A few days ago, the Directors Guild of America announced the five nominees for the organization's best director award: Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, Tom Hooper, and and David O. Russell. The nominee list for the best director Oscar usually sticks pretty close to the DGA selections. The most obvious names missing from this list are the brothers Joel and Ethan Coen (for True Grit).
I think many movie award watchers believe David O. Russell (The Fighter) may be the odd man out in favor of the Coens when the Oscar nominations are announced later this month. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Chris Nolan (for Inception) didn't get a best director Oscar nomination, as happened when he got a DGA nomination but not an Oscar nod for The Dark Knight in 2008, and also for Memento in 2001. Lord knows that Nolan fans want Oscar validation for him, and the Lord also knows that he should have received that validation already (although he did receive a screenplay Oscar nomination for Memento). Here, is the press release from the DGA:
LOS ANGELES, CA: Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2010.
"2011 marks the 75th anniversary of the DGA, making the celebration of this year's five nominees especially meaningful," said Hackford. "Their inspired films radiate the passion and unique vision of each of these filmmakers, who are about to become part of our Guild's rich history. My sincerest congratulations to all five nominees."
The winner will be named at the 63rd Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 29, 2011, at the Grand Ballroom of Hollywood and Highland.
DARREN ARONOFSKY
Black Swan
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Mr. Aronofsky’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jennifer Roth
First Assistant Director: Joseph Reidy
Second Assistant Director: Amy Lauritsen
Second Second Assistant Director: Travis Rehwaldt
Location Manager: Ronnie Kupferwasser
This is Mr. Aronofsky’s first DGA Feature Film Award Nomination.
DAVID FINCHER
The Social Network
(Columbia Pictures)
Mr. Fincher’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: JoAnn Perritano
First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
Second Assistant Director: Allen Kupetsky
Second Second Assistant Director: Maileen Williams
This is Mr. Fincher’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008. He previously won the DGA Commercial Award for Speed Chain (Nike), Gamebreakers (Nikegridiron.com), and Beauty for Sale (Xelibri Phones) in 2003 and was nominated in that category again in 2008.
TOM HOOPER
The King’s Speech
(The Weinstein Co.)
Mr. Hooper’s Directorial Team:
Production Manager: Erica Bensly
First Assistant Director: Martin Harrison
Second Assistant Director: Chris Stoaling
This is Mr. Hooper’s first DGA Feature Film Award Nomination. He was previously nominated for the DGA Award for Movies for Television/Miniseries for John Adams in 2008.
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Inception
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mr. Nolan’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jan Foster
First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
Second Assistant Director: Brandon Lambdin
Second Second Assistant Director: Greg Pawlik
Additional Second Assistant Director: Lauren Pasternack
This is Mr. Nolan’s third DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for The Dark Knight in 2008 and for Memento in 2001.
DAVID O. RUSSELL
The Fighter
(Paramount Pictures and The Weinstein Co.)
Mr. Russell’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mark Kamine
First Assistant Director: Michele Ziegler
Second Assistant Director: Xanthus Valan
Second Second Assistant Director: Timothy Blockburger
This is Mr. Russell’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.
www.dga.org/
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Review: "The Kids Are All Right" is Alright
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use
DIRECTOR: Lisa Cholodenko
WRITERS: Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
PRODUCERS: Gary Gilbert, Philippe Hellmann, Jordan Horowitz, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, and Daniela Taplin Lundberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Igor Jadue-Lillo (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jeffrey M. Werner
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell, Zosia Mamet, and Joaquin Garrido
The Kids Are All Right is a domestic drama, but isn’t like other dramas about the American nuclear family. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, the film focuses on a family lead by sax-sex parents who discover that their children have found their biological father.
Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a lesbian couple living in California. Each gave birth to a child via the same anonymous sperm donor. As she prepares to leave for college, 18-year-old Joni (Mia Wasikowska) acquiesces to a request by her brother, 15-year-old Laser (Josh Hutcherson), to discover the identity of their sperm donor dad. What they find is a small businessman living a bohemian lifestyle, and soon this person by the name of Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is part of the family. But how will he fit in, if he should fit in at all?
In some ways, The Kids Are All Right is sly. With its depictions of affairs, couples squabbling, marital sex, sullen teens, and assorted household dynamics and relationship dysfunction, the film seems to be the average family melodrama. However, the family at the heart of this film is not a normal family, as we generally think of what a normal family should be. Perhaps, the film’s writers, Stuart Blumber and director Lisa Cholodenko, tell this story in the way they do to show that a family headed by a same-sex couple will pretty much have the same ups and downs of a family headed by a man and his wife. This may be their sly and clever way of saying that gay couples are the same as straight couples. Well, they’re not, and that’s just fine.
In an attempt to create an average family drama around a same-sex couple, this film often seems contrived and even a little melodramatic. The Kids Are All Right is certainly a good film, with many fine performances. Annette Bening, who gives a layered and textured performance, however, stands out as genuine, real, and gritty in a film that seems too pat. Bening seems to embody the narrative’s urge to be more than just another indie drama, one with a need to be a carbon copy family dramedy with the straight parents swapped out for a gay couple.
In fact, The Kids Are All Right is really not about the children, which is disappointing because they are such good characters. Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson also give the kind of performances as Joni and Laser, respectively, that makes you really want to get to know them much more than you do.
This is not to say that the film is glaringly deficient. One of the things that makes it so attractive is that both the story and the characters seem to be searching for something more or something that is missing. Its charm is the same-sex nuclear family masquerading as straights, but the writers seem reticent about tearing off the masks and showing something different and really new. The Kids Are All Right, but everything could have been so much more.
7 of 10
B+
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
-----------------------------
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use
DIRECTOR: Lisa Cholodenko
WRITERS: Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
PRODUCERS: Gary Gilbert, Philippe Hellmann, Jordan Horowitz, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, and Daniela Taplin Lundberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Igor Jadue-Lillo (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jeffrey M. Werner
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell, Zosia Mamet, and Joaquin Garrido
The Kids Are All Right is a domestic drama, but isn’t like other dramas about the American nuclear family. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, the film focuses on a family lead by sax-sex parents who discover that their children have found their biological father.
Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a lesbian couple living in California. Each gave birth to a child via the same anonymous sperm donor. As she prepares to leave for college, 18-year-old Joni (Mia Wasikowska) acquiesces to a request by her brother, 15-year-old Laser (Josh Hutcherson), to discover the identity of their sperm donor dad. What they find is a small businessman living a bohemian lifestyle, and soon this person by the name of Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is part of the family. But how will he fit in, if he should fit in at all?
In some ways, The Kids Are All Right is sly. With its depictions of affairs, couples squabbling, marital sex, sullen teens, and assorted household dynamics and relationship dysfunction, the film seems to be the average family melodrama. However, the family at the heart of this film is not a normal family, as we generally think of what a normal family should be. Perhaps, the film’s writers, Stuart Blumber and director Lisa Cholodenko, tell this story in the way they do to show that a family headed by a same-sex couple will pretty much have the same ups and downs of a family headed by a man and his wife. This may be their sly and clever way of saying that gay couples are the same as straight couples. Well, they’re not, and that’s just fine.
In an attempt to create an average family drama around a same-sex couple, this film often seems contrived and even a little melodramatic. The Kids Are All Right is certainly a good film, with many fine performances. Annette Bening, who gives a layered and textured performance, however, stands out as genuine, real, and gritty in a film that seems too pat. Bening seems to embody the narrative’s urge to be more than just another indie drama, one with a need to be a carbon copy family dramedy with the straight parents swapped out for a gay couple.
In fact, The Kids Are All Right is really not about the children, which is disappointing because they are such good characters. Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson also give the kind of performances as Joni and Laser, respectively, that makes you really want to get to know them much more than you do.
This is not to say that the film is glaringly deficient. One of the things that makes it so attractive is that both the story and the characters seem to be searching for something more or something that is missing. Its charm is the same-sex nuclear family masquerading as straights, but the writers seem reticent about tearing off the masks and showing something different and really new. The Kids Are All Right, but everything could have been so much more.
7 of 10
B+
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
-----------------------------
Review: Annette Bening is Radiant in "Being Julia"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux
Being Julia (2004)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexuality
DIRECTOR: István Szabó
WRITER: Ronald Harwood (from the novel Theatre by W. Somerset Maugham)
PRODUCER: Robert Lantos
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lajos Koltai
EDITOR: Susan Shipton
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Shaun Evans, Michael Gambon, Juliet Stevenson, Miriam Margolyes, Bruce Greenwood, Lucy Punch, Tom Sturridge, Rosemary Harris, Rita Tushingham, and Denzal Sinclaire
Annette Bening earned an Oscar nomination (“Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role) for her searing, tour de force performance of feminine wiles and power in Being Julia. Rarely in these recent times has an actress torn up the screen the way Ms. Bening does here. In fact, her performance is worthy of comparisons to Betty Davis in All About Eve and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. Ms. Bening’s Julia is witty and sharp, and she plays her audience like a harp. Ms. Bening makes what would have been only another costume drama, a biting stage piece that works as a movie.
Set in London, circa 1938, Being Julia follows aging stage actress, Julia Lambert (Ms. Bening), who seeing her youth fading, is looking for some spark to ignite her passions. She demands that her husband, Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons), who is also her agent and a theatrical producer, give her an extended vacation. Although Michael is reluctant to do so, he gives in to Julia’s demands. However, Julia meets Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans), a young accountant who works for her husband. Tom is a great admirer of Julia’s, and he makes an advance on her one evening when he invites her to his small flat for tea. Although she first resists, Julia allows Tom to sweep her off her feet in an illicit affair and romance that, if discovered, could ruin her.
All is, however, not as Julia would want it. She must rediscover herself, reconnect with her husband, and open up to her somewhat estranged son, Roger Gosselyn (Tom Sturridge). Leaning on reliable friends such as her dresser Evie (Juliet Stevenson), her long time friend, Lord Charles (Bruce Greenwood), and the “spirit” of her drama teacher, Jimmie Langton (Michael Gambon), Julia searches for the balance between two worlds, the stage and life.
Ronald Harwood’s (The Dresser) script for Being Julia focuses on characters, with setting and story being backdrops, and he creates the kind of material a fine cast of actors can transform into a suite of mesmerizing performances that make us forget that the movie might be light on plot and glosses over its settings. Harwood makes even the bit parts juicy, and he makes what could have been a nuisance, Michael Gambon’s role as a kind of ghost, spirit, or figment of Julia’s imagination, Jimmie Langton, something to enhance Julia’s back story and history.
The film is also well directed, and the sets and costumes are equal to all but the most spectacular costume dramas and period films. But in the end, this film belongs to Annette Bening. She gives radiant, fiery life to Julia and makes the audience take this annoying woman into their hearts. Julia isn’t just compelling and winning, as a film character, she’s a beautiful painting created by a performing artist. Ms. Bening takes this character with a shallow personality and by the end of Being Julia, makes her whole.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2005 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Annette Bening)
2005 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Annette Bening)
Being Julia (2004)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexuality
DIRECTOR: István Szabó
WRITER: Ronald Harwood (from the novel Theatre by W. Somerset Maugham)
PRODUCER: Robert Lantos
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lajos Koltai
EDITOR: Susan Shipton
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Shaun Evans, Michael Gambon, Juliet Stevenson, Miriam Margolyes, Bruce Greenwood, Lucy Punch, Tom Sturridge, Rosemary Harris, Rita Tushingham, and Denzal Sinclaire
Annette Bening earned an Oscar nomination (“Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role) for her searing, tour de force performance of feminine wiles and power in Being Julia. Rarely in these recent times has an actress torn up the screen the way Ms. Bening does here. In fact, her performance is worthy of comparisons to Betty Davis in All About Eve and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. Ms. Bening’s Julia is witty and sharp, and she plays her audience like a harp. Ms. Bening makes what would have been only another costume drama, a biting stage piece that works as a movie.
Set in London, circa 1938, Being Julia follows aging stage actress, Julia Lambert (Ms. Bening), who seeing her youth fading, is looking for some spark to ignite her passions. She demands that her husband, Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons), who is also her agent and a theatrical producer, give her an extended vacation. Although Michael is reluctant to do so, he gives in to Julia’s demands. However, Julia meets Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans), a young accountant who works for her husband. Tom is a great admirer of Julia’s, and he makes an advance on her one evening when he invites her to his small flat for tea. Although she first resists, Julia allows Tom to sweep her off her feet in an illicit affair and romance that, if discovered, could ruin her.
All is, however, not as Julia would want it. She must rediscover herself, reconnect with her husband, and open up to her somewhat estranged son, Roger Gosselyn (Tom Sturridge). Leaning on reliable friends such as her dresser Evie (Juliet Stevenson), her long time friend, Lord Charles (Bruce Greenwood), and the “spirit” of her drama teacher, Jimmie Langton (Michael Gambon), Julia searches for the balance between two worlds, the stage and life.
Ronald Harwood’s (The Dresser) script for Being Julia focuses on characters, with setting and story being backdrops, and he creates the kind of material a fine cast of actors can transform into a suite of mesmerizing performances that make us forget that the movie might be light on plot and glosses over its settings. Harwood makes even the bit parts juicy, and he makes what could have been a nuisance, Michael Gambon’s role as a kind of ghost, spirit, or figment of Julia’s imagination, Jimmie Langton, something to enhance Julia’s back story and history.
The film is also well directed, and the sets and costumes are equal to all but the most spectacular costume dramas and period films. But in the end, this film belongs to Annette Bening. She gives radiant, fiery life to Julia and makes the audience take this annoying woman into their hearts. Julia isn’t just compelling and winning, as a film character, she’s a beautiful painting created by a performing artist. Ms. Bening takes this character with a shallow personality and by the end of Being Julia, makes her whole.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2005 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Annette Bening)
2005 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Annette Bening)
------------------------------------
Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis Join "The Hobbit"
Thanks to IMDb.com, I found this article at Aceshowbiz.com, which reports that Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis have signed on to reprise their Lord of the Rings role in The Hobbit movies. McKellan, who played Gandalf, and Serkis, who played Gollum, join Cate Blanchett and Elijah Wood, who are already signed to reprise their roles.
Orlando Bloom is still in talks to return as the elf Legolas. [NOTE: I loves me some Legolas.] Christopher Lee is reportedly in talks to return as the wizard Saruman, and Ian Holm may return as an older version of Bilbo Baggins.
Martin Freeman will portray the main character, (the younger) Bilbo Baggins. The Hobbit, based upon the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, will be adapted as two movies. Part 1 is scheduled to arrive in December 2012, and "The Hobbit 2" in December 2013.
Orlando Bloom is still in talks to return as the elf Legolas. [NOTE: I loves me some Legolas.] Christopher Lee is reportedly in talks to return as the wizard Saruman, and Ian Holm may return as an older version of Bilbo Baggins.
Martin Freeman will portray the main character, (the younger) Bilbo Baggins. The Hobbit, based upon the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, will be adapted as two movies. Part 1 is scheduled to arrive in December 2012, and "The Hobbit 2" in December 2013.
Monday, January 10, 2011
7 Films Compete for 3 "Best Makeup" Oscar Nominations
Press release:
7 Advance in Race for Makeup Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (January 10, 2011) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in competition in the Makeup category for the 83rd Academy Awards®.
The films are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Barney’s Version”
“The Fighter”
“Jonah Hex”
“True Grit”
“The Way Back”
“The Wolfman”
On Saturday, January 22, all members of the Academy’s Makeup Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.
The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
7 Advance in Race for Makeup Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (January 10, 2011) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in competition in the Makeup category for the 83rd Academy Awards®.
The films are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Barney’s Version”
“The Fighter”
“Jonah Hex”
“True Grit”
“The Way Back”
“The Wolfman”
On Saturday, January 22, all members of the Academy’s Makeup Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.
The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
"All About the Benjamins" Right On the Money
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux
All About the Benjamins (2002)
Running time: 95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality
DIRECTOR: Kevin Bray
WRITERS: Ronald Lang and Ice Cube
PRODUCERS: Matt Alvarez and Ice Cube
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Glen MacPherson
EDITOR: Suzanne Hines
ACTION/CRIME/COMEDY
Starring: Ice Cube, Michael Epps, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen Chaplin, Eva Mendes, Valarie Rae Miller, Anthony Giaimo, Roger Guenveur Smith, Anthony Michael Hall, and Bow Wow
Bucum (Ice Cube) is a Miami-based bail enforcement agent (bounty hunter). Reginald “Reggie” Wright (Michael Epps) is a conman and frequent quarry of Bucum’s. Reggie’s failed to show up for a court date, so Bucum is out for him again. Bucum spots Reggie exiting a small market where he’s just picked up a lottery ticket for his girl, Gina (Eva Mendes). During the chase, Reggie ducks into a van to hide. What he doesn’t know is that the vehicle belongs to the brother/sister criminal team of Julian Ramose (Roger Guenveur Smith) and Ursula (Carmen Chaplin). The siblings are involved in a double-cross/heist of $20 million in diamonds for their boss, Williamson (Tommy Flanagan). They discover Reggie in their van, and though he eludes them, he leaves behind his wallet, which, of course, contains the lottery ticket.
When Reggie and Gina discover that the ticket Reggie lost is the winner of a $60 million jackpot, they convince a reluctant Bucum to help them find Reggie’s wallet and the ticket before he brings Reggie to jail for missing that court date. One thing complicates it: Bucum also wants to find the $20 million in uncut diamonds and bring down Williamson for two reason: for his own reputation and to trump the cops.
All About the Benjamins is simply a very good buddy action movie. It doesn’t have the self-referential coolness of The Last Boy Scout, nor is it the trendsetter that 48 Hours and Lethal Weapon were, but it’s an engaging B-movie crime flick complete with violent hoods, sly conmen, and a rebellious bounty hunter out to get paid even if he has to take his cut off the side
Ice Cube isn’t a great actor (or a very good one for that matter), but he always gets an “A” for effort. He plays that belligerent Bucum as not quite an unstoppable badass, but as more as guy whose smartness “the Man” underestimates. Mike Epps does a neat turn as the conman Reggie who never seems to run out of one-liners, though this is not a good acting effort on his part. He overacts, badly at times, but his comic sensibilities somewhat save the performance. This was Eva Mendes’ first shot as an action movie chick, but even here she shows the excellent comic timing, acting ability, and star quality that earned her some nice supporting roles next to big stars (Denzel Washington in Out of Time and Will Smith in Hitch). Also look for the usually small, but nice appearance by Roger Geunveur Smith.
6 of 10
B
Monday, February 20, 2006
All About the Benjamins (2002)
Running time: 95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality
DIRECTOR: Kevin Bray
WRITERS: Ronald Lang and Ice Cube
PRODUCERS: Matt Alvarez and Ice Cube
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Glen MacPherson
EDITOR: Suzanne Hines
ACTION/CRIME/COMEDY
Starring: Ice Cube, Michael Epps, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen Chaplin, Eva Mendes, Valarie Rae Miller, Anthony Giaimo, Roger Guenveur Smith, Anthony Michael Hall, and Bow Wow
Bucum (Ice Cube) is a Miami-based bail enforcement agent (bounty hunter). Reginald “Reggie” Wright (Michael Epps) is a conman and frequent quarry of Bucum’s. Reggie’s failed to show up for a court date, so Bucum is out for him again. Bucum spots Reggie exiting a small market where he’s just picked up a lottery ticket for his girl, Gina (Eva Mendes). During the chase, Reggie ducks into a van to hide. What he doesn’t know is that the vehicle belongs to the brother/sister criminal team of Julian Ramose (Roger Guenveur Smith) and Ursula (Carmen Chaplin). The siblings are involved in a double-cross/heist of $20 million in diamonds for their boss, Williamson (Tommy Flanagan). They discover Reggie in their van, and though he eludes them, he leaves behind his wallet, which, of course, contains the lottery ticket.
When Reggie and Gina discover that the ticket Reggie lost is the winner of a $60 million jackpot, they convince a reluctant Bucum to help them find Reggie’s wallet and the ticket before he brings Reggie to jail for missing that court date. One thing complicates it: Bucum also wants to find the $20 million in uncut diamonds and bring down Williamson for two reason: for his own reputation and to trump the cops.
All About the Benjamins is simply a very good buddy action movie. It doesn’t have the self-referential coolness of The Last Boy Scout, nor is it the trendsetter that 48 Hours and Lethal Weapon were, but it’s an engaging B-movie crime flick complete with violent hoods, sly conmen, and a rebellious bounty hunter out to get paid even if he has to take his cut off the side
Ice Cube isn’t a great actor (or a very good one for that matter), but he always gets an “A” for effort. He plays that belligerent Bucum as not quite an unstoppable badass, but as more as guy whose smartness “the Man” underestimates. Mike Epps does a neat turn as the conman Reggie who never seems to run out of one-liners, though this is not a good acting effort on his part. He overacts, badly at times, but his comic sensibilities somewhat save the performance. This was Eva Mendes’ first shot as an action movie chick, but even here she shows the excellent comic timing, acting ability, and star quality that earned her some nice supporting roles next to big stars (Denzel Washington in Out of Time and Will Smith in Hitch). Also look for the usually small, but nice appearance by Roger Geunveur Smith.
6 of 10
B
Monday, February 20, 2006
Sunday, January 9, 2011
"The Social Network" Dominates the National Society of Film Critics Awards
The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966. Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States. Current members include some of my favorite film critics: Roger Ebert, David Edelstein, and J. Hoberman, among others. The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).
The group announced its 2010 winners yesterday (Sat., Jan. 8th). As has been the trend do far, The Social Network wins a "Best Picture" honor.
2010 National Society of Film Critics Winners:
Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher – The Social Network
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network
Best Actress: Giovanna Mezzogiorno – Vincere
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush – The King's Speech
Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Williams – The Ghost Writer
Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins – True Grit
Best Foreign Language Film: Carlos
Best Film - Non-Fiction: Inside Job
Readers who go to http://www.nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/ can see the top three finishers in each category, see who the special honorees are, and read the statements the group issued with this year's awards.
The group announced its 2010 winners yesterday (Sat., Jan. 8th). As has been the trend do far, The Social Network wins a "Best Picture" honor.
2010 National Society of Film Critics Winners:
Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher – The Social Network
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network
Best Actress: Giovanna Mezzogiorno – Vincere
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush – The King's Speech
Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Williams – The Ghost Writer
Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins – True Grit
Best Foreign Language Film: Carlos
Best Film - Non-Fiction: Inside Job
Readers who go to http://www.nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/ can see the top three finishers in each category, see who the special honorees are, and read the statements the group issued with this year's awards.
Review: "Toy Story 3" is Really Good; So What Else is New?
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Running time: 103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA - G
DIRECTOR: Lee Unkrich
WRITERS: Michael Arndt; from a story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich
PRODUCER: Darla K. Anderson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Jeremy Lasky (D.o.P.) and Kim White (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Ken Schretzmann
COMPOSER: Randy Newman
ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/
ADVENTURE/FAMILY
Starring: (voices) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Laurie Metcalf, Blake Clark, and Whoopi Goldberg
It was an 11-year wait for a sequel to Toy Story 2. The beloved, computer-animated Toy Story film franchise closes with Toy Story 3. The creation of Pixar Animation Studios (Monsters, Inc., Up), Toy Story 3 opened to near universal acclaim and record-setting box office, so I don’t know what more I can say. I was spellbound by the previous films. If I’d had a vote, I would have voted the first two Toy Story movies the best picture Oscar winners for 1995 and 1999, respectively.
Toy Story 3 begins with 17-year-old Andy Davis (John Morris) packing as he prepares to head off to college. Andy has not played with his toys in years, but he decides to take Woody (Tom Hanks) to college with him and store the other toys in the attic. Of course, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the toys are disappointed. However, when Andy’s mom, Mrs. Davis (Laurie Metcalf), mistakenly throws them out, they’re furious. They climb into a box of stuff to be donated to Sunnyside Daycare. They also refuse to listen to Woody when he tries to explain that Mrs. Davis’ action was a mistake.
Andy’s toys are enthusiastically welcomed by the numerous toys at Sunnyside. The leader of the Sunnyside toys, Lots O’-Huggin Bear a.k.a. “Lotso” (Ned Beatty), gives the newcomers a tour. Andy’s toys quickly become enamored with their new home, and Woody is forced to leave without them in his attempt to return home to Andy. However, all is not sunny at Sunnyside, and so, a thrilling rescue mission and breathless adventure ensue before they return home, again.
Lots O’-animated movies blend adventure, comedy, and emotion, some more deftly than others, but the difference is that in every Pixar film, the emotions are always honest and genuine. Even with expectations so high for Toy Story 3, Pixar still managed to produce a movie that charmed, captivated, and moved audiences so deeply, even making grown men cry at the end.
Starting with the first film, I was not surprised that a 3D digitally animated film about plastic toys could charm us. I’ve been watching the work of animators and filmmakers of animated movies entertain, impress, and dazzle for decades. The more talented the animators, the more they are able to match the power of live-action film, and sometimes even surpass the work of the best live-action filmmakers. Toy Story 3 is clever and exhilarating, poignant and stirring, and amusing and sometimes just plain funny.
Still, I can say the above about a lot of Pixar productions, but this time there is something a bit darker and perhaps, more special about this movie. The story echoes themes of death and endings, betrayal and bitterness, and change and new beginnings – with children’s playthings as the characters. It is like classic juvenile literature that speaks to all of us. That’s it. Toy Story 3 is great.
10 of 10
Sunday, January 09, 2011
------------------------
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Running time: 103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA - G
DIRECTOR: Lee Unkrich
WRITERS: Michael Arndt; from a story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich
PRODUCER: Darla K. Anderson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Jeremy Lasky (D.o.P.) and Kim White (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Ken Schretzmann
COMPOSER: Randy Newman
ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/
ADVENTURE/FAMILY
Starring: (voices) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Laurie Metcalf, Blake Clark, and Whoopi Goldberg
It was an 11-year wait for a sequel to Toy Story 2. The beloved, computer-animated Toy Story film franchise closes with Toy Story 3. The creation of Pixar Animation Studios (Monsters, Inc., Up), Toy Story 3 opened to near universal acclaim and record-setting box office, so I don’t know what more I can say. I was spellbound by the previous films. If I’d had a vote, I would have voted the first two Toy Story movies the best picture Oscar winners for 1995 and 1999, respectively.
Toy Story 3 begins with 17-year-old Andy Davis (John Morris) packing as he prepares to head off to college. Andy has not played with his toys in years, but he decides to take Woody (Tom Hanks) to college with him and store the other toys in the attic. Of course, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the toys are disappointed. However, when Andy’s mom, Mrs. Davis (Laurie Metcalf), mistakenly throws them out, they’re furious. They climb into a box of stuff to be donated to Sunnyside Daycare. They also refuse to listen to Woody when he tries to explain that Mrs. Davis’ action was a mistake.
Andy’s toys are enthusiastically welcomed by the numerous toys at Sunnyside. The leader of the Sunnyside toys, Lots O’-Huggin Bear a.k.a. “Lotso” (Ned Beatty), gives the newcomers a tour. Andy’s toys quickly become enamored with their new home, and Woody is forced to leave without them in his attempt to return home to Andy. However, all is not sunny at Sunnyside, and so, a thrilling rescue mission and breathless adventure ensue before they return home, again.
Lots O’-animated movies blend adventure, comedy, and emotion, some more deftly than others, but the difference is that in every Pixar film, the emotions are always honest and genuine. Even with expectations so high for Toy Story 3, Pixar still managed to produce a movie that charmed, captivated, and moved audiences so deeply, even making grown men cry at the end.
Starting with the first film, I was not surprised that a 3D digitally animated film about plastic toys could charm us. I’ve been watching the work of animators and filmmakers of animated movies entertain, impress, and dazzle for decades. The more talented the animators, the more they are able to match the power of live-action film, and sometimes even surpass the work of the best live-action filmmakers. Toy Story 3 is clever and exhilarating, poignant and stirring, and amusing and sometimes just plain funny.
Still, I can say the above about a lot of Pixar productions, but this time there is something a bit darker and perhaps, more special about this movie. The story echoes themes of death and endings, betrayal and bitterness, and change and new beginnings – with children’s playthings as the characters. It is like classic juvenile literature that speaks to all of us. That’s it. Toy Story 3 is great.
10 of 10
Sunday, January 09, 2011
------------------------
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Southeastern Film Critics Show "The Social Network" Southern Hospitality
Since 1992, the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) seeks to "promote the art of film criticism, the ethics of journalism and the camaraderie of peers among professionals working in the print, radio and online media in the Southeast." Like practically every other film critics organization, they chose The Social Network as their "Best Picture."
2010 SEFCA Winners:
Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Best Ensemble: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, The King's Speech
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Foreign-Language Film: Mother (South Korea)
Best Documentary: Inside Job
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, True Grit
Wyatt Award: Winter's Bone (The Wyatt is given in memory of late SEFCA member Gene Wyatt, and is awarded to a film that captures the spirit of the South.)
TOP TEN FILMS of 2010
1. The Social Network
2. The King's Speech
3. Winter's Bone
4. Black Swan
5. Inception
6. True Grit
7. Toy Story 3
8. 127 Hours
9. The Fighter
10. The Kids Are All Right
http://www.sefca.org/
2010 SEFCA Winners:
Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Best Ensemble: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, The King's Speech
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Foreign-Language Film: Mother (South Korea)
Best Documentary: Inside Job
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, True Grit
Wyatt Award: Winter's Bone (The Wyatt is given in memory of late SEFCA member Gene Wyatt, and is awarded to a film that captures the spirit of the South.)
TOP TEN FILMS of 2010
1. The Social Network
2. The King's Speech
3. Winter's Bone
4. Black Swan
5. Inception
6. True Grit
7. Toy Story 3
8. 127 Hours
9. The Fighter
10. The Kids Are All Right
http://www.sefca.org/
Review: Go Have Fun with Pulp Fiction-Inspired "GO" (Happy B'day, Sarah Polley)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 47 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
Go (1999)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong drug content, sexuality, language and some violence
DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER: Doug Liman
WRITER: John August
PRODUCERS: Matt Freeman Mickey Liddell, and Paul Rosenberg
EDITOR: Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER: BT and Moby
COMEDY/CRIME/DRAMA
Starring: Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Desmond Askew, Timothy Olyphant, William Fichtner, Breckin Meyer, and Taye Diggs
Some have compared it to Pulp Fiction, and Go, a film from Doug Liman (Swingers), certainly bears some similarities to Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning film. Go is alternately a dark, teen comedy, a delirious action movie, a snarky crime caper, and a candy coated Tarantino movie for the late teen/early 20’s set.
On first glance, Go seems to tell the story of the events that happen after a drug deal. The real launching point is simply the changing of work shifts between two young working stiffs at a small grocery store. From there, Go is three interconnected short movies, in which many of the characters from each short movie encounter one another. In that sense, it is similar to Pulp Fiction, but only stylistically and superficially.
In one story, Ronna Martin (Sarah Polley) tries to raise rent money by selling ecstasy to two men (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf) looking to buy from her co-worker, Simon Baines (Desmond Askew), who normally deals drugs. When Ronna is forced to ditch the drugs, she has to scam Simon’s supplier, a nasty little thug named, Todd (Timothy Olyphant), to whom she now owes some drug money.
Meanwhile, in the second story, Simon tears through Las Vegas with four buds. Simon and one of his pals, Marcus (Taye Diggs), find themselves in an awful mess at a strip club and on the fun from the owners.
In the third story, Adam (Wolf) and Zack (Mohr) find themselves in a predicament over drugs with the police. Their situation becomes more precarious when an undercover officer shows special interests in the two buddies, and the drama doesn’t let up when the two later become involved in a hit and run.
Go is a comedy, although there are times when it seems too dangerous to be funny, but even those tense moments unravel and reveal themselves to be uproarious situations. John August’s script is filled with over the top moments that make sense in a strange way instead of simply being over the top or just too much. It’s outlandish and absurd, but stunningly well put together. The movie plays at being very violent, but it’s mostly cartoonish, as if the film won’t quite acknowledge how painful violence can be. Or maybe, this is just part of the hedonistic life the film portrays. It’s all done in fun, and at the end of the day, all the players get to walk away from their various little “car wrecks,” though maybe an occasional fatal mistake would teach them all a lesson. Well, maybe not. They’d be slacking, doing drugs, and playing with guns the very day after burying a homie who shot himself playing with a gun or overdosing on ecstasy.
I give Liman much credit for directed this very funny film. It’s slick and glossy, but incredibly well executed. On the surface, it might seem like a rave culture version of Pulp Fiction, though it does owe more than a nodding acknowledgement to that film. However, it’s a modern, violent physical comedy where each actor and filmmaker has to hit his marks. Liman plays with incredible timing, and most of the time he gets it right. One misstep, and the film falls apart. Luckily, the film doesn’t begin to shake to pieces until the very end, but up until the closing scenes, Go is near flawless and near perfect. I’ve rarely laughed so hard at something so obviously meant to be eye candy. But Liman’s film is gourmet candy, thoughtfully concocted by a director determined to give his audience a good show. Most Tarantino clones were content simply to copy, whereas Liman and screenwriter John August were determined to give us a lurid taste of pulp fiction made from their own very best recipe.
7 of 10
B+
Go (1999)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong drug content, sexuality, language and some violence
DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER: Doug Liman
WRITER: John August
PRODUCERS: Matt Freeman Mickey Liddell, and Paul Rosenberg
EDITOR: Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER: BT and Moby
COMEDY/CRIME/DRAMA
Starring: Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Desmond Askew, Timothy Olyphant, William Fichtner, Breckin Meyer, and Taye Diggs
Some have compared it to Pulp Fiction, and Go, a film from Doug Liman (Swingers), certainly bears some similarities to Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning film. Go is alternately a dark, teen comedy, a delirious action movie, a snarky crime caper, and a candy coated Tarantino movie for the late teen/early 20’s set.
On first glance, Go seems to tell the story of the events that happen after a drug deal. The real launching point is simply the changing of work shifts between two young working stiffs at a small grocery store. From there, Go is three interconnected short movies, in which many of the characters from each short movie encounter one another. In that sense, it is similar to Pulp Fiction, but only stylistically and superficially.
In one story, Ronna Martin (Sarah Polley) tries to raise rent money by selling ecstasy to two men (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf) looking to buy from her co-worker, Simon Baines (Desmond Askew), who normally deals drugs. When Ronna is forced to ditch the drugs, she has to scam Simon’s supplier, a nasty little thug named, Todd (Timothy Olyphant), to whom she now owes some drug money.
Meanwhile, in the second story, Simon tears through Las Vegas with four buds. Simon and one of his pals, Marcus (Taye Diggs), find themselves in an awful mess at a strip club and on the fun from the owners.
In the third story, Adam (Wolf) and Zack (Mohr) find themselves in a predicament over drugs with the police. Their situation becomes more precarious when an undercover officer shows special interests in the two buddies, and the drama doesn’t let up when the two later become involved in a hit and run.
Go is a comedy, although there are times when it seems too dangerous to be funny, but even those tense moments unravel and reveal themselves to be uproarious situations. John August’s script is filled with over the top moments that make sense in a strange way instead of simply being over the top or just too much. It’s outlandish and absurd, but stunningly well put together. The movie plays at being very violent, but it’s mostly cartoonish, as if the film won’t quite acknowledge how painful violence can be. Or maybe, this is just part of the hedonistic life the film portrays. It’s all done in fun, and at the end of the day, all the players get to walk away from their various little “car wrecks,” though maybe an occasional fatal mistake would teach them all a lesson. Well, maybe not. They’d be slacking, doing drugs, and playing with guns the very day after burying a homie who shot himself playing with a gun or overdosing on ecstasy.
I give Liman much credit for directed this very funny film. It’s slick and glossy, but incredibly well executed. On the surface, it might seem like a rave culture version of Pulp Fiction, though it does owe more than a nodding acknowledgement to that film. However, it’s a modern, violent physical comedy where each actor and filmmaker has to hit his marks. Liman plays with incredible timing, and most of the time he gets it right. One misstep, and the film falls apart. Luckily, the film doesn’t begin to shake to pieces until the very end, but up until the closing scenes, Go is near flawless and near perfect. I’ve rarely laughed so hard at something so obviously meant to be eye candy. But Liman’s film is gourmet candy, thoughtfully concocted by a director determined to give his audience a good show. Most Tarantino clones were content simply to copy, whereas Liman and screenwriter John August were determined to give us a lurid taste of pulp fiction made from their own very best recipe.
7 of 10
B+
It Ain't Bragging if it's True, Eh, Warner Bros.?
Warner Bros. Pictures Group Earns Triple Crown for 2010
The Studio Takes This Year’s Top Spots in Domestic Market Share with $1.884 Billion; International Market Share with $2.930 Billion; and Worldwide Market Share for the Second Consecutive Year with $4.814 Billion
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with a 2010 gross of $4.814 billion, which surpasses the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by Warner Bros. in 2009). The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
Setting new benchmarks for both the international and global box office grosses in 2010 and retaining the domestic box office number one ranking (after achieving a record gross in 2009), the Studio now holds the industry record in all three categories. Additionally, Warner Bros. surpassed its own worldwide gross from the previous year by $800 million to earn the number one position in worldwide market share for the second consecutive year and for the sixth time in the past 10 years, also an industry record.
“We are so proud of these incredible accomplishments, which were made possible through the global efforts of an exceptional group of people who collaborated to create, produce, market, and distribute more than two dozen films this past year,” said Robinov. “We have a terrific leadership team behind these efforts, including Sue Kroll, Dan Fellman and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, and, along with Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, I applaud everyone who contributed to this year’s record-breaking success.”
Warner Bros. Pictures’ domestic gross is estimated at $1.884 billion, making it number one in domestic market share for 2010. This is the third year in a row the Studio has held that crown and is the only studio to exceed the $1 billion threshold domestically for 10 consecutive years. Warner Bros. has been ranked either one or two domestically for seven of the last 10 years. The Studio had five films gross over $100 million domestically in 2010 – “Inception,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “Due Date.”
“Our tentpole strategy combined with a remarkably diverse overall slate has once again proved enormously profitable at the box office,” said Dan Fellman, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We could not be more proud of the Studio’s achievements this year.”
Warner Bros. Pictures International set a new industry record in overseas box office with an estimated $2.930 billion year-end gross, breaking the previous industry record of $2.450 billion in 2009. This is the tenth consecutive year the Studio has exceeded $1 billion and third time it has surpassed $2 billion in international box office receipts. The Studio has had seven films gross more than $100 million internationally in 2010 – “Sherlock Holmes” ($264 million, for a total of $315 million, including 2009’s take); “Valentine’s Day” ($106 million); “Clash of the Titans” ($330 million); “Sex and the City 2” ($193 million); “Inception” ($531 million); “Due Date” ($100 million); and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ($611 million, and still in release).
“We’re elated to reach these incredible numbers internationally,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International. “This achievement is a testament to the company’s strategy to make event films with global appeal, and it would not have been possible without the hard work and innovative thinking from our outstanding marketing and distribution teams around the world.”
Among the Studio’s 2011 releases are “Red Riding Hood,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke; the Zack Snyder-directed action fantasy “Sucker Punch”; “The Hangover Part II,” the sequel to the 2009 breakout hit; “Green Lantern,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the popular DC Comics title, starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively; the conclusion of the most successful film franchise of all time, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”; “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling; Steven Soderbergh’s thriller “Contagion,” with an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon; “Happy Feet 2,” the sequel to the 2006 Academy Award®-winning animated musical hit; New Line Cinema’s “New Year’s Eve,” an all-star ensemble romantic comedy from director Garry Marshall; and “Sherlock Holmes II,” Guy Ritchie’s follow up to the 2009 hit, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
The Studio Takes This Year’s Top Spots in Domestic Market Share with $1.884 Billion; International Market Share with $2.930 Billion; and Worldwide Market Share for the Second Consecutive Year with $4.814 Billion
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with a 2010 gross of $4.814 billion, which surpasses the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by Warner Bros. in 2009). The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
Setting new benchmarks for both the international and global box office grosses in 2010 and retaining the domestic box office number one ranking (after achieving a record gross in 2009), the Studio now holds the industry record in all three categories. Additionally, Warner Bros. surpassed its own worldwide gross from the previous year by $800 million to earn the number one position in worldwide market share for the second consecutive year and for the sixth time in the past 10 years, also an industry record.
“We are so proud of these incredible accomplishments, which were made possible through the global efforts of an exceptional group of people who collaborated to create, produce, market, and distribute more than two dozen films this past year,” said Robinov. “We have a terrific leadership team behind these efforts, including Sue Kroll, Dan Fellman and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, and, along with Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, I applaud everyone who contributed to this year’s record-breaking success.”
Warner Bros. Pictures’ domestic gross is estimated at $1.884 billion, making it number one in domestic market share for 2010. This is the third year in a row the Studio has held that crown and is the only studio to exceed the $1 billion threshold domestically for 10 consecutive years. Warner Bros. has been ranked either one or two domestically for seven of the last 10 years. The Studio had five films gross over $100 million domestically in 2010 – “Inception,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “Due Date.”
“Our tentpole strategy combined with a remarkably diverse overall slate has once again proved enormously profitable at the box office,” said Dan Fellman, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We could not be more proud of the Studio’s achievements this year.”
Warner Bros. Pictures International set a new industry record in overseas box office with an estimated $2.930 billion year-end gross, breaking the previous industry record of $2.450 billion in 2009. This is the tenth consecutive year the Studio has exceeded $1 billion and third time it has surpassed $2 billion in international box office receipts. The Studio has had seven films gross more than $100 million internationally in 2010 – “Sherlock Holmes” ($264 million, for a total of $315 million, including 2009’s take); “Valentine’s Day” ($106 million); “Clash of the Titans” ($330 million); “Sex and the City 2” ($193 million); “Inception” ($531 million); “Due Date” ($100 million); and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ($611 million, and still in release).
“We’re elated to reach these incredible numbers internationally,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International. “This achievement is a testament to the company’s strategy to make event films with global appeal, and it would not have been possible without the hard work and innovative thinking from our outstanding marketing and distribution teams around the world.”
Among the Studio’s 2011 releases are “Red Riding Hood,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke; the Zack Snyder-directed action fantasy “Sucker Punch”; “The Hangover Part II,” the sequel to the 2009 breakout hit; “Green Lantern,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the popular DC Comics title, starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively; the conclusion of the most successful film franchise of all time, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”; “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling; Steven Soderbergh’s thriller “Contagion,” with an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon; “Happy Feet 2,” the sequel to the 2006 Academy Award®-winning animated musical hit; New Line Cinema’s “New Year’s Eve,” an all-star ensemble romantic comedy from director Garry Marshall; and “Sherlock Holmes II,” Guy Ritchie’s follow up to the 2009 hit, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
Review: Walt Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is Still Glorious Three Decades Later
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Running time: 84 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
WRITERS: Linda Woolverton; from a story by Brenda Chapman, Burny Mattinson, Brian Pimental, Joe Ranft, Kelly Asbury, Christopher Sanders, Kevin Harkey, Bruce Woodside, Tom Ellery and Robert Lence (based upon the story by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont)
PRODUCER: Don Hahn
EDITORS: John Carnochan with Bill Wilner
COMPOSER: Alan Menken
SONGS: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
Academy Award winner
ANIMATION/FANTASY/ROMANCE/COMEDY with elements of action
Starring: (voices) Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bradley Pierce, Rex Everhart, and Jesse Corti
Until a few days ago, I hadn’t watched the entirety of Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 19 years, and after enjoying it as much as I did recently, I can say that this tale did not grow old with time. Beauty and the Beast is still dazzling… and timeless.
Disney’s film is based on the fairy tale La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and also takes a view elements from the 1946 French film based upon the same fairy tale. This animated take on a classic fairy tale is set in 18th century France and focuses on two characters.
First, there is Beast (Robby Benson). He was once a cold-hearted young prince transformed by an enchantress into a monster. Now, he is virtually a prisoner inside his forlorn castle. The second is Belle (Paige O’Hara), an unusual young woman who lives in nearby village with her inventor father, Maurice (Rex Everhart). Belle spends her days reading books and yearning for a life beyond her provincial village. She does have a suitor, Gaston (Richard White), a conceited local hero and fearsome hunter, but Belle has no interest in him.
When her father becomes the Beast’s prisoner, Belle offers herself in his place. Although she is cold and aloof to the Beast, Belle warms to his servants, a large group of magical, talking furniture and household times, including Lumière (Jerry Orbach), the candelabra and maître d’; Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), the clock and majordomo, and Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), the teapot and head of the castle’s kitchens. They all hope that Belle falls in love with the Beast, because only love can unravel the curse that hangs over them and the castle. But time is running out!
Beauty and the Beast is a Broadway style musical like the 1989 Walt Disney animated feature, The Little Mermaid. Here the songs, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, both move the narrative forward and embellish the story’s mood and themes. In fact, the moods, emotions, and colors of the songs themselves are vivid and clear; on their own, they’re memorable numbers that will stay with you long after you’ve seen this movie.
The quality of the songs actually symbolizes everything that is terrific about this movie. The mix of hand-drawn animation and computer-generated imagery and computer-aided coloring blend seamlessly and do nothing to keep Beauty and the Beast from looking like it belongs with Disney’s animated classics of the past. The lush, sparkling colors and lavish set designs bring the fairytale to life and make it feel magical.
The fluid animation, the hallmark of Walt Disney animation (often described as creating the illusion of life) is clearly evident in this film. Combine that quality of animation with the excellent performances of the voice actors and the endearing characters not only spring to life; they are also hard to forget – even after 19 years. I am sure that I will continue to watch Beauty and the Beast, but this time I won’t wait so long to visit my friends again.
10 of 10
NOTES:
1992 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Music, Original Score” (Alan Menken) and “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Beauty and the Beast"); 4 nominations: “Best Picture” (Don Hahn), “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Belle"), “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Be Our Guest"), and “Best Sound” (Terry Porter, Mel Metcalfe, David J. Hudson, and Doc Kan)
1993 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Original Film Score” (Alan Menken and Howard Ashman) and “Best Special Effects” (Randy Fullmer)
1992 Golden Globes: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken) and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Beauty and the Beast"); 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Be Our Guest")
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Running time: 84 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
WRITERS: Linda Woolverton; from a story by Brenda Chapman, Burny Mattinson, Brian Pimental, Joe Ranft, Kelly Asbury, Christopher Sanders, Kevin Harkey, Bruce Woodside, Tom Ellery and Robert Lence (based upon the story by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont)
PRODUCER: Don Hahn
EDITORS: John Carnochan with Bill Wilner
COMPOSER: Alan Menken
SONGS: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
Academy Award winner
ANIMATION/FANTASY/ROMANCE/COMEDY with elements of action
Starring: (voices) Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bradley Pierce, Rex Everhart, and Jesse Corti
Until a few days ago, I hadn’t watched the entirety of Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 19 years, and after enjoying it as much as I did recently, I can say that this tale did not grow old with time. Beauty and the Beast is still dazzling… and timeless.
Disney’s film is based on the fairy tale La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and also takes a view elements from the 1946 French film based upon the same fairy tale. This animated take on a classic fairy tale is set in 18th century France and focuses on two characters.
First, there is Beast (Robby Benson). He was once a cold-hearted young prince transformed by an enchantress into a monster. Now, he is virtually a prisoner inside his forlorn castle. The second is Belle (Paige O’Hara), an unusual young woman who lives in nearby village with her inventor father, Maurice (Rex Everhart). Belle spends her days reading books and yearning for a life beyond her provincial village. She does have a suitor, Gaston (Richard White), a conceited local hero and fearsome hunter, but Belle has no interest in him.
When her father becomes the Beast’s prisoner, Belle offers herself in his place. Although she is cold and aloof to the Beast, Belle warms to his servants, a large group of magical, talking furniture and household times, including Lumière (Jerry Orbach), the candelabra and maître d’; Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), the clock and majordomo, and Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), the teapot and head of the castle’s kitchens. They all hope that Belle falls in love with the Beast, because only love can unravel the curse that hangs over them and the castle. But time is running out!
Beauty and the Beast is a Broadway style musical like the 1989 Walt Disney animated feature, The Little Mermaid. Here the songs, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, both move the narrative forward and embellish the story’s mood and themes. In fact, the moods, emotions, and colors of the songs themselves are vivid and clear; on their own, they’re memorable numbers that will stay with you long after you’ve seen this movie.
The quality of the songs actually symbolizes everything that is terrific about this movie. The mix of hand-drawn animation and computer-generated imagery and computer-aided coloring blend seamlessly and do nothing to keep Beauty and the Beast from looking like it belongs with Disney’s animated classics of the past. The lush, sparkling colors and lavish set designs bring the fairytale to life and make it feel magical.
The fluid animation, the hallmark of Walt Disney animation (often described as creating the illusion of life) is clearly evident in this film. Combine that quality of animation with the excellent performances of the voice actors and the endearing characters not only spring to life; they are also hard to forget – even after 19 years. I am sure that I will continue to watch Beauty and the Beast, but this time I won’t wait so long to visit my friends again.
10 of 10
NOTES:
1992 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Music, Original Score” (Alan Menken) and “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Beauty and the Beast"); 4 nominations: “Best Picture” (Don Hahn), “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Belle"), “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Be Our Guest"), and “Best Sound” (Terry Porter, Mel Metcalfe, David J. Hudson, and Doc Kan)
1993 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Original Film Score” (Alan Menken and Howard Ashman) and “Best Special Effects” (Randy Fullmer)
1992 Golden Globes: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken) and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Beauty and the Beast"); 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Be Our Guest")
Saturday, January 08, 2011
---------------------------
Friday, January 7, 2011
Roger Ebert Relaunches "At the Movies" on Public Television
Press release:
ROGER EBERT ANNOUNCES FILM CRITIC IGNATIY VISHNEVETSKY AS NEW CO-HOST OF EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES
CHICAGO, January 4, 2011 - Ebert Productions is proud to announce that Ignatiy Vishnevetsky has joined the team at Ebert Presents At the Movies. Vishnevetsky will accompany the previously announced Christy Lemire of The Associated Press as co-host on the new weekly program. The show is scheduled to debut on January 21st on public television stations across the country, representing almost 90% national coverage and will be produced in Chicago at WTTW, where Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert began taping the legendary "Sneak Previews" some 35 years ago. It will be distributed by American Public Television (APT).
Fans of the original shows will be pleased to find that in addition to serving as co-producer of the show, Roger Ebert will also host a special segment each week and had direct input into the selection of the show's host critics including Chicago-based Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (Ig.nah.tee) (Vish.na.vet.ski). Hearing him discuss films in the Lake Street Screening Room used by Chicago critics, Ebert said, "I was struck by the depth and detail of his film knowledge, and by how articulate he was." After reading his work online, Ebert was sold.
Vishnevetsky is a critic and essayist for Mubi.com, a new multi-national streaming online cinematheque. Ignatiy moved to America from Russia when he was not quite 9. He graduated from high school in Milwaukee and then moved to Chicago, "because I could find more films to see here." He is a co-founder of the acclaimed Cine-File.info, and continues to write criticism for it on a weekly basis. He is also a contributor to The Chicago Reader, and helps program the current Cine-File Selects series at the University of Chicago's Doc Fims, the nation's oldest film society. Prior to becoming a film critic, Vishnevetsky, who is multi-lingual, worked as a translator for Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, Russia's premier literary journal.
Vishnevetsky will go head to head each week with Christy Lemire, who has been reviewing movies for The Associated Press for 12 years and was named the first full-time film critic in the news organization's history in 2004. Christy filled in for Roger Ebert several times on "At the Movies" in 2007 and has appeared on "The Charlie Rose Show," "Good Morning America" and "The View," to name a few. She also covers the Oscars, Golden Globes and many other awards shows each year. A third-generation L.A. native, Christy is a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Of Lemire, Ebert says, "I admired the way she reviewed with Richard Roeper when she co-hosted our show," Ebert said, "and I respect her criticism. On television, Christy is a natural."
Ebert Presents At The Movies, marks the rebirth of a dream for both Roger and Chaz Ebert, who will serve as executive producer of the show. Chaz Ebert says she is happy to have this rare opportunity in television to bring back a show that started 35 years ago at WTTW, had a successful run at Tribune Entertainment and Disney, and is now once again being embraced by public stations nationwide.
ABOUT EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES
Ebert Presents At the Movies will be executive produced by Roger his wife Chaz Ebert, and will be directed by Don Dupree, who logged 15 years as director of "Siskel & Ebert" and "Ebert & Roeper." Joining Christy and Ignatiy from time to time will be an impressive line-up of contributing critics on various aspects of the movies, from business issues to social media. The first shows will include Kim Morgan (sunsetgun.com) and Omar Moore (popcornreel.com). It will be distributed nationwide by APT (American Public Television).
ROGER EBERT ANNOUNCES FILM CRITIC IGNATIY VISHNEVETSKY AS NEW CO-HOST OF EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES
CHICAGO, January 4, 2011 - Ebert Productions is proud to announce that Ignatiy Vishnevetsky has joined the team at Ebert Presents At the Movies. Vishnevetsky will accompany the previously announced Christy Lemire of The Associated Press as co-host on the new weekly program. The show is scheduled to debut on January 21st on public television stations across the country, representing almost 90% national coverage and will be produced in Chicago at WTTW, where Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert began taping the legendary "Sneak Previews" some 35 years ago. It will be distributed by American Public Television (APT).
Fans of the original shows will be pleased to find that in addition to serving as co-producer of the show, Roger Ebert will also host a special segment each week and had direct input into the selection of the show's host critics including Chicago-based Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (Ig.nah.tee) (Vish.na.vet.ski). Hearing him discuss films in the Lake Street Screening Room used by Chicago critics, Ebert said, "I was struck by the depth and detail of his film knowledge, and by how articulate he was." After reading his work online, Ebert was sold.
Vishnevetsky is a critic and essayist for Mubi.com, a new multi-national streaming online cinematheque. Ignatiy moved to America from Russia when he was not quite 9. He graduated from high school in Milwaukee and then moved to Chicago, "because I could find more films to see here." He is a co-founder of the acclaimed Cine-File.info, and continues to write criticism for it on a weekly basis. He is also a contributor to The Chicago Reader, and helps program the current Cine-File Selects series at the University of Chicago's Doc Fims, the nation's oldest film society. Prior to becoming a film critic, Vishnevetsky, who is multi-lingual, worked as a translator for Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, Russia's premier literary journal.
Vishnevetsky will go head to head each week with Christy Lemire, who has been reviewing movies for The Associated Press for 12 years and was named the first full-time film critic in the news organization's history in 2004. Christy filled in for Roger Ebert several times on "At the Movies" in 2007 and has appeared on "The Charlie Rose Show," "Good Morning America" and "The View," to name a few. She also covers the Oscars, Golden Globes and many other awards shows each year. A third-generation L.A. native, Christy is a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Of Lemire, Ebert says, "I admired the way she reviewed with Richard Roeper when she co-hosted our show," Ebert said, "and I respect her criticism. On television, Christy is a natural."
Ebert Presents At The Movies, marks the rebirth of a dream for both Roger and Chaz Ebert, who will serve as executive producer of the show. Chaz Ebert says she is happy to have this rare opportunity in television to bring back a show that started 35 years ago at WTTW, had a successful run at Tribune Entertainment and Disney, and is now once again being embraced by public stations nationwide.
ABOUT EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES
Ebert Presents At the Movies will be executive produced by Roger his wife Chaz Ebert, and will be directed by Don Dupree, who logged 15 years as director of "Siskel & Ebert" and "Ebert & Roeper." Joining Christy and Ignatiy from time to time will be an impressive line-up of contributing critics on various aspects of the movies, from business issues to social media. The first shows will include Kim Morgan (sunsetgun.com) and Omar Moore (popcornreel.com). It will be distributed nationwide by APT (American Public Television).
VIZ Cinema to Screen Two Evangelion Films
VIZ CINEMA BEGINS 2011 WITH SCREENINGS OF EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE AND EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE
Director Hideki Anno’s Feature Film Adaptations Of One Of The Most Celebrated Anime Properties Of All Time To Screen In January
VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, opens 2011 with just-announced screenings of director Hideki Anno’s EVANGELION 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE, playing Tuesday, January 18th thru Wednesday, January 19th, and EVANGELION 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE, playing Friday, January 21st thru Thursday January 27th. Screenings times and ticket information are also available at www.vizcinema.com.
EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE: Monday, 1/17 – Thursday, 1/20; Tickets: $10.00
(Directed by Hideaki Anno, Japan, 2009, 98mins, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)
There was no foreseeable warning before it happened – a catastrophe of unparalleled scale and magnitude overwhelmed the entire globe. This event, recorded in history as “The Second Impact,” caused half the population of the Earth to perish and devastated the world. All that remains of Japan is Tokyo-3, a city that is now being attacked by giant creatures that seek to destroy mankind. These creatures are called Angels.
Fourteen year old Shinji Ikari is called to Tokyo-3 by his father who he hasn’t seen in more than eight years. He is asked to come to the NERV headquarters to meet his father. His father reveals to him a gigantic humanoid weapons system that the special governmental agency has secretly developed to fight the Angels and then orders Shinji to pilot the giant artificial human Evangelion Unit One. With the fate of the world resting on his shoulders, how will the 14 year old boy Shinji fight? What is the truth behind “The Human Instrumentality Project,” an operation somehow related to the “Second Impact?” And who is the true enemy? The Angels, NERV, the mysterious SEELE, or the demons held within the hearts of the people involved? Gendō Ikari, a man who holds many answers to these questions, watches silently and attentively as his son fights a desperate battle…
EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE: Friday 1/21 – Thursday, 1/27; Tickets: $12.00
The landmark anime property evolves, reaching new heights of intensity in the new feature film, EVANGELION 2.0. In an explosive new story full of brutal action and primal emotion, a group of young pilots maneuver their towering, cyborg Eva Units into combat against a deadly and disturbing enemy. In the battle to prevent the apocalyptic Third Impact, Shinji and Rei were forced to carry humanity’s hopes on their shoulders. Now, as the onslaught of the bizarre, monstrous Angels escalates, they find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots: the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. In this thrilling new experience for fans of giant robot action, the young pilots fight desperately to save mankind – and struggle to save themselves.
Animation and film director Hideki Anno is best-known for his work on the hugely popular anime television series Neon Genesis Evangelion, which ran on TV Tokyo in the mid 1990’s. Anno had been involved in the production of amateur films from his days in high school and began his film career as an animator in numerous commercial projects including Hayao Miyazaki’s landmark 1984 film Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind. Later that year, Anno helped found the animation production studio Gainax – a group that rose from the independent film production company Daicon Film – with others he had met while enrolled in Osaka University of Arts. In 2006, he established the film development and production company, Studio Khara. Anno is currently involved in the production of a new series of Evangelion films, the latest of which is EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE.
VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.
About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.
Review: Someone Likes "Next" (Happy B'day, Nicolas Cage)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 141 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux
Next (2007)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action and some language
DIRECTOR: Lee Tamahori
WRITERS: Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, and Paul Bernbaum; from a screen story by Gary Goldman (based upon the short story “The Golden Man” by Philip K. Dick)
PRODUCERS: Nicolas Cage, Norm Golightly, Todd Garner, Arne L. Schmidt, and Graham King
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Tattersall, BSC
EDITOR: Christian Wagner
ACTION/SCI-FI/THRILLER
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, and Peter Falk
Starring Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas), Oscar-nominee Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven), and not-hard-on-the-eyes Jessica Biel (The Illusionist), Next is a sci-fi/action flick based upon the 1954 story, “The Golden Man” by the late Philip K. Dick. Dick was the visionary science fiction author whose novels and stories have been adapted into such films as Blade Runner, Minority Report, and Paycheck.
Next focuses on Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage), a Las Vegas magician with a secret gift that is both a blessing and a curse to him. Cris has the uncanny ability to know what will be the next thing that happens to him because he can see two minutes into the future. Performing under the stage name, Frank Cadillac, Cris uses his extrasensory talent to make a living off cheap stage tricks and off his gambling winnings at the blackjack table. His latest project is to find and meet, Liz (Jessica Biel), a young woman who seems to have a strange effect on his powers.
Other eyes, however, have been taking notice of Cris’ talent and dexterity with the portal of time. Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore), an FBI counter-terror agent is eager to tap Cris’ brain to help thwart a terrorist group’s planned attack on Los Angeles with a nuclear time bomb. Using all her wiles, Callie, with the help of a fellow agent, Cavanaugh (Tory Kittles), pursues Cris trying to convince him to help her. When the terrorists, who are also aware of his powers, kidnap Liz, Cris may be forced to put his reluctance aside to save Liz and stop nuclear destruction in California.
Directed by Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, Die Another Day), Next is an absurd popcorn flick, but easy to watch and enjoy. Of course, it wasn’t really worth a trip to the theatre, as it’s more like a big-budget, prestige “original movie” from the Sci-Fi Channel. Still, it’s occasionally clever, and Tamahori is actually quite good at making action-filled set pieces that somehow manage to catch the attention of an unwary action movie junkie.
Nicolas Cage isn’t very good here, but neither is he very bad. He’s only cheesy bad, as is the rest of the cast. In fact, it’s a good thing that Jessica Biel is easy on the eyes, because her acting talent sure ain’t the thing that is getting her roles. Nicolas Cage is a movie star and there’s something about him on the big screen that is attractive. Put him and Biel together, and that’s not a bad thing, even when it’s not really that good a thing – as in Next.
6 of 10
B
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Next (2007)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action and some language
DIRECTOR: Lee Tamahori
WRITERS: Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, and Paul Bernbaum; from a screen story by Gary Goldman (based upon the short story “The Golden Man” by Philip K. Dick)
PRODUCERS: Nicolas Cage, Norm Golightly, Todd Garner, Arne L. Schmidt, and Graham King
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Tattersall, BSC
EDITOR: Christian Wagner
ACTION/SCI-FI/THRILLER
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, and Peter Falk
Starring Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas), Oscar-nominee Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven), and not-hard-on-the-eyes Jessica Biel (The Illusionist), Next is a sci-fi/action flick based upon the 1954 story, “The Golden Man” by the late Philip K. Dick. Dick was the visionary science fiction author whose novels and stories have been adapted into such films as Blade Runner, Minority Report, and Paycheck.
Next focuses on Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage), a Las Vegas magician with a secret gift that is both a blessing and a curse to him. Cris has the uncanny ability to know what will be the next thing that happens to him because he can see two minutes into the future. Performing under the stage name, Frank Cadillac, Cris uses his extrasensory talent to make a living off cheap stage tricks and off his gambling winnings at the blackjack table. His latest project is to find and meet, Liz (Jessica Biel), a young woman who seems to have a strange effect on his powers.
Other eyes, however, have been taking notice of Cris’ talent and dexterity with the portal of time. Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore), an FBI counter-terror agent is eager to tap Cris’ brain to help thwart a terrorist group’s planned attack on Los Angeles with a nuclear time bomb. Using all her wiles, Callie, with the help of a fellow agent, Cavanaugh (Tory Kittles), pursues Cris trying to convince him to help her. When the terrorists, who are also aware of his powers, kidnap Liz, Cris may be forced to put his reluctance aside to save Liz and stop nuclear destruction in California.
Directed by Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, Die Another Day), Next is an absurd popcorn flick, but easy to watch and enjoy. Of course, it wasn’t really worth a trip to the theatre, as it’s more like a big-budget, prestige “original movie” from the Sci-Fi Channel. Still, it’s occasionally clever, and Tamahori is actually quite good at making action-filled set pieces that somehow manage to catch the attention of an unwary action movie junkie.
Nicolas Cage isn’t very good here, but neither is he very bad. He’s only cheesy bad, as is the rest of the cast. In fact, it’s a good thing that Jessica Biel is easy on the eyes, because her acting talent sure ain’t the thing that is getting her roles. Nicolas Cage is a movie star and there’s something about him on the big screen that is attractive. Put him and Biel together, and that’s not a bad thing, even when it’s not really that good a thing – as in Next.
6 of 10
B
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
---------------------
Thursday, January 6, 2011
7 Films Fight for 5 "Best Visual Effects" Oscar Nominations
Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced 15 semifinalists in the race to receive best visual effects Oscar nominations. Yesterday, they announced that they were down to 7 finalists. This year, 5 films will recieve nominations. That's good because in many years there are only three nominees.
Which films will be left out? I'm not sure, but I think Alice in Wonderland and Inception are locks. Now, here's the press release:
Press release:
7 Features In 2010 VFX Oscar® Race
Beverly Hills, CA (January 5, 2011) – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 83rd Academy Awards®.
The films are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
“Hereafter”
“Inception”
“Iron Man 2”
“Scott Pilgrim vs the World”
“Tron: Legacy”
All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films on Thursday, January 20. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Which films will be left out? I'm not sure, but I think Alice in Wonderland and Inception are locks. Now, here's the press release:
Press release:
7 Features In 2010 VFX Oscar® Race
Beverly Hills, CA (January 5, 2011) – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 83rd Academy Awards®.
The films are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
“Hereafter”
“Inception”
“Iron Man 2”
“Scott Pilgrim vs the World”
“Tron: Legacy”
All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films on Thursday, January 20. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Mo'Nique and Academy President to Announce Oscar Nominations
Press release:
Mo'Nique To Join Academy President Tom Sherak For Oscar® Nominations
Beverly Hills, CA (January 4, 2011) –Beverly Hills, CA — Nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 25, by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and Oscar-winning actress and Academy member Mo’Nique.
Sherak and Mo’Nique will unveil the nominations in 10 of the 24 categories at a 5:30 a.m. news conference at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where hundreds of media representatives from around the world will be gathered. Nominations information for all categories will be distributed simultaneously to news media in attendance and via the Internet on the official Academy Awards website, www.oscar.com.
Last year Mo’Nique received her first Oscar nomination and win for her supporting performance in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.” She currently hosts her own late-night talk show, "The Mo'Nique Show," on BET.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Mo'Nique To Join Academy President Tom Sherak For Oscar® Nominations
Beverly Hills, CA (January 4, 2011) –Beverly Hills, CA — Nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 25, by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and Oscar-winning actress and Academy member Mo’Nique.
Sherak and Mo’Nique will unveil the nominations in 10 of the 24 categories at a 5:30 a.m. news conference at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where hundreds of media representatives from around the world will be gathered. Nominations information for all categories will be distributed simultaneously to news media in attendance and via the Internet on the official Academy Awards website, www.oscar.com.
Last year Mo’Nique received her first Oscar nomination and win for her supporting performance in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.” She currently hosts her own late-night talk show, "The Mo'Nique Show," on BET.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Review: "Cold Mountain" Wants to Be Epic and Literary (Happy B'day, Anthony Minghella)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux
Cold Mountain (2003)
Running time: 154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence and sexuality
DIRECTOR: Anthony Minghella
WRITER: Anthony Minghella (based upon the novel by Charles Frazier)
PRODUCERS: Albert Berger, William Horberg, Sydney Pollack, and Ron Yerxa
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Seale (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Walter Murch
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/HISTORICAL/ROMANCE/WAR
Starring: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone, Brendan Gleeson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Kathy Baker, James Gammon, and Giovanni Ribisi
Inman (Jude Law) fell in love with Reverend Monroe’s (Donald Sutherland) daughter, Ada (Nicole Kidman), without really knowing her, but there was something about her and there were no words to describe the strength of this new love. Then, Inman has to go off to fight for the Confederacy in the War Between States.
In the waning years of the war, Inman, after surviving a grave wound, deserts the Southern army and embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina, realizing that he’s tired of killing and as a broken man, he could find comfort in Ada’s arms. Meanwhile, Ada is struggling on the home front until she’s meets a feisty young mountain girl, Ruby Thewes (Renée Zellweger), who helps Ada get her father’s farm back in order. Together the survive depredations, the home guard, and cruel local lawman looking for Ada’s love.
Director Anthony Minghella won an Academy Award for directing the powerful, tragic romance, The English Patient, and after following that with The Talented Mr. Ripley and now Cold Mountain, Minghella seems intent on making love stories that move inextricable to a tragic end. Minghella is a really good filmmaker; his movies play out as if directed by a thoughtful storyteller who combines the disciplined acting of stage drama with the visual punch of epic filmmaking.
Cold Mountain is beautifully photographed, and the war scenes, despite their brevity, are as emotionally charged as anything since Braveheart, and the scenes have that kind of old school charm that recalls the golden age Hollywood classic, Gone with the Wind. Cold Mountain is a film where all the skilled and technical crafts were put on film with bravado and intelligence and with an eye on beauty, as if the filmmakers knew that Cold Mountain was indeed a war film, but a war film with an eye on the love lives of the soldiers behind the lines.
The acting is earnest and good, but seems a bit strained at times. It’s too sweet, as if the actors know that they were in an important film, a film leaning more toward art than entertainment – we’re actors, and this time we’re acting in an important film, not starring in a blockbuster. In fact, the acting is reminiscent of the exaggerated, faux stage acting style of 1930 and 40’s Hollywood romance films. Combine this forced formalism with the fact that Cold Mountain is slightly miscast, and the film is suddenly kind of twitchy.
Cold Mountain is a very good film, and it is indeed a poignant romance with epic war as the backdrop. You weep for the character’s hardships, but you yearn as they long for love. If the ending had been at all agreeable, this would have been a perfect film, but what pleasures it offers are indeed gratifying, so I recommend it.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Renée Zellweger); 6 nominations: “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Jude Law), “Best Cinematography” (John Seale), “Best Editing” (Walter Murch), “Best Music, Original Score” (Gabriel Yared), “Best Music, Original Song” (T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello for the song "Scarlet Tide") and “Best Music, Original Song” (Sting for the song "You Will Be My Ain True Love")
2004 BAFTA Awards: 2 wins: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Gabriel Yared and T-Bone Burnett) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Renée Zellweger); 11 nominations: “Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film” (Sydney Pollack, William Horberg, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, and Anthony Minghella), “Best Cinematography” (John Seale) “Best Costume Design” (Ann Roth and Carlo Poggioli), “Best Editing” (Walter Murch), “Best Film” (Sydney Pollack, William Horberg, Albert Berger, and Ron Yerxa), “Best Make Up/Hair” (Paul Engelen and Ivana Primorac), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Jude Law), “Best Production Design” (Dante Ferretti), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Anthony Minghella), “Best Sound” (Eddy Joseph, Ivan Sharrock, Walter Murch, Mike Prestwood Smith, and Matthew Gough) and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Anthony Minghella)
2004 Golden Globes: 1 win “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Renée Zellweger); 7 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Anthony Minghella), “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Gabriel Yared), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Sting for the song "You Will Be My Ain True Love"), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Jude Law), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Nicole Kidman) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Anthony Minghella)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Running time: 154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence and sexuality
DIRECTOR: Anthony Minghella
WRITER: Anthony Minghella (based upon the novel by Charles Frazier)
PRODUCERS: Albert Berger, William Horberg, Sydney Pollack, and Ron Yerxa
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Seale (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Walter Murch
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/HISTORICAL/ROMANCE/WAR
Starring: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone, Brendan Gleeson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Kathy Baker, James Gammon, and Giovanni Ribisi
Inman (Jude Law) fell in love with Reverend Monroe’s (Donald Sutherland) daughter, Ada (Nicole Kidman), without really knowing her, but there was something about her and there were no words to describe the strength of this new love. Then, Inman has to go off to fight for the Confederacy in the War Between States.
In the waning years of the war, Inman, after surviving a grave wound, deserts the Southern army and embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina, realizing that he’s tired of killing and as a broken man, he could find comfort in Ada’s arms. Meanwhile, Ada is struggling on the home front until she’s meets a feisty young mountain girl, Ruby Thewes (Renée Zellweger), who helps Ada get her father’s farm back in order. Together the survive depredations, the home guard, and cruel local lawman looking for Ada’s love.
Director Anthony Minghella won an Academy Award for directing the powerful, tragic romance, The English Patient, and after following that with The Talented Mr. Ripley and now Cold Mountain, Minghella seems intent on making love stories that move inextricable to a tragic end. Minghella is a really good filmmaker; his movies play out as if directed by a thoughtful storyteller who combines the disciplined acting of stage drama with the visual punch of epic filmmaking.
Cold Mountain is beautifully photographed, and the war scenes, despite their brevity, are as emotionally charged as anything since Braveheart, and the scenes have that kind of old school charm that recalls the golden age Hollywood classic, Gone with the Wind. Cold Mountain is a film where all the skilled and technical crafts were put on film with bravado and intelligence and with an eye on beauty, as if the filmmakers knew that Cold Mountain was indeed a war film, but a war film with an eye on the love lives of the soldiers behind the lines.
The acting is earnest and good, but seems a bit strained at times. It’s too sweet, as if the actors know that they were in an important film, a film leaning more toward art than entertainment – we’re actors, and this time we’re acting in an important film, not starring in a blockbuster. In fact, the acting is reminiscent of the exaggerated, faux stage acting style of 1930 and 40’s Hollywood romance films. Combine this forced formalism with the fact that Cold Mountain is slightly miscast, and the film is suddenly kind of twitchy.
Cold Mountain is a very good film, and it is indeed a poignant romance with epic war as the backdrop. You weep for the character’s hardships, but you yearn as they long for love. If the ending had been at all agreeable, this would have been a perfect film, but what pleasures it offers are indeed gratifying, so I recommend it.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Renée Zellweger); 6 nominations: “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Jude Law), “Best Cinematography” (John Seale), “Best Editing” (Walter Murch), “Best Music, Original Score” (Gabriel Yared), “Best Music, Original Song” (T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello for the song "Scarlet Tide") and “Best Music, Original Song” (Sting for the song "You Will Be My Ain True Love")
2004 BAFTA Awards: 2 wins: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Gabriel Yared and T-Bone Burnett) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Renée Zellweger); 11 nominations: “Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film” (Sydney Pollack, William Horberg, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, and Anthony Minghella), “Best Cinematography” (John Seale) “Best Costume Design” (Ann Roth and Carlo Poggioli), “Best Editing” (Walter Murch), “Best Film” (Sydney Pollack, William Horberg, Albert Berger, and Ron Yerxa), “Best Make Up/Hair” (Paul Engelen and Ivana Primorac), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Jude Law), “Best Production Design” (Dante Ferretti), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Anthony Minghella), “Best Sound” (Eddy Joseph, Ivan Sharrock, Walter Murch, Mike Prestwood Smith, and Matthew Gough) and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Anthony Minghella)
2004 Golden Globes: 1 win “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Renée Zellweger); 7 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Anthony Minghella), “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Gabriel Yared), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Sting for the song "You Will Be My Ain True Love"), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Jude Law), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Nicole Kidman) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Anthony Minghella)
----------------------
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Happy Birthday, Hayao Miyazaki
The master filmmaker, animator, manga artist, and Oscar-winner is 71-years-old today.
Review: "Open Range" a Welcomed Western (Happy B'day, Robert Duvall)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 139 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
Open Range (2003)
Running time: 139 minutes (2 hours, 19 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence
DIRECTOR: Kevin Costner
WRITER: Craig Storper (based upon the novel, The Open Range Men by Lauran Paine)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Costner, Jake Eberts, and David Valdes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: James Muro (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Michael J. Duthie and Miklos Wright
COMPOSER: Michael Kamen
WESTERN
Starring: Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna, James Russo, Abraham Benrubi, Dean McDermott, and Kim Coates
Much has been made of Kevin Costner’s ode to classic Western movies, the surprise hit Open Range, but I think this film is very good on its own, even if I ignore the respect it pays to older Westerns (so much so that it shows its influences). Open Range is Costner’s third credited effort as a film director (he finished Waterworld although Kevin Reynolds received director’s credit), and it shows that Costner shines when he’s making Westerns.
In the film, Costner is Charlie Waite, the protégé of Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall), a grizzled free graze cattleman. Unlike ranchers, freegrazers herded their cattle across the unowned land of the West. This was fine prior to the War Between the States, but after the conflict, big ranchers began to buy up all that open range, and they considered any land near that property to also be their territory. Consequently, the resented freegrazers’ cattle roaming across the west, so conflict ensued. When Spearman, Waite, and their men tend their herd on a patch of unspoiled terrain near the makeshift town of Harmonville, they encounter the wrath of vicious Irish brute named Denton Baxter (Michael Gambon). Baxter, a heartless rancher, owns the local sheriff (James Russo) and lords his power over the scared town folks. Baxter and his goons beat up one of Spearman’s men (Abraham Benrubi), and when Spearman and Waite fight back, the violence escalates from there.
Costner patterns Open Range on a number of sources, both old and new. In spirit, the film’s tone resembles Clint Eastwood’s epic film Unforgiven, and the immediacy of the violence in Open Range is similar to the portrayal of violence in Tombstone. Other than that, the film is pretty much its own thing. It lacks the snap and crack of older westerns, but Costner does fool the audience. The film’s laconic pace and somber mood in the beginning belies the coming storm of righteous violence coming in the end. The funny thing is that you can really identify with both Boss Spearman and Charlie Waite’s fierce sense of independence, and you can easily digest their need to bring hell down on those who go out of their way to deny Spearman and Waite their rights to a livelihood. Both characters strike me as men with a low tolerance threshold; they won’t warn you off too many times about screwing with them before they bring the pain.
Open Range is a gorgeous film with beautiful vistas of the wide, open spaces – an untamed country of beautiful green prairies and hills and of a lovely but dangerous sky. Even the filthy little town has a pretty quality to it despite all the dirty earth tones that define it.
This film is also one of those times that Kevin Costner’s monotone delivery of his dialogue works; usually that’s just a sign of poor acting. His Waite is quite man hiding a dark past; he’s slow to anger, and even when he explodes, he really doesn’t come apart at the seams so much as he remains a steady assault of death dealing. What more does one need to say about the consummate talent of the brilliant character actor that is Robert Duvall? He’s always a pleasure to watch and with his talent, he finds a way to make it seem as if he and Costner are old partners, both in the film and in reality. There is so much good chemistry between the two one might think this is just the latest in many film projects together. Many of the other parts are a bit hokey, character types familiar to almost every old horse opera, but the actors redeem them with the quiet and serious intensity of actors who treat every role as if it’s a career defining moment. Even Annette Bening gives her role as the saintly spinster Sue Barlow some zing as she makes goo goo eyes at Costner’s Waite.
I loved this film, and I heartily recommend it to people who love westerns, especially the old-fashioned kind in which bad guys (with their figurative black hats force) loose-spirited men to do something they’d rather not – pick up a gun and take a human life to save their own. I can see this as a stable on such cable channels as Turner Classic Movies or American Movie Classics, and Open Range has Saturday matinee written all over it. At times it is too dry and slow, but the grit and determination of the characters and the filmmakers will hold your attention. Beside, it’s also one of the few recent movies where all the male actors act like real grown men and not overgrown teenage boys.
7 of 10
B+
Open Range (2003)
Running time: 139 minutes (2 hours, 19 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence
DIRECTOR: Kevin Costner
WRITER: Craig Storper (based upon the novel, The Open Range Men by Lauran Paine)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Costner, Jake Eberts, and David Valdes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: James Muro (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Michael J. Duthie and Miklos Wright
COMPOSER: Michael Kamen
WESTERN
Starring: Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna, James Russo, Abraham Benrubi, Dean McDermott, and Kim Coates
Much has been made of Kevin Costner’s ode to classic Western movies, the surprise hit Open Range, but I think this film is very good on its own, even if I ignore the respect it pays to older Westerns (so much so that it shows its influences). Open Range is Costner’s third credited effort as a film director (he finished Waterworld although Kevin Reynolds received director’s credit), and it shows that Costner shines when he’s making Westerns.
In the film, Costner is Charlie Waite, the protégé of Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall), a grizzled free graze cattleman. Unlike ranchers, freegrazers herded their cattle across the unowned land of the West. This was fine prior to the War Between the States, but after the conflict, big ranchers began to buy up all that open range, and they considered any land near that property to also be their territory. Consequently, the resented freegrazers’ cattle roaming across the west, so conflict ensued. When Spearman, Waite, and their men tend their herd on a patch of unspoiled terrain near the makeshift town of Harmonville, they encounter the wrath of vicious Irish brute named Denton Baxter (Michael Gambon). Baxter, a heartless rancher, owns the local sheriff (James Russo) and lords his power over the scared town folks. Baxter and his goons beat up one of Spearman’s men (Abraham Benrubi), and when Spearman and Waite fight back, the violence escalates from there.
Costner patterns Open Range on a number of sources, both old and new. In spirit, the film’s tone resembles Clint Eastwood’s epic film Unforgiven, and the immediacy of the violence in Open Range is similar to the portrayal of violence in Tombstone. Other than that, the film is pretty much its own thing. It lacks the snap and crack of older westerns, but Costner does fool the audience. The film’s laconic pace and somber mood in the beginning belies the coming storm of righteous violence coming in the end. The funny thing is that you can really identify with both Boss Spearman and Charlie Waite’s fierce sense of independence, and you can easily digest their need to bring hell down on those who go out of their way to deny Spearman and Waite their rights to a livelihood. Both characters strike me as men with a low tolerance threshold; they won’t warn you off too many times about screwing with them before they bring the pain.
Open Range is a gorgeous film with beautiful vistas of the wide, open spaces – an untamed country of beautiful green prairies and hills and of a lovely but dangerous sky. Even the filthy little town has a pretty quality to it despite all the dirty earth tones that define it.
This film is also one of those times that Kevin Costner’s monotone delivery of his dialogue works; usually that’s just a sign of poor acting. His Waite is quite man hiding a dark past; he’s slow to anger, and even when he explodes, he really doesn’t come apart at the seams so much as he remains a steady assault of death dealing. What more does one need to say about the consummate talent of the brilliant character actor that is Robert Duvall? He’s always a pleasure to watch and with his talent, he finds a way to make it seem as if he and Costner are old partners, both in the film and in reality. There is so much good chemistry between the two one might think this is just the latest in many film projects together. Many of the other parts are a bit hokey, character types familiar to almost every old horse opera, but the actors redeem them with the quiet and serious intensity of actors who treat every role as if it’s a career defining moment. Even Annette Bening gives her role as the saintly spinster Sue Barlow some zing as she makes goo goo eyes at Costner’s Waite.
I loved this film, and I heartily recommend it to people who love westerns, especially the old-fashioned kind in which bad guys (with their figurative black hats force) loose-spirited men to do something they’d rather not – pick up a gun and take a human life to save their own. I can see this as a stable on such cable channels as Turner Classic Movies or American Movie Classics, and Open Range has Saturday matinee written all over it. At times it is too dry and slow, but the grit and determination of the characters and the filmmakers will hold your attention. Beside, it’s also one of the few recent movies where all the male actors act like real grown men and not overgrown teenage boys.
7 of 10
B+
------------------------
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
18 and Counting: "The Social Network" Wins with Online Film Critics
Founded in 1997, the Online Film Critics Society describes itself as “the largest, most respected organization for critics whose work appears primarily on the Internet.” Last week these critics announced their nominees for their end of the year movie awards. Sunday night, they announced the winners. I'm not counting, but Entertainment Weekly says that with this "Best Picture" award, The Social Network has won 18 best picture awards.
2010 Online Film Critics Society Award Winners:
Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Lead Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Lead Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Best Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Inception
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, True Grit
Best Editing: Lee Smith, Inception
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Foreign Language Film: Mother
Best Documentary: Exit Through The Gift Shop
http://www.ofcs.org/
2010 Online Film Critics Society Award Winners:
Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Lead Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Lead Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Best Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Inception
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, True Grit
Best Editing: Lee Smith, Inception
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Foreign Language Film: Mother
Best Documentary: Exit Through The Gift Shop
http://www.ofcs.org/
"Grown Ups" a Stunted Buddy Comedy
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 1 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Grown Ups (2010)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity
DIRECTOR: Dennis Dugan
WRITERS: Adam Sandler and Fred Wolf
PRODUCERS: Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Theo van de Sande
EDITOR: Tom Costain
COMEDY
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten, Ebony Jo-Ann, Di Quon, Steve Buscemi, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Madison Riley, Jamie Chung, and Ashley Loren
Adam Sandler’s recent summer comedy, Grown Ups, may seem like a family comedy, but it isn’t. There certainly are plenty of laughs for parents and their children, but this is an all-star, buddy-comedy aimed at Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers who are fans of Sandler and his comedian/comic actor friends: Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade.
Grown Ups is the story of five childhood pals who reunite after 30 years to mourn the passing of their old basketball coach, “Buzzer” (Blake Clark). Most of them are husbands and fathers, but their families have never met. The leader of the friends is Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler), a high-powered Hollywood agent, who is married to Roxanne (Salma Hayek), a sexy fashion designer. Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James) is a businessman married to a lovely wife, Sally (Maria Bello), who still breastfeeds their four-year-old son. Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock) is a henpecked, stay-at-home dad whose wife, Deanne (Maya Rudolph), is the primary breadwinner. Rob Hilliard (Rob Schneider) is a thrice-divorced vegan married to a woman, Gloria (Joyce Van Patten) who is much older than him. Marcus Higgins (David Space) is merely a lazy womanizer.
Over the 4th of July weekend, these five men return to New England and gather at a lake house where they quickly reconnect. However, the great outdoors may test and/or strengthen the bonds of family and friendship in ways they never expect.
Grown Ups has cute child actors playing the children and good-looking (even sexy, especially the case of Salma Hayek) actresses playing the wives and older daughters, but this is about the quintet of Sandler, James, Rock, Schneider, and Spade. There are some good moments of family comedy, slapstick comedy, and raunchy comedy, but the focus is this modern day version of a “Rat Pack” movie. Grown Ups is aimed at the fans of the five stars, but even their fans will quickly realize that this is not their best work.
Grown Ups is an amiable comedy, but is nothing special. It is a domestic comedy with little, if anything, of substance to say about its middle-aged characters. I don’t know what to make of this film, but I suppose that because I like the stars I should be happy to get this gathering of pals. OK, I like it. Although as quality goes, Grown Ups is pretty bland and average, and the grade I give it reflects that I like these guys.
5 of 10
B-
Monday, January 03, 2011
Grown Ups (2010)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity
DIRECTOR: Dennis Dugan
WRITERS: Adam Sandler and Fred Wolf
PRODUCERS: Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Theo van de Sande
EDITOR: Tom Costain
COMEDY
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten, Ebony Jo-Ann, Di Quon, Steve Buscemi, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Madison Riley, Jamie Chung, and Ashley Loren
Adam Sandler’s recent summer comedy, Grown Ups, may seem like a family comedy, but it isn’t. There certainly are plenty of laughs for parents and their children, but this is an all-star, buddy-comedy aimed at Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers who are fans of Sandler and his comedian/comic actor friends: Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade.
Grown Ups is the story of five childhood pals who reunite after 30 years to mourn the passing of their old basketball coach, “Buzzer” (Blake Clark). Most of them are husbands and fathers, but their families have never met. The leader of the friends is Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler), a high-powered Hollywood agent, who is married to Roxanne (Salma Hayek), a sexy fashion designer. Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James) is a businessman married to a lovely wife, Sally (Maria Bello), who still breastfeeds their four-year-old son. Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock) is a henpecked, stay-at-home dad whose wife, Deanne (Maya Rudolph), is the primary breadwinner. Rob Hilliard (Rob Schneider) is a thrice-divorced vegan married to a woman, Gloria (Joyce Van Patten) who is much older than him. Marcus Higgins (David Space) is merely a lazy womanizer.
Over the 4th of July weekend, these five men return to New England and gather at a lake house where they quickly reconnect. However, the great outdoors may test and/or strengthen the bonds of family and friendship in ways they never expect.
Grown Ups has cute child actors playing the children and good-looking (even sexy, especially the case of Salma Hayek) actresses playing the wives and older daughters, but this is about the quintet of Sandler, James, Rock, Schneider, and Spade. There are some good moments of family comedy, slapstick comedy, and raunchy comedy, but the focus is this modern day version of a “Rat Pack” movie. Grown Ups is aimed at the fans of the five stars, but even their fans will quickly realize that this is not their best work.
Grown Ups is an amiable comedy, but is nothing special. It is a domestic comedy with little, if anything, of substance to say about its middle-aged characters. I don’t know what to make of this film, but I suppose that because I like the stars I should be happy to get this gathering of pals. OK, I like it. Although as quality goes, Grown Ups is pretty bland and average, and the grade I give it reflects that I like these guys.
5 of 10
B-
Monday, January 03, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Review: "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" Dumb and Eloquent
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 144 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude sexual content throughout, nudity, language, and drug references
DIRECTOR: Dennis Dugan
WRITERS: Barry Fanaro and Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor; from a treatment by Lew Gallo
PRODUCERS: Michael Bostick, James D. Brubaker, Jack Giarraputo, Adam Sandler, and Tom Shadyac
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Semler
EDITOR: Jeff Gourson
COMEDY
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Aykroyd, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Nicholas Turturro, Nick Swardson, Blake Clark, Mary Pat Gleason, Cole Morgan, Shelby Adamowsky, and Robert Smigel; also Rob Schneider and David Spade
In I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, two guys’ guys pose as gay lovers in order for one of the men to make sure his children get his insurance benefits.
New York City firemen Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry Valentine (Kevin James) are the pride of their fire station. Loyal to the core, they’ll do anything for each other, but after Larry saves Chuck’s life, Chuck is about to find out just how much owing his buddy will cost him. When widower Larry realizes that civil service red tape might keep his children, Eric (Cole Morgan) and Tori (Shelby Adamowsky), from getting his life insurance benefits, he knows that one of the ways to insure his children’s financial future is to get married.
Still deeply mourning his late wife, Larry hasn’t dated since her death or really moved on from that tragedy. A newspaper article gives him a crazy idea – domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples, so he asks Chuck to pose as his live-in gay lover. Chuck, however, has a vigorous sex life as a heterosexual and often entertains several women at a time, and wants no part of Larry’s plan. But he owes Larry. After the friends start posing as love-struck newlyweds, nosey city bureaucrat, Clinton Fitzer (Steve Buscemi), starts to investigate the alleged relationship, so the buddies are forced to present a genuine picture of domestic bliss. After the boys hire a lawyer that specializes in their situation, Chuck falls hard for their sexy attorney, Alex McDonough (Jessica Biel), and his lust just might reveal his and Larry’s secret.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a somewhat badly made, broad comedy, but it sure is funny. The writers seem to have written a flimsy script that simply plays up to the numerous possibilities for comic misunderstanding this concept offers. It’s not lacking in cleverness so much as it is overly abundant in crassness and gross-out humor. That crudeness is actually personified more in Ving Rhames’ Fred G. Duncan, a sort of Mandingo as giant, threatening homo, than it is in Adam Sandler’s Chuck, who is a self-admitted “whore.” In fact, neither Sandler nor Kevin James is anywhere near doing his best work. As for Biel, her body is still a wonderland, and we get to see quite a bit of it.
Although this movie comes across as a rutting goat, where I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry actually beats the low expectations that many had for it is in the film’s not-too-preachy attitude about acceptance of gays and the gay lifestyle. The filmmakers and their stars, Sandler and Kevin, vigorously assault anti-gay sentiment, gay-bashing, and gay slurs wherever they find it. The film also offers generous samples of gay clubs, drag queens, and flashy dancing.
On the other hand, the film does offer several brief scenes that reveal the not-fun-side of being a gay couple. Quite frankly, it’s uncomfortable and embarrassing to watch Chuck and Larry’s friends and colleagues suddenly become quite skittish about their old friends once they discover that the duo is a gay couple. Even worse is to watch the people that Larry knows from his children’s school, sports leagues, and the Boy Scouts suddenly remove his name from participation lists. It’s almost as if he died.
How this mixture of raunch and gross can have positive messages about family and acceptance of others is a mystery. That the filmmakers made a bad movie so funny and entertaining is an even deeper mystery.
6 of 10
B
Friday, December 28, 2007
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude sexual content throughout, nudity, language, and drug references
DIRECTOR: Dennis Dugan
WRITERS: Barry Fanaro and Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor; from a treatment by Lew Gallo
PRODUCERS: Michael Bostick, James D. Brubaker, Jack Giarraputo, Adam Sandler, and Tom Shadyac
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Semler
EDITOR: Jeff Gourson
COMEDY
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Aykroyd, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Nicholas Turturro, Nick Swardson, Blake Clark, Mary Pat Gleason, Cole Morgan, Shelby Adamowsky, and Robert Smigel; also Rob Schneider and David Spade
In I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, two guys’ guys pose as gay lovers in order for one of the men to make sure his children get his insurance benefits.
New York City firemen Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry Valentine (Kevin James) are the pride of their fire station. Loyal to the core, they’ll do anything for each other, but after Larry saves Chuck’s life, Chuck is about to find out just how much owing his buddy will cost him. When widower Larry realizes that civil service red tape might keep his children, Eric (Cole Morgan) and Tori (Shelby Adamowsky), from getting his life insurance benefits, he knows that one of the ways to insure his children’s financial future is to get married.
Still deeply mourning his late wife, Larry hasn’t dated since her death or really moved on from that tragedy. A newspaper article gives him a crazy idea – domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples, so he asks Chuck to pose as his live-in gay lover. Chuck, however, has a vigorous sex life as a heterosexual and often entertains several women at a time, and wants no part of Larry’s plan. But he owes Larry. After the friends start posing as love-struck newlyweds, nosey city bureaucrat, Clinton Fitzer (Steve Buscemi), starts to investigate the alleged relationship, so the buddies are forced to present a genuine picture of domestic bliss. After the boys hire a lawyer that specializes in their situation, Chuck falls hard for their sexy attorney, Alex McDonough (Jessica Biel), and his lust just might reveal his and Larry’s secret.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a somewhat badly made, broad comedy, but it sure is funny. The writers seem to have written a flimsy script that simply plays up to the numerous possibilities for comic misunderstanding this concept offers. It’s not lacking in cleverness so much as it is overly abundant in crassness and gross-out humor. That crudeness is actually personified more in Ving Rhames’ Fred G. Duncan, a sort of Mandingo as giant, threatening homo, than it is in Adam Sandler’s Chuck, who is a self-admitted “whore.” In fact, neither Sandler nor Kevin James is anywhere near doing his best work. As for Biel, her body is still a wonderland, and we get to see quite a bit of it.
Although this movie comes across as a rutting goat, where I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry actually beats the low expectations that many had for it is in the film’s not-too-preachy attitude about acceptance of gays and the gay lifestyle. The filmmakers and their stars, Sandler and Kevin, vigorously assault anti-gay sentiment, gay-bashing, and gay slurs wherever they find it. The film also offers generous samples of gay clubs, drag queens, and flashy dancing.
On the other hand, the film does offer several brief scenes that reveal the not-fun-side of being a gay couple. Quite frankly, it’s uncomfortable and embarrassing to watch Chuck and Larry’s friends and colleagues suddenly become quite skittish about their old friends once they discover that the duo is a gay couple. Even worse is to watch the people that Larry knows from his children’s school, sports leagues, and the Boy Scouts suddenly remove his name from participation lists. It’s almost as if he died.
How this mixture of raunch and gross can have positive messages about family and acceptance of others is a mystery. That the filmmakers made a bad movie so funny and entertaining is an even deeper mystery.
6 of 10
B
Friday, December 28, 2007
----------------------------
Pete Postlethwaite Has Died
The English actor Pete Postlethwaite has died, apparently after a long battle with cancer (Sunday, January 2, 2010). The 64-year-old actor earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role in the 1993 film, In the Name of the Father.
Postlethwaite began his career on the stage at the age of 24 after leaving his profession as a teacher. Steven Spielberg once called him, “probably the best actor in the world;” Postlethwaite appeared in two 1997 Spielberg films, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. Over the years, he has appeared in such films as Alien 3 (1992) and The Usual Suspects (1995). He appeared in three movies released in 2010: Clash of the Titans, Inception, and The Town.
Postlethwaite was born in February 1946 in Lancashire, England. He leaves behind a wife and two children. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004.
Postlethwaite was a favorite actor of mine, and I'd like to recommend a film of his, Brassed Off (1996). I am shocked and saddened at the news of his passing. His family and friends are in my prayers. Gregory Katz of the Associated Press wrote this nice obit about Postlethwaite.
Postlethwaite began his career on the stage at the age of 24 after leaving his profession as a teacher. Steven Spielberg once called him, “probably the best actor in the world;” Postlethwaite appeared in two 1997 Spielberg films, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. Over the years, he has appeared in such films as Alien 3 (1992) and The Usual Suspects (1995). He appeared in three movies released in 2010: Clash of the Titans, Inception, and The Town.
Postlethwaite was born in February 1946 in Lancashire, England. He leaves behind a wife and two children. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004.
Postlethwaite was a favorite actor of mine, and I'd like to recommend a film of his, Brassed Off (1996). I am shocked and saddened at the news of his passing. His family and friends are in my prayers. Gregory Katz of the Associated Press wrote this nice obit about Postlethwaite.
It Gets Ugly in Fine "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Running time: 117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – R for a scene of strong graphic sexuality, nudity, violence, drug use, and language
DIRECTOR: Sidney Lumet
WRITER: Kelly Masterson
PRODUCERS: Michael Cerenzie, William S. Gilmore, Brian Linse, and Paul Parmar
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ron Fortunato
EDITOR: Tom Swartwout
CRIME/DRAMA
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Rosemary Harris, Aleksa Palladino, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, and Brian F. O’Byrne
Andrew “Andy” Hanson (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his brother, Henry “Hank” Hanson (Ethan Hawke), plot to rob their parents’ jewelry store, Hanson Jewelers. Hank is also sleeping with Andy’s wife, Gina (Marisa Tomei). Charles Hanson (Albert Finney) and his wife, Nanette (Rosemary Harris), have no idea what their prodigal sons are plotting. When the job goes horribly wrong, the botched robbery triggers off a series of events that sends the brothers, their associates, and their family towards a shattering climax.
Famed director Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon) was 82-years-old when he directed the riveting crime drama, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. [The title comes from the old Irish saying, “May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.”] Yet the five-time Oscar nominee for “Best Director” (and winner of an Honorary Oscar) seems as fresh today as he did half a century ago. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a mesmerizing, raw open wound that examines the murderous extents to which desperate people will go, the complicated dynamics of parent/child relationships, and sibling rivalries.
Much of Lumet’s reputation as a director is built around his ability to get intense, riveting, and memorable performances out of actors. Everyone in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is at the top of his game, even the smaller parts. The usually-fine Albert Finney surprises with a compelling performance that delivers a gut punch. The underrated Ethan Hawke subtly and slyly delivers Hank Hanson in a way that is as funny as it is heart-wrenching. It’s Hawke’s way of revealing how pathetic Hank is.
Philip Seymour Hoffman made 2007 a banner year for him by giving three superb performances in a diversity of roles (in such films as Charlie Wilson’s War and The Savages). Here, his Andy Hanson is a tightly-wound thief and addict capable of sincere emotion and unexpected emotional outbursts. Hoffman simply presents that in unique ways that enhance the drama rather than detract from it with a showy performance.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is similar to Fargo, Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning 1996 film about a plot to kill family for money. Devil may lack Fargo’s dry wit, black humor, and wacky imagination, but Devil goes deeper into the dark heart of an angry family. Lumet and company really let the ugly be ugly.
7 of 10
B+
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Running time: 117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – R for a scene of strong graphic sexuality, nudity, violence, drug use, and language
DIRECTOR: Sidney Lumet
WRITER: Kelly Masterson
PRODUCERS: Michael Cerenzie, William S. Gilmore, Brian Linse, and Paul Parmar
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ron Fortunato
EDITOR: Tom Swartwout
CRIME/DRAMA
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Rosemary Harris, Aleksa Palladino, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, and Brian F. O’Byrne
Andrew “Andy” Hanson (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his brother, Henry “Hank” Hanson (Ethan Hawke), plot to rob their parents’ jewelry store, Hanson Jewelers. Hank is also sleeping with Andy’s wife, Gina (Marisa Tomei). Charles Hanson (Albert Finney) and his wife, Nanette (Rosemary Harris), have no idea what their prodigal sons are plotting. When the job goes horribly wrong, the botched robbery triggers off a series of events that sends the brothers, their associates, and their family towards a shattering climax.
Famed director Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon) was 82-years-old when he directed the riveting crime drama, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. [The title comes from the old Irish saying, “May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.”] Yet the five-time Oscar nominee for “Best Director” (and winner of an Honorary Oscar) seems as fresh today as he did half a century ago. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a mesmerizing, raw open wound that examines the murderous extents to which desperate people will go, the complicated dynamics of parent/child relationships, and sibling rivalries.
Much of Lumet’s reputation as a director is built around his ability to get intense, riveting, and memorable performances out of actors. Everyone in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is at the top of his game, even the smaller parts. The usually-fine Albert Finney surprises with a compelling performance that delivers a gut punch. The underrated Ethan Hawke subtly and slyly delivers Hank Hanson in a way that is as funny as it is heart-wrenching. It’s Hawke’s way of revealing how pathetic Hank is.
Philip Seymour Hoffman made 2007 a banner year for him by giving three superb performances in a diversity of roles (in such films as Charlie Wilson’s War and The Savages). Here, his Andy Hanson is a tightly-wound thief and addict capable of sincere emotion and unexpected emotional outbursts. Hoffman simply presents that in unique ways that enhance the drama rather than detract from it with a showy performance.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is similar to Fargo, Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning 1996 film about a plot to kill family for money. Devil may lack Fargo’s dry wit, black humor, and wacky imagination, but Devil goes deeper into the dark heart of an angry family. Lumet and company really let the ugly be ugly.
7 of 10
B+
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Will Smith Developing TV Drama for Fox
Thanks to IMDb.com, I discovered a new website, Shadow and Act, which its participants describe as "A collective of writers, filmmakers, film critics and film enthusiasts, interested in discussing primarily film and filmmakers of the African Diaspora."
They made note of the following tidbit: Will Smith and a Chinese director named Eva Jin are developing an hour-long, television crime drama for Fox. It will be set in China and focused on a crime-fighting American female college student studying abroad in China.
I'll let you know when I learn more.
They made note of the following tidbit: Will Smith and a Chinese director named Eva Jin are developing an hour-long, television crime drama for Fox. It will be set in China and focused on a crime-fighting American female college student studying abroad in China.
I'll let you know when I learn more.
Director and Stars Deliver the Goods in "The Savages"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 25 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux
The Savages (2007)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexuality and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tamara Jenkins
PRODUCERS: Anne Carey, Ted Hope, and Erica Westheimer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: W. Mott Hupfel, III
EDITOR: Brian A. Kates
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman, Gbenga Akinnagbe, David Zayas, and Cara Seymour
Writer/director Tamara Jenkins delivered some of the best screenwriting of 2007 with her drama, The Savages. Her stars, Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman, in turn, delivered some of the best acting on screen all year.
Wendy Savage (Linney) and her brother Jon Savage (Hoffman) carry the emotional scars of an abusive childhood. Living in New York City’s East Village, Wendy is a long aspiring playwright who spends her days temping and spends her nights having an affair with her neighbor, Larry (Peter Friedman). Living in upstate Buffalo, New York, Jon is a professor of drama, struggling to finish his book on Bertolt Brecht. They suddenly get an unexpected call from Arizona informing them that their estranged and abusive father, Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco) is suffering from dementia.
Reunited, the siblings face the challenge of caring for their ailing elderly father in spite of their emotional disconnect from him and each other. They move him into a Buffalo nursing home, and Wendy takes up residence with Jon. Living under the same roof again, Wendy and Jon rediscover each other’s eccentricities, personal failings, and the other things that drove them crazy. However, they may finally have to face adulthood and learn what good there really is in being part of a family.
If a director is to keep a family drama like The Savages from becoming a sappy soap opera, she must draw nuance from both her script and her performers, which Tamara Jenkins does in The Savages, earning herself an Oscar nomination for “Best Original Screenplay.” This smartly written and beautifully played film is for people who love films that allow great actors to do the thing they do so well.
Laura Linney, who also earned an Oscar nod for this picture, wows with her deep and sensitive portrayal of woman adrift in her middle age and trying to get her bearings. Linney really sells the notion that Wendy Savage will, through this tragedy, find the things in her past that she can both cherish and also bring into the future to make her life better. Philip Seymour Hoffman, having a career year in 2007, shows off his diversity by also playing a sensitive creative type. Hoffman also enriches Jon by gradually revealing a strong, steady side to a character that seems unable to take the next big step in anything he does.
Tamara Jenkins reveals an uncanny touch in the way she examines how nature and nurture go into making us who we are, and she makes an attractive narrative of this. It is a film that, while compassionate, is unsentimental.
7 of 10
A-
NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Laura Linney) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Tamara Jenkins)
2008 Golden Globes: 1 nomination for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
The Savages (2007)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexuality and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tamara Jenkins
PRODUCERS: Anne Carey, Ted Hope, and Erica Westheimer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: W. Mott Hupfel, III
EDITOR: Brian A. Kates
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA/COMEDY
Starring: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman, Gbenga Akinnagbe, David Zayas, and Cara Seymour
Writer/director Tamara Jenkins delivered some of the best screenwriting of 2007 with her drama, The Savages. Her stars, Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman, in turn, delivered some of the best acting on screen all year.
Wendy Savage (Linney) and her brother Jon Savage (Hoffman) carry the emotional scars of an abusive childhood. Living in New York City’s East Village, Wendy is a long aspiring playwright who spends her days temping and spends her nights having an affair with her neighbor, Larry (Peter Friedman). Living in upstate Buffalo, New York, Jon is a professor of drama, struggling to finish his book on Bertolt Brecht. They suddenly get an unexpected call from Arizona informing them that their estranged and abusive father, Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco) is suffering from dementia.
Reunited, the siblings face the challenge of caring for their ailing elderly father in spite of their emotional disconnect from him and each other. They move him into a Buffalo nursing home, and Wendy takes up residence with Jon. Living under the same roof again, Wendy and Jon rediscover each other’s eccentricities, personal failings, and the other things that drove them crazy. However, they may finally have to face adulthood and learn what good there really is in being part of a family.
If a director is to keep a family drama like The Savages from becoming a sappy soap opera, she must draw nuance from both her script and her performers, which Tamara Jenkins does in The Savages, earning herself an Oscar nomination for “Best Original Screenplay.” This smartly written and beautifully played film is for people who love films that allow great actors to do the thing they do so well.
Laura Linney, who also earned an Oscar nod for this picture, wows with her deep and sensitive portrayal of woman adrift in her middle age and trying to get her bearings. Linney really sells the notion that Wendy Savage will, through this tragedy, find the things in her past that she can both cherish and also bring into the future to make her life better. Philip Seymour Hoffman, having a career year in 2007, shows off his diversity by also playing a sensitive creative type. Hoffman also enriches Jon by gradually revealing a strong, steady side to a character that seems unable to take the next big step in anything he does.
Tamara Jenkins reveals an uncanny touch in the way she examines how nature and nurture go into making us who we are, and she makes an attractive narrative of this. It is a film that, while compassionate, is unsentimental.
7 of 10
A-
NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Laura Linney) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Tamara Jenkins)
2008 Golden Globes: 1 nomination for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year's 2011 and Negromancer Heaven
Welcome to Negromancer, the rebirth of my former movie review website as a movie review and movie news blog. I’m Leroy Douresseaux, and I also blog at http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/ and write for the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phones apps).
Happy New Year, and it is a happy new year thanks to you, the readers. This blog is doing much better than I thought it would at this point. Many thanks to all the people who have ordered from Amazon through the links and thanks for the donations, which have helped in those... lost employment days. Onward, Negromancer souljas!
All images appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.
Happy New Year, and it is a happy new year thanks to you, the readers. This blog is doing much better than I thought it would at this point. Many thanks to all the people who have ordered from Amazon through the links and thanks for the donations, which have helped in those... lost employment days. Onward, Negromancer souljas!
All images appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)