The Golden Compass's Recent Activity

list The Golden Compass's Recent Activity - Spout http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Golden Compass on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg The Golden Compass's Recent Activity - Spout http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 Film:The Golden Compass http://www.spout.com/films/The_Golden_Compass/230367/default.aspx

Title: The Golden Compass
Year: 2007
Director: Anand Tucker, Chris Weitz
Plot: A young girl ventures into a perilous parallel universe to rescue her best friend and fight the forces of darkness in director Chris Weitz's adaptation of the first installment of author Philip Pullman's best-selling fantasy trilogy. Screen newcomer Dakota Blue Richards stars as young heroine Lyra Belacqua, Casino Royale star Daniel Craig appears as Lyra's ruthless adventurer uncle, Lord Asriel, and Nicole Kidman assumes the glamorous guise of the villainous Mrs. Coulter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 13
Number of Lists: 21
Number of blog posts: 18
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:58:22 GMTThe Golden Compass2007Anand Tucker, Chris WeitzA young girl ventures into a perilous parallel universe to rescue her best friend and fight the forces of darkness in director <a href="/players/P___263774/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Chris Weitz</a>'s adaptation of the first installment of author Philip Pullman's best-selling fantasy trilogy. Screen newcomer <a href="/players/P___478587/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Dakota Blue Richards</a> stars as young heroine Lyra Belacqua, <a href=/films/231917/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Casino Royale</a> star <a href="/players/P____15549/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Daniel Craig</a> appears as Lyra's ruthless adventurer uncle, Lord Asriel, and <a href="/players/P____38065/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Nicole Kidman</a> assumes the glamorous guise of the villainous Mrs. Coulter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide13Tag Target (>10)211853http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s230367.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Golden_Compass/230367/default.aspxFilm Spout Post: Re:Sci Fi Recommendations http://www.spout.com/groups/sci_fi/Re_Sci_Fi_Recommendations/4/38205/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: CSSCHNEIDER
Post To: sci-fi
Post Date: 12/10/2008 4:58:22 PM
Body: The most pure Steampunk feature film is the anime Steam boy. It's fantastic and sure quench your thirst for brass and goggle fueled fantasy. Then there's the Disney Classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The Golden Compass claims to be steampunk, and it is in a simplistic way, but it's awful. There's a short film The Mysterious Geograohic Explorations of Jasper Morello which is as pure as you'll find, but it's a bit boring. The animation is really intricate and facinating to watch.
]]>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:58:22 GMTCSSCHNEIDERsci-fi12/10/2008 4:58:22 PMThe most pure Steampunk feature film is the anime Steam boy. It's fantastic and sure quench your thirst for brass and goggle fueled fantasy. Then there's the Disney Classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The Golden Compass claims to be steampunk, and it is in a simplistic way, but it's awful. There's a short film The Mysterious Geograohic Explorations of Jasper Morello which is as pure as you'll find, but it's a bit boring. The animation is really intricate and facinating to watch. Spout Post: The Golden Compass (2007) http://www.spout.com/blogs/jj79/archive/2008/6/6/30710.aspx

Post By: JJ79
Post To: JJ79 Blog
Post Date: 6/6/2008 3:29:43 PM
Body: "The Golden Compass" is New Line Cinema's bid to create a new fantasy trilogy based on a series of books, a la "The Lord of the Rings" or corporate sibling Warner Brothers' "Harry Potter" franchise. While technically brilliant and a wonder to behold, the film version of the Philip Pullman novel is as cold emotionally as its snow-covered locations are environmentally. A particle--known simply as dust--has the power to unite entire worlds and, indeed, the universe. When a young girl, Lyra Belacqua (newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), overhears talks about dust from inside a closet, her inquisitiveness is piqued. Lucky for her, an apparent benefactor in the form of Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) wants Lyra to accompany her to the great North, the only known source of dust. But before they leave, she finds other children are turning up missing. In a bid to find out where they are, Lyra enlists a cadre of allies--Gyptians, an ice bear and other rogues--to free her friends. The titular "The Golden Compass" is a MacGuffin in this story, an object which has real no purpose other than to propel the events on screen. It doesn't matter--in this film, anyway--that the compass can answer any question posed to it by turning a set of hands. Nor does it matter that the symbols on the compass could refer to any number of questions, let alone the specific one being asked of it. And never mind that the ending of the story never comes. The film, quite simply, stops. In essence, what has been committed to film at an estimated cost of $180 million is the setup for further adventures. Much like "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Golden Compass" assembles the pieces, gives the audience a few action set pieces, but never commits to any emotional arc. The characters have their own introduction scene, there are giant armies and computer-generated battles, ominous foreshadowing for the follow-up films, but nothing that brings the story to a close. I was half expecting to see "To Be Continued" pop on the screen as a flying vehicle fades into the distance. And that's the greatest curse of the film: It doesn't amount to anything on its own. There is no sense of loss, no emotion similar to other successful fantasy epics. "Star Wars" kept Darth Vader alive to menace Luke Skywalker in potential sequels, yet the self-contained story was resolved. The main story about rescuing Princess Leia and destroying the Death Star was complete. Here, the main villain (Coulter) is simply whisked away offscreen while another (Lord Asriel, portrayed by Daniel Craig) is left dangling in supposed danger. All of which takes the proverbial air out of the finale. There has to be closure for the audience on both an emotional and storytelling level. It not only garners goodwill toward the film as a whole, it also allows us to feel as though the last two hours were not wasted. What is the payoff? Why did we just watch seemingly pointless diversions to the ice-bear kingdom and a scuffle between the animals? I understand this is an epic and the entire narrative couldn't be told in one film; without that ending to rope the audience into the next chapter, the adventure feels all for naught. It's like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book that is missing the final page. Give us a good reason to want to see more of this universe. There's a moment of supposed revelation at the end of the film, one that tries to rope in our emotions and create a bigger conflict than there already is. It's a hopelessly manipulative ploy, one that doesn't deserve to be there. A cynic would think there was an ulterior motive; but since the film is based on a novel, the script has to be cut some slack in this regard. The rest of the film? Decent enough escapist fare, which doesn't justify the bile lobbed at it by certain religious groups. The complaint, as I understand it, is the story teaches children to rebel against authority, to question the world around them, and to fight a group called "Gobblers" (or Gobs for short). Really, the accusations against "The Golden Compass" are pathetic, much like the controversy over "Harry Potter" introducing children to witchcraft. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie. Enough cannot be said about the special effects in "The Golden Compass." As with all its cinematic siblings, computers created this world in a way unheard of even ten years ago. It's a rich and detailed world combining the best elements of Middle Earth, Coruscant (from the "Star Wars" saga), and Victorian England. With blimps running on some unknown power source and carriages on the street without the aid of horses or fossil fuels, everything we're exposed to on screen has been painstakingly designed and rendered. From the exquisite vehicles and technology to the snow-covered finale, there's nary a hair out of place. While the ice bears don't look entirely real--there is still a disconnect between reality and what a computer can create--they are the only "average" aspect of the visuals. I've spent a lot of time talking about the ending of the film and very little about the rest of the film. That's because it is merely a prologue to the story proper. Some conspiracy with a government scared its citizens will begin to think for themselves is the general outline for the rest of the plot; it's rather by the numbers and obvious, asking the audience to project our own feelings onto the common people when, in reality, the script doesn't take us there. I fear we won't see the next chapter of the series on the big screen anytime soon. "The Golden Compass" never imparts the sense of epic storytelling it needs to for us to care or come back for further adventures. The story itself is content to meander along and end on a cliffhanger, hoping the big names (Kidman, Craig, Eva Green, Ian McShane, Ian McKellan, Sam Elliott, Christopher Lee, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates) and the special effects bring us back. There's simply no way New Line can justify the price tag, given the quality of the product on screen. Is "The Golden Compass" family friendly? Absolutely. But with religious groups attacking it, how many families are going to find their way to the theater? "The Golden Compass" is an oddly cold, emotionless film. Even when the ice bear Iroek is tied up in the final battle, seemingly at the end of his journey, we're struck with the feeling of "who cares' as opposed to real dread. Remember how we all felt when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Gandalf were fighting for life? That's how we should have felt here. But we don't. The film itself is too busy introducing characters, wowing the audience with special effects, and setting up the universe. It should have concerned itself more with emotion and better storytelling. This film, on its own, is disappointing but not a "bad" film.
]]>Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:29:43 GMTJJ79JJ79 Blog6/6/2008 3:29:43 PM"The Golden Compass" is New Line Cinema's bid to create a new fantasy trilogy based on a series of books, a la "The Lord of the Rings" or corporate sibling Warner Brothers' "Harry Potter" franchise. While technically brilliant and a wonder to behold, the film version of the Philip Pullman novel is as cold emotionally as its snow-covered locations are environmentally. A particle--known simply as dust--has the power to unite entire worlds and, indeed, the universe. When a young girl, Lyra Belacqua (newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), overhears talks about dust from inside a closet, her inquisitiveness is piqued. Lucky for her, an apparent benefactor in the form of Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) wants Lyra to accompany her to the great North, the only known source of dust. But before they leave, she finds other children are turning up missing. In a bid to find out where they are, Lyra enlists a cadre of allies--Gyptians, an ice bear and other rogues--to free her friends. The titular "The Golden Compass" is a MacGuffin in this story, an object which has real no purpose other than to propel the events on screen. It doesn't matter--in this film, anyway--that the compass can answer any question posed to it by turning a set of hands. Nor does it matter that the symbols on the compass could refer to any number of questions, let alone the specific one being asked of it. And never mind that the ending of the story never comes. The film, quite simply, stops. In essence, what has been committed to film at an estimated cost of $180 million is the setup for further adventures. Much like "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Golden Compass" assembles the pieces, gives the audience a few action set pieces, but never commits to any emotional arc. The characters have their own introduction scene, there are giant armies and computer-generated battles, ominous foreshadowing for the follow-up films, but nothing that brings the story to a close. I was half expecting to see "To Be Continued" pop on the screen as a flying vehicle fades into the distance. And that's the greatest curse of the film: It doesn't amount to anything on its own. There is no sense of loss, no emotion similar to other successful fantasy epics. "Star Wars" kept Darth Vader alive to menace Luke Skywalker in potential sequels, yet the self-contained story was resolved. The main story about rescuing Princess Leia and destroying the Death Star was complete. Here, the main villain (Coulter) is simply whisked away offscreen while another (Lord Asriel, portrayed by Daniel Craig) is left dangling in supposed danger. All of which takes the proverbial air out of the finale. There has to be closure for the audience on both an emotional and storytelling level. It not only garners goodwill toward the film as a whole, it also allows us to feel as though the last two hours were not wasted. What is the payoff? Why did we just watch seemingly pointless diversions to the ice-bear kingdom and a scuffle between the animals? I understand this is an epic and the entire narrative couldn't be told in one film; without that ending to rope the audience into the next chapter, the adventure feels all for naught. It's like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book that is missing the final page. Give us a good reason to want to see more of this universe. There's a moment of supposed revelation at the end of the film, one that tries to rope in our emotions and create a bigger conflict than there already is. It's a hopelessly manipulative ploy, one that doesn't deserve to be there. A cynic would think there was an ulterior motive; but since the film is based on a novel, the script has to be cut some slack in this regard. The rest of the film? Decent enough escapist fare, which doesn't justify the bile lobbed at it by certain religious groups. The complaint, as I understand it, is the story teaches children to rebel against authority, to question the world around them, and to fight a group called "Gobblers" (or Gobs for short). Really, the accusations against "The Golden Compass" are pathetic, much like the controversy over "Harry Potter" introducing children to witchcraft. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie. Enough cannot be said about the special effects in "The Golden Compass." As with all its cinematic siblings, computers created this world in a way unheard of even ten years ago. It's a rich and detailed world combining the best elements of Middle Earth, Coruscant (from the "Star Wars" saga), and Victorian England. With blimps running on some unknown power source and carriages on the street without the aid of horses or fossil fuels, everything we're exposed to on screen has been painstakingly designed and rendered. From the exquisite vehicles and technology to the snow-covered finale, there's nary a hair out of place. While the ice bears don't look entirely real--there is still a disconnect between reality and what a computer can create--they are the only "average" aspect of the visuals. I've spent a lot of time talking about the ending of the film and very little about the rest of the film. That's because it is merely a prologue to the story proper. Some conspiracy with a government scared its citizens will begin to think for themselves is the general outline for the rest of the plot; it's rather by the numbers and obvious, asking the audience to project our own feelings onto the common people when, in reality, the script doesn't take us there. I fear we won't see the next chapter of the series on the big screen anytime soon. "The Golden Compass" never imparts the sense of epic storytelling it needs to for us to care or come back for further adventures. The story itself is content to meander along and end on a cliffhanger, hoping the big names (Kidman, Craig, Eva Green, Ian McShane, Ian McKellan, Sam Elliott, Christopher Lee, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates) and the special effects bring us back. There's simply no way New Line can justify the price tag, given the quality of the product on screen. Is "The Golden Compass" family friendly? Absolutely. But with religious groups attacking it, how many families are going to find their way to the theater? "The Golden Compass" is an oddly cold, emotionless film. Even when the ice bear Iroek is tied up in the final battle, seemingly at the end of his journey, we're struck with the feeling of "who cares' as opposed to real dread. Remember how we all felt when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Gandalf were fighting for life? That's how we should have felt here. But we don't. The film itself is too busy introducing characters, wowing the audience with special effects, and setting up the universe. It should have concerned itself more with emotion and better storytelling. This film, on its own, is disappointing but not a "bad" film. Spout Post: Re:More than one trilogy http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_More_than_one_trilogy/598/29569/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: mercurial
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 5/20/2008 1:03:36 PM
Body: Christopher Lee - Lord of the Rings & Star Wars I think he is going to be in all the Golden Compass movies too if they get made and he lives that long.
]]>Tue, 20 May 2008 17:03:36 GMTmercurialMovie Games5/20/2008 1:03:36 PMChristopher Lee - Lord of the Rings & Star Wars I think he is going to be in all the Golden Compass movies too if they get made and he lives that long. Spout Post: From the Jumper (2008) board... http://www.spout.com/groups/It_Came_from_IMDb/From_the_Jumper_2008_board/549/25345/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: GradysGhost
Post To: It Came from IMDb
Post Date: 2/19/2008 7:36:34 PM
Body: On IMDb, minionembraced said: "I went to see this film expecting a cheesy scifi-ish hollywood production, filled with all sorts of plot holes and continuity errors. I got just what I expected, with one exception. Dont get me wrong, I dont mind seeing those kind of movies, I usually enjoy just about anything scifi. I enjoyed this movie for what it was. my one problem..... I have noticed more frequently in films that "faith-based" or "christian" characters are being used as villians in films. the mist(christian), the golden compass(faith-based), and now this film jumper(christian). maybe I just didnt notice it before or maybe it is becoming more common. either way I am growing tired of this 'trend' and am hoping to see more films with faith based heroes or christian heroes. Finally I am sure there are films with heroes of the type I would like to see. I may just be going to see the wrong movies." jbozzz immediately responded: art imitates life I haven't seen Jumper, but I'm curiously half-interested in it, mostly, I think, because it's based on a book (which I haven't read), so at least it's not something fabricated by dollar-driven, explosion-fascinated Hollywood types. I know nothing about the book or author, so I have no idea if it was written by a dollar-driven, explosion-fascinated author. At any rate, I found this conversation interesting. What is it with Hollywood lately. (S)He cites three movies: The Mist (can't find a link) - I enjoyed this movie a lot and thought that the Christian portrayed negatively (Ms. Carmady) was actually a very exaggerated character meant to show not how evil Christians are, but how easily people turn to a prophet (false or otherwise) when faced with trial. You turn to the unknown to face the unknown. The Golden Compass - I thought somewhat less of this movie. In fact, I pretty well hated it, but I can give the book some credit (haven't read His Dark Materials, but the movie hints that the book is deeper and more meaningful). The Christians therein aren't specifically Christians, but a collective metaphor for Catholicism (my interpretation), so Catholics are negatively displayed. This is a recent trend, but can you blame the trend-setters when the leaders of the faith have been factually shown to be so off-base (see Deliver Us from Evil, the first movie to make me cry in many years)? Jumper - I can't comment on this since I haven't seen it. But the writer seems to be ignoring some pretty obvious and even genre-related films that have come out recently as well, like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Clearly this is a pro-Christian film whose source material has largely been analyzed as such. What do you think? Is minionembraced on target or is jbozzz? Or both?
]]>Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:36:34 GMTGradysGhostIt Came from IMDb2/19/2008 7:36:34 PMOn IMDb, minionembraced said: "I went to see this film expecting a cheesy scifi-ish hollywood production, filled with all sorts of plot holes and continuity errors. I got just what I expected, with one exception. Dont get me wrong, I dont mind seeing those kind of movies, I usually enjoy just about anything scifi. I enjoyed this movie for what it was. my one problem..... I have noticed more frequently in films that "faith-based" or "christian" characters are being used as villians in films. the mist(christian), the golden compass(faith-based), and now this film jumper(christian). maybe I just didnt notice it before or maybe it is becoming more common. either way I am growing tired of this 'trend' and am hoping to see more films with faith based heroes or christian heroes. Finally I am sure there are films with heroes of the type I would like to see. I may just be going to see the wrong movies." jbozzz immediately responded: art imitates life I haven't seen Jumper, but I'm curiously half-interested in it, mostly, I think, because it's based on a book (which I haven't read), so at least it's not something fabricated by dollar-driven, explosion-fascinated Hollywood types. I know nothing about the book or author, so I have no idea if it was written by a dollar-driven, explosion-fascinated author. At any rate, I found this conversation interesting. What is it with Hollywood lately. (S)He cites three movies: The Mist (can't find a link) - I enjoyed this movie a lot and thought that the Christian portrayed negatively (Ms. Carmady) was actually a very exaggerated character meant to show not how evil Christians are, but how easily people turn to a prophet (false or otherwise) when faced with trial. You turn to the unknown to face the unknown. The Golden Compass - I thought somewhat less of this movie. In fact, I pretty well hated it, but I can give the book some credit (haven't read His Dark Materials, but the movie hints that the book is deeper and more meaningful). The Christians therein aren't specifically Christians, but a collective metaphor for Catholicism (my interpretation), so Catholics are negatively displayed. This is a recent trend, but can you blame the trend-setters when the leaders of the faith have been factually shown to be so off-base (see Deliver Us from Evil, the first movie to make me cry in many years)? Jumper - I can't comment on this since I haven't seen it. But the writer seems to be ignoring some pretty obvious and even genre-related films that have come out recently as well, like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Clearly this is a pro-Christian film whose source material has largely been analyzed as such. What do you think? Is minionembraced on target or is jbozzz? Or both? Spout Post: Golden Compass http://www.spout.com/blogs/lizzieh/archive/2008/2/12/25066.aspx

Post By: lizzieh
Post To: lizzieh Blog
Post Date: 2/12/2008 7:41:52 PM
Body: I agree you'll enjoy the movie much more if you read the book. Pretty sophisticated thematically for a kids movie. The end is a little sugar-coated compared to the book, probably to get the kids rating. It seems there is some scientific basis for "Dust" if you read about particles and alternate dimensions. See below if you have any curiosity about what Pullman seems to have based this idea of dust on.MADISON - When the world's most powerful particle accelerator starts up later this year, exotic new particles may offer a glimpse of the existence and shapes of extra dimensions. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Berkeley say that the telltale signatures left by a new class of particles could distinguish between possible shapes of the extra spatial dimensions predicted by string theory. String theory, which describes the fundamental particles of the universe as tiny vibrating strings of energy, suggests the existence of six or seven unseen spatial dimensions in addition to the time and three space dimensions that we normally see. Much as the shape of a musical instrument determines its sound, the shape of these dimensions determines the properties and behavior of our four-dimensional universe, says Gary Shiu, lead author of a paper appearing in the Jan. 25 issue of Physical Review Letters. "The shape of the dimensions is crucial because, in string theory, the way the string vibrates determines the pattern of particle masses and the forces that we feel," says the UW-Madison physics professor. Zeroing in on that shape should further our understanding and predictions of our four-dimensional world, Shiu says. "There are myriad possibilities for the shapes of the extra dimensions out there. It would be useful to know a way to distinguish one from another and perhaps use experimental data to narrow down the set of possibilities." Such experimental evidence could appear in data from a new particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, scheduled to begin operating later this year near Geneva, Switzerland. In an accelerator, smashing atomic nuclei head-on at nearly the speed of light can briefly create new high-energy and highly unstable particles, which quickly decay into a shower of detectable lower energy ones. Characteristic patterns of decay serve as fingerprints of the fleeting exotic particles and, possibly, the shape of the unseen dimensions. With colleagues Bret Underwood and Kathryn Zurek at UW-Madison and Devin Walker at UC-Berkeley, Shiu shows in the new study that the signature patterns from particles called Kaluza-Klein (KK) gravitons can distinguish between different proposed extra-dimensional geometries.
]]>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:41:52 GMTlizziehlizzieh Blog2/12/2008 7:41:52 PMI agree you'll enjoy the movie much more if you read the book. Pretty sophisticated thematically for a kids movie. The end is a little sugar-coated compared to the book, probably to get the kids rating. It seems there is some scientific basis for "Dust" if you read about particles and alternate dimensions. See below if you have any curiosity about what Pullman seems to have based this idea of dust on.MADISON - When the world's most powerful particle accelerator starts up later this year, exotic new particles may offer a glimpse of the existence and shapes of extra dimensions. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Berkeley say that the telltale signatures left by a new class of particles could distinguish between possible shapes of the extra spatial dimensions predicted by string theory. String theory, which describes the fundamental particles of the universe as tiny vibrating strings of energy, suggests the existence of six or seven unseen spatial dimensions in addition to the time and three space dimensions that we normally see. Much as the shape of a musical instrument determines its sound, the shape of these dimensions determines the properties and behavior of our four-dimensional universe, says Gary Shiu, lead author of a paper appearing in the Jan. 25 issue of Physical Review Letters. "The shape of the dimensions is crucial because, in string theory, the way the string vibrates determines the pattern of particle masses and the forces that we feel," says the UW-Madison physics professor. Zeroing in on that shape should further our understanding and predictions of our four-dimensional world, Shiu says. "There are myriad possibilities for the shapes of the extra dimensions out there. It would be useful to know a way to distinguish one from another and perhaps use experimental data to narrow down the set of possibilities." Such experimental evidence could appear in data from a new particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, scheduled to begin operating later this year near Geneva, Switzerland. In an accelerator, smashing atomic nuclei head-on at nearly the speed of light can briefly create new high-energy and highly unstable particles, which quickly decay into a shower of detectable lower energy ones. Characteristic patterns of decay serve as fingerprints of the fleeting exotic particles and, possibly, the shape of the unseen dimensions. With colleagues Bret Underwood and Kathryn Zurek at UW-Madison and Devin Walker at UC-Berkeley, Shiu shows in the new study that the signature patterns from particles called Kaluza-Klein (KK) gravitons can distinguish between different proposed extra-dimensional geometries. Spout Post: Come drink my milkshake: This year's Oscar picks http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/2/10/24944.aspx

Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 2/10/2008 9:20:58 PM
Body: Even though the writers have apparently settled on a deal to end the strike, there is still a great deal to fear on the Oscar broadcast set for Feb. 24, that can be summed up in three simple words (two if you hyphenate correctly):Oscar-winner 'Norbit'.That's right. While many wrestle with the fact that their favorite films have been left off the nominee list (I understand, though don't agree with, the love-fest called Juno, but even my friends who are the most ardent supporters of the film agree that it has no place in the Best Picture and Best Director category) a film that was universally loathed like 'Norbit' has a shot at earning the most coveted trophies in the biz.Here to give you an edge on the office ballots, I have opted to fill this column with a handy guide to this year's nominees, chock-full of winner predictions. (Plus, you can check out some of the shorts on your computer, links provided, free of charge. You're welcome!)Best picture“Atonement”“Juno”“Michael Clayton”“No Country for Old Men”“There Will Be Blood”Winner: “No Country for Old Men. A sweeping 86 wins from various awards programs, coupled with the Academy's love for the Coens, means the “Old Men” should have a lot of life in them on Oscar night. Best Director“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Julian Schnabel“Juno” Jason Reitman“Michael Clayton” Tony Gilroy“No Country for Old Men” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen“There Will Be Blood” Paul Thomas AndersonWinner: The Coens again will be awarded, not only for this film, but for their decades of impressive contributions to cinema, whereas the runner-up, Anderson, seems to be just beginning his remarkable run.Best ActorGeorge Clooney in “Michael Clayton”Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood”Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah”Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises”Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. Of the film's 45 award wins, the majority have gone to Lewis, whose Daniel Plainview could have easily been the embodiment of evil, were it not for the actor who shades the character with the tiniest sliver of humanity. Best ActressCate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”Julie Christie in “Away from Her”Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose”Laura Linney in “The Savages”Ellen Page in “Juno”Winner: Christie. Winning nods from coast (New York, D.C.) to coast (San Francisco, San Diego), to all parts in between (Arizona, Houston, Phoenix), as well as a BAFTA from overseas, Christie is a lock. Best Supporting ActorCasey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men”Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild”Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”Winner: Bardem. Who knew a bowl-cut could be so bad-ass? Bardem's emotionless killing machine is the embodiment of evil in “No Country.” Best Supporting ActressCate Blanchett in “I’m Not There”Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone”Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”Winner: Blanchett. Unless her two nominations this year cancel each other out, Blanchett is the best thing in an otherwise decent, but rather convoluted movie. Best animated feature“Persepolis”“Ratatouille”“Surf's Up”Winner: “Ratatoille.” Unless the Academy chooses to show its indie credibility with selecting “Persepolis,” the little guy should go to Pixar's latest masterpiece, and one of its most technically lavish and emotionally mature works in its canon. Best documentary feature“No End in Sight”“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience”“Sicko”“Taxi to the Dark Side”“War/Dance”Winner: “No End in Sight.” My only hope is that an Oscar win will bolster this film's chances of being seen, since it is far and away one of the most insightful documentaries concerning the war in Iraq out there. Art direction“American Gangster”“Atonement”“The Golden Compass”“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”“There Will Be Blood”Winner: “There Will be Blood.” Only because “No Country for Old Men” didn't make it, the Academy will toss “Blood” a bone here. Cinematography “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” Roger Deakins“Atonement” Seamus McGarvey“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Janusz Kaminski“No Country for Old Men” Roger Deakins“There Will Be Blood” Robert ElswitWinner: “There Will Be Blood.” For true cinema geeks, this is the most exciting category of the evening. Deakins, whose work in “Jesse James” is nothing short of poetic, adequately captures the harsh dust bowls in “No Country.” But in “Blood,” there are entire stretches of time where not a word is uttered and we can drink in the sumptuous images captured by Elswit. Costume design“Across the Universe” Albert Wolsky“Atonement” Jacqueline Durran“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” Alexandra Byrne“La Vie en Rose” Marit Allen“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” Colleen AtwoodWinner: “Atonement.” After sweeping up at the BAFTA awards last weekend, the period piece that is perhaps more notable for its costume over its content. In particular, Kiera Knightly's green dress in act one may cinch the prize alone.Best documentary short subject“Freeheld”“La Corona (The Crown)”“Salim Baba”“Sari’s Mother”Winner: “Sari's Mother.” Look for director James Longley's tale of a mother in Iraq trying to get health care for her young AIDS-afflicted son to take the prize. It helps that he's earned such prior praise with his doc “Iraq in Fragments.' Editing“The Bourne Ultimatum” Christopher Rouse“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Juliette Welfling“Into the Wild” Jay Cassidy“No Country for Old Men” Roderick Jaynes“There Will Be Blood” Dylan TichenorWinner: “No Country for Old Men.” Perhaps more than any other technical category, “No Country” earns its stripes for its near-perfect slicing. Foreign language film“Beaufort” Israel“The Counterfeiters” Austria“Katyń” Poland“Mongol” Kazakhstan“12” RussiaWinner: “Beaufort.” In a rather weak field, “Beaufort” is the only film that seems to be making any critical waves. And if Borat had done enough to sully the name of Kazakhstan, “Mongol” has been doing a bang-up job on its own. Makeup“La Vie en Rose”“Norbit”“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”Winner: “Pirates.” So help me, Rick Baker has been a pioneer in real-life visual effects, but if he walks with one for transforming Eddie Murphy into a gargantuan shrew, I'm out, man. Game over. Original score“Atonement”“The Kite Runner” Distributed by Paramount Classics) Alberto Iglesias“Michael Clayton”“Ratatouille”“3:10 to Yuma”Winner: “Michael Clayton.” Where the hell was Jonny Greenwood's eclectic, haunting orchestration for “There Will Be Blood”? Because of some lame technicality, it was left off. None of the other candidates here are even in the same league, but Clayton's is the only score that I can still recall after seeing the film, so it gets my vote. Original song“Falling Slowly” from “Once”“Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted”“Raise It Up” from “August Rush”“So Close” from “Enchanted”“That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted”Winner: “Falling Slowly.” Sure, there's overwhelming odds that “Enchanted” could pick it up here, and it deserves some love, but more for a nomination for its lead Amy Adams, not in its cheeky, but slight, soundtrack. Best animated short film“I Met the Walrus” (trailer)“Madame Tutli-Putli” (full film)“Même les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)” ( full film)“My Love (Moya Lyubov) for Natalie” (Channel One Russia) (full film, part 2's link is provided after film)“Peter & the Wolf” (BreakThru Films)Winner: My Love. Like a Renoir painting come to life, this is one of the most lavish 2-D animated films in quite some time.Best live action short film“At Night” (clip)“Il Supplente (The Substitute)” (full film)“Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)” (full film)“Tanghi Argentini”“The Tonto Woman” (trailer)Winner: “Il Supplente.” Comic gold and a great punchline.Sound editing“The Bourne Ultimatum”“No Country for Old Men”“Ratatouille”“There Will Be Blood”“Transformers”Winner: “No Country for Old Men.” It could be a toss up with “There Will Be Blood,” but I have a feeling that the cold thud of Javier Bardem's pneumatic air gun gives it a slight edge. Sound mixing“The Bourne Ultimatum”“No Country for Old Men”“Ratatouille”“3:10 to Yuma”“Transformers”Winner: Transformers. Kevin O'Connell and Greg P. Russell have a combined 32 nominations in their career. It's time Oscar paid them for their labor for their work literally making heavy metal. Visual effects “The Golden Compass”“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”“Transformers”Winner: Transformers. Was there a part of this film that was not a visual effect? “Compas” flopped, “Pirates” sailed off with the trophy last year, plus, wouldn't it be cool to have a statue that morphed into a robot that would blow up screenwriter Diablo Cody's prize?Adapted screenplay“Atonement” Christopher Hampton“Away from Her” Sarah Polley“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Ronald Harwood“No Country for Old Men” Joel and Ethan Coen“There Will Be Blood” Paul Thomas AndersonWinner: “No Country for Old Men.” This one will be swept up in the Coen fever that will take hold on Oscar night, though I think “Blood” will have a longer shelf life with repeated viewings. Original screenplay“Juno” Diablo Cody“Lars and the Real Girl” Nancy Oliver“Michael Clayton” Tony Gilroy“Ratatouille” Brad Bird“The Savages” Tamara JenkinsWinner: Diablo Cody for Juno. I think the Academy members have a stake in the merchandising of the T-shirts, since the entire script seems ready to be ironed on to the front of clothing, line by agonizing line.
]]>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:20:58 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog2/10/2008 9:20:58 PMEven though the writers have apparently settled on a deal to end the strike, there is still a great deal to fear on the Oscar broadcast set for Feb. 24, that can be summed up in three simple words (two if you hyphenate correctly):Oscar-winner 'Norbit'.That's right. While many wrestle with the fact that their favorite films have been left off the nominee list (I understand, though don't agree with, the love-fest called Juno, but even my friends who are the most ardent supporters of the film agree that it has no place in the Best Picture and Best Director category) a film that was universally loathed like 'Norbit' has a shot at earning the most coveted trophies in the biz.Here to give you an edge on the office ballots, I have opted to fill this column with a handy guide to this year's nominees, chock-full of winner predictions. (Plus, you can check out some of the shorts on your computer, links provided, free of charge. You're welcome!)Best picture“Atonement”“Juno”“Michael Clayton”“No Country for Old Men”“There Will Be Blood”Winner: “No Country for Old Men. A sweeping 86 wins from various awards programs, coupled with the Academy's love for the Coens, means the “Old Men” should have a lot of life in them on Oscar night. Best Director“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Julian Schnabel“Juno” Jason Reitman“Michael Clayton” Tony Gilroy“No Country for Old Men” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen“There Will Be Blood” Paul Thomas AndersonWinner: The Coens again will be awarded, not only for this film, but for their decades of impressive contributions to cinema, whereas the runner-up, Anderson, seems to be just beginning his remarkable run.Best ActorGeorge Clooney in “Michael Clayton”Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood”Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah”Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises”Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. Of the film's 45 award wins, the majority have gone to Lewis, whose Daniel Plainview could have easily been the embodiment of evil, were it not for the actor who shades the character with the tiniest sliver of humanity. Best ActressCate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”Julie Christie in “Away from Her”Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose”Laura Linney in “The Savages”Ellen Page in “Juno”Winner: Christie. Winning nods from coast (New York, D.C.) to coast (San Francisco, San Diego), to all parts in between (Arizona, Houston, Phoenix), as well as a BAFTA from overseas, Christie is a lock. Best Supporting ActorCasey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men”Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild”Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”Winner: Bardem. Who knew a bowl-cut could be so bad-ass? Bardem's emotionless killing machine is the embodiment of evil in “No Country.” Best Supporting ActressCate Blanchett in “I’m Not There”Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone”Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”Winner: Blanchett. Unless her two nominations this year cancel each other out, Blanchett is the best thing in an otherwise decent, but rather convoluted movie. Best animated feature“Persepolis”“Ratatouille”“Surf's Up”Winner: “Ratatoille.” Unless the Academy chooses to show its indie credibility with selecting “Persepolis,” the little guy should go to Pixar's latest masterpiece, and one of its most technically lavish and emotionally mature works in its canon. Best documentary feature“No End in Sight”“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience”“Sicko”“Taxi to the Dark Side”“War/Dance”Winner: “No End in Sight.” My only hope is that an Oscar win will bolster this film's chances of being seen, since it is far and away one of the most insightful documentaries concerning the war in Iraq out there. Art direction“American Gangster”“Atonement”“The Golden Compass”“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”“There Will Be Blood”Winner: “There Will be Blood.” Only because “No Country for Old Men” didn't make it, the Academy will toss “Blood” a bone here. Cinematography “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” Roger Deakins“Atonement” Seamus McGarvey“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Janusz Kaminski“No Country for Old Men” Roger Deakins“There Will Be Blood” Robert ElswitWinner: “There Will Be Blood.” For true cinema geeks, this is the most exciting category of the evening. Deakins, whose work in “Jesse James” is nothing short of poetic, adequately captures the harsh dust bowls in “No Country.” But in “Blood,” there are entire stretches of time where not a word is uttered and we can drink in the sumptuous images captured by Elswit. Costume design“Across the Universe” Albert Wolsky“Atonement” Jacqueline Durran“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” Alexandra Byrne“La Vie en Rose” Marit Allen“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” Colleen AtwoodWinner: “Atonement.” After sweeping up at the BAFTA awards last weekend, the period piece that is perhaps more notable for its costume over its content. In particular, Kiera Knightly's green dress in act one may cinch the prize alone.Best documentary short subject“Freeheld”“La Corona (The Crown)”“Salim Baba”“Sari’s Mother”Winner: “Sari's Mother.” Look for director James Longley's tale of a mother in Iraq trying to get health care for her young AIDS-afflicted son to take the prize. It helps that he's earned such prior praise with his doc “Iraq in Fragments.' Editing“The Bourne Ultimatum” Christopher Rouse“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Juliette Welfling“Into the Wild” Jay Cassidy“No Country for Old Men” Roderick Jaynes“There Will Be Blood” Dylan TichenorWinner: “No Country for Old Men.” Perhaps more than any other technical category, “No Country” earns its stripes for its near-perfect slicing. Foreign language film“Beaufort” Israel“The Counterfeiters” Austria“Katyń” Poland“Mongol” Kazakhstan“12” RussiaWinner: “Beaufort.” In a rather weak field, “Beaufort” is the only film that seems to be making any critical waves. And if Borat had done enough to sully the name of Kazakhstan, “Mongol” has been doing a bang-up job on its own. Makeup“La Vie en Rose”“Norbit”“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”Winner: “Pirates.” So help me, Rick Baker has been a pioneer in real-life visual effects, but if he walks with one for transforming Eddie Murphy into a gargantuan shrew, I'm out, man. Game over. Original score“Atonement”“The Kite Runner” Distributed by Paramount Classics) Alberto Iglesias“Michael Clayton”“Ratatouille”“3:10 to Yuma”Winner: “Michael Clayton.” Where the hell was Jonny Greenwood's eclectic, haunting orchestration for “There Will Be Blood”? Because of some lame technicality, it was left off. None of the other candidates here are even in the same league, but Clayton's is the only score that I can still recall after seeing the film, so it gets my vote. Original song“Falling Slowly” from “Once”“Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted”“Raise It Up” from “August Rush”“So Close” from “Enchanted”“That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted”Winner: “Falling Slowly.” Sure, there's overwhelming odds that “Enchanted” could pick it up here, and it deserves some love, but more for a nomination for its lead Amy Adams, not in its cheeky, but slight, soundtrack. Best animated short film“I Met the Walrus” (trailer)“Madame Tutli-Putli” (full film)“Même les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)” ( full film)“My Love (Moya Lyubov) for Natalie” (Channel One Russia) (full film, part 2's link is provided after film)“Peter & the Wolf” (BreakThru Films)Winner: My Love. Like a Renoir painting come to life, this is one of the most lavish 2-D animated films in quite some time.Best live action short film“At Night” (clip)“Il Supplente (The Substitute)” (full film)“Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)” (full film)“Tanghi Argentini”“The Tonto Woman” (trailer)Winner: “Il Supplente.” Comic gold and a great punchline.Sound editing“The Bourne Ultimatum”“No Country for Old Men”“Ratatouille”“There Will Be Blood”“Transformers”Winner: “No Country for Old Men.” It could be a toss up with “There Will Be Blood,” but I have a feeling that the cold thud of Javier Bardem's pneumatic air gun gives it a slight edge. Sound mixing“The Bourne Ultimatum”“No Country for Old Men”“Ratatouille”“3:10 to Yuma”“Transformers”Winner: Transformers. Kevin O'Connell and Greg P. Russell have a combined 32 nominations in their career. It's time Oscar paid them for their labor for their work literally making heavy metal. Visual effects “The Golden Compass”“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”“Transformers”Winner: Transformers. Was there a part of this film that was not a visual effect? “Compas” flopped, “Pirates” sailed off with the trophy last year, plus, wouldn't it be cool to have a statue that morphed into a robot that would blow up screenwriter Diablo Cody's prize?Adapted screenplay“Atonement” Christopher Hampton“Away from Her” Sarah Polley“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Ronald Harwood“No Country for Old Men” Joel and Ethan Coen“There Will Be Blood” Paul Thomas AndersonWinner: “No Country for Old Men.” This one will be swept up in the Coen fever that will take hold on Oscar night, though I think “Blood” will have a longer shelf life with repeated viewings. Original screenplay“Juno” Diablo Cody“Lars and the Real Girl” Nancy Oliver“Michael Clayton” Tony Gilroy“Ratatouille” Brad Bird“The Savages” Tamara JenkinsWinner: Diablo Cody for Juno. I think the Academy members have a stake in the merchandising of the T-shirts, since the entire script seems ready to be ironed on to the front of clothing, line by agonizing line. Spout Post: The Golden Compass http://www.spout.com/blogs/fb2/archive/2007/12/29/23306.aspx

Post By: fb2
Post To: FB2 Movie Blog
Post Date: 12/29/2007 11:23:22 AM
Body: It's the season for fantasy based family movies I guess. I really liked this one, the story was fun, the visuals beautiful, we all had a great time. CGI was excellent, it did not stick out at all. I might go ahead and get the books before the next movie in the series comes out.
]]>Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:23:22 GMTfb2FB2 Movie Blog12/29/2007 11:23:22 AMIt's the season for fantasy based family movies I guess. I really liked this one, the story was fun, the visuals beautiful, we all had a great time. CGI was excellent, it did not stick out at all. I might go ahead and get the books before the next movie in the series comes out. Spout Post: Trade Roughage 12/10/07 http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2007/12/21/23013.aspx

Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 12/21/2007 4:14:28 PM
Body: The Golden Compass made $26.1 million over the weekend, just over half the $50 million it would have needed to clear in its first three days to justify its $180 million budget. That makes it the fourth consecutive box office disappointment in a row for New Line; it’s also Nicole Kidman’s third flop in the last six months. Meanwhile, teen sex com in indie clothes Juno made $60k a screen on seven screens, for a $531, 399 five day weekend–more than double the per screen average of presumptive Oscar front runner Atonement, which was already doing well with $817,000 on 32 screens. From the “Well, I Certainly Can’t Complain About THAT” Department: over the weekend, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Online both declared There Will Be Blood the best English-language film of the year. Strike talks fell apart on Friday night, and they’re not expected to resume any time soon. And, with the AMPTP soon shifting focus to hammer out a deal with the DGA, it “now seems a certainty” that the strike will continue well into next year. The International Documentary Association named A Walk to Beautiful as their top film of the year on Friday. Though that film beat Michael Moore’s Sicko for the top prize,?? the loudest man in documentary film sent his sisters, armed with a manifesto about his mission to outgross Fred Claus, to pick up a Career Achievement Award on his behalf. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina
]]>Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:14:28 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog12/21/2007 4:14:28 PM The Golden Compass made $26.1 million over the weekend, just over half the $50 million it would have needed to clear in its first three days to justify its $180 million budget. That makes it the fourth consecutive box office disappointment in a row for New Line; it’s also Nicole Kidman’s third flop in the last six months. Meanwhile, teen sex com in indie clothes Juno made $60k a screen on seven screens, for a $531, 399 five day weekend–more than double the per screen average of presumptive Oscar front runner Atonement, which was already doing well with $817,000 on 32 screens. From the “Well, I Certainly Can’t Complain About THAT” Department: over the weekend, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Online both declared There Will Be Blood the best English-language film of the year. Strike talks fell apart on Friday night, and they’re not expected to resume any time soon. And, with the AMPTP soon shifting focus to hammer out a deal with the DGA, it “now seems a certainty” that the strike will continue well into next year. The International Documentary Association named A Walk to Beautiful as their top film of the year on Friday. Though that film beat Michael Moore’s Sicko for the top prize,?? the loudest man in documentary film sent his sisters, armed with a manifesto about his mission to outgross Fred Claus, to pick up a Career Achievement Award on his behalf. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina Spout Post: Peter Jackson Saves New Line with ‘Hobbit’ Announcement http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/12/19/22960.aspx

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/19/2007 3:00:57 PM
Body: I’m sure you heard about the announcement heard round Middle Earth the world yesterday: Peter Jackson has settled his differences with New Line and has come on board as executive producer of the studio’s two Lord of the Rings prequels. It wasn’t mentioned in the press release, but Jackson has decided not to direct either of the installments in New Line’s adaptation of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, though the news that he’s involved should be enough. Clearly, the studio simply needed to get some good news, any good news, out there — likely more for Time Warner shareholders than Tolkien or Jackson fans. I wasn’t the only person to immediately assume the settlement between Jackson and New Line had something to do with the latter’s disappointment with the box office of The Golden Compass. Both bloggers and blog comments were quick to claim that, “The Golden Compass’s low box office was the best thing that could have happened for LotR fans” (said “E” on Cinematical) and pat themselves on the back, as if it was all planned: “Well done everyone for not turning up for Compass!!” (from “wildphantom07″ on AICN). The real question, then, is how much more in Jackson’s favor was the settlement? We’ll probably never know, but we can imagine. After a very bad year, New Line was possibly pretty desperate. Of course, nobody at the studio would ever admit to such a suggestion. Entertainment Weekly has the denial: New Line is quick to point out that The Hobbit resolution is in no way a reaction to disappointing domestic box office numbers for their most recent release, The Golden Compass, which they had hoped would launch a new franchise. “Absolutely not,” said Lynne. “This has been in the works for a while now. Golden Compass, by the way, overseas, is performing spectacularly. Obviously, we have been disappointed with its performance here, but I think overall it will do quite well.” (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:00:57 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/19/2007 3:00:57 PMI’m sure you heard about the announcement heard round Middle Earth the world yesterday: Peter Jackson has settled his differences with New Line and has come on board as executive producer of the studio’s two Lord of the Rings prequels. It wasn’t mentioned in the press release, but Jackson has decided not to direct either of the installments in New Line’s adaptation of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, though the news that he’s involved should be enough. Clearly, the studio simply needed to get some good news, any good news, out there — likely more for Time Warner shareholders than Tolkien or Jackson fans. I wasn’t the only person to immediately assume the settlement between Jackson and New Line had something to do with the latter’s disappointment with the box office of The Golden Compass. Both bloggers and blog comments were quick to claim that, “The Golden Compass’s low box office was the best thing that could have happened for LotR fans” (said “E” on Cinematical) and pat themselves on the back, as if it was all planned: “Well done everyone for not turning up for Compass!!” (from “wildphantom07″ on AICN). The real question, then, is how much more in Jackson’s favor was the settlement? We’ll probably never know, but we can imagine. After a very bad year, New Line was possibly pretty desperate. Of course, nobody at the studio would ever admit to such a suggestion. Entertainment Weekly has the denial: New Line is quick to point out that The Hobbit resolution is in no way a reaction to disappointing domestic box office numbers for their most recent release, The Golden Compass, which they had hoped would launch a new franchise. “Absolutely not,” said Lynne. “This has been in the works for a while now. Golden Compass, by the way, overseas, is performing spectacularly. Obviously, we have been disappointed with its performance here, but I think overall it will do quite well.” (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog Spout Post: Part one? http://www.spout.com/blogs/gothere/archive/2007/12/16/22888.aspx

Post By: gothere
Post To: You should go there
Post Date: 12/16/2007 10:08:29 PM
Body: The Golden Compass was enertaining and fun to watch. While it seemed to meander and wallow in a kind of self-endulgent way, the film is rich and beautiful. The characters are charming in a Mary Poppins sort of way. I wish however that the film actually had and ending, rather than walking away with the distinct impression that they already have Part 2 almost in the can. Even if they do, a movie should stand on its own. And, was that Kate Bush singing at the end?
]]>Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:08:29 GMTgothereYou should go there12/16/2007 10:08:29 PMThe Golden Compass was enertaining and fun to watch. While it seemed to meander and wallow in a kind of self-endulgent way, the film is rich and beautiful. The characters are charming in a Mary Poppins sort of way. I wish however that the film actually had and ending, rather than walking away with the distinct impression that they already have Part 2 almost in the can. Even if they do, a movie should stand on its own. And, was that Kate Bush singing at the end? Spout Tag:beautiful http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/beautiful/MemberTagFilms.aspxbeautiful
Number of films tagged: 260

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]]>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:43:48 GMT260150417Tag Spout Tag:fantasy http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspxfantasy
Number of films tagged: 1044

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]]>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT1044128480Tag Spout Tag:religion http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/religion/MemberTagFilms.aspxreligion
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]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:02:54 GMT681814Tag Spout Tag:shapeshifter http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/shapeshifter/MemberTagFilms.aspxshapeshifter
Number of films tagged: 66

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]]>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:02:43 GMT6645Tag Spout Tag:Dust http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Dust/MemberTagFilms.aspxDust
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]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:15:20 GMT333Tag Spout Tag:metaphysics http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/metaphysics/MemberTagFilms.aspxmetaphysics
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]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:05:29 GMT1322Tag Spout Tag:problematic http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/problematic/MemberTagFilms.aspxproblematic
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]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:12:26 GMT222Tag Spout Tag:Armored-Bear http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Armored-Bear/MemberTagFilms.aspxArmored-Bear
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]]>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:52:17 GMT111Tag Spout Tag:Fascist-Religious-Regime http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Fascist-Religious-Regime/MemberTagFilms.aspxFascist-Religious-Regime
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]]>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:51:54 GMT111Tag Spout Tag:read-book-first http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/read-book-first/MemberTagFilms.aspxread-book-first
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]]>Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:26:45 GMT111Tag Spout Tag:ripped-off-jaw http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/ripped-off-jaw/MemberTagFilms.aspxripped-off-jaw
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