"I'm Not There" Poster

I'm probably not the first to say this, but I'm so there this fall:

The Real Box Office Stories of 2007?

Sometimes, the best Box Office stories come from the underdogs; the smaller, little engine that could movies that survive amidst the pirates and superheroes of summer.

This year, we could be looking at another batch of surprises, especially on the heels of Pirates 3's slightly disappointing (but slightly expected) box office totals. The first movie opens this weekend, and it's called "Knocked Up." Directed by Judd Apatow, the movie could post similar numbers as Apatow's previous effort, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." It may not reach "Wedding Crashes" proportions, but it does seem to be one movie that could get everyone eligible into the theater. It also doesn't hurt that, so far, the reviews have been stellar.

The other movie I'm keeping my eye out for is 'The Bourne Ultimatum." If you think back to 2004, you'll remember that "The Bourne Surpemacy" was one of the surprise hits I've been talking about, and I expect "Ultimatum" to pull in similar numbers. The series, while successful, doesn't have the same Blockbuster hype as say, "Pirates," but it still has a strong fanbase. It also has a level of sophistication not often found in summer movies, and if its as any good as the 2nd one, "The Bourne Ultimatum" should go out with a bang.

What do you guys think? Which movies have the potential to surprise at the box office this summer?

Trailer for "Michael Clayton"

Here is the trailer for the new George Clooney thriller "Michael Clayton." The quality isn't of Quicktime level, but it's good enough to get the sense that this should be a pretty decent movie with a strong leading performance by Clooney.

I will probably keep it out of my Oscar predictions, though. What do you think?

Computer Problems: Take 3

My computer died again on Friday, so I wasn't able to post any updates over the weekend. Fortunately, I will have regular computer access from now on, along with Photoshop, so getting the predix up won't be that big of a problem...I hope.

Stay tuned.

If You Could Turn Back Time...

Has there ever been a moment in your Oscar watching days when, after the season has ended, you wish you hadn't given your award to someone?

We bitch about the Academy doing it all the time, like when Crash beat Brokeback Mountain or when they have Ron Howard the Best Director Oscar over - wait for it - Peter Jackson (!), Ridley Scott (!!), David Lynch (!!!) and Robert Altman (!!!!).

But what about you? Do you ever look back at certain prizes and say to yourself "What was I thinking??"

I personally do it obsessively, and could give you a list of 15 regrets if I had to. The 2003 Best Actress race is one of them, which I alluded to in a previous post. Another one that always gets me is the 2002 Best Actresss race. I initially gave my award to Julianne Moore for her wonderful work in "Far From Heaven", but in the 5 years that passed I've switched to Diane Lane for "Unfaithful", who gave one helluva comeback (and lasting impression, FWIW).

There are plenty more I'm sure, so I ask you: if you could turn back time, what would you change and why?

For Everything Idol...

...check out my interview with Libby VanDerWerff over at SouthDakotaDark. There you'll find my thoughts on the show as a whole, why I was too pissed to blog about Season 6 here, and why ending with a final "Go Jordin!" would be pointless (she already won, right? This is her now!!)

More from Cannes: Clips of "No Country for Old Men"

This one has me really excited, especailly after just finishing Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

Link.

What do you guys think? Will this be Fargo redux or will it come and go without much noise?

For the Katers: On Set Pics from "Revolutionary Road"

Something tells me this is going to be the internet's most anticipated movie of 2008, at least among these parts.



More at OHNOTHEYDIDNT!

Buzz from Cannes and Oprah

The much anticipated "My Blueberry Nights" kicked off the 60th Annual Cannes Film Festival this week, and so far the reaction has been pretty positive. You can check the reviews out at either Rotten Tomatoes or The New York Times (the best place for all things Cannes, IMO).


Over here in the States, meanwhile, buzz for "Hairspray" has formed thanks to Oprah Winfrey, whom we all know is very influential when it comes to the Oscars. According to Sasha Stone at her new site, Awards Daily, Oprah is crazy about it, but I'm gonna take her word with a grain of salt. Whether or not I'll learn to regret this decision will be revealed when "Hairspray" opens later this summer.

What do you guys think? Will "My Blueberry Nights" be a hit in the US? Is Oprah right about "Hairspray" And what movie are you most anticipating at Cannes?

First Look at "My Blueberry Nights"

Vive La France!



Note: This would have been posted earlier had it not been for tonight's ridiculous Idol results show, but more on that later. D'oh!

Anyway, this looks intriguing. And yay Norah Jones! She looks pretty natural in front of the camera from what I can tell. Exciting!

Omigod You Guys!: The 61st Annual Tony Nominations

By now you've read all about the nomnations for the 61st Annual Tony Awards (which can be viewed here) but I thought I'd post them, anyway, in case you guys feel like discussing them further.

For me, the list contains one show that I've seen (Grey Gardens), a number that I want to see (Company, Frost/Nixon) and some that I'll never step foot in (Mary Poppins). As such, it's difficult to get excited about the nominations, but I'll still watch the show (June 10th) to see if Christine Ebersole picks up a much-deserved 2nd Tony (Sorry, Laura Bell!)

What do you guys think of the nominations?

First Look at "Sleuth" Remake

Courtesy of Empire Online:

I'm not sure how interested you guys are in "Sleuth" but the original is one of my favorite Micahel Caine movies, and it'll be fun to see Jude Law (who, incidently, should have beaten Caine in '99, one of the worst Oscar wins in recent memory) channel him in another role. Hopefully it'll be better than "Alfie".

A Look Back At...Diane Keaton

Note: The "A Look Back..." series will primarily focus on actors with 5 or more nominations. However, I'm willing to make an exception for Keaton, a.) because I love her and b.) because her nominations have stretched out over an impressive 4 decades. Not a bad feat if you ask me.

Thus we begin.

Annie Hall (1977)
Nominee: Best Actress
Character: Annie Hall, an eccentric and exceedingly fascinating New Yorker.
And the Oscar Went to...: Diane Keaton

Thoughts: Generally, when people talk about the greatest performance of all-time we hear names thrown around like Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront" or Meryl Streep in "Sophie's Choice." For me, it's Diane Keaton in "Annie Hall."

I'm not sure if this is technically the most proficient performance ever put on screen, but it's the only one I've seen that still feels fresh and captivating even after 500 odd screenings. Favorite moment: after "La di da" and all the other classic moments, I'm a sucker for Diane's performance of "Seems Like Old Times." Beautiful.

Reds (1981)
Nominee: Best Actress
Character: Louise Bryant, a progressive feminist in the heat of the socialist revolution.
And the Oscar Went to...: Katharine Hepburn for "On Golden Pond"

Thoughts: if you've ever had any doubts about Keaton's capabilities as an actress, please check out "Reds." It's a complete 180 from "Annie Hall" in that she exchanges her quirky persona for some serious drama, and doesn't hold back in the process. On my watch it's her second greatest performance, and should have won Keaton her 2nd Best Actress Oscar (sorry, Katharine!)

Marvin's Room (1996)
Nominee: Best Actress
Character: Bessie Greenfield, a woman diagnosed with leukemia.
And the Oscar Went to...: Frances McDormand for "Fargo"

Thoughts: as much I love Diane Keaton, her performance in "Marvin's Room" simply does not compare to Kristin Scott Thomas, Frances McDormand, Emily Watson, and my winner of '96, Brenda Blethyn. Yet despite the questionable Oscar nomination, it's still a nice chance to see a more serious side to Diane. Plus: it has the same sappy yet delicious tear jerker moments that would appear in co-star Meryl Streep's movie "One True Thing" two years later.

Something's Gotta Give (2003)

Nominee: Best Actress

Character: Erica Barry, an uptight and neurotic playwright.

And the Oscar Went to...: Charlize Theron for "Monster"

Thoughts: You'll laugh, but this category features my ultimate Sophie's Choice moment of the decade. While I loved Charlize Theron in "Monster", and ultimately gave her my award, part of me wishes I had given it to Keaton instead. Not that I don't love Theron's performance anymore. It's just that, in retrospect, Keaton's Oscar clip ("This is heartbroken!") and her crying montage (!!!) has stayed with me longer than anything Charlize ever did. But I go back and forth. Ask me tomorrow and I'll probably go with Charlize instead.

What about you guys? Which nominated performance is your favorite? Do you agree that Diane should have beat Charlize in 2003? Also: which non-nominated performance do you love the most? (there are many, believe me)

Focus Promo Reel

A new promo reel highlighting Focus Features '07 lineup hit the web today, which includes brief footage of Oscar contenders like "Reservation Road", "Atonement" and "Lust, Caution".


You can view the reel here, although I should warn you it's not terribly exciting. Still, it's nice to catch a glimpse of these movies, especially considering Focus Features' past track record with Oscar.

Enjoy.

YouTube Clip of the Week: "Good Night, and Good Luck"

I forgot to post this yesterday, so alas: here it is today.

This week's clip comes from "Good Night, and Good Luck", one of my favorite movies of the decade. If there had been no Heath Ledger, David Strathairn would have easily won my award, and you can see why by watching the clip below.

Enjoy.

$148 Million

Box Office Mojo is reporting a $148 million weekend for "Spider-Man 3." I don't know if that's a record (it has to be, right?) but it's still an overwhelmingly strong debut, even if it was expected.

It's tough to say how well Spidey will do in future weeks, though. Word of mouth has been as mixed as the reviews, and for good reason. I saw it on Friday and was not impressed, especially with the bizzare Emo-Spidey montage. WTF. And this is coming from a huge fan of the first 2 flicks.

I did, however, enjoy my 2nd trip to the theater this weekend, which was to see the dramedy Waitress. It might not have been the Oscar sleeper I hoped it would be, but it's worth seeing for the script and of course for the wonderful Keri Russell. In a (very) weak year she would make my ballot.

What about you guys? Did you make it to Spidey this weekend? If so, what did you think compared to the first two?

"American Gangster" Posters

From JoBlo:

I'm liking these for two reasons: 1.) because I have high excpectations for this one, and 2.) because they've inspired me to get my damn Oscar predix up and running. It's been too long (sorry about that - it's been busy, busy, busy for me since the Oscars ended).

What do you guys think? Could "American Gangster" be "The Departed" redux for Ridley Scott? Or will the Academy go back to its predictable ways?

A Step Too Far?

People make fun of us all the time for predicting the Oscars a million years in advance. Yet this week, MTV did something that makes what we do look like childs play.

Yes, among the nominee list for the 2007 MTV Movie Awards is a category called "Summer Movie You Haven't Seen Yet". The nominees are:

Rush Hour 3
Hairspray
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Evan Almighty
Transformers
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Now I have no problem with anticipating movies. Just look at my previous blog post for more reference. Yet to me this feels a little silly, especially on the heels of the "Snakes on a Plane" debacle. And besides: with the exception of Harry Potter (and maybe Hairspray...maybe) these movies are likely to suck, so why bother?

What do you guys think? Is this category a step too far or is MTV just having a little fun?