tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91826323577578890002024-03-12T17:38:38.252-07:00January 2007 BaitsBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-60006565795994146352008-06-18T12:18:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:18:32.448-07:00Abroad<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ben Miller<br /> <b>Location: </b>Canyon, Texas</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Abroad"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://theoscarigloo.com/2007/january/Abroad___Poster.bmp" border="0" height="624" width="472" /></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Mike Newell<br /> Written by Richard Russo & Robert Benton<br /> Produced by Joe Roth</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Bruce Willis as Mark Williamson<br /> Catherine O’Hara as Denise Williamson (Mark’s Wife)<br /> Shia LeBeouf as Lucas Williamson (Mark’s Son)<br /> Emily Browning as Katelyn Williamson (Mark’s Daughter)<br /> Brittany Snow as Lauren Cox (Katelyn’s Friend)<br /> Adam Brody as Brad Battle (Lucas’ Friend)<br /> Mos Def as Marvin Sinclair (Mark’s Co-worker/Friend)<br /> Gabriel Union as Nicole Sinclair (Marvin’s Wife)<br /> Cliff Curtis as Mohammad Al-Shabbas (Mark’s Boss)<br /> Jonathan Ahdout as Zahid Al-Mohad (Young Kuwaiti)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “It’s not home…and it will never be”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> The Williamson’s aren’t much different from a normal American family. The children Lucas, 17 and Katelyn, 15 enjoy their lives as does their mother, Denise, and the father, Mark. Mark is a successful regional manager of a major oil company and does right for himself and his family.<br /> <br /> One day, Mark is offered a job overseas in the small Middle-East country of Kuwait. On consulting with Denise, Mark takes the job and three weeks later, the family is in Kuwait. While encountering a few bumps, Mark and Denise adapt to their environment, but the same can’t be said for their children. Lucas is devastated to be taken out of his American setting that he is accustomed to and enjoys while Katelyn welcomes the environment but believes that her social troubles she experienced in the states will translate into similar results in the Middle East.<br /> <br /> Despite being loners for the first couple of days, Lucas and Katelyn venture out to meet the other high schoolers in the compound in which they live. Lucas meets a boy his age named Brad. Brad has just moved to Kuwait also but has grown up overseas. Katelyn meets a girl Lucas’ age named Lauren. Lauren has lived in Kuwait for three years and is well-oriented in everything a teenager needs to know to get by. Later that day, all four converge and begin to bond. Despite the meeting of friends, Lucas still does not enjoy his situation and falls into depression. Katelyn begins to hang out with Lauren on a regular basis, despite their age difference.<br /> <br /> Mark is back in the office, constantly busy. He meets a younger man named Marvin who has been in Kuwait for six months and tells Mark what to expect. Upon further conversation, each man suggests that their wives should meet. Marvin’s wife, Nicole, begins a friendship with Denise which spreads to their children. The entire family is met with challenges when September 11th occurs while they are in the Middle East. They have trouble deciding when and where to be patriotic and what the repercussions may be.<br /> <br /> The story continues with the various emotional difficulties the family faces. Lucas confronts Mark on not including Katelyn and himself in the decision to move, while Katelyn confronts Denise on her true intentions of agreeing to move in the first place. Mark confronts his boss concerning his racism toward Marvin, the children occupying their time with various “questionable” activities, Lucas confronts a young Kuwaiti concerning remarks about 9/11, and all the teenagers accidentally catch Marvin and Nicole’s bedroom activities.<br /> <br /> Despite some fond memories, both children look back on their time overseas with contempt, believing their parents ruined their best years. It proves the hypocrisy of the children as they spout nothing but laughter and stories of their time overseas but bash it with little feedback while the parents regret nothing about their time spent abroad.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">There have been many films dealing with the plight of Middle Easterners living within the United States but this one takes a different turn with a story of an American family adapting to Middle East life. Bruce Willis plays the patriarch of the family and is the reason for the move in the first place. He conveys such silent intimidation from his children but is tender and caring when the time calls. Catherine O’Hara plays the mother and provides a delicate hold for the rest of the family to grasp. O’Hara sways from her comedic roles and delivers nuance and undelivered guilt for the plight of her children. The son and daughter roles are played brilliantly by Shia LeBeouf and Emily Browning. Browning is more of a balls-out type and almost plays the role like a older sibling instead of the baby of the family. Her powerful performance plays well with the screenplay’s strong points. LeBeouf conveys suppressed anger as well as innocence. For one scene, he can be kind and selfless while the next be screaming at his father or at an Arab student who forgets to choose his words. The incredible performance may seem uneven on paper, but when translated onto the screen, the young actor never deviates. Mos Def also provides fantastic supporting work as a co-worker of Willis’ character who is not only a friend to the family, but fights his own fights against his boss’s racism. This film points to all the juxtaposition in the world about race, creed and social standing but refuses to be political. It would be simple to turn this film into a puff piece about the evils of the US in the Middle East, but it refuses and becomes something so much greater.<br /> <br /> For Your Consideration:<br /> <br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Mike Newell<br /> Best Actor: Bruce Willis<br /> Best Actress: Catherine O’Hara<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Shia LeBeouf<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Mos Def<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Emily Browning<br /> Best Original Screenplay: Richard Russo & Robert Benton</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-1003538502920891682008-06-18T12:17:00.002-07:002008-06-18T12:18:07.577-07:00All's Fair in Oven Wars<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ryan<br /> <b>Location: </b>New Jersey</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“All’s Fair in Oven Wars” </b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by David Frankel<br /> Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Sarah Silverman, and Tina Fey<br /> Music by Alex Wurman<br /> ESTIMATED BUDGET-$70,000,000</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Juliette Lewis (Brooke Davis)<br /> Matt Damon (Henry Davis)<br /> Kelly Ripa (Jane Biggs)<br /> Tina Fey (Lil Traston)<br /> Sarah Silverman (Jackie Glason)<br /> Rebecca Romijn (Cassie Neilson)<br /> Taye Diggs (Matt Ladey)<br /> Jennifer Tilly (Gina Hitsen)<br /> Dane Cook (Leo Shef)<br /> Ben Stiller (Chris)<br /> Wanda Sykes (Janet)<br /> Chevy Chase (Christopher Friedman Sr.)<br /> Robin Williams (William Blancherd Junior the V)<br /> Rachel Ray as Herself<br /> Gordon Ramsey as Himself<br /> Emeril Lagasse as Himself</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “The Kitchen Just Got a Whole Lot Hotter” 4/20/07</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">RATED PG-13 on appeal- for language and sexual content</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Brooke (Juliette Lewis) and Henry Davis (Matt Damon) are a happily married couple for five years. Henry owns one of the top celebrity hot-spot, classy restaurants in New York called Epicure. However, Brooke’s friend and used-to-be business partner, Jane Biggs (Kelly Ripa), surprises her and opens up there old hot-spot restaurant, Silk, however, it is right across the street to her husbands restaurant Epicure! Now Henry’s staff, Su-Chef, Matt Lady (Taye Diggs), hostess, Jackie Glason (Sarah Silverman), and manager/best friend, Leo Shef (Dane Cook), must sabotage and duke it out between Brooke’s staff. Brooke’s staff is Su-Chef, Lil Traston (Tina Fey), hostess, Cassie Nealson (Rebecca Romijn), and manager, Gina Hitsen (Jennifer Tilly). With side-splitting small roles from Ben Stiller, Wanda Sykes, Robin Williams as a food critic and Chevy Chase as a health department employee. Also with chefs Rachel Ray, Gordon Ramsey, and Emeril Lagasse. But how much of a toll will this take their marriage?</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">“Two thumbs up!”-Ebert & Roeper<br /> “One of the Best Comedies since There is Something about Mary!”- People<br /> “A+! I keeled over laughing throughout the movie! A funny comedy with depth.”-Entertainment Weekly<br /> “Looks like a plain cake but tastes like chocolate. A metaphor meaning there is a lot more than you’ll expect. A lot!.”-Rolling Stone Magazine<br /> All’s Fair in Love In War is a hilarious film about a husband and wife who open up high-end restaurants right across the street from each other. With an all star comedic cast and hilarious cameos as customers and food inspectors played by Wanda Sykes, Ben Stiller, Chevy Chase and Robin Williams. Juliette Lewis gives her best performance since Natural Born Killers and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Matt Damon gives a terrific comedic performance worthy of Syriana and The Departed. Jennifer Tilly, Tina Fey, Taye Diggs, Sarah Silverman, Dane Cook, Rebecca Romijn, Robin Williams, Chevy Chase and Kelly Ripa are at there comedic bests and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a spin-off on each of their characters.<br /> <br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director: David Frankel<br /> Best Screenplay: Sacha Baron Cohen, Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, David Zuker<br /> Best Original Score: Alex Wurman<br /> Best Actor: Matt Damon, Dane Cook<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Taye Diggs<br /> Best Actress: Juliette Lewis, Kelly Ripa<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Tilly, Sarah Silverman</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-15591439219864276892008-06-18T12:17:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:17:37.619-07:00The Art of Love<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Pierre Davis<br /> <b>Location: </b>Columbus, Ohio</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“The Art of Love” </b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics<br /> Directed by: Pedro Almodovar<br /> Written by: Pedro Almodovar and Paul Haggis<br /> Produced by: Paloma Picasso, Clint Eastwood and Stephan Spielberg<br /> Score by: Hans Zimmer</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Joe Pesci as Older Pablo Picasso<br /> Gael Garcia Bernal as younger Pablo Picasso<br /> Catherine Zeta Jones as Paloma Picasso<br /> Gwen Stefani as Olga Khokhlova<br /> Chloe Sevigny as Marie-Thérèse Walter<br /> Jennifer Connelly as Françoise Gilot<br /> Rachel Weisz as Dora Maar<br /> Hilary Swank as Jacqueline Roque<br /> <br /> Rated R: For language, nudity, abuse and sexual content.<br /> <br /> Filming Locations: Paris, France and U.S.A</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Art led him to Love but Love inspired his Art"<br /> <br /> Running time: 2 hours and 33 minutes</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> From one of the greatest minds of our time comes a fantastic biography about one of the world’s greatest painters and his many affairs with women he fell in love with over the years. The film begins with Paloma Picasso, Pablo Picasso’s daughter, walking down the hallway of his house on April 6th 1978. Her and her father never really had a good relationship and sees this as her only chance to connect with her father before his death.<br /> <br /> Pablo Picasso talks to his daughter about his days as a young painter in France beginning at his wedding to his first wife Olga Khokhlova. He tells her how she introduced him to the life of the rich and famous and many other details. The two had a son by the name of Paulo who Paloma never really had a chance to connect with. The story goes on to 1927 when he meets 17 year old Marie-Thérèse Walter and began a secret affair with her after him and Olga Khokhlova clash over his bohemian lifestyle and her insistence on social proprierty. Marie was the nurse of his family. Olga knew nothing about the affair until Marie became pregnate and one of Olgas friends inforemd her. A scene show Marie committing suicide 4 years after the death of Picasso after her living in vain for Picasso not wanting to marry her. That is when Palomas brother is born. After that Pablo becomes tired and Paloma returns home.<br /> <br /> At Palomas home we see that she is a smart business woman with a fashion sense. She is very close with her mother and her mother begins to tell her the story of how she met her father in 1944 when she was 21 and he was 62. She explains how deeply she did love him. And tells her the reason she left her father is because of abusive treatmeant and Picasso cheating on her.<br /> <br /> On the next day which is April 7th 1978 Paloma show disgust towards her father because of the way he used to treat her mother. Pablo tells her in a teary scence that he apologizes and that he never knew what love was. He says the day that her mother left him was a huge blow to his heart. He expalins how then began realizing how he was growing older and older. That is when he tells her the only reason that he married his now wife Jacqueline Roque is for revenge on her mother. They both cry together as they realize what they had been missing. At the end of the movie Picasso asks Paloma if she is coming to the party tomorrow and she says that she would try to. She then finds out that her father died at that party. At the end of the movie at her fathers funeral she see the children of her father and tells them that life is too short to not learn about your family.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">This has to be one of the greatest biography movies of all time due the fantastic direction by Pedro Almodovar in his first American Movie. He really captures the lost relationship between the two main characters in Joe Pesci and Catherine Zeta Jones who are starring in what has to be their greatest roles. They were even better than their Academy Award winning ones in Goodfellas and Chicago. The movies flashback scenes give the movie even more and it never lets the movie lose any steam. Gael Garcia Bernal is a fantastic young Pablo Picasso and deserves an Academy Award Nomination. He brings the young Picasso to life through not only his words but his facial expressions. He even gained weight to get into this role similar to what Jamie Foxx did for Ray. The woman are no fluke either as the breakout star is Chloe Sevigny who brings pain and disparity for not being loved the same way she loves Pablo Picasso similar to the fantastic love story in Brokeback Mountain. Jennifer Connelly brings another brilliant portrayal as a grieving lover. Hilary Swank and Gwen Stefani rounds out a fantastic cast that is sure to gain Award nominations from left and Right. This could also be the first time since Titanic that two actors playing the same role be nominated for an Academy Award. There is a brilliant crew also that deserves appreciation for bringing this movie to life.<br /> <br /> “Two Thumbs through the roof” Ebert and Roeper<br /> “Similar to his previous movies Pedro Almodovar he brings the audience into this brilliant movie” Peter Travers<br /> “Easily the movie of the year, Joe Pesci is completely unrecognizable” Roger Ebert<br /> “Chloe Sevigny and Gael Garcia Bernal show us why they are cinemas future stars” Richard Roeper<br /> “In his first American Movie Pedro Almodovar proves he is one of the world’s finest directors” Time Magazine<br /> “A screenplay to rival Casablanca’s as two of the greatest writers of this decade team together for this epic” New York Times<br /> <br /> Possible Nominations:</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Best Motion Picture of the year: Pedro Almodovar, Clint Eastwood and Stephan Spielberg<br /> Achievement in Directing: Pedro Almodovar<br /> Best Original Screenplay: Pedro Almodovar and Paul Haggis<br /> Performance by an Actor in a leading role: Gael Garcia Bernal<br /> Performance by an Actress in a leading role: Catherine Zeta-Jones<br /> Performance by an Actor in a supporting role: Joe Pesci<br /> Performance by an Actress in a supporting role: Chloe Sevigny and Jennifer Connelly<br /> Achievement in Costume Design: Arianne Phillips<br /> Achievement in Art Direction: John Myhre (Art Direction); Gretchen Rau (Set Decoration)<br /> Best Dramatic Score: Hans Zimmer<br /> Best Original Song: Gwen Stefani for “Art of Love”<br /> Achievement in Film Editing: Michael Kahn<br /> Achievement in Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-58630842599052565492008-06-18T12:16:00.003-07:002008-06-18T12:16:59.805-07:00As I Lay Dying<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Brett<br /> <b>Location: </b>Wisconsin</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“As I Lay Dying"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by: Bennett Miller<br /> Written by: Joel and Ethan Coen<br /> Novel by: William Faulkner<br /> Edited by: Christopher Tellefsen<br /> Music by: T-Bone Burnett<br /> Art Direction by: Gord Peterson<br /> Cinematography by: Roger Deakens</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Anse Bundren: Chris Cooper<br /> Addie Bundren: Sissy Spacek<br /> Cash Bundren: Matthew McConaughey<br /> Darl Bundren: Ryan Gosling<br /> Jewel Bundren: Heath Ledger<br /> Dewey Dell Bundren: Evan Rachel Wood<br /> Vardaman Bundren: Cameron Bright<br /> Vernon Tull: Albert Finney<br /> Cora Tull: Kathy Bates<br /> Dr. Peabody: Tom Wilkinson<br /> Brother Whitfield: David Strathairn<br /> Lefe: Jake Gyllenhaal</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “My mother is a fish”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Addie Bundren is on her deathbed. She's frail, sickly, and slipping closer to the hands of god with every shallow breath. With her heavy eyes slowly closing, Addie makes her final request: to be buried far away from her Yoknapatawpha County homestead in her birthplace of Jefferson, Mississippi. With her grief stricken family gathered around her, she makes her final goodbyes. And then, she takes her penultimate breath…As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner's famed sardonic masterpiece, is the biting story of the Bundren family's hap hazardous pilgrimage across the lonely 1920's Mississippi backcountry. Filled with complex characters and a rich storyline, it gets a fresh breath of live from visionary director Bennett Miller and the Coen brothers, uniquely told through several different first person narratives. The story centers around six main characters, each with their own miseries, each with their own heartaches. First, there's Addie's husband Anse. A bumbling, toothless idiot, Anse is relieved with the death of his wife, and eager to make the trek into town so he can get himself a new pair of teeth. There's Cash, the painfully silent carpenter, assigned to the daunting task of constructing his own mother's coffin. Darl, Addie's second son, is the most ubiquitous center of the tale. Struggling with his own inner pain and agony, we see the Bundren world most uniquely through his tear filled eyes. We also meet Jewel, the bitter, profane black sheep who makes every attempt possible to separate himself from the rest of the family. Unbeknownst to his own father, Jewel is the product of Addie's sinful affair with the town pastor, Brother Whitfield. We also meet Addie's only daughter, Dewey Dell, who carries a painful secret. At just 17, Dewey Dell has her own ambitions for making it into town: to get an abortion. And finally, we meet the tragic Vardaman, Addie's mentally retarded 13 year old son, who becomes so grief stricken with his mother's death that he gets her confused with none other than a dead fish.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">And so begins the journey. With coffin in toe, the Bundrens make their disastrous and strangely comedic trek through roaring rivers, dustbowls, and the occasional fire on their old broken down wagon. And throughout their dysfunctional journey through Mississippi, each character takes their own personal journey inside themselves, examining the relationship they had with their mother, and what will come to define them without her.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Director Bennett Miller and the famed Coen Brothers team up on his sophomore film for William Faulkner's ode to southern humor in a tale of family, secrecy, and sin in depression era Mississippi. With As I Lay Dying, you are really experiencing six films of insurmountable comedic tragedy all intertwined into a single tour de force. With the sultry and sweeping art direction and masterful cinematography, the 1920's south is painted ever so perfectly across the silver screen. Each character, immortalized through the years, is flawlessly brought to life by the stunning performances given. Darl, played by the horribly underrated Ryan Gosling, brings truth and hope to this otherwise cynical and blackened dramedy with his eye opening leading role. Chris Cooper is wonderful as the despicable patriarch of the family with a hidden agenda. Also, look for the fantastically hilarious supporting roles by Heath Ledger, Matthew McConaughey, Kathy Bates, Albert Finney, David Strathairn, Tom Wilkinson, Jake Gyllenhaal, and especially young veterans Evan Rachel Wood and Cameron bright, who despite their age portray their multifarious roles with the greatest of ease. The greatest performance, however, may just be by Sissy Spacek, playing Addie Bundren herself. Although her role is merely a sporadic array of flashbacks and missed memories, you will no doubt await her next appearance throughout the film. Her cinematic feat is ethereal, touching, and overall, a grand magnus opus within itself. This film is a brilliant, marvelous modern take on a famed American classic that will move you in ways you'd have never thought possible. With this film, you'll reconnect with America's first dysfunctional family all over again, and love every minute of it.<br /> <br /> For Your Consideration:</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Best Picture: Joel and Ethan Coen<br /> Best Director: Bennett Miller<br /> Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen<br /> Best Actor in a Leading Role: Ryan Gosling, Chris Cooper<br /> Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Cameron Bright, Matthew McConaughey, Heath Ledger<br /> Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Sissy Spacek, Evan Rachel Wood<br /> Best Original Score: T-Bone Burnett<br /> Best Art Direction: Gord Peterson<br /> Best Cinematography: Roger Deakens<br /> Best Editing: Chris Tellefsen</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-28688400216365803512008-06-18T12:16:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:16:39.915-07:00Balton Productions<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Brian<br /> <b>Location: </b>Arizona</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Balton Productions”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Mike Nichols<br /> Written by Thomas Meehan<br /> Lyrics by Scott Whitman and Marc Shaiman<br /> Music by Marc Shaiman<br /> Produced by Laurence Mark and Martin Brown<br /> Choreography by Susan Stroman</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Harry Connick, Jr. (Dan Travis)<br /> Christina Applegate (Julia Yates)<br /> Minnie Driver (Wendy Albertson)<br /> Jeremy Irons (Taylor Balton)<br /> Tom Hulce (Frankie Balton)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “All They Want is Showmanship"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Musical Numbers (In Order of Which they are Sung):</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">1. Showmanship (Company)<br /> 2. That’s What’s Wrong with Him (Taylor & Frankie)<br /> 3. This or That (Dan)<br /> 4. Showmanship-Reprise (Dan)<br /> 5. Start my Break off Big (Julia)<br /> 6. I’m Climbing up to a Star (Dan)<br /> 7. Little Favors (Julia)<br /> 8. But He Has Charm (Wendy)<br /> 9. Showmanship-Reprise #2 (Dan)<br /> 10. It Must Be Love (Dan, Wendy & Julia)<br /> 11. Out of my Sight (Taylor, Frankie, Dan & Julia)<br /> 12. Never Again-Dan’s Lament (Dan)<br /> 13. But He Has Charm-Reprise (Wendy)<br /> 14. It Must be Love-Reprise (Dan & Wendy)<br /> 15. Showmanship-Reprise #3 (Dan)<br /> 16. I’m Climbing up to a Star-Reprise (Dan)<br /> 17. Raise the Curtain (Wendy & Julia)<br /> 18. Patience is a Virtue (Company)<br /> 19. Natural Talent (Dan & The Chorus)<br /> 20. Showmanship-Finale (Company)</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Very loosely based on the story of the Shubert Brothers, “Balton Productions” is about Taylor and Frankie Balton, two brothers that are the biggest Broadway producers alive. They have a slew of hit musicals, and are referred to as the greatest team of producers in Broadway history. They just happen to hate each other. So, to avoid contact with one another, they communicate through their agent, Dan. Dan is a kind man, but too accepting for his own good. Whatever Taylor and Frankie want, he delivers it to them. Dan puts up with their ridiculous demands and incredibly rude personalities mainly because he has always wanted to be an actor on the Great White Way. He figures that getting on the expert’s good side is a good thing. What he doesn’t realize is that he is starting to become the only one doing real work, as Taylor and Frankie spend much more time telling him why the other person is responsible for everything that has gone wrong. In need of a hit, Dan is responsible for finding a surefire musical sensation, which he thinks is in “Essence.” “Essence” is a spectacle about the rise of neon in the 20th century…told from the point of view of the neon. Taylor and Frankie adore it, and begin casting the next day. Or, at least they have Dan begin casting the next day. At the auditions, Dan sees Julia Yates. Julia is not particularly talented, nor likeable, but Dan has always been madly in love with her. He blindly gives her the role, and gives the incredibly beautiful, talented Wendy Albertson a simple role in the chorus. In order to get some prestige, Julia fakes falling in love with Dan, but secretly does the same with Taylor and Frankie. Wendy begins to fall for Dan, but Dan won’t pay any attention to her, or her constant requests to read the musical she wrote. Her show is called “Natural Talent,” and is about a group of Vaudeville performers. Though it is clearly ten times better than “Essence,” Dan is letting Taylor, Frankie and Julia live his life for him. He thinks that everything is going perfectly, until he catches Julia with Taylor and then Frankie. But, when he tells them that she has not been loyal to them both, they fire him. All of Dan’s hopes are crushed, until Wendy finds him and introduces her play to him. He agrees, and the two attempt to conquer the Baltons and Julia at their own game, and produce “Natural Talent” in the same year. Who will have the more successful show? Who will walk away with the Tony? And will Taylor and Frankie ever reunite? All of it unfolds in “Balton Productions.”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">“Balton Productions” is not the best movie of the year. It is not a life-changing experience. It won’t bring you to new emotional heights. What it will do, though, is give you two hours of solid, fun entertainment, along with some brilliant musical numbers. This musical comedy, directed by Mike Nichols, is not only the home to over 10 excellent songs, but also to five fine performances. Tom Hulce and Jeremy Irons play Frankie and Taylor Balton, the biggest Broadway producers in the history of the stage, but arch rivals. They are excellent, humorous and unique in these roles. Christina Applegate plays the cheap Broadway actress Julia Yates, and masters the role, delivering some of the biggest laughs of the year, and is even better than her exceptional co-star, Minnie Driver. But, the show stealer here is Harry Connick, Jr. who already proved his acting chops in “The Pajama Game” on Broadway, and does it again as Dan Travis, the struggling agent who is determined to put on a better show than his bosses. I simply cannot think of an actor better fit to play this part. So, if you are looking for a barrel of laughs, the catchiest of songs, the best of performances and all the excitement of a Broadway show, “Balton Productions” is the best choice out there. Also, it could easily become the feel-good Oscar contender of the year with a strong campaign in the following categories…<br /> <br /> Best Picture (It’s not a Best Picture winner, but a nomination is well in its grasp)<br /> Best Director (Mike Nichols)<br /> Best Actor (Harry Connick, Jr.)<br /> Best Actress (Christina Applegate)<br /> Best Supporting Actress (Minnie Driver)<br /> Best Supporting Actor (Tom Hulce & Jeremy Irons)<br /> Best Original Screenplay (Thomas Meehan)<br /> Best Original Song (“Showmanship” is the frontrunner, but any of the songs in this film have a shot)<br /> Best Film Editing<br /> Best Costume Design<br /> Best Art Direction (expect this eye feast to clean up in this category)</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-76388919085230075312008-06-18T12:15:00.006-07:002008-06-18T12:16:12.498-07:00Beach House<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Connor Campbell<br /> <b>Location: </b>Carrollton, Texas</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Beach House"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Alexander Payne<br /> Written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Ellen Burstyn- Patsy Turner<br /> Blythe Danner- Betsy Carroll<br /> Bill Paxton- Eddie Turner<br /> Frances McDormand- Susan Turner<br /> Kevin Spacey- Pat Turner<br /> Felicity Huffman- Jodi Turner<br /> Jamie Bell- Michael Turner<br /> Evan Rachel Wood- Katherine Turner<br /> Paul Dano- Andrew Turner</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Fear the Love”<br /> <br /> Quote</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Patsy- “When you’re getting the shrimp, make sure it’s gulf shrimp. I don’t want any of that Vietnamese crap.”<br /> Andrew- “How do you know if it’s Vietnamese?”<br /> Susan- “They have slanted eyes!”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Patsy Turner hasn’t talked to her children since their falling out do to an argument during their last family vacation to the gulf cost. Patsy was a heavy smoker and a racist. She remembered that vacation vividly. The house that Patsy stayed in was called the Blue Marlin, despite the fact that it was bright green. There was a gigantic room in the middle of the house, which was bordered by two bedrooms. On the right, Patsy’s son Pat, his wife Jodi & kids Katherine and Michael stayed. On the left, Patsy’s other son Eddie, his wife Susan & their son Andrew slept & Patsy and her dog Diego slept in the common room. The house was a dump, despite the fact that you could run laps in the shower. Susan was never well liked by Patsy, and desperately sought her approval. Patsy was an uptight woman, the kind that won’t let you sleep on the couch because it was too dangerous. She even made a curfew of 11:00 in fears that her grandchildren would be molested in the tiny town of Jamaica Beach, population 1,500. One night, while everybody was visiting with Betsy, Patsy’s younger sister who owned a house just down the street, Andrew decided he would stay there for a little while longer.<br /> <br /> Andrew walked through the door at 11:10 and Patsy raised hell. She threw things across the room and screamed so loud the neighbors could hear. Then Andrew showed her his nipple=piercing and called her a bitch. All hell broke loose. When Katherine tried to defend her cousin, her own grandmother called her a bitch and went outside to smoke. She went through eight packs and then came back inside as if nothing had happened. The next morning when Patsy blew the air horn to wake everybody up, they were gone. Betsy explained that they left in the middle of the night. Patsy got in her car and had a melt down. She drove home and quietly went back to work. That was a year ago. Patsy has been excluded from every family event. She sold Diego and drew a bath. 10 minutes later she got in…with a toaster. She was at peace again.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Ellen Burstyn gives a captivating performance as the bitter old Patsy Turner. Her portrayal is so spot on that the academy can’t ignore her. Blythe Danner gives a lovely performance as Betsy, Patsy’s polar opposite sister. Betsy in the wrong hands is just an awkward character that doesn’t belong, but Blythe brings warmth and makes her lovable. The film could not work without her. Bill Paxton is wonderful in this film and he and Kevin Spacey look eerily similar. Frances McDormand is wonderful as the sharp, intelligent Susan Turner. She is so believable and I see her 5th Oscar nod coming from this film. Felicity Huffman is also great and has a wonderful accent that is perfect for this role. The children are also spectacular. Paul Dano and Evan Rachel Wood give great performances as the rebellious children and Jamie Bell is great as the laid back child. Alexander Payne’s direction is sub=par. Payne and Taylor have done it again, from writing two of my favorite films, Election & Sideways, they have managed to write yet another masterpiece.<br /> <br /> FYC<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director- Alexander Payne<br /> Best Actress- Ellen Burstyn<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Bill Paxton<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Kevin Spacey<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Paul Dano<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Jamie Bell<br /> Best Supporting Actress- Melinda Dillon<br /> Best Supporting Actress- Frances McDormand<br /> Best Supporting Actress- Felicity Huffman<br /> Best Supporting Actress- Evan Rachel Wood<br /> Best Original Screenplay</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-88073910432349798652008-06-18T12:15:00.005-07:002008-06-18T12:15:54.550-07:00Bismark<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Brian<br /> <b>Location: </b>Minneapolis</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Bismarck"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://theoscarigloo.com/2007/january/Bismarck.jpg" border="0" height="318" width="469" /></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Distributed by New Line Cinema<br /> Director – Ryan Fleck<br /> Original Screenplay – Ryan Fleck<br /> Production Design – Richard Hoover<br /> Cinematography – Rodrigo Prieto<br /> Original Score – Gustavo Santaolalla</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Dana Carlson – Rachel McAdams<br /> Patrick Kowalski – Ryan Reynolds<br /> Lori Carlson, Dana’s mother – Helen Hunt<br /> Peter Carlson, Dana’s father – John C. Reilly<br /> Paul Kowalski, Patrick’s father – Dustin Hoffman<br /> Cathy Kowalski, Patrick’s mother – Sissy Spacek<br /> Kristen Jones – Maggie Gyllenhall </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Once you come, you never want to leave”</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">QUOTE: </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">:::Lori::: “Dana, you need to get out of here and finish your degree. Why don’t you just leave Patrick and get out of Bismarck?”<br /> :::Dana::: “I wish I could, mom. This place is like a black hole. I try, but I just can’t seem to get out of here.”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Dana Carlson (Rachel McAdams) turns 27 this year. She is the mother of Sam and Ella, 21 and 2 months old, respectively. She lives in a dumpy apartment with her fiancé, Patrick Kowalski (Ryan Reynolds), the father of her children, in their hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota, depending heavily on their families for financial support and child care. Patrick is a crystal meth addict, and therefore cannot hold a job to support his family. Their life is close to shambles. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In momentary flashbacks, Dana remembers her life before meeting Patrick. She was a graduate of a prestigious arts high school, attending the University of Minnesota to earn a biochemistry degree. She was on the path to financial and emotional success. Then she began dating Patrick, who charmed her with his charisma, but slowly dragged her down into habitual drug use – first marijuana, then cocaine, then crystal meth. She dropped out of school. Despite consistent efforts to leave, Dana could not escape her relationship with Patrick. He was abusive, lazy and demeaning. The family was soon forced to move home and live on Dana’s parent’s (Helen Hunt and John C. Reilly) charity. Then came an unexpected child. Then another. Patrick’s addiction grows much worse, affecting his temper and demeanor. She loves Patrick, yet yearns for a life of her own, out of Bismarck. She wonders what her life may have been without him. One night, in a drunken, high rage Patrick beats Dana. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Then one day in the mailbox there are plane tickets for Dana and her children to Seattle from Dana’s old friend Kristen (Maggie Gyllenhall)… Dana has a choice – leave the life she knows and start over on her own, or remain in Bismarck. The repercussions of her decision echo through her family as she stands at the brink of a life-changing decision.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Rachel McAdams gives the performance of her career in “Bismarck.” Her heartbreaking portrayal of Dana Carlson is absolute perfection, capturing her essence perfectly. Within Ms. McAdams’ characterization, we see the intelligence and potential of Dana, yet completely understand her difficulty leaving her present situation. She is certainly in the running come awards season. Her role is heart-wrenching and meaty, giving plenty of scenes for her to show the raw emotion this character lives through. She also plays the “de-glam” card, putting on nearly 40 pounds for this role. (In the flashback scenes, however, we see the lovely Ms. McAdams we are accustomed to!) </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The supporting cast is terrific. Ryan Reynolds makes us understand why Dana loves Patrick Kowalski despite his awful actions. He plays the character to its fullest potential, creating a completely believable character of a meth-addicted man stuck in the rut of his hometown. Helen Hunt has a beautiful performance as Dana’s mother, Lori. She shows true love and compassion for Dana while expressing her views that Dana needs to leave Patrick and start her life over. John C. Reilly is terrific as Dana’s hard-nosed father. Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek are lovely in small roles as Patrick’s parents who refuse to acknowledge Patrick’s drug addiction. Maggie Gyllenhall shines as Kristen in her few flashback scenes at college with Dana.<br /> <br /> FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Ryan Fleck<br /> Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Fleck<br /> Best Actress: Rachel McAdams<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Helen Hunt<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Reynolds</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-79896743789177392672008-06-18T12:15:00.003-07:002008-06-18T12:15:35.408-07:00A Chorus Line<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Al<br /> <b>Location: </b>NY</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“A Chorus Line”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Produced by Bill Condon, Paul Thomas Anderson, Marvin Hamlisch)<br /> Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson<br /> Written by Paul Thomas Anderson and Bill Condon<br /> Cinematography by Dion Beebe (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, Miami Vice)<br /> Edited by Richard Pearson (Rent, United 93)<br /> In Memory of Michael Bennett</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Zach: Michael Keaton (A no-nonsense director with an unorthodox audition process.)<br /> Cassie: Bebe Neuwirth (A very talented but aging dancer and Zach’s ex-girlfriend)<br /> Larry: Tyler Hanes (Zach’s blunt assistant)<br /> Richie: James T. Lane (A flamboyant and energetic African-American dancer)<br /> Diana: Natalie Cortez (An assertive but kind Puerto Rican)<br /> Al: Tony Yazbeck (Kristine’s understanding husband)<br /> Val: Jessica Lee Goldyn (A dancer who only began to get work after plastic surgery)<br /> Mark: Paul McGill (A fresh-faced newcomer to Broadway)<br /> Bebe : Alisan Porter (A modern dancer who had a troubled childhood)<br /> Don: Brad Anderson (An All-American young man)<br /> Kristine: Chryssie Whitehead (Al’s scatterbrained and tone-deaf wife)<br /> Greg: Michael Paternostro (A witty and sarcastic homosexual dancer)<br /> Judy: Heather Parcells (A nervous, awkward, and hopeful dancer)<br /> Bobby: Ken Alan (A young man who hides his insecurities by making jokes)<br /> Sheila: Deidre Goodwin (A brassy, powerful older woman from an abusive home)<br /> Paul: Jason Tam (An amazing but timid and introverted dancer who used to perform in a drag show)<br /> Maggie: Mara Davi (A kind dancer who grew up without a father.)<br /> Mike: Jeffrey Schecter (A showy young dancer who started at an early age)<br /> Connie: Yuka Taraka (A small and talkative Asian dancer)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “N/A"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> 16 dancers stand on an empty stage, auditioning for a spot in the chorus of a new Broadway show. The show’s director, Zach, decides to have all of the dancers tell him about their lives, their childhoods, and their motivations in order for him to get to know them better. As they reveal their stories, we begin to see each faceless member of the chorus as an individual, a talented personality with their own special talents. But these young men and women will spend their time onstage as anonymous members…of a chorus line.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In 1975, A Chorus Line opened. Based on director Michael Bennett’s interviews and workshops with chorus dancers, the show featured a bare stage and 19 talented performers, many of whose characters were based on their own stories. The show went on to become an immediate sensation, running for 15 years (setting a rarely surpassed record) and winning a huge number of Tonys, including Best Musical. Unfortunately, a mediocre 1985 detour onto the silver screen led many to believe that the show would never properly translate into film. Well, it’s 2007 now, and acclaimed ensemble director Paul Thomas Anderson has directed a brand-new adaptation of the musical. And how does the jury rule? In the words of the musical’s show-stopping finale, it’s one singular sensation.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The casting directors wisely chose to resurrect the cast from the successful Broadway revival from last year, save for Bebe Neuwirth, an acclaimed Tony-winning musical actress and star of film and TV, and popular actor Michael Keaton as Cassie and Zach, respectively. This is an ensemble show through and through, and installing P.T. Anderson as the director helps the show retain its ensemble appeal that was lost when the 1985 fiasco shifted most of the attention to Cassie. Each actor paints an emotionally rich portrait of their character, and gets at least one moment in the movie-a part of a song, a heart-rending monologue, or even a dance solo, that reveals to us their deep individuality. By the end of the movie, we feel like we know them personally because they’re all so relatable. This is also aided by an almost claustrophobic feel to the movie, whose camera never once breaks from the interior of the theater. Editor Richard Pearson does a great job of creating an almost rhythmic, yet haphazard pace. Dion Beebe’s cinematography not only captures the emotions painted across the character’s faces in up-close shots, but the huge yet intimate setting of the stage. Some of my favorite shots include the audience that is totally darkened and empty, except for the small light that indicates where Zach sits with his desk and lamp. The dancers can barely see Zach; instead they rely on his intimidating voice instructing them through the loudspeakers. Interestingly enough, we barely see Zach up close-as if he is as emotionally distant from us as he is from the dancers.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">This movie would be nothing without a talented cast. A Chorus Line is, essentially, a character study times 19. It’s hard to pick a standout, but I would definitely deliver praise to Bebe Neuwirth. She is absolutely heartbreaking as Zach’s ex-girlfriend, who she left when she went to L.A. to pursue a film career. She is an extremely talented dancer, but she needs work badly and pleads with Zach to let her join the chorus. The problem is that she’s too good-she stands out. The breaking point comes when Cassie dances with the “kids”…but she’s too stylized, and she won’t look good when she backs up a star on stage. Tearfully, she exclaims to Zach, “I’ll take chorus-if you take me!” It’s a classic film moment, and she delivers it beautifully. I can also say that Deirdre Goodwin is amazing as the powerful, aging dancer Sheila, Natalie Cortez is wonderful and charismatic as a smart, independent Puerto Rican, and Paul McGill makes an impressive showing as the witty and homosexual Greg. Actually, I changed my mind about a standout. Remember this name for the future: Jason Tam. His character, Paul, delivers a heart-rending and famous monologue late in the movie that won its originator a Tony. The monologue details how the teenaged Paul, outcast from his peers because of his passion for dancing, lies to his parents and takes a job in a drag show because he wants to dance so badly. Tears shimmer in Tam’s eyes, and every word is filled with emotion. Even the moments when he pauses, his face tells us so much. Paul’s fallen ambitions and quest for redemption are evident in every syllable he makes. He’s a relatively unproven actor, but I hope that his performance is recognized, because it was my favorite of the year.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">22 years ago, a legend called “A Chorus Line” opened on Broadway. It will never be matched, but this film adaptation does it plenty of justice, while shining on its own. It’s hugely entertaining but also resonant in this day of quests for fame and closeted homosexuality (both huge parts of the story). A Chorus Line is a great film with an amazing cast, and that’s all I can say because I can’t find words that will describe the experience of seeing this movie.<br /> <br /> Best Picture (AMPAS)<br /> Best Picture-Musical/Comedy (HFPA)<br /> Best Ensemble (SAG)<br /> Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson<br /> Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson and Bill Condon<br /> Best Actress: Bebe Neuwirth<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Jason Tam<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Paul McGill<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Natalie Cortez<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Deidre Goodwin</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-20882844193342895292008-06-18T12:15:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:15:17.503-07:00The Chronicles of the Bakers<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ali Ahmed<br /> <b>Location: </b>Kingdom of Bahrain</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“The Chronicles Of The Bakers”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by: Sam Mendes<br /> Written by: Charlie Kauffman<br /> Produced by: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Brian Grazer<br /> Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski<br /> Original Score: Rachel Portman<br /> Original Song:" Count on Me" Beyonce & Josh Groban</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">John Baker: Haley Joel Osment<br /> Martha Baker: Meryl Streep<br /> Neil Baker: Harrison Ford<br /> Julie Baker: Emma Watson<br /> Thomas Brady: Jake Gyllenhaal<br /> Angela Williams: Evan Rachel Wood<br /> Coach Mills: Chris Cooper<br /> Mrs. Porter: Gillian Anderson<br /> Nicole Cox: Eva Longoria</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Nothing is ever what it seems to be …"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Neil Baker was a successful broker with his own firm and a big mansion .His wife was the perfect housewife who sought perfection in everything. His son John Baker was the star of the basketball team. His daughter was a lovely 'A' student. Everything seemed to be 'PERFECT' … or was it really??!</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The Baker household was the ultimate example of a family with issues. Mr. Neil Baker is having an affair with his hot secretary, Nicole Cox .When Martha eventually finds out, she is severely devastated and starts suffering from a severe case of depression as her perfect universe have just been shattered. Demands for separation by Neil follow as he gets 'tired' of the soap that Martha has been running for the past 20 years. Martha becomes vindictive and decides to play tit for tat as she starts having another affair with a very much younger male, Thomas Brady, an employee of her husband. All of this just puts John and Julie in a situation that they didn’t ask for. As if they didn’t have enough on their plate already now they have to contend with the bitter tension at home. John has to work on maintaining his relationship with his high maintenance girlfriend, Angela Phillips, and work with his Basketball team and his loathing coach; Mr. Mills. The strong-willed Julie on the other hand, has to take care of her mother, manage to show up to the school's production of Hamlet, find a time slot to fit in her school work and keep on showing that she is in control even though she is on the verge of cracking.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">If anything is certain this season, it is surely the fact that "The Chronicles of the Bakers" is this season's award magnet. Nothing is more welcomed in Tinseltown than a feature comeback by a child star. Haley Joel Osment turns a new page for himself and his talents in Hollywood. Fresh from her turn as the devil incarnate in the Devil wears Prada, Meryl Streep takes the role of a vindictive depressed mother and plays it with utmost ease. The real surprise is that Emma Watson (Hermione from the Harry Potter series) takes a probably similar role and yet completely transforms it into a completely different character than what the audiences are accustomed to see. Harrison Ford delivers as the cheating dad and Evan Rachel Wood stars as the mean girlfriend. Eva Longoria plays the hot secretary with vigor and Jake Gyllenhaal romances his boss's wife as if it was a piece of cake. Gillian Anderson and Chris Cooper round off a wonderful cast in brilliant turns as the caring school teacher and the coach you love to hate respectively.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Sam Mendes successfully blows a spirit in the latest work of Charlie Kauffman and delivers his greatest work up to date since American Beauty.<br /> <br /> "Two thumbs up ..."Ebert and Roeper<br /> "Kudos to Sam Mendes who puts on the silver screen a heartfelt dramedy" New York Times<br /> "Meryl Streep manages to break another record; her own. One of the years best performances." Los Angeles Times<br /> <br /> For your consideration:</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Sam Mendes<br /> Best Screenplay: Charlie Kauffman<br /> Best Actor: Haley Joel Osment<br /> Best Actress: Meryl Streep,<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Harrison Ford, Chris Cooper, Jake Gyllenhaal<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Emma Watson, Gillian Anderson, Eva Longoria<br /> Best Original Score: Rachel Portman<br /> Best Original Song: Beyonce & Josh Groban<br /> Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski<br /> Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell<br /> Best Ensemble (SAG Awards)</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-67096955235602610232008-06-18T12:14:00.003-07:002008-06-18T12:14:58.114-07:00Dear Andrea<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Matt<br /> <b>Location: </b>Illinois</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Dear Andrea"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed By: Patty Jenkins<br /> Written By: Patty Jenkins<br /> Costumes By: Sandy Powell<br /> Music By: Jan A.P. Kaczmarek</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Sandra Bullock as Andrea Yates<br /> Matt Damon as Rusty Yates<br /> Julianne Moore as Diane Bowsley<br /> Elle Fanning as Sandy Bowsley<br /> David Strathairn as Michael Woronecki<br /> Michael Douglas as Dr. Starbranch<br /> Meryl Streep as Claire Dawson</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “The story of Andrea Yates and her children swept the country and changed one reporter forever."</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> On a beautiful spring day, an American family awoke and got things rolling as any family would in the morning. The wife made her husband and five children breakfast. The husband went to work, but would never be able to return to the life that he had been living for the past decade. While he was at work, his wife had drowned their children, including the newborn baby, in the bath tub. After committing the horrendous act, the wife called for police. The police officer hurried to the residence, which was identified as the home of the Yates family. He found a mother, drenched in water, and her children, lifeless on the master bed. Andrea Yates was brought into the police station and charged with murder. Her case blew-up into one of the highest profile murders of the new century. Reporters from all over the country flocked to Texas to interview Andrea. However, Diane Bowsley was different from all the others. She was a single mother, and a reporter for a Chicago paper. As she interviewed Andrea over the course of a week, she learned of the woman’s motives and intentions. Diane’s experience with Andrea would end up mending her relationship with her daughter. The interviewing experience also acts as a way for Andrea to get her story out. Andrea Yates shared with Diane tales of her multiple suicide attempts, medications prescribed by confused doctors, and of her religious beliefs. Various people come in and out of these stories. Andrea explains that she met her husband, Rusty Yates, at an apartment complex where they both had lived. She tells of Michael Woronecki and Claire Dawson, who were both religious role models for Andrea. Claire was an older woman, who seemed peaceful and sure of her faith. Andrea hoped to reach such equilibrium. Michael Woronecki was a nice man and a helping hand in the community. The interview between Diane and Andrea does more than just describe the people in Andrea’s life. It leads to Andrea admitting that she had committed a crime, but she was influenced by her severe depression, possible insanity, and religious beliefs. In her mind, the children needed to die before they could be corrupted. She just wanted them to go to heaven. After the week-long connection between two women, Andrea’s trial would begin, and she would eventually be found guilty. Still, her crime was not all bad, as it resulted in an understanding of motherhood and love for reporter Diane Bowsley. Diane returned to Chicago to live happily with her daughter, Sandy.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Dear Andrea is one of the most daring and touching films ever made. Patty Jenkins wrote the screenplay and directed the movie as no man ever could. The main storyline in the film surrounds the interaction of Andrea Yates and reporter Diane Bowsley. Jenkins understands the female psyche and was therefore the best person to direct the two actresses. The writer/director also understands originality and made a film that has never been made before. Dear Andrea is part biopic, part family drama, part crime thriller. The film has it all. Most notably, it has an amazing performance from Sandra Bullock. She is extremely convincing as Andrea; the audience will feel as if they are actually watching Andrea Yates. Bullock gives the best performance of the 21st century. Julianne Moore is just as great as always. She pulls off the intelligent, yet frustrated, reporter immensely well. Moore deserves more praises. Elle Fanning is heartfelt and touching as Sandy Bowsley, a young girl with a terrible relationship with her mother, who seems to never be around. The other members of the supporting cast, especially Meryl Streep and David Strathairn, turn in quality work. Add in Matt Damon, who has grown as an actor with his past couple of films, and the ensemble is the best of the year. Dear Andrea has it all: an interesting screenplay, a confident and poised director, a talented leading lady, a beautiful supporting cast.<br /> <br /> Possible Oscar Nominations<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director – Patty Jenkins<br /> Best Original Screenplay – Patty Jenkins<br /> Best Actress – Sandra Bullock<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Julianne Moore<br /> Best Actor – Matt Damon<br /> Best Supporting Actor – David Strathairn</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-24345853597030533602008-06-18T12:14:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:14:41.483-07:00Destiny<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Harry<br /> <b>Location: </b>Colombia</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Destiny"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://theoscarigloo.com/2007/january/destinybringsunexpectedpaths.jpg" border="0" height="759" width="600" /></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Pedro Almodóvar<br /> Written by Pedro Almodóvar<br /> Produced by Giuseppe Tornatore and Esther García<br /> Original Music by Gustavo Santaolalla<br /> Cinematography by Bruno Delbonel</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Rodrigo Noya as Jaime<br /> Penelope Cruz as Antonia<br /> Carmen Maura as Luisa<br /> Manuel Alexandre as Dr. Correa<br /> Alejandro Agresti as Simón<br /> Mex Urtizberea as Sebastián<br /> Joanna Cobo as Cristina<br /> Gael García Bernal as Fabrício</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Destiny brings unexpected paths"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> Destiny. A word with various definitions. What is destiny, what does it do? It was the past, it is the present and it will be the future. Destiny knows all. It brings unexpected paths that only it knows. There are happy paths that are so miraculous that you’ll feel like a beautiful butterfly full of life flying on an enormous blue. But there are sad paths that are so obscure that you’ll feel like desperate shadow trapped in a black cage full of misery and hate. Destiny can change these paths in the most radical way imaginable. This is the story of one boy whose path radically changed.<br /> <br /> Jaime is 12 years old. His parents are divorced. He lives with his very understanding mother Antonia in a small apartment in Bogotá, Colombia. He often visits his wonderful grandmother Luisa and his uncle Sebastián; a writer, a theater director and a film enthusiast. Jaime’s passion in life is the cinema. He loves to go to movie theaters, to rent classic films and he expects to become a film director. Jaime’s father, Simón goes with him to see a film whenever he visits him. Jaime is very satisfied with his life but destiny is about to change everything.<br /> <br /> A student from his school, Fabrício, will commit suicide by jumping from a fourteenth floor. Jaime learns of the tragedy the following day. Although he never knew Fabrício, he feels very depressed as he reflects about the departed boy and talks about him with friends and teachers. Jaime feels worse and worse and in the most uncertain and unexpected moment, he begins to remember a strong and heavy past. As the days pass, Jaime gets possessed in his thoughts as becomes a slave of himself. His first demons appear and Jaime begins to think that his life is wasted, that he doesn’t have any purpose and that he should throw himself from the window. The most dangerous and violent thoughts appear as he has a desperate fight with himself. He wants to die but he is afraid, he wants to live but he is afraid. Destiny has just arranged everything to torment the young boy.<br /> <br /> A few days later, Jaime goes to see a film at a movie theater with his mother Antonia. In the middle of the film, Jaime thinks on his dark demons and takes the hand of his mother while he feels the suicide ideas. Antonia asked him what had happened to him and Jaime tells her about his suicide demons, his complex thoughts and his constant depressions. His mother Antonia is a strong woman and wasn’t going to let the situation the way it was. She would do anything to help her son and decided to send him to a psychologist.<br /> <br /> Jaime begins to have sessions with Dr. Correa. The psychologist hears Jaime as he learns about his demons and an abuse story that happened to the boy when he was 11 years old. Dr. Correa tells Jaime that he is becoming an adult and that he’s afraid of confronting reality. Jaime has an enormous evolution as he stops being a slave of himself. He enters a chorus and his last demon disappears when an 18 year old girl called Cristina from the chorus tells him “Always remember that your life is more important than the opinion of the rest”. Destiny can bring dark and heavy paths but you have to affront them and love yourself.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Memorable Quote: Always remember that your life is more important than the opinion of the rest.<br /> <br /> Rating: R for strong thematic elements, language and some sexual content </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Very few foreign language films make an impact at the United States but “Destiny” is simply one of those films. An amazing narration style with many metaphors and life lessons is crafted in a beautiful screenplay from Pedro Almodovar who was inspired by the true story of a Colombian boy. Almodovar also directs and gives a wonderful rhythm to the film with an amazing combination of colors in every shot and continues his newest style by making an intense and strong but elegant look at the story. This can be seen especially in the abuse part that is suggested but never shown. Almodovar also directs an excellent ensemble leaded by Rodrigo Noya in a complex role. Noya shows sensational acting skills as Jaime in a heartbreaking and powerful performance. He makes you believe that he is really Jaime an that he is living through a dark and heavy time as he suffers his suicide demons. Penelope Cruz plays the role of a mother who fights to have her son confronting his problems. Cruz gives a tremendous performance that lives you speechless. Carmen Maura plays one more time the role of a grandmother who secretly learns about the problems of his grandson and Manuel Alexandre gives a great portrayal as a psychologist who helps Jaime in his strongest moments. This astonishing portrayal about confronting reality and learning to love yourself is a riveting cinematic experience that will live in your memory for a long time.<br /> <br /> Awards Potential:<br /> <br /> Best Picture (AMPAS)<br /> Best Motion Picture (Drama) (HFPA)<br /> Best Ensemble (SAG)<br /> Best Director – Pedro Almodovar<br /> Best Actor – Rodrigo Noya<br /> Best Actress – Penelope Cruz<br /> Best Supporting Actor – Manuel Alexandre<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Carmen Maura<br /> Best Original Screenplay – Pedro Almodovar<br /> Best Foreign Language Film – Pedro Almodovar<br /> Best Score – Gustavo Santaolalla<br /> Best Cinematography – Bruno Delbonel</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-88671389431096224342008-06-18T12:13:00.002-07:002008-06-18T12:14:09.503-07:00E.L.<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Daniel Crooke<br /> <b>Location: </b>Ohio</span></p> <p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">"E.L."</span></b></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Produced by: Betty White, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein<br /> Directed by: Stephen Frears<br /> Screenplay by: Dan Futterman</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Betty White as E.L. Hughes<br /> Bill Nighy as Frederick Hughes<br /> Catherine Keener as Stephanie Hughes<br /> Eric Roberts as Michael Hughes<br /> Glenn Close as Frances Mills<br /> Paul Giamatti as Dr. George Damons</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “After 50 years of writing, all her future work is erased”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> In 2007, E.L. Hughes was working on a new book. E.L. was a world-renowned author who was a New York Times Bestseller. She had been writing since the 1950's. She was still in high demand for her writing. She had just named her new book, "The History of Mr. Mills". The last name "Mills" was a reference to her publisher, Frances Mills. She would often title characters after people she knew. She was about five pages into it one night when her husband, Frederick, told her she should probably go to bed. It was 12:02. E.L. finished a few more pages and went to her bedroom, took off her glasses, kissed her husband, and went to sleep. The next morning, E.L. woke up like any other day. She put on her glasses and got out of bed. She saw a letter on her bedside table from her husband, telling her that her publisher wanted her to write more that day. She smiled and continued into the kitchen. After breakfast, she went to her typewriter and sat down. She stared at the keys and she could not make any sense of them. She could not understand the letters on the keys and could not reread what she had written. She was confused, so she called her doctor, Dr. George Damons. After describing her situation, the doctor told her that she had suffered an afasia and could no longer read or write. E.L. denied it and hung up the phone. Not believing it, she went back to her bedroom and tried to read the note from her husband. She couldn't.<br /> <br /> Two months later after problems with her husband and publisher, E.L. had not told one person about her afasia. She was having to lie to her publisher, her friends, and most importantly: her husband. Frederick had grown incredibly suspicious and frustrated about E.L.'s strange behavior. She had been telling him there was nothing wrong and that the ideas were coming to her but she hadn't had the time to write and that she also sometimes had writers block. The truth to why she had not told anyone was that she was too proud to tell anyone that she had a problem. She denied problems left and right since she had suffered the afasia. Her children, Stephanie and Michael, had noticed a change too. Her children were never nice people, they did whatever it took to get what they wanted. Michael concluded that their mother had a medical problem so they bribed Dr. Damons to get the answer. Once the two found out about E.L.'s afasia they decided to take advantage of their mother's checkbook. So, they forced their mother into signing checks for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars to the two of them. It absolutely destroyed E.L. knowing that her children were taking advantage of her, but she would not admit a thing. Frederick noticed that his bank account was shrinking. He directed it back to E.L. and he insisted that the two go into marriage counseling because he knew something was wrong and E.L. would not tell him. E.L. could not bring herself to confess that her talent that the world loved was gone. Her publisher was now threatening to drop her. After a monstrous fight with Frederick that left her in tears because she was so ashamed of her denial, she knew it was time to forget her pride and to finally let everyone know about her afasia. After confessing everything to Frederick in private, she called a press release that her publisher arranged. She admitted everything that had happened over the last months.<br /> <br /> E.L. left her publisher, on good terms. She began to speak around the country, and eventually the world, about her career and her struggle with the afasia. </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say: </b> </span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The always underrated Betty White gives the best performance of her career in the new film directed by Stephen Frears, "E.L.". The film is a fictional narrative of an author, White, who suffers an afasia. An afasia is a sudden deletion of a skill in the brain. In this case, it is the author's ability to read and write. E.L. can not face her problem and denies it, her pride being the reason she won't confess. Betty White's performance cannot be described in excellence. It is superior to anything I have seen this year, and I would go as far to say that it is one of the best female performances ever played by an actress. White's ability to get inside her character is truly beyond amazing. Her subtle expressions while trying to deny a problem, even when her menacing children make her sign away thousands of dollars, really move you. White's character development builds as the film progresses and really make you feel for E.L. . She is not only a fictional character, but one that you make a deep connection with as she falls deeper and deeper into a hole. Not only is White fantastic, but Bill Nighy's portrayal of her husband is also excellent. His delivery of his lines and his physical expression is wonderful to watch, although it is difficult material that he delivers. When he fights with Betty White, the tension between the two is excellent. The two of them have won several precursors this year. Betty White has pulled a Helen Mirren and has won every single precursor from the guilds and critics awards. Nighy won the National Board of Review, as well as the New York Film Critics Awards. Driven by two great performances and a wonderful screenplay by Dan Futterman, "E.L." should work its way up to a Best Picture nomination. Betty White really is amazing and she, without a doubt, will win the Oscar. "E.L." goes down in history as one of the best character-driven films ever to grace the silver screen.<br /> <br /> Nominations<br /> <br /> Best Picture- Betty White, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein<br /> Best Director- James L. Brooks<br /> Best Actress- Betty White<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Bill Nighy<br /> Best Original Screenplay- Dan Futterman<br /> Best Film Editing</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-49977180646234267512008-06-18T12:13:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:13:33.354-07:00F.E.A.R.<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Zgamer<br /> <b>Location: </b>Eagle, ID</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Distributed by: Universal Studios<br /> Produced by: John Carpenter and Mike Medavoy<br /> Directed by: David Fincher<br /> Written by: Andrew Kevin Walker and Craig Hubbard<br /> Based on the game by Craig Hubbard and Monolith Productions</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Josh Hartnett as Richard “The Point Man” Smith<br /> Clive Owen as Paxton Fettle<br /> Kurt Russel as Commissioner “Rowdy” Betters<br /> Bruce Willis as Spen Jankowski<br /> Michelle Krusiec as Jin Sun-Kwon<br /> Denzel Washington as Capt. Douglass Holiday<br /> Dakota Fanning as Alma<br /> Donald Sutherland as Harlan Wade<br /> Maria Bello as Genevieve Aristide, President of ATC<br /> Robert Downy Jr. as Aldus Bishop, ATC Employee</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Do you know the true meaning of F.E.A.R.?"</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Release Date: October 24, 2007<br /> <br /> Rated R for graphic, intense, bloody scenes of action/horror violence and gore, strong language and a brief scene of nudity</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> In 2002, a covert branch of the U.S. Army was founded. Known as the First Encounter Assault Recon division, or F.E.A.R. for short, this branch was dedicated to the defense of U.S. security interests against paranormal and supernatural forces. Obviously, very few people took them seriously, seeing how there were none of these threats that needed to be dealt with. However, something has happened to change that.<br /> <br /> About thrity years ago, a company known as the Armacham Technology Corporation began a series of projects to further the company’s success. The first was known as Project Icarus, with the goal of creating an efficient method for producing a new form of soldiers for the U.S. Army to use instead of actual people. What followed was the creation of an army of bio-mechanical clones that would operate under a collective conscious. This eventually led to the project known as Origin, which was formed to train a super-soldier who would function as the central hub for these soldiers telepathically. To do this, the project’s founder Harlan Wade (Sutherland) decided to train a ten-year-old girl named Alma (Fanning), since she had shown signs of immense psychological powers. Unfortunately, this proved ineffective over time due to Alma’s bizarre quirks and mental complexities. The plan was then altered to create a new form of soldier from her genes. To do this, Armacham put Alma into an induced coma and impregnated her so she would transfer her power to a new subject. Two children were born from this, but an incident involving a chaotic psychological outburst from the first child forced Armacham to pull the plug on the project. Unfortunately, Alma was killed in the process, since her vitals were still linked to the machine inducing her coma when it shut down.<br /> <br /> It is now the current year. Armacham President Genevieve Aristide (Bello), realizing the potential of Project Origin in the new age, seeks to bring it back into business. In disregards to her board’s decisions, she sends a team led by employee Aldus Bishop (Downy) to re-establish connection with the project’s HQ, known as “The Vault”. Unfortunately, communication was lost shortly after the team reached their destination. Whatever they did, it triggered a crisis in one of Armacham’s facilities in Auburn. In that building, Paxton Fettle (Owen), Alma’s violent child now a grown man, was somehow set free from a containment cell the company had built. Within an hour, Fettle had killed most of the building’s employees and established a link with the clone soldiers he was created to use. In a desperate attempt to cover up this mess, Armacham contacts the army for assistance.<br /> <br /> Though they have no direct experience yet, the F.E.A.R. team is ordered to mobilize its elite unit to aid Delta Force operatives led by Captain Douglass Holiday (Washington) in controlling the incident. With Commissioner Betters (Russell) at its head, the F.E.A.R. team calls upon ten operatives for the job, including its veteran soldier Spen Jankowski (Willis) and paranormal expert Jin Sun-Kwon (Krusiec). With their team prepared, they send their first operative (Hartnett), a rookie designated as the operation’s “Point Man”, to prepare their strike. However, when he arrives at the area, strange things begin to happen. He is showing unnaturally agile reflexes and is seeing strange visions of a young ten-year-old girl in various places. What he doesn’t know is that all these things will lead to a full night’s trip into Hell and beyond.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">It’s not often that we see a video game movie, or a horror movie for that matter, that involves the audience with so many amazing scenes of both nail-biting horror and adrenaline pumping action. F.E.A.R., David Fincher’s latest bloody masterpiece, brings all of that and more to the table with production values and cinematic skills that rise above the competition. His signature style of atmospheric filmmaking is just the thing a film like this needed, complete with a disturbing sound design and a little ultra violence to seal the deal. If anything, Fincher has created the one movie that will convince you there is a Hell. Corpse are torn limb by limb, flesh is liquefied by a girl’s thoughts, bodies are smashed across rooms like rag dolls by unholy forces and gallons of blood are splattered everywhere in such convincingly realistic detail that one would think that they are really killing people in the movie. The foreboding atmosphere the film creates can also thank the wonderful technical team behind it. The editing appropriately sets the pace of every scene within the movie, from the Die Hard caliber firefights that are the original game’s signature to the nightmarish visions projected into the main hero’s brain by the ghostly Alma. Some awe-inspiring cinematography helps add to this, using dynamic angles and a nightmare-like quality color scheme that lets the audience know almost immediately what they are about to experience. It’s the sound design, however, that give F.E.A.R. that disturbing but satisfying edge. Gunshots and bullet casing clatter are a thing of beauty and the Japanese horror-like sound effects that ensue when paranormal events occur will send a chill so powerful down your spine that it is likely to tear through the skin, which would be appropriate for a movie like this.<br /> <br /> In the end though, it’s David Fincher’s expertise that carry the film forward. Under his guidance, the outlandish plot of the script and visceral intensity of the original game all come together in a logical way. The characters are never expressed as caricatures, as each one has a distinct personality to keep the audience interested with them. The script, co-penned by the writer of Se7en and the game’s original writer/director, constantly keeps you in the moment, and then completely pulls the rug from under you with several surprising twists and a cliffhanger ending that leaves you drained and wanting more at the same time. And who could ask for a better cast, with Josh Hartnett as a great central character to have the story revolve around. The standout though is Clive Owen as Fettle. His menacing voice combined with the traits of this psychotic, cannibalistic character makes him the perfect villain. He would be a lock for supporting actor if not for the briefness of his appearances and the un-Oscar material of the film.<br /> <br /> The only warning we can give the academy awards is be prepared.<br /> <br /> Possible Nominations<br /> <br /> Best Director- David Fincher<br /> Best Cinematography- Harris Savides<br /> Best Editing- James Haygood<br /> Best Sound Design- David C. Hughes, Ren Klyce, Richard Hymns and Eric Dachs<br /> Best Sound Editing- David C. Hughes and Richard Hymns<br /> <br /></span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-66578777621876836592008-06-18T12:12:00.002-07:002008-06-18T12:13:07.360-07:00Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Brian<br /> <b>Location: </b>Minneapolis</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Goodness Had Nothing to do with It"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://theoscarigloo.com/2007/january/goodness_poster.JPG" border="0" height="353" width="283" /></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Director: Mike Nichols<br /> Screenplay: James Mangold<br /> Cinematography: Tobias A. Schliessler<br /> Art Direction: Thomas Voth<br /> Costume Design: Milena Canoneros</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Renee Zellweger as Mae West<br /> Hugh Jackman as Frank Wallace<br /> David Strathairn as David Auburn<br /> Ben Affleck as George Raft<br /> Aaron Eckhart as Cary Grant<br /> John C. Reilly as W.C. Fields<br /> Sacha Baron Cohen as Don Ameche<br /> Sienna Miller as Raquel Welch<br /> Ewan MacGregor as Rex Reed<br /> Jack Black as Dom Delouise<br /> Viggo Mortensen as Dick Cavett<br /> and<br /> Tammy Blanchard as Judy Garland</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough”</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">QUOTE: Hat Check Girl: “Goodness, what lovely diamonds!”<br /> Mae West: “Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> We begin in the year 1913 at a photo shoot of the 20-year-old Mae West (Renee Zellweger), posing for the song-sheet for the tune “Everybody Shimmies Now,” scantily clad in sequins and fringe. This begins Mae West’s road toward notoriety and infamy. West begins writing risqué plays under the pen name Jane Mast, and finds her first big success with Sex, which she also directs and stars in. Many of her next plays were plagued with controversy and many are shut down. West is married to Frank Wallace (Hugh Jackman), a vaudeville dancer and loyal husband, despite her attitude that he is quite disposable.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In 1932, at age 29, West receives a motion picture contract from David Auburn (David Strathairn), a top executive at Paramount, moves to Hollywood (leaving her husband) and begins filming Night After Night with George Raft (Ben Affleck). Next, she brings her hit play Diamond Lil to the screen, now titled She Done Him Wrong. She casts Cary Grant (Aaron Eckhart) in the leading male role. Their partnership is successful, and She Done Him Wrong goes on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. West and Grant pair up again for I’m No Angel, another box office smash, which saves Paramount from bankruptcy. West becomes the largest box office draw in the USA. However, in 1934 the Production Code strictly enforces their censorship, and West’s brash and frankly sexual scripts began to be heavily edited. West does five more films with Paramount before ending their partnership. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In 1937, West appears on a radio show with comedian Don Ameche (Sacha Baron Cohen), where they perform a sketch of Adam & Eve in The Garden of Eden. The sketch is considered so blasphemous and risqué that West is banned completely from NBC.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">West accepts a co-starring role with W.C. Fields (John C. Reilly) in My Little Chickadee in 1940. The two are not used to co-starring on a film and do not get along at all. West would not put up with his drinking. The rivalry gets so out of hand that eventually the two can’t work on set together – their scenes are filmed separately and spliced together. Nevertheless, the film is a financial success. In 1942, after Frank Wallace had been trying to get in touch and reconcile with Mae, West files for divorce from Frank Wallace, after denying that she even HAD a husband. She claims to never have known him.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In 1944, West returns to Broadway as Catherine the Great of Russia in Catherine was Great, a spoof comedy. West then stars in her own long-running Las Vegas act. We catch a glimpse of her act on an evening that Judy Garland (Tammy Blanchard) is the guest star. West slowly disappears from the entertainment world for a time.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In 1970, she appears in Gore Vidal’s film Myra Breckenridge, also starring Raquel Welch (Sienna Miller) and Rex Reed (Ewan MacGregor). It is a huge flop. In 1976, she gives an exclusive interview on the Dick Cavett Show (Viggo Mortensen as Dick Cavett), speaking about her life and career, along with insights into her proclivity toward vulgar humor and her battle with censorship. She makes her final screen appearance at age 85 in SEXTETTE with Dom Delouise (Jack Black), another critical and commercial flop. However, After Dark magazine awards her the Star of the World Award for her performance.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">In the last years of her life, West maintains a youthful appearance and surrounds herself with young men, employing chauffeurs, companions and bodyguards. In the late summer of 1980, West suffers a stroke and falls out of bed. She recovers, but suffers another stroke in November. She is sent home in poor condition, and later dies at her apartment in Hollywood at age 87. <br /> <br /> MAE WEST QUOTES:</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">“A hard man is good to find.”<br /> “Between two evils, I always pick the one I’ve never tried before.”<br /> “I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.”<br /> “I never loved another person the way I loved myself.”<br /> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Renee Zellweger is amazing as the saucy, legendary Mae West, capturing her essence down to the arch of an eyebrow. She portrays the raw sexuality, double entendre, and strength Mae West was famous for. She ages as Ms. West from age 20 to age 87 flawlessly. This is one of the best biopic performances ever; and one that is likely to earn Ms. Zellweger Oscar #2.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The supporting roles are composed of the many men in her life. Aaron Eckhart shines as Cary Grant, capturing his debonair essence. John C. Reilly is fantastic as the egotistic, drunk W.C. Fields. His scenes steal the film. Hugh Jackman portrays Frank Wallace with sincerity and honesty. This man was emotionally abused by Mae West, and he always loved her. Jackman shows us all these complex emotions in his few scenes. Ben Affleck and Sacha Baron Cohen have memorable roles as one-time co-stars of Ms. West. Sienna Miller and Ewan MacGregor play Raquel Welch and Rex Reed on the set of Myra Breckenridge to perfection, and Jack Black is hilarious (yet heartbreaking) as Dom Delouise on the set of Sextette. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Viggo Mortensen and Tammy Blanchard have beautiful cameo roles as Dick Cavett and Judy Garland (Ms. Blanchard has already played the legend in Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadow, playing the young Judy). Each of the supporting characters each have interesting interactions with Mae West, and we clearly see how they affect each other. Mike Nichols’ direction carries us flawlessly and consistently through the life of Mae West with ease. He has an eye for exactly where the film needs to go, and executes it with beauty. The screenplay by James Mangold characterizes Ms. West perfectly.<br /> <br /> FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Mike Nichols<br /> Best Original Screenplay: James Mangold<br /> Best Actress: Renee Zellweger<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Aaron Eckhart<br /> Best Supporting Actor: John C. Reilly<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Sienna Miller<br /> And other various technical categories…</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-54951061986797734812008-06-18T12:12:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:12:40.857-07:00GPS<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ryan<br /> <b>Location: </b>New Jersey</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“GPS” </b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Zombie<br /> Written by Wes Craven and Rob Zombie<br /> Music by David Julyan<br /> ESTIMATED BUDGET- $55,000,000</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Hilary Swank (Bree Tuner)<br /> Leonardo DiCaprio (Kirk Tuner)<br /> Dakota Fanning (Madison Tuner)<br /> Kristin Stewart (Lisa Tuner)<br /> Josh Hutcherson (Jesse Tuner)<br /> Vanessa L. Williams (Jean Danza)<br /> Terrance Howard (Neil Danza)<br /> Megan Good (Emily Danza)<br /> Lindsay Lohan (Sara Ovacs)<br /> Nick Cannon (Guy Tuttle)<br /> Jesse Bradford (Ash Barnett)<br /> Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Tracy Ravine)<br /> Jennifer Tilly (Casey Ewings)<br /> Billy Bob Thornton (Buck Grimes)<br /> Felicity Huffman (Buck’s Wife)<br /> Elijah Wood (Jeff Grimes)<br /> Josh Hartnett (Charlie Grimes)<br /> Anna Faris (Maryann Grimes)<br /> Amy Smart (Marylou Grimes)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Your Destination Lays Ahead” 10/31/07</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">RATED R- for Strong Grisly Violence, Extensive Sequences of Terror, Some Sexual Content, and Language</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> It is the summer and the Tuner family, Bree (Hilary Swank), Kirk (Leonardo DiCaprio), Madison (Dakota Fanning), Lisa (Kristin Stewart), and Jesse (Josh Hutcherson) are going to Six Flags in Jacksonville, NJ. Suddenly their GPS changes its route. They follow and come up to an old dirt road ten miles up the highway. They are about to turn back when another car comes. The same events happen to them. It is the Danza family, Jean (Vanessa L. Williams), Neil (Terrance Howard) and their daughter who just came back from college, Emily (Megan Good).</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Emily brings her friends and boyfriend Guy Tuttle (Nick Cannon), Sara Ovacs (Lindsay Lohan), Tracy Ravine (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Ash Barnett (Jesse Bradford). They decide to take the path when all of a sudden something crashes through the cars front window.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">They wake up in a dark barn, all in cages. However there is also Casey Ewings (Jennifer Tilly). She informs them that they are on the Grimes’ Farm. They have a GPS re-router to bring people to their farm.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">They do this so they can have people to play there game. The Grimes’ are the hunters and the people are the prey. Casey said she is the only one left of her family. The family gives you a knife and you run. If you escape you can leave.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">The hick Grimes’ family consists of father Buck Grimes (Billy Bob Thorton), Buck’s Wife (Felicity Huffman) who talks to them and feeds them. Their sons Jeff and Charlie Grimes (Elijah Woods, Josh Hartnett) who hunt with their dad; and sexually active (with both gender) daughters Maryann and Marylou Grimes (Anna Faris and Amy Smart).</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">No one is safe, not even the children. Now they must find a way to survive and escape before they get mounted on the Grimes’ wall.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">“Two thumbs up!”-Ebert & Roeper<br /> “Truly The Most Dangerous Game!”-Comingsoon.net<br /> “A Thriller that THRILLS! Even the Kids are on the Chopping Block.”- People<br /> “A+! Gruesome, realistic, gruesome, terrific.”-Entertainment Weekly<br /> “It will take the Academy by surprise and for some, by heart attack.”-Rolling Stone Magazine<br /> GPS is a shocking thriller that will take you on an experience of a life time. It is about to families and friends who meet each other and wind up on a killers farm who hunt humans. Each actor brings something new to the table and does it with Oscar style. However, Ten Actors and Actresses really shine. Billy Bob Thorton had some hits and misses in his career but this is right on target. Leonardo DiCaprio and Hilary Swank are great as husband and wife and show fear and love. Felicity Huffman wows the audience and Vanessa L. Williams gets back on the map. However, out of all the female leads Jennifer Tilly stands out and shines. For supporting Elijah Wood and Josh Hartnett are great as sadistic brothers. Anna Faris and Amy Smart go from Comedy to Oscar-winners. See THIS MOVIE!!!!!!</span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">MEMORABLE QUOTE-“You’ll look nice right over my fireplace sweetheart.”-Buck’s Wife(Felicity Huffman) to Madison Tuner (Dakota Fanning)<br /> <br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Gore Verbinski and Rob Zombie<br /> Best Screenplay: Wes Craven, Rob Zombie<br /> Best Original Score: David Julyan<br /> Best Actor: Billy Bob Thorton, Leonardo DiCaprio<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood<br /> Best Actress: Jennifer Tilly, Felicity Huffman, Hilary Swank, Vanessa L. Williams<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Dakota Fanning, Mary Elizabeth Winstead</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-7119014720584670152008-06-18T12:10:00.002-07:002008-06-18T12:12:18.345-07:00Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Author(s):</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;"> Maia<br /><b>Location: </b>Los Angeles</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">“Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh”</span></b><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Directed by Stephen Frears<br />Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer and The Weinstein Company<br />Written by Larry McMurtry<br />Cinematography by Caleb Deschanel<br />Costume Design by Julie Weiss<br />Makeup & Hairstyling by Greg Cannon<br />Original Score by Patrick Doyle</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Principal Cast:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Rachel McAdams as Vivian Leigh<br />Daniel Craig as Laurence Olivier<br />George Clooney as Herbert Leigh Holman<br />Matt Damon as John Merivale<br />Carrie Ann Moss as Olivia de Havilland<br />Stanley Tucci as George Cukor</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Tagline:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;"> “A woman's beauty is an actress' curse"</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Synopsis:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;"> The year is 1940… “Gone with the Wind” has won a record number of ten Academy Awards and has become the highest grossing film of all time. Vivian Leigh, the film’s fiery leading lady is now an Oscar winner and has quickly become one of the most celebrated actresses in the world.<br /><br />All this worldwide acclaim, however, has meant very little to Leigh. At age 27, she has just divorced from Herbert Leigh Holman and has lost custody of her young daughter Suzanne. To make things worse, she was also diagnosed with tuberculosis…<br /><br />For her own sake, Leigh found some relief on her relationship with the famous actor and producer Laurence Olivier, whom she married the same year; and her friendship with “Gone with the Wind” co-star Olivia de Havilland and George Cukor, the first director involved in the project.<br /><br />For the next decade, Leigh continued acting in Hollywood despite her animosity towards the American filmmaking system and she was commonly hired for roles that emphasized on her beauty but not on her acting talent. This situation was frustrating for her and as her anger slowly destroyed her work reputation, her marriage with Olivier was also in trouble.<br /><br />In 1951, Leigh landed the role of Blanche DuBois in the film adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. The film became a hit and she won her second Best Actress Academy Award. She thought her life was on track again but she was wrong, her tuberculosis aggravated and she developed bipolar disorder.<br /><br />Her illness distanced her even more from Olivier and they finally divorced in 1960. By that time, Leigh was already involved with a less famous actor named John Merivale. In 1963, Merivale encouraged Leigh to participate in the Broadway musical Tovarich, she agreed and won a Tony Award for her performance.<br /><br />Merivale also encouraged Leigh to stay in touch with Olivier, who even produced some of her last projects; and with Herbert Leigh Holman, who remained as one of Leigh’s closest friends through the last years of her life.<br /><br />In 1967, Leigh’s tuberculosis turned extremely severe and she was forced to rest at home until her recovery. That summer, with Leigh’s condition improved; Merivale went out to perform in a play. When he returned at midnight, Vivian Leigh was dead.<br /><br />The moment her death was announced, her detractors revised their previous opinions about Leigh’s performances and named her one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of all time. Olivier, Merivale and Leigh Holman conducted her memorial services in London…</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">What the press would say:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">The tumultuous life story of legendary actress Vivian Leigh is intimately told by recent Oscar winner Larry McMurtry in the heartbreaking biopic “Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh.”<br /><br />Director Stephen Frears delivers a transcendent and touching portrait of one of Hollywood’s most prominent icons: Vivian Leigh. Portrayed with enormous passion and energy, Rachel McAdams goes to places where few award-winning actresses have gone in the past and immerses herself devotedly into Leigh’s personality. Her "Vivian" is an incredible presence, sizzling in the outside and yet, fragile and soft in her inner self. McAdams, who is gorgeous enough to understand the affecting stigma Leigh battled through her career, communicates each of her emotions to perfection. Leigh’s close friend Olivia de Havilland said at the end of the Los Angeles premiere of the film that McAdams’s transformation was stunning and mesmerizing, she concluded: “Vivian used to say: I’m not a star, I’m an actress…Stars fade out but actresses go on for a long time. Rachel McAdams will become one of the best actresses of all time.”<br /><br />McAdams is not only poised to receive a Best Actress nomination for her outstanding portrait of the “Gone with the Wind” star, she is on her way to an imminent triumph.<br /><br />Daniel Craig is a perfect match for McAdams as the great Laurence Olivier. He brings to the screen the charm and intensity necessary for us to understand how this man tamed the feisty Leigh. Craig and McAdams make the perfect couple and the powerful chemistry they portray through the different stages of their characters’ marriage is one of the film’s best accomplishments.<br /><br />Matt Damon gives a touching performance as the less known John Merivale. A man outshined by his companion’s fame but also a man who always stood by her side till the moment of her death. Damon, under heavy make up work to appear older, provides emotional balance for McAdams’ Leigh and it’s one of the most impressive supporting turns of the year.<br /><br />Additional supporting work by George Clooney as Leigh’s first husband is vibrant and the brief appearances of Carrie Ann Moss and Stanley Tucci as Olivia de Havilland and George Cukor allow the audience to discover a more fragile side of Leigh.<br /><br />Despite some controversy about the production of this film and the inevitable comparisons with Milos Forman’s “An Actress Named Vivian Leigh,” “Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh” proves that great work can always be outdone. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: white;">Stephen Frears, Larry McMurtry and Rachel McAdams have given the world a far more compelling, intimate and inspiring look at the glorious life of the legendary Vivian Leigh. Consider this moving cinematic experience for the following awards:<br /><br />Best Picture – AMPAS<br />Best Picture (Drama) – HFPA<br />Best Ensemble – SAG<br />Best Actress – Rachel McAdams<br />Best Actor – Daniel Craig<br />Best Supporting Actor – Matt Damon<br />Best Original Screenplay<br />Best Crew</span><o:p></o:p></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-45333167060603065402008-06-18T12:10:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:10:34.905-07:00The Hitman<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ross Jensen<br /> <b>Location: </b>Memphis, TN</span></p> <p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">"The Hitman"</span></b></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Christopher Nolan<br /> Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan<br /> Original Score by James Newton Howard<br /> Cinematography by Wally Pfister</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Colin Farrell Michael Russo<br /> Paul Giamatti Joe De Luca<br /> Bruce Willis Paul Bruno<br /> Terrence Howard Ricardo White<br /> Scarlett Johannsson Lauren Jacobs<br /> James Franco Tommy Gallardi</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Loyalty goes out the window”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> From Christopher Nolan, acclaimed director of "Memento" and "The Prestige". Michael Russo(Colin Farrell) is a young hitman for a New York City-based crime syndicate. When he is set up by a confidential informant for the FBI and arrested, he agrees to testify against the group that once employed him in order for him to stay out of prison, leave the mob and marry his girlfriend who has his two month old daughter.. Now, the crime syndicate will stop at nothing to make sure Russo doesn't make the court date. The FBI is doing all they can to ensure he does. Joe DeLuca (Paul Giamatti) is the head of the crime organization. He considered the most dangerous man in New York and if Russo testifies, he would see the death penalty. DeLuca sends his right hand man, a veteran hitman, Paul Bruno (Bruce Willis) to take down Russo at all costs. Adam White (Terrence Howard) is a clean-cut all around good guy working for the FBI. He has a wife and a newborn son. He is given the job of keeping an eye on Russo and keeping him out of sight until the court day. Russo is in love with his girlfriend, Lauren (Scarlett Johannsson) who is a normal civilian not involved with the mob. She is a sweet, educated girl very unlike Russo and Russo feels lucky to have her. She continuously begs Russo to get out of the criminal underworld. But after he is caught by the FBI, he returns home to get her only to finf her and his daughter murdered. Russo, who previously was a low-key young man and conflicted about violating his loyalty to the syndicate and had astrong dislike of Adam White, now was infuriated and intensewith a want for vengance. He starts to fear for Adam as he sees parallels between his life and White's as they both had families with young kids. Russo goes out to talk to his old contacts for info on the identity of his girlfriend's killer. He goes around the city and finds out it was indeed Paul Bruno. But, suddenly he realises he is being followed by Bruno and this starts one of the most exciting edge-of-your seat cat-and-mose pursuits spannng over subways, city buses, and the streets of New York. Russo escapes only to go back to the safe house and find Adam White not there and he immediately realises it was mob members that took White. All the killings Russo had done, it was finally time to do some that were morally right and for justice.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say: </b> </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Christopher Nolan paints an intense, exciting, intriguing, yet sorrowful story of payback. He presents an astounding vision of New York City and brings out the best performaces of some of the actors' careers. Namely being Colin Farrell, who steps into the spotlight and delivers big time. He becomes a dirty street thug in the beginning and by the end he is sympathetic and has us rooting for him. Farrell delivers in a way only hinted at in his work before. Anything you've seen Farrell do before, forget about it, this is his best performance. Then, there's Paul Giamatti who plays a villain. He is so good as a villain and really has fun with the role of mob bossas does Bruce Willis who could be the most menacing character we've seen since Darth Vader in the 1980s. Terrence Howard shines again and is a true good guy in this film. The climax is sure to be one of the more iconic and memorable scenes for some time, and the chase scene is as exciting as they come. "The Hitman" is an exciting masterpice from Christopher Nolan who does everything right in this one as it rivals any crime drama around.<br /> <br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director- Christopher Nolan<br /> Best Actor- Colin Farrell<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Paul Giamatti<br /> Best Supporting Actor- Bruce Willis<br /> Best Original Screenplay- Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan<br /> Best Score- James Newton Howard<br /> Best Cinematography- Wally Pfister</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-60882886208914421372008-06-18T12:08:00.006-07:002008-06-18T12:09:06.250-07:00The Home<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Pat<br /> <b>Location: </b>NY</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“The Home"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed By James L. Brooks<br /> Written By James L. Brooks<br /> Music By James Horner</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Al Pacino (Vito Spacalone)<br /> Bill Murray (Dr. Dick Van Schock)<br /> Amanda Peet (Nurse Geena West)<br /> Hal Holbrook (Gerry Matrizini)<br /> Alan Arkin (Lawrence Netzmin)<br /> Fionnula Flanagan (Deidre McDonall)<br /> Greg Kinnear (Christopher Matrizini)<br /> Elizabeth Perkins (Melinda Matrizini)<br /> Dakota Fanning (Cassandra Matrizini)<br /> Mark Wahlberg (Calvin McDonall)<br /> Nora Dunn (Bea Burrows)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Would you want to be on their bad side?"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> From Oscar-winning writer/director James L. Brooks comes a new dramedy centered on four elderly tenants in a suburban Long Island retirement home and their gripes about life. The story begins when former New York crime boss Vito (Al Pacino) checks himself into The Burrows after he believes that a hit has been placed on him. There he encounters the suspicious Dr. Van Schock (Bill Murray) and falls for the charms of his forceful nurse (Amanda Peet) while observing the lives of three of his co-tenants. First, there is Gerry (Hal Holbrook), a former police officer who is dealing with a recent stroke and his family (Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Perkins, Dakota Fanning) who have a hard time accepting that he likes the home. Then there is Lawrence (Alan Arkin), a bitter widower who moved into The Burrows when he realized that he had nobody else in the world. And finally he meets Deidre (Fionnula Flanagan), an Irish immigrant with Alzheimer’s who claims her son (Mark Wahlberg) is a man who raped her over fifty years ago. Vito tries to makes friends with his new acquaintances and begins to seek forgiveness for the crimes he has committed in the past. Nora Dunn also stars as the owner of the home who believes that Vito’s continued presence is hindering the happiness of others. </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">James L. Brooks’ new film “The Home” makes you laugh hard while crying like a baby at some parts. It tells the story of an old mafia man who takes shelter in a nursing home and starts a war between the head doctor and the rest of the residents. Al Pacino is amazing as the tragic Vito, who slowly comes to terms with the fact that he too will die just like the people in the home. His performance strikes a chord in the heart in the film’s final act and will surely aid Pacino’s next race for top awards. Mark Wahlberg gives a powerful performance as a young man who tries to convince his senile mother that he is not a man who raped her, and as his mother grows worse he comes under the tutelage of Vito and eventually discovers Vito’s secret. Hal Holbrook, the stand-out of the film, gives the best performance of his long career as a stroke-ridden man who is sick of his family’s intervention in the last years of his life. “The Home” is a heartbreaking comedy that will make you wish you were younger.<br /> <br /> Awards<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director-James L. Brooks<br /> Best Original Screenplay<br /> Best Actor-Al Pacino<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Alan Arkin<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Hal Holbrook<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Mark Wahlberg<br /> Best Supporting Actress-Amanda Peet<br /> Best Supporting Actress-Elizabeth Perkins<br /> Best Original Score</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-10696722331926229232008-06-18T12:08:00.005-07:002008-06-18T12:08:59.180-07:00The Home<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Pat<br /> <b>Location: </b>NY</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“The Home"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed By James L. Brooks<br /> Written By James L. Brooks<br /> Music By James Horner</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Al Pacino (Vito Spacalone)<br /> Bill Murray (Dr. Dick Van Schock)<br /> Amanda Peet (Nurse Geena West)<br /> Hal Holbrook (Gerry Matrizini)<br /> Alan Arkin (Lawrence Netzmin)<br /> Fionnula Flanagan (Deidre McDonall)<br /> Greg Kinnear (Christopher Matrizini)<br /> Elizabeth Perkins (Melinda Matrizini)<br /> Dakota Fanning (Cassandra Matrizini)<br /> Mark Wahlberg (Calvin McDonall)<br /> Nora Dunn (Bea Burrows)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Would you want to be on their bad side?"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> From Oscar-winning writer/director James L. Brooks comes a new dramedy centered on four elderly tenants in a suburban Long Island retirement home and their gripes about life. The story begins when former New York crime boss Vito (Al Pacino) checks himself into The Burrows after he believes that a hit has been placed on him. There he encounters the suspicious Dr. Van Schock (Bill Murray) and falls for the charms of his forceful nurse (Amanda Peet) while observing the lives of three of his co-tenants. First, there is Gerry (Hal Holbrook), a former police officer who is dealing with a recent stroke and his family (Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Perkins, Dakota Fanning) who have a hard time accepting that he likes the home. Then there is Lawrence (Alan Arkin), a bitter widower who moved into The Burrows when he realized that he had nobody else in the world. And finally he meets Deidre (Fionnula Flanagan), an Irish immigrant with Alzheimer’s who claims her son (Mark Wahlberg) is a man who raped her over fifty years ago. Vito tries to makes friends with his new acquaintances and begins to seek forgiveness for the crimes he has committed in the past. Nora Dunn also stars as the owner of the home who believes that Vito’s continued presence is hindering the happiness of others. </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">James L. Brooks’ new film “The Home” makes you laugh hard while crying like a baby at some parts. It tells the story of an old mafia man who takes shelter in a nursing home and starts a war between the head doctor and the rest of the residents. Al Pacino is amazing as the tragic Vito, who slowly comes to terms with the fact that he too will die just like the people in the home. His performance strikes a chord in the heart in the film’s final act and will surely aid Pacino’s next race for top awards. Mark Wahlberg gives a powerful performance as a young man who tries to convince his senile mother that he is not a man who raped her, and as his mother grows worse he comes under the tutelage of Vito and eventually discovers Vito’s secret. Hal Holbrook, the stand-out of the film, gives the best performance of his long career as a stroke-ridden man who is sick of his family’s intervention in the last years of his life. “The Home” is a heartbreaking comedy that will make you wish you were younger.<br /> <br /> Awards<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director-James L. Brooks<br /> Best Original Screenplay<br /> Best Actor-Al Pacino<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Alan Arkin<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Hal Holbrook<br /> Best Supporting Actor-Mark Wahlberg<br /> Best Supporting Actress-Amanda Peet<br /> Best Supporting Actress-Elizabeth Perkins<br /> Best Original Score</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-10892678831237771242008-06-18T12:08:00.003-07:002008-06-18T12:08:37.589-07:00Inside You Out<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> James Somerton<br /> <b>Location: </b>NS, Canada</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Inside You Out"</b> </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed By: Oliver Stone<br /> Written By: James Somerton<br /> Edited By: Hank Corwin</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Al Pacino as President Richard Strom<br /> Christopher Walken as Robert Strong<br /> Kevin Bacon as Thomas Long<br /> Laurie Metcalf as First Lady Virginia Strom<br /> Kristen Alderson as Sarah Washington<br /> Kate Winslet as Clarrissa Washington</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “A Murderer, A Rapist, The President…Three Sick and Twisted Bastards”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> President Richard Strom has just begun his fifth year in office after barely scraping by in the last election. He is also beginning the third year of a war that nobody wants to fight. America is waging a war against a murderous regime in Egypt where hundreds of American soldiers are being slaughtered every month. The majority of the country wants their troops taken home but Strom refuses to even entertain the notion, at least not in public. But in private, his wife Virginia can see that what’s really tearing him up inside isn’t the countless dead Americans but the ever-plummeting poll numbers.<br /> <br /> Thomas Long has just gotten word that his son has died in Egypt but he can’t go to the funeral because he’s hiding away from the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been hunting Thomas for three weeks now; ever since he killed three Republican senators who voted “yes” on the bill that sent his son off the get killed in the desert. He has only one more person to take out before he turns himself in.<br /> <br /> Robert Strong is sitting in his 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo listening to the radio when he hears about an assassination attempt on his boss, Richard Strom. He has something far more important to tend to though. Sarah Washington has just gotten out of school on this freezing January day. Her mom won’t be picking her up today so she’ll have to walk home. He follows her quite discretely until she walks in her front door. There he waits for twenty-three minutes and then knocks at her door.<br /> <br /> President Richard Strom is in critical condition in Georgetown University Medical Center. His campaign manager, Clarrissa Washington, is in the lobby doing damage control; talking to the press and assuring them that the president “will be just fine”. After about an hour of doing this she goes outside for a break and to check in on her daughter, Sarah. There’s no answer at home.<br /> <br /> When Sarah is found she is tied up on her mothers bed, bleeding from between her legs. A man in a suit and ski mask had raped her. Thomas Long is sentenced to life in prison for the attempted assassination of President Richard Strom, who recovered in a little over two months. In that time, the vice president, Robert Strong, had taken over for him. Sarah’s rapist was never found, the men who killed Thomas Long’s son were never brought to justice, and by the end of the year another two thousand American men and women had died in Egypt.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Oliver Stone has directed one of the best thrillers I have seen in recent years. “Inside You Out” blurs the lines of good and evil in a way that left me confounded in the end. Stone has assembled an all-star cast that go so deep into their rolls that you sometimes forget that you’re watching the likes of Al Pacino, Kate Winslet, and Kevin Bacon. Pacino plays President Richard Strom, a man so overwhelmed by the events of his presidency that the only person he can really talk to about them with is his wife. In one scene, Pacino, along with his on screen wife Laurie Metcalf, talk about the events in Egypt (an obvious parable to the war in Iraq). In this scene we see a president drop his façade as a strong leader and break down. Metcalf’s eruption into angry at the fact that her husband could care less about the men and women dying and is more worried about his poll numbers sent chills up my spine. Her performance is staggering, such a departure from her work on TV in “Desperate Housewives” and “Roseanne”. Christopher Walken’s turn as a rapist vice-president nearly made me sick. He is so clean and sadistic in his scenes with young actress Kristen Alderson that, even with a black mask over his face, he makes you hate him. When it is revealed that he is, in fact, the vice president I heard a gaspe rise up in the theater. Kevin Bacon plays a man who just lost his son to the war in Egypt and got his revenge by killing three of the senators who voted to send more troops to the war. The scene in which he attempts to assassinate President Strom is pure tension for eleven minutes and thirty-one seconds. The scene is dragged out so much that it should have gotten boring but Bacon’s fantastic performance kept it interesting the entire time as we listen to President Strom’s speech on why we must “Stay the Course in Egypt”. And Kate Winslet is magnificent as President Strom’s campaign manager who’s daughter is Robert Strong’s victim. She is one of the only mature females in the cast and loses a lot of screentime to her male counterparts but she makes the most of her limited screen time. She is so perfectly composed when working with the president but you get to see her utterly fall apart at the discovery of her violated daughter. And Kristen Alderson pulls off a great performance as Winslet’s daughter. She’s so sympathetic but strong in her battle with her attacker. There’s one hell of an actress in her. The screenplay, written by Oscar Nominee James Somerton, Weeves together all these plots flawlessly and compliments Stone’s directorial style perfectly. And Oliver Stone’s direction completely draws us into the world of corrupt and terrible people and those who are affected by them.<br /> <br /> POSSIBLE NOMINATIONS:<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director – Oliver Stone<br /> Best Original Screenplay – James Somerton<br /> Best Actor - Al Pacino<br /> Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Walken<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Kate Winslet<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Laurie Metcalf<br /> <br /></span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-1997832644853344312008-06-18T12:08:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:08:19.383-07:00The Last Art Work<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Sergio Requejo<br /> <b>Location: </b>Spain</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“The Last Art Work”</b></span></p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://theoscarigloo.com/2007/january/The_Last_Art_Work.jpg" border="0" height="510" width="340" /></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Fernando Meirelles<br /> Written by Isabel Coixet<br /> Music by Alberto Iglesias<br /> Produced by Scott Rudin</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Cate Blanchett (Sylvia White / Hanna)<br /> Ralph Fiennes (Michael White )<br /> Javier Bardem (Salvador Blanco )<br /> Juliette Binoche (Irène )</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “When we find our own place it’s easier to find our truth"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> London 1992. After the disappearance of the Spanish painter Salvador Blanco, an art gallery is interested in his latest work and decides to dedicate him an exhibition about the war in the Balkans. Michael White, a critic of art from an important newspaper, will discover in this exhibition a picture that will affect him specially. The last picture that he painted is the portrait of a naked woman with a child, woman who is identical to his own wife. Distrustful and perplex he asks for an explanation to his wife Sylvia, plunged in a depression after knowing they are unable to have children. After a big discussion, she promises him that she doesn’t know the painter and that she doesn’t know anything about that painting. They both go to the exhibition and Sylvia can’t believe her own eyes when she sees the painting and she recognized herself on it. She gets obsessed with the picture and tries to know everything about the painter, the picture and where it was painted. Sylvia convinces her husband to go to Spain, because she is living the disappearance as something personal. Michael accepts it in order to help his wife and his marriage. They will meet Salvador’s ex-wife, Irène, in Barcelona, a French gallery owner who devotes herself to compile and manage the work of her missing ex-husband. Irène recognizes the face of Sylvia immediately and tells them that the painting was the last one that she received from the Salvador, almost one year ago. Sylvia decides to go to Bosnia to find Salvador. Her husband tries to convince her to stay, but she needs to know the truth and both embark direct to Sarajevo. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">They will follow the local tracks from where Salvador sends his last works and they will be impressed by an environment of hatred and latent war. Sylvia feels the need to help in everything that she can, and she feels good with herself like she never does before. Michael does not bear the pressure and decides to return to London but Sylvia decides to stay there increasing the emotional distance between them.<br /> <br /> Parallel Plot:<br /> <br /> Salvador Blanco decides to go to Sarajevo for a while just to make some art works and to hide from his own life. Salvador will be hurt in a gunfire while he’s painting in a small village. An old woman, called Hannah, will keep him in her house to heal him the wounds. Salvador remains in the house several weeks and he satisfies his artistic desires drawing a painting of a woman and a baby from a picture that he has in his room, just in front of his bed. Salvador gets obsessed with this photography and he discover that she is Hannah, the woman who is taking care of him, and the baby is a girl she gave in adoption to an English couple from the embassy many years ago.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Fernando Meirelles presents a hard and touching story about the research of our own origins. It’s about the searching of our identity, who we are and where we come from. The characters are always wondering if his place in the world is the one they are living now. The director tells us all this trough the eyes of a couple, happy in appearance, with no necessities, but that can not find the place they dream once.</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">We get involved in the story trough the great interpretations of Cate Blanchett (amazing in a double role Sylvia/Hannah) and Ralf Fiennes, in a journey with the dramatic background of the war. Cate Blanchett’s strength carry us with her motivations, to know the truth about her family, her life, her history. The main characters are supported by two great actors like Bardem and Binoche, with two very complex roles, full of shapes and an intense love background too. They will explain us the story in a parallel way with some explanatory flash-backs. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">One of those movies the whole world needs to see.<br /> <br /> FYC:<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director: Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God)<br /> Best Original Screenplay: Isabel Coixet (My life without me, Secret life of words)<br /> Best Actress: Cate Blanchett<br /> Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Binoche</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-11624538704561324922008-06-18T12:07:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:07:44.478-07:00A Long Way Down<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Jamie Madden<br /> <b>Location: </b>Melbourne, Australia</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“A Long Way Down”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Richard Curtis<br /> Produced by Mike Newell and Stephen Frears<br /> Written by Richard Curtis and Nick Hornby, based on the book by Nick Hornby<br /> Original Score by Craig Armstrong</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Hugh Grant as Martin; a publicly disgraced TV personality<br /> Emma Thompson as Maureen; a middle-aged woman with no life beyond caring for her severely disabled adult son<br /> Bill Nighy as JJ; an American rocker whose music career has just ended with a whimper<br /> Keira Knightley as Jess; the unstable, punked-out daughter of a junior government minister</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Misery loves company"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> One lonely New Year’s Eve changes the course of destiny for four desperate people who meet on the top of a London rooftop. Miserable and hopeless, they each came to jump off the roof to their deaths. Martin, a television personality has been humiliated publicly, Maureen has hit menopause and a mid life crisis while taking care of a disabled adult son, Jess has broken up with her boyfriend, which has left her emotionally unstable, despite having a privileged upbringing and J.J. is an American rock star whose career has ended on the double release of an album of classic jazz standards and a Christmas album.<br /> <br /> Bonded by a shared misery, they spend the night together. As they share their stories, and get on each other’s nerves, they actually save each other’s lives, and realize that while all share suicidal tendencies, they have completely different lives. Through one rough night, the four share a strong bond that provides an outlet for frustration, angst, anxiety and humiliation</span>.</p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say: </b>Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral” “Love Actually”) reunites with Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley and Bill Nighy, in this winning adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel. The morose, depressing topic of suicide and desperation are brought to life with humorous and yet moving stories from each of the four characters. Emma Thompson is in her element as a desperate middle-aged housewife of a disabled adult son, and brings both humor and pathos to her character, weaving a clever tapestry that is the heart of the film. Keira Knightley proves she can really act in this role of a privileged girl who is left heartbroken and suicidal. Hugh Grant marvelous plays a disgraced television presenter, and shows no inhibitions as an actor in the role. But the standing ovation goes to Bill Nighy, who seems to play a character similar to his character in “Love Actually”, but whose character falls flat on its face. With great comic timing, ability and depth, Nighy, is the glue that holds the film together. Thanks to a endearing script written both by Curtis (who obviously has great chemistry with his team) and Hornby, “A Long Way Down” is a heartwarming tale of greed, desperation, loneliness and friendship.<br /> <br /> For Your Consideration (comedy categories for Golden Globes)<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director<br /> Best Adapted Screenplay<br /> Best Original Score<br /> Best Actor (Hugh Grant)<br /> Best Actress (Emma Thompson)<br /> Best Supporting Actor (Bill Nighy)<br /> Best Supporting Actress (Keira Knightley)</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-25360860391681082122008-06-18T12:06:00.002-07:002008-06-18T12:07:19.849-07:00Love Now, Laugh Later<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Pierre Davis<br /> <b>Location: </b>Columbus, Ohio</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Love Now, Laugh Later” </b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Distributor: DreamWorks<br /> Directed by: Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly<br /> Written by: Woody Allen<br /> Produced by: Woody Allen and Steve Martin</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Will Ferrell as Adam Montgomery<br /> Steve Carell as Francis Samuels<br /> Ben Stiller as Jack Graves Jr.<br /> Woody Allen as Nick Montgomery<br /> Steve Martin as Frank Samuels<br /> Jack Nicholson as Jack Graves Sr.<br /> Ryan Phillippe as Steven Franks<br /> Scarlett Johansson as Angela Franks<br /> Sharon Stone as Jocelyn Samuels<br /> Helen Mirren as Samantha Smith<br /> Eva Green as Angel Smith<br /> <br /> Rated: PG-13 for persuasive sexuality and mild language<br /> <br /> Genre: Romantic-Comedy</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Love and Laughter can make anyone feel special"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Chapter 1: Laugh Now, Laugh Later<br /> Losing his mother at an early age Adam Montgomery has been raised by his father his whole life, a stand up comedian who could barely afford food some nights but always told Adam never to cry but laugh now at foolishness and laugh later when you tell people about it. Growing up he was never to lucky with the girls and his father never really helped because he could barely talk to women without having a panic attack. How he got his mother is a mystery to Adam. When he finally grows up to be a successful business man he doesn’t forget where he came from giving back to his father every chance that he gets. One day he meets a gorgeous woman who is really attracted to him and he is surprised to find this out but the only thing is that the woman is 2 decades older than him. Samantha is a retiree and well educated and knows how to get her men. When they start going out on dates Adam finally builds up enough nerves to introduce her to his father. When Adam does his father has a surprise for him also.<br /> <br /> Chapter 2: Are you trying to seduce me Stepmother?<br /> Frank Samuels is one of the richest men in the world and is getting married for the 7th time in his life. His son Francis hates the fact that he is the son of what news media calls the “prenuptial playa”. When he finally meets the so called woman of his father’s dreams by the name of Jocelyn he notices that she is a little flirty with him. Until he figures out that she is being way more than flirty when she tries to seduce him. Francis tries to ask for advice from his mother Samantha but she is too love sick over a fellow that Francis hasn’t met yet. He tries everything to stop his stepmother from trying to seduce him but he soon begins to like it. He begins getting jealous of the fact that his father is with her. Wanting to be together they try to figure out a way for Frank to get rid of the prenuptial agreement so they can live happily ever after.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3: Go ahead and cry you big sissy<br /> Jack Graves Jr. has one of the meanest fathers in the world in Jack Graves Sr., an owner of apartments mainly for up and coming couples living together for the first time. When Steven Franks and Angela Franks come in to get an apartment Jack Graves Jr. falls in love at first sight when he sees Angela. The beautiful blonde who lights up what ever room that she walks in. When they get a room Jack Graves Jr. basically begins stalking her and when Angela and Steven break up Jack sees his chance. Steven doesn’t want it to be over though so now Jack and Steven fight for the love of the beautiful Angela.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4: Love shows no age<br /> Adam Montgomery is a retired comedian who never really has had luck with women since the death of his wife. How he got her is a mystery to him. He is 70 years old and figures that his days are numbered. His next door neighbor Jack Graves Sr. is always in competition with him. When a beautiful young lady by the name of Angel moves in across the street from them and show attraction to both of them which spells trouble. Angel is less than what describes this woman. Everything from sabotage to ruining each others reputation is evolved in trying to win the heart of this woman. In the end the truthful Adam wins and is surprised when he finds out that his son has a new lady also and is even more surprised when he finds out that the woman that his son is dating is the mother of the new love of his life. </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Love Now, Laugh Later is one of the funniest but beautiful pictures seen in the last decade. It is a movie that explains how you fall in love then laugh at the situations that led you to love. This movie identifies with everyone, age, color, male or female. With a screenplay by Woody Allen this movie comes off on screen brilliantly. Bobby and Peter Farrelly are incredible directors and show the world why Woody Allen picked them out of a selected few to bring his screenplay to life. These directors could win the first best director for two people since West Side Story. Woody Allen and Will Ferrell have incredible chemistry hooking up for the first time on screen. From the first chapter to the fourth chapter this movie is incredible and the beautiful ladies involved are also incredible. Who would have ever known that Eva Green could be mentioned as a Best Supporting Actress nominee? She is incredible as the wanted angel and so is Scarlett Johansson who could be looking at her first nomination. The real stars of the film are Helen Mirren and Sharon Stone. Helen Mirren is playing her funniest role and is beautiful as the older women with the younger man. Sharon Stone is like an up to date Mrs. Robinson in her role as Mrs. Samuels and is sure to gain a nomination. With legends like Woody Allen, Jack Nicholson and Steve Martin, who wouldn’t want to see this movie? Jack Nicholson plays the mean dad to perfection and Woody Allen is the self conscious person that he is legendary for. Steve Martin also gives a surprising performance as the clueless Frank Samuels. Ryan Philippe and Ben Stiller are incredible as two feuding males looking for the close to perfect female in the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. Numerous nominations should be awarded to this film including Best Picture:<br /> <br /> POSSIBLE NOMINATIONS:<br /> Best Picture: Woody Allen and Steve Martin<br /> Best Director: Peter and Bobby Farrelly<br /> Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen<br /> Best Supporting Actor: Woody Allen, Will Ferrell, Jack Nicholson, Ben Stiller or Steve Carroll<br /> Best Supporting Actress: Sharon Stone, Helen Mirren or Eva Green<br /> Best Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin<br /> Best Film Editing: Alisa Lepselter</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-38729394346720417832008-06-18T12:06:00.001-07:002008-06-18T12:06:40.970-07:00Media Politics<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Alex<br /> <b>Location: </b>Washington State</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Media Politics”</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Christopher Guest<br /> Written by Christopher Guest and Christopher Buckley</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Kelsey Grammar (Stew Pid)<br /> Alec Baldwin (Jack O’Schitt)<br /> James Woods (Justin Case)<br /> Tim Robbins (Irving Michael “I.M.” Phoqued)<br /> James Caan (Sheldon Boener)<br /> Amy Poehler (Sharon Needles)<br /> Tony Sirico (Chris P. Bacon)<br /> Robert DeNiro (Dr. Willie Sumey)<br /> John Cusack (Dwight Dix)<br /> Bruce Willis (Clinton Cox)</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “Crazy or Sane...it doesn’t really matter in the world of Media Politics!"</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> 2008. Some experts, and those who think they are experts, are calling it the one of the biggest presidential races of all time. Meet those people:<br /> <br /> Stew Pid (liberal): Over-exaggerating, exploitive former film director whose turned to making documentaries about how wrong and dumb our government is. His latest film, “Bowling for Stupid White Men”, has put him back in the arena to spout any kind of propaganda he wants.<br /> <br /> Jack O’Schitt (conservative): The host of TV’s “The O’Schitt Factor”, he rants endlessly about how the liberal elite are always trying to steal the money out of the wallets of ordinary Americans. Although against the death penalty, he thinks that the U.S. government should send felons of the most serious offenses to Alaska to serve time in a prison camp, modeled after Soviet gulags, and should be subjected to food rationing and solitary confinement.<br /> <br /> Justin Case (liberal): A former writer and performer on a late-night comedy show, he thinks that now that he is in real news everyone will take him seriously (this is not the case). Paranoid, he is convinced that everyone is lying to him. Though he once considered running for political office, polls in his home state showed that 0% would vote for him.<br /> <br /> Irving Michael “I.M.” Phoqued (conservative): A lover of cigars, politics, and prescription drugs, he is usually high when on the air. This can be used as an excuse for why he is usually a little off during his radio program “The I.M. Phoqued Radio Hour”. Whenever he gets a caller that annoys him he performs what he calls a “caller abortion”, where he would suddenly end a call to the sounds of a vacuum cleaner and a scream, after which he would deny there was ever a caller, explaining that the call had been “aborted”.<br /> <br /> Sheldon Boener (liberal): A former vice-president, who lost to the current and soon to be ex-president, he has become the most laughed at politician of his time. After a failed political career, he created a TV network and started a radical environmentalist movement to stop global warming. Like Pid, he has also signed on in the political documentary field with his new film, “A Convenient Truth: How YOU can Stop the Apocalypse”.<br /> <br /> Sharon Needles (conservative): She could quite possibly be the craziest of the bunch. In her latest book, “How to Talk to a S***head: If You Must” (referring to liberals), has people calling her the most rude, insensitive person on the face of the planet. This has been her fourth and most insulting book she has ever written (and all of them have been insulting).<br /> <br /> Chris P. Bacon (liberal): A fading communist author. He really has nothing left to do in his life, so he pushed out another book on imperialism, went on a few talk shows, and is quickly forgotten by the media when he dies of a stroke midway through the election.<br /> <br /> Dr. Willie Sumey (conservative): Host of talk radio’s “The Sumey Nation”, he once said on his show, “Every American who is allowed by law to own a gun, should go out and by a gun!” If that’s not enough, he’s the biggest racist, homophobe, sexist, and imperialist in America. You may think that the title of “Dr.” that comes before his name is in political science. It’s not. It’s in nutrition.<br /> <br /> Dwight Dix (conservative) and Clinton Cox (liberal): Together this team hosts TV’s “The Dix and Cox Show”. Any sane person would probably tune in to this show, because of it’s sense of balance, but it doesn’t work. Nothing ever happens except “I told you so”. Nevertheless, their show goes on.</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">By far the best comedy of the year! Christopher Guest directs this laugh out loud hilarious comedy. Though Guest is without his regular troupe (Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, etc.), he tackles something in political satire never done before. Guest uses liberals to play conservatives and conservatives to play liberals. This works perfectly and makes the movie even more enjoyable. Sure to rack up big at the Golden Globes, this film’s leads are the ever delightful Kelsey Grammar and Alec Baldwin. Kelsey Grammar, of “Frasier” fame, stars as the rude and pompous film director. He’s absolutely hilarious in every scene he appears in and is definitely on his way to an Oscar nomination. Co-starring with Grammar is Alec Baldwin. Hilarious as Jack O’Schitt, the arrogant, fascist TV reporter, Baldwin gives what is most definitely the best performance of the year. A lock for an Oscar, or at least a nomination. In the supporting categories, Tim Robbins turns in the best supporting performance of this year as the drug addict who is also a conservative commentator. He works wonder with the role. James Caan is also hilarious as the former vice-president turned celebrity and could pick up a nod, but he’s not as good as Robbins. Joining Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, Amy Poehler is bound to be the third Saturday Night Live cast member to pick up an Academy Award nomination after her surprise win at the Film Festival. The best female performance of the year, she absolutely shines. The award-winning screenplay, co-written by Guest and Christopher Buckley, is also one of the best and will definitely be on the shortlist for Best Original Screenplay. Once again, my favorite film of the year, “Media Politics” has good chances of picking up Oscar nominations in the following categories:<br /> <br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director (Christopher Guest)<br /> Best Actor (Kelsey Grammar)<br /> Best Actor (Alec Baldwin)<br /> Best Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins)<br /> Best Supporting Actor (James Caan)<br /> Best Supporting Actress (Amy Poehler)<br /> Best Original Screenplay (Christopher Guest and Christopher Buckley)</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9182632357757889000.post-78736554633145535442008-06-18T12:05:00.004-07:002008-06-18T12:06:17.500-07:00Meet Me Under the Moon<p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Author(s)</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>:</b> Ian<br /> <b>Location: </b>New Jersey</span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>“Meet Me Under the Moon”<br /> </b>Drama/Comedy/Romance </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Directed by Robert Benton<br /> Written by Robert Benton </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Principal Cast:</b></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Logan Lerman – Ryan Monroe<br /> Felicity Huffman – Natalie Monroe<br /> Emma Watson – Harriet Skye<br /> Jeff Daniels – Mike Monroe<br /> Frances McDormand – Michelle Thomas<br /> Annette Bening – Lynne Monroe Silverstein Lewis Harrison<br /> Cody Linley – Chris Thomas<br /> Mimi Rogers –Millie Monroe<br /> Martin Landau – Nathan Monroe </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Tagline:</b> “When Ryan Monroe’s father died, his entire family was reborn”</span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>Synopsis:</b> “Meet Me under the Moon” tells the story of the most unforgettable summer of Ryan Monroe’s life. It’s the end of April – Ryan is living a quietly great life with his father Neil and mother Natalie in a small town in Massachusetts. He’s got great friends, passing grades, and is constantly honing his basketball skills in hopes of becoming a professional player for the NBA one day.<br /> <br /> Then, May arrives. Neil is killed in a tragic car accident, leaving him and his mother heartbroken and lost. Wanting to be strong for his mother, Ryan fights his pain and keeps his cool throughout his mourning. When his father’s funeral rolls around, though, he is shocked to see a whole swarm of unknown people show up. Who are these people? How did they know Ryan’s father? Why is Natalie desperately (and quite obviously) trying to keep them away from Ryan? These people just happen to be the family that had been hidden from Ryan for the past fourteen years.<br /> <br /> Immediately seeing how angry her son is and for her own personal reasons, Natalie and Ryan pack up and move out to the small town of Fairview in southern Massachusetts. It’s only temporary, but Natalie feels downright terrible and wants Ryan to get in touch with the town his father grew up in and the family that still lives there. When they first arrive, things are downright awkward and tense, but the family’s quirky members soon grow on him. Uncle Mike is a sweetheart of a guy and with two daughters; he doesn’t have a lot of experience with raising a son. He sees Ryan as the son he and Ryan’s Aunt Millie never had and forms a special bond with him. Then there’s Aunt Michelle who has one kid in college and two in high school. She’s divorced, and she also has the most problems with Natalie and the entire situation. Aunt Lynne is a high profile fashion editor who lives in Los Angeles and has come home to be with her family in this dark time of their lives. She’s been married three times, has no children, and longs to reconnect with the girl she left behind many years ago in her childhood. At the head of the family is Grandpa Nathan, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and doesn’t have much time to get to know his missing grandson. Ryan finds comfort in British native and Fairview resident Harriet, who may just be his first love. </span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">As the days go on, Ryan adjusts to this new life and has grown so close to Harriet and the people of this quirky, little town that when it’s time to go, heartbreak fills the screen. </span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;"><b>What the press would say:</b></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;">Robert Benton’s smart, warm, and funny “Meet Me under the Moon” hit theaters yesterday. It’s sure to enchant anyone that takes a liking to brilliant cinema. It may not be entirely original, but it’s one of the best well done films in its category. No director can key into their actors and their actors’ characters as delicately and seamlessly as Benton is able to. His crisp and comfortable directing and writing capture the true essence of a small town in shock, a young boy maturing into a young man, and a family coming together for the first time. It’s a lot to handle, but he pulls it off with ease. Nothing less, of course, is expected from a man who directed fourteen actors into Oscar nominations. The fact that he has seven of his own doesn’t hurt, either.<br /> <br /> Benton had some help in making this the phenomenal piece of art it is, though. He was blessed with a plethora of our finest actors and none of them disappoint. Lerman’s Ryan is a truly fascinating character with so many different sides to him that it’s almost surprising that he nails it so well. Jeff Daniels delivers the stand-out male performance, and that fact admittedly took up a lot of the praise I had for Lerman. This is a career best for Daniels, which I thought wasn’t possible after “The Squid & the Whale”. His mannerisms, his breathing, his eyes, and his body language – it’s all there, and a troubled man who has been dying for a son for the majority of his life really shines through. Martin Landau as the grandfather with a fading memory is naturally effective.<br /> <br /> The females kick some major butt, too. I remember hearing that Felicity Huffman’s role was much bigger in the first draft of the script, but once McDormand and Bening signed on, Benton expanded their roles and Huffman fell into the background. As crushing as it is, one cannot blame Benton. As the two wildly eccentric Monroe sisters, Bening and McDormand tear up every scene they’re in. McDormand nails the liberal and open-minded Michelle, who is probably one of the best written characters in the film. The way she just morphs into this unhappy and lost woman struggling to forgive once Natalie comes to town is difficult to play, and McDormand gets it. Bening might have a slight edge over McDormand, though. Her character is lost and confused in life and the scene where she realizes that she was a terrible daughter and was never “daddy’s little girl” is the best moment in film this year. I’ve never seen a stronger exchange of acting between two actresses ever before. She could finally take a little Golden guy home for this layered, delicious showcase.<br /> <br /> Three and a half stars, out of Four.<br /> <br /> THE STUDIO CAMPAIGN:<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director<br /> Best Original Screenplay<br /> Best Actor – Jeff Daniels<br /> Best Actor – Logan Lerman<br /> Best Actress – Felicity Huffman<br /> Best Supporting Actor – Martin Landau<br /> Best Supporting Actor – Cody Linley<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Annette Bening<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Frances McDormand<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Mimi Rogers<br /> Best Supporting Actress – Emma Watson<br /> <br /> THE CRITICS’ CAMPAIGN:<br /> Best Picture<br /> Best Director<br /> Best Original Screenplay<br /> Best Actor … Daniels<br /> Best Supporting Actor … Lerman<br /> Best Supporting Actress … Bening<br /> Best Supporting Actress … McDormand</span></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15013369335142421901noreply@blogger.com0