Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Monday Night Poll: How Much Will 'Avatar' Make Opening Weekend?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/monday-night-poll-how-much-will-avatar-make-opening-weekend/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/monday-night-poll-how-much-will-avatar-make-opening-weekend/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/monday-night-poll-how-much-will-avatar-make-opening-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Avatar


Avatar isn't being released until December 18th, but if you're already sick of hearing about it, you better plug up your ears. The hype machine for James Cameron's magnum opus has been hard at work leaking details, images, snippets, and trailers since way before this year's San Diego Comic-Con or the extensive profile in October's New Yorker. Cameron, who has never been one to bite his tongue, told Playboy, "We know from the exit polling that the response [to Avatar] was 95 percent ecstatic. Most of the five percent negative response is from the fanatic fans who imagined the movie in their minds but now have to deal with my movie." Also, that when it comes to giving birth to a movie, he's crowning. Yum!

Bon mots from Cameron aside, Avatar could be a real game-changer as far as 3D films go - and hell, it's a refreshing change of pace from the sequels, prequels, remakes, and re-imaginings we're forced to sit through. (Plus... giant blue cat people!!!). It's definitely in the running for numerous Oscars. In fact, Oscar experts at In Contention currently have the film for consideration in eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Not only that, Variety reported that James Cameron, stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, and producer Jon Landau will be doing a live webcast on December 3rd that will allow fans the chance to ask questions of the crew and sneak peeks at previously unseen footage from the film. The webcast will be broadcast on MTV two days before Avatar hits screens.

So, are you a betting man or woman? How much do you think the Avatar exposure will pay off opening weekend? Will Na'ivish become the new Elvish? Let's start with under $20 million. Going once, going twice... Vote below!

View Poll

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]]>avatarjames cameronJamesCameronoscarpollsam worthingtonSamWorthingtonZoe SaldanaZoeSaldanaJenni MillerMon, 30 Nov 2009 21:35:00 EST'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominationshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

There are a few good reasons to hate on the Satellite Awards. First of all, we really don't need any more end of the year movie and television honors. Second of all, the Satellites seem to be little more than a knock-off of the Golden Globes, which are already pretty unnecessary. Third, they happen way too early, missing out on seeing and thereby qualifying perhaps the biggest film of the year (Avatar).

But over the years I've come to appreciate the Satellites and their bestowing organization, the International Press Academy, for their constant surprises when it comes to nominating and awarding unlikely films and talent. Just look at some of last year's acting winners: Richard Jenkins; Rosemarie DeWitt; Ricky Gervais; Michael Shannon.

Now check out this year's nominees, which continue to prove that IPA voters like to go at least slightly against the grain. Okay, so there are a lot of predictable titles in the lot, including Up in the Air and Nine, which leads with 11 nominations. Yet there are some films I don't expect to be recognized by the Golden Globes, let alone the Oscars, such as The Maid and The Stoning of Soraya M., both of which feature in the Best Actress (Drama) category.

Continue reading 'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominations

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]]>international press academyInternationalPressAcademyninesatellite awardsSatelliteAwardsthe maidthe stoning of soraya m.TheMaidTheStoningOfSorayaM.up in the airUpInTheAirChristopher CampbellMon, 30 Nov 2009 17:15:00 ESTOscar Snubs? Extortion Plot? Do Tell!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/oscar-snubs-extortion-plot-do-tell/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/oscar-snubs-extortion-plot-do-tell/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/oscar-snubs-extortion-plot-do-tell/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Are members from the documentary branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences being paid to short list some films over others? That's what it sounds like director James Toback was alluding to when he spoke to the New York Times recently about how his buzzed-about documentary, Tyson, was left off the Academy's short list along with several other notable documentaries from the past year. Toback told the Times that at some point during the selection process he experienced something he puts "fully in the category of extortion", adding that he did not go along with it.

Speaking on behalf of the documentary branch -- which Toback refers to as "some tiny, dirty covert weirdly protective group" -- chairman (and filmmaker) Rob Epstein said, "I have no idea. It certainly hasn't come before me." Among some of the critically acclaimed docs snubbed this year are Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story, the awesome Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and The September Issue. This year's documentary short list was narrowed down to 15 finalists from 89 possible contenders. So, yeah, obviously you're going to see some fantastic films miss the cut, and, subsequently, some pissed off filmmakers, but it's a pretty bold move for Toback to go and claim extortion, don't you think?

Continue reading Oscar Snubs? Extortion Plot? Do Tell!

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsAnvil The Story of AnvilAnvilTheStoryOfAnvilcapitalism: a love storyCapitalism:ALoveStorytysonErik DavisFri, 20 Nov 2009 12:02:00 ESTOscar's Documentary Shortlist: No 'Anvil,' No 'Capitalism'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/oscars-documentary-shortlist-no-anvil-no-capitalism/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/oscars-documentary-shortlist-no-anvil-no-capitalism/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/oscars-documentary-shortlist-no-anvil-no-capitalism/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences documentary committee has watched the 89 eligible docs that were submitted and whittled the field down to 15 finalists, from which the five Oscar nominees will be chosen. But before we even get there we gotta talk about the snubs.

Notably absent from the shortlist are Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story and the highly praised Anvil! The Story of Anvil, which last month earned the distinction of being the first "for your consideration" screener sent to Academy members this year. Last year's best-reviewed documentary, Man on Wire, went on to win the Oscar; Anvil! holds that title this year (98% at Rotten Tomatoes), but it's not even going to be nominated.

Other noteworthy titles not among the top 15: Tyson (about the boxer, not the chicken company) and The September Issue (about Anna Wintour and Vogue magazine). Michael Jackson's This Is It and Chris Rock's Good Hair didn't hit theaters until October, qualifying them for next year's documentary category -- for docs, the eligibility period is September-August, not January-December. (This Is It might not be eligible anyway, since Academy rules forbid films that are "essentially unfiltered records of performances," which could apply here.) The highest-grossing documentary of the year, Earth, isn't eligible because it was mostly repackaged material that had already aired on TV.

The complete shortlist is after the jump.

Continue reading Oscar's Documentary Shortlist: No 'Anvil,' No 'Capitalism'

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsdocumentariesfeaturedoscarsEric D. SniderWed, 18 Nov 2009 21:25:00 ESTWhy Roger Corman Doesn't Deserve an Oscarhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/why-roger-corman-doesnt-deserve-an-oscar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/why-roger-corman-doesnt-deserve-an-oscar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/why-roger-corman-doesnt-deserve-an-oscar/#commentsFiled under: ,



[Note: Scott Weinberg has the pro side of this argument -- why Roger Corman does deserve an Oscar -- in an article that you can read right here.]

In a post yesterday about the honorary Academy Awards given out over the weekend, I said this about one of the recipients, Roger Corman: "Corman, who has directed more than 50 films and produced nearly 400 (!), has never been nominated for an Oscar, probably because all of his movies are terrible. But apparently the Academy is rewarding quantity now, too. So don't give up, Uwe Boll! Just make another 300 movies!" These remarks were met with much disapproval by many readers, and so I would like to elaborate -- assuming any of the people who swore they'd never read Cinematical again are in fact still reading Cinematical (which they are).

First, a correction. I shouldn't have said "all of his movies are terrible." I should have said something like "his movies are generally terrible." "All" suggests that I've seen all 400 of them, which of course I haven't. I ought to have used more general language. That was my bad, as the kids say.

I stand by the point I was making, though. If the Academy is giving out Oscars based on the production of quality work -- which, last time I checked, was the basic idea behind the Oscars -- then Roger Corman does not qualify. The vast majority of his output is mediocre at best. Some of it is downright awful. A few films are good enough on their own, but not to where any of them would deserve Oscars individually. Even as a body, those moderately good Corman movies don't outweigh the dozens -- literally dozens and DOZENS -- of cheap, forgettable clunkers.

Producing a huge quantity of work whose overall entertainment or artistic value averages out to be somewhere between "mediocre" and "mediocre-plus" isn't worthy of Academy Award consideration. That's neat and everything, producing 400 movies over the course of 50 years. Very ambitious of you! But the Academy should be rewarding quality, not quantity.

Continue reading Why Roger Corman Doesn't Deserve an Oscar

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]]>roger cormanRogerCormanEric D. SniderWed, 18 Nov 2009 09:02:00 ESTHints About 2010 Oscars Emerge: No More Five-Person Presentinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/oscars-2010-presenters/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/oscars-2010-presenters/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/oscars-2010-presenters/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As you've probably already heard, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is shaking things up at this year's Oscars by having 10 Best Picture nominees instead of five, and by moving the honorary awards (read: the boring part of the show) to a special ceremony of their own. That ceremony will be held in November, and-- holy crap, it was this weekend! The almost-Oscars were on Saturday!

They're called the Governors Awards, and while they won't be televised, the AMPAS website has some photos and background info. Honorary Oscars went to actress Lauren Bacall (pictured), cinematographer Gordon Willis (the Godfather trilogy, Manhattan, All the President's Men), and director/producer Roger Corman (numerous MST3K films). Astonishingly, the legendary Bacall has only received one Oscar nomination in her 65-year career, for The Mirror Has Two Faces. Willis was nominated for The Godfather: Part III and Zelig. Corman, who has directed more than 50 films and produced nearly 400 (!), has never been nominated for an Oscar, probably because all of his movies are terrible. But apparently the Academy is rewarding quantity now, too. So don't give up, Uwe Boll! Just make another 300 movies!

The other award at the special ceremony was the Irving G. Thalberg Award, given to John Calley, who produced The Remains of the Day and Closer and oversaw worldwide production for Warner Bros. throughout the 1970s.

The Governors Awards were also a chance for Oscar telecast producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic to drop a few hints about what the big show will be like on March 7. Mechanic said they're not going to repeat the thing the 2009 show did where a coven of five past Oscar winners introduced the acting nominees.

Continue reading Hints About 2010 Oscars Emerge: No More Five-Person Presenting

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]]>honorary oscarHonoraryOscarlauren bacallLaurenBacallroger cormanRogerCormanEric D. SniderTue, 17 Nov 2009 16:02:00 ESTAcademy Awards to Include Five Animated Nominationshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Town Called PanicI'm so pleased to learn from IndieWIRE that five animated features will probably be in the running for a 2009 Academy Award. If fewer than 16 films are eligible, then only three films end up on the list of nominees. But the shortlist released today by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences includes 20 films eligible for Oscar nominations, assuming that all films on the list have a qualifying run in Los Angeles before the end of the year. That means five films will be nominated for Best Animated Feature.

Of course the list includes lots of big animated films: Pixar's Up, Disney's The Princess and the Frog, Henry Selick's Coraline, Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox and Dreamworks's Monsters vs. Aliens, among others. But I may or may not have squealed and bounced in my seat to read one unexpected candidate: A Town Called Panic, the Belgian animated film that won the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest this year, and which I reviewed. I hope the film will hit L.A. for the required time, and although it is the world's biggest longshot, I'd love to see it get a nomination. The Best Animated Feature category needs something this bizarre, original and creative. We'll find out for sure when Oscar nominations are announced on Feb. 2, 2010.

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]]>a town called panicAcademy AwardsAcademyAwardsATownCalledPanicJette KernionWed, 11 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST'Up in the Air' Songs Pulled from Oscar Racehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Well, it's November, which means the awards contenders are steadily coming out of the woodwork, and just as we have the Academy Awards to look forward to, we also have their fine print to tolerate. The first of this year's disqualifications naturally come from the music end of things, the same category that didn't see fit to honor the tremendous original scores composed for The Dark Knight last year and There Will Be Blood the year before that.

According to Kris Tapley over at In Contention, both "Up in the Air" and "Help Yourself" from Jason Reitman's Up in the Air have been pulled out of the Best Original Song race. The former was written by Kevin Renick before he met Reitman (the song is presented in the film as it was presented to the filmmaker, with homemade introduction and all), not to mention that it comes halfway into the credits when only the first song over them can qualify. (Really, AMPAS?)

And a portion of the latter had existed earlier in Sad Brad Smith's career and thus means the song itself was not created in full for the film. It's an earnest and catchy tune, used prominently in the trailers and well in the film (and now available on iTunes, cough), but it now looks like those are two more slots left to be dominated by Disney's latest...

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsbest original songBestOriginalSonggeorge clooneyGeorgeClooneyjason reitmanJasonReitmankevin renickKevinRenicksad brad smithSadBradSmithup in the airUpInTheAirWilliam GossMon, 09 Nov 2009 20:45:00 ESTWhat's the State of Fox Searchlight?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In the 2007 awards season, Fox Searchlight had two strong films in the mix with Juno and The Savages, and then in 2008, they dominated with Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler. As many other indie arms were folding (Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, Picturehouse), Searchlight managed to keep things up on their end.

2009, however, hasn't been so kind to them. January's Notorious didn't do bad actually, though March's Miss March was indeed D.O.A. June's My Life in Ruins similarly underperformed, while July's Adam failed to catch on as that same month's (500) Days of Summer had. Post Grad was dumped in the doldrums of August, while Whip It failed to find a crowd in October.

Cut to now: Amelia has been effectively neutered as a ready-made Oscar contender, while Gentlemen Broncos (from the director of Napoleon Dynamite, which did particularly well for the same studio) is being pulled from wider release after this weekend after posting modest numbers on two screens and earning savage reviews for the most part.

With Miramax also facing tough times, it's a shame to see studios like these have an off-year, though there's time for a turn-around yet so far as Searchlight is concerned. Summer's summer release means the timing could work out to earn a push for Original Screenplay as a happy-go-lucky alternate to many dour contenders. This month's similarly light Fantastic Mr. Fox is an Animated Feature candidate at the very least, and -- according to THR -- the Jeff Bridges drama Crazy Heart is getting a last-minute test run of sorts at the moment to see if it can merit a move to be positioned for this year's race instead of next year's.

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]]>500 days of summer500DaysOfSummerameliaamelia earhartAmeliaEarhartcrazy heartCrazyHeartfantastic mr. foxFantasticMr.Foxfox searchlightFoxSearchlightgentlemen broncosGentlemenBroncosjeff bridgesJeffBridgesnapoleon dynamiteNapoleonDynamiteWilliam GossWed, 04 Nov 2009 22:02:00 ESTAdam Shankman Talks About Picking His Oscar Hostshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday was absolutely buzzing with Oscar buzz. First, the rumor that Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. said no to the gig. Just a few hours later, the official announcement came: Next year's Oscars will be hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Entertainment Weekly then talked with Adam Shankman about the picking process. Some highlights:
  • Steve Martin was shocked that he was picked again. Shankman's response: "Yes, because I want the show to feel that we are continuing to build on the Oscars and I'm not trying to make the MTV Movie Awards."
  • He was teamed with Baldwin because: "I know that they really adore and respect each other. Plus, I know that they'll be hilarious. I wanted there to be extra comedy in the show. It will keep it high entertainment."
  • There was a plan to have two hosts right from the get-go.
  • On not picking Tina Fey, a rumored choice: "It wasn't that she turned us down but her work schedule right in that time, she's writing the last of her shows, and we realized then that it wouldn't work."

Continue reading Adam Shankman Talks About Picking His Oscar Hosts

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]]>Adam ShankmanAdamShankmanCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Monika BartyzelWed, 04 Nov 2009 19:32:00 ESTYour Oscar Hosts: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwinhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/your-oscar-hosts-steve-martin-and-alec-baldwin/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/your-oscar-hosts-steve-martin-and-alec-baldwin/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/your-oscar-hosts-steve-martin-and-alec-baldwin/#commentsFiled under: ,



When the comedy gods close a door, they open a window. Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. said no to co-hosting next year's Academy Awards, and we barely had time to grieve for what might have been before we received this news: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have said yes. It's official, as detailed in a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Martin has hosted the Oscars twice before, in 2000 and 2002, and he happens to be my personal favorite host. In fact, he's one of my personal favorite entertainers, period. The man is a straight-up genius, the terrible movies he's made in the last decade notwithstanding. Baldwin was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Cooler, so he at least knows his way to the theater, and he's currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to his top-notch work on TV's 30 Rock.

Martin and Baldwin have worked together several times thanks to their longstanding affiliation with Saturday Night Live. Martin has hosted 15 times -- more than anyone else -- and Baldwin is right behind him at 14. In 2006, Baldwin showed up on a Martin episode, followed a few months later by Martin crashing a Baldwin show, both times with Martin trying to kill Baldwin to prevent him from overtaking his hosting record. (In the Oscar press release, Martin says, "I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin.") Martin guested on an episode of 30 Rock, and both actors will appear in It's Complicated this Christmas.

I think both of these men, separately and together, are hilarious, so I'm excited about the Oscars (to be held March 7, 2010). What do you think?

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsalec baldwinAlecBaldwinfeaturedoscarssteve martinSteveMartinEric D. SniderTue, 03 Nov 2009 19:35:00 ESTIf Ben Stiller & Downey Jr. Aren't Hosting the Oscars...http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in October, Adam Shankman was determined to make the Oscars fun, itching to "kick up the funny a little bit" and celebrate entertainment. But there wasn't a whole new revamp in mind -- he still wanted to continue with the path laid out last year and have Hugh Jackman host ... but the actor refused. Rumors immediately started bubbling that Neil Patrick Harris was circling, but there were other funny men in his sights. Deadline Hollywood reports that Shankman and Bill Mechanic went to Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. to host as a duo.

But they said no.

Talk about a bummer. It's quite easy to imagine the red carpet coverage wind down, and Stiller and Downey Jr. dancing or strolling to center stage. They could easy bring a healthy dose of classic funny, yet still embody the new spin focused solely on entertainment and mirth. Hell, I would easily take Robert on his own. Can you imagine a series of blips where he acts out scenes from the top contenders or top grossing films? He could fall in love and be a lonely old man with a balloon house, travel into space, throw out classic Tarantino dialogue, channel Julia Child, suffer through a painful locker, feel the pressure of A Single Man...

But that dream is done. Is there any duo who could bring the same excellence? It would never happen, but if Ben and Robert are a no-go, I want insanity with a slice of brilliance by joining Christopher Walken and Jane Lynch. How about you? What other Oscar hosting duos would you suggest?

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]]>Ben StillerBenStillerCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Robert Downey Jr.RobertDowneyJr.Monika BartyzelTue, 03 Nov 2009 15:45:00 ESTSoldier at Savannah Film Fest Rave-Reviews 'The Messenger'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/01/soldier-at-savannah-film-fest-rave-reviews-the-messenger/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/01/soldier-at-savannah-film-fest-rave-reviews-the-messenger/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/01/soldier-at-savannah-film-fest-rave-reviews-the-messenger/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The Messenger opened the 12th Savannah Film Festival with a bang: a sellout crowd, international press, and Hollywood stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster in attendance to rub elbows all night. Even without the glitz, though, Savannah was a smart place to screen the Iraq drama. Oren Moverman's film is a character study about a soldier (Foster) dealing with the aftermath of war, but like Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq film The Hurt Locker, it's about the personal toll Iraq leaves on soldiers who survive and the families of those who don't; the politics of war are hardly an issue. And so, in a city that supports two military bases and the men and women who serve them, The Messenger played like gangbusters.

Foster stars as William Montgomery, a recent Iraq returnee dealing with serious leftover issues and a new assignment to play out his final three months of service: informing families that their loved ones have been killed on duty. As Montgomery's partner, Harrelson provides moments of levity, but there were plenty of sniffles throughout the film just the same.

While it was pretty easy to figure out what the general consensus was, there were three figures in particular I was watching for a reaction - the only three uniformed soldiers in attendance, who may or may not have been connected to the production. (The film has been screened for military personnel, and Harrelson and Foster personally met soldiers at Hunter Army Airfield prior to the night's screening.) When asked what military folk have thought of his film in the post-screening Q&A, director Moverman deferred to one of the officers in the audience to share his reaction with the crowd. What follows is the unnamed soldier's impromptu review of The Messenger.

Continue reading Soldier at Savannah Film Fest Rave-Reviews 'The Messenger'

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]]>Ben FosterBenFosterOren MovermanOrenMovermansavannah college of art and designSavannah Film FestivalSavannahCollegeOfArtAndDesignSavannahFilmFestivalThe MessengerTheMessengerWoody HarrelsonWoodyHarrelsonJen YamatoSun, 01 Nov 2009 17:02:00 ESTSavannah Film Fest: Where Indie Meets Oscarhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/31/savannah-film-fest-where-indie-meets-oscar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/31/savannah-film-fest-where-indie-meets-oscar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/31/savannah-film-fest-where-indie-meets-oscar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


I'm in Savannah, Georgia to spend a week as a guest blogger for the Savannah Film Festival, an eight-day fest hosted in the historic Southern town by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). [Read my entries in the "Voices from the Fest" section on the festival website.] As the town prepares to kick off the 12th annual festivities with the Iraq film, or rather post-Iraq film, The Messenger, I'm wondering how SFF's growing success might reflect or even influence the rise of film festivals that similarly fall somewhere in between the biggies (Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Venice) and the little guys.

For starters, a brief look at SFF's line-up and star-studded guest list. The festival begins today, October 31, with The Messenger, a Sundance entry that has Oscar possibilities but more likely will make a run at the Indie Spirit Awards. Stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster will be in attendance. (I will be attempting to run into them at the local Starbucks or wherever it is that Hollywood actors hang out when they visit other cities.) Another Oscar hopeful, the Emily Blunt-starring period biopic The Young Victoria, is screening the following day.

And then there are the almost certain Oscar pictures: George Clooney in The Men Who Stare At Goats; Lone Scherfig's An Education; Michael Haneke's Cannes winner The White Ribbon; Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, with star Jeremy Renner in attendance; and Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, which will bring both director Lee Daniels and his star Gabourey Sidibe to town.

Read on for more about this year's Savannah Film Festival.

Continue reading Savannah Film Fest: Where Indie Meets Oscar

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]]>AdamAn EducationAnEducationDear Lemon LimaDearLemonLimaMercyPrecious:BasedOnTheNovelPushBySapphiresavannah college of art and designSavannah Film FestivalSavannahCollegeOfArtAndDesignSavannahFilmFestivalSCADthe city of your final destinationThe Hurt LockerThe Loss of a Teardrop DiamondThe men who stare at goatsThe Messengerthe white ribbonTheCityOfYourFinalDestinationTheHurtLockerTheLossOfATeardropDiamondTheMenWhoStareAtGoatsTheMessengerTheWhiteRibbonWhatever WorksWhateverWorksJen YamatoSat, 31 Oct 2009 19:02:00 ESTHugh Jackman Not Hosting Oscars, Neil Patrick Harris Now Rumoredhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As award show devotees know, the Academy is always trying to make the Oscars more fun for the viewers at home. This year it seems as though the pre-show hype is starting earlier than usual, particularly with the noise surrounding Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman stepping on board as producers. But they may be one step behind, as the Oscars have already become a little less handsome, a little less musical, and a little less Emmy-winning than last year. Because Hugh Jackman won't be returning as host.

No, it's not an epic snub, or retaliation for being so darn good at everything. Variety reports that Jackman "quietly turned down the job" a few weeks ago. The reason is simply that he wants some time off in between A Steady Rain and production on Shawn Levy's Real Steel. Reportedly, he really does want to host the show again, but he didn't want to do it two years in a row. That's a showman for you. Give them just enough to have them wanting more, and avoid wearing out your welcome.

In my humble opinion, Jackman left some very dashing shoes to fill. Personally, I think Shankman should see this as the start of a new tradition, avoid a comedian, and pick the Tony-hosting Neil Patrick Harris (who's already rumored to be eying the gig). The Oscars are supposed to be all about Hollywood glamour, and what better way to celebrate that then to go old-school and musical? I'll take a jolly musical number over painful attempts to be political and relevant. What about you? What host can make the Oscars worth your while?

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]]>2010 Oscars2010Oscars82nd Academy Awards82ndAcademyAwardsAcademy AwardsAcademyAwardsadam shankmanAdamShankmanBill MechanicBillMechanichugh jackmanHughJackmanneil patrick harrisNeilPatrickHarrisElisabeth RappeFri, 30 Oct 2009 20:32:00 EST'Moon' and 'Fish Tank' Lead BIFA Nodshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Fall brings with it awards season, and among our first round of nominations are those of the British Independent Film Awards. According to Empire, Andrea Arnold's acclaimed Fish Tank took the lead with eight, while Duncan Jones' similarly lauded Moon came up with seven, including one for lead actor Sam Rockwell.

I'm personally happy to see the savage political satire In the Loop getting due notice, especially its expletive-laden screenplay, since it'll likely go overlooked when it comes to Yank laurels (sad but true, although I'll be happy if it's not). Meanwhile, the multiple nods for An Education and Bright Star only parallel their warm reception Stateside and their likely contention in next year's Oscar race.

And after being quietly blown away by it at Fantastic Fest a few weeks back, I'm also glad to see Down Terrace get some love under the Raindance Award category. Enough of these awards, and maybe that puppy'll earn some distribution in our neck of the woods. (You listening, IFC?)

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]]>abbie cornishAbbieCornishan educationandrea arnoldAndreaArnoldAnEducationarmando iannucciArmandoIannuccibright starBrightStarcarey mulliganCareyMulligandown terraceDownTerraceduncan jonesDuncanJonesfish tankFishTankin the loopInTheLoopmichael fassbenderMichaelFassbendermoonnick hornbyNickHornbypeter capaldiPeterCapaldisam rockwellSamRockwellWilliam GossWed, 28 Oct 2009 15:48:00 EST"Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

August gave us the voice of Matt Damon in Ponyo, September gave us the inner voice of Matt Damon in The Informant!, and now October has brought us a look at his next two performances.

Clint Eastwood's Invictus is one of the last big likely contenders of the awards season, though it is as of yet unseen (unless those very few who have seen it are very good at being very quiet). Damon plays real-life rugby captain Francois Pienaar, whose team saw the support of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) as a rallying point around which they might lift the spirits of South Africa in the wake of apartheid. It's political! It's underdog! It's opening in December! It's Oscar bait for certain, and Apple has the exclusive trailer.

Paul Greengrass' Green Zone, on the other hand, was shuffled out of the Oscar race once Universal decided to sort out its slate after a lackluster summer at the box office, and that may have been a wise move. Yahoo's trailer (which is also embedded below) comes across as more of a straight-up actioner than a ready-made contender, with Damon back in Bourne mode as a betrayed soldier on the hunt first for WMDs, and then for answers. Based on the best-seller Imperial Life in the Emerald City, it opens on March 12, 2010.

Continue reading "Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'

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]]>amy ryanAmyRyanApartheidclint eastwoodClintEastwoodgreen zoneGreenZonegreg kinnearGregKinnearinvictusmatt damonMattDamonMorgan FreemanMorganFreemanPaul GreengrassPaulGreengrassrugbyRugbyWorldCupWilliam GossTue, 27 Oct 2009 22:32:00 ESTCan Adam Shankman Make The Oscars Fun?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/#commentsFiled under: ,

Does a year go by where we don't hear news about some grand plan to bring the viewers back to The Oscars? It's like it's part of the yearly plan now: Step 1: Try to make the Academy Awards relevant. After the increase in nominees, it looks like the peeps in charge are sticking with the change from comedian stand-up to showman fervor. The Associated Press is reporting that Adam Shankman, the man behind the Hairspray remake is going to produce the affair with former 20th Century Fox boss Bill Mechanic. The former will bring the pomp and circumstance, of course, while the latter brings the management and producing.

"Oscar organizers are trying to put more razzle-dazzle into the show. Instead of the usual standup comic, the Oscars called on song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman to host the show this past year." In the team's press release, Shankman noted how "The last time I was on the show was as a dancer, and to come back as a producer is such an unbelievable honor." (He was on-stage in '89.) Also, Canoe quotes the director as saying: "I personally want to kick up the funny a little bit. Movies are an invaluable source of entertainment during a very tough time in our country's history. Since entertainment is what we're selling, we want to celebrate that aspect and not just have it be that we're sitting around congratulating ourselves and patting ourselves on the back."

They're always trying to make it fun. That's nothing new. But do you think he can? Is the song and dance man the way to really cut through the boring parts of the Oscars?

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]]>Adam ShankmanAdamShankmanCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Monika BartyzelWed, 21 Oct 2009 11:18:00 ESTOscar Hopeful 'Nine' Moves from Thanksgiving to Christmashttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/09/oscar-hopeful-nine-moves-from-thanksgiving-to-christmas/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/09/oscar-hopeful-nine-moves-from-thanksgiving-to-christmas/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/09/oscar-hopeful-nine-moves-from-thanksgiving-to-christmas/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those of us eager to see a movie based on a Broadway musical based on a play based on a Fellini film will have to wait just a little longer, perhaps to give us time to figure all that out. Nine, originally set to open on Nov. 25, has been pushed back a month. It will now open on Dec. 18 in New York and L.A. and Christmas Day everywhere else.

The move -- which was first announced at Rope of Silicon -- is sadly lacking in controversy. The distributor is The Weinstein Company, and they already have another movie opening on Nov. 25, The Road. (The real question is why two Weinstein films were ever scheduled for the same day in the first place.) Thanksgiving weekend is terribly crowded anyway; Christmas will give Nine a little more breathing room. The real scandal would have been if they'd pushed it all the way back to 2010, but nope. Unless someone has some juicy info we haven't been able to get our hands on, this appears to be purely a marketing decision.

The film is directed by Chicago's Rob Marshall, returning to musicals after Memoirs of a Geisha. The Chicago connection isn't the only reason people are talking about Oscar potential, though -- have you seen the cast list? Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, and Sophia Loren -- all Oscar winners! And Kate Hudson, an Oscar nominee! Also, for some reason, Fergie!

Nine is based on a Tony-winning musical that opened on Broadway in 1982 and had a successful revival in 2003. The musical, co-written by Mario Fratti, was based on his own non-musical play, Six Passionate Women. That play, in turn, was based on Federico Fellini's autobiographical 1963 film 8 1/2. And the star of 8 1/2: Kevin Bacon. (Just kidding.)

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]]>ninerob marshallRobMarshallEric D. SniderFri, 09 Oct 2009 10:33:00 ESTTrailer for Peter Jackson's 'Lovely Bones' Looks Lovely Indeedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/05/trailer-for-peter-jacksons-lovely-bones-looks-lovely-indeed/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/05/trailer-for-peter-jacksons-lovely-bones-looks-lovely-indeed/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/05/trailer-for-peter-jacksons-lovely-bones-looks-lovely-indeed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Okay, so I might've just knocked Sandra Bullock for going after the Oscar gold, but here's The Lovely Bones, with a story I can get behind (Alice Sebold's best-selling tale of a young girl murdered and the aftermath she observes from the afterlife), a filmmaker I can get behind (Peter Jackson, scaling things back post-Lord of the Rings), an ensemble* I can get behind (Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, and the critically-cast Saoirse Ronan), and now a trailer I can get behind.

Reading the novel earlier this year, I was struck by the simplest moments that captures almost too precisely how grief can change loved ones most unexpectedly, and while it seems that Jackson has certainly created a visually luscious realm for Ronan's character to inhabit and has retained the thrust of a somewhat supernatural murder mystery, part of what won me over was how Sebold's mystery took years to unfold, as the whole family comes to terms with the closure (or lack thereof) in their own personal ways.

If Jackson and company can balance the sprawling drama with the inherent whodunit (whydunit?) come December 11th, then The Lovely Bones could be lingering above all of the other contenders this coming awards season.

*I must confess a certain gratitude that Wahlberg replaced Ryan Gosling here. It's enough of an age difference to matter, let alone general temperament.

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]]>alice seboldAliceSeboldfeaturedmark wahlbergMarkWahlbergpeter jacksonPeterJacksonrachel weiszRachelWeiszsaoirse ronanSaoirseRonanstanley tucciStanleyTuccisusan sarandonSusanSarandonthe lovely bonesTheLovelyBonesWilliam GossWed, 05 Aug 2009 09:02:00 EST