle of growing up. With our main actor being Kieran
Culkin (Igby), it seems that just a little over a month ago audiences
had a sample of yet another Culkin in the M. Night Shyamalan
scare feast, Signs, (Rory) who also makes an appearance in
Igby as the younger version of the character. And just when
that fact could have sounded nifty, co-star Susan Sarandon
starts off her streak of fall in what will end up being two
additional films beyond Igby Goes Down, placing them in three
consecutive weekends in a row. The Rocky Horror famed actress
will be appearing in the chick-flick comedy, The Banger
Sisters, just next week followed by the drama, Moonlight Mile
(limited release Sept. 27), starring Dustin Hoffman, Jake
Gyllenhaal, and Holly Hunter. |
Igby Goes Down has been receiving encouraging reviews to
date and could eventually pave the way for both (featured)
Culkan's to expand their careers in future works.
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan has a tendency to deliver
sparkling child performances within his feature projects,
which could place Rory Culkin in a very healthy position
following the blockbuster status of Signs along with its
universally accepted word of mouth. While the young lad did
not get the same range of appreciation as Haley Joel Osment
retrieved from his spine-chilling delivery in The Sixth Sense,
simply being featured in the Shyamalan release is a
good-enough start for the kid.With the whole world having
practically seen the monster outside Bo's room, Rory's
oncoming path could turn brighter once that producer
somewhere-out-there has himself convinced that Culkin's
perfect for the part in his new film. Though a bit off-range,
it reminds me of 10 Things I Hate About You, which I'm
convinced one of the only reasons Julia Stiles got called in
for the role for Save the Last Dance was due to her one
hip-hop dance sequence featured in the party scene of 10
Things. I'm willing to bet money that the producer and/or
director (of Last Dance) saw that scene and screamed for her
presence in the dance flick. Without 10 Things..., Stiles may
not have been who she is today. Goes to tell you about the
future some decisions can lead to.
One would ponder if having two young brothers in the same
film would cause any harsh commotion on-set, but I guess if
Owen and Luke Wilson can battle it out in their flicks, anyone
can. While it would be quite the media attention, it would
certainly be intriguing to hear the gossip surrounding an
unkind incident breaking out during filming between any two
brothers. Though, with the Culkan's likely having full
knowledge that the media just loves to digest the mishaps that
occur in Hollywood, all that fighting and bickering I guess is
saved for home when the MPAA factor is not in effect. Just how
do they feel when they return home to see the home video copy
of their even older brother being stalked by burglars? While
I'm sure that VHS unit has been experimented with using a
cigarette lighter on multiple occasions by both Kieran and
Rory, the two still face the goal of breaking out with a film.
Will Signs have done it for young Rory?
Fame found Macaulay Culkin with Home Alone, the movie that
redefined the feeling of aftershave and gave children that
extra sense of unease in security. Well, maybe not so much at
that age, but I'm willing to bet the film did justice to many.
A young actor at the time, Culkin became legendary for that
role as an un-appreciating son left home alone when two rather
dimwitted burglars were prowling around. After the movie went
huge, it was no surprise that a sequel spawned two years later
in a trip to New York City. After playing an evil son
alongside young Frodo, a certain pagemaster and a rich little
kid, a peculiar thing happened to Macaulay - he got older!
Culkin has been in absence for eight years and while it does
not seem like he will make much more of the career he once
carried, his famous performance in Home Alone will be
remembered for years to come. Now the question is, with
brother Rory producing more roles in his career, will the age
become a down factor for him too?
Claire Danes, who some feel is about as close of a Keanu
Reeves as you can get in the acting department, will be
sharing screen-time with the solid cast of Igby Goes Down. The
actress, who mostly got known by playing beside Leo in Romeo &
Juliet, will also be returning in December with the female
driven drama, The Hours, starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman
and Julianne Moore. The said drama holds a chance of
delivering some award nominations come 2003 as well.
With T3 on the road ahead for Danes, it seems that success
has found her in some ways despite the negatives. But look at
the bright side, at least the actress doesn't hold as classic
of a role as Kurt Russell's Soldier, in which the only
dialogue his character ever really had to spurt out with
energy was, "yes, sir!" Thinking about it, Macaulay's age
(Rory's is questionable) is probably more than the number of
words Russell ever had to memorize for the role. And I'm still
waiting for the day some producer teams up Keanu Reaves,
Claire Danes and Denise Richards in the same film. You wonder
how some actors can get past the auditioning stage, and I
think Heather Graham's character in Bowfinger pretty much
answers that one.
Also co-starring Jeff Goldblum (I'll resist from a wiseass
comment), Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman and Amanda Peet (who
holds the potential to walk the path of Denise Richards), Igby
Goes Down will be released in a limited number of theaters
this Friday. |