State of Play

The new political drama/thriller State of Play, starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, looks awesome. Definitely something I’m trying to catch this weekend, and considering the scorching hot weather here in LA, I think I’m going to be attending a matinee. Russell Crowe rarely disappoints when he’s used in roles like this, and I actually think Ben Affleck will probably be OK in this role, too.

For those of you who don’t know about this movie, there’s a trailer below and it also features a great song, “Unstoppable” by Minutes Til Midnight. Minutes Til Midnight is another Los Angeles-based band that seems to be on the rise. They’re a bit like Shapes of Race Cars (who I’ve previously blogged about here) in that they mix electronic and indie rock influences, but they’re a little heavier and a little darker i.e. less Kill Hannah more Black Angels. Check it out in the trailer below, or listen to the full version of it on the band’s MySpace page.

Update: Saw the movie over the weekend…and although I thought Russell Crowe did a fine job (as expected) it was Jason Bateman that stole the show. He doesn’t have a huge role, but his character, Dominic Foy, is definitely the most intriguing aspect of this film. Though the script overall doesn’t have as much of the wit and humor that the mini-series had, Bateman’s leather-clad, Oxy-addicted, larger-than-life version of Foy strikes a nice balance of darkness and humor to counteract the sometimes overly serious tone of the film.

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State of Play Official Website

Minutes Til Midnight on MySpace