Thursday, January 29, 2009

Top Ten of 2008


I finally feel ready saying goodbye to the film year of 2008. These are my favorites in what was a somewhat lackluster year. But what I like about this eclectic group of fine films is the genuine emotion I felt from a fairly genre specific group. There's a couple of biggie summery blockbusters, a pair of under seen documentaries, a rousing biopic, a sex comedy(actually two) a comeback sports movie, and an Oscar bait drama with a capital D (again two.) What's refreshing about this list is a mostly optimistic feel central in almost all of these films, very fitting in the year of Obama, and hopeful mighty change.

10- YOUNG@HEART
What on the surface is a blandly made made-for-TV doc about a geezer singing group is one of the gleefully made pieces of pop art made in 2008. Earnest yes, but I'll take this in a heartbeat over saccharine overload, cute docs like Mad Hot Ballroom anyday. What's here is an grandly entertaining pean to youth. And the soulful rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You" will leave even the most cold hearted in tears.

9- FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
In the nicely traditional Apatow-ian spirit comes another impishly hilarious (and slightly brutal) testament to the screwyness of relationships. Jason Segal proudly droups trou for his comedy, and anchors this mellow confectionary that had the best laugh ratio of anything in 2008, and actually out-aced both 2007's Superbad and Knocked Up. Rejoice-- the R-rated sex comedy has been granted at the very least one more year. Also kudos to Mila Kunis for more than aptly offering a leading lady every bit as charming and crude as the men.

8- BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER
Out in theaters for about a second last summer, Bigger, Stronger, Faster is an informative and mediative discussion of steriods. The movie faded before the Beijing Olympics, but is an insightful indictment of an American culture that really doesn't know what it's take on it is. What's refreshing about this documentary is not only the personal aspects (it centers around a group of brothers, all of whom have dabbled in the past, present or future), but that there's no definitive answer to it's question, just more questions. Lots of interesting facts are thrown about (pop culture ones, medical ones, legislative ones), but the debate continues. I hope this finely made film finds it's audience eventually-- it's worth it!

7- DOUBT
Haven't seen the play, so I can't compare, but one surely can't deny the powerful effects of watching these masterful actors working so feverishly. The story is cloudy, but it's supposed to be-- it's refreshingly complicated, without backing out to some sort of climax that isn't earned. But never mind that, focus on the chamber piece scene between Meryl Streep (as 1960s Catholic school principle) and Viola Davis (as the mother of boy suspected to have been molested) and there's absolutely no doubt that watching to raw power of singularly wonderful actors at the strength of their powers can't move, inspire, or make anything seem possible.

6- VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
After years of idealized Manhattan in unrealisticly neuroticly beautiful ways (and a few not so beautiful, granted), the finest American screenwriter (that would be Woody Allen) has made a point in recent years to branch out-- first to England (the well reguarded Match Point, Scoop and Cassandra's Dream), and now to Spain. The movie feels like a greatly needed summer vacation-- simmering, relaxing, romantic, and blessidly still pretty neurotic (though here in atypical yet familar Woody rhythms), and it all feels pretty good. And true to spirit, it's a lovely romantic comedy without any fairy tale endings, just experiences. Featuring terrific performances from Javier Bardem (who Chigruh would be be such a great leading man), Rebecca Hall, and especially Penelope Cruz, this was the most blissful movie of the year (save for my top pick of course.)

5- THE DARK KNIGHT
What the movie event of the decade is only at number 5-- well sorry, it is. But Christopher Nolan's mammoth achievement should never feel dwarfed. Interestingly while most of the films on this list have an optimistic Barak spirit to them, this one is firmly in Bushian gloom and dread-- but it's all the better for it. It redefines what a superhero flick can be, hell it redefines what a genre picture can be. It can be big, but also smart, saavy, and emotionally resonant. While the Oscar nomination didn't come (and unfortuneatly the Academy may have to bite the dust on less than stellar ratings for that one), there's no denying the power, the awe factor, the mega glory of The Dark Knight. Unquestionably I'll be in tears when Heath Ledger wins the award this year.

4- RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

As a fan of Jonathon Demme circa 1980s as well as a huge fan of Altman's The Wedding, I eagerly awaitted Rachel Getting Married, and I'm more than happy with the experience. This may be the first time I actually feel that handheld digital cameras helped form the story rather than just look dinky and messy. Centering around Anne Hathaway's damaged recovering druggie returning home for her sister's wedding-- nothing here feels false, even though Jenny Lumet's script feels like it may trap itself as a Lifetime movie of the week any minute-- it never does. It feels authentic and as though I was invited to these nupitals. The scene that hooked me in (and probably completely detached it from others) was the long toasting sequence. Everyone speaks and everyone gets a chance to chime in, and inform the story, alter the relationships. It's awkward, it's funny, it's touching, it's difficult...it feels very real. Hathaway is tremedous and fully goes into her characters less than lovable moods, while the ensemble cast is great. Where was the Oscar support for Rosemarie DeWitt, or Bill Irwin (my favorite as the enabling father.) Jonathon Demme's best film since The Silence of the Lambs and his warmed since Married to the Mob.

3- THE WRESTLER
Darren Aronofsky's brilliant ace of a movie is small, but Mickey Rourke is not-- his megawatt movie star charisma is still as bold as ever, even as his face has changed oh so much. There's a sweetness and a melencholy to this redemption sports tale, but also a revelatory kick, in that everything that's old is new again. Who would have expected a midlife flirtation between a past his prime wrestler and a stripper would be the most heartfelt source of romantic longing in movies this past year? (Well second, after my number one picture) Who knew Rourke would stage such a magnificent comeback? Or that Marisa Tomei would sparkle so much? No one knew, but that's the beauty of The Wrestler. Angriest Oscar snub of the year: the rejection of Bruce Springsteen's beautiful theme.

2- MILK
Far from a stale biographical film, this loving and haunting portrait of the first gay man elected in public office is rousing as it is relevant. In chronicling the heartbreaking tale of Harvey Milk, Gus Van Sant has made a passionate ode to a mostly unknown piece of California history, thanks to a fresh and informative script from Dustin Lance Black and a wonderful performance from Sean Penn, in his most thoughtful and warm performance to date. But Milk is also much more, so much more, a battle cry for all voices, and embracement of acceptance in all forms and most importantly a crowdpleasingly hopeful shout for freedom. No other movie felt so needed to be told in 2008 (especially in the days of Prop.8.) Thankfully it was also an artful and moving story with the best ensemble cast of the year. Penn carried it, but James Franco, Josh Brolin, Allison Pill, Joseph Cross and Emile Hirsch ran with it.

and drumroll please...

1- WALL-E
The most beautifully enchanting apocalyptic robot love story ever made. Andrew Stanton (already a Pixar maestro with Finding Nemo) added to stock of the indominible brand with this classic melding of Spielbergian sentiment in a Kubrickian world. A deep, meditative story (really the first Pixar great I believe better suited for adults) of an earth almost gone and humanity all but a folly, a trash compacting robot proved to the most charming (in all his "little tramp" tendencies) and irresistable of all.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Screen Actors Guild Awards


BEST ENSEMBLE
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn, Milk

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep, Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kate Winslet, The Reader

So here's the deal, I'm actually pretty alright with the acting winners... yay Sean Penn and Meryl Streep and Heath Ledger and I love me some Kate Winslet, but the big award, the award for best ensemble to Slumdog Millionaire is appalling, actually disgusting. That members of the screen actors guild would acknowledge this film as the best acting done in any movie throughout 2008 is just plain wrong. I did like the movie, but the clear star is Danny Boyle, not the pretty stars slumming so attractively. Sorry Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto! And this is the problems-- it seems the members of SAG so eagerly wanted to become Academy Award prognisticators that they flat out lost their minds when voting. All of the other nominees were infinitely better acted-- and that's what this award is supposed to signify, not the best film (still not Slumdog), but the best acted film, where the attractively distressed members of the Slumdog cast were not really that great (not that they screwed up), but they were simply adequate. The casts of Milk, Rachel Getting Married, Synecdoche, New York, The Dark Knight, Doubt, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Wrestler were incredibly better (and only two of those were actually nominated.) Sorry actors, but you made the wrong decision.

Producers Guild Association Winners


BEST PICTURE
Slumdog Millionaire- Christian Colson

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire- Simon Chinn

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
WALL-E- Jim Morris

STANLEY KRAMER AWARD
Milk- Dan Jinks & Bruce Cohen

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Academy Award Nominations

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River- Courtney Hunt
In Bruges- Martin McDonagh
Happy-Go-Lucky- Mike Leigh
Milk- Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E- Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
Doubt- John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan
The Reader- David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Der Baadder Meinhof Komplex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
Waltz With Bashir

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World

The Garden

Man on Wire

Trouble the Water

BEST DOCUMENTARY (short subject)
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Itch
Smile Pinki
The Witness

BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling- James J. Murakami & Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Donald Graham Burt & Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight- Nathan Crowley & Peter Lando
The Duchess- Michael Carlin & Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road- Kristi Zea & Debra Schutt

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia- Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Jacqueline West
The Duchess- Michael O'Connor
Milk- Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road- Albert Wolsky

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling- Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight- Wally Pfister
The Reader- Chris Menges & Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire- Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST FILM EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall
The Dark Knight- Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon- Mike Hill & Dan Hanley
Milk- Eliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire- Chris Dickens

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Alexander Desplat
Defiance- James Newton Howard
Milk- Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire- A.R. Rahman
WALL-E- Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth," written by Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, WALL-E
"Jai Ho," written by A.R. Rahman & Gulzar, Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya," written by A.R. Rahman & Maya Arulpragasam, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST MAKE-UP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Greg Cannom
The Dark Knight- John Caglione & Conor O'Sullivan
Hellboy II: The Golden Army- Mike Elizalde & Thom Flutz

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory: A Love Story

Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Auf der Strecke
Manon on the Asphalt

New Boy
The Pig

Toyland

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

Wanted


BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E
Wanted


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

...as I try to hold it together and not get too irate at things I cannot control. Obviously some very good things were announced-- the big acceptance of Milk, not just in big categories, but in score, editing and costume design (it is an epic), Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Anne Hathaway, Heath Ledger...all very good (even if expected) things...then there's the troublesome (I take a deep breath and try to tame the inner bitch heathen brewing inside.) The big one is the dastardly omission of The Dark Knight in picture, director and screenplay-- even after being nominated for all those things in the guild precursors. The omission sucks because regardless of the overall quality of the film (which is great, amazing really), I wanted to believe the members of the Academy could somehow get themselves out the middlebrow ghetto they've dug themselves into for so very long. I wanted to see a film (even a big mean genre, superhero film-- never my favorites) get invited to be grown up table. I have precedent-- it happened in the 70s (Jaws, Star Wars come to mind), and in the 80s (at least when Spielberg was attached to it.) Why every year must such a strict doctrine be in place... nice prestige packed films released in November and December. Can't one film be a summer diversion, or even WALL-E (heaven, make it WALL-E, it's the best of 2008.)

Calming down, I promise-- more good things, the support for tiny independent surprises-- Melissa Leo and Richard Jenkins are wonderful character actors, great for them, the cast of Doubt-- three out of four greatly deserved (sorry Amy Adams, I think your in the mix this year because you were unfairly snubbed last year for Enchanted, I still think your swell though.)

But then again, and this brings me back to The Dark Knight and WALL-E, two of the biggest and the best-- pushed to corner besides large Academy support from other categories-- why? They obviously both finished just out of the top five for what-- The Reader, Frost/Nixon-- movies I haven't seen yet (I promise I will), but doubtfully will resonant with me as passionately, or most audiences from what I've heard thus far. And that's the double edges sword-- balancing the big and small, which I think was done badly yet again. Yes The Curious Case of Benjamin Button made money, so did WALL-E, is it better? Did anyone think it was? I'm grateful for the support of Frozen River and The Visitor, but what about Rachel Getting Married, a marvelous film, that was super aside from Anne Hathaway's great leading role-- a writing nomination at least, Rosemarie DeWitt's great performance, Bill Irwin as her dad (AMAZING), Jonathon Demme's great return to form (no, I guess not, I mean c'mon Wanted officially has more Oscar nominations than this gem). Or The Wrestler-- a nod for Darren Aronofsky would have made my life, a least a writing nom, it's more worthy than In Bruges, an annoyingly precious hitman comedy, or something... Ewww!

Alright that's just my taste, I'll survive, but the worst tragedy of all is the omission of Bruce Springsteen's wonderful song in The Wrestler, entitled "The Wrestler"-- it's great, but not Academy approved like two songs from Slumdog Millionaire, which I didn't like-- they're fine I guess, not my taste-- The Boss' great movie theme perfectly suits the movie, while sounding kinda cool-- shame on you Academy!

And that's the thing-- I'm annoyed because I'm bound to be disappointed, yet I love the whole crazy shit anyway! I need to lay down now...

By the Numbers

Just found this interesting-- it's a graph of some of the top awards contenders on IMDB's top 250 chart from Christmas til now-- does it reflect any awards momentum, or just insanity of jazzed film goers.

Friday, January 16, 2009

The Wrestler

There's something about The Wrestler that's quietly revelatory, it's not just Mickey Rourke's comeback performance (although much more on that-- it's a singular beaut), nor Darren Aronofsky's naturalistic and possibly even hopeful (what a change from the crazed auteur of Requiem For a Dream) direction-- it's something deeper, something raw and personal that transforms an art house Rocky clone into something you might expect from a young Scorsese. It starts from the beginning-- a shot of Rourke's once big deal wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson hunched in a corner, back towards the camera-- right away there seems to be a fusion of character and actor-- he knows this character internally. Much has been said of the comparison of Randy and Mickey, but that almost belittles the accomplishment at work here. What we forgot (with the exception of brief gleeful moments in Sin City) is that Mickey Rourke, as 80s dreamboat or modern train wreck has always been a movie star-- his timing, his charisma is so riveting that even the most seemingly ordinary and mundane scenes in The Wrestler are multi-layered-- sadness and joy, entertaining and passionate-- beautiful really. It helps that the majesty of Rourke is shaped into a well-told tale of redemption by screenwriter Robert Siegel and Aronofsky at his most free flowing, on the wall, and insightful.

But back to that hunched over opening shot-- Randy back in the day was huge-- now his body (still big and imposing) is not as quick nor as strong, decayed from decades of torture. However this is all he knows, so he still does it. He wrestles small time fights on the weekends, while working at a grocery store. His outlet is playing Nintendo with local children in the trailer park, and going to the local strip club for flirty encounters with Cassidy (Marisa Tomei, the best actress for awards worthy stripping), who in a mirror image of Randy strips because that's all she knows, despite fears of a less desirable body. The third, and least successful part of The Wrestler is the reconciliation between Randy and his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood.) Despite one very lovely scene at the Jersey docks, it feels overly familiar whereas everything else tilts off formula.

But the utter "smallness" The Wrestler has filmically, it's over-sized emotionally. Every small sense of Randy's sad-ish life is emblazoned by the Rourke insistence of not creating a martyr. Whether sleeping in his truck, due to his inability to pay rent on his modest trailer, or scooping pasta salad at a grocery store deli, or flirting with a resistant Cassidy, or being tortured in a sadistic wrestling match with barb wire and staplers (in the films goriest, least watchable moment.) Rourke never demands that his Randy should be pitiable. It's tender, brutal and exhilarating! A

Thursday, January 15, 2009

BAFTA Nominations



The nominees for the British Academy of Film & Television Awards are:

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

BEST BRITISH PICTURE
Hunger
In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Man on Wire

Slumdog Millionaire


BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire
Tilda Swinton, Burn After Reading
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Burn After Reading- Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Changeling- J. Michael Straczynski
I've Loved You So Long- Phillippe Claudel
In Bruges- Martin McDonagh
Milk- Dustin Lance Black

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth
Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan
The Reader- David Hare
Revolutionary Road- Justin Haythe
Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy

BEST FOREIGN FILM
The Baader Meinof Complex
Gomorrah
I've Loved You So Long

Persepolis

Waltz With Bashir

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Persepolis
WALL-E

Waltz With Bashir


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling- Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight- Wally Pfister
The Reader- Chris Menges & Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire- Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Changeling- James J. Murakami & Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Donald Graham Burt & Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight- Nathan Crowley & Peter Lando
Revolutionary Road- Kristi Zea & Debra Schutt
Slumdog Millionaire- Mark Digby & Michelle Day

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Changeling- Deborah Hopper
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Jacqueline West
The Dark Knight- Lindy Hemming
The Duchess- Michael O'Connor
Revolutionary Road- Albert Wolsky

BEST FILM EDITING
Changeling- Joel Cox & Gary D. Roach
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall
The Dark Knight- Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon- Mike Hill & Dan Hanley
In Bruges- Jon Gregory
Slumdog Millionaire- Chris Dickens

BEST MUSIC
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight- Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
Mamma Mia!- Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus
Slumdog Millionaire- A.R. Rahman
WALL-E- Thomas Newman

BEST MAKEUP/HAIR
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight

The Duchess
Frost/Nixon
Milk

BEST SOUND
Changeling
The Dark Knight
Quantum of Solace
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight

Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Quantum of Solace


ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
Michael Cera
Noel Clarke
Michael Fassbender
Rebecca Hall
Toby Kebbell

Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lead the way with 11 nominations each, while Kate Winlset added further confusion by being nominated twice for leading actress...plus some really crazy acting nods (Dev Patel- lead actor?, Freida Pinto?, Tilda Swinton?) Hmmmm.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Costume Designer Guild Nominations



PERIOD FILM

Changeling- Deborah Hopper
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Jacqueline Durran
The Duchess- Michael O'Connor
Milk- Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road- Albert Wolsky

CONTEMPORARY FILM
Iron Man- Laura Jean Shannon & Rebecca Bentjen
Mamma Mia!- Ann Roth
Sex & the City- Patricia Field
Slumdog Millionaire- Suttirat Larlarb
The Wrestler- Amy Westcott

FANTASY FILM
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian- Isis Mussenden
The Dark Knight- Lindy Hemming
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor- Sanja Milkovic Hayes

Vancouver Film Critics


PICTURE: Milk
DIRECTOR: David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
ACTOR: Sean Penn, Milk
ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road & The Reader
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
FOREIGN FILM: The Edge of Heaven

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

American Cinema Editors Nominations



DRAMATIC FILM
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Angus Wall & Kirk Baxter
The Dark Knight- Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon- Mike Hill & Dan Hanley
Milk- Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire- Chris Dickens

MUSICAL OR COMEDY
In Bruges- Jon Gregory
Mamma Mia!- Lesley Walker
Tropic Thunder- Greg Hayden
Vicky Cristina Barcelona- Alisa Lepselter
WALL-E- Stephen Schaffer

And so the Editors Guild announced there nominations in what is always one of the most significant announcements, as the editing race is always linked to the big award. It's also one of the most confounding-- as what makes a well edited film? It's largely a unknown quality to judge-- how were these ten films in raw form versus there final outcome. Also confounding is the fact that the drama category is the same five films.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Golden Globe Winners


PICTURE (Drama): Slumdog Millionaire
PICTURE (Musical or Comedy): Vicky Cristina Barcelona
DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
ACTOR (Drama): Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
ACTRESS (Drama): Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
ACTOR (Musical or Comedy): Colin Farrell, In Bruges
ACTRESS (Musical or Comedy): Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader
SCREENPLAY: Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy
ANIMATED FEATURE: WALL-E
FOREIGN FILM: Waltz With Bashir
SCORE: Slumdog Millionaire- A.R. Rahman
SONG: "The Wrestler," The Wrestler- music & lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

Well, Slumdog Millionaire swept, but the real story was the wonderful Kate Winslet (notorious award show bridesmaid) won both lead and supporting trophies. The second speech was priceless-- it's always more fun when people look naturally surprised to be up there (her forgetting Angelina Jolie's name was priceless.)

Friday, January 9, 2009

Art Directors Guild Nominations



PERIOD FILM
Changeling- James J. Murakami
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Donald Graham Burt
Doubt- David Gropman
Frost/Nixon- Michael Corenblith
Milk- Bill Groom

FANTASY FILM
The Dark Knight- Nathan Crowley
Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull- Guy Hendrix Dyas
Iron Man- J. Michael Riva
The Spiderwick Chronicles- James Bissell
WALL-E- Ralph Eggleston

CONTEMPORARY FILM
Burn After Reading- Jess Gonchor
Gran Torino- James J. Murakami
Quantum of Solace- Dennis Gassner
Slumdog Millionaire- Mark Digby
The Wrestler- Timothy Grimes

Central Ohio Film Critics

PICTURE: WALL-E

Top Ten:
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Frozen River
4. The Dark Knight
5. Frost/Nixon
6. Milk
7. The Wrestler
8. Let the Right One In
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
10. In Bruges

DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
runner-up: Andrew Stanton, WALL-E

ACTOR: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
runner-up: Sean Penn, Milk

ACTRESS: Melissa Leo, Frozen River
runner-up: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
runners-up: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt; Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
runner-up: Misty Upham, Frozen River

ENSEMBLE: The Dark Knight
runner-up: Slumdog Millionaire

ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Robert Downey, Jr., Iron Man & Tropic Thunder
runner-up: James Franco, Pineapple Express & Milk

BREAKTHROUGH FILM ARTIST: Melissa Leo, Frozen River
runner-up: Courtney Hunt, Frozen River (writer/director)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: WALL-E- Andrew Stanton & James Reardon
runner-up: Frozen River- Courtney Hunt

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy
runner-up: Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan

ORIGINAL SCORE: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Alexandre Desplat
runner-up: Slumdog Millionaire- A.R. Rahman

DOCUMENTARY: Man on Wire
runner-up: American Teen

FOREIGN FILM: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
runner-up: Let the Right One In

ANIMATED FEATURE: WALL-E
runner-up: Kung Fu Panda

OVERLOOKED FILM: Ghost Town
runner-up: Rock N Rolla

Broadcast Film Critics Association


Yes, Slumdog Millionaire topped the Critics Choice Awards, but the real interesting development was the tie between The Devil Wears Prada co-horts in the best actress race-- the battle begins. Since the Critics Choice Awards like to be Oscar prognosticators more so than a divisive critical organization, I'm curious not about how this benefits Streep, but Hathaway-- could she be a stronger threat for the win than expected?

BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTOR: Sean Penn, Milk
BEST ACTRESS (tie!)
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Meryl Streep, Doubt
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST ENSEMBLE: Milk
BEST WRITER: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: WALL-E
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Man on Wire
BEST FOREIGN FILM: Waltz With Bashir
BEST COMPOSER: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire BEST SONG: "The Wrestler," The Wrestler- written by Bruce Springsteen
BEST YOUNG ACTOR: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTION FILM: The Dark Knight
BEST COMEDY FILM:Tropic Thunder

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Directors Guild of America Nominations



Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant, Milk

All the usual suspects rounded up again... gee guilds, more than five movies opened last year.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Writers Guild of American Nominations

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Burn After Reading- Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Milk- Dustin Lance Black
Vicky Cristina Barcelona- Woody Allen
The Visitor- Thomas McCarthy
The Wrestler- Robert Siegel

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
The Dark Knight- Christopher Nolan & Jonathon Nolan
Doubt- John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy

Mostly solid mix, however the jarring omission of Rachel Getting Married doesn't settle well-- especially for Burn After Reading? Nice work, The Dark Knight-- I believe you've found Oscar credibility.

American Society of Cinematographers Nominations

The best filmed pictures of the year are:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Claudia Miranda
The Dark Knight- Wally Pfister
The Reader- Chris Menges & Roger Deakins
Revolutionary Road- Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire- Anthony Dod Mantle

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Awards Bait Glut



It's easy to get behind when every major awards packaged film opens in the last couple of weeks of the year. Here are write-ups of three of them. One of which is already the a best picture frontrunner and critical salivation toy. The other two a mixed assortment of pleasures and limitations.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
I've always been a fan of Danny Boyle, from his mid-90s heyday of Trainspotting and Shallow Grave, thru his shape-shifting, genre-bending trifecta of 28 Days Later, Millions and Sunshine. So naturally I went into Slumdog Millionaire with high expectations. Ever since it's debut at the Toronto Film Festival, it has been so heavily drooled over, and that coupled with it's insane strangle hold over mostly every critics organization, I'm officially going to the that lone man in the corner with the confused look on his face. It's not that the film is a disaster-- not at all, like all of Boyle's previous films, there's an energy and kinetic feel, a movement that is enthralling. It's not that the story is bad-- it's not, it's different and for the most part compelling. (A boy raised in the slums of Dubai goes on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and is accused of cheating-- he tells his sad childhood tale to prove his innocence.) So what's my beef with Slumdog Millionaire? Well, it's not that what's on screen is bad, it's the overwhelming, nauseating hype attached to it. It's a simple, plainly acted, somewhat shallow Dickensian tale of poor boy making good. It's not the feel good movie of the year, of many have proclaimed-- 75% of it is actually quite depressing. It's not some globally enhancing tale-- it's just a decent film, not revelatory in the vital early films of Danny Boyle. I apologize to the masses of followers I've just offended. B

DOUBT
Based on the Pulitzer Prize (and just about everything else the theater world could bestow) winning play, Doubt is set in a 1960s Catholic School revolving around what may or may not have happened between a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a young alter boy, who just happens to the first black child enrolled in school. The suspicion is strong enough for Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep,) and the acting fireworks begin. Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley (who wrote the original play), in the first film since the disastrous Joe Versus the Volcano. The other main characters are Sister James (Amy Adams), a nice girl nun, played in typical sunny Amy Adams fashion, and Mrs. Miller (Viola Davis), the mother of the boy in question, who in one scene shifts the story in ways I can't reveal. Doubt the movie is probably suffers from similar problems that most play to screen transfers probably do-- it's very talky and stagey, of which Shanley doesn't really help matters by liberalizing everything visually way too much-- it's doesn't rain outside, it pours. It's distracting, no matter how prettily photographed by master of the art Roger Deakins. I just felt like telling Mr. Shanley that this isn't necessary when you have an arsenal of major acting. Meryl Streep gives a fierce, surprising and monumental performance here-- her line readings are all perfectly timed and appropriately movie star, and yet she totally essays a time between old school piousness and new age political correctness. B+

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Based on the acclaimed novel by Richard Yates of hopeless in the suburban America, Sam Mendes returns to the world of his first feature American Beauty, reuniting the stars of one of the most classic love stories ever, and plopping them in the middle of 1950s gloom. I'm speaking of Titanic, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, here playing married couple Frank and April Wheeler, fighting there way through ennui and depression while trying desperately to run away from the American Dream. It's a heavy movie-- literally the first five minutes features dramatic war of words. It's at once more mature and more distancing than American Beauty, where dark comedy eased what could have a complete downer. As in Doubt, Roger Deakins photographs pretty images of pristine suburban decay, but it's the majestic power of Kate Winslet that salvages Revolutionary Road-- not only elevating the film from its unease, but also elevating the performance of DiCaprio. B

Producers Guild of America Nominees



  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  • Frost/Nixon
  • Milk
  • Slumdog Millionaire
  • The Dark Knight

USC Scripter Award Nominees

They honor both adapted screenplay and the original source.




The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
written by Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Iron Man
written by Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby
based on the Marvel comic

The Reader
written by David Hare
based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink

Revolutionary Road
written by Justin Haythe
based on the novel by Richard Yates

Slumdog Millionaire
written by Simon Beaufoy
based on the novel "Q & A" by Vikas Swarup

Kansas City Film Critics

PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire
DIRECTOR: Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler
ACTOR: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
ACTRESS: Meryl Streep, Doubt
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Wrestler- Robert Siegel
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy
FOREIGN FILM: Let the Right One In
DOCUMENTARY: Man on Wire
ANIMATED FEATURE: WALL-E
VINCE KOEHLER AWARD: The Dark Knight

Sunday, January 4, 2009

National Society of Film Critics


BEST PICTURE
Waltz With Bashir
runners-up: Happy-Go-Lucky; WALL-E

BEST DIRECTOR
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
runners-up: Gus Van Sant, Milk & Paranoid Park; Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn, Milk
runners-up: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler; Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino

BEST ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
runners-up: Melissa Leo, Frozen River; Michelle Williams, Wendy & Lucy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky
runners-up: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight; Josh Brolin, Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Hanna Schygulla, The Edge of Heaven
runners-up: Viola Davis, Doubt; Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST SCREENPLAY
Happy-Go-Lucky- Mike Leigh
runners-up: A Christmas Tale- Arnaud Desplechin; Synecdoche New York- Charlie Kaufman

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire
runners-up: Trouble the Water; Encounters at the End of the World

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Slumdog Millionaire- Anthony Dod Mantle
runners-up: The Flight of the Red Balloon; The Dark Knight; Still Life
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