list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Class (Entre les Murs) 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/The_Class_Entre_les_Murs/373004/default.aspx Title: The Class (Entre les Murs)
Year: 2008
Director: Laurent Cantet
Plot: Francois is a tough but fair teacher working in one of France's toughest schools, and his honest demeanor in the classroom has made him a great success with the students. But this year things are different, because when the students begin to challenge his methods Francois will find his classroom ethics put to the ultimate test. Francois Begaudeau stars in director Laurent Cantet's entry into the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 1
Number of Lists: 4
Number of blog posts: 4
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 27 May 2009 00:27:51 GMTThe Class (Entre les Murs)2008Laurent CantetFrancois is a tough but fair teacher working in one of France's toughest schools, and his honest demeanor in the classroom has made him a great success with the students. But this year things are different, because when the students begin to challenge his methods Francois will find his classroom ethics put to the ultimate test. Francois Begaudeau stars in director Laurent Cantet's entry into the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide1Slightly Tagged (1-5)4433http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s373004.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Class_Entre_les_Murs/373004/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_Palme_d_Or_winner_from_th/657/42419/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: tadiv
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 5/26/2009 8:27:51 PM
Body: I have not yet seen Entre les murs (The Class) or The Wind That Shakes the Barley (but I see it is available from Netflix on "instant" watching) and I suspect that either could take my vote. From the rest of the list, the tough choice is between 4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) or L'enfant (The Child). I voted for L'enfant as I found myself much more engaged by the characters. Mind you, I did not like them at all, but that I was engaged to dislike them so convinced me that it was a really good film. It's an interesting list - I did not know what films were on it when I suggested it... Tom
]]>Wed, 27 May 2009 00:27:51 GMTtadivMovie Polls5/26/2009 8:27:51 PM I have not yet seen Entre les murs (The Class) or The Wind That Shakes the Barley (but I see it is available from Netflix on "instant" watching) and I suspect that either could take my vote. From the rest of the list, the tough choice is between 4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) or L'enfant (The Child). I voted for L'enfant as I found myself much more engaged by the characters. Mind you, I did not like them at all, but that I was engaged to dislike them so convinced me that it was a really good film. It's an interesting list - I did not know what films were on it when I suggested it... Tom http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/What_is_your_favorite_Palme_d_Or_winner_from_the_l/657/42409/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 5/26/2009 12:49:50 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks to tadiv for suggesting this one. - "In recognition of the Cannes Film Festival, what is your favorite Palme d'Or film from the last 6 years?" Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days)ElephantL'enfant (The Child)Entre les murs (The Class)Fahrenheit 9/11The Wind That Shakes the Barley
]]>Tue, 26 May 2009 16:49:50 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls5/26/2009 12:49:50 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks to tadiv for suggesting this one. - "In recognition of the Cannes Film Festival, what is your favorite Palme d'Or film from the last 6 years?" Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days)ElephantL'enfant (The Child)Entre les murs (The Class)Fahrenheit 9/11The Wind That Shakes the Barley http://www.spout.com/blogs/tommacy/archive/2009/2/6/40305.aspx Post By: tommacy
Post To: tommacy Blog
Post Date: 2/6/2009 12:30:54 PM
Body: After watching the trailer for "The Class" you may think you've already seen it. Dedicated teacher writes his name on chalkboard, unruly students chide him for it, dedicated teacher cleverly retorts, unruly students laugh, dedicated teacher gains their respect. Eventually, dedicated teacher will inspire unruly students, despite being minorities and coming from dysfunctional households, to strive for a future beyond gangs and drugs and, just to round things out, dedicated teacher will learn something about himself along the way. Sound familiar? This formula has been beaten to death, perhaps most memorably by Michelle Pfeiffer in the oh so 90s "Dangerous Minds" (the tagline was: She Broke The Rules... And Changed Their Lives. Yikes.) Also by the desk-standing triumph of Robin "O Captain my Captain" Williams in the sadly very dated "Dead Poets Society." And most recently by Hilary "I either give Oscar winning performances or make terrible movies" Swank in "Freedom Writers" (which, to be fair, I have not seen, and never will). So what could possibly be so great about this one that it deserves the Palme d'Or it won at Cannes last April? Because it's in french? Sorry, you can put lipstick on a VP candidate, but it's still going to be a pig (zing!). Ok, I'll calm down. Obviously I had a lot of, perhaps unfair, reservations going into this film. I didn't necessarily think it would be bad mind you, but I was skeptical it could live up to it's unanimously rapturous acclaim. I expected a solid, well-made, superior version of it's like-minded predecessors that didn't cover any new territory. How wrong I was. Writer/director Laurent Cantet and writer/lead actor François Bégaudeau have (hyperbole alert) made the most insightful, thought-provoking film about education I have ever seen. Before discussing, may I just say the marketing team should be ashamed of themselves. If it hadn't won the Palme d'Or I would have totally overlooked it, and that would have been a shame. They are sending the wrong message, this is no story about a superhuman teacher. François Marin, a geekier, fenchier version of Daniel Craig, played by François Bégaudeau (who wrote the autobiographical novel on which the film is derived and, based on his excellent performance, has no inhibitions playing a character so close to himself) quietly sits with his coffee. He is framed almost from behind and his mood is difficult to read. The quiet pensive moment could one of reflection, frustration, relaxation. It's as if Cantent is saying, look, this guys got a lot going on but we're not going to tell you what. It is the first, last and only scene to take place outside the walls of the school (appropriately, the direct translation of the french title "Entre Les Murs" is "Between the Walls"). It's the first day of classes at this unnamed inner-Parisian Junior High School. At a politely uncomfortable pre-year meeting we are introduced to the faculty, a group that has their own strange a classroom dynamic. Each member states their subject and tenure (François' teaches French and is in his 4th year), the only personal information about them we will learn, before heading to class. François' has no impact on the cacophony of overlapping conversations as he enters the room and the task of getting the class silent is met with resistance, as are all tasks. From simple requests, "why do we have to write down our names if you already know them?" to the value of the curriculum, "nobody uses the subjunctive when they talk in everyday life," the students turn their teacher into a modern day Sisyphus. To combat this opposition, François' takes an informal approach. Not unlike his cinematic predecessors he attempts to engage the students with a more conversational than didactic style in hopes of gaining their trust and forming a connection. But whereas, say, Michelle Pfeiffer's students eat it right up, François' students often use it against him. Though he may be talked to like a peer he is rarely treated like one. And while the buddy tactic has its merits, the students laugh at as his jokes and genuinely seem to like him, it blurs the authoritative line into a thin gray one. Any and all discipline is very difficult. In one incident, Rachel (one of the more intriguing, prominently featured students), repeatedly refuses to read aloud in class. When François keeps her after and demands an apology, rejecting any he deems untruthful, Rachel is unthreatened, more concerned with the infringement on her afternoon plans. After he finally accepts her apology as genuine, Rachel quickly rescinds it as she walks out the door. This type of infuriating confrontation is one in an unending chain that equate François' job to pushing full force up against a brick wall. Clearly a dedicated teacher, what motivates his stiff resolve remains a confounding mystery. Taking place over the course of one full school year, we gradually become acquainted with the individual students and the specific challenge each poses. The chosen method to attack these challenges, however, is in dispute. The benefit of punishment and praise is debated throughout the film in faculty meetings where staff members support contradicting tactics. Watching them tackle these delicate issues doesn't instill any envy for them. After pondering my own opinions on the subjects discussed I was forced to reconsidered the better part of my own time spent in a classroom. In the films last third, where it most resembles a traditional narrative, the challenges facing the administration become more complex. Souleyman, at times a promising but frequently impertinent student, charges out of class, after François physically attempts to stop him, and inadvertently injures another student. To complicate matters, before the incident François, in a moment of frustration, insulted two girls during a heated exchange. The fallout tracks the decision of whether to expel Souleyman. François' involvement throws an additional wrench into the mix as he and his fellow staff members weigh the consequences expulsion will have on the boy's future given his tenuous life at home, against the consequences of allowing him to remain in class. Despite the outcome, ethically, there is no clear solution and that is the conclusion Cantet and Bégaudeau are after. There is no right answer. This inconclusive subject matter is perfectly married with the film's unique look and feel. Forgoing the conventional use of wideshots to establish a scene within a time and place, there are no inter-titles denoting the season or how much time has passed. Cantet sets the camera up close on the actors faces, rarely any wider than a midshot, and keeps the action in the classroom. This creates an unrelenting pace that flows from day to day leaving little space to breathe in between. With no scenes cluing us in on François' hopes and dreams or the details of Souleyman's violent father, Cantet merely presents the events of the film without putting them in any sort of context. This not only makes the 128 minute running time fly by, but by not commenting it forces the viewer to be objective. Surprisingly by the films end, despite this arms length approach, the attachment that wasn't being forced upon you has been deceptively instilled. For a film seemingly so adverse to sentimentality, it yields some very moving ineractions, particularly in the final encounters. At the center of this bold style are the, across the board, splendid performances from a group of non-actors playing versions of themselves (all the characters keep their real names). The classroom scenes in particular have a striking feel of vibrant spontaneity (much of the film was improvised) where not a single moment rings false. Credit Cantet for creating an environment that, with three cameras going at once, allowed these kids to perform at such high levels, to produce a multitude of fascinating moments. But fascinating as it is, this vivid reality they've created doesn't really generate a thesis, and it doesn't intend to. "The Class" is more of an open examination that only asks questions. And while some of the questions may have been asked before. Never, in my experience, have they been so clearly illustrated. I think, particularly, teachers who have lived the reality this film depicts will appreciate that. I was constantly reminded of a friend of mine, while watching this film, who at one time taught 10th grade English at a High School in the Bronx. Furiously passionate about his job he would recount to me his frequent feelings of futility. "I have a "Dangerous Minds" moment at least once a day," he'd explain. "Someone will come up to me after class and say 'Mista, you're the only teacher I've ever had who really believes in me'." "And then the next day" he continued, "they'll come in not having done their homework." Damn. If only he could've gotten them to stand on their desks.
]]>Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:30:54 GMTtommacytommacy Blog2/6/2009 12:30:54 PMAfter watching the trailer for "The Class" you may think you've already seen it. Dedicated teacher writes his name on chalkboard, unruly students chide him for it, dedicated teacher cleverly retorts, unruly students laugh, dedicated teacher gains their respect. Eventually, dedicated teacher will inspire unruly students, despite being minorities and coming from dysfunctional households, to strive for a future beyond gangs and drugs and, just to round things out, dedicated teacher will learn something about himself along the way. Sound familiar? This formula has been beaten to death, perhaps most memorably by Michelle Pfeiffer in the oh so 90s "Dangerous Minds" (the tagline was: She Broke The Rules... And Changed Their Lives. Yikes.) Also by the desk-standing triumph of Robin "O Captain my Captain" Williams in the sadly very dated "Dead Poets Society." And most recently by Hilary "I either give Oscar winning performances or make terrible movies" Swank in "Freedom Writers" (which, to be fair, I have not seen, and never will). So what could possibly be so great about this one that it deserves the Palme d'Or it won at Cannes last April? Because it's in french? Sorry, you can put lipstick on a VP candidate, but it's still going to be a pig (zing!). Ok, I'll calm down. Obviously I had a lot of, perhaps unfair, reservations going into this film. I didn't necessarily think it would be bad mind you, but I was skeptical it could live up to it's unanimously rapturous acclaim. I expected a solid, well-made, superior version of it's like-minded predecessors that didn't cover any new territory. How wrong I was. Writer/director Laurent Cantet and writer/lead actor François Bégaudeau have (hyperbole alert) made the most insightful, thought-provoking film about education I have ever seen. Before discussing, may I just say the marketing team should be ashamed of themselves. If it hadn't won the Palme d'Or I would have totally overlooked it, and that would have been a shame. They are sending the wrong message, this is no story about a superhuman teacher. François Marin, a geekier, fenchier version of Daniel Craig, played by François Bégaudeau (who wrote the autobiographical novel on which the film is derived and, based on his excellent performance, has no inhibitions playing a character so close to himself) quietly sits with his coffee. He is framed almost from behind and his mood is difficult to read. The quiet pensive moment could one of reflection, frustration, relaxation. It's as if Cantent is saying, look, this guys got a lot going on but we're not going to tell you what. It is the first, last and only scene to take place outside the walls of the school (appropriately, the direct translation of the french title "Entre Les Murs" is "Between the Walls"). It's the first day of classes at this unnamed inner-Parisian Junior High School. At a politely uncomfortable pre-year meeting we are introduced to the faculty, a group that has their own strange a classroom dynamic. Each member states their subject and tenure (François' teaches French and is in his 4th year), the only personal information about them we will learn, before heading to class. François' has no impact on the cacophony of overlapping conversations as he enters the room and the task of getting the class silent is met with resistance, as are all tasks. From simple requests, "why do we have to write down our names if you already know them?" to the value of the curriculum, "nobody uses the subjunctive when they talk in everyday life," the students turn their teacher into a modern day Sisyphus. To combat this opposition, François' takes an informal approach. Not unlike his cinematic predecessors he attempts to engage the students with a more conversational than didactic style in hopes of gaining their trust and forming a connection. But whereas, say, Michelle Pfeiffer's students eat it right up, François' students often use it against him. Though he may be talked to like a peer he is rarely treated like one. And while the buddy tactic has its merits, the students laugh at as his jokes and genuinely seem to like him, it blurs the authoritative line into a thin gray one. Any and all discipline is very difficult. In one incident, Rachel (one of the more intriguing, prominently featured students), repeatedly refuses to read aloud in class. When François keeps her after and demands an apology, rejecting any he deems untruthful, Rachel is unthreatened, more concerned with the infringement on her afternoon plans. After he finally accepts her apology as genuine, Rachel quickly rescinds it as she walks out the door. This type of infuriating confrontation is one in an unending chain that equate François' job to pushing full force up against a brick wall. Clearly a dedicated teacher, what motivates his stiff resolve remains a confounding mystery. Taking place over the course of one full school year, we gradually become acquainted with the individual students and the specific challenge each poses. The chosen method to attack these challenges, however, is in dispute. The benefit of punishment and praise is debated throughout the film in faculty meetings where staff members support contradicting tactics. Watching them tackle these delicate issues doesn't instill any envy for them. After pondering my own opinions on the subjects discussed I was forced to reconsidered the better part of my own time spent in a classroom. In the films last third, where it most resembles a traditional narrative, the challenges facing the administration become more complex. Souleyman, at times a promising but frequently impertinent student, charges out of class, after François physically attempts to stop him, and inadvertently injures another student. To complicate matters, before the incident François, in a moment of frustration, insulted two girls during a heated exchange. The fallout tracks the decision of whether to expel Souleyman. François' involvement throws an additional wrench into the mix as he and his fellow staff members weigh the consequences expulsion will have on the boy's future given his tenuous life at home, against the consequences of allowing him to remain in class. Despite the outcome, ethically, there is no clear solution and that is the conclusion Cantet and Bégaudeau are after. There is no right answer. This inconclusive subject matter is perfectly married with the film's unique look and feel. Forgoing the conventional use of wideshots to establish a scene within a time and place, there are no inter-titles denoting the season or how much time has passed. Cantet sets the camera up close on the actors faces, rarely any wider than a midshot, and keeps the action in the classroom. This creates an unrelenting pace that flows from day to day leaving little space to breathe in between. With no scenes cluing us in on François' hopes and dreams or the details of Souleyman's violent father, Cantet merely presents the events of the film without putting them in any sort of context. This not only makes the 128 minute running time fly by, but by not commenting it forces the viewer to be objective. Surprisingly by the films end, despite this arms length approach, the attachment that wasn't being forced upon you has been deceptively instilled. For a film seemingly so adverse to sentimentality, it yields some very moving ineractions, particularly in the final encounters. At the center of this bold style are the, across the board, splendid performances from a group of non-actors playing versions of themselves (all the characters keep their real names). The classroom scenes in particular have a striking feel of vibrant spontaneity (much of the film was improvised) where not a single moment rings false. Credit Cantet for creating an environment that, with three cameras going at once, allowed these kids to perform at such high levels, to produce a multitude of fascinating moments. But fascinating as it is, this vivid reality they've created doesn't really generate a thesis, and it doesn't intend to. "The Class" is more of an open examination that only asks questions. And while some of the questions may have been asked before. Never, in my experience, have they been so clearly illustrated. I think, particularly, teachers who have lived the reality this film depicts will appreciate that. I was constantly reminded of a friend of mine, while watching this film, who at one time taught 10th grade English at a High School in the Bronx. Furiously passionate about his job he would recount to me his frequent feelings of futility. "I have a "Dangerous Minds" moment at least once a day," he'd explain. "Someone will come up to me after class and say 'Mista, you're the only teacher I've ever had who really believes in me'." "And then the next day" he continued, "they'll come in not having done their homework." Damn. If only he could've gotten them to stand on their desks. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/1_30_TAKEN_shaken_and_stirred_by_new_movies/216/39913/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/26/2009 1:11:45 PM
Body: Finally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ?
]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:11:45 GMTspoutComing Soon1/26/2009 1:11:45 PMFinally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ? 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/2008/10/6/35947.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/6/2008 4:01:17 PM
Body: Animated, foreign-language, feature-length documentary. These are all separate categories for the Academy Awards, but they also together describe Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir, a film that has received tons of praise and Oscar buzz since premiering at Cannes last May. With such a rare combination and transcendence of genres, Waltz could possibly have been the first film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best Foreign Language Film. Unfortunately, soon after being announced as Israel’s submission to the foreign category, Folman’s film fell out of contention for the documentary prize after its distributor, Sony Pictures Classics, had to choose between having a qualifying theatrical release and taking part in the New York Film Festival. But even if Waltz had been deemed technically eligible for the doc category, would the nominating committee have given it much of a chance? According to the Academy’s Documentary Feature rules, the film “may employ partial re-enactment … animation … or other techniques, as long as the emphasis is on fact and not fiction.” Waltz could possibly fall under this guideline, yet the word “partial” is key. Does “mostly” constitute as ‘partial”? It will be interesting to see if another mostly animated documentary, Brett Morgen’s Chicago 10, is deemed ineligible or if it makes the committee’s shortlist of 15 semi-finalists. Now, left with two categories to be considered for, Waltz will probably only garner one nomination. Here’s why Sony would be foolish not to concentrate on a push for the Animated Feature category: The film has a much better shot at being one of the three titles up for Best Animated Feature, surely competing with Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda. In the seven years that the category has existed, there have been four foreign films nominated for Best Animated Feature, and one of these titles (Hiyao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away) actually won the award. Meanwhile, comparatively, there seems to have been no film nominated for the Foreign Language Film prize that was either animated or a documentary. A few films of each type have been submitted for contention in the foreign category (Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke and the recent Lebanese doc Before Flying Back to Earth, to name examples). However, it has been far more common for non-fiction foreign films to be nominated in the Documentary Feature category and for animated foreign films to now be nominated in the new Animated Feature category. Regardless of the history of the Foreign Language Oscar, though, Waltz has less a chance of being a nominee in that category simply due to its near certainty of being nominated for the animation award. When a film is eligible for multiple categories, there’s a possibility that respective Academy branches will see that film as better suited – and only suited – for another award than its own. Therefore, the foreign category’s nominating committee could shrug off Waltz in the anticipation that the film will receive the nomination from the animation branch. Such a pass-off may have happened last year, when France chose Persepolis as its submission to the Foreign Language category. While the film ended up receiving a nomination for Best Animated Feature, it failed to even be shortlisted as one of the nine semi-finalists for the foreign prize. Like Persepolis, though, Waltz faces stiff competition in the animation category from Pixar. Last year, the foreign contender was beaten by Ratatouille, while this year any dark horse candidate will be pummeled by Wall-E, especially if the latter film doesn’t garner a coveted Best Picture nom — the Academy will of course never need to include an animated film in the top category now that the genre has its own specific space. As for the foreign category, if Waltz does make it into contention, it will likely lose to Laurent Cantet’s The Class, which also fared better at Cannes during the festival’s awards ceremony (and which is also being distributed by Sony Classics). For the French, of course, it would be a bittersweet victory to beat an animated feature considering last year’s circumstances with its submission of Persepolis. Despite the probability that Waltz will lose whichever category it’s nominated in, there is far more benefit to the film being recognized by the animation branch than the foreign branch. Films that are merely nominated for the Foreign Language Oscar do not necessarily come out of the Academy Awards with a greater guarantee of reaching an American audience. Comparatively, being listed as only one-third of a group that also includes blockbusters like Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda is sure to get Waltz more attention. Not only is it good company to be in, it’s a slimmer, more exclusive league, too. Of course, being nominated in both categories would be the best option for Waltz, even if it walks away with neither trophy. Obviously an arthouse film, particuarly one with the triple handicap of being an animated, foreign-language documentary, will always benefit from having its title heard multiple times during the Oscars telecast. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:01:17 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/6/2008 4:01:17 PM Animated, foreign-language, feature-length documentary. These are all separate categories for the Academy Awards, but they also together describe Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir, a film that has received tons of praise and Oscar buzz since premiering at Cannes last May. With such a rare combination and transcendence of genres, Waltz could possibly have been the first film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best Foreign Language Film. Unfortunately, soon after being announced as Israel’s submission to the foreign category, Folman’s film fell out of contention for the documentary prize after its distributor, Sony Pictures Classics, had to choose between having a qualifying theatrical release and taking part in the New York Film Festival. But even if Waltz had been deemed technically eligible for the doc category, would the nominating committee have given it much of a chance? According to the Academy’s Documentary Feature rules, the film “may employ partial re-enactment … animation … or other techniques, as long as the emphasis is on fact and not fiction.” Waltz could possibly fall under this guideline, yet the word “partial” is key. Does “mostly” constitute as ‘partial”? It will be interesting to see if another mostly animated documentary, Brett Morgen’s Chicago 10, is deemed ineligible or if it makes the committee’s shortlist of 15 semi-finalists. Now, left with two categories to be considered for, Waltz will probably only garner one nomination. Here’s why Sony would be foolish not to concentrate on a push for the Animated Feature category: The film has a much better shot at being one of the three titles up for Best Animated Feature, surely competing with Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda. In the seven years that the category has existed, there have been four foreign films nominated for Best Animated Feature, and one of these titles (Hiyao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away) actually won the award. Meanwhile, comparatively, there seems to have been no film nominated for the Foreign Language Film prize that was either animated or a documentary. A few films of each type have been submitted for contention in the foreign category (Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke and the recent Lebanese doc Before Flying Back to Earth, to name examples). However, it has been far more common for non-fiction foreign films to be nominated in the Documentary Feature category and for animated foreign films to now be nominated in the new Animated Feature category. Regardless of the history of the Foreign Language Oscar, though, Waltz has less a chance of being a nominee in that category simply due to its near certainty of being nominated for the animation award. When a film is eligible for multiple categories, there’s a possibility that respective Academy branches will see that film as better suited – and only suited – for another award than its own. Therefore, the foreign category’s nominating committee could shrug off Waltz in the anticipation that the film will receive the nomination from the animation branch. Such a pass-off may have happened last year, when France chose Persepolis as its submission to the Foreign Language category. While the film ended up receiving a nomination for Best Animated Feature, it failed to even be shortlisted as one of the nine semi-finalists for the foreign prize. Like Persepolis, though, Waltz faces stiff competition in the animation category from Pixar. Last year, the foreign contender was beaten by Ratatouille, while this year any dark horse candidate will be pummeled by Wall-E, especially if the latter film doesn’t garner a coveted Best Picture nom — the Academy will of course never need to include an animated film in the top category now that the genre has its own specific space. As for the foreign category, if Waltz does make it into contention, it will likely lose to Laurent Cantet’s The Class, which also fared better at Cannes during the festival’s awards ceremony (and which is also being distributed by Sony Classics). For the French, of course, it would be a bittersweet victory to beat an animated feature considering last year’s circumstances with its submission of Persepolis. Despite the probability that Waltz will lose whichever category it’s nominated in, there is far more benefit to the film being recognized by the animation branch than the foreign branch. Films that are merely nominated for the Foreign Language Oscar do not necessarily come out of the Academy Awards with a greater guarantee of reaching an American audience. Comparatively, being listed as only one-third of a group that also includes blockbusters like Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda is sure to get Waltz more attention. Not only is it good company to be in, it’s a slimmer, more exclusive league, too. Of course, being nominated in both categories would be the best option for Waltz, even if it walks away with neither trophy. Obviously an arthouse film, particuarly one with the triple handicap of being an animated, foreign-language documentary, will always benefit from having its title heard multiple times during the Oscars telecast. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/16/32615.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/16/2008 10:00:59 AM
Body: Robin Williams and a title like World’s Greatest Dad reek of a possible broad comedy combining Father’s Day, RV and Mrs. Doubtfire. But would you believe it will be a dark comedy in which Williams’ son dies in “an apparent autoerotic accident”? What if I told you Bobcat Goldthwait is the writer-director? Danny DeVito, who also had the honor of directing Williams in an audience-limiting black comedy, will make up the difference here by helming the young-adult-geared period piece The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Morgan Freeman, Pierce Brosnan and Atonement’s Saoirse Ronan star. Speaking of Father’s Day, once-huge screenwriting duo Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are the latest to rework Touchstone’s Charlie Kaufman-by-way-of-Zach Helm-wannabe reflexive musical Bob: The Musical. Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards is on the fast track towards its eventual post-theatrical Showtime run with trade-reported rumors that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio could costar. Let me just put it out there that Williams would be a great addition, as well. From E3: Sony has finally launched its movie download service for its PlayStation, though it won’t feature any Universal titles (sorry, no Patch Adams), which are exclusive to Xbox 360, which of course also now works with Netflix streams. The New York Film Festival will open with Lauren Cantet’s Palme D’or winner, The Class. Which will probably one day be remade with Williams starring. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:00:59 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/16/2008 10:00:59 AM Robin Williams and a title like World’s Greatest Dad reek of a possible broad comedy combining Father’s Day, RV and Mrs. Doubtfire. But would you believe it will be a dark comedy in which Williams’ son dies in “an apparent autoerotic accident”? What if I told you Bobcat Goldthwait is the writer-director? Danny DeVito, who also had the honor of directing Williams in an audience-limiting black comedy, will make up the difference here by helming the young-adult-geared period piece The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Morgan Freeman, Pierce Brosnan and Atonement’s Saoirse Ronan star. Speaking of Father’s Day, once-huge screenwriting duo Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are the latest to rework Touchstone’s Charlie Kaufman-by-way-of-Zach Helm-wannabe reflexive musical Bob: The Musical. Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards is on the fast track towards its eventual post-theatrical Showtime run with trade-reported rumors that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio could costar. Let me just put it out there that Williams would be a great addition, as well. From E3: Sony has finally launched its movie download service for its PlayStation, though it won’t feature any Universal titles (sorry, no Patch Adams), which are exclusive to Xbox 360, which of course also now works with Netflix streams. The New York Film Festival will open with Lauren Cantet’s Palme D’or winner, The Class. Which will probably one day be remade with Williams starring. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/highschool/MemberTagFilms.aspxhighschool
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