list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around W. 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/W/361630/default.aspx Title: W.
Year: 2008
Director: Oliver Stone
Plot: Josh Brolin stars as George W. Bush in this Oliver Stone biopic that traces the head of state's rise to power from a privileged alcoholic to a born-again Christian whose belief in religious destiny helped move him to the top ranks of political power. Co-written by Stanley G. Weiser, Bush is produced by fellow Stone collaborators Moritz Borman and Jon Kilik, with Elizabeth Banks co-starring as the first lady, James Cromwell as the elder President Bush, Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush and Richard Dreyfuss as Vice President Dick Cheney. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 57
Number of Lists: 9
Number of blog posts: 23
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:26:44 GMTW.2008Oliver Stone<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P_____8657/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Josh Brolin</a> stars as George W. Bush in this <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___112907/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Oliver Stone</a> biopic that traces the head of state's rise to power from a privileged alcoholic to a born-again Christian whose belief in religious destiny helped move him to the top ranks of political power. Co-written by Stanley G. Weiser, <a href="http://www.spout.com/films/4848/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bush</a> is produced by fellow Stone collaborators Moritz Borman and Jon Kilik, with <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___292126/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Elizabeth Banks</a> co-starring as the first lady, <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____15842/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Cromwell</a> as the elder President Bush, <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P_____9777/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ellen Burstyn</a> as Barbara Bush and <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____88268/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Richard Dreyfuss</a> as Vice President Dick Cheney. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide57Tag Target (>10)92332http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s361630.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/W/361630/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/New_Movies_2_13_Get_your_date_movie_on/216/40390/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 2/10/2009 10:29:01 PM
Body: NEW TO THEATERS 2/13 Friday the 13th -- Watch the trailer. Did you know that hospitals are busiest on full moons? Yeah, weird but true. Do you know what buildings are busiest on Friday the 13th? Tents and cabins in the wilderness. Weird, huh? The International -- Watch the trailer. I've heard some rumors that this is suprisingly good. I'm intrigued by the premise, that a large multi-national bank would use its (our) funds to support terrorists and other criminals. And hey, two winners heading the show: Naomi Watts and Clive Owen. Confessions of a Shopaholic -- Watch the trailer. Hmm. I haven't read the book, but I have bought it several times. Anyone looking forward to this? Two Lovers (limited) -- Watch the trailer. Did you know that Joaquin Phoenix has retired from acting? It's true. And now for something that's not true: Two Lovers is the first installment in a teen-fantasy-based trilogy, completed by I Beat Up the Bully In Front of Everyone and I Win The Talent Show With My Own Power Ballad. Gomorrah (limited) -- Watch the trailer. This mafia movie set in modern-day Naples won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, and its American release is sponsored by Martin Scorsese. This movie looks like it can boast authenticity from its head to its toes...three of the actors are tied to mob activity, and the author of Gomorrah (the book this is based on) has been living under 24-hour protection since the book's release. NEW TO DVD 2/10 Blindness -- Watch the trailer. Sort of like Children of Men, but is it as good? Listen to Filmcouch. Burn After Reading -- Watch the trailer. Foot Fist Way -- Watch the trailer. I liked this one a lot. Listen to the review. Frozen River -- Watch the trailer. Won Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at Sundance 2008. Miracle at St. Anna -- Watch the trailer. Just a heads-up, I haven't heard one good thing about this movie. Son of Rambow -- Watch the trailer. Soul Men -- Watch the trailer. The final film performances of Isaak Hayes and Bernie Mac. W. -- Watch the trailer. Eh, it was so-so.
]]>Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:29:01 GMTspoutComing Soon2/10/2009 10:29:01 PMNEW TO THEATERS 2/13 Friday the 13th -- Watch the trailer. Did you know that hospitals are busiest on full moons? Yeah, weird but true. Do you know what buildings are busiest on Friday the 13th? Tents and cabins in the wilderness. Weird, huh? The International -- Watch the trailer. I've heard some rumors that this is suprisingly good. I'm intrigued by the premise, that a large multi-national bank would use its (our) funds to support terrorists and other criminals. And hey, two winners heading the show: Naomi Watts and Clive Owen. Confessions of a Shopaholic -- Watch the trailer. Hmm. I haven't read the book, but I have bought it several times. Anyone looking forward to this? Two Lovers (limited) -- Watch the trailer. Did you know that Joaquin Phoenix has retired from acting? It's true. And now for something that's not true: Two Lovers is the first installment in a teen-fantasy-based trilogy, completed by I Beat Up the Bully In Front of Everyone and I Win The Talent Show With My Own Power Ballad. Gomorrah (limited) -- Watch the trailer. This mafia movie set in modern-day Naples won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, and its American release is sponsored by Martin Scorsese. This movie looks like it can boast authenticity from its head to its toes...three of the actors are tied to mob activity, and the author of Gomorrah (the book this is based on) has been living under 24-hour protection since the book's release. NEW TO DVD 2/10 Blindness -- Watch the trailer. Sort of like Children of Men, but is it as good? Listen to Filmcouch. Burn After Reading -- Watch the trailer. Foot Fist Way -- Watch the trailer. I liked this one a lot. Listen to the review. Frozen River -- Watch the trailer. Won Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at Sundance 2008. Miracle at St. Anna -- Watch the trailer. Just a heads-up, I haven't heard one good thing about this movie. Son of Rambow -- Watch the trailer. Soul Men -- Watch the trailer. The final film performances of Isaak Hayes and Bernie Mac. W. -- Watch the trailer. Eh, it was so-so. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/19/39678.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/19/2009 5:01:05 PM
Body: With a few more days left before the Oscar nominations are revealed, it is time to look at what the non-professionals anticipate will be among those contenders announced Thursday morning. Last Monday, we posted our own predictions for the Academy Award nominees and invited readers to weigh in with their own forecasts. A lot of comments concentrated on what shouldn’t happen, like The Dark Knight shouldn’t be nominated for Best Picture and Dustin Lance Black shouldn’t be nominated for his screenplay for Milk. And apparently The Curious Case of Benjamin Button could be this year’s Dreamgirls. However, there were some interesting trends among the many who chimed in. Check out some highlights after the jump. GRAN TORINO for Best Picture? With a strong wide release, Clint Eastwood’s second film of 2008 has been gaining a lot of Oscar buzz in the last minutes before the nominations are announced. JonathonSaia says it might even make the top category: “I would be hard pressed to believe that Gran Torino will not sneak in the Picture or Direction category. Yes, they will give him an actor nod, but the Academy loves his work. I expect either The Dark Knight or Christopher Nolan to be nominated, but not both. The other will be Gran Torino.” THE WRESTLER for Best Picture? The other strong major category candidate missing from our predictions for Best Picture is The Wrestler, which may indeed be another possibility, yet not an “upset.” Says Paul DeBenedetto: “No real love for the Wrestler in the Best Picture or Best Director categories? It was my favorite movie of the year and I think Aronofsky in particular really knocked it out of the park. It could really step in and ruin both the Dark Knight and Boyle’s evenings. That being said at the very least I don’t think noms in those categories would be an upset.” Nuttylichee agrees that the film will make the top five. Her reasoning: “simple story, a fantastic lead, great direction, better than revolutionary road (dear god, please don’t let revolutionary road get a best picture nod).” ARNAUD DESPLECHIN for Best Director? Anthony88 thinks David Fincher will be snubbed in favor of a foreign filmmaker, specifically the director of Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale): “I know Desplechin is an out there pick but those few who have seen A Christmas Tale will surely agree. It has topped an impressive amount of critics’ lists. There is usually a room for a great film that is ineligible for best Foreign film (Letters From Iwo Jima, Talk To Her, Amélie, Vera Drake, Pan’s Labyrinth, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, City of God, and Cache).” [editor’s note: both Amelie and Pan’s Labyrinth received nods for Best Foreign Film; neither had a nod for Best Director. And Cache got no Academy love at all. But we get and agree with your point, Anthony.] JOSH BROLIN for Best Actor? Brolin’s portrayal of George W. Bush did make my wishlist for the Oscar nominations, but I think he’ll get snubbed in favor of his supporting performance in Milk. Michael disagrees: “Has everyone forgotten about JOSH BROLIN! His performance in W. was fantastic, say what you will about the overall film, he was brilliant and deserves a nod. He was a better Bush, than Langella was as a Nixon.” THE CLASS for Best Adapted Screenplay? Anthony88 really does have an argument for the Academy having a greater love for foreign films in the directing and writing categories. Here he foresees Francois Begaudeau and Laurent Cantet being recognized for adapting Begaudeau’s book: “Being a weak category this year there shouldn’t be any surprises here other than Cantet’s The Class, which is a shoe in to win Best Foreign Film. It should garner enough love to go the extra mile.” TROPIC THUNDER or THE WACKNESS or WALTZ WITH BASHIR for Best Original Screenplay? Another possible surprise upset could come from one or more of the following nominations in the Original Screenplay category: Tropic Thunder (predicted by jeremy); The Wackness (predicted by Aaron); Waltz with Bashir (predicted by Nic). On the latter idea, though, Anthony88 disagrees; yet he acknowledges that it deserves the honor: “Unfortunately, Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir will be dismissed as a documentary screenplay. IT’S STILL A SCREENPLAY!!” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:01:05 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/19/2009 5:01:05 PMWith a few more days left before the Oscar nominations are revealed, it is time to look at what the non-professionals anticipate will be among those contenders announced Thursday morning. Last Monday, we posted our own predictions for the Academy Award nominees and invited readers to weigh in with their own forecasts. A lot of comments concentrated on what shouldn’t happen, like The Dark Knight shouldn’t be nominated for Best Picture and Dustin Lance Black shouldn’t be nominated for his screenplay for Milk. And apparently The Curious Case of Benjamin Button could be this year’s Dreamgirls. However, there were some interesting trends among the many who chimed in. Check out some highlights after the jump. GRAN TORINO for Best Picture? With a strong wide release, Clint Eastwood’s second film of 2008 has been gaining a lot of Oscar buzz in the last minutes before the nominations are announced. JonathonSaia says it might even make the top category: “I would be hard pressed to believe that Gran Torino will not sneak in the Picture or Direction category. Yes, they will give him an actor nod, but the Academy loves his work. I expect either The Dark Knight or Christopher Nolan to be nominated, but not both. The other will be Gran Torino.” THE WRESTLER for Best Picture? The other strong major category candidate missing from our predictions for Best Picture is The Wrestler, which may indeed be another possibility, yet not an “upset.” Says Paul DeBenedetto: “No real love for the Wrestler in the Best Picture or Best Director categories? It was my favorite movie of the year and I think Aronofsky in particular really knocked it out of the park. It could really step in and ruin both the Dark Knight and Boyle’s evenings. That being said at the very least I don’t think noms in those categories would be an upset.” Nuttylichee agrees that the film will make the top five. Her reasoning: “simple story, a fantastic lead, great direction, better than revolutionary road (dear god, please don’t let revolutionary road get a best picture nod).” ARNAUD DESPLECHIN for Best Director? Anthony88 thinks David Fincher will be snubbed in favor of a foreign filmmaker, specifically the director of Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale): “I know Desplechin is an out there pick but those few who have seen A Christmas Tale will surely agree. It has topped an impressive amount of critics’ lists. There is usually a room for a great film that is ineligible for best Foreign film (Letters From Iwo Jima, Talk To Her, Amélie, Vera Drake, Pan’s Labyrinth, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, City of God, and Cache).” [editor’s note: both Amelie and Pan’s Labyrinth received nods for Best Foreign Film; neither had a nod for Best Director. And Cache got no Academy love at all. But we get and agree with your point, Anthony.] JOSH BROLIN for Best Actor? Brolin’s portrayal of George W. Bush did make my wishlist for the Oscar nominations, but I think he’ll get snubbed in favor of his supporting performance in Milk. Michael disagrees: “Has everyone forgotten about JOSH BROLIN! His performance in W. was fantastic, say what you will about the overall film, he was brilliant and deserves a nod. He was a better Bush, than Langella was as a Nixon.” THE CLASS for Best Adapted Screenplay? Anthony88 really does have an argument for the Academy having a greater love for foreign films in the directing and writing categories. Here he foresees Francois Begaudeau and Laurent Cantet being recognized for adapting Begaudeau’s book: “Being a weak category this year there shouldn’t be any surprises here other than Cantet’s The Class, which is a shoe in to win Best Foreign Film. It should garner enough love to go the extra mile.” TROPIC THUNDER or THE WACKNESS or WALTZ WITH BASHIR for Best Original Screenplay? Another possible surprise upset could come from one or more of the following nominations in the Original Screenplay category: Tropic Thunder (predicted by jeremy); The Wackness (predicted by Aaron); Waltz with Bashir (predicted by Nic). On the latter idea, though, Anthony88 disagrees; yet he acknowledges that it deserves the honor: “Unfortunately, Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir will be dismissed as a documentary screenplay. IT’S STILL A SCREENPLAY!!” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/9/39313.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/9/2009 1:00:40 PM
Body: We’re less than two weeks away from receiving this year’s Oscar nominations, and though none of the major categories are completely predictable just yet, each has at least three or four certain favorites. Meanwhile, the final slots for Best Picture, Best Director and the acting and screenwriting categories may be simply a random grab from small handfuls of rotating contenders. As of now, it doesn’t appear we’ll be seeing any huge surprises come the morning of January 22nd, when the Academy announces the nominees. The Dark Knight is sure to become the first comic book film up for Best Picture, and it won’t even be a shocker if animated feature Wall-E is listed alongside it in the same category. But the ballots don’t need to be mailed out until Monday, so I’m taking one last chance to reach out to the procrastinators within the Academy membership. If you still don’t know who and what to write in, and you’re unwilling to go the safe route and nominate the expected bunch of films and talent, then consider some of these underdogs, under-appreciated and pretty much unlikely possibilities: Best Picture: Rachel Getting Married There was a time when Jonathan Demme’s “Altmanesque” family drama was thought a frontrunner for the Academy’s top prize, but now it looks like it may not even garner a much-deserved Original Screenplay nod for Jenny Lumet, let alone Best Picture. Anne Hathaway is still a good bet in the Best Actress category, though she’s perhaps the least worthy element of the film. Demme deserves his first Best Director nomination in 17 years for reinventing and revitalizing his career with such a rich ensemble piece, while editor Tim Squyres needs to be recognized for piecing together the ingredients so perfectly. I could go on and on about more individual achievements that need be honored (I’ve already spotlighted Robyn Hitchcock’s worth), so let’s just sum it all up and say Rachel Getting Married is highly worthy of being nominated for Best Picture. Best Director: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky Like Jonathan Demme, Mike Leigh is one of the finest living directors in terms of working with actors. They both constantly get Oscar-worthy (if not Academy-recognized) performances from otherwise serviceable thespians, yet Leigh is typically more regarded for his screenwriting, for which he’s received three Oscar nominations against two directorial nominations. With Happy-Go-Lucky, it’s more his directing skill that shines through, and if the Academy can’t find room to honor either Sally Hawkins or Eddie Marsan (respectively for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor) they might want to nominate Leigh, since neither would have been so remarkable without his leadership. Best Actress: Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy For the minimalist kind of films that Kelly Reichardt makes, most filmmakers would rather go with an unknown lead than with a familiar, gossip magazine-friendly actress, even one as talented as Michelle Williams. Yet the former Oscar nominee disappears into the role of Wendy in Wendy and Lucy, so much that it’s easy to forget that she’s a famous movie star. She seems as fresh and unknown as any actor in a De Sica or, more currently, a Ramin Bahrani film. The Academy will likely overlook Williams this year, not so much because the film was barely distributed, but because she doesn’t give a particularly flashy performance. Plus, although the actress appears relatively unfamiliar on screen, it isn’t the kind of “unrecognizable” transformation that Oscar prefers with beautiful young starlets. Best Supporting Actress: Bette Midler, Then She Found Me If a performance is great and nobody sees it, is it still Oscar-worthy? Of course, but it’s not likely to be nominated. I don’t foresee any Academy members scrambling to rent Helen Hunt’s terrific directorial debut, Then She Found Me, this weekend, which is too bad. Bette was back this past year and just as good as, if not better than, before. She was lively yet somewhat reserved compared to what we expect from her. The two-time Best Actress nominee will hopefully receive her due win one day, probably in the supporting category and as a career-honoring nod, but it may not be as deserving as this. Best Actor: Josh Brolin, W. I’ve already written a whole column about why Brolin should receive a Best Actor nomination for W., so I needn’t devote too much more space here. Apparently he’s gained more heat for his supporting role in Milk, though, and while that should be plenty recognition for him this year, I continue to hope for a double nomination. His two performances this year are equally amazing, and they couldn’t be more different, despite how they may both be deemed villainous roles. Best Supporting Actor: Mark Walton, Bolt Let me first acknowledge that I got this idea from Bolt’s biggest fan, Kristopher Tapley of In Contention, who called Mark Walton’s voice acting, “the closest I’ve ever come to considering a vocal performance Oscar-worthy since Ellen Degeneres in ‘Finding Nemo.’” I don’t necessarily agree with Tapley’s decision to put Bolt at #2 on his Best of 2008 list, but I would love to see a non-actor like Walton be recognized non-traditionally for vocal work, a form of acting that doesn’t garner enough consideration. Who needs big name casting in an animated film when a storyboard artist gives a more hilarious vocal performance than even Jack Black? Best Original Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York Kaufman may need some fine-tuning in the directorial department (though he did a pretty good job for a first-timer), but his latest screenplay, for Synecdoche, New York, is every bit as brilliant as his three Oscar-nominated scripts (one of which, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, was a winner). There’s not much originality in the attempt to put everything into a screenplay — in fact, it’s a common mistake for narcissistic novices — but Kaufman is quite original for having been the first to be successful at it. Best Adapted Screenplay: James Marsh and Philippe Petit, Man on Wire There is no screenwriter credited for Man on Wire, but there had to have been some sort of adaptation involved, even if it was simply a single-page treatment and some notes about how to turn Petit’s unexceptional (though fairly enjoyable) book To Reach the Clouds into one of the most riveting documentaries of all time. Unfortunately, the lack of credit means that the Academy will certainly overlook this, the greatest cinematic storytelling of the year. And now, some extra-long shots in two of the non-major categories: Best Cinematography: Jeremy Lasky, Martin Rosenberg, Danielle Feinberg, Roger Deakins, Wall-E I almost chose Wall-E, which I don’t think should be given a Best Picture nod, for the Best Director slot, for Andrew Stanton. But if any animation filmmaker is going to break such ground, I’d rather first see Brad Bird recognized in that category. Besides, much of the innovative camera work in Wall-E is courtesy of new concepts in cinematographic technique for animation. Even if the Academy blew our minds and nominated Wall-E for Best Cinematography, Deakins, whom Pixar hired for some uncredited consultation, wouldn’t be named as one of the nominees. But since the guy is so deserving of an Oscar, why not just name him in some additional slots this year (a repeat of his double duty from 2007, he’s expected to receive two nods, for Doubt and Revolutionary Road)? Best Foreign Language Film: Tony Manero Pablo Larrain’s Tony Manero, which is Chile’s official submission to the foreign language category, is currently without a distributor in the U.S. How might that change? An Oscar nomination. Sure, not every Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film is guaranteed distribution, but it could help a film as highly praised as this one — recently it placed third on indieWIRE’s Critic’s Poll of the best undistributed films of the year. Currently, it’s a strong contender, though it may be just on the outside of the Academy’s top choices (it’s up against either Sweden’s Everlasting Moments or Germany’s The Baader Meinhof Complex for that last spot). Personally, I haven’t actually seen Tony Manero, but I’d really like to, and that is why I wish for it to be recognized. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:00:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/9/2009 1:00:40 PMWe’re less than two weeks away from receiving this year’s Oscar nominations, and though none of the major categories are completely predictable just yet, each has at least three or four certain favorites. Meanwhile, the final slots for Best Picture, Best Director and the acting and screenwriting categories may be simply a random grab from small handfuls of rotating contenders. As of now, it doesn’t appear we’ll be seeing any huge surprises come the morning of January 22nd, when the Academy announces the nominees. The Dark Knight is sure to become the first comic book film up for Best Picture, and it won’t even be a shocker if animated feature Wall-E is listed alongside it in the same category. But the ballots don’t need to be mailed out until Monday, so I’m taking one last chance to reach out to the procrastinators within the Academy membership. If you still don’t know who and what to write in, and you’re unwilling to go the safe route and nominate the expected bunch of films and talent, then consider some of these underdogs, under-appreciated and pretty much unlikely possibilities: Best Picture: Rachel Getting Married There was a time when Jonathan Demme’s “Altmanesque” family drama was thought a frontrunner for the Academy’s top prize, but now it looks like it may not even garner a much-deserved Original Screenplay nod for Jenny Lumet, let alone Best Picture. Anne Hathaway is still a good bet in the Best Actress category, though she’s perhaps the least worthy element of the film. Demme deserves his first Best Director nomination in 17 years for reinventing and revitalizing his career with such a rich ensemble piece, while editor Tim Squyres needs to be recognized for piecing together the ingredients so perfectly. I could go on and on about more individual achievements that need be honored (I’ve already spotlighted Robyn Hitchcock’s worth), so let’s just sum it all up and say Rachel Getting Married is highly worthy of being nominated for Best Picture. Best Director: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky Like Jonathan Demme, Mike Leigh is one of the finest living directors in terms of working with actors. They both constantly get Oscar-worthy (if not Academy-recognized) performances from otherwise serviceable thespians, yet Leigh is typically more regarded for his screenwriting, for which he’s received three Oscar nominations against two directorial nominations. With Happy-Go-Lucky, it’s more his directing skill that shines through, and if the Academy can’t find room to honor either Sally Hawkins or Eddie Marsan (respectively for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor) they might want to nominate Leigh, since neither would have been so remarkable without his leadership. Best Actress: Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy For the minimalist kind of films that Kelly Reichardt makes, most filmmakers would rather go with an unknown lead than with a familiar, gossip magazine-friendly actress, even one as talented as Michelle Williams. Yet the former Oscar nominee disappears into the role of Wendy in Wendy and Lucy, so much that it’s easy to forget that she’s a famous movie star. She seems as fresh and unknown as any actor in a De Sica or, more currently, a Ramin Bahrani film. The Academy will likely overlook Williams this year, not so much because the film was barely distributed, but because she doesn’t give a particularly flashy performance. Plus, although the actress appears relatively unfamiliar on screen, it isn’t the kind of “unrecognizable” transformation that Oscar prefers with beautiful young starlets. Best Supporting Actress: Bette Midler, Then She Found Me If a performance is great and nobody sees it, is it still Oscar-worthy? Of course, but it’s not likely to be nominated. I don’t foresee any Academy members scrambling to rent Helen Hunt’s terrific directorial debut, Then She Found Me, this weekend, which is too bad. Bette was back this past year and just as good as, if not better than, before. She was lively yet somewhat reserved compared to what we expect from her. The two-time Best Actress nominee will hopefully receive her due win one day, probably in the supporting category and as a career-honoring nod, but it may not be as deserving as this. Best Actor: Josh Brolin, W. I’ve already written a whole column about why Brolin should receive a Best Actor nomination for W., so I needn’t devote too much more space here. Apparently he’s gained more heat for his supporting role in Milk, though, and while that should be plenty recognition for him this year, I continue to hope for a double nomination. His two performances this year are equally amazing, and they couldn’t be more different, despite how they may both be deemed villainous roles. Best Supporting Actor: Mark Walton, Bolt Let me first acknowledge that I got this idea from Bolt’s biggest fan, Kristopher Tapley of In Contention, who called Mark Walton’s voice acting, “the closest I’ve ever come to considering a vocal performance Oscar-worthy since Ellen Degeneres in ‘Finding Nemo.’” I don’t necessarily agree with Tapley’s decision to put Bolt at #2 on his Best of 2008 list, but I would love to see a non-actor like Walton be recognized non-traditionally for vocal work, a form of acting that doesn’t garner enough consideration. Who needs big name casting in an animated film when a storyboard artist gives a more hilarious vocal performance than even Jack Black? Best Original Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York Kaufman may need some fine-tuning in the directorial department (though he did a pretty good job for a first-timer), but his latest screenplay, for Synecdoche, New York, is every bit as brilliant as his three Oscar-nominated scripts (one of which, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, was a winner). There’s not much originality in the attempt to put everything into a screenplay — in fact, it’s a common mistake for narcissistic novices — but Kaufman is quite original for having been the first to be successful at it. Best Adapted Screenplay: James Marsh and Philippe Petit, Man on Wire There is no screenwriter credited for Man on Wire, but there had to have been some sort of adaptation involved, even if it was simply a single-page treatment and some notes about how to turn Petit’s unexceptional (though fairly enjoyable) book To Reach the Clouds into one of the most riveting documentaries of all time. Unfortunately, the lack of credit means that the Academy will certainly overlook this, the greatest cinematic storytelling of the year. And now, some extra-long shots in two of the non-major categories: Best Cinematography: Jeremy Lasky, Martin Rosenberg, Danielle Feinberg, Roger Deakins, Wall-E I almost chose Wall-E, which I don’t think should be given a Best Picture nod, for the Best Director slot, for Andrew Stanton. But if any animation filmmaker is going to break such ground, I’d rather first see Brad Bird recognized in that category. Besides, much of the innovative camera work in Wall-E is courtesy of new concepts in cinematographic technique for animation. Even if the Academy blew our minds and nominated Wall-E for Best Cinematography, Deakins, whom Pixar hired for some uncredited consultation, wouldn’t be named as one of the nominees. But since the guy is so deserving of an Oscar, why not just name him in some additional slots this year (a repeat of his double duty from 2007, he’s expected to receive two nods, for Doubt and Revolutionary Road)? Best Foreign Language Film: Tony Manero Pablo Larrain’s Tony Manero, which is Chile’s official submission to the foreign language category, is currently without a distributor in the U.S. How might that change? An Oscar nomination. Sure, not every Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film is guaranteed distribution, but it could help a film as highly praised as this one — recently it placed third on indieWIRE’s Critic’s Poll of the best undistributed films of the year. Currently, it’s a strong contender, though it may be just on the outside of the Academy’s top choices (it’s up against either Sweden’s Everlasting Moments or Germany’s The Baader Meinhof Complex for that last spot). Personally, I haven’t actually seen Tony Manero, but I’d really like to, and that is why I wish for it to be recognized. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/12/15/38373.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 12/15/2008 8:15:18 AM
Body: I'm not sure what is more sad: politician Harvey Milk's life being cut short by an assassin's bullett, or the recent passing of the California's reprehensible Prop 8 Bill, making it seem this man's death may have been in vain. Sean Penn inhabits the lead role in 'Milk', and through him we can see just how magnetic a man the San Francisco candidate was and how easy it must have been to warm to his cause. But Penn does not lionize the man, unafraid to show his fears, doubts and flirtation with hubris as his voice begins to reverberate across the state and the nation. To see Penn, who often appears pensive and prickly on talk shows and in public of late, return to the type of performance that is sweet, sensitive and thoroughly endearing is rewarding enough. But he is surrounded by thoughtful, passionate performers who all seemed so moved by Milk's legacy, they were determined to do him justice. Milk arrives in San Fran at the start of the swingin' 70s, frustrated and ready to start his life anew as he approaches his 40th birthday. It is there he bumps into his partner Scott Smith (played by James Franco), and they embark on their journey from small camera shop owners to activist organizers helping to reshape the cultural landscape of California. Where 'Milk' separates itself from other gay-themed mainstream films is that it presents its characters as peers. Films like 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'Jeffrey' were more about allowing the lifestyle to exist in its own little vacuum, if not truly accepting these individuals as equals in every sense of the word. It's the difference between accpeting a gay person and accepting a person who happens to be gay. Director Gus Van Sandt does this by presenting us with the leads' sexuality in the first few minutes of the film. Penn and Franco tango in an intimate encounter signifying the same electricity all relationships share in the first stage. Soon after, it settles into the same banality and common day-to-day exchanges all couples shift into, except theirs is one that faces constant tumult outside their own happy domicile - fear, anger and hate await them at every public demonstration of their affection toward one another. It's as if to say to skeptical, straight audience members, "see, this lifestyle you so fear can be just as mundane as yours, but contains no less love within it." I, personally respected 'Brokeback' as a political statement more than a film. I felt it was oftentimes dramatically inert, but I admired what it set out to accomplish. With 'Milk' and its engaging cast of underdogs, there's little downtime; in fact, there's always an underlying sense of urgency as they confront their fair share of injustices that meet their everyday existence, from indifferent police to angered citizens to downright spiteful politicians. Josh Brolin continues his streak (starting with Planet Terror and leading to last month's W.) as the tortured fellow politician Dan White, who admires Milk's appeal as much as he despises his orientation. He is one of the film's few flaws, as descends into his own hell, we wish we were afforded mere glimpses into his life. The other weak link is Milk's partner Jack Lira (played by Diego Luna) following a breakup with Scott. We understand he's a mess, but it remains unclear as to why Milk stays with this obvious basket case after repeated signs of an impending ugly meltdown. Van Sandt seamlessly blends archival news footage of the era with his own , drained of just enough color to feel era-specific. This comes in handy when he includes clips of the self-righteous Anita Bryant sermonizing about Milk's deviant behavior. Bryant looms heavily like a fog of hate and intolerance, donned in a frilly blouse and sensible pumps, and no actress is needed to shed further light on her moralistic monologues. Her damnation of gays over Proposition 6 ( which would allow the firing of teachers over sexual orientation ) is icily scary. What was equally surprising was the film's minimalist, sweeping score by Danny Elfman, which enhances the picture without once intruding and making it seem melodramatic. 'Milk' does feel as though it sometimes smooths over the politician's rougher edges, yet it never feels less than authentic, courtesy of Penn's embrace of his character. The only shame of 'Milk' is that its release is a few weeks too late to perhaps influence a recent stripping of civil rights. It would have made 'Milk's' ending more stirring and just. Now, it's just heartbreakingly sad.
]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:15:18 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog12/15/2008 8:15:18 AMI'm not sure what is more sad: politician Harvey Milk's life being cut short by an assassin's bullett, or the recent passing of the California's reprehensible Prop 8 Bill, making it seem this man's death may have been in vain. Sean Penn inhabits the lead role in 'Milk', and through him we can see just how magnetic a man the San Francisco candidate was and how easy it must have been to warm to his cause. But Penn does not lionize the man, unafraid to show his fears, doubts and flirtation with hubris as his voice begins to reverberate across the state and the nation. To see Penn, who often appears pensive and prickly on talk shows and in public of late, return to the type of performance that is sweet, sensitive and thoroughly endearing is rewarding enough. But he is surrounded by thoughtful, passionate performers who all seemed so moved by Milk's legacy, they were determined to do him justice. Milk arrives in San Fran at the start of the swingin' 70s, frustrated and ready to start his life anew as he approaches his 40th birthday. It is there he bumps into his partner Scott Smith (played by James Franco), and they embark on their journey from small camera shop owners to activist organizers helping to reshape the cultural landscape of California. Where 'Milk' separates itself from other gay-themed mainstream films is that it presents its characters as peers. Films like 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'Jeffrey' were more about allowing the lifestyle to exist in its own little vacuum, if not truly accepting these individuals as equals in every sense of the word. It's the difference between accpeting a gay person and accepting a person who happens to be gay. Director Gus Van Sandt does this by presenting us with the leads' sexuality in the first few minutes of the film. Penn and Franco tango in an intimate encounter signifying the same electricity all relationships share in the first stage. Soon after, it settles into the same banality and common day-to-day exchanges all couples shift into, except theirs is one that faces constant tumult outside their own happy domicile - fear, anger and hate await them at every public demonstration of their affection toward one another. It's as if to say to skeptical, straight audience members, "see, this lifestyle you so fear can be just as mundane as yours, but contains no less love within it." I, personally respected 'Brokeback' as a political statement more than a film. I felt it was oftentimes dramatically inert, but I admired what it set out to accomplish. With 'Milk' and its engaging cast of underdogs, there's little downtime; in fact, there's always an underlying sense of urgency as they confront their fair share of injustices that meet their everyday existence, from indifferent police to angered citizens to downright spiteful politicians. Josh Brolin continues his streak (starting with Planet Terror and leading to last month's W.) as the tortured fellow politician Dan White, who admires Milk's appeal as much as he despises his orientation. He is one of the film's few flaws, as descends into his own hell, we wish we were afforded mere glimpses into his life. The other weak link is Milk's partner Jack Lira (played by Diego Luna) following a breakup with Scott. We understand he's a mess, but it remains unclear as to why Milk stays with this obvious basket case after repeated signs of an impending ugly meltdown. Van Sandt seamlessly blends archival news footage of the era with his own , drained of just enough color to feel era-specific. This comes in handy when he includes clips of the self-righteous Anita Bryant sermonizing about Milk's deviant behavior. Bryant looms heavily like a fog of hate and intolerance, donned in a frilly blouse and sensible pumps, and no actress is needed to shed further light on her moralistic monologues. Her damnation of gays over Proposition 6 ( which would allow the firing of teachers over sexual orientation ) is icily scary. What was equally surprising was the film's minimalist, sweeping score by Danny Elfman, which enhances the picture without once intruding and making it seem melodramatic. 'Milk' does feel as though it sometimes smooths over the politician's rougher edges, yet it never feels less than authentic, courtesy of Penn's embrace of his character. The only shame of 'Milk' is that its release is a few weeks too late to perhaps influence a recent stripping of civil rights. It would have made 'Milk's' ending more stirring and just. Now, it's just heartbreakingly sad. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2008/643/38152/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/9/2008 6:30:49 PM
Body: Liked these (in no particular order): Cloverfield Incredible theatrical experience. Might be hampered watching at home. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist Cutesy teen flick. Had a great 80's feel to it. Hamlet 2 Perverse and just plain hilarious throughout. Great original music. House Bunny I'm a sucker for Anna Faris and she plays a ditzy Playmate perfectly. The Dark Knight A comic geek's wet dream. My Winnipeg Immensely creative, original film. A flurry of emotions in a bizarre little package. WALL-E Heartbreakingly sentimental love story; action packed galactic adventure. Iron Man Another comic geek's wet dream. And Robert Downey Jr. Nuff said. The Fall Just insanely wondrous film. Deserves the comparisons to The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Speed Racer Seizure inducing fanboy fun. Savage Grace Frightening 'Based on a True Story' film. Amazing performances. The Strangers Nothing new, but executed perfectly. Dark, abysmal terror. My Blueberry Nights Subtle, nuanced performances and beautiful direction. Packed with emotion. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day Carefree, fanciful period flick. Amy Adams and Frances McDormand are a perfect slapstick duo on screen. Jumper Big budget Sci-Fi blockbuster without all the annoying garnishes. Watching the Detectives Made for cinephiles about cinephiles. Hokey fun. Movies that might be on my list that I haven't seen yet: Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Spirit Doubt The Wrestler The Brothers Bloom Revolutionary Road Repo! The Genetic Opera Humboldt County Just Buried Milk Australia Rachel Getting Married W. Fear(s) of the Dark Synecdoche, New York Zack and Miri Make a Porno Towelhead Vicky Cristina Barcelona The Wackness Brideshead Revisited Glass: A Portrait in Twelve Parts
]]>Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:30:49 GMTmercurialCommunity Recommendations12/9/2008 6:30:49 PMLiked these (in no particular order): Cloverfield Incredible theatrical experience. Might be hampered watching at home. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist Cutesy teen flick. Had a great 80's feel to it. Hamlet 2 Perverse and just plain hilarious throughout. Great original music. House Bunny I'm a sucker for Anna Faris and she plays a ditzy Playmate perfectly. The Dark Knight A comic geek's wet dream. My Winnipeg Immensely creative, original film. A flurry of emotions in a bizarre little package. WALL-E Heartbreakingly sentimental love story; action packed galactic adventure. Iron Man Another comic geek's wet dream. And Robert Downey Jr. Nuff said. The Fall Just insanely wondrous film. Deserves the comparisons to The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Speed Racer Seizure inducing fanboy fun. Savage Grace Frightening 'Based on a True Story' film. Amazing performances. The Strangers Nothing new, but executed perfectly. Dark, abysmal terror. My Blueberry Nights Subtle, nuanced performances and beautiful direction. Packed with emotion. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day Carefree, fanciful period flick. Amy Adams and Frances McDormand are a perfect slapstick duo on screen. Jumper Big budget Sci-Fi blockbuster without all the annoying garnishes. Watching the Detectives Made for cinephiles about cinephiles. Hokey fun. Movies that might be on my list that I haven't seen yet: Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Spirit Doubt The Wrestler The Brothers Bloom Revolutionary Road Repo! The Genetic Opera Humboldt County Just Buried Milk Australia Rachel Getting Married W. Fear(s) of the Dark Synecdoche, New York Zack and Miri Make a Porno Towelhead Vicky Cristina Barcelona The Wackness Brideshead Revisited Glass: A Portrait in Twelve Parts http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/3/37896.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/3/2008 3:00:52 PM
Body: It’s more difficult to be convincing as a real person when acting on film than on the stage. The camera can get closer and your image ends up projected many times larger than life size. So, despite giving a Tony Award-winning performance as Richard Nixon in the theater version of Frost/Nixon, Frank Langella was not initially thought of as worthy to reprise the role in Ron Howard’s movie adaptation of the play. Part of it was that he’s not a big name, but another reason was that he looks nothing like Tricky Dick. Ultimately, Langella did get the part, and while he doesn’t resemble the former president, he apparently does a bang up job in the role. But the transition could easily have been as awkward as Ralph Bellamy’s reprisal of his Tony-winning portrayal of Franklin Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello. In the film version of that play, Bellamy’s vocal impersonation comes off more like a Scottish brogue (he sounds exactly like Sean Connery, in fact) than FDR’s signature “Locust Valley lockjaw.”  Instead, Langella is on track for an Oscar nomination, and is sure to join the following actors who also gave convincing performances as world leaders. As a handicap, SpoutBlog has limited the selections to modern era leaders whose real persona exists on film/tape and are therefore more easily comparable to actors’ representations. 10. Anthony Hopkins as President Richard Nixon in Nixon (1995) The performance is exaggerated almost to the point of out-doing Dan Hedaya’s comedic portrayal in Dick, but Hopkins’ Nixon isn’t the failure that many reviews criticized it as. The art of a convincing portrait is not so much about presenting an exact likeness as it is about expressing a perspective, and Oliver Stone’s employment of Hannibal Lecter as the (then) most hated president brought the viewpoint across right away. It may not be Hopkins’ best Oscar-nominated presidential performance (that would be his John Quincy Adams in Amistad), but it is one of his most spectacular accomplishments. 9. Josh Brolin as President George W. Bush in W. (2008) Stone surprisingly went a different way with his latest presidential biopic (which was not, as has been claimed, the first film about a sitting president; see #6). Brolin is much less a caricature than was expected, and the actor even welcomes sympathy from Bush-haters. It’s not necessarily an exact impersonation; it’s better. Brolin makes the role his own while also doing some requisite aping, and it’s a performance that should garner him an Oscar nomination next month. 8. James Brolin as President Ronald Reagan in The Reagans (2003) Like son, like father, though instead of appropriately portraying the elder Bush (he might have done as well as James Cromwell in W.), Josh Brolin’s father plays that president’s predecessor in this made-for-TV biopic. He looks a little silly in the role, but James Brolin does an excellent job with the voice and the overall execution of the actor-turned-leader’s public persona. The conservatives may have hated the movie, but the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences were convinced enough to nominate Brolin for an Emmy Award. 7. Jerry Haleva as Saddam Hussein in The Big Lebowski (1998) Sometimes professional impersonators are the most perfect people to play figures on the big screen. Unfortunately, people like Queen Elizabeth look-alike Jeannette Charles (The Naked Gun; European Vacation, Austin Powers in Goldmember) aren’t famous enough or talented enough actors to carry a whole film like The Queen. The late Haleva made a career out of portraying the Iraqi dictator, appearing prominently in such comedies as Hot Shots!, Hot Shots! Part Deux and Jane Austen’s Mafia! But it’s his silent performance in The Big Lebowski that works best (though his lisped Hussein in the Hot Shots! sequel is hilarious). Even Hussein’s own sons could have made the mistake of thinking it was the real dictator up there on the screen. 6. Bruce Greenwood as President John F. Kennedy in Thirteen Days (2000) Back in the 1960s, President Kennedy got to be part of the casting process for Warner Bros.’ depiction of him in the WWII drama PT 109. His selection of Cliff Robertson was fine, but if he’d been alive long enough to also assist the production of Thirteen Days, he would have surely agreed with the casting of Bruce Greenwood. The actor doesn’t look much like JFK in this non-biopic about the Cuban Missile Crisis, but to agree with Kevin Costner, Greenwood is Kennedy in the film, only bettered by Steven Culp as RFK. Too bad Costner has to be in there at all. As usual his talent for accents is atrocious, but at least he didn’t bother attempting to play the president. Greenwood was definitely deserving of an Oscar nod for his portrayal, but apparently only one presidential role (Jeff Bridges in The Contender) was enough for the 2001 Supporting Actor race. 5. Gary Sinise as President Harry S. Truman in Truman (1995) The problem with famous actors portraying well-known real-life figures is that the audience more than likely sees the actor first. It’s a problem with most of the portrayals on this list, and it’s certainly true for Gary Sinise in the role of Truman. He looks just like Gary Sinise with some necessary prosthetics. And his voice is distinctly his own, too, despite an attempt at the accent. Yet the performance is engaging enough to make the viewer forget all that and become adequately convinced enough to accept Sinise as the president with the difficult task of ending World War II through drastic measures. 4. Bruno Ganz as Adolph Hitler in Downfall (2004) It’s easy to play Hitler; just don the signature mustache and you’re good to go. Ganz went above and beyond, though, to not just convincingly represent the Nazi dictator but also to capture his thought-non-existent humanity. His voice is perfection and his overall performance is astounding. Had the three-dimensionality of the portrayal not been so controversial, Ganz could have garnered an Academy Award nomination. 3. Edward Hermann as President Franklin Roosevelt in Annie (1982) A lot of actors have attempted FDR, from Bellamy in Sunrise at Campobello to Kenneth Branagh in Warm Springs (and let’s not forget Jon Voight’s laughable turn in Pearl Harbor), but nobody else is as good as Hermann, who played the four-term president in two TV movies prior to reprising the role in this screen version of the lovable Broadway musical. The only reason he deserves more credit here than for his two Emmy-nominated portrayals is because in Annie he joins in to sing “Tomorrow” with the li’l titular orphan, and that’s believably something the real FDR would have taken much pleasure in. 2. Michael Sheen as Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen (2006) Langella and his Frost/Nixon costar, Michael Sheen, are equally being recognized for their performances in that film. But a couple of years ago, Sheen was upstaged by the Oscar-winning Helen Mirren in The Queen. Still, despite his lack of a deserved nod from the Academy, he was highly acclaimed for his portrayal of Tony Blair, a role he’d already perfected in the British TV movie The Deal (from the same writer-director pair as The Queen). And the performance rushed him to the top ranks of acting talent, allowing him to be unquestionably worthy of reprising his stage role as David Frost and easily thought of as a front-runner for the Oscars this time around. 1. Martin Sheen as President John F. Kennedy in Kennedy (1983) Sheen was so good as JFK in this TV miniseries that in The Goonies “Mouth” (Corey Feldman) confuses the president for the actor on a 50-cent piece. And well, Mouth, as Cyndi Lauper sings on the soundtrack, “What’s good enough for you is good enough for me. It’s good enough. It’s good enough for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:00:52 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/3/2008 3:00:52 PMIt’s more difficult to be convincing as a real person when acting on film than on the stage. The camera can get closer and your image ends up projected many times larger than life size. So, despite giving a Tony Award-winning performance as Richard Nixon in the theater version of Frost/Nixon, Frank Langella was not initially thought of as worthy to reprise the role in Ron Howard’s movie adaptation of the play. Part of it was that he’s not a big name, but another reason was that he looks nothing like Tricky Dick. Ultimately, Langella did get the part, and while he doesn’t resemble the former president, he apparently does a bang up job in the role. But the transition could easily have been as awkward as Ralph Bellamy’s reprisal of his Tony-winning portrayal of Franklin Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello. In the film version of that play, Bellamy’s vocal impersonation comes off more like a Scottish brogue (he sounds exactly like Sean Connery, in fact) than FDR’s signature “Locust Valley lockjaw.”  Instead, Langella is on track for an Oscar nomination, and is sure to join the following actors who also gave convincing performances as world leaders. As a handicap, SpoutBlog has limited the selections to modern era leaders whose real persona exists on film/tape and are therefore more easily comparable to actors’ representations. 10. Anthony Hopkins as President Richard Nixon in Nixon (1995) The performance is exaggerated almost to the point of out-doing Dan Hedaya’s comedic portrayal in Dick, but Hopkins’ Nixon isn’t the failure that many reviews criticized it as. The art of a convincing portrait is not so much about presenting an exact likeness as it is about expressing a perspective, and Oliver Stone’s employment of Hannibal Lecter as the (then) most hated president brought the viewpoint across right away. It may not be Hopkins’ best Oscar-nominated presidential performance (that would be his John Quincy Adams in Amistad), but it is one of his most spectacular accomplishments. 9. Josh Brolin as President George W. Bush in W. (2008) Stone surprisingly went a different way with his latest presidential biopic (which was not, as has been claimed, the first film about a sitting president; see #6). Brolin is much less a caricature than was expected, and the actor even welcomes sympathy from Bush-haters. It’s not necessarily an exact impersonation; it’s better. Brolin makes the role his own while also doing some requisite aping, and it’s a performance that should garner him an Oscar nomination next month. 8. James Brolin as President Ronald Reagan in The Reagans (2003) Like son, like father, though instead of appropriately portraying the elder Bush (he might have done as well as James Cromwell in W.), Josh Brolin’s father plays that president’s predecessor in this made-for-TV biopic. He looks a little silly in the role, but James Brolin does an excellent job with the voice and the overall execution of the actor-turned-leader’s public persona. The conservatives may have hated the movie, but the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences were convinced enough to nominate Brolin for an Emmy Award. 7. Jerry Haleva as Saddam Hussein in The Big Lebowski (1998) Sometimes professional impersonators are the most perfect people to play figures on the big screen. Unfortunately, people like Queen Elizabeth look-alike Jeannette Charles (The Naked Gun; European Vacation, Austin Powers in Goldmember) aren’t famous enough or talented enough actors to carry a whole film like The Queen. The late Haleva made a career out of portraying the Iraqi dictator, appearing prominently in such comedies as Hot Shots!, Hot Shots! Part Deux and Jane Austen’s Mafia! But it’s his silent performance in The Big Lebowski that works best (though his lisped Hussein in the Hot Shots! sequel is hilarious). Even Hussein’s own sons could have made the mistake of thinking it was the real dictator up there on the screen. 6. Bruce Greenwood as President John F. Kennedy in Thirteen Days (2000) Back in the 1960s, President Kennedy got to be part of the casting process for Warner Bros.’ depiction of him in the WWII drama PT 109. His selection of Cliff Robertson was fine, but if he’d been alive long enough to also assist the production of Thirteen Days, he would have surely agreed with the casting of Bruce Greenwood. The actor doesn’t look much like JFK in this non-biopic about the Cuban Missile Crisis, but to agree with Kevin Costner, Greenwood is Kennedy in the film, only bettered by Steven Culp as RFK. Too bad Costner has to be in there at all. As usual his talent for accents is atrocious, but at least he didn’t bother attempting to play the president. Greenwood was definitely deserving of an Oscar nod for his portrayal, but apparently only one presidential role (Jeff Bridges in The Contender) was enough for the 2001 Supporting Actor race. 5. Gary Sinise as President Harry S. Truman in Truman (1995) The problem with famous actors portraying well-known real-life figures is that the audience more than likely sees the actor first. It’s a problem with most of the portrayals on this list, and it’s certainly true for Gary Sinise in the role of Truman. He looks just like Gary Sinise with some necessary prosthetics. And his voice is distinctly his own, too, despite an attempt at the accent. Yet the performance is engaging enough to make the viewer forget all that and become adequately convinced enough to accept Sinise as the president with the difficult task of ending World War II through drastic measures. 4. Bruno Ganz as Adolph Hitler in Downfall (2004) It’s easy to play Hitler; just don the signature mustache and you’re good to go. Ganz went above and beyond, though, to not just convincingly represent the Nazi dictator but also to capture his thought-non-existent humanity. His voice is perfection and his overall performance is astounding. Had the three-dimensionality of the portrayal not been so controversial, Ganz could have garnered an Academy Award nomination. 3. Edward Hermann as President Franklin Roosevelt in Annie (1982) A lot of actors have attempted FDR, from Bellamy in Sunrise at Campobello to Kenneth Branagh in Warm Springs (and let’s not forget Jon Voight’s laughable turn in Pearl Harbor), but nobody else is as good as Hermann, who played the four-term president in two TV movies prior to reprising the role in this screen version of the lovable Broadway musical. The only reason he deserves more credit here than for his two Emmy-nominated portrayals is because in Annie he joins in to sing “Tomorrow” with the li’l titular orphan, and that’s believably something the real FDR would have taken much pleasure in. 2. Michael Sheen as Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen (2006) Langella and his Frost/Nixon costar, Michael Sheen, are equally being recognized for their performances in that film. But a couple of years ago, Sheen was upstaged by the Oscar-winning Helen Mirren in The Queen. Still, despite his lack of a deserved nod from the Academy, he was highly acclaimed for his portrayal of Tony Blair, a role he’d already perfected in the British TV movie The Deal (from the same writer-director pair as The Queen). And the performance rushed him to the top ranks of acting talent, allowing him to be unquestionably worthy of reprising his stage role as David Frost and easily thought of as a front-runner for the Oscars this time around. 1. Martin Sheen as President John F. Kennedy in Kennedy (1983) Sheen was so good as JFK in this TV miniseries that in The Goonies “Mouth” (Corey Feldman) confuses the president for the actor on a 50-cent piece. And well, Mouth, as Cyndi Lauper sings on the soundtrack, “What’s good enough for you is good enough for me. It’s good enough. It’s good enough for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.” 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/rubywoo/archive/2008/11/8/37112.aspx Post By: rubywoo
Post To: rubywoo Blog
Post Date: 11/8/2008 5:08:18 PM
Body: Oliver Stones W is a weird kettle of fish, it took me a few days after seeing it to get my head together about how I felt about it. My gut reaction was somewhat ambiguous and whenever I thought I had settled on an opinion it was countered by something else in the way the film played out. Stone is getting complex. First and foremost the cast do an incredible job. Josh Brolin is fan-freakin’-tastic as Dubya himself - mannerisms and motivation are superb. Richard Dreyfuss is perfectly underhand and sinister as Cheney, Condoleezza Rice is played to a T by an almost unrecognizable Thandie Newton, I could go on and on, the casting features no obvious weak link. I think what it was that confused my morals was the humanization of Bush, yes he is made out to be a giant buffoon, but also just as a man who has no real idea the impact of the fuck ups he’s making - his entire motivation being gaining approval from his mean ol’ Dad. The early part of the film delves (pretty deep it has to be said) into Dubya’s alcoholism and inability to well, do anything. I think this is the part that resonates the loudest, realising that once upon a time - with the exception of the silver spoon thing - he wasn’t all that different from anyone I know, a black sheep, not groomed for success. It’s the journey for patriarchal validation (helped along by a heart attack) that leads him to religion and his presidential quest. As a biopic it’s pretty impressive, carefully choosing which life shaping events to present to the viewer. The soundtrack is a little clunky and obvious, and seems somewhat out of place in a film far less overplayed and sensational than I think any of us expected (really, the cartoon music as W goes about his day to day tasks - and the Robin Hood music as he gets his cabinet lost on his estate). This movie isn’t super enjoyable (but then show me a political biopic that is) but it is super watchable, not overly long, pretty coherent, well acted and cleverly directed. It also made me feel slightly better about Oliver Stone and his film making abilities.
]]>Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:08:18 GMTrubywoorubywoo Blog11/8/2008 5:08:18 PM Oliver Stones W is a weird kettle of fish, it took me a few days after seeing it to get my head together about how I felt about it. My gut reaction was somewhat ambiguous and whenever I thought I had settled on an opinion it was countered by something else in the way the film played out. Stone is getting complex. First and foremost the cast do an incredible job. Josh Brolin is fan-freakin&rsquo;-tastic as Dubya himself - mannerisms and motivation are superb. Richard Dreyfuss is perfectly underhand and sinister as Cheney, Condoleezza Rice is played to a T by an almost unrecognizable Thandie Newton, I could go on and on, the casting features no obvious weak link. I think what it was that confused my morals was the humanization of Bush, yes he is made out to be a giant buffoon, but also just as a man who has no real idea the impact of the fuck ups he&rsquo;s making - his entire motivation being gaining approval from his mean ol&rsquo; Dad. The early part of the film delves (pretty deep it has to be said) into Dubya&rsquo;s alcoholism and inability to well, do anything. I think this is the part that resonates the loudest, realising that once upon a time - with the exception of the silver spoon thing - he wasn&rsquo;t all that different from anyone I know, a black sheep, not groomed for success. It&rsquo;s the journey for patriarchal validation (helped along by a heart attack) that leads him to religion and his presidential quest. As a biopic it&rsquo;s pretty impressive, carefully choosing which life shaping events to present to the viewer. The soundtrack is a little clunky and obvious, and seems somewhat out of place in a film far less overplayed and sensational than I think any of us expected (really, the cartoon music as W goes about his day to day tasks - and the Robin Hood music as he gets his cabinet lost on his estate). This movie isn&rsquo;t super enjoyable (but then show me a political biopic that is) but it is super watchable, not overly long, pretty coherent, well acted and cleverly directed. It also made me feel slightly better about Oliver Stone and his film making abilities. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/5/37003.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/5/2008 5:00:44 PM
Body: When it was announced that David Wain would be directing Role Models — taking over from The Girl Next Door’s Luke Greenfield — there was room for disappointment. After all, for Wain to follow up his anarchic cult favorites Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten with a seemingly mainstream man-child comedy — one more suited to the talents of Todd Phillips or, well, Greenfield — was to crush his fans’ hopes for something more along the lines of his wacky web series, such as Wainy Days and Stella, or the old MTV sketch comedy show, The State. But Role Models does look funny, probably because Wain ended up rewriting (with Paul Rudd and Ken Marino) Timothy Dowling’s original script. And it’s not as if Wain has suddenly gone and sold out with a bunch of really broad family films, as did his former State mates Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant, the screenwriting duo behind The Pacifier, Night at the Museum and Taxi. Still, many of us are holding out for that rumored State movie, or even better, a big screen adaptation of any of the following State sketches: Louie (aka the “I wanna dip my balls in it” guy) The ensemble behind The State was never interested in recurring characters, but MTV supposedly pressured the show to be more like SNL, and so the ironic “Louie” was born. As little more than a joke on recurring characters and their catch-phrases, “Louie” may not seem the best character to mine for a feature-length movie. But considering Wain and the others were likely just as against sketches spinning off into movies as they were against recurring characters, it would be suitable for such a film, something to lampoon the Lorne Michaels tradition, if that’s at all possible. And I can already see the ad campaigns: posters with just a release date and the words “Dip Your Balls In It.” Lincoln Logs: The Unauthorized Biography of Honest Abe After the release of Oliver Stone’s W., something like this deserves to be made into a movie. Maybe Stone could even direct it from a script by some of the State writers. It could complete his evil Republican president trilogy. And if they act quick enough, it would be awesome if the movie could go up against Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. The Bearded Men of Space Station 11 This skit really stretches a single joke really thin (like many State sketches), but the simple premise — a space station crew is illogically incarcerated for growing beards in space — could be a mere jumping ground for an hilarious sci-fi comedy. Sure, the genre has hardly been successful outside of Spaceballs and Galaxy Quest, but if anyone can give us another great parodic outer space movie, it’s Wain and friends. Think of Hitchcock’s wrong man scenario, multiply it times five, and throw in a lot of silly shenanigans. Porcupine Racetrack This simple cross between Guys and Dolls, Cats and the “Ascot Gavotte” scene from My Fair Lady is so, so stupid, yet so, so brilliant. And a feature-length version would be as surprisingly beloved as the skit was, especially if there’s some way of also slipping in some reference to the “Gang Fight” skit (that was the “Beat It” video meets West Side Story segment involving an Amish street gang), the “Super Robby” skit (turns out the orphanage that needs saving is cruelly convincing kids they can fly out windows) and the “Mind Match” skit (the orphans are ultimately given away as prizes on a game show). If anything, a silly song penned by Teddy Shapiro would have to receive an Oscar nomination, thereby elevating the Hollywood cred of the State ensemble enough for potentially more ridiculous films. The Inbred Brothers I’ve come to realize that most of these movie ideas come from skits likely conceived by Lennon and Garant. This only furthers the point that the pair NEEDS to work on something State-related before putting on the blindfold and writing Night at the Museum 3. And there’s really no better project than a movie based on their Inbred Brothers characters, Emmett and Lyle. Think of Step Brothers with an even dumber duo. How could this not be a success? The merchandising alone is worthy: t-shirts that say “Whaddamydoin?”; talking dolls that also hit themselves in the head with sticks; Halloween costumes (I actually was a non-specific “Inbred Brother” for Halloween back in the ’90s). To make the dream complete, though, Michael Ian Black has to appear as the French exchange student. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:00:44 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/5/2008 5:00:44 PMWhen it was announced that David Wain would be directing Role Models — taking over from The Girl Next Door’s Luke Greenfield — there was room for disappointment. After all, for Wain to follow up his anarchic cult favorites Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten with a seemingly mainstream man-child comedy — one more suited to the talents of Todd Phillips or, well, Greenfield — was to crush his fans’ hopes for something more along the lines of his wacky web series, such as Wainy Days and Stella, or the old MTV sketch comedy show, The State. But Role Models does look funny, probably because Wain ended up rewriting (with Paul Rudd and Ken Marino) Timothy Dowling’s original script. And it’s not as if Wain has suddenly gone and sold out with a bunch of really broad family films, as did his former State mates Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant, the screenwriting duo behind The Pacifier, Night at the Museum and Taxi. Still, many of us are holding out for that rumored State movie, or even better, a big screen adaptation of any of the following State sketches: Louie (aka the “I wanna dip my balls in it” guy) The ensemble behind The State was never interested in recurring characters, but MTV supposedly pressured the show to be more like SNL, and so the ironic “Louie” was born. As little more than a joke on recurring characters and their catch-phrases, “Louie” may not seem the best character to mine for a feature-length movie. But considering Wain and the others were likely just as against sketches spinning off into movies as they were against recurring characters, it would be suitable for such a film, something to lampoon the Lorne Michaels tradition, if that’s at all possible. And I can already see the ad campaigns: posters with just a release date and the words “Dip Your Balls In It.” Lincoln Logs: The Unauthorized Biography of Honest Abe After the release of Oliver Stone’s W., something like this deserves to be made into a movie. Maybe Stone could even direct it from a script by some of the State writers. It could complete his evil Republican president trilogy. And if they act quick enough, it would be awesome if the movie could go up against Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. The Bearded Men of Space Station 11 This skit really stretches a single joke really thin (like many State sketches), but the simple premise — a space station crew is illogically incarcerated for growing beards in space — could be a mere jumping ground for an hilarious sci-fi comedy. Sure, the genre has hardly been successful outside of Spaceballs and Galaxy Quest, but if anyone can give us another great parodic outer space movie, it’s Wain and friends. Think of Hitchcock’s wrong man scenario, multiply it times five, and throw in a lot of silly shenanigans. Porcupine Racetrack This simple cross between Guys and Dolls, Cats and the “Ascot Gavotte” scene from My Fair Lady is so, so stupid, yet so, so brilliant. And a feature-length version would be as surprisingly beloved as the skit was, especially if there’s some way of also slipping in some reference to the “Gang Fight” skit (that was the “Beat It” video meets West Side Story segment involving an Amish street gang), the “Super Robby” skit (turns out the orphanage that needs saving is cruelly convincing kids they can fly out windows) and the “Mind Match” skit (the orphans are ultimately given away as prizes on a game show). If anything, a silly song penned by Teddy Shapiro would have to receive an Oscar nomination, thereby elevating the Hollywood cred of the State ensemble enough for potentially more ridiculous films. The Inbred Brothers I’ve come to realize that most of these movie ideas come from skits likely conceived by Lennon and Garant. This only furthers the point that the pair NEEDS to work on something State-related before putting on the blindfold and writing Night at the Museum 3. And there’s really no better project than a movie based on their Inbred Brothers characters, Emmett and Lyle. Think of Step Brothers with an even dumber duo. How could this not be a success? The merchandising alone is worthy: t-shirts that say “Whaddamydoin?”; talking dolls that also hit themselves in the head with sticks; Halloween costumes (I actually was a non-specific “Inbred Brother” for Halloween back in the ’90s). To make the dream complete, though, Michael Ian Black has to appear as the French exchange student. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2008/10/22/36582.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 10/22/2008 2:01:20 PM
Body: It’s debatable whether it’s one of the film’s major strengths or its fatal flaw, but there’s no denying that Oliver Stone’s W. is loaded with actual quotes and dramatizations of documented events. But as if they were anticipating an argument over the film’s factual basis anyway, Lionsgate has set up a companion web site called the W. Film Guide, which essentially breaks the movie down into 83 footnotes. These notes basically serve three purposes: There are the Look It Up, Smart Guy notes, like 80. W Loved “Cats“, which pegs a scene from late in the film, in which Laura Bush tries to cheer up a despondent George by suggesting they go see his favorite musical, to a passage in Frank Bruni’s book, Ambling Into History. A particularly interesting note in this category is 2. Bush and Nicknames, which offers a reference for each of the pet names used in the movie. Though some critics heard Bush’s shorthand for Condi Rice as “Girl” (including me, although I didn’t note it in my review), the guide says Josh Brolin is actually saying “Guru.” There are also quite a few This Didn’t Happen, But Here’s Why It Could Have notes. These cover the creation of composite characters (31. Bush and Earl Hudd Bible Study Group explains that the Hudd character contains elements of James Robison, Billy Graham, and a number of “charismatic Texas preachers”) or the invention of events based on probable cause. “This scene is a nightmare created by the screenwriter,” begins 81. Poppy Comes to W in a Nightmare. “But it represents a probable, psychological truth of the relationship between Bush father and son.” And finally, there are Okay, We Totally Made That Up notes, like 83. Ari Fleischer, which admits that Bush’s first press secretary appears in a scene that takes place months after Fleischer was replaced by Scott McClellan “for dramatic and production purposes (i.e., not introducing a new character with only one line in the last minutes of the movie).” The guide is kind of fascinating. It’s too bad that the film itself isn’t really provocative enough to spark the kind of debate that would make it more useful. Via Movie City News. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:01:20 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog10/22/2008 2:01:20 PMIt’s debatable whether it’s one of the film’s major strengths or its fatal flaw, but there’s no denying that Oliver Stone’s W. is loaded with actual quotes and dramatizations of documented events. But as if they were anticipating an argument over the film’s factual basis anyway, Lionsgate has set up a companion web site called the W. Film Guide, which essentially breaks the movie down into 83 footnotes. These notes basically serve three purposes: There are the Look It Up, Smart Guy notes, like 80. W Loved “Cats“, which pegs a scene from late in the film, in which Laura Bush tries to cheer up a despondent George by suggesting they go see his favorite musical, to a passage in Frank Bruni’s book, Ambling Into History. A particularly interesting note in this category is 2. Bush and Nicknames, which offers a reference for each of the pet names used in the movie. Though some critics heard Bush’s shorthand for Condi Rice as “Girl” (including me, although I didn’t note it in my review), the guide says Josh Brolin is actually saying “Guru.” There are also quite a few This Didn’t Happen, But Here’s Why It Could Have notes. These cover the creation of composite characters (31. Bush and Earl Hudd Bible Study Group explains that the Hudd character contains elements of James Robison, Billy Graham, and a number of “charismatic Texas preachers”) or the invention of events based on probable cause. “This scene is a nightmare created by the screenwriter,” begins 81. Poppy Comes to W in a Nightmare. “But it represents a probable, psychological truth of the relationship between Bush father and son.” And finally, there are Okay, We Totally Made That Up notes, like 83. Ari Fleischer, which admits that Bush’s first press secretary appears in a scene that takes place months after Fleischer was replaced by Scott McClellan “for dramatic and production purposes (i.e., not introducing a new character with only one line in the last minutes of the movie).” The guide is kind of fascinating. It’s too bad that the film itself isn’t really provocative enough to spark the kind of debate that would make it more useful. Via Movie City News. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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