Dear Andrea

Author(s): Matt
Location: Illinois

“Dear Andrea"

Directed By: Patty Jenkins
Written By: Patty Jenkins
Costumes By: Sandy Powell
Music By: Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

Principal Cast:

Sandra Bullock as Andrea Yates
Matt Damon as Rusty Yates
Julianne Moore as Diane Bowsley
Elle Fanning as Sandy Bowsley
David Strathairn as Michael Woronecki
Michael Douglas as Dr. Starbranch
Meryl Streep as Claire Dawson

Tagline: “The story of Andrea Yates and her children swept the country and changed one reporter forever."

Synopsis: 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.

What the press would say:

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.

Possible Oscar Nominations
Best Picture
Best Director – Patty Jenkins
Best Original Screenplay – Patty Jenkins
Best Actress – Sandra Bullock
Best Supporting Actress – Julianne Moore
Best Actor – Matt Damon
Best Supporting Actor – David Strathairn

Destiny

Author(s): Harry
Location: Colombia

“Destiny"

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Written by Pedro Almodóvar
Produced by Giuseppe Tornatore and Esther García
Original Music by Gustavo Santaolalla
Cinematography by Bruno Delbonel

Principal Cast:

Rodrigo Noya as Jaime
Penelope Cruz as Antonia
Carmen Maura as Luisa
Manuel Alexandre as Dr. Correa
Alejandro Agresti as Simón
Mex Urtizberea as Sebastián
Joanna Cobo as Cristina
Gael García Bernal as Fabrício

Tagline: “Destiny brings unexpected paths"

Synopsis: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Memorable Quote: Always remember that your life is more important than the opinion of the rest.

Rating: R for strong thematic elements, language and some sexual content

What the press would say:

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.

Awards Potential:

Best Picture (AMPAS)
Best Motion Picture (Drama) (HFPA)
Best Ensemble (SAG)
Best Director – Pedro Almodovar
Best Actor – Rodrigo Noya
Best Actress – Penelope Cruz
Best Supporting Actor – Manuel Alexandre
Best Supporting Actress – Carmen Maura
Best Original Screenplay – Pedro Almodovar
Best Foreign Language Film – Pedro Almodovar
Best Score – Gustavo Santaolalla
Best Cinematography – Bruno Delbonel

E.L.

Author(s): Daniel Crooke
Location: Ohio

"E.L."

Produced by: Betty White, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Screenplay by: Dan Futterman

Principal Cast:

Betty White as E.L. Hughes
Bill Nighy as Frederick Hughes
Catherine Keener as Stephanie Hughes
Eric Roberts as Michael Hughes
Glenn Close as Frances Mills
Paul Giamatti as Dr. George Damons

Tagline: “After 50 years of writing, all her future work is erased”

Synopsis: 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.

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.

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.

What the press would say:

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.

Nominations

Best Picture- Betty White, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein
Best Director- James L. Brooks
Best Actress- Betty White
Best Supporting Actor- Bill Nighy
Best Original Screenplay- Dan Futterman
Best Film Editing

F.E.A.R.

Author(s): Zgamer
Location: Eagle, ID

“F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon”

Distributed by: Universal Studios
Produced by: John Carpenter and Mike Medavoy
Directed by: David Fincher
Written by: Andrew Kevin Walker and Craig Hubbard
Based on the game by Craig Hubbard and Monolith Productions

Principal Cast:

Josh Hartnett as Richard “The Point Man” Smith
Clive Owen as Paxton Fettle
Kurt Russel as Commissioner “Rowdy” Betters
Bruce Willis as Spen Jankowski
Michelle Krusiec as Jin Sun-Kwon
Denzel Washington as Capt. Douglass Holiday
Dakota Fanning as Alma
Donald Sutherland as Harlan Wade
Maria Bello as Genevieve Aristide, President of ATC
Robert Downy Jr. as Aldus Bishop, ATC Employee

Tagline: “Do you know the true meaning of F.E.A.R.?"

Release Date: October 24, 2007

Rated R for graphic, intense, bloody scenes of action/horror violence and gore, strong language and a brief scene of nudity

Synopsis: 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.

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.

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.

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.

What the press would say:

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.

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.

The only warning we can give the academy awards is be prepared.

Possible Nominations

Best Director- David Fincher
Best Cinematography- Harris Savides
Best Editing- James Haygood
Best Sound Design- David C. Hughes, Ren Klyce, Richard Hymns and Eric Dachs
Best Sound Editing- David C. Hughes and Richard Hymns

Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It

Author(s): Brian
Location: Minneapolis

“Goodness Had Nothing to do with It"

Director: Mike Nichols
Screenplay: James Mangold
Cinematography: Tobias A. Schliessler
Art Direction: Thomas Voth
Costume Design: Milena Canoneros

Principal Cast:

Renee Zellweger as Mae West
Hugh Jackman as Frank Wallace
David Strathairn as David Auburn
Ben Affleck as George Raft
Aaron Eckhart as Cary Grant
John C. Reilly as W.C. Fields
Sacha Baron Cohen as Don Ameche
Sienna Miller as Raquel Welch
Ewan MacGregor as Rex Reed
Jack Black as Dom Delouise
Viggo Mortensen as Dick Cavett
and
Tammy Blanchard as Judy Garland

Tagline: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough”

QUOTE: Hat Check Girl: “Goodness, what lovely diamonds!”
Mae West: “Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.”

Synopsis: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

MAE WEST QUOTES:

“A hard man is good to find.”
“Between two evils, I always pick the one I’ve never tried before.”
“I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.”
“I never loved another person the way I loved myself.”

What the press would say:

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.

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.

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.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Best Picture
Best Director: Mike Nichols
Best Original Screenplay: James Mangold
Best Actress: Renee Zellweger
Best Supporting Actor: Aaron Eckhart
Best Supporting Actor: John C. Reilly
Best Supporting Actress: Sienna Miller
And other various technical categories…

GPS

Author(s): Ryan
Location: New Jersey

“GPS”

Directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Zombie
Written by Wes Craven and Rob Zombie
Music by David Julyan
ESTIMATED BUDGET- $55,000,000

Principal Cast:

Hilary Swank (Bree Tuner)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Kirk Tuner)
Dakota Fanning (Madison Tuner)
Kristin Stewart (Lisa Tuner)
Josh Hutcherson (Jesse Tuner)
Vanessa L. Williams (Jean Danza)
Terrance Howard (Neil Danza)
Megan Good (Emily Danza)
Lindsay Lohan (Sara Ovacs)
Nick Cannon (Guy Tuttle)
Jesse Bradford (Ash Barnett)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Tracy Ravine)
Jennifer Tilly (Casey Ewings)
Billy Bob Thornton (Buck Grimes)
Felicity Huffman (Buck’s Wife)
Elijah Wood (Jeff Grimes)
Josh Hartnett (Charlie Grimes)
Anna Faris (Maryann Grimes)
Amy Smart (Marylou Grimes)

Tagline: “Your Destination Lays Ahead” 10/31/07

RATED R- for Strong Grisly Violence, Extensive Sequences of Terror, Some Sexual Content, and Language

Synopsis: 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).

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

What the press would say:

“Two thumbs up!”-Ebert & Roeper
“Truly The Most Dangerous Game!”-Comingsoon.net
“A Thriller that THRILLS! Even the Kids are on the Chopping Block.”- People
“A+! Gruesome, realistic, gruesome, terrific.”-Entertainment Weekly
“It will take the Academy by surprise and for some, by heart attack.”-Rolling Stone Magazine
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!!!!!!

MEMORABLE QUOTE-“You’ll look nice right over my fireplace sweetheart.”-Buck’s Wife(Felicity Huffman) to Madison Tuner (Dakota Fanning)

Best Picture
Best Director: Gore Verbinski and Rob Zombie
Best Screenplay: Wes Craven, Rob Zombie
Best Original Score: David Julyan
Best Actor: Billy Bob Thorton, Leonardo DiCaprio
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood
Best Actress: Jennifer Tilly, Felicity Huffman, Hilary Swank, Vanessa L. Williams
Best Supporting Actress: Dakota Fanning, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh

Author(s): Maia
Location: Los Angeles

“Hampered by Beauty: The Curse of Vivian Leigh”

Directed by Stephen Frears
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer and The Weinstein Company
Written by Larry McMurtry
Cinematography by Caleb Deschanel
Costume Design by Julie Weiss
Makeup & Hairstyling by Greg Cannon
Original Score by Patrick Doyle

Principal Cast:

Rachel McAdams as Vivian Leigh
Daniel Craig as Laurence Olivier
George Clooney as Herbert Leigh Holman
Matt Damon as John Merivale
Carrie Ann Moss as Olivia de Havilland
Stanley Tucci as George Cukor

Tagline: “A woman's beauty is an actress' curse"

Synopsis: 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.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

What the press would say:

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Best Picture – AMPAS
Best Picture (Drama) – HFPA
Best Ensemble – SAG
Best Actress – Rachel McAdams
Best Actor – Daniel Craig
Best Supporting Actor – Matt Damon
Best Original Screenplay
Best Crew