Buffy and Firefly creator may helm one of the most massive movies of all time
This isn't set in stone quite yet, but if it pans out...let's just say this is fantastic news. Joss Whedon reportedly in talks to direct Marvel's massive universe-wide film The Avengers. Whedon is easily one of the most creative minds in the entertainment business, and could be such a positive force for Marvel and the Avengers universe. There have been many rumors about who might direct, with Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau the most recent rumor before Whedon. Like I said, as far as I know this isn't official yet, and we've seen these things fall apart before, so I'm staying cautious. It does appear to be more than a rumor though, with even Variety running a story, so I think this one could end up working out.
I never really watched Buffy, but I did enjoy its spinoff, Angel. Whedon's best work, however, would be his cult classic 2002 TV show Firefly, and its 2005 sequel movie Serenity. If you haven't watched them, go do that.......right now. Whedon's most recent venture, the innovative but ill-fated show Dollhouse is also certainly worth a watch, though it does take a few episodes to get into the show's complex, and periodically wacky, premise.
Let's just say that with Whedon at the helm, The Avengers movie will be one of the biggest films to watch for in 2012. With my blog supposedly rejuvenated, I will be following this story as it progresses, and will update as new info rolls in. You can read more detailed info from articles at Variety, Deadline, and Rope of Silicon
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
What I've Watched Recently #4 (4/11/10)
This is my first post in over a month, ever since the night of the Oscars. Honestly, I'm just happy to be back, and hopefully, this time it'll stay that way. Of course, it doesn't help when school starts repeatedly kicking your ass, but enough with excuses.
Over the last couple weeks, I've been watching a lot of the first few seasons of Dexter, so I haven't watched many movies. But I got to see several good films this week, as well as a piece of crap to keep things interesting. Starting with the bad:
Possession – I saw the trailer a long time ago, and thought it could be interesting. When I actually got ahold of it to watch I didn't really care if it was good or not, and simply watched it out of loyalty to Lee Pace. A soapy snoozefest, plain and simple. Grade: D+
Date Night – Between this film and Hot Tub Time Machine I have laughed a lot this year, but this one probably got me just a little more than HTTM. I had a few minor issues with it, but all the leads and supporters did their parts nicely, and the laughs rolled in on queue. Grade: A-
Broken Embraces – My very first Almodovar film, and it was interesting to say the least. I am very interested in revisiting this one for sure, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it jump up a notch in my book. The direction was creative, the acting was fantastic, especially Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar, and the story was engaging. I also have Volver sitting around, so I'll have to check that one out soon. Grade: B
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – This one was fantastic, and it left me wondering what the hell I'd just seen. Herzog's direction was certainly unique. Cage's acting and delivery were mesmerizing. My only problem was that a few of the supporting characters didn't get enough development, so they were no help to progressing Cage's character. Not that it needed help. "You think fish have dreams?" Grade: B+
A Town Called Panic – A very oddball, and yet completely enjoyable and strikingly creative stop-motion film. I was really surprised at how much I laughed and was amazed by this film. I almost missed this one due to weather, but I made it to the theater, and was pleased that I did. Grade: A-
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What I've Watched Recently #3
I missed the last couple editions of "What I Watched this Week," and so this week's article is extra-packed. It also led me to decide to alter the name of the article in a way that won't put the pressure on if I happen to miss a week for whatever reason.
It's an interesting haul for this post. A couple Oscar contenders, a few 2010 releases, some hidden gems from 2009, and even a SciFi Channel miniseries. Since I've got a bunch to go through, forgive me if these seem a bit short and basic. If you are interested in me expanding on any of these films, just let me know in the comments section:
Shutter Island - A dark, engrossing, and mind-numbing slice of psychological horror from master director Martin Scorsese. I think one of the problems with being considered one of the greatest living directors is that everyone judges your newest movies against your greatest works. Is this Goodfellas? No. Is it a chilling and fantastic descent into madness? Absolutely. The cast is insanely good, with standout performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley, and an all-to-short scene with Jackie Earle Haley. Scorsese's direction is impeccable, taking us from one maddening twist to another, and to another that makes you rethink it all, never releasing the tension until the end. My only problem with the film came here at the end, where explaining the meaning behind the madness, it seemed a bit sloppy and unnecessary and overlong. I'm not sure if this will cause me to lower the grade in future viewings, but for now it didn't seem to take anything away from the shocking conclusion. Grade: A-
The Crazies - I have to make this clear: The Crazies is NOT a zombie-horror movie. Okay, now that that's out of the way, I can say that this is a genuinely enjoyable action-survival thriller, with a good mix of tension, scares, action, and surprisingly intelligent storytelling. Solid acting featuring the criminally underrated Timothy Olyphant as the town sheriff risking it all to save his wife (Radha Mitchell), with his deputy (Joe Anderson) at his side. This trio give the film emotional depth not typically seen in this genre. Even better is that director Breck Eisner (whose only previous theatrical release was 2005's Sahara) seemed to have a handle on what he needed to do to make this kind of film work, and directed it with an enjoyable punch and style. Most importantly these are not mindless zombies, but instead fully-capable human beings driven to crazy impulses, making it all the more terrifying. The only minor qualm I had was with the very end, when I said, "Oh crap, of course that's how it ends." I won't give it away, but who knows, it might turn out to be for the film's benefit. We'll see... Grade: B+
Black Dynamite - With such a hilarious and clever trailer, I was expecting a lot from this movie. It delivered, most of the time. I had trouble getting into the film at first, and some of the jokes fell a bit flat for me. However, I blame this mostly on not being intimately familiar with the blaxploitation genre. What I got was a humorous and clever homage to one of the 70's most popular and influential genres. Michael Jai White (who also produces) is in full control of the film starring as the ass-kicking, womanizing, fast-talking Black Dynamite, an ex-CIA agent and martial arts expert ready to work outside the law to get revenge on those who caused his brother's death. What ensues is an enjoyable bit of mayhem with a twist that just might s.
A Single Man - While I found the film overall to be rather overrated, Colin Firth's fantastic performance is not. I would stop short of giving him the Oscar as some pundits would, but I wholeheartedly agree with Collider's Matt Goldberg that Firth "expertly played a role that was like nothing he had done before in his career." As for the rest of the cast, Julianne Moore had the only other performance I would consider notable, though Matthew Goode was decent, though Nicholas Hoult's presence bugged me considerably throughout the whole movie. And while I give fashion designer/first-time director Tom Ford credit for trying to be stylish and symbolic with how he shot the movie, it simply didn't work, and the film suffered. Grade: C+ (For Firth, and him alone)
A Serious Man - I have had mixed feelings about the Coen Brothers in the past. While I have always appreciated their talent, especially in their scripts, a couple of their films just haven't resonated with me, most notably O Brother, Where Art Thou? However, I can happily say that A Serious Man is among the growing number of their movies that do. Starring a mostly unknown cast, this darkly-comedic tale unfolds very much like a modern-day Job story (from the Bible if you didn't know). Prof. Larry Gopnik, played wonderfully by Michael Stuhlbarg, watches as everything in his life gets progressively worse. Amidst a downward spiral of a cheating wife, free-loading brother who keeps getting into trouble with the police, misfit children, mystifying neighbors, and a crumbling teaching job, all he wants is to be "a serious man." And in the Coen Bros. style, the ending definitely leaves you with some food for thought. Grade: B+
Alice in Wonderland - I have only been a Tim Burton fan for a few years now. I still have to see the majority of his work, but I appreciate his rich and vivid imagination. Alice is certainly filled with great visual imagination. What's missing is narrative execution. The story is fun and light-hearted, but each event just sort of happens, with little in the way of a structured narrative. By the time you get to the end, it just becomes, "Okay, so that's it." But their is plenty to love in the movie as well. The story may be disjointed, but it's a fun ride, and showcases Burton's visual appealing style. Mia Wasikowska is certainly delightful as Alice, and will surely be a big star very soon. As for the rest of the cast, Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter is tolerable, though it's certainly hit-or-miss. Helena Bonham Carter, playing the Red Queen, is however on the top of her game, and the voice cast (notably Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, and Alan Rickman) do their part nicely. In all, it was an enjoyable ride that I will be looking forward to taking again some day. Grade: B
Alice (SciFi Channel miniseries) - I had actually taped this when it first aired on the SciFi Channel. Yes, I called it SciFi channel, not Syfy as they now designate themselves. I will refuse to call it that as long as I live. I'm glad that I waited, however. I have only had a passing familiarity with the Alice in Wonderland story, so even going into Tim Burton's film, I wasn't sure what to expect. Similar to SciFi's Wizard of Oz miniseries, Tin Man, the characters, events, and places are quite abstract from their source material. That said, I found Alice to be a very creative, funny, and enjoyable take on the classic tale. It may not be as good as Tin Man, but it's fun way to spend three hours.
Bronson - An intensely shot film, anchored by the the gorgeously vicious, funny, and gripping performance by Tom Hardy. My greatest qualm with the movie is that it is not very chronologically clear, so I had trouble following the story at first. This is a minor issue however, as Hardy's charisma takes full control of the story. This is a brutal film, though I must say that based on what I'd heard of the man Hardy portrays (Michael Peterson aka Charles Bronson, Britain's most notorious prisoner), it was not as harsh as I expected. This is for the film's benefit, as it shows that director Nicolas Winding Refn is not interested in glorifying, exonerating, or condemning Bronson, but to simply show who the man is, in all his complexity. He was prone to violence, and spent 34 years in prison (30 in isolation), was positively psychotic, and yet so restrained that he never killed a single person in his life. Definitely a film to revisit, and it is a film I sincerely hope to get more out of with every repeat viewing. Grade: B+
It's an interesting haul for this post. A couple Oscar contenders, a few 2010 releases, some hidden gems from 2009, and even a SciFi Channel miniseries. Since I've got a bunch to go through, forgive me if these seem a bit short and basic. If you are interested in me expanding on any of these films, just let me know in the comments section:
Shutter Island - A dark, engrossing, and mind-numbing slice of psychological horror from master director Martin Scorsese. I think one of the problems with being considered one of the greatest living directors is that everyone judges your newest movies against your greatest works. Is this Goodfellas? No. Is it a chilling and fantastic descent into madness? Absolutely. The cast is insanely good, with standout performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley, and an all-to-short scene with Jackie Earle Haley. Scorsese's direction is impeccable, taking us from one maddening twist to another, and to another that makes you rethink it all, never releasing the tension until the end. My only problem with the film came here at the end, where explaining the meaning behind the madness, it seemed a bit sloppy and unnecessary and overlong. I'm not sure if this will cause me to lower the grade in future viewings, but for now it didn't seem to take anything away from the shocking conclusion. Grade: A-
The Crazies - I have to make this clear: The Crazies is NOT a zombie-horror movie. Okay, now that that's out of the way, I can say that this is a genuinely enjoyable action-survival thriller, with a good mix of tension, scares, action, and surprisingly intelligent storytelling. Solid acting featuring the criminally underrated Timothy Olyphant as the town sheriff risking it all to save his wife (Radha Mitchell), with his deputy (Joe Anderson) at his side. This trio give the film emotional depth not typically seen in this genre. Even better is that director Breck Eisner (whose only previous theatrical release was 2005's Sahara) seemed to have a handle on what he needed to do to make this kind of film work, and directed it with an enjoyable punch and style. Most importantly these are not mindless zombies, but instead fully-capable human beings driven to crazy impulses, making it all the more terrifying. The only minor qualm I had was with the very end, when I said, "Oh crap, of course that's how it ends." I won't give it away, but who knows, it might turn out to be for the film's benefit. We'll see... Grade: B+
Black Dynamite - With such a hilarious and clever trailer, I was expecting a lot from this movie. It delivered, most of the time. I had trouble getting into the film at first, and some of the jokes fell a bit flat for me. However, I blame this mostly on not being intimately familiar with the blaxploitation genre. What I got was a humorous and clever homage to one of the 70's most popular and influential genres. Michael Jai White (who also produces) is in full control of the film starring as the ass-kicking, womanizing, fast-talking Black Dynamite, an ex-CIA agent and martial arts expert ready to work outside the law to get revenge on those who caused his brother's death. What ensues is an enjoyable bit of mayhem with a twist that just might s.
A Single Man - While I found the film overall to be rather overrated, Colin Firth's fantastic performance is not. I would stop short of giving him the Oscar as some pundits would, but I wholeheartedly agree with Collider's Matt Goldberg that Firth "expertly played a role that was like nothing he had done before in his career." As for the rest of the cast, Julianne Moore had the only other performance I would consider notable, though Matthew Goode was decent, though Nicholas Hoult's presence bugged me considerably throughout the whole movie. And while I give fashion designer/first-time director Tom Ford credit for trying to be stylish and symbolic with how he shot the movie, it simply didn't work, and the film suffered. Grade: C+ (For Firth, and him alone)
A Serious Man - I have had mixed feelings about the Coen Brothers in the past. While I have always appreciated their talent, especially in their scripts, a couple of their films just haven't resonated with me, most notably O Brother, Where Art Thou? However, I can happily say that A Serious Man is among the growing number of their movies that do. Starring a mostly unknown cast, this darkly-comedic tale unfolds very much like a modern-day Job story (from the Bible if you didn't know). Prof. Larry Gopnik, played wonderfully by Michael Stuhlbarg, watches as everything in his life gets progressively worse. Amidst a downward spiral of a cheating wife, free-loading brother who keeps getting into trouble with the police, misfit children, mystifying neighbors, and a crumbling teaching job, all he wants is to be "a serious man." And in the Coen Bros. style, the ending definitely leaves you with some food for thought. Grade: B+
Alice in Wonderland - I have only been a Tim Burton fan for a few years now. I still have to see the majority of his work, but I appreciate his rich and vivid imagination. Alice is certainly filled with great visual imagination. What's missing is narrative execution. The story is fun and light-hearted, but each event just sort of happens, with little in the way of a structured narrative. By the time you get to the end, it just becomes, "Okay, so that's it." But their is plenty to love in the movie as well. The story may be disjointed, but it's a fun ride, and showcases Burton's visual appealing style. Mia Wasikowska is certainly delightful as Alice, and will surely be a big star very soon. As for the rest of the cast, Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter is tolerable, though it's certainly hit-or-miss. Helena Bonham Carter, playing the Red Queen, is however on the top of her game, and the voice cast (notably Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, and Alan Rickman) do their part nicely. In all, it was an enjoyable ride that I will be looking forward to taking again some day. Grade: B
Alice (SciFi Channel miniseries) - I had actually taped this when it first aired on the SciFi Channel. Yes, I called it SciFi channel, not Syfy as they now designate themselves. I will refuse to call it that as long as I live. I'm glad that I waited, however. I have only had a passing familiarity with the Alice in Wonderland story, so even going into Tim Burton's film, I wasn't sure what to expect. Similar to SciFi's Wizard of Oz miniseries, Tin Man, the characters, events, and places are quite abstract from their source material. That said, I found Alice to be a very creative, funny, and enjoyable take on the classic tale. It may not be as good as Tin Man, but it's fun way to spend three hours.
Bronson - An intensely shot film, anchored by the the gorgeously vicious, funny, and gripping performance by Tom Hardy. My greatest qualm with the movie is that it is not very chronologically clear, so I had trouble following the story at first. This is a minor issue however, as Hardy's charisma takes full control of the story. This is a brutal film, though I must say that based on what I'd heard of the man Hardy portrays (Michael Peterson aka Charles Bronson, Britain's most notorious prisoner), it was not as harsh as I expected. This is for the film's benefit, as it shows that director Nicolas Winding Refn is not interested in glorifying, exonerating, or condemning Bronson, but to simply show who the man is, in all his complexity. He was prone to violence, and spent 34 years in prison (30 in isolation), was positively psychotic, and yet so restrained that he never killed a single person in his life. Definitely a film to revisit, and it is a film I sincerely hope to get more out of with every repeat viewing. Grade: B+
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Oscars 2010: Who Will Win, Who Should Win
After I decided to do this article a couple of weeks ago, it seems like every other movie pundit or blogger has decided to do the same. But, as I have still found myself disagreeing with some of them, I figured I don't really care that its repetitive, and I'm doing one of my own. I will also have my reactions to the winners in the next couple days after the ceremony. Here we go:
Best Picture:
- Avatar
- The Blind Side
- District 9
- An Education
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
- A Serious Man
- Up
- Up in the Air
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
This was a last minute switch for me. For the longest time, I had picked that The Hurt Locker should win, and I would still love to see it go home with the award. However, I realized that the best, and my favorite, film of the year is Inglourious Basterds. It is one of three films with a strong chance to win, along with The Hurt Locker and Avatar, and I would love to see it blindside (pun intended) everyone's expectations. But of the leading three, as long as Avatar doesn't win, as much as I loved that film, I will be pleased.
Best Actor:
- Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
- George Clooney (Up in the Air)
- Colin Firth (A Single Man)
- Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
- Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Who Should Win: Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges deserves to finally take home the statue, and not just because this is his fifth nomination, having never won previously. I'm not sure what to say other than his performance is the most deserving of the year. I think there is a long shot that Jeremy Renner or Colin Firth could sneak up and pull an upset. While I wouldn't mind seeing Renner win, I just don't see that happening. Bridges will win, and deservedly so.
Best Actress:
- Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
- Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
- Carey Mulligan (An Education)
- Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
- Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
Who Will Win: Sandra Bullock
Who Should Win: Mélanie Laurent. Oh wait, sorry....Carey Mulligan
If this were another year, Mulligan or Sidibe could have easily taken home the award. Somehow both Streep and Bullock arrived out of nowhere and began ruling awards buzz, blindsiding (oh yes, I did it again) the two younger actresses. I do not begrudge either Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep their nominations. They were both wonderful performances. However, the best performance out of those nominated was easily Carey Mulligan. She provided such a open emotional honesty that was so refreshing, and I connected with her character unlike I did with any of the other nominees. Her tremendous performance is second this year only to the snubbed Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds).
Best Supporting Actor:
- Matt Damon (Invictus)
- Woody Harrellson (The Messenger)
- Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
- Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)
- Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Who Will Win: Does anyone need to ask?
Who Should Win: No seriously, is there any doubt that Waltz will or should win
Congrats to Christopher Plummer for finally getting a nomination after such an enormous body of work, but he has no chance of winning. The only person who could possibly sneak up and beat Waltz is Woody Harrellson, hot off his win at the Independent Spirit Awards. Even if Tucci had been nominated for his wonderful performance in Julie & Julia, he wouldn't even get close. Waltz has it in the bag.
Best Supporting Actress:
- Penélope Cruz (Nine)
- Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)
- Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)
- Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
- Mo'Nique (Precious)
Who Will Win: Mo'Nique
Who Should Win: Mélanie Lau.....sorry, Mo'Nique. I'm not sure why I keep doing that...
No, but seriously Academy, Mélanie could have fit into either Lead or Supporting Actress, and yet you blew it big time. I guarantee it'll be remember as one of the biggest Oscar snubs in recent memory. At any rate, Mo'Nique did such a fantastic job as the villainous mother of Precious. Anna Kendrick was also noticeably good, and if anyone can pull an upset it's her, but I think Mo'Nique is almost assured to win.
Best Director:
- Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
- James Cameron (Avatar)
- Lee Daniels (Precious)
- Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)
- Quentin Tarentino (Inglourious Basterds)
Who Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Who Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow, with QT close behind
I would love to see the Q win this award one day, but as much as I loved Inglourious Basterds, this is not that year. Bigelow deserves this award not because she would be the first female director to win the Oscar, but because she crafted her film with such intensity and complexity.
Best Original Screenplay:
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- The Messenger
- A Serious Man
- Up
Who Will Win: Inglourious Basterds
Who Should Win: Inglourios Basterds
My brain says to pick The Hurt Locker for this, as most pundits are, but my heart won't let me. The Academy is bound to mess up a couple times on Oscar night, but I'm hoping this won't be one of them. The Hurt Locker is a spectacular film, and Mark Boal's screenplay is top-notch. However, there is no way it matches the eloquence and brilliance of Quentin Tarentino.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
- District 9
- An Education
- In the Loop
- Precious
- Up in the Air
Who Will Win: Up in the Air
Who Should Win: In the Loop
I actually really liked four of these screenplays. Precious was a decent film, but I wasn't huge on it or its screenplay. Tonight, however, I would would be perfectly content to see Up in the Air, District 9, In the Loop, or An Education take home the win. Still, In the Loop is a riotous and clever political satire, a politically-incorrect film that has some of the most creative dialogue I've heard in awhile, and I think it is slightly the most deserving.
Best Animated Film:
- Coraline
- Fantastic Mr. Fox
- The Princess and the Frog
- The Secret of Kells
- Up
Who Will Win: Up
Who Should Win: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up is a fine film, both entertaining and touching, and I will be perfectly happy to see it win. However, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a witty and inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's book. With a prime voice cast starring George Clooney, it Fox is never short on imagination. Also, it's been nominated for a month now and I still have no idea what The Secret of Kells is....
Best Foreign Film:
- Ajami (Israel)
- El Secreto de sus Ojos (Argentina)
- The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
- Un Prophete (France)
- The White Ribbon (Germany)
Who Will Win: The White Ribbon
Who Should Win: The White Ribbon or Un Prophete
Haven't had a chance yet to see any of these, but I have to bet it'll be one of the two favorites for the majority of awards season. Some are saying that El Secreto de sus Ojos might upset The White Ribbon, the same way Departures surprised Waltz with Bashir last year. But I don't think so.
Best Documentary:
- Burma VJ
- The Cove
- Food Inc.
- The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
- Which Way Home
Who Will Win: The Cove
Who Should Win: The Cove
Again, I haven't seen any of these, but I've heard great things about The Cove. It should win, as it's already racked up wins at some other awards shows.
Best Original Score:
- Avatar (James Horner)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (Alexandre Desplat)
- The Hurt Locker (Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders)
- Sherlock Holmes (Hans Zimmer)
- Up (Michael Giacchino)
Who Will Win: Up (Michael Giacchino)
Who Should Win: Michael Giacchino for Star Trek...or Up
I haven't really paid attention to any scores this year, despite being a big fan of them usually. Everyone says Horner's Avatar score is crap, which I think I agree with, I didn't even know The Hurt Locker had a score, and the consensus is Giacchino will win. Good enough for me, even though it should be for the one score I did listen to last year, his score for Star Trek.
Best Original Song:
- Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
- Faubourg 36 ("Loin de Paname")
- Nine ("Take It All")
- The Princess and the Frog ("Almost There")
- The Princess and the Frog ("Down in new Orleans")
Who Will Win: Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
Who Should Win: Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
I am not a fan of country music, but "The Weary Kind" is a beautiful and touching song that I can really get behind. One of Nine's only good songs, "Take It All" is another favorite of mine. Marion Cotillard performs it with an emotional depth that the rest of the film and cast lacks. But I don't see an upset happening, and this will be one of the two Oscars that Crazy Heart will take home.
Best Visual Effects:
- Avatar
- District 9
- Star Trek
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
This one is a no-brainer. I might be against Avatar winning Best Picture or Director, but not this category. Star Trek and District 9 both had brilliant effects (especially District 9 with its $30 million budget). Any other year and either film would be a front runner, but as it stands neither can match Avatar's visual brilliance or technical wizardry.
Best Cinematography:
- Avatar
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- The White Ribbon
Who Will Win: The White Ribbon
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
Most people are saying Avatar, but the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) already awarded The White Ribbon as the year's best, and I'm hoping the Academy voters recognize that Avatar doesn't count in this category. Cinematography is a beautiful art that takes real technical skill. But with Avatar, it's essentially some guy in a room telling a computer what to look at. Hopefully, the Academy will see fit to award Robert Richardson for his fantastic work on Inglourious Basterds, or at least not give this one to Avatar.
Best Art Direction:
- Avatar
- The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
- Nine
- Sherlock Holmes
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: Close, but probably Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
I don't really have much of a stake in this race, but I guess Avatar would be most deserving. This is the one of two categories (along with Visual Effects) where its all about looks. And if you could say one thing about Avatar is that it looked great. It's a little close because Avatar took home the prize at the Art Director's Guild Awards for Fantasy Film, while Sherlock Holmes won for Period Film. Still, I think Avatar's got it. It's so pretty.
Best Costume Design:
- Bright Star
- Coco Before Chanel
- The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
- Nine
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: The Young Victoria
Who Should Win: The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria is an enjoyable film and I'd love it to go home with something tonight. This looks to be its best shot at that. I'm just gonna echo what everyone else has said. When you need to pick who'll win Best Costume Design, go with the period piece with the best amount of buzz.
Best Makeup:
- Il Divo
- Star Trek
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: Star Trek
Who Should Win: Star Trek
Il Divo better not win, cause it came out in 2008. I could be happy with either Star Trek or The Young Victoria winning. However, with Romulans, Orion girls, and a wide assortment of aliens, I have to believe that this would be Star Trek's one Oscar category in which it can shine.
For the rest of these categories, I don't have either the technical knowledge or familiarity with the category to make a call. Therefore, I am going to be relying on expert's opinions.
Best Editing:
- Avatar
- District 9
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Best Sound Editing:
- Avatar
- Inglourious Basterds
- The Hurt Locker
- Star Trek
- Up
Who Will Win: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing:
- Avatar
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Star Trek
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Best Documentary - Short Feature:
- China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Provence
- The Lost Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
- The Last Truck: Closing of GM Plant
- Music by Prudence
- Rabbit à la Berlin
Who Will Win: The Last Truck: Closing of GM Plant
Who Should Win:
Best Short Film, Animated:
- French Roast
- Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
- The Lady and the Reaper
- Logorama
- Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Life and Death'
Who Will Win: It's a toss up between 'A Matter of Life and Death', 'Logorama,' or 'French Roast'
The only time Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park has every lost, was in 1991 when he beat him self. Meanwhile, he has 4 Oscars to his name. Will tonight make it five?
Best Short Film, Live Action:
- The Door
- Instead of Abracadabra
- Kavi
- Miracle Fish
- The New Tenants
Who Will Win: The Door
'Kavi' is the only one I've seen...
Best Picture:
- Avatar
- The Blind Side
- District 9
- An Education
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
- A Serious Man
- Up
- Up in the Air
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
This was a last minute switch for me. For the longest time, I had picked that The Hurt Locker should win, and I would still love to see it go home with the award. However, I realized that the best, and my favorite, film of the year is Inglourious Basterds. It is one of three films with a strong chance to win, along with The Hurt Locker and Avatar, and I would love to see it blindside (pun intended) everyone's expectations. But of the leading three, as long as Avatar doesn't win, as much as I loved that film, I will be pleased.
Best Actor:
- Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
- George Clooney (Up in the Air)
- Colin Firth (A Single Man)
- Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
- Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Who Should Win: Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges deserves to finally take home the statue, and not just because this is his fifth nomination, having never won previously. I'm not sure what to say other than his performance is the most deserving of the year. I think there is a long shot that Jeremy Renner or Colin Firth could sneak up and pull an upset. While I wouldn't mind seeing Renner win, I just don't see that happening. Bridges will win, and deservedly so.
Best Actress:
- Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
- Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
- Carey Mulligan (An Education)
- Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
- Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
Who Will Win: Sandra Bullock
Who Should Win: Mélanie Laurent. Oh wait, sorry....Carey Mulligan
If this were another year, Mulligan or Sidibe could have easily taken home the award. Somehow both Streep and Bullock arrived out of nowhere and began ruling awards buzz, blindsiding (oh yes, I did it again) the two younger actresses. I do not begrudge either Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep their nominations. They were both wonderful performances. However, the best performance out of those nominated was easily Carey Mulligan. She provided such a open emotional honesty that was so refreshing, and I connected with her character unlike I did with any of the other nominees. Her tremendous performance is second this year only to the snubbed Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds).
Best Supporting Actor:
- Matt Damon (Invictus)
- Woody Harrellson (The Messenger)
- Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
- Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)
- Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Who Will Win: Does anyone need to ask?
Who Should Win: No seriously, is there any doubt that Waltz will or should win
Congrats to Christopher Plummer for finally getting a nomination after such an enormous body of work, but he has no chance of winning. The only person who could possibly sneak up and beat Waltz is Woody Harrellson, hot off his win at the Independent Spirit Awards. Even if Tucci had been nominated for his wonderful performance in Julie & Julia, he wouldn't even get close. Waltz has it in the bag.
Best Supporting Actress:
- Penélope Cruz (Nine)
- Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)
- Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)
- Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
- Mo'Nique (Precious)
Who Will Win: Mo'Nique
Who Should Win: Mélanie Lau.....sorry, Mo'Nique. I'm not sure why I keep doing that...
No, but seriously Academy, Mélanie could have fit into either Lead or Supporting Actress, and yet you blew it big time. I guarantee it'll be remember as one of the biggest Oscar snubs in recent memory. At any rate, Mo'Nique did such a fantastic job as the villainous mother of Precious. Anna Kendrick was also noticeably good, and if anyone can pull an upset it's her, but I think Mo'Nique is almost assured to win.
Best Director:
- Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
- James Cameron (Avatar)
- Lee Daniels (Precious)
- Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)
- Quentin Tarentino (Inglourious Basterds)
Who Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Who Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow, with QT close behind
I would love to see the Q win this award one day, but as much as I loved Inglourious Basterds, this is not that year. Bigelow deserves this award not because she would be the first female director to win the Oscar, but because she crafted her film with such intensity and complexity.
Best Original Screenplay:
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- The Messenger
- A Serious Man
- Up
Who Will Win: Inglourious Basterds
Who Should Win: Inglourios Basterds
My brain says to pick The Hurt Locker for this, as most pundits are, but my heart won't let me. The Academy is bound to mess up a couple times on Oscar night, but I'm hoping this won't be one of them. The Hurt Locker is a spectacular film, and Mark Boal's screenplay is top-notch. However, there is no way it matches the eloquence and brilliance of Quentin Tarentino.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
- District 9
- An Education
- In the Loop
- Precious
- Up in the Air
Who Will Win: Up in the Air
Who Should Win: In the Loop
I actually really liked four of these screenplays. Precious was a decent film, but I wasn't huge on it or its screenplay. Tonight, however, I would would be perfectly content to see Up in the Air, District 9, In the Loop, or An Education take home the win. Still, In the Loop is a riotous and clever political satire, a politically-incorrect film that has some of the most creative dialogue I've heard in awhile, and I think it is slightly the most deserving.
Best Animated Film:
- Coraline
- Fantastic Mr. Fox
- The Princess and the Frog
- The Secret of Kells
- Up
Who Will Win: Up
Who Should Win: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up is a fine film, both entertaining and touching, and I will be perfectly happy to see it win. However, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a witty and inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's book. With a prime voice cast starring George Clooney, it Fox is never short on imagination. Also, it's been nominated for a month now and I still have no idea what The Secret of Kells is....
Best Foreign Film:
- Ajami (Israel)
- El Secreto de sus Ojos (Argentina)
- The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
- Un Prophete (France)
- The White Ribbon (Germany)
Who Will Win: The White Ribbon
Who Should Win: The White Ribbon or Un Prophete
Haven't had a chance yet to see any of these, but I have to bet it'll be one of the two favorites for the majority of awards season. Some are saying that El Secreto de sus Ojos might upset The White Ribbon, the same way Departures surprised Waltz with Bashir last year. But I don't think so.
Best Documentary:
- Burma VJ
- The Cove
- Food Inc.
- The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
- Which Way Home
Who Will Win: The Cove
Who Should Win: The Cove
Again, I haven't seen any of these, but I've heard great things about The Cove. It should win, as it's already racked up wins at some other awards shows.
Best Original Score:
- Avatar (James Horner)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (Alexandre Desplat)
- The Hurt Locker (Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders)
- Sherlock Holmes (Hans Zimmer)
- Up (Michael Giacchino)
Who Will Win: Up (Michael Giacchino)
Who Should Win: Michael Giacchino for Star Trek...or Up
I haven't really paid attention to any scores this year, despite being a big fan of them usually. Everyone says Horner's Avatar score is crap, which I think I agree with, I didn't even know The Hurt Locker had a score, and the consensus is Giacchino will win. Good enough for me, even though it should be for the one score I did listen to last year, his score for Star Trek.
Best Original Song:
- Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
- Faubourg 36 ("Loin de Paname")
- Nine ("Take It All")
- The Princess and the Frog ("Almost There")
- The Princess and the Frog ("Down in new Orleans")
Who Will Win: Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
Who Should Win: Crazy Heart ("The Weary Kind")
I am not a fan of country music, but "The Weary Kind" is a beautiful and touching song that I can really get behind. One of Nine's only good songs, "Take It All" is another favorite of mine. Marion Cotillard performs it with an emotional depth that the rest of the film and cast lacks. But I don't see an upset happening, and this will be one of the two Oscars that Crazy Heart will take home.
Best Visual Effects:
- Avatar
- District 9
- Star Trek
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
This one is a no-brainer. I might be against Avatar winning Best Picture or Director, but not this category. Star Trek and District 9 both had brilliant effects (especially District 9 with its $30 million budget). Any other year and either film would be a front runner, but as it stands neither can match Avatar's visual brilliance or technical wizardry.
Best Cinematography:
- Avatar
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- The White Ribbon
Who Will Win: The White Ribbon
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
Most people are saying Avatar, but the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) already awarded The White Ribbon as the year's best, and I'm hoping the Academy voters recognize that Avatar doesn't count in this category. Cinematography is a beautiful art that takes real technical skill. But with Avatar, it's essentially some guy in a room telling a computer what to look at. Hopefully, the Academy will see fit to award Robert Richardson for his fantastic work on Inglourious Basterds, or at least not give this one to Avatar.
Best Art Direction:
- Avatar
- The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
- Nine
- Sherlock Holmes
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: Close, but probably Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
I don't really have much of a stake in this race, but I guess Avatar would be most deserving. This is the one of two categories (along with Visual Effects) where its all about looks. And if you could say one thing about Avatar is that it looked great. It's a little close because Avatar took home the prize at the Art Director's Guild Awards for Fantasy Film, while Sherlock Holmes won for Period Film. Still, I think Avatar's got it. It's so pretty.
Best Costume Design:
- Bright Star
- Coco Before Chanel
- The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
- Nine
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: The Young Victoria
Who Should Win: The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria is an enjoyable film and I'd love it to go home with something tonight. This looks to be its best shot at that. I'm just gonna echo what everyone else has said. When you need to pick who'll win Best Costume Design, go with the period piece with the best amount of buzz.
Best Makeup:
- Il Divo
- Star Trek
- The Young Victoria
Who Will Win: Star Trek
Who Should Win: Star Trek
Il Divo better not win, cause it came out in 2008. I could be happy with either Star Trek or The Young Victoria winning. However, with Romulans, Orion girls, and a wide assortment of aliens, I have to believe that this would be Star Trek's one Oscar category in which it can shine.
For the rest of these categories, I don't have either the technical knowledge or familiarity with the category to make a call. Therefore, I am going to be relying on expert's opinions.
Best Editing:
- Avatar
- District 9
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Best Sound Editing:
- Avatar
- Inglourious Basterds
- The Hurt Locker
- Star Trek
- Up
Who Will Win: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing:
- Avatar
- The Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Star Trek
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Who Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Best Documentary - Short Feature:
- China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Provence
- The Lost Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
- The Last Truck: Closing of GM Plant
- Music by Prudence
- Rabbit à la Berlin
Who Will Win: The Last Truck: Closing of GM Plant
Who Should Win:
Best Short Film, Animated:
- French Roast
- Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
- The Lady and the Reaper
- Logorama
- Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Life and Death'
Who Will Win: It's a toss up between 'A Matter of Life and Death', 'Logorama,' or 'French Roast'
The only time Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park has every lost, was in 1991 when he beat him self. Meanwhile, he has 4 Oscars to his name. Will tonight make it five?
Best Short Film, Live Action:
- The Door
- Instead of Abracadabra
- Kavi
- Miracle Fish
- The New Tenants
Who Will Win: The Door
'Kavi' is the only one I've seen...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Awesome update: SPLICE to hit theaters in June
I reported several weeks ago in my first (and so far, only) news article, that Warner Brothers had joined with mega-producer Joel Silver and his Dark Castle label to pick up a Sundace favorite, Vincenzo Nattali's Splice. The film starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, and produced by the visionary Guillermo del Toro, was described by Steve "Frosty" Weintraub of Collider as "original, dark, and twisted, and it looks like a Hollywood-produced film."
Now, Collider is reporting via Box Office Mojo that Warner Brothers plans to make good on the conditions they agreed to when buying the film, namely giving it a wide summer release. Warner Bros has set the date for June 4. That will pit Splice against raunchy comedy Get Him to the Greek, action-comedy Killers, and kid's comedy Marmaduke, plus an obscure Colin Farrell movie about a mermaid (Ondine). Now that's what I call well-executed counter-programming. Can't wait for June.
Note: I have not posted anything recently cause I'm currently out with bronchitis. It'll be a few days til I'm over it, but I'm still going to see Alice in Wonderland tonight, after which I will post a new What I've Watched Recently. Plus, I fully intend to have my very belated Top Films of 2009 list done by the Oscars on Sunday. Also, I will try to get out my first "what I'm looking forward to" article about the movies I'm anticipating in the month of March.
Now, Collider is reporting via Box Office Mojo that Warner Brothers plans to make good on the conditions they agreed to when buying the film, namely giving it a wide summer release. Warner Bros has set the date for June 4. That will pit Splice against raunchy comedy Get Him to the Greek, action-comedy Killers, and kid's comedy Marmaduke, plus an obscure Colin Farrell movie about a mermaid (Ondine). Now that's what I call well-executed counter-programming. Can't wait for June.
Note: I have not posted anything recently cause I'm currently out with bronchitis. It'll be a few days til I'm over it, but I'm still going to see Alice in Wonderland tonight, after which I will post a new What I've Watched Recently. Plus, I fully intend to have my very belated Top Films of 2009 list done by the Oscars on Sunday. Also, I will try to get out my first "what I'm looking forward to" article about the movies I'm anticipating in the month of March.
Monday, February 22, 2010
What I Watched this Week #2 (2/22/10)
I actually got to see several good films this week:
Goodfellas - I was finally able to see this film, and I understand what all the praise is about. From the small handful of Scorsese films I've seen, it's arguably the best. I love The Departed, but Goodfellas just had something special. With faultless direction, top-notch performances (especially the Oscar-winning Joe Pesci, of course), and a rivetingly tragic story, it's too bad it only came away with a Supporting Actor Oscar win. Scorsese deserved his awards for The Departed, but I think he shouldn't have had to wait an extra 16 years to finally win. Grade: A
Precious - This has been floating around limited release for about three months now, and finally made it to my town this last week. I was unsure of what what I thought about the film after seeing it, and my first instinct was to give it a B. It is a very good film, but a few technical aspects of the film, all rooted in Lee Daniels directing, seemed a bit lacking. I guess Daniels' only previous experience as a film director was a crime thriller, so that may be where some of the unusual shots came from. However, the film succeeds on both the strength of its very emotional story and the power of the performances, especially Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, which led me to give it more credit. Grade: B+
In the Loop - A very, very funny and clever political satire. Very well-written film, as evidenced by its single Oscar nomination of Best Adapted Screenplay. I liken it to one of 2009's best films, In Bruges. Similar to In Bruges, it's a very sweary movie, but in the best way possible. The dialogue is so unbelievably creative and irreverent and Armando Iannucci's direction so precise, and I was laughing out loud the whole movie. The primarily British cast is led most hilariously by Peter Capaldi and Tom Hollander, while some of the Americans, like James Gandolfini, Anna Chlumsky, and David Rasche, held their own as well. Grade: A-
Goodfellas - I was finally able to see this film, and I understand what all the praise is about. From the small handful of Scorsese films I've seen, it's arguably the best. I love The Departed, but Goodfellas just had something special. With faultless direction, top-notch performances (especially the Oscar-winning Joe Pesci, of course), and a rivetingly tragic story, it's too bad it only came away with a Supporting Actor Oscar win. Scorsese deserved his awards for The Departed, but I think he shouldn't have had to wait an extra 16 years to finally win. Grade: A
Precious - This has been floating around limited release for about three months now, and finally made it to my town this last week. I was unsure of what what I thought about the film after seeing it, and my first instinct was to give it a B. It is a very good film, but a few technical aspects of the film, all rooted in Lee Daniels directing, seemed a bit lacking. I guess Daniels' only previous experience as a film director was a crime thriller, so that may be where some of the unusual shots came from. However, the film succeeds on both the strength of its very emotional story and the power of the performances, especially Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, which led me to give it more credit. Grade: B+
In the Loop - A very, very funny and clever political satire. Very well-written film, as evidenced by its single Oscar nomination of Best Adapted Screenplay. I liken it to one of 2009's best films, In Bruges. Similar to In Bruges, it's a very sweary movie, but in the best way possible. The dialogue is so unbelievably creative and irreverent and Armando Iannucci's direction so precise, and I was laughing out loud the whole movie. The primarily British cast is led most hilariously by Peter Capaldi and Tom Hollander, while some of the Americans, like James Gandolfini, Anna Chlumsky, and David Rasche, held their own as well. Grade: A-
Note: Some Random Updates
I haven't posted in about a week. Being sick will do that I suppose. So I guess instead of doing an actual article, I decided to do this post. I don't know why. At any rate, I've made a few decisions about some upcoming articles. Here we go...
First, I had intended to write up a Most Anticipated Films of 2010 list awhile back. I ran into some issues with that, beyond simply finding time to do it. I realized that, since I wanted to make a serious attempt at a list, such a task was a bit harder than just digging through this year's upcoming releases and finding a few cool movies. Since I'd simply be relying on old news articles from months ago or random searching on IMDB, I figured there were too many unknowns for an amateur movie blogger like myself to compile a comprehensive list. I may try to do a list for 2011, starting it throughout this year as I hear of movies. We'll have to see. As it turns out, I still intend to do a monthly post relating to upcoming movies I am excited for within that month, starting with March. I figure this would also help cover all the movies coming out later this year that we don't yet know about, that a typical list would miss.
Second, I still fully intend to finish my article of my Top Movies of 2009. I started it awhile back, when it was a Top 10 list. It eventually grew into a Top 15, then finally a Top 25 Movies of 2009 list. I was going to post it at the beginning of the year, but I realized there were still some movies that I really should see before making the list official, most notably several Oscar-nominated films. I have been able to see a few of those films, and I only have a few more I consider to be must-watches before I can complete my list. I know I'll be a bit late to the party with my 'Top Films' list, but I think it's something I should finish, whether on principle, as good practice, or just for fun. I plan to have it up before the Oscars on March 7th, at the very latest.
Also, I have a new poll up for who will win Best Actress at the Oscars. I don't care if you select who you think will win, or who should win. It's up to you! So vote if your heart desires.
First, I had intended to write up a Most Anticipated Films of 2010 list awhile back. I ran into some issues with that, beyond simply finding time to do it. I realized that, since I wanted to make a serious attempt at a list, such a task was a bit harder than just digging through this year's upcoming releases and finding a few cool movies. Since I'd simply be relying on old news articles from months ago or random searching on IMDB, I figured there were too many unknowns for an amateur movie blogger like myself to compile a comprehensive list. I may try to do a list for 2011, starting it throughout this year as I hear of movies. We'll have to see. As it turns out, I still intend to do a monthly post relating to upcoming movies I am excited for within that month, starting with March. I figure this would also help cover all the movies coming out later this year that we don't yet know about, that a typical list would miss.
Second, I still fully intend to finish my article of my Top Movies of 2009. I started it awhile back, when it was a Top 10 list. It eventually grew into a Top 15, then finally a Top 25 Movies of 2009 list. I was going to post it at the beginning of the year, but I realized there were still some movies that I really should see before making the list official, most notably several Oscar-nominated films. I have been able to see a few of those films, and I only have a few more I consider to be must-watches before I can complete my list. I know I'll be a bit late to the party with my 'Top Films' list, but I think it's something I should finish, whether on principle, as good practice, or just for fun. I plan to have it up before the Oscars on March 7th, at the very latest.
Also, I have a new poll up for who will win Best Actress at the Oscars. I don't care if you select who you think will win, or who should win. It's up to you! So vote if your heart desires.
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