It's different.
"Intermission" does "Advice From a Fanboy" again.
Friday 30 November 2012
85th Academy Awards Live Action Shorts Shortlist
From a total of one hundred twenty-five films that qualified in the category, eleven (11) will advance in the voting process to select three to five nominees.The following are the short films announced today by the Academy.
9 meter, Anders Walter, Denmark,
Daniel is 16-years-old and a long jump athlete that constantly sets new records. Her mother is dying and he believes that setting new records keeps her alive. In a desperate attempt to set new records, he starts to jump between rooftops of the concrete ghetto he lives in.
A Fábrica (The Factory), Aly Muritiba, Brazil, 15'
Visiting day. Lindalva prepares food to take it to her son who is in jail. Metruti, Lindalva's son, shaves and wears the best clothes to welcome his mother. Today is a very special day and he really needs to make a phone call. His mother is taking a risk, she's willing to smuggle a cell phone for him into the penitentiary.
Asad, Bryan Buckley, South Africa and USA, 18'
A coming of age fable of a Somali boy as he struggles to survive in his war-torn land.
Buzkashi Boys, Sam French, Afghanistan and USA, 28'
Set against the dramatic landscape of contemporary Afghanistan and the National sport of Buzkashi - a brutal game of horse polo played with a dead goat - Buzkashi Boys tells the coming of age story of two best friends, a charismatic street urchin and a defiant blacksmith's son, who struggle to realize their dreams as they make their way to manhood in one of the most war-torn countries on Earth. Shot on location in Kabul city by an alliance of Afghan and international film makers, Buzkashi Boys is a look at the life that continues beyond the headlines of war in Afghanistan.
Curfew, Shawn Christensen, USA,19'
At the lowest point of his life, Richie gets a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his nine-year old niece, Sophia, for a few hours.
Dood van een Schaduw (Death of a Shadow), Tom Van Avermaet, France and Belgium, 20'
Soldier Nathan died during World War I. A strange collector imprisoned his shadow and gave him a new chance: a second life against 10000 captured shadows. It is love that guides him, as his purpose is to meet Sarah again, the woman he fell in love with before he died. But then he discovers that she's already in love with someone else, jealousy clouds his mind and pushes him towards a bitter decision, not without consequences.
Henry, Yan England, Canada, 21'
Henry, a great concert pianist, has his life thrown in turmoil the day the love of this life, Maria, disappears mysteriously. He'll then discover the inevitable verdict of life.
Il turno di notte lo fanno le stelle (The Night Shift Belongs to the Stars), Edoardo Ponti, Italy and USA, 23'
It's a story about a man and a woman. He is alone. She is married. Both mountaineers, both survivors of cardiac operation. He has in his chest the heart of a young woman, she has a mitral valve. A fate and a promise unites them . A short story where the rhythm of the heartbeat accelerates, to find at the end, a steady pace.
Kiruna-Kigali, Goran Kapetanovic, Sweden and Rwanda, 15'
In the midst of frost and snow, a woman is driving her way to the hospital in Kiruna, the northernmost city of Sweden. Under the scorching sunlight of Kigali, Rwanda, another woman is being carried to the hospital on a stretcher. The two single mothers-to-be on the verge of giving birth to a baby are departed thousands of miles apart, but share the same fear of entering the unknown world of motherhood.
Salar, Nicholas Greene, USA, UK and Bolivia, 19'
Two lives cross in an isolated Bolivian village: a disgruntled American doctor looking to leave, and a Bolivian salt miner who's just been stabbed in the hand.
When You Find Me, Bryce Dallas Howard, USA,
A young boy asks his pregnant mother if he will like his baby brother, and he asks her if she has a brother. This sends the mother, Lisie, on a reverie of her relationship with her older sister, Aurora, when they were kids and their mother was dying. Flashbacks show the contrasting reactions of the two girls, Aurora's anger and Lisie's innocent determination to find her mother. The boy's questions also prompt Lisie to visit Aurora and to tell her a story.
Perhaps the most attention grabber short from list is the one directed by none other than Sofia Loren's son, Carlo Ponti, and starring Nastassja Kinski, Julian Sands and Enrico Lo Verso. The cast is fantastic! But from watching videos the French/Belgian production looks/feels great and the star is none other than Matthias Schoenaerts.
Watch trailers @MOC (only 2 don't have videos, but have images)
Thursday 29 November 2012
85th Academy Awards Visual Effects Shortlist
The Academy announced today that ten (10) films remain in the running in the VFX category and here they are in alphabetical order.The Amazing Spider-Man
Cloud Atlas
The Dark Night Rises
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
John Carter
Life of Pi
Marvel's The Avengers
Prometheus
Skyfall
Snow White and the Huntsman
As expected most of the above films are blockbusters that rely in exceptional visual effects to move audiences. But in the above list there are two films that I have to see, Cloud Atlas by Lana and Andy Wachowski with Tom Tykwer; plus Ang Lee's Life of Pi.
Move Like Jaeger! PACIFIC RIM's Marketing Is Now Firing On All Cylinders!
Let's get you up to speed on what's happened:
First of all we have blueprints to study for four of the Jaegers thus far (pictured). Countries build their own breed of Jaeger with unique strengths and to date we have the just released Australian Striker Eureka along with the Russian Cherno Alpha, Japanese Coyote Tango and the American Gipsy Danger.
Awesome concepts or what! And pragmatically very brilliant - regions of the world will be rooting for their own robot driving in audiences everywhere.
Precious little information about the Kaiju that attack our cities, but a couple of very cool teaser clips exist - one showing the chaos from an attack on San Francisco (below). ENJOY!
Everything we have been seeing from this production has seemed to be epic. It looks like Guillermo has been able to leverage every cent of a massive budget to pull off what seems to be a must-see event movie.
Hit the jump for more...
Here's the storyline for the movie:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju.
On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.PACIFIC RIM opens on July 12, 2013. The first trailer for the movie drops on December 14 pre-rolling with THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY in 3D. What a cinematic day that will be!
Kaiju Attack Clip:
Sources: EIGA | Wired | PACIFIC RIM Movie Site
2013 Sundance - A Very Different Preview - Part 2
Continues from Part 1. If the news in the previous post weren't enough surprising for you, then let's continue exploring other films that have unusual stories centered in women.
Jill Soloway
Jill Soloway is not really known to me even when have seen most of the TV shows she has written for (Six Feet Under, Grey's Anatomy, United States of Tara, Dirty Sexy Money); then just learned that she was behind the "lesbian stories" told in some of those shows but most interesting is to find that her previous work is Valencia (aka Valencia: The Movie/s) a collaborative film project by twenty one queer filmmakers each shooting 5-7 minute short based on a chapter from the underground classic memoir into a kaleidoscopic vision of San Francisco's Mission District in the early 90's during the rise of a punk lesbian diaspora told through the experiences of Michelle, a single rootless twenty-something searching for sex and love, drugs and adventure. If you wish to read more about this movie go here.
But going back to Sundance that will screen Jill Soloway's debut feature film, Afternoon Delight, which she directed and wrote the script, and considering everything I learned today about her, have to admit that became very interested in her film even do there is not much info about it in the net but check the fest synopsis.
In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic hipster life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.
The housewife is played by Kathryn Hahn and from photo dare to deduce that the stripper is played by Juno Temple. I just hope that as much as Soloway has contributed to lesbian stories in television, she also contributes with a lesbian-interest storyline in this film. But will not be until more information becomes available that we will be able to find what story is really about.
Still, based on what I saw in her short Una Hora Por Favora I like her filmmaking style even do her humor is not exactly the kind of humor I enjoy; but I'm interested in watching this film.
Lynn Shelton
After watching Your Sister's Sister I became really interested in the work of Lynn Shelton and her new film Touchy Feely also in US Dramatic competition seems could be interesting especially because has Rosemarie Dewitt playing the leading role as a massage therapist who suddenly finds the human body repulsive. Check the synopsis from the fest.
A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's foundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his “healing touch.”
The cast includes Ellen Page, an actress that I like but suddenly disappeared into low-profile roles and/or movies and just hope she shines again in this indie movie which was the milieu that made her well-known. I'm interested in finding what Shelton will give us in this movie that know probably will surprise me once again.
Shelton has been called Sundance's "L'enfant chéri" as her recent films have been showcased at Sundance, Humpday in 2009 and Your Sister's Sister in 2012; her newest is just following what it seems has become a tradition due to the quality of her films.
Liz W. Garcia
Not familiar with Garcia's work even do have seen some of the TV shows she has written for, like Dawson's Creek and Cold Case. But her film The Lifeguard also in the US Dramatic competition seems could have an interesting story. Check the synopsis from fest.
A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager.
Another film that has not much information in the net but here is a still from the film where Kristen Bell has the lead role.
Perhaps due to the casting and from the eight female directors in the US Dramatic competition, this is the film that I'm interested less in watching, but have to wait for info to become available to determine if film is interesting or not.
Lake Bell
I'm familiar with Lake Bell as an actress as has many big and small screen supporting roles but have no idea what a film directed and written by her could be like, especially when is her debut feature film, is an indie comedy plus also she is performing in what could be her first leading role. Not really interested but check the fest synopsis, cast and film still
In a World... An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed.
Maybe when we learn more about Bell's film I could be more interested in watching.
Jerusha Hess
Known as the half of the Jared and Jerusha Hess husband and wife filmmaking team behind movies like Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho Libre, Jerusha jumps to direct her first film Austenland based on the novel by Shannon Hale with a script co written by Hess and Hale. Check the synopsis from fest plus the cast.
Thirtysomething, single Jane is obsessed with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice. On a trip to an English resort, her fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman become more real than she ever imagined. Cast: Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Georgia King, James Callis.
Perhaps the better known person from those involved in film is none other than Stephenie Meyer, which is one of the film producers. Not proud of what I'm about to say but I know will watch this USA and UK production as I see everything where Keri Russell is in, besides story could be "sweet" and entertaining.
I have the feeling that this unprecedented milestone that Sundance Film Festival has achieved is more than remarkable for being 50-50, have the work of some known female directors and most of all is an amazing moment for openly lesbian filmmakers, lesbian-interest audiences and the community in general as not often have something to celebrate, much less in cinema related events.
From the other six male directed films in the US Dramatic competition only one more has what seems is a women-centered story.
Mother of George / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriter: Darci Picoult) — A story about a woman willing to do anything and risk everything for her marriage. Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi.
In the end there are 9 out of the 16 stories told about women, which is also surely a first. Nevertheless we have to consider that the two movies that had more buzz before the festival announcement are none of the ones in the first post or above. They are films with male directors, both have male-centered stories and are included in the following list that completes the US Dramatic competition lineup.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine.
C.O.G. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kyle Patrick Alvarez) — In the first ever film adaptation of David Sedaris' work, a cocky young man travels to Oregon to work on an apple farm. Out of his element, he finds his lifestyle and notions being picked apart by everyone who crosses his path. Cast: Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare, Corey Stoll, Dean Stockwell, Casey Wilson, Troian Bellisario.
Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.
Kill Your Darlings / U.S.A. (Director: John Krokidas, Screenwriters: Austin Bunn, John Krokidas) — An untold story of murder that brought together a young Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs at Columbia University in 1944, providing the spark that led to the birth of an entire generation – their Beat revolution. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHann, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Elizabeth Olsen.
The Spectacular Now / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber) — Sutter is a high school senior who lives for the moment; Aimee is the introvert he attempts to "save." As their relationship deepens, the lines between right and wrong, friendship and love, and "saving" and corrupting become inextricably blurred. Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler.
Toy's House / U.S.A. (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Chris Galletta) — Three unhappy teenage boys flee to the wilderness where they build a makeshift house and live off the land as masters of their own destiny. Or at least that’s the plan. Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie.
Upstream Color / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins.
If you can't guess which had buzz before being in the Sundance US Dramatic competition lineup, let me help you. First, the one where you find Rooney Mara and Cassey Affleck; and second, the movie where you find Daniel Radclife and Elizabeth Olsen. Yes, buzz came because the actors and not the directos.
Can't deny that I'm extremely curious to see how the fest will distribute their awards in this competition that has the most unexpected and surprising lineup. But we have to wait about two months as fest runs from January 17 to 27, 2013.
Cheers!!! ... and many congratulations to the honored women filmmakers and the festival programers that made history with this lineup.
Jill Soloway
Jill Soloway is not really known to me even when have seen most of the TV shows she has written for (Six Feet Under, Grey's Anatomy, United States of Tara, Dirty Sexy Money); then just learned that she was behind the "lesbian stories" told in some of those shows but most interesting is to find that her previous work is Valencia (aka Valencia: The Movie/s) a collaborative film project by twenty one queer filmmakers each shooting 5-7 minute short based on a chapter from the underground classic memoir into a kaleidoscopic vision of San Francisco's Mission District in the early 90's during the rise of a punk lesbian diaspora told through the experiences of Michelle, a single rootless twenty-something searching for sex and love, drugs and adventure. If you wish to read more about this movie go here. But going back to Sundance that will screen Jill Soloway's debut feature film, Afternoon Delight, which she directed and wrote the script, and considering everything I learned today about her, have to admit that became very interested in her film even do there is not much info about it in the net but check the fest synopsis.
In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic hipster life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.
The housewife is played by Kathryn Hahn and from photo dare to deduce that the stripper is played by Juno Temple. I just hope that as much as Soloway has contributed to lesbian stories in television, she also contributes with a lesbian-interest storyline in this film. But will not be until more information becomes available that we will be able to find what story is really about.
Still, based on what I saw in her short Una Hora Por Favora I like her filmmaking style even do her humor is not exactly the kind of humor I enjoy; but I'm interested in watching this film.
Lynn Shelton
After watching Your Sister's Sister I became really interested in the work of Lynn Shelton and her new film Touchy Feely also in US Dramatic competition seems could be interesting especially because has Rosemarie Dewitt playing the leading role as a massage therapist who suddenly finds the human body repulsive. Check the synopsis from the fest.A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's foundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his “healing touch.”
The cast includes Ellen Page, an actress that I like but suddenly disappeared into low-profile roles and/or movies and just hope she shines again in this indie movie which was the milieu that made her well-known. I'm interested in finding what Shelton will give us in this movie that know probably will surprise me once again.
Shelton has been called Sundance's "L'enfant chéri" as her recent films have been showcased at Sundance, Humpday in 2009 and Your Sister's Sister in 2012; her newest is just following what it seems has become a tradition due to the quality of her films.
Liz W. Garcia
Not familiar with Garcia's work even do have seen some of the TV shows she has written for, like Dawson's Creek and Cold Case. But her film The Lifeguard also in the US Dramatic competition seems could have an interesting story. Check the synopsis from fest.A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager.
Another film that has not much information in the net but here is a still from the film where Kristen Bell has the lead role.
Perhaps due to the casting and from the eight female directors in the US Dramatic competition, this is the film that I'm interested less in watching, but have to wait for info to become available to determine if film is interesting or not.
Lake Bell
I'm familiar with Lake Bell as an actress as has many big and small screen supporting roles but have no idea what a film directed and written by her could be like, especially when is her debut feature film, is an indie comedy plus also she is performing in what could be her first leading role. Not really interested but check the fest synopsis, cast and film stillIn a World... An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed.
Maybe when we learn more about Bell's film I could be more interested in watching.
Jerusha Hess
Known as the half of the Jared and Jerusha Hess husband and wife filmmaking team behind movies like Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho Libre, Jerusha jumps to direct her first film Austenland based on the novel by Shannon Hale with a script co written by Hess and Hale. Check the synopsis from fest plus the cast.Thirtysomething, single Jane is obsessed with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice. On a trip to an English resort, her fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman become more real than she ever imagined. Cast: Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Georgia King, James Callis.
Perhaps the better known person from those involved in film is none other than Stephenie Meyer, which is one of the film producers. Not proud of what I'm about to say but I know will watch this USA and UK production as I see everything where Keri Russell is in, besides story could be "sweet" and entertaining.
I have the feeling that this unprecedented milestone that Sundance Film Festival has achieved is more than remarkable for being 50-50, have the work of some known female directors and most of all is an amazing moment for openly lesbian filmmakers, lesbian-interest audiences and the community in general as not often have something to celebrate, much less in cinema related events.
From the other six male directed films in the US Dramatic competition only one more has what seems is a women-centered story.
Mother of George / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriter: Darci Picoult) — A story about a woman willing to do anything and risk everything for her marriage. Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi.
In the end there are 9 out of the 16 stories told about women, which is also surely a first. Nevertheless we have to consider that the two movies that had more buzz before the festival announcement are none of the ones in the first post or above. They are films with male directors, both have male-centered stories and are included in the following list that completes the US Dramatic competition lineup.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine.
C.O.G. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kyle Patrick Alvarez) — In the first ever film adaptation of David Sedaris' work, a cocky young man travels to Oregon to work on an apple farm. Out of his element, he finds his lifestyle and notions being picked apart by everyone who crosses his path. Cast: Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare, Corey Stoll, Dean Stockwell, Casey Wilson, Troian Bellisario.
Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.
Kill Your Darlings / U.S.A. (Director: John Krokidas, Screenwriters: Austin Bunn, John Krokidas) — An untold story of murder that brought together a young Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs at Columbia University in 1944, providing the spark that led to the birth of an entire generation – their Beat revolution. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHann, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Elizabeth Olsen.
The Spectacular Now / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber) — Sutter is a high school senior who lives for the moment; Aimee is the introvert he attempts to "save." As their relationship deepens, the lines between right and wrong, friendship and love, and "saving" and corrupting become inextricably blurred. Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler.
Toy's House / U.S.A. (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Chris Galletta) — Three unhappy teenage boys flee to the wilderness where they build a makeshift house and live off the land as masters of their own destiny. Or at least that’s the plan. Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie.
Upstream Color / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins.
If you can't guess which had buzz before being in the Sundance US Dramatic competition lineup, let me help you. First, the one where you find Rooney Mara and Cassey Affleck; and second, the movie where you find Daniel Radclife and Elizabeth Olsen. Yes, buzz came because the actors and not the directos.
Can't deny that I'm extremely curious to see how the fest will distribute their awards in this competition that has the most unexpected and surprising lineup. But we have to wait about two months as fest runs from January 17 to 27, 2013.
Cheers!!! ... and many congratulations to the honored women filmmakers and the festival programers that made history with this lineup.
2013 Sundance - A Very Different Preview - Part 1
Because the Sundance Film Festival started to release their program and me getting excited by what I saw yesterday, writing about it became a must as not only there are many female directors but also there are many stories about women which absolutely call my attention.Today I was reading the news at reputable American newspapers and my spontaneous reaction was that articles were written by male journalists that not only react to the surprising lineup but also to the directors' gender. Take a look at some excerpts.
In what festival programmers say is a Sundance first, fully half of the narrative features were made by women. (...) Many of the films, perhaps as a reflection of the gender of their directors, focus closely on personal, and often highly sexual, relationships.
Sundance, known for championing dark and inscrutable films, has unveiled an unusually accessible — and sellable — competition lineup.
The fact is that this year the lineup has eight (8) of the sixteen (16) films chosen for the dramatic U.S. dramatic competition helmed by women, which is a first for Sundance but also for any top festival in the world! Then you have to agree that -in general- women stories are better told by women, so no one shouldn't be surprised when a 50-50 lineup gives the impression that festival stories are focus on personal relationships plus, as in reality, personal relationships have much to do with sex.
From more than 12,000 submissions, another first for Sundance, 113 feature films were selected and 51 are from first-time filmmakers. But what this year calls the attention is that in the lineup there are some recognizable directors like Cherien Dabis, Lynn Shelton and Chilean Sebastián Silva, among others. The consequence of the 50-50 lineup plus recognizable directors , at least for me, is that this fest edition becomes interesting to follow to learn more about how films are received by critics and more important, if they find distribution in regular and/or new distribution channels.
As soon as the complete lineup is published will do a post, but for starters take a look at some films that called my attention.
Cherien Dabis
The festival high-profile opening slot went to May in the Summer by Cherien Dabis that came to be widely known for her highly praised debut film Amreeka which premiered in 2009 Sundance, was official selection in the Director's Fortnight section of 2009 Cannes where won the FIPRESCI Prize and continued to collect more honors in the festival circuit; but to some of us was already known for being one of the few openly lesbian filmmakers and for being a writer in the television series The L Word.Written and directed by Dabis, May in the Summer is a USA, Qatar and Jordan production that brings us the surprise that she also performs in the leading role along with extraordinary Hiam Abbass (she was also in Amreeka) in a story that seems compelling as the following synopsis tells.
At the center of the tangled family in May in the Summer is thirty-something Palestinian American May (Cherien Dabis) whose stubborn pride and fear of making herself vulnerable stand in her way of having honest relationships with the people closest to her. As the story opens, May travels to Amman where she’s reunited with her divorced mother Nadine (Hiam Abbass) and younger twenty-something sisters. In the midst of planning her summer wedding, May has one slight problem: Nadine, a devout Christian, disapproves of her Muslim fiancé. Convinced that a mixed marriage is doomed, she plans to boycott the wedding. As if that’s not bad enough, there’s trouble in paradise. But May is too busy trying to prove her mother wrong to take her relationship troubles to heart. Meanwhile, May and her sisters attempt to reconcile with their estranged father only to learn that his new wife suspects he’s having an affair. Faced with family secrets and the fallout of her parents' divorce, May starts to come apart at the seams. But only in facing the reality of what she’s lost can she discover the freedom of letting go. And ultimately, she and her mother learn to accept one another for who they truly are – differences and all.
But from the few publicity material available seems that film will also have some breathtaking visuals.
I'm really excited with Cherien Dabis second feature film and look forward to eventually watch film that know is must be seen for me not only for how much I liked Amreeka but also because Dabis is performing.
Francesca Gregorini
Another film in the US Dramatic Competition that calls my attention is Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes directed and written by none other than Francesca Gregorini, better known as Countess Francesca McKnight Donatella Romana Gregorini di Savignano di Romagna, Ringo Starr's stepdaughter and/or Portia di Rossi's ex. This is her second feature film and many of us have to remember her debut film, Tanner Hall, which she co directed and co wrote with none other than Tatiana von Furstenberg. So, tell me, what are the odds that two of the few openly lesbian filmmakers have films in competition at a top festival? Very low, but finally is happening!Nevertheless her film could be interesting for the story -especially because the spoilers I read, which I'm not sharing here- but check the official synopsis written by the director.
A troubled girl (Emanuel) becomes preoccupied with her mysterious new neighbor (Linda), who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. In offering to baby-sit Linda's newborn, Emanuel unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world, of which she becomes the gatekeeper.
Have to admit that I'm a bit concerned with the casting as I haven't seen Kaya Scodelario (Emanuel) in the big screen (seen her in UK TV series Skins) and do not enjoy Jessica Biel (Linda) performances; but maybe both can surprise us here plus Alfred Molina (Emanuel father) and Frances O'Connor (Emanuel stepmother) can make the watching more easy to ride experience.
Stacie Passon
If you are not surprised enough to find two openly lesbian filmmakers in the competition, how about finding an unusual lesbian-interest story? But first let's learn about the director. She became known to me when a few days ago won the Spotlight on Women Filmmakers "Live the Dream" grant at the 2012 Gotham awards but is not until finding her debut film in Sundance that I learn the story that Concussion tells. Check the fest synopsis.After a blow to the head, Abby decides she can't do it anymore. Her life just can't be only about the house, the kids and the wife. She needs more: she needs to be Eleanor.
But without giving too many spoilers check an excerpt from the news that Stacie Passon won the Adrienne Shelly Foundation 6th Annual IFP Labs Director's grant.
Concussion follows Abby, a disengaged wealthy lesbian housewife stuck in the suburbs. After a concussion-inducing hit to the face, something inside her ignites; she craves more than her boring, saturated existence. She buys a loft in the city to fix up and sell. Then, she sees a prostitute, and then another, and is drawn into the life herself.
So yes, probably story will be very unconventional to most lesbian-interest audiences but definitively we have a film here that besides being honored by being in competition at Sundance has already won in the past week two relevant women directing awards. Just fantastic!
To my surprise there was a film video on Youtube but surely due to the buzz Passon has been provoking, the video has become "private". But check a couple of films stills.
Film absolutely has become MUST BE SEEN for me!
I don't like long posts and post has become too long, so please continue reading in Part 2.
Wednesday 28 November 2012
Unveiled: IMAX Posters For THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Midnight Screenings
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| Click to enlarge |
I like this series. Certainly a good incentive (or excuse) to see the movie 4 times! The first one I will reach for is Gandalf, then Bilbo, Thorin and Gollum. I'm sure others will have their preference, but I'm also pretty sure those first two will go much faster.
IMAX is continuing the tradition of giving these posters out at midnight screenings and I love it. SKYFALL's poster was amazing. I also have THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, THE AVENGERS and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Definitely nice enough to hang or create an album over time.
If you need to know where to go see the IMAX screenings (including HFR, shot with 3ality Technica's rigs), click here. More when I get it!
Hey, Internet? Can We Maybe Not Be In Such a Rush to Crucify James Gunn? (UPDATED!)
UPDATED: Gunn has responded, clarified and effectively apologized on his Facebook page.
ORIGINAL POST: I'm the first one to say/admit that "it was just a joke!" is more often than not a cheap dodge to get out of being called on saying something racist/sexist/etc; but the thing is... yes, there are times when I think that people go a little overboard being offended by dark/sleazy/sophmoric humor, often involving things being taken out of context - particularly in cases where the joke is at least in-part supposed to be on the teller (re: "look at what a pathetic sleaze I am for thinking these things.")
For my money, that seems to be what's happening to writer/director James Gunn right now. (NSFW)
The situation is that a blog post relating to a "50 superheroes you'd like to have sex with" poll he did a year ago has gone viral now (presumably because he's a known quantity now as writer of "Lollipop Chainsaw" and prospective director of "Guardians of The Galaxy") and is currently getting him flamed from all corners of the Internet. Of particular issue, highlighted by The Mary Sue (who are good people, for the record) is an entry about Batwoman, which reads as follows:
"This lesbian character was voted for almost exclusively by men. I don’t know exactly what that means. But I’m hoping for a Marvel-DC crossover so that Tony Stark can “turn” her. She could also have sex with Nightwing and probably still be technically considered a lesbian."
Okay. Dark, yes. And the "turn" thing is no laughing matter. But when you read the whole thing (google archive link, original has been taken down, probably to try and firewall this blowup before it loses him the "Guardians" gig - which would really suck) IMO it's pretty clear that this is meant, at least partially, as Gunn taking the piss out of the sexualization of comics in general and out of himself as well - the "homophobic" Nightwing reference, for example, is a callback to his earlier entry on a fangirl-servicey buttshot of the character: "Okay, uh, yeah, I can see where you would want some of that shit."
The commentary (particularly on the entries for male heroes) is pretty-much a note-for-note transcription of the kind of skeexy "what would it be like...?" fanboy conversations happening behind the counter of thousands of comic shops every day. I mean, here's the Kitty Pryde:
"@KittyPryde actually wrote me on Twitter after posting the nominees for heroes you most want to have sex with. I wrote her back, but neglected to mention that I wanted to anally do her. I won’t even mind if Lockheed is in the room, staring at me with a creepy look the whole time. Well, okay, I’ll mind a little. But it will be worth it."
See, to me, the combination of sophmoric fratboy fantasizing with minute fanboy details (is Lockheed even still around?) reads like pretty clear "ha ha but whoa do I have problems..." humor. This sort of thing isn't generally conveyed well in text (the whole thing is only really "passably" funny to me, honestly) but I can't look at the whole thing in the context of entries like X-23:
"Another debut, and a pretty good choice. Except, uh, isn’t she supposed to be fifteen years old? And after you fictionally fuck her fictional police are going to arrest you and put you in fictional jail for being a very real pedophile."
Or Elektra:
"Another new debut. If you’re turned on by characters whose costume always seems to be blowing in extremely harsh winds when everyone around her seems perfectly still, then Elektra is your woman. Maybe she’s like carrying one of those little mini-fans, only a mini-fan who will give you a really terrific, Ninja-trained blow job."
...and not conclude that the "point" here is less being "actually" creepy/sexist toward women/gays in general and more have an exaggerated larf at the expense of heavily-sexualized comic imagery.
The thing is, I very much support the cause of rooting of genuinely hateful people hiding behind "comedy"... in this case, I simply think they've got the wrong guy. Or maybe I'm totally off base, which is always possible. Maybe Gunn is a bad guy, a bigot, etc and it just somehow managed to never manifest in his numerous screenplays, films etc. up to this point. I honestly don't think that's the case, given the tonal context of the actual piece and the much larger context of the rest of his career... but I've been wrong before. The truth will out.
P.S. re: the "fans I do not want" thing - anyone who wants to jump into the comments and try and claim this topic for the "evil PC feminazis wanna silence every1!!!!!" bullshit be forewarned: I can ban people from this blog for abusive behavior and I won't hesitate to do so. My issue here is not that people don't have the right to be offended by the blog in question, they do. I simply think it's jumping the gun to tear down a filmmaker who has shown zero concrete evidence of deserving such otherwise - it's possible to have a grownup discussion about that, or at least it ought to be.
ORIGINAL POST: I'm the first one to say/admit that "it was just a joke!" is more often than not a cheap dodge to get out of being called on saying something racist/sexist/etc; but the thing is... yes, there are times when I think that people go a little overboard being offended by dark/sleazy/sophmoric humor, often involving things being taken out of context - particularly in cases where the joke is at least in-part supposed to be on the teller (re: "look at what a pathetic sleaze I am for thinking these things.")
For my money, that seems to be what's happening to writer/director James Gunn right now. (NSFW)
The situation is that a blog post relating to a "50 superheroes you'd like to have sex with" poll he did a year ago has gone viral now (presumably because he's a known quantity now as writer of "Lollipop Chainsaw" and prospective director of "Guardians of The Galaxy") and is currently getting him flamed from all corners of the Internet. Of particular issue, highlighted by The Mary Sue (who are good people, for the record) is an entry about Batwoman, which reads as follows:
"This lesbian character was voted for almost exclusively by men. I don’t know exactly what that means. But I’m hoping for a Marvel-DC crossover so that Tony Stark can “turn” her. She could also have sex with Nightwing and probably still be technically considered a lesbian."
Okay. Dark, yes. And the "turn" thing is no laughing matter. But when you read the whole thing (google archive link, original has been taken down, probably to try and firewall this blowup before it loses him the "Guardians" gig - which would really suck) IMO it's pretty clear that this is meant, at least partially, as Gunn taking the piss out of the sexualization of comics in general and out of himself as well - the "homophobic" Nightwing reference, for example, is a callback to his earlier entry on a fangirl-servicey buttshot of the character: "Okay, uh, yeah, I can see where you would want some of that shit."
The commentary (particularly on the entries for male heroes) is pretty-much a note-for-note transcription of the kind of skeexy "what would it be like...?" fanboy conversations happening behind the counter of thousands of comic shops every day. I mean, here's the Kitty Pryde:
"@KittyPryde actually wrote me on Twitter after posting the nominees for heroes you most want to have sex with. I wrote her back, but neglected to mention that I wanted to anally do her. I won’t even mind if Lockheed is in the room, staring at me with a creepy look the whole time. Well, okay, I’ll mind a little. But it will be worth it."
See, to me, the combination of sophmoric fratboy fantasizing with minute fanboy details (is Lockheed even still around?) reads like pretty clear "ha ha but whoa do I have problems..." humor. This sort of thing isn't generally conveyed well in text (the whole thing is only really "passably" funny to me, honestly) but I can't look at the whole thing in the context of entries like X-23:
"Another debut, and a pretty good choice. Except, uh, isn’t she supposed to be fifteen years old? And after you fictionally fuck her fictional police are going to arrest you and put you in fictional jail for being a very real pedophile."
Or Elektra:
"Another new debut. If you’re turned on by characters whose costume always seems to be blowing in extremely harsh winds when everyone around her seems perfectly still, then Elektra is your woman. Maybe she’s like carrying one of those little mini-fans, only a mini-fan who will give you a really terrific, Ninja-trained blow job."
...and not conclude that the "point" here is less being "actually" creepy/sexist toward women/gays in general and more have an exaggerated larf at the expense of heavily-sexualized comic imagery.
The thing is, I very much support the cause of rooting of genuinely hateful people hiding behind "comedy"... in this case, I simply think they've got the wrong guy. Or maybe I'm totally off base, which is always possible. Maybe Gunn is a bad guy, a bigot, etc and it just somehow managed to never manifest in his numerous screenplays, films etc. up to this point. I honestly don't think that's the case, given the tonal context of the actual piece and the much larger context of the rest of his career... but I've been wrong before. The truth will out.
P.S. re: the "fans I do not want" thing - anyone who wants to jump into the comments and try and claim this topic for the "evil PC feminazis wanna silence every1!!!!!" bullshit be forewarned: I can ban people from this blog for abusive behavior and I won't hesitate to do so. My issue here is not that people don't have the right to be offended by the blog in question, they do. I simply think it's jumping the gun to tear down a filmmaker who has shown zero concrete evidence of deserving such otherwise - it's possible to have a grownup discussion about that, or at least it ought to be.
2013 Goya Awards News - Ibero-American Films
Thirteen (13) Ibero-American (Latin America plus Portugal) films are being considered to select the five (5) films that will be nominated for the current edition of the Goya Awards. Most interesting for me is to find in list the acclaimed film from Paraguay, 7 Boxes, that I was expecting to be that country submission to Oscar and look forward to be able to see; but there are more must be seen films -for me- in this list.
These are the films listed by the submitting country.
(*) Argentina: Infancia Clandestina (Clandestine Childhood), Benjamín Ávila, Argentina, Brazil and Spain
Brazil: Febre do rato (Rat Fever), Cláudio Assis, Brazil
Chile: Joven y Alocada (Young and Wild), Marialy Rivas, Chile
Colombia: La Playa, D.C., Juan Andrés Arango, Colombia, Brazil and France
Costa Rica: Tr3s Marías, Francisco "Pako" González, Costa Rica
(*) Cuba: Juan de los Muertos, Alejandro Brugués, Cuba and Spain
Ecuador: Pescador, Sebastián Cordero Espinosa, Ecuador and Colombia
Mexico: Después de Lucía (After Lucia), Michel Franco, Mexico and France
Paraguay: 7 Cajas (7 Boxes), Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schémbori, Paraguay
Peru: Cielo Oscuro, Joel Calero, Peru
Portugal: Florbela, Vicente Alves do Ó, Portugal
Uruguay: 3, Pablo Stoll, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Germany
Venezuela: Patas Arriba, Alejandro García Wiedemann, Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia
(*) As Infancia Clandestina is a Spain co production, film is also being considered in 8 more categories. The same happens with Juan de los Muertos that is also being considered in 19 more categories.
If you wish to check the films that are being considered in each Goya Awards category please go here where you can find info about each film too, available only in Spanish.
Today the academy released the news that from December 5 to 20 those living in Madrid will be able to see the above movies as the screenings will be open to the public, besides being the official screening for Academy members. There are no dates for the nominations announcements or the awards ceremony but I assume that nominations will be announced before January 15 and the ceremony will be after the middle of February -before the Oscars-. As soon as the dates are published will post in calendar.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: HUNTER PREY
While taking a little time off from blogging for the Thanksgiving holiday, it dawned on me that I still had a few “atheists questions of doom” to get around to addressing. So, what does a little seen low budget space opera have to do with incredulous atheists? Come back in a day or two to find out.
Enter video caption here
PODCAST 24: A Serbian Film & A Boy and His Dog
Tuesday 27 November 2012
Watch First Clip AND The Red Carpet LIVE From THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY's Premiere!
Here are the event details:
3:50 pm NZDT – Show Opening / Welcome
4:00 pm NZDT – Neil Finn Performance (*set includes a performance of Song of the Lonely Mountain from the official soundtrack)
4:30 pm NZDT – Talent arrivals, red carpet interviews & crowd interaction
6:30 pm NZDT – Official Speeches
7:00 pm NZDT – End of Show
The show will be replaying twice after the live coverage ends.
The red carpet coverage starts at 6:50pm Pacific and it is the second video clip in this post. No need to say more - you know what to do! ENJOY!!
Hit the jump for more...
Ridley Scott's THE FOREVER WAR Back To The Front Lines!
No word on whether Harper was the original person that Scott hired to adapt the book or not. We knew someone was working on just that way back in 2009 (obviously before his 3D PROMETHEUS) when he said:
"I'm filming a book by Joe Haldeman called Forever War. I've got a good writer doing it. I've seen some of James Cameron's work, and I've got to go 3D. It's going to be phenomenal."
Here's the book's description from Amazon
:The Earth's leaders have drawn a line in the interstellar sand--despite the fact that the fierce alien enemy they would oppose is inscrutable, unconquerable, and very far away. A reluctant conscript drafted into an elite Military unit, Private William Mandella has been propelled through space and time to fight in the distant thousand-year conflict; to perform his duties and do whatever it takes to survive the ordeal and return home. But "home" may be even more terrifying than battle, because, thanks to the time dilation caused by space travel, Mandella is aging months while the Earth he left behind is aging centuries...
I'm just glad that this project hasn't gotten back-burnered with all of Scott's other projects on the go, like THE COUNSELOR, PROMETHEUS 2 and BLADE RUNNER 2. I have to underscore that the potential of this project is immense and easily could fall in line with Scott's other sci-fi classics.
I'm not kidding. This could be his finest hour in science fiction; the story is that good. More when we get it! Thanks for the heads up Adam...
Source: Deadline
WEEKLY NEWSREEL – 3 1/2 TIME-OUTS TUESDAY (VOL. 52)
Good evening Mr. & Mrs. Catholic, and all you other Christians at sea. Welcome back to the Newsreel, brought to you once again by the fine folks at Acts of the Apostasy, home of the 3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday. This week we take yet another look into what scientists are spending all of our tax funded research dollars on. Money well spent? You be the judge. Now off to press.
I
A new study published in the Journal of Sex Research entitled “Pornography Actresses: An Assessment of the Damaged Goods Hypothesis” reports some shocking conclusions. According to the researchers, “In terms of psychological characteristics, porn actresses had higher levels of self-esteem, positive feelings, social support, sexual satisfaction, and spirituality compared to the matched group,” all of this despite the fact that “women working in porn tried more drugs, had their first sexual experience at a younger age and had more sexual partners than those in the sample group.” Right. The flaw in the study, obviously, is that the positive results are based on the secular understanding of “self-esteem”, or as we like to refer to it around here, that relativistic self-centered state of mind that judges every situation on whether or not it hurts your feelings, and one which often leads to the development of narcissism and a sense of self-entitlement. And because secularized self-esteem is based on nothing but feelings, it is by nature transient and subject to change on a moment’s notice. Ask these same women the same questions five years from now when the money has dried up, the drugs have taken their toll, and the silicone has started to leak, and it’s quite possible the results will be startlingly different. Better to stick with the Christian version of self-esteem. As Msgr. Cormac Burke writes, “The Christian's self-esteem, his or her sense of self-worth, is both simple and extraordinary, inasmuch as it combines two very contrasting extremes. On the one hand I, as a Christian, know that I am a son of God; on the other, I know that I am a sinner in need of redemption. There is no greater sense of dignity and worth, and no greater sense of misery and danger. If I die loving God and others, I am saved. If I die loving just myself, I am lost. Christian education and formation — lifetime tasks — are fundamentally aimed at helping me take stock of my dignity, to grow in it with God's help and at the same time to fight against all inbuilt tendencies such as vanity, envy, greed or lust that turn me in on myself.”
II
Maybe the modern problem of not being able to distinguish between false self-esteem and true self worth lies in the fact that people are just getting dumber. At least that’s what a paper published in the journal Trends in Genetics by Stanford University researcher Gerald Crabtree suggests. According to Prof. Crabtree, “The development of our intellectual abilities and the optimization of thousands of intelligence genes probably occurred in relatively non-verbal, dispersed groups of peoples before our ancestors emerged from Africa.” Since then, it’s been a slow downward spiral of intelligence as advancements in technology have removed our need to think creatively in order to survive. A number of scientists have immediately disagreed with Crabtree’s conclusions because, well, nobody likes being called stupid, yet Crabtree stands by his hypothesis. But even if he is right, Crabtree says not to worry because by the time we’re in danger of living in a world full of morons science should be able to “magically correct” the problem through genetic manipulation. Because as we’ve learned from movies like Scanners, nothing could possibly go wrong with that idea. But an even more immediate problem than the threat of telepathic mutants is the fact that Crabtree’s time calculations may be off a decimal or two. In case the good professor didn’t notice, even though our country just went through a four year decline in which the poor became poorer and religious freedom came under serious prolonged attack, the American people just voted back in almost every Democrat and Republican who helped exacerbate the mess to begin with. You know, those geneticists might want to get to work really quick.
III
If all of the wacky scientific studies we’ve shared over the past few months haven’t been enough to make you cover your ears to shut them out, then this next one is sure to do the trick. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, “Newcastle University scientists reveal the interaction between the region of the brain that processes sound, the auditory cortex, and the amygdala, which is active in the processing of negative emotions when we hear unpleasant sounds. Brain imaging has shown that when we hear an unpleasant noise the amygdala modulates the response of the auditory cortex heightening activity and provoking our negative reaction.” The fact that our brains actually heighten unpleasant sounds suggests to Dr Sukhbinder Kumar that our strong adverse reactions to certain noises might be a sort of primitive distress signal. This idea appears to be backed up by the top ten sounds identified by test subjects as the most unpleasant to the human ear. The list includes: 1. Knife on a bottle 2. Fork on a glass 3. Chalk on a blackboard 4. Ruler on a bottle 5. Nails on a blackboard 6. Female scream 7. Angle Grinder 8. Brakes on a cycle squealing 9. Baby crying 10. Electric drill. Since the responsorial Psalm set to a Cha Cha Cha melody which was heard at our local parish a few weeks ago mysteriously did not appear on the list, we can only assume it came in at number eleven.
III 1/2
And in closing, we share with you this story of a deer who assaulted two men and then jumped inside their truck and stole their cigarettes. Police eventually arrived and tased the animal, but not before it finished eating the smokes. There’s probably a moral in there somewhere, but we’re still looking for it.
And on that note, we sign off the Newsreel for this week, as is our custom, with the immortal words of the great Les Nessman. Good evening, and may the good news be yours.
22nd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards Winners
Officially the American award season started last night with winners announced at the "lackluster" ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. As you can tell the ceremony was streamed live but unfortunately streaming quality was really bad due to bandwidth problems as stated by organizers in twitter.I was able to watch for a while and the most enjoyable part was the nominated movie clips but as many others that were watching, stopped when the "error" message came back. Most disappointing was to learn, according to comments from the few that stayed watching, the tributes were not broadcasted and what I was most interested in watching was the tribute to Marion Cotillard. I'm not deleting the previous post as seems there will be a "live recording" of the ceremony... soon, and still will like to see what I missed. If you wish to see the recording and if becomes available, will let you know by twitter.
There are some unexpected surprises but perhaps the biggest is that The Master got no recognition from this group, which could mean that now the movie needs critic's groups to honor film or will not make it to the Oscar race. On the positive side I'm glad that Your Sister's Sister got honored with the Best Ensemble Performance as movie real value was the extraordinary performances given by the cast, especially the female cast. Then Moonrise Kingdom (photo) was surprisingly good and enjoyable so I'm glad that was honored with the top award.These are the winners.
Best Feature: Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson
Breakthrough Director: Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Breakthrough Actor: Emayatzy Corinealdi in Middle of Nowhere, Ava DuVernay
Best Ensemble Performance: Your Sister's Sister by Lynn Shelton
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie Dewitt, Mark Duplass
Best Documentary: How to Survive a Plague, David France
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You: An Over Simplification Of Her Beauty, Terence Nance
Spotlight on Women Filmmakers "Live the Dream" grant: Stacie Passon for Concussion
Audience Award: Artifact by Bartholomew Cubbins
Tributes:
Marion Cotillard
Matt Damon
David O. Russell
Jeff Skoll
Even if I did not enjoyed at all the movie story I'm able to recognize that Benh Zeitlin did take a lot of risks so can't complain with him being honored with the Breakthrough Director award; however now started to wonder about film possibilities for the Oscar Best Actress category. So that's it for this year winners. Later today, the nominations for the other independent film awards will be announced, so see you soon.
Monday 26 November 2012
Please Don't Let This Happen
Short version: HitFix's Drew McWeeny says that Warner Bros. is inching towards making a move that could kneecap their still-shaky "Justice League" project before it even gets off the ground. Long version? Read on...
I find myself the odd man out when it comes to the production of "The Man of Steel." The general thread that runs through a lot of the film-geek press regarding the production is that it's in constant peril of being "ruined" by the presence of Zack Snyder as director, and that we are to take comfort in the presence of producer/story-approver Christopher Nolan. But me? I'm in the opposite boat. Thus far, the sole reason my expectations are positive for the film (given the many continued demonstrations that Warner Bros. simply does not have a single fucking clue what to do with their own DC Universe properties) is Zack Snyder. I'm counting on him - not just to deliver an action movie that reminds the world that Superman is awesome, but to protect the film (and the Justice League/DCU films that are supposed to spin out of it) from Nolan's influence.
Don't get me wrong. I like Nolan. He's a good filmmaker, in full view a better and more interesting one overall than Snyder is. But everyone has their limits and place, and Nolan's governing aesthetic - businesslike, asexual, ultraliteralist - may have been good for two out of three Batman movies, but it'd be toxic for Superman and really just about any similar character other than Batman. For me, "Nolanesque" realism is the cinematic extension of the "grim n' gritty" motif that drove the genre (indeed, the entire comic-book industry) off a cliff in the 90s; and part of the reason I so celebrate the success of "The Avengers" is that it's undeniable success (the same year as the third Nolan Batman film failed to fully stick the landing, even!) might hopefully go a long way into purging the superhero-movie "scene" of the Nolan/Dark-Knight "vibe."
Again, there's at least 2 (2 1/2 if you want to be charitable) films worth of great art in question here, I don't deny that - I simply hope we do with "The Nolanverse" what we do with other great art: put it behind glass, stick it in a museum and admire it on the weekends while meanwhile, on the outside, things continue to evolve. Which is why I'm now struck with nothing short of dread to read this rumor from the typically very reliable McWeeny; which suggests that Warners is not only not mothballing the Nolanverse (which, by the way, is exactly what Nolan himself wanted them to do)... they might be gearing up to let it kill the "Justice League" movie in the crib...
According to McWeeny's sources, Warners wants Joseph Gordon Levitt to be Batman in "Justice League" and maybe turn up for a walk-on in "Man of Steel." - that is to say, they want "Justice League" to be tied-in to Nolan's Batman films, which concluded this summer with the heavy implication that Levitt's OfficerMary Sue John Blake would become the new Batman.
I... I just can't fathom the level of sheer wrongheadedness that would inform a decision like this. It's been long expected that WB would be borrowing the Marvel model of using "MOS" to plant the seeds of a larger DC Universe, but it seemed like a safe bet that they everyone involved understood that the Nolan Batman characters had no place in a larger, more comic-like world and that nobody wanted to see a "Justice League" movie whose Batman wasn't the "real" Batman.
That last part is especially key. Warner Bros? You have to know this: The pre-"Avengers" 'fanservice' stuff worked because each successive tease gave 'fanboys' further indication that things were not only lining up but lining up properly. The people you're thinking of playing these kind of continuity games (which, again, the Nolan Batman movies you'd be doing this with were designed to avoid) to try and excite are also people who are likely to write "Justice League" off before they see one scrap of film because of something like this.
Fans aren't just fans of the costumes and the names, they're fans of the characters - the "big idea" behind team-ups like this isn't just to see two guys wearing a Superman costume and a Batman costume hanging out, it's to see what happens when Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent, costumed or otherwise. I mean, not to nerd-out about it or anything... but part of the reason that the Superman/Batman thing is seen as such a big deal is that they represent opposing ideals of the same goal; the vigilante vs the do-gooder, aid vs control, protect-the-innocent vs punish-the-guilty, etc. Kal-El and Bruce Wayne have stuff to talk/argue about. Blake, on the other hand, as-presented in "Dark Knight Rises" has the same basic attitude and outlook Superman does - that's boring.
Now, it's entirely plausible that this is all being misunderstood. Maybe they want Levitt to play an entirely new Bruce Wayne Batman and this is just a jokey reference ("Heh! That guy was in a movie where they said he might be Batman!") and not a continuity nod. That'd be... dopey, but lightyear better than the alternative.
Warner Bros? Don't do this. Don't be stupid. You've got a bunch of good stuff to work with and a pretty solid template to steal from. You're working with characters and properties that have endured for decades for a reason - if you're going to show fealty, show fealty to them... not just to one adaptation that'll be well into the "oh yeah, that was pretty cool" memory-bin by the time you get this stuff together.
I find myself the odd man out when it comes to the production of "The Man of Steel." The general thread that runs through a lot of the film-geek press regarding the production is that it's in constant peril of being "ruined" by the presence of Zack Snyder as director, and that we are to take comfort in the presence of producer/story-approver Christopher Nolan. But me? I'm in the opposite boat. Thus far, the sole reason my expectations are positive for the film (given the many continued demonstrations that Warner Bros. simply does not have a single fucking clue what to do with their own DC Universe properties) is Zack Snyder. I'm counting on him - not just to deliver an action movie that reminds the world that Superman is awesome, but to protect the film (and the Justice League/DCU films that are supposed to spin out of it) from Nolan's influence.
Don't get me wrong. I like Nolan. He's a good filmmaker, in full view a better and more interesting one overall than Snyder is. But everyone has their limits and place, and Nolan's governing aesthetic - businesslike, asexual, ultraliteralist - may have been good for two out of three Batman movies, but it'd be toxic for Superman and really just about any similar character other than Batman. For me, "Nolanesque" realism is the cinematic extension of the "grim n' gritty" motif that drove the genre (indeed, the entire comic-book industry) off a cliff in the 90s; and part of the reason I so celebrate the success of "The Avengers" is that it's undeniable success (the same year as the third Nolan Batman film failed to fully stick the landing, even!) might hopefully go a long way into purging the superhero-movie "scene" of the Nolan/Dark-Knight "vibe."
Again, there's at least 2 (2 1/2 if you want to be charitable) films worth of great art in question here, I don't deny that - I simply hope we do with "The Nolanverse" what we do with other great art: put it behind glass, stick it in a museum and admire it on the weekends while meanwhile, on the outside, things continue to evolve. Which is why I'm now struck with nothing short of dread to read this rumor from the typically very reliable McWeeny; which suggests that Warners is not only not mothballing the Nolanverse (which, by the way, is exactly what Nolan himself wanted them to do)... they might be gearing up to let it kill the "Justice League" movie in the crib...
According to McWeeny's sources, Warners wants Joseph Gordon Levitt to be Batman in "Justice League" and maybe turn up for a walk-on in "Man of Steel." - that is to say, they want "Justice League" to be tied-in to Nolan's Batman films, which concluded this summer with the heavy implication that Levitt's Officer
I... I just can't fathom the level of sheer wrongheadedness that would inform a decision like this. It's been long expected that WB would be borrowing the Marvel model of using "MOS" to plant the seeds of a larger DC Universe, but it seemed like a safe bet that they everyone involved understood that the Nolan Batman characters had no place in a larger, more comic-like world and that nobody wanted to see a "Justice League" movie whose Batman wasn't the "real" Batman.
That last part is especially key. Warner Bros? You have to know this: The pre-"Avengers" 'fanservice' stuff worked because each successive tease gave 'fanboys' further indication that things were not only lining up but lining up properly. The people you're thinking of playing these kind of continuity games (which, again, the Nolan Batman movies you'd be doing this with were designed to avoid) to try and excite are also people who are likely to write "Justice League" off before they see one scrap of film because of something like this.
Fans aren't just fans of the costumes and the names, they're fans of the characters - the "big idea" behind team-ups like this isn't just to see two guys wearing a Superman costume and a Batman costume hanging out, it's to see what happens when Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent, costumed or otherwise. I mean, not to nerd-out about it or anything... but part of the reason that the Superman/Batman thing is seen as such a big deal is that they represent opposing ideals of the same goal; the vigilante vs the do-gooder, aid vs control, protect-the-innocent vs punish-the-guilty, etc. Kal-El and Bruce Wayne have stuff to talk/argue about. Blake, on the other hand, as-presented in "Dark Knight Rises" has the same basic attitude and outlook Superman does - that's boring.
Now, it's entirely plausible that this is all being misunderstood. Maybe they want Levitt to play an entirely new Bruce Wayne Batman and this is just a jokey reference ("Heh! That guy was in a movie where they said he might be Batman!") and not a continuity nod. That'd be... dopey, but lightyear better than the alternative.
Warner Bros? Don't do this. Don't be stupid. You've got a bunch of good stuff to work with and a pretty solid template to steal from. You're working with characters and properties that have endured for decades for a reason - if you're going to show fealty, show fealty to them... not just to one adaptation that'll be well into the "oh yeah, that was pretty cool" memory-bin by the time you get this stuff together.
Gotham Awards LIVE
The awards will stream in this channel... soon. At 7:30pm EST. According to Twitter the stream has "minor kinks" and they are fixing them... so, will not be able to see the red carpet...
Sunday 25 November 2012
Movie Review: Ang Lee's LIFE OF PI - 9 Stars!
What a visually stunning, stunning movie. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, by all means get out and enjoy this masterpiece by director Ang Lee. And I mean Oscar worthy masterpiece. Lee hits on all the high points and seldom do you think that what you are watching is not an eye full of cinematic love for the audience.I will say that at times the story was kind of slow in building up but when the moment hits and Pi's life is turned upside down - what a visual treat.
I want to talk about the 3D right away here. Amazingly well done. Ang Lee utilized native 3D through the rigs and services of the Cameron | Pace Group and you can tell that there just aren't many - if any - technical errors with the stereoscopic 3D. Some very cool and seldom used effects too - I won't go into details here as it may spoil your experience, but we can freely talk about them in the comments if you wish.
I'm so anxious to compare this cutting edge example of modern native S3D (through Cameron | Pace) to the upcoming sure to be masterpiece THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY because this project was shot using CPG's native 3D rigs and services competitor 3ality Technica and what we've all seen so far of that production has been jaw dropping too. Who will have delivered the top 3D goods?
Claudio Miranda's cinematography in LIFE OF PI is absolutely remarkable. Some shots are so intricate and well thought out that you just want to grab a screen cap of it and stare at it. So many scenes are desktop wallpaper worthy and that's no exaggeration.
So what was not so good about the movie? Well a few things. I thought the story was paced slowly at times in the beginning - still a visual marvel out of the blocks - but slow. So drink in the visuals while you wait for the action to pick up and then relax and immerse yourself. I am not a fan of character development accomplished through flashbacks (and I know there is not much choice here), thus the lower score (81 is still very good!).
Here's the storyline for the movie:
I did like the twist at the end of the movie. Even coming from a guy who considers himself much more aligned to science than religion, I found it to be moving enough to smile. That's an accomplishment in my books. I can imagine the impact on a more religious person.
So definitely a must see in my opinion and a must see in 3D. If you see it in 2D you are not enjoying the movie as the director Ang Lee intended you to see it and you will be missing out, I guarantee it.
9 out of 10 Stars.
Special thanks to Empire Theatres for the screening in RealD 3D. The screen was crisp and well lit as well as a perfect sound level! Outstanding customer service too.
Saturday 24 November 2012
MUST WATCH: New Production Video From Peter Jackson For THE HOBBIT - Post Production!!
This video is all about the post production mayhem that Jackson and his team is going through to get THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY ready for us in December.
Here's the movie's storyline:
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY opens on December 14.
Hit the jump to watch the production video...
49th Golden Horse Awards Winners
After a long four hours award ceremony finally winners are known and two movies tie with three (3) awards each to become the top winners this year, Beijing Blues and Life Without Principle, can help but to notice that the second is the Hong Kong submission to 2013 Oscar. As some Taiwanese bloggers/twitters say, "Mainland China cinema is the ultimate winner" in these Taiwan awards where most top awards winners come also from the Mainland. Among the honored Taiwanese films we find Touch of the Light which is Taiwan's submission to 2013 Oscar. Notorious is the absence of China's submission to Oscar and I'm not clear about the reason why film was not considered, maybe due to release date (?!).
These are the award winners
Best Feature Film: 神探亨特張 Beijing Blues, Gao Qunshu, China
The winner of the Best Director award at the 2012 Shanghai fest, also known as "Detective Hunter Zhang", is a "humours Chinese police procedural" based on the real-life story of renowned detective Zhang Huiling that received awards for his excellent work in catching thousands of thieves. But seems than more the story it tells, is how director chose to tell it what is bringing praise to movie. The more I read about movie the more interested in watching I become as seems will be an "unglamorous" voyage into contemporary Beijing, a Beijing reserved to his inhabitants. Great. Movie is not in black and white but I liked this photo better than all I saw.Synopsis: Each day Beijing police detective Zhang Huiling patrols the Shuangyushu neighborhood of the Haidian. He and his colleagues are kept busy by thieves, con artists and illegal hawkers from all over China. Zhang is good at his job, but with every crime, every arrest and every ounce of mercy he can muster, he fights the endless battle with his soul.
Best Director: Johnnie To for 奪命金 Duo Mingjin (Life Without Principle), Hong Kong
Best New Director: Chang Jung-Chi for 逆光飛翔 Touch of the Light, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China
Best Leading Actress: Gwei Lun-Mei in 女朋友。男朋友 Gf * Bf (Girlfriend Boyfriend), Yang Ya Che, Taiwan
Best Leading Actor: Lau Ching Wan in 奪命金 Duo Mingjin (Life Without Principle), Johnnie To, Hong Kong
Best Documentary: 千錘百煉 China Heavyweight, Yung Chang, China
Best Short Film: 拾荒少年 The Home Gleaners, Zhang siqing, China
The Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year: Huang Yu-Siang
Lifetime Achievement Award: Shih Chun
FIPRESCI Prize: 逆光飛翔 Touch of the Light, Chang Jung-Chi, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China
To check winners in all categories plus info for each film go here.
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