The Awards Nazi

NEW WEB ADRESS!!!

2010-10-18T17:07:00.001-04:00

ATTENTION:

To those who wish to continue reading me, from now on I am publishing here:

http://www.awardsnazi.blogspot.com

Don't worry! I haven't been sued! This is just a precautionary measure I've been meaning to do for a while now. I hope you'll continue to read at the new site!

Best of the Decade #11: There Will Be Blood (2007)

2010-10-17T09:15:00.001-04:00

A challenging and unsettling portrait of greed, cynicism, religion, and money, There Will Be Blood is one of the most uncompromising and unforgettable pieces of high art of the decade. Unlike his previous hits Boogie Nights and Punch Drunk Love, writer/director/producer Paul Thomas Anderson did not set out to make this an accessible film. It does demand the attention and patience of its audience, and upon first viewing, it does not even seem to pay off. But the more this film festers in one's mind the more striking its impact becomes.

Much of the credit for this lasting impression goes to Daniel Day Lewis, who offers up the performance of the decade as Daniel Plainview, a ruthless oil prospector who's insatiable lust for wealth and desire to obliterate all competition drives him to absolute madness. And yet his performance is in no way predictable, often going places we neither expect nor want it to go. It is a courageous turn from a courageous actor. One for the ages.

Thanks to Anderson's meticulous direction, this arthouse film as the look of a glossy studio blockbuster, boasting gorgeous photography from Bob Elswitt, impeccable production design from Jack Fisk, and completely unique musical score from Johnny Greenwood.

BRILLIANT SCORE ALERT:

Review - RED

2010-10-16T09:46:00.001-04:00

Mini review today:

Ex-CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is RED; retired and extremely dangerous. He passes his days trying to grow an avocado plant and flirting with a receptionist in Kansas City over the phone. When it becomes apparent in a not-so-subtle way that someone really wants him dead, he must rescue his spunky love interest and touch base with some old friends in order to find out who's behind it.

There's nothing here that hasn't been done before in dozens of madcap espionage action/thriller/comedies, and RED hardly makes an effort to improve. It draws a little too much attention to its attempts at been funny, only a few of which succeed. The action doesn't have much spark and the whole movie is edited a bit arhythmically. The best part is John Malkovich's droll performance as an old cohort of Moses who is hilariously paranoid (often rightfully so!).

** out of ****

Academy announces Foreign Film long-list & Doc Short finalists

2010-10-13T14:45:00.001-04:00

65 official entries are in the running for this year's Best Foreign Language Film (a handful of which I've actually seen). The most high profile titles include Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's Biutiful for Mexico, Palme d'Or winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives for Thailand, and France's Of Gods and Men. See the full list courtesy of In Contention.

They've also announced the eight finalists for Best Documentary Short:

Born Sweet
Killing in the Name
Living for 32
One Thousand Pictures: RFK’s Last Journey
Poster Girl
Strangers No More
Sun Come Up
The Warriors of Qiugang

Review - Restrepo

2010-10-13T12:44:00.000-04:00

For one year, film makers Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger accompanied and documented the Second Platoon on their posting in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, one of the most strategically important but deadliest spot in the Middle East. From their footage they've put together Restrepo, a riveting documentary which focuses on the basic observation of men at war.

We get to know the soldiers as people, we relate to them, and we sympathize with them when they suffer a loss. An early casualty was Private Doc 'Restrepo', after whom the troop subsequently named their hand-made mountain-side outpost. In time, the base comes to represent the teamwork and companionship of this tight-knit fraternity, but at first it only represents hell on earth. They receive enemy fire multiple times a day, and their best-laid plans to smoke out Taliban insurgents come up empty-handed, even ending tragically in the harrowing Operation Rock Avalanche. The film may have been made a bit better had Hetherington and Junger actually attempted to say something with their material (besides “war is hell” which we already know), and it could have benefited from some structure, but the story they tell is compelling and informative nonetheless. Its a credit to rerecording mixer Coll Anderson that we can make anything out of the grainy production tracks. Good job!

An Oscar nom for Best Documentary seems in order, and I see no reason why it shouldn't get one with its combination of zeitgeisty subject matter and dramatic impact. But of course, it's got stiff competition, and as I've stated before, this branch can be unpredictable at times.

*** out of ****

Best of the Decade #12: Memento (2000)

2010-10-11T11:05:00.000-04:00

Pay attention. Very close attention. This is one movie where you can't afford to miss a second. The maddeningly brilliant screenplay by brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan forces us to retrace the steps of a man with short-term memory loss who tries to hunt down his wife's killer, writing notes for himself all over his body so he cannot forget the clues he uncovers. It is an ingenious narrative device that the brothers Nolan employ, presenting us every scene in reverse order, such that we experience every scene as our forgetful sleuth does; confused and unaware of what has just happened before.

Well cast and exceptionally edited, this thriller is so tricky it keeps you guessing even after the film is over. The psychological depths it probes are just too vast to fathom once over. Multiple viewing is required!

Review - Peepli Live

2010-10-07T17:39:00.000-04:00

Just a quickie for this foreign film I caught a while back.

As a social satire, Anusha Rizvi's Peepli Live doesn't aim particularly high. Themes of the media's circus-like machinations and the downside of fame have been lampooned before, and better, but this modest effort is still mildly effective and enjoyable.

In the film, a poor farmer (Omkar Das Manikpuri) gets the idea to commit suicide in order to secure financial aid for his family. But when a reporter overhears this juicy tidbit, it's not long before our shy agriculturist becomes the centre of a ridiculous media storm, beset by opportunistic politicians looking to win the upcoming elections and by unscrupulous news networks frothing at the mouth for footage of a live suicide.

Manikpuri is quite droll as the humble farmer, a character written with easy-going wit. The film's ideas struggle a bit to surface from beneath the thick comic panache, but that doesn't make it any less pleasant.

This has become India's official submission for Best Foreign Language Film, but somehow I doubt the Foreign Film branch will go for something this light.

**1/2 out of ****

Review - Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

2010-10-05T18:29:00.001-04:00

After stewing in my own dizzying thoughts about The Social Network for most of the weekend, I was in need of a good mental palette cleanser. And it turns out I could've done a lot worse than Zack Snyder's debut animation Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.

The story is nothing we haven't seen before. Just take your favourite Arthurian legend and add owls. Narratively, the film doesn't strive for much. The characters aren't written that thoroughly, especially the bad guys who don't seem to have any real motives besides being evil for the sake of being evil. There's not much thematic meat the chew on. The film touches momentarily on the idea of disillusionment and that war isn't as glorious in real life as it seems in stories (no duh), but that only comes off as unintentionally hypocritical when our young hero has to save the day by violent means and proceeds to regale impressionable owlets with romanticized stories about it. And it's full of logic holes, like, why would these guardians choose to locate their HQ as far removed as possible from the land they're supposed to protect? And why are these owls cruising at altitudes higher than any real owl would fly? Not that you should intend to take this movie all that seriously. As one character astutely states, “...such a story stretches plausibility beyond reason”. My sentiments exactly.

It would be all too easy to write this film off if it weren't for one thing: it is damn gorgeous! I daresay the most aesthetically beautiful film I'll see all year. This is the second feature film from the Australia-based animation studio / visual effects production company Animal Logic (their first being Happy Feet in 2006), and it is a HUGE technical advancement. The photorealism of the effects animation is dazzling every detail, from the hair-raising grandeur of the matte paintings to the immaculate minutia of each individual feather on the owls' heads, which are forced to interact with wind, ash, and in one particularly breath-taking sequence, torrential rain. Snyder's trademark ultra-slow motion shots are actually a very nice fit, allowing us to properly appreciate the incredible effects work which frankly deserves an Oscar nomination.

I doubt we'll see it though. The VFX branch has it in for animated movies. Although, Ratatouille did make the shortlist a few years ago... hmmm. Maybe animated feature? It would need five slots to get in, but it could happen.

**1/2 out of ****

The Way Back is back

2010-10-05T16:52:00.000-04:00

Back in the Oscar race that is. Newmarket and Wrenkin Hill have announced that Peter Weir's epic will play a one week qualifier in December after all, and just after I finally nixed it from all my predictions too!

This could be a late game changer, like Million Dollar Baby, or it could have virtually no impact at all, like Defiance. I'm still cautious about its chances (will anyone see it in time?), but look forward to seeing anyway.

All I know is that (even without having seen the film) I am squarely in Ed Harris' corner for Best Supporting Actor. He is WAY overdue.

Predictions - October 2010

2010-10-03T23:24:00.001-04:00

At long last, updates:

-The Tree of Life & The Way Back have been removed from every category. In Best Picture, they (along with Conviction) have been replaced with Made in Dagenham, Rabbit Hole, & 127 Hours.
In Best Director, they've been replaced by Danny Boyle (127 Hours) & Tom Hooper (The King's Speeck).
In Best Film Editing, they've been replaced by 127 Hours & The King's Speech.
In Best Cinematography, they've replaced by 127 Hours & Black Swan.
-In the Acting categories, James Franco moves into Best Actor, Nicole Kidman & Natalie Portman move into Best Actress, Andrew Garfield moves into Best Supporting Actor, and Melissa Leo & Miranda Richardson move into Best Supporting Actress.
-Made in Dagenham & The Fighter jump into the Original Screenplay hunt, while 127 Hours & Winter's Bone join Adapted Screenplay. Be aware: The Social Network may be classified as Original by the Academy, as the screenplay was not actually based on the book.
-In Best Art Direction and Costume design respectively, The Tree of Life & The Conspirator make way for Secretariat & True Grit, and Secretariat & Get Low.
-Never Let Me Go joins Original Score. Toy Story 3 & Country Strong join Original Song.
-Taking a chance on The Town getting into Sound Mixing. Added 127 Hours as well.
-Some early Foreign Language Film predictions are in place now that official submissions are almost complete.

The main point here is that 127 Hours looks like an across-the-board contender. There's also a chance The Way Back may be getting that one-week qualifying run, but I'm still keeping it off for the time being. We'll see where it sits in a month's time.

Best of the Decade #13: Almost Famous (2000)

2010-10-03T11:19:00.000-04:00

Almost Famous is an indelible love letter to Rock and Roll. One that's self-confident but unassuming all at once. The story follows a hopeful but naïve young journalist-in-the-making (writer/director Cameron Crowe's interpretation of his own young self) on a cross-country tour with the up-and-coming but tumultuous band Still Water in the summer of 1973. Crowe wisely sets this poignant coming-of-age tale in an era of tension and change to mirror the unspoken motivations and angst of our characters. Crowe also takes care to paint his characters in a way that makes no attempt to hide their flaws but makes us love them all the same. The standout of the excellent cast is Kate Hudson as a drugged-up groupie who refuses to accept the disillusionment that perpetually confronts her. Charming, funny, and touching, Almost Famous is a must see especially for any fan of Rock.

Review - The Social Network

2010-10-02T19:33:00.002-04:00

The word “friend” is thrown around quite liberally in The Social Network, begging the question: what is a “friend”? Is it simply “one attached to another by affection or esteem” as Webster concisely puts it? In a digital age where who/what we do/don't like is defined by the click of a mouse, are our friends really our friends? The Social Network suggests that Webster may need an update.

Another word whose ambiguity the film underlines is “asshole”, usually in reference to Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), the film's central character and the real-life founder of the ubiquitous Facebook. We first meet Zuckerberg as a Harvard undergrad with his soon-to-be ex girlfriend Erica Albright (Rooney Mara) in a student pub, having a conversation that quickly and hilariously deteriorates into an ugly breakup. Hurt and slightly drunk, he retreats to his trusty computers and vents his pain with a mean-spirited blog post and by launching an insensitive website that's an instant hit, crashes the Harvard system, and earns him all kinds of notoriety. An elite student club soon beckons him to create a social networking site exclusively for Harvard students, not realizing that this kernel of an idea would snowball into the global phenomenon of Facebook under Zuckerberg's name. But while his ambitious project keeps amassing friends by the hundreds of thousands, he's slowly letting his only true friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), slip away, a point vividly made in the film's heated emotional climax. Why does Mark do the things that he does, and say the things that he says? Is he really such an “asshole”? Or could it all be a tragically misguided cry for attention?

Some may get hung up on the historical accuracy of the film (no one for sure knows the true story), but that would be missing the point. It's not a biopic. It can get away with taking creative liberties because of its unimpeachable trifecta of fine writing, intelligent direction, and authentic acting.

The cast is tops across the board. Eisenberg gives a highly mannered yet nuanced performance as Zuckerberg, or rather, a quasi-alternate-universe projection of Zuckerberg. He doesn't try to do an imitation, but carves out a unique and complicated social outsider who seems to suffer from both an inferiority and superiority complex all at once. Andrew Garfield absolutely nails is role as Eduardo, who perhaps does come across as being a victim a bit too much in the script, but the performance feels real nonetheless. Even Justin Timberlake (a shrewd piece of stunt casting) is quite effective as Sean Parker, the disgraced Napster founder who tempts Zuckerberg with promises of prosperity and greatness. The character is slick, smarmy, but also highly paranoid, and Timberlake handles it with surprising ease. Rooney Mara also deserves mention for managing to convey in just a couple of scenes how her character has more insight than all of the programming prodigies described above, and applause to Armie Hammer for his convincing portayal of both Winklevoss twins (a la Nick Cage in Adaptation).

Give David Fincher credit for extracting such terrific performances from all. He lets every character have just the right amount of exposure, and paces the story as only an expert can (with the help of his excellent film editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, of course). It may not have an auteurial feel, but that's probably just as well.

Besides, if the movie has to belong to anyone, it's Aaron Sorkin. His screenplay slices through the perceived glory of the Internet with a cynical but perspicacious edge. True, online tools like Facebook have indeed revolutionized communication and redefined the global community (and despite having grown up well before it existed, I can no longer imagine my life without it), but it may also have diluted the importance of human values such as companionship, intimacy, and even common decency. One evil Sorkin highlights is how simple it is to insult someone for all the world to see from the safety of your own room, a hateful freedom that's exercised all too flippantly these days. But let's not forget his sense of humour. He wonderfully satirizes the obsession some people have with the Internet, particularly in one scene where Eduardo's psychotically clingy girlfriend (Brenda Song of Disney channel fame) urgently demands to know why his Relationship Status still says “single”. And then there's the delicious verbosity of his dialogue, which will surely delight any fans of his famous TV series The West Wing.

The ecstatic critical reaction to The Social Network as given it a shared front-runner status with The King's Speech as far as Oscar goes, but that's only for the moment. Remember that being the front-runner early on is usually NOT a good sign. The season is young. Still, I believe nominations for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (could be Adapted or Original), and Editing are in the bag. Hopefully we'll see nods for Eisenberg and Garfield, but those aren't locks. Even less likely is a nomination for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' progressive techno score, which is oh-so deserving but doesn't stand a chance.

**** out of ****

Video after the cut.

Updated predictions coming soon...

2010-10-01T15:42:00.000-04:00

Obviously there's some tidying up to be done on my sidebar. I'm gonna wait until later this weekend, after I've had a chance to see The Social Network.

RIP Tony Curtis

2010-09-30T07:31:00.000-04:00

It's been one of those weeks. Another family member of Hollywood's Golden Age has left us.

Observe the easy chemistry and comic timing Curtis shares with Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot, arguably the best film he ever starred in.

RIP Arthur Penn

2010-09-29T20:04:00.000-04:00

This is the third big loss of the week. Penn is best remembered for his game-changing Bonnie and Clyde which helped usher a new era of film making.

Follow this link to the final two minutes of Bonnie and Clyde [SPOILER] if you want a free lesson in how to end your movie.

Review - Dogtooth

2010-09-29T09:10:00.000-04:00

If you ever thought that home-schooled children were a bit weird, wait'll you get a load the family in Dogtooth, an absurdist drama from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos.

The three children, two daughters and a son (all of them grown up), have never been allowed to leave the high fence that surrounds their plush, sterile home. Their parents have seen to it that every trace of evidence of the outside world has been censored. The father is the only one who leaves, every so often bringing with him a woman named Christina to satisfy his son's natural urges, even though he seems bored to death by the ritual. Dad has also trained his kids and wife to bark on all fours like dogs. Somebody enroll this guy in Parenting 101. But wait! Change cometh! Getting no gratification from performing her sexual duty with the son, Christina branches out to the two daughters for some small pleasures. This seems to light a fire under the ass of the eldest daughter, who becomes less subordinate than her parents should like. You can kinda think of this household as an unfunny version of the Addams Family: Deranged, insular, cut off, but nowhere as entertaining and a lot less loving.

So, what is Lanthimos trying to say? Is sex supposed to be liberating? Maybe for some, but others (like the son) may consider it a form of imprisonment? Is the film supposed to be a surreal exploration of human animalism (taken of course to the most literal of contexts)? Is it about the mentally crippling effects of a world view so limited that it practically equates to blindness, as the recurring motif of blindfolding seems to suggest? An ambitious film maker may pose all these questions within a single film, but a great film maker will propose answers by the films end, and that is something Lanthimos does not deliver. I'll credit him with audacity (not unlike what we've seen from David Lynch), but not with insight. A lot of that audacity seemed to go into failed attempts at dark comedy. Perhaps the thought a person being bludgeoned with a VCR or a cat ending up on the wrong end of a pair of garden shears seemed funny to him on paper, but they sure didn't have me laughing (yes, they both actually occur in the film).

If nothing else, Dogtooth is at the very least a hard film to forget (for better or worse). Lanthimos' style is simple, intimate, gives proper focus to his actors, and features some really sumptuous cinematography.

I caught up with it recently upon learning that it was Greece's official submission for this year's Foreign Language Film Oscar, but having now seen it, I simply can't imagine that branch voting for it. Not even the executive committee. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it's just too weird. “No Oscar for you!”

**1/2 out of ****

RIP Sally Menke

2010-09-28T11:17:00.000-04:00

Super-gifted film editor Sally Menke, nominated just last year for Inglourious Basterds, was found dead by LAPD after she failed to return home from a hike.

This is just too tragic.

But even at the age of 56, Menke has left us an enduring body of work to remember her by, including Quentin Tarantino's entire filmography.

True Grit teaser

2010-09-27T22:34:00.001-04:00

This new teaser for the Coens' upcoming remake of True Grit is so beautiful and eerily dissonant that I just had to put it up here.

Some voices are already whispering "is this finally Roger Deakins' year?". I'm trying to block out those voices because I, ever the pessimistic and superstitious one, believe they'll only jinx his chances with advanced hype and set up all his devoted fans (ie: yours truly) up for a coma-inducing disappointment if the Academy passes him over yet again.

Also, if it comes to pass that Hailee Steinfeld's apparently meaty-looking role is enough to land her a nomination in that weak Supporting Actress field, just you remember who's been predicting it since back in April.

RIP Gloria Stuart

2010-09-27T17:12:00.000-04:00

At the ripe old age of 100 years. Respects, Ms. Stuart.

Best of the Decade #14: Adaptation (2002)

2010-09-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

There have been plenty of films about the shape-shifting, incomprehensible process of writing, but not until Adaptation had any of them been as shape-shifting and incomprehensible as the art form itself. Modern genius Charlie Kaufman – with an assist from his imaginary twin brother Donald (wink wink) – dives headlong into his own head as he (played by Nicolas Cage) attempts to adapt a book about a crazy flower fanatic (Chris Cooper). Cage is excellent not only as the lovable loser, but also as his brother, and director Spike Jonze does a terrific job of integrating both characters into frame with each other. The star of the film is still Mr. Kaufman, whose self-referential screenplay is a droll, maddening, at times cynical but utterly profound glimpse at the mind of the writer, the creative process, and a testament to art that does not follow standard principles. In a word: brilliant. Bloody brilliant.

Review - Countdown to Zero

2010-09-25T12:04:00.001-04:00

“Every man, woman and child lives under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, capable of being cut at any moment by accident, or miscalculation, or by madness.” This JFK quote serves as the thesis statement of Lucy Walker's essay-like Countdown to Zero, a meat-and-potatoes dissertation on the possibility of nuclear catastrophe that our planet continues to face some thirty years after the Cold War.

If Kennedy's quotation is Walker's thesis statement, then the words “accident”, “miscalculation”, and “madness” are her three body paragraphs, to each of which she draws special attention. “Madness” refers to the threat of nuclear attacks from America-hating radicals, and it receives a lengthy treatment right from the start of the film, describing the ease with which terrorists could acquire the parts for and build a nuclear weapon. “Accident” obviously discusses past instances and future possibilities for unforeseen malfunctions and unintentional detonation of nuclear arms. And “miscalculation” describes how the slightest thing – ie: a weather satellite or a flock of geese – could be misconstrued by trigger-happy national leaders as an attack, forcing hasty retaliation and a swift nuclear Armageddon.

Walker's use of the Kennedy quote is a wise framing device that clearly defines the scope of her topic, however, the material presented within each of her three subheadings is not always organized ideally. For instance, even when discussing the risks of “accident” and “miscalculation”, one can't help but sense the focus of her argument slipping back to “madness”, possibly to instill nightmares in terrorist-fearing Americans. Indeed, a great deal of her methods involve scare tactics, some of which become redundant, but some of which are quite effective, such as the ominous superimposition of an atomic bomb's concentric ranges of destruction over top of the maps of densely populated cities. The motif recurs throughout the movie before finally culminating in the film's best sequence; a clinical breakdown – narrated by multiple experts whose audio tracks are cleverly mixed and overlapped – of the immediate and long-term effects of a (hypothetical) nuclear explosion at Times Square, New York City (taking place after the New Year's Eve countdown for added effect).

Walker's layout may have needed a tad more refinement, but her material is compelling nonetheless, indicating a great deal of research and citation of credible sources. She even secured testimony from former political bigwigs such as Tony Blair, Robert McNamara, Jimmy Carter, and Mikhail Gorbachev. She must also be commended for not allowing her film at any point to become stiff or sleep-inducing, as do some documentaries that take such an academic approach.

Normally, with such serious subject matter and professional execution, I wouldn't hesitate to chalk up Countdown to Zero as a strong Oscar contender, but this year's Best Documentary race is already a hotly contested one. One never knows how this branch is going to vote anyway. Still, if they see fit to give it the nomination it clearly deserves, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

*** out of ****

Visit www.takepart.com/zero to learn how you can help eliminate nuclear weapons from our planet.

Review - The Town

2010-09-23T12:15:00.001-04:00

So many crime dramas have been set in the great city of Boston that it's practically its own genre – the Boston crime drama. To that end, The Town may not be anything innovative, brilliant, or the likes of which hasn't been seen before. But that being said, it is a rock solid movie, one with which it's hard to find much fault.
Our antihero is Doug McRay (Ben Affleck), the leader of a unit of professional bank robbers. Doug is calm and precise, a real master of his craft, but his dedication to his criminal career disintegrates as he becomes romantically involved with a woman, Claire (Rebecca Hall), who was a teller at the last bank he hit up (unbeknownst to her, of course). Strong use of dramatic irony abounds as Doug walks the tightrope between what his heart wants and what his head knows he can't have. And he really can't have it, because there are those who are shocked and chagrined to discover his little secret. For instance, his closest friend and cohort in crime, James (an outstanding Jeremy Renner), whose violent temper has a short enough fuse as it is without learning that Doug is ready to quit the game. Or a calculating FBI agent (Mad Men's Jon Hamm) who uses Claire to try and nab his target. Or Doug's employer (Pete Postlethwaite), a Charlestown crime lord who would stoop to any depth to keep his talented thief from skipping town. As the noose tightens around Doug's neck, he realizes how he's put Claire at risk too. Can they both make a clean getaway?

Affleck not only starred in, but co-wrote and directed The Town, his directorial follow up to Gone Baby Gone. His direction is nothing extraordinary, and I mean that in the best possible way. It's sturdy and tightly executed. His film has no gimmicks, bells, or whistles. He just oversees everything with a welcome straightforwardness and a few well-judged sprinklings of humour to ease some of the palpable tension. He builds the action quite well too, capably handling a deafening climactic shoot out and a terrific chase through the claustrophobic one-way streets of Boston's North End (exceptional stunt driving in that sequence). Perhaps his most noticeable directorial flourish is constituted by the pitch-perfect performances he got out of his cast, one of the year's best. Renner is the closest thing to a standout, but everyone else (including Affleck) hit nary a false note. Even Postlethwaite and Chris Cooper are memorable with very little screen time.

Critics have been surprisingly receptive of The Town, and so far audiences have voiced their support, prompting folks in some corners of the web to propose it has a shot at a Best Picture nomination. I'm a little more jaded. It's not an Oscar movie, after all. But I won't count it out. Perhaps it can squeak into that 10th slot if the money continues to rise? The Academy could do a lot worse than to acknowledge such an expertly crafted piece of entertainment, but I still don't think this'll come away with anything. Maybe a tip of the hat from Sound branch (the mix was quite involving).

*** out of ****

Festival Recap

2010-09-19T22:11:00.001-04:00

TIFF has come and gone, as have Venice and Telluride previously, and while I am woefully unable to attend any of these film fests (FML), many other chatterboxes on the internet have been hard at work with exhaustive coverage, and through the power of hearsay, I can summarize some early consensuses about the films that opened there:

-The King's Speech (which nabbed TIFF's top prize) is said by most to be a heck of a good movie, and should have no problem landing nominations for Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Acting, and a handful of craft categories. Can't wait to see it.

-Never Let Me Go has split opinions pretty much right down the middle. Kind of a love-it/hate-it sorta deal. What side of the fence will the Academy land on?

-Danny Boyle's reportedly hopped-up and harrowing drama 127 Hours is blowing people away. Some worry that certain graphic scenes could prove too intense for older Academy members, but others are convinced that this is Fox Searchlight's best shot.

-Black Swan apparently lived up to the hype created by its excellent trailer, and champions of the film are ecstatic (especially for Natalie Portman's performance). However, many are quick to point out that its genre roots will probably keep it out of all the races other than Lead Actress.

-Made in Dagenham is eliciting comparisons to The Full Monty, and if Academy members aren't taken with Mike Leigh's bleak Another Year, this chipper movie might end up being the alternative British inclusion in the top ten.

-Conviction is getting mixed reactions leaning to the negative side for its cookie-cutter follow-through and flavourless style. But that doesn't mean it still can't court Oscar (maybe this year's Blind Side?). And Sam Rockwell is earning encouraging reviews for his performance, which is good to hear.

-Nicole Kidman officially joins into the already crowded Best Actress race with the TIFF debut of Rabbit Hole, in which her performance impressed a great many people. Diane Wiest is said to have a real shot too in the barren Supporting Actress derby. Of course, this is all assuming the film finds a distributor and release date for this year.

Other developments that occurred during the last few weeks include:

-The Social Network didn't play the festivals, but it has screened for the press. Word is good. Really good.
-Robert Redford's The Conspirator bowed to respectable reviews, but won't be released until next year.
-Lionsgate plans to distribute Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls (which could be this year's surprise squeaker) in early November for an awards run.
-The Tree of Life is off the slate for this year, but will be shown by Searchlight in 2011.
-Still no word on whether Newmarket intends a qualifying run for Peter Weir's epic The Way Back. Word from Telluride on the film has been mostly favourable.

As per schedule, predictions in the sidebar will be updated on the 1st of October, and there will be changes this time.

Video after the cut.

Best of the Decade #15: Chicago (2002)

2010-09-19T08:48:00.000-04:00

I know this isn't going to sit well with some of you, but I'm a sucker for musicals!

After receiving an energetic rebirth with Moulin Rouge! the previous year, the movie musical received another terrific entry into it's canon with Rob Marshall's Chicago. Cleverly adapted from the famous Bob Fosse stage version by writer Bill Condon, it is a sassy, sexy, and thoroughly entertaining production. Part of the story's appeal is its cynicism, declaring the unimportance of truth or honesty as compared to vanity and showmanship. The only honest characters in Chicago are the ones who end up losing, while the criminals and shysters end up triumphant. It sounds awful, yet we find we've been rooting for them the whole time. The cast is an odd collection, but it astonishingly works (Catherine Zeta-Jones and John C. Reilly are particular delights). Stylishly put together with dazzling sets, costumes, and lighting, Chicago never fails to keep you smiling.

The film has somewhat come under fire in recent years, and perhaps its Best Picture win (I admit, it wasn't deserved) has compounded the problem. Haters malign it for being "gimmicky" and "one-note", but I don't buy it for a second. Chicago is just too much fun for me to get hung up on all that!

My favourite of the many spirited musical numbers:

Review - The American

2010-09-15T07:27:00.001-04:00

Anton Corbijn's The American can kinda be described as the anti-Jason-Bourne-movie; While Matt Damon's super spy trilogy is a heart-racing actioner about an assassin who can't remember his own past, Corbijn's effort is a slow-burning, methodical thriller about an assassin who remembers his past all too well. It's a refreshing change of pace for this type of genre movie.

George Clooney is at his understated best, playing the most professional of professional killers with a non-fussy attitude and excellent dramatic timing. His character has a weakness for women, and consequently, he finds himself mistrusting all his female encounters. While hiding out in a small Italian town for one last job (to equip a fellow assassin with the weapon for her next target), he naturally makes the acquaintance of an earnest prostitute (the sultry Violante Placido), even though memories of a tragic prologue in Sweden warn him not to grow attached. When he realizes that his enemies have tracked him down, his suspicions immediately fire up.

The simplicity of this narrative (nicely adapted by Rowan Joffe from the novel A Very Private Gentleman) and the relative lack of dialogue allow Corbijn to commit attention to character, providing a perfect stage for the subtlety and detail of Clooney's performance. Corbijn's talent as a still photographer also serves his film well, as each frame is composed very much with a photographer's eye. Working closely with DP Martin Ruhe, the two have produced one of the most effectively shot films of the year, placing emphasis on soft lighting and elegant focus work to ease us into a state of paranoia.

Regrettably, AMPAS is not likely to show any interest in a late summer art house thriller (“No Oscar for you”), which is a shame because it is soooo deserving of nominations for Best Actor and Cinematography at the least.

*** out of ****

Best of the Decade #16: The Cove (2009)

2010-09-12T09:35:00.000-04:00

This will come as no surprise to anyone who frequents this blog.
The story of "The Cove" goes back to the 1960's when Ric O'Barry was head animal trainer on the hit TV show "Flipper". Fast forward more than 40 years, and O'Barry is now one of the foremost activists and protesters against the capture and captivity of dolphins. His biggest target is the small Japanese coastal village of Taiji, where thousands of dolphins are slaughtered every year. Director Louie Psihoyos realized he needed more help to bring down the cruel operation concealed in Taiji, so he assembled a crack team of divers and technicians to infiltrate the closely guarded cove where the slaughter takes place and plant cleverly hidden cameras and microphones to capture the incriminating footage.

It is in his structuring of the story that Psihoyos makes "The Cove" a success; seamlessly interweaving his clandestine activities with the political background of Japan's whaling and fisheries, revealing governmental cover-ups and misdoings that have gone unacknowledged since the 1980's. This both keeps the film firmly grounded in reality and heightens our anticipation for the continuation of the cloak-and-dagger story arc. Constructed like a pulsating heist movie, it's more thrilling than most of the fictional product emerging from Hollywood today. It's perfectly edited, energetically scored, and features some truly miraculous photography.

But all the excitement, danger, and even humour of our heroes secret mission is quickly left behind when we finally get to see the footage they attained. Presented in its grisly entirety with full unadulterated audio, it may well be the most flooring and disturbing piece of cinema you'll ever see. You don't want to watch, yet you can't look away. That such horrific massacres have been happening regularly in Taiji for decades is staggering.

This was an excerpt from my full review.

BRILLIANT SHOT ALERT:
This unsettling underwater shot that gradually becomes obscured beyond visibility by the descending blood of slain dolphins was far and away my favourite from last year.

Tree of Life in 2011

2010-09-09T14:27:00.000-04:00

After two full years of (im)patiently awaiting Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, many were beginning to think we'd never see man's perpetually delayed film. Well, there may finally be light on the horizon if Fox Searchlight has its way. They've acquired the film for distribution in 2011, so says this piece at Movieline. Of course, this means we still have to sit on our hands for even longer, and all that awards speculation was for naught (second year in row!), but Searchlight has enough campaigning to do this year anyway. At least this clears up the matter.

Review - Winter's Bone

2010-09-08T10:10:00.000-04:00

Much acclaim has already been bestowed upon Debra Granik's Sundance hit Winter's Bone, a cold and gritty mystery/drama set in Missouri's Ozark Mountains.
Jennifer Lawrence plays Ree, a 17-year-old forced to care for her mentally ill mother and two younger siblings. That's an awful lot of pressure for a young person, but Ree isn't pushed to the point of desperation until she is informed that if her meth-cooking father doesn't appear for his court date, then their house – which he posted as bail – is going to be taken. Ree's search forces her to collide with a host of unsavory characters who would rather keep her father's disappearance a secret, but she stubbornly pushes on.

At points, Ree's whole investigation seems repetitious, moves at a very slow pace, and leads to no character development. But Lawrence soldiers through with steely conviction, and when we eventually see cracks starting to form in her stoic stance, she handles it effectively without stepping too far out of character. She anchors the film with her presence, and makes it worth watching. Another strong performance comes from John Hawkes, who plays Ree's uncle. His character actually has more of an arc than Lawrence's, shifting from nastily tight-lipped to oddly noble by the film's end, and Hawkes performs it commandingly. Granik's direction is sure of itself, painting a haunting picture of the impoverished Ozark community – although for some, the depiction of locals as squirrel-hunting, banjo-playing, possibly incestuous hillbillies may come off as too stereotypical, even if handled in the tasteful manner that it is.

Obviously, Jennifer Lawrence stands a good shot at a Lead Actress nomination if Roadside Attractions can mount a campaign, but if the Adapted Screenplay race is a weak one this year, then Granick and co-writer Anne Rosellini might also grab a nomination in the same fashion Frozen River did two years ago.

**1/2 out of ****

Review - Get Low

2010-09-06T16:57:00.001-04:00

It's often been posed what a grand thing it would be to attend one's own funeral, but in Aaron Schneider's Get Low, we see that perhaps the reflection and reconciliation inspired by such a ceremony would be a difficult and painful experience, especially for the deceased.

Such is the case for Felix Bush, a fabled hermit of Tennessee folklore, who supposedly threw his own funeral party back in the 30s. As portrayed by the great Robert Duvall, Bush is more than just a crusty old recluse. He is a remorseful soul seeking not redemption, but forgiveness, yet is too ashamed and afraid to ask for it. One character (beautifully played by Sissy Spacek) says of Bush, at one point, that he's “...like a cave – going deeper and deeper...”, and the same can be said of Duvall's performance. He handles his character's exposition as only a pro like himself can, peeling back layers of heart and mind as revelations about his past gradually trickle in.

By Scheider's direction, the film is a quaint and unassuming one. His editing is a tad punchy, but he gets the pace just right. He also oversees a fine production crew who help evoke a lovely recreation of time and place. Special mention to Julie Weiss, who's costumes (a nice assortment of plaid, striped, and argyle Depression era tweeds and wools) are perfectly character specific, and deserving of awards recognition.

Same goes for Duvall's performance, of course, but that comes down to whether Sony Picture Classics is willing to invest in a sufficient campaign. It also depends on the level of Best Actor competition coming out of the woodwork in the next few months.

*** out of ****

Best of the Decade #17: Children of Men

2010-09-06T08:59:00.000-04:00

One could make a strong argument for Alfonso Cauron's Children of Men as the best science-fiction film of the decade. Working from an illustrious P.D. James novel that describes a future wherein all humans are infertile, Cauron paints a dystopia that's every bit as grim and cynical as those depicted by the likes of Kubrik (A Clockwork Orange) and Gilliam (Brazil), but less frenetic and more plausible. The futuristic bells and whistles commonly seen in sci-fi movies give way to the decaying edifice of a doomed and unstable civilization, trapped beneath a perpetually grey sky (huge applause for production designers Jim Clay and Geoffrey Kirkland). More impressive yet is the contribution of DP Emmanuel Lubezki, whose gift for inventive camera kinetics makes Children of Men one of the most remarkable cinematographic accomplishments in years.

This is all to say nothing of the story itself, which is brilliantly adapted by Cauron and his formidable team of writers, and exceptionally performed by his cast, headed by Clive Owen. Owen plays a Winston-Smith-like antihero who unwillingly becomes entangled in a hazardous mission to safely deliver a miraculously pregnant woman (the first pregnancy in 18 years) to a sea-based facility where doctors hope to find a solution to the world's infertility, all the while eluding both the government and a resistance organization who plan to use the imminent baby for misleading propaganda. It's a thorough and three-dimensional performance that anchors the whole movie. Julianne Moore and Michael Caine are solid in brief but important supporting roles.

Children of Men tackles complex themes and ideas with subtlety and near-perfect execution. It's a must-see, if for nothing else, for the extraordinary tracking shots.

BRILLIANT SHOT ALERT:

Much ado was made of Lubezki's climactic 7-minute tracking shot near the film's finale, but his most creative photographic exhibit comes courtesy of this unforgettable chase sequence, shot entirely from the inside of the pursued vehicle in one take, panning 360 degrees to probe the horror and panic on the faces of all the characters as a violent mob rain blows and gunfire upon the car. It's a gripping signature action scene displaying Lubezki and Cuaron's marvelous mastery of technique. Check it out here.

Predictions - September 2010

2010-09-01T07:38:00.000-04:00

Some very early press reactions to David Fincher's upcoming The Social Network paint the film in a highly flattering light, suggesting it may be one of the year's best (possibly the one to beat). While such huge advance expectations could ultimately be the film's undoing, it does heighten my own anticipation for its October release, and does compel me to drop Robert Redford's currently distributor-less The Conspirator from the Best Picture Ten to make room for the The Social Network. I've also added David Fincher to my Director list and axed Christopher Nolan. I love Inception, but I can't help but feel it's not really the Academy's style. To that end, I've also dropped it from Original Screenplay in favour of The King's Speech.

Those are really the only changes I've made, but with troubling rumours floating around that Terrence Malick's perpetually unfinished The Tree of Life may still not be ready in time for 2010, I've considered removing it from my predictions all together. Ditto Peter Weir's The Way Back, which only has an unofficial late-December qualifying release (it'll go wide in late January). I'm gonna wait it out though, but there are other hopefuls waiting in the wings to take their place should either falter. Trailers landed over August for Darren Aronofsky's psycho-thriller Black Swan (looks really good), Edward Zwick's Love and Other Drugs (could be an acting showcase for Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal), and Danny Boyle's 127 Hours (interesting premise, but is it Oscarish enough?).

The landscape will have changed in a month's time, once the Venice, Toronto, New York, and Telluride film fests have come and gone. Awards season is upon us! How exciting!

Best of the Decade #18: The Hurt Locker

2010-08-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Kathryn Bigelow displays her mastery of exacting tension in this exceptional war thriller about a U.S. bomb squad disarming explosives in Baghdad. It's a big breakthrough for star Jeremy Renner, excellent as a reckless cowboy who is virtually addicted to defusing bombs, hence the film's tagline "war is a drug". During his month-long tour, Renner's character has his eyes opened to the nastiness of the war he's fighting, but experiences internal conflict because he still depends on the adrenaline rush of playing with fire. Tensions are also rampant within the bomb squad unit, especially between Renner and Anthony Mackie, superb as war-weary sergeant furious with Renner's dangerous antics. DP Barry Ackroyd uses handheld camerawork to extremely dramatic effect, particularly for the POV shots that pull the audience right into the action. Ditto to the exhilarating film editing of Bob Murawski and Chris Innis.

(This was an excerpt from my full review which you can revisit here.)

Review - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-08-26T11:01:00.001-04:00

Ever have trouble wooing that special someone? Was he/she standoffish or reticent? Was he/she playing hard to get? Or just plain hard to get? Well, pal, you got off easy. Poor ol' Scott Pilgrim has to battle (nay, defeat) seven evil exes to win the hand of the woman of his dreams in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

As in the series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley on which the film is based, self-absorbed but likable Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera in a role that he seems a bit too typecast for) is smitten with the mysterious Ramona Flowers (the appropriately dry Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but cannot pursue a relationship unless he can conquer a septet of diabolical former beaus. Complicating matters is that he's already dating another girl, Knives Chau (sidesplittingly played by Ellen Wong), who's too young for him anyway, but whose obsessive clingy-ness makes letting her down gently a tricky maneuver.

Having proven his knack for comedy on previous pictures Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright goes to work quickly on establishing a comic tone for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by framing it as a video game. Nifty graphics pop in and out of frame indicating point levels and character specifics, vanquished foes burst into coins, and vintage video game beeps and boops are laced throughout (I got an early chuckle out of hearing the familiar Universal Studios theme recreated in electronic arcade musical tones). This is to say nothing of the fight scenes, which are as frenetic and full of graphic exclamation points as a Mortal Combat face-off. True, all of this perpetual hyperactivity on screen eventually grows tiresome (and would have grown tiresome much sooner if it weren't for plenty of hilarious lines and visual gags), but a lesser director would have been inhibited by apprehensions of just that. Wright, on the other hand, grabs this concept by the horns and runs with it. Too many film makers fail to commit to the tone of their movie, but that's one thing Wright cannot be accused of, and it's much to the film's benefit.

I say this as a common movie goer possessing no familiarity with the comic book, but it seems that most common movie goers would disagree with my positive assessment, as the film has performed disappointingly at the box office, it's legions of fans just keeping it afloat. Maybe Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was only destined to enjoy a small cult following at best. It's certainly not a film for everybody. To that end, I'll mention that it's probably not the Academy's cup of tea. The creativity of the effects are oh so deserving in my opinion, but I have to say, “No Oscar for you.”

*** out of ****

Video after the jump...

Disney ditches Annies

2010-08-25T22:43:00.001-04:00

This tidbit has been floating around for about a day, but I thought it was worth commenting on here.

Anyone who's a fan of Pixar's WALL-E (the best film of 2008 in this Nazi's humble opinion) will recall having their eyebrows swiftly raised by the news that Dreamworks' forgettable Kung Fu Panda had swept the Annie Awards that year.

This Variety story sheds some retrospective light on the matter, and sure enough, our suspicions prove true. It turns out that membership in ASIFA-Hollywood (the L.A. branch of l'Association Internationale du Film d'Animation) can be bought and paid for, and that Dreamworks gladly gives membership to each new employee as a "welcome gift", skewing the voter breakdown in their favour.

Disney clamoured for rule changes, which they finally received recently (changes that limit votership on individual achievement categories to more professional minds), but that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy the Mouse House, so they've gracefully declined to participate in the annual awards. Disney films can still be written in by voters, but will not be officially submitted for consideration by the studio, which leads me to believe the Annies will be light on the Disney love this year.

Good, I say. My hot-headed reaction to the Kung Fu Panda fiasco was that this should happen immediately, but I suppose it was wiser to try and first pioneer some change for the better, before giving ASIFA the finger.

Best of the Decade #19: City of God

2010-08-22T20:27:00.000-04:00

Though the influence of filmmakers from Scorsese to Tarantino can be detected throughout, Fernando Meirelles' Cidade de Deus is a completely different beast. The brilliant editing and creative hand-held camera movement give the narrative a brisk pace and a unique energy. Based on the true story of youths growing up in an environment of crime and violence in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, the script succeeds in entertaining and horrifying its audience. One of the most disturbing of a number of unsettling scenes is the sight of young Li'l Dice, no more than twelve years old, laughing gleefully as he shoots innocent couples in a brothel. Indeed, aside from just being a dizzying crime saga, Cidade de Deus warns of the danger that a world of violence poses to impressionable children, a point most clearly made in the film's lingering final shot.

BRILLIANT SHOT ALERT:
Caught between a violent street gang and an army of cops at the film's riveting opening, the camera whirls rapidly 360 degrees around our central character, quickly dissolving into an identical shot of his child self playing soccer.

Fist half recap

2010-08-19T16:22:00.001-04:00

Best Films of the Decade - #20: Avatar (2009)

2010-08-15T14:47:00.000-04:00

If any director other than James Cameron had tried to make an extra-terrestrial version of Dances With Wolves starring great big smurfs with tails, well, that would have been just plain silly. But James Cameron did make it, and it is sensational! Sure, it's easy to tell exactly where the story's going at all times, and sure, the political subtext is pretty transparent, but Cameron is such a strong storyteller that it does not matter. He fills the screen with such compelling imagery and engaging performances, all you can do is sit back and get caught up in the adventure. The narrative moves with such economy and expert pacing that you'd never guess it was over 2.5 hours long. And despite his 12-year hiatus, it's clear that Cameron is still unsurpassed in staging action sequences.

(This was an excerpt of my full review which you can revisit here.)

Best Films of the Decade - #21: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

2010-08-08T10:34:00.000-04:00

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a one-of-a-kind movie experience that puts you right inside the main character's body. Janusz Kaminski's inventive photography and Julian Schnabel's visionary direction allow the audience to feel the imprisonment that Jean-Dominique Bauby felt following a stroke that left him completely paralyzed, except for his left eye. This maximizes the emotional payoff by the end of the film. An incredible true story told through incredible film making.

The Music of "How to Train Your Dragon"

2010-08-04T15:02:00.001-04:00

While updating my sidebar predictions on Monday, I soooooo wanted to include How to Train Your Dragon in Best Original Score. I resisted, given the lack of success Dreamworks has had in this category and the fact that by the time ballots go out the film won't be so fresh in voters' minds.

I myself must confess to overlooking John Powell's music when I first saw the movie back in April, but upon listening to the soundtrack, I realize how excellent his contribution to the film really is. The man's been doing respectable work with Dreamworks for years now, even if the studio hasn't been doing work that's nearly as respectable. But with How to Train Your Dragon, he's finally created a score that, in terms of quality, can stand alongside the scores of Dreamworks' savvier older cousin Pixar, which as thus far received plenty of awards attention for its high-end musical elements.

Powell gives the film a wonderful highlands flavour (something of a Cetlic/Gaelic mash-up), working in instruments like the fiddle, pan flute, bagpipes, and snare drums. He composed at least half a dozen recurring musical themes, all of them catchy, and often manages to weave more than one of them together within a single track. You can listen to my favourite theme after the jump.

Will the music branch remember this movie when January rolls around? Do they even care for it at all? Something tells me it'll be forgotten everywhere but in Animated Feature, but how satisfying it would be to see John Powell get his due for what is surely one the year's most enjoyable scores. This may be the FYC drum I end up banging the loudest this season.

Predictions - August 2010

2010-08-02T18:32:00.000-04:00

There's really nothing to update. At this point we're all just waiting on the Toronto Film Festival to reveal what highly-touted award hopefuls have the goods.

The only big news of the month is the triumph of Inception (enjoying its third consecutive week atop the box office), which should make good on at least seven or eight of the ten nominations for which I currently have it predicted. The Last Airbender, on the other hand, has made a swift exodus from every category. Sadly, the stench lingers on.

I've only made a few additions in the craft categories:
Harry Potter and The King's Speech in Art Direction, Alice in Wonderland in Costume (even a movie that bad can't keep Colleen Atwood down), Biutiful and The Tempest in Score, Salt and The Way Back in Sound Mixing, Toy Story 3 in Sound Editing, and Harry Potter in Visual Effects.

It's likely that my next predix update in a month will also be scant, but once TIFF lands we should have a better idea of the playing field for some of those major categories.

Best Films of the Decade - #22: Sideways (2004)

2010-08-01T12:42:00.000-04:00

Alexander Payne's Sideways is a finely measured comedy of manners between four reactive and relatable characters. They are all completely fleshed out by a wonderful cast headed by the impeccable Paul Giamatti. Themes of indecision, age, and renewal abound as our characters face the anxiety of various life changes about to occur, ultimately forcing them to accept their lives for what they are and enjoy what they can, when they can. A sad, funny, but hopeful story of pain and growth.

Review - The Kids Are All Right

2010-07-28T19:05:00.001-04:00

In an age where comedies so often grasp at straws to make us laugh, how satisfying it would be to see one that succeeds at making us laugh simply by not trying to make us laugh. Such is the case with Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right, a wonderful dramedy of manners whose no-nonsense style delivers a perfectly measured emotional cadence by not drawing attention to itself.
Life is turned askew for a quiet suburban family when the teenage son and daughter, Laser and Joni, strike out to meet the man who donated sperm to their mothers, Nic and Jules. The donor, Paul, turns out to be a likable, laid back, free-loving kinda dude, and it isn't long before he and the kids form an attachment, leading to unforeseen complications when the kids' mothers are added to the equation.

To try and pick a standout actor from the intimate cast mentioned above would be folly, as this is a true ensemble piece wherein all five principles give outstanding performances which add up to a whole that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Each cast member deserves their own paragraph, but to save space, I'll have to make do with just one: As Nic, the mom with the harsher personality of the two, Annette Bening evokes an abundance of love for her family that doesn't always know how to express itself tenderly. Her criticisms may seem hurtful, but that's often because they're regrettably true. The more lenient mother, Jules, is also more confused about her emotions, which Julianne Moore conveys with heartbreaking subtlety as the strain of her conflicting desires grow tenser and tenser. Mark Ruffalo's performance as Paul is relaxed and naturalistic, slipping into the character with a disarming ease that misdirects us from his own insecurities until his crushing final scenes. Mia Wasikowska approaches her character with great maturity, balancing the vulnerability and rebellion of budding adulthood in perfect tandem, while John Hutcherson exudes Laser's need for a male role model with just the right dose of youthful angst, no lean feat considering that youthful angst always runs the risk of getting on audiences' nerves.

For the genuine realism of their screenplay, Cholodenko and co-writer Stuart Blumberg deserve acclaim. Void of snappy one-liners or bold dramatic flare, the comedy and tragedy stem organically from the characters and the complex relationships they share with each other. Subtext abounds in every conversation, and Cholodenko's tactful direction lets it gleam through without ever relinquishing that realness of feeling, with a little help of course from editor Jeffrey Werner, who gets all the right reaction shots at all the right times.

I hope nominations for Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress (Bening and Moore), and Supporting Actor (Ruffalo) are on their way, but we'll have to wait and see how the competition lines up before calling any sure things.

**** out of ****

Video after the jump.

Best Films of the Decade - #23: The Aviator (2004)

2010-07-25T22:37:00.000-04:00

Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his finest career performances as the paranoid and germophobic aviation pioneer Howard Hughes. Under the always-impressive direction of Martin Scorsese, The Aviator avoids the uninteresting clichés of the biopic and becomes more a study of the character than of the character's life. Backing DiCaprio up is a very impressive cast of character actors who all deserve hearty applause for their fine work (special mentions for Cate Blanchett and Alan Alda). Slickly crafted and designed, the picture drips of 1940's nostalgia, as many of Scorsese's films tend to do. Thelma Schoonmaker's editing is a particularly strong bragging point for the film, with one aerial sequence in particular that's guaranteed to get your pulse racing!

Best Films of the Decade - #24: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

2010-07-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

Brimming with energy and vitality, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is one a wonderful movie experience. A romantic rags-to-riches fairytale at heart, it keeps itself grounded in reality by its setting, making comment on the cycle of poverty and violence in developing regions, not to mention the sinister effects of money. Simon Beaufoy's nonlinear storyline is ingeniously tied together, and Chris Dickens' editing makes the most of the vibrant colours captured by Anthony Dod Mantle's lens. The closing sequence is a giddy homage to Bollywood, and the thumping soundtrack by A.R. Rahman prevents the film from ever getting boring.

The "Inception" Debate

2010-07-20T00:45:00.003-04:00

Not since There Will Be Blood perplexed us all in 2007 can I recall a film being as passionately debated in regards to its position in the canon of great cinema as Inception. Some declare it a masterpiece, destined to be a classic. Some take umbrage with such ecstatic adulation, and have trashed the film mercilessly. On one hand, it's exciting to see such a flurry of discussion and conversation, which is what good art should do. But on the other, it's lead to petty mudslinging in some corners of the web and overblown implications of resentment between the bloggers and the print critics. It's quite unbecoming.

I didn't want to cheapen my own review with reference to anyone else's, but there's such a rich variety of opinions out there that they deserve some attention, and I've assembled some pieces that I think are worthy of a read.

Most reviews have been positive, but those who truly hate the film are a vocal few, the most notorious of which are The New York Observer's Rex Reed, Movie Line's Stephanie Zacharek, and New York Magazine's David Edlestein. I get a vibe from Zacharek's review that her beef is with the elan with which the film's champions sing its praises, and it's clear from Reed's article that he isn't communicating his dislike for the movie so much as his dislike for Nolan as a filmmaker. It's their right to feel that way, but it makes it difficult for me to put much stock in their opinions when they seem to be ranting more about issues peripheral to the film rather than the film itself. Edlestein, at least, attempts to explain what specifically bothered him, but still gets hung up on the fact that someone would dare brandish the word "masterpiece".

Someone like Anne Thompson, whose provocative comparisons to Kubrick and use of the word "masterpiece" represents the kind of enthusiasm from early online reviews that may well have irked the writers of more established outlets.

Another four-star rave, albeit a more apprehensive one, is that of Roger Ebert, who is careful not to put a big ol' bulls-eye on his review by adding that forbidden word, "masterpiece".

Meanwhile, the middle ground have been alienated and criticized to an extent by both of the extreme camps, but I find their thoughts just as interesting. They include the likes of the Chicago Tribune's Michael Philips, the Toronto Star's Pete Howell, and In Contention's Kris Tapley, who temper their positive reviews with legitimate reservations about the film. The other side of the fence is, I think, epitomized by the New York Times' A.O. Scott, who was disappointed by its artistic shortcomings, but defends its entertainment value.

And finally, just because I really enjoyed this one, I highly recommend this fascinating interpretation of the film by CHUD's Devin Feraci.

Review - Inception

2010-07-18T21:48:00.006-04:00

“You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...” That famous 1971 lyric may well have been describing the concept of “shared dreaming”, the founding principle of Christopher Nolan's latest mind-bending thriller Inception, and it is one sweet dream!

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a man who exploits the art of shared dreaming for unique and valuable purposes. He can occupy the same dream as another person, whose deepest thoughts and ideas are vulnerable in the dream state, making them ripe for the plucking by Cobb. He hires himself out to corporations who pay big bucks to steal the secrets of competing businesses, but his lack of success has kept him from being able to finally buy his way back into the United States (from where he's a fugitive) and being reunited with his two children. So he hops the globe in search of jobs, until an energy CEO (Ken Watanabe) offers him a job that just might be his chance to make it home, but rather than stealing an idea, Cobb is commissioned to instead plant an idea deep within the subconscious of a rival businessman (Cillian Murphy).

From there, Inception snowballs into a grand heist movie, as Cobb and his squad of dream manipulators (including the likes of Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy) lead their unsuspecting subject through a maze of dreams within dreams within dreams. Underlying it all is a surprisingly affecting emotional character arc for Cobb, haunted in every dream by visions of his wife Mal (excellently played by Marion Cotillard) that threaten to sabotage his mission. Some could fault Nolan for giving virtually no depth treatment to the other characters, but DiCaprio carries off Cobb's development so well, that the film still works as a character study, though not always a focused one.

As a thriller/action movie, it more than works – it excels. Nolan pushes the envelope on the tried and true “race against time” technique by staging races against time within races against time within races against time! The entire final hour of the film is a masterstroke bravura storytelling, executed with infallible clockwork precision by Nolan and his film editor Lee Smith, who surely deserves an Academy Award. No less worthy of awards attention are Nolan's sound crew, Jeffery Perkins, Lora Hirschberg, and Gary Rizzo, who help blur the distinction between dream and reality with a sophisticated mix. Composer Hans Zimmer has written another awesome score, continuing what has been a career hot streak as of late. The visual panache is accomplished via the married efforts of production designer Guy Dyas (whose dazzling sets define various dream environments with tremendous subtlety), DP Wally Pfister (whose photography is kinetic although less painterly than his work on The Dark Knight), and a terrific FX team (who pull off some truly miraculous non-CG effects, the most notable of which is an amazing zero-gravity fight sequence).

Ecstatic as I am, I must emphasize that Inception may not be for everybody. People who enjoy being challenged by complex narratives that demand multiple viewing and require full involvement on the part of the viewer will likely find it an utterly engaging and rewarding experience, but that's not everybody's cuppa' tea. Some may grow impatient with the second act's thick exposition, as Cobb explains to a rookie team member the principles governing the world of the dream for the benefit of the audience, as well as divulging personal demons that define his character. It's a necessary evil for this film, without which that incredible third act would have had little impact, but it does slow things down a tad.

It's not hard to understand why Inception is a divisive film. Give yourself over to the story, and the overall effect is a dream come true. Nitpick about details and script conflicts, and it's a labyrinthine nightmare. I ultimately think Inception earns the right to have its faults (and it does have faults) forgiven. As far as ambitious, committed, exhilarating, and above all, intelligent movie entertainment goes, it's a winner. Nolan's influences are apparent, but still, you've never seen one like this. It's a true original. A work of genius.

**** out of ****

(P.S. As far as Oscar prospects go, everything I currently have it predicted for seems reasonable)

Video after the cut.

Psyched about Inception!

2010-07-17T00:25:00.003-04:00

I'll be walking out of the theatre roughly 24 hours from now.
Can't. Wait.

Review - Despicable Me

2010-07-15T20:01:00.001-04:00

With its combination of slapstick humour and cloying cuteness, kids will probably get a kick out of Despicable Me. Anyone over the age of ten, however, will find it seldom funny and often annoying.
Gru (Steve Carell doing his best Gorbachev imitation) is an underachieving super villain who dreams of shrinking down and stealing the moon – possibly to gain the attention of his impossible-to-please mother. In order to pilfer a shrink ray from rival villain Vector, Gru adopts three orphan girls (Elsie Fisher, Dana Gaier, and Miranda Crosgrove, the latter of whom is way too old to play her character convincingly) and has them sell cookies to his nemesis, thus granting him access to Vector's stronghold. Gru then wants nothing more than to rid himself of the overbearingly adorable (see: "obnoxious") trio, but wouldn'tchya know it, he starts to grow attached to them.

None of the characters in this lazily written pablum are fully realized or relatable. The only empathy I could feel for Gru is that those three brats got on my nerves just as much as they did his. It didn't have to be that way. The premise is solid, but mishandled. Potential arcs that could have been made sweet and endearing are truncated and unsatisfying due to the film's lack of focus. What's worse is that the elements that have diverted the filmmakers from character development aren't all that much fun anyway. The action is disappointing, and the sight gags are too easy to see coming. The best thing about the movie is its merciful brevity (a quick 90 minutes).

Despicable Me won't even have an outside chance at an Oscar nomination unless there are enough cartoons this year to expand the Animated Feature field to five nominees. Even then, the Animation branch is still more likely to spring for a foreign oddity than this, like The Secret of Kells getting in over Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs last year.

*1/2 out of ****

Best Films of the Decade - #25: Amelie (2001)

2010-07-10T22:52:00.000-04:00

An utter delight from start to finish, Amelie follows the daily hijinx of our title heroine (played by the adorable nymph Audrey Tautou), whose life mission is to anonymously spread happiness to complete strangers. But at what cost? For Amelie is not happy herself, forcing us to question the old belief that happiness comes from making others happy. Is it true? The ending will tell you which side of this philosophical debate that writer/director Jean-Pierre Jeunet supports. Inspired by filmmakers like Francois Truffaut, Luis Bunuel, and even Woody Allen, Jeunet loosely borrows his narrative style from the New Wave movement of the 60's and 70's, but his film distinctly stands apart from those of his trailblazing predecessors, as it is visually more splendid, and his attitude is decidedly less cynical. Bright, colourful, romantic, and rich in humour, Amelie is a film you'll love even more than you admire.

Review - The Last Airbender

2010-07-08T11:50:00.002-04:00

Should've called it The Hot Air Bender, and this film doesn't so much bend it as it does blow it around. There are a number of adjectives that came immediately to my mind whilst watching the latest claptrap from fallen one M. Night Shyamalan, but I believe the technical term is “God-awful”.
Aang (pronounced “un”, as in “unbearable”) is the Avatar; the last of a long line of Airbenders who has the power not only to manipulate the air around him, but also the elements of earth, water, and fire. Threatened by his potential might, the Fire Nation, and the moody Prince Zuko (Dev Patel), hunt him down from land to land, but Aang gets by with a little help from his friends, Katara and Sokka of the Southern Water Nation, and his pet, a 4-tonne beaver/polar-bear/yak hybrid that can fly.

You'd think a premise as fantastical as that would make for something pretty entertaining, but abandon hope, all ye who enter here, for there's no fun to be had. The action is weak, and the overall tone is solemn yet half-hearted. And who's to blame for this? Much ado has been made over the almost exclusive casting of white actors when the cartoon on which the film is based has a distinct Asian composition (the only foreign actors we see here are the bad guys, figures), but the simple truth is that even with racially sensitive casting this film would still have sucked. It's easy to blame the bad performances, but no actor could've sold the dialogue Shyamalan is peddling here, which is often so atrocious it makes you want to drop whatever you're doing and proceed to kill yourself in the most cinematically gruesome manner possible (a la The Happening, his previous dud). Serves me right for giving M. Night the benefit of the doubt, but it's as much Paramount's fault as it is his own. The studio's have got to stop giving him a free ride. Make him stop writing his own scripts. Tell him “no”. The man's got talent has a director but I'm getting sick of watching him squander every opportunity that comes his way. If he can't make mystical element-bending cool, or at least fun, he needs a wake-up call.

Saving graces? Not many. The ever-proficient Randy Thom provides quality sound effects and a pretty damn good mix now that I think about it, and James Newton Howard's music is acceptable, but that's about as close to complimentary as I can get to this flop. It should consider itself lucky if it manages a single Oscar nomination.

* out of ****

Best Films of the Decade - #26: Juno (2007)

2010-07-04T09:02:00.001-04:00

A touching and simply marvelous little movie about an unexpected teenage pregnancy. By no means traditional subject matter for a comedy, but writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman instill their cast of characters (all of whom were perfectly cast) with a sharp wit and laissez-faire sense of humour. The hipster dialogue may not be totally unbelievable (and is a rather glaring annoyance for the film's detractors), but the feeling behind it is what gives the story it's warmth and sincerity. Ellen Page is great as the sassy title character with a baby growing inside of her, conveying Juno's own growing pains hidden behind her sarcastic tongue and wise-crackery.

Predictions - July 2010

2010-07-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

Obviously not a lot as come out to shake things up since Cannes wrapped up in May, so my predictions are staying mostly the same.

There is one notable exception: Toy Story 3, which could/should follow in the footsteps of last year's Up. I've added it to Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay (it's based on previously created characters), but I've removed it from Original Song as end credit tunes are usually dismissed by the music branch. Now it's been discussed in some corners that the film could actually win the big prize, but let's not lose our heads. To win without nominations for Acting, Directing, or Editing would be just about impossible. But at least the nomination for Best Picture seems reasonable.

Some additional minor changes:

-Annette Bening replaces Julianne Moore as the representative Lead Actress from The Kids Are All Right. Some folks claim she has the more awards-friendly role.
-Having now seen Bob Richardson's work on Shutter Island, I can believe the cinematographers may nominate him despite the film's critical walloping.
-I've added a handful of hopefuls for Best Documentary. These are just a few early contenders that have enjoyed positive festival reactions. We'll have to wait until the Academy releases a shortlist before making any serious guesses.

Review - Shutter Island

2010-06-29T12:11:00.001-04:00

Caught up with Martin Scorsese's latest on DVD, and I can see why it's divisive.
Indulging once again in his appetite for genre film-making from whence sprung Cape Fear 19 years ago, he gives us Shutter Island, a creepy psychological thriller which unfortunately fails to take hold in any lasting way.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays an untrusting U.S. marshal who arrives at the facility for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, intending to uncover the truth about the institution's mysterious goings-on, growing increasingly paranoid as he keeps coming across one baffling clue after another. Of course, nothing is as it seems, and we remain confused right up to the film's climactic twist.

The clever revelations in the film's final act may be enough to make some viewers forget about the first two thirds, but others will be unimpressed with the stilted dialogue, awkward exposition, and ridiculous dream sequences / flashbacks, all of which could have done without the director's stylistic excess. Even the usually reliable editing of living legend Thelma Schoonmaker is jumpy and discontinuous. If for no other reason, you could justify the film as a worthwhile viewing experience for Robert Richardson's incredible cinematography. The screen is filled with arresting images, all of them displaying the man's mastery of composition, movement, colour, and lighting.

**1/2 out of ****

Best Films of the Decade - #27: The Dark Knight (2008)

2010-06-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

Under the careful direction of Chris Nolan and his epic script (co-written by brother Jonathan), The Dark Knight is less a superhero movie than it is a Shakespearean tragedy that happens to star popular comic book characters. Worthy of the attention he received is Heath Ledger, whose portrayal of The Joker will echo throughout history as one of the great film villains of all time. Equal to the task (though in a less flashy role) is Christian Bale, who reveals a vulnerability and moral conflict never before seen in Batman. The film features an impeccable supporting cast (including Aaron Eckhart and an excellent Gary Oldman) and revolutionary IMAX photography from DP Wally Pfister. Despite the lengthy runtime and divisive ending, this will likely stand for decades to come as the single greatest superhero movie ever made.

BRILLIANT SHOT ALERT:

Oscars in January?

2010-06-23T13:15:00.001-04:00

There have been rumours flying around...
scary rumours...
rumours that the upper Academy brass is discussing moving the Oscars to January (applicable starting with the 2011/12 season), as reported by Nikki Finke.

Nothing to get too upset about yet. They're only "discussing" the option, after all. But I sure hope this doesn't escalate from rumour into fact.

The rationale behind this seems to stem from the insatiable lust for ratings. By the time the Oscars roll around each February (or March), audience have already been bombarded by televised awards shows like the Globes, SAG Awards, and Critics' Choice Awards. AMPAS figures that an earlier show will make the Oscars feel more relevant to Joe Public, thus improving viewership.

I'll not waste my energy explaining why this is a TERRIBLE idea just now, but if this proposal comes to fruition, you can expect to hear vitriol and bile from my end.

Oscarcast producers announced

2010-06-23T12:34:00.000-04:00

Bruce Cohen (producer of such films as Milk, Big Fish, and the Oscar-wining American Beauty) and and Don Mischer (Emmy-winning live director of four Superbowls and dozens of other television specials) have accepted the invitation to produce next year's Oscar telecast.

Congrats to Mr. Cohen and Mr. Mischer. Whatever they come up with, I'm sure it can't possibly be worse than this past year's fiasco of an Oscarcast.

Review - Toy Story 3

2010-06-21T07:51:00.001-04:00

They must be drinking Holy water down at Pixar Studios, because everything they make is divine. The third installment of the Toy Story franchise might not have seemed like a good idea on paper, coming over ten years after the first two which were so highly cherished, but credit veteran story men John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, and new-to-the-team Michael Arndt (writer of Little Miss Sunshine) for putting together yet another engaging story that continues to push the many themes explored by the two originals while still preserving their charm and wit.

It's been a while since we last saw Andy frolicking with his beloved playthings, and in that time he's grown into a young man on the cusp of adulthood, with little time for toys. As he packs for college, his mom delivers an ultimatum: either he stores the toys in the attic, donates them to the local daycare, or throws them away. After a moment's deliberation, he decides attic, except for Woody, who he opts to take to college as a nostalgic memento. But cue the quick series of mix ups, and the toys find themselves at Sunnyside Daycare, a seemingly idyllic place where they can be played with for eternity. Of course, Sunnyside is not as sunny as its name so suspiciously implies.

What allows the Toy Story movies to continue to resonate after the novelty of the 1995 original concept has worn off is an increasingly direct approach to mature ideas. Issues of neglect and abandonment come to the fore once the toys are dumped. Denial and acceptance clash. Only Woody stubbornly insists on returning to Andy's house when his friends are content to make Sunnyside their new home. “I can't believe you could be so selfish,” he tells them, failing to see his own reflection in the proverbial mirror. Can you really blame him? After all he's been through in the first two movies to evade doom and return to Andy, it's unsurprising that his attachment to the kid is that strong. But the kid isn't a kid. Not anymore. And perhaps having the strength to let go of each other may be the most meaningful and grown up decision either of them could make.

Arndt's script moves swiftly and with purpose. Less time is spent on individual character development (because we already know them so well), and more is devoted to the group collectively. In fact, the one character who may get the most attention is the two-faced villain, who is exposed to harbour a spiteful storm of heartbreak and jealousy behind a huggable exterior. His comic foil, a metrosexual Ken doll voiced with hilarious zest by Michael Keaton, gets a ton of laughs (perhaps a few too many for the liking of the LGTB community). The story whizzes along into the intense final act, before settling into an ending so poignant and emotional it reduced me to a teary mess. They could not have ended this series on a better note. Utter perfection.

A nomination for Animated Feature is locked, as we would expect of Pixar, but the quality of this threequel took many by surprise, and with the reviews it's been getting – in combination with what is sure to be a great money haul – we must consider it a Best Picture contender. Screenplay as well, although the question of Original v. Adapted is very open. Randy Newman can indeed slip in for his musical score, but is unlikely to receive a nod for his end credits tune “We Belong Together”. Sound Editing is possible.

**** out of ****

Video after the cut.

Best Films of the Decade - #28: Up in the Air (2009)

2010-06-20T21:04:00.000-04:00

This being his third hit in a row, it is clear that Jason Reitman is currently one of our finest filmmakers. Some have even described him as the Billy Wilder of our generation. It's a reasonable comparison. Reitman crafted this story with humour and sensitivity. Many noted the timeliness of the film because of its prominent reference to people losing their jobs in a bad economic climate.

But there are so many other themes at work here. Youth and age, love and family, connectivity and distance, what we wish for and what's practical, the disappointment of our expectations not being met, the joy of simply being with another person; all of these thoughts come to the fore at the same time during Up in the Air. Each and every shot is a sea of nuance, with hidden depths of emotion and significance. Everyone can connect to this film on some personal level.

Wonderful performances from the three principles, George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick. Deft comic touch and genuine humanity are perfectly balanced.

Review - The A-Team

2010-06-14T11:25:00.002-04:00

“I love it when a plan comes together,” Col. 'Hannibal' Smith gleefully growls through a mouthful of Cuban cigar after successful completion of the ridiculously impossible escape that opens up The A-Team. It's just the first of many implausible escapades upon which the special military task force embark throughout the movie, and while they may be fun to watch individually, the picture as a whole does not come together as fully or effectively as Hannibals' brilliant plans.

Stringing together the action set pieces is an old hat storyline about stolen U.S. money plates being sought by traitorous military men, corrupt CIA agents, and of course, our virtuous A-Team, who must recover the plates not only to foil the bad guys, but also to clear themselves of false charges of murder and conspiracy.

The principle cast features some idiosyncratic choices; Irishman Liam Neeson as all-American master planner Hannibal, The Hangover's Bradley Cooper as the arrogant Lt. 'Faceman' Peck, former WWF star Quinton Jackson as Mr. T's inimitable B.A. Baracus, and Sharlto Copley – a revelation in last year's District 9 – doing his best to disguise his thick South African accent in a Texan drawl as 'Howling Mad' Murdock. Few would have chosen these particular actors to fill the characterizations made so well known by the TV show, but as an interacting ensemble, they click together quite nicely. The rest of the supporting players are really just filling space.

The action is the real star of the picture; overblown, cartoonish, and in-your-face (literally so in one scene that jabs playfully at gimmicky 3D movies). It earns no points for believability, but is at least enjoyable enough. The second half of the movie was perhaps a tad heavier on the CGI than need be, especially with such solid pyrotechnic work established in the first half. Nonetheless, watching the A-team go to work is a delight. It's when focus is shifted to the equally unbelievable plot that the film grinds to a halt. It struggles to find a consistent tone, indulging in needless asides such as the lukewarm romance between Face and good cop Charisa Sosa (Jessica Biel), or B.A.'s foolish (or is that “foo'ish”?) vow of nonviolence.

It should go without saying that this flick doesn't hold a candle to the delightfully campy TV series on which it's based, but the film makers compound the problem with too many moments that take themselves seriously, clashing with the absurd fun and mayhem that should dominate.

** out of ****

Best Films of the Decade - #29: Bowling for Columbine (2002)

2010-06-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

People who criticize the documentaries of Michael Moore for his obviously strong left-wing bias may be missing the point.
I know some people are of the school of belief that the best documentary film making is the type that weighs both sides of an issue with academic objectivity, but aren't one-sided arguments so much more interesting? If I wanted impartial reportage of fact, I'll turn on the news. Moore's intent is to persuade and provoke thought, plus to entertain, and thus he takes a firm stance and argues for it with both humour and severity. That doesn't make his docs any less intelligent, or in the case of Bowling for Columbine, any less powerful. The passionately debated issue of guns in the United States is an important one to discuss, and Moore's film may only cover one half of the debate, but it does so in compelling fashion and it definitely makes a lasting impression. He juxtaposes the brutality of all sorts of modern conflicts against the backdrop of schools and peaceful communities who have suffered tragedy at the hands of America's lackadaisical gun laws. Even the most hardhearted of viewers can't deny the emotional pull of the stories he tells.

Best Films of the Decade - #30: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

2010-06-06T20:04:00.001-04:00

Ang Lee's master opus recalls a time when adventure didn't rely on the most sophisticated special effects, but simply the ability to tell and story well. That's what the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ultimately boils down to. The fact that it enjoyed such cross-over appeal without the presence of any marketable American stars is further testament to Lee's story-telling talent. Wise but sparing use of flashback and backstory exposition reinforce the film's simple but reliable three-act structure. It is a gorgeously composed piece of film, visually breathtaking and beautifully scored.

Review - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

2010-06-04T15:28:00.003-04:00

Like the protagonist of the video game on which it's based, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time makes an improbable leap – from small screen to big – and miraculously manages to land on its feet.

The story is simple enough: Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), the adopted son of Persian King Sharaman, is framed for the murder of his father and must turn fugitive, fleeing his enraged brothers (not to mention their father's true killer, who should be easy enough for you to guess before you even watch the movie). Turns out the bad guy is after more than just the king, but seeks a magical dagger with the power to turn back time, protected by Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), who must keep this McGuffin from falling into the wrong hands or else risk the future of the world. Naturally.

The plot (adapted by Jordan Mechner from his own story work in the video game series) is formulaic and highly predictable, serving merely as an excuse to bounce from one action set piece to another, leaving little time for trivialities like character development or thematic threads. But its simplicity actually does this film a service. You could accuse producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Mike Newell of several cinematic faux-pas, but you can't accuse them of over-reaching ambition. They know exactly the kind of movie they're trying to make, and compared to this summer's erstwhile duds Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood, Prince of Persia is actually quite enjoyable – at least if you're in the mood for some mindless action and a few mild chuckles.

I still wag my finger at Bruckheimer for being content to employ his infamous blockbuster equation, but I can only give him thumbs up for the amazing behind-the-scenes crew he assembled. The look of the film is gorgeously conceived by production designer Wolf Kroeger, costumer Penny Rose, and DP John Seale, who has a knack for capturing the desert on film, as anyone who's seen The English Patient will surely attest. I also have to compliment him and the FX artists for a smattering of amusing shots that intentionally mimic the camera movement of the video game. The film sounds great as well, with composer Harry Gregson-Williams doing a good Maurice Jarre impersonation, and a fine mix done by Peter Lindsay, Beau Borders, and Kevin O'Connell (who could be up for yet another fruitless Oscar nomination in February).

Nods in the Sound and Visual Effects categories are plausible, and hopefully one for either Art Direction or Costume Design will pan out.

**1/2 out of ****

Video after the cut

Predictions - June 2010

2010-06-01T22:39:00.000-04:00

With Cannes behind us and the May popcorn pics out of the gate, it's time to make a few revisions to the sidebar predix. Of course, this early in the year and with few of my predicted titles having been seen yet, there won't be any drastic changes. The only ones of note are:

-Mike Leigh's Another Year was one of the few films to open to near unianimous praise at Cannes, while Robin Hood seemed to come and go just like that, missing the target by a wide margin. Therefore, I've nixed Ridley Scott's film from everything but Sound Mixing, and added Another Year to Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Actress (Lesley Manville).
-Sight unseen, I've traded Eat, Pray, Love with Rabbit Hole in Best Picture. Just because.
-Additions to the Acting categories include Javier Bardem for Biutiful (strong word from Cannes on his performance), and Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine.
-Finally, the Academy's Board of Governors are currently in the process of deciding whether or not to expand the field of Visual Effects nominees from three to five (fingers crossed). Thinking wishfully, I've added a couple of extra contenders to my VFX predictions.

Best Films of the Decade - #31: Big Fish (2003)

2010-05-30T18:18:00.000-04:00

Though known for his trademark gothic style and macabre sense of humour, one of Tim Burton's best films to date is this poignant drama-fantasy hybrid about a young man searching for clarity about his dying father's past.

Told through mesmerizing magic realism, we get to glimpse the history of the father (wonderfully portrayed by Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney) in the tall tales with which he regales his impatient son. But it's only by the end that the son realizes that sometimes a bizarre exaggeration can be more truthful than the straight truth.
The colour palette is decidedly brighter than any of Burton's other films, proving that he is an apt visual craftsman with more than just dark monochromaticism. Danny Elfman contributes a beautiful score.

R.I.P. Dennis Hopper

2010-05-29T20:13:00.000-04:00

Best Films of the Decade - #32: Let the Right One In (2008)

2010-05-23T20:11:00.001-04:00

Move over Edward Cullen! The Twilight saga's got nuttin' on this vampire love story! Tomas Alfredson's drama/horror is one of the decade's best. It's both touching and unsettling at the same time (best exemplified in the film's jarring climax, pictured below).
BRILLIANT SHOT ALERT:

Perhaps more disturbing than the vampyric attacks shown on screen is the blunt depiction of bullying and violence between normal children. Yet the film is full of juxtapositions, and the brutal abuse we see is countered by the tender romance, acted out with precocious skill by the two young leads, Kare Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson. Even visually, the film is thematically appropriate, or rather, stunning. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema creates gorgeous and eerie contrasts of the black sky and the white snow for outdoor shoots, and is brilliantly selective about what he chooses to have in and out of focus.

Review - Robin Hood

2010-05-19T08:34:00.003-04:00

Will the real Robin Hood please stand up.

Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe team up yet again, this time to deliver an epic origin story of Robin of Locksley that sees our hero fighting a war against the French, then against the English, and that's all the detail I'll bother giving in my synopsis, because I imagine reading about this lesson in revised history is about as boring as watching it on the movie screen.

If you're looking for hearty belly laughs and candy-coloured leotards, this Robin Hood isn't for you. Russell Crowe is a much different incarnation of the Prince of Thieves than we've seen from the likes of Errol Flynn, in that he's austere, deadpan, and not the least bit enjoyable to watch. His icy love interest, the Lady Marion, is played by Cate Blanchett, a pool of talent wasted on a puddle of a role. Meanwhile, Mark Strong steps up to play the traitorous Godfrey; bald, facially-scarred movie villain #1693 on the pantheon of bald, facially-scarred movie villains. The secondary antagonist, Prince John, is played with relish by Oscar Isaac, the only cast member who makes any attempt at holding our attention, and only because he hams it up big time!

When it comes to Ridley Scott, I can only speak my admiration for the man. He's crafted some of the most exciting films ever made, but after nine years without a decent movie, he's beginning to lose the benefit of my doubt. This picture is long, drowsy, and the action is messy at the best of times. The tone feels like a mash-up of every sword-and-sandals/medieval epic ever made, but with no sense of adventure.

Scott assembled much of the same crew from Gladiator for this film, presumably hoping lightning would strike twice, and in fairness to them, their work is much better than the movie they're dressing up. The sets and costumes set the scene very nicely, and a special mention to Wylie Statman's sound effects. Even though the whole feels so much like a *½ star film, it looks like a **** film, and that's enough for me to donate an extra ½ star to its score.

I don't know whether to expect any nominations for this film or not. It's easy to still earn a nod or two despite a critical spanking, but Robin Hood is also a film that seems hard for anyone like, or even remember for that matter. “No Oscar for you!”

** out of ****

Video after the cut

Best Films of the Decade - #33: Into the Wild (2007)

2010-05-16T19:13:00.002-04:00

With "Into the Wild", Sean Penn built a poetic odyssey about personal discovery, the quest for true freedom, and the lessons learned along the way. The story is brought to life by a cast of colourful characters, at the centre of which is Emile Hirsch, whose soulful performance is the glue that holds the film together. Special mention must be made to DP Eric Gauthier, whose lens captures the American wilderness in spectacular fashion, and to Eddie Veeder, whose music is its own unique character.

Review - Iron Man 2

2010-05-11T22:59:00.002-04:00

Iron Man kicks off the summer movie season not so much with a bang, but with something a whimper. Apparently for director Jon Favreau, following up on his successful 2008 actioner really was all too easy, because his sequel smells of laziness; a textbook example of the disappointing Hollywood sequel.

Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark, arrogant billionaire playboy / iron-clad world protector, and he's living it up with fame, glory, and his own squad of Laker Girls! But poor Tony is troubled by the fact that the hand-fashioned battery in his chest that's keeping him alive is also killing him slowly from the inside, poisoning his blood with toxic effluents. A stronger hero would draw strength from this kind of adversity, but Tony instead reacts childishly by shirking his responsibilities and playing flippantly with his powerful technology. This makes it awfully hard to root for Mr. Stark. One may feel more compelled to throw one's lot in with Ivan Vanko, the bad guy with an obligatory foreign accent, played nonetheless with admirable conviction by the resurrected Mickey Rourke. Ivan is the disgruntled son of a disgruntled Russian engineer (and co-creator of the arc reactor that powers the Iron Man suit) who had been exported from the U.S. decades earlier. Eager to exploit Vanko for his talent with weapon design is Stark's rival arms dealer, the smarmy Justin Hammer. Meanwhile, Stark's boorish behavior and refusal to cooperate with the senate has put him at odds with his friend Lt. Col. James Rhodes, while his neglected girlfriend Pepper Potts is annoyed with the appearance of sexy new secretary Natalie Rushman (who's actually posing undercover for Nick Fury's “Shield” organization).

This sure seems like an awful lot to cover, especially for a summer popcorn movie. So much to cover, in fact, that the film can't. The multitude of subplots bog the script down to the point were it's spread too thin, doing justice to none of the potentially interesting character-driven stories simmering beneath the surface. It also comes at the expense of the action, which was done so well in the first Iron Man. What little action we get not as well-staged, and is riddled with failed attempts at comic relief that are simply dumbfounding. Shame on the writers for being so content to take the easy way out with what they knew would be a commercially successful movie, no matter how weak it is.

But out of respect for the film's crew, I'll give a hearty high-five to sound designers Chris Boyes and Frank Eulner, alongside mixers Mark Ulano and Lora Hirschberg for more top notch work. Ditto FX supervisor Janek Sirrs. Oscar noms to come for these people? Perhaps. Box office returns will be favourable despite the critical yawns, which should keep the film in contention for those categories.

** out of ****

Video after the cut.

Best Films of the Decade - #34: Ratatouille (2007)

2010-05-09T19:44:00.001-04:00

One of Pixar's most humourous and elegantly told stories (but then again, which one's aren't?), Ratatouille is a film as delectable and tasty as the fine cuisine presented therein. Of course, it's not about the food, but about writer/director Brad Bird's wonderfully original premise of a rat who dreams of being a great chef. The comedy is rich and doesn't insult anyone's intelligence, while the message about not letting others define you or your limits by where you come from subtly ties the whole movie together without becoming overbearing. The character animation and voice work are married as perfectly as can be. This is the most "well-shot" of all Pixar entries to date, making use of creative yet believable camera movements that emulate those in live-action film-making, and to cap it all off are Michael Giacchino's snazzy Parisian musical stylings. A delicious feast for both the senses and the soul.

Brilliant score alert!

His Oscar-winning score to Up is indeed wonderful, but I think this is Giacchino's best!

PS: You can expect to see more Pixar on this lil' list of mine.

2010-05-09T18:55:00.003-04:00

Happy Mothers Day to all the devoted moms out there! You've earned a day to rest.

But more importantly: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILLY JOEL!

The greatest pop musician to ever live (in my opinion) turns 61 today. He may not be anyone's mother, but he deserves a special tribute!

34 Best Films of the Decade

2010-05-07T22:58:00.000-04:00

A tight summer schedule will prevent me from blogging with the sort of regularity I should like, but in order to establish some routine, I'll finally be releasing my "Best of the Decade" list. I know it seems late, but I didn't want to cram mine in with all the other ones flooding the Internet last December. I like to take my time.

Each Sunday for the rest of the year, I will be revealing my 34 favourite films of the 2000s (subject to perpetual change, of course) one at a time.

Perhaps at the end of the year, I'll even put together my own Oscar ballot encompassing the whole decade. I've always believed the Oscars should only be held once every ten years or so. Time is the true test of a great film. Maybe it would prevent mistakes like Crash. Then again, it sure would be an awful loooong ten years for freaks like me who live and breathe the Academy Awards. A single year is long enough as it is!

Look out for my 34th favourite film of the 2000s on Sunday.

2010-05-07T11:36:00.000-04:00

I just HAD to share this new Inception poster. Awesomeness!

Predictions - May 2010

2010-05-02T13:47:00.000-04:00

For posterity. I haven't changed any predix from my on-going posts, except to include How to Train Your Dragon in Best Animated Feature. It's sleeper success may be just what it needed in order to gain an early foothold.

Full list after the cut.

Picture
-Betty Anne Waters
-The Conspirator
-Eat, Pray, Love
-The Fighter
-Inception
-The Kids Are All Right
-The King's Speech
-Robin Hood
-The Tree of Life
-The Way Back

Director
Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life
Christopher Nolan - Inception
David O'Russell - The Fighter
Peter Weir - The Way Back

Actor
Johnny Depp - The Rum Diary
Robert Duvall - Get Low
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
Anthony Hopkins - Hemingway & Fuentes
Mark Wahlberg - The Fighter

Actress
Annette Bening - Mother and Child / The Kids Are All Right
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Julianne Moore - Kids Are All Right
Julia Roberts - Eat, Pray, Love
Hilary Swank - Betty Anne Waters

Supporting Actor
Christian Bale - The Fighter
Ed Harris - The Way Back
Sam Rockwell - Betty Ann Waters
Mark Ruffalo - Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Keira Knightley - Never Let Me Go
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Diane Wiest - Rabbit Hole

Original Screenplay
-Betty Anne Waters
-The Fighter
-Inception
-The Kids Are All Right
-The Tree of Life

Adapted Screenplay
-Eat, Pray, Love
-Never Let Me Go
-Rabbit Hole
-The Social Network
-The Way Back

Editing
-The Fighter
-Inception
-Robin Hood
-The Tree of Life
-The Way Back

Cinematography
-Inception
-Robin Hood
-The Tree of Life
-True Grit
-The Way Back

Art Direction
-Inception
-Prince of Persia
-Robin Hood
-Shanghai
-The Tree of Life

Costume Design
-The King's Speech
-Prince of Persia
-Robin Hood
-The Tempest
-The Tree of Life

Original Score
-Eat, Pray, Love
-Inception
-The Last Airbender
-Toy Story 3
-The Tree of Life

Original Song
"???" - My Own Love Song
"???" - Tangled
"???" - Toy Story 3

Sound Mixing
-Inception
-Iron Man 2
-The Last Airbender
-Prince of Persia
-Robin Hood

Sound Editing
-Iron Man 2
-The Last Airbender
-Prince of Persia
-Tron: Legacy
-The Way Back

Visual Effects
-Inception
-Iron Man 2
-Prince of Persia

Makeup
-The Fighter
-Voyage of the Dawn Treader
-The Wolfman

Animated Feature
-How to Train Your Dragon
-The Illusionist
-Toy Story 3

One Category at a Time: Best Director

2010-04-30T08:27:00.000-04:00

This is as much a shot in the dark as predicting Best Picture, except that I only have five chances instead of ten to peg a future Oscar nominee.

In keeping with my sneaky, probably way-off hunch that The Tree of Life is gonna be a major player, I may as well go all the way and jot down the seclusive Terrence Malick. The Academy fell hard for The Thin Red Line, even though it won zero of its seven nominations, and if The Tree of Life delivers on all fronts, then it follows that he would find himself nominated for pulling it all together.

Projecting my high expectations for a movie onto my advance predictions always leads to disappointment, but I plan to milk the hype of Inception for as long as I possibly can. Christopher Nolan, notoriously shut out for The Dark Knight, has paid his dues and is ready for some much-deserved Oscar love. Do Academy members feel the same way?

If The Fighter hits just the right note between tough film-making and Oscar-friendly material, we may see David O'Russell nominated for the first time. Granted, he's not the sort of director one usually expects to nominated for Academy Awards, but there's at least one nominee every year who seems cut from a different cloth (ie: Tarantino, Fincher, The Coens).

They usually make room for the director of a lighter film here. Only God knows which film that will be this year, but as I've been filling this generic dramedy spot thus far with Sundance darling The Kids Are All Right, I suppose Lisa Cholodenko is the natural choice to represent indie film-making in the Director race.

Finally, Peter Weir could have a winner on his hands with The Way Back, assuming it (A) gets released in time, (B) appeals to the Academy's more traditional sensibilities, and (C) doesn't suck. Given that it's Weir at the helm, I'd say the risk of it sucking is pretty low.

Predicted 5:
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O'Russell, The Fighter
Peter Weir, The Way Back

Also consider: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan, James L. Brooks for How Do You Know, Sopphia Coppola for Somewhere, David Fincher for The Social Network, Tom Goldwyn for Betty Anne Waters, Tom Hooper for The King's Speech, John Cameron Mitchell for Rabbit Hole, Ryan Murphy for Eat, Pray, Love, Robert Redford for The Conspirator, Ridley Scott for Robin Hood.

One Category at a Time: Best Film Editing

2010-04-28T08:56:00.000-04:00

With the Best Picture field now ten-deep, it's safe to assume that all the Film Editing nominees are going to come from the Best Picture lineup.

One of the names I feel relatively confident in calling is Lee Smith, who has two potential Best Picture contenders with Christopher Nolan's Inception and Peter Weir's The Way Back. He was nominated for his most recent collaborations with those same two directors (Master and Commander and The Dark Knight), but will he get in for both? They both look like strong Editing contestants on paper, boasting Best Picture prestige and action elements that the Academy may find irresistible.

Another perennial hopeful is Pietro Scalia, one of the best in the business, who's previous credits include Black Hawk Down and JFK (the best film editing achievement I've ever seen), for both of which he won an Oscar. Frequent collaborations with Ridley Scott have afforded Scalia with wonderful opportunities to show off his formidable talents with scene pacing and action set-piece construction. Robin Hood seems like another such opportunity.

And how about a boxing movie? films like Cinderella Man, Raging Bull, and Rocky were all nominated for their intense sparring scenes, with the two former ones going on to win. Pamela Martin (Little Miss Sunshine) takes up the cutting duties for David O'Russell's The Fighter, and could find herself in the running for a first career nomination.

And of course, we have Terrence Malick's mystery-shrouded The Tree of Life. A venerable cavalcade of editors are attached to this project, including Daniel Rezende (nominated in 2004 for City of God, for which he should have won), and Billy Weber (nominated in 1999 for Malick's The Thin Red Line). Again, it's the Best Picture factor that prompts me to guess The Tree of Life here. But who knows if it'll live up to expectations after a year of hype?

Predicted five:
Pamela Martin for The Fighter
Lee Smith for Inception
Pietro Scalia for Robin Hood
Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, & Mark Yoshikawa for The Tree of Life
Lee Smith for The Way Back

Also consider: ??? for The A-Team, Christopher Rouse for Green Zone, Richard Marks for How Do You Know, Stuart Baird & John Gilroy for Salt, Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall for The Social Network, Joel & Ethan Coen for True Grit.

One Category at a Time: Best Leading Actress

2010-04-26T10:16:00.000-04:00

As it is with the actors, the actresses boast a wealth of baity roles that are easy to detect well before the movies open, but that still doesn't mean we aren't in for a surprise nominee or two.

Just as an example of the sort of performance I'm talking about, I propose Jennifer Lawrence in Debra Granik's Winter's Bone, which won the grand jury prize at Sundance a few months ago. Lawrence plays a young woman from the Orzak mountains desperately trying to hold her broken family together and find her drug-dealing father so they don't lose their home. Being a small film, it's hard to say if Lawrence will gain any awards traction at all, but there's always one or two newcomers that make waves every year, so consider this a placeholder for whichever actress that ends up being this year.

Robin Wright Penn, never nominated, tackles perhaps the baitiest part she's had to date in Robert Redford's The Conspirator, in which she plays Mary Surratt, accused in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. The movie is period and historically "significant". She may not have the star power of her stiffest competition, and awards bodies have never been especially warm to her, but there's a first time for everything. The true-story factor helps a lot...

... as it does Hilary Swank, who could ride a wave of support for Fox Searchlight's Betty Anne Waters to her third nomination. She may have crashed and burned in Amelia, but that movie was on a whole different level of awful. Betty Anne Waters only needs to be mediocre (a la The Blind Side) to give Swank a fighting chance.

Finally, the two ladies from The Kids Are All Right, Julianne Moore and Annette Bening, have received very positive notices for their performances. Besides that, they're both respected actresses who've had successful careers but not yet received their Oscars. Can they both get in? Or will they split the vote and both get screwed over? To further complicate the matter, Bening has another potential awards vehicle coming out, Mother and Child, which opened at TIFF last September to encouraging reviews, particularly for her performance. That may incite Focus Features to demote her to Supporting for The Kids Are All Right.

Predicted 5:
Annette Bening, Mother and Child or The Kids Are All Right
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Julia Roberts, Eat, Pray, Love
Hilary Swank, Betty Anne Waters

Also consider: Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech, Helen Mirren in The Tempest, Carey Muligan in Never Let Me Go, Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love, Renee Zelweger in My Own Love Song.

Review - How to Train Your Dragon

2010-04-24T10:25:00.003-04:00

This is a bit late, I know, but seeings as it's managed to consistently earn a top-three spot and the box office each week despite being out for a month, I figured a tardy review would still be valid.
Loosely based on the children books by British author Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon tells the story of Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a hapless viking who just wasn't cut out for practicing his clan's time-honoured tradition of slaying dragons. It sure makes it tough for him to fit in with his peers and impress his father (a standout performance from Gerard Butler), who happens to be clan leader. Even when Hiccup miraculously manages to ground a Nightfurry, one of the most elusive and feared breeds of dragon that plague his coastal village, he can't bring himself to do the poor creature in. Instead, he gradually starts to reach an understanding with the beast, discovering that dragons don't necessarily need to be considered a threat. Of course, convincing his community of that fact may not be so easy.

Not since the first Shrek movie has Dreamworks attempted to make a film that's more about heart than it is about snark and pop culture references (a la Kung-Fu Panda, Madagascar, and the subsequent Shrek films). I say “attempted”, because How to Train Your Dragon is only half successful at this. When it insists upon dialogue it is often unbecoming, and the narrative conforms all too closely to the standard tropes of B family entertainment; misplaced gags to break up any slower scenes, an awkward romantic interest, a band of abnoxious youngsters coming to the rescue of their clueless parents, the dead character fake-out... it's all there.

But what How to Train Your Dragon does get right, it really gets right. Directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, whose similarly themed Lilo & Stitch charmed audiences in 2002, see to it that the evolving relationship between Hiccup and his new pet (which he names Toothless) is done with tact, subtlety, and body language, which really is the most effective application of the animated medium. What truly sells the bond of this unlikely pair is the mutuality of it all, best expressed in the dazzling flying sequences; having lost half his tail necessary for flight, Toothless relies on Hiccup's homemade prosthetic and manual steering to take to the sky, and by virtue of not having wings, Hiccup relies on Toothless for the same thing. The partnership only works if both of them cooperate together, and it makes their friendship more believable and moving.

Technically, the film excels. The aforementioned aerial sequences are a hair-raising sight to behold in 3D. The character designers clearly had a ball cooking up several crazy dragon species. Heightening the effect of the visual panache is the sound, superbly designed and mixed by Randy Thom, who always brings his A-game to animated films.

If the year is a weak one for animation in general, this could sneak in for an Oscar nomination. True, the March release hurts, but How to Train Your Dragon has a charm and freshness that Shrek Forever After, Dreamworks' summer release, does not. Not to mention a slow-burn sleeper stamina that has allowed it to linger near the top of the box office for almost a whole month after its release. But competition from other studios could be stiff, and the film could be forgotten by year's end. We shall see.

*** out of ****

Video after the cut.

One Category at a Time: Best Makeup

2010-04-23T08:01:00.001-04:00

After what was a relatively weak year in 2009, 2010 looks like it'll offer more interesting efforts from Hollywood's makeup artists. In fact, we've already seen at least three possible contenders for the bake-off in December.

One of which is The Wolfman. Rick Baker is the reason the Academy has an award for makeup in the first place, prompted by his groundbreaking work on An American Werewolf in London back in 1981. He has since been nominated nine times and won five, even for bad movies, so I wouldn't consider The Wolfman's lack of critical love a huge hindrance. If he makes the bake-off, I'd say this movie's werewolf and gore effects are a solid bet.

In the vein of Cinderella Man, the Academy may be in the mood for some battered-and-bruised boxing makeup in The Fighter, which would be good news for department head Donald Mowat. It's not a far cry, as The Wrestler managed to make a surprise appearance on the bake-off list in 2008, proving that sports wounds and injuries are not always overlooked by the makeup branch.

If I knew of any film that features aging makeup this year, I'd put it down here. Alas, I can not smell any as of yet, so I'll fill the vacancy with The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader to satisfy that token blockbuster spot. Makeup/hair designer Rick Findlater has worked as a makeup artist in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and may score a nomination for what should be more obvious prosthetic work in the third installment of the Narnia franchise, the first of which won this category in 2006.

Predicted 3:
The Fighter
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Wolfman

Also consider: Valli O'Reilly & Paul Gooch for Alice in Wonderland, Ivana Primorac for The Last Airbender, Nick Dudman for Harry Potter, Sallie Jay & David White for Prince of Persia, Manlio Rocchetti for Shutter Island, Edouard Henriques for The Way Back.

One Category at a Time: Best Leading Actor

2010-04-21T07:34:00.001-04:00

The lead acting races often feel crowded the whole year through. Looking to the roles bestowed upon this year's leading men seems to verify that. Even films that may not stand much chance in any other categories are likely to garner some attention for their central performance.

One that I'm quick to jot down is Robert Duvall for Get Low, the story of a hermit who throws a helluva shindig for his own funeral. The film opened at TIFF last fall, where Duvall drew so many raves for his performance, that it caused some to speculate that he could have won Best Actor if the film had been released last year.

Johnny Depp, one of America's most elite actors, stars in an adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary, written and directed by Barry Robison. Depp's character is an alcoholic American journalist working in Puerto Rico who becomes involved in a sordid love triangle and violent jealousy.

And then, there are all the real-life-people parts:

Colin Firth nabbed his first career nomination this past year for an outstanding performance in A Single Man. Now he's got the momentum and attention he never had before, and with a baity part as the stuttering King George VI in Tom Hooper's The King's Speech, it seems reasonable that he'll be back for the second consecutive year, especially with the cunning Weinstein Company backing his campaign. The only possible snag is the question of Geoffrey Rush's category placement. Co-lead? Weinstein will porbably put him in Supporting to avoid any vote-splitting.

Anthony Hopkins hasn't been to the big dance in years. This year he tackles one of history's greatest authors in Andy Garcia's Hemingway & Fuentes, which recounts the friendship between the writer and a fisherman (played by Garcia himself) who inspires him to write his most acclaimed work, The Old Man and the Sea. Sounds like the kind of bait that could be right up the Academy's alley.

Finally, Mark Wahlberg takes on the role of pro boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward in David O'Russell's The Fighter. The man's profile continues to get higher and healthier following his first Oscar nomination for The Departed in 2007. It's a very physical role in a possible Best Picture contender, so he could manage his first Lead nomination if the film delivers.

Predicted 5:
Johnny Depp, The Rum Diary
Robert Duvall, Get Low
Anthony Hopkins, Hemingway & Fuentes
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Also consider: Jeff Bridges in True Grit, Benicio del Toro in Somewhere, Leonardo Dicaprio in Inception, Aaron Eckhart in Rabbit Hole, Colin Farrell in The Way Back, Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine, James MacAvoy in The Conspirator, Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer, Jack Nicholoson in How Do You Know?, Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life, Forest Whitaker in My Own Love Song.

One Category at a Time: Best Visual Effects

2010-04-19T07:04:00.003-04:00

This is often one of the easier races to anticipate at the start of the year, although I daresay that picking a winner next year may not be so easy, as there doesn't appear to be any groundbreaking innovations on the horizon. Here's a quick rundown of what I do see:

The most likely pick at this point is probably Iron Man 2. The first film was universally enjoyed by critics and audiences alike, and the effects were topnotch. If this next Iron Man is anywhere near as good, then it would make sense to see it get a nomination for its effects once again.

At last we get a year without Pirates (Disney will drop the fourth one on us next year), but instead we get Jake Gyllenhaal in The Prince of Persia, which looks effects-heavy indeed. Disney will also be hocking Tron: Legacy and The Sorcerer's Apprentice for Best Visual Effects. Perhaps Paramount's The Last Airbender can push through, or 20th Century Fox's third Narnia installment, Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Finally, Warner Brothers will make a play at the category with Inception and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. I doubt the latter will prevail, seeings as only one of the six Potter films have managed a citation for their effects. The former, on the other hand, includes Chris Corbould and Paul J. Franklin as fx supervisors, both of whom were nominated in 2009 for their excellent work on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.

Predicted 3:
Inception
Iron Man 2
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Also consider: Paul Franklin et al for Harry Potter, Mark Breakspear et al for The Last Airbender, John Bair et al for Salt, John Frazier et al for The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Eric Barba et al for Tron: Legacy, Brian Cox et al for Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

One Category at a Time: Best Sound Editing

2010-04-16T17:43:00.002-04:00

We usually see a strong correlation between the two sound categories, and as such, three of my predicted Mixing contenders make repeat appearances here.

The first of which is Iron Man 2. Sound designer Frank E. Eulner earned his first career nomination in 2009 for the first Iron Man installment, and could get another one if his work on the sequel is anywhere near as inventive. Critical approval and a big box office would certainly help.

Looking to follow suit is Paramount's other summer release, The Last Airbender, whose sounds are being crafted by previous winners Richard Hymns (Saving Private Ryan) and Randy Thom (The Incredibles). The action/fantasy elements will likely draw attention to the sound design.

Disney, meanwhile, will try to upstage Paramount with their own fantasy saga Prince of Persia. Tim Nielsen has worked as an assistant sound effects editor/designer on a number of nominated films, including Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, There Will Be Blood, and Avatar. As supervising sound editor/designer of Prince of Persia, he could be up for his first Oscar nomination this year, if the film delivers.

Even if it doesn't, Disney has a holiday season release to keep the cash flowing; a reboot of the 80's cult classic Tron. If any of this summer's product disappoints, Tron: Legacy could benefit from its later release date, making it fresher in the minds of voters. Another late release that could impress with its aural design is The Way Back, being handled by Oscar winner Richard King (The Dark Knight). The Peter Weir epic may not sound like a typical Sound Editing nominee on paper, but neither did movies like Inglourious Basterds or Slumdog Millionaire or There Will Be Blood. They got in by virtue of being strong Best Picture contenders, and King's last collaboration with Peter Weir, Master and Commander, also brought him Oscar glory.

Predicted 5:
Iron Man 2
The Last Airbender
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Tron: Legacy
The Way Back

Also consider: ??? for The A-Team, James Boyle & Nigel Stone for Voyage of the Dawn Treader, James Boyle & Oliver Tarney Green Zone, ??? for Inception, Ann Scibelli for Robin Hood, Warren Shaw for Salt, ??? for The Sorcerer's Apprentice, ??? for True Grit.

Cannes selections

2010-04-15T07:50:00.001-04:00

Guy Lodge over at In Contention has the official selections for this year's Cannes Film Festival, which includes Mike Leigh's Another Year and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Biutiful vying for the Palme d'Or. Apparently there are still some competition slots to be filled. Meanwhile, Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, and Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel will screen out of competition. Alas, no Tree of Life to be seen. We'll just have to keep on waiting.

Full list after the cut.

IN COMPETITION

“Another Year” (Mike Leigh)
“Biutiful” (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
“Burnt by the Sun 2″ (Nikita Mikhalkov)
“Certified Copy” (Abbas Kiarostami)
“Fair Game” (Doug Liman)
“Housemaid” (Im Sang-soo)
“La Nostra Vita” (Daniele Luchetti)
“Of Gods and Men” (Xavier Beauvois)
“Outrage” (Takeshi Kitano)
“Outside the Law” (Rachid Bouchareb)
“Poetry” (Lee Chang-dong)
“The Princess of Montpensier” (Bertrand Tavernier)
“A Screaming Man” (Mohamed-Saleh Haroun)
“Tournée” (Mathieu Amalric)
“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (Achitpong Weerasethakul)
“You, My Joy” (Sergei Loznitsa)

OUT OF COMPETITION

“Robin Hood” (Ridley Scott) (opening film)
“Tamara Drewe” (Stephen Frears)
“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” (Oliver Stone)
“You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” (Woody Allen)

UN CERTAIN REGARD

“Adrienn Pál” (Ágnes Kocsis)
“Aurora” (Cristi Puiu)
“Blue Valentine” (Derek Cianfrance)
“Chatroom” (Hideo Nakata)
“Chongqing Blues” (Xiaoshuai Wang)
“The City Below” (Christoph Hochhäusler)
“Film Socialisme” (Jean-Luc Godard)
“Ha Ha Ha” (Hong Sang-soo)
“Heartbeats” (Xavier Dolan)
“Life Above All” (Oliver Schmitz)
“The Lips” (Ivan Fund and Santiago Loza)
“Octubre” (Daniel Vega)
“Rebecca H. (Return to the Dogs)” (Lodge Kerrigan)
“R U There” (David Verbeek)
“Simon Werner Has Disappeared” (Fabrice Gobert)
“The Strange Case of Angelica” (Manoel de Oliveira)
“Tuesday, After Christmas” (Radu Muntean)
“Udaan” (Vikramaditya Motwane)

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS

“Blackhole” (Gilles Marchand)
“Kaboom” (Gregg Araki)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

“Abel” (Diego Luna)
“Chantrapas” (Otar Iosseliani)
“Draquila: L’Italia Che Trema” (Sabina Guzzante)
“Inside Job” (Charles Ferguson)
Nostalgia for the Light” (Patricio Guzman)
“Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow” (Sophie Fiennes)

One Category at a Time: Best Supporting Actress

2010-04-14T12:42:00.001-04:00

I'm having a tough time finding a lot of plum supporting roles for the ladies this year, so here goes nothing:

Amy Adams has charmed her way onto Hollywood's A-list with some delightful performances in the likes of Junebug and Enchanted. The Academy has shown us that they're willing to award her for more dramatic work like Doubt, whether or not they should. That being the case, I'd say that her role as in the Mickey Ward biopic The Fighter could bring her back for a third nomination. But will she face competition from costar Melissa Leo?

Helena Bonham Carter may be rewarded for taking an awards-friendly role in an awards-freindly movie; Queen Elizabeth opposite Colin Firth's King George VI in The King's Speech. By virtue that it's royalty she's playing, that should be enough to automatically put her on the Academy's radar. They may actually be wanting to see her channel a character that's more down to earth than what she normally does.

The Coens' remake of True Grit isn't likely headed for awards glory, but perhaps unknown actress Hailee Steinfeld will grab some attention in the role of Mattie Ross, the spunky young woman who commissions Rooster Cogburn for help. The character felt a bit mishandled in the 1969 original, but hopefully the Coens will give Steinfeld some real meat to chew on. Call it a hunch.

And to be honest, I really don't see any other parts this year that seem to imply Oscarness. For the sake of discussion and completeness, I'll throw out the names Elle Fanning in Somewhere, Kiera Knightley in Never Let Me Go, Saoirse Ronan in The Way Back, Cate Blanchett in Robin Hood, Evan Rachel Wood in The Conspirator, and Diane Wiest in Rabbit Hole (a role that earned awards attention on Broadway), but I honestly don't think any of them stand a better shot than the countless others I haven't listed. It seems more likely that most (or all) of the eventual nominees will be ones we never saw coming.

Predicted 5:
Amy Adams for The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech
Keira Knightley for Never Let Me Go
Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit
Diane Wiest for Rabbit Hole

One Category at a Time: Best Art Direction

2010-04-12T08:26:00.001-04:00

Unlike the costume branch, the art directors in the Academy are a bit more accepting of genre and contemporary production design. Period still dominates, but not as excessively.

Call this a mad hunch, but I could see Inception surprising here. The nomination for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight a couple of years ago was a pleasant surprise, given that the film was basically contemporary with minimal fantasy influences. Perhaps a screwy sci-fi can score another victory for contemporary films? Production designer Guy Dyas can only hope.

If not, there will still probably be at least one fantasy in the final five, as there usually is. Wolf Kroeger had the odd task of reinventing a video game universe for the big screen in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The trailer looks pretty fancy, and the film's design elements may benefit form that token fantasy slot both here and in Costume Design. Or maybe The Last Airbender will be the one?

Back to period sets: Arthur Max has been nominated for two Ridley Scott films (Gladiator and American Gangster) and could make it a third with Robin Hood. Outdoor locations are not as detrimental to one's chances with this branch, and the dark stoniness of the castles look pretty good in the trailer.

The Weinstein Co. has an interesting film coming out this year called Shanghai, which takes place in 1940's... well, Shanghai. Asian period pieces have triumphed here a couple of times in the last decade, and Jim Clay (shoulda been nominated for Children of Men) gets to design the lavish sets.

Finally, what to do about that Tree of Life? 2008 nominee Jack Fisk (There Will Be Blood) takes the reigns, so you know the production design will be top notch, but with so little info about the film, why do I insist on predicting it for so much? Curse my unreliable intuition!

Predicted 5:
Inception
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Robin Hood
Shanghai
The Tree of Life

Also consider: Robert Stromberg for Alice in Wonderland, Barry Robison for Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Kalina Ivanov for The Conspirator, Stuart Craig for Harry Potter, Eve Stewart for The King's Speech, Philip Messina for The Last Airbender, Dante Ferretti for Shutter Island, Jess Gonchar for True Grit, John Stoddart for The Way Back, Rick Heinrichs for The Wolfman.

Review - Date Night

2010-04-11T00:15:00.005-04:00

Bored with their humdrum marriage and scared by the sudden split of another couple who seemed so happy, Phil and Claire Foster (Steve Carell and Tina Fey of the tube) attempt to fibrillate their boring evenings out with a glamourous date on the bustling isle of Manhattan. But unable to secure a table at a high end restaurant, they rebelliously steal someone else's reservation. Little are they aware that the no-shows are actually being pursued by the mob for an incriminating flash drive being used to blackmail the district attorney. Soon a simple case of mistaken identity turns into a frantic madcap chase around New York, as the Fosters try to clear their name and make it back home in one piece.

At least, it could have turned into a frantic madcap chase around New York. Instead, Date Night feels slow. It relies far too heavily on scripted laughs that just aren't there. The theoretically strong comic pairing of television superstars Steve Carrel and Tina Fey is no match for the weakness of the dialogue they're given. Not that any blame should be laid on them. Fey and Carrel are indeed riotously funny people... with funny material, that is. But even Hepburn and Tracy couldn't have sold this script. Writer John Clausner (of the unneeded Shrek the Third and imminent Shrek Forever After) had a potentially good comedy on his hands. There's nothing wrong with the film conceptually. Screwball comedies based on ridiculous premises such as this have been done successfully before, going as far back as the 1930's. But those movies remembered that the juxtaposition of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances was funny. This movie can't decide whether its two leads are hapless or savant, scared stiff or adventurous. The Fosters are constantly slipping in and out of character. It flattens their character arcs, and one scene in particular, where they halt their stolen car and stop fleeing the bad guys for a moment so they can discuss their marital problems, drives a pike through what little believability these characters had (“No Oscar for you!”).

Resultantly, the film is only funny in small isolated sections, the best of which is a manic chase scene involving the aforementioned stolen car and a rightfully startled cab driver (a hilarious bit part played by J.B. Smoove of SNL and Curb Your Enthusiasm).

** out of ****

Video review here.

One Category at a Time: Best Sound Mixing

2010-04-09T09:18:00.001-04:00

Name recognition goes a long way with the sound branch. Most nominees in any given year have been nominated before. Bearing that in mind, here are my (mostly wrong) advance predix:

Poised to be one of this summer's big movies is Ridley Scott's Robin Hood. The only mixers that I know are attached to the project at the moment are 4-time nominee Tony Dawe (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) and 6-time nominee Paul Massey (3:10 to Yuma). Epic scope and battle sequences are an asset, and if Robin Hood follows in the footsteps of Gladiator, Scott's sound crew may be on their way to the Kodak.

Paramount has a couple of tentpoles coming out this summer, one of which is The Last Airbender (based on the popular cartoon), which seems to me like it'll either be a hit or it'll suck, big time! Seeings as it's written and directed by one-hit wonder M. Night Shyamalan, I'm leaning towards the latter, but poor quality never stopped films like Transformers or Wanted from popping up here, and if the movie turns out to actually be good, it'll only help the chances of Oscar winners Chris Munroe (Black Hawk Down), Randy Thom (The Right Stuff), and 11-time nominee Rick Kline (Memoirs of a Geisha).

A more reliable box office draw for Paramount is Iron Man 2, a follow-up to the frankly awesome 2008 summer thrill ride. Oscar winner Mark Ulano (Titanic) returns as production mixer, and I wouldn't be surprised if 4-time winner Christopher Boyes (King Kong) and 1-time nominee Lora Hirschberg (The Dark Knight) reprise their roles as rerecording mixers from the first movie as well. NB: The first Iron Man didn't get nominated here, but we can only assume it just missed.

No word yet on who the mixers will be for Christopher Nolan's Inception, but stylized action in a money-making and possibly awards-worthy film seems like reason enough to call it for a Sound Mixing nod. Just call it a hunch.

But no matter how brilliant any mix may be this year, the one I'm rooting for all the way is Disney's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, for one reason and one reason alone: Kevin O'Connell (Transformers). The poor man has waited long enough for his Oscar already. Every new nomination he adds to his infamous tally (now 20) but doesn't win is like salt in the wound. Can you hear me, Academy? Give the man his Oscar! Ok, ok, I'm sure I just completely jinxed his chances, but seriously, how many Oscars can we really expect a viedogame-based movie to win? I'll still be in O'Connell's cheering corner all year long, especially if he and his co-mixers Beau Borders and Peter Lindsay get nominated. Hope springs eternal!

Predicted 5:
Inception
Iron Man 2
The Last Airbender
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Robin Hood

Also consider: ??? for The A-Team, ??? for Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Mark Taylor et. al. for Green Zone, ??? for Salt, Tod Maitland et. al. for The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Michael McGee et. al. for Tron: Legacy, ??? for True Grit, Ron Bartlett et. al. for The Way Back.

One Category at a Time: Best Adapted Screenplay

2010-04-07T10:27:00.000-04:00

High profile and revered source material can often be a decent barometer in forecasting a film's Oscar chances, but the writers branch has been pretty good in not limiting their options only to screenplays based only on books or plays. Any "adaptations" can get nominated here nowadays, even if they're based on TV characters or short films. This year's field looks slightly bare at the moment, but it'll surely flesh out over the course of the year. Who knows what sort of "adaptation" will tickle the Academy's fancy?

For years, Aaron Sorkin delighted TV audiences with The West Wing, adored for its rapid-fire dialogue and sharp wit. The same style can be detected in his feature films A Few Good Men, The American President, and Charlie Wilson's War. In something of a departure from these politically themed projects, he has adapted Ben Mezrich's novel The Social Network, about the origin of the now-ubiquitous Facebook. It may not be Best Picture material (although with ten slots...), but crackling dialogue + true story = ~Oscar success... I think.

Alex Garland's adaptation of Never Let Me Go by author Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day) may have too many dark sci-fi elements to impress Oscar's more conservative voters, but that didn't hinder District 9, and of all the branches in Academy, the writers seem to be the most open to diversity. Plus, it's hard for them to resist scripts based on successful British novels.

Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt have adapted Eat, Pray, Love, the best-selling memoir of Elizabeth Gilbert, who traveled the world to find herself and escape her troubles in America. It may well be that this is just a star vehicle for Julia Roberts, or it may become that little movie that everyone ends up liking enough to earn some consideration in other categories.

And how about a play? David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer-winning Rabbit Hole had a brief but celebrated Broadway run, copping five Tony award nominations and a win for female lead Cynthia Nixon. Lindsay-Abaire has adapted his own script for John Cameron Mithcell's screen version, starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a married couple who lose their son in an accident. Like 2008's Doubt, this may only make a dent in the writing and acting categories, but it's pedigree may elevate it to being a Best Picture contender too.

Finally, Peter Weir's The Way Back, based on The Long Walk, a fact-based account by Slamowir Rawicz about how he and six others got away from a Siberian forced labour camp and trekked 4000 miles south to India in 1942. The historical accuracy of Rawicz's tale has been called into question, but you know what, embellishment makes for a much better story. Here's hoping that Weir's screenplay will be as entertaining as the premise sounds.

Predicted 5:
Eat, Pray, Love
Never Let Me Go
Rabbit Hole
The Social Network
The Way Back

Also consider: Roman Polanski & Robert Harris for The Ghost Writer, Brian Helgeland for Robin Hood, Joel & Ethan Coen for True Grit.

One Category at a Time: Best Original Screenplay

2010-04-05T12:15:00.001-04:00

The biggest and baitiest projects of any given year are usually adaptations, mainly because the source material has already been judged and presumably deemed successful if it's good enough to be made into a motion picture. But this year, the adapted field looks a bit thin from the outset, while a number of Oscar hopefuls were written directly for the screen.

One film that could take off is Searchlight's awards pony Betty Anne Waters. Oscar loves a true story, and the last couple of years have shown us that voters are more likely to reward stories bearing a stamp of realism than they are more original or idiosyncratic scripts (for better or worse). Assuming that, the true story about the title heroine Betty Anne Waters, a single mom who put herself through law school to represent her brother, seems right up their alley. Writer Pamela Grey may well benefit, but only if her screenplay is truly great, as her competition is stiff...

Competition such as the team of writers (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy) who have tackled the early life of Mickey Ward for David O'Russell's biopic The Fighter. Biopics do well here because, again, being based on real people and real events is as close to being based on prestigious literary source material as an original screenplay can come.

But recent years past have also been kind to independent comedies in this category, with the likes of Little Miss Sunshine and Juno winning in 2007 and 2008. The Sundance darling which got the most attention was Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids are All Right, co-written by her and Stuart Blumberg. Can the buzz be sustained? Or will another indie charmer come outta nowhere to take up a spot?

Finally, a couple of genre pieces. Word on Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life has been scant, but rumour states it has fantasy elements, an automatic turnoff for more conservative voters. But the film could be a big player in the awards race, and if a Best Picture nomination is attained, a Screenplay nod will usually follow. The one film I'm most looking forward to is Christopher Nolan's Inception. The man is a brilliant writer, as anyone who's seen Memento will verify. When he's not busy elevating the Batman franchise to high art, he works on his own creative stories which often involve screwy head games that leave us mouth agape and awed by his mastery of invention. I'm on board for Inception, which could be his most mind-boggling invention yet!

Predicted 5:
Betty Anne Waters
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids are All Right
The Tree of Life

Also consider: Darren Aronofsky & Mark Heyman for Black Swan, Derek Cianfrance & Joey Curtis & Cami Delavigne for Blue Valentine, James D. Solomon & Gregory Bernstein for The Conspirator, Noah Baumbach & Jennifer Jason Leigh for Greenberg, James L. Brooks for How Do You Know?, David Seidler for The King's Speech, Sophia Coppola for Somewhere, Michael Arndt for Toy Story 3, Woody Allen for You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.

One Category at a Time: Best Cinematography

2010-04-02T19:25:00.002-04:00

Always my favourite category, even if it has been a while since the Academy got it absolutely right. I must say that I'm particularly excited this year because three of my favourite (and currently Oscar-less) DPs have some awards-friendly movies coming out.

One such favourite is the incomparable Roger Deakins, whose o/8 Oscar record is nothing short of offensive. Surely the Academy can't ignore this genius forever? Hopefully he'll get some attention for the Coen bros.' remake of True Grit. The last Western Deakins shot is arguably the cinematographic achievement of the decade, and the genre affords DPs lots of sweeping vistas and pretty outdoor locations. I'm rooting for him hard this year. He needs an Oscar. Now.

But my allegiance is torn, for another two of my favourite overdue DPs are in the mix; Wally Pfister for Inception and Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life, both of them collaborating with directors on whose previous films they received nominations. Pfister is certainly on a hot streak, copping nominations for three consecutive Christopher Nolan films, including The Dark Knight, for which he should have won. The Inception trailer looks astounding, and if it's in play for Best Picture, I'd expect Pfister to be nominated as well. The same goes for Lubezki, robbed for Children of Men, who will be lensing Terrance Malick's The Tree of Life. Without knowing what the film is really about makes it hard to conceive why Lubezki should stand a chance, but his last collaboration with Mallick (the gorgeous The New World) saw him nominated even though the film itself was largely ignored.

Two other DP/director matchups that have led to Oscar attention before include John Mathieson/Ridley Scott (Gladiator), in the mix this year for Robin Hood, and Russell Boyd/Peter Weir (Master and Commander), in the mix for The Way Back. They could be Oscar-friendly films with epic scope, which often causes voters to take note of the visuals.

I don't think it likely that all (or most) of these will actually make it to the final five. There's always a White Ribbon or a Changeling waiting to surprise us, but as far as year-in-advance predictions go, you could do worse than these five.

Predicted five:
Inception
Robin Hood
The Tree fo Life
True Grit
The Way Back

Also consider: Rodrigo Prieto for Biutiful, Hoyte van Hoytema for The Fighter, Eduardo Serra for Harry Potter, Robert Richardson for Shutter Island.

Deathy Hallows to be a trilogy?

2010-04-01T12:30:00.001-04:00

MuggleNet reports that a third Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows installment is set to debut in 2013.

Read the press release after

Warner Brothers today announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into three parts. Parts 1 and 2 retain their November and July dates respectively, while Part 3 will hit theaters in July 2013.

We spoke to a source at Leavesden Studios, who revealed: "We've got to be honest. When we started shooting Deathly Hallows, none of us wanted to stop. We experienced a fan-gasm. The book is simply amazing, and we love the people we work with. Each time we shot a scene we shot way too much extra footage because we loved the content so much. Before we knew it, we had enough content to fill three films."

When the Potter production team shared this news with Warner Brothers, many higher-ups - most notably CEO Alan Horn - jumped on the opportunity to turn it into a three-part finale.

One source at Warner Brothers' Burbank headquarters told us, "Mr. Horn got so excited when he heard about all the extra footage that he immediately jumped out of his chair, picked up his Looney Tunes commemorative pen, and started pretending to throw Avada Kedavra spells at other studio's headquarters he could see out his window. He knows that other studios are gonna hate this news."

WB tells us that the reason Parts 2 and 3 have a 2-year delay in between them is due to the fact that they want the franchise to last longer. It also helps WB's bottom line.

APRIL FOOLS! Have to hand it to these guys; they actually had me going for a few seconds, until I read the last two paragraphs and just burst out laughing! (I also love their use of the word "fan-gasm"!)

Review - Fish Tank (reposted)

2010-04-01T08:56:00.000-04:00

Since Fish Tank has been in limited release for a few weeks now, I thought I would repost my review:

Many youths are angrier these days. They're violent, they're sexually confused, and they abuse drugs and alcohol. And who's to blame? The parents? To an extent, but the terrific British indie Fish Tank suggests that the onus should be put on the whole of a society that encourages children to grow up before their time. The same society that then discards delinquent youths as hopeless cases, when they're the ones who need the most attention. Badly.

These are heavy themes for a young actor to pull off, but Fish Tank thrives on the blistering performance of discovery Katie Jarvis. She plays Mia, a fifteen year-old with secret dreams of being a hip-hop dancer, but who feels suffocated in her decrepit suburban neighbourhood. She does come from a broken home, but writer/director Andrea Arnold is quick to direct our attention to the squalid neighbourhood in which Mia has been brought up. Starved for freedom and compassion, she is chained down to this way of life like a captured animal, a visual motif that Arnold returns to several times throughout the film, most notably in the form of an old horse Mia repeatedly attempts to rescue. But when Mia's deadbeat mother (scathingly performed by Kierston Wareing) brings home a new boyfriend who actually gives Mia some of the love she's never had (Michael Fassbender of 2008's Hunger), she starts lowering her defenses. But how will her sensitive psyche handle such huge changes?

Arnold employs a very utilitarian photographic style, but she still manages to capture some truly original and purposeful shots that don't seem out of place with the rest of the film. Intelligibly edited to boot, Fish Tank represents one the most subtly but exceptionally crafted films of the year.

All said, Fish Tank is an excellent film, delivering a number of emotionally crushing blows and probing the plight and struggle of our world's psychologically impoverished youths. It deserves awards attention, but I wouldn't count on it. It's earned positive festival notices but that's not enough for any Academy attention. Sadly, “no Oscar for you”.

***1/2 out of ****

One Category at a Time: Best Supporting Actor

2010-03-31T08:19:00.002-04:00

The Supporting categories are devilishly tricky to read early on, mainly because there are so many supporting roles compared to lead roles, and it's the lead roles that always sound baity. And let's not get started on the question of category confusion. I'm just throwing these names out there. I'll be way surprised if any of them turn out be nominees next year.

This is wishful thinking if there ever was, but I'd be thrilled to see Ed Harris back at the Kodak. The man is probably my favourite working actor, and as soon as I saw him listed in Peter Wier's The Way Back I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be great is he got nominated!" You'll recall that he earned a nod in this category for his last film with Weir, The Truman Show (one of my all-time favourites), but will his character in The Way Back be as substantial and brilliantly written as his one in The Truman Show? Here's hoping.

Christian Bale will likely get to tear down the scenery as the trainer of Mark Wahlberg's Mickey Ward in David O'Russell's The Fighter. He apparently lost a lot of weight for the part, and he's a hardworking actor who is yet to earn a nomination. Maybe his time has come.

That same "hardworking-actor-who-is-yet-to-earn-a-nomination" label can be applied to Mark Ruffalo, who is featured in Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right, opposite the lesbian couple of Julianne Moore and Anette Bening. While I normally expect a warm comedic supporting turn to get in here, this past year saw two prime contenders (Tucci in Julie & Julia and Molina in An Education) snubbed in favour of flashier or more heavy-handed performances, so I hesitate about this one. But as I said, it's tough finding solid bets this early on.

Searchlight's awards horse Betty Ann Waters will likely be a Hilary Swank vehicle, but Sam Rockwell could be along for the ride as Betty Ann's brother, put on trial for a crime he did not commit. He received rave reviews last year for his virtuoso performance in Moon (I confess even I haven't seen it yet), and if critical goodwill from that film can crossover enough to this one, it may propel him to a nomination.

Geoffrey Rush gets to teach Colin Firth how to talk in The King's Speech. He plays the speech therapist who coached King George VI through his nervous stammer. It's based on a real life character, which helps, and he'll probably get a lot of screen time. But that begs the question: Supporting? Or co-lead? And will internal competition from the likes of celebrated British thespians Michael Gambon and Timothy Spall (who gets to imitate Churchill) hurt his odds?

Predicted 5:
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Ed Harris, The Way Back
Sam Rockwell, Betty Ann Waters
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Also consider: Michael Gambon/Timothy Spall in The King's Speech, Bill Murray in Get Low, Sean Penn in The Tree of Life.

One Category at a Time: Best Costume Design

2010-03-29T09:18:00.000-04:00

The Academy sure does love their European royalty. They've picked 'em as the "best" costumes of the year not once, not twice, not thrice, but FRICE in a row! Are we in for more of the same? From this early point in the season I can't spot any extravagant period pieces... yet, but I'll keep my eye open should anything emerge from the shadows to steal this award away from an infinitely more deserving film... again.

What I do see are the following five hopefuls and a few others we should keep in mind:

Julie Taymor's The Tempest debuts this year, starring Helen Mirren as a female version of Shakespeare's Prospero. And the costumes are being designed by... well, who do we have here! None other than this year's winner, Sandy Powell. She's a perennial consideration, but should she be the defacto frontrunner? I dunno... Julie Taymor is a bit of a fringe artiste. Will her film be the Academy's cuppa' tea?

If they're looking for more traditional fare, they may do well to consider the Weinstein Co's baity-looking The King's Speech, which features several prominent Brits done up in the finest early 21st century attire (that includes royalty) designed by Atonement nominee, Jenny Beavan. She should have been back this past year for Sherlock Holmes. Perhaps some goodwill from her branch will push her in, regardless of how well-liked the film ends up being.

You can usually count on a token fantasy nominee to pop up (Across the Universe, Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, etc.), and the quality of the film almost never comes into play. So, take your pick of the fantasy titles coming out this year. Thinking that this branch is due for a populist nominee, I'm taking a wild stab on Penny Rose (Pirates of the Caribbean) for Prince of Persia, one of Disney's summer tentpoles.

And what of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood? His last period epic did quite well with the Academy, you may recall, and that included a win for costume designer Janty Yates, who is back on board to clothe Sir Robin of Loxley and his band of merry men... yeah, just read that last part back, and yes, it does sound a bit creepy. Nonetheless, if the film makes a strong Best Picture bid, Yates' threads may benefit.

Finally, the enigmatic Terrance Malick and his secretive opus The Tree of Life. Jacqueline West, nominated for her decade-spanning costumes in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, will be in charge of the outfits. Word about the film is that it's period, and that's good enough for me! But with so little info, predicting it for anything is silly, but this is the time of year when we can all afford to be silly.

Predicted 5:
The King's Speech
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Robin Hood
The Tempest
The Tree of Life

Also consider: Gabriella Pescucci for Agora, Colleen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland, Luoise Frogley for The Conspirator, Judianna Makovsky for The Last Airbender, Julie Weiss for Shangai, ??? for The Way Back, Milena Canonero for The Wolfman.

One Category at a Time: Best Animated Feature

2010-03-26T09:19:00.002-04:00

After what was a banner year for feature animation in 2009, this year's slate looks a bit thin from the outset. Of course, more titles will surface as the year goes on, but even at this time last year, there was a very healthy list of animated projects we knew were coming. At the moment, I'm struggling to find even 3 that I think stand a reasonable shot, but here they are:

Lee Unkrich gets to take the helmer position for the first time with Pixar's upcoming threquel to Toy Story, the milestone that started it all, leading us to the saturation of CG movies in the market place. But God bless those Pixar geniuses for remembering to actually make these cash-cow blockbusters good. They've earned their reputation as the best animation studio in the world, producing ten consecutive hits and zero flops. We know Toy Story 3 will make a ton of dough, and is likely an automatic nominee for Best Animated Feature next year, but can it win Pixar its fourth straight Oscar? When will Pixar fatigue finally kick in?

The Princess and the Frog brought back the animated musical in 2009, and Disney hopes to keep the ball rolling with Tangled, a computer-animated take on Rapunzel directed by Bryon Howard (nominated in 2009 for the rather enjoyable Bolt) and Nathan Greno. If the year turns out as weak as it seems from this point, it shouldn't have any trouble getting into the final three, because it'll make money, and studio block voting within the animation branch will give it a boost. The biggest thing it has going for it, I think, is that the songs are being composed by the legendary Alan Menken, who will hopefully bring his usual high level of sophistication to the music. Veteran Disney animator Glenn Keane (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) is also taking the reigns as animation director.

DreamWorks has a few of CG cartoons coming out this year, including Shrek Forever After, Megamind, and today's release, How to Train Your Dragon, co-directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch). I'm not placing my chips on Shrek, as I imagine the Academy (not to mention yours truly) have grown sick of the franchise. As for the other two, maybe. Maybe not. If studio block voting is as big a factor as I suspect, then at least one DreamWorks entry should get in. Or maybe they just won't be good enough.

Finally, 3-time nominee Sylvain Chomet (The Triplettes of Belleville) debuted his latest feature The Illusionist at the Berlin Film Festival to very enthusiastic acclaim. Could it be this year's Persepolis or The Secret of Kells? It needs to secure a U.S. distribution first.

Predicted 3:
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

Also consider: Despicable Me, Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil, How to Train Your Dragon, Legend of the Guardians, Megamind, Shrek Forever After, Yogi Bear.

Carey Mulligan to play Eliza Doolittle

2010-03-25T12:10:00.000-04:00

So says Broadway World. Not that I can really muster up all that much enthusiasm for the pending remake of My Fair Lady, but I'll take Mulligan over Keira Knightley or Natalie Portman, both of whom were rumoured earlier.

It's a shrewd casting choice; Mulligan is a strong talent who's proven she can carry a film, and at the rate she's snatching prime parts in movies, all of America will have grown accustomed to her face by the time this hits screens. Some have even compared her beauty and talent to that of a young Audrey Hepburn, who played Eliza in George Cukor's lovely 1964 version, so perhaps, with a little bit o' luck, this won't be a disaster after all. Wouldn't it be loverly?

But then Emma Thompson (who's writing the screenplay) expresses her desire to have Hugh Grant as Henry Higgins, so perhaps this will be a disaster after all.

One Category at a Time: Best Original Score (and Song)

2010-03-24T09:12:00.003-04:00

I'm not going to spend too much time umm-ing and uhh-ing over these categories (especially Song which is impossible to predict in advance). Without having heard a note of music yet, there's not a lot to go by, but name recognition goes a long way with the music branch. Here are some names I wouldn't be surprised to hear discussed as possible nominees:

Hans Zimmer returned to the Oscar scene for the first time in nine years for his flashy rhythms in Sherlock Holmes. He could be in the mix again if Christopher Nolan's Inception takes off. The music branch may not have gone for Zimmer's work on Nolan's The Dark Knight, but a large part of that had to do with the fact that he co-wrote it with James Newton Howard, and after an initial idiotic disqualification (which was eventually rescinded), the damage was already done. He's composing Inception on his own, so his odds are automatically better.

Speaking of James Newton Howard, he may be in play as well for M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender. He's a frequent nominee, but eternally win-less it seems. Having managed to muster a nod for Shyamalan's poorly received The Villiage, not to mention several other bad films, I'd say the questionable quality of The Last Airbender is moot. Hopefully, it'll actually be good, and Howard's chances will be that much better, but even if the film tanks, never count him out.

Another perennial contender is Alexandre Desplat, often in the hunt simply because of how many movies he scores every year. He's easily the most prolific composer in the biz today, running the gamut from serious drama to comedy to animation to crappy teen horror/romance (you know the one I'm talking about). He has at least four coming out this year, and the horse I'm betting on his Terrance Malick's The Tree of Life, simply because the film may be a major awards contender. Or it could be something else, or (heaven forbid!) nothing at all! We'll just have to wait and see.

As for Dario Marianelli and Eat, Pray, Love, there's really no rhyme nor reason for me to think this one. It's more likely we'll have at least one first-time nominee, but you can never predict who that'll be. Consider this a placeholder for some unforeseen surprise contender.

It took Pixar 10 tries, but they finally won this category with Michael Giacchino's wistful melodies for Up. Can they keep the streak alive with Toy Story 3? I have doubts about the potential success of this movie, especially with Academy voters who may think a third Toy Story film is one too many, no matter how good the first two were. Still, Randy Newman is always a safe bet with the music branch, as his 19 nominations attest. If he also writes an original song for this one, as he has the previous two, consider it a possibility.

While we're on the topic of original songs, the only musical I can see on the horizon this year is Disney's holiday release Tangled, an animated adaptation of Rapunzel featuring an original song score by the one-and-only Alan Menken, one of my all-time favourite composers! The music branch loves him, and for good reason. Whether his work is brilliant (Beauty and the Beast) or only good (Enchanted), this genius melody writer is always in the running for multiple Original Song nominations.

I'll also briefly mention My Own Love Song, whose trailer looks shamefully baity, but advertises music by Bob Dylan, a previous winner for Original Song. Maybe he has another one in the works.

Predicted 5 (Score):
Eat, Pray, Love
Inception
The Last Airbender
Toy Story 3
The Tree of Life

Also consider: Gustavo Santaolalla for Biutiful, Alexandre Desplat for Harry Potter, Hans Zimmer for How Do You Know?, Alexandre Desplat for The Special Relationship, Carter Burwell for True Grit, Burkhard von Dallwitz for The Way Back.

Predictions (Song):
My Own Love Song
Tangled
Toy Story 3

One Category at a Time: Best Picture, Part 2

2010-03-22T08:13:00.000-04:00

Continued from yesterday's post:

The expanded field gives opportunities not only to popular studio entertainment, but also to independent efforts that would otherwise be too small to make a ripple in the awards race. Last year, we saw two Sundance darlings, An Education and Precious, make it through the year and to the Oscars without being killed by either their own hype or the hype of their competition. One film that turned people's heads at this year's fest was The Kids Are All Right, a comedy from writer/director Lisa Cholodenko that stars Julianne Moore and Anette Bening as a lesbian couple whose children invite their biological father into the family. Focus Features has opted for a mid-summer release instead of competing with the heavy-handed dramas at the end of the year. If handled correctly, this could be 2010's "little movie that could", an envious classification for any awards hopeful, but Focus needs to make sure that expectations aren't too high before the film is revealed.

Tom Hooper's The King's Speech doesn't have me particularly psyched up, but I'm including it here as the token Weinstein Co. film that'll make it in. Colin Firth plays King George VI, who employs a speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) to get rid of his stutter. If it's historical, it's got a shot, even if the movie is sub-par. Hey, maybe it'll be better than we think, but this preemptive vote of confidence is more for the savvy distributor more than it is for the film. The expanded Best Picture field gives it hope.

Robin Hood pairs Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott once again, trying to repeat the success of Gladiator. Sitting pretty with a May 14th release, it'll likely be Universal's mainstay throughout the summer, hitting the DVD racks just in time for campaign season. The recent nominations of District 9 and Inglourious Basterds show that summer hits aren't out of the question, but is Robin Hood high-concept enough? Or is it just another summer tentpole?

Terrence Malick's films often receive a lot of hype, even if only because he makes them so infrequently. His latest opus The Tree of Life has been floating in distribution limbo for ages, once slated as a mid-2009 release, then a late-2009 release, then word came that the film was unfinished, and now it's a TBD 2010 release from the newly-founded company Apparition. There's no denying that Malick is an artiste, but only one of his films (The Thin Red Line) ever grabbed the Academy's attention in a significant way. That was a while ago. Maybe they're ready to invite him back to the big dance. Simply out of intrigue, this is one of my most highly anticipated projects of the year.

Another hopeful that has me excited is Peter Weir's The Way Back, the story of soldiers fleeing a forced labour camp in 1940 Siberia. My knowledge of Weir's filmography is limited to only three titles, but two of them happen to be in my top 3 favourite films of all time! It sounds like it should be an interesting story, and the cast and crew looks impressive. It's worth noting that the film has secured neither a distributor nor a 2010 release date yet, but if it's complete in time to premiere this year, then it may well be in the mix.

Take these early predictions with as much salt as you can. My year-in-advance forecasting last year was horrendous, but nevertheless, here I go making a fool of myself again:

Predicted 10:
Betty Anne Waters
The Conspirator
Eat, Pray, Love
The Fighter
Inception
The King's Speech
The Kids Are All Right
Robin Hood
The Tree of Life
The Way Back

Also consider: Black Swan, How Do You Know?, The Ghost Writer, Never Let Me Go, Rabbit Hole, The Social Network, Somewhere.