As much as I’d like to believe that I’m not a total fanboy… I totally am. So you can imagine how I spent the first four months of2009 -- drooling over the month of May, when not one or two, not three or four, but five major franchises would be waging battle at the box office over the first four weeks alone; "Wolverine," "Star Trek," "Angels and Demons," "Terminator Salvation" and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian." And that doesn’t even take into account this weekend, the last of the month, which all the other studios conceded to Pixar’s “Up” except for Universal, which in a savvy bit of counter-programming, releases Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell,” a goofy horror movie that's aimed at a very different, equally loyal albeit smaller audience.
What’s ironic about “DMTH” is that it’ll be the first film Raimi has directed for his genre label, Ghost House Pictures, and the first Ghost House release that won’t open at #1. That said, “DMTH” has good buzz so despite my initial doubts about the project, I’ll be at the ArcLight at midnight on Thursday to judge for myself.
May also featured two indies about brothers, although they (the brothers and the movies) couldn’t be more different. The first, “Rudo y Cursi,” from Carlos Cuaron, Alfonso’s brother, stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna as rival soccer stars. Get over the fear of subtitles and go see it while you still can because it’s one of the ten best films I’ve seen so far this year!
The other, “The Brothers Bloom,” is a con-man movie from Rian Johnson, who also wrote and directed the overrated high school noir mockery “Brick.” “Bloom” stars a pair of Oscar winners (Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz), an Oscar nominee (Rinko Kikuchi who steals the film with her mute performance), and Mark Ruffalo, who should’ve been nominated for an Oscar by now. Unfortunately, all the acting talent in the world can’t save Johnson’s lifeless script, which is as phony as the schemes The Brothers Bloom concoct. I’ll spare the film any further commentary but needless to say, I wasn’t a fan. Johnson clearly has talent but his style is all over the place and he’d be well served by directing someone else’s screenplay for a change. I don’t understand the press love he’s been getting.
But back to the blockbuster box office behemoths. The summer movie season officially kicked off with Fox’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” followed by J.J. Abrams’ reboot of “Star Trek” for Paramount, followed by Sony and Ron Howard’s “Angels and Demons,” which had only six days before Warner Bros. unleashed the hell that is McG’s “Terminator Salvation” into theaters. Meanwhile, Ben Stiller took another paycheck role in Fox’s “Night at the Museum 2: Battle For the Smithsonian,” but I haven’t seen that sequel so I can’t bash it, although it doesn’t really belong in the conversation since it’s aimed at a much younger demographic than the other four films.
Now, going into May, judging strictly by the trailers, I was super stoked to see “Star Trek” and “T4.” I had supreme faith in Abrams and very little faith in McG, but then again, I grew up on James Cameron’s “Terminator” films and I’d never been a “Star Trek” kind of guy. I loved the “T4” trailer’s use of Nine Inch Nails’ “The Day the World Went Away,” but I suspected it was making the movie look more awesome than it really was. The “Star Trek” trailer looked equally awesome and obviously, like something I’d never seen before. Abrams and his young cast sold me on a new universe, where as “T4” sold me on a world I’d heard a lot about over the course of three movies, and couldn’t wait to see for myself.
Elsewhere, despite the production problems and online piracy, I thought “Wolverine” looked pretty cool, if a bit cheap, while the “Angels and Demons” trailer seemed to reveal that director Howard didn’t really fix any of “DaVinci’s” considerable problems, chief amongst them, the lazy casting of Tom Hanks, who looked absolutely miserable running around Rome.
As it turned out, “Star Trek” was the best movie by far, and even it had its script problems. You can read my full review for the Colorado Springs Independent here. None of the other three turned out very good, namely because of bad scripts that were compromised by the Writers Strike. I’d have to say that “Wolverine” was my next favorite of the four, if only because it resembled fun. Sure, it paled in comparison to its predecessors (yes, all of them, even Brett Ratner’s “X3”), but it wasn’t nearly the trainwreck I was expecting and the opening credits were great. Liev Schreiber and Danny Huston are two of my favorite character actors but “Wolverine” was missing a villain like the “X-Men” series’ Ian McKellan, whose sinister presence was also missing from the “DaVinci Code” sequel “Angels and Demons,” which had a couple of decent moments but felt shockingly flat considering the solid source material. I’ve read three of Dan Brown’s books and his writing is quite cinematic, as though it would lend itself perfectly to adaptation for the bigscreen. But both “DaVinci” and “A&D” were undeniably clunky and that’s inexcusable from a director of Howard’s caliber. Hanks was never a good fit for this series, and yet, if he couldn’t make it work, who the hell else could?
Which brings us to the relentlessly grim and joyless “Terminator Salvation,” which McG should be downright embarrassed about. The screenplay felt like a cruel joke, and while credited scribes John Brancato and Michael Ferris will be held primarily responsible, it deserves to be noted that A-Listers Jonathan Nolan (Oscar-nominated writer of “Memento,” “The Dark Knight” and “The Prestige”), Simon Kinberg (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “X3,” “Jumper” and “Sherlock Holmes”) and Paul Haggis (Academy Award-winning writer of “Crash,” “Casino Royale,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Walker, Texas Ranger”) all had a hand in shaping the script. The performances in “T4” were all cringe-worthy and borderline laughable with the exception of Anton Yelchin’s take on Kyle Reese. It was a tough Stateside debut for future “Avatar” star Sam Worthington, whose Australian accent snuck in and out of the movie along with Christian Bale’s angry Welsh inflection. As for the supporting cast, Common and Helena Bonham Carter were truly awful, while Bryce Dallas Howard and Jadagrace had no characters to play. The wham-bam action was decent but free of any kind of suspense (it’s been rumored that McG left his 2nd Unit to handle the action so he could focus on the “performances”) and the entire movie felt devoid of fun, failing to do anything new with the series.
Hollywood is batting 1-4 in my blockbuster book so far this summer, but hey, look on the bright side: There’s a new Pixar movie coming out on Friday! And for the crazy handful of you who might not be down with “Up” allow me to suggest a more “adult” theatrical experience, Steven Soderbergh’s low-fi drama “The Girlfriend Experience,” which stars (former?) porn star Sasha Grey as a high-priced Manhattan call girl. Grey makes an impressive mainstream debut and there’s actually very little sex or nudity in the film, which begs saying that it’s still worth seeing, guys! “The Girlfriend Experience” is also available to watch On Demand in the privacy of your own home for $9.99, a great bargain considering the absurd cost of movie tickets and concessions today.
As for June, the film I’m most excited about is Todd Phillips’ comedy “The Hangover,” starring the motley crue of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifiankis, a mysterious baby, Mike Tyson and his tiger. I’m also looking forward to Tony Scott’s remake of the 70s classic “The Taking of Pelham 123,” starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta; a bigscreen imagining of “Land of the Lost” with Will Ferrell and Danny McBride; the new Francis Ford Coppola film “Tetro” starring the always-interesting Vincent Gallo; the final cut of Harold Ramis’ biblical comedy “Year One,” which was produced by Judd Apatow and stars Jack Black and Michael Cera; Michael Bay’s bigger, louder “Transformers” sequel and the Woody Allen comedy “Whatever Works,” starring Larry David. There’s also another comedy from an Oscar-winning filmmaker that opens June 5 in limited release that we’ll take a look at next week. Until then…
Original Link: http://www.examiner.com/x-10725-Movie-Awards-Examiner~y2009m5d28-Star-Trek-stands-out-amongst-May-blockbusters
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
EXAMINER #1: 'Twilight' takes bite out of MTV Movie Awards
If you’re wondering what’s happened to the MTV Movie Awards, you’re not alone.
It seems like it was just a few years ago that the MTV Movie Awards were relevant to pop culture. Now? They’re an afterthought. The reason? The nominees have officially become ridiculous.
Here are the facts: Beginning in 1992, the first six Golden Popcorn winners for Best Movie were “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “A Few Good Men,” “Menace II Society,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Se7en” and “Scream.” All were rated R. In 1998, the PG-13 “Titanic” briefly interrupted the R-rated winning streak before “There’s Something About Mary,” “The Matrix” and “Gladiator” continued the trend. Since then, the only other R-rated winner was “Wedding Crashers” in 2006. Most of those movies fit my definition of a “modern classic,” so I’ll give MTV credit for being on top of its game in honoring influential films that, for the most part, have withstood the relative test of time.
That said, the last two Best Movie winners have been the summer blockbusters “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Transformers.” Now, my problem isn’t that both of these movies made a ton of money, because with the exception of “Menace II Society,” all of the Best Movie winners listed in the previous paragraph made over $100 million at the domestic box office. I take exception with “POTC 2” and “Transformers” because they’re both mediocre movies, at best, and their triumphs illustrate a troubling trend; Where the MTV Movie Awards once honored challenging adult material that also appealed to a youthful demo, voters are now confusing the biggest movies with the best, allowing the show to be content existing as a popularity contest as decided by the high school crowd.
This year, the Best Movie nominees are a mixed bag: “The Dark Knight,” “High School Musical 3,” “Iron Man,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “Twilight.”
I won’t argue with the selections of “Slumdog” or “Dark Knight” because those were both great movies. But it’s a shame that neither will likely take home the Golden Popcorn on May 31 because it’s a foregone conclusion that the mass cult of “Twilight” fans will stuff the ballot box, ensuring its victory and more airtime for its dreamy star Rob Pattinson. Furthermore, the success of “Twilight” on the evening will dictate how the next few years of MTV Movie Award shows will play out, given that Summit has two sequels on the way.
Take for example the Best Kiss category, which usually features an inspired group of liplockers. This is a category that has historically been dominated by same-sex kisses. Past winners include “Cruel Intentions,” “American Pie 2,” “Brokeback Mountain” and most recently, “Talladega Nights.” This year, I would’ve thought that Sean Penn and James Franco to win for their scintillating smooch in “Milk,” but I fully expect the “Twilight’s” ratings-boosting duo of Kristen Stewart and Pattinson to take the stage because life, and more specifically the MTV Movie Awards, isn’t fair.
Then again, what does ‘fair’ have to do with anything? The MTV Movie Awards aren’t supposed to be the Oscars. Its primary goal is to entertain a few million teenagers for a couple hours, not to get the awards “right.” How can anyone take the show seriously when Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway are respectively nominated for “Wanted” and “Bride Wars” instead of “Changeling” and “Rachel Getting Married?”
This is an awards show that changes its categories annually, forcing this year’s voters to spend their time contemplating the Best 'WTF' Moment. This is an actual award, people. What qualifies as a 'WTF' moment? Amy Poehler peeing in the sink in “Baby Mama.” Forget the fact that Ashton Kutcher did the exact same thing in “What Happens in Vegas.” Why does this category even exist? Did MTV learn nothing from past awards such as Best Summer Movie So Far, which was only mildly less embarrassing than Best Summer Movie You Haven’t Seen Yet, which amounted to Best Trailer. It’s also hard to forget the discontinued awards for Sexiest Performance (which only objectified women) and Best Frightened Performance, which went to whatever flavor-of-the-month Scream Queen could look the most scared in her underwear.
I know MTV targets a younger, more PG-13 audience these days, and I’m not asking for voters to show some love to Frank Langella or Melissa Leo. I just wish they would hold themselves to the same standards as MTV’s audience in the 90s, which apparently had much better taste. Fortunately, in ten years, “Slumdog” and “Twilight” won’t even be mentioned in the same breath, let alone the same category.
Regardless of who wins, “SNL” star and professed “Motherlover”Andy Samberg promises to be a high-energy host who should be able to keep the evening moving at a nice pace. And I can take solace that at the very least, MTV nominated Bruce Springsteen’s heartbreaking theme to “The Wrestler,” which the Academy had the nerve to snub.
I know there’s a legion of “Twilight” fans on Examiner.com because it’s one of the site’s most popular topics and I’d hate to alienate that considerable readership with my first column (although I’m pretty sure this will be the first and last time “Twilight” is involved in a discussion of National Movie Awards), but this could be the last chance to save the MTV Movie Awards. Click here to vote until May 31!
Original Link: http://www.examiner.com/x-10725-Movie-Awards-Examiner~y2009m5d15-Twilight-takes-bite-out-of-MTV-Movie-Awards
It seems like it was just a few years ago that the MTV Movie Awards were relevant to pop culture. Now? They’re an afterthought. The reason? The nominees have officially become ridiculous.
Here are the facts: Beginning in 1992, the first six Golden Popcorn winners for Best Movie were “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “A Few Good Men,” “Menace II Society,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Se7en” and “Scream.” All were rated R. In 1998, the PG-13 “Titanic” briefly interrupted the R-rated winning streak before “There’s Something About Mary,” “The Matrix” and “Gladiator” continued the trend. Since then, the only other R-rated winner was “Wedding Crashers” in 2006. Most of those movies fit my definition of a “modern classic,” so I’ll give MTV credit for being on top of its game in honoring influential films that, for the most part, have withstood the relative test of time.
That said, the last two Best Movie winners have been the summer blockbusters “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Transformers.” Now, my problem isn’t that both of these movies made a ton of money, because with the exception of “Menace II Society,” all of the Best Movie winners listed in the previous paragraph made over $100 million at the domestic box office. I take exception with “POTC 2” and “Transformers” because they’re both mediocre movies, at best, and their triumphs illustrate a troubling trend; Where the MTV Movie Awards once honored challenging adult material that also appealed to a youthful demo, voters are now confusing the biggest movies with the best, allowing the show to be content existing as a popularity contest as decided by the high school crowd.
This year, the Best Movie nominees are a mixed bag: “The Dark Knight,” “High School Musical 3,” “Iron Man,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “Twilight.”
I won’t argue with the selections of “Slumdog” or “Dark Knight” because those were both great movies. But it’s a shame that neither will likely take home the Golden Popcorn on May 31 because it’s a foregone conclusion that the mass cult of “Twilight” fans will stuff the ballot box, ensuring its victory and more airtime for its dreamy star Rob Pattinson. Furthermore, the success of “Twilight” on the evening will dictate how the next few years of MTV Movie Award shows will play out, given that Summit has two sequels on the way.
Take for example the Best Kiss category, which usually features an inspired group of liplockers. This is a category that has historically been dominated by same-sex kisses. Past winners include “Cruel Intentions,” “American Pie 2,” “Brokeback Mountain” and most recently, “Talladega Nights.” This year, I would’ve thought that Sean Penn and James Franco to win for their scintillating smooch in “Milk,” but I fully expect the “Twilight’s” ratings-boosting duo of Kristen Stewart and Pattinson to take the stage because life, and more specifically the MTV Movie Awards, isn’t fair.
Then again, what does ‘fair’ have to do with anything? The MTV Movie Awards aren’t supposed to be the Oscars. Its primary goal is to entertain a few million teenagers for a couple hours, not to get the awards “right.” How can anyone take the show seriously when Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway are respectively nominated for “Wanted” and “Bride Wars” instead of “Changeling” and “Rachel Getting Married?”
This is an awards show that changes its categories annually, forcing this year’s voters to spend their time contemplating the Best 'WTF' Moment. This is an actual award, people. What qualifies as a 'WTF' moment? Amy Poehler peeing in the sink in “Baby Mama.” Forget the fact that Ashton Kutcher did the exact same thing in “What Happens in Vegas.” Why does this category even exist? Did MTV learn nothing from past awards such as Best Summer Movie So Far, which was only mildly less embarrassing than Best Summer Movie You Haven’t Seen Yet, which amounted to Best Trailer. It’s also hard to forget the discontinued awards for Sexiest Performance (which only objectified women) and Best Frightened Performance, which went to whatever flavor-of-the-month Scream Queen could look the most scared in her underwear.
I know MTV targets a younger, more PG-13 audience these days, and I’m not asking for voters to show some love to Frank Langella or Melissa Leo. I just wish they would hold themselves to the same standards as MTV’s audience in the 90s, which apparently had much better taste. Fortunately, in ten years, “Slumdog” and “Twilight” won’t even be mentioned in the same breath, let alone the same category.
Regardless of who wins, “SNL” star and professed “Motherlover”Andy Samberg promises to be a high-energy host who should be able to keep the evening moving at a nice pace. And I can take solace that at the very least, MTV nominated Bruce Springsteen’s heartbreaking theme to “The Wrestler,” which the Academy had the nerve to snub.
I know there’s a legion of “Twilight” fans on Examiner.com because it’s one of the site’s most popular topics and I’d hate to alienate that considerable readership with my first column (although I’m pretty sure this will be the first and last time “Twilight” is involved in a discussion of National Movie Awards), but this could be the last chance to save the MTV Movie Awards. Click here to vote until May 31!
Original Link: http://www.examiner.com/x-10725-Movie-Awards-Examiner~y2009m5d15-Twilight-takes-bite-out-of-MTV-Movie-Awards
Friday, May 8, 2009
Early Predictions for the 2010 Oscars
Taking a cue from InContention's Kris Tapley and The Film Experience's Nat Rogers, among others, I've decided to throw up some way-in-advance Oscar predictions for next March. These are total shots in the dark, gang. I just wanted to go on record based on my gut feelings about this year's race, which hasn't even started to take shape yet. Please forgive mistakes in category placement, whether it's a lead actor/actress being in the supporting category (or vice versa) or an original screenplay that is really adapted. And lastly, you'll note that my two favorite films so far this year, The Hurt Locker and Away We Go, neither of which have been released yet, are scattered amongst the predicted potential nominees. I had to represent on their behalf. Without further ado, your 2010 Oscar nominees... but probably not.
BEST PICTURE
Avatar
The Lovely Bones
Nine
Precious
Shutter Island
BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Peter Jackson, The Lovely Bones
Rob Marshall, Nine
Lone Scherfig, An Education
BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Matt Damon, The Informant
Daniel Day-Lewis, Nine
Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island
Morgan Freeman, The Human Factor
BEST ACTRESS
Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
Penelope Cruz, Broken Embraces
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabby Sidibe, Precious
Hilary Swank, Amelia
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon, The Human Factor
Alfred Molina, An Education
Mark Ruffalo, Shutter Island
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Judi Dench, Nine
Sophia Loren, Nine
Mo’Nique, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Rachel Weisz, The Lovely Bones
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Biutiful
Bright Star
Broken Embraces
The Hurt Locker
Up
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
An Education
The Lovely Bones
Nine
Precious
Shutter Island
Contenders I Have a Good Feeling About: An Education, Avatar, Away We Go, Biutiful, Bright Star, Broken Embraces, The Hurt Locker, The Lovely Bones, Nine, Precious, Shutter Island, Up, Where the Wild Things Are
Contenders I Can’t Fully Back Just Yet, For One Reason Or Another: A Serious Man, Agora, Amelia, Antichrist, Brothers, Cheri, Green Zone, The Human Factor, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, The Informant, Julie & Julia, The Last Station, Love Ranch, Public Enemies, Taking Woodstock, Tetro, The Tree of Life, Whatever Works
BEST PICTURE
Avatar
The Lovely Bones
Nine
Precious
Shutter Island
BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Peter Jackson, The Lovely Bones
Rob Marshall, Nine
Lone Scherfig, An Education
BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Matt Damon, The Informant
Daniel Day-Lewis, Nine
Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island
Morgan Freeman, The Human Factor
BEST ACTRESS
Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
Penelope Cruz, Broken Embraces
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabby Sidibe, Precious
Hilary Swank, Amelia
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon, The Human Factor
Alfred Molina, An Education
Mark Ruffalo, Shutter Island
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Judi Dench, Nine
Sophia Loren, Nine
Mo’Nique, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Rachel Weisz, The Lovely Bones
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Biutiful
Bright Star
Broken Embraces
The Hurt Locker
Up
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
An Education
The Lovely Bones
Nine
Precious
Shutter Island
Contenders I Have a Good Feeling About: An Education, Avatar, Away We Go, Biutiful, Bright Star, Broken Embraces, The Hurt Locker, The Lovely Bones, Nine, Precious, Shutter Island, Up, Where the Wild Things Are
Contenders I Can’t Fully Back Just Yet, For One Reason Or Another: A Serious Man, Agora, Amelia, Antichrist, Brothers, Cheri, Green Zone, The Human Factor, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, The Informant, Julie & Julia, The Last Station, Love Ranch, Public Enemies, Taking Woodstock, Tetro, The Tree of Life, Whatever Works
Monday, March 23, 2009
MTV Movies Blog: Who should direct the fourth 'Mission: Impossible'?
Some random AICN reader calling himself ‘supastring’ wrote in to report that Tom Cruise was on some popular program called “Smap Smap” in Japan where he revealed that he has started working on the story for a fourth film in the “Mission: Impossible” series, and that he’s been “thinking about how to stage a big action sequence in downtown Tokyo.”
Some of you might bemoan the idea of another "Mission: Impossible" film but I, for one, have always preferred Cruise’s Ethan Hunt to Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, or any of the modern incarnations of James Bond, although to be fair, I am a Tom Cruise apologist who thinks the man is incapable of giving a flat-out bad performance.
Of course, this should be treated as just a rumor at this point but if “M:I:IV” were to happen relatively soon, we wanted to stay ahead of the development process and recommend 10 directors who might be a good fit for the series.
Now obviously it’d be cool if Steven Spielberg or James Cameron or Peter Jackson decided to do “M:I:IV” but that would NEVER happen, so they’re not on the list. Likewise, we eliminated Brian DePalma and John Woo who directed the first two installments, and while we wouldn’t oppose J.J. Abrams’ return considering his feature debut “M:I:III” was the best in the series and Paramount shouldn’t mess with a good thing, we have a feeling the studio won’t mind if Abrams is busy directing “Star Trek” sequels for the next few years. We also excluded Oliver Stone, David Fincher and Joe Carnahan, all of whom spent significant time developing “Impossible” sequels, as well as past Cruise collaborators Ben Stiller, Ed Zwick and Bryan Singer, plus directors like Gavin Hood and McG while we wait until May to see how “Wolverine” and “Terminator Salvation” turn out.
So without further ado, here’s my wishlist for “Mission: Impossible 4” directors, in alphabetical order.
1. Timur Bekmambetov – The Russian director of “Wanted” has his own distinctive style that could be just what the series is looking for. He’s currently prepping the English-language third installment of his “Night Watch” trilogy but I’m not sure he’d let that stop him from listening to Cruise’s pitch.
2. Peter Berg – The Hancock” director has really started to come into his own as a visual storyteller. I just think he has really good instincts and I like how he always seems to be challenging himself. Plus I just have a weird feeling that he and Tom would really get along.
3. Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker” director would be a bold, brave choice who could really crank up the adrenaline. “The Hurt Locker” is the real deal and should have her in the hunt for Best Director at next year’s Oscars, after which everyone will want a piece of her.
4. Neill Blomkamp – Blomkamp directed the impressive short films “Alive in Joburg” and “Tempbot” before signing on to direct the long-gestating “Halo” movie. His debut feature, “District 9,” comes out this July and will be his first real mainstream test. Of course, if he ever has any questions, he can always ask his mentor Peter Jackson.
5. Jan de Bont – What the hell happened to this guy? He directed two AWESOME movies in “Speed” and “Twister” and then he fell off the face of the Earth after directing “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (HA!), “ The Haunting” and “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.” On second thought, maybe he should stay away from movies with colons in their titles. But on third thought, de Bont shot “Die Hard” and “The Hunt for Red October,” plus he served as a producer on “Minority Report,” which means he has ties to Cruise, who has the power to resurrect the man's once-great career.
6. Joe Johnston – The director of “Jurassic Park III” already knows a thing or two about inheriting franchises. This fall he’ll stake his claim on “The Wolf Man” and he’s also attached to the “Captain America” movie, which could keep him off this “Mission,” but like it or not, his stock is on the rise so long as “The Wolf Man” makes a killing at the box office.
7. Justin Lin – His work on “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” brought him back for April’s “Fast and Furious,” which will test his box office metal. But if Cruise is serious about shooting in Tokyo then it couldn’t hurt for him to sit down and hear Lin’s take on the material.
8. Pierre Morel – The French filmmaker managed to turn “Ta ken’s” simple set-up into a surprise international hit. Lionsgate will soon distribute his new movie “From Paris With Love” which stars John Travolta, who might be able to put in a good word with his friend and fellow Scientologist.
9. Jonathan Mostow – The director of “Terminator: Rise of the Machines” has a lot riding on this fall’s Bruce Willis-starred “The Surrogates.” Disney obviously likes what they’ve seen since Mostow is attached to write and direct “Swiss Family Robinson” for the studio. He’s a realistic get and could be a decent catch for a new “Mission” movie. I mean, how many truly A-List directors are rushing to direct #4’s?
10. Matt Reeves –Could Abrams leave the reins of the “M:I” franchise in his longtime collaborator’s hands? Reeves is a really smart filmmaker who helped make “Cloverfield” a pop culture sensation, and while he’s currently working on the “Let the Right One In” remake and an “Invisible Man” movie, he could be an interesting if darker choice for the series.
Original Link: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/03/23/who-should-direct-the-fourth-mission-impossible-berg-biegelow-bekmambetov/
Some of you might bemoan the idea of another "Mission: Impossible" film but I, for one, have always preferred Cruise’s Ethan Hunt to Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, or any of the modern incarnations of James Bond, although to be fair, I am a Tom Cruise apologist who thinks the man is incapable of giving a flat-out bad performance.
Of course, this should be treated as just a rumor at this point but if “M:I:IV” were to happen relatively soon, we wanted to stay ahead of the development process and recommend 10 directors who might be a good fit for the series.
Now obviously it’d be cool if Steven Spielberg or James Cameron or Peter Jackson decided to do “M:I:IV” but that would NEVER happen, so they’re not on the list. Likewise, we eliminated Brian DePalma and John Woo who directed the first two installments, and while we wouldn’t oppose J.J. Abrams’ return considering his feature debut “M:I:III” was the best in the series and Paramount shouldn’t mess with a good thing, we have a feeling the studio won’t mind if Abrams is busy directing “Star Trek” sequels for the next few years. We also excluded Oliver Stone, David Fincher and Joe Carnahan, all of whom spent significant time developing “Impossible” sequels, as well as past Cruise collaborators Ben Stiller, Ed Zwick and Bryan Singer, plus directors like Gavin Hood and McG while we wait until May to see how “Wolverine” and “Terminator Salvation” turn out.
So without further ado, here’s my wishlist for “Mission: Impossible 4” directors, in alphabetical order.
1. Timur Bekmambetov – The Russian director of “Wanted” has his own distinctive style that could be just what the series is looking for. He’s currently prepping the English-language third installment of his “Night Watch” trilogy but I’m not sure he’d let that stop him from listening to Cruise’s pitch.
2. Peter Berg – The Hancock” director has really started to come into his own as a visual storyteller. I just think he has really good instincts and I like how he always seems to be challenging himself. Plus I just have a weird feeling that he and Tom would really get along.
3. Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker” director would be a bold, brave choice who could really crank up the adrenaline. “The Hurt Locker” is the real deal and should have her in the hunt for Best Director at next year’s Oscars, after which everyone will want a piece of her.
4. Neill Blomkamp – Blomkamp directed the impressive short films “Alive in Joburg” and “Tempbot” before signing on to direct the long-gestating “Halo” movie. His debut feature, “District 9,” comes out this July and will be his first real mainstream test. Of course, if he ever has any questions, he can always ask his mentor Peter Jackson.
5. Jan de Bont – What the hell happened to this guy? He directed two AWESOME movies in “Speed” and “Twister” and then he fell off the face of the Earth after directing “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (HA!), “ The Haunting” and “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.” On second thought, maybe he should stay away from movies with colons in their titles. But on third thought, de Bont shot “Die Hard” and “The Hunt for Red October,” plus he served as a producer on “Minority Report,” which means he has ties to Cruise, who has the power to resurrect the man's once-great career.
6. Joe Johnston – The director of “Jurassic Park III” already knows a thing or two about inheriting franchises. This fall he’ll stake his claim on “The Wolf Man” and he’s also attached to the “Captain America” movie, which could keep him off this “Mission,” but like it or not, his stock is on the rise so long as “The Wolf Man” makes a killing at the box office.
7. Justin Lin – His work on “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” brought him back for April’s “Fast and Furious,” which will test his box office metal. But if Cruise is serious about shooting in Tokyo then it couldn’t hurt for him to sit down and hear Lin’s take on the material.
8. Pierre Morel – The French filmmaker managed to turn “Ta ken’s” simple set-up into a surprise international hit. Lionsgate will soon distribute his new movie “From Paris With Love” which stars John Travolta, who might be able to put in a good word with his friend and fellow Scientologist.
9. Jonathan Mostow – The director of “Terminator: Rise of the Machines” has a lot riding on this fall’s Bruce Willis-starred “The Surrogates.” Disney obviously likes what they’ve seen since Mostow is attached to write and direct “Swiss Family Robinson” for the studio. He’s a realistic get and could be a decent catch for a new “Mission” movie. I mean, how many truly A-List directors are rushing to direct #4’s?
10. Matt Reeves –Could Abrams leave the reins of the “M:I” franchise in his longtime collaborator’s hands? Reeves is a really smart filmmaker who helped make “Cloverfield” a pop culture sensation, and while he’s currently working on the “Let the Right One In” remake and an “Invisible Man” movie, he could be an interesting if darker choice for the series.
Original Link: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/03/23/who-should-direct-the-fourth-mission-impossible-berg-biegelow-bekmambetov/
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
FINAL 2008 OSCAR PREDICTIONS and IF I HAD A BALLOT
This is The End. My only friend, The End.
It all comes down to this, gang. MY PREDICTIONS for the 81st Annual Academy Awards, as well as my own personal selections IF I HAD A BALLOT. It's pretty self-explanatory. Should Win is what I HOPE wins on Sunday night. That doesn't mean I necessarily thought their work was the best of the year (for instance, I'd give Best Supporting Actress to Rosemarie DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married, but somehow she wasn't nominated), it just means that OF THE NOMINEES, this is who I would vote for. Likewise, just because I think someone WILL win, doesn't mean I think they SHOULD win. If you have an Office Oscar Pool, you can take these predictions to the bank, because they're money, baby!
There are a couple upsets sprinkled throughout, including both of the lead acting categories. Right now, the only other prognosticator picking Rourke AND Streep is Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere. I just think this is Mickey's year (Sean Penn just won for Mystic River) and Kate Winslet got nominated for the wrong performance, opening the door for Meryl Streep, who hasn't won since Sophie's Choice in 1983. I'd say she's every bit as due as Kate. Supporting Actress is a tight race (I even had difficult deciding who I'd vote for) but Penelope Cruz has a distinguished body of work behind her now, plus she's never won (sorry Marisa Tomei) and she has plenty of screentime (sorry Viola Davis), although that rarely matters in this category (ahem, Judi Dench). Original Screenplay is another one to watch. Dustin Lance Black has Milk's Best Picture nomination on his side but the Academy could choose to reward its first animated film and go with Wall-E. And no, I don't think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will get shut-out. No way, no how. PLEASE NOTE: I will not be predicting any of the Short Film categories.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers (i.e. friends and family) for checking out The InSneider. I hope you all enjoy the show and if you're in the Boston area, feel free to stop by The InSneider's temporary headquarters. It'll be a magical night to remember, so here's hoping Hugh Jackman has some surprises in store for us. So without further ado, here are my Final 2008 Oscar Predictions as well as my wishlist for Sunday night. The envelope, please...
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
SHOULD WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
SHOULD WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt
WILL WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
SHOULD WIN: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
WILL WIN: Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
SHOULD WIN: John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
WILL WIN: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: Kung Fu Panda
WILL WIN: Wall-E
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
SHOULD WIN: Man on Wire
WILL WIN: Man on Wire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Revanche, Austria
Waltz With Bashir, Israel
SHOULD WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel
WILL WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel
BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling - Art Direction: James J. Murakami; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight - Art Direction: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Peter Lando
The Duchess - Art Direction: Michael Carlin; Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road - Art Direction: Kristi Zea; Set Decoration: Debra Schutt
SHOULD WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
Chris Menges and Roger Deakins, The Reader
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Tom Stern, Changeling
SHOULD WIN: Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Danny Glicker, Milk
Catherine Martin, Australia
Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road
SHOULD WIN: Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
BEST EDITING
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight
Mike Hill and Dan Hanley, Frost/Nixon
Elliott Graham, Milk
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST MAKEUP
Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan, The Dark Knight
Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
SHOULD WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SONG
“Down to Earth,” Wall-E - Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; Lyrics by Peter Gabriel
“Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Gulzar
“O Saya,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music and Lyrics by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasm
SHOULD WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight - Richard King
Iron Man - Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
Slumdog Millionaire - Tom Sayers
Wall-E - Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
Wanted - Wylie Stateman
SHOULD WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight
BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
The Dark Knight - Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
Slumdog Millionaire - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
Wall-E - Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
Wanted - Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montano and Petr Forejt
SHOULD WIN: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt, Wall-E
VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
The Dark Knight - Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
Iron Man - John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan
SHOULD WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
It all comes down to this, gang. MY PREDICTIONS for the 81st Annual Academy Awards, as well as my own personal selections IF I HAD A BALLOT. It's pretty self-explanatory. Should Win is what I HOPE wins on Sunday night. That doesn't mean I necessarily thought their work was the best of the year (for instance, I'd give Best Supporting Actress to Rosemarie DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married, but somehow she wasn't nominated), it just means that OF THE NOMINEES, this is who I would vote for. Likewise, just because I think someone WILL win, doesn't mean I think they SHOULD win. If you have an Office Oscar Pool, you can take these predictions to the bank, because they're money, baby!
There are a couple upsets sprinkled throughout, including both of the lead acting categories. Right now, the only other prognosticator picking Rourke AND Streep is Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere. I just think this is Mickey's year (Sean Penn just won for Mystic River) and Kate Winslet got nominated for the wrong performance, opening the door for Meryl Streep, who hasn't won since Sophie's Choice in 1983. I'd say she's every bit as due as Kate. Supporting Actress is a tight race (I even had difficult deciding who I'd vote for) but Penelope Cruz has a distinguished body of work behind her now, plus she's never won (sorry Marisa Tomei) and she has plenty of screentime (sorry Viola Davis), although that rarely matters in this category (ahem, Judi Dench). Original Screenplay is another one to watch. Dustin Lance Black has Milk's Best Picture nomination on his side but the Academy could choose to reward its first animated film and go with Wall-E. And no, I don't think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will get shut-out. No way, no how. PLEASE NOTE: I will not be predicting any of the Short Film categories.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers (i.e. friends and family) for checking out The InSneider. I hope you all enjoy the show and if you're in the Boston area, feel free to stop by The InSneider's temporary headquarters. It'll be a magical night to remember, so here's hoping Hugh Jackman has some surprises in store for us. So without further ado, here are my Final 2008 Oscar Predictions as well as my wishlist for Sunday night. The envelope, please...
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
SHOULD WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
SHOULD WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt
WILL WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
SHOULD WIN: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
WILL WIN: Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
SHOULD WIN: John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
WILL WIN: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: Kung Fu Panda
WILL WIN: Wall-E
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
SHOULD WIN: Man on Wire
WILL WIN: Man on Wire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Revanche, Austria
Waltz With Bashir, Israel
SHOULD WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel
WILL WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel
BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling - Art Direction: James J. Murakami; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight - Art Direction: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Peter Lando
The Duchess - Art Direction: Michael Carlin; Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road - Art Direction: Kristi Zea; Set Decoration: Debra Schutt
SHOULD WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
Chris Menges and Roger Deakins, The Reader
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Tom Stern, Changeling
SHOULD WIN: Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Danny Glicker, Milk
Catherine Martin, Australia
Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road
SHOULD WIN: Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
BEST EDITING
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight
Mike Hill and Dan Hanley, Frost/Nixon
Elliott Graham, Milk
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST MAKEUP
Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan, The Dark Knight
Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
SHOULD WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, Wall-E
SHOULD WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SONG
“Down to Earth,” Wall-E - Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; Lyrics by Peter Gabriel
“Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Gulzar
“O Saya,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music and Lyrics by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasm
SHOULD WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight - Richard King
Iron Man - Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
Slumdog Millionaire - Tom Sayers
Wall-E - Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
Wanted - Wylie Stateman
SHOULD WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight
BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
The Dark Knight - Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
Slumdog Millionaire - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
Wall-E - Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
Wanted - Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montano and Petr Forejt
SHOULD WIN: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt, Wall-E
VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
The Dark Knight - Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
Iron Man - John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan
SHOULD WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Top 143 of 2008... So Far
Here they are, in a very particular set of orders. All films are judged on a 4-STAR system. Top TBD List COMING SOON!
THE STANDOUTS (24) - See these movies. They will not disappoint.
Tell No One ***1/2
Dear Zachary ***1/2
Doubt ***1/2
Man on Wire ***1/2
The Dark Knight ***1/2
Young@Heart ***1/2
Rachel Getting Married *** 1/2
The Wrestler ***1/2
Slumdog Millionaire ***1/2
Waltz with Bashir *** 1/2
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *** 1/2
Cloverfield ***1/2
Frost/Nixon ***
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (It had a qualifying run in NY) ***
Bigger, Stronger, Faster: The Side Effects of Being American ***
Let the Right One In ***
Vicky Cristina Barcelona ***
The Wackness ***
The Fall ***
Wendy and Lucy ***
Gran Torino ***
Nothing But the Truth ***
The Class ***
Elite Squad ***
THE GOOD (36) - All pretty solid/entertaining movies that exceeded my expectations, which are a funny thing, in that they inherently affect what you think of the films themselves.
Pineapple Express ***
Forgetting Sarah Marshall ***
Tropic Thunder ***
What Doesn't Kill You ***
I've Loved You So Long ***
Elegy ***
The Hammer ***
In Bruges ***
Zack and Miri Make a Porno ***
Bolt ***
Kung Fu Panda ***
Shine a Light ***
U2 3D ***
W. ***
Towelhead ***
Baghead ***
Sex and the City ***
American Teen ***
Wanted ***
Step Brothers ***
Battle in Seattle ***
Transsiberian ***
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist ***
Tony Manero ***
Seven Pounds ***
Yes Man ***
The Incredible Hulk ***
Speed Racer ***
The Foot Fist Way ***
Mister Lonely ***
Ben X ***
Traitor ***
Afterschool ***
The Bank Job ***
Role Models ***
Timecrimes ***
THE GOOD BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTERS (21) - I wanted to like these movies more than I actually did. They're all enjoyable but they fall short of greatness. But just because they're listed here doesn't mean I liked 'The Good' films more, I just thought that the potential to be better existed and thus, they fell short of certain expectations.
Gomorrah ***
Milk ***
Revolutionary Road ***
Frozen River ***
The Reader ***
Hunger ***
Iron Man ***
Wall-E ***
Funny Games ***
Happy-Go-Lucky ** 1/2
Red **1/2
The Strangers **1/2
While She Was Out ** 1/2
Get Smart **1/2
Redbelt **1/2
Snow Angels **1/2
Body of Lies **1/2
21 **1/2
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay **1/2
Charlie Bartlett **1/2
Paranoid Park **1/2
THE GUILTY PLEASURES (19) - People will rag on these movies but if you feel like actually giving them a chance, you should "definitely, maybe" catch up with them on DVD.
The Ruins ***
Lakeview Terrace ***
Rambo ***
Teeth ***
Trick 'r Treat **1/2
The Midnight Meat Train **1/2
Hellboy II: The Golden Army **1/2
Definitely, Maybe **1/2
Untraceable **1/2
Street Kings **1/2
Strange Wilderness **1/2
Frontier(s) **1/2
The Rocker **1/2
The Promotion **1/2
What Happens in Vegas **1/2
Drillbit Taylor **
College **
Pathology **
Mirrors **
THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (33) - Whatever my expectations were, these movies failed to meet them for whatever reason. They all have their moments but ultimately, they're half-baked, at best.
Valkyrie **1/2
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian **1/2
Cassandra's Dream ** 1/2
Hamlet 2 **1/2
Defiance **1/2
Adam Resurrected **1/2
Quantum of Solace **
Blindness **
Burn After Reading **
Choke **
Miracle at St. Anna **
Changeling **
Pride and Glory **
Hancock **
RocknRolla **
Eagle Eye **
Four Christmases **
The Love Guru **
Super High Me **
You Don't Mess With the Zohan **
Jumper **
Vantage Point **
The Grand **
Quarantine **
Appaloosa **
Bedtime Stories **
Semi-Pro *1/2
Stop-Loss *1/2
Smart People *1/2
Be Kind Rewind *1/2
Leatherheads *1/2
Baby Mama *1/2
The Air I Breathe *1/2
Synecdoche, New York *1/2
THE ACTIVELY BAD (12) - I rolled my eyes multiple times and laughed unintentionally at all of these movies, which you should avoid at all costs. Consider yourselves warned.
Righteous Kill *1/2
Homo Erectus * 1/2
The Signal *
The Happening *
The Day the Earth Stood Still *
Anamorph *
Max Payne *
Surfer, Dude *
Saw V *
Shutter *
The Eye 1/2*
Prom Night 1/2*
COMING SOON: Che, The Visitor, Everlasting Moments, Sukiyaki Western Django, Shotgun Stories, In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Son of Rambow, Revanche, The House Bunny
THE STANDOUTS (24) - See these movies. They will not disappoint.
Tell No One ***1/2
Dear Zachary ***1/2
Doubt ***1/2
Man on Wire ***1/2
The Dark Knight ***1/2
Young@Heart ***1/2
Rachel Getting Married *** 1/2
The Wrestler ***1/2
Slumdog Millionaire ***1/2
Waltz with Bashir *** 1/2
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *** 1/2
Cloverfield ***1/2
Frost/Nixon ***
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (It had a qualifying run in NY) ***
Bigger, Stronger, Faster: The Side Effects of Being American ***
Let the Right One In ***
Vicky Cristina Barcelona ***
The Wackness ***
The Fall ***
Wendy and Lucy ***
Gran Torino ***
Nothing But the Truth ***
The Class ***
Elite Squad ***
THE GOOD (36) - All pretty solid/entertaining movies that exceeded my expectations, which are a funny thing, in that they inherently affect what you think of the films themselves.
Pineapple Express ***
Forgetting Sarah Marshall ***
Tropic Thunder ***
What Doesn't Kill You ***
I've Loved You So Long ***
Elegy ***
The Hammer ***
In Bruges ***
Zack and Miri Make a Porno ***
Bolt ***
Kung Fu Panda ***
Shine a Light ***
U2 3D ***
W. ***
Towelhead ***
Baghead ***
Sex and the City ***
American Teen ***
Wanted ***
Step Brothers ***
Battle in Seattle ***
Transsiberian ***
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist ***
Tony Manero ***
Seven Pounds ***
Yes Man ***
The Incredible Hulk ***
Speed Racer ***
The Foot Fist Way ***
Mister Lonely ***
Ben X ***
Traitor ***
Afterschool ***
The Bank Job ***
Role Models ***
Timecrimes ***
THE GOOD BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTERS (21) - I wanted to like these movies more than I actually did. They're all enjoyable but they fall short of greatness. But just because they're listed here doesn't mean I liked 'The Good' films more, I just thought that the potential to be better existed and thus, they fell short of certain expectations.
Gomorrah ***
Milk ***
Revolutionary Road ***
Frozen River ***
The Reader ***
Hunger ***
Iron Man ***
Wall-E ***
Funny Games ***
Happy-Go-Lucky ** 1/2
Red **1/2
The Strangers **1/2
While She Was Out ** 1/2
Get Smart **1/2
Redbelt **1/2
Snow Angels **1/2
Body of Lies **1/2
21 **1/2
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay **1/2
Charlie Bartlett **1/2
Paranoid Park **1/2
THE GUILTY PLEASURES (19) - People will rag on these movies but if you feel like actually giving them a chance, you should "definitely, maybe" catch up with them on DVD.
The Ruins ***
Lakeview Terrace ***
Rambo ***
Teeth ***
Trick 'r Treat **1/2
The Midnight Meat Train **1/2
Hellboy II: The Golden Army **1/2
Definitely, Maybe **1/2
Untraceable **1/2
Street Kings **1/2
Strange Wilderness **1/2
Frontier(s) **1/2
The Rocker **1/2
The Promotion **1/2
What Happens in Vegas **1/2
Drillbit Taylor **
College **
Pathology **
Mirrors **
THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (33) - Whatever my expectations were, these movies failed to meet them for whatever reason. They all have their moments but ultimately, they're half-baked, at best.
Valkyrie **1/2
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian **1/2
Cassandra's Dream ** 1/2
Hamlet 2 **1/2
Defiance **1/2
Adam Resurrected **1/2
Quantum of Solace **
Blindness **
Burn After Reading **
Choke **
Miracle at St. Anna **
Changeling **
Pride and Glory **
Hancock **
RocknRolla **
Eagle Eye **
Four Christmases **
The Love Guru **
Super High Me **
You Don't Mess With the Zohan **
Jumper **
Vantage Point **
The Grand **
Quarantine **
Appaloosa **
Bedtime Stories **
Semi-Pro *1/2
Stop-Loss *1/2
Smart People *1/2
Be Kind Rewind *1/2
Leatherheads *1/2
Baby Mama *1/2
The Air I Breathe *1/2
Synecdoche, New York *1/2
THE ACTIVELY BAD (12) - I rolled my eyes multiple times and laughed unintentionally at all of these movies, which you should avoid at all costs. Consider yourselves warned.
Righteous Kill *1/2
Homo Erectus * 1/2
The Signal *
The Happening *
The Day the Earth Stood Still *
Anamorph *
Max Payne *
Surfer, Dude *
Saw V *
Shutter *
The Eye 1/2*
Prom Night 1/2*
COMING SOON: Che, The Visitor, Everlasting Moments, Sukiyaki Western Django, Shotgun Stories, In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Son of Rambow, Revanche, The House Bunny
Thursday, January 22, 2009
HOLY MOLY, BATMAN! IT'S LAST CHANCE HARVEY!
Lesson of the Day: Don't bet against Harvey Weinstein. The Reader pulls off a SHOCKING upset over The Dark Knight, which gets the Best Picture shaft, not to mention nothing for Christopher Nolan in the writing or directing categories due to the curious inclusion of Reader director Stephen Daldry and writer David Hare. Happy-Go-Lucky's Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan get snubbed yet writer-director Mike Leigh gets some love with an Original Screenplay nod. Should known the Academy would keep Waltz With Bashir in the Foreign Language category (where it is sure to win) so they Pixar could lock up another Animated Feature Oscar with Wall-E. Had a feeling Japan's Departures would sneak in. No love for Rachel Getting Married outside of Hathaway's nom. Brangelina BOTH get nommed (questionable, especially Jolie) while neither Leo or Kate get noms for Revolutionary Road, whose sole rep in the acting categories is Michael Shannon. That's because Winslet got nommed for The Reader, where she's been hiding in the supporting category all season. The move allows Taraji P. Henson to score a Supporting Actress nom for Ben Button. Robert Downey Jr. capitalizes on all his good buzz over the last couple years with a Supporting Actor nom for Tropic Thunder. Melissa Leo beats out Cate Blanchett and Kristin Scott Thomas for the last Best Actress slot. Richard Jenkins edges Clint Eastwood in the Best Actor category. Stephen Daldry sneaks in the Best Director lineup over Darren Aronofsky, while Martin McDonagh slips past Robert Siegel in the Original Screenplay category. Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel fails to cash in on his film's front-runner status. I was WAY OFF on the Score and Documentary categories. I should've known they'd go for Werner Herzog again. I NAILED the Editing lineup. Wanted pulled off a couple upsets in the Sound Mixing and Editing categories. Frankly stunned that Woody Allen wasn't recognized for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, or Tom McCarthy for The Visitor, in favor of newcomer Courtney Hunt, who wrote and directed Frozen River. Time to go to work... be back later with more meaningless analysis.
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