list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Rachel Getting Married 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/Rachel_Getting_Married/389072/default.aspx Title: Rachel Getting Married
Year: 2008
Plot: After an extended stint in rehab following a major family catastrophe, Kym (Hathaway) returns to her picture-perfect Connecticut hometown to attend the elaborate wedding of her older sister Rachel (played with considerable spark by Rosemarie DeWitt). Kym's arrival causes long-festering hurts to resurface, and the Buchmans' family unity is soon hanging by a thread. Issues of trust and reconciliation flow through the film, leading to discord between parents and their children, as well as among siblings and family friends, even as they all struggle to maintain a ceasefire during Rachel's nuptials. While Kym is offended by her sister's seeming ability to live a faultless existence, the rest of their family and friends resent Kym's penchant for self-serving theatrics and darkly comic one-liners.
Times Tagged: 54
Number of Lists: 22
Number of blog posts: 25
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:20:25 GMTRachel Getting Married2008After an extended stint in rehab following a major family catastrophe, Kym (Hathaway) returns to her picture-perfect Connecticut hometown to attend the elaborate wedding of her older sister Rachel (played with considerable spark by Rosemarie DeWitt). Kym's arrival causes long-festering hurts to resurface, and the Buchmans' family unity is soon hanging by a thread. Issues of trust and reconciliation flow through the film, leading to discord between parents and their children, as well as among siblings and family friends, even as they all struggle to maintain a ceasefire during Rachel's nuptials. While Kym is offended by her sister's seeming ability to live a faultless existence, the rest of their family and friends resent Kym's penchant for self-serving theatrics and darkly comic one-liners.54Tag Target (>10)222553http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s389072.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Rachel_Getting_Married/389072/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/kevynknox/archive/2009/7/11/43005.aspx Post By: KevynKnox
Post To: KevynKnox Blog
Post Date: 7/11/2009 2:20:25 PM
Body: (this review was first published at www.thecinematheque.com on 12/05/08) With allusions to Dogme filmmaking (if the dialogue were in Danish, one would swear this was a film by von Trier or Vinterberg) and brimming with the most Altmanesque of mechanizations, Jonathan Demme has taken a script idea that could have so easily fallen into an oversentimentalized vortex of banality and mediocre obviousness, and handed us something not unlike a cinematic punch in the gut, but with beauty, sublimity and a certain realistic dream quality, all stuffed to the veritable rafters with an unquestioned multi-cultural melange of just about everything from whitebread Connecticut sterility to afro-carib-centric chest-thumping to repressed unanswered anger to far eastern new age lama chanting to cold hearted rehab mantras to erupting unbridled sadness to Robyn Hitchcock and Fab Five Freddy, all of which is as much Jonathan Demme as Italian family squabbles and bloody mob beatdowns are Martin Scorsese or creepy pseudo-suburban underground netherworlds are David Lynch. In essence, Demme has combined his deft handling of undesirable filmic material, as in his own Oscar-winning psycho warhorse Silence of the Lambs and his frenzied enthusiasms for world music, as seen in his myriad of music videologies and documentaries, and has created this upliftingly horrifying (or is that horrifyingly uplifting?) hybrid of disenfranchised stereotypes and oft-claustrophobic human drama all rolled into the story of one big slap-happy miserable dysfunctional family get-together, which under a lesser, or should I say more mainstream comfortable director could easily have been a disaster of well-intentioned yet ill-conceived plebianistic movie-making. Like a Benetton ad without the hype, Demme's world book wedding celebration, replete with just about every genre, from alt rock to African drumming to country twang to rap, jazz, classical and even a brief peek at some sort of south seas something, imaginable and the unquestioned interlocking of the four corners of the Earth, is nothing shy of pure unaffected entertainment. With this being Demme, the idea of a black man marrying a white woman never becomes the story. We are never bogged down with the oft-cliche-riddled inter-character fighting over racial disharmony that many a lesser director (or one working for the studio system of eternal political correctness eggshell walking) would have so blatantly stepped waist high in. It is never brought into question. It simply is. Not for good nor for bad. It just is. Perhaps this is a ripple effect of the post-Bush worldwide election elation that gave us all hope for a better world ahead (even if Demme finished his film well before the unprecedented happenings of November 4, 2008) or perhaps it is some sort of Utopian hyper-reality that hovers just below the surface of our own world (made all the more bitter lo these past eight years) or perhaps it is just Demme being Demme, and wearing upon his sleeve his natural and genuine love and passion for cultural diversity and racial indifference. Then again, perhaps it is not the case of black or white or red or brown or yellow (to use the simplicities of a Crayola box as metaphor) but simply the story of real people with real problems. Perhaps this is not a tale above or below racial and cultural questions, but one much beyond them altogether. But enough about all that, for then there is Anne Hathaway. Beautiful alluring sexy Anne Hathaway. For, title notwithstanding, and keeping with her character's own self-absorption and narcissistic tantrum-setting, cultural harmony aside, this is invariably Hathaway's stage to strut and fret her hours upon as recently rehab-released blacksheep sister-of-the-bride Kym. Entering her family home like some sort of half-cracked disquieting gila monster of apprehension and anxiety with a huge chip on her shoulder and an even more humongous monkey on her back , Kym manages to disrupt the feted proceedings with a self-centered mockery of everything her family - and especially her sister - hold dear. At the rehearsal party dinner, Kym begins her bridal toast "I am Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom this evening" and she may not be far from the truth. Kym is angry, bitter, jaded and quite often the most unpleasant person in the room yet at the same time she is obviously terrified of life and everyone around her, acting the fool to hide the secret shame she has carried around for many years. And all this is done with the most cunning of aplomb by a surprisingly gritty Ms. Hathaway. Yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who was the very epitome of teen angst-cum-innocence in the Princess Diaries movies and yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who played dress-up in the fluffy yet quite entertaining The Devil Wears Prada - and yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who can be seen in a trailer before the film trading pillowy gossamer Hollywood barbs at Kate Hudson. But this is also the same Anne Hathaway who has taken on roles in Brokeback Mountain and the recent, albeit it rather forgettable thriller Passengers and she has begun work on Tim Burton's live-action Alice in Wonderland. So perhaps this is the Anne Hathaway that should be, and could be, and hopefully will be. A subtly nuanced actress (was Prada co-star Streep any influence one must surely wonder?) with both the fortitude and the character to pull of what could easily have been nothing but one gigantic cliche under the auspices of another actress. Perhaps this is the Anne Hathaway of the future.
]]>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:20:25 GMTKevynKnoxKevynKnox Blog7/11/2009 2:20:25 PM(this review was first published at www.thecinematheque.com on 12/05/08) With allusions to Dogme filmmaking (if the dialogue were in Danish, one would swear this was a film by von Trier or Vinterberg) and brimming with the most Altmanesque of mechanizations, Jonathan Demme has taken a script idea that could have so easily fallen into an oversentimentalized vortex of banality and mediocre obviousness, and handed us something not unlike a cinematic punch in the gut, but with beauty, sublimity and a certain realistic dream quality, all stuffed to the veritable rafters with an unquestioned multi-cultural melange of just about everything from whitebread Connecticut sterility to afro-carib-centric chest-thumping to repressed unanswered anger to far eastern new age lama chanting to cold hearted rehab mantras to erupting unbridled sadness to Robyn Hitchcock and Fab Five Freddy, all of which is as much Jonathan Demme as Italian family squabbles and bloody mob beatdowns are Martin Scorsese or creepy pseudo-suburban underground netherworlds are David Lynch. In essence, Demme has combined his deft handling of undesirable filmic material, as in his own Oscar-winning psycho warhorse Silence of the Lambs and his frenzied enthusiasms for world music, as seen in his myriad of music videologies and documentaries, and has created this upliftingly horrifying (or is that horrifyingly uplifting?) hybrid of disenfranchised stereotypes and oft-claustrophobic human drama all rolled into the story of one big slap-happy miserable dysfunctional family get-together, which under a lesser, or should I say more mainstream comfortable director could easily have been a disaster of well-intentioned yet ill-conceived plebianistic movie-making. Like a Benetton ad without the hype, Demme's world book wedding celebration, replete with just about every genre, from alt rock to African drumming to country twang to rap, jazz, classical and even a brief peek at some sort of south seas something, imaginable and the unquestioned interlocking of the four corners of the Earth, is nothing shy of pure unaffected entertainment. With this being Demme, the idea of a black man marrying a white woman never becomes the story. We are never bogged down with the oft-cliche-riddled inter-character fighting over racial disharmony that many a lesser director (or one working for the studio system of eternal political correctness eggshell walking) would have so blatantly stepped waist high in. It is never brought into question. It simply is. Not for good nor for bad. It just is. Perhaps this is a ripple effect of the post-Bush worldwide election elation that gave us all hope for a better world ahead (even if Demme finished his film well before the unprecedented happenings of November 4, 2008) or perhaps it is some sort of Utopian hyper-reality that hovers just below the surface of our own world (made all the more bitter lo these past eight years) or perhaps it is just Demme being Demme, and wearing upon his sleeve his natural and genuine love and passion for cultural diversity and racial indifference. Then again, perhaps it is not the case of black or white or red or brown or yellow (to use the simplicities of a Crayola box as metaphor) but simply the story of real people with real problems. Perhaps this is not a tale above or below racial and cultural questions, but one much beyond them altogether. But enough about all that, for then there is Anne Hathaway. Beautiful alluring sexy Anne Hathaway. For, title notwithstanding, and keeping with her character's own self-absorption and narcissistic tantrum-setting, cultural harmony aside, this is invariably Hathaway's stage to strut and fret her hours upon as recently rehab-released blacksheep sister-of-the-bride Kym. Entering her family home like some sort of half-cracked disquieting gila monster of apprehension and anxiety with a huge chip on her shoulder and an even more humongous monkey on her back , Kym manages to disrupt the feted proceedings with a self-centered mockery of everything her family - and especially her sister - hold dear. At the rehearsal party dinner, Kym begins her bridal toast "I am Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom this evening" and she may not be far from the truth. Kym is angry, bitter, jaded and quite often the most unpleasant person in the room yet at the same time she is obviously terrified of life and everyone around her, acting the fool to hide the secret shame she has carried around for many years. And all this is done with the most cunning of aplomb by a surprisingly gritty Ms. Hathaway. Yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who was the very epitome of teen angst-cum-innocence in the Princess Diaries movies and yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who played dress-up in the fluffy yet quite entertaining The Devil Wears Prada - and yes, this is the same Anne Hathaway who can be seen in a trailer before the film trading pillowy gossamer Hollywood barbs at Kate Hudson. But this is also the same Anne Hathaway who has taken on roles in Brokeback Mountain and the recent, albeit it rather forgettable thriller Passengers and she has begun work on Tim Burton's live-action Alice in Wonderland. So perhaps this is the Anne Hathaway that should be, and could be, and hopefully will be. A subtly nuanced actress (was Prada co-star Streep any influence one must surely wonder?) with both the fortitude and the character to pull of what could easily have been nothing but one gigantic cliche under the auspices of another actress. Perhaps this is the Anne Hathaway of the future. http://www.spout.com/blogs/apulrang/archive/2009/4/3/41441.aspx Post By: apulrang
Post To: apulrang Blog
Post Date: 4/3/2009 10:55:52 PM
Body: I know this is supposed to be a family that loves one another despite a devastating interpersonal history, but I fell just short of buying that they could pull it together over and over again after such cataclysmic arguments. Still, I loved every minute, and the background pastiche of cultures was stunning and refreshing.
]]>Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:55:52 GMTapulrangapulrang Blog4/3/2009 10:55:52 PMI know this is supposed to be a family that loves one another despite a devastating interpersonal history, but I fell just short of buying that they could pull it together over and over again after such cataclysmic arguments. Still, I loved every minute, and the background pastiche of cultures was stunning and refreshing. http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2009/3/29/41332.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 3/29/2009 10:26:08 PM
Body: I freaking love Newsies and I don't care who knows it. The love may stem from the fact that I saw it first when I was younger, but it may just be Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight") singing and dancing about. Inspired by actual events, the story follows a group of newsboys as they go on strike when Joseph Pulitzer raises the price of the newspaper. It's still a lot of fun, but some of the choreography is meh and the film is, of course, cheesy. It's Disney after all. But I still love it.I just got bored watching He's Just Not That Into You. There's no reason for this thing to be 2 1/2 hours long, unless it's trying to live up to the length of the title. A bunch of lessons on relationships, which we should really know already. Though the cast is filled with big names, I enjoyed Justin Long ("Zack and Miri Make a Porno") the most. But he's kind of my favorite actor right now. Maybe watch this when it comes on cable.Vicky Cristina Barcelona seems like a return to form for writer/director Woody Allen ("Cassandra's Dream"). Two Americans go to Barcelona and get involved with a painter. Then his ex-wife, Penelope Cruz ("Elegy"), turns up to add even more spice to the situation. Cruz just blows up the screen every time she's on, totally deserving her Oscar. She's the best part of the movie. The worst part is the voice-over. But all in all, enjoyable.Anne Hathaway ("Get Smart") gives an Oscar nominated performance (I'm still catching up on my reviews) in Rachel Getting Married, and she's very impressive. Hathaway stars as a recovering drug addict home for her sister's wedding. The movie is funny, uncomfortable, loving and sometimes painful - just like a real family reunion.Kurt & Courtney is the infamous documentary that pretty much blames Kurt Cobain's death on Courtney Love. It's a fairly interesting movie, but seems a bit one sided. Love would not be interviewed for the film. Director Nick Broomfield ("Battle for Haditha") has created the perfect film for conspiracy theorists. I enjoyed it, but it's not great.
]]>Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:26:08 GMTdibotdibot Blog3/29/2009 10:26:08 PMI freaking love Newsies and I don't care who knows it. The love may stem from the fact that I saw it first when I was younger, but it may just be Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight") singing and dancing about. Inspired by actual events, the story follows a group of newsboys as they go on strike when Joseph Pulitzer raises the price of the newspaper. It's still a lot of fun, but some of the choreography is meh and the film is, of course, cheesy. It's Disney after all. But I still love it.I just got bored watching He's Just Not That Into You. There's no reason for this thing to be 2 1/2 hours long, unless it's trying to live up to the length of the title. A bunch of lessons on relationships, which we should really know already. Though the cast is filled with big names, I enjoyed Justin Long ("Zack and Miri Make a Porno") the most. But he's kind of my favorite actor right now. Maybe watch this when it comes on cable.Vicky Cristina Barcelona seems like a return to form for writer/director Woody Allen ("Cassandra's Dream"). Two Americans go to Barcelona and get involved with a painter. Then his ex-wife, Penelope Cruz ("Elegy"), turns up to add even more spice to the situation. Cruz just blows up the screen every time she's on, totally deserving her Oscar. She's the best part of the movie. The worst part is the voice-over. But all in all, enjoyable.Anne Hathaway ("Get Smart") gives an Oscar nominated performance (I'm still catching up on my reviews) in Rachel Getting Married, and she's very impressive. Hathaway stars as a recovering drug addict home for her sister's wedding. The movie is funny, uncomfortable, loving and sometimes painful - just like a real family reunion.Kurt & Courtney is the infamous documentary that pretty much blames Kurt Cobain's death on Courtney Love. It's a fairly interesting movie, but seems a bit one sided. Love would not be interviewed for the film. Director Nick Broomfield ("Battle for Haditha") has created the perfect film for conspiracy theorists. I enjoyed it, but it's not great. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/3_13_New_movies_Oscar_nominees_hit_DVD_plus_t/216/40910/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 3/9/2009 3:04:31 PM
Body: HITTING THEATERS 3/13 Disney's latest leading man: Dwayne Johnson in Race to Witch Mountain Race to Witch Mountain -- Watch trailer. This has Brendan Fraser's name written all over it, but it's starring Fraser's remake, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Of course, Brendan Fraser is a remake of Kurt Russell, and I bet that if the original Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) had starred a young, sexy hero (not the older Eddie Albert), it would've been Disney favorite Kurt Rusell (remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Strongest Man in the World?). PS - I'm mostly joking; I like Dwayne Johnson. Standing on the shoulders of Swedes: The Last House on the Left The Last House on the Left -- Watch trailer. Produced by Wes Craven, this is a remake of the Craven-directed The Last House on the Left (1972), which was kind of like Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971), which is loosely based on a novel (The Siege of Trencher's Farm) but reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1959), which was inspired by the Swedish ballad "Torres dotter i Wange," which is purportedly based on true events... The Whitest Boys U'Know: Miss March Miss March -- Watch trailer. A young guy wakes from a 4-year coma to find that his high school sweetheart gave up waiting for him to become a pin-up for Playboy. Needless to say, the guy sets out for the Playboy mansion to reclaim his old girlfriend; also needless to say, he's joined by a sex-crazed friend. LIMITED RELEASE Dirty movie: Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning -- Watch trailer. Amy Adams plays a short-on-cash mother who's determined to send her son to a quality private school. Adams reluctantly enlists the help of her sister (Emily Blunt) to start a cleaning service that specializes in crime scene clean-up and bio-hazard removal. Is it just me, or do you pick up on an indie cash-cow vibe? I mean, could it really only be a coincidence that it's called "Sunshine" Cleaning when it's being billed as the next movie from the producers of Little Miss "Sunshine"? But ultimately, any pandering to the audience may not matter if Sunshine Cleaning is actually good. And with actors like Blunt and Adams, Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn, I've got high hopes. They ain't heavy, they's my brothers: Brothers at War Brothers at War -- Watch trailer. Documentary filmmaker Jake Rademacher's two brothers are soldiers. Jake spent three and a half years on this film, staying with four army units over two trips to Iraq, exploring his brothers' service and motivation. This very personal film appears to reveal a lot that's universal, as Rademacher seeks to understand what the soldiers in Iraq continue to experience. Dennis Quaid takes the bait: The Horsemen The Horsemen -- Watch trailer. Dennis Quaid, widowed detective, finds chilling connections between himself and the victims of a serial killer who's obsessed with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. To me, this still sounds like Se7en, Part Two. I guess whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. ________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 3/10 -- Oscar films hit the shelves Oscar alumni 1. Milk -- Watch trailer. The one Best Picture nominee that probably could've taken the laurel leaves from Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen it yet--I was too busy watching The Wrestler three times. 2. Der Baader Meinhof Complex -- Watch trailer. This Oscar-nominated foreign film looks really good, even considering I don't know what's happening in that intense trailer! Check it out! 3. Happy-Go-Lucky -- Watch trailer. It's considered one of the biggest snubs of the Oscars that charming star Sally Hawkins wasn't nominated for Best Actress. 4. Rachel Getting Married -- Watch trailer. FilmCouch's Kevin Buist says Anne Hathaway is great in an otherwise grating, tiring, "annoying" movie about...you guessed it: family conflicts. Huh, I guess content equals form after all. Blockbusters (and wannabes) 5. Role Models -- Watch trailer. Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott are funny together, but the film coasts way too long during the scenes of LARPing (live action role playing). 6. Transporter 3 -- Watch trailer. I haven't seen any of these yet, would you guys recommend them? I do always like Jason Statham, even when he's in bad movies. 7. Max Payne -- Watch trailer. Mark Wahlberg. Video game movie. Much stylized violence. 8. Repo! The Genetic Opera -- Watch trailer. Interesting-sounding shocker set in a future where a mysterious epidemic of organ failures turns healthy organs into a precious commodity. When organ buyers fail to make good on their payment plans, their organs must be re-possessed... 9. Saw V and Saw Goreology: Movies 1 - 5 -- Watch trailer to Saw V. It's a Saw movie, you know the drill. Hey, was that a pun? Lil' nuggets 10. Let the Right One In -- Watch trailer. Best vampire movie ever? Looks like it to me. 11. Synechdoche, New York -- Watch trailer. The Charlie Kaufman-penned film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard the film is intellectually demanding, but I've never felt like I've wasted my time watching something written by Kaufman. 12. Battle in Seattle -- Watch trailer. This feature recounts the events of the 1999 World Trade Organization and the ensuing riots. 13. Rocker -- Watch trailer. The Office's Rainn Wilson stars as a one-time promising rocker who now, 20 years later, gets a second chance. 14. Cadillac Records -- Watch trailer. The word: good actors, good music, so-so film.
]]>Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:04:31 GMTspoutComing Soon3/9/2009 3:04:31 PMHITTING THEATERS 3/13 Disney's latest leading man: Dwayne Johnson in Race to Witch Mountain Race to Witch Mountain -- Watch trailer. This has Brendan Fraser's name written all over it, but it's starring Fraser's remake, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Of course, Brendan Fraser is a remake of Kurt Russell, and I bet that if the original Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) had starred a young, sexy hero (not the older Eddie Albert), it would've been Disney favorite Kurt Rusell (remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Strongest Man in the World?). PS - I'm mostly joking; I like Dwayne Johnson. Standing on the shoulders of Swedes: The Last House on the Left The Last House on the Left -- Watch trailer. Produced by Wes Craven, this is a remake of the Craven-directed The Last House on the Left (1972), which was kind of like Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971), which is loosely based on a novel (The Siege of Trencher's Farm) but reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1959), which was inspired by the Swedish ballad "Torres dotter i Wange," which is purportedly based on true events... The Whitest Boys U'Know: Miss March Miss March -- Watch trailer. A young guy wakes from a 4-year coma to find that his high school sweetheart gave up waiting for him to become a pin-up for Playboy. Needless to say, the guy sets out for the Playboy mansion to reclaim his old girlfriend; also needless to say, he's joined by a sex-crazed friend. LIMITED RELEASE Dirty movie: Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning -- Watch trailer. Amy Adams plays a short-on-cash mother who's determined to send her son to a quality private school. Adams reluctantly enlists the help of her sister (Emily Blunt) to start a cleaning service that specializes in crime scene clean-up and bio-hazard removal. Is it just me, or do you pick up on an indie cash-cow vibe? I mean, could it really only be a coincidence that it's called "Sunshine" Cleaning when it's being billed as the next movie from the producers of Little Miss "Sunshine"? But ultimately, any pandering to the audience may not matter if Sunshine Cleaning is actually good. And with actors like Blunt and Adams, Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn, I've got high hopes. They ain't heavy, they's my brothers: Brothers at War Brothers at War -- Watch trailer. Documentary filmmaker Jake Rademacher's two brothers are soldiers. Jake spent three and a half years on this film, staying with four army units over two trips to Iraq, exploring his brothers' service and motivation. This very personal film appears to reveal a lot that's universal, as Rademacher seeks to understand what the soldiers in Iraq continue to experience. Dennis Quaid takes the bait: The Horsemen The Horsemen -- Watch trailer. Dennis Quaid, widowed detective, finds chilling connections between himself and the victims of a serial killer who's obsessed with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. To me, this still sounds like Se7en, Part Two. I guess whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. ________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 3/10 -- Oscar films hit the shelves Oscar alumni 1. Milk -- Watch trailer. The one Best Picture nominee that probably could've taken the laurel leaves from Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen it yet--I was too busy watching The Wrestler three times. 2. Der Baader Meinhof Complex -- Watch trailer. This Oscar-nominated foreign film looks really good, even considering I don't know what's happening in that intense trailer! Check it out! 3. Happy-Go-Lucky -- Watch trailer. It's considered one of the biggest snubs of the Oscars that charming star Sally Hawkins wasn't nominated for Best Actress. 4. Rachel Getting Married -- Watch trailer. FilmCouch's Kevin Buist says Anne Hathaway is great in an otherwise grating, tiring, "annoying" movie about...you guessed it: family conflicts. Huh, I guess content equals form after all. Blockbusters (and wannabes) 5. Role Models -- Watch trailer. Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott are funny together, but the film coasts way too long during the scenes of LARPing (live action role playing). 6. Transporter 3 -- Watch trailer. I haven't seen any of these yet, would you guys recommend them? I do always like Jason Statham, even when he's in bad movies. 7. Max Payne -- Watch trailer. Mark Wahlberg. Video game movie. Much stylized violence. 8. Repo! The Genetic Opera -- Watch trailer. Interesting-sounding shocker set in a future where a mysterious epidemic of organ failures turns healthy organs into a precious commodity. When organ buyers fail to make good on their payment plans, their organs must be re-possessed... 9. Saw V and Saw Goreology: Movies 1 - 5 -- Watch trailer to Saw V. It's a Saw movie, you know the drill. Hey, was that a pun? Lil' nuggets 10. Let the Right One In -- Watch trailer. Best vampire movie ever? Looks like it to me. 11. Synechdoche, New York -- Watch trailer. The Charlie Kaufman-penned film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard the film is intellectually demanding, but I've never felt like I've wasted my time watching something written by Kaufman. 12. Battle in Seattle -- Watch trailer. This feature recounts the events of the 1999 World Trade Organization and the ensuing riots. 13. Rocker -- Watch trailer. The Office's Rainn Wilson stars as a one-time promising rocker who now, 20 years later, gets a second chance. 14. Cadillac Records -- Watch trailer. The word: good actors, good music, so-so film. http://www.spout.com/blogs/digby00/archive/2009/3/5/40844.aspx Post By: digby00
Post To: digby00 Blog
Post Date: 3/5/2009 12:08:35 PM
Body: This inside look at a dysfunctional and broken family is both unsettling but yet ultimately somewhat heart-warming. This movie is filmed like a dignified home video, and starts with one character, Kim (Anne Hathaway), being picked up from a drug rehab center and follows the family through the last few days leading up to Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt)’s wedding. The dynamics of the relationships between all of the characters are complex, but are communicated easily and naturally to the audience. The audience is able to feel the struggles between the characters to connect with them on an emotional level. Overall, this movie does a very good job of leading the viewer through the complex inner-weavings of this family’s fabric, and ultimately ending on a warm note, reminding us that a family is a family no matter what; the bonds that hold them together are much stronger than the forces that pull them apart. Make sure to check out my other movie reviews!
]]>Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:08:35 GMTdigby00digby00 Blog3/5/2009 12:08:35 PMThis inside look at a dysfunctional and broken family is both unsettling but yet ultimately somewhat heart-warming. This movie is filmed like a dignified home video, and starts with one character, Kim (Anne Hathaway), being picked up from a drug rehab center and follows the family through the last few days leading up to Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt)’s wedding. The dynamics of the relationships between all of the characters are complex, but are communicated easily and naturally to the audience. The audience is able to feel the struggles between the characters to connect with them on an emotional level. Overall, this movie does a very good job of leading the viewer through the complex inner-weavings of this family’s fabric, and ultimately ending on a warm note, reminding us that a family is a family no matter what; the bonds that hold them together are much stronger than the forces that pull them apart. Make sure to check out my other movie reviews! http://www.spout.com/blogs/mconrad3/archive/2009/3/3/40787.aspx Post By: mconrad3
Post To: mconrad3 Blog
Post Date: 3/3/2009 12:30:28 AM
Body: Rachel Getting Married is one of the few Oscar nominated flicks I was at all interested in seeing. If there's anything that floats my boat as much as dark comedy, its dysfunctional families. Anne Hathaway plays recovering addict and sister to the bride as she reaquaints herself with her family in the closing days before the wedding. It's definitely an unmitigated view of a family during get togethers. The handheld camera and the choice of there being only music within the narrative makes you feel like it's a documentary. There are moments that make you cringe, make you laugh, and make you pause to take a breath. All of it works. I wasn't truly aware of Anne Hathaway's acting range outside of romantic/tween dramedies until this film. Turning a 180 from the roles she's usually known for, she doesn't waste any time getting into character. The same can be said for the rest of the cast, as the whole thing feels again like a documentary. Some of the moments I found so akin to moments at family gatherings of my own that I felt a little queezy reliving them. You can watch these people and tell that there is a history with all of them. They look and act like a genuine family. This is also the latest of several films I've seen now opting for the handheld look. It seems to have become something like compositional risk to use it on projects these days. Not everyone does it well, but I think considering the look they were going for it works in this film. I will have to say that it's gonna get harder and harder for me to like it as more and more films use this "technique." The part about this movie that strikes me closest to home is how close they come to the day to day operations of a family during big events. Everyone I know has a relative for the ones you see in this film and the interactions between all of them is so flawless you can feel like it's about your own family. This all being said, I may have an extremely screwed up family and friends so it may not strike many people the way it does me. For someone that does come from this sort of background, this flick serves as an erie reflection of our lives with our families. The Los Angeles Times reported 63 percent of American households were dysfunctional. I'm not surprised by the figure. I'm also very glad that they're becoming much more represented in today's cinema. It can get overdone at the risk of ruining the genre. Not all of the projects covering the subject do well with it. Rachel Getting Married does it well. It brings all the skeletons out of the closet but can still maintain that even the more screwed up families can come together when the shit hits the fan. They won't do it perfectly, and there's always casualties, but sunshine rainbow endings are overrated anyway.
]]>Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:30:28 GMTmconrad3mconrad3 Blog3/3/2009 12:30:28 AMRachel Getting Married is one of the few Oscar nominated flicks I was at all interested in seeing. If there's anything that floats my boat as much as dark comedy, its dysfunctional families. Anne Hathaway plays recovering addict and sister to the bride as she reaquaints herself with her family in the closing days before the wedding. It's definitely an unmitigated view of a family during get togethers. The handheld camera and the choice of there being only music within the narrative makes you feel like it's a documentary. There are moments that make you cringe, make you laugh, and make you pause to take a breath. All of it works. I wasn't truly aware of Anne Hathaway's acting range outside of romantic/tween dramedies until this film. Turning a 180 from the roles she's usually known for, she doesn't waste any time getting into character. The same can be said for the rest of the cast, as the whole thing feels again like a documentary. Some of the moments I found so akin to moments at family gatherings of my own that I felt a little queezy reliving them. You can watch these people and tell that there is a history with all of them. They look and act like a genuine family. This is also the latest of several films I've seen now opting for the handheld look. It seems to have become something like compositional risk to use it on projects these days. Not everyone does it well, but I think considering the look they were going for it works in this film. I will have to say that it's gonna get harder and harder for me to like it as more and more films use this "technique." The part about this movie that strikes me closest to home is how close they come to the day to day operations of a family during big events. Everyone I know has a relative for the ones you see in this film and the interactions between all of them is so flawless you can feel like it's about your own family. This all being said, I may have an extremely screwed up family and friends so it may not strike many people the way it does me. For someone that does come from this sort of background, this flick serves as an erie reflection of our lives with our families. The Los Angeles Times reported 63 percent of American households were dysfunctional. I'm not surprised by the figure. I'm also very glad that they're becoming much more represented in today's cinema. It can get overdone at the risk of ruining the genre. Not all of the projects covering the subject do well with it. Rachel Getting Married does it well. It brings all the skeletons out of the closet but can still maintain that even the more screwed up families can come together when the shit hits the fan. They won't do it perfectly, and there's always casualties, but sunshine rainbow endings are overrated anyway. http://www.spout.com/blogs/scswngr/archive/2009/2/22/40589.aspx Post By: scswngr
Post To: Film Obsessed
Post Date: 2/22/2009 6:39:44 PM
Body: As I scramble to catch the last couple of films that will complete my Oscar Watch List, I am prematurely making my picks for the statuettes tomorrow night. I will save judgement on the Foreign Language and Documentary Short categories, neither of which I have had the opportunity to get into since I live in a town where you can see 4 screens of Rambo, but you're lucky to get to see an independent or foreign film only months after it comes out on DVD at the local film club. That being said, I have also not had the chance to see 3 of the Documentary Features, but am confident in my decision in that category nonetheless. Otherwise, by tomorrow night's Academy Awards ceremony I will have seen every single movie nominated in every other category.So, onto my picks: Screenplay, OriginalShould Win: MilkWill Win: MilkMissing: The WrestlerScreenplay, AdaptedShould Win: Doubt or The ReaderWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireVisual EffectsShould Win: Iron ManWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMissing: Speed RacerSound MixingShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: The Dark KnightSound EditingShould Win: The Dark KnightWill Win: The Dark KnightShort Film, Live ActionShould Win: Grisen (The Pig)Will Win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)Short Film, AnimatedShould Win: PrestoWill Win: PrestoOriginal SongShould Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireMissing: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen from The WrestlerOriginal ScoreShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMakeupShould Win: Hellboy IIWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFilm EditingShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireDocumentary FeatureShould Win: Man on WireWill Win: Man on WireCostume DesignShould Win: The DuchessWill Win: The DuchessCinematographyShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Brideshead RevisitedArt DirectionShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAnimated FeatureShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: WALL-EDirectingShould Win: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler Actress, SupportingShould Win: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaWill Win: Viola Davis in DoubtActor, SupportingShould Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWill Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightActor, LeadingShould Win: Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWill Win: Sean Penn in MilkMissing: Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary RoadActress, LeadingShould Win: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married or Meryl Streep in DoubtWill Win: Kate Winslet in The ReaderMissing: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary RoadBest PictureShould Win: MilkWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: The Wrestler, Doubt, and The Dark Knight
]]>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:39:44 GMTscswngrFilm Obsessed2/22/2009 6:39:44 PMAs I scramble to catch the last couple of films that will complete my Oscar Watch List, I am prematurely making my picks for the statuettes tomorrow night. I will save judgement on the Foreign Language and Documentary Short categories, neither of which I have had the opportunity to get into since I live in a town where you can see 4 screens of Rambo, but you're lucky to get to see an independent or foreign film only months after it comes out on DVD at the local film club. That being said, I have also not had the chance to see 3 of the Documentary Features, but am confident in my decision in that category nonetheless. Otherwise, by tomorrow night's Academy Awards ceremony I will have seen every single movie nominated in every other category.So, onto my picks: Screenplay, OriginalShould Win: MilkWill Win: MilkMissing: The WrestlerScreenplay, AdaptedShould Win: Doubt or The ReaderWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireVisual EffectsShould Win: Iron ManWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMissing: Speed RacerSound MixingShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: The Dark KnightSound EditingShould Win: The Dark KnightWill Win: The Dark KnightShort Film, Live ActionShould Win: Grisen (The Pig)Will Win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)Short Film, AnimatedShould Win: PrestoWill Win: PrestoOriginal SongShould Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireMissing: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen from The WrestlerOriginal ScoreShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMakeupShould Win: Hellboy IIWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFilm EditingShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireDocumentary FeatureShould Win: Man on WireWill Win: Man on WireCostume DesignShould Win: The DuchessWill Win: The DuchessCinematographyShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Brideshead RevisitedArt DirectionShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAnimated FeatureShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: WALL-EDirectingShould Win: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler Actress, SupportingShould Win: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaWill Win: Viola Davis in DoubtActor, SupportingShould Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWill Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightActor, LeadingShould Win: Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWill Win: Sean Penn in MilkMissing: Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary RoadActress, LeadingShould Win: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married or Meryl Streep in DoubtWill Win: Kate Winslet in The ReaderMissing: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary RoadBest PictureShould Win: MilkWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: The Wrestler, Doubt, and The Dark Knight http://www.spout.com/blogs/giraffeversusunicorn/archive/2009/2/10/40377.aspx Post By: giraffeversusunicorn
Post To: giraffeversusunicorn Blog
Post Date: 2/10/2009 10:29:14 AM
Body: Cross-Posted from Giraffe Versus Unicorn. Rachel Getting Married takes a family wedding and turns it on it's head with the arrival of Kym, the titular character's younger sibling, who comes equipped with a luggage-load of problems.Oscar nominated Anne Hathaway revels in the role of Kym, who begins the movie by ending a nine month stint in rehab for drug addiction, an addiction which has left her with a traumatic secret. During the beginning act of the film, she comes across as a vaguely unpleasant character, one who is quick to throw out quips and one-liners, at times to disguise her true feelings. If Juno were less pregnant and more of an asshole, this could possibly be the result.However, it speaks volumes of Hathaway's acting ability that she takes this seemingly unlikeable, narcissistic and attention-seeking character and begs and pleads the audience for every last scrap of sympathy. And it works. As more of Kym's backstory comes to light, set in scenes around the wedding's buildup, we see the reasons for why she acts the way she does, and although it doesn't allow us to feel forgivness for her harrowing secret, we can still feel sympathetic.The movie carries a very 'indy' feel throughout, with 'live music' (being played around the family home by the wedding musicians) providing the score for certain scenes. Although, if I'm nitpicking, the final act of the wedding goes a little too overboard with its attempt at musical and cultural eclecticism as mishmashes are thrown at us for what seems like an age.Brilliant Altman-esque camerawork throughout the movie's familial clashes and togetherness really captures the smallest looks and moments of emotion, which when added with Demme's refusal to resort to clichés and standards, really makes for a great film.4
]]>Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:29:14 GMTgiraffeversusunicorngiraffeversusunicorn Blog2/10/2009 10:29:14 AMCross-Posted from Giraffe Versus Unicorn. Rachel Getting Married takes a family wedding and turns it on it's head with the arrival of Kym, the titular character's younger sibling, who comes equipped with a luggage-load of problems.Oscar nominated Anne Hathaway revels in the role of Kym, who begins the movie by ending a nine month stint in rehab for drug addiction, an addiction which has left her with a traumatic secret. During the beginning act of the film, she comes across as a vaguely unpleasant character, one who is quick to throw out quips and one-liners, at times to disguise her true feelings. If Juno were less pregnant and more of an asshole, this could possibly be the result.However, it speaks volumes of Hathaway's acting ability that she takes this seemingly unlikeable, narcissistic and attention-seeking character and begs and pleads the audience for every last scrap of sympathy. And it works. As more of Kym's backstory comes to light, set in scenes around the wedding's buildup, we see the reasons for why she acts the way she does, and although it doesn't allow us to feel forgivness for her harrowing secret, we can still feel sympathetic.The movie carries a very 'indy' feel throughout, with 'live music' (being played around the family home by the wedding musicians) providing the score for certain scenes. Although, if I'm nitpicking, the final act of the wedding goes a little too overboard with its attempt at musical and cultural eclecticism as mishmashes are thrown at us for what seems like an age.Brilliant Altman-esque camerawork throughout the movie's familial clashes and togetherness really captures the smallest looks and moments of emotion, which when added with Demme's refusal to resort to clichés and standards, really makes for a great film.4 http://www.spout.com/blogs/indieabby88/archive/2009/1/13/39492.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Bloggish review blog
Post Date: 1/13/2009 7:21:42 PM
Body: I find movies about secrets to be terribly interesting. Affairs, murders, accidents, humiliations and the lengths people will go to hide them generally make for pretty compelling stuff. "Three Monkeys," the Turkish entry for the best foreign language film Oscar, is one such movie, and (I think) probably a pretty strong contender. I'm assuming the title has to do with the proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil," since the family at the center of this movie has plenty of issues that they deal with by not talking about them. Things start off when a Servet, a campaigning politician, is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Not wanting to tarnish his reputation right before the election, Servet has his driver, Eyüp, take the fall for him in exchange for a sum of money to be given to his family. In the meantime, Eyüp's wife, Hacer, has an affair with Servet, only to have it abruptly cut off when her ne'er-do-well son discovers them. Oh, and the family is also haunted by the ghost of their dead son...there's a lot of tension going on. Probably the best thing "Three Monkeys" has going for it is its subtlety. The film's style is very subdued, and we only see characters behaving in extreme ways when the situation absolutely calls for it. The performances are all very natural, never over-the-top. We can identify with all of the characters (except, perhaps, Servet, who's pretty much a scuzzbag). The movie is also very solid visually. It looks like it was shot on DV, which gives it a gritty, but also intimate feeling. The camera is unsparing in its portrayal of the characters. We see every flaw, every stray hair, wrinkle and stress line, all of which goes into making a better, more detailed vision of who these people are, and the effects their years of supressed emotions have had on them. I am very, very glad I got to see "Three Monkeys." It's a well-worked, intense movie that nobody has talked about, but that everyone should be. This movie has all of the intrigue of a Hichcock film (atmospherically speaking, it feels like "Strangers on a Train," but more subdued) but most of the action happens behind closed doors. It's a really intriguing approach to a premise that could easily have been made into a preachy, hysterical melodrama. Related movies to watch: "Rachel Getting Married": Some of the drama, but with the added plus of joy and redemption. "Strangers on a Train": Intrigue with more thrills "Crimes and Misdemeanors": Affairs and examinations of the people that have them.
]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:21:42 GMTindieabby88Bloggish review blog1/13/2009 7:21:42 PMI find movies about secrets to be terribly interesting. Affairs, murders, accidents, humiliations and the lengths people will go to hide them generally make for pretty compelling stuff. "Three Monkeys," the Turkish entry for the best foreign language film Oscar, is one such movie, and (I think) probably a pretty strong contender. I'm assuming the title has to do with the proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil," since the family at the center of this movie has plenty of issues that they deal with by not talking about them. Things start off when a Servet, a campaigning politician, is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Not wanting to tarnish his reputation right before the election, Servet has his driver, Eyüp, take the fall for him in exchange for a sum of money to be given to his family. In the meantime, Eyüp's wife, Hacer, has an affair with Servet, only to have it abruptly cut off when her ne'er-do-well son discovers them. Oh, and the family is also haunted by the ghost of their dead son...there's a lot of tension going on. Probably the best thing "Three Monkeys" has going for it is its subtlety. The film's style is very subdued, and we only see characters behaving in extreme ways when the situation absolutely calls for it. The performances are all very natural, never over-the-top. We can identify with all of the characters (except, perhaps, Servet, who's pretty much a scuzzbag). The movie is also very solid visually. It looks like it was shot on DV, which gives it a gritty, but also intimate feeling. The camera is unsparing in its portrayal of the characters. We see every flaw, every stray hair, wrinkle and stress line, all of which goes into making a better, more detailed vision of who these people are, and the effects their years of supressed emotions have had on them. I am very, very glad I got to see "Three Monkeys." It's a well-worked, intense movie that nobody has talked about, but that everyone should be. This movie has all of the intrigue of a Hichcock film (atmospherically speaking, it feels like "Strangers on a Train," but more subdued) but most of the action happens behind closed doors. It's a really intriguing approach to a premise that could easily have been made into a preachy, hysterical melodrama. Related movies to watch: "Rachel Getting Married": Some of the drama, but with the added plus of joy and redemption. "Strangers on a Train": Intrigue with more thrills "Crimes and Misdemeanors": Affairs and examinations of the people that have them. 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/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
Number of films tagged: 6288

Number of people who tagged: 226

Number of times used: 1138

]]>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:09:21 GMT62882261138Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/music/MemberTagFilms.aspxmusic
Number of films tagged: 4341

Number of people who tagged: 144

Number of times used: 481

]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT4341144481Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/death/MemberTagFilms.aspxdeath
Number of films tagged: 4306

Number of people who tagged: 140

Number of times used: 526

]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:27:13 GMT4306140526Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/drugs/MemberTagFilms.aspxdrugs
Number of films tagged: 1643

Number of people who tagged: 130

Number of times used: 488

]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:36:00 GMT1643130488Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sex/MemberTagFilms.aspxsex
Number of films tagged: 2414

Number of people who tagged: 126

Number of times used: 548

]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:42 GMT2414126548Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/relationships/MemberTagFilms.aspxrelationships
Number of films tagged: 203

Number of people who tagged: 74

Number of times used: 249

]]>Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:40:59 GMT20374249Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/children/MemberTagFilms.aspxchildren
Number of films tagged: 212

Number of people who tagged: 66

Number of times used: 270

]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:28:15 GMT21266270Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/addiction/MemberTagFilms.aspxaddiction
Number of films tagged: 553

Number of people who tagged: 59

Number of times used: 117

]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:57:35 GMT55359117Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/redemption/MemberTagFilms.aspxredemption
Number of films tagged: 626

Number of people who tagged: 53

Number of times used: 117

]]>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:18:53 GMT62653117Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/awkward/MemberTagFilms.aspxawkward
Number of films tagged: 49

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 72

]]>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:09:23 GMT494772Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Dance/MemberTagFilms.aspxDance
Number of films tagged: 80

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 101

]]>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:46 GMT8047101Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fight/MemberTagFilms.aspxfight
Number of films tagged: 490

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 86

]]>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:40:14 GMT4904786Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/divorce/MemberTagFilms.aspxdivorce
Number of films tagged: 1042

Number of people who tagged: 45

Number of times used: 121

]]>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:35:44 GMT104245121Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/wedding/MemberTagFilms.aspxwedding
Number of films tagged: 853

Number of people who tagged: 44

Number of times used: 148

]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:32:02 GMT85344148Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/competition/MemberTagFilms.aspxcompetition
Number of films tagged: 1282

Number of people who tagged: 42

Number of times used: 95

]]>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:49:19 GMT12824295Tag