"Margin Call" Sure as Heck Ain't Marginal

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Margin Call (2011)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: J.C. Chandor
PRODUCERS: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, and Zachary Quinto
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Frank G. DeMarco
EDITOR: Pete Beaudreau
COMPOSER: Nathan Larson
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, Aasif Mandvi, and Mary McDonnell

Margin Call is a 2011 ensemble drama written and directed by J.C. Chandor. This independent film takes place over a 36-hour period and is set in an investment firm during the early days of the 2008 financial crisis.

At an unnamed investment firm, a typical morning in 2008 turns atypical with a round of layoffs. One of these fired employees, Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci), passes a USB drive to one of his former subordinates, Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto). While perusing the data on the drive, Sullivan makes a shocking discovery, so he alerts the firm’s trading desk bosses, Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey) and Will Emerson (Paul Bettany). The news goes to more senior executives, including division head, Jared Cohen (Simon Baker), and finally to CEO John Tuld (Jeremy Irons). How they fix this crisis could damage the firm, to say nothing of the damage done to people and entities outside the firm.

Not only is Zachary Quinto a cast member of Margin Call, but his production company, Before the Door Pictures (owned with fellow Margin Call producers, Neal Dodson and Corey Moosa), is also one of the companies behind this film. Because he produced this movie, I think it means that Quinto may have a good sense for quality screenplays. Margin Call is sharply written, and rather than bogging down the audience in the jargon of mortgage back securities and investment trading, the script looks at the characters, personalities, and people behind the decisions that rock the financial foundations of both our nation and also of the entire world.

Writer/director J.C. Chandor has earned an Oscar nomination for this screenplay, but the more impressive feat is directing this cast. There are three Oscar wins between Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons and a lot of superb work on the theatre stage. Stanley Tucci has years of excellent performances behind him, and he deserves an Oscar. The rest of the cast is rock solid.

Chandor gives each actor a chance not only to shine as an individual performer, but also to help bring all the performances together to tell a riveting story. Chandor and his cast turn this character drama into a Wall Street thriller. There are some hiccups in the script, and there are also moments when the performances seem like stiff dialogue reading, but they don’t hurt this excellent film. Overall, Margin Call has a better story and screenplay than Oliver Stone’s Wall Street (1987), although Margin Call doesn’t have a monster performance like what Michael Douglas gives Wall Street. Thus far, however, Margin Call is this new century’s signature film about the callous greedy.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2012 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (J.C. Chandor)

Friday, February 10, 2012

J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" Sequel Now in Production

J.J. ABRAMS BEGINS PRODUCTION ON THE NEXT “STAR TREK” MOVIE

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions Will Release the Anticipated Sequel on May 17, 2013

Paramount Pictures announced today that principal photography has commenced in Los Angeles, CA on the sequel to Star Trek from director J.J. Abrams. The film will be released on May 17, 2013 in 3D. The 2009 re-launch of the “Star Trek” franchise by Abrams was met with critical acclaim and a worldwide gross of over $385 million at the box office.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present a Bad Robot Production of a J.J. Abrams Film. Returning to their posts on the Enterprise are John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin. They are joined by new cast members Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller.

Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the film is produced by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The script was written by Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci & Damon Lindelof.

Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers. The director of photography is Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC. The production designer is Scott Chambliss. The film is edited by Maryann Brandon, A.C.E. and Mary Jo Markey, A.C.E. The costume designer is Michael Kaplan. The music is by Michael Giacchino.


ABOUT Paramount PICTURES CORPORATION
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

ABOUT SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS
Skydance Productions has a strategic partnership with Paramount Pictures which allows it to co-finance and produce several films per year with the studio. The first film to be co-produced under the partnership was the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit,” which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards© and has earned $250 million worldwide. Most recently, Skydance productions released the Paramount feature “Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol,” starring Tom Cruise, which has made over $460 million worldwide and growing. Upcoming films include “G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation,” starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson, set for release on June 29, 2012; “My Mother’s Curse,” starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen, slated for release on November 2, 2012; “World War Z,” directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt, Matthew Fox and David Morse, set for release on December 21, 2012; “One Shot,” based on the best-selling novels by Lee Child, directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise, currently in production; the Untitled Star Trek Sequel, starring Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine; and the Untitled Jack Ryan Project starring Chris Pine, to be directed by Jack Bender (“Lost”) and produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld. Additionally, Skydance is producing, along with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, “Without Remorse,” written by Shawn Ryan.

ABOUT BAD ROBOT
Bad Robot was formed by filmmaker J.J. Abrams in 2001. The company has produced television series such as ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE, and PERSON OF INTEREST, and feature films such as CLOVERFIELD, STAR TREK, SUPER 8 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL. Bad Robot is based in Los Angeles.

2012 Independent Spirit Award Nominations Complete List

2012 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)
50/50 - Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen
Beginners - Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy
Drive - Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter - Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist - Producer: Thomas Langmann
The Descendants - Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Mike Mills for Beginners
Jeff Nichols for Take Shelter
Alexander Payne for The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive

BEST SCREENPLAY
Joseph Cedar for Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Tom McCarthy for Win Win
Mike Mills for Beginners
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash for The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Another Earth
Director: Mike Cahill
Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker

In the Family
Director: Patrick Wang
Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang

Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor
Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto

Martha Marcy May Marlene
Director: Sean Durkin
Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond

Natural Selection
Director: Robbie Pickering
Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling for Another Earth
J.C. Chandor for Margin Call
Patrick deWitt for Terri
Phil Johnston for Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser for 50/50

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not listed

Bellflower
Writer/Director: Evan Glodell
Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw

Circumstance
Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee

1Hello Lonesome
Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid

Pariah
Writer/Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Nekisa Cooper

The Dynamiter
Writer: Brad Inglesby
Director: Matthew Gordon
Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Lauren Ambrose for Think of Me
Rachael Harris for Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye for Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
Demián Bichir for A Better Life
Jean Dujardin for The Artist
Ryan Gosling for Drive
Woody Harrelson for Rampart
Michael Shannon for Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessica Chastain for Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston for 50/50
Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana for Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley for The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Albert Brooks for Drive
John Hawkes for Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer for Beginners
John C. Reilly for Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll for Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joel Hodge for Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke for The Off Hours
Darius Khondji for Midnight in Paris
Guillaume Schiffman for The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron for The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
An African Election
Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz

Bill Cunningham New York
Director: Richard Press
Producer: Philip Gefter

The Interrupters
Director/Producer: Steve James
Producer: Alex Kotlowitz

The Redemption of General Butt Naked
Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion

We Were Here
Director/Producer: David Weissman

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
A Separation (Iran)
Director: Asghar Farhadi

Melancholia (Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany)
Director: Lars von Trier

Shame (UK)
Director: Steve McQueen

The Kid With a Bike (Belgium/France/Italy)
Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Tyrannosaur (UK)
Director: Paddy Considine

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci

FILMMAKER GRANT NOMINEES:

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Chad Burris for Mosquita y Mari
Sophia Lin for Take Shelter
Josh Mond for Martha Marcy May Marlene

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Simon Arthur for Silver Tongues
Mark Jackson for Without
Nicholas Ozeki for Mamitas

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Heather Courtney for Where Soldiers Come From
Danfung Dennis for Hell and Back Again
Alma Har’el for Bombay Beach

Review: Cool "STAR TREK" Reboot is All About Breathless Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2009) by Leroy Douresseaux

Star Trek (2009)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content
DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams
WRITERS: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (based upon the television “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCERS: J.J. Abrams and Daniel Lindelof
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dan Mindel (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER with elements of drama and comedy

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoë Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, and Tyler Perry

The new film, Star Trek, may be the 11th film in the movie franchise launched from the much-beloved 1960s television series, but it’s not just some sequel. Under the guiding hand of director J.J. Abrams and writers, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, this stunningly clever and wildly imaginative reboot is a fresh take on a venerable science fiction classic.

This sexy and new Star Trek is not a replacement for anything that has come before it. This is more than a facelift, tummy tuck, breast enhancement, etc. meant to make an old lady (or man) look as shiny and as new as all the other new fangled sci-fi franchises with whom Star Trek now shares the pop cultural landscape. This Star Trek is something new made from familiar ingredients, and it’s a damn good movie to boot!

Star Trek 2009 takes the audience back to the early days when future Captain James T. Kirk was a hot-rodding, delinquent. Actor Chris Pine plays Kirk with all of a young actor’s bravado, presenting Kirk as a tow-headed, rebel without a cause, but smarter than his actions indicate. Although the pre-captain Kirk acts like a loser, Pine’s performance makes sure that the audience marks Kirk as exceptional, even among the big brains at Starfleet Academy.

There’s no fun in having a cocksure Kirk without a Spock. In the hands of actor Zachary Quinto, Spock – all shiny bangs and elfin ears – is the control freak as proper gentleman, but beware the volcanic temper and impulsive streak that bubbles underneath. Not only is Spock smarter than everyone else (and lets them know it), he ain’t afraid to get his swerve on with the ladies!

Refusing to merely slink in the background as eye candy is this enchanting new Uhura, whom the gorgeous Zoë Saldana plays as super smart, super sexy, and super don’t-put-up-with-bullshit. This lovely lady ain’t too grand to show her soft and caring side with the man in her life, but she’ll go toe-to-toe with impulsive Starfleet officers. In this era of Oprah Winfrey, Condoleeza Rice, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Obama, it’s great to see such a strong, complicated woman of color like Saldana’s Uhura in pop culture, especially science fiction.

Star Trek’s plot revolves around a time-traveling, revenge-seeking, shaven-headed Romulan named Nero. Played with a kind of wrathful quietude by the exquisite Eric Bana, Nero is a Star Trek villain worthy of Khan and the Borg Queen. Piloting a giant, squid-octopus-like, planetoid drill, Nero is the Everyman turned murderous thug, and every time Nero unleashes his killing machine, this movie exudes the kind of special effects grandeur previous Star Treks never had. On the maiden voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise (all shiny and Macintosh-ed), this new, but elite crew must rescue its Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) from Nero’s clutches and stop the Romulan from destroying Earth. Oh, and the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy) plays an integral part in the story.

Everything about this new Star Trek is bright, sparkly, and cutting edge; it’s as if the film is constantly generating new visual effects every few seconds just to dazzle your eyes and blow your mind. The battle scenes remind me of the ones on the Sci-Fi Channel’s recent Battlestar Galactica series (itself a re-imagination of an old sci-fi franchise). Sometimes, this film even feels a little like a Star Wars movie (of which J.J. Abrams is fan). Even Simon Pegg’s hyperkinetic take on chief engineer Scotty is a joy to behold. Yes, this new Star Trek delivers the good. It’s not like most popcorn movies – practically gone from your mind within a few hours of leaving the theatre. Watching this Star Trek left me with good feelings, and it made me believe that Star Trek is once again ready to keep going boldly into the future.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, May 18, 2009

NOTES:
2010 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup” (Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, and Joel Harlow); 3 nominations: “Best Achievement in Sound” (Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson, and Peter J. Devlin), “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Mark P. Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin), and “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, and Burt Dalton)

2010 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Sound” (Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark P. Stoeckinger, and Ben Burtt) and “Best Special Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, and Burt Dalton)

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