Watching The Office

Fans of Ricky Gervais (The Office UK) have something new to look forward to. BBC is reporting that he is once again teaming up with Stephen Merchant for a feature film called, The Men at the Pru. The movie centers on the tribulations of the 20-something year olds in the early seventies. The writing pair, who also collaborated in the HBO series, Extras,  are already doing research at the Prudential headquarters, where they have actually found footages from that decade.

Gervais is also doing another film for Hollywood with Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman (who both starred in Juno) and Rob Lowe. Entitled, The Side of the Truth, Gervais is actually writing, directing and starring in the said movie about a community where nobody lies, until an actor (Gervais) changes everything. It is set for release by the next year.

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, The Office UK, The Men at the Pru, The Side of the Truth, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Rob Lowe

I’m one of those who have yet to watch or witness an Independent Spirit Awards ceremony. The show is broadcasted live on IFC, of which I have no access to. It would have been something I’d anticipate and enjoy, since I hear it’s quite a laid-back affair with everyone just chilling out inside a tent located at the beach. Sounds fun right? Fortunately, thanks to technology (video streaming), people like me are able to see some of the highlights during the awards night.

There are currently five videos of Rainn Wilson, the event’s host, circulating on Youtube. It is of him auditioning for films like Paranoid Park, The Diving Bell and Butterfly, I’m Not There and A Mighty Heart. These were all nominated for Best Feature. But my favorite would have to be his Juno audition (a movie he’s actually part of), in which he tries for the role Michael Cera played in the movie, complete with that golden shorts:

The rest of the videos are available here.

Rainn Wilson, Spirit Awards, Rainn Wilson Audition Videos

Dan In Real Life is opened in the theaters in my area the other day and I had been eagerly waiting for a chance to watch this one since last year. The film gave me the same feeling I got when I was watching the movie, Say Anything, when I was 14 years old ages ago. It just makes you wanna fall in love, which is why, I’m calling this the Say-Anything-for-the-30’s.

Although a lot of the kinks in that three-day holiday in Dan’s life seems to be happening all at once (and therefore, not so possible in real life), I love that it still comes off as real as possible. Juliet Binoche’s portrayal of her character is unexpected but it’s refreshing to see her in this film. She isn’t exactly the sexy bombshell Hollywood shoves at your throat, but she is oozing with sensuality and I love the pair up with Steve Carell. I’m so convinced their characters are each other’s soul mate. You could really tell that their relationship will not just be about the physical attraction; they’re the type of couple who can grow old together, nurturing each other emotionally and mentally (when you’re 30 years old and up, that’s what’s more important).

Of course, Steve Carell was amazing in this film…I felt for his Dan, a sweet guy who deserves to find his personal happiness.

The supporting cast is hilariously charming, too.

There is so much heart in this film. And it reflects the joys and pain of love as real as it can be for someone who’s in mid-age.

Dan in Real Life, Steve Carell, Juliet Binoche

A blurb of an Office spoiler lands in an E! column the other day. And it has something to do with the possibility of Karen coming back for more episodes.  I do hope this turns out to be true — I still would like to see Karen in the show once in a while. Here’s what was on E!:

(Fan question) Any scoop on the new episodes of The Office coming in April?

Just that Rashida Jones told me last week at the Unhitched premiere party that she was originally slated to do another episode this season! No telling if that will still work in this wacky poststrike environment, but it seems we might not yet have seen the last of Utica’s lovely Karen Filippelli. | Watch with Kristin

The Office, Karen Filippeli, Rashida Jones

E! Online got to chat with Rainn Wilson and they asked him if real-life Angela’s pregnancy is going to be written into TV Angela’s story. “They probably would have had a mystery baby for Angela and you don’t know if it’s Dwight’s or Andy’s. That would have been so much fun, but I don’t think they will do it, ’cause she’s already six to seven months pregnant now. It’s ridiculous, I think they’ll need to shoot around her big belly.” Kristin of E! writes, however, that writers may be doing a Lost fast forward in the upcoming episodes, so that’s roughly five months of The Office time gone by.

As a fan, would you have wanted TV Angela to bear Dwight’s baby though or just completely ignore this storyline? I think it would be interesting to see a different facet to their characters —- Dwight and Angela as parents…and as I write this, I’ve got an image of a 3 year old Dwight Mini-Me on my head and I find myself laughing about it! But then, it would be too quick for us to assume the baby is Dwight when Andy is also in the picture. There’s another huge storyline we haven’t fully explored yet.

Meanwhile, still on Rainn Wilson — AZ Central reports he will be gracing a charity event this weekend. The cause? The Mona Foundation, which “supports education worldwide and works to raise the status of women and girls.”

Did you know that he also recently brightened a 9 year old amputee’s day by sending him a greeting when the little one received new prosthetic legs? The boy is said to be a big Dwight fan.

And God bless you, Rainn Wilson for not forgetting these little but more meaningful things.

Rainn Wilson, Dwight Schrute

As she has written on her blog, production rolls for The Office on the 3rd of March as the cast and crew shoots for the episode, Dinner Party. Jenna also writes that there will be an hour-long finale, the last of the six episodes they will be doing once they get back.

She also wrote about her first paparazzi encounter just recently:

My first thought was “Whoa! There must be a famous person shopping here!” I turned around to see who it was. That’s when I realized the famous person was me. I freaked out. My instinct was to duck and run. I look over my shoulder and my sister is stuck behind 4 people. She’s decided to put the cart away…so I give her a look like, “Ditch the cart! Hurry up!” She’s all confused thinking, “Why is my sister running and why does she hate this cart so much?”

Follow the complete story on Jenna’s MySpace.

Jenna Fischer, The Office

I admit I have no idea what this WonderCon is all about but apparently it is a huge thing among comic book and science fiction fanatics living in the Bay Area. It has been going on since ‘87 and last weekend, Steve Carell graced the event with his Get Smart co-star Anne Hathaway.

Check this website out for the videos.
And you can also follow more accounts at OfficeTally.
IESB interview with Steve Carell here.
More accounts from the WonderCon may be read here, here and here both from fans and the press.
And this news is for Office fans — a scoop!

• A fan asked Carell if he would do more writing in the future. Carell said he didn’t write any for the current season, but he just got off from two weeks of jury duty and plans to turn his experience into an episode where his character Michael Scott has to perform jury duty.

Steve Carell, WonderCon 2008, Get Smart, The Office

Steve Carell, looking every inch a dashing gentleman in his classic suit and tie (watch out James Bond!) arrives at the Oscar stage oozing with confidence. With his beautiful Get Smart co-star Anne Hathaway draped in his arms, he was so in the moment, and was ready to present the award for Best Documentary. He said his lines rather seriously and was looking very dignified. Except that they were not there to present Best Documentary, but the award for Animated Film.

Of course, the whole thing was a bit. Quickly, Steve Carell shifted and pretended to be so stupid at it. From channeling James Bond, he was instantly Michael Scott, or rather Maxwell Smart, as this pair of presenters was seen together in relation to their new movie (coming in May).

Their short time on the Oscar stage was one of the highlights of last night’s show for me. And seeing them together for the first time — I don’t know about you, but there was genuinely a chemistry between this two (in a more professional level). They look good together and rehearsed their bit very well, it almost was spontaneous. Never was I so appreciative of Anne Hathaway as I am now (didn’t like her all that much in her other movies). So, whoever thought to get them as presenters as part of the film promotion was doing something right — I’m quite excited to watch Get Smart!

As for the awards, the winner of the Outstanding Animated Feature eventually went to Ratatouille.

Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Oscar Awards, Get Smart, Best Animated Film Oscar Awards

This is rather an early announcement but I do enjoy watching Saturday Night Live once and a while. So, I’m a growing with anticipation for its return tomorrow, especially with Tina Fey as host and Ellen Page for the following week. I also learned Steve Carell will be on the show sometime May and in time for the release of his new movie, Get Smart. Aside from Steve, these are the other guests SNL viewers can all expect in the coming months:

With an eye toward making the return show come off as smooth as possible — and because he knew the phone number by heart — Mr. Michaels asked Ms. Fey to step in as host this week. Ms. Fey first gained fame on “SNL� as a writer and performer before moving on to the show she created and now stars in, “30 Rock.�

Mr. Michaels acknowledged that Ms. Fey has enough on her plate in trying to get her own show ready to go. “It couldn’t come at a worse time for her,� he said. “But she didn’t know why I was calling.� So she answered the phone and sealed her fate.

Mr. Michaels said that even with her familiarity with the show, he picked Ms. Fey as host because “it was just the right time for her.� He noted that she had won a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award and a Producers Guild award in recent months, “all in stealth fashion.� Next week’s host is Ellen Page, star of the Oscar-nominated film “Juno.� After that things get murky until May when Shia LeBoeuf and Steve Carell are committed, largely because both have films (“Indiana Jones� for Mr. LeBoeuf and “Get Smart� for Mr. Carell) opening this spring.

Other committed guests went by the boards over the 100-day strike, including actors like Edie Falco and Ben Affleck. The singer Amy Winehouse had also been scheduled to appear. “I don’t think anyone can put that back together,� Mr. Michaels said.

Despite the worries about whether fans can be coaxed back, Mr. Michaels and Mr. Meyers said they were delighted to be back to the “SNL� grind.

“We’re going to have to do Obama this week,� Mr. Michaels said. “We need to find our Obama.� | NYTimes

I have quite an errand to do today so I’m just gonna leave a very long interview of Steve Carell from MTV. Enjoy the day ahead!…

More Steve stories after the jump…

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Rainn Wilson’s movie, The Rocker, is about to be release and Elle Magazine sits down with him for a chat…

ELLE: I read that your dad was a hippie sci-fi writer who worked at a sewage company. What sort of sex talk could one expect from a man like that?
Rainn Wilson: My sex talk from this bohemian sewer-truck dispatcher science-fiction writer abstract painter consisted of him coming into my room when I was 12 and going, “Uh, so listen, make sure you don’t get any girls pregnant. A lot of girls will try to get pregnant so they can get their claws into you.â€?

ELLE: Were there indeed a lot of girls hoping you’d impregnate them?
RW: Oh, sure. There were a lot of girls in Lake Forest Park, Washington, just lining up to bear the child of a chess-playing, acne-speckled loser.

ELLE: You’ve described trauma resulting from being a Dungeons & Dragons-playing, bassoon-tooting nerd. If your three-year-old son, Walter, could be in a popular high school clique or a nerdy one, which would you choose?
RW: Definitely the nerd clique. Nerds are everywhere. Now there are these mopey rock bands filled with nerds. You might be made fun of for a few years, but later on, all the popular kids will be detailing your car.

ELLE: Have you ever told a woman something you wish you could take back?
RW: “I’m going out of town. Will you babysit my cat?â€? Back around 1990 in New York, I wanted to break up with a girl but I was going out of town for a week, and I was like, If I break up with her, I can’t ask her to cat-sit. So I came back, got my cat, then broke up with her. She then told everyone in New York what a heinous person I was.

ELLE: How do you imagine the sex life of Dwight and Angela on The Office?
RW: I don’t think they’ve actually gone all the way. I see a lot of full-scale frottage, like really sexy but clothed; they’re probably both in long underwear.

More after this jump…

Rainn Wilson, The Rocker

Oh boy, do I’ve got a running theme for today! Adult-oriented content? From the cast of The Office? Naaah. But I bet you did a double take when you saw the headline, huh?

Anyway, yes it’s true —Jenna Fischer will be on Playboy Magazine. But not in a way you think (although she’s one gorgeous woman, she can do Playboy anytime!). Jenna has an interview on it with David Resin. The issue will hit stands March 2008.

Meanwhile, Rainn Wilson did drop his pants down for a comedy sketch he has done for the Spirit Awards (which he will host on Feb 23).“When I signed up I said, `I’m not a standup comedian. I’m happy to tell jokes and stuff but it’s not really what I do. And you know, they were like, `Great, let’s film some stuff and make it close to what you did when you hosted “Saturday Night Live.” That’s kind of what we’re aiming for - just funny comedy stuff. I assure you, I make an (idiot) of myself. My (butt) is actually revealed a couple of different times, so if anyone’s curious about what my (butt) might look like ……I don’t know why they would be. It’s all for a laugh. My body being exposed is good for a great deal of laughs. They use it on `The Office’ quite a bit when they need a laugh - they have me take my shirt off.”

The Spirit Awards is like the opposite of the Oscars, because the ceremony itself is a completely different atmosphere. Says Rainn Wilson, “It’s on a beach in a tent in Santa Monica so it’s more freewheeling. There’s no time limit as to how long people can talk. It’s kind of a ramshackle, crazy awards show that’s really about cutting-edge cinema, and it’s really for movie fans and actor fans.”

Jenna Fischer, Jenna Fischer on Playboy Magazine, Rainn Wilson, Rainn Wilson at the Spirit Awards, Spirit Awards

Yep, they are definitely back and are working on new episodes to begin airing April 10 and I couldn’t be more excited about it!

Courtesy of OfficeTally

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Just a quick heads-up!

Steve Carell will be on Oprah today. His movie Get Smart is almost coming to theaters.

Also, Angela will be with Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show tonight. Incidentally, Angela also has a couple of blog updates. You might wanna swing by and catch up on her exciting domestic activities. And also check her NBC page for video updates. I hear there will be new video uploads soon.

The Office, Steve Carell, Angela Kinsey

I know, I know…this isn’t exactly The Office territory anymore, and it would have to look like Karen has moved on from her break up with Jim. But I know we still have some Rashida Jones fans visiting this site, so I bring you this behind the scenes clip from her new show, Unhitched, which will be airing on Fox.

Aside from this, Rashida, a fashionista, is also set to launch a clothing line, Laloo, this month:

Her career is seriously taking off in all kinds of direction. Good for her and good luck, too!

Rashida Jones, The Office, Unhitched, Laloo