FILM 1959: WIDOWS

FILM 1959: WIDOWS

TRIVIA: This was Steve McQueen's first feature film that did not have Michael Fassbender in the cast.

According to Steve McQueen, Colin Farrell and Robert DuVall improvised many of their scenes.

The West Highland terrier featured in this film also appeared in Game Night (2018).

The film is based on the 1983 British TV series Widows (1983).

Ann Mitchell was also in the original British TV series.

FILM 1815: DAREDEVIL

FILM 1815: DAREDEVIL

TRIVIA: Ben Affleck was virtually blind, as he had to wear heavy-duty contact lenses, which blocked out most of his vision.

This is the first time Colin Farrell ever used his own Irish accent in an American movie.

As a fan of the character, Ben Affleck made a point of reading every single comic book that featured Daredevil as preparation for his role.

Although Ben Affleck is a fan of the character, acting him out was such an unpleasant experience that, in November 2006, Affleck stated that he would never reprise the role, having felt "by playing a superhero in 'Daredevil', I have inoculated myself from ever playing another superhero. Wearing a costume was a source of humiliation for me, and something I wouldn't want to do again soon." It is believed that the Daredevil costume was very uncomfortable to wear. However, in 2013 Affleck accepted an agreement to play Batman, starting with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).

Michael Clarke Duncan was often put on lifts or boxes, to make him tower over everyone else, particularly in his scenes with Ben Affleck, who is 6'4". The same thing was done for Duncan in The Green Mile (1999).

Stan Lee disliked the film, because he felt the film was "too tragic".

The film pays homage to numerous "Daredevil" writers and artists: Stan Lee: Daredevil's original creator makes his cameo as the man who young Matt Murdock stops from crossing the street. Wrote Daredevil (1964-1969). Kirby, the lab assistant played by Kevin Smith (see final item): Comic book artist Jack Kirby (assorted Daredevil covers in 1964-1968). Father Everett: Bill Everett, Daredevil's original artist (drew first issue of Daredevil in 1964, then assorted covers 1966-1972). Jose Quesada (the rapist): Joe Quesada, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, and artist of Daredevil 1998-2000. Colan (a boxer): Gene Colan, another Daredevil artist 1966-1974. John Romita (the boxer, against whom Jack Murdock is supposed to dive): John Romita Sr., Sr. was a Daredevil artist in 1966, and John Romita Jr. was a Daredevil artist 1988-1990. Kane (a thug): Gil Kane, Daredevil cover artist 1971=1978. Miller, Mack, Bendis (other boxers): Frank Miller, writer and artist 1979-1983, David Mack, artist 1999-2001, and Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Daredevil beginning 1999, and was still doing so when the film came out. Kevin Smith, author whose Daredevil work is collected in "Daredevil Visionaries: Kevin Smith", appears as the lab assistant Kirby, named for another artist mentioned above.

Ben Affleck was cast as Daredevil because Kevin Smith (appearing here as Kirby the lab tech) suggested him to Writer and Director Mark Steven Johnson. Smith, who directed Affleck in four films from the "View Askewniverse" series, and would later reunite in Jersey Girl (2004), also wrote at least one of the comic books, on which this movie is based.

Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Lucy Liu, Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes, Mía Maestro, Rhona Mitra, Jolene Blalock, and Neve Campbell were considered for the role of Elektra.

Michael Clarke Duncan and Ben Affleck appeared in Armageddon (1998).

FILM 1794: THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

FILM 1794: THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

TRIVIA: Heart surgery scenes in the film are real. They were filmed during an operation on a real patient who was undergoing quadruple bypass surgery which Colin Farrell attended.

The film's title comes from the ending of the tragedy Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides.

When Steven is at the school for the parent teacher conference, the principal tells him that Kim wrote a paper on Iphigenia for which she got an A, and that was read aloud to the class. Iphigenia, in Greek mythology, is the daughter of Agamemnon -- she who was to be sacrificed for the sins of her father.

Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell began working together on The Beguiled (2017), only a few weeks later they wrapped filming on this film. Both films would go on to be in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and both would win awards in the official competition ("The Beguiled" won the Directing award for Sofia Coppola while "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" shared the Screenplay award with Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here (2017)).

Second collaboration between Yorgos Lanthimos and Colin Farrell, the first being The Lobster (2015).

FILM 1732: THE BEGUILED

TRIVIA: For this film, Sofia Coppola won the prize of Best Director at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. It marked the first time in 50 years a woman won the award, and only the second time overall.

The production ran into a minor crisis when several costumes were completely ruined in the washing machine. According to costume designer Stacey Battat, her creations were doomed as someone put bleach in the washing machine and forgot, and then put clothes in the same machine. The costumes had to be recreated immediately for the production not to run off schedule.

The sponge scene with Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell required several takes, as the afternoon light inflicted the cinematography. By the time the scene wrapped, Kidman had sponged Farrell for almost two hours.

Sofia Coppola chose the 1.66 : 1 aspect ratio because she wanted to make the film feel claustrophobic.

Interior scenes were filmed in the New Orleans home of actress Jennifer Coolidge.

Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell began filming this film only few weeks after they finished working together on The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). Both films would go on to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and would win awards in the official competition ("The Beguiled" won the Directing award for Sofia Coppola while "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" shared the Screenplay award with Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here (2017)).

Shot in 26 days.

The cast went through several lessons during filming. They had a sewing teacher, a dancing teacher, took etiquette classes, corset training lessons and had to cook and eat meals together. A Civil War reenactor demonstrated how to dress wounds, and a priest explained prayers from the Book of Matthew and Sofia Coppola distributed an antebellum etiquette book, titled "How to Be a Good Southern Lady".

Colin Farrell's favorite shoot in his career, praising his co-stars and his director; "To be surrounded by talented, decent, smart, insightful creative and serious women - I was spoiled by Sofia Coppola who set a particular mood of comfort, ease and trust. It allows you as an actor to play and explore."

Sofia Coppola stated that this is NOT a remake of the 1971 film of the same title, but an adaption of the same Thomas Cullinan novel that film is based on.

FILM 1495: THE LOBSTER

TRIVIA: The production worked almost entirely with natural light and without make-up. Lighting was only used for some night scenes.

Mainly filmed in and around the Parknasilla Hotel in Sneem, County Kerry in Ireland.

The song that David and the Short-sighted woman synchronize their CD players with and dance to in the woods, is "Where The Wild Roses Grow" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds featuring Kylie Minogue.

Jason Clarke was cast in the lead role but he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.