Sundance London Film and Music Festival - April 25 to 28, 2013:
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME — The international and UK premieres of American independent narrative and documentary films that premiered in January at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Blackfish (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite) — Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity. (Documentary) International Premiere
Blood Brother (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes (Director and screenwriter: Francesca Gregorini) — Emanuel, a troubled girl, becomes preoccupied with her mysterious, new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. In offering to babysit her newborn, Emanuel unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world, of which she becomes the gatekeeper. Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O'Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard. (Narrative) International Premiere
God Loves Uganda (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — A powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to infuse African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow biblical law. (Documentary) European Premiere
In a World... (Director and screenwriter: Lake Bell) — An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed. Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Narrative) International Premiere
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (Director: George Tillman Jr., Screenwriter: Michael Starrbury) — Separated from their mothers and facing a summer in the Brooklyn projects alone, two boys hide from police and forage for food, with only each other to trust. A story of salvation through friendship and two boys against the world. Cast: Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Anthony Mackie, Jeffrey Wright. (Narrative) UK Premiere
The Kings of Summer (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Chris Galletta) — A unique coming-of-age comedy about three teenagers who, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a makeshift house in the woods. Free from their parents’ rules, their idyllic summer quickly becomes a test of friendship. Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie. (Narrative) International Premiere
Muscle Shoals (Director: Greg 'Freddy' Camalier) — Down in Alabama Rick Hall founded FAME Studios and gave birth to the Muscle Shoals sound. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Gregg Allman, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono and others bear witness to the greatest untold American music story. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Running from Crazy (Director: Barbara Kopple) — Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, strives for a greater understanding of her family history of suicide and mental illness. As tragedies are explored and deeply hidden secrets are revealed, Mariel searches for a way to overcome a similar fate. From two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple. (Documentary) International Premiere
Touchy Feely (Director and screenwriter: Lynn Shelton) — A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's foundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his “healing touch.” Cast: Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy, Ellen Page, Josh Pais. (Narrative) International Premiere
Upstream Color (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and from the director of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic-winning film Primer. (Narrative) UK Premiere
SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAMME — On-screen stories complemented by extraordinary off-screen experiences.
History of the Eagles Part One (Director: Alison Ellwood) — Iconic American rock band the Eagles have earned countless awards and sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, including the best-selling album of all time. Using never-before-seen home movies, archival footage and new interviews with all current and former members of the Eagles, this documentary provides an intimate look into the history of the band and the legacy of their music. Includes an extended Q&A with the Eagles. (Documentary) International Premiere
Peaches Does Herself (Director and screenwriter: Peaches) — On the advice of an old stripper, Peaches makes sexually forthright music. This electro rock opera follows Peaches' rise in popularity and her love affair with a beautiful she-male that ultimately leads her to realize who she really is. Cast: Peaches, Danni Daniels, Sandy Kane, Mignon, Sweet Machine Band, Jolly Goods. Sundance London will also host a performance by Peaches. (Narrative) UK Premiere
Sleepwalk With Me (Director: Mike Birbiglia, Screenwriters: Mike Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Joe Birbiglia, Seth Barrish) — Reluctant to confront his fears of love, honesty, and growing up, a budding standup comedian has both a hilarious and intense struggle with sleepwalking. Cast: Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, Cristin Milioti. Winner of the Best of NEXT <=> Audience Award, Presented by Adobe Systems Incorporated, at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Includes an extended Q&A with director and screenwriter Mike Birbiglia, moderated by comedian Jimmy Carr. (Narrative) European Premiere
UK SPOTLIGHT — Drawing on the Sundance Film Festival’s rich legacy of premiering outstanding films produced in the UK – including An Education, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Bruges, In the Loop, Kinky Boots, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – this new showcase presents a selection of UK films that premiered in Park City, Utah.
In Fear (Directed and story by: Jeremy Lovering) — Trapped in a maze of country roads with only their vehicle for protection, Tom and Lucy are terrorized by an unseen tormentor exploiting their worst fears. Eventually they realize they've let the evil in – it’s sitting in their car. Cast: Alice Englert, Iain De Caestecker, Allen Leech. (Narrative) UK Premiere
The Look of Love (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriter: Matt Greenhalgh) — The true story of British adult magazine publisher and entrepreneur Paul Raymond. A modern day King Midas story, Raymond became one of the richest men in Britain at the cost of losing those closest to him. Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Tamsin Egerton. (Narrative) UK Premiere
The Moo Man (Directors: Andy Heathcote, Co-director: Heike Bachelier) — A year in the life of heroic farmer Steve, scene stealing Ida (queen of the herd), and a supporting cast of 55 cows. When Ida falls ill, Steve’s optimism is challenged and their whole way of life is at stake. (Documentary) UK Premiere
The Summit (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers' code, he might still be alive. Winner of the Editing Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Documentary)
SHORT FILM PROGRAMME — A wide-ranging collection of short films that screened in January at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. All will screen together in one Short Film Programme. The winner of the Sundance London Short Film Competition will be the tenth short film featured.
The Apocalypse (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Zuchero) — Four uninspired friends try to come up with a terrific idea for how to spend their Saturday afternoon. International Premiere
Black Metal (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — After a career spent mining his music from the shadows, one fan creates a chain reaction for the lead singer of a black metal band. European Premiere
The Date (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Toivoniemi) — Tino’s manhood is put to the test in front of two women when he has to host a date for Diablo, the family’s stud cat. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Irish Folk Furniture (Director: Tony Donoghue) — In Ireland, old hand-painted furniture is often associated with hard times, with poverty, and with a time many would rather forget. In this animated documentary, 16 pieces of traditional folk furniture are repaired and returned home. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Animation at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Jonah (Director: Kibwe Tavares, Screenwriter: Jack Thorne) — When two young men photograph a gigantic fish leaping from the sea, their small town becomes a tourist attraction in this story about the old and the new. From the director of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Grand Jury Prize-winning film FISHING WITHOUT NETS. UK Premiere
Reindeer (Director: Eva Weber) — A lyrical and haunting portrait of reindeer herding in the twilight expanses of the Lapland wilderness. Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Until the Quiet Comes (Director and screenwriter: Kahlil Joseph) — Shot in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects in Watts, Los Angeles, this film deals with themes of violence, camaraderie and spirituality through the lens of magical realism. Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. European Premiere
Whiplash (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — An aspiring drummer enters an elite conservatory’s top jazz orchestra. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. International Premiere
The Whistle (Director: Grzegorz Zariczny) — Marcin, a lowest-leagues football referee who lives in a small town near Krakow, dreams of better times. At his mother’s urging, he decides to change his life and find himself a girlfriend and a better job. Winner of the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
PANEL PROGRAMME — Discussions with renowned guest speakers providing incredible insights into the filmmaking process.
The Art of the Score: An Afternoon with David Arnold — In a career that has produced over 60 scores to date, David Arnold has written and arranged some of the most exciting music in film and television today – and has done so across myriad genres and styles. Best known for his five James Bond scores, including Casino Royale and Tomorrow Never Dies, as well as Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, Hot Fuzz, The Stepford Wives, and the television series Sherlock and Little Britain, his work has garnered numerous Grammy, Emmy, BAFTA, UK Royal Television Society and BMI awards and nominations. He was also Musical Director for 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games in London. In a lively afternoon celebrating creativity and collaboration, Arnold and guests offer a first-hand look at the composing process – through conversation, clips and various demonstrations of his approach to film and the musical choices that have led to some of his most notable work.
Screenwriting Flash Lab — It takes years of screenwriting to have an overnight success. It also takes talent, willpower, determination, grit and more than anything – it requires failure. And yet the fear of failure can stymy creativity. What is a writer to do? Join UK and American screenwriters for a lively, honest and irreverent discussion on the creative lessons learned from their biggest “cock-ups”. A not-to-be-missed opportunity to meet fellow writers, as well as Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program Founding Director, Michelle Satter, and International Director, Paul Federbush. Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Tideland, In This World, Death Defying Acts), Peter Straughan (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Debt, Men Who Stare at Goats), Lynn Shelton (Touchy Feely, Your Sister’s Sister, Humpday), moderator Mia Bays, Oscar-winning producer (Six Shooter, 30 Century Man) and marketing consultant / creative executive at Microwave, and other panelist to be announced. Co-presented with BAFTA.
Senses of Humor and Humour: US – UK Comedy — As the wisest among us have often observed, humor is a serious thing. A strangely elusive form (E.B. White once likened it to dissecting a frog; you can do it, but the thing dies in the process) comedy may be dispensed with sugarcoated smoothness, but it’s a uniquely powerful, sophisticated way of looking at the foibles of human nature and the contradictions of our lives and societies. From family dysfunction to global politics, comedians might argue that laughing at the world is simply the most sensible way of making sense of it. In a battle to establish who is funnier and why, our group of UK and US actors, comedians and filmmakers unpeel the layers and explore what’s behind the American and British “brands” of humor. With comedian, author and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia (Sleepwalk With Me), writer, director and actress Lake Bell (In A World…) and other panelists to be announced. Co-presented with BFI.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Review: Oz the (Not So) Great and (Not Really) Powerful
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Running minutes: 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language
DRIECTOR: Sam Raimi
WRITERS: Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire; from a screen story by Mitchell Kapner (based on the works of L. Frank Baum)
PRODUCER: Joe Roth
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Deming
EDITOR: Bob Murawski
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
FANTASY with elements of action, adventure, and comedy
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Joey King, Tony Cox, Bruce Campbell, and Ted Raimi
Oz the Great and Powerful is a 2013 fantasy film from Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Sam Raimi, this movie is based on the works of L. Frank Baum, especially Baum’s most famous book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was first published in 1900. Oz the Great and Powerful’s story takes place before the events depicted in the book, so the movie is kind of a prequel to the novel. The new movie focuses on a small-time magician who arrives in an enchanted land, where he reluctantly joins a fight to save the land from evil witches.
Oz the Great and Powerful (which I will sometimes refer to as “OGP”) is not officially connected to the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, which is also based on Baum’s original novel and was produced by MGM (and is now owned by Time-Warner). In terms of quality, Oz the Great and Powerful is half the movie the 1939 film is. OGP is not a bad movie; it is simply mediocre, corporate film-product that cannot hide weak characters and a poor story behind tens of millions of dollars worth of special effects.
Oz the Great and Powerful opens in 1905, where we meet Oscar “Oz” Diggs (James Franco), a small-time magician, con artist, and womanizer. His activities lead him to make a desperate escape aboard a hot air balloon. The balloon, however, is sucked into a tornado, which takes Oscar to the mysterious and strange Land of Oz. The first resident of Oz he meets is the beautiful Theodora, the Wicked Witch of the West (Mila Kunis). Theodora tells Oscar that he is the prophesized wizard who will save Oz from the wicked Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams).
They travel the yellow brick road to Emerald City, the capital of Oz. There, Oscar meets Theodora’s sister, Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East (Rachel Weisz), who sends Oscar on a mission. Joined by Finley the Flying Monkey (voice of Zach Braff) and China Girl (voice Joey King), Oscar begins a journey that takes him to Munchkinland, where he must decide whether to be great or to be a good man.
In a perfect world, Oz the Great and Powerful would be judged on its own merits, but this is not a perfect world. This is an imperfect world that is made better by a great movie first released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz. In that film, Judy Garland is still a young thing and matte paints can make you believe in dark forests and emerald cities. Thus, OGP must match up with (or perhaps against) that classic 1939 film, and OGP doesn’t win that match up.
Oz the Great and Powerful has its inventive moments, but it lacks the imagination of the 1939 film. The new film is all special effects technical wizardry, but it doesn’t have the magic, the heart, or the folksy charm of 1939 film. There are a few moments in OGP that mimic the first film’s rustic flourishes, but everything else in OGP pales before a computer-generated onslaught of elements and effects. This is not heart; this is noise.
The last half hour of Oz the Great and Powerful (before the end credits) is actually quite good, but the other 90 minutes is equal parts hits and misses. The actors and their characters are also inconsistent. Who thought James Franco was right for this part? Franco is a good actor, but half the time, I found him unconvincing as Oscar Diggs. Michelle Williams’s performance as Glinda is way too sugary, a shame as she is actually a good actor.
OGP is really an odd little movie that was super-sized and thus, made too big by corporate studio demands. Still, I think fans of all-things-Oz, young and old, will find things to like about this movie (as I have), if not fall in love with the entire movie. The last act nearly makes up for the rest of the movie, but not quite. Oz the Great and Powerful is big rather than great and overpowering rather than powerful.
5 of 10
C+
Monday, March 11, 2013
Disney's "D23" Goes to Japan in October 2013
First-Ever D23 Expo Japan to Be Held October 12–14, 2013
The Official Disney Fan Club’s Signature Event Makes Its International Debut
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Company Japan (NYSE: DIS) announced that it will stage the first-ever D23 Expo Japan, a special event for Disney fans created by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. D23 Expo Japan, the first Expo to be held outside the U.S., will feature an array of engaging presentations, hosted by senior Disney creative executives, showcasing what’s on the horizon from across The Walt Disney Company, including theme parks, movies, television, music, and interactive gaming. Fans will enjoy unique experiences; have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind merchandise and collectibles; meet many of their favorite Disney characters; and delight in countless other surprises. D23 Expo Japan will take place October 12–14, 2013, at the Tokyo Disney Resort® in the Maihama area. Expo ticketing and program information will be announced in March.
D23 Expo Japan will also feature two special exhibitions celebrating landmark Disney milestones. First, to pay homage to The Walt Disney Company’s 90th Anniversary, D23 and the Walt Disney Archives will present Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, featuring nine decades of treasures from the Archives’ vast collection. Plus, the Tokyo Disney Resort will celebrate its 30th year with a special retrospective exhibit. This special exhibition, presented by Oriental Land, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, celebrates this milestone year by making D23 Expo Japan possible. Further details will be posted at http://disney.jp/D23 as they become available.
“We are thrilled to host this extraordinary, three-day event where all the wonderful worlds of Disney come together,” said Paul Candland, president, The Walt Disney Company Japan. “2013 marks The Walt Disney Company’s 90th anniversary, Disney Channel’s 10th, Disney Mobile’s fifth, the Disney–JCB Card’s fifth, Dlife’s first, and Tokyo Disney Resort’s 30th! The D23 Expo Japan allows us to show Disney’s tremendous appreciation to its fans.”
This event is supported by JCB Co., Ltd, and The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited as official sponsors.
Disney fans from around the globe flocked to Anaheim, Calif., for the first D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, in September 2009, followed by a second in August 2011. The next D23 Expo will take place August 9–11, 2013, at the Anaheim Convention Center and will feature: the 2013 Disney Legends Ceremony; a special exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives; the Collectors Forum, where Disney fans can buy, sell, and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia, and merchandise; an all-new Fan Art Contest themed to the upcoming 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins, and a massive show floor full of special opportunities to see what’s on the horizon for Disney around the world.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of about $42.3 billion in its last fiscal year.
About D23: The Official Disney Fan Club
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present, and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 unlocks the magic of Disney with a host of exclusive benefits, including a quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.D23.com; a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; and free gifts throughout the year; as well as exclusive events created especially for its members.
The Official Disney Fan Club’s Signature Event Makes Its International Debut
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Company Japan (NYSE: DIS) announced that it will stage the first-ever D23 Expo Japan, a special event for Disney fans created by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. D23 Expo Japan, the first Expo to be held outside the U.S., will feature an array of engaging presentations, hosted by senior Disney creative executives, showcasing what’s on the horizon from across The Walt Disney Company, including theme parks, movies, television, music, and interactive gaming. Fans will enjoy unique experiences; have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind merchandise and collectibles; meet many of their favorite Disney characters; and delight in countless other surprises. D23 Expo Japan will take place October 12–14, 2013, at the Tokyo Disney Resort® in the Maihama area. Expo ticketing and program information will be announced in March.
D23 Expo Japan will also feature two special exhibitions celebrating landmark Disney milestones. First, to pay homage to The Walt Disney Company’s 90th Anniversary, D23 and the Walt Disney Archives will present Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, featuring nine decades of treasures from the Archives’ vast collection. Plus, the Tokyo Disney Resort will celebrate its 30th year with a special retrospective exhibit. This special exhibition, presented by Oriental Land, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, celebrates this milestone year by making D23 Expo Japan possible. Further details will be posted at http://disney.jp/D23 as they become available.
“We are thrilled to host this extraordinary, three-day event where all the wonderful worlds of Disney come together,” said Paul Candland, president, The Walt Disney Company Japan. “2013 marks The Walt Disney Company’s 90th anniversary, Disney Channel’s 10th, Disney Mobile’s fifth, the Disney–JCB Card’s fifth, Dlife’s first, and Tokyo Disney Resort’s 30th! The D23 Expo Japan allows us to show Disney’s tremendous appreciation to its fans.”
This event is supported by JCB Co., Ltd, and The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited as official sponsors.
Disney fans from around the globe flocked to Anaheim, Calif., for the first D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, in September 2009, followed by a second in August 2011. The next D23 Expo will take place August 9–11, 2013, at the Anaheim Convention Center and will feature: the 2013 Disney Legends Ceremony; a special exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives; the Collectors Forum, where Disney fans can buy, sell, and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia, and merchandise; an all-new Fan Art Contest themed to the upcoming 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins, and a massive show floor full of special opportunities to see what’s on the horizon for Disney around the world.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of about $42.3 billion in its last fiscal year.
About D23: The Official Disney Fan Club
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present, and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 unlocks the magic of Disney with a host of exclusive benefits, including a quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.D23.com; a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; and free gifts throughout the year; as well as exclusive events created especially for its members.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Review: "Basic Instinct" is Still a Killer (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)
Basic Instinct (1992)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and sensuality and for drug use and language
DIRECTOR: Paul Verhoeven
WRITER: Joe Eszterhas
PRODUCER: Alan Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jan De Bont, A.S.C.
EDITOR: Frank J. Urioste, A.C.E.
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award nominee
THRILLER/CRIME/MYSTERY
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle, Bruce A. Young, Chelcie Ross, Dorothy Malone, Wayne Knight, and Daniel von Bargen
The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct, a 1992 erotic thriller and mystery film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by the great Joe Eszterhas. The film follows a police detective in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder and a beautiful and seductive woman who could be involved.
Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) is a tough, but vulnerable San Francisco detective – vulnerable because he’s under the watchful eye of Internal Affairs after he’d shot and killed some tourists during a pursuit of suspects. Nick has also complicated his life by having intimate relations with the therapist, Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), his bosses are making him see.
The story begins after a prominent community member is found bound and brutally murdered (stabbed with an ice pick) in his blood-soaked bed. Nick’s life and job get even more convoluted when he and his partner, Gus Moran (George Dzundza), are assigned to be the lead detectives in the case. The prime suspect is Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a cold, calculating, and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine takes an immediate interest in Nick and delves into his past, but is she using him for reference in her new novel or is she dragging Nick into an even more dangerous game. As the bodies pile up, Nick wonders if a jealous rival of Catherine’s or of his and Catherine’s relationship is out to frame her… and kill him. Or is Catherine behind all the murders?
Basic Instinct was one of the most talked about and controversial movies of 1992. Protests from gay rights groups marred the film’s production shoot after the script was leaked and it was learn that all the murder suspects in the film were lesbian characters. When the film was finally released, Basic Instinct’s explicit sex, tawdry subject matter, and riveting crime plot made it one of the year’s biggest box office hits and the poster child for those who believed sex and violence in Hollywood films had finally crossed too many lines.
But the film was good… no, great. Hot sex, hot girls, beautiful locations in San Francisco and the surrounding area, swanky sets, multiple plausible murder suspects, and a cop nearly out of his mind chasing hot ass – Basic Instinct was and still is a thoroughly delightful adult thriller. Director Paul Verhoeven created a murder mystery in the tradition of films such as Out of the Past and Murder, My Sweet. If Basic Instinct weren’t a color film, it would be a modern Film-Noir classic.
There were good performances all around, and the best were Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone’s. The duo had great screen chemistry, and Ms. Stone played the part for all it was worth, making her a top-billed, highly paid actress for the next few years. Rarely had there been so much sexual tension, distrust, dishonesty, and brazenness between a screen couple that couldn’t stop “being” with one another, and Douglas coolly played the role on the way to solidifying his position as an A-list actor.
One element that was absolutely necessary in making Basic Instinct such a sexy thriller is the Oscar-nominated score (Best Music, Original Score) by the late Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004). Haunting and alluring, it helps the film capture some of the screen magic of crime films from the golden age of Hollywood. Goldsmith also provided the right musical themes and rhythms to go with Michael and Sharon’s pummel-your-partner love scenes.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Film Editing” (Frank J. Urioste) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Jerry Goldsmith)
1993 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Jerry Goldsmith) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Sharon Stone)
1992 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Jerry Goldsmith)
1993 Razzie Awards: 3 nominations: “Worst Actor” (Michael Douglas, also for Shining Through -1992), “Worst New Star” ("Sharon Stone's 'Tribute to Theodore Cleaver'"), and “Worst Supporting Actress” (Jeanne Tripplehorn)
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Review: "Basic Instinct 2" Doesn't Come Close to the Original (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)
Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexuality, nudity, violence, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR: Michael Canton-Jones
WRITERS: Leora Barish & Henry Bean (based upon characters by Joe Eszterhas)
PRODUCERS: Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, and Andrew G. Vajna
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gyulas Pados (director of photography)
EDITOR: Istvan Kiraly and John Scott
COMPOSER: John Murphy
Razzie Award winner
MYSTERY/THRILLER
Starring: Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, Charlotte Rampling, David Thewlis, Hugh Dancy, Stan Collymore, Neil Maskell, Indira Varma, Heathcote Williams, and Flora Montgomery
The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct 2, a 2006 erotic thriller and mystery film. Directed by Michael Canton-Jones, the film is a sequel to the 1992 film, Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone returns from the original film, but not her co-star, Michael Douglas. In the new film, Stone’s character, novelist Catherine Tramell, is again in trouble with the law, and she lures the Scotland Yard psychiatrist appointed to evaluate her into a seductive game.
Charged with the murder of her fiancé, Kevin Franks (Stan Collymore), best-selling novelist, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), is once again in trouble with the law – this time in London. Catherine faces questioning from Dr. Michael Glass (David Morrissey), a Scotland Yard-appointed criminal psychiatrist. Before long, more people are turning up dead all around Catherine, just as it did a decade and a half ago in San Francisco. The suspects are plenty, and the players include a conniving reporter and a dirty cop, as well as many of Glass’ friends and associates. An old case of Glass’ also comes into play. Did he know that George Cheslav (unseen in the film), a psychotic patient of his, was going to kill his girlfriend? Tramell sees the case as a chance to manipulate Glass as fodder for her new novel – about a psychiatrist who may or may not have committed murder. Glass has the training to withstand Catherine’s mind games, or does he? Can he even match her willpower? And what happens when the evidence from the murders start pointing to him as much as it does to Catherine?
Basic Instinct 2 isn’t good, nor is it really bad. It starts off with a bang, but most of it is dry, dull, and awkward, in spite of a good moment here and there and a killer ending that leaves the viewer asking questions just as the first film did. One wonders why we really needed a sequel to the San Francisco-based neo-noir, Basic Instinct, although there has been talk of one ever since the film became a blockbuster hit in 1992. Leora Barish and Henry Bean’s script is a good murder mystery, but it’s wrong for the Catherine Tramell character. Tramell certainly belongs in a lurid murder mystery; this just isn’t the one. Putting her in this British-based tale of deception and hard sex is like putting Shrek in The Lord of the Rings just because the former is a fantasy-based character and the latter is an epic fantasy.
Director Michael Canton-Jones (Scandal) tries to give this film some style, and judging from the explicit “love scenes,” he knows how to direct a hot sex scene. Sharon Stone still is Catherine Tramell, but she’s trying to hard, and Canton swoops in on her every wicked facial expression. For fans of the original, this is merely a curiosity piece and one that tries the patience.
3 of 10
C-
Saturday, August 19, 2006
NOTES:
2007 Razzie Awards: 4 wins: “Worst Actress” (Sharon Stone), “Worst Picture” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too-Sony and Columbia), “Worst Prequel or Sequel” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too), and “Worst Screenplay” (Leora Barish and Henry Bean, based on characters created by Joe Eszterhas); 3 nominations: “Worst Director” (Michael Caton-Jones), “Worst Screen Couple” (Sharon Stone's lop-sided breasts.), and “Worst Supporting Actor” (David Thewlis, also for The Omen-2006)
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Saturday, March 9, 2013
Chris Nolan's Next Project, "Interstellar," Due November 2014
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S “INTERSTELLAR” TO BE CO-PRODUCED AND JOINTLY DISTRIBUTED BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES
FILM WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS AND IMAX® ON NOVEMBER 7, 2014
Paramount To Distribute Domestically, Warner Bros. Pictures Internationally
Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures jointly announced today that writer/director Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” will be co-produced and distributed by the two studios, with Paramount Pictures handling Domestic distribution and Warner Bros. Pictures distributing the film Internationally. “INTERSTELLAR” will be released beginning November 7, 2014, in theaters and IMAX®.
Directed and written by Academy Award-nominee Nolan (“INCEPTION,” “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”), “INTERSTELLAR” is based on a script by Jonathan Nolan. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan of Syncopy Films and Obst of Lynda Obst Productions. Kip Thorne will executive produce. The film will depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.
Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures said, “As a filmmaker and storyteller, Chris has continuously entertained the world with his extraordinary and unparalleled talents. I am pleased beyond measure to welcome him to the Paramount Pictures family. Partnering with Chris, Emma, Lynda and Warner Bros. to release this original idea next November is the perfect way to start the Thanksgiving and holiday movie season for audiences around the world.”
Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said, “Christopher Nolan is truly one of the great auteurs working in film today, and we’re extremely proud of our successful and ongoing collaboration with him and Emma Thomas. We are excited to be teaming with Paramount, and look forward to working with the Nolans, and producer Lynda Obst, on this extraordinary new project.”
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures meets worldwide tastes and demands with a diverse mix of filmed entertainment and is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films. The International Division operates offices in 24 countries and releases films in over 125 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures. Internationally, the Studio has been the market leader in six of the last 13 years, having surpassed $1 billion in grosses a total of 15 years, 12 of which were consecutive years, and crossed $2 billion five times, including 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
FILM WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS AND IMAX® ON NOVEMBER 7, 2014
Paramount To Distribute Domestically, Warner Bros. Pictures Internationally
Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures jointly announced today that writer/director Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” will be co-produced and distributed by the two studios, with Paramount Pictures handling Domestic distribution and Warner Bros. Pictures distributing the film Internationally. “INTERSTELLAR” will be released beginning November 7, 2014, in theaters and IMAX®.
Directed and written by Academy Award-nominee Nolan (“INCEPTION,” “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”), “INTERSTELLAR” is based on a script by Jonathan Nolan. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan of Syncopy Films and Obst of Lynda Obst Productions. Kip Thorne will executive produce. The film will depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.
Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures said, “As a filmmaker and storyteller, Chris has continuously entertained the world with his extraordinary and unparalleled talents. I am pleased beyond measure to welcome him to the Paramount Pictures family. Partnering with Chris, Emma, Lynda and Warner Bros. to release this original idea next November is the perfect way to start the Thanksgiving and holiday movie season for audiences around the world.”
Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said, “Christopher Nolan is truly one of the great auteurs working in film today, and we’re extremely proud of our successful and ongoing collaboration with him and Emma Thomas. We are excited to be teaming with Paramount, and look forward to working with the Nolans, and producer Lynda Obst, on this extraordinary new project.”
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures meets worldwide tastes and demands with a diverse mix of filmed entertainment and is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films. The International Division operates offices in 24 countries and releases films in over 125 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures. Internationally, the Studio has been the market leader in six of the last 13 years, having surpassed $1 billion in grosses a total of 15 years, 12 of which were consecutive years, and crossed $2 billion five times, including 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Friday, March 8, 2013
"The Wizard of Oz" Still the Greatest Fantasy Film Ever
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 mintues)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Victor Fleming
WRITERS: Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf (based upon the novel by L. Frank Baum)
PRODUCER: Mervyn LeRoy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Harold Rosson (photographed by: in Technicolor)
EDITOR: Blanche Sewell
COMPOSER: Herbert Stothart
SONGS: Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Academy Award winner
FANTASY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/MUSICAL
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, and Clara Blandick
The subject of this movie review is The Wizard of Oz, a 1939 musical fantasy and adventure film from MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). The film is based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a children’s fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900.
Although Victor Fleming was credited as the film’s director, several other directors worked on the film, including King Vidor, George Cuko, and Mervyn LeRoy (who produced the film along with Arthur Freed). In fact numerous people who contributed to this film did not receive any screed credit, such as Arthur Freed (writer and producer), Ogden Nash (writer) and Herman J. Mankeiwicz (writer).
Various critics and popular polls often name it one of the “ten best movies of all time,” and in 2010, the Library of Congress said it was the most watched movie of all time. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched it, but I consider The Wizard of Oz to be the greatest fantasy film of all time.
Since it was first released over six decades ago, The Wizard of Oz has stood the test of time as a great fantasy film. And though computers have revolutionized the use of special effects in movies, The Wizard of Oz, with its painted backdrops, handmade costumes, and ordinary makeup effects is as potent as any modern fantasy film filled with super SFX.
In the story, a tornado whisks a Kansas farm girl named Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto to the magical Land of Oz where she encounters many strange and wonderful beings. She embarks upon a quest to the Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz, who reportedly has it in his powers to send Dorothy back to Kansas. Along the way she gathers a group of fellow travelers who also wish a boon from the Wizard: The Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) who wants a brain; The Tin Man (Jack Haley) who wants a heart; and The Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. To get what they want, however, they must face off with The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) who wants a pair of magical ruby slippers that Dorothy wears.
Anyone who has seen The Wizard of Oz is already aware of the magical hold the film has had and continues to have over audiences. Like a good fantasy film, it is filled with fantastical elements, but the heart of the story is the quest for something dear. For Dorothy, it is a way home; for her friends it is something they wrongly believe is missing from their lives and personalities. Like a great family film, The Wizard of Oz endears itself by entertaining all ages with a wonderful story, memorable songs and lines, and loveable characters. It is also in a way an adventure film, but the vicarious thrill of the adventure doesn’t come from destruction, but comes from sharing the quest with friends and loved ones.
The Wizard of Oz is undoubtedly one of the great American films. Watch it, and one can’t help but marvel how the filmmakers came together to make a film that approaches perfection with nearly every scene and in nearly every moment.
10 of 10
NOTES:
1940 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Music, Original Score” (Herbert Stothart) and “Best Music, Original Song” (Harold Arlen-music for E.Y. Harburg-lyrics for the song "Over the Rainbow"); 4 nominations: “Best Picture” (M-G-M), “Best Art Direction” (Cedric Gibbons and William A. Horning), “Best Cinematography, Color” (Harold Rosson), and “Best Effects, Special Effects” (A. Arnold Gillespie-photographic and Douglas Shearer-sound)
1939 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Victor Fleming)
1989 National Film Preservation Board, USA: National Film Registry
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