August 9, 200619 yr "Warning Sign" is on the soundtrack for Zack Braff's new movie "The Last Kiss" the rest of the CD is also amazing, its got snow patrol, fiona apple, athlete, imogen heap, rufus wainwright, ray lamontage...it's great! any other garden state/zack braff fans heard about this (or are as excited as me :)?? http://www.myspace.com/thelastkiss
August 9, 200619 yr Yeah I heard about it a couple of days ago, can't wait to see the film and buy the soundtrack, Zach Braff is a genius, at least in choosing songs for his movie soundtracks ;) I especially love the fact that he never chooses the best-selling songs from X&Y, but the classics, like Warning Sign this time and Sparks for his last movie!
August 9, 200619 yr the soundtrack looks awesome, and ill def. see the movie. comes out sept. 15! my favorite coldplay song is on the soundtrack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance:
August 9, 200619 yr has anyone ot the soundstrack to uplaod yet? i really want to get the proper cd when it comes out but that wont be for a few months. i found out the movie is going to be release in feb next for us!
August 10, 200619 yr Zach Braff rules! :D i had already created a thread about Last Kiss and its soundtrack so i'm going to repeat myself: of course i'm excited, garden state was a great movie as well as its soundtrack and Last Kiss seems to be the same! i've seen the trailer and really liked so now i'm just gonna have to wait! btw, scrubs is great too!
August 12, 200619 yr yea i just saw the site for this soundtrack yesterday..it looks awesome! i loved the garden state soundtrack (and movie) and this one looks like its just as good :) hahah im already really tempted to go get it from itunes :D
August 18, 200619 yr The Last Kiss Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Zach Braff delivers another beguiling mix CD Hollywood's love affair with music has been going on since the days when films were silent. But it's relatively recent in the history of cinema that music and film have become so co-dependent on one another. Actors become musicians, musicians become actors, DJs turn into actors, composers, and more. While Shannyn Sossamon may have achieved a certain notoriety for being discovered while DJing in LA and continues to divide her time between the clubs and the silver screen, it's Zach Braff who is quickly becoming the mix tap king of Tinseltown. The soundtrack to Braff's debut feature film Garden State proved that the young actor/screenwriter/director had more than an ear for dialogue and an eye for detail. The songs inhabiting his film fit perfectly with the onscreen drama, making his deft use of source material one of the shining examples of how to integrate contemporary music into the motion pictures and in turn create a score out of other people's music. For his second foray into soundtrack/commercial mix tap territory, Braff more or less follows the blueprint he laid down with GS. That is to say he goes for the throat of swelling emotion and introspective bliss. This is made blatantly obvious with "Chocolate," the first track on the album. While maybe not as "hip" as plucking one of Snow Patrol's earlier, quirkier, and less mainstream numbers from the crates, still the chiming guitars, crystalline vocals, and shimmering effervescence set the mood and tone of what is to follow. Joshua Radin delivers a Simon & Garfunkle vibe of softly sung vocals and minimal acoustic accompaniment on "Star Mile." This slides into Turin Brake's skidding, upbeat acoustic shuffle "Pain Killer," which in turn melts into Coldplay's "Warning Sign" before tipping gently into Cary Brothers' Bono inspired vocalistics on "Ride." Next up is Athlete's bouncy mid-tempo jubilance "El Salvador." Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" is a stripped down, almost Laurie Anderson sounding number that creates a wispy, almost ethereal sense of detachment. Rachel Yamagata joins Heap as one of the four femme fatales included on this collection. Her sultry alto and mellow piano accompaniment providing wonderful juxtaposition to her male counterparts on the album. The remaining women included on the album range from Fiona Apple, with her shuffling "Paper Bag" and Aimee Mann with the strange country pop psychedelic pop lope of "Today's The Day." The way that Braff has intermingled high profile women (Apple) along with cult heroes (Mann) and newcomers (Yamagata) is a nice touch. The rest of the album is comprised of entries from Ray LaMontagne (the blues lite of "Hold You In My Arms"), Remy Zero ("Prophecy" is easily the most up-tempo number contained herein), Amos Lee (the down tempo luster of "Arms of a Woman"), Rufus Wainwright (the beguiling torch song elements of "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise)"), and Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk (the acoustic duet "Paperweight"). Pretty much each of these entries fit into the overall mood of the album, with perhaps the exception of "Prophecy." It's the one track that seems just a tad out of place, mostly due to the electric surge it imparts. Yet even as it sticks out from the rest, it also serves as an emotional release, a pick me up just as the album begins to wind down. So, while it sticks out like a sore thumb, it still manages to burrow its way into the mix and become an integral part of the whole. As with Garden State - Music From The Motion Picture, Braff has created a seamless mix of songs that flow together and maintain a distinct mood. To this end, the album is one of those Sunday morning listens, the type of album you slip on while you and your significant other lay in bed, dusting sleep from your system and weighing the options of getting up and making coffee or rolling back underneath the sheets. But perhaps the greatest accomplishment Braff has made is that he's brought together a passel of artists I wouldn't normally listen to under my own volition and has made a beguiling CD that will warm the cockles of your heart and keep your head lodged in a cloud of romantic beatitude. http://uk.music.ign.com/articles/726/726212p1.html
September 10, 200619 yr Goodbye, Scrubs? WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — No one is more surprised than Zach Braff that he has become a movie star. But there he was two years ago, the male lead in "Garden State," a comedy about a failed actor returning home to New Jersey for his mother's funeral, a movie he also wrote and directed. And here he is headlining "The Last Kiss," opening Friday, a much-touted film about a commitment-phobic thirtysomething guy who risks a longtime relationship when an opportunity for a fling with a college coed comes his way. Zach Braff, movie star. Even he finds it hard to figure. "The only way I can rationalize it in my head is that a lot of people relate to someone they feel is like them or like someone they know. I very often get, 'Hey, you remind me so much of this guy I went to high school with' or 'You remind me of my college buddy.' I think people can relate to me, y'know? "I never knew anyone who looked like Brad Pitt in real life. You see Brad Pitt and you go, 'Wow, that's a movie star. That's what a movie star looks like.' "There's nothing special about me, y'know. I'm just like every other guy. I think guys think I could be them." Braff, who seems to be capturing the same cool demographic that John Cusack once did, became a star on TV's ensemble comedy "Scrubs," playing the goofy, pratfall-prone Dr. John Dorian. But very few expected Braff's big screen leap. "Garden State," however, proved he was a multi-talent, and could hold his own with stars such as Ian Holm and Natalie Portman. Still, he had a hard time finding the right project to follow "Garden State." Not that he was trying to be picky. "To be honest, I was just looking for something that I would go see. When I made "Garden State," I set out to make that kind of movie, because I feel like they are too few and far between. And then after the success of it, I got sent dozens of scripts that were all movies I would never go see or have any interest in being in." Then, unexpectedly, came the script for "The Last Kiss," the story of a guy turning 30 and having a hard time dealing with it. The milestone is not helped by the news that his girlfriend of seven years (Jacinda Barrett, "Poseidon") is pregnant, nor by a sudden encounter with flirtatious younger woman ("The O.C.'s" Rachel Bilson) that leaves him smitten. It is a smart romantic comedy by Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Crash," and Braff knew he had found his next movie. "I related to it. I thought it was unabashedly honest and real and I couldn't believe that a studio was actually going to release a movie that real. With a protagonist that doesn't do all the right things," says Braff. "This subject matter has been dealt with a thousand times, but always in a glossed over, studio, everything-works-out kind of way. I just felt like, wow, this is such an honest telling of this, and real and gritty, I just was so impressed by it and I got them to promise me they weren't going to change it. When they said 'Yes,' then I signed on." It takes chutzpah, but Braff asked Haggis if he could mess with the screenplay. "I mean Paul Haggis is a genius, a pretty damn talented guy. Still, I asked him if I could just tweak a little of the banter. I think I write pretty decent banter, and I am the age of the character, I have a similar group of friends. And I also thought there were a few places in the movie where it could have a little more comedy, a few more moments of relief." Among Braff, Haggis and director Tony Goldwyn (the underrated "A Walk on the Moon"), they agreed to jettison the film's original ending to make it a little more ambiguous. "The ending used to have sort of an epilogue which neatly wrapped everything up. We just felt like these situations don't get wrapped up so easily," Braff explains. "We wanted to have some openness and have the audience be able to do some thinking for themselves. We wanted it to inspire conversation and we felt that by cutting off the epilogue it really made it a better movie." The last thing any of them wanted for "The Last Kiss" was a tidy Hollywood ending. "Obviously there was a temptation to do that, but we felt like we had made a pretty courageous, honest movie, why not do it the whole way through." Compared with "Garden State," "The Last Kiss" was a much easier assignment for Braff, who only had to worry about his own performance. "Writing, directing and acting in a movie is pretty crazy and I can only do it so often," he feels. "If you're going to do it, you have to be willing to sort of eat, drink, breathe the movie. I think when it was my baby and it was my passion project, I was really able to do that." Braff is passionate about "The Last Kiss," but is only a hired hand on the film. Nevertheless, he appreciated the deference Goldwyn afforded him, director-to-director. "I think more often than not, I was willing to give my two cents and he was great about it. I think because he was a fan of my film and respected me as a filmmaker, so he was never annoyed by me and my constant questions." In fact, "The Last Kiss" is a much Americanized remake of an Italian film from 2001, "L'Ultimo Bacio." Considerable adaptation was deemed necessary, because of cultural differences between the two nations. "They seem a little more tolerant of infidelity," Braff notes. "In the Italian movie, he doesn't come clean and admit that he slept with (the college girl) and then the movie ends with them sort of happily ever after. We were very clear about having him be completely honest and taking responsibility for his actions. I think there's something very big about that, as a person. At the risk of losing the love of his life, he chooses being a bigger person. I think that makes us root for him." Braff actually has done more than just act on the movie. He's the soundtrack's executive producer and has directed some music videos for artists on the disc, such as Joshua Radin and the Cary Brothers. While he hasn't won an Oscar or an Emmy, "Garden State" did earn Braff a Grammy Award for the movie's soundtrack, which is said to have made a significant contribution to the film's box office success. Naturally, director Goldwyn and production company Lakeshore asked Braff to do the same for "The Last Kiss." He insists the process is hardly brain surgery. "I just choose music that I like that I think is conducive for the movie," says Braff, who opted for such musical acts and singer-songwriters as Coldplay, Remy Zero and Aimee Mann. "A song isn't good for a movie just because you love the song. It has to be able to evoke certain emotions without upstaging the dialogue and the characters. It's sort of got a miniature bit of a science to it." Although he is single, Braff says there was plenty for him to relate to in "The Last Kiss." "Just the fear, the fear of not having any more surprises in your life, the fear of being bored and the concept of having someone be the last person you're ever going to kiss." He even owns up to having anxiety over commitment in his own life (in the past, he has been linked romantically to actress-singer Mandy Moore). "Well, of course. I'm 31 years old, y'know. I want to have a family and all that stuff, so of course it's something I can relate to." While he will see the film with a public audience for the first time at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival, Braff is encouraged by the response it is getting at small private screenings. "I think what we're looking for, and we're getting from the press reaction and from friends and family, is it's the kind of movie that people are talking about the next day and getting into interesting discussions. It's actually inciting conversation, which I think is the sign of a great movie. "There's going to be plenty of discussions on the way home. In some homes it's going to lead to some great sex and in some homes it's going to lead to some big fights." http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/featr/content/shared/living/stories/2006/09/ZACH_BRAFF_0910_COX.html
September 12, 200619 yr Meet mixmaster Zach Braff From ‘Garden State’ to ‘Last Kiss,’ this actor knows how to score a film In this post-Napster era, fans are turning their backs on the corporate tastemakers who once dictated limited playlists with an iron fist. Internet radio services such as Pandora Media and Last.fm now allow music fans to comb the playlists of their peers, and discover obscure artists previously relegated to independent record stores in remote college towns. Such musical anarchy is shifting the balance of power from major record labels to the consumer. There is, however, one man who can bridge the gap between consumer taste and corporate culture. That man is Zach Braff. The star of the latest 20-something ennui dramedy “The Last Kiss,” Braff received groundbreaking Hollywood deal. It seems that the affable actor was hired, at least in part, for his ability to put together a killer soundtrack. As the writer, director and star behind the 2004 surprise low-budget hit “Garden State,” Braff also hit with his movie’s soundtrack. Featuring artists such as Coldplay, Imogen Heap, Remy Zero and the Shins, it sold 1.2 million copies, won a Grammy, and launched the careers of several lesser-known artists, most notably the Shins. “Garden State” moved Braff’s career beyond the goofy Dr. John Dorian on the sitcom “Scrubs.” Its mixtape style made Braff the official face of the music industry’s future. Though hailed as “Garden State’s” spiritual sequel, the film “The Last Kiss,” is no low-dough Braff production. For one thing, “Last Kiss,” has a $20 million budget. The screenplay is by Paul Haggis, writer of Oscar-winning films “Crash” and “Million Dollar Baby.” By putting Braff in charge of the soundtrack, “Last Kiss” producers are banking on “Garden State’s” hipster cache — and it seems to be working. With the movie premier still weeks away, the Internet buzzed with rave reviews for the soundtrack. As pop music soundtracks go, Braff isn’t the first budding auteur to assemble songs that are indelible to a movie’s plot (and also play like a mixtape from your more musically astute best friend). He is, however, the first guy to get hired to star in major motion picture and put together the soundtrack. With soundtrack sales, not to mention overall music sales, hitting the skids, Braff is showing the music industry how to keep the consumer. Offer them variety. Offer them something new. It’s a lesson that could have been learned from movies a long time ago. It starts with ‘Harold and Maude’ While the music to the 1967 film, “The Graduate,” is the commercial precursor to the pop song soundtrack, the Cat Stevens score to the 1971 film “Harold & Maude” is the spiritual start. Both are single artist soundtracks feature prereleased songs, along with one or two original numbers written for the movie. Along with the Simon & Garfunkel tunes, “The Graduate” LP, is rounded out by Dave Grusin instrumentals. The film-specific original “Mrs. Robinson,” certainly sells the movie, and the existing songs, available on previous Simon & Garfunkel releases, mark the birth of a marketing ploy, encouraging consumers to buy something they already own. Meanwhile, more than any other movie before it, “Harold and Maude” intertwines pop music seemingly as important to the plot as the script. The Stevens soundtrack includes two songs specifically written for the film, “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out.” Every song is seamlessly melded into the action, as when Maude begins to play “If You Want To Sing Out,” on the piano, and the scene folds into the Cat Stevens vocal. Hardly a marketing ploy, the “Harold and Maude” soundtrack exists only as a Japanese import released years after the film. These days, many movies follow “The Graduate” tradition of cramming in as many familiar pop songs as possible. But director Cameron Crowe remains true to the “Harold and Maude” ideal. Of course, beginning his career as a Rolling Stone writer at age 15, he comes by it naturally. As the precocious young writer of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” he pounded his fists to get the songs he wanted included in the movie. And now, can anyone forget the Tom Petty song “Somebody’s Baby” playing as Jennifer Jason Leigh loses her virginity to that stereo salesman? Crowe’s dedication to soundtracks is so legendary that last year faux newspaper The Onion ran a story with the satirical headline “Cameron Crowe to Release Only Soundtracks.” Crowe’s other iconic movie/music moments include “Say Anything,” when John Cusack’s boombox blasts Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” and “Singles” when Matt Dillon, as a Seattle grunge musician backed by the actual members of Pearl Jam, sings a slightly augmented version of the Mudhoney song “Touch Me I’m Sick.” And of course, there’s Crowe’s semi-autobiographical movie “Almost Famous,” in which the young lead character finds a note in the Who’s “Tommy” album that reads “Listen to ‘Tommy’ with a candle burning and you will see your entire future.” It seems director Wes Anderson must have received that same note, as his scores are also influenced by that same Britpop sensibility. A scene in Anderson’s first major film “Rushmore,” in which Bill Murray drops into his pool, cigarette still dangling from his lips, is all the more melancholy for the accompanying Kinks song “Nothing in This World Can Stop me Worryin’ ‘Bout That Girl.” In “The Royal Tenenbaums,” an eclectic soundtrack featuring the Ramones, Nick Drake, the Velvet Underground and the Vince Guaraldi Trio helps create a mythic ’60s-era New York City set in current time. In “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” Anderson again uses music to create an unreal aura, with Brazilian samba covers by Seu Jorge of David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and “Starman.” (And how many of you can honestly say that you knew Brazilian covers of Bowie songs even existed?) Braff is one of many directors to use his soundtracks to introduce new audiences to unknown music. Getting hired to pick the soundtrack for a movie in which he stars (but did not write or direct), he’s taking that tradition to the next level. Similar to the way music is used in “Harold and Maude,” Braff knows how to integrate songs with action. In “Garden State,” Braff’s character rides his grandfather’s sidecar motorcycle as a Shins tune scores the scene. He pulls up to the bus stop where Natalie Portman’s character is sitting. She takes off her enormous headphones and the music stops. It’s a neat little trick — letting the audience know that these potential lovers share the same headspace. Since he’s not helming “The Last Kiss,” Braff doesn’t have the opportunity to create other neat little tricks with music. And while he’s doing the soundtrack, he doesn’t have complete control. Braff sent director Tony Goldwyn six mix CDs featuring 80 to 90 songs, with only 15 making the final cut. According to an Associated Press story, Braff’s first choice for opening credits, the 1996 Beck song “Jack Ass” was turned down partially for being too old. “Chocolate” by hot band Snow Patrol was picked instead. Several artists from the “Garden State” soundtrack make return appearances on the “Last Kiss,” including Coldplay — a band a little too mainstream for many mixtape aficionados. (Sorry Zach — Coldplay is your dad’s alt rock.) Remy Zero and Imogen Heap are also back, as well as Braff’s college friend, Cary Brothers, who now has a career whether he deserves one or not. “The Last Kiss” soundtrack has an even mix of popular artists, including Fiona Apple, and underground favorites such as Aimee Mann. Like “Garden State,” music from “The Last Kiss,” may be overly mellow for some tastes, but it provides a nice variety of songs that moviegoers might have missed, had Braff not pointed them out. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14791180/
September 13, 200619 yr "Warning Sign" is on the soundtrack for Zack Braff's new movie "The Last Kiss" the rest of the CD is also amazing, its got snow patrol, fiona apple, athlete, imogen heap, rufus wainwright, ray lamontage...it's great! any other garden state/zack braff fans heard about this (or are as excited as me :)?? http://www.myspace.com/thelastkiss Sound like a amazing CD, i love coldplay, Imogen heap, snow patrol and the rufus.
September 18, 200619 yr Movie isn't Zach Braff's "Last Kiss" A quarter-life crisis isn't as rare as people would think anymore. It's likely to see someone verging on 30 beginning to panic in regards to their future. In "The Last Kiss," a remake of Gabriele Muccino's Italian "L'Ultimo Bacio," four friends approaching their 30s find their lives being thrown into chaos. Michael (Zach Braff) and his girlfriend Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) have just found out they will be having a baby. Out of all their friends, they seem to have the most stable relationship. Izzy (Michael Weston) can't get over his ex Arianna (Marley Shelton). Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen) is busy having fun and sleeping around. Then there's Chris (Casey Affleck), unhappy in a marriage with Lisa (Lauren Lee Smith). Without a doubt, the feel the most secure. But during another friend's wedding, Michael meets Kim (Rachel Bilson), a college co-ed who tempts him with her good looks and insightful thoughts. He becomes seduced, and risks everything. Of course, Jenna finds out. Her faith in relationships had already been shaken when her parents, Anna and Stephen (Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson), separated. Michael won't let Jenna go and tries to fix everything that he broke. But the underlying message of "The Last Kiss" is the human need for love and the choices people have to make. For love, it's that yearning, unceasing need that when people don't feel it, they keep looking. And the choices you make shape your future, for better or for worse. Just to be clear, Braff is not playing an extension of Andrew Largeman from "Garden State." Michael tends to be less likeable and funny. Largeman was just trying to figure out life, no plans were in place, there were no obligations. What Michael does -- especially when Jenna is pregnant -- is shown as being good at the time, more of an impulse, but the consequences are dire. The love triangle between him and his two women -- girlfriend and fling that could be more -- mirrors so many real life stories. But the speech that he gives on being terrified about life is compelling, though doesn't forgive his sins. Barrett's acting range excels in "The Last Kiss," something not seen from her since her role in "Ladder 49." The scene where she finds out that Michael is out with another woman is heartbreaking. She makes the audience feel her pain and how betrayed she feels, it's a believable performance from this Aussie actress. Rachel McAdams was set to play Jenna first, but had to step out, which seems to have been a good choice because it's hard to see her as being as believable. Also moving past her infamous role as Summer on "The OC," is Bilson. She comes across as that playful, young woman she's known for when she first appears on screen, but she moves past that. In her big screen debut, Bilson shows that she really can be more than the teenaged sex kitten even though she's still got sex appeal. Although it's known that she did have a body double for "The Last Kiss" sex scene. But Bilson also gets the quote of the movie, "The world is moving so fast now that we start freaking long before our parents did because we don't ever stop to breathe anymore." She plays the youngest character in the movie, yet she has the tidbit of information that really sums up what everyone is feeling. The soundtrack has played a large part in Braff's movies. "Garden State" had one of the best selling accompanying soundtracks ever, it even won a Grammy. Braff has done it again with "The Last Kiss" soundtrack. Music is integral to the movie. With songs from Imogen Heap, Rachael Yamagata and Coldplay, of course it's a good album. It may sound like a mix CD anyone can make, but add it to the movie, and there's magic. http://onmilwaukee.com/movies/articles/thelastkiss.html?9708
September 18, 200619 yr A star, really Zach Braff, the guy everyone can relate to, has proven again that he can hold his own on the big screen in 'The Last Kiss' No one is more surprised than Zach Braff that he has become a movie star. But there he was two years ago, the male lead in "Garden State," a comedy about a failed actor returning home to New Jersey for his mother's funeral, a movie he also wrote and directed. And here he is headlining "The Last Kiss," which opened Friday, a much-touted film about a commitment-phobic 30-something guy who risks a longtime relationship when an opportunity for a fling with a college coed comes his way. Zach Braff, movie star. Even he finds it hard to figure. "The only way I can rationalize it in my head is that a lot of people relate to someone they feel is like them or like someone they know. I very often get, 'Hey, you remind me so much of this guy I went to high school with' or 'You remind me of my college buddy.' I think people can relate to me, y'know? "I never knew anyone who looked like Brad Pitt in real life. You see Brad Pitt and you go, 'Wow, that's a movie star. That's what a movie star looks like.' "There's nothing special about me, y'know. I'm just like every other guy. I think guys think I could be them." Braff, who seems to be capturing the same cool demographic that John Cusack once did, became a star on TV's ensemble comedy "Scrubs," playing the goofy, pratfall-prone Dr. John Dorian. But very few expected Braff's big-screen leap. "Garden State," however, proved he was a multi-talent and could hold his own with stars such as Ian Holm and Natalie Portman. Still, he had a hard time finding the right project to follow "Garden State." Then, unexpectedly, came the script for "The Last Kiss," the story of a guy turning 30 and having a hard time dealing with it. The milestone is not helped by the news that his girlfriend of seven years (Jacinda Barrett, "Poseidon") is pregnant, nor by a sudden encounter with a flirtatious younger woman ("The O.C.'s" Rachel Bilson) that leaves him smitten. It is a smart romantic comedy by Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Crash," and Braff knew he had found his next movie. "I related to it. I thought it was unabashedly honest and real and I couldn't believe that a studio was actually going to release a movie that real," says Braff. Among Braff, Haggis and director Tony Goldwyn (the underrated "A Walk on the Moon"), they agreed to jettison the film's original ending to make it a little more ambiguous. The last thing any of them wanted for "The Last Kiss" was a tidy Hollywood ending. "Obviously there was a temptation to do that, but we felt like we had made a pretty courageous, honest movie. Why not do it the whole way through." Compared with "Garden State," "The Last Kiss" was a much easier assignment for Braff, who only had to worry about his own performance. "Writing, directing and acting in a movie is pretty crazy, and I can only do it so often," he says. "If you're going to do it, you have to be willing to sort of eat, drink, breathe the movie. I think when it was my baby and it was my passion project, I was really able to do that." In fact, "The Last Kiss" is a much Americanized remake of an Italian film from 2001, "L'Ultimo Bacio." Considerable adaptation was deemed necessary because of cultural differences between the two nations. "They seem a little more tolerant of infidelity," Braff notes. "In the Italian movie, he doesn't come clean and admit that he slept with (the college girl), and then the movie ends with them sort of happily ever after. We were very clear about having him be completely honest and taking responsibility for his actions. I think there's something very big about that, as a person." Braff actually has done more than just act for the movie. He's the soundtrack's executive producer and has directed some music videos for artists on the disc, such as Joshua Radin and the Cary Brothers. While he hasn't won an Oscar or an Emmy, "Garden State" did earn Braff a Grammy Award for the movie's soundtrack, which is said to have made a significant contribution to the film's box-office success. Naturally, director Goldwyn and production company Lakeshore asked Braff to do the same for "The Last Kiss." He insists the process is hardly brain surgery. "I just choose music that I like that I think is conducive for the movie," says Braff, who opted for such musical acts and singer-songwriters as Coldplay, Remy Zero and Aimee Mann. Although he is single, Braff says there was plenty for him to relate to in "The Last Kiss." "Just the fear, the fear of not having any more surprises in your life, the fear of being bored and the concept of having someone be the last person you're ever going to kiss." He even owns up to having anxiety over commitment in his own life (in the past, he has been linked romantically to actress-singer Mandy Moore). "Well, of course. I'm 31 years old, y'know. I want to have a family and all that stuff, so of course it's something I can relate to." http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/146862
September 18, 200619 yr i saw him on a tonight show (can't remember which) and they showed a snippet from the film. it looks really good and i can't wait too see it. warning sign is one of the best cp song, so that's just extra. i really didn't enjoy garden state and to be honest i only watched it because a friend said don't panic was in the soundtrack. i was really disengaged with the film and ended up missing the song completely. though i think i'll definitely like this film!
September 19, 200619 yr Not a stroll through the Garden State Film Review - The Last Kiss Anna Wiegenstein - The Daily Iowan Issue date: 9/19/06 Section: Arts ***1/2 out of **** Is it possible to review The Last Kiss without referring to Garden State? At first, they seem like companion pieces, in both theme (Zach Braff has some stuff to work out) and content (Zach Braff looks glum while listening to Coldplay). For the first 10 minutes, it looks as though The Last Kiss is heading straight for State 2 territory, complete with a Snow Patrol (Coldplay, except Irish) track over the credits and some slightly heavy-handed voice-over from Braff. Thankfully, however, this movie doesn't revolve around Braff's character, Michael. The film, a remake of the 2001 Italian L'Ultimo Bacio, is much more of an ensemble piece, with almost uniformly excellent performances saving what would otherwise be a rather forgettable "human-relationships-are-difficult" flick. At the center of this web lie four guys, all almost 30, all failing with women: Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen, reaching far, far beyond his earlier personae in Not Another Teen Movie and Dumb and Dumberer), who has no trouble getting laid but freaks at the first mention of commitment; Izzy (Michael Weston), still unable to get over his ex-girlfriend from high school; Chris (Casey Affleck, who should really be getting more work), struggling to make his marriage work with the added pressure of having his first child; and Michael, who seems to have it made with his newly pregnant girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett), but is harboring quite a bit of commitment-phobia all his own. This leads him to Kim (Rachel Bilson, making her film debut post-"The OC"), who flirts with him and says, "Everyone I know is having a crisis" and tells him to meet her after her Monday-Wednesday-Friday class - she's only a sophomore in college. Needless to say, the temptation puts strain on his relationship with Jenna, about whom he initially says, "If you want to settle down, this is the girl to do it with." Also having trouble are Jenna's parents, played flawlessly by Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson, who separate early in the film and have the baggage of a 30-year marriage to deal with. Though most of the press surrounding The Last Kiss has been mainly Braff-centric, his character reads the most difficult. His complex, nearly unlikeable personality staves off the temptation to read Michael as Garden State's Large, a few years down the road. Likewise, Bilson exhibits none of the eccentric charm Natalie Portman possessed, basically coming off as incredibly young and sweetly simple. The other male leads help the film gets its feet under itself, while Danner manages to own every scene she appears in. Wilkinson, by contrast, plays it subtly for a majority of the film, then blazes through a moment with Braff later, reminding us that, yeah, this dude was Oscar-nominated. Having never seen the Italian film from which The Last Kiss came, I can't judge how well Paul Haggis (last seen winning two Academy Awards for Crash) did on adaptation, but his script works well - keeping such characters as Michael and Danner's Anna hard to understand but never impossible to like. A fight scene between Braff and Barrett is especially effective, capturing the way hurt feelings and anger make it almost impossible to communicate. Scenes such as it make the final sequence, one straight out of moviedom, seem a little tacked-on and false - after so many relatable incidents and people, it's hard to swallow. People searching for the next Garden State, look elsewhere. But for fans of effective ensemble pieces that move from drama to comedy with equal ease, I advise that you look beyond the indie-yuppie veneer of The Last Kiss to the first-rate film underneath. Source: http://www.dailyiowan.com/
September 19, 200619 yr This movie was great, my favorite scene and the best one was when they played warning signs.
September 20, 200619 yr ^so jealous...i want to watch the movie so dead but it's not in my country yet :cry:
September 20, 200619 yr 'Kiss' it off - Zach Braff movie dull remake of Italian flick If names like Tony Goldwyn and Paul Haggis weren't attached, you'd swear "The Last Kiss" was just another Edward Burns movie. In fact, it's a lot like Burns' last movie, "The Groomsmen," even though it's a remake of the Italian "L'Ultimo Bacio." Four guys, longtime best friends, all reach a crisis point in their respective relationships as they approach 30. And they're all sensitive enough to express their fears and frustrations in hyperarticulate terms. Michael (Zach Braff) is reluctant to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett), even though she's obviously a smart, beautiful, cool woman. Fearing being tied down and longing for some surprise in his life -- he's an architect, yawn -- he ends up having a fling with a vivacious college student (Rachel Bilson of "The O.C." in her first big film role) he met at a wedding. Like Natalie Portman in "Garden State," which Braff directed, wrote and starred in, Bilson's character has flashes of irresistible precociousness, and does prematurely familiar things like taking his hand and placing it on her chest to feel her heart beat within minutes of meeting him. But unlike what we've seen from Braff thus far -- both in "Garden State" and on the TV series "Scrubs"-- here he plays a selfish, childish cad, one whose actions are despicable and destructive and definitely not well-thought out. (With those big, blue eyes of his, though, he clearly still wants to be loved, deep down.) Meanwhile, Michael's colleague, Chris (Casey Affleck), is thinking about leaving his wife after finding that having a child together didn't improve their marriage. They're still constantly at each other's throats, though she's the one who comes off poorly, as a tyrannical nag. Another friend, Izzy (Michael Weston) is still lovesick over a recent breakup with his girlfriend (Marley Shelton) and becomes drunkenly obsessed with winning her back. (It doesn't work.) And so on. There are some amusingly crass moments here and there. You know, guy stuff. But Goldwyn ("A Walk on the Moon"), directing a screenplay from Haggis (who directed and co-wrote last year's big Oscar winner "Crash"), is tonally all over the place. Too often, he veers jarringly between wackiness and melodrama, between cute, intimate moments and bold sexuality. (The latter comes courtesy of yet another friend in the group, played by Eric Christian Olsen.) Once Jenna discovers Michael's infidelity -- because this is one of those movies in which all the inhabitants are horrible liars -- the result is screaming and crying, slapped faces and slammed doors, followed by proclamations of love and the obligatory, melancholy Coldplay song. It gets shrill and it feels like it will never end. But Goldwyn does get some lovely moments out of Tom Wilkinson and Blythe Danner (with talent like that it would be impossible not to) as Jenna's parents, whose 30-year marriage is also on the verge of collapse. When they're on screen, "The Last Kiss" feels like a different film -- one that's substantial, alive and achingly real. onscreen "The Last Kiss" Grade: C Starring: Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, Rachel Bilson, Casey Affleck, Michael Weston, Marley Shelton, Eric Christian Olsen, Tom Wilkinson, Blythe Danner Director: Tony Goldwyn Rated: R for sexuality, nudity and language http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/09/20/entertainment/entertainment/515fdccf7f1891ca862571e80063e12e.txt
September 21, 200619 yr "Last Kiss" Offers Insight Into Complex Relationships "The Last Kiss" comes to us from writing Oscar Nominee Paul Haggis who wrote "Million Dollar Baby" and "Crash." The director. Tony Goldwyn. is more commonly known as an actor in movies such as "Ghost" and has helped direct television episodes such as "The L Word" and "Grey's Anatomy." "The Last Kiss" tells the story of Michael (Zach Braff; "Garden State" and TV's "Scrubs"), an almost 30-year -old architect who faces the blunt reality of a "set lifestyle" in which he feels no surprises remain. His perfect girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett, "Ladder 49"), is madly in love with him and ready to commit, only adding to Michael's anxieties about the future, causing him to stray to Kim (Rachel Bilson, TV's "O.C."). However, Michael's relationship isn't the only one with problems. Chris (Casey Affleck, "Oceans 11" series") is unhappy with his wife's controlling ways and can no longer take the abuse. Izzy ( Michael Weston, "Garden State") is an emotional wreck over the loss of the love of his life. Meanwhile, Kenny's (Eric Christian Olson, "Dumb and Dumberer" and", "BeerFest") life couldn't be better in his eyes. The drama comes full circle when with Jenna's parents (Blythe Danner, "Meet the Parents", "Meet the Fockers" and Tom Wilkinson, "The Full Monty") begin facing their own marital problems after 30 years together. The movie's main focus is on the seemingly perfect relationship between Michael and Jenna which slowly unravels when he encounters Kim, a much younger, free spirited, girl who makes Michael question his future with Jenna. Random moments bring us back to the other storylines in the movie, but they don't cause distraction from our focus on Michael's issues. "The Last Kiss" reminds us of our own past and current relationships and forces us to think about their importance in our lives. The movie also provides moments of humor but most of these are found within the first half hour of the film. "Sexually explicit" scenes are found throughout the movie along with adult language and thematic elements, giving it an "R" rating from the MPAA. A modern day soundtrack with artists such as Snow Patrol, Coldplay and Fiona Apple accompany the humorous and dramatic scenes. Zach Braff does a good job in this film and shows his comedic and dramatic acting abilities. Blythe Danner also gives an amazing performance in both aspects, playing the role of a conflicted mother and wife. Jacinda Barrett displays her dramatic acting abilities, making the fight scenes between her and Braff raw and intense. Overall, the well rounded cast turns in a noteworthy performance. Currently, "The Last Kiss" is showing at Southridge 12, Century 21 at Jordan Creek Town Center, Wynnsong 16 in Johnston and Cobblestone 9 in Urbandale. Unfortunately, Paramount Theatre in Indianola is not showing it at this time. The movie runs 104 minutes, but with the 20-minute previews, expect to be there for about two hours. If you're looking for a movie with emotional highs and lows, "The Last Kiss" is a must see film. If you want to go to a good date movie, this could possibly be the worst choice, because of the storyline involved. You will leave the film wanting to know the future of the characters and how their relationships pan out. http://www.thesimpsonian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/09/21/45119e37603ab
September 21, 200619 yr "The Last Kiss" is a can't-miss Innovative film delivers gut-wrenching realness Almost everyone has been in love, and fallen out of it. It just all depends on how hard one falls. Surprisingly, there are more ways of hitting rock bottom than most have imagined: infidelity, neglect and strife, and that's just after hitting 30. In this major motion picture just oozing with indie vibes, love is about more than just feelings. Although the film's title and cast may suggest another cute, tugs-at-the-heartstrings romantic comedy, the assumption could not be more wrong. On the contrary, this film is a gritty representation of relationships, both how they form and fall apart (and sometimes erupt in an angry jumble). The film follows the entire cast of characters through their separate "love stories," mainly focusing on Zach Braff's character and his tight-knit group of friends. Braff plays Michael, a 29-year-old architect, living the life he had always imagined: a great job, still friends with his childhood buddies, and expecting a child with Jenna (Jacinda Barrett), his gorgeous girlfriend of three years. Everyone thinks that the pair is perfect for each other, which holds true until Michael's fears are propelled by the prospect that his life is devoid of any new surprises. As this prospect develops from a concern to a full-blown crisis, Michael is tempted by the company of a young, bright-eyed music student, Kim (Rachel Bilson). Meanwhile, his close buddies Chris (Casey Affleck), Izzy (Michael Weston), and Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen), face their own love crises, including a broken marriage, a lost love and a realization that there is no such thing as unattached intimacy. The film was perfectly cast, and with the exception of Rachel Bilson, who ultimately extended her role of Summer from Fox's The O.C. onto the big-screen, all of the performances were refreshingly strong and original. Braff strayed from his usual lovable hero role and instead actually committed serious errors (gasp!), and for once was easy to hate. The best performance in the film was by Barrett, who evoked so much emotion thorugh her genuine portrayal of hurt and anger. The sheer realism was due in large part to the actors' amazing performances. Undoubtedly a serious drama, the film also has a dry humor that's hilarious in its own right. Enhanced by editing and cinematography, the laughs are subtle but still witty and original. Another highlight to the film is the incredible soundtrack. Rivaled only by those of upbeat dance films, the music paired with the movie was compelling enough for even the least musical audience. The film features tracks from Snow Patrol, Imogen Heap, and Coldplay, all of which fit perfectly into the film's mood and message. "The Last Kiss" is an excellent film and relatable on so many levels from mature teens to senior citizens. The film doesn't put up fronts, takes no shortcuts, and tells no lies. It just shows people for who they are: blinded by love, lust, and a longing for something more. "The Last Kiss" (115 minutes) is rated R for sexuality, nudity, and language. http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/inside.php?sid=6634
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