It's back again and better than ever!
THE STANDOUTS (19) - This should go without saying, but these are all must-sees... yes, even the animated sequel, the comic book adaptation, the foreign-language films and the are-they-real-or-not documentaries!
The Social Network ***1/2
Kick-Ass ***1/2
Toy Story 3 ***1/2
Black Swan ***1/2
Blue Valentine ***1/2
The Fighter ***1/2
Catfish ***1/2
Mesrine (Part I: Killer Instinct and Part II: Public Enemy No. 1) ***
Never Let Me Go***
The Ghost Writer ***
Exit Through the Gift Shop ***
Biutiful ***
127 Hours ***
Rabbit Hole ***
The King's Speech ***
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer ***
Mother ***
Winter's Bone ***
Carlos ***
THE GOOD (19) - You could argue with the lower half of this list but I think these movies represent quality filmmaking all-around.
The Kids Are All Right ***
The Town ***
Cyrus ***
Let Me In ***
Greenberg ***
Cell 211 ***
Green Zone ***
I Love You Phillip Morris ***
The Square ***
The Disappearance of Alice Creed ***
The American ***
The Next Three Days ***
I'm Still Here ***
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work ***
The Book of Eli ***
Conviction ***
Youth in Revolt ***
Middle Men ***
Louis C.K.: Hilarious ***
THE GOOD... BUT SHOULD'VE BEEN BETTERS (18) - Why weren't these movies better? I don't really know. But they should be. Hence, the name of this section.
Shutter Island ***
The Red Riding Trilogy (1974, 1980 and 1983) ***
True Grit ***
Barney's Version ***
The Company Men ***
Animal Kingdom ***
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World ***
Splice ***
Tiny Furniture ***
Due Date **1/2
Easy A **1/2
Secretariat **1/2
Stone **1/2
Paranormal Activity 2 **1/2
7 Days **1/2
The Greatest **1/2
Winnebago Man **1/2
Raging Boll **1/2
THE GUILTY PLEASURES (23) - I just added a dozen movies to this part of the list when I realized that they were guilty pleasures. I shouldn't like them but I do, whether it's because I love crazy horror movies, or enjoy Tom Cruise when he's allowed to be charming, or like spending 90 minutes with Sandler, Spade and Salma Hayek's cleavage. Anyone could poke holes in my arguments but it wouldn't change the fact that I would still recommend all of these movies to my friends or anyone else looking to be entertained, if you consider something as creepy as The Poughkeepsie Tapes to be entertainment. Also, please note that just because these are "guilty pleasures," doesn't mean they're not great films. For the record, I loved Salt, Frozen and The Karate Kid. I only feel ashamed because the Internet tells me I'm supposed to.
Salt ***
I Spit On Your Grave ***
Frozen ***
The Karate Kid ***
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane ***
The Human Centipede ***
Jackass 3D ***
Machete ***
The Poughkeepsie Tapes ***
MacGruber ***
Grown Ups ***
Piranha 3D ***
Knight and Day **1/2
The Other Guys **1/2
Predators **1/2
Devil **1/2
The Crazies **1/2
Little Fockers **1/2
Hot Tub Time Machine **1/2
Takers **1/2
The Expendables **1/2
The Sorceror's Apprentice **1/2
Saw 3D **
THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (29) - Chalk it up to expectations but these movies just didn't cut it. They were all missing something vital, from Inception's character development to Get Him to the Greek's third act, or from a threatening villain in Despicable Me to more Mel Gibson swearing in Edge of Darkness. I'm embarrassed to have Inception and Cop Out on the same section of this list but both were, to me, underwhelming disappointments. I mean, I still thought Inception was good, and perhaps it belongs atop the Good But Should've Been Betters, but going into it, I was expecting a capital-G Great movie, and it didn't deliver on this promise, IMHO. It probably deserves it's own WTF category, but that sounds too generous. BTW, my entire opinion on Inception is subject to change upon an upcoming second viewing.
Inception ***
Dogtooth **1/2
Enter the Void **1/2
Get Him to the Greek **1/2
Despicable Me **1/2
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo **1/2
The Way Back **1/2
Date Night **1/2
Iron Man 2 **1/2
The Losers **1/2
The Wolfman **1/2
Edge of Darkness **
All Good Things **
The Loved Ones **
The Girl Who Played With Fire **
Unstoppable **
It's Kind of a Funny Story **
44-Inch Chest **
Dinner for Schmucks **
Operation: Endgame (DVD) **
Cropsey **
Brooklyn's Finest **
Nowhere Boy **
Cop Out **
Case 39 (Delta) *1/2
Two Gates of Sleep (AFI) *1/2
Daybreakers *1/2
Defendor *1/2
Tell-Tale (DVD) *
THE BAD (10) - For better or worse, I just don't know what these movies were thinking. Just horrendous decisions at every turn. Johan Grimonprez's Double Take (an experimental film, mind you) was only 80 minutes, yet it was more grueling to sit through than the 146-minute estrogen marathon known as the Sex and the City sequel. Meanwhile, Tim Burton has officially lost his mind, Michael Winterbottom's movie was as schizophrenic as its two-faced protagonist, and I could tell within the first 30 seconds of Elm St.'s opening credits that the movie was going to be a completely vapid and utterly pointless remake. Hopefully, Platinum Dunes has learned something from the Elm St. nightmare and apply it to future remakes of movies that don't need to be remade. As for Buried, I admire the effort, but I thought Ryan Reynolds was way out of his element and ultimately, he wasn't able to make a torturous experience any less painful.
Tron: Legacy *1/2
Sex and the City 2 *1/2
City Island *1/2
The Killer Inside Me *
Repo Men *
Buried *
Double Take *
Alice in Wonderland *
Somewhere *
A Nightmare on Elm St. 1/2*
THE UNGRADEABLE (1) - I cannot, in good conscience, assign a star rating to A SERBIAN FILM. It is the most fucked up movie I have ever seen, and as such, cannot be graded on a traditional scale. If I was forced to rate it, it would be a lot closer to four stars than no stars. But like I said, a star rating wouldn't do this movie justice, and would serve no purpose, since it can't be compared to any other movie that I've ever seen, let alone any of the films on this year's list.
HAVE SCREENERS FOR (12): Howl (need to finish), Leaves of Grass (need to finish) Get Low, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Restrepo, The Tillman Story, Valhalla Rising, Centurion, Solomon Kane, Frankie & Alice, Hereafter, I Am Love
STILL HAVEN'T SEEN (1): Another Year
OOPS... I MISSED (17): The Secret in Their Eyes, The Last Exorcism, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, Four Lions, Welcome to the Rileys, RED, Megamind, Fair Game, Inside Job, Monsters, Made in Dagenham, Casino Jack, The Tourist, How Do You Know, Love and Other Drugs, Morning Glory, Solitary Man
Friday 31 December 2010
Thursday 30 December 2010
Tuesday 28 December 2010
Yo, También (Me Too)
Another film that I was delaying watching as is about a man with Down’s Syndrome and imagined that film was going to be depressing. You have no idea HOW wrong I was as film is truly fantastic with great actor’s performances and a story that will melt your heart, make you understand more people with the syndrome and after watching you will feel very uplifted.This multiple honored film tells the simple story of an university educated man that falls in love and everything (plus everyone) is against him being corresponded. Thirty-four-years-old Daniel (Pablo Pineda) recently obtained his university degree and finds his first work at the Disability Services in Seville where he notices troubled Laura (Lola Dueñas) and starts to flirt with her. But Daniel has Down’s Syndrome and people, including Laura, treat him as if he was a kid (to put it mildly soft). Slowly Laura and Daniel become friends, but Daniel wants more than friendship and everyone, including his parents, tells him not to fall for a ‘normal’ woman, to fall for a woman that also has the syndrome. But Daniel doesn’t give up and you have to watch the rest of the great (so human) story to learn what happens.
Evidently film is an exploration about being human and how a syndrome that creates particular and very visible/recognizable face and body characteristics in people, has many misconceptions as they're humans with intelligence (when developed) and needs like companionship, love, being happy, etc. But also is about “normal” people reactions toward a person with the syndrome and believe me that film is not a critique but a recount of how people react and most of all, is a very good exploration about what “normal” and normalcy are.
Most impressive is Pablo Pineda’s performance as Daniel, who actually is playing a fictionalized version of himself as he is the first student with Down syndrome in Europe to obtain a university degree in real life. But he needed an actress that was as outstanding as him and Lola Dueñas gives a very impressive performance as the troubled woman with a dark past that makes her today behave as if nothing in this world is important to her. Truly amazing performances by these two actors.
Film as film is acceptable but have to recognize the great work that directors and co screenwriters, Antonio Naharro and Álvaro Pastor, did to extract such great performance from their two main actors and to create a very good screenplay with a not easy to tell story.
I highly recommend this film to audiences that enjoy strong performances with great, yet difficult, stories told in the most “normal” and refreshing way. As we know both lead actors got top acting awards at 2009 San Sebastian fest, Lola Dueñas got a Goya Award for Best Actress, film was in competition at 2010 Sundance, collected other honors in fests like Rotterdam as well as in other Spaniard fests and awards.
Enjoy!!!
Watch trailer @MOC
Camino
There are movies that you learn about them and then forget because you don’t want to watch story. This happened to me with this multiple honored film (won many Goya awards including Best Film) as story is about the Opus Dei, a not old, secret, and obscure cult-like branch in the Catholic religion. Once my mother wanted me to belong to this sect, but after a visit I gave a rotund NO and fortunately my mother respected my NO. But to my surprise film story is interesting and not so subtle, critiques the sect.Film is based on real-events but it’s a fictional account about real Alexia Gonzalez Barros that is in process of being canonized, i.e. becoming a saint. In film Alexia becomes Camino (means Path in Enlgish) a vivacious teenager girl that gets sick with spinal cancer. Film tells how illness is consuming her until her death. After watching I started to recall how controversial this film was not only because it dared critique the Opus Dei but also because the real family didn’t wanted this film to use the girl real name or get to the screens; the main reason is that director/screenwriter Javier Fesser made the girl strong desire-to-live tied to her love for Jesus, but in film Jesus was a handsome little boy she met once at theater class. Is thanks to this change in story that film really becomes interesting and where really critiques Opus Dei, as when story shows rites of passage and bizarre behaviors everything is told in a factual not passionate way.
There was a creepy scene with Camino going to cooking lessons while teacher was preaching; creepy because that was exactly my experience during my one day visit to the infamous sect where I got “cooking” lessons. Anyway story may sound sad, but director chose to tell it in a way that is not really sad even when is about a little child dying process, so film is not a tear jerker at all.
As a film I found it average with below average actor’s performances, but the real impact of this film is the story told, especially for audiences where the Opus Dei operates which is almost all countries in the world, including the United States of America.
I recommend this film to all interested in learning something about the Opus Dei but please don’t expect much more than an interesting story.
Enjoy.
Watch trailer @MOC
ลุงบุญมีระลึกชาติ Loong Boonmee raleuk chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives)
I really wanted to like the top award winner at 2010 Cannes and I did. But as usually happens when you have big expectations (due to winning the award) they are not fulfilled as much as you thought it should. Film is visually excellent plus you can tell how much care was given to details; story is magical, yet very realistic, as seamlessly blends interaction between the living and the dead, plus there are other fantasy related and created moments. But I missed emotions as film while being truly mesmerizing to watch didn’t make me feel many emotions.Maybe was due to the six reels movie has according to what Apichatpong Weerasethakul tells in an interview, where each reel has a different acting style, lighting and reference in cinema, and you can tell that there are different styles while watching film. Which is not bad, it’s just that you get distracted and pay less attention to the magical narrative. Maybe the real reason I had no time to feel emotions is that film has too many levels and watching it once is not enough to grab everything. Honestly is not until now that I’m writing about film that I think I should watch it again and surely will discover more levels which will allow me to enjoy more this masterpiece.
Film tells about a dying uncle that’s setting his affairs before departing to the other life. But also is about transformation, profound life circumstances and paths (like marvelous first story with lost buffalo), recollection of memories (and past lives), love, dreams about the future (that’s also the past), Thai politics and immigration, and ghosts/magical creatures that visit the living when they need them most. One thing this story (and film) is not, simple; yet is also not complex.
Yes this is a film where you have to forget expectations, forget that won the Palm D’Or, and forget everything I’m telling you. Watch it with your brain empty (as much as possible), your brain open (as much as you can) and suggest you to learn a little bit about Thai history, to not miss many crucial moments (mainly at the end).
Before I forget, movie is part of a larger multi-platform project called Primitive, which includes installation, video, short films and now a full-length feature. The conceptual essence is to record Apichatpong’s memory of the Northeast, the region where he grew up. The two short films are A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (available in MUBI) and Phamtom. This film is a blend of the conceptual essence with the skeleton of a book published by a monk that has the film name.
A very unusual movie and a very unusual review from me. Know that HAVE to watch it again to uncover emotions, new layers and story details; but one thing I’m absolutely sure now, visually is truly fantastic. Won’t write again about film, so this is it about a movie that I wanted to give a BIG ENJOY!!! rating but will not get it, yet.
Enjoy!!!
Watch trailer @MOC
Poster is the one I like the most but is not available in English.
Piedras (Stones)
Thanks to my dearest photographer friend this Christmas weekend I was able to watch several films from Spain and to start talking about them let’s get into this Ramón Salazar 2002 first film about the “large” stones in life (love, friendship, family and career) that have spaces in between for the “small” stones, meaning our small necessities. That’s according to film producers as what I actually saw was stones in shoes from five very different women.An interesting story -in an acceptable film that becomes entertaining but not much else- about Adela who manages a brothel, Anita Adela’s retarded daughter, Leire a shoe designer that abandoned her inspiration while living with Kun, Isabel that lost the meaning of her life and her husband, and Maricarmen that lost her husband and now has to earn a living driving his husband taxi. Story is intertwined until at the positive end all characters are related one way or another, including the reason why Kun left Leire, Joaquin; so story has a little gay interest.
My main problem with film is that due to director choice of storytelling technique and editing, I was not able to feel for any of the characters, even when some actors perform quite acceptable; but in general the women stories were interesting. One thing, this is nothing alike, similar or close to Almodovar, even when there are two/three of his trademark actresses; so please don’t compare in any sense this movie to any oeuvre of the great director.
Unfortunately not much to tell about movie, but if you’re in the mood to watch a film about women then perhaps you could give this movie a try as was in competition for the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlinale.
Enjoy.
Watch trailer @MOC
Monday 27 December 2010
2011 Sundance Film Festival
Ah! Sundace! The fest that I keep wondering why I don’t enjoy the films they screen, showcase and honor with awards. Still is a remarkable festival in the indie world of movies. This year will run from January 20 to 30, 2011 and to my surprise I discovered one film, Circumstance, that calls my attention not only because belongs to the lesbian interest but also because has a story set in Iran. Here are some of the films that you can find here , all except one are new to the blog and with a few exceptions you have to guess if films are lesbian or gay interest (yes films are in one label, LGBT)Attenberg, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece, 2010
Becoming Chaz, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, USA (documentary about Chaz Bono), 2010
Circumstance, Maryam Keshavarz, Iran and USA, 2011
Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, Madeleine Olnek, USA, 2010
Gun Hill Road, Rashaad Ernesto Green, USA, 2011
The Ledge, Matthew Chapman, 2010
Pariah, Dee Rees, USA, 2011
Quelque jours de repit (A Few Days of Respite), Amor Hakkar, Algeria and France, 2010
Red State, Kevin Smith, USA, 2011
Uncle Kent, Joe Swanberg, USA, 2010
We Were Here, David Weissman,USA, 2010 (documentary)
These are the films in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Abraxas, Naoki Katô, Japan, 2010
Asalto al Cine (The Cinema Hold Up), Iria Gómez Concheiro, Mexico, 2011
Boker Tov Adon Fidelman (Restoration), Yossi Madmony, Israel, 2010
Boleto al Paraiso (Ticket to Paradise), Gerardo Chijona Valdes, Cuba, Spain, and Venezuela, 2010
I Baci Mai Dati (Lost Kisses), Roberta Torre, Italy, 2010 (could be interesting)
Kinyarwanda, Alrick Brown, USA and Rwanda, 2011
Le Vendeur (The Salesman), Sebastien Pilote, Canada, 2011
Mad Bastards, Brendan Fletcher, Australia, 2010
Quelque jours de repit (A Few Days of Respite), Amor Hakkar, Algeria and France, 2010
Sykt Lykkelig (Happy, Happy), Anne Sewitsky, Norway, 2010
The Guard, John Michael McDonagh, Ireland, 2010
Todos Tus Muertos (All Your Dead Ones), Carlos Moreno, Colombia, 2010
Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine, UK, 2010
Vampire, Iwai Shunji, Canada and USA, 2010 (could be interesting, English language film from Japanese director)
To read info about each film go here and if you wish to learn the films in the U.S. Dramatic Competition go here; to check the all the categories in and out of competition go here.
So this is for today with festivals, hope Sundance brings us some unexpected (positive) surprises.
22nd Palm Springs International Film Festival
From January 6 to 17, 2011 fest will run and this year has the amazing program screening 40 of the 65 submissions to Oscar in the foreign language category; just for these movies I wish I could go. But there are other that seem interesting in the 193 films from 68 countries, with 9 world premieres, that will be screened like the ones that will open and close the fest. Opening Gala: Potiche, François Ozon, France
Closing Film: The First Grader, Justin Chadwick, UK and Kenya
Among the Special Presentations three sections called my attention:
The Gay!La (Hers) that will showcase Leading Ladies by Daniel Beahm and Erika Randall Beahm, USA which is a musical
The Gay!La (His) that will showcase great Mine Vaganti (Loose Cannons), Ferzan Ozpetek, Italy
Special Presentation: Le Hérisson (The Hedgehog) by Mona Achache, France
The fest will honor many people and films; among them we have Michael Douglas, Ben Affleck, Danny Boyle, The Social Network, Robert Duvall, Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Javier Barden, Jennifer Lawrence, and Carey Mulligan.
In general most of the films are known to the blog but if you feel like learning about the 193 films please go here.
New Voices/New Visions
These are the 12 features that are in competition in this section
40, Emre Sahin, Turkey
Adem (Oxygen), Hans Van Nuffel, Belgium
As if I Am Not There, Juanita Wilson, Ireland (interesting but surely hard to watch)
Der Albaner (The Albanian), Johannes Naber, Germany
Buna! Ce Faci? (Hello! How Are You?), Alexandru Maftei, Romania
Diciotto Anni Dopo (Eighteen Years Later), Edoardo Leo,Italy
Mavro Livadi (Black Field), Vardis Marinakis, Greece (seems is gay not lesbian interest, still has very nice visuals – check trailer @MOC)
Metro Cuadrado (Square Meter),Nayra Ilic, Chile
Pájaros de Papel (Paper Birds), Emilio Aragón, Spain
Smukke Mennesker (Nothing’s All Bad), Mikkel Munch-Fals, Denmark
Sound of Noise, Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson, Sweden
Svinalanjorna (Beyond), Pernilla August, Sweden (yes, is the one with Noomi Rapace)
To read about each film go here. I really dislike when festivals do not specify if film is lesbian or gay and join them with the label ‘Gay/Lesbian’ they shouldn’t do this as films have very different audiences. Nevertheless if you feel like checking the 18 films listed under the joint label please go here. One film absolutely calls my attention: Little Sparrows by Yu-Hsiu Camille Chen, Australia, 2010 that I really hope has lesbian interest.
Sunday 26 December 2010
Have Marvel *AND* Warner/DC's movie plans been revealed and/or challenged... in Albuquerque?
Hey there! Now that we've all survive The Holiday, here's a new one from the "Probably-Nothing-But-Maybe-Everything" file...
AICN has confirmed that a local newspaper, The Albuquerque Journal, ran a story Christmas Eve about some New Mexico area filmming going on for "The Avengers." The print-only version of the story offhandedly - as though the writer believed it to already be common-knowledge - described the film's plot... and if what they printed is true (unsourced and as-yet unconfirmed) it's not only a HUGE reveal for "Avengers" but could also be an impending preview of the all-time biggest, longest-running "feud" between comics' biggest companies spilling over into Hollywood.
Article and possible-spoilage HERE, details after the jump:
Okay. The article describes the movie thusly: "'The Avengers" script will blend 'Iron Man', 'Thor', and 'Captain America: The First Avenger' story lines as the Avengers battle with two alien races, the Skrulls and the Kree."
For those unfamiliar: The Skrulls and The Kree are aliens in the vein of Original Star Trek (think Klingons and Vulcans, roughly) who both started out in Fantastic Four but quickly became "everybody's problem" universe-wide. Skrulls are oldschool pulp-style Little Green Men (though sometimes not so little) who can shape-shift to disguise themselves as people or animals; Kree are super-advanced and look mostly human, save that the "important" ones come in blue. The two races are in a state of perpetual intergalactic war, which infrequently spills-over onto Earth. Such a spill-over was the subject of the first major multi-issue Avengers epic, "The Kree-Skrull War." (Which you can find in trade for not much cash here and there, and is a great "intro to superhero epics" book, incidentally.)
The Skrulls being in the movie wouldn't be a huge surprise. They're THE big alien-invader threat in Marvel continuity, and a (significantly-less-interesting) version of them were the "big bads" of the first volumes of "The Ultimates" - the grim n' gritty Avengers reworking that's purportedly been serving as a rough outline (though thankfully not in terms of design or characterization) for Avengers movie-setup. They also typically figure in the backstory of That POSSIBLE SPOILER from "Captain America" that was shown to Comic-Con audiences. FWIW, I'm very much "with" the school of thought that says a huge threat in the vein of an alien invasion would be the best concievable basis for the world's first cross-continuity superhero movie-epic; so I'd love to see The Skrulls.
But this is the first I've heard anyone ever mention The Kree being in any movie. There's a reason for that: They haven't been particularly "important" for years. So why drag them into what's already a filled-to-bursting project? Other than to get free-press by giving people like me nerdgasms, I mean.
Well, I can think of at least TWO. You may want to get comfy...
The Kree's main connection to the Marvel Universe is through the character of Captain Marvel - actually a Kree warrior named Mar-Vell (yes, really.) Captain Marvel is unique among longrunning Marvel characters in that his books have remained in publication consistently despite the fact that he's never been very popular - the Jim Starlin's work on the character in the 70s and 80s was excellent and attained a cult following, but that's about it. So why does he still exist at all? Trademark protection.
Short Version: In the 40s, Fawcett Comics published books built around an incredibly popular character also called Captain Marvel. How popular was he? At the time, he was MUCH more popular than his predecessor, Superman (fun fact: Captain Marvel, aka The Big Red Cheese, could actually fly, instead of merely jumping high, before Superman could.) In fact, it's been argued (rather persuasively) that the character would've remained bigger than Superman right up to today... except that DC Comics sued Fawcett (and many others) arguing that various superheroes were ripoffs of Superman. Fawcett lost, stopped published Captain Marvel books and ultimately went out of business. In the 60s, Marvel Comics noted that the now-defunct Fawcett's trademark on the (still-recognizable) name "Captain Marvel" had run out; and they quickly created the Mar-Vell character in order to snap it up.
Okay, Maybe Not-So-Short Version: In the 70s, DC bought the publication rights to Fawcett's characters and added them to their universe, creating a copyright-law boondoggle: While DC owns the copyright on the Marvel Family characters, Marvel owns the Captain Marvel name (for legal reasons I don't fully grasp, DC can call them Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel etc. in dialogue inside the books, but can't use the word "marvel" on the covers or ANY advertising or merchandise) - meaning that for almost 30 years DC has owned one of the most potentially-profitable superhero characters ever created (seriously, read up on his mythos. Captain Marvel is a family-blockbuster waiting to happen) but are effectively banned from promoting or advertising him. Instead, the "franchise" is marketed under the much less marketing-friendly name "Shazam!," reffering both to a wizard who gives Captain Marvel his powers and a magic-word that activates them, while Marvel Comics must continually publish some form of a "Captain Marvel" character in their own universe in order to prevent the trademark from lapsing back to DC.
Anyway, over the last few years Warners/DC has been getting more aggressive about promoting their Captain Marvel outside of the comics, most-notably in a truly awesome Justice League episode and a recent DVD Movie. And they've been trying to get a movie off the ground for years. If they did, this long-standing "fight" over the name "Captain Marvel" goes Hollywood: Even if the posters have to call it "Something Something of Shazam!" or whatever, a big hit movie could re-establish The Big Red Cheese as the One True Captain Marvel at least as the buying public is concerned - making Mar-Vell even more irrelevant than he already was.
BUT! If The Kree were to actually turn up in "Avengers" - or any Marvel Films project, really - that could potentially mean they're looking to get their Captain Marvel into theaters first. Is this an indicator of that? Could Marvel Studios be looking to cock-block Warners/DC by slipping Mar-Vell into "Avengers?" It'd certainly be an amusing turn of events.
ON THE OTHER HAND...
Mar-Vell also had a distaff counterpart (aka "girl version"), Ms. Marvel, who turned out to be more popular than him and has become an Avengers-family fixture over the last decade and change thanks to a revival by fans-turned-writers. Quick primer: Mar-Vell's human ladyfriend Carol Danvers gets Mar-Vell style superpowers from a Kree-related accident and becomes what amounts to a Marvel-version of Wonder Woman. For the longest time she was mostly remembered for a truly asinine story in Avengers #200 where she was kidnapped, raped and impregnated with a clone of her supervillain rapist - which then speed-aged into an adult that she fell in love with (really); and for being the character whom power-absorbing X-Men villainess-turned-hero Rogue took her flight and strength powers from.
Marvel has been promoting the hell out of a restored-to-proper-stature (they've been trying to walk back from Avengers #200 for decades now) Ms. Marvel by making her a mainstay of the newer Avengers teams; and it seems to have paid off for them in terms of a saleable character. At this point the "Avengers" movie lineup is pretty-much a sausagefest save for Black Widow; so maybe The Kree are a way for famously female-friendly writer/director Joss Whedon to get another Marvel Lady into the franchise? That actually sounds more likely...
Of course, there's also the THIRD option: That the person writing the story for the Alburquerque Journal googled a bunch of Avengers-related stuff for the article and the Kree/Skrull stuff got mixed in by accident, have nothing actually to do with the movie, and I've just wasted a shitload of your and my time.
Happy post-holidays!
AICN has confirmed that a local newspaper, The Albuquerque Journal, ran a story Christmas Eve about some New Mexico area filmming going on for "The Avengers." The print-only version of the story offhandedly - as though the writer believed it to already be common-knowledge - described the film's plot... and if what they printed is true (unsourced and as-yet unconfirmed) it's not only a HUGE reveal for "Avengers" but could also be an impending preview of the all-time biggest, longest-running "feud" between comics' biggest companies spilling over into Hollywood.
Article and possible-spoilage HERE, details after the jump:
Okay. The article describes the movie thusly: "'The Avengers" script will blend 'Iron Man', 'Thor', and 'Captain America: The First Avenger' story lines as the Avengers battle with two alien races, the Skrulls and the Kree."
For those unfamiliar: The Skrulls and The Kree are aliens in the vein of Original Star Trek (think Klingons and Vulcans, roughly) who both started out in Fantastic Four but quickly became "everybody's problem" universe-wide. Skrulls are oldschool pulp-style Little Green Men (though sometimes not so little) who can shape-shift to disguise themselves as people or animals; Kree are super-advanced and look mostly human, save that the "important" ones come in blue. The two races are in a state of perpetual intergalactic war, which infrequently spills-over onto Earth. Such a spill-over was the subject of the first major multi-issue Avengers epic, "The Kree-Skrull War." (Which you can find in trade for not much cash here and there, and is a great "intro to superhero epics" book, incidentally.)
The Skrulls being in the movie wouldn't be a huge surprise. They're THE big alien-invader threat in Marvel continuity, and a (significantly-less-interesting) version of them were the "big bads" of the first volumes of "The Ultimates" - the grim n' gritty Avengers reworking that's purportedly been serving as a rough outline (though thankfully not in terms of design or characterization) for Avengers movie-setup. They also typically figure in the backstory of That POSSIBLE SPOILER from "Captain America" that was shown to Comic-Con audiences. FWIW, I'm very much "with" the school of thought that says a huge threat in the vein of an alien invasion would be the best concievable basis for the world's first cross-continuity superhero movie-epic; so I'd love to see The Skrulls.
But this is the first I've heard anyone ever mention The Kree being in any movie. There's a reason for that: They haven't been particularly "important" for years. So why drag them into what's already a filled-to-bursting project? Other than to get free-press by giving people like me nerdgasms, I mean.
Well, I can think of at least TWO. You may want to get comfy...
The Kree's main connection to the Marvel Universe is through the character of Captain Marvel - actually a Kree warrior named Mar-Vell (yes, really.) Captain Marvel is unique among longrunning Marvel characters in that his books have remained in publication consistently despite the fact that he's never been very popular - the Jim Starlin's work on the character in the 70s and 80s was excellent and attained a cult following, but that's about it. So why does he still exist at all? Trademark protection.
Short Version: In the 40s, Fawcett Comics published books built around an incredibly popular character also called Captain Marvel. How popular was he? At the time, he was MUCH more popular than his predecessor, Superman (fun fact: Captain Marvel, aka The Big Red Cheese, could actually fly, instead of merely jumping high, before Superman could.) In fact, it's been argued (rather persuasively) that the character would've remained bigger than Superman right up to today... except that DC Comics sued Fawcett (and many others) arguing that various superheroes were ripoffs of Superman. Fawcett lost, stopped published Captain Marvel books and ultimately went out of business. In the 60s, Marvel Comics noted that the now-defunct Fawcett's trademark on the (still-recognizable) name "Captain Marvel" had run out; and they quickly created the Mar-Vell character in order to snap it up.
Okay, Maybe Not-So-Short Version: In the 70s, DC bought the publication rights to Fawcett's characters and added them to their universe, creating a copyright-law boondoggle: While DC owns the copyright on the Marvel Family characters, Marvel owns the Captain Marvel name (for legal reasons I don't fully grasp, DC can call them Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel etc. in dialogue inside the books, but can't use the word "marvel" on the covers or ANY advertising or merchandise) - meaning that for almost 30 years DC has owned one of the most potentially-profitable superhero characters ever created (seriously, read up on his mythos. Captain Marvel is a family-blockbuster waiting to happen) but are effectively banned from promoting or advertising him. Instead, the "franchise" is marketed under the much less marketing-friendly name "Shazam!," reffering both to a wizard who gives Captain Marvel his powers and a magic-word that activates them, while Marvel Comics must continually publish some form of a "Captain Marvel" character in their own universe in order to prevent the trademark from lapsing back to DC.
Anyway, over the last few years Warners/DC has been getting more aggressive about promoting their Captain Marvel outside of the comics, most-notably in a truly awesome Justice League episode and a recent DVD Movie. And they've been trying to get a movie off the ground for years. If they did, this long-standing "fight" over the name "Captain Marvel" goes Hollywood: Even if the posters have to call it "Something Something of Shazam!" or whatever, a big hit movie could re-establish The Big Red Cheese as the One True Captain Marvel at least as the buying public is concerned - making Mar-Vell even more irrelevant than he already was.
BUT! If The Kree were to actually turn up in "Avengers" - or any Marvel Films project, really - that could potentially mean they're looking to get their Captain Marvel into theaters first. Is this an indicator of that? Could Marvel Studios be looking to cock-block Warners/DC by slipping Mar-Vell into "Avengers?" It'd certainly be an amusing turn of events.
ON THE OTHER HAND...
Mar-Vell also had a distaff counterpart (aka "girl version"), Ms. Marvel, who turned out to be more popular than him and has become an Avengers-family fixture over the last decade and change thanks to a revival by fans-turned-writers. Quick primer: Mar-Vell's human ladyfriend Carol Danvers gets Mar-Vell style superpowers from a Kree-related accident and becomes what amounts to a Marvel-version of Wonder Woman. For the longest time she was mostly remembered for a truly asinine story in Avengers #200 where she was kidnapped, raped and impregnated with a clone of her supervillain rapist - which then speed-aged into an adult that she fell in love with (really); and for being the character whom power-absorbing X-Men villainess-turned-hero Rogue took her flight and strength powers from.
Marvel has been promoting the hell out of a restored-to-proper-stature (they've been trying to walk back from Avengers #200 for decades now) Ms. Marvel by making her a mainstay of the newer Avengers teams; and it seems to have paid off for them in terms of a saleable character. At this point the "Avengers" movie lineup is pretty-much a sausagefest save for Black Widow; so maybe The Kree are a way for famously female-friendly writer/director Joss Whedon to get another Marvel Lady into the franchise? That actually sounds more likely...
Of course, there's also the THIRD option: That the person writing the story for the Alburquerque Journal googled a bunch of Avengers-related stuff for the article and the Kree/Skrull stuff got mixed in by accident, have nothing actually to do with the movie, and I've just wasted a shitload of your and my time.
Happy post-holidays!
Friday 24 December 2010
Wednesday 22 December 2010
1st My French Online Film Festival News
To close the year the first French Online Film Festival released the news that the site will be open on January 3rd and the direct link to the site is here, so after the holidays we will be able to check how the first world wide VOD fest site is going to look.To promote the festival organizers have also released three posters that are available in several languages but for our purposes I have included the English version. Take a look at the posters and please be so kind as to give me and the fest some feedback.
Also here is the official trailer.
I’m really looking forward to this festival that hope becomes a huge success so many more will start to happen for the benefit of us, cinema lovers, that understand film distribution has changed, is changing and will continue to change thanks to online streaming that gives us access to films that never will come to a theater, a video store, a rental store and/or any other of the traditional distribution outlets of films or DVD’s, near us.
But most of all, I’m really glad that the first festival is a French films festival as you know how much I love French cinema.
To check films that will be screened go to the post here.
Cheers!!!
Somewhere
The Golden Lion winner at 2010 Venice fest has everything I really like: slow pace, long still camera takes, great cinematography, story telling a slice of character life, many silences, little dialogue, and great tech specs. So why didn’t I enjoy it at all? This is one of the most boring films I have forced (is the Biennale winner) myself to watch lately! Very boring, so boring that had to find unthinkable ways to keep my eyes open and to not fall asleep.No doubt that story essence helped to be so boring as is all about boredom; a bored actor with a boring luxurious life, a young daughter to look after when ex-wife decides to go with no return date and a boring process to get rid of his boredom. Very boring story that I imagine many successful actors and/or filmmakers will identify with – Sofia Coppola had some inspiration in her own childhood with her father- but general audiences will have a very hard time to relate to life in an hotel apartment at infamous Chateau Marmont, driving a Ferrari, flying helicopters to go to children camp and/or flying to Italy for a couple of days to get an award.
Yes story is hard to watch because is not easy to relate to anything that happens, but I have seen many films with stories I can’t relate and still I have been captivated. Think that main problem with this film is that writer/director Sofia Coppola wasn’t able to manage visuals and narrative to make film interesting. But then I also think that everything was done on purpose to bore audiences to death and if this was the purpose of such a boring film, then she also did wrong as was not as interesting as other very boring films I have seen that are simply fantastic, remember Fassbinder magnificently boring Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?
Who knows what director intentions were but one thing is clear for me, this film is not worthy of any festival top award much less from the Biennale.
I cannot recommend the film as is too tedious but know that many that read the blog have to watch the top winner at 2010 Biennale and just hope that your voyage into this film is not as boring as was mine.
Sigh.
Watch trailer @MOC (be aware that trailer is less boring than film)
Tuesday 21 December 2010
Monday 20 December 2010
Black Swan
Intense. Very Intense. Intensity comes from Natalie Portman’s incredible performance but also from how Daren Aronofsky plays with viewers while telling an unusual story about … what? Believe that each of us will have a different version but basics are quite simple: how a subdued young woman becomes the prima ballerina and delivers a perfect first performance. That’s what film story is all about but HOW is told is what makes the film, the story and the amazing performances so intense as well as quite unpredictable even when I started to guess right at one moment but still had my doubts. Just loved how film slowly grabbed my attention to completely hold it until the very last credit where I was still quiet, tense and feeling all kind of emotions. Bravo!!!Wish so much to tell my version but know that will spoil the movie for many, so I better keep it to myself until all of us have watched and then we have to talk about this unbelievable good movie. But will share that I believe this story could only be told if related to ballet. If you love ballet and if you know Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, then I assume it will be easy for you to understand the pressure that a ballerina feels when she is about to become the company’s prima ballerina and have her first ever performance, especially when having to perform classic Swan Lake. Just to think about this in any situation makes me feel the intensity of the process and think about the thin line between sanity and insanity, success and failure, life and death. That’s the essence of what I saw in this movie that absolutely blew my mind, made me drop my jaw, feel all kind of contradictory emotions and had my eyes completely glued to the screen. Yes will watch again and probably again this film as I’m sure will see more twists thanks to Aronofsky’s amazing storytelling technique.
Of course have to talk about Natalie Portman. Absolutely impressive transformation from the White Swan (in the character’s life and in the ballet) into the Black Swan with the outstanding climax when the Black Swan dances. Wow! Still feel chills just thinking about that scene. No, I’m not talking only about when Portman dances -where camera concentrates basically from waist above (sorry, but I did notice it)- I’m talking about the complete character transformation in front of your eyes and HOW credible transformation is. The most outstanding performance by Natalie Portman I have ever seen and unless she finds great roles in the future, this could be her best ever. Yes, she has to get the Oscar nomination and she has to win it, truly deserves highest recognition for creating such a believable and intense character.
By the way I strongly believe that film doesn’t belong to the lesbian interest genre even when there is a sex scene; to me the sex scene is a crucial consequence to what Nina (Portman) lived at home with her severe/possessive/frustrated/obsessive mother (Barbara Hershey) as she was attracted to Lily (Mila Kunis) since the subway –before meeting her-, then Lily became her fixation, her mirror image and the Black Swan she so strongly needed to liberate. So, if you wish to watch film because the sex scene either you will be disappointed with story or you will be surprised by the amazing story; still will check the label for classification purposes.
But Portman is not the only excellent performer in the film as just love how Vincent Cassel becomes Thomas Leroy, he’s so chameleonic that absolutely becomes a despicable and likeable company’s artistic director. Barbara Hershey created a very dislikable character with such intensity that becomes unbearable to think that many must have mothers like this character. Mila Kunis created the perfect Black Swan representing guile and sensuality, while Winona Ryder had a too-small role as the Dying Swan -or the forced to retire prima ballerina- but was performed quite well.
Production values are excellent with some breathtaking dramatic scenarios –and some visual effects- that absolutely makes easy to understand what production design is and how contributes to storytelling in filmmaking. But all that I’ve been praising will not be like it is without a filmmaker that so effectively controlled a story, performances and a movie that easily could have lost its way to become a mess. Big Chapeau to Mr. Aronofsky for daring to tell the story the way he did, extracting the amazing performances from his actors, and creating a very impressive, unforgettable, and remarkable movie.
I love the movie but even when decided to not read a thing before writing, I know that many will not like it and will question all the fuzz around and about the film. I believe that this is a movie of extremes, either you love it or you don’t. Highly recommend the film to those that love ballet and are not looking to see ballet in the movie, but I do believe that your ballet knowledge will give you better insights into this fascinating –yet terrifying- story.
I really love this movie.
BIG ENJOY!!!
Watch trailer @MOC
15th Annual Satellite Awards Winners
Yesterday the International Press Academy had the awards announcement and winners are in *RED.A while back the nominations were announced by the International Press Academy and here they are.
Motion Picture, Drama
127 Hours
Animal Kingdom
Blue Valentine
Get Low
The Ghost Writer
Inception
The King’s Speech
*The Social Network
The Town
Winter’s Bone
Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Cyrus
The Kids are All Right
Made in Dagenham
The Other Guys
Please Give
Red
*Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Motion Picture, Foreign Language Film
Biutiful, Mexico
*The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Sweden
I Am Love, Italy
Mother, Korea
Outside the Law, Algeria
Soul Kitchen, Germany
White Material, France
Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media
Alice in Wonderland
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Legend of the Guardians; The Owls of Ga’Hoole
*Toy Story 3
Director
Ben Affleck for The Town
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
Danny Boyle for 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko for The Kids Are All Right
*David Fincher for The Social Network
Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech
David Michod for Animal Kingdom
Christopher Nolan for Inception
Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
Debra Granik for Winter’s Bone
Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone
Helen Mirren in The Tempest
Natalie Portman in Black Swan
*Noomi Rapace in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Tilda Swinton in I Am Love
Naomi Watts in Fair Game
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine
Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Annette Bening in The Kids are All Right
*Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs
Sally Hawkins in Made in Dagenham
Catherine Keener in Please Give
Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right
Mary-Louise Parker in Red
Marisa Tomei in Cyrus
Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Javier Bardem in Biutiful
Leonardo Dicaprio in Inception
Michael Douglas in Solitary Man
Robert Duvall in Get Low
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
*Colin Firth in The King’s Speech
James Franco in 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine
Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Steve Carell in Dinner for Schmucks
*Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Romain Duris in Heartbreaker
Andy Garcia in City Island
Jake Gyllenhaal in Love and Other Drugs
John Malkovich in Red
John C. Reilly in Cyrus
Motion Picture, Documentary
Behind the Burly Q
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer
Countdown to Zero
A Film Unfinished
Inside Job
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
*Restrepo
Sequestro
The Tillman Story
Waiting for Superman
To check nominees in other categories, including Television, please go here. Award ceremony will be on December 19th at 1:00pm PT.
I like to check this award as behaves like a possible indicator for the Golden Globes, which by the way next Tuesday we will learn the nominations and will find how similar or not are to this year Satellite nods. I had no idea that The Kids are All Right is a comedy (???) and doubt that Made in Dagenham is NOT a comedy as well as Love and Other Drugs, funny classification but this way includes almost everyone that was in a good movie this year. Still I’m glad that Noomi Rapace and her film got some well-deserved recognition.
Inception is the film with most nods (11) followed by 127 Hours with 9, The Social Network with 7, and The King’s Speech with 6; in television a series that has become my favorite got the most nominations: The Good Wife (5), tied with Glee that also has five.
About Winners
I'm so glad that the international press recognizes how great Noomi Rapace performance as Lisbeth is and even when these awards have very little influence into Oscar, there is hope that Rapace could get a nod. But the trend continues with The Social Network winning the major awards.
To check winners in all categories, including TV, please go here.
Sunday 19 December 2010
狄仁傑 之 通天帝國 Di renjie zhī tōngtiān dìguó (Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame)
Needed to watch something different and more entertaining so decided to give this movie a try even when I knew that Chinese action movies are not my kind of movies; so, it was an excellent surprise as movie was great entertainment with some quite beautiful choreographed fights, epic and grandiose scenes with many extras, very good cinematography and a great story that made me recall the good old detective stories a la Sherlock Holmes. Directed by Hark Tsui who just learned that was a classic from Hong Kong golden era and is based on the book by Chen Kuofu with same name. Film tells the fictional account of Di Renjie one of the most celebrated officials of the Tang Dynasty, aka Detective Dee, who is liberated from prison to investigate the mysterious deaths of a series of loyal subjects. Eight years earlier Empress Wu Zetian, the only female emperor to ever rule China, send him to jail for leading a revolt to overthrown her; but she knew he was a loyal servant of her predecessor. So weeks before the grand inauguration ceremony of Empress Wu, Detective Dee dutifully returns to her Majesty’s service and partnering with the gung-ho Commander Bei and beautiful highly skilled martial artist Shangguan Jing’er –who serves as Empress Wu maid and right-hand “man”- they set to unveil the mystery murders. You have no idea how great and entertaining the voyage into this fantasy/mystery story will be; so much liked the movie that I’m thinking to maybe watch the other multi-honored film 13 Assasins.
As you probably recall film was in competition for the Golden Lion at the 2010 Biennale and after watching the film absolutely understand the selection as well as being screened at 2010 Toronto fest and other festivals. Don’t have much experience watching Chinese action films but if they’re like this one I should start learning more about them.
I do recommend the film to those that enjoy fantasy with mystery and action in your entertaining movies, but be assured that you will find a lot more in this film that has excellent production values.
Enjoy!!!
Trailer @MOC
Friday 17 December 2010
Bloomington
I imagined that this film was going to be similar to Loving Annabelle as tells the story of a teacher and her student. You have NO idea how wrong I was as this has absolutely nothing to do with great -and why not?- classic Loving Annabelle. The only thing they had in common is the teacher and the student, the rest, meaning performances, story development, style, editing and production values in general are truly awful in this film.Let me give you one non-spoiler hint to why story is so bad. In no more than five minutes after film starts -where is shown how teacher and student meet- they’re already in bed. Where are the seduction scenes? None existent, which makes story absolutely non-real and non-believable. Come on that’s not love or attraction, that’s a pick-up!
Another hint why film is so bad. What follows in the rest of the time are isolated scenes with jumpy transitions, story holes that later director, screenplay writer and editor Fernanda Cardoso tries to fill with dialogue. Yes this film is like confetti as what’s worst in film is editing that didn’t allowed story fluidity. This is the worst editing that have seen in years, believe me and if you don’t believe me just let me share that when characters start to make love and are full-dressed scenes fade out, meaning no love (or sex) scenes in this film.
Nevertheless I watched completely as I got this crazy idea that story was inspired by inside information about the life of Lindsay Lohan. LOL! Of course is not, but there are some obvious similarities. Anyway after the finale where they split I was so glad that film was over and was going to be able to tell you that if you skip this movie, you will not be missing absolutely anything.
Sigh.
Watch trailer @MOC (be aware that film in trailer looks better than what really is)
Senza Fine (No End)
Lately have been seeing films that I really don’t like in the lesbian interest genre and unfortunately this is no exception as film tries so hard to be arty that becomes pretentious. I really don’t understand filmmakers that think that extreme close-ups where you can see face pores have a meaning or contribute to the story. Some of you know that I appreciate slow pace and long takes with still camera but when there is something extremely beautiful to watch, but here were boring and I truly questioned what director had in his mind to do so many non-interesting still camera takes. Film as a film is not only not-good but at times really bothers the hand-held camera, so those that don’t like constant hand-held camera takes, I suggest to stay away from this film.But story is not that bad and actresses are good looking enough to keep your attention no matter all the senseless distractions that director insisted to make us watch. Still I found story depressing and got me in a not so good mood that took me a long while to get rid of.
Film tells about Chiara and Giulia who desire to start a family but in Italy artificial insemination is legal only for married heterosexual couples; so they have to go to Holland to be inseminated. But one of them unexpectedly finds that has a breast lump that could be cancer. She needs surgery and needs to tell the other. The incident changes their relation, their expectations and indeed, their lives; but has a positive finale.
See, story is not bad as definitively is not another film with lesbians trying to have babies; is first time directing Roberto Cuzzillo style what makes watching the story very difficult.
Can’t recommend the film, but know that story plus the good-looking actresses that perform quite acceptable will make many to be interested in watching film, but be prepared for a not good visual ride.
Enjoy.
Watch trailer @MOC
HE’S BACK. HE’S BIGGER THAN EVER. AND HE WANTS YOUR ETERNAL SOUL.
Being a bad movie fan with an Internet connection can lead you to some weird places. For instance, trying to pull up information on one of Robert Altman’s worst films, O. C. & Stiggs, led me to track down a couple of old issues of National Lampoon (should have known better) which in turn brought me to this ALMOST appropriate for the season movie poster satire…
You know, it’s really not that irreverent if you look at it as a parody of Hollywood’s thought process rather than as another lame poke at religion. But I do have to say, putting Keith Richards in the role of “The Damned” seems like a bit of lazy typecasting. He can also play a pirate, after all.
Still, even this bit of silliness can serve as a reminder that, as the Catechism makes clear, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.” And while He probably won’t return as a Godzilla sized behemoth (Although, that would be freakin’ cool!), it’s bound to be pretty spectacular. Or will be, as long as we spend a little time this Advent contemplating whether or not we’re ready for it. Better get to it. IT”S COMING SOONER THAN YOU THINK!
2011 Oscar Race – Mid December
Actually needed an excuse to post the new four Oscar posters, not that are great but wanted to have them here. What better excuse than a brief analysis of what has been happening with all the awards and nominations movies, directors plus actors have been collecting. Have to thank my favorite net writer for keeping the tally and if you wish to read his complete report please go here.
Best Picture
Up-to-today these are the four films that have collected wins.
The Social Network – 13 and 9 nominations
Winter’s Bone – 2 and 11 nominations
The King’s Speech – 1 and 12 nominations
The Ghost Writer – 1 win and 1 nomination
No wins yet, but have 5 or more nominations
Inception – 15
Black Swan – 13
127 Hours – 11
The Kids Are All Right – 9
The Fighter – 8
Toy Story – 7
True Grit – 7
The Town - 5
As you surely remember the category has 10 slots and with the exception of The Ghost Writer I believe that the 10 slots will be filled with the above films; but the actual race could be between The Social Network and The King’s Speech. Want to give a chance to The King’s Speech –even if haven’t seen it- because I need the race to be interesting as is too boring just to assume that The Social Network will win (but probably is a sure thing).
Best Director
As of today these are the seven directors with wins.
David Fincher forThe Social Network – 12 and 9 nominations
Christopher Nolan for Inception – 2 wins and 14 nominations
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan – 2 wins and 11 nominations
Danny Boyle for 127 Hours – 1 win and 9 nominations
Roman Polansky for The Ghost Writer -1 win, 1 nomination
Gareth Edwards for Monsters – 1 win
Olivier Assayas for Carlos – 1 win
No wins yet, but have 5 or more nominations
Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech – 9
Debra Granik for Winter’s Bone – 6
I’m sure that the five slots will be filled with some of the above directors. Then is a sure thing that Fincher, Aronofsky and Hooper will get nods (well, should wait for the Director’s Guild, but is almost impossible that they don’t get nods). The other two slots are still open and of course I really wish that a woman gets one slot, so I’m hoping that Debra Granik gets a nomination.
Best Actress
Are you ready for this? Here are the nine actresses with wins.
Natalie Portman in Black Swan – 6 and 13 nominations
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone – 4 and 13 nominations
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine – 1 and 10 nominations
Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right – 1 and 10 nominations
Carey Mulligan in Never Let Me Go – 1 and 3 nominations
Lesley Manville in Another Year – 1 and 2 nominations
Halle Berry – Frankie & Allie – 1 and 1 nomination
Kim Hye-Ja in Mother – 1
Sylvie Testud in Lourdes – 1
Some surprises in the above list, isn’t? Here are the actresses with 5 or more nominations
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole – 10
Noomi Rapace in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – 5
I’m (almost) sure that four slots are in the above list; since we already know the nominations from SAG we know that Hilary Swank that has only one nomination (SAG) came back to be considered to fill the fifth and last slot in this category and that will be hard for Michelle Williams to fill it. My four (almost) sure are Portman, Lawrence, Bening and Kidman, still have no clear idea who could fill the fifth.
Best Actor
The best news for me that believe Colin Firth should have gotten the Oscar last year are in this category. Here are the six actors with wins.
Colin Firth in The King’s Speech – 7 and 12 nominations
James Franco in 127 Hours – 4 and 14 nominations
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network – 3 and 12 nominations
Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter – 1 and 1 nomination
Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer – 1 and 1 nomination
Colin Farrel in Ondine – 1
Here are the actors with 5 or more nominations
Jeff Bridges in True Grit – 9
Robert Duvall in Get Low – 7
Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine – 5
For me this is the most difficult category not only because haven’t seen most of the films but also because besides my strong wish for Colin Firth, I’m not sure who else will be nominated. Nevertheless if we review what their peers at SAG honored, most likely Eisenberg and Franco will get a nod and Bridges plus Duvall have become possibilities above Wahlberg and Ryan Gosling.
Surely you noticed that the most dispersed category is the Best Actress where more actresses have been honored with wins. Somehow there is the possibility that we get surprises when Oscar announces their nominees, as we know that 2010 was an excellent year for great roles performed by great actresses.
As of this moment more critics are announcing their nominations and next Sunday we will learn the Satellite Awards winners but I sense that odds will not change much from what we have reviewed until today. Hopefully January 2011 will bring not only great film festivals but also more interesting winners to make the Oscar race less predictable.
As you can see in the above pictures, this year Oscar posters look really “uninspired” and some are complaining that last year presenters were in the posters and question why they’re not in these ones, especially when Anne Hathaway and James Franco are more nice to look at than Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
Best PictureUp-to-today these are the four films that have collected wins.
The Social Network – 13 and 9 nominations
Winter’s Bone – 2 and 11 nominations
The King’s Speech – 1 and 12 nominations
The Ghost Writer – 1 win and 1 nomination
No wins yet, but have 5 or more nominations
Inception – 15
Black Swan – 13
127 Hours – 11
The Kids Are All Right – 9
The Fighter – 8
Toy Story – 7
True Grit – 7
The Town - 5
As you surely remember the category has 10 slots and with the exception of The Ghost Writer I believe that the 10 slots will be filled with the above films; but the actual race could be between The Social Network and The King’s Speech. Want to give a chance to The King’s Speech –even if haven’t seen it- because I need the race to be interesting as is too boring just to assume that The Social Network will win (but probably is a sure thing).
Best DirectorAs of today these are the seven directors with wins.
David Fincher forThe Social Network – 12 and 9 nominations
Christopher Nolan for Inception – 2 wins and 14 nominations
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan – 2 wins and 11 nominations
Danny Boyle for 127 Hours – 1 win and 9 nominations
Roman Polansky for The Ghost Writer -1 win, 1 nomination
Gareth Edwards for Monsters – 1 win
Olivier Assayas for Carlos – 1 win
No wins yet, but have 5 or more nominations
Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech – 9
Debra Granik for Winter’s Bone – 6
I’m sure that the five slots will be filled with some of the above directors. Then is a sure thing that Fincher, Aronofsky and Hooper will get nods (well, should wait for the Director’s Guild, but is almost impossible that they don’t get nods). The other two slots are still open and of course I really wish that a woman gets one slot, so I’m hoping that Debra Granik gets a nomination.
Best ActressAre you ready for this? Here are the nine actresses with wins.
Natalie Portman in Black Swan – 6 and 13 nominations
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone – 4 and 13 nominations
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine – 1 and 10 nominations
Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right – 1 and 10 nominations
Carey Mulligan in Never Let Me Go – 1 and 3 nominations
Lesley Manville in Another Year – 1 and 2 nominations
Halle Berry – Frankie & Allie – 1 and 1 nomination
Kim Hye-Ja in Mother – 1
Sylvie Testud in Lourdes – 1
Some surprises in the above list, isn’t? Here are the actresses with 5 or more nominations
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole – 10
Noomi Rapace in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – 5
I’m (almost) sure that four slots are in the above list; since we already know the nominations from SAG we know that Hilary Swank that has only one nomination (SAG) came back to be considered to fill the fifth and last slot in this category and that will be hard for Michelle Williams to fill it. My four (almost) sure are Portman, Lawrence, Bening and Kidman, still have no clear idea who could fill the fifth.
Best ActorThe best news for me that believe Colin Firth should have gotten the Oscar last year are in this category. Here are the six actors with wins.
Colin Firth in The King’s Speech – 7 and 12 nominations
James Franco in 127 Hours – 4 and 14 nominations
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network – 3 and 12 nominations
Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter – 1 and 1 nomination
Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer – 1 and 1 nomination
Colin Farrel in Ondine – 1
Here are the actors with 5 or more nominations
Jeff Bridges in True Grit – 9
Robert Duvall in Get Low – 7
Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine – 5
For me this is the most difficult category not only because haven’t seen most of the films but also because besides my strong wish for Colin Firth, I’m not sure who else will be nominated. Nevertheless if we review what their peers at SAG honored, most likely Eisenberg and Franco will get a nod and Bridges plus Duvall have become possibilities above Wahlberg and Ryan Gosling.
Surely you noticed that the most dispersed category is the Best Actress where more actresses have been honored with wins. Somehow there is the possibility that we get surprises when Oscar announces their nominees, as we know that 2010 was an excellent year for great roles performed by great actresses.
As of this moment more critics are announcing their nominations and next Sunday we will learn the Satellite Awards winners but I sense that odds will not change much from what we have reviewed until today. Hopefully January 2011 will bring not only great film festivals but also more interesting winners to make the Oscar race less predictable.
As you can see in the above pictures, this year Oscar posters look really “uninspired” and some are complaining that last year presenters were in the posters and question why they’re not in these ones, especially when Anne Hathaway and James Franco are more nice to look at than Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
2010 Prix Louis Delluc Winners
A few minutes ago organizers announced the award that every year since 1937 honors the best French film and the winner is:
Mystères de Lisbonne (Mysteries of Lisbon), Raoul Ruiz
Raoul Ruiz was in Santiago de Chile and was his producer, Paulo Branco, who received the award from the jury President, Gilles Jacob.
Best First Film award went to Belle Épine (Dear Prudence), Rebecca Zlotowski
The most prestigious French award this year honored a French, Brazil and Portugal co production and yes there are already news dispatches wondering if film was really French or not. Haven't seen it yet, but now becomes must be seen for me, as well as Rebecca Zlotowski's first film.
Mystères de Lisbonne (Mysteries of Lisbon), Raoul RuizRaoul Ruiz was in Santiago de Chile and was his producer, Paulo Branco, who received the award from the jury President, Gilles Jacob.
Best First Film award went to Belle Épine (Dear Prudence), Rebecca Zlotowski
The most prestigious French award this year honored a French, Brazil and Portugal co production and yes there are already news dispatches wondering if film was really French or not. Haven't seen it yet, but now becomes must be seen for me, as well as Rebecca Zlotowski's first film.
Thursday 16 December 2010
BMC MOVIE OF THE WEEK: THE GONG SHOW MOVIE
December 12, 2010: Third Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Anybody familiar with Chuck Barris’ psuedo-autobiography Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind knows the famed television producer plays fast and loose with the boundaries between fantasy and reality. But back in 1980, people didn’t know quite what to make of Chuckie Baby’s satirical experiments in scrambling fact and fiction. Composed of actual outtakes from the TV show (too risqué for broadcast by 70s standards, but hardly eyebrow raising in today’s “look at me, aren’t I shocking” era of desperate celebrities) combined with vignettes of Barris slowly suffering a nervous breakdown due to the show’s intrusion into his private life, the Gong Show Movie feels like the mutant offspring of an episode of Jackass genetically spliced together with a Robert Altman film. So it’s no surprise that The Gong Show Movie was an instant flop.
And yet, for all its self-indulgent floppiness, something still rings a bit true when Barris, finally overwhelmed by the chaotic world he’s created for himself, flees by himself to the dunes of Morocco looking for meaning. In fact, this week’s gospel portrays the people of Jesus’ time doing the exact same thing, prompting the Christ to point blank ask them, “What did you go out to the desert to see?”
The Venerable Charles de Foucauld answers the question this way: “One has to pass through the desert, spending time there, if one is to receive the grace of God. It is there that we empty ourselves, getting rid of everything that is not God, and completely emptying this little house of our souls to leave all the room to God alone. The Hebrews travelled through the desert, Moses lived there before he received his mission, Saint Paul and Saint John Chrysostom were also made ready in the desert… It is a time of grace, a period during which all souls who want to bear fruit necessarily have to pass. They need this silence, recollection and forgetfulness of all created things in the midst of which God establishes his reign and forms a spirit of interiority within them: life in intimacy with God, conversation of the soul with God in faith, hope and love.”
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons the Church offers up so much desert imagery smack dab in the middle of wintery Advent. During the oft-stressful noisy build-up to Christmas, maybe we all need a reminder to withdraw (if only mentally) every now and then so we can empty ourselves and commune with God. Of course, just like in the movie, all the stuff we’ve withdrawn from will eventually show up to call us back into the chaos. Maybe not in the form of The Unknown Comic, Gene Gene The Dancing Machine, and whatever that guy with tow heads was supposed to be like it did for Chuckie Baby, but it’ll show up, you can guarantee it. Only thanks to our little desert jaunts, maybe, just maybe, we’ll be better prepared to handle it.
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