Missed Independence

 Nightcrawler is the type of film that the Independent Spirit is about: small and smartly made, not originally funded by a studio, edgy, taking risks in storytelling that the studio system wouldn't risk.

The success of  Nightcrawler has carried past the critic's reviews and on to acclaim at the Independent Spirit awards.

Attending the awards director Dan Gilroy and his wife (and Jake's co-star) Rene Russo were the biggest representative of Nightcrawler.

At the awards Nightcrawler won two:

BEST SCREENPLAY - Dan Gilroy Nightcrawler

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Nightcrawler
Director: Dan Gilroy
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

Sadly Jake was not there but back in NYC with Constellations which ends its run in mid March.

While Jake was able to attend the Golden Globe in January,  it is interesting that he was unable to attended the biggest weekend in Hollywood.  For all the talk about him making film choices to position himself back into the award race, his absence is notable.

If he was really campaigning wouldn't he be in LA? ( Check this out about Oscar campaigning)  Maybe not presenting an award since his movie wasn't nominated, at it would be a bit awkward, but at least a part of the Academy scene.

Even more so the Independent Spirit award.  They are Jake's sweet spot, he came up an indie darling, and it is those films and that indie spirit where he really shines.  Jake's success is wrapped in independent films, and it is there where he could have the freedom both on and off screen that could bring him work-life balance.

OMG catch up:

So what's Jake been up to?

And Austin?

 I woke up early to finish The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. Impressive woman and writer from Mississippi. Wow.  - AUS10

 Although the painting by Carel Fabritius would have been far more interesting if the Goldfinch was chained to an actual fish (perch). - AUS10



Sometimes it's easy to forget that there is a reason for OMG a bit bigger than just a little blog that friends stop by to talk about Jake and Austin.

OMG wants to keep the reminder of their story from past to present.  So to that point OMG's going revisit and keep posting all those pictures, that seem to be getting "lost" out there in the big gossip round up.

First up for OMG's Picture This:

And as for the winter of Special's discontent:

Who knew there were Alps at MIT -  but this winter there is:

Dang Jake you could've filmed Everest right here and with REAL snow.

To Eleven

Eleven isn't just for music.

American Film Institute (AFI) has announce their list of Movies of the Year for 2014

"Each year, AFI AWARDS honors the 10 films and 10 television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year's most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. This is the first time in AFI AWARDS history that the voting procedure — including tiebreakers — has resulted in the inclusion of 11 motion picture honorees."

Nightcrawler joins American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, Foxcatcher, The Imitation Game, Interstellar, Into the Woods, Selma, Unbroken and Whiplash on the prestigious group's list. 

A Little Left

Now that Southpaw has wrapped, it looks like embargo has been lifted from the stories and looks from the set.

The Pittsburgh Gazette got a chance to talk to director Antoine Fuqua about the movie and he gave them a sneak peek of Jake as Billy Hope on his cell phone.

“He looks like a fighter. He’s got tattoos. He’s got everything. He’s got the eyes kind of messed up, the nose is different. Oh, yeah, he looks rough. He looks tough,”

Although the story is about a boxer, the real story is about a father and daughter. “Ultimately, the story’s about a father and daughter coming to terms with mourning and coming to terms with, ‘Who’s the parent?’ Learning how to be a parent, learning how to be a father, in particular,”

Fuqua "said the story “really hit my heart. It’s a sports movie but it’s more about the father, learning how to be a dad without the mom when tragedy happens.”

“This movie is forcing this man to learn how to be a dad and learn how to control his anger. In the boxing world, of course, it’s OK to be angry and be on the edge and be violent because you get paid for it. In the real world, you can’t go around punching people; it affects everyone.” Billy’s anger and rage as a fighter will destroy him or the most precious part of his life — his daughter — if he cannot tame his temper.

Southpaw  had a tight shooting schedule of just 40 days in Pennsylvania and the article said a few more days at an undisclosed location, and even tighter post production schedule.  Director Fuqua almost has to cut and edit it simultaneously to meet the deadline from the Weinstein Group to have Southpaw in theaters this December. 

With Nightcrawler and Southpaw it looks like Jake definitely has a one to two punch for this year's award season.

Comfy Cozy

 Don't call him Clapton  because he's no slow hand.  Jake has been getting around LA just fine and it looks like filming is really over for Nightcrawler now.

Monday night Jake attened the 2013 Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.  And it was just all for fun?  Nope  He had some work to do presenting.

Could  this be award show training?  Or is he now going back for all those cheese puffs he passed on for the last 2 months?

And today found Jake getting some Jewish Deli comfort food at Nate ‘n Al restaurant.

Talk about comfy Jake's got a soft and cozy cashmere sweater draped over his hurt paw.  Is it a little TLC ?   Or a little cover from those prying eyes that are trying to get a better look at it? Or that he didn't want any one to see what he was bringing home in the take home container.

One thing is didn't want to hide, is his big chain. It's back and you  can't miss that.

Step 1 Laying the Foundation

Jake was honored at the Beverly Hilton tonight at the Hollywood Film Awards this evening with Hollywood Supporting Actor Award.

Source

Jake joined other honorees Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Michael B. Jordan, Sophie Nelisse, David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o; directors Steve McQueen, Lee Daniels and Richard Linklater; actor-screenwriters Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke; producer Jerry Weintraub; the band Coldplay (whose Chris Martin will perform a song from the next “Hunger Games” movie); and the films “American Hustle” (costumes and makeup), “Monsters University” (animated film of the year) and “Pacific Rim” (visual effects).

Source

Matthew and Sandra won for  Hollywood Best Actor/Actress respectively, with Julia getting the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award, which signals the direction where she focusing for award season.

Think of these as an award scrimmage,  you have to get some of those as wins before the early rounds of awards and then to the championship rounds.

Rap Sheet

Jake's already wrapping up some impressive comments for his work in  Prisoners.

Will that translate to something in the award season?  It's a long way away and a lot of contenders to be screened between now and then, but it's great to see Jake garnering such praise for his work right now.

...Loki, we are told, has never failed to solve a case, though this is at odds with the man’s solemn demeanor, his haunted gaze and the elaborate tattoos jutting out from his collar suggesting reserves of private rage. Compare this to the eager-beaver murder sleuth Gyllenhaal played in David Fincher’s “Zodiac” and the full breadth of his impressive range immediately comes into focus.

....  it’s Gyllenhaal as the in-his-world, indefatigable detective that takes over as the heart of movie in the end with an impassioned but controlled tenacity that never asks to be applauded as heroic.

....Villeneuve gives much credit to the casting and his key stars. “If you cast someone like Jake Gyllenhaal, you know he will invade the part totally and create something. My background is documentary. I am used to listening to life. The more I am doing fiction movies, the more I love actors and want to give them freedom. There is nothing more exciting than to let chaos happen in front of the camera,” 

Prisoners will officially premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Friday, September 6 at 9pm.