Dunham16 This movie follows the experience of a pushy high school student who unexpectedly finds himself in the position of an oppressed capable in a Broadway Shakespeare production in New York City, goes through precisely what many young Americans seeking success in employment of first choice as a goal to advance in life experience and ends up the wiser for it without gaining anything substantial. One strong point is the elegance of how 1930's New York City is portrayed. Another is even though this as much a parable of the underbelly of New York's Broadway as is Damon Runyon's GUYS AHD DOLLS, the message is so universal many folks who remember seeking advancement through the work world and end up wiser and better in mature life for the adventure without serious salary payment or serious job security to show for what they wanted to make a favored career. A fast moving film easy to look at and easy to listen to that will probably appeal on different levels to most filmgoers.

Jackson Booth-Millard From director Richard Linklater (Waking Life, School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly), I heard of this film not being rated very well by the critics, but there was a lot of praise for the actor playing the title role of the famous Citizen Kane and The Third Man star, so I had to watch. Basically set in 1937, Richard Samuels (High School Musical's Zac Efron) is the high school student who has a day trip in New York City, and there he meets and becomes friends with Gretta Adler (Zoe Kazan) and they both share of love for the creative arts. Richard also finds the Mercury Theatre and meets actor Orson Welles (BAFTA nominated Christian McKay), and after a quick improvisational audition he manages to get a part in his new play, a modern retelling of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. He will acting alongside Orson, and other Mercury players such as Joseph Cotten (James Tupper) and George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin), and onlooking is producer John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), but of course Orson is the great unofficial dictator of the production. Whatever Orson wants he gets, he has the power to fire anyone and everyone and he wants the perfect show, but he doesn't believe in all conventions, and he does not have a fixed opening night. He realises that his name will be triumphed or ruined with the result of the show, and Richard acting the part of Lucius along with everyone else, including leading lady Sonja Jones (Claire Danes) aka The Ice Queen, is making sure he follows the "master". Sonja is the woman that all the men are afraid to ask out, being so close to Orson, but Richard takes up the challenge and seems to get rather far that they go out and get closer, but he cannot get away from the bluster of Orson. Eventually it comes to the opening night, Richard was originally fired but is allowed back for the opening night, and the audience give high praise for the production, but in the end Richard is forced to leave after finding out he was only required for the opening night, but he does gain a new girlfriend. Also starring Kelly Reilly as Muriel Brassler, Leo Bill as Norman Lloyd and Al Weaver as Sam Leve. Efron is obviously a little cheesy but he is alright in this, Danes does well with her time as well, but of course the one who steals the show is the magnificent uncanny looks and charismatic voice of McKay playing the established actor, the story is not bad, but you do feel it could have been a little better in some of the scripting and apart from McKay it all feels a little bland, not a terrible period drama. Okay!

The_Film_Cricket If you run down the list of achievements and dubious exercises in the 70 years that Orson Welles occupied this life, you will see a life that bolsters more interesting twists and turns then any ten people that you can probably name. He did everything: he was a film director, a theater director, a radio director, an actor, a writer and a magician. He founded The Mercury Theater and ran it like a dictator. He was a master of radio who produced a Halloween broadcast of "War of the Worlds" that nearly caused riots in the small community of Grover's Mills, New Jersey.At the age of 25, he was given unprecedented creative control by RKO to make his first film, Citizen Kane, a film that so angered newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst that he tried to stonewall its release. None-the-less, the film would be lauded as the greatest American film ever made. Even with that, his career as a film director was cut short. He butted heads with Hollywood studio moguls who curtailed his creativity and practically ran him out of the business. In his short film career he would create a roster of brilliant film work including not only Kane but The Magnificent Ambersons, The Third Man and Touch of Evil.Late in his life, he would become a walking joke. There were the fat jokes, the Paul Masson commercials, the Nostradamus documentary and that infamous hot dog eating contest. Yet, even with those embarrassments, you can say that Welles, while having suffered a stunted film career, never-the-less lived a life that was anything but boring.Richard Linklater's Me and Orson Welles, captures Welles at the beginning of his career, but not the beginning of his brilliance. What is captured here, in a magnificent performance by stage actor Christian McKay, is a man of overinflated self-confidence, of charm, and of merciless dictatorial style. He was, as we can see in this film, a monument to himself but not someone who was off-putting. You want to sit in the front row just to listen to him talk.The film takes place in 1938 at The famous Mercury Theater, where 23 year-old Welles and his overworked staff are preparing a production of Julius Caeser set in the reign of Mousselini. That means that Caeser will be performed but the actors will dress in the black Nazi regalia and jack boots. Some of the actors we know: Joseph Cotton (James Tupper), Norman Lloyd (Leo Bill), John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), George Coulourous (Ben Chapman) - who later played Mr. Thatcher in Citizen Kane. Yet, our focus into Welles' theater comes from Richard Samuals (Zach Effron), a struggling actor who makes his way into Welles' circle and eventually into a bit part in Caeser.The kid comes under Welles tutelage and his near-insane style of directing. One of the things that Linklater gets perfect in this film is the back-breaking work that goes on behind the scenes at in a theater company. There are the preparations, the rehearsals, the manic casting and script changes, the personal petty feuds, the problems with budget and of course the problems of working under and egomaniac like Welles. McKay occupies the role in such a way that his presence is felt even when he is off-screen. It isn't just the voice and the face and the mannerisms that McKay gets right, but the very essence of Orson Welles. This is a magnificent performance, so much so that when I saw the film at Ebertfest, his name in the credits drew thunderous applause.What happens in the film is the old backstage story of the kid who tries to make it into the inner circle of the theater company. Yet, it is surprisingly devoid of clichés. What Linklater wants to capture is the feel of the backstage process, of the tensions and in-fighting that go on. Mixed with that comes the story of Welles and his tense relationship with everyone. His ego is a Maypole that everyone is forced to dance around. When we get to the ending, and see the performance of Julius Caeser, we see the result of the company's efforts, it is a sight to behold, not just a good performance of a famous play, but the efforts of tireless people working under an insufferable, but undeniably great artist.

Jenna (hayden-panettiere-ukfan) When thinking about this film, the one thing that comes to mind is the scene talking about the short story - where nothing happened. I was looking forward to this movie, after all the rave reviews about it, and though it was not the worst film I've ever seen, it's definitely nowhere near the top. I spent the entire thing bored, waiting for something that wasn't monotonous to happen, and it never did. Although well acted, I had little interest in the characters or plot lines. Perhaps it's due to a lack of knowledge or understanding of Orson Welles' career, on my part, but I would not recommend this to other people.