Argyle Brothers, the New York-headquartered production house, has expanded its directorial roster with the signing of Stephen Pearson, who spent the past four years at Hungry Man. Among his notable credits is the lauded JCPenney “Return to the Doghouse” campaign for Saatchi & Saatchi New York–a challenging project in that it was the follow-up a year later to the acclaimed “Beware of the Doghouse” web short directed by Hungry Man’s Bryan Buckley.
However, Pearson’s effort proved that you can teach an old doghouse new tricks. The director’s film took us inside the doghouse where a review board of women dole out sentencing to men who are unthoughtful spouses and gift givers (bestowing such presents on their wives as a paper shredder, a robe from a hotel, a hammer drill and a beer-making kit). One offender seems destined for a lengthy stay in doghouse accommodations until he flashes his escape card, which is housed in a JCPenney jewelry box: a necklace. The review/parole board is impressed and releases him, with both the guy and the women in judgement knowing full well that he will likely be returning shortly.
Pearson is currently about to embark on a project with agency Barton F. Graf 9000, headed by chief creative officer Gerry Graf whom he collaborated with on “Return to the Doghouse” when Graf was CCO at Saatchi.
Over the years, Pearson’s directing credits span such clients as Burger King, Microsoft, H&R Block, Miller High Life, Travel Channel, Domino’s, Southwest Airlines and Coors Light. Prior to his directorial career, Pearson served for nearly 15 years on the agency side as an art director and/or copywriter at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Merkley, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, and Dweck & Campbell.
Pearson’s work has garnered several awards including Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, Art Directors Club Awards, Andy Awards, London International Advertising Awards, Addy Awards, Communication Arts Annuals, Clio Awards, British Design & Art Direction, AICP Show honors and an Emmy Award nomination.
“We want to keep the shop small and focused, but I’m so glad that Stephen has joined our team of directors,” said director John Mastromonaco of Argyle Brothers. “As a director I’m really impressed by Stephen’s casting and performances, and his smart directorial decisions.”
Argyle Brothers’ directorial roster includes Pearson, Mastromonaco, Hubert Davis and Jonathan Nowak.
Review: Director Michael Morris’ “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”
It is a truth universally acknowledged, as Bridget Jones herself might write in her diary, that at the end of any Bridget Jones movie, our heroine has triumphed over all doubts and obstacles and is finally happy.
With a man. Well, so far, with one particular man: Mark Darcy, the stuffy-yet-dashing man of her dreams.
This, dear viewer, is not a spoiler for the new fourth movie, "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy." In fact, if you've seen the trailer, you'll know that Bridget (Renée Zellweger, still pretty delightful), who finally married Mark at the end of the third film, is now a widow.
We're not supposed to divulge exactly what happens next. But remember, folks, this is a classic romantic comedy franchise. Rom-coms can be sad and deep, but they still need to be romantic.
What makes "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" especially enjoyable, then — and the best since the 2001 original — is not that Bridget finds a way yet again to triumph over doubts and obstacles. It's that she still makes us care so darned much.
How does she do it after all these years? All I know is, I was rooting harder for her at the end of this film than I was with the others, even the original where she's kissing Mark in the snowy street in underwear and sneakers.
There are various possible explanations. One is Zellweger herself, who has brought her character gracefully into her 50s, retaining Bridget's goofiness and deep-set optimism while reflecting hard-won life experience.
And there are subtle changes to the equation. The relationships in this latest film are more interesting — old ones and new.
Bridget's relationship with herself is more interesting, too — and healthier. Sure, she can swig a full bottle of Chardonnay on a bad... Read More