list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around American Gangster on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/American_Gangster/290101/default.aspx Title: American Gangster
Year: 2007
Director: Ridley Scott
Plot: Director Ridley Scott spins this yarn concerning a Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 24
Number of Lists: 30
Number of blog posts: 19
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 18 May 2009 23:53:10 GMTAmerican Gangster2007Ridley ScottDirector <a href="/players/P___110579/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ridley Scott</a> spins this yarn concerning a Harlem drug kingpin (<a href="/players/P____74843/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Denzel Washington</a>) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (<a href="/players/P____15959/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Russell Crowe</a>) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (<a href="/players/P_____8657/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Josh Brolin</a>) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide24Tag Target (>10)301953http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s290101.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/American_Gangster/290101/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37946/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 2:46:41 PM
Body: Thanks for reminding me about Michael Clayton--I forgot that was '07. I really enjoyed Clooney's performance, and the movie dealt with ethics in a very deep, real way without making everything obtusely black and white. But... Ocean's 13? Really? I liked the Ocean's series and the Rat Pack/heist flicks they harkened back to, but I thought this to be the weakest of the bunch with a scattered plot and what seemed like endless inside jokes delivered at a pace that left the audience trying to catch up through the entire film, and further obscured any attempts at humor or storyline. Maybe I'm just too slow for it :-) [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote]
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:46:41 GMTseelyCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 2:46:41 PMThanks for reminding me about Michael Clayton--I forgot that was '07. I really enjoyed Clooney's performance, and the movie dealt with ethics in a very deep, real way without making everything obtusely black and white. But... Ocean's 13? Really? I liked the Ocean's series and the Rat Pack/heist flicks they harkened back to, but I thought this to be the weakest of the bunch with a scattered plot and what seemed like endless inside jokes delivered at a pace that left the audience trying to catch up through the entire film, and further obscured any attempts at humor or storyline. Maybe I'm just too slow for it :-) [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37944/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: csprague
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 2:20:49 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] There Will Be Blood was great, but I don't really want to see it again if you know what I mean. It's not like a good friday night movie at all, unless you are feeling in a particularly dark mood, and maybe it's a terrible idea then too. I'm not sure what the proper mood or motivation to watch this movie would be. I eventually just bit the bullet and watched it. When it was over, I was tired and felt like a crazy person, but I loved it. So hard to explain. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the longest movie title in the world (I would actually really like to know what the longest movie title is). It's so hard to spit it out when people are like "what's good movie you've seen recently?" But, nonetheless, I do spit it out because it was beautiful and interesting and I loved the characters. Skypilot, how on earth did Hot Fuzz beat The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for your top ten? Were you just trying to be diverse in genre? I only say this because I think making a movie about a guy who can only communicate with one eye is incredibly difficult. I expected it to be the most arts, boring piece of crap I have ever seen. Ya know, the sterotypical french new wave kind of stuff that ends with "fin". But it wasn't, it was surprisingly human and colorful and full of life. It fits with something I read recently that "your plight is also your redemption". Good times.
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:20:49 GMTcspragueCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 2:20:49 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] There Will Be Blood was great, but I don't really want to see it again if you know what I mean. It's not like a good friday night movie at all, unless you are feeling in a particularly dark mood, and maybe it's a terrible idea then too. I'm not sure what the proper mood or motivation to watch this movie would be. I eventually just bit the bullet and watched it. When it was over, I was tired and felt like a crazy person, but I loved it. So hard to explain. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the longest movie title in the world (I would actually really like to know what the longest movie title is). It's so hard to spit it out when people are like "what's good movie you've seen recently?" But, nonetheless, I do spit it out because it was beautiful and interesting and I loved the characters. Skypilot, how on earth did Hot Fuzz beat The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for your top ten? Were you just trying to be diverse in genre? I only say this because I think making a movie about a guy who can only communicate with one eye is incredibly difficult. I expected it to be the most arts, boring piece of crap I have ever seen. Ya know, the sterotypical french new wave kind of stuff that ends with "fin". But it wasn't, it was surprisingly human and colorful and full of life. It fits with something I read recently that "your plight is also your redemption". Good times. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37929/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 12:01:28 PM
Body: I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time.
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:01:28 GMTSkyPilotCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 12:01:28 PMI agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/1/37819.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/1/2008 7:00:29 PM
Body: Kate Winslet’s performance as a concentration camp guard in The Reader has been the subject of much debate over the past week, though little of the discussion has actually concerned her craft. The argument lies in whether or not this specific performance should be considered for the lead or supporting actress category. Furthermore, if Winslet ends up in the latter, will it be due to “category fraud?” That is not a legal term and this is not a legal issue, but it is an important topic for this year’s Oscars. The significance of the matter likely extends even to Winslet’s ability to sleep at night, as she may fear the high possibility of her becoming “the biggest loser among actresses in the history of the Academy Awards.” Category fraud may be defined as an attempt to deceive Academy voters into believing a lead performance is supporting, or vice versa. Examples of category fraud seen in Oscar’s past may include recent supporting nominations given to Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Connelly and Cate Blanchett (for Training Day, A Beautiful Mind and Notes on a Scandal, respectively). Guy Lodge at In Contention and Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly have both brought up the accusation regarding The Reader, not only for Winslet’s part but also for the Weinstein Co.’s general campaign for the film, which is pushing for supporting nominations all around for Winslet, David Kross, Ralph Fiennes and Lena Olin. The problem for Lodge and Karger’s complaint is that category fraud can’t be applied to the supporting categories, because despite the Academy’s irritating penchant for category-defining rules for eligibility in other areas, there is really no precise distinction made regarding the separation of lead and supporting categories. This probably goes back to the origins of the supporting awards, which began in the mid-30s seemingly to appease the demands of non-A-list actors. Since that time, the supporting honors have often been considered secondary (for their first seven years, their winners were given a plaque rather than a statue) and, due to the constant recognition of children, comedic actors and other potentially fleeting talents, this pair of categories is sometimes seen as a joke. It’s hard to even imagine how exactly the Academy could define lead versus supporting, if it actually wanted to. Going by star status is difficult, of course, though marquee billing has occasionally been a factor when differentiating performances in an ensemble piece. It is this reasoning that has some people preferring Winslet’s Reader performance as lead, because she’s the film’s highest-billed name. And yet there have been certain times when a fifth-billed actor like Maximilian Schell can be nominated for and even win the lead award (for another Holocaust court drama, Judgment at Nuremberg). Another idea might be to focus on character status. The lead category should be reserved specifically for the main character or protagonist. In the event of an ensemble, though, there may be multiple protagonists. So, for instance, one of this year’s supporting actor hopefuls, Robert Downey Jr., would technically be better suited for lead contention (for Tropic Thunder). Also, there are cases where multiple actors portray the main character, such as in Shine, Iris and even The Reader. The only way to fairly make a distinction, then, is with performance length. It’s hard to believe the Academy didn’t decide this thirty years ago, except that they didn’t appear to care enough about the supporting honors to make the effort of timing each performance in every film made. Even to do this solely for those films expected to be Oscar contenders is an extraneously tiresome effort. But it would indeed solve a major issue concerning the awards. As far as I can tell, there is nowhere to find a complete list of Oscar nominees’ performance lengths. Beatrice Straight is known for holding the record for shortest Oscar-winning performance at 5 minutes, 40 seconds, in Network, but she and other short-timers like Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruby Dee (American Gangster), Sylvia Miles (Midnight Cowboy) and Anthony Quinn (Lust for Life) were nominated in the supporting category. The more interesting questions are what supporting nominee gave the longest performance and what lead nominee gave the shortest. Anthony Hopkins is considered to have given the shortest Oscar-winning lead performance at about 16 minutes, in The Silence of the Lambs, and this fact goes to show that length isn’t a concern for Academy voters. Regardless of its importance to the race, though, where does Winslet’s performance in The Reader fall in terms of length? Steven Zeitchik at the Risky Biz Blog claims she only appears in roughly 50% of the film, which might seem incorrect if you’ve seen the film, because the actress’ performance does dominate the picture, enough to appear as if it’s longer. And that could be a problem with voters who might come away from the film remembering Winslet’s role as bigger. Adding heat to the fire, the International Press Academy just nominated Winslet for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for The Reader. While not a well-respected organization or award (as In Contention points out, the IPA has bizarrely nominated two obvious adapted works, Elegy and Benjamin Button, for Best Original Screenplay), this news could nevertheless prove problematic for the actress’ campaigns. If some Academy voters similarly think to put the actress in the lead category for The Reader while other voters conform to the studios’ wishes by picking her for lead actress for Revolutionary Road, the two performances could cancel each other out (Academy rules say that only one of her performances may receive a nomination in a single category). So, now the only solution may be for the actress herself to make the rounds with her peers and convince them of either a single performance to nominate (Lodge thinks she has a better shot this way) or a distinction between her two Oscar-worthy roles. Because as Winslet admitted to Vanity Fair, “you bet your fucking ass” she wants that Oscar, and with the Academy not caring which way it goes, it’s up to her to make it happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:29 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/1/2008 7:00:29 PMKate Winslet’s performance as a concentration camp guard in The Reader has been the subject of much debate over the past week, though little of the discussion has actually concerned her craft. The argument lies in whether or not this specific performance should be considered for the lead or supporting actress category. Furthermore, if Winslet ends up in the latter, will it be due to “category fraud?” That is not a legal term and this is not a legal issue, but it is an important topic for this year’s Oscars. The significance of the matter likely extends even to Winslet’s ability to sleep at night, as she may fear the high possibility of her becoming “the biggest loser among actresses in the history of the Academy Awards.” Category fraud may be defined as an attempt to deceive Academy voters into believing a lead performance is supporting, or vice versa. Examples of category fraud seen in Oscar’s past may include recent supporting nominations given to Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Connelly and Cate Blanchett (for Training Day, A Beautiful Mind and Notes on a Scandal, respectively). Guy Lodge at In Contention and Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly have both brought up the accusation regarding The Reader, not only for Winslet’s part but also for the Weinstein Co.’s general campaign for the film, which is pushing for supporting nominations all around for Winslet, David Kross, Ralph Fiennes and Lena Olin. The problem for Lodge and Karger’s complaint is that category fraud can’t be applied to the supporting categories, because despite the Academy’s irritating penchant for category-defining rules for eligibility in other areas, there is really no precise distinction made regarding the separation of lead and supporting categories. This probably goes back to the origins of the supporting awards, which began in the mid-30s seemingly to appease the demands of non-A-list actors. Since that time, the supporting honors have often been considered secondary (for their first seven years, their winners were given a plaque rather than a statue) and, due to the constant recognition of children, comedic actors and other potentially fleeting talents, this pair of categories is sometimes seen as a joke. It’s hard to even imagine how exactly the Academy could define lead versus supporting, if it actually wanted to. Going by star status is difficult, of course, though marquee billing has occasionally been a factor when differentiating performances in an ensemble piece. It is this reasoning that has some people preferring Winslet’s Reader performance as lead, because she’s the film’s highest-billed name. And yet there have been certain times when a fifth-billed actor like Maximilian Schell can be nominated for and even win the lead award (for another Holocaust court drama, Judgment at Nuremberg). Another idea might be to focus on character status. The lead category should be reserved specifically for the main character or protagonist. In the event of an ensemble, though, there may be multiple protagonists. So, for instance, one of this year’s supporting actor hopefuls, Robert Downey Jr., would technically be better suited for lead contention (for Tropic Thunder). Also, there are cases where multiple actors portray the main character, such as in Shine, Iris and even The Reader. The only way to fairly make a distinction, then, is with performance length. It’s hard to believe the Academy didn’t decide this thirty years ago, except that they didn’t appear to care enough about the supporting honors to make the effort of timing each performance in every film made. Even to do this solely for those films expected to be Oscar contenders is an extraneously tiresome effort. But it would indeed solve a major issue concerning the awards. As far as I can tell, there is nowhere to find a complete list of Oscar nominees’ performance lengths. Beatrice Straight is known for holding the record for shortest Oscar-winning performance at 5 minutes, 40 seconds, in Network, but she and other short-timers like Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruby Dee (American Gangster), Sylvia Miles (Midnight Cowboy) and Anthony Quinn (Lust for Life) were nominated in the supporting category. The more interesting questions are what supporting nominee gave the longest performance and what lead nominee gave the shortest. Anthony Hopkins is considered to have given the shortest Oscar-winning lead performance at about 16 minutes, in The Silence of the Lambs, and this fact goes to show that length isn’t a concern for Academy voters. Regardless of its importance to the race, though, where does Winslet’s performance in The Reader fall in terms of length? Steven Zeitchik at the Risky Biz Blog claims she only appears in roughly 50% of the film, which might seem incorrect if you’ve seen the film, because the actress’ performance does dominate the picture, enough to appear as if it’s longer. And that could be a problem with voters who might come away from the film remembering Winslet’s role as bigger. Adding heat to the fire, the International Press Academy just nominated Winslet for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for The Reader. While not a well-respected organization or award (as In Contention points out, the IPA has bizarrely nominated two obvious adapted works, Elegy and Benjamin Button, for Best Original Screenplay), this news could nevertheless prove problematic for the actress’ campaigns. If some Academy voters similarly think to put the actress in the lead category for The Reader while other voters conform to the studios’ wishes by picking her for lead actress for Revolutionary Road, the two performances could cancel each other out (Academy rules say that only one of her performances may receive a nomination in a single category). So, now the only solution may be for the actress herself to make the rounds with her peers and convince them of either a single performance to nominate (Lodge thinks she has a better shot this way) or a distinction between her two Oscar-worthy roles. Because as Winslet admitted to Vanity Fair, “you bet your fucking ass” she wants that Oscar, and with the Academy not caring which way it goes, it’s up to her to make it happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/10/37156.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/10/2008 4:01:13 PM
Body: It happened last year for Cate Blanchett. The actress starred in a biopic that critics ripped to shreds, a film that basically bombed at the (American) box office, and yet she managed to score a Best Actress nomination for her reprised performance as the titular monarch of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Additionally, Blanchett earned another nomination for Best Supporting Actress the same year, for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. Now Josh Brolin could achieve a similar feat this year, not just by earning separate nominations for playing the titular president of W. and portraying politician-turned-assassin Dan White in Milk, but also by overcoming the difficulty of earning recognition in a lead category for a film that otherwise is not very well regarded. Are Brolin’s hurdles higher than Blanchett’s, though? With all the praise he’s received for W., he’s still far from being considered a sure thing candidate, regardless of his worthiness or the Academy’s history of oftentimes ignoring the critics and the grosses when nominating dependable, standout actors. And boy, does Brolin stand out. Despite giving a strong, surprisingly grounded performance in W., the actor is almost in a world of his own in the film. The supporting players mostly miss their marks, whether through overshot caricature (Thandie Newton’s stroke-faced, alien-voiced Condoleeza Rice) or an apparent lack of effort (Scott Glenn looks bored and unrecognizable as Rumsfeld, while Toby Jones for some reason offers a Karl Rove who’s more huggable than slimy). Both problems may have been due to an unclear decision on the film’s intended tone, but regardless, the script is way too simpleminded, as if adapted from the sitting president’s Wikipedia page. Brolin is the only person who keeps the film interesting and engrossing by making the character his own rather than going for total impersonation. Some of his movements and inflections consist of outright aping, but his personalization allows for unpredictability in much of his execution. Certainly it’s a performance as good as Joaquin Phoenix’s in Walk the Line and Jamie Foxx’s in Ray. Perhaps if W. were about a musician-turned-president, with Brolin offering his own singing voice, his nomination would be more assured? So far it seems he’s hardly being considered. Sites ranking the actor’s chances in chart form include And the Winner Is…, which places him tenth in the running, Entertainment Weekly, which puts him alphabetically somewhere between ninth and thirteenth while calling him a long shot, Movie City News, which lists him seventh with a comment that he deserves the nom “111%”, and In Contention, which also puts him at seventh place. Hollywood Elsewhere’s Jeff Wells merely includes him as one of eight contenders for the lead actor category, which is at least more of an approval than the others. So what are those hurdles that are keeping him out of the fortunate five? As of this past weekend, W. is down to 17th place in its fourth weekend at the box office, and it hasn’t yet even passed the $25 million mark domestically. Not that a film needs to be a hit with moviegoers to make a difference with the Academy, though, right? This time last year, Elizabeth: The Golden Age was similarly fading from the interests of ticket buyers in its fifth week, having made a meager $16 million. And of the ten Best Actor nominees of the last two years, half came from films that grossed less than W. Then there are the film’s poor reviews, which have earned W. a Metacritic score of 56. Compared to Elizabeth: The Golden Age’s score of 45, that’s not actually too much of a drawback. And if the Academy can nominate Sean Penn for I Am Sam in spite of that movie’s reception (Metacritic score of 28!), it shouldn’t have any problem with a performance from a picture that at least somewhat pleased more than 50% of critics. Of course, Penn was and is an Oscar vet. So was Blanchett, who had already been nominated for the same role in the first Elizabeth. It wouldn’t be surprising if some Academy members voted for her Elizabeth: The Golden Age performance without even having seen the movie. Meanwhile, Brolin’s greatest film honor as of yet is being one-seventh of the SAG Award-winning ensemble cast of No Country for Old Men. Last year he may have deserved a double nomination for his lead performance in that film and his supporting bit in American Gangster, but he failed to garner the Academy’s notice. Though some people see Brolin garnering two nominations this year as a way of making up for his prior snubs, the actor’s lack of past favor shall also be a disadvantage for him. The best way for him to be locked for a nomination is to receive some tremendous love from the early determining critics circle awards. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen, because actors like Penn and Mickey Rourke are bound to fill the hearts of those awards’ voters. Another hurdle seems to be the role Brolin plays, though not necessarily due to the focal figure being so contemporary. The portrait of President Bush is indeed one of the most present-minded biopics in years. However, with a retrospective window of only five years in its most recent setting, W. is hardly any different than The Queen, a not-quite-biopic film that presents an Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II set only nine years in the past. W. deals with a more touchy subject for Academy members, though, it being about a more disliked and derided leader who has actually been the president of most voters for the past eight years. And the same factors that are keeping audiences away from the film in theaters, regardless of what their politics may be, will probably similarly affect Academy voters’ hesitance to put on that screener DVD. If Academy voters aren’t willing to watch the performance now, though, perhaps they can give it the same twenty years they had between Nixon’s presidency and Oliver Stone’s biopic of that other unlikable president. Maybe in 2028 W. could be the innaugural film nominated in a much-needed future category that retroactively honors should-have-been-awarded performances? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:01:13 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/10/2008 4:01:13 PMIt happened last year for Cate Blanchett. The actress starred in a biopic that critics ripped to shreds, a film that basically bombed at the (American) box office, and yet she managed to score a Best Actress nomination for her reprised performance as the titular monarch of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Additionally, Blanchett earned another nomination for Best Supporting Actress the same year, for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. Now Josh Brolin could achieve a similar feat this year, not just by earning separate nominations for playing the titular president of W. and portraying politician-turned-assassin Dan White in Milk, but also by overcoming the difficulty of earning recognition in a lead category for a film that otherwise is not very well regarded. Are Brolin’s hurdles higher than Blanchett’s, though? With all the praise he’s received for W., he’s still far from being considered a sure thing candidate, regardless of his worthiness or the Academy’s history of oftentimes ignoring the critics and the grosses when nominating dependable, standout actors. And boy, does Brolin stand out. Despite giving a strong, surprisingly grounded performance in W., the actor is almost in a world of his own in the film. The supporting players mostly miss their marks, whether through overshot caricature (Thandie Newton’s stroke-faced, alien-voiced Condoleeza Rice) or an apparent lack of effort (Scott Glenn looks bored and unrecognizable as Rumsfeld, while Toby Jones for some reason offers a Karl Rove who’s more huggable than slimy). Both problems may have been due to an unclear decision on the film’s intended tone, but regardless, the script is way too simpleminded, as if adapted from the sitting president’s Wikipedia page. Brolin is the only person who keeps the film interesting and engrossing by making the character his own rather than going for total impersonation. Some of his movements and inflections consist of outright aping, but his personalization allows for unpredictability in much of his execution. Certainly it’s a performance as good as Joaquin Phoenix’s in Walk the Line and Jamie Foxx’s in Ray. Perhaps if W. were about a musician-turned-president, with Brolin offering his own singing voice, his nomination would be more assured? So far it seems he’s hardly being considered. Sites ranking the actor’s chances in chart form include And the Winner Is…, which places him tenth in the running, Entertainment Weekly, which puts him alphabetically somewhere between ninth and thirteenth while calling him a long shot, Movie City News, which lists him seventh with a comment that he deserves the nom “111%”, and In Contention, which also puts him at seventh place. Hollywood Elsewhere’s Jeff Wells merely includes him as one of eight contenders for the lead actor category, which is at least more of an approval than the others. So what are those hurdles that are keeping him out of the fortunate five? As of this past weekend, W. is down to 17th place in its fourth weekend at the box office, and it hasn’t yet even passed the $25 million mark domestically. Not that a film needs to be a hit with moviegoers to make a difference with the Academy, though, right? This time last year, Elizabeth: The Golden Age was similarly fading from the interests of ticket buyers in its fifth week, having made a meager $16 million. And of the ten Best Actor nominees of the last two years, half came from films that grossed less than W. Then there are the film’s poor reviews, which have earned W. a Metacritic score of 56. Compared to Elizabeth: The Golden Age’s score of 45, that’s not actually too much of a drawback. And if the Academy can nominate Sean Penn for I Am Sam in spite of that movie’s reception (Metacritic score of 28!), it shouldn’t have any problem with a performance from a picture that at least somewhat pleased more than 50% of critics. Of course, Penn was and is an Oscar vet. So was Blanchett, who had already been nominated for the same role in the first Elizabeth. It wouldn’t be surprising if some Academy members voted for her Elizabeth: The Golden Age performance without even having seen the movie. Meanwhile, Brolin’s greatest film honor as of yet is being one-seventh of the SAG Award-winning ensemble cast of No Country for Old Men. Last year he may have deserved a double nomination for his lead performance in that film and his supporting bit in American Gangster, but he failed to garner the Academy’s notice. Though some people see Brolin garnering two nominations this year as a way of making up for his prior snubs, the actor’s lack of past favor shall also be a disadvantage for him. The best way for him to be locked for a nomination is to receive some tremendous love from the early determining critics circle awards. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen, because actors like Penn and Mickey Rourke are bound to fill the hearts of those awards’ voters. Another hurdle seems to be the role Brolin plays, though not necessarily due to the focal figure being so contemporary. The portrait of President Bush is indeed one of the most present-minded biopics in years. However, with a retrospective window of only five years in its most recent setting, W. is hardly any different than The Queen, a not-quite-biopic film that presents an Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II set only nine years in the past. W. deals with a more touchy subject for Academy members, though, it being about a more disliked and derided leader who has actually been the president of most voters for the past eight years. And the same factors that are keeping audiences away from the film in theaters, regardless of what their politics may be, will probably similarly affect Academy voters’ hesitance to put on that screener DVD. If Academy voters aren’t willing to watch the performance now, though, perhaps they can give it the same twenty years they had between Nixon’s presidency and Oliver Stone’s biopic of that other unlikable president. Maybe in 2028 W. could be the innaugural film nominated in a much-needed future category that retroactively honors should-have-been-awarded performances? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/7/36013.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/7/2008 4:01:26 PM
Body: io9 has confirmed an earlier report that Ridley Scott will direct an adaptation of Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s classic dystopian future novel. Scott says that Leonardo DiCaprio approached him about adapting the book, and it looks like he will star in the film as well. This is exciting news; not only does it herald the return to science fiction for the director of Blade Runner and Alien, it also means that Leo, who is working on a live action adaptation of Akira, has two dystopian future projects in progress. Brave New World is one of my favorite books, and Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies, for many of the same reasons, but I’m still having trouble getting excited about this news. Scott’s work on Blade Runner was amazing, but that was 26 years ago, and he hasn’t made a science fiction film since. I’d like to believe he can jump back in the saddle, but considering what he’s been up to for the past two and a half decades, I have my doubts. While the quality of Scott’s filmography is admittedly debatable, it’s safe to say he’s made some pretty terrible movies, Kingdom of Heaven and A Good Year come to mind. Even his films that have some potential end up falling short. American Gangster, while not a bad movie, felt like only like a sufficient execution of a script Scorsese would have passed over in the nineties. Even if Scott can get his Blade Runner mojo working again for Brave New World, it could still be really bad. Blade Runner and Brave New World are very different stories, set in very different worlds. Blade Runner took cues from Neuromancer and the dystopian stories of Philip K. Dick to create a dingy future noir, complete with brutal violence and assassinations. Brave New World, on the other hand, takes place in a world where technological advances and a strict caste system have sanitized society. People are conditioned to desire nothing more than their predetermined station in life, dutifully ingesting a drug called soma to dull any inappropriate desires. While Blade Runner used rich visuals to convey the bleak state of the world, Brave New World features nearly unfilmable social situations. Family structures have been abolished and children are grown in futuristic farms. Sex is nothing but a social activity for the sterile citizens, and they are encouraged to start young. Bernard, an agitator who has the courage to suspect that something is wrong with this way of life, begins to be slightly disturbed by constantly seeing groups of children having orgies. How are you going to film that, Ridley? Brave New World also differs from Blade Runner in that there is much less violence. There’s a riot scene that could be pretty cool, but it’s safe to say that the action would look nothing like Black Hawk Down. In one scene a child is beaten senseless as part of a ritual. In another, a man flies into a rage and beats a woman he has unrequited feelings for, in front of a crowd of on-lookers. Having not been exposed to violence in their sanitized lives, this scene sends them into a frenzy, which of course results in a massive orgy. The Brave New World film will either be the most ambitious porno in history, or it will be scrubbed of its controversial content. I’m not sure which would be worse. Of course, on the page Brave New World reads nothing like porn –– on the contrary, it’s satire. Huxley, a Brit, was inspired to write it after seeing what he viewed as degenerate American youth culture and runaway industrialization on a trip to the States. It’s a dark comedy with no punch lines. In some ways it’s more similar to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil than to Blade Runner. Which raises another problem: Ridley Scott is an extremely serious filmmaker. While Nicolas Cage attempts to get some laughs in Matchstick Men, the heart of that film, and all Scott’s films, is undeniably earnest. In Brazil, on the other hand, we’re encouraged to laugh at the future, despite the fact that it’s soul-crushing and bleak. Huxley had a similar goal in mind. I do have some hope for DiCaprio’s involvement, however. His acting skills have steadily improved over the years, and the fact that he’s taken the initiative to produce both Brave New World and Akira adaptations is a good sign. We haven’t seen a lot from Leo the Producer, but there are more interesting projects on the horizon. In Atari, set for a 2009 release, Leo will play Nolan Bushnell, godfather on the video game industry. He’s also producing The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Scorsese will direct, and Leo will play the budding young president. Sounds good. I wonder if it’s too late for Leo to offer Brave New World to Scorsese? Now that would be a dystopian science fiction movie. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:01:26 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/7/2008 4:01:26 PMio9 has confirmed an earlier report that Ridley Scott will direct an adaptation of Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s classic dystopian future novel. Scott says that Leonardo DiCaprio approached him about adapting the book, and it looks like he will star in the film as well. This is exciting news; not only does it herald the return to science fiction for the director of Blade Runner and Alien, it also means that Leo, who is working on a live action adaptation of Akira, has two dystopian future projects in progress. Brave New World is one of my favorite books, and Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies, for many of the same reasons, but I’m still having trouble getting excited about this news. Scott’s work on Blade Runner was amazing, but that was 26 years ago, and he hasn’t made a science fiction film since. I’d like to believe he can jump back in the saddle, but considering what he’s been up to for the past two and a half decades, I have my doubts. While the quality of Scott’s filmography is admittedly debatable, it’s safe to say he’s made some pretty terrible movies, Kingdom of Heaven and A Good Year come to mind. Even his films that have some potential end up falling short. American Gangster, while not a bad movie, felt like only like a sufficient execution of a script Scorsese would have passed over in the nineties. Even if Scott can get his Blade Runner mojo working again for Brave New World, it could still be really bad. Blade Runner and Brave New World are very different stories, set in very different worlds. Blade Runner took cues from Neuromancer and the dystopian stories of Philip K. Dick to create a dingy future noir, complete with brutal violence and assassinations. Brave New World, on the other hand, takes place in a world where technological advances and a strict caste system have sanitized society. People are conditioned to desire nothing more than their predetermined station in life, dutifully ingesting a drug called soma to dull any inappropriate desires. While Blade Runner used rich visuals to convey the bleak state of the world, Brave New World features nearly unfilmable social situations. Family structures have been abolished and children are grown in futuristic farms. Sex is nothing but a social activity for the sterile citizens, and they are encouraged to start young. Bernard, an agitator who has the courage to suspect that something is wrong with this way of life, begins to be slightly disturbed by constantly seeing groups of children having orgies. How are you going to film that, Ridley? Brave New World also differs from Blade Runner in that there is much less violence. There’s a riot scene that could be pretty cool, but it’s safe to say that the action would look nothing like Black Hawk Down. In one scene a child is beaten senseless as part of a ritual. In another, a man flies into a rage and beats a woman he has unrequited feelings for, in front of a crowd of on-lookers. Having not been exposed to violence in their sanitized lives, this scene sends them into a frenzy, which of course results in a massive orgy. The Brave New World film will either be the most ambitious porno in history, or it will be scrubbed of its controversial content. I’m not sure which would be worse. Of course, on the page Brave New World reads nothing like porn –– on the contrary, it’s satire. Huxley, a Brit, was inspired to write it after seeing what he viewed as degenerate American youth culture and runaway industrialization on a trip to the States. It’s a dark comedy with no punch lines. In some ways it’s more similar to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil than to Blade Runner. Which raises another problem: Ridley Scott is an extremely serious filmmaker. While Nicolas Cage attempts to get some laughs in Matchstick Men, the heart of that film, and all Scott’s films, is undeniably earnest. In Brazil, on the other hand, we’re encouraged to laugh at the future, despite the fact that it’s soul-crushing and bleak. Huxley had a similar goal in mind. I do have some hope for DiCaprio’s involvement, however. His acting skills have steadily improved over the years, and the fact that he’s taken the initiative to produce both Brave New World and Akira adaptations is a good sign. We haven’t seen a lot from Leo the Producer, but there are more interesting projects on the horizon. In Atari, set for a 2009 release, Leo will play Nolan Bushnell, godfather on the video game industry. He’s also producing The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Scorsese will direct, and Leo will play the budding young president. Sounds good. I wonder if it’s too late for Leo to offer Brave New World to Scorsese? Now that would be a dystopian science fiction movie. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/matthewreade/archive/2008/8/26/34422.aspx Post By: matthewreade
Post To: matthewreade Blog
Post Date: 8/26/2008 9:49:31 PM
Body: I've got Equilibrium, No Country for Old Men, and City of Men to watch. Actually, I began watching COM, but as with City of God (2002), it became too violent. I realize that this violence is a reality. It becomes quite intense to soak in. I am hoping to make it through to the end. t.b.c. Okay- City of Men was fascinating--yes, there are multiple guns, and much swearing (and some badly translated subtitles), but the story gives a real impression of life in a shantytown (er, hill) in Rio de Janiero. I'd liken this to the Brazilian version of American Gangster. There's not that much money involved, but it's a matter of respect, family values, pride, legacy. Next.
]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:49:31 GMTmatthewreadematthewreade Blog8/26/2008 9:49:31 PMI've got Equilibrium, No Country for Old Men, and City of Men to watch. Actually, I began watching COM, but as with City of God (2002), it became too violent. I realize that this violence is a reality. It becomes quite intense to soak in. I am hoping to make it through to the end. t.b.c. Okay- City of Men was fascinating--yes, there are multiple guns, and much swearing (and some badly translated subtitles), but the story gives a real impression of life in a shantytown (er, hill) in Rio de Janiero. I'd liken this to the Brazilian version of American Gangster. There's not that much money involved, but it's a matter of respect, family values, pride, legacy. Next. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Take_the_red_pill_Recast_THE_MATRIX_1999/563/32262/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: unclefestering
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 7/7/2008 11:43:33 PM
Body: I went with people who I think could carry the roles well and have played lots of varied characters so that their performance would be different from the Matrix we know. Neo -- Orlando Bloom * His acting range is just as limited as Keanu Reeves, well he might be slightly stiffer. Morpheus -- Gabriel Byrne Nobody can project rightous anger and and a sense of forboding menace like Byrne. Trinity -- Franka Potente She does rugged and yet feminine. she can handle both the emotional needs and would be believable in the action sequences. Agent Smith -- Denzel Washington King Kong ain't got nuthin' on him. Oracle -- Eva Marie Saint Is there anybody else who can handle and deliver bad news like she can? Cypher -- Maggie Gyllenhaal Smart and sexy, Maggie can play seductive and greedy like few can. Tank - Tadanobu Asano He was great in the Zatoichi and can be tough when the situation calls for it. Apoc -- Jena Malone Let's give this role some depth. Jena can add that something special with just a look. Mouse -- Kal Penn Can anybody do a smary digital pimp like this guy? Switch -- Lisa Bonet Yes, she can act (at least enough for this role). Dozer -- Beat Takeshi This guy could take on any machine that could attack the ship single handedly. Agent Brown -- Loren Dean Agent Jones -- Jonathan Rhys Meyers Both these guys can be menacing, just standing still *Originally I posted this with Christian Bale, but then I thought that he has too much talent when compared to Reeves. Hope it OK that I changed it.
]]>Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:43:33 GMTunclefesteringFilmgaming7/7/2008 11:43:33 PMI went with people who I think could carry the roles well and have played lots of varied characters so that their performance would be different from the Matrix we know. Neo -- Orlando Bloom * His acting range is just as limited as Keanu Reeves, well he might be slightly stiffer. Morpheus -- Gabriel Byrne Nobody can project rightous anger and and a sense of forboding menace like Byrne. Trinity -- Franka Potente She does rugged and yet feminine. she can handle both the emotional needs and would be believable in the action sequences. Agent Smith -- Denzel Washington King Kong ain't got nuthin' on him. Oracle -- Eva Marie Saint Is there anybody else who can handle and deliver bad news like she can? Cypher -- Maggie Gyllenhaal Smart and sexy, Maggie can play seductive and greedy like few can. Tank - Tadanobu Asano He was great in the Zatoichi and can be tough when the situation calls for it. Apoc -- Jena Malone Let's give this role some depth. Jena can add that something special with just a look. Mouse -- Kal Penn Can anybody do a smary digital pimp like this guy? Switch -- Lisa Bonet Yes, she can act (at least enough for this role). Dozer -- Beat Takeshi This guy could take on any machine that could attack the ship single handedly. Agent Brown -- Loren Dean Agent Jones -- Jonathan Rhys Meyers Both these guys can be menacing, just standing still *Originally I posted this with Christian Bale, but then I thought that he has too much talent when compared to Reeves. Hope it OK that I changed it. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/12/28545.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/12/2008 10:46:09 AM
Body: I am puzzled as to why this film currently has a 79% rating at Rottentomatoes, as most film critics see a lot of movies, and American Gangster is only impressive if you have never seen Little Caesar, Serpico, The French Connection, GoodFellas, and especially the Godfather pictures. A better title for the film might be Epic Gangster Movie as it contains pretty every single cliché of the genre. That opening paragraph makes it look like I am going to trash this movie, but I actually enjoyed it. I must admit I entered the theatre with apprehension. Ridley Scott's last three hour epic, Kingdom of Heaven, was so boring I walked out of theatre. This film is never boring throughout its running time, even though it is at times confusing, and is never original. The movie is based on a true story (as a title card suspiciously tells us) of a criminal investigation into the mob and it's relations to the corrupt New York Police Department in the 1970's. The NYPD was so corrupt that nearly everyone was being paid off, so it was actually in the cops interest to have a strong mafia presence. A single honest cop named Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) was recruited by the feds to go after both the corruption and the gangsters themselves. Roberts and his team discover that most of the new heroin is being ingeniously imported from Vietnam by American soldiers by Godfather Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington). Lucas was able to evade suspicion for a long period both because his own business acumen and institutional racism- no one believed a black crime organization could rival the Italians. And right there I feel I have run out of material for a review because I've basically said everything. The movie is not boring but Scott is clearly trying to make his own Godfather (occasionally borrowing from Coppola's masterpiece scene-for-scene). I wish he had tried his own take with the work, because that might have made for a more interesting movie. There is a level of sophistication here, so the plagiarism is done pretty well, but not enough to fool us. American Gangster (2007)
]]>Mon, 12 May 2008 14:46:09 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/12/2008 10:46:09 AMI am puzzled as to why this film currently has a 79% rating at Rottentomatoes, as most film critics see a lot of movies, and American Gangster is only impressive if you have never seen Little Caesar, Serpico, The French Connection, GoodFellas, and especially the Godfather pictures. A better title for the film might be Epic Gangster Movie as it contains pretty every single clich&eacute; of the genre. That opening paragraph makes it look like I am going to trash this movie, but I actually enjoyed it. I must admit I entered the theatre with apprehension. Ridley Scott's last three hour epic, Kingdom of Heaven, was so boring I walked out of theatre. This film is never boring throughout its running time, even though it is at times confusing, and is never original. The movie is based on a true story (as a title card suspiciously tells us) of a criminal investigation into the mob and it's relations to the corrupt New York Police Department in the 1970's. The NYPD was so corrupt that nearly everyone was being paid off, so it was actually in the cops interest to have a strong mafia presence. A single honest cop named Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) was recruited by the feds to go after both the corruption and the gangsters themselves. Roberts and his team discover that most of the new heroin is being ingeniously imported from Vietnam by American soldiers by Godfather Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington). Lucas was able to evade suspicion for a long period both because his own business acumen and institutional racism- no one believed a black crime organization could rival the Italians. And right there I feel I have run out of material for a review because I've basically said everything. The movie is not boring but Scott is clearly trying to make his own Godfather (occasionally borrowing from Coppola's masterpiece scene-for-scene). I wish he had tried his own take with the work, because that might have made for a more interesting movie. There is a level of sophistication here, so the plagiarism is done pretty well, but not enough to fool us. American Gangster (2007) 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 &#39;Norbit&#39;.That&#39;s right. While many wrestle with the fact that their favorite films have been left off the nominee list (I understand, though don&#39;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 &#39;Norbit&#39; 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&#39;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&#39;re welcome!)Best picture&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo;&ldquo;Juno&rdquo;&ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo;&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo;&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;No Country for Old Men. A sweeping 86 wins from various awards programs, coupled with the Academy&#39;s love for the Coens, means the &ldquo;Old Men&rdquo; should have a lot of life in them on Oscar night. Best Director&ldquo;The Diving Bell and the Butterfly&rdquo; Julian Schnabel&ldquo;Juno&rdquo; Jason Reitman&ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo; Tony Gilroy&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo; 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 &ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo;Daniel Day-Lewis in &ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo;Johnny Depp in &ldquo;Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street&rdquo;Tommy Lee Jones in &ldquo;In the Valley of Elah&rdquo;Viggo Mortensen in &ldquo;Eastern Promises&rdquo;Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. Of the film&#39;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 &ldquo;Elizabeth: The Golden Age&rdquo;Julie Christie in &ldquo;Away from Her&rdquo;Marion Cotillard in &ldquo;La Vie en Rose&rdquo;Laura Linney in &ldquo;The Savages&rdquo;Ellen Page in &ldquo;Juno&rdquo;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 &ldquo;The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford&rdquo;Javier Bardem in &ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo;Philip Seymour Hoffman in &ldquo;Charlie Wilson&rsquo;s War&rdquo;Hal Holbrook in &ldquo;Into the Wild&rdquo;Tom Wilkinson in &ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo;Winner: Bardem. Who knew a bowl-cut could be so bad-ass? Bardem&#39;s emotionless killing machine is the embodiment of evil in &ldquo;No Country.&rdquo; Best Supporting ActressCate Blanchett in &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Not There&rdquo;Ruby Dee in &ldquo;American Gangster&rdquo;Saoirse Ronan in &ldquo;Atonement&rdquo;Amy Ryan in &ldquo;Gone Baby Gone&rdquo;Tilda Swinton in &ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo;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&ldquo;Persepolis&rdquo;&ldquo;Ratatouille&rdquo;&ldquo;Surf&#39;s Up&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;Ratatoille.&rdquo; Unless the Academy chooses to show its indie credibility with selecting &ldquo;Persepolis,&rdquo; the little guy should go to Pixar&#39;s latest masterpiece, and one of its most technically lavish and emotionally mature works in its canon. Best documentary feature&ldquo;No End in Sight&rdquo;&ldquo;Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience&rdquo;&ldquo;Sicko&rdquo;&ldquo;Taxi to the Dark Side&rdquo;&ldquo;War/Dance&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;No End in Sight.&rdquo; My only hope is that an Oscar win will bolster this film&#39;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&ldquo;American Gangster&rdquo;&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo;&ldquo;The Golden Compass&rdquo;&ldquo;Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street&rdquo;&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;There Will be Blood.&rdquo; Only because &ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo; didn&#39;t make it, the Academy will toss &ldquo;Blood&rdquo; a bone here. Cinematography &ldquo;The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford&rdquo; Roger Deakins&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo; Seamus McGarvey&ldquo;The Diving Bell and the Butterfly&rdquo; Janusz Kaminski&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo; Roger Deakins&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo; Robert ElswitWinner: &ldquo;There Will Be Blood.&rdquo; For true cinema geeks, this is the most exciting category of the evening. Deakins, whose work in &ldquo;Jesse James&rdquo; is nothing short of poetic, adequately captures the harsh dust bowls in &ldquo;No Country.&rdquo; But in &ldquo;Blood,&rdquo; 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&ldquo;Across the Universe&rdquo; Albert Wolsky&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo; Jacqueline Durran&ldquo;Elizabeth: The Golden Age&rdquo; Alexandra Byrne&ldquo;La Vie en Rose&rdquo; Marit Allen&ldquo;Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street&rdquo; Colleen AtwoodWinner: &ldquo;Atonement.&rdquo; 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&#39;s green dress in act one may cinch the prize alone.Best documentary short subject&ldquo;Freeheld&rdquo;&ldquo;La Corona (The Crown)&rdquo;&ldquo;Salim Baba&rdquo;&ldquo;Sari&rsquo;s Mother&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;Sari&#39;s Mother.&rdquo; Look for director James Longley&#39;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&#39;s earned such prior praise with his doc &ldquo;Iraq in Fragments.&#39; Editing&ldquo;The Bourne Ultimatum&rdquo; Christopher Rouse&ldquo;The Diving Bell and the Butterfly&rdquo; Juliette Welfling&ldquo;Into the Wild&rdquo; Jay Cassidy&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo; Roderick Jaynes&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo; Dylan TichenorWinner: &ldquo;No Country for Old Men.&rdquo; Perhaps more than any other technical category, &ldquo;No Country&rdquo; earns its stripes for its near-perfect slicing. Foreign language film&ldquo;Beaufort&rdquo; Israel&ldquo;The Counterfeiters&rdquo; Austria&ldquo;Katyń&rdquo; Poland&ldquo;Mongol&rdquo; Kazakhstan&ldquo;12&rdquo; RussiaWinner: &ldquo;Beaufort.&rdquo; In a rather weak field, &ldquo;Beaufort&rdquo; is the only film that seems to be making any critical waves. And if Borat had done enough to sully the name of Kazakhstan, &ldquo;Mongol&rdquo; has been doing a bang-up job on its own. Makeup&ldquo;La Vie en Rose&rdquo;&ldquo;Norbit&rdquo;&ldquo;Pirates of the Caribbean: At World&rsquo;s End&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;Pirates.&rdquo; 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&#39;m out, man. Game over. Original score&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo;&ldquo;The Kite Runner&rdquo; Distributed by Paramount Classics) Alberto Iglesias&ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo;&ldquo;Ratatouille&rdquo;&ldquo;3:10 to Yuma&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;Michael Clayton.&rdquo; Where the hell was Jonny Greenwood&#39;s eclectic, haunting orchestration for &ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo;? Because of some lame technicality, it was left off. None of the other candidates here are even in the same league, but Clayton&#39;s is the only score that I can still recall after seeing the film, so it gets my vote. Original song&ldquo;Falling Slowly&rdquo; from &ldquo;Once&rdquo;&ldquo;Happy Working Song&rdquo; from &ldquo;Enchanted&rdquo;&ldquo;Raise It Up&rdquo; from &ldquo;August Rush&rdquo;&ldquo;So Close&rdquo; from &ldquo;Enchanted&rdquo;&ldquo;That&rsquo;s How You Know&rdquo; from &ldquo;Enchanted&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;Falling Slowly.&rdquo; Sure, there&#39;s overwhelming odds that &ldquo;Enchanted&rdquo; 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&ldquo;I Met the Walrus&rdquo; (trailer)&ldquo;Madame Tutli-Putli&rdquo; (full film)&ldquo;M&ecirc;me les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)&rdquo; ( full film)&ldquo;My Love (Moya Lyubov) for Natalie&rdquo; (Channel One Russia) (full film, part 2&#39;s link is provided after film)&ldquo;Peter &amp; the Wolf&rdquo; (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&ldquo;At Night&rdquo; (clip)&ldquo;Il Supplente (The Substitute)&rdquo; (full film)&ldquo;Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)&rdquo; (full film)&ldquo;Tanghi Argentini&rdquo;&ldquo;The Tonto Woman&rdquo; (trailer)Winner: &ldquo;Il Supplente.&rdquo; Comic gold and a great punchline.Sound editing&ldquo;The Bourne Ultimatum&rdquo;&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo;&ldquo;Ratatouille&rdquo;&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo;&ldquo;Transformers&rdquo;Winner: &ldquo;No Country for Old Men.&rdquo; It could be a toss up with &ldquo;There Will Be Blood,&rdquo; but I have a feeling that the cold thud of Javier Bardem&#39;s pneumatic air gun gives it a slight edge. Sound mixing&ldquo;The Bourne Ultimatum&rdquo;&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo;&ldquo;Ratatouille&rdquo;&ldquo;3:10 to Yuma&rdquo;&ldquo;Transformers&rdquo;Winner: Transformers. Kevin O&#39;Connell and Greg P. Russell have a combined 32 nominations in their career. It&#39;s time Oscar paid them for their labor for their work literally making heavy metal. Visual effects &ldquo;The Golden Compass&rdquo;&ldquo;Pirates of the Caribbean: At World&rsquo;s End&rdquo;&ldquo;Transformers&rdquo;Winner: Transformers. Was there a part of this film that was not a visual effect? &ldquo;Compas&rdquo; flopped, &ldquo;Pirates&rdquo; sailed off with the trophy last year, plus, wouldn&#39;t it be cool to have a statue that morphed into a robot that would blow up screenwriter Diablo Cody&#39;s prize?Adapted screenplay&ldquo;Atonement&rdquo; Christopher Hampton&ldquo;Away from Her&rdquo; Sarah Polley&ldquo;The Diving Bell and the Butterfly&rdquo; Ronald Harwood&ldquo;No Country for Old Men&rdquo; Joel and Ethan Coen&ldquo;There Will Be Blood&rdquo; Paul Thomas AndersonWinner: &ldquo;No Country for Old Men.&rdquo; This one will be swept up in the Coen fever that will take hold on Oscar night, though I think &ldquo;Blood&rdquo; will have a longer shelf life with repeated viewings. Original screenplay&ldquo;Juno&rdquo; Diablo Cody&ldquo;Lars and the Real Girl&rdquo; Nancy Oliver&ldquo;Michael Clayton&rdquo; Tony Gilroy&ldquo;Ratatouille&rdquo; Brad Bird&ldquo;The Savages&rdquo; 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. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/drugs/MemberTagFilms.aspxdrugs
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