Sunday, August 31, 2008
Best Supporting Actor Updates
More end of summer predix updates continue with Best Supporting Actor.
Tonight's updates were considerably less stressful than Supporting Actress was, and certainly less than Best Actor will be week.
This mostly has to do how quiet the Supporting Actor race has been. We've already seen Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and after all of the money and good reviews it's earned, we know he's in for a nomination.
Josh Brolin still looks good for a nomination as well, even if Milk isn't the Best Picture contender many think it is. The same goes for Michael Sheen in Frost/Nixon.
Then we have Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Road. He would have been added to my predix a lot sooner if this hadn't been such a busy summer for me. His role is so crucial to the story, and I think his performance is going to have the same kind of effect as it did in the book. I mean, how can audiences watch a father and son walk through hell and not want to cry? So I think he's in.
Finally, I had a bit of trouble figuring out who to put in for the 5th spot. I decided on John Malkovich at the last second just to kind of test the waters on Changeling. I'm still not sure if it will be an Angelina-or-bust type deal, but let's see where this goes. If he gets the nod, fine. If Butler Hartner gets the nod instead, that's fine too. I have my fingers crossed for Charlize in The Road, anyway. If she gets nominated, I will do a crazy happy dance. ;)
What do you guys think of my predix? Are they looking good or did I forget someone? Discuss below!
Tonight's updates were considerably less stressful than Supporting Actress was, and certainly less than Best Actor will be week.
This mostly has to do how quiet the Supporting Actor race has been. We've already seen Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and after all of the money and good reviews it's earned, we know he's in for a nomination.
Josh Brolin still looks good for a nomination as well, even if Milk isn't the Best Picture contender many think it is. The same goes for Michael Sheen in Frost/Nixon.
Then we have Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Road. He would have been added to my predix a lot sooner if this hadn't been such a busy summer for me. His role is so crucial to the story, and I think his performance is going to have the same kind of effect as it did in the book. I mean, how can audiences watch a father and son walk through hell and not want to cry? So I think he's in.Finally, I had a bit of trouble figuring out who to put in for the 5th spot. I decided on John Malkovich at the last second just to kind of test the waters on Changeling. I'm still not sure if it will be an Angelina-or-bust type deal, but let's see where this goes. If he gets the nod, fine. If Butler Hartner gets the nod instead, that's fine too. I have my fingers crossed for Charlize in The Road, anyway. If she gets nominated, I will do a crazy happy dance. ;)
What do you guys think of my predix? Are they looking good or did I forget someone? Discuss below!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Weekend Screening Schedule: Disaster Movie Lineup
According to Rotten Tomatoes, this is the opening lineup for this weekend:
60% Hamlet 2
52% Traitor
06% Babylon A.D.
00% Disaster Movie
-- College
Looks like I will finally be seeing Pineapple Express this weekend.
In any event, I did get to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona again yesterday, and I am loving Cruz's chances for a nomination even more. I hope she gets it.
Also, this marks the third movie I've seen twice this summer. The other two were Mamma Mia! and Wall-E, both with the same friend and both against my will. Oy.
60% Hamlet 2
52% Traitor
06% Babylon A.D.
00% Disaster Movie
-- College
Looks like I will finally be seeing Pineapple Express this weekend.
In any event, I did get to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona again yesterday, and I am loving Cruz's chances for a nomination even more. I hope she gets it.
Also, this marks the third movie I've seen twice this summer. The other two were Mamma Mia! and Wall-E, both with the same friend and both against my will. Oy.
Variety isn't
I was hoping Kim Basinger or even Charlize (Go The Road!) could sneak in for this one, but it may not happen if reviews like this continue to roll out.
From Variety:
Many of the weaknesses and few of the strengths of Guillermo Arriaga as a scripter are evident in his directing debut, "The Burning Plain." Multicharacter head-scratcher, yo-yoing between New Mexico and Oregon, and back and forth in time, doesn't finally reveal much beneath the emperor's clothes to repay viewers' concentration during the first half. Despite an OK-to-good cast led by Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, plus a handsome tech package, this remains an elaborate writing exercise with few emotional hooks. Upscale auds, drawn by Arriaga's name, may be curious.
Full review.
From Variety:
Many of the weaknesses and few of the strengths of Guillermo Arriaga as a scripter are evident in his directing debut, "The Burning Plain." Multicharacter head-scratcher, yo-yoing between New Mexico and Oregon, and back and forth in time, doesn't finally reveal much beneath the emperor's clothes to repay viewers' concentration during the first half. Despite an OK-to-good cast led by Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, plus a handsome tech package, this remains an elaborate writing exercise with few emotional hooks. Upscale auds, drawn by Arriaga's name, may be curious.Full review.
EW on Oscar Buzz at the TIFF
Dave Karger and Missy Schwartz of EW sat down to talk about the upcoming TIFF schedule, and they both appeared to have really liked Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married."
Have a look here.
Have a look here.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
From Venice: The Trades on "Burn After Reading"
Mixed words from the Trades...
Variety:
After their triumphant dramatic success with “No Country for Old Men,” the Coen brothers revert to sophomoric snarky mode in “Burn After Reading.” A dark goofball comedy about assorted doofuses in Washington, D.C., only some of whom work for the government, the short, snappy picture tries to mate sex farce with a satire of a paranoid political thriller, with arch and ungainly results. Major star names might stoke some mild B.O. heat with older upscale viewers upon U.S. release Sept. 12, but no one should expect this reunion of George Clooney and Brad Pitt to remotely resemble an “Ocean’s” film commercially.
Full review.
The Hollywood Reporter:
In "Burn After Reading," the Coen brothers have taken some of cinema's top and most expensive actors and chucked them into Looney Tunes roles in a thriller set in and about Washington.
It takes awhile to adjust to the rhythms and subversive humor of "Burn" because this is really an anti-spy thriller in which nothing is at stake, no one acts with intelligence and everything ends badly.
As a follow-up to last year's multiple-Oscar winner "No Country for Old Men," Joel and Ethan Coen clearly are in a prankish mood, knocking out a minor piece of silliness with all the trappings of an A-list studio movie. Those who relish this movie might treat it as the second coming of "The Big Lebowski"; those who don't might wonder at a story in which no character has a level head. Signs look good, though, for a solid North American opening Sept. 12 following Wednesday's opening-night debut at the Venice Film Festival.
Full Review.
---
What do you think of the reviews? Will the Coen Bros. strike Oscar gold again, or will this one be too quirky for their tastes?
Variety:
After their triumphant dramatic success with “No Country for Old Men,” the Coen brothers revert to sophomoric snarky mode in “Burn After Reading.” A dark goofball comedy about assorted doofuses in Washington, D.C., only some of whom work for the government, the short, snappy picture tries to mate sex farce with a satire of a paranoid political thriller, with arch and ungainly results. Major star names might stoke some mild B.O. heat with older upscale viewers upon U.S. release Sept. 12, but no one should expect this reunion of George Clooney and Brad Pitt to remotely resemble an “Ocean’s” film commercially.
Full review.
The Hollywood Reporter:In "Burn After Reading," the Coen brothers have taken some of cinema's top and most expensive actors and chucked them into Looney Tunes roles in a thriller set in and about Washington.
It takes awhile to adjust to the rhythms and subversive humor of "Burn" because this is really an anti-spy thriller in which nothing is at stake, no one acts with intelligence and everything ends badly.
As a follow-up to last year's multiple-Oscar winner "No Country for Old Men," Joel and Ethan Coen clearly are in a prankish mood, knocking out a minor piece of silliness with all the trappings of an A-list studio movie. Those who relish this movie might treat it as the second coming of "The Big Lebowski"; those who don't might wonder at a story in which no character has a level head. Signs look good, though, for a solid North American opening Sept. 12 following Wednesday's opening-night debut at the Venice Film Festival.
Full Review.
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What do you think of the reviews? Will the Coen Bros. strike Oscar gold again, or will this one be too quirky for their tastes?
The Reader: 2008 After All?
JUST when I update my Best Supporting Actress predix, I find this:
The last film produced by the late Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack is looking for a December date. After a successful screening in New York of "The Reader," the Weinstein Co. has decided to release the film for Oscar contention this year. The film stars Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes and was directed by Stephen Daldry.
Given the deaths earlier this year of Minghella and Pollack, there was speculation that the film might face a delay. Scott Rudin, the co-producer, already has two films coming out later this year -- "Revolutionary Road" and "Doubt."
Full story.
Back to the drawing board I go.
The last film produced by the late Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack is looking for a December date. After a successful screening in New York of "The Reader," the Weinstein Co. has decided to release the film for Oscar contention this year. The film stars Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes and was directed by Stephen Daldry.
Given the deaths earlier this year of Minghella and Pollack, there was speculation that the film might face a delay. Scott Rudin, the co-producer, already has two films coming out later this year -- "Revolutionary Road" and "Doubt."Full story.
Back to the drawing board I go.
Shifting back into gear...
The website's fully up and running again, so I've gone ahead and posted new Supporting Actress predix, a poll and a belated YouTube Clip of the week, all of which you find below. Enjoy!
Best Supporting Actress Updates: Cluster$*@!
Once I got my website working again, I was so excited to get back to predicting...until I realized what a mess Best Supporting Actress was.
Right now the only two contenders I feel confident predicting are Penelope Cruz and Viola Davis. Cruz, brilliant in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, already has the reviews to secure a nomination in January. She just needs to stay in the precursor mix come December, and I think she will. And Davis has that one scene in "Doubt" that is likely to be one of the most praised and talked about scenes of the season, assuming it packs the same kind of punch as it did in the play.
But beyond that, Best Supporting Actress has become almost impossible to predict. I'm keeping Kathy Bates in the mix for now because I think she's tailor made for the role, and she's popular enough to make the cut even if the film tanks.
Vera Farmiga is another contender to watch out for. The cast of Nothing But the Truth kind of makes my stomach cringe, but now I'm starting to wonder if she could maybe pull off an Amy Ryan/critical darling-type nomination. She has her fair share of fans, as her unexpected LAFCA win once proved.
And finally, since it's August, I've decided to take a chance, and that chance is on Charlize Theron. I could have gone with Debra Winger or Taraji P. Henson (not feeling her as much anymore) or Kim Basinger or Amy Ryan, but Theron's role in The Road was apparently expanded, and it was already powerful to begin with. Plus, with 2 nominations and an Oscar already, she seems to be somewhat of an Academy favorite already. This shall be the test.
But what do you guys think? Is Best Supporting Actress as hard to figure out as I think, or am I forgetting a bunch of contenders? Discuss and post your predix below!
Right now the only two contenders I feel confident predicting are Penelope Cruz and Viola Davis. Cruz, brilliant in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, already has the reviews to secure a nomination in January. She just needs to stay in the precursor mix come December, and I think she will. And Davis has that one scene in "Doubt" that is likely to be one of the most praised and talked about scenes of the season, assuming it packs the same kind of punch as it did in the play.
But beyond that, Best Supporting Actress has become almost impossible to predict. I'm keeping Kathy Bates in the mix for now because I think she's tailor made for the role, and she's popular enough to make the cut even if the film tanks.
Vera Farmiga is another contender to watch out for. The cast of Nothing But the Truth kind of makes my stomach cringe, but now I'm starting to wonder if she could maybe pull off an Amy Ryan/critical darling-type nomination. She has her fair share of fans, as her unexpected LAFCA win once proved.And finally, since it's August, I've decided to take a chance, and that chance is on Charlize Theron. I could have gone with Debra Winger or Taraji P. Henson (not feeling her as much anymore) or Kim Basinger or Amy Ryan, but Theron's role in The Road was apparently expanded, and it was already powerful to begin with. Plus, with 2 nominations and an Oscar already, she seems to be somewhat of an Academy favorite already. This shall be the test.
But what do you guys think? Is Best Supporting Actress as hard to figure out as I think, or am I forgetting a bunch of contenders? Discuss and post your predix below!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
In case you are wondering...
My website has been down since Friday (I think) but I worked it out so that it SHOULD be up within the next couple of hours. I hope so, anyway.
So once it's up, I will get back to updating my predictions.
In the meantime, how was your weekend at the movies? Did ANYONE actually see The Rocker? Supposedly it made only 2.5 million (ouch!!)
So once it's up, I will get back to updating my predictions.
In the meantime, how was your weekend at the movies? Did ANYONE actually see The Rocker? Supposedly it made only 2.5 million (ouch!!)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Best Director Updates: New Faces
I mentioned I would update Best Supporting Actress this evening, but I wanted to get Best Director updated first for one main reason: The Road.
I know you guys have been chatting it up all season long, but it finally dawned on me that The Road is going to be a lot bigger than I expected.
The biggest reason has to do with timing. I still hear people talking about the book, and I still see people reading it, so I think that will lead people to go see the movie in theaters. Obviously, it won't get Dark Knight numbers or anything, but if the reviews are good, I think it could go down as one of the most talked about films of the year.
Speaking of The Dark Knight, I'm also throwing Christopher Nolan into the mix. I know a lot of people are unsure about TDK's chances in Best Picture, but I think Nolan's nomination is almost a given considering all of the buzz and money the film has accumulated in the past month. They'll have to reward the movie somewhere, and I think this is their best opportunity to do so if the Best Picture buzz starts to fizzle out.
Beyond that, I'm keeping Fincher, Luhrmann and Van Sant in the mix for now. I'm not exactly sold on their nominations just yet, but their films haven't showed any signs of slowing down as we head into September. But expect things to get more interesting in the next month or two, especially with the Toronto Film Festival looming.
What do you guys think of my updated predictions? Are you with me on "The Road"? Is Nolan in for a nomination as well? Or am I underestimating other films in the running (Clint?) Discuss below.
I know you guys have been chatting it up all season long, but it finally dawned on me that The Road is going to be a lot bigger than I expected.
The biggest reason has to do with timing. I still hear people talking about the book, and I still see people reading it, so I think that will lead people to go see the movie in theaters. Obviously, it won't get Dark Knight numbers or anything, but if the reviews are good, I think it could go down as one of the most talked about films of the year.
Speaking of The Dark Knight, I'm also throwing Christopher Nolan into the mix. I know a lot of people are unsure about TDK's chances in Best Picture, but I think Nolan's nomination is almost a given considering all of the buzz and money the film has accumulated in the past month. They'll have to reward the movie somewhere, and I think this is their best opportunity to do so if the Best Picture buzz starts to fizzle out.Beyond that, I'm keeping Fincher, Luhrmann and Van Sant in the mix for now. I'm not exactly sold on their nominations just yet, but their films haven't showed any signs of slowing down as we head into September. But expect things to get more interesting in the next month or two, especially with the Toronto Film Festival looming.
What do you guys think of my updated predictions? Are you with me on "The Road"? Is Nolan in for a nomination as well? Or am I underestimating other films in the running (Clint?) Discuss below.
Tuesday...er, Wednesday Poll
I tried to update Best Supporting Actress this evening but my program kept freezing.
So I'll try to get that up for you tomorrow.
In the meantime, here's a daily poll to hold you over:
I love this category, but it's Mirren all the way.
So I'll try to get that up for you tomorrow.
In the meantime, here's a daily poll to hold you over:
I love this category, but it's Mirren all the way.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Weekend Screening Schedule
Blogger has been giving me trouble lately, but I did manage to catch "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" this afternoon, and luckily it's letting me post again.
I avoided the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes because I wanted to go into it clean. Woody's probably my favorite director (note: Annie Hall is my all-time favorite movie, in case you didn't know), and critics sometimes overhype his movies whenever they have a glimmer of good in them (see: Match Point).
But I'm happy to report that VCB is a good movie. It starts off a little odd, and I'm still not sure why Scar Jo is Woody's current muse (besides the obvious) but once Penelope Cruz shows up the film really takes off. Between this and Volver, Cruz really is as talented as she is stunningly beautiful.
I can't remember if it opens wide this weekend, but I do hope you get to see it when it hits your local theater. I'm still holding off on a grade, but for now I can give it a confident recommendation.
What are you watching this weekend?
I avoided the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes because I wanted to go into it clean. Woody's probably my favorite director (note: Annie Hall is my all-time favorite movie, in case you didn't know), and critics sometimes overhype his movies whenever they have a glimmer of good in them (see: Match Point).
But I'm happy to report that VCB is a good movie. It starts off a little odd, and I'm still not sure why Scar Jo is Woody's current muse (besides the obvious) but once Penelope Cruz shows up the film really takes off. Between this and Volver, Cruz really is as talented as she is stunningly beautiful.
I can't remember if it opens wide this weekend, but I do hope you get to see it when it hits your local theater. I'm still holding off on a grade, but for now I can give it a confident recommendation.
What are you watching this weekend?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
NYFF Lineup
From The Hollywood Reporter:
Opening night
"The Class," Laurent Cantet, France (Sony Pictures Classics)
Centerpiece
"Changeling," Clint Eastwood, U.S. (Universal)
Closing night
"The Wrestler," Darren Aronofsky, U.S.
"24 City," Jia Zhangke, China/Hong Kong/Japan
"Afterschool," Antonio Campos, U.S.
"Ashes of Time Redux," Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Bullet in the Head," Jaime Rosales, Spain/France
"Che," Steven Soderbergh, France/Spain
"Chouga," Darezhan Omirbaev, France/Kazakhstan
"A Christmas Tale," Arnaud Desplechin, France (IFC Films)
"Four Nights With Anna," Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/France
"Gomorrah," Matteo Garrone, Italy (IFC Films)
"Happy-Go-Lucky," Mike Leigh, U.K. (Miramax)
"The Headless Woman," Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/France/Italy/Spain
"Hunger," Steve McQueen, U.K. (IFC Films)
"I'm Going to Explode," Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico
"Let It Rain," Agnes Jaoui, France, 2008
Retrospective
"Lola Montes," Max Ophuls, France/West Germany (Rialto Pictures)
"Night and Day," Hong Sang-soo, South Korea, 2008
"The Northern Land," Joao Botelho, Portugal
"Serbis," Brillante Mendoza, Philippines/France
"Summer Hours," Olivier Assayas, France (IFC Films)
"Tokyo Sonata," Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan/Netherlands
"Tony Manero," Pablo Larrain, Chile/Brazil
"Tulpan," Sergey Dvortsevoy, Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia/Switzerland
"Waltz With Bashir," Ari Folman, Israel/Germany/France (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Wendy and Lucy," Kelly Reichardt, U.S. (Oscilloscope Pictures)
"The Windmill Movie," Alexander Olch, U.S.
Opening night
"The Class," Laurent Cantet, France (Sony Pictures Classics)
Centerpiece
"Changeling," Clint Eastwood, U.S. (Universal)
Closing night
"The Wrestler," Darren Aronofsky, U.S.
"24 City," Jia Zhangke, China/Hong Kong/Japan
"Afterschool," Antonio Campos, U.S.
"Ashes of Time Redux," Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Bullet in the Head," Jaime Rosales, Spain/France
"Che," Steven Soderbergh, France/Spain
"Chouga," Darezhan Omirbaev, France/Kazakhstan
"A Christmas Tale," Arnaud Desplechin, France (IFC Films)
"Four Nights With Anna," Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/France
"Gomorrah," Matteo Garrone, Italy (IFC Films)
"Happy-Go-Lucky," Mike Leigh, U.K. (Miramax)
"The Headless Woman," Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/France/Italy/Spain
"Hunger," Steve McQueen, U.K. (IFC Films)
"I'm Going to Explode," Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico
"Let It Rain," Agnes Jaoui, France, 2008
Retrospective
"Lola Montes," Max Ophuls, France/West Germany (Rialto Pictures)
"Night and Day," Hong Sang-soo, South Korea, 2008
"The Northern Land," Joao Botelho, Portugal
"Serbis," Brillante Mendoza, Philippines/France
"Summer Hours," Olivier Assayas, France (IFC Films)
"Tokyo Sonata," Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan/Netherlands
"Tony Manero," Pablo Larrain, Chile/Brazil
"Tulpan," Sergey Dvortsevoy, Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia/Switzerland
"Waltz With Bashir," Ari Folman, Israel/Germany/France (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Wendy and Lucy," Kelly Reichardt, U.S. (Oscilloscope Pictures)
"The Windmill Movie," Alexander Olch, U.S.
Tuesday Poll: Beijing Olympics
It's still August, so I still have time to go off topic.
I'm personally loving the games so far, especially after last night's Mens Gymanstics final. How about you?
I'm personally loving the games so far, especially after last night's Mens Gymanstics final. How about you?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tracking Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Vicky Cristina Barcelona is one of the first movies to open this year with legitimate Oscar buzz.
Most of the buzz is for Penelope Cruz, who earned a number of raves from Cannes and looks to be a sure bet for a Best Supporting Actress nomination (updates this week).
But the pic itself is doing pretty well with critics, too, which makes me wonder: can it go anywhere besides a nod for Cruz? Will it slip in the Best Original Screenplay race? Or will the reviews settle down by the end of the week?
Discuss below!
Most of the buzz is for Penelope Cruz, who earned a number of raves from Cannes and looks to be a sure bet for a Best Supporting Actress nomination (updates this week).
But the pic itself is doing pretty well with critics, too, which makes me wonder: can it go anywhere besides a nod for Cruz? Will it slip in the Best Original Screenplay race? Or will the reviews settle down by the end of the week?Discuss below!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Friday, August 08, 2008
Weekend Screening Schedule
The weekend got off to an early start on Wednesday thanks to the Olympics.
I'm still deciding whether to skip the theater for gymnastics, but I would still like to see Pineapple Express and, yes, Sisterhood 2, if only to support Gossip Girl's Blake Lively.
What are you watching this weekend?
I'm still deciding whether to skip the theater for gymnastics, but I would still like to see Pineapple Express and, yes, Sisterhood 2, if only to support Gossip Girl's Blake Lively.
What are you watching this weekend?
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Reader's Choice: #5
Dennis Quaid as Frank Whitaker in "Far From Heaven"
Year Snubbed: 2002
Precursor Mentions: Chicago Film Critics win (Best Supporting Actor); Golden Globe nomination (Best Supporting Actor); Independent Spirit win (Best Supporting Actor); New York Film Critics win (Best Supporting Actor); Screen Actors Guild nomination (Best Supporting Actor)
Actual nominees:
Chris Cooper - Adaptation. as John Laroche
Ed Harris - The Hours as Richard Brown
Paul Newman - Road to Perdition as John Rooney
John C. Reilly - Chicago as Amos Hart
Christopher Walken - Catch Me If You Can as Frank Abagnale, Sr.
Clip (starting around the 3:30 mark):
This is the first snub on our list that comes with a legitimate sting. You could make a case for Naomi, Uma, or Ralph, but as I mentioned in my writeups, they were each distant contenders at best in their respective races.
Dennis Quaid, on the other hand, was right in the thick of the 2002 Best Supporting Actor race. He was on everybody's list to be nominated, including mine, and most people considered him to be a lock.
So what went wrong? Well, it's hard to say. But I do believe that subject matter played a big role here. Quaid's Frank Whitaker was a very self-loathing and repressed character, and he ranked a little low on the likeability scale: he whipslapped Cathy; he cheated on her; and he eventually left his entire family to be with another man. So that may have been tough, I suppose, for some voters to swallow.
But at the end of the day, there's no legitimate excuse for this snub, because as difficult as his character may have been, Quaid aced the performance. At the time, Quaid's career was hitting peak level, and after years and years of being in the business, the awards were finally catching up to him. In fact, the only major body to ignore him was the Academy. Hence, the sting.
Still, there may have been other contributing factors to this snub, so I'm interested in hearing your theories. Why was Dennis Quaid snub? Did it have to do with subject matter, or were they just not into Far From Heaven that year?
"August: Osage County" Headed for the Big Screen
'Osage County' set for bigscreen
Doumanian Prods, Steve Traxler to produce
By GORDON COX
Jean Doumanian Prods. and Steve Traxler will produce a bigscreen version of Pulitzer- and Tony-winning Broadway hit "August: Osage County."
Playwright Tracy Letts, who penned the legit original, is on board to write the screenplay adaptation of the sprawling family epic.
"August" follows one volatile Oklahoma family in the aftermath of its patriarch's unexplained disappearance. Clocking in at more than three hours, the play began to attract buzz during its preem at the Steppenwolf Theater last summer.
After it transferred to the Rialto in the fall, the Steppenwolf production went on to become the standout straight play of the Broadway season, picking up five Tonys and a Pulitzer.
Full story.
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First comes Tony & Pulitzer, then comes Oscar? Maybe. It's a very cinematic play.
Doumanian Prods, Steve Traxler to produce
By GORDON COX
Jean Doumanian Prods. and Steve Traxler will produce a bigscreen version of Pulitzer- and Tony-winning Broadway hit "August: Osage County."
Playwright Tracy Letts, who penned the legit original, is on board to write the screenplay adaptation of the sprawling family epic.
"August" follows one volatile Oklahoma family in the aftermath of its patriarch's unexplained disappearance. Clocking in at more than three hours, the play began to attract buzz during its preem at the Steppenwolf Theater last summer.
After it transferred to the Rialto in the fall, the Steppenwolf production went on to become the standout straight play of the Broadway season, picking up five Tonys and a Pulitzer.
Full story.
---
First comes Tony & Pulitzer, then comes Oscar? Maybe. It's a very cinematic play.
USA Today on "The Road"
First look: 'The Road' is fiction, but the bleak scenery is real
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
Imagining the end of the world is not easy, especially if you're not going to create one with a computer. But director John Hillcoat and filmmakers of The Road believe they discovered it in Pittsburgh.
"It's a beautiful place in fall with the colors changing," Hillcoat says. "But in winter, it can be very bleak. There are city blocks that are abandoned. The woods can be brutal. We didn't want to go the CGI world."
"We wanted the heightened reality in the book."
That book is Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize winner of the same name. It's about a father and son who navigate a countryside devastated by an unnamed catastrophe.
Full story (with new stills) HERE.
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This is going to be a very interesting movie to watch, visually. I kept trying to picture the book as a movie while I read it, and the still posted above is pretty much exactly what I had imagined. Very, very cool.
What do you think?
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
Imagining the end of the world is not easy, especially if you're not going to create one with a computer. But director John Hillcoat and filmmakers of The Road believe they discovered it in Pittsburgh.
"It's a beautiful place in fall with the colors changing," Hillcoat says. "But in winter, it can be very bleak. There are city blocks that are abandoned. The woods can be brutal. We didn't want to go the CGI world."
"We wanted the heightened reality in the book."
That book is Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize winner of the same name. It's about a father and son who navigate a countryside devastated by an unnamed catastrophe.
Full story (with new stills) HERE.
---
This is going to be a very interesting movie to watch, visually. I kept trying to picture the book as a movie while I read it, and the still posted above is pretty much exactly what I had imagined. Very, very cool.
What do you think?
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Things that make me die inside, Vol. 1
From an early review of "Benjamin Button," courtesy of JoBlo.com:
"If I had to compare it to something else I'd say it's FORREST GUMP meets BIG FISH meets THE NOTEBOOK."
Source.
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Of course, these are always meant to be taken with a grain of salt, but still. . .
"If I had to compare it to something else I'd say it's FORREST GUMP meets BIG FISH meets THE NOTEBOOK."
Source.
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Of course, these are always meant to be taken with a grain of salt, but still. . .
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
"W." Poster
Who knows if "W." will be good or not, but you have to admit the poster is pretty awesome:
(edit: I can't post the image for some reason. click the link below to view the poster.)
Source.
(edit: I can't post the image for some reason. click the link below to view the poster.)
Source.
Reader's Choice #6
Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow in "King Kong"Year Snubbed: 2005
Precursor mentions: Chicago Film Critics nomination (Best Actress)
Actual nominees:
Judi Dench - Mrs. Henderson Presents as Mrs. Laura Henderson
Felicity Huffman - Transamerica as Bree
Keira Knightley - Pride and Prejudice as Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Bennet
Charlize Theron - North Country as Josey Aimes
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line as June Carter
Clip (best I could find. apologies.):
2005 was a bad year to be an Oscar predictor when "King Kong" was released. It happened only 3 years ago, so I'm sure you all remember the internet hoopla when everyone started to predict it for a Best Picture nomination (yours truly never caved!) It was kind of a low point in the post-LOTR era and I'm still kind of pissed it happened.
But I still bow down to everything Naomi Watts did in this movie. It takes a damn good actress to pull this part off, and she did it so well that she carried the film on her shoulders in parts (see the clip for further proof)
So why wasn't she nominated? Two reasons: 1.) Genre bias. Watts had a number of rave reviews in her corner, but she needed more than that for a nomination. She needed a collective backup from the precursors for the Academy to feel comfortable voting for her, and as you can see, that didn't happen. Also, and this is reason number two, she had the remake factor working against her. The original King Kong is an all-time classic, and this one was going to have to break new boundaries for it to receive any kind of major recognition.
Which is sad, because if we're talking low points, 2005's Best Actress lineup was one of the worst in Acadmey history. Only Reese Witherspoon and (in retrospect) Keira Knightley deserved nominations, while Felicity Huffman (shudder), Judi Dench (shudder) and Charlize Theron's (I love you, but shudder) spots could have gone to a handful of other actresses, including Watts.
But what do you think? Did Naomi Watts deserve a nomination, or am I crazy to think that 2005 was such a crappy lineup for Best Actress?
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Emma Thompson to Pen "My Fair Lady" Adaptation
From Broadway.com:
Emma Thompson is working on the screenplay for a new film version of Lerner & Loewe's classic musical My Fair Lady, according to an interview the actress/writer gave to Parade magazine on July 20. Thompson, who opens on July 27 as Lady Marchmain in the new feature film version of Brideshead Revisited, told writer James Brady, "I've been hired to write a new screenplay for My Fair Lady, based on the foreword and afterword of Shaw's Pygmalion—different from the musical and not as sweet an ending."
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I didn't think this was actually going to happen, but now that Emma's on board I'm all game.
What do you think?
Emma Thompson is working on the screenplay for a new film version of Lerner & Loewe's classic musical My Fair Lady, according to an interview the actress/writer gave to Parade magazine on July 20. Thompson, who opens on July 27 as Lady Marchmain in the new feature film version of Brideshead Revisited, told writer James Brady, "I've been hired to write a new screenplay for My Fair Lady, based on the foreword and afterword of Shaw's Pygmalion—different from the musical and not as sweet an ending."
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I didn't think this was actually going to happen, but now that Emma's on board I'm all game.
What do you think?
Best Actress Updates: Andy Getting Excited
I may be jumping the gun, but the "Rachel Getting Married" trailer has me really excited for the Oscar season. It just looks like one of those small, indie films with good timing, especially for Anne Hathaway. She's worked hard over the years, going from "The Princess Diaries" to "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Devil Wears Prada" so she's poised to receive a "we like you" nomination one of these days.
The rest of the Predicted 5 remains the same for now. Things are still looking good for Jolie and Streep, regardless of how well their films turn out. Kate will probably get another "Little Children"-esque nomination as she waits patiently for "The Reader" to open. And Sally Hawkins will burst onto the scene as soon as "Happy-Go-Lucky" is released.
As for the rest, I guess things will remain quiet for the rest of August. I know Melissa Leo is getting good ink for "Frozen River" but do you really think her buzz can sustain all the way to January? I'm skeptical.
Discuss your predix and mine below!
The rest of the Predicted 5 remains the same for now. Things are still looking good for Jolie and Streep, regardless of how well their films turn out. Kate will probably get another "Little Children"-esque nomination as she waits patiently for "The Reader" to open. And Sally Hawkins will burst onto the scene as soon as "Happy-Go-Lucky" is released.As for the rest, I guess things will remain quiet for the rest of August. I know Melissa Leo is getting good ink for "Frozen River" but do you really think her buzz can sustain all the way to January? I'm skeptical.
Discuss your predix and mine below!
"Doubt" Poster
I saw this outside the Angelika last weekend and gasped:
Predix updates next week. Anticipate a lot of changes because my current predix are outdates as hell.
Predix updates next week. Anticipate a lot of changes because my current predix are outdates as hell.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Rachel Getting Married Trailer
This looks like a good part for Anne Hathaway, who had Oscar buzz early on in the season. Plus, the possibility of a Debra Winger comeback sounds like a good deal .
Watch the trailer here:
Watch the trailer here:
Weekend Screening Schedule
It's another slow weekend at the movies. The only major pics opening today are "The Mummy 3" and "Swing Vote," and they both scream "avoid at all costs."
Which leads me to believe that TDK was the peak of the summer movie season. August doesn't look too exciting apart from "Pineapple Express," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and (shut up) "The House Bunny."
What are you watching this weekend?
Which leads me to believe that TDK was the peak of the summer movie season. August doesn't look too exciting apart from "Pineapple Express," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and (shut up) "The House Bunny."
What are you watching this weekend?
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