What was your familiarity with the source material going into this project?

M: I’d read it a few times, the book, and loved it.

P: I hadn’t, but my friends had done some high school assignments using that book, so it was really fun calling them and telling them I was doing the movie. They were so psyched about it. And then, of course, I read it afterward.

As far as these characters go, how much did you feel you could relate to them?

M: I think they’re pretty relatable. There’s kind of a universal component to feeling out of place, I think, when you’re growing up, and you don’t really click with the people around you.

One thing that was interesting about the movie was how unconventional the love story was. It was hard to determine throughout the movie if Sheeni was the bad guy or not, and if they were supposed to end up together. When you first read over the story, what were your ideas about the romance?

M: I remember being unsure about it, and I like that a lot about it. The thing is, whether it was right or wrong, you know that he’s totally hooked on her, and he’s going to go for it no matter what, so for that reason, you’re kind of with him, whether it works out or not. But I remember feeling like she was messing with him a lot, so it kind of makes you wonder if she’s good or bad.

P: It’s funny, because when you read a book, you’re usually rooting for the main character. That’s who you’re relating to, and living through the experience with. So when I was reading it, it was frustrating. It actually made me really feel for Nick. But then I felt happy, because I was not playing that character (laughs).

(for Portia) Did you ever feel biased toward Sheeni because you were playing her, and maybe saw her actions as more excusable than others?

P: Yeah, and because I’m a girl. So yeah, for those two reasons. But I can definitely be sympathetic to Nick. I think everybody in their lifetime has been a Nick Twisp. I can totally relate to jumping through some hoops for someone I may want to be with. It’s fun, just not playing that person.

And as far as the ending goes, do you think it satisfactorily establishes that they are, in fact, meant to be together or not?

M: I don’t know. It’s kind of up in the air, which is kind of nice, I think. You don’t know what’s going to happen to them.

(for Michael) Obviously the role of Nick’s alter ego, Francois is different than any other role you’ve played before. Did you, at any point in time, think the way you played that role was a self-parody of most of your other roles, just with the way that Francois was criticizing Nick for his mannerisms?

M: I wasn’t really thinking about it like that, I was just trying to give the character justice, as he is written in the book.

What was it like jumping into a role like that?

M: It was fun, it was really fun. It was really fun to get to that stuff when I’m acting with myself. I really liked it and felt it was going to look cool.

Did you ever find it difficult jumping back and forth between the role of Nick and Francois?

M: Not really, because there’s like an hour of changeover between playing each character. There wasn’t really much to do to prepare other than changing the hair and putting on the mustache.

What was that mustache like?

M: It was glued on, and it’s tight and restricting.

Was the changed voice all you, or was that digitally enhanced?

M: I did change my voice; I kind of deepened it, and I think they might have put an effect on it.

One of the scenes I thought was great was the scene in the living room with Justin Long, Fred Willard and Steve Buscemi. What was it like having all these different comedy giants all in one place?

M: Pretty awesome. That was, I think, the first week of shooting, because Steven Buscemi just shot the first week. It was amazing.

(for Portia) This is your first starring role. What was that like for you?

P: It was wonderful. I didn’t think I could have dreamt of it being the way it was, because this cast is overwhelming talented, and it’s a hard question, because it’s almost a feeling that’s unexplainable. It’s not relatable to anything I’ve done, but I’ve just always wanted to be an actor, so I guess it’s been crazy and amazing. I’m happy and really thankful that I was able to experience it with Michael and Miguel and everyone.

What is your background in acting?

P: I grew up in LA. My mom, my dad and my sister are all actors, and I did commercials when I was younger. And then I stopped when I got into school because my family didn’t necessarily want me to go down that path. They didn’t stop me; it wasn’t restrictive, but they were definitely advocating me getting an education, going to college, and just being in that lifestyle of stability. But I did a little bit of plays in high school, and I went to Cal Arts, and then I just started auditioning.

So what’s next for the both of you?

M: I don’t have a job lined up yet, but I do have a new movie, Scott Pilgrim, coming out next summer. It’s an Edgar Wright movie, based on a graphic-novel series. It’s a comedy, and I think it’ll be out June or July.

P: I’m going to be doing a short, and then I’m not really sure. I’m kind of in an awkward place, because I’m going to school, and I don’t really know what’s going to happen. Acting and this whole business is just very unpredictable. So we’ll see what happens.

Reach Weekender editor Ivan Vukovic at weekender@dailyuw.com.

Medium: TV Anime
Number of Episodes: 23
Genre: Adventure, Psychological, Science Fiction
Director: Shukou Murase
Studio: Manglobe Inc.
Version Reviewed: FUNimation DVD box set
Original Run: February 25, 2006 - August 12, 2006 (JPN/US)
Rated: 16+

Most Ergo Proxy reviews will begin by pitching the story of Re-L Meyer, an officer for an intelligence bureau who, during a classic post-apocalyptic X-Files-style investigation of unexplainable murders, comes in contact with a monster of unknown origins. What many reviewers neglect to mention are the themes of self-discovery, destiny-versus-choice, and the heavy religious symbolism that appear from episode two onward.

Not long after the show's opening credits, it is apparent that society is breaking down. Man’s self-made android escorts, the infallible "Autoreivs," have begun to slowly turn upon their masters, making their own choices and falling to their knees in submission, welcoming the Wachowski Brothers’ influence and clad-in-leather aesthetic. Re-L seems to be the only person with enough free thought to quest for the origins of this dangerous virus. Good thing her personal Autoreiv, Iggy, remains immune. Oh wait...

And then comes Ergo Proxy, a beast that is surprising, intelligent, scary and worthy of Isaac Asimov’s scrutiny and praises. During its 23 episodes, viewers will see the love triangle of God, Man and Machine brought to a new light as the egg comes face-to-face with the chicken.

Studio Manglobe maintains a bleak, monotone aesthetic, resulting in a world in which mankind’s creator is just as lively as he is thought to be deceased. Head writer Dai Sato has worked on Samurai Champloo, Eureka Seven and Cowboy Bebop, so clearly he’s had extensive experience with showing rather than telling. In a show like this, he holds his best cards until the final play. During most of the series, viewers are presented with many persepctives on the values and boundaries of human life. What defines humanity? Our emotions, our memories, our duties, our firearms? God is certainly not going to answer us any time soon.

Through the journey of Ergo Proxy, Re-L and her other two companions discover their own answers and boundaries. First is Vincent Law. He is voiced in English impeccably by Liam O’Brien, and is a generic mechanic who faces his true meaning in life. His near-deadly encounter with an unstoppable monster named Monrad Proxy makes him a prime suspect during Re-L’s investigations. Second is an Autoreiv shaped like a ten-year-old girl, Pino, who has an interesting inner-development story that intentionally parallels Pinocchio’s tale of achieving humanity. The three of them form an interesting parody of the nuclear family unit, which I can’t help but feel was very intentional. By episode seven, all three characters become the central party, traversing a poisonous and flat world completely devoid of life, save for the pockets of danger they encounter in search of their world.

What makes Ergo Proxy stand out for me is its stellar English voice-acting and manipulation of story-telling. Karen Thompson’s Re-L is quietly furious, capturing the character’s bravado and internal turmoil. FUNimation voice director Jonathan Klein deserves applause for pulling the voice cast through such a heady, deep and philosophical story. Many of Ergo Proxy’s greatest episodes involve Vincent’s internal struggles personified, his id and super-ego directly arguing over who Vincent should listen to. This series then breaks the rules on standard story-setting. Its exposition episode (the only time we learn the truth about mankind’s obliteration) is told through a trivia-based game show that nobody knows the answers to! And episode 16: hands-down as funny as Seinfeld, and as poignant as Waiting For Godot. Ergo Proxy’s ability to manifest the abstractions of psychological development is something very often tried in anime, but rarely pulled off so well.

The series has been out since 2006, and my only regret is not having watched this anime immediately upon its release. Originally released by Geneon, now re-released by FUNimation, Ergo Proxy has never been cheaper and is an excellent addition to the collection of any fan of Satoshi Kon's work or even the old What-The-Hell style of anime. This is the kind of thought-provoking horror/psychological suspense series that puts man (and anime viewers) in their place.

great.

... voice cast led by Mark Harmon (NCIS) as SUPERMAN, James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) as OWLMAN, Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Law & Order) as LEX LUTHOR, William Baldwin (Dirty Sexy Money) as BATMAN, Gina Torres (Serenity, Firefly) as SUPERWOMAN and Bruce Davison (X-Men) as the President. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths which will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, On-Demand and...

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Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to lead the voice cast of "The Guardians," the DreamWorks adaptation of the William Joyce books about the efforts of Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost to protect the world from the evil machinations of an evil spirit.

Though Leonardo DiCaprio has starred in more than his fair share of diverse and unique films, the actor has never before been cast in an animated movie. However, all that changes as DreamWorks Animation has officially announced that he is the first actor to join the voice cast of the recently announced movie The Guardians, which focuses on an Avengers-like assembly of imaginary icons like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny who protect children from the forces of evil. DiCaprio will voice Jack Frost (as seen above) who truly looks like him if he were thrown into an animated winter Tim Burton-esque universe. Read on for the plot. The film, which isn't due out until 2012, is based on a series of highly anticipated yet-to-be published books written by William Joyce. Here's the skinny on the story that we'll see play out in the movie: "When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes ...

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