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January 2009
UPDATE: How to watch a Super Bowl movie ad
Call me crazy, but I could care less about the Super Bowl. I can’t remember the last time I watched the game for the game. One of my editors cracked, “The only way to get Eric to watch the Super Bowl is to make a movie about it.”
Actually, she wasn’t far off the mark. I have, after all, seen Black Sunday. But there IS a way to get me interested in the hoopla: the movie ads.
One of the cool benefits of this line of work is that you get cool packages in the mail. I got this beauty from DreamWorks the other day: a kit advertising the 3D animated film Monsters vs. Aliens, which will be released March 27. A 3D commercial for it will play at the end of the second quarter.
The kit contains two Nerf balls (which don’t need the 3D for the “comin’ at ya” effect) and a set of cards identifying some of the monsters. These contain helpful information like their name, power, origin, capture date, and, of course, destructive potential. I also find they make very handy drink coasters.
Those beauties on the right are four pairs of 3D glasses. Since I’m only one guy, my toughest decision here was whether to wear pair one, pair two, pair three or pair four. I decide pair one is best, since I’m fairly lousy with scissors and am likely to mangle pairs two, three or four. I am amused by the Standard Warning for the Ignorant (TM) - “These are not sunglasses.”
There’s a catch, though. Since I am known in the newsroom as “The Guy Who Does Not Care About the Game” I have found myself working on Super Bowl Sunday on more than one occasion. And I will be Sunday, so I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to see the ad or not.
All that said, it was still fun to prepare. Now if only the movies were as clever as the marketing …
UPDATE: I did see the ad, complete with goofy-looking glasses. Couldn’t really make out much in the way of 3D effects on the smallish TV in the newsroom, but I will say that the movie looks like a lot of fun. I’m not a great DreamWorks animation fan (PIxar all the way) but I do hope this will be one of the studio’s better pictures, like Over the Hedge and Kung Fu Panda.
I will put up a post Monday reviewing all the other movie ads. Tell me what you thought.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Super Bowl Commercials
‘The Wrestler’ puts the heart in a headlock
I actively dislike wrestling. I have never sat though an entire match once. Mickey Rourke has never been among my favorite actors, and if I were to spot his character, Randy “The Ram” Robinson on the street, I would probably duck the other way.
And yet I loved The Wrestler.
The movie powerfully demonstrates how great storytelling trumps all considerations, including a subject matter that normally rubs me the wrong way. Rourke, nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, delivers an indelible performance, and Darren Aronofsky directs with a keen eye for detail, plunging the viewer headlong into the world of wrestling - and into the life of a man who suddenly finds himself unsure where he belongs.
Randy has always been good at wrestling and only wrestling. Otherwise, his life is a shambles. His glory days have long since passed, and he ekes out an existence performing in shabby arenas and trying to make friends with neighborhood kids with Nintendo - the old kind of Nintendo. Time has passed Randy by.
One night during a match he is felled by a heart attack, and the doctors tell him he can never wrestle again. Trying to piece his life together, Randy forges relationships with two women: his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei, nominated for Best Supporting Actress) to whom he’s attracted.
From the largest part to the smallest, the performances are top-notch. I’m sometimes suspicious of hyperbolic praise like “the performance of a lifetime,” but in Rourke’s case, it’s absolutely true. If there was a character he had to play, Randy the Ram is it. And his performance isn’t all in the physique - his haunted eyes reveal a desperate soul trying to reach out to anything that might love him back.
“The woman with a heart of gold” has become a cliche too, but writer Robert D. Siegel and Tomei make her character interesting by turning her into a mirror image of Randy - another aging person in a frowned-upon profession that puts a premium on youth. Not getting enough praise is Wood, who is heartbreaking as the daughter who senses that any relationship with her father can’t work.
Aronofsky’s direction isn’t as stylish as in Requiem for a Dream or the undervalued The Fountain, but as he does in all his movies, he creates a fascinating world that seems all too real, even if we have never been to such a world. Giving his images a grainy, rough-hewn texture, Aronofsky makes The Wrestler feel absolutely lived in. The filmmakers find the humanity among every bit of grit and grime. Randy’s story could have very easily turned me off. By the end, I was absolutely rooting for him.
Mind you, I’m not going to start attending matches regularly or putting people in headlocks, but I will be happy to promote The Wrestler as a must see - for fans and non-fans alike.
GRADE: A
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Reviews
What was the first movie that traumatized you?
Entertainment Weekly has a very fun photo gallery entitled “29 Films You Saw Too Young.” I’d like to take that question and ask it a little differently.
What was the first movie that seriously traumatized you or your children?
Bear in mind, I mean “traumatized” in a very broad sense. I don’t mean just scared. I mean movies of any genre, of any rating that left some kind of psychological scar on you. It can be a movie that still gives you nightmares to this day. It could be the first movie that made you wonder what the hell it was about. It could even be the movie that first made you question the facts of life (though that may have been more of a trauma for your parents than you).
I like to think I’m made of fairly tough stuff when it comes to watching movies. It takes a lot to faze me these days, at any rate. But in the past, any number of films got under my skin. The first live-action scary scene that seriously reduced my waking hours was the chest-bursting scene in Alien. The first movie with a really bizarre plot I couldn’t figure out at first might have been Blue Velvet.
Ah, but for the REAL trauma, not even the Master of Suspense could hold a candle to good old Walt Disney. The first theatrical movie that seriously made me cry was probably Pinocchio. The donkey transformation, Monstro … (shudder). But more than any other character, Chernabog, the devil figure in the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence from Fantasia STILL creeps me out to this very day. Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter have NOTHING on that guy!
So how about you folks? What was the first movie to indelibly frighten, confuse or otherwise bewilder you? Or your kids, for that matter? My favorite response from the EW list: “Basic Instinct 2. I was 25. No age is appropriate for that movie.”
Permalink | Comments (20) | Post your comment | Categories: Ask the Audience
What’s opening Friday, January 30?
This weekend brings us a group of fairly middling picks and one that is an absolute must-see for lovers of good drama (and a certain sport). Guess which one is actually a holdover from last year?
Note: I have changed the format a little here. Instead of linking the movie titles to IMDB, I’ve linked them to their Rotten Tomatoes pages so you can see what other critical types are saying about them.
New in Town: I really like Renee Zellweger quite a lot. And I really, really hope she finds better projects than this one, which has been getting some terrible reviews, including a rare zero-star rating from the AP. Oof.
Taken: I was dismissive of this Liam Neeson vehicle when I did my January preview, but having seen the grabber of a trailer, I have to say I’m curious now. I rather regret this one wasn’t previewed locally.
The Uninvited: This one wasn’t previewed locally either, but I have a sneaking suspicion I won’t regret that. I’m still trying to figure out what Elizabeth Banks is doing playing the heavy in what I call the “blank from hell” movie. Is this the week for actresses I like to lose their way? Then again, what few reviews there are aren’t so bad.
The Wrestler: And now we get to the real goods, with this acclaimed film opening at the Neon movies. Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei are nominated for Oscars - deservedly - and the film should have gotten more. My review posts Friday.
The Neon let go of Milk to make room for The Wrestler, but the Little Art has picked up the former.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: In Area Theaters
An A-Team movie? Yay or zzzz?
Once again raiding old issues of TV Guide, Hollywood has announced that an A-Team movie is back on the fast track with Joe Carnahan directing.
Color me not thrilled. Back in the day, the A-Team was a stupid show, but it had a certain goofy appeal, like so many staples of the 80s. However, I dislike the choice of Carnahan as director. I thought his breakthrough film Narc was decent but overpraised, and his follow-up, Smokin’ Aces, was excrement. I’d hold out more hope if the original director, John Singleton (Boyz N The Hood) were still attached. For that matter, Tony Scott (Crimson Tide), who’s producing the film, wouldn’t be a bad choice either. Que sera sera.
No casting has been announced yet, so that begs the question: Who would play the George Peppard part, not to mention the Mr. T role? How does one even begin to replicate the latter? I pity the fool indeed.
And let me throw this out there just for fun: Which new movie news best indicates Hollywood is out of ideas? This A-Team film, or the fact that Tomb Raider is back on the drawing board, without Angelina Jolie? Oh well, at least Jan De Bont might have something to direct.
Discuss.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Coming Attractions
Today’s DVDs - THIS is the week for Woody
I must begin this post with an apology, folks. My sources led me astray, telling me Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona came out a couple of weeks ago. It actually arrives THIS week. I double-checked. That, and an odd grab-bag awaits on DVD shelves today.
The title may be a bit ungainly, but Woody Allen’s latest film is one of his more graceful efforts in awhile, as it deftly tells the story of a love quadrangle with one man (Javier Bardem) amidst three women (Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johannson and Penelope Cruz).
Cruz in particular impresses with her fiery and alluring performance which has garnered much Oscar buzz, but all four leads are outstanding. They help smooth over an ungainly voice-over which sometimes helpfully fills in some blanks but too often underlines what we can clearly see.
The movie does not quite rise to the level of Match Point, Allen’s best film of this decade, but it’s a marked improvement over the underwritten Scoop and the pallid Cassandra’s Dream. Let’s hope Allen stays on the upswing when he returns to New York this year with Whatever Works, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David.
GRADE: B+
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired: In a bit of interesting timing, this documentary about the director’s notorious sex case comes out amid Polanski’s recent attempts to clear his name. This very revealing movie makes a compelling case that, as wrong as Polanski was, the legal system wronged him too. GRADE: A
Also out today
College: The House Bunny was the successful movie starring an American Idol (Katharine McPhee) this is the unsuccessful one starring an American Idol (Kevin Covais, AKA “Chicken Little” of season 5.
Fireproof: Scoff if you like at Kirk Cameron’s religious fare, but this movie did make $33 million on a $500,000 budget. and more people would LOVE to see profits like that these days.
Goodbye Mr. Chips: Not the 1939 movie with Robert Donat, but the 1969 musical version with Peter O’Toole, who petty much admitted he can’t sing. This was one of the films that made people say goodbye to musicals in the 60s.
Lakeview Terrace: Scoff if you like at what looks like a pretty obvious police thriller, with Samuel L. Jackson, but hey - Roger Ebert loved it.
The Rocker: This comedy starring Rainn Wilson as a wanna-be rock n roller couldn’t even drum up enough business in theaters to become the equivalent of a cult B-side. Maybe DVD will at least make it not seem like an outtake that got released by mistake.
RockNRolla: Hey, it’s a rock theme week, with the latest Guy Ritchie movie that made most people wonder “What happened to the guy who made Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch?”
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: On Video/DVD
The SAG awards: How will they affect the Oscars?
So how do Sunday night’s SAG awards bode for the Oscars next month? Let’s run down the races and see:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader
It’s a bit hard to gauge who the Oscar winner will be based on the victor; Winslet is nominated in the lead category at the Oscars for The Reader (although it should have been for her superior work in Revolutionary Road). Cruz was considered an early favorite for her work in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, but she lost to Winslet at both the Globes and the SAGs. With Winslet out of the way at the Oscars, Cruz still has an excellent shot - but I would not be at all surprised to see Viola Davis win for her short but memorable turn in Doubt. The fact that she has so little screen time actually helps her - see Beatrice Straight in Network or Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love.
I don’t give Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), or (sniff) Amy Adams (Doubt) much of a shot - I think it’s Cruz or Davis. I’ll say Cruz for now, but I might change my mind.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
By this point, I’d bet the Academy wouldn’t lose any money if they went ahead and put Ledger’s name on the statuette now. I just don’t see him missing at this point. Very nice acceptance speech by Dark Knight co-star Gary Oldman.
BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep, Doubt
This might have surpised some people who expected Winslet to be a double winner as she was at the Globes, but I wasn’t surprised - Streep hadn’t won for a theatrical movie at SAG. And guess what? At the Oscars, she hasn’t won since Sophie’s Choice, all the way back in 1983. The idea of the Academy wanting to award her for the first time in 26 years is not out of the question.
That said, there is the matter of Winslet, who still hasn’t won anything despite being so consistently excellent. My money is still on Kate, but I would NOT rule Streep out. And by the way, Streep’s “OMG! Me????” speech was the highlight of the show. (“I didn’t even wear a dress!”)
BEST ACTOR: Sean Penn, Milk
I have repeatedly voiced dissent about Milk on this blog, but NOT about Penn’s performance. His portrayal of the San Francisco legend is among his very best work. Since he hadn’t won at SAG before, his victory was easy to figure.
However, he did win recently at the Oscars (for Mystic River) so his victory there is less assured. For the Oscars, I favor Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) or Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler). I lean more toward Rourke, since Oscar loves a comeback.
BEST CAST: Slumdog Millionaire
Can we PLEASE stop referring to this wonderful movie as an underdog now? By this point, it’s becoming an overdog, if anything. Its crowning at the Oscars seems virtually inevitable at this point, and that’s fine by me.
We’ll see how it all pans out at the Oscars Feb. 22. What did you think of the winners? The show? Whom would you like to see go on to win the Oscars?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Movie awards
DiCaprio, Winslet shine in ‘Revolutionary Road’
When people complain that Revolutionary Road is a “downer,” they’re not wrong - but I still take issue with them.
The much-ballyhooed reunion of the Titanic stars had been touted as a heavy Oscar favorite, until the icy reaction to the film blew a chill through its odds. “Too depressing.” “Too remote.” “Too harsh,” people have said. Indeed, when the Oscar nominations came out Thursday, Revolutionary Road scored only three.
That reaction is understandable. This portrait of a marriage in crisis probably hits many people where they live - or at least where they once lived. It’s often a hard movie to watch. I would be hard pressed to recommend it to anyone in a strained relationship or a breakup. Before the film is 10 minutes old, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are at each other’s throats.
All that said, I must play the contrarian. Revolutionary Road may not be cheery, and it’s rarely romantic, but it’s still an excellent, mesmerizing film, with the two stars in top form. When it comes to the Oscars, DiCaprio was robbed, and Winslet was nominated for the wrong picture, the excruciatingly pretentious The Reader.
They play Frank and April Wheeler, who from all outward appearances, are the perfect couple in 1950s suburbia. Behind closed doors, however, home is far from sweet. April, especially, is discontent playing housewife and mother, and Frank feels restless, stuck in the kind of dead-end job he swore he would never have.
Then, one day, April has a brainwave: why not just drop everything and move to Paris, like she and Frank had always dreamed? However, fate, as is its wont, has other ideas. My only misgiving is that this story seems a touch too programmed, too preordained - but Revolutionary Road retains its potency throughout.
To some this might seem like American Beauty in a time warp, given that Sam Mendes directed both movies, and both deal with marital discord. While the themes are somewhat similar, this movie has a very different feel - it’s darker, moodier and much more austere. Mendes cannily composes his shots and uses subtle camera movements to create feelings of emptiness, and emotions broiling beneath the surface.
The performances stand out the most, though. Michael Shannon received a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor nomination for playing a neighbor’s son who has no filter between his mouth and his brain. Unlike most everyone around him, he says exactly what he thinks - and he articulates what he senses - which of course makes him “crazy.” Shannon almost seems like a character from another movie - but that’s really the point.
The greatest pleasure is watching Winslet and DiCaprio together again. They still have great chemistry, but they use it to very different ends. Both actors have to play happy domestics, traumatized basket cases, and sometimes traumatized basket cases pretending to be happy domestics. Clearly, these people were made for each other - but maybe not the way they imagined. It’s a delicate balancing act, but Winslet and DiCaprio walk it beautifully, to stunning effect.
That’s why I take issue with those who say the movie is a downer. I actually came out of Revolutionary Road in a good mood, despite its sobering subject. A great story well told - that’s never depressing. It’s always enthralling.
GRADE: A
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Reviews
And the Oscar nominees (and reax) are ….
The big news: The Dark Knight got SHAFTED. The major nominees are:
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
So the overbearingly pretentious The Reader (alternate title: I Shtupped a Nazi) is a better film than The Dark Knight, huh? ‘Scuse me while I eat my hat. If a “serious” film had to be take its slot, I would have much preferred the far superior Doubt.
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry,The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
So Stephen Daldry is a better director than The Dark Knight’s Christopher Nolan, huh? ‘Scuse me while I finish my hat.
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
I went 4 for 5 here, tapping Eastwood instead of Jenkins, but I’m actually happy to be wrong about that. Jenkins was bettter.
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Melissa Leo took Sally Hawkins’ spot, which makes me a little sad. Leo was very good, but Hawkins was even better. And I have a strong suspicion they nominated Winslet for the WRONG film, but she still has a shot at winning.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon , Revolutionary Road
Michael Shannon was the surprise here. Given how Revolutionary Road had faded from the picture, I thought he was farther on the outside. I’ll find out tonight when I see the film He aced out Dev Patel, which I’m actually not that upset about - he was really a lead anyway.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Hooray, my reverse psychology worked and Amy Adams made it in this year! With Winslet being moved over to lead for “The Reader,” I think Cruz will get it, although Davis would not surprise me either.
Not one of my better years. I’m mad at myself for not acing a single major category. But hey, as Some Like It Hot said, “Nobody’s perfect.”
What do you think? Who are you glad to see? Who got robbed? What surprised you? And a question a lot of people are bound to ask: since there’s not a blockbuster among the nominees again this year, are you excited about this list? Will you watch the show?
Minor categories will be added this morning after the jump.
Best Animated Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
They went with “Bolt” rather than “Waltz with Bashir” which I’m not too surprised by - this is along the same lines of “Jimmy Neutron” getting in over “Waking Life.”
Best Documentary
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
“Man on Wire” is the walkway favorite.
Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Revance
Waltz with Bashir
Really don’t see “Bashir” losing this, given its topicality.
Best Original Screenplay
Frozen River
Happy Go Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
WALL-E
The SHOCK here is longtime Academy darling Woody Allen getting passed over for “VIcky Cristina Barcelona.” Wow. But I’m happy to see the deserving “In Bruges” make the cut.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
I had “The Dark Knight” instead of “The Reader” - a mirror of the Picture Race.
Best Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire*
WALL-E
I’m delighted to see “WALL-E” here. I really hope it wins. Composer Thomas Newman is way past due for a trophy. I won’t be too upset if “Slumdog” takes it, which I actually expect.
Best Song
“Down to Earth,” WALL-E
“O Saya” Slumdog Millionaire
“Jaiho, ” Slumdog Millionaire
They went for three instead of the usual five, somewhat surprisingly passing over Springteen’s tune for “The Wrestler.” I think Newman’s win will come here.
Best Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
“The Duchess” got in instead of “Indiana Jones,” which I actually think is more deserving, but what are you gonna do?
Best Cinematography
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire*
“Changeling” made it instead of “Revolutionary Road,” which really fared poorly. The long overdue Roger Deakins is a nominee for “The Reader,” but I think “Slumdog” wins this.
Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Hey, I fianlly ACED a category! I’ll take what I can get this year!
Best Costume Design
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
No real read on this one, although I like the work in “Australia” and “Benjamin Button” the best.
Best Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army*
A good list. “Hellboy” had the most imaginative work.
Best Sound Mixing - for overall sound design
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted
Well, I guess “Wanted” did sound good (strongly disliked that film), but I preferred “Iron Man.” Go Ben Burtt for “WALL-E.”
Best Sound Editing - more for effects
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
Ibid.
Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
The technical category I felt safest predicting - and I was correct.
Again, thoughts?
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Oscars Sunday Night
The Golden Razzie noms are in - PHBBBT!
As is their tradition, the Golden Razzie nominations have issued their seals of disapproval the day before the Oscars reveal theirs. Their picks, along with my selective commentary:
WORST PICTURE
Disaster Movie
The Happening
The Hottie and the Nottie
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
The Love Guru
Meet the Spartans
I didn’t think The Happening was THAT horrible; it’s certainly not as laughably self-important as Shymalan’s last opus, Lady in the Water. No problem with the other picks, particularly for the stooges that made Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans.
WORST ACTOR
Larry the Cable Guy, Witless Protection
Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave
Mike Myers, The Love Guru
Al Pacino, 88 Minutes and Righteous Kill
Mark Wahlberg, The Happening and Max Payne
Al Pacino really should just stay away from Jon Avent, who directed both of his nominees.
WORST ACTRESS
Jessica Alba, The Eye and The Love Guru
The cast of The Women (Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Meg Ryan)
Cameron Diaz, What Happens in Vegas
Paris Hilton, The Hottie and the Nottie
Kate Hudson,Fools' Gold and My Best Friend's Girl
OUCH on the cast of The Women.
WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Uwe Boll (as himself), Uwe Boll's Postal
Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia!
Ben Kingsley, The Love Guru and The Wackness
Burt Reynolds, Deal and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Verne Troyer, The Love Guru and Uwe Boll's Postal
I bet Brosnan would have missed this shot if only he’d decided not to “sing.” Kind of sad to see Burt Reynolds on the level of Verne Troyer, i.e. a guy who hasn’t got anything better to do.
WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Carmen Electra, Disaster Movie</em> and Meet the Spartans
Paris Hilton, Repo: The Genetic Opera
Kim Kardashian, Disaster Movie
Jenny McCarthy, Witless Protection
Leelee Sobieski, 88 Minutes and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
You know, it really seemed for awhile that Sobieski had a promising career in the late 90s. After all, she worked for both Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut and Merchant/Ivory (A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries). She needs a new agent but good.
WORST SCREEN COUPLE
Uwe Boll and Any Actor, Camera or Screenplay
Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, What Happens in Vegas
Paris Hilton and either Christin Lakin or Joel David Moore, The Hottie and the Nottie
Larry the Cable Guy and Jenny McCarthy, Witless Protection<
Eddie Murphy and Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave
Boll ought to win this in a walk. One has not truly lived (or perhaps died) unless they have seen a Boll movie. His incompetence is nothing less than staggering.
WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF OR SEQUEL
The Day the Earth Blowed Up Real Good (undoubtedly a shot at the lousy Day The Earth Stood Still remake)
Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Speed Racer
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
I cry foul on Indiana Jones and Speed Racer. I know many were disappointed by Indy, but if you truly believe it belongs in “worst-of” company, you are a churlish soul indeed. I didn’t recommend Speed Racer, but that film at least had a vision behind it, unlike most of the films in this category.
WORST DIRECTOR
Uwe Boll, 1968: Tunnel Rats, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale and Uwe Boll's Postal
Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans<br>
Tom Putnam, The Hottie and the Nottie
Marco Schnabel, The Love Guru
M. Night Shyamalan, The Happenin
I don’t know what the heck 1968: Tunnel Rats is, but I’m almost curious. Almost.
WORST SCREENPLAY
Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans
The Happening
The Hottie and the Nottie
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
The Love Guru
Again, I cry foul on Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans. Clearly those movies do not have screenplays - merely laundry lists of references thrown together at random.
WORST CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Uwe Boll
Who else?
Your thoughts? Did you see anything Razzie-worthy last year?
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Movie awards
Best Picture/Director Oscar nominations will be …
OK folks, we’ve gone through the techs and the actors, now for the BIG prizes: Picture and Director.
BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Alternates: Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky, Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
The shoo ins are Boyle, whose Slumdog is simply unstoppable, and Fincher, who got his ticket to the dance by bringing his unique style to the kind of Oscar bait in which he does not normally traffic. Van Sant’s film is very well liked (too well liked, if you ask me) and he’s a former nominee for Good Will Hunting, so he’ most likely in. Nolan is that rare director able to walk the line between populism and artistic vision, and he did so brilliantly with The Dark Knight. He’ll finally get his due.
Then there’s that fifth slot. The DGA nominated Ron Howard, who turned in some of his best work with Frost/Nixon, but the guild has always been kinder to TV-bred directors like him, while the Academy’s directors have always favored auteurs. Yes, I know Howard won an Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, but that film had more momentum than Frost/Nixon, and remember - directors nominate directors, but everybody votes on who wins. I think it was the actors who helped propel Howard to the win that year. All that being the case, I’m predicting a slight upset in that Howard will be passed over in favor of the edgier Aronofsky, whose movie has gained traction.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: Doubt, WALL-E
These are the five films that have dominated the precursors, and I can’t think of a good reason to go against any of them. I suppose there’s a chance Doubt, very well liked as an acting showcase, could topple Frost/Nixon, but I’m guessing the more recent history of the latter will help it stick in the memory more. I hold out hope against hope that my beloved WALL-E will overcome the “it’s animated” hurdle, but with the animation category firmly entrenched, I just don’t see it happening.
You’ll see the remainder of my picks after the jump, so you can see either what a seer or what a fool I am. Remember, my predictions come with no guarantees, though I will gladly bask in any glory you find because of them.
I will react to the nominations Thursday morning. The announcement will start at 8:30. In the meantime, how do you see the big races shaping up?
BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Alternates: Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Write Langella, Penn and Rourke down in ink. Their buildup in insurmountable. That leaves two open slots. Benjamin Button has enough momentum that I think Pitt is in, even though some say it’s a passive performance. Still, it’s “gimmicky” enough for the actors to take notice.
The last slot is a three-way battle. DiCaprio is well-liked enough to have an outside shot, but the tepid response to his movie hurts him. He’s not seen as “due” so much as his costar is. Finally, there are Eastwood and Jenkins. The Screen Actors Guild went for Jenkins, but they tend to be a more clubbish group that roots for steady, reliable, less recognized players like him. The Academy usually goes for loud and brash over quiet and understated - so I just don’t feel safe betting against Eastwood, who is beloved. And the people who are fans of his film tend to support it very strongly.
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Your locks are Hathaway, Streep and Winslet. Kristin Scott Thomas has been talked up for her work in I Loved You So Long, but her buzz has recently died down. And for whatever reason, buzz never really built for Cate Blanchett in Benjamin Button either. The Academy tends to like actors in Mike Leigh movies (see Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake. Brenda Blethyn in Secrets and Lies), and I think many voters will find Hawkins’ character irresistible. Melissa Leo garnered much acclaim for her role in Frozen River, but this is a mirror of the Best Actor race. Leo is more of an indie darling, Jolie is louder and brasher - and she’s a former winner (for Girl Interrupted), so she gets the nod.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: James Franco, Milk; Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road; Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon
Ledger is a sure thing, as is Hoffman, and I’m quite confident about Downey, who had a banner year. Voters will pat him on the back for that and for his fearless comedic performance. I think Brolin trumps Franco for two reasons: One, Brolin has had heavier career momentum, and again, he has the flashier part than Franco. For the fifth slot, the love for Slumdog should carry Patel into the race, never mind that he’s actually a lead. For that matter, so is Hoffman.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Alternates: Amy Adams, Doubt; Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Cruz, Davis and Winslet are the front-runners. I feel a little less secure about Henson, but her performance as Ben Button’s “mother” is the heartwarming type, which helps. Marisa Tomei is a former winner (for My Cousin Vinny), she copped one other nomination (for Into the Bedroom) and her film is gaining ground, so she seems like a secure choice.. DeWitt might get in on Hathaway’s coattails, but I rather doubt it. And speaking of Doubt, It would make me very happy to see Adams in the five, but I think her performance is too understated for many voters to place her very high on the ballot. However, I predicted she would be nominated last year for Enchanted, and she was robbed, so maybe if I don’t predict her this year, she’ll get in - reverse psychology!
Best Animated Film
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Waltz with Bashir
Alternate: Bolt
Easy calls. Almost too easy.
Best Original Screenplay
Happy Go Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Christina Barcelona
WALL-E
Alternates: Burn After Reading, Gran Torino, The Visitor, The Wrestler
The Writers Guild passed over Rachel, but enough people will see the film to nominate Anne Hathaway, and writer Jenny Lumet is the daughter of well-regarded director Sidney, and Oscar likes that kind of progeny. Pixar has better luck with the Oscars than they do the guilds, and Mike Leigh, the writer-director behind Happy Go Lucky, tends to cop nods for writing even though his films are largely improvised by the actors.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: The Reader, Revolutionary Road
Right down the line with the guilds here. These feel like very secure picks.
Best Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Alternates: Defiance, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Milk
A tough category to predict this year. Count on Ben Button and Slumdog. I’m nervous about Dark Knight since it was previously disqualified, but I think the film has enough momentum to swing in. Revolutionary Road has lost momentum overall, but I think Thomas Newman’s name is strong enough to get him nominated for both that and WALL-E. I’m taking a risk not nominating John Williams, but I thought his score for Indy IV was just decent - and I defend that film!
Best Song
“Down to Earth,” WALL-E
“Gran Torino”, Gran Torino
“I Thought I Lost You, ” Bolt
“Jaiho, ” Slumdog Millionaire
“The Wrestler,” The Wrestler
Count on WALL-E’s song and Springsteen’s tune for The Wrestler. The “Slumdog” tune will get in on the film’s momentum. And I mainly picked the other two because I couldn’t think of better alternatives.
Best Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Revolutionary Road
Alternates: Australia, The Duchess, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire
Count on a raft of period work, and a near technical sweep by The Dark Knight. This is one rare category I expect Slumdog to miss, because that was more location work than sets. And as much as people disliked Indiana Jones, is anyone seriously going to argue the sets in that aren’t first rate? If so, you’re a fool.
Best Cinematography
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: Defiance, Milk
I took the same five the American Society of Cinematographers took, it seemed the safest way to go.
Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Safest bet is to match the likely picture nominees, and I feel very comfortable with that, even to the point of not naming alternates.
Best Costume Design
Changeling (period)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (periods, technical sweep)
The Duchess (opulence)
Revolutionary Road (period)
Slumdog Millionaire (love for the film)
Alternates: The Dark Knight, The Other Boleyn Girl
Best Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (old age)
The Reader (old age)
Tropic Thunder (Blood and blackface)
Alternate: Synecdoche, NY
Best Sound Mixing - for overall sound design
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fincher’s movies always sound great)
The Dark Knight (technical sweep)
Iron Man (Big summer blockbuster)
Slumdog Millionaire (sweep)
WALL-E (Pixar, genius)
Best Sound Editing - more for effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fincher)
The Dark Knight (Sweep)
Indiana Jones (All the other films were)
Iron Man (Big Summer blockbuster)
WALL-E (Pixar, genius)
Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
The technical category I feel safest predicting. These are the obvious three, although Hellboy II could topple the less obviously effect-y Dark Knight.
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Oscar nomination predictions: The acting races
Oscar nomination week rolls on. Yesterday I went below the line, today I go above the line by predicting which actors will be tapped. Again, nominations are Thursday.
BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Alternates: Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Write Langella, Penn and Rourke down in ink. Their buildup in insurmountable. That leaves two open slots. Benjamin Button has enough momentum that I think Pitt is in, even though some say it’s a passive performance. Still, it’s “gimmicky” enough for the actors to take notice.
The last slot is a three-way battle. DiCaprio is well-liked enough to have an outside shot, but the tepid response to his movie hurts him. He’s not seen as “due” so much as his costar is. Finally, there are Eastwood and Jenkins. The Screen Actors Guild went for Jenkins, but they tend to be a more clubbish group that roots for steady, reliable, less recognized players like him. The Academy usually goes for loud and brash over quiet and understated - so I just don’t feel safe betting against Eastwood, who is beloved. And the people who are fans of his film tend to support it very strongly.
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Your locks are Hathaway, Streep and Winslet. Kristin Scott Thomas has been talked up for her work in I Loved You So Long, but her buzz has recently died down. And for whatever reason, buzz never really built for Cate Blanchett in Benjamin Button either. The Academy tends to like actors in Mike Leigh movies (see Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake. Brenda Blethyn in Secrets and Lies), and I think many voters will find Hawkins’ character irresistible. Melissa Leo garnered much acclaim for her role in Frozen River, but this is a mirror of the Best Actor race. Leo is more of an indie darling, Jolie is louder and brasher - and she’s a former winner (for Girl Interrupted), so she gets the nod.
Supporting races after the jump:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: James Franco, Milk; Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road; Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon
Ledger is a sure thing, as is Hoffman, and I’m quite confident about Downey, who had a banner year. Voters will pat him on the back for that and for his fearless comedic performance. I think Brolin trumps Franco for two reasons: One, Brolin has had heavier career momentum, and again, he has the flashier part than Franco. For the fifth slot, the love for Slumdog should carry Patel into the race, never mind that he’s actually a lead. For that matter, so is Hoffman.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Alternates: Amy Adams, Doubt; Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Cruz, Davis and Winslet are the front-runners. I feel a little less secure about Henson, but her performance as Ben Button’s “mother” is the heartwarming type, which helps. Marisa Tomei is a former winner (for My Cousin Vinny), she copped one other nomination (for Into the Bedroom) and her film is gaining ground, so she seems like a secure choice.. DeWitt might get in on Hathaway’s coattails, but I rather doubt it. And speaking of Doubt, It would make me very happy to see Adams in the five, but I think her performance is too understated for many voters to place her very high on the ballot. However, I predicted she would be nominated last year for Enchanted, and she was robbed, so maybe if I don’t predict her this year, she’ll get in - reverse psychology!
Picture/Director predictions arrive Wednesday. Who do you think will be/should be nominated among the actors?
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Today’s DVDs: Lion roars, critic snores
The DVD selection for this week is so uninspiring that the best bet is actually a documentary about a movie studio.
MGM: When the Lion Roars: This two-disc set reveals how MGM rose to power and glory with “more stars than there are in the heavens” - and how that glory slowly but surely faded when first golden age of movies came to an end. Unfortunately, there are no extras, but the documentary has enough interviews and clips from classsics to tell a story better than you’d find in most movies.
City of Ember: This was a rare misfire from Walden Media, the producers of such book-to-movie fare as the Narnia series, Charlotte’s Web and Bridge to Terabithia. While some imaginative visuals and good performances from Bill Murray and Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) make the film worthwhile, director Gil Kenan (Monster House) loses grip of the story, which loses energy too soon. GRADE: B-
As for the rest you have The Express (football drama that made nary a ripple), Henry Poole is Here (a sleeper no one saw), Igor (animation that came and went) Max Payne (a shoot em up not even that well liked by the gamer crowd) and Saw V, a series of which even the fans seem to be tiring.
Have fun!
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Predicting the Oscar nominatons, Part 1
It’s Oscar nominations week on the blog. The Academy’s picks will be announced Thursday, so I will be breaking out my predictions. Tuesday I will cover the actors and actresses (those picks are here) Wednesday I will cover Picture and Director, and Thursday I will react to the actual picks. Friday I intend to review Revolutionary Road, which many people (myself included) will be the movie that finally nets Kate Winslet an Oscar.
So where does that leave today? The below the line categories. I know a lot of people “don’t care” about these, but some Oscar pools do require that you fill out even the tech categories so I’m here to help you with those (although I don’t know enough about short films, foreign films or documentaries to make those calls). For more information, check out the charts linked on this page at The Film Experience, an excellent resource.
Best Animated Film
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Waltz with Bashir
Alternate: Bolt
Easy calls. Almost too easy.
Best Original Screenplay
Happy Go Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Christina Barcelona
WALL-E
Alternates: Burn After Reading, Gran Torino, The Visitor, The Wrestler
The Writers Guild passed over Rachel, but enough people will see the film to nominate Anne Hathaway, and writer Jenny Lumet is the daughter of well-regarded director Sidney, and Oscar likes that kind of progeny. Pixar has better luck with the Oscars than they do the guilds, and Mike Leigh, the writer-director behind Happy Go Lucky, tends to cop nods for writing even though his films are largely improvised by the actors.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: The Reader, Revolutionary Road
Right down the line with the guilds here. These feel like very secure picks.
Best Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Alternates: Defiance, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Milk
A tough category to predict this year. Count on Ben Button and Slumdog. I’m nervous about Dark Knight since it was previously disqualified, but I think the film has enough momentum to swing in. Revolutionary Road has lost momentum overall, but I think Thomas Newman’s name is strong enough to get him nominated for both that and WALL-E. I’m taking a risk not nominating John Williams, but I thought his score for Indy IV was just decent - and I defend that film!
Best Song
“Down to Earth,” WALL-E
“Gran Torino”, Gran Torino
“I Thought I Lost You, ” Bolt
“Jaiho, ” Slumdog Millionaire
“The Wrestler,” The Wrestler
Count on WALL-E’s song and Springsteen’s tune for The Wrestler. The “Slumdog” tune will get in on the film’s momentum. And I mainly picked the other two because I couldn’t think of better alternatives.
We get to the real nitty-gritty at the jump.
Best Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Revolutionary Road
Alternates: Australia, The Duchess, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire
Count on a raft of period work, and a near technical sweep by The Dark Knight. This is one rare category I expect Slumdog to miss, because that was more location work than sets. And as much as people disliked Indiana Jones, is anyone seriously going to argue the sets in that aren’t first rate? If so, you’re a fool.
Best Cinematography
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Alternates: Defiance, Milk
I took the same five the American Society of Cinematographers took, it seemed the safest way to go.
Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Safest bet is to match the likely picture nominees, and I feel very comfortable with that, even to the point of not naming alternates.
Best Costume Design
Changeling (period)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (periods, technical sweep)
The Duchess (opulence)
Revolutionary Road (period)
Slumdog Millionaire (love for the film)
Alternates: The Dark Knight, The Other Boleyn Girl
Best Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (old age)
The Reader (old age)
Tropic Thunder (Blood and blackface)
Alternate: Synecdoche, NY
Best Sound Mixing - for overall sound design
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fincher’s movies always sound great)
The Dark Knight (technical sweep)
Iron Man (Big summer blockbuster)
Slumdog Millionaire (sweep)
WALL-E (Pixar, genius)
Best Sound Editing - more for effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fincher)
The Dark Knight (Sweep)
Indiana Jones (All the other films were)
Iron Man (Big Summer blockbuster)
WALL-E (Pixar, genius)
Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
The technical category I feel safest predicting. These are the obvious three.
What do you think? Who would you like to see win in this lot?
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Powerful ‘Defiance’ exceeds expectations
I didn’t expect Defiance to be a great movie, and it’s not - but it is one of the great pleasures of watching movies: a film that’s much better than I thought it would be.
Going into Defiance, I wasn’t sold. The trailers hadn’t really moved me one way or the other, and reviews were uneven. Then there was the uneven resume of director Edward Zwick.
Sometimes his work is excellent, as in Glory or Courage Under Fire. Much of the time, however, Zwick’s movies feel too studied, too convinced of their nobility, as in Blood Diamond or The Last Samurai. Despite a few great scenes, those and other movies by Zwick come off like well-intentioned lectures.
That’s why I wasn’t encouraged when Defiance started off on the wrong foot, overemphasizing the rivalry between brothers Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) and Zus Bielski (Liev Schreiber) who lead a group of Jews into the Belarussian Forest during World War II, determined to strike back at the Nazis. Tuvia is the rock star, the natural born leader, while Zus is the sullen one, forever lurking in Tuvia’s shadow. There are two other brothers, played by Jamie Bell, and George McKay, who don’t register as much as the two leads.
I know the basic story is true, but I don’t know how much of the rivalry is based on fact. As scripted by Zwick and Clayton Frohman, it rang false, feeling like a melodramatic conflict trumped up to build the drama. Then, when the story shifted its focus to the plight of the Jews surviving in the woods, the drama kicked into high gear.
That part of Defiance, which thankfully makes up the bulk of the movie, was riveting. I was endlessly fascinated by how the Jews changed over the course of the journey, evolving from a people frightened by their persecution to near-savages constantly at each other’s throats, to battle-hardened fighters, among whom even the women are marksmen. Witnessing their resourcefulness and bravery was inspiring, and these scenes are well-filmed by Zwick and his photographer, Eduardo Serra.
Zwick doesn’t completely escape his mannered tendencies. Some of the battle scenes are filmed in slow motion with a strobing effect that calls attention to itself and undercuts the drama. Some of the religious metaphors are heavy-handed, and I was also disappointed in the score by the usually better James Newton Howard, whose music is too derivative of John Williams’ work in Schindler’s List.
Flaws and all, Defiance is still the best World War II drama in theaters now, trumping both the solid but unremarkable Valkyrie and the insufferably pretentious The Reader. The movie gathered strength as it unfolded, until it truly lived up to its title - by defying my expectations.
GRADE: B+
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Ricardo Montalban, 1920-2009
Tributes to Ricardo Montalban, who died Wednesday, run wife with references to “Da Plane” and “KAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNN!” Not to be unexpected, of course, but I still find that a little sad, considering those lines were actually spoken by other actors.
When I think of Ricardo Montalban, my thoughts run elsewhere. I think of the man who waxed eloquently about his early days at MGM in the documentary When the Lion Roars. I remember him having fun as the villain in the first of the Naked Gun movies.
But besides Star Trek II, my fondest memories of Montalban came courtesy of the Spy Kids series, in which he played the wheelchair-bound grandfather. In Spy Kids 3D, thanks to a little digital magic, he was freed from the confines of his chair so he could fight the bad guys.
Montalban (far right) in Spy Kids 3D
It warmed this handicapped critic’s heart to see the “dis” taken out of disabled in such an imaginative way, and Montalban’s effortless charm went a long way in making that character so memorable. For that, more than anything else, I will miss him.
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What’s opening Friday, January 16?
This Friday brings a pretty typical group of lame January offerings, with a sprinkling of Oscar bait.
JANUARY 16
Defiance: A group of Jewish brothers organize the largest armed rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Daniel Craig leads the cast. This has turned out to be one of director Ed Zwick’s better efforts. Review posts Friday.
Hotel for Dogs: Orphaned teens Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin turn an abandoned house into a canine hostel. As far as kids’ movies go, I’m more interested in next week’s Inkheart.
Last Chance Harvey: : Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman star in this story of a couple who meet when Hoffman’s life is at a low ebb. It looks like a mid-level production, but this pairing of two great actors has me intrigued.
My Bloody Valentine 3D: A man returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine’s night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people when he becomes suspected of the killings. It’s score at Rotten Tomatoes seemed surprisingly strong at 83 percent - then I realized that was based on six reviews. We’ll see.
Notorious: The story of the late rapper Notorious BIG. Reviews are decent so far.
Paul Blart, Mall Cop: A bumbling mall cop is called upon to save the day when thieves invade. Lots of fat jokes ensue. Thanks, but I’d rather see the Seth Rogen mall cop movie instead.
At the arthouses
Neon sticks with Slumdog Millionaire (stop reading this and see it if you haven’t already) and Milk. Little Art brings in the excellent Doubt.
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What are the best looking movies of all time?
Last week I mentioned that my favorite techie category at the Oscars was cinematography. That art has always fascinated me - so much so that I know several DPs by name. I love to blow people’s minds by telling them the same cameraman shot Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day’s Night and Star Wars (one Gilbert Taylor). I can also tell you who shot nearly every one of Steven Spielberg’s or Martin Scorsese’s films without looking it up. It’s the geek in me,
However, to make this post a little more accessible, I’d like to ask a fairly simple question. What are the best-looking movies of all time? Regardless of the story, performances, visual effects or any other considerations, what films are simply beautiful to behold?
I’ll throw out two golden age choices and two contemporary choices - one black and white, one color for each.
Citizen Kane - People tell me quite a lot they don’t think the film is really that great, but they can’t be talking about Gregg Toland’s groundbreaking photography. Practically every shot is worth framing on a wall.
The Red Shoes: In what just might be the greatest technical oversight in Oscar history, Jack Cardiff’s astonishingly beautiful visuals didn’t get a cinematography nomination. Watch this footage and try to justify that.
Schindler’s List: For a film that depicits so much ugliness, so many of its images by Janusz Kaminski have a stark, terrible beauty.
Apocalypse Now: Ditto, but in mesmerizing color, by Vittorio Storaro.
Hardly all-encompassing, but that ought to get you started. So tell me what you think the best-looking movies of all time are.
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Nix on High School Musical chick in ‘Twilight’ pix
So, ummm …. that report about Vanessa Hudgens supposedly auditioning for New Moon, the sequel to Twilight?
To quote Gilda Radner’s Emily Litella (that’s old school SNL for you young-uns): “Oh. Nevermind.”
Darn, I’m kinda disappointed, if only because I was SO pleased with my predictive powers. Guess I should drop “psychic” from that list of alternative careers. This does not bode well for my Oscar nomination predictions next week …
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Today’s DVDs - A winner from Woody Allen
Picking out the best DVD is a no-brainer this week - it’s the movie that just won Best Comedy at the Golden Globes.
The title may be a bit ungainly, but Woody Allen’s latest film is one of his more graceful efforts in awhile, as it deftly tells the story of a love quadrangle with one man (Javier Bardem) amidst three women (Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johannson and Penelope Cruz).
Cruz in particular impresses with her fiery and alluring performance which has garnered much Oscar buzz, but all four leads are outstanding. They help smooth over an ungainly voice-over which sometimes helpfully fills in some blanks but too often underlines what we can clearly see.
The movie does not quite rise to the level of Match Point, Allen’s best film of this decade, but it’s a marked improvement over the underwritten Scoop and the pallid Cassandra’s Dream. Let’s hope Allen stays on the upswing when he returns to New York this year with Whatever Works, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David.
GRADE: B+
Also out today
Appaloosa: Ed Harris stars in and directs a western about two lawmen (Harris and Viggo Moretensen) trying to reign in a renegade rancher well played by Jeremy Irons. Renee Zellweger has one of her saucier roles as the woman who comes in between the two men. However, Harris lets the pacing go slack, so the movie never builds up quite enough steam, but solid performances keep it afloat.
GRADE B-
Mirrors: An ex-cop (Kiefer Sutherland) and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home. Could it possibly be up to The Lady from Shanghai?
My Best Friend’s Girl: This is destined to be rememebered not for the movie, but for Dane Cook’s diatribe about the poster.
Swing Vote: A Kevin Costner vehicle that couldn’t catch fire in an election year despite being about an election.
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Twilight + High School Musical = ?????
When I reviewed Twilight last November, I wrote: “Watching Twilight reminded me of seeing High School Musical 3: Senior Year about a month ago. And that’s not a bad thing.”
Well, it turns out I wasn’t the only one who was thinking along those lines. Turns out that none other than Vanessa Hudgens has reportedly auditioned for the role of Leah in the sequel New Moon, due out this November. Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass) directs.
I don’t pretend to know anything about the character of Leah, but on the basis of what I saw of her in HSM, I’m dubious. She seems too featherweight, too wispy to play a vampire. Maybe its her reedy singing voice that has me unnerved.
For those who ARE in the know, tell me what you think.
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What did you think of the Golden Globes?
These reactions were typed out as I watched the show Sunday night.
Best Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Nice to see today’s great Kate FINALLY get something. I did not care for the self-important film but her performance was very fine. Now let’s see if she gets her OTHER nomination, for “Revolutionary Road.”
Best Song: Bruce Springsteen, The Wrestler
Fine choice, though I personally prefer “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E.” Not sure Bruce is Oscar bound since he has one already for “Streets of Philadelphia,” but we’ll see.
PS I won’t be commenting on TV awards, since I don’t traffic in them.
You know, I’m really tired of “presenting” the Best Picture nominees by presenting what amount to fricken’ trailers that tell people almost NOTHING about the film.
Best Animated Film - WALL-E
The Jonas Brothers presenting? WTH????
This was “WALL-E” in a walk - or maybe a scoot.
Best Actress, Musical/Comedy: Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Three cheers for Sally Hawkins, who is MOST deserving - I was a little worried they’d play it safer and go for the OK but less deserving Streep. This will help her Oscar chances.
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
I wrote down Ledger even before it was announced. Absolute shoo-in - and absolutely deserved. Very nice acceptance by director Christopher Nolan.
Best Foreign Language Film: “Waltz with Bashir”
No surprise here either - especially with the current Gaza conflict, this film has become very topical. I’m anxious to see it.
Funny that Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen come on and the annoncer doesn’t mention the film they were in. Can’t say “Porno” on the air, I guess.
Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, “Slumdog Milllionaire”
WELL deserved! The momentum toward Oscar continues to build and justly so for my second favorite film of the year.
Hey look, they picked the worst singer of the cast (Pierce Brosnan) to present “Mamma Mia!” Waterloo, indeed!
Best Score: AR Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
And the train rolls on, with yet another deserving win for this ebullient film although I still regret Thomas Newman was passed over for his brilliant “WALL-E” score.
Well, the Cecil B. DeMille award for Steven Spielberg gets off to a great by having our other greatest director, Martin Scorsese, present. Few people can explain the greatness of a film and its makers better than Marty.
Very nicely put package, with a great speech from Spielberg. The highlight of a rather lackluster show so far, at least as far as the movie segments go.
Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
“Mad, pulsating affection.” Yes, that’s about right. And it’s great to see Boyle get some recognition after building such a striking, diverse filmography.
Best Actor, Musical/Comedy, Colin Farrelll, “In Bruges”
I LIKE this choice! He did indeed do some very funny work in this off-kilter comedy. This is the kind of nice freewheeling, loopy speech you don’t see at the other shows.
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
An award for the Woody Allen film! NICE! Thank GOD “Mamma Mia” didn’t get it!
Best Actress, Drama: Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”
I haven’t even seen the film, and I LOVE this choice! Winslet is one of our finest, and it’s wonderful to see her be so genuinely moved. She just surpassed Spielberg for the best moment in the show. I think that grossly overdue Oscar is finally at hand …
Best Actor, Drama: Mickey Rourke, “The Westler”
Wow, my original gut prediction was correct! Can I have your right arm, Lainie? ;) I will NOT rule out Rourke for the Oscar. Nice heartfelt, slightly coarse acceptance speech.
Best Picture, Drama: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Well, what do you know, “Slumdog!” See all my other comments on the film that will reflect my delight at its success.
Overall, there were no real jaw-dropping surprises, and the show itself was fairly ordinary as far as Golden Globes shows go - the closest it came to an OMG moment was Sacha Baron Cohen’s predictably tasteless remarks. My favorite moments were Spielberg’s award and Winslet’s OMG “Revolutionary Road” speech.
What’s your take on the show and the winners?
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Gran Torino: Behind those narrow eyes
Just before I saw Gran Torino, I told a friend, “Time for me to go watch Clint Eastwood growl at people.”
I was being silly at the time, but after I saw the movie, I realized that what I said had a ring of truth to it. More than any film he’s made since Unforgiven, Gran Torino tries to turn Eastwood’s take-no-guff persona on its head - and for the most part, it works.
When I first saw the trailer for the film, I didn’t know what to make of it. The movie looked like a weird Afterschool Special starring an Archie Bunker type who actually kicks people to the curb. The combination seemed jarring and it looked like a step backward for our best actor turned director.
As usual, though, Eastwood knew exactly what he was doing when he chose to star in and direct the film. He knows that people enjoy watching him give people their comeuppance - and in Gran Torino, he spins it a little differently than he has in the past, not only by having his character wear racism on his sleeve - but by having someone call him on it.
Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, who buries his wife at the beginning of the film. At the funeral, he notices his granddaughter wearing a navel ring-baring top. Walt glowers and growls at the girl so intently, I almost thought he was going to kick the snot out of her right there.
Still, Walt is not merely a crusty old codger - he has a way of looking out for the underdog, even when he doesn’t care for the victim. One day, he saves his Hmong neighbor, Tao (Bee Vang) from a group of gangbangers, even after Tao tried to steal Walt’s prized Gran Torino. As repayment, Tao agrees to work for Walt, but the gang is out for revenge.
Watching this movie with an audience was telling. When Walt accosts a group of black men who are threatening Tao’s sister Sue (Ahney Her) he calls them “spooks.” No other actor alive except Eastwood could have gotten away with that - indeed, the audience I saw the film with laughed loudly at the scene, and several others in which Walt hurls epithets.
Did they find such moments genuinely funny? Or was the laughter uncomfortable? Maybe it was a bit of both. In any case, Eastwood is consciously playing with people’s expectations of him. In one way, he’s very much preaching to the “get, em Clint” crowd, but he’s also usurping those expectations by showing what lurks underneath that glare. Walt isn’t a bad man so much as an insensitive one who hasn’t learned to deal with his bitterness, and Eastwood reveals the humanity in him movingly, if not always gracefully.
Eastwood and writer Nick Schenck tend to lean on the name-calling a little too often until it becomes an excuse for cheap and easy laughs. Some have said that Gran Torino should be taken as a “fable,” but that’s letting it off the hook too easily - some of the storytelling is simply clumsy.
The flaws stand out, because when Gran Torino works, it works very well. The story focuses on the relationship between Walt and Tao, but the much more interesting friendship is the one with Sue, who’s not afraid to call Walt as she sees him, even to the point of saying “booga booga” to him. That’s the real heart of the story, played very well by the actors. The film would have been even better if it had focused on Walt and Sue, dropping the ham-handed Gran Torino subplot altogether.
Gran Torino shouldn’t be mistaken for one of Eastwood’s great movies, but as a tale of redemption, it’s much more affecting than, say Seven Pounds. By the time the credits rolled, Walt’s heart had softened - and so had mine.
GRADE: B+
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It’s starting to look like the Oscar nominees are …
The Directors Guild of America announced its nominees today, and they are:
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
I have no problem with this group except for Van Sant, whose direction of Milk was surprisingly obvious and overstated for a filmmaker who’s normally much more inventive. This is a very likely final five for the Oscars - the Producers Guild, also a good predictor for Oscar, nominated the same five films last week.
Personally, I would prefer to see Doubt in the group; WALL-E would have been wonderful, but I didn’t expect voters to be gutsy enough to push it that far. Best Animated Film will have to do, it seems.
The Writers Guild nominated the following:
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Joel and Ethan Coen
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen
The Visitor, Thomas McCarthy
The Wrestler, Robert Siegel
Again, a fine group (I’m taking The Wrestler on faith, as I’ve not seen it yet), but I’m not fond of Milk’s screenplay; WALL-E would have been a better choice, as would have Rachel Getting Married. Of this group, I’d actually vote for Burn After Reading, which is more complex than it seems.
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
The Dark Knight, Christopher and Jonathan Nolan
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
No major complaints here, although I’m not quite as high on Button, I thought the lack of focus in the narrative was the movie’s Achilles Heel.
And my favorite technical guild, the cinematographers, have announced as well:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister
The Reader, Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
Revolutionary Road, Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle
Mostly deserving, although I didn’t see anything particularly special about the photography for The Reader. Two excellent DPs did solid but unexceptional work; Deakins’ canny lensing of Doubt would have been preferable. My favorite here is Slumdog, not only for how its lit, but for the great variety in the way the camera moves. Still, I would also like to see the unjustly unheralded Deakins finally get his due.
What do you think of these awards and the way the race is shaping up?
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April movies: What’s coming up?
Before our spring preview movies into April’s movies, I have to say I have been remiss by not pointing out that certain acclaimed indie titles will be showing locally in the first months of the year. They are:
January 23
The Wrestler
The lowdown: Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival.
The forecast: This has been winning raves across the board, especially for Rourke. I’m always up for any film by director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, the underrated The Fountain.)
The prospect: A
February 6
I’ve Loved You So Long
The lowdown: Confronted with the unexpected goodness of her younger sister , a woman who has been in prison for years begins to open up.
The forecast: The highlight here is the performance by Kristin Scott Thomas, which has earned raves, although awards buzz seems to have cooled somewhat. Still, I’m intrigued.
The prospect: B
February 13
Waltz with Bashir
The lowdown: A man who fought in the first Lebanon war of the early 80s tries to piece together his memories of that time.
The forecast: Somewhat similar to Persepolis, in that it uses striking animation techniques to illustrate real events, this just won the Best Picture award from the National Society of Film Critics - influenced, no doubt, by the current Gaza conflict.
The prospect: A
Now, on to April:
April 3
Fast and Furious
The lowdown: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordanna Brewster return to their fast cars and try to give their careers a jump in the process. Justin Lin, who helmed the third film minus the stars, directs.
The forecast: I have never cared for this franchise. I thought the first was vastly overrated, didn’t care for the second, and skipped the third. I must admit the trailer is kind of a grabber, but still .. Diesel and Walker turn me off. And one question: Why in the world is this being released in April instead of June? That doesn’t bode well.
The prospect: C
The Ugly Truth
The lowdown: Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl spar in this romantic comedy, playing a snide TV host and his harried producer Gee, wonder if they’ll fall for each other.
The forecast: I like the two leads, but the trailer looks very standard issue. Director Robert Luketic can be hit (Legally Blonde) or miss (Monster in Law).
The prospect: C
April 10
Dragonball Evolution
The lowdown: Japanese anime goes live action, courtesy of the director of Final Destination.
The forecast: I just can’t muster up much excitement for this one, even if it does star Chow Yun-Fat.
The prospect: C
Hannah Montana the Movie
The lowdown: The title tells you all you need to know.
The forecast: I’ve not seen a single episode of the show, and I can’t say I’m intrigued enough to see it expanded on the big screen.
The prospect: C
Observe and Report
The lowdown: A bi-polar mall security guard (Seth Rogen) is called into action to stop a flasher from turning shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show.
The forecast: Well, the premise is certainly unusual. The director and writer is Jody Hill, who made inroads with the film The Foot Fist Way. Consider my curiosity piqued.
The prospect: B
April 17
Crank 2: High Voltage
The lowdown: Jason Statham and Amy Smart return to commit various acts of violence.
The forecast: I’ve heard the original described as a turn-off-your-brain guilty pleasure. Since sequels usually have diminishing returns, I think I’ll just check out the original and go from there.
The prospect: C
Seventeen Again
The lowdown: Matthew Perry reverts to his 17-year-old self and turns into Zac Efron. Sounds like a good career move to me.
The forecast: The body-switching plot has been beaten to death, but two things give me hope here: The presence of Leslie Mann, who usually enlivens her movies, and Efron, who is a genuine talent.
The prospect: B
State of Play
The lowdown: A congressman (Ben Affleck) becomes embroiled in controversy when his mistress is killed. Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams investigate the cast.
The forecast: Excellent cast, and a strong director in Kevin MacDonald, who made Touching the Void and The Last King of Scotland. I’m in.
The prospect: A
April 24
Fighting
The lowdown: A young counterfeiter ( Channing Tatum) is introduced to the world of underground street fighting by a seasoned scam artist (Terrence Howard).
The forecast: Some say this holds promise because of the two leads and director Dito Montiel, who directing Tatum to good notices in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. I’ll reserve judgment until the reviews roll in.
The prospect: C
Obsessed
The lowdown: A successful business man (Idris Elba) with a beautiful wife (Beyonce Knowles) becomes the target of a female stalker (Ali Larter).
The forecast: Zzzzzzzzzzz … oh, sorry - reading that plot description put me to sleep. I can only imagine what the movie would do.
The prospect: F
The Soloist
The lowdown: Jamie Foxx plays a schizophrenic musician taken under the wing of a troubled reporter for the Los Angeles Times (Robert Downey Jr.) True story.
The forecast: This was touted as one of the better Oscar prospects before Paramount unceremoniously booted it to the spring. The trailer makes the story seem like fairly obvious feel-good material, but these stars, and a savvy director like Joe Wright (Atonement) could make it something special.
The prospect: B
May brings us Wolverine, Pixar’s Up and Star Trek, among others, - but we’ll worry about those when winter’s over! Meanwhile, tell me what you think of this crop.
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March movies: What’s coming up? Better prospects
As the winter comes to an end in 2009, the doldrums at the movies melt away too, as prospects improve considerably. Here are the January and February releases, if you must relive them.
MARCH 6
All About Steve
The lowdown: After Sandra Bullock, playing a crossword puzzle creator, has one date with a CNN cameraman (Bradley Cooper), she follows him all over the country.
The forecast: Sounds quirky/intriguing enough - I just hope it’s better than some of Bullock’s recent vehicles like Premonition.
The prospect: B
Watchmen
The lowdown: Alan Moore’s lauded graphic novel comes to the screen courtesy of the director of 300, Zack Snyder.
The forecast: We shall see if this actually comes out in March amid the ongoing dispute between WB and Fox, both of whom claim to have the rights. I know for many people this is THE must-see film of the season, but I’m feeling a bit of fatigue in this genre. I hope the film exceeds my expectations.
The prospect: B
MARCH 13
A Perfect Getaway
The lowdown: A Hawaiian honeymoon turns dangerous Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich when they discover they are being stalked by a pair of killers.
The forecast: The plot sounds old hat, but the director is David Twohy, who made Pitch Black, one of the few Vin Diesel movies I like. Then again, he also made the bloated sequel, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
The prospect: B
Race to Witch Mountain
The lowdown: Disney reboots its 70s franchise about telekinetic kids, with Dwayne Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb (the winning lead from Bridge to Terabithia).
The forecast: The kid in me still has a soft spot for the Witch Mountain movies. The original female lead, Kim Richards, who appears in the new film, gave me my first inkling that girls were cute. With a very promising cast, I’m actually more anxious to see this than Wathcmen. So there.
The prospect: A
MARCH 20
Duplicity
The lowdown: Julia Roberts and Clive Owen star as spies trying to con their corporate bosses.
The forecast: Ladies and gentlemen, here is the film I am most looking forward to seeing in the first quarter of the year. If this film is half as good as its dynamite trailer, and half as good as the previous film by writer-director Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton, we’re in great shape.
The prospect: A Here’s the trailer:
I Love You Man
The lowdown: Paul Rudd goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding. Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) co-stars.
The forecast: Potentially funny premise, but director John Hamburg’s last film was the lame Along Came Polly. We’ll see.
The prospect: C
Knowing
The lowdown: Nicolas Cage begins to suspect that his son has discovered an artifact that accurately predicts natural disasters and other catastrophes.
The forecast: The director is Alex Proyas, who has one of the best eyes in the business, having made The Crow and Dark City. For that reason alone, I’m curious.
The forecast: A
MARCH 27
The Accidental Husband
The lowdown: When a talk radio host (Uma Thurman) advises one of her listeners to break up with her boyfriend, the ex sets about getting his revenge.
The forecast: Sounds pleasant enough, but I just can’t get fired up about it, since it’s been kicked around the schedule like a soccer ball.
The prospect: C
Adventureland
The lowdown: A college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) takes what he thinks is a dead-end job at his local amusement park.
The forecast: The director of Superbad wrote and directed this. It should be interesting to see what he can do outside the Judd Apatow stable. Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds co-star. This might appeal to those who miss the likes of Americana/LeSourdsville Lake.
The forecast: B
Janky Promoters
The lowdown: Two shady concert promoters (Ice Cube and Mike Epps) get into trouble when their plan to book a superstar rapper (Young Jeezy) goes awry.
The forecast: Fans of the Friday movies may be into this; that’s not me.
The prospect: C
Monsters vs. Aliens
The lowdown: After being hit by a meteorite on her wedding day, a woman (Reese Witherspoon) turns into a monster and is stashed away to a secret government compound where others like her have been rounded up over the years.
The forecast: Great premise, I have high hopes this is one of DreamWorks’ better efforts.
The prospect: A
12 Rounds
The lowdown: A Detective (John Cena) discovers his girlfriend has been kidnapped by a ex-con and he’ll have to successfully complete 12 challenges in order to secure her safe release.
The forecast: From the star of The Marine and director Renny Harlin, who hasn’t made a decent film since Deep Blue Sea? Pass.
The forecast: C
What do you think? Better, no?
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Disney makes new ‘20,000 Leagues’ with …
Disney has gone back to its own well again, to remake one of its old properties, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. And according to Variety the man for the job is …
McG.
Crud.
Sorry, but I still haven’t forgiven the cutely-named director for the abomination that was Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. The headache I got from that seizure disguised as a movie has never gone completely away - and that was almost six years ago.
On the other hand, McG did show he can film a sensitive story without editing it within an inch of its life, as he did in the solid football tragedy We Are Marshall. Perhaps I shoud wait until I see Terminator: Salvation. due May 22, to gauge how concerned I need to be. Despite McG’s involvement, I have some hope for that project because Jonathan Nolan, brother of Christopher and the co-writer of The Dark Knight and Memento, took a crack at the script.
Still, I dunno. As far as Disney re-dos go, I have much higher hopes for March’s Race to Witch Mountain, starring Dwayne Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia).
(Quick fact-check: the Variety story’s contention that 20,000 Leagues was Disney’s first live action movie is incorrect. That was Treasure Island, which came out 4 years prior, in 1950.)
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February movies: What’s coming up?
Our Winter/Spring preview of 2009’s movies continues. After a mostly weak January, the movies come to life ever so briefly in the first two Fridays of February, before things start to slide again.
FEBRUARY 6
Coraline
The lowdown: A girl enters a parallel world where the humans have buttons for eyes. A curious case indeed.
The forecast: The 3D trailer for this stop-motion animated movie looked positively entrancing. The fact that it’s by the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas is a major plus as well. Unquestionably my top pick of the month.
The prospect: A
He’s Just Not That Into You
The lowdown: Baltimore singles and marrieds consider life and love.
The forecast: An absolutely terrific cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly and Ginnifer Goodwin. Two debits; A delayed release and a bland director, Ken Kwapis, who last made the reviled License to Wed. Still, the cast is enough to spark my interest.
The prospect: B
I’ve Loved You So Long
The lowdown: Confronted with the unexpected goodness of her younger sister , a woman who has been in prison for years begins to open up.
The forecast: The highlight here is the performance by Kristin Scott Thomas, which has earned raves, although awards buzz seems to have cooled somewhat. Still, I’m intrigued.
The prospect: B
Pink Panther 2
The lowdown: Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin, who usually has much better taste) fumbles, tumbles and bumbles again.
The forecast: I’m just not that into it, even with John Cleese playing the chief this time.
The prospect: C
Push
The lowdown: Sort a “young X-Men,” the cast includes Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Chris Evans. Also known as “the trailer that ran before Twilight.”
The forecast: Holds some promise, but it just might be derivative.
The prospect: C
FEBRUARY 13
Confessions of a Shopaholic
The lowdown: Isla Fisher (best known as the wild girl of Wedding Crashers) stars in this adaptation of the Sophie Kinsella novels.
The forecast: Fisher brings great energy to all her roles, and just as promising is director PJ Hogan, whose credits include Muriel’s Wedding, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and the very underrated 2003 version of Peter Pan.
The prospect: B
Friday the 13th
The lowdown: (Insert death metal version of “Taps” here)
The forecast: I have never, ever understood the appeal of this series. This movie, by the same crew that filmed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, will do nothing to change that.
The prospect: F
The International
The lowdown: An Interpol agent (Clive Owen) and Manhattan DA (Naomi Watts) attempt to break up an international arms dealing ring financed by a high-profile bank.
The forecast: The two leads are promising enough, but surprisingly, the trailer never even mentions director Tom Tykwer, who made Run Lola Run. That’s a good selling point for me.
The prospect: A
Waltz with Bashir
The lowdown: A man who fought in the first Lebanon war of the early 80s tries to piece together his memories of that time.
The forecast: Somewhat similar to Persepolis, in that it uses striking animation techniques to illustrate real events, this just won the Best Picture award from the National Society of Film Critics - influenced, no doubt, by the current Gaza conflict.
The prospect: A
FEBRUARY 20
Fired Up
The lowdown: Two high school ditch their football training for cheerleading camp. Oh boy.
The forecast: The poster features the giant letters FU. I don’t have much more to add.
The prospect: F
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail
The lowdown: Another self-explanatory title. Too bad Ernest can’t be there too.
The forecast: People who will like this know who they are. I am not one of them.
The prospect: D
Youth in Revolt
The lowdown: Michael Cera formulates a plan to lose his virginity to a local girl.
The forecast: With Cera (Juno, Superbad) in the lead, I have to give this one a chance, despite the tired plot.
The prospect: B
FEBRUARY 27
Jonas Brothers: The 3D concert experience
The lowdown: AKA The Hannah Montana concert movie with a sex change times 3.
The forecast: The visuals may be 3D, I’m betting the music is still 2D. Best New Artist Grammy nominees my posterior.
The prospect: C
Resurrection
The lowdown: Interpol agent Chun-Li (Kristen Kreuk) enters an underground fighting tournament, where she finds the man who may have been responsible for the death of her father.
The lowdown: Yawn. Wake me up in March.
The prospect: D
Slim pickins, innit? March gets somewhat better. What do you want to see here?
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DVDs: Highlighting a great sleeper and classic romance
It’s time to catch up with the recent DVD slate, which includes one of the year’s great comedies, and 2008’s “movie that got away.”
Today
Babylon A.D.: A sci-fi flick that’s reportedly so bad, even its director trashed it. Small wonder Vin Diesel’s going back to the Fast and the Furious franchise.
Bangkok Dangerous: Nicolas Cage really must have more mortgages than I thought.
Disaster Movie: The most appropriately titled film of 2008. Can these guys, who also made slop like Date Movie, Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans just go away once and for all?
Stairway to Heaven (A Matter of Life and Death): One of my very favorite romances of all time finally comes to DVD in this country. Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Red Shoes) , this love story between a dead Worid War II pilot (David Niven) and a radio operator (Kim Hunter) features some wonderfully original touches, like filming heaven in black and white and our world in glorious Technicolor. It’s packaged with another Powell/Pressburger film I’ve not seen (Age of Consent) but Stairway alone is worth the purchase. Most highly recommended. GRADE: A+
Pineapple Express: Imagine - a stoner flick so good it made my runners-up list last year. It’s one of the rare comedies that kept me guessing as to where it was going. Full review: GRADE: A-
Righteous Kill: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino team up again - apparently to much lesser effect than last time.
The Movie That Got Away
Ghost Town: Most every year brings us at least one title that gets far less attention than it deserved. This delightful comedy concerns an arrogant man (Ricky Gervais) who temporarily dies, only to find he can communicate with the dead - one of whom (Greg Kinnear) wants to use Gervais to win over his wife (Tea Leoni). Derivative? Maybe a little, but I’ll take this over Ghost any day of the week. Smartly directed and co-written by David Koepp, the movie feels like a picture that might have been made during Hollywood’s golden age. It’s a little Frank Capra, and a little Ernst Lubitsch. When I saw this in the theater, I was completely by myself. It deserves, and will find, I believe, a much larger audience. GRADE: A-
On shelves now
An American Carol: This grabbed quite a few headlines last year as the rare comedy for conservatives. Given how poorly it fared, I wonder if even the conservatives cared.
The Duchess: Keira Knightley squeezes into a corset yet again - and this time the movie fails to catch.
Eagle Eye: This thriller with Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, from the director of Disturbia, has just enough energy to make it passably diverting, but by the end, it gets so ludicrous that even the strongest suspension of disbelief is bound to snap. Full review: GRADE: B-
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January movies: What’s coming up?
Now that we all need to start remembering to write “09,” it’s time to look at what the movies will bring us in the early part of the new year. This month, it usually ain’t much.
Most movie fans hate January because that’s when the studios scrape the bottoms of their barrels and dump their shavings on us. Still, it’s not all bad. With Southwest Ohio being a smaller market, we get a handful of the Oscar contenders that have already reached “select cities.”
Here’s what’s coming - and in some cases, will be going before the month is out. Here’s what the prospect grades mean.
A= Can’t wait
B= Curious, but not dying
C= Eh
D= Close to death
F= I’d rather watch any Michael Bay movie except Bad Boys II.
JANUARY 9
Bride Wars
The lowdown: Friends Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson find out they’re getting married the same day at the same place and squabble a lot.
The forecast: The two leads can be very appealing, but the trailers make it look very paint-by-numbers.
The prospect: C
Gran Torino
The lowdown: Clint Eastwood hearkens back to his tough-guy roles in this drama about a bigot who becomes an unlikely protector of his Asian neighbors.
The forecast: Reviews so far have been wildly mixed, with some people loving it, and some hating it. Still, Clint is almost always interesting to watch, even when he misses. But when he hits …
The prospect: B
Not Easily Broken
The lowdown: A car accident tears asunder the lives of Clarice Johnson (Taraji P Henson) and her husband, Dave (Morris Chestnut) — then begin to develop feelings for other people.
The forecast: No read on this one.
The prospect: C
The Unborn
The lowdown: Haunted by strange, Casey learns he had had a twin brother who never made it to term, and that her intended sibling is tied to a curse that requires Casey’s death to take effect.
The forecast: David S. Goyer, who co-wrote the recent Batman movies, directs. Sorry, but I’m not excited about Goyer’s involvement unless Christopher Nolan directs.
The prospect: F
JANUARY 16
Defiance
The lowdown: A group of Jewish brothers organize the largest armed rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Daniel Craig leads the cast.
The forecast: Director Ed Zwick’s output has been uneven, ranging from the excellent Glory to the ponderous Legends of the Fall (Asleep). At the least, I hope this film falls somewhere in the middle. Reviews are decidedly mixed.
The prospect: B
Hotel for Dogs
The lowdown: Orphaned teens Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin turn an abandoned house into a canine hostel.
The forecast: For a long time, people have been saying that Roberts had real potential to be a bona-fide movie star, but the right vehicle hasn’t come her way, really. Could this be it? I’d feel more confident if the release weren’t in January.
The prospect: C
Last Chance Harvey
The lowdown: Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman star in this story of a couple who meet when Hoffman’s life is at a low ebb.
The forecast: Even though reviews are so-so, I can’t help but think that two leads as good as these hold at least some promise.
The prospect: B
My Bloody Valentine 3D
The lowdown: Tom returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine’s night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people when he becomes suspected of the killings.
The forecast: Ooh - schlocky horror that will probably suck in not two, but three dimensions!
The prospect: F
Notorious
The lowdown: The story of the late rapper Notorious BIG.
The forecast: There’s certainly potential for a good movie here, but I just can’t get all that excited with a mid-level director, George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor) at the helm.
The prospect: C
Paul Blart, Mall Cop
The lowdown: A bumbling mall cop is called upon to save the day when thieves invade. Lots of fat jokes ensue.
The forecast: You know, for a second there I really thought that Kevin James might have a nice movie career based on his fun performance in Hitch. Now he seems bent on proving me wrong, starring in a lower-rent vehicle produced by Adam Sandler. Pity.
The prospect: F
JANUARY 23
The Dark Knight
The lowdown: If you don’t know by now, you really need to get out more. It comes back out in theaters to capitalize on hoped-for Oscar nominations. And yes, you should see it again, especially if you haven’t seen it in IMAX, for which it was specifically designed.
Inkheart
The lowdown: A little girl tries to rescue her father (Brendan Fraser), a bookbinder who can bring characters to life by reading aloud.
The forecast: The premise certainly holds promise. Director Iain Softley can be hit (Wings of the Dove) or miss (The Skeleton Key), but I’m intrigued enough to be optimistic.
The prospect: B
Revolutionary Road
The lowdown: A young couple raising a family in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s look to break free from their mediocre lives.
The forecast: Kate (Winslet) and Leo (DiCaprio) together again at last, directed by Kate’s Husband, Sam Mendes, the director of American Beauty and Road to Perdition. Initial buzz was very high based on the cast and director, but the film’s momentum has seriously flagged, with many people calling it “too depressing.” I remain excited to see it nonetheless. With this crew, even a miss will he fascinating.
The prospect: A
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
The lowdown: The vampires and werewolves bloody each other up in this prequel.
The forecast: Hey, I actually liked the first Underworld, but I thought the crummy sequel exhausted all the goodwill of the series.
The prospect: D
JANUARY 30
New in Town
The lowdown: Renee Zellweger plays a city slicker who finds herself stuck in cold Podunk Minnesota amid pratfalls and such.
The forecast: Zellweger is always watchable, but I get the distinct sense she looked at her stack of underwhelming scripts, found nothing really good and picked this one at random.
The prospect: C
Taken
The lowdown:A former spy (Laim Neeson) uses his skills to save his daughter who was kidnapped by slave traders during her vacation in Paris.
The forecast: It’s always good to see Neeson heading up a movie, but a low-rent action flick that gets a January release? Ehhh …
The prospect: C
The Uninvited
The lowdown: After her mother’s death and her subsequent hospital stay, a girl is concerned about her new stepmother (Elizabeth Banks), who looks decidedly sinister.
The forecast: I’m torn. On the one hand, I always love to watch Banks, but what’s she doing in a retread of all those “The (Blank) from Hell” that came out in the early 90s like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle? Banks could make it work, but the previews make it seem awfully predictable.
The prospect: C
The Wrestler
The lowdown: Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival.
The forecast: This has been winning raves across the board, especially for Rourke. I’m always up for any film by director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, the underrated The Fountain.)
The prospect: A
What are you looking forward to/dreading at the movies this month?
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