Rushing to see this and that

Australia vs. Benjamin Button

Both are screening this Thursday. Both epics. Both over 2 and a half hours. Both have stars...real stars.

But Baz or David?

I think I'm going to have to go with Benjamin Button, but it's making me so curious -- all this hoo-hah (OLD TIMER WORD ALERT) about Australia. What's the ending? What is it?

Now there's all this buzz that the ending hasn't been changed and Fox is trying to defend themselves from being antagonized.

Um...okay. That's all fine and dandy, but when are we going to see a film? The premiere is around a week before the film debuts, and that is kind of insane. The press screenings have been on the outs, as I'm not even sure anyone has actually seen the film.

I'm curious. Genuinely curious. Is it an epic mess or just an epic?

Only time will tell, but I'm rooting for latter. I want the film to be good. I want Fox to have a great film on their hands.
What kind of sick jerk would be if I wanted anything else, right? Right?

In any case, that is just one example. This season, as pointed out by the folks over at In Contention, has been marked by a spuriously genuine attempt to get films out there, without actually getting them out there.

Guild screenings are preceding press screenings, which is pretty rare. Either the studios are worried about false bad word being leaked out, or their films really suck.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is such a film, and it seems to be polarizing audiences. Some say that grown men are weeping (I'm not altogether confident that this is a good thing), while others write that it is a flawed piece of work that is only technically masterful and just superficial otherwise.

I don't know, but it sure looks like a masterpiece to me, and I'm not biased. I don't think I am.

In any case, these are puzzling times. Candidates can be good, and yet dissipate with the wind too. Look at Doubt and Frost/Nixon. Good films, seemingly, with positive, albeit not glowing, reception by the critics. It doesn't seem like anyone is talking about them anymore. Too soon or too late? Same with Milk.

It also seems that The Wrestler has kind of scurried off the horizon, now that the big contenders seem to be coming into their own.

These next few weeks are going to be crucial to keep the buzz aloof, or else films will start taking over. This is the true rat race, to make into the five guns last standing. Then it's damage control.

But NOW is really essential.

--DM