Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
And the nominees are....
Last week, the Academy unveiled this year's Oscar nominees and as usual, there were plenty of surprises and snubs.
The Dark Knight, highly expected to earn both Best Picture and Best Director nominations was, to the chagrin of hardcore fans, shut out of both categories. Even in the Best Score category in which the Academy first ruled the film ineligible and later reversed their decision, the film failed to snag a nomination. That said, Heath Ledger got his inevitable Best Supporting Actor nomination, and the film picked up numerous technical nominations of which they are sure to win at least a couple.
Clint Eastwood, a longtime favorite of the Academy, was largely shut out as well. Outside of a Best Actress nomination for Angelina Jolie for Changeling (which also earned a couple of art and technical nominations), Eastwood was left empty handed.
In the Best Picture category, the biggest surprise was the inclusion of The Reader. The nomination of the film which received lukewarm reviews, confirmed two things: that Ricky Gervais' joke about making a Holocaust film will get you an Oscar nomination is funny because it's true and that Harvey Weinstein (who waged a very public battle with former producer Scott Rudin to get the film released in time for awards consideration) despite his studio's troubles still has considerable pull in Hollywood.
In the acting categories, longtime character actor Richard Jenkins was given a well deserved nomination for his turn in the excellent film, The Visitor. Robert Downey Jr. was given a nod in the Best Supporting Actor column for his role in the otherwise middling Tropic Thunder, leading to some speculation he may be a spoiler for what appears to be Heath Ledger's lock on the award.
Otherwise, the nominees are, by and large, fairly obvious if not dull. 2008 was not a great year for film. None of the Best Picture nominees even come close to 2007's nominees which included, among others, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood and Michael Clayton. That said, we can only hope that M.I.A. decides to perform at the awards for her nominated song "O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire. That would certainly blow some life into what looks like a very dull affair this year.
I will return soon with my own predictions and choices for this year awards.
The Dark Knight, highly expected to earn both Best Picture and Best Director nominations was, to the chagrin of hardcore fans, shut out of both categories. Even in the Best Score category in which the Academy first ruled the film ineligible and later reversed their decision, the film failed to snag a nomination. That said, Heath Ledger got his inevitable Best Supporting Actor nomination, and the film picked up numerous technical nominations of which they are sure to win at least a couple.
Clint Eastwood, a longtime favorite of the Academy, was largely shut out as well. Outside of a Best Actress nomination for Angelina Jolie for Changeling (which also earned a couple of art and technical nominations), Eastwood was left empty handed.
In the Best Picture category, the biggest surprise was the inclusion of The Reader. The nomination of the film which received lukewarm reviews, confirmed two things: that Ricky Gervais' joke about making a Holocaust film will get you an Oscar nomination is funny because it's true and that Harvey Weinstein (who waged a very public battle with former producer Scott Rudin to get the film released in time for awards consideration) despite his studio's troubles still has considerable pull in Hollywood.
In the acting categories, longtime character actor Richard Jenkins was given a well deserved nomination for his turn in the excellent film, The Visitor. Robert Downey Jr. was given a nod in the Best Supporting Actor column for his role in the otherwise middling Tropic Thunder, leading to some speculation he may be a spoiler for what appears to be Heath Ledger's lock on the award.
Otherwise, the nominees are, by and large, fairly obvious if not dull. 2008 was not a great year for film. None of the Best Picture nominees even come close to 2007's nominees which included, among others, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood and Michael Clayton. That said, we can only hope that M.I.A. decides to perform at the awards for her nominated song "O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire. That would certainly blow some life into what looks like a very dull affair this year.
I will return soon with my own predictions and choices for this year awards.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Another One Bites The Dust
Montreal's already wan film scene was dealt another blow, when it was announced earlier this week that the ten-year old art house Ex-Centris would be closing its doors to films as of March 20th. The space will now be used for theater and "new media presentations" (yeah, I'm not sure what that means either).
In the article, current Cinema Du Parc owner Roland Smith (who re-opened the cinema in the fall of 2006) crows that the Ex-Centris building is a "white elephant" and that the current success that he is experiencing proves that there is an audience for independent non-Hollywood cinema in Montreal. Really? It makes me wonder if Smith has taken a look at his own programming schedule lately which is about as Hollywood as it gets. Or if he has bothered to see the rather dour, broken down setting Cinema Du Parc currently resides in. The AMC 22 downtown offers a far more diverse range of foreign and independent films than Cinema Du Parc does and with much better projection, seating and atmosphere. There is no doubt in my mind that Cinema Du Parc's days are numbered as well.
However, Montreal cinephiles cannot rest their film choices on a single theater. What Montreal now needs is a solid repertory theater that mixes cult, foreign, independent and classic films, offers midnight screenings and is a true second option to what is now, a very homogenized Montreal film scene. Sure, there is still Cinematheque Quebecoise, however, unless you research the screenings on their abysmal website you're not going to know what's playing. They do such a poor job of promoting themselves, it's almost like they don't want people to come.
It's mind boggling that in a city that is so rich in festivals and cultural events of every kind, that we are still struggling to develop a strong cinematic community. Outside of the always excellent Fantasia Film Festival, the Montreal's film festivals are a joke compared to Vancouver and Toronto. With so many films being made in the city, there is no excuse why Montreal can't become a viable, important and exciting player in the North American film market. What we need are some generous investors to finance a solid single or two screen repertory house, and use it as a launching pad to redevelop and redefine the Montreal cinema scene.
In the article, current Cinema Du Parc owner Roland Smith (who re-opened the cinema in the fall of 2006) crows that the Ex-Centris building is a "white elephant" and that the current success that he is experiencing proves that there is an audience for independent non-Hollywood cinema in Montreal. Really? It makes me wonder if Smith has taken a look at his own programming schedule lately which is about as Hollywood as it gets. Or if he has bothered to see the rather dour, broken down setting Cinema Du Parc currently resides in. The AMC 22 downtown offers a far more diverse range of foreign and independent films than Cinema Du Parc does and with much better projection, seating and atmosphere. There is no doubt in my mind that Cinema Du Parc's days are numbered as well.
However, Montreal cinephiles cannot rest their film choices on a single theater. What Montreal now needs is a solid repertory theater that mixes cult, foreign, independent and classic films, offers midnight screenings and is a true second option to what is now, a very homogenized Montreal film scene. Sure, there is still Cinematheque Quebecoise, however, unless you research the screenings on their abysmal website you're not going to know what's playing. They do such a poor job of promoting themselves, it's almost like they don't want people to come.
It's mind boggling that in a city that is so rich in festivals and cultural events of every kind, that we are still struggling to develop a strong cinematic community. Outside of the always excellent Fantasia Film Festival, the Montreal's film festivals are a joke compared to Vancouver and Toronto. With so many films being made in the city, there is no excuse why Montreal can't become a viable, important and exciting player in the North American film market. What we need are some generous investors to finance a solid single or two screen repertory house, and use it as a launching pad to redevelop and redefine the Montreal cinema scene.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Top 10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2009
Happy New Year! As 2008's Oscar season winds down as we approach the February ceremony, here are the films I'm looking forward to most in 2009:
1. Sugar (Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck)
On the heels of their powerful, critically acclaimed debut film Half Nelson, this directorial duo have already garnered a fair share of buzz for their sophomore effort. While the plot details are being kept under wraps, it concerns a Dominican baseball player who is recruited to play in the majors. Starring a cast of unknowns, shot in Spanish and featuring a rumored second act that will divide audiences, Boden and Fleck haven't compromised their integrity despite having tasted the kind of early success most filmmakers only dream of. There is no other film this year that I'm looking forward to more.
Release Date: April 3, 2009 (Limited release)
Cast: You never heard of them
2. Whatever Works (Woody Allen)
There is no other American filmmaker, except Clint Eastwood, who is working at the pace and consistency of Woody Allen. With two films out in 2008 (Cassandra's Dream and Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Woody has already shot and wrapped his next film, Whatever Works. After shooting five pictures in Europe where financing was easier, and audiences more receptive, Whatever Works marks Allen's return to New York. And to celebrate he's cast America's other favorite neurotic Jew, Larry David, in the lead role. Welcome back to New York Woody! We're looking forward to it.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson
3. This Side Of The Truth (Ricky Gervais)
Though he experienced phenomenal success with his hit UK series' The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais has been very careful about his Hollywood roles. Though he's offered his services with a small handful of supporting work, and starred in his first film as a lead last fall with Ghost Town, he's waited patiently before putting his own efforts in front of American cameras until he could have the kind of creative control afforded to him back home. Well, the wait is over, and This Side Of The Truth, arrives this year with with an astonishingly awesome cast and a premise that is brilliant in its simplicity - in a world where no one lies, one writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe, Patrick Stewart, Tina Fey, Christopher Guest
4. Funny People (Judd Apatow)
Do I really have to write anything here? It's the from the guy who wrote and directed The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, and produced pretty much every halfway decent comedy of the last five years. Look at the release date and cast below, and then quietly curse that July is still seven months away.
Release Date: July 31, 2009
Cast: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, RZA and cameos by Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, Norm MacDonald, Ray Romano and maybe Kevin James
5. Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodóvar)
Spain's Pedro Almodóvar makes some of the most consistently challenging, beautiful and moving films of contemporary cinema and his follow up to 2006's stellar Volver promises to be no different. While details of the plot are scarce, it concerns a four-way love story that is being shot in many styles, including that of 1950s film-noir. With Almodóvar's longtime muse Penelope Cruz once again leading the cast, I'm looking forward to whatever he has up his sleeve this time.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Penelope Cruz and a lot of Spanish actors
6. The Informant (Steven Soderbergh)
You know what I said about Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood a few films up? You can add Steven Soderbergh to their ranks. Even though Che, his four-hour, Spanish language epic about the iconic revolutionary, is the kind of project that would force most directors to go into early retirement, Soderbergh has already moved on. The Informant brings him back into Erin Brokovich territory, as it's a true story about a former VP who turns government informant in his efforts to bring down price fixing in the agri-business industry. And if that film doesn't interest you he's also got The Girlfriend Experience that marks the first non-porn lead role for XXX star Sasha Grey coming out in 2009 and he's doing pre-production work on a musical version of Cleopatra. And what did you do today?
Release Date: September 18, 2009
Cast: Matt Damon, Tony Hale, Patton Oswalt, Scott Bakula
7. The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
Wes Anderson's next film promises to be intriguing on a number of levels. It's his first film based on a book; his first family film; his first animated film and his first film that doesn't concern a family in disarray. Anderson's standard crew will provide the voices along with newcomer to the group, George Clooney. Known for his meticulous eye towards set design, it will be interesting to see how Anderson adapts his vision for an illustrated environment.
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Cast: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Angelica Huston, Jason Schwartzman
8. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)
It's new film by Martin Scorsese. Enough said.
Release Date: October 2, 2009
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley, Elias Koteas, Patricia Clarkson
9. Two Lovers (James Gray)
Following three gritty, urban crime films, director James Gray switches gears for the romantic drama, Two Lovers. While the plot is a familiar one of man torn between two women, Gray has shown a remarkable knack for taking even the most worn genre conventions and making them fresh. The film is also notable for being Joaquin Phoenix's last film (for now) following his recently announced retirement from acting.
Release Date: February 13, 2009
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini
10. The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson)
Rian Johnson's debut film, the teenage noir Brick was a sleeper surprise, garnering critical accolades and an almost immediate cult audience for its visual flair and unique approach which had the film's adolescent characters chewing on dialogue straight out of a Hammett or Chandler novel. Though repeatedly delayed, early stills and the trailer promise to deliver another high concept, visually alluring work.
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Cast: Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi
1. Sugar (Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck)
On the heels of their powerful, critically acclaimed debut film Half Nelson, this directorial duo have already garnered a fair share of buzz for their sophomore effort. While the plot details are being kept under wraps, it concerns a Dominican baseball player who is recruited to play in the majors. Starring a cast of unknowns, shot in Spanish and featuring a rumored second act that will divide audiences, Boden and Fleck haven't compromised their integrity despite having tasted the kind of early success most filmmakers only dream of. There is no other film this year that I'm looking forward to more.
Release Date: April 3, 2009 (Limited release)
Cast: You never heard of them
2. Whatever Works (Woody Allen)
There is no other American filmmaker, except Clint Eastwood, who is working at the pace and consistency of Woody Allen. With two films out in 2008 (Cassandra's Dream and Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Woody has already shot and wrapped his next film, Whatever Works. After shooting five pictures in Europe where financing was easier, and audiences more receptive, Whatever Works marks Allen's return to New York. And to celebrate he's cast America's other favorite neurotic Jew, Larry David, in the lead role. Welcome back to New York Woody! We're looking forward to it.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson
3. This Side Of The Truth (Ricky Gervais)
Though he experienced phenomenal success with his hit UK series' The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais has been very careful about his Hollywood roles. Though he's offered his services with a small handful of supporting work, and starred in his first film as a lead last fall with Ghost Town, he's waited patiently before putting his own efforts in front of American cameras until he could have the kind of creative control afforded to him back home. Well, the wait is over, and This Side Of The Truth, arrives this year with with an astonishingly awesome cast and a premise that is brilliant in its simplicity - in a world where no one lies, one writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe, Patrick Stewart, Tina Fey, Christopher Guest
4. Funny People (Judd Apatow)
Do I really have to write anything here? It's the from the guy who wrote and directed The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, and produced pretty much every halfway decent comedy of the last five years. Look at the release date and cast below, and then quietly curse that July is still seven months away.
Release Date: July 31, 2009
Cast: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, RZA and cameos by Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, Norm MacDonald, Ray Romano and maybe Kevin James
5. Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodóvar)
Spain's Pedro Almodóvar makes some of the most consistently challenging, beautiful and moving films of contemporary cinema and his follow up to 2006's stellar Volver promises to be no different. While details of the plot are scarce, it concerns a four-way love story that is being shot in many styles, including that of 1950s film-noir. With Almodóvar's longtime muse Penelope Cruz once again leading the cast, I'm looking forward to whatever he has up his sleeve this time.
Release Date: TBA
Cast: Penelope Cruz and a lot of Spanish actors
6. The Informant (Steven Soderbergh)
You know what I said about Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood a few films up? You can add Steven Soderbergh to their ranks. Even though Che, his four-hour, Spanish language epic about the iconic revolutionary, is the kind of project that would force most directors to go into early retirement, Soderbergh has already moved on. The Informant brings him back into Erin Brokovich territory, as it's a true story about a former VP who turns government informant in his efforts to bring down price fixing in the agri-business industry. And if that film doesn't interest you he's also got The Girlfriend Experience that marks the first non-porn lead role for XXX star Sasha Grey coming out in 2009 and he's doing pre-production work on a musical version of Cleopatra. And what did you do today?
Release Date: September 18, 2009
Cast: Matt Damon, Tony Hale, Patton Oswalt, Scott Bakula
7. The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
Wes Anderson's next film promises to be intriguing on a number of levels. It's his first film based on a book; his first family film; his first animated film and his first film that doesn't concern a family in disarray. Anderson's standard crew will provide the voices along with newcomer to the group, George Clooney. Known for his meticulous eye towards set design, it will be interesting to see how Anderson adapts his vision for an illustrated environment.
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Cast: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Angelica Huston, Jason Schwartzman
8. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)
It's new film by Martin Scorsese. Enough said.
Release Date: October 2, 2009
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley, Elias Koteas, Patricia Clarkson
9. Two Lovers (James Gray)
Following three gritty, urban crime films, director James Gray switches gears for the romantic drama, Two Lovers. While the plot is a familiar one of man torn between two women, Gray has shown a remarkable knack for taking even the most worn genre conventions and making them fresh. The film is also notable for being Joaquin Phoenix's last film (for now) following his recently announced retirement from acting.
Release Date: February 13, 2009
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini
10. The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson)
Rian Johnson's debut film, the teenage noir Brick was a sleeper surprise, garnering critical accolades and an almost immediate cult audience for its visual flair and unique approach which had the film's adolescent characters chewing on dialogue straight out of a Hammett or Chandler novel. Though repeatedly delayed, early stills and the trailer promise to deliver another high concept, visually alluring work.
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Cast: Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi
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