Weekend Screening Schedule

Lots of stuff opening in limited release this weekend.

The first is the Sundance and now Independent Spirit hit "The Savages" starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. The film receieved good reviews from important critics so expect nominations for Linney and probably screenplay at the very least.


Also opening is "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Max Von Sydow had Oscar buzz earlier in the season but since it's opening with a whimper I expect it to go out with one as well.

If that doesn't satisfy your tastes there's also a special sneak preview of "The Golden Compass" on Saturday, so be sure to check Fandango to see if it's playing in your area.

And if you're really brave, you could always check out the only wide release this week: "Awake," starring the great acting duo of Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba. It wasn't screened for critics, so enter at your own will.

What will you be seeing this weekend?

Golden Globes Updates

Category classifications from Gold Derby:

"Charlie Wilson's War," "The Savages," "Margot at the Wedding," "Juno," "Darjeeling Limited," "Waitress" and "Lars and the Real Girl" will compete in the comedy/musical categories at the Golden Globes, according to decrees made by the eligibility committee of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. All of those films have a mix of comedic and dramatic elements so there was speculation that they might be classified as dramas.

In the TV races, some series that straddled classification have been decided, too: "Pushing Daisies," "Californication," "Chuck," "Psych," "Samantha Who" and "Reaper" will compete as comedies.

In the race for best animated feature: "Bee Movie," "Beowulf," "Happily N'ever After," "Meet the Robinsons," "Ratatouille," "Shrek the Third," "The Simpson's Movie," "Surf's Up," and "TMNT."

Sixty-one movies have landed in the category for best foreign-language film. CLICK HERE to see the list! (Among the foreign titles is "La Vie en Rose," whose star, Marion Cotillard, will compete in the race for best comedy/musical actress.)

SOURCE.

Well, this should make Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy the race to watch.

"Sweeney Todd" Clips

"Sweeney Todd" enthusiasts looking to see Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and others in action, this is the place to do it.


I'll admit the mood looks enticing, and so does Alan Rickman, but what troubles me most is the singing. Of course, we all know by now that Depp and Bonham Carter aren't Broadway vets, but juding from "A Little Priest" and "Epiphany" it doesn't even sound like the TRIED to sing, which is frustrating to say the least.

But maybe it'll sound better when all the pieces are put together. Who knows?

What about you? What did you think of the "Sweeney" clips?

Independent Spirit Nominations

The first set of precursor nominations are in!

Read 'em and weep:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer)
* Executive Producers are not listed.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Kilik

I'm Not There
Producers: Christine Vachon, John Sloss, John Goldwyn, James D. Stern

Juno
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick, Russell Smith

A Mighty Heart
Producers: Dede Gardner, Andrew Eaton, Brad Pitt

Paranoid Park
Producers: Neil Kopp, David Cress

BEST DIRECTOR
Todd Haynes
I'm Not There

Tamara Jenkins
The Savages

Jason Reitman
Juno

Julian Schnabel
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Gus Van Sant
Paranoid Park


BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
2 Days in Paris
Director: Julie Delpy
Producers: Julie Delpy, Christophe Mazodier, Thierry Potok

Great World of Sound
Director: Craig Zobel
Producers: Melissa Palmer, David Gordon Green, Richard Wright, Craig Zobel

The Lookout
Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Walter Parkes

Rocket Science
Director: Jeffrey Blitz
Producers: Effie T. Brown, Sean Welch

Vanaja
Director: Rajnesh Domalpalli
Producer: Latha R. Domalapalli


JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
* Executive Producers are not listed.

August Evening
Writer/Directpr: Chris Eska
Producers: Connie Hill, Jason Wehling

Owl and the Sparrow
Writer/Director: Stephane Gauger
Producers: Nguyen Van Quan, Doan Nhat Nam, Stephane Gauger

The Pool
Director: Chris Smith
Producer: Kate Noble
Writer: Chris Smith & Randy Russell

Quiet City
Director: Aaron Katz
Producers: Brendan McFadden, Ben Stambler
Writers: Aaron Katz, Erin Fisher, Cris Lankenau

Shotgun Stories
Writer/Director: Jeff Nichols
Producers: David Gordon Green, Lisa Muskat, Jeff Nichols

BEST SCREENPLAY
Ronald Harwood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Tamara Jenkins
The Savages

Fred Parnes & Andrew Wagner
Starting Out in the Evening

Adrienne Shelly
Waitress

Mike White
Year of the Dog

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Jeffrey Blitz
Rocket Science

Zoe Cassavetes
Broken English

Diablo Cody
Juno

Kelly Masterson
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

John Orloff
A Mighty Heart

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Angelina Jolie
A Mighty Heart

Sienna Miller
Interview

Ellen Page
Juno

Parker Posey
Broken English

Tang Wei
Lust, Caution

BEST MALE LEAD
Pedro Castaneda
August Evening

Don Cheadle
Talk To Me

Philip Seymour Hoffman
The Savages

Frank Langella
Starting Out in the Evening

Tony Leung
Lust, Caution

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Cate Blanchett
I'm Not There

Anna Kendrick
Rocket Science

Jennifer Jason Leigh
Margot at the Wedding

Tamara Podemski
Four Sheets to the Wind

Marisa Tomei
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Talk To Me

Marcus Carl Franklin
I'm Not There

Kene Holliday
Great World of Sound

Irrfan Khan
The Namesake

Steve Zahn
Rescue Dawn

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mott Hupfel
The Savages

Janusz Kaminski
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Milton Kam
Vanaja

Mihai Malaimare, Jr.
Youth Without Youth

Rodrigo Prieto
Lust, Caution

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)
Crazy Love
Director: Dan Klores

Lake of Fire
Director: Tony Kaye

Manufactured Landscapes
Director: Jennifer Baichwal

The Monastery
Director: Pernille Rose Grønkjær

The Prisoner or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair
Directors: Petra Epperlein & Michael Tucker

BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Director: Cristian Mungiu
(Romania)

The Band's Visit
Director: Eran Kolirin
(Israel)

Lady Chatterley
Director: Pascale Ferran
(France)

Once
Director: John Carney
(Ireland)

Persepolis
Directors: Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi
(France)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to one film's director, casting director and its ensemble cast)
I'm Not There
Director: Todd Haynes
Casting Director: Laura Rosenthal
Ensemble Cast: Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood

SOURCE.

Questions Finally Answered?

Be on the lookout, bloggers: AwardsDaily is reporting that "Charile Wilson's War," perhaps the year's biggest question mark will finally be screened today.



Will it be another Nichols masterpiece or will it fall by the wayside? We'll know in a matter of hours.

If you find any blog posts and/or reviews, please post them in the comments secton below. Happy hunting!

(also be on the lookout for the Independent Spirit Awards, which will be announced sometime tomorrow as well!)

The Rumor Mill: Cate Blanchett to Go Lead?

According to David Poland's blog, the Weinsteins are gearing up for a Lead Actress campaign for Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There."


Now I obviously don't have the means to confirm or deny it, but if it's true then we're definitely looking at a dramatic shake up in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Methinks Cate will be nominated either way, but where this leaves the rest of the contenders remains to be seen.

More updates as the news develops.

YouTube Clip of the Week: The English Patient

Maaaajor spoiler warning.

If you haven't seen "The English Patient," skip the clip and rent it immediately.

But for those who have, feel free to take a look at what could be the most heartbreaking scene in the movie.

Better Late Than Never

At long last, Roger Ebert has released his official Top 10 List of 2006, citing everything from "Babel" to "The Departed" to "Pan's Labyrinth," his number one pick.



I've disagreed with him a lot in recent years, most notably in 2005 with the "Crash" debacle, but looking over this article reminded me how great it is to have him back nonetheless.

Here's a look at the list in full, starting with #1:

1 Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" tells opposite stories and does both of them full justice. On the one hand, there is an outpost of Franco's fascist army in the forests of Spain, seeking its enemies shortly after the Spanish Civil War. On the other hand, there is the fantastical world of a young girl whose mother is married to the monstrous captain in charge of the unit. She is led into a labyrinth by a fairy, and encounters the bizarre and disturbing world of a faun who tells her she is really a princess and must strive to accomplish three tasks to be reunited with her dead father.

It is universally assumed that this world exists only in the girl's fantasy, but I am not so sure. The film plays as well if it is a real but parallel world, in which she can correct such evils as fascism. The special effects are nightmarish and effective, including the faun and a giant toad, and it takes courage to go into that labyrinth -- and also to emerge again into a world of politics and cruelty. Del Toro doesn't compromise on the fantasy, or the reality.

Full list HERE.

Giving Thanks in '07

It's Thanksgiving today, which means we're only a few weeks away from Christmas.

Which also means we're also getting closer and closer to the new year, top ten lists and what have you.



So to help prepare, here are a few things I'm thankful for in 2007:

Leslie Mann in "Knocked Up" (subsequent viewings have confirmed my love for this performance---she should be nominated, voters!)
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James"
"No Country for Old Men"
"The Bourne Ultimatum" rounding off a great action trilogy
James Marsden in "Hairspray" (and soon to be "Enchanted" once I see it tomorrow)
Nicole Kidman continuing to challenge herself in "Margot at the Wedding," an otherwise faulty movie.

And finally: a perpetually interesting and unpredictable Oscar race. Keep it coming, '07!

What about you guys? What are you most thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Holiday Screening Schedule

Thanksgiving is always a busy time at the movies, and this year is no exception. Look for Enchanted, the well-received and family-friendly movie to make a good run at the box office.

Or if you're not into that, there's also Stephen King's The Mist opening, along with This Christmas, August Rush, and for the lucky ones on either coast, Todd Haynes' highly anticipated I'm Not There.


As for me, I'll definitely be checking out Enchanted today. I also plan on using the extra time to catch up on movies like American Gangster, along with Away From Her on DVD, which I still haven't see.

What about you? What will you be seeing over the holiday weekend?

The Lovely Bones: March 2009?

According to Coming Soon, the Peter Jackson flick "The Lovely Bones" is set for a March 2009 release date.

I don't think my brain is able to think THAT far in advance but it is an interesting move nonetheless. Given the popularity of Alice Sebold's novel you'd think DreamWorks would shoot for the holidays, but there you have it.

What do you think of the release date? Is it a good move or a sign of trouble ahead?

Amy Adams: A Star is Born?

That's what a lot of critics are saying about Amy Adams' performance in the Disney flick "Enchanted," due in theaters this Wednesday.


Of course, we Oscar enthusiasts knew all about her in 2005 when she was nominated for the widely praised but little seen "Junebug." Now Adams has the opportunity to reach a mass audience, and if Todd McCarthy's rave is any indication (he compares Adams to Julie Andrews in "Mary Poppins," Carole Lombard and Lucille Ball) she could play a bigger role in this year's Best Actress race than we initially thought.

What do you think now that the reviews are coming out? Will Amy Adams be nominated after all or is it simply a fairy tale too good to come true?

YouTube Clip of the Week: Shakespeare in Love

It's weird to call a Best Picture winner underrated, but I still don't understand the hate "Shakespeare in Love" always gets for beating "Saving Private Ryan." In my book, it was the right choice.

Here's a short clip from my favorite film of '98:

Weekend Screening Schedule

Nothing too exciting opening today, which is always a bad thing to say in November. Still, if your anxious to get to the theater there's a lot to see nevertheless; everything from Beowulf to Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprioum to Margot at the Wedding for those on either coast.



Or if you're looking to stay in this weekend check out La Vie En Rose, which was just released on DVD this past Tuesday. I watched it last night (finally!), and even though the movie was a little crappy, everything people have said about Cotillard is true - and how! Talk about one of the best performances of the year. She's so in for a nomination.

What about you guys? What do you plan on seeing this weekend?

Best Animated Feature Predix

Best Animated Feature has been updated now that the 14 finals have officially been released.


This is never really an exciting category, so I'll keep the commentary short. But I will state the obvious: Ratatouille is far and away the category's official lock. Beyond that, the competition is a little blurry. However, I do expect The Simpsons Movie to make it in on the popular vote, and if Perespolis continues to earn raves it should be able to overcome "Bee Movie" and the like.

What about you? What do YOUR animated predix look like?

Spielberg to Receive Cecil B. DeMille Award

From Coming Soon:

Steven Spielberg will be honored at next January's Golden Globe Awards telecast with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field." The award, voted by the Board of Directors of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, was announced today at a morning press conference by Josh Brolin.

The DeMille Award will be presented to Spielberg at "The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards" to be held Sunday, January 13, 2008 and telecast live on NBC (8-11 pm EST).

Spielberg has received six Golden Globes; for Best Director for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, for Best Motion Picture (Drama) for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan; and for Best Foreign Language Film For Letters From Iwo Jima. He received 12 additional Golden Globe nominations; eight as Best Director for Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, The Color Purple, Amistad, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and Munich, three as a producer on Best Motion Picture (Drama) nominees The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, and Amistad, and one for his screenplay for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Recent Cecil B. DeMille winners include Warren Beatty (2007), Anthony Hopkins (2006), Robin Williams (2005), Michael Douglas (2004), Gene Hackman (2003), Harrison Ford (2002), Al Pacino (2001), and Barbra Streisand (2000).

Full story HERE.

Well, it's hard to argue with their choice, but I think I was hoping for something a little more...surprising.

Discuss.

Matt Damon is Bringing Sexy Back

After 2 years of snooze-worthy choices, People Magazine has wisely chosen Matt Damon as their Sexiest Man Alive 2007. Brad Pitt and George Clooney must be so proud.



Story.

Now if only this could help out "The Bourne Ultimatum's" Oscar chances, but that's probably asking for too much.

Best Supporting Actor Updates

I was going to do a lame play on "No Country for Old Men" after noticing the prevalence of veterans in my updated Best Supporting Actor predix, but I decided against it at the last second.

Still, it's hard not to take note of their dominance here, what with names like Albert Finney, Hal Holbrook and Max Von Sydow in the mix. Whether they'll actually be nominated is another story, but like I've always said, if you're a veteran actor looking to get nominated this is the category to do it in.

As for my actual predictions, Javier Bardem leads the pack thanks to his chilling performance in "No Country for Old Men." He's the only safe bet in what could be the year's most confusing category.

Next in line are Holbrook and Tom Wilkinson. Holbrook gave a very sympathetic performance in "Into the Wild" and Wilkinson's was filled with bait, so look for them both to do extremely well in the coming months ahead.



After that things get a little tricky. For the time being I've decided to throw Philip Seymour Hoffman into the mix. He's had a great year already with "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," and his buzz will likely pick up when "The Savages" and "Charlie Wilson's War" are officially released. The latter film might be his best shot based on the accessibility of the role.

And speaking of "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," Hoffman's co-star Albert Finney probably has strongest chance of being nominated of the film's ensemble. If Sidney Lumet gets nominated for Best Director - which I think he will - look for the film to pop up in other top categories like this one. And don't forget that after a career that has spawned many decades and nominations, Finney's yet to win. Thus, nostalgia could play a key part as we head into December.

In the meantime, Paul Dano falls out of the top 5 for the first time all year. He could make a comeback, sure, but I've felt weird predicting him this whole time. I don't know why. Maybe it's the age factor.

Anyway...

What about you? What do YOUR Best Supporting Actor predix look like?

YouTube Clip of the Week: Pollock

I guess you can't call this an underrated movie since it was nominated for two Oscars, and took home one of them, but sometimes I forget how good "Pollock" really is.

Take a look at one of the scenes from the movie, featuring Oscar-nominee Ed Harris and Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden, and see for yourself:

Weekend Screening Schedule

This comes a bit late today, as I ran to the first showing of "No Country for Old Men" this afternoon. Yes, it's every bit as good as the critics are saying, and I'll post more on it if you want me to.

Nothing else worthwhile is opening this weekend. Both "Fred Claus" and "Lions for Lambs" were universally panned. "Claus" could still have a decent run at the box office, but look for "Lions for Lambs" to go out with a whimper, if even.

What about you? What are you seeing this weekend?

Animated Short List

From Awards Daily:



“Alvin and the Chipmunks”
“Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters”
“Bee Movie”
“Beowulf”
“Meet the Robinsons”
“Persepolis”
“Ratatouille”
“Shrek the Third”
“The Simpsons Movie”
“Surf’s Up”
“Tekkonkinkreet”
“TMNT”

First thoughts: Ratatouille is locked. The Simpsons movie is probably in, too. What takes the third slot?

Ho-Ho-Hum

"Fred Claus," the first big Christmas movie of the holiday season, opens this weekend, and already the reviews are troubling.



I had secret hopes that it would be the same kind of hit that Elf was in 2003, but if the bad reviews continue it's not going to happen.

Was anybody else anticipating this Vince Vaughn vehicle, or is it too early to think about Christmas right now?

Enchanted Clip: "The Happy Working Song"

Between this and "Ratatouille," 2007 is the year of the nasty animal.

Tracking "No Country for Old Men"

In just 4 days, "No Country for Old Men," one of the top Oscar contenders of 2007, hits theaters in limited release.



I'm finding it difficult to contain my excitement, so I've decided to dedicate a thread to tracking its Rotten Tomatoes average throughout the week. If this is excessive, let me know. Otherwise, I'll probably do the same for other potential hits like say, "Atonement."

Current standing (as of 11/05/07): 91 % Fresh.

Read the reviews in full HERE!

YouTube Clip of the Week: Erin Brockovich

Because every day I grow more curious about Julia Roberts' performance in "Charlie Wilson's War." Plus: I haven't done one of these in awhile. Enjoy.

"Enchanted" Song Clips

A couple of song clips from "Enchanted" are up at Disney's website, and you can give each one a listen here.



Amy Adams sounds great, but James Marsden...oh my. That's Amore indeed.

Minor Tweaking...

Bloggers: you've convinced me to go back to predicting Kelly Macdonald in "No Country for Old Men." It's a small role, sure, but something tells me the movie, which opens in limited release next Friday, is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Jennifer Jason Leigh, meanwhile, has been taken off the list. I didn't want to do it, but as 16 year old blogger pointed out in the comments section, "Margot at the Wedding" is filled with unlikeable characters, which probably won't go over well with voters.


Anyway, this is the last update you'll see in this category for a couple of weeks. I'm gonna spend the rest of the weekend trying to figure out Best Supporting Actor, which is perhaps the biggest mindf#%$ among the acting categories.

Stay tuned, and in the meantime be sure to check out the Weekend Movies thread below.

Weekend Screening Schedule

Two relatively big movies open this weekend.

The first is Ridley Scott's "American Gangster." It opened to good but not great reviews, which has me worried about its Oscar prospects, but I'm guessing it'll be worth seeing if only for the acting.



Also opening in theaters is the relentlessly promoted "Bee Movie." Jerry Seinfeld's animated flick fared considerably less with critics, but it could still make a strong running at the box office if there's a market out there for bees.

What do YOU plan on seeing this weekend? And for you box office enthusiasts: which movie will come out on top, American Gangster or Bee Movie?