Wet Dark and Wild

Jake Gyllenhaal's Berlinale duties and a Valentine kiss

2012-02-14T21:07:00.000Z

While the attention of the Berlinale media flutters towards Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Jake Gyllenhaal continues his jury duty, sitting through umpteen movies a day whilst also sampling the culinary delights of the city. While Jake has not been spotted much outside the cinemas and galas of the festival, one has to think that Jake is doing all he can to experience the wonderful flavours of Berlin. We have reports that Jake has attended a reception at the American Embassy. He was also invited along with the rest of the jury to a weekend reception with the German president Christian Wulff.

I cannot help but be intrigued by the chairs. They look as if they bounce. Surely they don't really bounce?

There are also photos from a function at Berlin's China Club and at the Berlinale's launch party - many thanks to IHJ for all these pictures!

Let us hope that the Berlinale allows Jake out of the dark theatres soon so that we can see how he's getting on. Meanwhile, let's pucker up and wish Jake a very happy Valentine's!

My gift to you all is a reminder of what might well be my favourite Jake interview ever.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Berlin - videos, pictures and tweets - and helping Maggie out at her co-operative? Plus Maggie and Ewan McGregor

2012-02-12T19:48:00.001Z

By this stage it is possible that Jake Gyllenhaal is not only square eyed, he may also have overdone the popcorn and have a cinema seat-shaped bottom. Yes, the Berlinale is well and truly underway and, judging by the tweets of friends over there watching the movies, the films are - to put it politely - varied in quality. With Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie probably on the way, Jake is continuing to cause a stir in the Berlin media and among lucky tweeters.

Many thanks to @Lisa_Glamkitty for sharing her experiences of the red carpet with Jake and Diane Kruger, not to mention some great photos! Lisa reported that: 'he said to some fans standing next to me that everyone looks so similiar with all these winter clothes because they had asked him if he remembers them because they met him before.. when he was right in front of me, signing stuff, some people asked for autographs including their names and he seemed a bit sorry but said he can't do this because he wants to sign as many photos as possible in the few minutes he's got and it's too loud to understand the different names, too. He was pretty lovely, honestly, and seemed so relaxed even though it's been busy like hell! ;)' Thanks also to Mermon for her investigations!

We also have a twitter exchange from SweetHomeBerlin about sharing a ciggie break with Jake. Of course this raises the inevitable question over whether Jake was participating in the puffing but it does sound like he's having a relaxed and friendly time in Berlin.

Many thanks to Monica for uploading the videos!

Maggie and Ewan McGregor

Maggie has been filming a HBO drama The Corrections with Ewan McGregor in NYC and I couldn't resist these pictures from JustJared. Also, the NYP has been talking about the co-operative at Maggie's neighbourhood in Brooklyn. It seems Maggie has been doing her shifts and has even been known to bring Jake along - although behind the scenes to 'avoid spills in the aisles'.

My review of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is now up at MovieBrit.

The Berlinale jury's love for Mike Leigh and WDW Interlude - Five years on!

2012-02-11T20:38:00.001Z

You'll be delighted to hear that, according to president Mike Leigh, his Berlinale jury is 'very well-behaved'. That might well be because, according to The Hollywood Reporter, its members all want to work with him. As for Jake Gyllenhaal: 'I was incredibly excited to be asked because I am a big fan of Mike Leigh... I loved his films when I was a young boy. Being in a room with a number of artists and just talking about other work, I consider it a privilege and honor to be part of it.'

Thanks to IHJ for presenting these beautiful festival portraits. There's a lot to catch up on with the Berlinale and so watch this space!

WDW Interlude

I can't let 11 February pass by without mention, especially not this year. Today is five years since the most incredible adventure - the first time I saw Jake in person and met good friends who are a hugely important part of my life today. I can count my life-changing days on one hand and this is one of them. BAFTAs 2007. I've seen Jake quite a few times since over the years, as a fan and as press, for an instant or for an hour, and in all sorts of wonderful cities, but I doubt anything can compare with that freezing cold very long day in Covent Garden. It's not every day you ask Helen Mirren if she would budge so that you can get a better view of Jake Gyllenhaal... Thanks to Ruby, Anouska and Jake for such an amazing, unforgettable, perfect day!

Berlinale! Video and photo recap of Jake Gyllenhaal's first day of jury duty as day 2 gets underway

2012-02-10T18:53:00.000Z

Good days indeed! Today the Berlinale jury gets down to its serious movie-watching work, which means that we can do some catching up. Firstly, many thanks to my lovely friend at Filmaluation for thinking of me when he was at the press conference yesterday as part of his coverage of the festival and took some pictures. He was so close! Thanks to him for letting me share them. Filmaluation is covering the Berlin Festival so do pop by and cheer him on as he sits through what might be kindly described as a mixed bag...

Highlights of the press conference can be seen here

There is another video of the conference here. Here is a brief video of Jake's arrival:

Yesterday evening the opening gala took place - Farewell, My Queen about Marie Antoinette starring Diane Kruger whom, as you might recall, appeared on TV with Jake during the Cannes Film Festival back in 2007. Jake walked the red carpet, posing for pictures and signing autographs and mingling with, among others, Max von Sydow. Thanks to IHJ for the pictures! So, so good to see Jake walking a red carpet again.

In the theatre, Jake and the rest of the jury were introduced and interviewed on stage. Jake's surname broke the ice and, as seems to be the case in 9 out of every 10 live interviews, gets some scrutiny. You can watch the interview here. If you can't see the video below, here is the link.

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There are some other videos around. Here is one of Jake and the jury in Berlin (thanks to Monica for uploading):

All in all, a great start and so great to see Jake Movie Star Gyllenhaal back! Thanks again to IHJ for the photos - there are many more there.

As mentioned before, today the work proper starts and early this morning Jake was in his seat ready to go:

Thanks must also go to BBMISwear for the much appreciated help!

Updated: The 62th Berlinale begins! Meet the Jury, including one Jake Gyllenhaal

2012-02-09T19:20:00.000Z

Update: Jake at the opening ceremony this evening! When asked how he pronounced his name - in a rather odd way (Goolinhay?) - Jake told the interviewer how he had spent years teaching people how to pronounce his name and she had destroyed his work with 'one fell swoop'.

The Berlinale has begun! Kicking it off this morning was a photocall and press conference at the Grand Hyatt for its international jury, including president Mike Leigh, the marvellous Charlotte Gainsbourg (one of the stars of my film of 2011 - Melancholia) and the one and rather lovely only Jake Gyllenhaal. It's been a while since we've seen Jake on show like this. Let's savour the moment and the full range of Jake's facial expressions.

Unfortunately, the opening question was from an ill-informed and really rather ignorant journalist from the Boston Herald who asked Jake if he were out of place among the jury, despite having made Brokeback Mountain, because he is a Hollywood actor. Jake dealt with it well by leaving the question to his president, Mike Leigh, who also smoothed over the moment, but you could tell Jake was a little annoyed. Nevertheless, there were moments of affection from the crowd, as there usually are for Jake on these occasions, and a friend of mine who was there told me that although Jake did seem a little moody (not surprisingly) he did make a big effort to crack some jokes. I'm delighted that my friend took some photos for us and is going to send them across as soon as he's not in a cinema watching festival movies.

You can watch the whole press conference yourself here.

Thanks so much to IHJ for getting the pictures up so fast. There are lots more there.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Berlin Day 1! - roundup, photos, video and links

2012-02-08T19:36:00.000Z

Jake Gyllenhaal received quite a welcome when he landed at Berlin's Tegal airport yesterday. Not only were there lots of fans and reporters, but also the Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick was on hand to greet his juryman with a bunch of flowers and an embrace, resulting in some wonderful photos, here via the lovely IHJ.

Jake's arrival was also caught on video.

Details have emerged about the work of the jury during the festival and it begins tomorrow morning (9 February) at 10.30 Germany time with their photo call and press conference. It looks as if we'll be able to see videos here and listen to audio here. There's a general round up of what the jury can look forward to here. Without wasting anytime, though, the jury has already gathered for a photo. Just take a look at Jake! The movie star is most definitely back. As always, click and the photo will be embiggened.

Many thanks to IHJ, Monica and BBMISwear.

[Update] Jake arrives in Berlin! Reports of Jake Gyllenhaal dressed as an astronaut in London... and now off to Berlin?

2012-02-07T19:28:00.000Z

Jake Gyllenhaal has arrived in Berlin and look how happy he is to be there! Great to see Jake get such a good welcome. And it all seems to have had quite an effect on the Face Pet!

Source: Morgenpost via Gyllenhaalic's

With the temperatures set to plummet even further in Britain tonight, Jake Gyllenhaal may have got out just in time. This afternoon Jake was spotted at Heathrow (with dimples), very possibly Berlin bound. Of course, it's no warmer there but what Berlin loses in degrees it makes up for in beer. Jake leaves a very happy trail of tweeters behind him.

Last night, Jake was seen at the Royal Court Theatre watching Nick Payne's Constellations, while wearing a cap and looking 'very, very handsome'.

More details are emerging about the video shoot for Time to Dance with The Shoes. It turns out the theme is Hallowe'en, which might help to explain a little why one party scene, filmed late Saturday night, featured Jake in a fencing outfit and - curiouser and curiouser - dressed as an astronaut. Does this mean that FINALLY I will get to see Jake in Space?

Thanks to IHJ, we have some more pictures from the video shoot at the weekend. I am especially intrigued by the photo above. Could Jake be carrying a cure for 'fat belly'?

We'll miss you, Jake! Please hurry back - but not until you've had a wonderful time in Berlin! [Try and make time to see the hippos at the zoo...] Thanks to Mermon and BBMISwear for help with some of the links.

Time to Dance - Jake Gyllenhaal shoots the video for The Shoes

2012-02-05T10:36:00.001Z

Britain might have been brought to a standstill this weekend thanks to the Great Freeze and the Big Snow but the show must go on. Jake Gyllenhaal was back to Dalston, north London, yesterday to film the video to The Shoes' Time to Dance but he did make one concession to the unusually seasonable weather - glasses.

Pictures from Just Jared.

The Shoes have been tweeting a little bit about the filming, including a photo of their cameo star. They also, more worryingly, tweeted a photo of rather a lot of stage blood...

Jake Gyllenhaal films video in Dalston and out for dinner with Bear Grylls and... Ant and Dec?

2012-02-03T18:25:00.000Z

Jake Gyllenhaal is back at work! At the builders merchant Leyland in Dalston, North London, of all places... Just the kind of place one would expect to see a movie star in London as we head in to the BAFTA weekend. Jake has begun filming the new video for The Shoes directed by Daniel Wolfe and, according to a production company, the shoot will last three days. Of course, this means that Jake will be able to combine working with buying carpets and chairs. Always a bonus.

Last night, Jake was seen back at The Wolseley on Piccadilly dining with his old friend and torturer Bear Grylls (he's behind Jake in the picture above). It's believed that Jake may have been asked to slaughter and prepare the food first while hanging upside down on a wire hung between two London tower blocks. Joining Jake and Bear was TV presenter Dermot O'Leary and - leaves a pause for suspense - Ant & Dec??? The evidence.

Watch this space for the latest from Dalston's Leyland.

Thanks, IHJ, for the pic!

Jake Gyllenhaal continues to brave London's Deep Freeze

2012-02-02T19:49:00.000Z

Not being one to let jetlag or Arctic temperatures get in the way of the hunt for a good meal, Jake Gyllenhaal visited The Wolseley yesterday evening, a restaurant and illustrious cafe in the heart of the West End in Piccadilly a hop and a skip from Fortnum and Mason. Jake does look tired though so hopefully today has been spent catching up on some rest.

With a big thank you to IHJ, we have some more photos from earlier in the day. As I spent a large part of today moaning about Sainsburys, this photo below made me chuckle.

And then there's this one. Fast...?

It looks like Jake ha a full and bust day exploring London the way it should be explored at this time of year, on foot and bundled up against the cold.

Jake Gyllenhaal is back in Blighty!

2012-02-01T19:24:00.001Z

It's so good to see Jake back in London! Jake is well known for coinciding his visits to the Big Smoke with unseasonable weather and I'm delighted to report that this visit is no different. After the mildest winter since records began, Siberian ice and wind have seen fit to drop by. Fortunately, Jake is well equipped to dealing with British weather - and Brits for that matter - after Man vs Wild last year. Judging by the second picture, Jake may need those skills.

By the sound of the tweets, Jake was followed around Exmouth Market, in the City this afternoon by salivating fans and paps alike.He was also seen in the North African restaurant Moro in nearby Clerkenwell (a wonderful bit of the City where I worked for a time).

Hopefully, we'll soon hear details about the video Jake is thought to be making here before he moves on to the Berlinale in a few days.

Photos from JustJared.

Jake Gyllenhaal - Heat's fifth hottest for 2011

2012-02-01T14:02:00.002Z

So, just think where Jake would be placed if he'd had a recent film out?! As it is, Heat's love for its regular Torso of the Week continues and Jake Gyllenhaal has been voted fifth (out of 101) hottest hunk of 2011 by its readership, placing him higher than the regular favourites Johnny Depp, George Clooney and The Pale One. This being Britain and the home of football, elsewhere renamed soccer, it's not surprising that Becks is at No 1. The Ryans (Gosling and Reynolds) are numbers 2 and 3 and Bradley Cooper is fourth. However, it's the man at number 5 you want to watch...

Scan by WDW.

Brokeback Mountain's belated Oscar love and Jake Gyllenhaal doing what he loves to do in NYC

2012-01-30T18:51:00.001Z

You don't need me to tell you that we're in the middle of Awards season but, in case you do, we're in the middle of Awards season. Despite the unimpressive and inexplicable lack of awards love for Source Code, the magazines have not been forgetting their regard and affection for the groundbreaking Brokeback Mountain in their trailblazing for the Oscars. The Academy might have not got the point but most other people did. Entertainment Weekly has presented Brokeback as one of its examples of a movie about doomed but eternal love. People, on the other hand, has picked its Oscar winning soundtrack as one of The Best soundtracks ever, which is indeed true. Many thanks to BBMISwear for the scans!

The awards might be going on on what seems like a nightly basis over in LA but Jake Gyllenhaal is back in NYC doing what he may well love most: pushing a pushchair (possibly with a niece in it and not just shopping), travelling on trains, eating and taking refreshments. Jake was spotted today (30 January) at the well-known NYC coffee place La Colombe Torrefaction. You can see a picture here.

Just as well Jake has all that caffeine in him because next week he will be off to the Berlinale but it is very possible that there'll be a stopover in London on the way to film the mysterious music video. I do hope they ask him to dance.

Brokeback Mountain heading for London's V&A

2012-01-27T19:34:00.000Z

Back in 2009, the iconic shirts from Brokeback Mountain were displayed at the Autry Museum in LA, provoking quite a reaction amongst those who visited the exhibit. This Autumn, London's wonderful Victoria and Albert, a museum well known for its exhibitions of clothing, costume and fabrics, hosts Hollywood Costume. There has been mention of Brokeback Mountain in association with the exhibition, but a source, who prefers to remain nameless, has just informed me that Jack Twist's and Ennis Del Mar's costumes from the mountain arrived at the V&A over Christmas.

They are currently in conservation at the V&A and being treated with the utmost care. What is especially moving is that the outfits are standing together in the studio, touching, and making everyone who sees them or works with them stop and take a moment (I've seen a photo and so I can see why). I'm told that Jack's jeans have dark streaks on them. The gloves and boots arrived separately and are also being treated with great care.

The exhibition runs from 20 October 2012 until 27 January 2013 (a year from today). You can see some of the other costumes on exhibit here. This might well be an event we could get a WDW group outing together for! It's been a while. I think it could be time to hold another.

Many thanks to a good friend for the news :)

My review of The Descendants is now on MovieBrit.

Donnie Darko is IMDb's second top movie of the last decade

2012-01-25T19:56:00.000Z

I think this is worthy of a special emergency post.... IMDb is celebrating its ten years of existence by looking back over its most popular and searched for movies and stars over that decade. With thanks to Deadline, just take a look at the list of the Top 10 Films of the Last Ten Years (judged from the IMDbPro MOVIEmeter ratings).

1. The Dark Knight

2. Donnie Darko
3. Pulp Fiction
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
8. Twilight
9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
10. The Godfather

So, Donnie Darko, one of Jake Gyllenhaal's lowest budgeted of movies, filmed over what is quite possibly the shortest amount of time (under a month), is there at number two on the list. I think Richard Kelly, Jake and Drew Barrymore deserve a congratulatory champagne shower for that. And how good it is to see a Heath Ledger film at the top.

Jake Gyllenhaal in LA, 23 January

2012-01-24T09:55:00.003Z

On 23 January Jake Gyllenhaal was seen popping into a medical building in LA. Reports indicate that Jake is receiving anti-cloning treatment which, hopefully, would put a stop to the sightings of Jake Gyllenhaals in numerous places around the world at the same time. Time will tell if the treatment is successful or if it will have the opposite effect of producing even more Jakes.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new pictures!

[Update] Jake Gyllenhaal never left LA after all and is a music video on the cards?

2012-01-23T18:20:00.001Z

[Update] Well, it looks like Jake may never have been in Sundance after all.... Thanks for everyone putting me straight. I'm particularly grateful to Jeanne for telling me that Jake was at LA Satellite on Saturday, a club in LA, to see a band called Papa. Quit Mumbling is the concert promoter.

Of course this also means that Jake was not at the WME party...The WME party was so rumbustious that it had to be shut down by the police due to what sounds like a gatecrashing issue. Here is the Quit Mumbling tweet and another tweet here.

There have been tweets today from three London models talking about how they were called in for a casting in a pub by the sound of it) for a music video directed by Daniel Wolfe that would also feature a 'Hollywood star'. It turned out that the star is Jake Gyllenhaal! You can follow the twitter feeds here and here and here. By the sound of it, if this, whatever it is, comes to pass, then it may be filmed, or at least some of it, in the UK. Time will tell. Jake's certainly got the coat for the place. Thanks to Mermon for the links!

Please note how I'm not mentioning The Trousers, nor the fact that they are tucked into the trainers. Harumpf. Very nice jacket though...

If you don't mind watching pap videos, then X17 has a video of last week's sushi outing with Jake, Austin Nichols and Adam Levine.

Many thanks to IHJ for the pictures, there are more there!

My review of Carnage is now up at MovieBrit.

[Updated] Jake Gyllenhaal out for sushi with Austin Nichols and Adam Levine

2012-01-20T09:25:00.000Z

It's always good to see Jake Gyllenhaal out with his old friends. On 18 January Jake was seen going out for sushi with Austin Nichols, Adam Levine and the Green Trousers. It is not known if The Truck was also in attendance.

Thanks, IHJ, for more wonderful pictures!

[Update] yesterday, 19 February, Jake dined out with a friend at Angelini Osteria, looking really rather lovely. JustJared has many more pics.

Jake 'do you like my new big truck?' Gyllenhaal pops out for juice, 18 January 2012

2012-01-19T19:02:00.001Z

It's been a while since we've seen a photo of Jake Gyllenhaal exhibiting his famous multi-tasking skills, but today we have pictures of Jake carrying a minimum of five drinks while negotiating an extremely large vehicle. Jake was photographed leaving Beverly Hills Juice yesterday (18 January). I hate to say it but I do think that Jake may be in talks to bring back the Face Pet.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new pictures!

[Updated] Jake Gyllenhaal works off the Golden Globes Gold Dust Dessert and Michelle Williams in GQ

2012-01-18T19:19:00.000Z

Never mind the winners of the Golden Globes, what about the Golden Globes Dessert? According to GossipCop it was a 'chocolate almond terrine, garnished with acacia honey, caramel and fresh berries, on a lemon hazelnut crunch base and finished with the edible gold.. “There is gold dust on there for the Golden Globes.”' Nothing quite like gold dust to add pounds to you, so not surprisingly Jake Gyllenhaal spent the day after the awards in the gym working it off.

Meanwhile, Michelle Williams, who may also have consumed gold dust on Sunday night, covers February's issue of GQ. There is a simply wonderful interview with Michelle inside, honest and extremely moving, and it includes mention of Heath Ledger. You can read it all here and I recommend you do.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new pictures! There are more there.

And talking of the Globes... Thanks to Mrs JG for the picture!

Jake Gyllenhaal introduces Michelle Williams at the Globes - who then wins Best Actress!

2012-01-16T09:08:00.000Z

With no further ado, here is Jake Gyllenhaal introducing Michelle William's work in My Week with Marilyn at the Golden Globes in Beverly Hills last night, for which, I'm delighted to say, Michelle did win Best Actress! Many congratulations to Michelle!

We owe IHJ a massive thank you for showing this to us so quickly! Thanks also to them for the pictures. And well done to those WDW readers on this side of the pond who managed to stay awake for it all!

On 14 January Jake met Busy Philipps and her family for breakfast at Square One in LA.

My review of War Horse is now up at MovieBrit.

[Updated with livestream] As the kick off for the Golden Globes approaches, Jake Gyllenhaal rehearses...

2012-01-15T20:07:00.001Z

It's GG DAY! Yes, it's time for Jake Gyllenhaal to de-mothball his tux and untuck his trousers from inside his shoes and take centre stage, at least for a few minutes, to introduce one of the awards at tonight's Golden Globes. Jake isn't a nominee and so it's not certain that he'll walk the red carpet like last year but he will at least stand on stage. The twitter feed for the awards has posted a picture of Jake rehearsing and I think you'll agree he looks amazing. And brainy.

Another picture has been posted of preparations well underway in the magnificent ballroom of the Beverly Hilton. Click and it shall be much embiggened but if you can spot a Jake sign you have better eyes than me and Jake.

The Golden Globes kick off at 7pm Eastern Time, which is midnight over here and so we shall see what the morning brings. I would like to make a plea to all awards organisers that they shift the ceremonies to a Saturday night, thank you very much. For those of us on this side of the pond, it's worth keeping an eye on a few places for a livestream. There are some ideas here. If anyone sees a stream I'd be grateful if they could share it in the comments.

UPDATE: Thanks to Eureka for this link!

Watch live streaming video from goldenglobes at livestream.com

Good luck to everyone and have a good night!

Jake Gyllenhaal's Face Pet has been stolen!

2012-01-13T18:47:00.000Z

Stop the presses! You're going to want to sit down for this and it'll take more than a cuppa to revive you. Jake Gyllenhaal has lost his Face Pet! Yes, last seen leaving with Jake for San Francisco, it appears to have gone missing in that fair city and - it gets even more serious - it took The Green Trousers with it! So worried is Jake by the disappearance of his Face Pet that he had to consult the doctor, where he was photographed yesterday (12 January).

The medical verdict: 100% hotness (hair, face, t-shirt, jeans, arms all in perfect order). Nothing to worry about. Although we can't see the shoes...

A reward has been issued for any information leading to the recovery of the Face Pet and The Trousers although I understand there's an even bigger reward should you keep their whereabouts a secret.

Photo from JustJared.

Jake Gyllenhaal has a new manager, the Golden Globes, Brokeback Vote, and not a rotten tomato

2012-01-11T20:24:00.001Z

It's the New Year and you know what that means. Time to turf out the old and ring in the year. For me that means new slippers but for Jake Gyllenhaal it's all about new management. Deadline reports that Jake has now signed up to work with Patrick Whitesell of WME. I'm sure we all wish them both every success for 2012 - may the year be full of seductive scripts and irresistible directors.

The last post was typically published about ten minutes before the announcement of Jake as a presenter at Sunday's Golden Globes. This is great news, not least because we will see Jake in a tux and maybe even without excessive hair weight, but also because we can see Jake in the public eye, presenting himself to us all. Other presenters include Jake's friends Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr and Adam Levine. Sounds like a good night!

Talking of awards, the DGA has nominated Jake's father Stephen in the TV movies and miniseries category for Girl Fight. The winners of those awards will be announced on 28 January.

Brokeback Mountain is still in third place in the Focus Features best film poll so VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! And then vote again.

Source Code might have been left out of the gongs so far, for reasons unfathomable, but audiences and critics loved it. One could argue that their opinion matters more than any academy. Rotten Tomatoes has listed its Golden Tomatoes Awards for 2011 and at No 8 is Source Code with 91% of love.

Meanwhile, while Jake prepares for the Globes, ironing off the suit and polishing the shoes and tweaking the nasal hair, twitter sightings continue, with a spotting last night of Jake having dinner with Austin Nichols - sushi? - in LA. Here's hoping we may see them cycling together soon.

As this post has an awards theme in places, it's very apt that IHJ has published old/new photos of Jake and Selma Blair at the 2002 Movieline Young Hollywood Awards. Ten years ago - how time flies.

Thanks to IHJ for the pics. Thanks to BBMISwear for the twitter link!

My review of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is now up at MovieBrit.

Update: Jake Gyllenhaal to present at the Golden Globes, a San Francisco shave? Vote for Brokeback and Peter Lovelace Sarsgaard

2012-01-09T18:54:00.001Z

UPDATE: the Speculative Shave (see below) may well be in a good cause, Jake Gyllenhaal has just been announced as one of the presenters at the Golden Globes next Sunday (15 January)! So not long now and we get our first official look at Jake in 2012.

On with the post...

With the agility and speed of a modern day Scarlet Pimpernel, Jake Gyllenhaal was one minute in San Francisco and the next he was back in LA. On Sunday evening tweets put Jake on a plane back to Burbank, on which he seemed to cause a little flurry of excitement. But before the flight back, there were sightings of Jake all over San Francisco - hiking in the Marin Headlands, buying kale at the market, dining out at Hapa Ramen, in bars, and...., I think this one deserves a dramatic pause.....

and another pause...

Getting a shave. Yep, San Francisco is good for Jake. It gives him shaving urges: 'The trip to the barber was more exciting than normal, since we just missed Jake Gyllenhall getting a shave, apparently.' Let's just hope it wasn't too drastic.

Hopefully, now that Jake's back in LA, it won't be too long before we can judge the results.

Peter Lovelace

Meanwhile, talking of facial hair, Peter Sarsgaard has been spotted on the set of Linda Lovelace. Peter plays the husband of pornstar Linda (Amanda Seyfried) and there are no prizes for guessing in which decade it is set. Don't say I didn't warn you... Let's just hope this isn't the look Jake went for. Source.

And finally...

Focus Features are asking audiences to vote for their favourite Focus Features movie. It would be great if you could go pop along and vote for these guys. When I voted, Brokeback was number three.

Includes pictures from links and IHJ. Many thanks to BBMISwear for the help with the SF links!

My review of The Artist is now up on MovieBrit.

Buy a piece of Source Code - including Jake Gyllenhaal's suits

2012-01-07T19:21:00.001Z

How much did you love Source Code? Or do you just fancy dressing up? Do you have a few hundred dollars to spare? For a dollar short of $2,000 you can buy Colter Steven's airsuit. Fortunately from before the accident and not after it.

For half that price you can buy the suit, as worn by Jake Gyllenhaal: 'Straight from the set of the new thriller, Source Code, this is Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) screen worn, grey, black, and brown tweed with chocolate suede patches on the elbow 'Daniel Hetcher' jacket, (size 38R) blue button front oxford style long sleeve 'B.D. Baggies' shirt, (size L) grey, chine 'Madison Ave.' tie, dark navy blue 'J.W. Brine' pants, (size 48) and dark brown suede 'Hugo Boss' belt.'Interestingly, if you don't mind the scuffs from Jake's jump off the train, you can buy another set for $100 less.

Other props for sale include the trenchcoat for $499: 'Straight from the set of the new thriller, Source Code, this is Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) screen worn, beige double breasted button up the front long sleeve with self tie belt 'Rene Lezard' trench coat jacket. (size 50) Includes wardrobe tag!'

You can also buy Michelle Monaghan's coat, bag, pen and notebook, as well as her train ticket. You can see all those here.

Many thanks to friend Alex for the link!

My review of The Iron Lady is now up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal greets 2012 and the lost Jonathan Ross interview emerges

2012-01-05T18:27:00.000Z

At last, we have our first sightings of Jake Gyllenhaal in 2012 and it's clear that he has not been taking any of my suggestions for New Year Resolutions seriously at all. This is clearly going to be one of those hairy years that we will look back upon in future times and recall with incredulity how long the beard got by the end of December 2012. Firstly, Jake was spotted in Venice, LA, on New Years Day, having found the only cafe open in the entire northern hemisphere. Trust Jake to sniff it out. Like many of the rest of us on New Years Day, Jake had adopted the big sunglasses look but they were also accompanied by a lovely big smile (despite the possible ticket). And... The Trousers...

Jake may have seen in the new year still attached to his beloved Green Trousers but maybe he wore them a day too long and they fell apart at the seams and had to be binned. When Jake was seen again, this time on 4 January, the Trousers were gone and replaced by jeans. Please note how I'm not mentioning that the trouser leg is still tucked into the shoe. Many thanks to IHJ for ending the GyllenDrought with a Double Whammy! There are lots more there. Thanks to T for the link to the ticket article.

The lost interview!

I could hardly believe my eyes yesterday when a WDW reader very kindly posted a link to a video on YouTube which presents the long lost appearance of Jake on the Friday Night with Jonathan Ross show which aired in March 2004. I never expected to see this. I am so pleased I can. Many thanks to the poster.

I may never think of Elliott Gould in the same way again...

Jarhead Video Flashback!

2012-01-03T20:13:00.000Z

As we immerse ourselves deeper and further into the world of mysteries that will become known to future generations as '2012', one thing hasn't changed from the end of last year - the Jake Drought. Yes, at the moment it's easier to see a flying duckbilled platybus than it is to espy Jake Gyllenhaal amongst the coffee bars of American cities. As a result, this post takes us back to 2005 when Jake was, as I remember, everywhere. Sometimes at the same time. On one of those days, Jake attended the Variety Screening Series gala for Jarhead along with Peter Sarsgaard and Sam 'Bond Director' Mendes.

Back in January 2008, four years ago almost to the day strangely enough, I did a major post on this screening - do read it here - but links in it subsequently packed in. I have replaced the main podcasting link which will let you listen to the full Q&A (and it's a goodie) but a video of part of it is now available. And that wasn't originally featured. You can watch that below or find it here.

Many thanks to BBMISwear for finding the new links! Photo thanks to IHJ.

2011 - a review! As another GyllenYear comes to an end and another one begins

2011-12-31T10:35:00.000Z

The end of another year and, as usual, I don't want to leave it without a brief look at some of its highlights before we move on to the next and we can start working out in which event Jake Gyllenhaal will be competing in the London Olympics.

It's not been the busiest of years - one film to promote and another to make. But when Jake and Duncan Jones went on the road with Source Code we were spoiled with goodies. Duncan an his partner Ro blogged their way through the tour which saw them travel across the US before moving on to some of the capital cities of Europe. That meant one extra bonus - more of Jake's fans, including quite a few from here, were able to see Jake face to face and hyperventilate. In April, a few of us had tickets for the gala in Berlin, which meant we not only saw Jake but could also consume big glassfuls of fine German beer. Result.

Also in the early months of 2011, Jake was whisked off to Iceland by Bear Grylls. Despite the promise of lazy hot days on volcanic beaches, one of the biggest snow storms of the year hit the place and instead Jake had to inch his way across ravines on thin ropes, dismember rotten sheep and cross icy rivers. What we could see through the blizzard looked very frightening and it's no wonder that Jake went to Hawaii later in the year. Much more sensible. Note there's been no more talk of walruses this winter.

A probable highlight for Jake in a non-worky sense was his Railroad Revival Tour with Mumford and Sons. They travelled across a number of states in character train carriages, performing as they went. Jake earned his keep, of course, accompanying the band on trumpet and accordion during the very loud bits. Apparently, Jake wasn't expecting to travel with them and so had to wear one set of clothes for the trip. This was to serve as great training for later in the year.

There have been times over the last year when Jake has been virtually indistinguishable from the Yeti. In fact, several sightings of the Sasquatch may have been Jake Gyllenhaal. It's not known if he succeeded in imitating any other mythical beasts but this may be an indication of how good he is at it. Nevertheless, the sasquatch look had to go and Big Foot Jake was replaced by Baldy Jake for the summer.

End of Watch took up most of Jake's summer, which meant daily photos of Jake looking identical in a police officer uniform with a shiny head, with or without Michael Pena. Added interest came from photos of Jake and Anna Kendrick looking like they may have eloped - with the entire filmcrew - to Las Vegas. But, alas, these things often on't last.

For much of the last third of the year, Jake has been living quietly, moving between LA and NYC. With the exception of local film festivals, Jake has mostly been seen keeping up his calorie intake in restaurants and cafes and then working them off at Soul Cycle.

We have had glimpses of Jake through the year, largely because of his enthusiastic work for good causes - New Eyes for the Needy and Edible Schoolyard have been just two charities that Jake has been an active figurehead for over 2011.

Recent months may have been a time of reflection (he did take up wearing glasses after all) - Jake gave up his manager and there appears to be little lined up movie-wise on the horizon. That we know of. Jake's continued interest in the world of movies is shown, though, by his selection for the jury of the Berlin Film Festival in February 2012. It's not known yet when End of Watch will be released. However, what is certain is that 2012 will be a fascinating time as we watch and see what Jake will do next as he embarks on his second decade of keeping us all entertained.

I must thank you all, new and old friends, for reading WDW and for keeping me company over 2011 during a year that has had its very busy moments and its very quiet. I'm particularly thrilled that I got the chance to meet more of you in person in the spring. Thank you to everyone who sent me their own stories and photos from meeting Jake and for any emails that have made looking after WDW much easier.

And so I wish us all, including Jake, Maggie and Peter, a wonderful, healthy and happy 2012!

Includes pictures by me, Flickr, and the lovely IHJ.

My list of the best, the less good and the horrible movies of 2011 over at MovieBrit! Hope you like it!

Jake Gyllenhaal, cakes, sandwiches, yucky stuff, cocktails and Source Code

2011-12-29T17:16:00.001Z

There are few sightings of Jake Gyllenhaal that could strike me with as much fear and dread as the one that featured in this week's US Weekly: 'Jake Gyllenhaal cleaning up after himself after eating a peanut butter jelly donut at Bowery Coffee in NYC'. Speaking as someone who is not only allergic to donuts but also has a pathological hatred of peanuts, butter and jelly, I think you can get a small inkling of my shock at Jake's consumption of this so-called 'treat'. I do, however, like coffee.

It's doubly shocking then to read an article about Source Code which compares the film to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Personally, I see it more as a chocolate fondant, or at least something with marshmallows in it. In order to redress the balance after tales of fearsome cakes and snacks, it's extremely heartening to be able to post a picture of a cocktail that the Dutch in NYC makes for Jake and where he has been spotted in tweets. Thanks to BBMISwear for finding this and to BolsGeneva for sharing it.

As awards season approaches, do take a look at the Source Code feature 'For Your Consideration ' over at ManMadeMovies.

My review of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is now up at MovieBrit.

A belated Merry Christmas and a GyllenCatchUp

2011-12-26T16:44:00.000Z

A belated Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you!

It is now the day after the day before and I hope you're still able to move your stomachs. No doubt this post catches you eating the last of your veggie turkey and wringing the last few drops out of your festive whiskey. Either that or you're down the shops buying toasters and cameras. Jake Gyllenhaal, however, has been up to his usual tricks of flying around and eating, not necessarily at the same time.

Perez Hilton was sent a photo of Jake with his old friend Adam Levine at the Mustard Seed Cafe in Los Feliz, LA, apparently taken on 21 December (but probably taken before Jake's birthday). This would mean that Jake was in NYC for his birthday on 19 December, flew back to LA for a day or two, and then was back to the East Coast in time for a number of sightings on 24 December, not to mention the holidays themselves. However, if there's one person who's not going to let something like a continent get in the way of a good meal it's Jake Gyllenhaal.

On 24 December, Jake was seen queuing up at Liquiteria in NYC. Apparently, this isn't another name for an Off Licence (UK) or Liquor Store (US) but a place that sells cleansing liquids, and not for the car or windows either. The same day Jake was spotted at a regular haunt, the wonderful fish specialists Russ and Daughters. Caviar as a Christmas starter perhaps?

I want to take this opportunity to thank IHeartJake for all their continued hardwork over 2011 and all the other years. They have just managed the feat of getting all the Source Code images up and for that they deserve an extra helping of Christmas Pud. There are also a few new on-set photos from Brokeback Mountain.

My review of Arthur Christmas is now on MovieBrit.

Jake 'Lumberjack Chic' Gyllenhaal's 31st birthday and WDW's Florence Interlude

2011-12-22T17:55:00.000Z

Jake Gyllenhaal is back in NYC. On average he spends 2.375 days in LA for every 16.816 days in NYC, earning enough airmiles that in 2018 he will be able to travel to the International Space Station and test its nosh in person. Meanwhile, there have been a few details on how Jake spent his 31st birthday on Monday. Unlike last year, it wasn't spent scuba diving with walruses in Arctic waters.

This time, Jake burnt off some calories at SoulCycle in Union Square before heading off to the Peter Luger steakhouse in Brooklyn, where he was joined by his family and Love and Other Drugs mate Oliver Platt. Apparently, the steakhouse is better at steak than cakes because Jake's mum Naomi had to bring her own along. Jake blew out the candles at the bar while dressed in 'lumberjack chic' (aka Sasquatch Swank). More details at the New York Post. It would appear Jake's vegan phase may be in hiatus.

Despite the Lumberjack Chic, or maybe because of it, Jake has made InStyle's list of the twenty Most Stylish Men in 2011. You can find him at No 11. Jake fared even higher in the poll of most stylish man in green trousers.

Picture thanks to IHJ.

WDW Florence Interlude

I'm delighted to inform you that the myriad of Florence photos have been sorted, a selection of which can now be put in front of you. I advise that these photos are best viewed while scoffing a pizza and indulging in a drop of something red. But to be forewarned, the first pic is me on the Ponte Vecchio, a mere stone's throw from the largest bunch of ice-creams I've ever seen (second to last photo). The David in the photos is not the original. This copy stands on the site where the original use to be, just by the Uffizi (second photo), before it was moved to the Accademia a short distance away.

Happy birthday Jake! And Jake Gyllenhaal joins Mike Leigh's Berlin Film Festival Jury

2011-12-19T18:25:00.000Z

Time to get the bunting out! Today is Jake Gyllenhaal's 31st birthday, which not only means he'll get a luxurious shave (I may be making that bit up), a new pair of trousers (and that bit too) and a big piece of chocolate cake, but he gets some pressies. While some people may get a DVD of a movie for their birthdays, Jake gets a whole film festival.

Deadline announced today that Jake has been selected for the jury of the Berlin Film Festival (9-19 February), beside the president Mike Leigh. Clearly, Jake enjoyed meeting me and friends so much in Berlin back in April this year that he can't wait to go back to the city. Jake put in the hours for fun at the New York Film Festival earlier this autumn so it's good he got some practice in - he will sit through an enormous number of films and eat such quantities of popcorn that he may have to get back to the Prince of Persia regime pronto.

It's worth pointing out that Jake may be unaware at this stage of the Berlin Film Festival rules which dictate that 'jury members cannot wear green trousers tucked into their boots, nor can they be unshaven.' Rules 16 and 24, I believe.

Have a wonderful birthday, Jake! Cheers!

Includes pictures from IHJ.

Jake Gyllenhaal back at the Medical Center as TrouserGate continues...

2011-12-18T16:41:00.002Z

Jake Gyllenhaal was back on duty at the Beverly Hills Medical Center on 16 December. This was in response to concerns that he needs to be detached surgically from his Green Trousers and have the trouser legs forcibly untucked from inside his shoes. I hear that it's touch and go and time is running out before Jake's birthday tomorrow. Will he be free from the Green Trousers and safely back in The Jeans before he tucks into his trifle and jelly tomorrow? Watch this space.

Please note how I made no comment about birthday suits...

Thanks to IHJ for the new photos - there are more there.

My review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is now up at MovieBrit.

Applause greets End of Watch's test screening, out and about with Jake and WDW's Tuscan Interlude continues

2011-12-16T19:15:00.000Z

It's one of those good old days when we have a bit of catching up to do with Jake Gyllenhaal. Firstly, End of Watch has had its initial test screening and, thanks to Mermon, we know a little bit about it. One of the lucky people who was there couldn't give much away, as you'd imagine having had to sign umpteen bits of paper, but she did say that there was applause at the end and that it was: 'a mix of Harsh Times, Drive, Cops, and Training Day. Very emotional, funny, and realistic.' Sounds great! And it also sounds nearer...

Thanks to Twitter we also know that Jake was back at Edible Schoolyard this month. A photo has been released of Jake with Edible Schoolyard founder Alice Waters and a bunch of schoolkids who are reaping the benefits of this project.

On 13 December Jake attended a Kanye West and Jay-Z concert in LA where apparently the two stars sang one track ten times. The picture below is courtesy of Jake Weird. There is more information on the star-glittery occasion at the Staples Center here.

While Source Code didn't make the Golden Globes list for some reason known only to single cell organisms, there has been a bit of love for Jake's films this week. As the new Sherlock Holmes film opens, the San Francisco Chronicle has been ruminating on some of Robert Downey Jr's other top movies, including Zodiac. I always enjoying seeing this, quite possibly my favourite of Jake's movies, receiving some love and recognition. Den of Geek has been reflecting on the significance of Source Code for Jake's and Duncan Jones' career and Source Code was among the top 11 films of the year for the Sun-Times. As the year's end draws ever nearer, I am sure there will be more lists with a Jake film on them.

We do like so see Jake in the polls, especially the more outlandish ones. Jake's name makes an appearance in the latest poll from British Airways in which 'Madonna, Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, Salma Hayek and Matthew Fox emerged as the top celebrities to spend Christmas with'. Obviously, Jake's a good cook - double bonus - and I'm quite sure he's not above a spot of washing up. It seems appropriate to post another photo of Airport Jake (and Airport Jake Fashion), thanks to IHJ.

WDW Italian Interlude Part 2!

I regret to inform you that the WDW Italian Interlude continues. This time it features Lucca - a beautiful walled Tuscan town which is built on the footprint of a Roman settlement - and Fiesole - a small hilltop town outisde Florence with the most wonderful Roman and Etruscan remains, including a theatre complete with vomitorium. Essential for bad theatre, I'm sure you'll agree.

Lucca's main square isn't square, it's round and that's because it was originally the Roman amphitheatre. When we were there it was taken over by a film crew that seemed to spend an awful amount of time not doing very much (and seemed to follow us around like a bad penny). Trees grow on towers in Lucca.

Fiesole sits high in the clouds, making it a very atmospheric sport for some Roman drama, followed by a dip in the bathhouse.

My review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is now up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal's back in LA, a video tribute to the troops and a WDW Pisan Interlude

2011-12-14T19:09:00.001Z

I'm back! And it's not just me who's had the wandering bug this week. As I was flying back from Italy, Jake Gyllenhaal was also in the air, but he was flying back from NYC to LAX and, by the look of it, meteorologically speaking, it was a wise and sunny decision. Many thanks to IHJ for photos of Jake arriving at the airport - still not having untucked his trousers from his shoes - and then leaving Murakami Sushi in Hollywood.

Jake has also given the Face Pet its first official appearance in a video Tribute to the Troops, a timely reminder that not everyone is able to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones.

It is great to see Jake in a public role again.

WDW Italian Interlude Part 1!

We had a wonderful trip to Italy, not least because of chianti, Michelangelo, beautiful architecture (leaning or otherwise) and great rivers with bridges to match. It didn't hurt that it was a good 10 degrees centigrade warmer there too. It would obviously be hugely amiss if I didn't throw a few photos your way although not wanting to overdo it, I thought I'd be geographical about it and start with some Pisa. Having said that, though, here is me with one of Florence's most famous and shiny residents.

It's a miracle I have photos of the Leaning Tower - my camera has a rather annoying habit of autocorrecting Towers that Lean...

You'll be 'glad' to hear that there are more to come! Thanks to Mr WDW for a couple of the pics...

Jake Gyllenhaal goes alone and parts with his manager after 8 years

2011-12-08T18:44:00.001Z

Inspired by the last photos of Jake Gyllenhaal at the airport, I am about to take flight myself for a few days, although I hope I actually catch the plane unlike Jake who, so the rumour goes, may have missed his. So, before I head off to Pisa and Florence for a long weekend, there's just time to catch up with the news from yesterday.

Deadline reported that Jake has left his manager Evelyn O'Neill of Management 360, who has looked after Jake's career for 8 years - a long time indeed. Evelyn described it as a “very amicable parting” and paid tribute to his work: “Sometimes people like change in their life. I think he’s amazing, I’m very proud of the work he did together, he was nominated for an Oscar, I want him back, and the door is always open. It is what it is.”

It sounds as if Jake is going to be his own manager for a while, directing the shape of his own career. What that means in terms of projects and roles may well be fascinating to watch - let us hope so.

Many thanks to IHJ for the photo of Jake in Italy back in 2009. See you in a few days with a bit of an Interlude...

Jake Gyllenhaal flies out of LA again...

2011-12-05T18:05:00.001Z

It appears as if LA was a flying visit, literally. Yesterday (4 December), Jake Gyllenhaal was seen at the Bop Hope Airport in Burbank wearing his new favourite trousers. Please note how I'm not mentioning that the trousers need pulling our from behind the shoes.

There's something else I'm not mentioning...

Many thanks to IHJ for the lovely new pics!

Jake Gyllenhaal back in LA - with Face Pet and new Knitwear

2011-12-04T18:57:00.001Z

Jake Gyllenhaal is back in LA, having left the coffee bars and shops of NYC for the coffee bars and shops of Beverly Hills. On Friday, Jake was seen out with a friend and had a lovely smile on his face, no doubt the paps were expressing their pleasure at seeing him after such a long time. This also gives us the opportunity to check the condition of two Jake essentials: the state of the Face Pet and the new Knitwear, both of which look to be doing well. Good to see you, Jake! Looking good.

Many thanks to IHJ! There are more there.

My review of TT3D: Closer to the Edge (or TT2D as it is on blu ray) is now on MovieBrit.

A look back to 2004 and a WDW Oxford Christmas Light Night Interlude

2011-12-03T19:50:00.001Z

Jake Gyllenhaal is back in stealth mode. While we wait for the master of camouflage to emerge from his disguise, thank heavens we have IHJ filling the gap with new old Jake, including that very special soul Piilot. I know that he is a favourite of many here and so it is my pleasure to post this scrummy picture. There are many more at IHJ.

I was particularly interested to see a couple of images from Jake's attendance at the inaugural Filmmakers Showcase at his old high school Harvard-Westlake. This event took place in April 2004 but it wasn't his last at the school. In December 2004 Jake was back to talk to the students there alongside his teacher Ted Walch, who is pictured beside Jake in the photograph below the poster for the event. You can read all about that later 2004 event - when Jake was very much in Jarhead mode - here.

A WDW Festive Interlude

Last night was Oxford's Christmas Light Night. This event gets bigger each year to the extent that last night it was enormous and took over every single square metre. Wherever there could be a light, there was a light, and on top of that there were lantern processions, Christmas markets dotted all over the place, more mulled wine than you could bathe a whale in and an awful lot of hats and gloves for sale.

At the Castle, it even snowed. It might have been fake snow but it still added something very Christmassy to the mood as one munched on mince pies, supped vodka infused with elderberries and gazed at some of Oxford's ancient buildings lit up to the heavens. The museums were also all open and so you could have toured the shrunken head exhibits of the Pitt Rivers Museum by torchlight, paused over the mummies in the Ashmolean or taken a peek at Mary Shelley's handwritten notes on a manuscript of Frankenstein in the Bodleian. I may complain about the traffic (which is an obligatory thing to do if you live in Oxford), but there are times when I'm rather proud of the place. It doesn't half scrub up well. Do take a look at Conojito's account of the evening here. He was a bit more sober than me so took better photos. Many thanks to him, Ruby and Mr WDW for their lovely company.

I know that many of you have Christmas markets going on in your own cities across the world and so do tell us about them in the comments.

Jake Gyllenhaal's End of Watch not to be a rigid 'found footage' film after all says director David Ayer

2011-11-30T18:31:00.001Z

We know very little about End of Watch except for the fact that it features bald heads, uniforms and cameras stuck to the head and chest of its protagonists. Admittedly, the last is less certain but what we do know is that we don't know when it will be out. We've heard Jake Gyllenhaal and his co-star Michael Pena discuss how it's all filmed from the perspective of the actors but, thanks to Deadline's article on its director David Ayer, there's a little bit more news and perhaps a shift in perspective.

'Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena star as LAPD partners and best friends who navigate their work and personal lives. It started out as a found footage-style film, with the POV coming from everything from the camera mounted on every cop car to security cameras and other surveillance devices. Ayer said it evolved into something not so rigid, which he called a mix of “unconventional storytelling interwoven with conventional photography that creates a portrait of their lives. It’s a cross between Cops and Mean Streets.”

I'm delighted to hear that End of Watch won't be a straightforward 'found footage' film because it's quite possible that audiences are beginning to tire of what's been a popular format over the last couple of years. This mix of two styles sounds more novel and an interesting way for us to get to know characters inside and out. There is some other good news:

'It is Ayer’s third directing effort after Harsh Times and Street Kings, and he’s got a cut that he’ll test with an audience before finishing and showing it to potential domestic distributors before year’s end. The film, which was financed by Exclusive Media, will be ready to be seen by domestic distributors before year’s end.'

In other words, in less than a month.

Thanks to IHJ for the new old pics of Jake during Wonderful WonderCon back in the Spring of 2010. There are lots more there.

Good news for the GyllenGaards and a WDW Egypt in Oxford Interlude

2011-11-29T19:55:00.001Z

That must have been quite a Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the Sarsgaard-Gyllenhaal NYC household. Following more speculation in the rag mags, reps confirmed what most of us had suspected for a little while, that Jake will have another niece or nephew to make rubbish pancakes for and push on swings and clamber about on pirate ships with. Many congratulations to Maggie and Peter and to the whole family. No doubt, as we speak, Jake and Peter are scouring the shops of NYC for Maggie's favourite cheesecake.

We don't have any new photos of Jake and so it's good news that we have more new old pictures from IHJ. These photos below were taken at the 2002 Paper Magazine Party for Pedro Almodovar and feature the scarily-eyed Debbie Harry. Many thanks again to IHJ for looking after us all during the Gyllendrought.

Back in December 2010 - almost a year ago if you can believe it - there was much excitement when Jake was seen out having dinner with Bono and The Edge at Sean's Panorama by Bondi Beach in Sydney. There's a link here which demonstrates that even in the same article it couldn't be decided who the girl was with Bono. We have some more pictures from that dinner as well, which allowed Jake to exercise his face muscles while they were still beard-free.

WDW Oxford in Egypt Interlude

Last weekend, Oxford's famous Ashmolean Museum reopened its Egypt galleries after a few years of renovation. The opening has been all over the media here because it's the largest collection of Egyptian artefacts outside Egypt. I popped down there today to take a look (and have a piece of cake). Spectacular...

Jake Gyllenhaal introduces the New Eyes for the Needy auction - video

2011-11-27T18:05:00.001Z

Back on 31 March this year, Jake Gyllenhaal launched the silent auction for New Eyes for the Needy in NYC. This is one of the charities closest to his heart as we've seen over the last few years. The good news is that New Eyes for the Needy has now released a video of the event, in which Jake talks about why the charity is such a good one to support and and why it means so much to him personally.

As a fellow specs wearer I can empathise with these words of Jake's from the auction: 'When I wake up all I see are colors and fuzzy things because my eyesight is so bad. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I didn’t have the resources to be able to see clearly'. A downside of this morning fuzziness is that it can take a while finding your glasses in the morning. Actually, that's more a downside of my untidiness but even so... it's good to hear Jake knows what it's like.

New Eyes for the Needy have also revamped their website, including their rather lovely new homepage. Many thanks to BBMISwear for the heads up!

It's been quite a while since we had new photos of Jake, especially publicity photos. I'm therefore very grateful to IHJ for a few new old photoshoot pictures from earlier in Jake's decade of movies. I particularly like these two:

Happy Thanksgiving! Pioneering Jake...

2011-11-24T18:46:00.000Z

I'm reliably informed that today is Thanksgiving. While this may not be a holiday in this neck of the woods (although I can't imagine why our employers don't just give us a holiday anyway), I would like to say thank you to you all and to a certain American who could well be wrestling with a big bird this evening - one Jake Gyllenhaal.

Big and special thanks go to Susan because the below video is a treat from her to me and it has 'must be shared' written all over it. How good does Jake look as a pioneer! Historical drama next, surely?

PS No turkeys were hurt during the making of this post.

My review of My Week with Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams, is now up at MovieBrit.

A Jake Gyllenhaal catch up and a WDW Lichfield Interlude

2011-11-22T19:54:00.001Z

All is quiet on the Jake Gyllenfront, with Jake taking advantage of these days away (mostly) from the public eye to restock his kitchen cupboards. Yesterday Jake was seen at Williams Sonoma in NYC where 'He totally smiled at me!'. It's not known what Jake bought, if anything, although judging by the store website, I don't think there's much he couldn't buy there (except perhaps a shaver). (Ellen reminder.)

On Saturday, Jake was seen with a group of eight dining at the Chinatown Brasserie in Lafeyette Street, NYC. This dinner attracted the attention of the papers because Jake sat next to the lovely Olivia Wilde. Of course, this does distract from the identity of the other six diners, which remains a mystery. This also provides me with the perfect opportunity to post my own picture of Olivia Wilde from the London press conference of Cowboys and Aliens in August (one of my reports here at Bleeding Cool).

Please note how I'm not mentioning Chinatown Brasserie's Tomato Basil Martini and Chili-Mango Margarita...

WDW Interlude

At the weekend, we headed up north but made a bit of a bypass to visit one of the most beautiful buildings in England, the late 12th-century cathedral and its stunning close.The cathedral took quite a battering during the English Civil War in the 1640s but today is resplendent. More to the point, the cafe in the close does a stonking cream tea.

My review of The Ides of March is now up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal's love of trains continues and Nailed gloom

2011-11-18T19:19:00.001Z

Typically, as soon as I mentioned that all was quite on the Jake Gyllenhaal front this week, he starts getting photographed in what may well be every other subway station in New York City. To vary it a bit, he has also been photographed in the trains rather than just waiting for them. The picture below was taken by CUruchima who didn't just see Jake once this week, but twice! And who knows, by now, we could be talking three times at least!

Here is a link to Jake waiting for a train (there is a lovely account - to do with bumping in to Jake - that goes with this picture here) and another of him on a train. When Jake's not with a train - no doubt a habit left over from Source Code - Jake has also been seen in other places and here with Naomi. Many thanks to BBMISwear, Mermon and Sasha for links and to Twitter!

Edward Douglas from ComingSoon has been reminiscing about chatting with Jake at a recent social occasion in NYC - the premiere for Take Shelter on 1 November. 'You just never who you might run into at these things. At a party for Take Shelter star Michael Shannon, I chatted with Jake Gyllenhaal. Jake wasn't out and about gladhanding or looking for a gig but was between movies relaxing and wanted to check out what he may have heard was a cool movie. We got to chat with him about some of the movies we've both seen and liked this year, including our diverging opinions on Almodovar's The Skin I Live In. (Gyllenhaal's admiration for the film was enough to convince us to watch it again and give it another chance.)'

Nailed

There is more Nailed gloom from Jessica Biel, unfortunately. She has told Elle magazine (here via OK!) that she's not hopeful: 'I honestly don't know (if it will ever be released). It's frustrating. It was a major heartbreak. But you know, I got a chance to work with David, and I've been heartbroken about it for long enough... I'd do anything to work for him again.' Do feel free to play Spot the Jake photo below. We have to get some fun from Nailed...

Includes photos from links and IHJ.

Jake Gyllenhaal goes in to stealth mode, Maggie is 34 today! And a WDW Interlude...

2011-11-16T18:39:00.001Z

It appears that Jake Gyllenhaal has gone undercover - despite the briefest of glimpses of Jake darting in and out of shops, cafes and trains (often identifiable by beard, backpack, hotness - not necessarily in that order), it has become clear that Jake has now fully adapted to life in the Big Apple. Almost like a figure from myth and legend, Jake Gyllenhaal uses his finely honed urban skills to appear as a glimpse in the corners of a person's eye, or to pop up in the shadows of coffee bars and then he is gone...camouflaged perfectly in to the city environment. Not since those sightings of a Jake Gyllenhaal-esque Sasquatch in the woods around Los Angeles, has he been quite so well blended.

The picture above is a new image from the Edible Schoolyard Fall Harvest Dinner back in October, thanks to IHJ.

Despite the reappearance this week of Jake's recipe for two-inch metaballs (first analysed - and amended - on WDW back in June 2010), the man himself is nowhere to be seen. However, this may be because he is on cakemaking duties for Maggie who today turns 34. If she and Peter are still in Italy then no doubt Jake has his hands full making papier mache dinosaurs with his niece. Nevertheless, happy birthday Maggie!

WDW Interlude

Although I am not able to bring you a new picture of Jake today, I can bring you a new picture of what I'm sure you'll agree is the next best thing - a couple of giraffes. These were snapped at the Cotswold Wildlife Park last week, a visit that was slightly overshadowed by a tapir jetspraying Mr WDW with pee.

Mr WDW was also under attack by a bunch of ducks during our beautiful autumnal walk by the canal last Sunday. Apparently, bread crumbs aren't as tasty as shoelaces.

I did come across another hero of mine - Han Solo - who was trapped in the wall of a new pizza restaurant in Oxford. For a full account of our visit, do take a look at Conojito's blog report on Excuses and Half Truths.

Jake Gyllenhaal babysits!

2011-11-13T18:16:00.001Z

Never mind the parties, the premieres and the restaurants, on Saturday, 12 November, Jake Gyllenhaal was photographed out and about in NYC with one of his favourite ladies, Ramona GyllenGaard. It looked like both Jake and his mother Naomi were there to entertain multiwheeled Ramona. Many thanks to IHJ for the pics, there are more there.

Maggie and Peter are still in Italy. On Thursday they were photographed at the opening of the Armani Hotel Milano, with Maggie wearing a beautiful dress that will do nothing to disperse the rather lovely rumours that Ramona may well have a sibling on the way. Source.

PS Doesn't Peter look wonderful?!

Jake Gyllenhaal spotted more often than not in NYC

2011-11-11T18:00:00.001Z

A cursory glance at Twitter today reveals that Jake Gyllenhaal has been seen in three out of every seven shops in NYC by eight out of every ten people. A good three out of every three meals were eaten out.

This morning there was this: 'breakfast with jake gyllenhall at bubbys. okay, he was across the room but we were both eating breakfast'. I think you'll agree from the website that this is a fine place for breakfast although it is mostly known for its pies, I believe. Jake was also spotted in my least favourite type of shopping establishment: 'Standing next to Jake Gyllenhall while he tries on shoes like yeaahh'. At one point Jake was spotted in a cunning disguise: 'Saw Jake Gyllenhaal trying so hard to look like Jake Gyllenhaal that even tourists were like "Okay, yes, I notice you, Jake Gyllenhaal."

Last night, tweets put Jake at the after party for the Victoria's Secret fashion show, along with Adam Levine. This morning there were more reports from the event, which revealed that Jake was warmly dressed for the event in a woolly hat.

Also sizing up the models was Jake Gyllenhaal, dressed down and almost incognito in a wool hat and sweat shirt, who “chatted up [Brazilian model] Izabel Goulart for 30 minutes,” the spy said. “Security wouldn’t let anyone take pictures of them together. He had his hand on the small of her back and she leaned into his ear to talk.”

Personally speaking, I would have thought it obligatory to try and chat up the models and movie stars at an after party following a fashion show for underwear. And then there are the canopes... More to the point, could this mean the Return of the Beanie?

Includes pictures from IHJ.

My review of The Help is now up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal to go 'Way, Way Back'?

2011-11-08T20:27:00.000Z

It's always a good day when we have rumours and speculation about The Next Job. Today, thanks to Variety, we hear that Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks with assistant director turned producer Kevin Walsh to star in 'coming of age' drama 'The Way, Way Back'.

Details are scarce but when the screenplay of what was then just 'The Way Back' first grabbed attention back in 2007, Variety described the plot as follows:

'Rash and Faxon's script tells the poignant story of a teenage boy who comes into his own over the course of one summer though an unlikely friendship with the man in charge of a local water park. The boy is able to reconnect with his mom and find the courage to stand up to his bullying stepfather.'

One wonders if Jake's work with youngsters in urban gardens, in schools and in remand centres is influencing Jake's script choices.

This is another of those projects that has done the rounds and who knows how it might end up - and when - but just the words 'in talks' are enough to brighten my day.

Please note that the pictures in this post is the best I can do when the post calls for Jake In A Water Park photos (thanks to IHJ).

Thanks to BBMISwear for the heads up!

Jake Gyllenhaal chose Bear Grylls above Gordon Ramsey and Soul Cycle more popular than ever!

2011-11-07T21:43:00.000Z

Jake Gyllenhaal is in the news today. Bear Grylls has been talking about making Jake balance precariously above a precipice, revealing that it could have been so different. It could have been a cookery show instead. “He was joking about what it waslike being famous. He said ‘it’s great, if I ever neededsomething, I’ll ring up my friend Gordon Ramsey. Or if get lost inthe wild, I’ll ring up Bear’,” he says, addingthat even though he didn’t personally know Jake, he sent him anemail inviting him to travel with him. “He just went ‘yes, thatwould be fun’.”

“When I’m on your own, I don’tneed to double check a knot. But when suddenly I have Jake Gyllenhaalhanging off it, I have to triple check it before letting him committo it,” he says. The exploration expert travelled toIceland with Jake, apart from touring New Zealand and Borneo.Recalling some of the toughest situations that he and the actorwriggled out of, he adds, “We were 5,000 feet high, when we hithurricane winds moving at 160 kph. The other was crossing a hugegorge, which had a 150-foot drop. We had to balance on top of thisand pull ourselves along. Jake was really nervous. He’s prettyscared of heights.”

With no format preparation, the twoheaded out into the wilderness few months ago. “I always say ‘justtrust me and we’ll be okay’. But with Jake, it was definitely oneof the worst conditions I’ve ever had on my own. He really gotthrown in at the deep end, but I thought that he would love that;he’d never been there. And it made sense to both of our schedules,”says Grylls. The episode featuring Jake airs on Wednesday at 9 pm onDiscovery Channel.

The GyllenFactor has been having a great impact on the fitness levels of the citizens of NYC. Jake's appearances at Soul Cycle have caused such a stir that there are so many people going now that there isn't room for Jake! He’s always there,” a source said. “And he gets a lot of female attention.” This Friday, though, they were on their own. Where next will exercising Jake strike?

Jake has been keeping up with his mission to work through the restaurants of NYC though, this time with his mum. Nice shirt!

Includes pictures from IHJ.

Breakfast with Jake Gyllenhaal in NYC, 2 November

2011-11-04T19:57:00.001Z

On 2 November, Jake Gyllenhaal took his bag and his finely coiffed taches (it is Movember after all) to Cafe Cluny in NYC for breakfast. He also managed to fit in another GyllenHug.

Personally speaking, I find that breakfast is the meal that divides and defines nations. Here in Blighty, if eating out, we do like our English Breakfast - whether the veggie version or the full fat bacon and sausage option. In much of the rest of Europe, the Continental Breakfast holds sway. In the US you seem to get a little bit of the best of all worlds with maple syrup on the top. One of the best things about living in a metropolis like London, Paris or NYC is that you can take your pick and mix it up. Jake seems to like that.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new pictures - there are more there.

My review of In Time is now up on MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal with Michael Shannon (and an awful lot of wine) at a Take Shelter screening in NYC

2011-11-03T18:36:00.000Z

Continuing his project to support the film industry, and his friends in the film industry, Jake Gyllenhaal yesterday attended a screening of Take Shelter at the 57th Street Screening Room in NYC. Jake was photographed alongside the star of this dark, psychological drama, Michael Shannon. Please note how I'm not mentioning all those bottles of wine.

I'm delighted to say that there was a GyllenHug. Many thanks to IHJ for the lovely new pics.

You might note from these pictures that Jake's Face Pet is looking extremely well coiffed and the taches in particular look like they might have undergone some twirling. I wasn't surprised, therefore, to learn that Jake has been attending a fine barbers in NYC, Franks Chop Shop. The evidence, as they say, is in the pudding. Looking good, Jake!

Thanks to BBMISwear for the headsup on the tweet!

Jake Gyllenhaal on washing lettuce and watching things grow

2011-11-02T22:31:00.000Z

It's always a good day when we have a new interview with Jake Gyllenhaal and today is one of those days. He's not talking about movies, instead it's that ever favourite subject of food. Chic Report talks to Jake (and swoons a little) about his two-year association with Edible Schoolyard and his love of grub and certain vegetables. Jake also mentions his farmer friend in Martha's Vineyard. Having eaten one of his tomatoes (and actually bought the t-shirt), I can vouch for the quality of his greens (and reds).

I was raised in Los Angeles, but I spent my summers, since I was born, in Martha's Vineyard. My best friend, since we were little kids, lives there, and he's a farmer. His whole family farms. I know it might seem odd, but it's what I love more than anything. Being in gardens have been some of the most wonderful times of my life. Washing lettuce and watching things grow...you feel connected to the world. You'd be hard-pressed to find anything that connects you to the universe in the same way that planting a seed does.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of washing lettuce. However, after Jake's recent comments about making Kale Pizzas with schoolkids, there is more mention of this enigmatic green here.

I'd say right now, after an extensive search over the years and living the wonderful life that I've had so far, and after tasting many, many vegetables...cavolo nero. It's like a really soft kale. You can eat it any form: cooked, raw...

Do take a look at the rest of the interview. I can't wait for the next one.

Pictures from the Global Green event back in February 2009 from IHJ. Thanks to Mrs JG for the heads up!

Donnie Darko - not just for Halloween

2011-11-01T19:25:00.000Z

It is possible that many of you are suffering from that post Halloween Sugar Rush that is known to afflict a large proportion of the earth's seven billion inhabitants on 1 November. If so, relax, put your feet up, extract those vampire fangs, wash off the tomato ketchup, unwind the mummy bandages and appreciate the archetypal Halloween Hero, Donnie Darko.

In this article, Moviefone presents the top 25 things you may not know about Donnie Darko. Admittedly, we may know more than your usual Donnie Darko observer, but even so, there is much to learn from here. It also goes to show that DD is not just a superb movie because of its acting, script and execution, but also because of all those little circumstances that, through some fate and destiny, conspired together to bring about one of the most memorable and debated about movies of the last 50 years. Or longer.

Ten years on, it's still being discussed and puzzled over.

Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut - Production Diary: Last Words and Dance From Jake Gyllenhaal
Get More: Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut - Production Diary: Last Words and Dance From Jake Gyllenhaal

Of course, some people (naming no names but here's a link) don't get it at all.

Talking of Halloween, there's a rather spooky sounding tweet from today:

'Jake Gyllenhaal was in my soul cycle class!'

I don't know about you, but my mind is boggled.

And finally...

I wanted to post this new old video from the European premiere of The Dark Night in London because this event brings back some memories and I was there with other WDW readers. It is quite possible that one or more of us may be spotted!

A perfect day in NYC and Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard in Rome for Hysteria

2011-10-30T18:18:00.000Z

Let's start with a test: What makes a good day? Winning a tenner (or more) on the lottery? Getting nuzzled by your favourite cat? Sunshine dappling through your curtains and bathing you in unseasonable warmth? A big bowl of hot veggie chilli? Or seeing Jake Gyllenhaal standing opposite you on a train in NYC while reading a script and looking ultra lovely in a white t-shirt? No prizes for guessing which one this lucky blogger Rachel went for. Read her post here. And what a great picture! Rather peculiarly, this event didn't seem to make the day for the chap on the right. Mind you, a Jake Gyllenhaal encounter is best appreciated when you're conscious.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Maggie took Hysteria to the Rome International Film Festival. If there's one thing better than Maggie on the red carpet, it's Maggie and Peter Sarsgaard on the red carpet, resulting in one of my favourite photos of the year, here via Just Jared.

Please note how I'm not mentioning Rupert Everett's jumper.

Pictures from links.

Jake Gyllenhaal cooks up a treat and Source Code opens in Japan!

2011-10-28T19:45:00.002+01:00

I do apologise for any blurring in this post. Having endured dental surgery this afternoon and then had to deal with leaking sewage, I hope I may be forgiven for my levels of spaced outedness. However, as I get ready for a month of liquid diet (liquid in more ways than one), it does me good to see that there are some people who can still eat. Top amongst them is eating maestro Jake Gyllenhaal, who not only eats for pleasure he also eats for charity. We have new pictures today, thanks to IHJ, of Jake attending a NYC Edible Schoolyard event.

On Wednesday (26 October), chef Gabrielle Hamilton was given the task of cooking for Edible Schoolyard's NYC benefactors, many of whom may have been delighted to see Jake among their number, particularly when he owned up to his prowess with a kale pizza. The report shows how Jake has been visiting schools and cooking with the kids, who 'like making pizza with the Prince of Persia'. Personally, I wouldn't like to limit it to pizza.

Source Code opens in Japan!

Source Code today opens in Japan! This is great news - at last SC has reached as far as it will go. I must thank our friend Rintaro Wintanabe for this photo he took today. You can also, if you read Japanese, read Rintaro's interview with Duncan Jones here. I wish everyone associated with Source Code all the best of luck in Japan and I am so glad that our friends in Japan may at last see the film we've been raving about for so many months.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Japan's Screen ahead of Friday's Source Code's release and Duncan presents SC to BAFTA tonight

2011-10-26T19:07:00.000+01:00

If you live in Japan, you don't need me to remind you that this Friday your long, long wait for Source Code will end at last. Finally, you'll be able to acquaint yourselves with Colter, aka Jake Gyllenhaal, and see for yourselves why the film attracted so much interest, for Jake and for director Duncan Jones. With many thanks to our good friend in Japan Mayumintolor, here are pictures of Jake's appearance in the magazine Screen on 21 October.My Japanese is a little rusty so I can't make out what it says but I think on page 1 is says 'Jake is hot'.

Tonight, Duncan is hosting a screening of Source Code in London for BAFTA members, followed by a Q&A. One hopes that something very important will come out of this - votes.

Talking of votes and following Jake's appearance in some curious polls, it's become clear that it's time we had another poll on WDW. At the moment we're in the process of having a poll on what poll to do. So, if you have a preference, an idea, do post a comment.

Beth Grant remembers Jake 'Phantom of the Opera' Gyllenhaal and Donnie Darko

2011-10-24T19:53:00.001+01:00

Jake Gyllenhaal was spotted walking around NYC yesterday (23 October) with actress America Ferrera, his co-star from End of Watch. Jake took The Bag with him. The pictures provide the perfect accompaniment to this new interview with Beth Grant, who appeared in Donnie Darko and has already spoken about how little boy Jake swam naked with her two nieces. With many thanks to Conojito for the link, we can hear a smidgen more about what a joy it was for Beth to work with Jake. As well as talking about how wonderful it was to work on Donnie Darko, and with old friend Patrick Swayze, Beth has this to say about Jake:

'It was not just that Jake Gyllenhaal was doing the part, whom I'd been in love with since he was three years old. The first time I saw Jake he was running across my in-laws' back lawn to the pool, because he was best friends with my twin nieces, and I remember turning to my sister in law and asking, "Who is that beautiful child?" He just was magical, always, so generous and open. I remember the sixth grade show they had at the end of the year. There he was, this sixth grade boy, and he stood up and sang "The Music of the Night" fromPhantom of the Opera. What a song for an eleven year old! I thought, this kid is a star. Whether or not he's going to be a movie star, who knows, but he's a star in the world, because he's luminous.'

'We do have it on video! My in-laws have it. It's just crazy, we looked at it one Thanksgiving, still before he became a star, and I thought it all over again. So, for me to be acting with him — and also with Buddy [Swayze], who in many ways was a hero of mine, because he'd been the first person from our acting class who'd really made it, and who'd been a big influence in teaching me to love and accept myself as a character actress — the role became kind of true to life. It was a magical experience doing that film, it really was.'

Many thanks to IHJ for the new and old pictures!

On Ang Lee's birthday, Brokeback thanks

2011-10-23T21:54:00.000+01:00

Today is Ang Lee's birthday and Focus Features took the chance to wish their director happy returns by reminding their followers on Twitter of what is arguably Ang's finest film - it's certainly the one I love the most - Brokeback Mountain. Take a look at their Brokeback site and let it wash over you. Their Vice President of Global Operations, Gordon Ampel, picked his favourite scene from the film, which you can see here:

'This sequence in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN comes very late in the movie. After learning that the love of his life, Jack Twist, has died, Ennis Del Mar (so beautifully incarnated by Heath Ledger) has come to pay his respects at the family homestead. The emotional crux of the movie has been Ennis’ internalizing his feelings, and not really expressing them – even with Jack, he would make only so much of an exception. Visiting Jack’s childhood room, gut-wrenching emotions come to the fore for Ennis – but, wordlessly, and without flashbacks to their time together or even audio echoes. It all plays out on Ennis’ heretofore stoic face, and when we see tears gathering, it is heartbreaking. The sequence builds powerfully with the nearly-silhouetted staging of the scene in the room’s closet where the full force of the love lost hits Ennis. The postscript to the sequence does include dialogue, but it’s what’s not being said that moves Ennis – and me, every time.'

Thanks Ang and happy birthday.

My review of Contagion is now up at MovieBrit.

Catching up - Jake Gyllenhaal victim of yet another bizarre poll

2011-10-21T21:06:00.000+01:00

The Indian Summer is about over. I can tell because my head is about to blow off my shoulders thanks to a horrible cold. Nevertheless the Gyllenworld continues to turn with sightings of Jake Gyllenhaal in the theatres, coffee shops, trains and gyms of NYC. With thanks to Susan for the heads up, it's very possible that Jake will continue his stay at least until 26 October when Grassroots, the film by Jake's father Stephen, will screen at Jake and Maggie's old college Columbia University. The photo below is suitably theatrey, showing Jake in London in those This Is Our Youth days.

While Jake's eyebrows could win prizes - as I'm sure you'll agree looking at these new old photos from IHJ - Jake has been slightly less successful of late in the awards although, judging by how little Jake has been in the public eye in recent months, I think he's done pretty well. Jake didn't win a Scream, thanks to some show called Doctor Who (never been the same since the Tom Baker days). But who cares about that when you have another of those glorious polls that demonstrate that Jake is on our minds.

In this latest poll, Jake has been voted as one of the favourite celebrities to squish up to on a flight. It doesn't specify which flight although, obviously, a transatlantic flight would be far preferable to a hop across the English Channel during which you're lucky if you get a biscuit, let alone the chance to snuggle up to some unsuspecting movie star. The poll also seems to presuppose that we're all flying First Class, which is fine by me. Jake got 21% of the vote (although how many people voted is as big a mystery as why the veggie option on a flight is always tikka misala).

Something to consider while on that transatlantic flight, in first class, with tikka masala and a handy moviestar to comfort one through those turbulent bumps, is the sad fact that Jake Gyllenhaal is now, like me, slightly over 25 years old. The fact that actors such as Jake and Leo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire made such an impact on the big screen while so young (can one believe that Jake was younger than 25 when he played Jack Twist? Remarkable), begs the question of who are the youngsters making a similar mark. The NY Mag has been having a ponder. Many thanks to Mermon for such an interesting link.

Thanks to IHJ for the pics!

Jake Gyllenhaal runs and hugs around NYC (17 October)

2011-10-18T20:31:00.000+01:00

Jake Gyllenhaal took a break from the New York Film Festival yesterday and was seen and photographed outside in the open air. He took the opportunity to give someone a hug in the street - either they were very lucky indeed or they were a friend. They certainly like similar bags. Jake was also seen running for - or from - a cab.

Jake continues to be seen around NYC. A sighting puts him today holding the door open for a very fortunate tweeter at Bklyn Larder. He might be in a hurry but he's certainly polite.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new pics!

[Updated with more pictures] Jake Gyllenhaal at George Clooney's premiere of Descendants at NYFF

2011-10-17T19:13:00.000+01:00

George Clooney took to the red carpet yesterday (16 October) for the premiere of The Descendants at the New York Film Festival. However, if one were to look a little to the left, down a bit and round the corner, there not on the red carpet for the premiere of Descendants was none other than our NYFF eyes and ears, Jake Gyllenhaal, here photographed with a lovely young lady.

Meanwhile, the November issue of the UK Cosmopolitan focuses on the attitude of men to love and sex, including both famous men and not so famous men. Among the former is Jake along with the quote: 'The wonderful part about falling in love is the time spent naked... the times spent intimate like that.' There is far less from Jake than the other male celebrities in the magazines (I took a look at lunch time) and it is a line very reminiscent of the interviews for Love and Other Drugs.

Updated to add another couple of pictures from IHJ of Jake and his gorgeous smiling friend at the premiere:

Many thanks to IHJ for these lovely new pictures!

My review of the most wonderful Lion King 3D on MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal at the Apple store in NYC for Source Code and a WDW Interlude

2011-10-15T20:57:00.000+01:00

There is a possibility that some of you may have spent a good bite out of yesterday lining up outside an Apple store to get your mits on the latest crop of tasty telephones. Jake Gyllenhaal has of course proved his commitment to the brand over the years and was one of the first to grab hold of the iPad, back in those Wondercon (April 2010) days.

He also likes to take his iPad for a walk.

Jake also has other uses for it.

But all this talk of Apple reminded me that I have yet to post the videos that turned up from Jake's visit, along with Duncan Jones and Michelle Monaghan, to the Apple store in NYC as part of the Love and Other Drugs promotion. You can see a snippet of the Q&A itself here but there are other videos of Jake arriving and leaving.

Pictures from IHJ.

WDW Interlude

Today we were promised what may well turn out to be the last sunny warm day of the year and so off we went on the motorbike into the Cotswolds. In one village we were surprised to see a river full of baby ducklings - about ten of them. I don't think I've ever seen any so late in the year before. This has been a very odd Autumn. Among the photos below are the Roman amphitheatre in Cirencester, the beautiful village of Bisley and the view from a massive Iron Age hillfort close to Stroud in Gloucestershire.

It may have been warm for much of the day but I can confirm that this all changed on the long ride home and I am still a popsicle...

My review of Midnight in Paris is now on MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal at the NYC Film Festival (again), Bear Grylls part 2 and Annie Proulx' tips

2011-10-13T20:48:00.002+01:00

The London International Film Festival is now underway. On the other side of the pond, the New York City Film Festival is also full steam ahead and, should you be so lucky as to attend one of its screenings and parties, you might want to keep your eyes open. Since supporting Michelle Williams at the premiere of her My Week With Marilyn Film, Jake Gyllenhaal has been seen at two other screenings (and the number could be increasing by the hour).

On Tuesday, Jake was seen at the screening for one of the least memorably named movies around, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' (or something like that). Note, Jake still hasn't found his contact lenses.

'At the party — also attended by a scruffy Jake Gyllenhaal and “Gossip Girl” star Chace Crawford — the three Olsens “held court at a corner table all night” and toasted Elizabeth’s movie with Bear Flag Wine, an eyewitness told us. Though Elizabeth is quickly entering star territory, she hasn’t mastered one celebri-feat: wearing sky-high heels all night. At the party, she “took off her very high heels and slipped on a pair of moccasins,” our source said. Gyllenhaal, meanwhile, also kept things casual, wearing cargo pants, a long-sleeve tee and glasses to the screening, then skipping the after-party. "I don’t think anyone knew he was there,” the source said. “He clearly did not want to be seen.”'

Last night, it was the turn of 'The Skin I Live In', which stars Antonio Banderas. At the same screening was David Lynch.

Should Jake fancy taking in more movies, how about a spot of LIFF?

Bear and Jake

Bear Grylls has been talking some more about Jake's appearance in Man Vs Wild. In this interview from Australia, Bear talks about Jake wanting to go for the full monty (in a manner of speaking) and he includes those immortal words 'What happens on the mountain, stays on the mountain'.

And finally...

I really wanted to include a link to this interview with Annie Proulx I saw today in which she gives some tips for those who want to write. It includes a mention of arguably her two most famous creations, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar.

'Proulx doesn’t mold characters after any real-life people, and when pressed, says only that it’s possible she draws inspiration from what’s happening around her. For example, the characters of Ennis and Jack in “Brokeback Mountain” may have sprung from some unconscious desire to counteract the “John Wayne, right-wing” mindset where she lives in Wyoming that cowboys can only be and act a certain way, she says. “I realize stories I’ve written are contrary to the culture and have a touch of the corrective about them,” she says. “I’m not saying that’s how it is, I’m saying, perhaps.”'

Includes pictures from IHJ.

My review, better late than never hopefully, of I Am Number Four is on MovieBrit.

'He was a dude' - Bear Grylls on Jake Gyllenhaal and Japan gets ready for Source Code

2011-10-11T19:19:00.000+01:00

Bear Grylls has been talking a little about his experience of having Grizzly Sasquatch (aka Jake Gyllenhaal) on Man vs Wild this year.

'On the insurance nightmare in taking Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal into the wild: "I never understand this. I don't know why one man's life is more valuable than another. I will commit 120 per cent of my energy to keeping anyone alive, I don't care if they're a superstar or whatever." On taking Gyllenhaal into the wild: "He was nervous but at the same time he said don't hold back. He was a dude."'

Also worth noting from this interview with the Courier Mail, in addition to Bear's efforts to keep Jake alive despite making him creep along a rope above an almighty gorge, is that it doesn't do to ask Bear what he thinks of Vegemite. Jake's opinion on this substance is not known. Personally, I would say to any Australian reading here that you're very lucky to have Vegemite - consider the alternative: marmite.

Japan gets ready! Three weeks to go until Source Code

Source Code has almost reached Japan. It's taking its time but on 28 October, Source Code at last opens. Obviously, we all hope it does very well, not least so that Japan doesn't have to wait as long again for Jake's films or those by Duncan Jones. I'm grateful to Mayumintolor for keeping an eye on everything for us in Japan. She has sent these pages from the October issue of the cinema complex magazine Cine Com Walker.

Jake Gyllenhaal supports Michelle Williams as her film My Week with Marilyn premieres in NYC

2011-10-10T18:30:00.000+01:00

Last night (9 October), Michelle Williams' new film - My Week with Marilyn - premiered at the New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Center. There to support Michelle, just as he did at the premiere of Blue Valentine last December, was her good friend, her daughter's godfather and Brokeback co-star Jake Gyllenhaal. They posed together at the cocktail party hosted by Grey Goose and Dior at the Hudson Hotel, with Michelle looking absolutely breathtaking in her Dior gown. Mind you, not that Jake looks shabby and with his new never-be-seen-without fashion accessory - the specs - he made sure that he could enjoy the film afterwards by being able to see it.

There are more pictures of the event at the Mail and at Socialitelife.

This seems like the perfect opportunity to repost that lovely picture from the Blue Valentine premiere, here via Just Jared.

The Marilyn in question in Michelle's new film is, of course, Marilyn Monroe. Take a look at the trailer below. As you can see it is also overflowing with English national treasures.

Pictures from links.

Jake Gyllenhaal celebrates Yom Kippur with the brainy look

2011-10-09T14:17:00.000+01:00

After reports of Jake Gyllenhaal having been seen in 9 out of every 10 organic cafes in the city of New York, it's good news indeed that this weekend we get our first glimpse for quite a while. This enables us to check on the progress of the Hair and the Face Pet, both of which seem to be in recovery after the devastation wreaked on them by End of Watch. It's also a bit of a red letter day for another reason. On attending a service for Yom Kippur with the family yesterday (including the very gorgeous Peter Sarsgaard), Jake gave many of us our wish and let us see him with his 'proper' glasses on. Not those modern fad things known as sun shades, but bona fide specs that you read books with and do newspaper crosswords with. Looks like Jake has also taken up a new form of transport.

I hope that all readers who celebrate had a great day too!

Earlier in the day, Jake decided to make Central Park look extra lovely.

On Thursday (6 October), Jake took his muscles for a smoothie and a laugh at Organic Avenue, which specialises in the 'food of love' and is not only organic but also vegan.

Pictures from Just Jared and IHJ - there are many more there!

My review of the Scorsese documentary Living in the Material World is now on MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal goes back to school and Anna Kendrick tells us more about 'brutal' and 'startling' End of Watch

2011-10-07T19:17:00.000+01:00

Jake Gyllenhaal has been putting in some more hours in the classroom. In addition to helping kids grow food with Edible Schoolyard, and distracting them in English classes with the help of Ethan Hawke (full account here and some pictures here), Jake spent some of yesterday at LaGuardia Arts in NYC with the dramatists and gatecrashers. Unfortunately, we have yet to see any pictures although quite a few of the pupils have been painting an image of the class with words.

From Aiss Ice baby: 'One he was so marvellous.he had on green cargo pants,with a hole above the knee,and a white t-shirt. his stuffed bookbag was on the floor next to him. on his little table there was a full, un-opened jug of orange juice. he answered questions,and made jokes and told all these wonderful little anecdotes about actors he knows. oh,he was just too good. also he said his only goal in acting was for people to be able to pronounce “gyllenhaal” correctly.'

From Arielleighrose: 'I met Jake Gyllenhaal today with my drama class at LaG. He came to speak to us and answer questions. He was down-to-earth, funny, and generally awesome and I loved him as much as I thought I would. He is a beautiful human being and I told him so and I got to shake his hand. It was amazing.'

It's good to think of Jake inspiring another generation of future actors and performers - as well as making them a little giddy.

Jake has also been seen just about everywhere else since then, including the Town Hall - with the Face Pet - and in shops and in cafes ('The fact that I'm sitting like 3 feet away from Jake Gyllenhaal right now is making it really difficult for me to eat my lunch'.) and in other cafes ('I just saw Jake Gyllenhaal at my coffee place... pretty eyes, nice hair, he's tall, good taste in coffee.... *le sigh* ah, he's beautiful'. And then there's always trains.

Fortunately, there were no lovely dogs distracting the tweeters this time...

End of Watch

I'm delighted to say that Anna Kendrick has been continuing to do her bit to tell us little bits about End of Watch, this time to the AV Club:

'In End Of Watch, I play a wife who doesn’t have her own storyline outside of being married to Jake Gyllenhaal. That freaked me out a little bit, because I thought, “Oh, this might be really bad,” but I feel like the wives in that movie, even though they don’t have their own storyline, they ground the entire thing, because if these men are putting their lives on the line in a vacuum, it feels like a videogame. It doesn’t matter. If you see their lives outside of that, it means something. There’s a reason for those kinds of roles, in a lot of cases.'

'It’s pretty tough. The script is really startling, but then surprisingly, you find moments of levity in places where you wouldn’t, necessarily. I was thinking about that, like, “Oh God, this is my first movie where there’s no comic angle, no infusion of comedy.” But then you get on set and you think, “Oh no, real life, when it feels honest, is really funny and really light, as much as it can be really dramatic.” I was surprised at that. It’s a startlingly brutal script, but I think there are moments of levity.'

Do read the rest of this interview, there is a lovely tribute to Michelle Williams' work in Brokeback Mountain.

Many thanks to IHJ for the wonderful new old pics from Good Girl's festival appearance at Sundance back in 2002. Thanks too to BBMISwear for the much appreciated help with some of the links.

My review of Melancholia, quite possibly my favourite film of the year so far, is up at MovieBrit.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Tribeca, some goodies from the icecap and a trip down memory lane...

2011-10-04T21:52:00.000+01:00

Jake Gyllenhaal is continuing to do his best to be seen by 7 out of every 10 people who inhabit the city of New York City. He is achieving this by drinking an awful lot of coffee, riding around on lots of bicycles and grabbing every train in sight. You may see an example of one of these activities here. One person was lucky enough to see him and described him as 'tall' (further contribution to the height debate), 'a cutie' and 'scruffy'. One can take that as further evidence that the Face Pet is making itself at home. Jake has been seen over the last day or two in Tribeca in particular. [See below for details but this photo is not from Tribeca... or anywhere near it.]

There is a full account here of Jake's appearance at a jewellery show, along with the lead of Vampire Weekend (a band, of course, that likes Jake just as he likes them if their videos are anything to go by). It sounds like Jake may have been exercising his flirting muscles while ogling at very expensive gems. Further examples may have been noted at Sting's bash.

Meanwhile, one other girl spotted Jake last week and had this to say: 'I just remembered that I saw Jake Gyllenhaal today in Union Square, but then I saw a really awesome dog so forgot all about it.' Thanks to Sasha for spotting that one! Gotta wonder what the dog looked like...

The wonderful pictures in this post are new old goodies from Earth Day back in 2005 when Jake and Salma Hayek visited an Inuit community. You can read about the visit here and here. Many thanks to IHJ for them.

And finally...

A real treat here, found by BBMISwear. This collection of old footage of Jake through the years is a joy and is different to the Biography clips that we've seen before. Enjoy it.

Jake Gyllenhaal spotted all over NYC, including at Sting's birthday bash, and a WDW Interlude

2011-10-02T20:19:00.000+01:00

Jake Gyllenhaal is a busy bee. He might be evading the cameras - with the exception of this photo taken by the MOMA cafe in New York, and another one here - but he's certainly getting about in the Big Apple. And so before we try and keep track of him, pinning those proverbial tacks in the proverbial NYC Gyllenmap, pull up a chair and relax...

First off, we have sightings of Jake yesterday at what is becoming a favourite, Angelica Kitchen. Jake's enthusiasm for this vegan watering hole is so great that he was seen cycling to it in the rain. He was joined by his mum (and a bevy of women checking their hair in the window).

Later in the day Jake put on his glad rags and headed out to join the biggest bash in the city last night - Sting's 60th birthday party at NYC's Beacon Theatre, a night that raised £2.5 million. Jake was one of many there, including Robert Downey Jr (who took to the stage to sing to the birthday boy), Bruce Springsteen and pretty much everyone else who's ever picked up a mic. Nothing like Sting turning 60 to make me feel old. I remember seeing him and Police on stage so many years ago... Hopefully, some pictures may turn up of Jake. With apologies for linking to the Daily Fail, there are pictures of many of the other guests there.

I have a very pleasant image to put into your heads. Jake has also been spotted at a steam baths... Keep that thought...

Having an encounter with Jake, as we've seen, moves people to blog. This encounter with Jake on Thursday was no different. You can read all about it here.

So, the message is clear. There are two possibilities if you live in NYC. 1) keep your eyes peeled at all times, particularly near Vegan or arty cafes, or 2) be an ageing rocker and throw a big bash.

Many thanks to IHJ for the new old pics from backstage at the SAG Awards back in 2004 and to BBMISwear and Mermon for links.

WDW Hot Autumnal Interlude

Taking full advantage of a stonkingly hot day, I spent a lovely Sunday exploring some of Oxford's beauty spots. Oxford's medieval stones love the golden shine of the sun.

The day included a visit to Hogwarts.

My review of Shark Night 3D at MovieBrit.

Anna Kendrick talks about the 'crazy' shoot for End of Watch and filming the trip to Las Vegas with Jake Gyllenhaal

2011-09-29T20:26:00.001+01:00

Anna Kendrick has been talking to Collider about 50/50 but while she did it there were a few words about a film I think we're all interested in - End of Warch - in which Anna plays the girlfriend and then wife of Jake Gyllenhaal's character. The whole experience was nothing less than 'crazy for Anna.

It was 'really loose, lots of improv, almost no thought towards continuity and editing, which is really freeing, because a lot is shot as handheld video. And we ended up shooting an entire trip to Las Vegas, driving out there and driving back and everything that we did in Las Vegas, without any script whatsoever. We shot continuously for fourteen hours which was... crazy!'

And finally... A WDW Interlude

I feel that I would be remiss not to mention that the UK is in the grip of a heatwave at the moment which puts the summer into shade. This is very unusual and as the weekend approaches it's only going to get hotter. With the leaves on the trees turned gold and red, it seems a little odd that we're basking in almost eighty degrees. No wind, no cloud - just still blue skies and hot, hot sun. And no humidity either. Mr WDW and I took the chance to head out into the country on the motorbike, saw hares and deer in the fields, and then, when the sun was down, feasted on the most luxurious fish pie in a country pub, the Abingdon Arms, that was a favourite haunt of Evelyn Waugh when he wrote one of my favourite novels, Brideshead Revisited.

My review of Fast and Furious 5 is now up at MovieBrit!

Jake Gyllenhaal and Prince of Persia, Source Code to be streamed in the UK

2011-09-28T19:17:00.000+01:00

Before we get going, I think it's time to exercise those little grey cells. Noone gets any dinner until they've spotted the differences. PS, Jake Gyllenhaal is hot in both - no difference there. Click and it shall be embiggened. Thanks to IHJ for the treat!

Not that long ago we heard that the US was getting the chance to download a digital version of Source Code ahead of its conventional release on DVD and blu ray. The film did well in all these forms of release. Now the good news is that LoveFilm, the UK film streaming service, has signed an agreement with Studio Canal (Optimum as was) to show Source Code this Autumn here. I like to think that the appeal of films like Source Code and Attack the Block has given this deal a push. Jake Gyllenhaal's movies are in and on demand. What with this and my blu ray and DVD copies of Source Code, this could be the film I have in the most formats (except for Brokeback and Zodiac - I have copies of those coming out of my ears).

Old (but young) friend of ours, Josh Hutcherson has been talking yet again, this time to MTV, about how he is inspired by Jake. Josh has done this with regularity throughout his emerging career and it's so good to see. 'I've always been a big Jake Gyllenhaal fan. I like how he goes from doing a bigger studio movie to a more independent film'. Jake's influence on youngsters is great to see, including his ability to pick his films.

Jake himself appears to still be in New York and, not letting himself be put off by the Source Code experience, has been seen riding the trains of the Big Apple.

Pictures from IHJ and the UK magazine All About Prince of Persia - possibly the only PoP publication in the entire world I didn't get...

Vote for Source Code in the SFX Awards and Jake Lumberjack Gyllenhaal eats his way through New York City

2011-09-25T20:11:00.000+01:00

As the year cracks on, it's time for another poll. You can still vote for Jake Gyllenhaal in the SCREAM awards - and please do keep clicking that link! - and now it's the SFX awards. Follow this link and vote for Duncan Jones and Source Code - and make sure you write down Jake's name as your proposed Sci Fi actor. You know it makes sense.

Talking of polls. Some make sense and some don't. This is possibly the least sense making of any that I've heard. Ever. Jake Gyllenhaal came second in a poll to decide which celebrity should marry Pippa Middleton, aka The Royal Sister. 'Ryan Reynolds topped thevote for The Royal Sister's Suitor - 22 per cent of readers thoughthe would make the perfect boyfriend for the Duchess of Cambridge'ssister Pippa Middleton. Jake Gyllenhaal and Leonardo DiCaprio tiedfor second place with 18 per cent.' Extraordinary. Of course, if The Royal Sister herself had been asked for her opinion, obviously Jake would have been top of her list.

Talking of Jake, sightings continue of him in the Big Apple, doing what he does best. Eating out. More alarming are reports that he's doing his lumberjack impression again. You know what that means - lumberjack one day, sasquatch the next. Here's another sighting and another... According to the NY Post, there was also a sighting of 'JakeGyllenhaal hanging with female friends Wednesday night at the bar ofAndrew Carmellini’s restaurant, The Dutch, in SoHo.'

While spotting Jake is causing some people to almost faint, it's moving others to words. This wonderful open letter to Jake was written after he was seen and marvelled over at New York's Angelica Kitchen. The food, which contains no animal, dairy or egg products, sounds incredible. Extra points to Jake for going vegan!

I do hope the restaurants of New York have got a lot of food in...

This post includes completely irrelevant but utterly lovely new old pictures of Jake Gyllenhaal at the Maui Film Festival in 2005, thanks to IHJ.

As the satellite draws closer, some new stills from October Sky - plus Maggie's milk tache

2011-09-23T20:14:00.002+01:00

Update: I think it missed us...

One would have thought that the chances of being hit by a satellite falling from space to earth are rather slight - in fact, it is 14,000 times more likely that you'll be struck by lightning. However, this is tempered somewhat by the 1 in 3,200 likelihood that the satellite will hit some unlucky soul (odds here). But, having seen Donnie Darko, I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up in the morning to find a big bit of space jetsam sitting on my doormat, winking at me. And so, as the satellite hurtles towards us, with impeccable and hopefully not portentous timing, IHJ has posted some new old publicity stills from Jake Gyllenhaal's most spacey adventure to date, October Sky. Here are just a few of the many.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to reflect that Jake has starred in another film about the end of life as we know it - The Day After Tomorrow - while in Source Code there was the very real possibility of oblivion for another American city and for Jake's character Colter.

This probably isn't a good night to rewatch Donnie Darko with its foretelling of the end of the world.

So, with eyes upwards, I wish you all a safe good night.

But first...

Maggie Gyllenhaal has added her name and picture to the milk campaign although, as one likes with the Gyllenhaals, there is a twist. Maggie advertises the more sophisticated latte rather than just milk. Although, looking at the picture, I think she's shoved a carton of ice cream in her face. Recompense for making the young Jake lap milk from a saucer at dinner parties?

I'm delighted to inform Maggie that I too have milk in my fridge, at least I think it's milk. It's not easy to tell due to the big lumps in it.

My review of Drive.

End of Watch, a big home movie? Get the look and have you voted for Jake Gyllenhaal yet?

2011-09-21T19:29:00.000+01:00

Anna Kendrick has been speaking to PoPSugar about the delights of working with Jake Gyllenhaal on End of Watch. Regrettably, she didn't tell them how tall Jake is. Nevertheless, it's all good:

"[It's been] great! He is one of the most open actors I've ever worked with. The whole set was crazy, since we were basically shooting it as though it was home movies. We didn't stop shooting it; there was hardly a second between takes where somebody didn't pick up one of the hand-held cameras. We just start shooting each other, which was a completely new experience for me but really exciting."

I have an image in my head of a line of cameramen sitting to one side, having a snooze with their feet up.

Get the look

Over the last few days, Jake has been getting some/even more attention for his look. As is the way with trendsetters, Jake's hair may be growing again but, according to Esquire, his buzzcut is The Look (but only if you have a nice looking head). Apparently, you should ask for 'Number One on the sides, Number Two up top'. Doesn't that make it a Number Three?

Meanwhile, SFGate has been handing out its 8 Get Sexy Styling Tips for Guys and there at Number 1 is Jake Gyllenhaal with his dark jeans.

Have you voted yet?

A friendly reminder that if you haven't voted for Jake yet as best scifi actor in the SCREAM awards, please get to it. And if you have, why not do it again...? Here is the link.

Includes pictures from IHJ.

Jake Gyllenhaal - HeightGate - and a revisit to SXSW

2011-09-20T19:16:00.000+01:00

It was only a matter of time. Sooner or later it had to come to the attention of the outside world. Never mind the hair length, never even mind the Face Pet, there is nothing quite so controversial as Jake Gyllenhaal's height. Much has been written, suggested, argued, threatened and teased over the years about Jake's inches and now you can read all about it in this fantastic feature. Of course, what it doesn't say is that Jake actually is a versatile actor. Therefore, like some kind of stretchy alien in the X Files, Jake can vary his height by will. Not only does this help Jake with getting certain roles, it can also get him cheaper bus tickets.

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. I hereby present a few exhibits for your perusal.

The bear below is actually only three foot tall:

So that's sorted then.

SXSW

Talking of photos of Jake, do take a look at these photos of Jake, Duncan Jones, Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan taken at the Q&A at the SXSW Festival. The photos were taken by Larry Richman. I'm grateful to him and ManMadeMovies for the link.

And finally...

if you want to know a little bit more about the cameras that Jake and Michael Pena have strapped to their bodies for End of Watch, take a look here.

Includes pictures from IHJ.

Jake Gyllenhaal in San Francisco and a WDW Dibley Interlude

2011-09-18T21:13:00.002+01:00

All is quiet on the Jake Gyllenhaal front at the moment, possibly because Jake has slipped away to the north to San Francisco and Berkeley. Jake was seen by a few tweeters at Four Barrel coffee shop on Friday night and then on Saturday he was snapped at the Berkeley Apple store. I'm so glad they were able to get a picture - proof indeed that the hair (and the face pet) is growing.

Thanks to IHJ, we also learn that Jake has signed a poster that is being auctioned for Edible Schoolyard. You can read about that here and also bid for it. IHJ also has new pictures of Jake appearing on Radio Europa in Moscow, back in those glorious PoP days of May 2010. There are a couple here and more can be found there.

WDW Dibley Interlude

I'm a big Vicar of Dibley fan and, even though the series was filmed just a few miles from where I live, today was the first time I've visited the beautiful village of Turville. And in the gorgeous warm autumnal sunshine too. Sitting outside in the beer garden looking at the wood smoke pouring out of the chimneys, it was idyllic. If you've seen the show, you may recognise the church and the vicarage. Of course, if you've never heard of Vicar Of Dibley (starring Dawn French), as is very possible, then apologies and I hope you like the photos of one of the prettiest villages in these parts!

A Vicar of Dibley reminder!

We also visited the windmill at Brill, a medieval village known for its clay pits (for pots), and Fengest, a village with one of the loveliest churches I've seen. Built in the early 13th century at the latest, it has a curious double set of towers. The day was rounded off by the site of two fallow deer running past us on the country roads.

Photos by WDW and links.

My review of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy at MovieBrit.