# The Elijah Wood Thread



## Barliman Butterbur (Dec 22, 2004)

*Elijah Wood to Return to the Mardi Gras Parade*

Elijah Wood was last year's Bacchus, and will return in a special Returning King's float.

Source: http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/holidays/4014675/detail.html

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Dec 22, 2004)

*“Everything Is Illuminated” Starring Elijah Wood*

*Hollywood Is Illuminated* 

Paul Zakrzewski - Special To _The Jewish Week_

Will 2005 be the year that Hollywood brings urbane, complex, yet decidedly Jewish characters to a screen near you?

It’s no secret that throughout its history Hollywood has had something of a tortured relationship with Jewish identity — this despite the tremendous success and visibility of Jews in show business. Many of its legendary moguls, men such as Sam Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer — themselves Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Eastern Europe — frequently toned down explicitly Jewish content to make their productions more palatable to the mainstream. 

...

... heavily anticipated is Lieb Schreiber’s adaptation of “Everything Is Illuminated.” Starring Elijah Wood and shot in Prague in June, the movie appears to closely follow Foer’s manic tale of a young American student (also named Jonathan Safran Foer) who visits the Ukraine in search of his grandfather’s ancestral shtetl. The novel’s boldest stroke was to mix hilarious narration by an inept Ukrainian translator with a tragic Holocaust-era story — something that helped younger readers grasp the loss of Eastern European Jewry in a new way. 

Source: http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=10283

Barley


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## Eledhwen (Dec 23, 2004)

*Elijah Wood Trivia*

My kids watched Tom Thumb and Thumbelina feature cartoon on the TV this afternoon; and I noticed the credits say that Elijah Wood was the voice of Tom.

What's a Shtetl, Barley? It sounds an interesting story, and I'd be interested to see whether they retain the unusual storytelling technique mentioned in the article; I think I'll have to read the book. I looked for 'Everything is Illuminated' on Amazon.co.uk, and it's there, both in text and audio.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Dec 23, 2004)

*Re: Elijah Wood Trivia*



Eledhwen said:


> ...What's a Shtetl, Barley?...



That's Yiddish for "village," more literally, "small town." The German word for town is _Stadt_, the diminutive, or village is _Städtchen_, and it transforms into Yiddish as _shtetl._

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Dec 29, 2004)

*They share more than room*

*Years later, siblings are discovering that it's not so bad bunking together again.*

By Rosemary Sullivan | Special to the Sentinel
Posted December 29, 2004 

Celebrities such as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, pop stars Zac and Isaac Hanson, actor Elijah Wood and his sister Hannah, and George and Geoff Stults of WB's 7th Heaven are sharing living quarters.

...despite those high-profile examples, living together after leaving home is rare, according to Kory Floyd, associate professor of human communication at Arizona State University at Tempe.

Sibling relationships taper off in adulthood, from when they are most intense and contentious in adolescence and childhood, because siblings put more emphasis on seeking education, careers and romantic partnerships.

"But those siblings who live together as young adults have probably built a relationship not as a substitute for competition [with each other], but in spite of it," Floyd said.

But there could be a downside to the living arrangements too. According to Conley, when one sibling is supporting another, the imbalance of power can generate resentment.

"When a brother or a sister makes more money, it can be difficult because the sibling cannot make up an excuse," he said. "They are more or less from the same background. So it makes their struggle or failure more painful."

But living together also can provide the benefits of being understood in a way only a sibling can.


Complete article at: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/feat...04dec29,0,5318946.story?coll=orl-home-entlife

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 4, 2005)

Hollywood star ELIJAH WOOD's forthcoming movie THE YANK has changed its title to HOOLIGANS after film-makers shot crucial footage at a London soccer club.

The movie was only called The Yank in the first place because soccer club WEST HAM UNITED would never have permitted filming at their ground in east London if they'd known it was to be titled Hooligans, according to the British capital's daily newspaper the EVENING STANDARD.

An insider tells the publication, "The title has been changed to Hooligans - it was only called The Yank in production so West Ham would agree to let filming take place at their ground."

===============================

ELIJAH WOOD RULES HIMSELF OUT OF THE HOBBIT

ELIJAH WOOD can't wait for THE LORD OF THE RINGS prequel THE HOBBIT to hit the big screen - despite vowing he won't star in it.

After the runaway success of PETER JACKSON's fantasy trilogy, the New Zealand movie maker immediately revealed plans to bring JRR TOLKIEN's first novel - which focuses on FRODO BAGGINS' older cousin BILBO - to the big screen.

SIR IAN HOLM played Bilbo in The Lord Of The Rings, but at 72 he is far too old to take on the hobbit in his younger years - and Wood couldn't bear playing another hobbit character.

The 23-year-old says, "I hope it gets done - it would be a nice little reminder of that world again.

"I wouldn't want to play Bilbo having already played Frodo - it would be strange for the fans and for me."

And he admits it will be a daunting prospect for any actor to take on: "I don't think you can outdo Ian Holm's performance."

"Any actor would be afraid to approach the role after seeing what Ian Holm did with it, as it truly is perfect." 

Source: http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xml...jah wood to dj at britain.s top radio station

Barley


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## Eledhwen (Jan 5, 2005)

Barliman Butterbur said:


> The movie was only called The Yank in the first place because soccer club WEST HAM UNITED would never have permitted filming at their ground in east London if they'd known it was to be titled Hooligans.
> 
> Barley


  Heh heh! I know a few West Ham fans who will take umbridge at that! I would have thought Millwall would be the place to film at if you wanted the Hooligan atmosphere, but maybe I'm out of touch. Did Wood need to be in London for that?

On EW as Bilbo in The Hobbit, I think he has bonded with his Frodo character too strongly (tattoo) to go back and play Bilbo. Also, not only was Bilbo 50 when he set off on his adventure, but he probably looked it too. Wood would need to be made up hobbit-style and some, to pull it off. No wonder he doesn't want it.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 17, 2005)

*More on "Everything is Illuminated" (Post-LOTR Elijah)*

Enclosed is a JPEG of Elijah Wood as _Jonathan Safran Foer,_ the hero of _Everything is Illuminated_ (see Post #2), based on the novel by Foer (screen play and direction by Liev Schreiber).

Here is the opening paragraph of a big article (by Kristin Hohenadel) taken from the Calendar section of the Los Angeles Times:

===============================

Like many young Americans, Jonathan Safran Foer came to this post-revolution, fairy-tale city [Paris] in the 1990s, joining the crush of literary pretenders in search of a modern-day Hemingway's Paris and Czech Americans in search of their roots.

Foer stayed for a few months in 1997, a period that included a badly planned, hapless three-day trip to Ukraine for clues to his Jewish ancestry. But what had been a failure of experience became a gold mine for his imagination.

His 2002 novel, _Everything is Illuminated_, became an acclaimed best-seller and perhaps the one great American novel to emerge from the Paris of the '90s.

The story traces a young American's Ukrainian journey in search of the woman who might have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Its introverted hero (who happens to be named after the author) is accompanied by his wildly extroverted interpreter-tour guide Alex, Alex's grumpy grandfather and a scrappy seeing-eye dog, Sammy Davis Junior, Junior.

Alex's convoluted thesaurus-and-American-pop-culture-driven English is the comic backbone of the book, and Foer has inserted elaborate imaginary historical passages to entertaining effect. As Foer points out, "it's really not an obvious choice" for a film adaptation.

Unless, of course, you interpret it as a road movie.

===============================

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 19, 2005)

*Attention Elijah Wood Groupies!*

_Match yourself with Elijah Wood_

In order to calculate the compatibility between you and Elijah Wood you need to enter your birthday. Your birthday is needed since biorhythms are used to calculate the compatibility.

Source: http://www.celebmatch.com/birthdayform_809_Elijah_Wood.php

Barley


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## Hobbit-queen (Jan 24, 2005)

Woooooooooooooooo! 

He is my favorite actor!!!! I'm crazy for the guy! Thank you for posting a thread on him, Barly! I just love his eyes.....they are huge!


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 25, 2005)

Hobbit-queen said:


> Woooooooooooooooo! He is my favorite actor!!!! I'm crazy for the guy! Thank you for posting a thread on him, Barly! I just love his eyes.....they are huge!



He told me he loves _your_ eyes too...  (Enjoy the thread!  )

Barley


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## Hobbit-queen (Jan 28, 2005)

Happy Birthday, Elijah! 


Yeah, it's his 24th B-day today! I love him!


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 16, 2005)

*DVD Tuesday: Wood's 'Fools' & Holm's 'Glass'*

- Xoanon @ 13:53 PST
Chain of Fools

Until recently, anyone who wanted to see cult heist comedy "Chain of Fools" would have to go to Australia or the Phillippines to find a copy. Now Americans can also get to experience this hilarious, Tarantinoesque little movie, with its oddball characters and screwball story. Just be glad Americans can get it now.

Barber Kresk (Steve Zahn) is a loser -- he isn't good at his job, he's been tossed out of his home, and his wife just dumped him for the marriage counselor (isn't that a breach of professional ethics?). Now he's depressed, and contemplating suicide. And yes, things get worse: a criminal named Avnet (Jeff Goldblum) has stolen three priceless coins, and decided to blackmail Bollingsworth (Tom Wilkinson), his billionaire partner in crime. After Kresk overhears this, he almost gets shot -- and Avnet ends up impaled on a pair of barbers' scissors.

Now Kresk is in a considerably nastier situation, so he steals the gun and the coins. But things take a sharp turn when he hires a hit man named Mikey *(Elijah Wood)*, and discovers that the hit man is only seventeen and emotionally traumatized by his parents' suicide. And that Kresk is falling for the cop/Playboy model Sgt. Meredith Kolko (Salma Hayek), and that his nephew Scottie (Devin Drewitz) has now swallowed the coins. Now Kresk is in over his head, and has to deal with the strange and sometimes dangerous people around him.

Source: http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/6/1108493619

Barley


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## Hobbit-queen (Feb 16, 2005)

Coooooooool......gotta see that


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 24, 2005)

*Elijah Wood beyond the Ring*

By Fabian W. Waintal
ATLANTIC SYNDICATION
Thursday, Feb 24, 2005,Page 14

With the humility of great actors, Elijah Wood meets us in the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills without bodyguards or personal assistants, even though the doors were kept closed to deter eager fans. With fresh memories of The Lord of the Rings, he immediately lets out that famous phrase from the movie -- "One Ring to Rule Them All" -- when he realizes that I have my wedding ring hanging from my neck.

We later talked about women, new projects or different stages in his career, but to begin the interview around Oscar times, the ring theme was the only route to take.

Fabian Waintal: It's next to impossible to ask the first question without referring to the The Lord of the Rings and the 11 Oscars received in 2004. What was your reaction to all those awards?

Elijah Wood: The truth is, it was really beyond words. It was an incredible experience for all of us. What made it so special is that a lot of people from New Zealand that had worked with us in the movie were present. So it was quite a big group of us at the Awards. I sat there with the other three "hobbits." Ian McKellen with Liv Tyler were in front of me and Peter (Jackson), the director, was behind us. It just felt like part of the family was there to share in the experience.

FW: Was it a surprise to win so many awards at the Oscars?

EW: Yes. The huge surprise was that we had won the 11 nominations. The fact that we swept was a huge surprise. A lot of people think I am crazy for saying that, but as good as I thought our chances were of winning some of the major awards, I don't think any of us anticipated taking every single one of them and turning the Academy Awards into The Lord of the Rings show. As proud as we were or as happy as we were in the end, we all kind of felt like we somehow turned into the villains of the evening.

My mom was an inspiration for me to become an actor because she saw it as a channel for the energy I had as a kid.

FW: Can you imagine the possibility of winning the 12th Oscar, in the Best Actor category, if you had been nominated?

EW: No, not really. It didn't really occur to me. We had come so far over such a long period of time that for the movie to be acknowledged that way was of the utmost importance. Certainly not in my mind was there ever any kind of regret that the actors weren't acknowledged and that I personally wasn't acknowledged (with an Oscar). I was so proud and so happy for everyone else. We all kind of shared it, we were all a part in that experience of making those movies too and also we were responsible for that film. And being asked by Peter (Jackson) to get up on stage we were able to take ownership of that award somehow in a small way, as well.

Read the rest of the (long and fascinating!) interview at http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/02/24/2003224431

===============================

One of the things that has always impressed me about Wood is his sharp intelligence and his well-spokenness, which comes out beautifully in this interview.

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 15, 2005)

*SXSW not like other film fests*

Updated: 3/14/2005 6:23 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

There's plenty of stargazing going on as major actors pass through Austin for the South by Southwest Film Festival.

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood is here to promote his newest movie. Hooligans is a British import about a gang of brawling soccer fans.

The film's premiere received a standing ovation and cast members say Austin’s movie audiences make South by Southwest one of the top film festivals in the country.

"I don't think you always get that at film festivals. Film festivals, especially established ones that have been around for a long time, can get a bit jaded. The audiences can be a little cynical whereas this is - everyone's so friendly and relaxed. There's no pretense, there's no real sense of Hollywood, its filmmakers,” Wood said. 

Full article at http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=133089

Barle


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 17, 2005)

*From Hobbit to Hooligan*

Read all about it right [url="http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8&oe=utf8&persist=1&hl=en&client=google&ncl=http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/people/11152234.htm]here![/url]

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 28, 2005)

*REVIEW: "SIN CITY" THE MOVIE*

by Khalil Asadullah, Contributing Writer
Posted: March 25, 2005

Vintage cars, violence, sleazy women, violence, corrupt cops and well- violence. This is why you have to watch your own back in "Sin City." "Sin City," the place where the line between the good guys and the bad guys is thinner than Scott Peterson's alibi and a place called Old Town makes Mos Eisley look like a Club Med resort. Frank Miller is the author of what has been called one of the best graphic novels created. And finally, someone has made a movie based on a comic book where you can sit the screen on your lap and turn each scene like a page. 

...

...The other surprise character in the movie is Kevin played by Elijah Wood who gave the impression that "Frodo" had been taking some classes with Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Done with saving Middle Earth, Elijah is now a cross between a super ninja and Jeffrey Dahmer chomping the forgotten women of "Old Town" like derelicts on an Egg McMuffin...

Read the whole article at http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5015

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 28, 2005)

*Photos of Elijah in "Everything is Illuminated"*

We have stills from the forthcoming feature "Everything is Illuminated," which stars Lord of the Rings veteran Elijah Wood.

Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer (details on novel), "Everything is Illuminated" tells the story of a young American Jewish man's quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather--in a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion.

The journey begins as a comic nightmare--with an eccentric trio of paid "expert" guides sorely lacking in expertise: a cranky grandfather who insists on bringing his unruly seeing-eye dog to help him drive, and his over-enthusiastic grandson, whose fractured command of English, passion for retro American pop culture, and inability to shut up threaten to make the worst of every situation.

But what starts out as the tour from hell turns into a surprisingly meaningful journey--with an unexpected and powerful series of revelations that will indelibly change all of their lives. 

Full article at http://movies.monstersandcritics.co...s_of_Elijah_Wood_in_Everything_is_Illuminated

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 28, 2005)

*Wood Considers Manicures In Nail-biting Battle*

LORD OF THE RINGS star ELIJAH WOOD is planning to unleash a new weapon in his battle against his nail-biting habit - manicures.

The 24-year-old actor recently made a New Year's resolution to ditch the bad habit, but he admits that he reverted to his old ways almost immediately after giving it up.

He says, "I think (my habit) is almost worse than it was last time. Isn't that terrible?

"That seems to be the way to go, to get manicures, which makes you sort of take better care of your nails and then maybe because your mind is into taking care of them (you stop).

"It's bad, and the skin around it, it's really awful."

Rather than wait until 31 December (05) rolls around, Wood made his resolution to ditch his habit once and for all this week (ends25MAR05). 

Source: http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xml...wood considers manicures in nailbiting battle

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 30, 2005)

*Heroic Hobbit No More*

Elijah Wood ain'tcher momma's heroic hobbit no more! Here's an excerpt from a _Sin City_ review:

=================================

Mickey Rourke plays brutish Marv, an implacable street brawler who becomes a one-man wrecking crew to avenge the murder of a prostitute (Jamie King) with whom he enjoyed a night of passion. The body count mounts as he "kills his way to the truth," and this includes gunning down a priest in a confessional. His rampage ultimately leads him to an eerie cannibal (Elijah Wood) being protected by a deranged Catholic cleric (Rutger Hauer).

Source: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/movies/05mv521.htm

So much for friendship, loyalty and love! 

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Mar 31, 2005)

*'Sin City's' Most Wanted: Elijah Wood*

Los Angeles, March 28 – Showbiz hunks Clive Owen, Benicio Del Toro, Kanye West, Ashton Kutcher and "7th Heaven" cutie David Gallagher all turned out for the Hollywood premiere of "Sin City", but who got all the cheers from female fans that’d been camped outside the Mann Theater since noon? Bright-eyed Elijah Wood had them screaming and panting, rock star-style. Jessica Alba brought her own guy, newish boyfriend Cash Warren, and Rosario Dawson had squeeze Jason Lewis on her arm. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher dropped off her daughters Tallulah Belle and Rumer, who ran down the red carpet to catch up with dad Bruce Willis, who hugged and kissed them both. Nice diversion: Demi and Ashton slipped in through a side door.

Source: http://www.elitestv.com/pub/2005/Mar/EEN4249eeb65d5b6.html

From yet another review:

"We get some sick squirrels in this mayhem park with Elijah Wood as an oddball cannibalistic serial killer... Wood in particular gave me the willies with extra Mayo on the side! Who knew that Frodo could ever be frightening beyond his stalkerlike obsession with Sam?" 

Barley


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## Maeglin (Apr 2, 2005)

Saw Sin City last night, Wood was horrifying in it. He doesn't say a word throughout the movie, just sits there with an eerie smile on his face, even when....well, I won't tell, I don't want to spoil it.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Apr 2, 2005)

Maeglin said:


> Saw Sin City last night, Wood was horrifying in it. He doesn't say a word throughout the movie, just sits there with an eerie smile on his face...



Do you mean "really scary" or "really awful?" And no more reason to be worried about being _typecast_ after LOTR! (And couldn't have asked for an easier script...)  

Barley


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## Maeglin (Apr 3, 2005)

he's a little of both, scary and awful, so I'd say he's some happy medium in there.


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## Ghorim (Apr 3, 2005)

Wood did what he had to do... look creepy and participate in a fight scene or two. Not a lot of heavy lifting... some of the visual effects also lightened the load on him, but he was certainly adequate.


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## Barliman Butterbur (May 6, 2005)

*Teenagers tell horrors of enduring Holocaust*

*'I'm Still Here' a history lesson for young viewers*

By Sid Smith
Tribune arts critic

One of the earliest and most famous examples of Holocaust literature is the diary of Anne Frank, whose writing confronts adult evil from the vantage point of youthful innocence.

She was not, however, the only teenage victim to keep a diary. Some 60 other diaries survive, and "I'm Still Here" (7 p.m. Wednesday, MTV) offers a brief but penetrating look at the experiences of other young people enduring and bravely fighting unimaginable catastrophe.

Inspired by Alexandra Zapruder's collection of Holocaust writings, "Salvaged Pages: Young Writers' Diaries of the Holocaust," "I'm Still Here" offers fascinating snippets read by a series of prominent young actors, including *Elijah Wood*, Ryan Gosling and Kate Hudson.

Full article at: http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/tv/mmx-0505040141may04,0,6632322.story?coll=mmx-television_heds

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (May 16, 2005)

*New stills of Elijah Wood in Everything is Illuminated*

By James Wray May 15, 2005

*Elijah Wood plays Jonathan in 'Everything is Illuminated.'*

We have added new stills from Warner Independent's Everything is Illuminated, which stars Elijah Wood.

Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, "Everything is Illuminated" tells the story of a young American Jewish man's quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather--in a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion.

The journey begins as a comic nightmare--with an eccentric trio of paid "expert" guides sorely lacking in expertise: a cranky grandfather who insists on bringing his unruly seeing-eye dog to help him drive, and his over-enthusiastic grandson, whose fractured command of English, passion for retro American pop culture, and inability to shut up threaten to make the worst of every situation.

But what starts out as the tour from hell turns into a surprisingly meaningful journey--with an unexpected and powerful series of revelations that will indelibly change all of their lives.

You can view the stills in our  database.

Source: http://movies.monstersandcritics.co...s_of_Elijah_Wood_in_Everything_is_Illuminated

===============================

I will take a pass on _Hooligans_ and _Sin City_, but this one is on my "must-see" list!

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Sep 21, 2005)

*"Illuminated" opens in LA and NY to mixed reviews*

_Time Magazine_ is _very_ serious about its copyrighted material, so I will simply provide the URL to Richard Schickel's favorably balanced review — out this week — (9/20/05) of _Everything is Illuminated._

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1106286,00.html

It is remarkable how Elijah Wood has such an uncanny knack for avoiding run-of-the-mill films and always manages to pop up in something offbeat and usually entertaining. Alas (going on to another movie he made), _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ was — while definitely offbeat — for me an exception to the rule. I was not entertained, and the character he played — and well played — was really a smarmy little jerk. Let that be a lesson to me: see the movie _before_ I buy the DVD! 

Barley


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## Eledhwen (Sep 21, 2005)

That review has made me want to see the film. I forgot Wood was making it, with all the hype here about his role in a film about London Soccer hooligans.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Nov 1, 2006)

To reprise a former post:

"Time Magazine is very serious about its copyrighted material, so I will simply provide the URL to Richard Schickel's favorably balanced review — out this week — (9/20/05) of Everything is Illuminated.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1106286,00.html"

FINALLY — I had a chance to see this film, and it is a keeper! Wood apparently (as I mentioned before) has an incredible knack for playing in on-the-periphery films. One never sees him in anything ho-hum. Not surprisingly, after he did his stint in LOTR, he made two films, at least, which are poles apart: _Sin City_ and _Everything Is Illuminated,_ which refers to a line of one of the characters in the film: "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past." Of course this doesn't make clear sense until you have seen the film, which I highly recommend — it is a masterpiece written and directed by Liev Schreiber, whom I never suspected had such talent — heretofore I knew him only as an actor and one who does voiceovers in documentaries. It's the story of a young Jewish fellow who goes back to Ukraine to find out about the woman who saved his grandfather from annihilation. Wood and the rest of the cast are sublime: Wood as The Collector; the Tour Guide; The Grandfather (who is blind but does the driving with the aid of his "seeing-eye b---h;" and The Survivor — who lives by herself: the only survivor of the town that the Nazis destroyed and who wants to know — after over 50 years — _if the war is over yet._ Each actor makes his role a work of art.

Well — read the Schickel review. But most of all, see this film!

Barley


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