Last Picks of the Year

BEST MOTION PICTURE
Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)
Milk (Focus Features)
The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.)
The Curious Case of … (Paramount Pics)
Frost/Nixon (Universal Pictures)
Doubt (Miramax Films)
Gran Torino (Warner Bros.)
The Wrestler (Fox Searchlight)
Rachel Getting Married

BEST DIRECTING
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher – The Curious Case of …
Gus Van Sant – Milk
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan – The Dark Knight
Jonathan Demme – Rachel Getting Married
John Patrick Shanley – Doubt

BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Sean Penn – Milk
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Clint Eastwood – Gran Torino
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Richard Jenkins – The Visitor
Josh Brolin – W.
Leonardo DiCaprio – Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Kristen Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Michelle Williams – Wendy and Lucy

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Phillip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Josh Brolin – Milk
Michael Sheen – Frost/Nixon
Robert Downey, Jr – Tropic Thunder
Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionarie
Eddie Marsan – Happy-Go-Lucky
James Franco – Milk
Bill Irwin – Rachel Getting Married
Ralph Fiennes – The Reader

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Rosemary DeWitt – Rachel Getting Married
Vera Farmiga – Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett – The Curious Case of …
Debra Winger – Rachel Getting Married
Elsa Zylberstein – I’ve Loved You So Long

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of … - Eric Roth
Doubt – John Patrick Stanley
Frost/Nixon – Peter Morgan
Revolutionary Road – Justin Haythe
The Reader – David Hare
The Dark Knight

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Milk
The Wrestler
Wall*E
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Visitor
Changeling
Happy-Go-Lucky
Frozen River
Nothing But the Truth
Che
I’ve Loved You So Long
Synecdoche, New York
Burn After Reading
Waltz with Bashir

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Wall*E
Waltz with Bashir
Kung Fu Panda

Bolt
Horton Hears a Who
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Revolutionary Road
Defiance
Australia
Changeling
The Happening
Blindness
The Fall

ART DIRECTION
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Hellboy II
Revolutionary Road
The Dark Knight
Australia
The Reader
Changeling
Indiana Jones 4
The Fall
Synecdoche, New York
Milk

FILM EDITING
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Quantum of Solace
Milk
Indiana Jones 4
The Fall

COSTUME
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Duchess
Australia
The Reader
Changeling
Milk
The Fall

MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Hellboy II
The Chronicles of Narnia
Synecdoche, New York
Frost/Nixon
The Dark Knight
Milk

ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Wall*E
Slumdog Millionaire
Revolutionary Road
The Happening
The Reader
Changeling
Blindness
Milk

ORIGINAL SONG
The Wrestler - The Wrestler
Wall*E – Down to Earth
Bolt - I Thought I Lost You
Cadillac Records - Once in a Lifetime
Slumdog Millionaire - Jai Ho
High School Musical 3: Senior Year - A Night to Remember
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Dracula’s Lament
Gran Torino - Gran Torino
Hamlet 2 - Rock Me Sexy Jesus
Madagascar 2 - The Traveling Song
Quantum of Solace - Another Way to Die
Rachel Getting Married - Up to Our Nex
High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Can I Have This Dance
High School Musical 3: Senior Year - High School Musical

SOUND MIXING
Wall*E
Iron Man
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II
Indiana Jones 4
Defiance
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Cloverfield

SOUND EDITING
Wall*E
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Hancock
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Indiana Jones 4
Quantum of Solace
Defiance
The Fall

VISUAL EFFECTS
The Chronicles of Narnia
Cloverfield
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II
Indiana Jones 4
Iron Man
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Spiderwick Chronicles

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
Encounters at the End of the World
Pray the Devil Back to Hell
I.O.U.S.A
At the Death House Door
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh
Fuel
The Garden
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
In a Dream
Made in America
Standard Operating Procedure
They Killed Sister Dorothy

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE
The Class
Gomorrah
Waltz with Bashir
Everlasting Moments
Captain Abu Raed
Mermaid
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Tony Manero
Last Stop 174
Three Monkeys
O’Horten
The Blind Sunflowers
Jerusalema
Revanche
Lion’s Den

The Oscar short list for Doc Feature

“At the Death House Door”
“The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)”
“Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh”
“Encounters at the End of the World”
“Fuel”
“The Garden”
“Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts”
“I.O.U.S.A.”
“In a Dream”
“Made in America”
“Man on Wire”
“Pray the Devil Back to Hell”
“Standard Operating Procedure”
“They Killed Sister Dorothy”
“Trouble the Water”

I do like the list even though there are a few here that I didn't know anything about. I thought it was a weak year, but there are still a few of my favorites that are not here, like:
"Surfwise"
"Youny@Heart"
"Bigger, Stronger, Faster"
"Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired"
"Chicago 10"

I do think that nothing can touch "Man on Wire" that's a lock.

Updates

1. Still no Alamo Draft House in Edinburg but the land did go up for auction the other day. The ADH still plans to open there but I wouldn't hold your breath waiting.

2. I hate this time of year. No great movies open as everyone is waiting for next month. I can't seem to get all excited for anything playing. Glad I am not a critic. I was surprised by the lack of decent horror movies for Halloween. Are the studios just stupid. Luckily you can always catch up on your horror movie fill with AMC and TCM going all out for Halloween.

3. I reserve the right to punch you in the face if you answer you stupid cell phone during the movie. SHUT UP. Don't care about your life or troubles I am here to see the movie. Ditto for texting. I hate people that can not and will not shut up during a movie. Don't have a conversation during a movie with the guy next to you. Don't text. Don't answer your cell phone during a movie. Don't even check your cell phone during the movie. The light bothers everyone. Learn to shut the FRAK UP. Quiet. Did all you morons fail the silent game in gradeschool? Or all of you just emotionally and intellectually stunted? If this is the case then please wear your protective headgear so you will be protected when I punch you in the face. SHUT UP.

4. I am clearly beginning to think that the new Che bio pic is going to suck.

Movie Marque Mashups

Here's a Flash of Genius for How to Loose Friends and Alienate People, it's Blindness, which is needed to for Beverly Hills Chihuahua. What's on Nick & Nors's Infinite Playlist, An American Carol; but Appaloosa is Forever Stong.

I can't remember the last time, if ever that eight movies opened around here on the same day. Mind bottling.

It's about Oscar Time

This site is called Oscar in the Valley, and you know it should probably be called something else now but, I can't think of what right now.
Anyway, I have been keeping track of what films are in play or could be in contention for Oscar this year, in fact I actually have quite a list going back to late June. But now that fall has begun it's the season for award watching to offically begin, for those of us who may not have anything better to do.
So, here are my predictions for October where the best picture is concerned.
BEST MOTION PICTURE
Most Likely
The Curious Case of … (Paramount Pictures) - my personal fav
Frost/Nixon (Universal Pictures) - looks good, but I don't like R.Howard
Milk (Focus Features) - looks very good, looking forward to it.
Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) - very, very interested
Revolutionary Road (Paramount Pictures) - I've come around a little, still sounds boring
Runners Up
Changeling (Universal Pictures) - looking forward to seeing this
Australia (20th Century Fox) - I don't know, I love Baz, but hate Kidman
Doubt (Miramax Films) - Anyone need acting lessons, watch this! Fantastic Streep!
The Soloist (Dreamworks) - looks interesting, I don't like Foxx
The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.)- yeah, like this has chance, I don't think so.
Dark Horses
The Road (MGM) - I love Viggo!
The Reader (The Weinstein Co)- I like WWII pics, and I love Kate.
Che (Focus Features) - I don't know ...
Happy-Go-Lucky (Miramax)- I love the trailer, and Mike Leigh
The Wrestler (Fox Searchlight)- Yeah! A comeback.
Longshots
Wall*E (Disney)- I really loved this.
Body of Lies (Warner Bros.)- I don't know, looks more like a Tony Scott film.
Defiance (Paramount Vantage)- I like WWII films, but Zwick messes up the ending of his films
Gran Torino (Warner Bros.)- don't much about this, other than its Clint and that's good
Valkyrie (MGM)- I like WWII films, but I hate Tom!

Vicki Christina Barcelona

My advice...my most humble advice. You should wait for the DVD release and then only watch the scenes with Penelope Cruz. Woody writing about love is similar to me writing about ballet, we each have a passing interest but completely without any understanding. Love to him is beautiful to look at but he understands it as well as he understands .... . Cruz steals the movie and her scenes show just how pedestrian the rest of the movie is. Love is both the punch in the nose and the kiss on the cheek.

Stupid.....stupid...stupid...

Hollywood is stupid. No good films come from the inbred plagaristic parasites without imagination. Do we need a 20 years in the making sequel to Lost Boys? Do we need a remake of Sisters? Do we need them to mess up the lovely reading experience of Watchmen? I say NO! What we need is some art in Hollywood or at least some passion. What about integrity? I ask for too much. Frak. Does anyone remember when Hollywood was where art and commerce met? Me neither. I am not sure that art is ever let out of the closet. Art is locked away like the secret inbred child that can never show it's face. LONG LIVE ART... may we see it one day.

Act III of Dr. Horrible - Tomorrow

Have you checked out Joss Wheldon's new thing? "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog" at www.drhorrible.com
It is harlious and the songs are quite catchy.
I can't wait to see if he makes it into the Evil League of Evil.
If you haven't seen it, you've got to check it out.

Protect your material or abandon it

Alan Moore is correct. Hollywood destroys all source material that it touches. We love your book. We would like to make a movie of it. Can we have the rights? Great. Now we are going to change the plot, the names, and the ending but keep the title. Hope you don't mind although we do own the rights. How often have you read a book and fell in love with it. The kind of book you return to every couple of years. The kind of book that you give to friends (or loan to friends...knowing full well that they won't return it). You hear that it is going to be a movie directed by X (any big name director of famous director) . You sigh with relief as there is no way that you beloved book will be frakked up for the big screen. You buy tickets opening day. You get there early and actually buy the over priced crud because your favorite book is going to become your favorite movie. The movie opens and immediately you sense something is wrong. Wait. No. No. All wrong. How can they change the sex of a character. Wait...... No...Stop it. The central theme is not about X but rather about Y. There are no guns in the book. Why is Sean Connery killing a vampire? Oh. You can hear all the love for your book is slowly leaking out your ears... No one will ever believe you that it was truly a great book... I mean what a frakking bad movie. How could that ever have been a great book? You leave the movie with hatred in your heart. How could the author allow this to happen? Okay he had no control over the movie...but he has a producer credit. He has been out there promoting the movie.....STUPID WHORE. What is next? "Catcher in the Rye" as a musical scored by Britney Spears? I can count on one hand the good adaptations and I refuse to count the bad ones... as I long gave up trying to count to infinity.

Authors! Once you sell you soul to the big screen then you should take your name off. The title should stand on it's own. This way if it sucks then you aren't to blame. Don't get caught in the greedy little Hollywood game. Better yet....don't sell your soul to the devil. Protect your work. Make them come up with their own stories..

...no offense offered to Sean Connery. WE LOVE CONNERY.

Sad news today - RIP Geogre Carlin

The first thing to pop up on my screen this morning was the news that George Carlin had passed away last night. My first reaction was disbelief and great sadness. I was furthered saddened that I could only relay this news to my husband, who also holds George Carlin is high esteem, everyone else only remembers him for the last few film appearances he made and that Bill & Ted movie. Now that is truly sad. Lucky for us Will and I got a chance to see him in concert about five or six years ago, and we actually didn't have to far. I have great pictures from about the sixth row center. I will miss him dearly. And I will look forward to hearing him honored with the Mark Twain award and the Kennedy Center honors later this year. Cheers!

New Movie/DVD Warning

I recently bought the dvd of Toyoda Shiro's Portrait of Hell. I have read about this film for years and came across a copy at Half Price Books. I was fairly excited to find it and quickly read the back of the box. The film was written by Akutagawa Ryunoskuke. Please excuse my ignorance but I am not quite sure the correct way to present Japanese names in English. There is the warning at the bottom of the box.

"Warning: Contains Violence, Philosophy"

I am unsure of how to continue after this warning. Skip the violence part but, Warning:Philosophy!

Okay I recognize that philosophy may not be for everyone and many people try to ignore the subject/genre/art completely but a warning about philosophy on a dvd box. This leaves me dumbfounded. Since I do not have anything to say....then perhaps it is time for me to say no more.

MIIKE

Long Live MIIKE. Hollywood stay away!
Miike

For Will - Sukiyaki Western Django

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

This is soooooo coool!

Oscars '08 Summary Song

From Crackle: Oscars '08 Summary Song

Oscar Nominated films that I have not seen are:

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – this film never opened around here
Enchanted
American Gangster
Away from Her – this film never opened around here
Gone Baby Gone
Into the Wild – this film never opened around here
Lars and the Real Girl – this film never opened around here
The Savages – this film never opened around here
The Kite Runner
Persepolis – this film never opened around here
Surf's Up
Norbit
August Rush
Beaufort – this film never opened around here
The Counterfeiters – this film never opened around here
Katyn – this film never opened around here
Mongol – this film never opened around here
12 – this film never opened around here
Operation Homecoming – this film never opened around here
Taxi to the Dark Side – this film never opened around here
War/Dance – this film never opened around here
Freeheld – this film never opened around here
La Corona – this film never opened around here
Salim Baba – this film never opened around here
Sari's Mother – this film never opened around here
At Night – this film never opened around here
Il Supplente – this film never opened around here
Le Mozart des Pickpockets – this film never opened around here
Tanghi Argentini – this film never opened around here
The Tonto Woman – this film never opened around here
I Met the Walrus – this film never opened around here
My Love – this film never opened around here

My Final Predictions

Best Picture
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: Juno

Director
My Predicted Winner: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
My Alternate: Julian Schnabel

Best Actor
My Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis
My Alternate: George Clooney

Actress
My Predicted Winner: Julie Christie
My Alternate: Marion Cotillard

Supporting Actor
My Predicted Winner: Javier Bardem
My Alternate: Hal Holbrook

Supporting Actress
My Predicted Winner: Ruby Dee
My Alternate: Cate Blanchett

Adapted Screenplay
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: Atonement

Original Screenplay
My Predicted Winner: Juno
My Alternate: Michael Clayton

Animated Feature Film
My Predicted Winner: Ratatouille
My Alternate: Persepolis

Cinematography
My Predicted Winner: There Will Be Blood
My Alternate: The Assassination of Jesse …

Art Direction
My Predicted Winner: Sweeney Todd the Demon …
My Alternate: There Will Be Blood

Film Editing
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: The Bourne Ultimatum

Costume
My Predicted Winner: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber …
My Alternate: Atonement

Makeup
My Predicted Winner: La Vie en Rose
My Alternate: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Original Score
My Predicted Winner: Atonement
My Alternate: Ratatouille

Original Song
My Predicted Winner: "Falling Slowly," Once
My Alternate: “Raise it Up,” August Rush

Sound Mixing
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: No Country for Old Men

Sound Editing
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: Ratatouille

Visual Effects
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Foreign Film
My Predicted Winner: The Counterfeiters, Austria
My Alternate: 12, Russia

Documentary Feature
My Predicted Winner: No End in Sight
My Alternate: Sicko

Documentary (short subject)
My Predicted Winner: Freeheld
My Alternate: Sari's Mother

Live Action Short Film
My Predicted Winner:
Le Mozart des Pickpockets
My Alternate: The Tonto Woman

Animated Short Film
My Predicted Winner: Peter & the Wolf
My Alternate: My Love (Moya Lyubov)

Oscar Widget Trivia

Michael Clayton- Good Movie but NOT Great

The lovely wife and I finally saw Michael Clayton at the second run dollar theatre. We had missed the first run and boycotted the re-release to first run because it played at the local Carmike. We try to skip anything at Carmike because of it's ever increasing prices and ever decreasing service. I refuse to pay their ticket prices to sit in an underlit screen where the noise feedback from the next screen is seeping in. Their sound is the worse. Do yourself a favor and skip anything musical from a Carmike. Michael Clayton is dark but in a provincial sort of way. One will not be having any existential angst because of the film. It is a turn on good lawyer doing the questionable but somehow getting to the right conclusion. It is nothing that you have not seen before although the acting is fantastic. Everyone is going on and on about George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson so I won't. I will say that Tilda Swinton is perhaps the greatest actress working today (...and I will stand on Dame Judi Dench's table in cowboy boots and spurs and say so). The dialog is rich and full and completely believable so I will give it best screen play but best picture and best director? I think not. The film ultimately is nothing more than a good thriller, which I am not knocking, but it has very little mental impact after it's over. The direction was good but best direction should be great. Go see the film (come on you cheapskate as it's only a buck). I liked it very much but perhaps not enough to see again (this is where Jesse James is such a better film). Sorry. Thumbs up as to whether one should see it. No thumbs at all as to whether it is best film of the year.

Juno Jargon Jenerator Widget

Oscar Pretiction Update

Here are my latest updates. There may not be any changes before the big night, except for maybe Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Art Direction, Documentary Short and Live Action Short Film. I might change my mind on those before the 24th.
so here they are:
Best Picture
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: Juno
Dark Horse: There Will Be Blood

Director
My Predicted Winner: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
My Alternate: Julian Schnabel
The Dark Horse: Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Actor
My Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis
My Alternate: George Clooney

Actress
My Predicted Winner: Julie Christie
My Alternate: Ellen Page
The Dark Horse: Marion Cotillard

Supporting Actor
My Predicted Winner: Javier Bardem
My Alternate: Hal Holbrook
The Dark Horse: Casey Affleck

Supporting Actress
My Predicted Winner: Cate Blanchett
My Alternate: Ruby Dee
The Dark Horse: Tilda Swinton

Adapted Screenplay
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: There Will Be Blood
The Dark Horse: Away from Her

Original Screenplay
My Predicted Winner: Juno
My Alternate: Ratatouille
The Dark Horse: Michael Clayton

Animated Feature Film
My Predicted Winner: Ratatouille
My Alternate: Persepolis
The Dark Horse: Surf's Up

Cinematography
My Predicted Winner: The Assassination of Jesse …
My Alternate: There Will Be Blood
The Dark Horse: No Country for Old Men

Art Direction
My Predicted Winner: Sweeney Todd the Demon …
My Alternate: There Will Be Blood
The Dark Horse: The Golden Compass

Film Editing
My Predicted Winner: No Country for Old Men
My Alternate: There Will Be Blood
The Dark Horse: The Bourne Ultimatum

Costume
My Predicted Winner: Atonement
My Alternate: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber …
The Dark Horse: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Makeup
My Predicted Winner: La Vie en Rose
My Alternate: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
The Dark Horse: Norbit

Original Score
My Predicted Winner: Atonement
My Alternate: Ratatouille
The Dark Horse: The Kite Runner

Original Song
My Predicted Winner: "Falling Slowly," Once
My Alternate: “Raise it Up,” August Rush
The Dark Horse: "That's How You Know," Enchanted

Sound Mixing
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: No Country for Old Men
The Dark Horse: The Bourne Ultimatum

Sound Editing
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: Ratatouille
The Dark Horse: The Bourne Ultimatum

Visual Effects
My Predicted Winner: Transformers
My Alternate: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
The Dark Horse: The Golden Compass

Foreign Film
My Predicted Winner: The Counterfeiters, Austria
My Alternate: 12, Russia
The Dark Horse: Beaufort, Israel

Documentary Feature
My Predicted Winner: No End in Sight
My Alternate: Sicko
The Dark Horse: Taxi to the Dark Side

Documentary (short subject)
My Predicted Winner: Freeheld
My Alternate: Sari's Mother
The Dark Horse: Salim Baba

Live Action Short Film
My Predicted Winner: Le Mozart des Pickpockets
My Alternate: The Tonto Woman
The Dark Horse:Tanghi Argentini

Animated Short Film
My Predicted Winner: Peter & the Wolf
My Alternate: My Love (Moya Lyubov)
The Dark Horse: Madame Tutli-Putli

What has John Woo Be Up to?

My Husband and I were just wondering that ourselves yesterday. And discussing his best "American" films, like Face Off and Windtalkers.
We came to the conclusion that foreign directors whose films have made them the talk of Hollywood should stay in their own country and make films there, and no suffer the 'Hollywood' "treatment."

Well here is the trailer for his next film "Red Cliff." For more on this film check out this link http://www.monkeypeaches.com/battleofredcliff.html
there are some great stills.

TCM Day O Ram

I love TCM. And this is my favoirte time of the year, besides "Summer Under the Stars." I will stay up late just to see a movie even if I have to go to work the next day, and usually nothing keeps from getting to sleep, just ask my better half.

... and yet another Pet Peeve: Remakes.

FRAKKING HELL. Those pinheads in Hollystupid are up to it yet again. They are forcing another pointless and needless remake upon the stupid and moronic masses: Near Dark. Now for all of you that have yet to see this film... well why haven't you. One of the few classic vampire films to come out of Hollywood. Most great vampire films are either indy films or European (Jean Rollin and that ilk... okay only some of them are good but they are cool at least). The film that had a little feud with Rice since she said it stole from "Interview...", but she was mistaken and look what a dud the film version of Interview was. A hip vampire road movie. Is there a down side to that? Those of you of a certain age that missed it, well I forgive you, that tripe of "Lost Boys" stole it's glory and audience. Two vampire movies over a single summer just didn't fly. I am not saying any thing here that has not been said before but what teen boy had a poster of Rob Lowe on their wall? Was lost boys actually closeted boys? "not that there is any thing wrong with that".... oh yea, back to "Near Dark". Lance Henrikson when he was actually scary (his other great film is Dead Man). Bill Paxton rules in this film. He is horrifying and his bad boy's evil is seductive and repulsive at the same time. Creepy kid (the least said about that the better for Near Dark virgins). Sexy female vampires (gotta have sexy female vampires). There is not a mis-step in this film. One of those films that just got overlooked. The studio should re-release instead of remaking. That has not been one remake that was either "great" or needed of a classic horror film. They have mostly sucked. We all suck for going to them and supporting this stupidity. Quit supporting this crap and maybe we get some new horror films. Gotta stop Michael Bay from doing this frakking crap. Go see Near Dark. The dvd is easy to come by. Bill Paxton needs to make another horror film (on either side of the lense ...see his great "Fraility").

Note to aspiring directors that might be doing a remake. If you are going to do it. Don't. But if you have to then completely re-imagine it. Change almost everything. Make it your film. If you need an example then watch the two versions of "The Thing". The first was creepy but after Carpenter remade it then "yikes" super frakking creepy. Do this.

Oh! I like the Rob Zombie remake of Halloween. I guess it is an exception to my rule and I guess I am supporting that/this crap. What happens in the directors cut of Zombie's Halloween? Should I buy it?

The Acting Categories

ACTOR
I have not seen George Clooney in Michael Clayton, nor Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah.

Who Could Be Here?
Emile Hirsh
Ryan Gosling
James McAvoy
Frank Langella

Who Will Win?
Daniel Day-Lewis

Who Should Win?
Daniel Day-Lewis

Who Could Upset?
George Clooney

The Dark Horse
Viggo Mortenson

My Favorite
I am very partial to Johnny Depp, but Daniel Day-Lewis was the best performance this year.

BEST ACTRESS
I have not seen “Away from Her” nor “The Savages”. Those films didn’t play here. “Away from Her” is on my Netflix queue though.

Who Should Not Be Here?
I don’t have a problem with this list.

Who Could Be Here?
Angelina Jolie
Amy Adams
Jodie Foster

Who Will Win?
Julie Christie

Who Should Win?
Cate Blanchett

Who Could Upset?
Ellen Page

The Dark Horse
Laura Linney

My Favorite
The Great Cate Blanchett

SUPPORTING ACTOR
I have not seen “Michael Clayton,” nor “Into the Wild,” which has not been shown here at all.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Again, I don’t have a problem with this list either. My list of nominees has not changed since mid-December.

Who Could Be Here?
Paul Dano
John Travolta
Philip Bosco
Max von Sydow
Steve Zahn

Who Will Win?
Javier Bardem

Who Should Win?
Javier Bardem

Who Could Upset?
Hal Holbrook

The Dark Horse
Casey Affleck

My Favorite
Javier Bardem, there is no other.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
I’ve only one of these films; Atonement.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Ruby Dee
Saoirse Ronan

Who Should Be Here?
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Samantha Morton
Marisa Tomei
Catherine Keener
Kelly MacDonald

Who Will Win?
Cate Blanchett

Who Should Win?
Amy Ryan

Who Could Upset?
Ruby Dee
Winning the SAG award does raise her chances to steal the Oscar away.

The Dark Horse
Ruby Dee

My Favorite
The Great Cate Blanchett

Another Pet Peeve

This has begun to bother me and it shouldn't, but it does. The contemporary actor playing some part from antiquity or some other period piece and one notices that he has the tell tale scar of a pierced ear. It does not take much to realize that he has this contemporary scar and that it is entirely out of place. It does not much to cover it up. They covered it for Daniel Day Lewis in both Gangs of New York and for There Will Be Blood. Minor make up would take care of it. ...and as long as I am on this soap box-the same thing goes for tattoos. Was anyone else freaked out by Colin Farrell's tattoos in "The New World". It takes strong acting for me to ignore this contemporary "tribal" marks in an actor playing a period part. Mikey Roarke fails to pull it off in his portrayal of ST. Francis, so there is not much chance for anyone else.

....don't even get me started on the idiocracy of scarring your body so that you fit in with your "new" clan by trying to look cool just like them (notice the scar on my ear). This is for the record: tattoos and piercing are not transgressive nor or they proletariat at this point. The bourgeois trying to be something other. I am pretty sure that this is a symptom to dysgenics. Okay, perhaps that is a bit harsh but you get my point.

Actors that say they are artists should strive to protect their art. Body modifications is not striving to protect their artistic instrument.

As for my friends that I just insulted, well you are all excepted from my rant (as if I would do that )

Small minded theatre blues...yet again.

What do I want to see? Well lets see. I tend to like dark films. I tend to like off beat films. I tend to like horror films. What fits that criteria? TEETH. Will I get to see it? Not likely or at least not likely at a regular theatre. When will the Edinburg Alamo Draft House open? Not that it would be any help because most of the Alamo Draft Houses get stuck showing the same commercial theatrical dreck as any other theatre, but (and this is a big but) at least there might be a chance of something cool opening. How I despise the death of our local indy movie house.

The Best DIRECTOR race, as I see it now...

I’ve only seen two of these films so far.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Jason Reitman
I’m not saying that directing a comedy isn’t hard, it’s just that this film couldn’t have been hard at all.
And maybe;
Tony Gilroy. I haven’t seen his film so I can’t judge, but I could replace him easily.

Who Should Be Here?
Tim Burton, of course in place of Mr. Reitman, or…
Sean Penn
Sidney Lumet
David Cronenberg
Ang Lee
In that order, again it was a good year, a very good year.

Who Will Win?
The Coen Brothers

Who Should Win?
Paul Thomas Anderson
Because this could well be the greatest film he will ever direct and it will be a shame if he is not rewarded.

Who Could Upset?
Julian Schnabel, but he will get no love from the Academy.

The Dark Horse
Paul Thomas Anderson

My Favorite
The Coen brothers. I’m a huge fan.

Atonement?...I think not.

Atonement. I was guessing that this was going to be a "high brow" chick film and I was not disappointed. I am not saying this is a bad thing but rather one knows a chick film when one sees a chick film. I want to state for the record that chick films are in and of themselves a film genre. Chick films as genre films should be as routinely shunned by the academy as any other genre of film. If that was only so.. but no! It seems that we are routinely told that this year's model is a genre crossing "great" film and deserves to be considered the best film of the years. Critics start to drool in their slavish (not a mis-spelling and not a reference to Slavic culture) praise. There is so little original thought amongst critics that I wonder why I bother paying attention...oh, I don't. This does not just apply to this year's chick flick but rather all the entertaining but unworthy films that have graced the best picture category of both the academy and the drollness of critics best of the year lists (should be less..okay I thought it was funny). Do I need to give you an example ? Okay then: Titanic (chick flick of the year and not even a good chick flick) ;Forrest Gump (entertaining sure but best film, no, I think not)....; etc, etc,.... . I could go on but I suspect I am beginning to insult your favorite films and by extension you. I do not mean to say that I am opposed to insulting you but rather do it face to face rather then the new "online" way (which takes me on a different rant outside the parameters of this blog). How often have you been disappointed because critical reviews steered you towards some supposed "great" film , only to have it turn out to be just an entertaining film. There is no original thought amongst us movie goers as well though I am trying hard to joust all the windmills.

Where was I? Atonement. The look of the film was great and I truly appreciated both the cinematography and art direction. The acting was superb. The story was fine but nothing greater. One leaves the film and it is simply over. There is no lingering mental residue. There is nothing to discuss amongst ourselves. We leave and wonder what we are going to see next. This brings up an interesting question: Do chick flicks ever leave any kind of lingering thought or are they always over when the film is over simply by definition? Okay. I saw Atonement. I like it. Now what. I have to note that the supposed erotic moment was far from it. A side here: The theatre was freezing cold and I ate all the drink's ice before the movie was a third over. I am telling you not to do this. Stay away from ice in a cold theatre.

You want movies that engage conversation? Well the two movies that we saw prior to Atonement did just that. Spend your money and see both The Orphanage and Cloverfield (perhaps I will quit calling it Cloverdale). There was at least things to think about and discuss after both films. I was thinking stuff over as we drank our slushos.

Simply: Any film that is best picture material should leave a lasting mental picture. There should be things that you want to discuss and ponder. The academy should not be such frakking snobs and consider more genre films for best film (genre directors need to quit slumming and produce great work for this to happen). I know that I wish for the impossible but then again I think I am slaying dragons.

The Best Picture Race, as I see it now

I have yet to see Michael Clayton and There Will Be Blood, but the later is next on my list this weekend. As for Michael Clayton, I missed it the first time around and it only played for about a week or two, I know it was gone quickly.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Atonement, it’s just not Oscar material, the Academy was blinded by the acting and it’s supposed sweeping epic style, but the fact is the story is told in a rather half assed and convoluted way which only makes this a so, so picture that’s beautiful to look at.

Who Should Be Here?
I believe that everyone was right, 2007 was a good year for movies.
So, who should be here instead of “Atonement,” my favorite, Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street or..
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Zodiac
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Gone Baby Gone
American Gangster.

Who Will Win?
No Country for Old Men

Who Should Win?
No Country for Old Men

Who Could Upset?
There Will Be Blood

The Dark Horse
Juno

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

N.Y.TIMES City Room: Actor Heath Ledger Is Found Dead

Reaction to this morning's news

I got 3 categories perfect with a total of 64 right, 74 with my alternates. It was a morning of surprises though, and not all good. What I'm most surprised by was "Enchanted" hogging up the original song category shutting out "Into the Wild."
Tommy Lee Jones for Best Actor = good
Jason Ritman for Best Director = not so good, no love for "Sweeny" it was a sign.
Away from Her for Best Adapated Screenplay = great, five women screenwriters nominated.
Surf's Up for Best Animated Film = Doh!
American Gangster for Art Direction = huh?
Across the Universe for Best Costume = Yeah! It got something.
Norbit = WHAT THE HELL!!
3:10 to Yuma for Score = Damn the disqualification of There Will Be Blood.
The Bourne Ultimatum with 3 nominations = good.

BEST PICTURE
No Country for Old Men
Juno
There Will Be Blood
Atonement
Michael Clayton
Alternate:in place of Michael Clayton
Into the Wild

BEST DIRECTOR
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
P.T. Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Joe Wright (Atonement)
Sean Penn (Into the Wild)
Alternate:
Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
Sidney Lumet (Before the Devil Knows Your Dead)

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)
James McAvoy (Atonement)
Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises)
Alternate:
Emile Hirsh (Into the Wild)
Denzel Washington (American Gangster)

BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie (Away from Her)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose)
Ellen Page (Juno)
Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)
Alternate:
Laura Linney (The Savages)
Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson’s War)
Cassey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James)
Tom Wilkinson ( Michael Clayton)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Jennifer Gardner (Juno)
Alternate:
Vanessa Redgrave
Ruby Dee

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
Eastern Promises
Alternate:
Ratatouille
Lars and the Real Girl

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Atonement
Into the Wild
Alternate:
Zodiac
Charlie Wilson's War

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
The Simpsons Movie

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
The Assassination of Jesse James
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Alternate:
Lust, Caution

BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
The Golden Compass
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Alternate:
Hairspray
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End

BEST FILM EDITING
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
American Gangster
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
Alternate:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and Butterfly

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Hairspray
The Assassination of Jesse James …

BEST MAKEUP
Sweeny Todd
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
La Vie en Rose

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Lust, Caution
The Kite Runner
Eastern Promises
Alternate:
Into the Wild
Ratatouille

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Once “Falling Slowly”
Into the Wild “Guaranteed”
Hairspray “Come So Far”
Enchanted “How Does She Know”
American Gangster “Do You Feel Me?”
Alternate:
Grace is Gone

BEST SOUND MIXING/DESIGN
Sweeney Todd
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
Transformers
Spider-Man 3
Ratatouille
Alternate:
The Golden Compass
Hairspray

BEST SOUND EDITING/EFFECTS
Transformers
Spider-Man 3
Ratatouille
300
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
Alternate:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Kingdom

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
300
Alternate:
Spider-Man 3
I Am Legend

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
Lake of Fire
No End in Sight
For the Bible Tells Me So
Nanking

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters (Austria)
Year my Parents Went on Vacation (Brazil)
Katyn (Poland) dir. Andrzej Wajda
Days of Darkness (Canada)
The Unknown “Woman” (Italy)
Alternate:
12

BFCA reaction

I got 11 right. Not bad considering I just posted on a whim yesterday. I did miss most of the show, but I caught about the last hour and a half. Loved Jarvier Bardem and Eddie Izzard though.

Here is what I hope will be worth my money in '08.

2008
Cloverfield
Be Kind Rewind
Rambo
My Blueberry Nights
Jumper
George A. Romer’s Diary of the Dead
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Vantage Point
The Other Boleyn Girl
Penelope
Semi-Pro
10,000 B.C
21
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who
Pride and Glory
Sleepwalking
Inkheart
Shutter
Stop Loss
Leatherheads
Nim’s Island
The Ruins
The Visitor
The Forbidden Kingdom
Iron Man
Speed Racer
The Chronicles of Naria: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Savage Grace
Kung Fu Panda
The Happening
The Incredible Hulk
Get Smart
WALL*E
Hellyboy 2
Tropic Thunder
Mamma Mia!
The Dark Knight
The X Files 2
Blindness
The International
Case 39
Babylon A.D.
Clive Barker Presents: Hellraiser
Nights in Rodanthe
Death Race
RocknRolla
Valkyrie
Body of Lies
Igor
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Tale of Despereaux
Star Trek
Where the Wild Things Are
Bond 22
Frost/Nixon
The Changeling
Doomsday
Australia
Traitor
Last Chance Harvey
Righteous Kill
Eagle Eye
Wanted
Ghost Town
A Tale of Two Sisters
Ender’s Game
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Emerald City
Dancing with Shiva
Pinkville
Memoirs of Hadrian
Boones Lick
What Just Happened?
Tulia
Burn After Reading
Adoration
Tree of Life
Frankie Machine
The Argentine
Guerrilla
The Reader
The Lovely Bones

What to expect in 2008?

Well, I will spend the next few months, as always catching up on films I missed in 2007. One of these days or decades I will get to see films before they come to DVD. (I doubt it)
But I fear that the way we watch films has changed. In fact I know it has.
How has it changed?
We have watched less films at the theatre this year, in fact the number has gone down every year for the last three years.
We have a 37 inch wide screen television with surround sound and over 200 films on DVD at home.
We joined Netfilx and rented 48 films last year.
We have a new LCD television with which I plan to hook up to our computer and watch Netfix movies on.
I have friends and family who watch films that are still playing at the theatre on bootleg discs. This is something that Will and I refuse to do. That is just not right. It is bad enough that we have to suffer paying and watching films with inproperly lit screens and speakers that tweek during a melody. I have so wanted to get our money back or walk out, but it would be the same elsewhere.
Even so, we will still try to go to the movies at least once a week. But I fear that there will not be anything we wish to see. You see we have about 70 screens within 15 miles of where we live. Two second run theatres (16 screens), and three multiplexes (54 screens), where they show two crappy films like, “National Treasure 2” and “I Am Legend’ 18 screens.

So our choices are very limited sometimes. Although this may be the time when the crappiest films are released. It's actually the best and my favorite time of the year, when all the films everyone else is talking about finally get down here. I am so looking forward to seeing "The Orphanage" and "The Kite Runner," opening this weekend, and for "Michael Clayton" to come back next week.

Best Film

My lovely wife may not pick a single film but I will: The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford. The film reminded me the reason I like Brad Pitt. Pitt's last several films have been entertaining but he has mostly walked through them. The subject matter and characters were light. The portrayal of Jesse James was thoughtful and quiet with a restrained force that was both the "character" and the actor. The whole film was quiet and that made the moments of violence just that much more horrifying and powerful. The direction was slow and that allowed the story to develop almost organically. Much has been said about Casey Affleck but not enough about Sam Rockwell. Rockwell's character keeps the movie on an even balance both in showing the unpredictability of J.James and the Ford brother respect and loyalty to him. There is a sadness to the portrayal that belies an actor as young as Rockwell. I suspect he will become one of those actors that will never quite get the acclaim they deserve. The look of the film was majestic with much of it shot through leaded windows. The scenes looked both realistic and painterly. The score was perhaps the most haunting score that I have heard in years. It keep in the flavor of the time while still being flowing and organic. I have not bought a soundtrack in years but I have this one.

ON A SIDE NOTE: I am happy to report that the book is as great as the film. The adaptation was spot on with dialog transferred directly. I only wished that I could have shared this with my father. W

The Best of 2007?

It is so hard to make this kind of list when the films that I have not seen almost out number the films I did see. But that is not my fault! I can't help that the following films from this week's top fifty (accroding to MCN) have not played within 300 miles of where I live.

There Will Be Blood
Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Atonement
Into the Wild
Away From Her
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
I’m Not There
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
The Savages
Persepolis
Syndromes and a Century
Killer of Sheep
The King Of Kong
Offside
Lars and the Real Girl
Control
Lake of Fire
Margot at the Wedding
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Southland Tales

And the following I simply missed.
Michael Clayton
Gone Baby Gone
American Gangster
Enchanted
In the Valley of Elah

So what have I seen?
No Country for Old Men
Zodiac
Once
Juno
Ratatouille
The Assassination of Jesse James…
Sweeny Todd
Eastern Promises
The Lives of Others
The Bourne Ultimatum
Knocked Up
No End in Sight
The Host
Superbad
Grindhouse
Hairspray
The Darjeeling Limited
Sicko
3:10 to Yuma
Hot Fuzz
Charlie Wilson’s War
Rescue Dawn
Across the Universe
300
Breach

so...
Here is my list of the best of the films I Have Seen this year. I have actually seen 72 films this year, which is about average. To be fair I do inclued films that I watched from Netflix on DVD and online and films that were shown on televison.

Best Horror
Halloween; The Host, 28 Weeks Later, 30 Days of Night, Fido
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Stardust, The Water Horse
Romance
Across the Universe
Drama
No Country for Old Men
Action
Shoot ‘Em Up
Crime
Zodiac
Animation
Ratatouille
Comic Adaptation
300, 30 Days of Night
Comedy
Superbad, Juno, Knocked Up, Walk Hard, Blades of Glory
Musical
Sweeny Todd, Once, Across the Universe, Hairspray
Documentary
No End in Sight, Sicko
Western
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 3:10 to Yuma, Seraphim Falls
War
Rescue Dawn, The Kingdom
Remake
Halloween, 3:10 to Yuma
Sequel
The Bourne Ultimatum
Thriller
Mr. Brooks, The Lookout
Most Overrated
Transformers
Most Underrated
The Assassination of Jesse James…
Biggest Letdown
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Biggest Surprise
3:10 to Yuma
Worst Movie we paid for
1408

Crtics Choice Awards

Ok, Ok! I'll take a guess. I won't be watching the show so I'll check the results later. I don't expect to get many of these right, but since everyone else is doing it I guess I will too.

PICTURE: No Country for Old Men
ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis
ACTRESS: Ellen Page
SUPPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Ryan
ENSEMBLE: Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
DIRECTOR: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
WRITER: Diablo Cody
ANIMATED FEATURE: Ratatouille
BEST YOUNG ACTOR: Michael Cera
BEST YOUNG ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan
BEST COMEDY: Juno
BEST FAMILY FILM: Enchanted
BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
BEST SONG: Guaranteed
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Sicko