British Independent Film Awards Nominations List

The Moët British Independent Film Awards nominees for 2011:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM Sponsored by Moët & Chandon
SENNA
SHAME
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
TYRANNOSAUR
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST DIRECTOR Sponsored by The Creative Partnership
Ben Wheatley – KILL LIST
Steve McQueen – SHAME
Tomas Alfredson – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Paddy Considine – TYRANNOSAUR
Lynne Ramsay – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR] Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
Joe Cornish – ATTACK THE BLOCK
Ralph Fiennes – CORIOLANUS
John Michael McDonagh – THE GUARD
Richard Ayoade – SUBMARINE
Paddy Considine – TYRANNOSAUR

BEST SCREENPLAY Sponsored by BBC Films
John Michael McDonagh – THE GUARD
Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump – KILL LIST
Abi Morgan, Steve McQueen – SHAME
Richard Ayoade – SUBMARINE
Lynne Ramsay, Rory Kinnear – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST ACTRESS Sponsored by M.A.C
Rebecca Hall – THE AWAKENING
Mia Wasikowska – JANE EYRE
MyAnna Buring – KILL LIST
Olivia Colman – TYRANNOSAUR
Tilda Swinton – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson – THE GUARD
Neil Maskell – KILL LIST
Michael Fassbender – SHAME
Gary Oldman – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Peter Mullan – TYRANNOSAUR

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Felicity Jones – ALBATROSS
Vanessa Redgrave – CORIOLANUS
Carey Mulligan – SHAME
Sally Hawkins – SUBMARINE
Kathy Burke – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michael Smiley – KILL LIST
Tom Hardy – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Benedict Cumberbatch – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Eddie Marsan – TYRANNOSAUR
Ezra Miller – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER Sponsored by STUDIOCANAL
Jessica Brown Findlay – ALBATROSS
John Boyega – ATTACK THE BLOCK
Craig Roberts – SUBMARINE
Yasmin Paige – SUBMARINE
Tom Cullen – WEEKEND

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION Sponsored by Deluxe142
KILL LIST
TYRANNOSAUR
WEEKEND
WILD BILL
YOU INSTEAD

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Chris King, Gregers Sall – Editing – SENNA
Sean Bobbitt – Cinematography – SHAME
Joe Walker – Editing – SHAME
Maria Djurkovic – Production Design – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Seamus McGarvey – Cinematography – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST DOCUMENTARY
HELL AND BACK AGAIN
LIFE IN A DAY
PROJECT NIM
SENNA
TT3D: CLOSER TO THE EDGE

BEST BRITISH SHORT
0507
CHALK
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
RITE
ROUGH SKIN

BEST FOREIGN INDEPENDENT FILM
ANIMAL KINGDOM
DRIVE
PINA
A SEPARATION
THE SKIN I LIVE IN

THE RAINDANCE AWARD Sponsored by Exile Media
ACTS OF GODFREY
BLACK POND
HOLLOW
LEAVING BAGHDAD
A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film) Sponsored by Working Title
To Be Announced

THE VARIETY AWARD
To Be Announced

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Announced at the Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 4 December.

2011 British Independent Film Awards Nominations Announced

At least for me, the 2012 movie award season (for movies released in 2011) has begun with the announcement yesterday (Monday, October 31, 2011) of the nominations for the 2011 British Independent Film Awards.

Created in 1998, The British Independent Film Awards, by its own description, celebrates merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking, honor new film talent, and promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.  Here, is the press release:

NOMINATIONS AND JURY REVEALED FOR THE MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS

The nominations and jury members for the 14th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced today, Monday 31October at St Martins Lane, London by Helen McCrory.

Joint Directors, The Moët British Independent Film Awards’ Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson said: “This year’s nominees really highlight the immense wealth of British talent in this country today. We are incredibly proud that the Awards have grown to a level that garners attention worldwide, helping to bring British talent and independent filmmaking to the international stage.”

The highest number of nominations this year goes to three films, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Tyrannosaur, all with seven nods. All three titles are battling for the coveted Best British Film Award, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor or Actress awards. We Need to Talk About Kevin and Kill List each receive six nominations with Submarine following closely with five.

Nominations for Best Actress go to Rebecca Hall (The Awakening), Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre), MyAnna Buring (Kill List), Olivia Colman (Tyrannosaur) and Tilda Swinton (We Need To Talk About Kevin). Leading men hoping to take home the Best Actor award include Brendan Gleeson (The Guard), Neil Maskell (Kill List), Michael Fassbender (Shame), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Peter Mullan (Tyrannosaur).

Directors who have delivered dynamic debuts this year and are fighting for the Douglas Hickox Award are Joe Cornish (Attack The Block), Ralph Fiennes (Coriolanus), John Michael McDonagh (The Guard), Richard Ayoade (Submarine) and Paddy Considine (Tyrannosaur).

Elsa Corbineau, Marketing Director Moët & Chandon commented: “Moët & Chandon is thrilled to continue to support the Awards this year. There are some truly remarkable films in today's nominations which reflect the talent of the British filmmakers. We look forward to celebrating all of the nominees and winners on 4 December."

The Raindance Award nominees for 2011 include: Acts of Godfrey, Black Pond, Hollow, Leaving Baghdad and A Thousand Kisses Deep. This Award honours exceptional achievement for filmmakers working against the odds, often with little or no industry support. Elliot Grove, Founder Raindance Film Festival and Moët British Independent Film Awards added: "Delighted to see that this year's nominations prove that once again British independent filmmakers have risen to the creative challenge of making astounding movies in the midst of economic chaos."

The Pre-Selection Committee of 70 members viewed nearly 200 films, out of which they selected the nominations, which were decided by ballot.

The winners of The Moët British Independent Film Awards are decided by an independent jury comprised of leading professionals and talent from the British film industry.

The Jury for 2011 includes:
Josh Appignanesi (Director / Writer), Lucy Bevan (Casting Director), Edith Bowman (Broadcaster), Mike Goodridge (Editor), Ed Hogg (Actor), Neil Lamont (Art Director), Mary McCartney (Photographer), Molly Nyman (Composer), Debs Paterson (Director / Writer), Tracey Seaward (Producer), Charles Steel (Producer), David Thewlis (Actor), Ruth Wilson (Actress) and Justine Wright (Editor).

The winners will be announced at the much anticipated 14th awards ceremony, which will take place on Sunday 4 December at the impressive Old Billingsgate in London.

Proud supporters and patrons of The Moët British Independent Film Awards include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler, Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom.

The Moët British Independent Film Awards would like to thank all its supporters, especially: Moët & Chandon, The British Film Institute, 3 Mills Studios, BBC Films, Deluxe142, The Creative Partnership, Exile Media, M.A.C, Raindance, Soho House, Studiocanal, Swarovski, Variety, Working Title and Zander Creative.


About BIFA
Created in 1998, The British Independent Film Awards set out to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking, to honour new talent, and to promote British filmmaking and British talent to a wider public.

In recognition of Moët & Chandon’s generous contribution as headline sponsor, the 2011 event is referred to as The MOËT British Independent Film Awards.

For further information on BIFA, visit http://www.bifa.org.uk/

Review: "Constantine" is No Hellblazer

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 26 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Constantine (2005)
Running time: 121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – R for violence and demonic images
DIRECTOR: Francis Lawrence
WRITERS: Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello; from a story by Kevin Brodbin (based upon the characters from the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels)
PRODUCERS: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker, Michael Uslan, Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and Akiva Goldsman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Philippe Rousselot, A.F.C./A.S.C.
EDITOR: Wayne Wahrman, A.C.E.

HORROR/FANTASY/ACTION with elements of thriller

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Djimon Hounsou, Gavin (McGregor) Rossdale, Jessie Ramirez, Jose Zuniga, Laz Alonso, Quinn Buniel, and Peter Stormare

In the mid 1980’s famed comic book writer Alan Moore created, at the behest of his artist collaborators, a character for their comic book series, Swamp Thing (that changed the face of mainstream or superhero comics), that would look like Sting, front man of the rock group, The Police. Two decades later, Keanu Reeves, not Sting, has brought the character, John Constantine, to cinematic life in the film, Constantine.

Back story: John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) was born with a gift he didn’t want – the ability to recognize the half-breed angels and demons that walk the earth in human skin. Constantine took his own life to end the torment of his visions, but he was resuscitated against his will. Constantine returned with the ability to walk the earthly border between Heaven and Hell. He attempts to earn his salvation as an exorcist/supernatural detective sending the half-breed demons back to hell. Still, Constantine is no saint; he lives a hard life of drinking and smoking too much while he tries to buy his way into heaven.

Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) is a skeptical police detective, really not buying all this occult mumbo jumbo, but she needs Constantine. Her sister, Isabel (Ms. Weisz), may have committed suicide. Angela finds that hard to believe because her sister was a devout Catholic, and devout Catholics know that suicides go straight to the inferno of hell. Angela convinces Constantine to help her, but their investigation quickly clears away Angela’s skepticism as their examination of the crime takes them to the world of angels and demons just behind the walls, on the other side of the metaphorical windows, and beneath the landscape of Los Angeles. The duo is caught in a series of catastrophic occult and satanic events that may not only cost them their lives, but the souls of all human kind.

If Keanu Reeves were a better actor, Constantine would have been a better film. First, we, the people who are familiar with the comic book, have to get over the fact that there were better actors to play the part. We may have been willing to accept that the character was changed from a Brit to an American, but Keanu? He has his moments, but most of them are in the last act. It’s not as if he were out acted; the rest of the characters seem extraneous, even the ones that are supposed to be important to the plot.

The story, which borrows heavily from the work of two early writers on the Constantine comic book (called Hellblazer), Jamie Delano and Garth Ennis, is conceptually interesting. The execution leaves something to be desired. Sometimes, it’s just pretentious, and sometimes, the occult angle is as good and as intriguing as the occult was in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The visualization of Hell (as a still-burning post-apocalyptic cityscape) is nice, but ultimately the script is just a hodge podge of concepts and ideas that are poorly thought out and used. It’s as if some things were added because they’d seem cool, but they were poorly used or just didn’t make sense in the context of the script. The writers seemingly knew how they wanted the film to begin and end, but only threw crap against the wall in between that.

Actually, director Francis Lawrence (known for his music videos for acts such as Britney Spears and Will Smith) gives the film a good pace and a tense atmosphere of dread. He manages to make something out of a poor script and Keanu’s monotone and flat speaking/acting style. It’s enough to make this worth renting for fans of horror and fantasy.

5 of 10
C+

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"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" an Excellent Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 41 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action
DIRECTOR: Michael Apted
WRITERS: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and Michael Petroini (based upon the book by C.S. Lewis)
PRODUCERS: Andrew Adamson, Mark Johnson, and Philip Steuer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dante Spinotti
EDITORS: Rick Shaine
Golden Globe nominee

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Will Poulter, Gary Sweet, Arthur Angel, Arabella Morton, Bille Brown, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, and the voices of Simon Pegg and Liam Neeson

20th Century Fox joins Walden Media to produce the third film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s book series, The Chronicles of Narnia. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader finds the youngest Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, joined by a dour cousin on a return journey to Narnia, where they grapple with temptation. More so than the other films, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a rip-snorting adventure

One year after the events depicted in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the two youngest Pevensie children, Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley), are living in Cambridge with their cousins, the Scrubbs. Their older siblings, Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Peter (William Moseley), are in the United States with their parents. Lucy and Edmund now have their obnoxious cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter), as a disagreeable companion.

The adventure beings when a magical painting transports Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace to an ocean in Narnia. There, the trio is rescued by Caspian (Ben Barnes) and the large talking mouse, Reepicheep (Simon Pegg), and taken aboard the sailing ship, the Dawn Treader. Three years have passed in Narnia since the Pevensie siblings last visited, and Caspian is now the King of Narnia. King Caspain is on a quest to find the seven Lost Lords of Narnia and invites the Pevensies and their cousin to join him.

During a visit to the Lone Islands, they discover a slavery ring that sacrifices people to a mysterious green mist. In order to save the sacrificial victims, the crew of the Dawn Treader must sail to Dark Island where resides a corrupting evil that threatens to destroy all of Narnia. Lucy, Edmund, King Caspian, and Eustace will find themselves tested as they journey to the far end of world and to the home of the great lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson).

As was the case with Prince Caspian, I enjoyed The Voyage of the Dawn Treader much more than I did the first Narnia film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Dawn Treader is the cleanest and purest of the series, thus far. It is a straightforward adventure, an ocean-going tale that takes the characters from one obstacle they must overcome to another. Its philosophical theme is also simple – fighting, avoiding, and overcoming temptation. Its spiritual theme – the yearning to be one with the almighty or perfection – is surprisingly up front, and the story is almost frank in equating Aslan with the Christian God.

The main characters: Lucy, Edmond, and Caspian do not offer anything new in terms of personality; they’re like old friends, now. The story does get a much needed jolt in new characters, such as the firm captain of the Dawn Treader, Lord Drinian (Gary Sweet), and especially the tart Eustace Scrubb. While the arc of Eustace’s change is interesting, what is best about the character is Will Poulter’s portrayal of Eustace. Pitch-perfect in his performance, Poulter makes the annoying Eustace a scene stealer who will make the audience want more of him.

The special effects in this third movie are better than those in the second film. Although not as impressive as those in the original film (which won an Oscar), the visual effects in this film seem more inventive and even more magical. This is Michael Apted’s touch as director; he makes the most of what he has. He doesn’t get the most impressive acting, but he makes it seem so. Apted doesn’t have a solid villain in the evil green mist, which essentially represents temptation, but he adds chilling touches using the mist.

In the final act, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader especially emphasizes its Christian elements. The spiritual messages will make some yearn for God, but even more people will be sad that the end of this movie means that we must once again leave Narnia – until we return…

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2011 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey, and Carrie Underwood for “There’s A Place for Us”)

Monday, May 16, 2011


The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [Blu-ray]

Review: "Burn After Reading" is the Best Moron Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Burn After Reading (2008)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence
WRITERS/DIRECTORS: The Coen Brothers
PRODUCERS: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Emmanuel Lubezki
EDITORS: Roderick Jaynes (Ethan Coen and Joel Coen)
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell
Golden Globe nominee

COMEDY

Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, J.K. Simmons, Olek Krupa, Michael Countryman, Kevin Sussman, Elizabeth Marvel, and David Rasche

I certainly like Coen Brothers movies like No Country for Old Men and True Grit. These are classically formal, traditional Hollywood tales of murderous men and frontier justice done in the Bros.’ idiosyncratic style. These are the kinds of movie that will appeal to broad audiences and attract Oscar attention.

However, I prefer to watch the Bros.’ films that reflect their assumed quirky sensibilities: movies like The Big Lebowski, Intolerable Cruelty, and the 2008 flick, Burn After Reading. “Quirky” may not necessarily be the appropriate word. Coen Bros.’ films like Burn After Reading and the Academy Award-winning Fargo seem strange because, from top to bottom, the characters in these movies are unusually fascinating, especially compared to the characters that appear in most American movies.

Burn After Reading takes place in Washington D.C. It begins with Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich), a CIA analyst who quits his job in a huff and decides to write his memoirs. A compact disc copy of the memoirs ends up in the hands of two moronic employees of Hardbodies gym. After perusing the contents of the disc, Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) and Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) decide that Cox should pay them money to get it back. Meanwhile, Osbourne’s wife, pediatrician Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton), is having an affair with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), a womanizing U.S. Marshal and agent of the U.S. Treasury. When Osbourne refuses to pay them, Chad and Linda try to sell the disc to the Russian embassy, but that only makes things worse.

Joel and Ethan Coen are supernaturally good at creating characters that seem eccentric, odd, and even peculiar. When you look at them closely, however, you may discover how maddeningly, poignantly, and hilariously human they seem to be. Their motivations are petty and absurd, but oh-so familiar. Their lives are exciting, strange, and sometimes boring, and the characters are as dull as they are fascinating. The Coens fill Burn After Reading with such characters. This tale of Washington D.C. insiders and outsiders playing a poorly executed game of espionage is an unforgettable farce because of them.

As usual, the Coens get excellent performances from the cast, acting that brings such atypical screen characters to life. Once again, George Clooney is dead-on as (for the third time) a Coen Bros. fool. Frances McDormand’s sparkling dramatic turn is pitch-perfect for this farce, and she has marvelous screen chemistry with Brad Pitt, who once again proves that he is exceptionally good in supporting roles and character parts.

Burn After Reading creates a confederacy of dunces for our entertainment. This savage comedy about vain idiots who always think they have the goods on everyone else may one day be an American classic. Today, it is a slice of America that captures the entire American pie.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2009 BAFTA Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Screenplay – Original” (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen), “Best Supporting Actor” (Brad Pitt), and “Best Supporting Actress” (Tilda Swinton)

2009 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Frances McDormand)

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

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Review: "Prince Caspian" is a Royal Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 101 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Running time: 150 minutes (2 hours, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG for epic battle action and violence
DIRECTOR: Andrew Adamson
WRITERS: Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely (based upon the book by C.S. Lewis)
PRODUCERS: Andrew Adamson, Mark Johnson, and Philip Steuer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Karl Walter Lindenlaub (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Josh Campbell and Sim Evan-Jones
COMPOSER: Harry Gregson-Williams

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/ACTION/FAMILY/WAR

Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass, Cornell S. John, Pierfrancesco Favino, Damian Alcazar, Tilda Swinton, and the voices of Liam Neeson, Ken Stott, and Eddie Izzard

Following The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media’s cinematic adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ book series, The Chronicles of Narnia, continues with the second film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. While the first film was filled with displays of magic and a sense of wonder, Prince Caspian is darker in tone and is like a coming-of-age film, one that finds the characters grappling with maturity.

A year after their adventures in the world of Narnia, the Pevensie children: eldest child Peter (William Moseley), practical Susan (Anna Popplewell), second youngest child Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and youngest child Lucy (Georgie Henley), are back in London and struggling to adjust to their own mundane world. Meanwhile, in Narnia, 1,300 years have passed since the Pevensies left. In that time, the Telmarines, an ethnic group of humans, invaded the country of Narnia (the name of the world and of a country) and chased the mythological creatures of Narnia into hiding.

Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), heir to the Telmarine throne, survives an assassination attempt by his evil uncle, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto). Caspian convinces the Narnians to help him win his throne so that he can return their land. Meanwhile, the Pevensie children are traveling to boarding school when they are again transported to Narnia. They find Cair Paravel, the castle from where they once ruled the country of Narnia, in ruins. After meeting Caspian, they form a shaky alliance with the prince and the Narnians to defeat Miraz. They will need the help of the lion Aslan (voice of Liam Neeson), but he is nowhere to be found.

I enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian much more than I did The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Prince Caspian is full of intrigue and fighting, bickering, and large battle scenes, whereas the first film was sometimes slow with a mechanical pace. The first half-hour to 45 minutes of the first film were largely dull, but Prince Caspian gets off to a roaring start. Prince Caspian is a medievalist-fantasy film like the Lord of the Rings movies, but not as intense. It is an adventure film with the characters running from one end of the countryside to the other, playing war. Prince Caspian is more spectacular than the original film, but like the first film it gets it messages and themes through, albeit in a more subtle fashion.

This is an especially well-directed film, and director Andrew Adamson deftly inserts the messages and themes (restoration and renewal) he and his co-screenwriters spread so evenly throughout the narrative. The story is not so black and white about what is right and wrong; this is not about good-evil and consequences of one’s actions and choices, etc. The story is more complex or more complicated than that. As Aslan says, things do not happen when people wish them, nor do things turn out exactly as people wish them. It is less about what might have happened and more about what we can make happen.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian sneaks its medicine – these lessons of faith, hope, perseverance, respect, and tolerance – in the sugar of breathtaking adventure. That is good enough to make this visit to Narnia an unforgettable one.

8 of 10
A

Friday, December 10, 2010

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Review: "Vanilla Sky" is a Crazier Cruise-Diaz Team-Up

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 (of 2001) by Leroy Douresseaux

Vanilla Sky (2001)
Running time: 136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexuality and strong language
DIRECTOR: Cameron Crowe
WRITER: Cameron Crowe (based upon the film Abre los Ojos (Open Your Eyes) by Alejandro Amenábor and Mateo Gil Rodreguez)
PRODUCERS: Cameron Crowe, Tom Cruise, and Paula Wagner
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Toll (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Joe Hutshing and Mark Livolsi
COMPOSER: Nancy Wilson
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/FANTASY/ROMANCE/SCI-FI/THRILLER

Starring: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee, Noah Taylor, Timothy Spall, Johnny Galecki, Michael Shannon, and Tilda Swinton

David Aames (Tom Cruise) is the wealthy scion of a publishing empire who lives only for himself and his pleasures. He treats his novelist friend Brian Shelby (Jason Lee, Chasing Amy) as a possession to be admitted or dismissed as needed, though Aames often professes deep love for Shelby. He has recreational sex with another friend, Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz), a girl who practically admits to being around the block quite a few times. At a party that he hosts, David sees a stunning beauty that Brian has brought to the party with him. The looker, Sofia Serrano (Penelope Cruz, who was in the Spanish film upon which Vanilla Sky is based), throws David for a loop and he falls very hard for her.

Aww, but Julie is jealous; she follows David and is waiting for him after he spends the night (a sex free night) with Sofia. In an insane rage, Julie, with David a passenger, runs her car off the road, killing herself. David survives, but his body is damaged and his face is badly scarred. From that point, David’s life is a series of time shifts; past, present, and future loose their meanings.

Directed by Cameron Crowe, who also directed Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky is a mind numbing and genre bending film that mixes elements of romance, romantic thriller, mystery, suspense, and science fiction. It demands the viewers’ complete attention, while it careens across the screen like the out of control car that changes David Aames life.

Vanilla Sky is also a movie that can test an audience’s patience. It has ideas and messages, and most people do not want their movies to preach to them, at least not preach smart ideas. They want a loud, vivid, cinematic experience – special effects and movie magic. “Entertain me” is the mantra, and Crowe adds only the thinnest of candy coatings to his film.

The movie begins with a beautiful scene in which David discovers that he is alone in Times Square; he runs down the street for a few minutes totally afraid of being alone before we learn that this is a dream. There are also voiceovers while we follow David’s privileged life. There is the accident, and then we find David in a dark room wearing a mask, while a psychologist (Kurt Russell) prods him for answers regarding a murder of which David has been accused. From then, we’re bouncing back and forth through time, through illusions, dreams, fantasies, flashbacks. It can be disconcerting, but the film is so alluring that you want to soldier on.

Cruise has always been a good actor in the hands of good director, and Crowe is good. Over his career, Cruise has learned to open himself up to the possibilities of using his handsome face to express a variety of feelings and emotions, where once he simply lit up that million dollar smile and that was that. He is good here and quite believable. It’s no trick to play a spoiled, wealthy brat, but he convincingly transforms himself into the tortured package of damaged goods.

The supporting cast in nice, but while Penelope Cruz got all the attention, Diaz is the surprise. Some may believe her looks carry her career, but she can act. She plays the wild, vulnerable, hurt, and angry Julie Gianni to the hilt while also playing it down low and subtle. She creates a three-dimensional villain of sly evil and of terrible sadness.

Vanilla Sky is rife with musical references, most of which are quite annoying, but the Jeff Blakely reference is dead on appropriate for its scene. There are lots of visual references from pop culture to fine art, and they mean something, but you have to catch them, as they fly by so quickly.

Vanilla Sky is a good film, especially because it asks for the viewer to get involved where most movies only want to yell at you. At its heart are good messages about responsibility for the choices one makes, selfishness, love, and sacrifice. It stumbles and rushes to it fantastical, sci-fi ending that almost destroys film, but the movie is a worthy effort by ambitious talents. By no means perfect, it is still a grand entertainment and a wonderful puzzle with which to struggle, and it doesn’t mind trying to be smart even when it over reaches its ambitions.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 1 nominations: “Best Music, Original Song” (Paul McCartney for the song "Vanilla Sky")

2002 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Paul McCartney for the song "Vanilla Sky") and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Cameron Diaz)

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Review: "Adaptation" is a Film That Boggles the Mind

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 107 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Adaptation (2002)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for language, sexuality, some drug use and violent images
DIRECTOR: Spike Jonze
WRITERS: Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman (based upon the novel by Susan Orlean)
PRODUCERS: Jonathan Demme, Vincent Landay, and Edward Saxon
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lance Acord (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Eric Zumbrunnen
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell

COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Cara Seymour, Tilda Swinton, Ron Livingston, Brian Cox, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jim Beaver, Judy Greer, and Litefoot

Charlie Kaufman, a real, living, breathing person, is a well-known screenwriter. You absolutely must see the film made from his most famous script, Being John Malkovich. A few years ago, he struggled with writing a script adaptation of Susan Orlean’s best-selling novel, The Orchid Thief. He met with Ms. Orlean, and explained his troubles. They apparently came to an agreement that Kaufman would write a screenplay that would be in part about him wrestling with the adaptation of the novel and in part about the story in the book.  That screenplay became the movie, Adaptation.

So here’s the plot of the film Adaptation: Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) is struggling in an attempt to write a screenplay based upon Susan Orlean’s (Meryl Streep) best-selling non-fiction book, The Orchid Thief. His twin brother Donald (Cage, again) moves in with Charlie, and Donald decides to write his own original script. With wild and joyful abandon, Donald takes a seminar and leaps into writing a typical Hollywood thriller about a serial killer, while The Orchid Thief slowly drives Charlie to madness.

Meanwhile, in a subplot, the film carries on and we meet Susan who goes to Florida to write an article for the New Yorker about an orchid thief named John Laroche (Chris Cooper), who’s been recently arresting for poaching plants on a federal reserve. Ms. Orlean is simultaneously fascinated with and repulsed by Laroche, a divorced and lonely man who lost his mother and uncle in an auto accident for which he blames himself.

In the other major subplot: as the film goes on, Donald convinces Charlie that Susan is hiding something, so they track her to Florida to learn the dark secret she shares with Laroche. It mostly ends tragically in a typically Hollywood fashion.

The amazing thing about this film is that it is so good, yet it seems to have almost nothing to do with the director, Spike Jonze, who collaborated with Kaufman on Being John Malkovich. But never doubt Jonze’s prodigious talents, especially if you’ve seen even one of his visionary music videos for acts like Beck or Fatboy Slim. Here he’s almost invisible as he navigates the eccentricities, shifting points of view, and multiple story threads that is Kaufman’s sexy script.

Of course, Kaufman turns out another outstanding script. The film credits list the screenwriters as Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman, but Charlie really doesn’t have a twin brother named Donald. Charlie’s attempt was to write a script about script writing, but he also covered such fertile territory as the necessity of change, human isolation and loneliness, writer’s bloc, the treacherous path that is adapting other people’s work, professional jealousy, sibling relationships, guilt, loss, etc. It’s all wonderfully done, but the part of his story that’s supposed to be the typical Hollywood film adaptation is kinda dull and uninteresting. That’s the joke. For the film’s closing segment, Charlie was able to turn Ms. Orlean’s novel into a conventional thriller, and he shows that that can be simultaneously intriguing and dull. The conventional can often seem exciting, but so often it ends in predictability. Thus, Kaufman does get to make his point about cookie cutter film shockers, but the irony is that even his satire of formula writing and filmmaking seems listless. Am I missing the point? I can go on all day, but the best way to tell you about this film would be to share it with you visually, like telepathy, sending sensory images of Adaptation into your mind. That ain’t gonna happen, and I can almost forgive the filmmakers for an ending that was too smart for its own good.

The performances are excellent, and two of them are spectacular. Cage’s Kaufman is his most inspired, witty, and imaginative performance in almost a decade. It the kind of work where he digs deep into himself to find the character the way he did in Leaving Las Vegas, for which he won an Academy Award. His performance as Charlie Kaufman earned his an Academy Award nomination. The second excellent performance was Chris Cooper’s turn as the flower thief Laroche. The lead in two John Sayles films, Matewan and Lone Star, Cooper won an Oscar for his role as Laroche. He earned it with his ability to show that the character was not only stunningly eccentric, but was also mostly just another guy bummed out by life who is doing his best to roll with the punches. It’s enough to inspire even the most blue of us.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Chris Cooper); 3 nominations: “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Nicolas Cage), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Meryl Streep), “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Charlie Kaufman Donald Kaufman)


2003 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman); 3 nominations “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Nicolas Cage); “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Chris Cooper), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Meryl Streep)


2003 Golden Globes: 2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Chris Cooper) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Meryl Streep); 4 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Spike Jonze), “Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Nicolas Cage), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman)

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Review: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 179 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Running time:  143 minutes (2 hours, 23 minutes)
MPAA - PG for battle sequences and frightening moments
DIRECTOR: Andrew Adamson
WRITERS: Ann Peacock, Andrew Adamson, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (based upon the book by C.S. Lewis)
PRODUCERS: Mark Johnson and Philip Steuer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Donald M. McAlpine, A.S.C./A.C.S.
EDITORS: Sim Evan-Jones and Jim May
Academy Award winner

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, James Cosmo, Kiran Shah, and the voices of Liam Neeson, Ray Winstone, Dawn French, and Rupert Everett

Sent out of London by their mother because of the German bombing of the city (circa World War II), the Pevensie children: youngest child Lucy (Georgie Henley), troublesome Edmund (Skandar Keynes), practical Susan (Anna Popplewell), and eldest child Peter (William Moseley) find themselves at the country estate of Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent). Playing hide and seek one day in the Professor’s large home, Lucy stumbles upon an enchanted wardrobe, the back of which leads to a parallel universe known as Narnia. There, at lamppost in the forest of Narnia, Lucy meets and befriends a faun named Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy). Before sending Lucy home, Mr. Tumnus warns her of an evil sorceress that has cast a spell over Narnia, putting the land in the grip of a perpetual winter that has lasted 100 years.

Later, Lucy cannot convince her siblings that Narnia is real, but circumstances eventually lead all four Pevensie children through the wardrobe to Narnia. There, Edmund falls under icy spell of the White Witch Jadis (Tilda Swinton), while Lucy, Peter, and Susan join Narnia’s rightful ruler, the wise and mythical lion, Aslan (voice of Liam Neeson). The Pevensie children must discover their strength and learn the power of family and courage as they join Aslan and lead the forces of good into a spectacular battle against Jadis and her forces to free Narnia of the White Witch’s eternal winter.

Walt Disney and Walden Media, the studio and media entity respectively behind The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ famed children’s book and Christian allegory, have tried to sell this Narnia film as The Passion of the Christ for children. The film, which brings the book’s Christian symbolism, as well as its plot, to the screen, does a have a few Passion-like moments, but this is more a less affluent second cousin of The Lord of the Rings than it is Passion-like. After a listless first 30 to 45 minutes, Narnia becomes an action, adventure epic that can be compared somewhat favorably to LOTR. However, Narnia’s chase and battle sequences, filled as they are with peril and the threat of death, are less like The Passion of the Christ and more like another Mel Gibson film, Braveheart.

What’s bad about Narnia? Some of the CGI and computer animation is of a low quality for a prestige release from a studio like Walt Disney. The opening sequence, which depicts the bombing of London, might be okay for a video game, but it looks painfully phony in the context of a film like Narnia. Many of the CGI animals and creatures would be perfect in a bad Sci-Fi Channel original pitting dueling giant snakes, but here it’s embarrassingly bad. This occasionally looks as rushed as it looks cheap, and the viewer can practically see the seams between computer generated fake reality and real humans and locales.

Also, the film opens too slowly and film feels mechanical early on. It is as if director Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Shrek 2) is trying, by showing how bad off the Pevensie children were before they discovered Narnia (their father is off at war and their mother sends them away from their London home because of the bombing) to establish that The Chronicles of Narnia is a serious adult drama about the hardships of real people. If he’s trying to tell us that this is more than just a film about kids have a grand old adventure in a magical land, he’s wrong by half. This is as much about imagination and wonder as it is about serious issues and moral imperatives.

The good: First and foremost is the stellar performance of Tilda Swinton as the White Witch. If a monstrously icy persona could be said to simmer, then Ms. Swinton’s portrayal of a stone, cold wicked sorceress is white-hot. I couldn’t get enough of her, and she genuinely scared me.

After a shaky start, the script gives the cast good material with which to play. Each of the actors playing a Pevensie child can give his or her character a unique personality. That’s why the audience will believe that these diverse personalities clash as often as they love. Ray Winstone and Dawn French as the voices of the CGI Mr. and Mrs. Beaver provide light comic relief. By far the best supporting creature character is the live action Ginarrbrik, an assistant to the White Witch, splendidly played by Kiran Shah.

The final epic battle, a lengthy one between the forces of good led by the Pevensie boys against the White Witch and her legions is pretty exciting. However, it is also surprisingly violent for a film rated “PG” by the MPAA. Did Disney and Walden Media influence the MPAA in order to get such a low rating for scenes of battle violence that are at the very least “PG-13?” Perhaps, the ratings board cut the film some slack because so many Christian religious leaders and pundits proclaimed that it was absolutely necessary that children see Narnia, because the film is, beneath the magic and fantastical creatures and settings, Christian. So graphic depictions of combat in film are “PG” when it’s in the service of Jesus Christ?

Ultimately, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a good film. In addition to the movie’s religious undertones, it is an ode to family. That the Pevensie children decide to help a kingdom under siege and learn about sacrifice is second to the fact that, in the end, they have each other’s back. For me, the sibling bonding makes Narnia rise above its clumsiness and the sometimes mediocre visual effects.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, December 11, 2005

NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 1 win for “Best Achievement in Makeup” (Howard Berger and Tami Lane); 2 nominations for “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” and “Best Achievement in Visual Effects”


2006 BAFTA Awards: 1 win for “Best Make Up/Hair” (Howard Berger, Tami Lane, and Nikki Gooley) and 2 nominations for best visual effects and best costume design


2006 Golden Globes: 2 nominations for best original score and best original song in a motion picture

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