Frost/Nixon leaves my frosty...

But I don't mean it in a bad way. 

I really enjoyed Frost/Nixon and I loved how it wasn't really a political film. By focusing on characters, it gets the most out of the potential for writing, acting, and even directing. 

It's amazingly like a sports game between these two iconic figures, one of the characters calls it  a "duel," to which the other disagrees, wrongfully so. 

In any case, sorry for the SparkNotes version here, I just fell ill the other day (I guess) and am feeling pretty torrid with this flue. I just wanted to give it my full reccomendation. 

Top 5 of the year, so far:

1) Revolutionary Road

2) Two Lovers

3) Wall•E

4) Frost/Nixon 

5) Slumdog Millionaire

Arrested Development is unarrested

Allegedly, a deal to make a film version of Arrested Development has been brokered (or very close to, at least) between Fox Searchlight and one Ron Howard. 

I, for one, am totally pumped. It was one of the greatest shows of all time (no hyperbole here!), and it very much deserves the chance to finish the right way. I think a movie is certainly such a way...

I am guessing it will be quite epic in scope, but perhaps not size. Will they finally uncensor the foul mouths of the Bluths? One can only hope not, part of that is what made the show so biting and funny. I'm not even sure why that is. 

In any case, we have that. 

I can either see Twilight or Bolt. I want to see neither; is that a disease? I sure hope not. 

--DM 

Fascinating Digital Projection Problems

Anne Thompson reports that there is something off-kilter about the digital projections as of late, she says they are causing "headaches" (only indirectly though).

First there was the story of the Landmark Cinema digital screening of the Spanish-language Che without any subtitles at all. Critics prepared to screen the movie were sent home when the projectionist couldn't solve the problem. Then there was a Aidikoff Wilshire Screening Room digital screening of English-language Doubt, which started off with Che's Spanish subtitles. (There had been a Che screening prior.) The projectionist stopped the film and after about three minutes started over again without the offending subtitles.

UPDATE: Thursday night Paramount screened The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at two venues. The SAG screening at the Arclight went smoothly. The "print" at the DGA, which the studio had spent eight hours testing on Thursday afternoon, was missing a color. Magenta. The film was green. And eventually, after about 20 minutes, because the cinematographer and sound mixer called producer Frank Marshall, the projection was shut down. Paramount technicians tried to reboot the hard drive, but couldn't fix the problem. Those of us who sat in the room saw them come close to a full-color projection, but something was wrong with the projector, a Paramount publicist said server, according to Marshall. "On the right setting it was wrong, and on the wrong setting it was right," he wrote in an email. "Welcome to digital."

David Fincher, the original perfectionist, must not have been happy. Marshall and partner Kathleen Kennedy, who had been working on this movie for some 18 years, were distressed; the screening was packed with key critics, press and industry Academy members. Other screenings are scheduled for Saturday. "This would not have happened to Stanley Kubrick," said one wag.

That is very intense, sort of. I could have been at that SAG screening, ahhh. Now I am a little disheartened. Still, I had no clue that the serious screenings had just started. That is a little goofy indeed, but not that there is anything wrong with that. 

Also, apparently, Paramount has decided to show the twenty or so minutes of Star Trek that were screened to the press in New York right here in LA! At the paramount lot, no less, which is pretty damn cool. The footage is rumored to be quite spectacular, and I cannot wait. 

Here is the inordinately misleading (and somehow incongruently related) trailer for The Wrestler:

Nathaniel R's thoughts on Revolutionary Road

"Rough start and overscored. Lively acting throughout."

As much as I really love the film for now - undisputed favorite of the year so far - I can't help but agree with that statement.

He's really nailed the films problems, and the film truly does get off to a wobbly start. The opening is dynamic enough, so I really have no idea why. I guess it just lacks propulsion, and as humans, we like to see sh*t blow up and the film lacks that edge for a little.

I don't think it's a big deal. I just hope others can overlook it.

The score - now, I have a profound appreciation for Thomas Newman and his music, I happen to love the score to Revolutionary Road. It's the type of score he does very well, but it's not a departure for him. Wall•E was. I think I prefer the music in Revolutionary Road, but maybe not. They are both pungent and memorable scores. The problem with Revolutionary Road is that it is in fact overscored. I tried to sugar coat that fact, but clearly I am not alone.

I don't blame Thomas Newman, I can't blame him. Not even if I wanted to.

Sam Mendes likely should have excised some bits here and there, and it would have been a more effective score. It really should have been sparse, minimal in both content and placing.

As it stands, it seems to get a little repetetive. This is what Todd McCarthy wrote, and it's not a repetetive score.

It just seems to be because score is excessive, at least for a film like this.

Truly, a stark contrast to Towelhead, which had a longer running time than Revolutionary Road I believe (or very close to, at least), and that film had about fifteen minutes of score - which is remarkable!

--DM

The Skinny on Australia

I liked Australia to an extent. It's definitely an event film, the likes of which have not been seen this year (unless you count The Dark Knight, which I don't). The film is gorgeous to watch and bomastic, and yet also undeniably tepid.

There is something very stale and trite about this whole affair, which is understandable since it is riffing on the trite and stale. Though for some reason, I can pop in my old VHS of The African Queen and still be amazed each time, and yet Australia just doesn't do it for me. Jackman and Kidman have good chemistry together, but they're both privy to sudden inexplicable acting changes throughout the film. In this sense, the film is classic surreal Luhrmann, though in no way, shape, or form does it even approach the awesome wackiness of Moulin Rouge! For the most part the film works fine until it suddenly shifts gears and we're in a different film altogether.

Basically, strong enough first two acts; tremendously lacking third.

It should kill at the box office though, and satisfy a fair amount of people. No harm, no foul. Just nothing amazing either.

I sort of wish I wasn't late for Benjamin Button. Oh well, there's always the weekend.

Have a good pre-Turkey day week.

--DM

Thomas Newman, man for all genres

Fantastic article by Jon Burlingame, for those looking to gain a little insight into this top five composer.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=awardcentral&jump=features&id=eoomusic09&articleid=VR1117996020

Slumdog Millionaire is too violent?

I was talking to a few guild members the other day, and apparently the screenings aren't going to hot.
They say elderly viewers are fleeing in packs, citing it is as the most violent film they have been privy to in a long time.

I think that's a bit of an overreaction, but some people don't like violence.

Okay.

So the question is, what problems will this cause when it comes down to voting?

It's no mystery that there are many Academy voters of the same ilk as the people I talked too. If that's really the case, not boding too well. The Envelope says that Slumdog Millionaire is the talk of the town, and likely to be a huge success.

Clearly, this is conflicting data. Great or too violent?

Personally, I think the film will do quite well during the awards and at the box office. It's got enough mainstream appeal and buzz behind it to get a fairly wide audience. However, it doesn't seem to be going on track to explode as big as Juno.

Looking forward to visiting Australia

The reviews are in, and a good chunk of them are mixed -- but in the best possible way!

People seem to be talking about how epic and flamboyant the film is, even if there are (clearly visible) flaws.
It sounds like a truly passionate work, and I look forward to catching it out tomorrow. Expect thoughts then.

My favorite Todd McCarthy puts it nicely: "like a Rolls-Royce on a rocky country road."

Sounds good to me.

Twilight is even more mixed, but of the worse kind. Some say it's pretty dreck-y, half-lived (no pun intended) adaptation of Stephenie (yes, with three Es!) Meyer's oh so popular novel that just lacks the cinematic pizzaz that should have been there.
It seems that director Hardwicke did not capture the teen spirit, as she did once before with Thirteen.
For what it's worth, Jeffrey Wells didn't think it sucked. My guess is as good as yours.

Running on borrowed time

Australia is allegedly 155 minutes. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is ~ 160.

Does this really matter?

No, I guess not, but these are the two epic films of the year.

Only one can pass through the gates of hit-dom, which one are you counting on?

The Envelope also brought up an interesting article on the new James Bond film. Apparently, they're running For Your Consideration ads in top categories, including Best Picture.

Um...hello?

I know there is no harm whatsoever in running these ads, but a Bond film has never gotten anywhere near there.
Why in the world should Quantum of Solace?

I just think it's sort of funny is all.

--DM

Australia, my love, my everything

Claire Sutherland LURVED Australia (or should I say loved? not a jab at the Australins in any way).
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,24668203-7485,00.html

See that ".au" there? Leaves me a little nervous. A little. Not too much. Seriously.

HE SET himself an enormous challenge, but Baz Luhrmann has pulled off an incredible film in Australia.

Shoehorning two complete films into one package, Australia sees Nicole Kidman as Lady Sarah Ashley, a privileged aristocrat drawn to the outback to sell her late husband's failing cattle station.

But she's soon drawn to the landscape, a little Aboriginal boy called Nullah, played startlingly by newcomer Brandon Walters, and a taciturn drover (Hugh Jackman) who reluctantly helps her save her property.

The film begins with surprising slapstick and trademark Luhrmann over-the-top humour - a scene featuring Jackman giving himself a bath with a bucket is pure beefcake and proud of it - but settles into a compelling and moving tale which traverses war, race relations, class and the Stolen Generation.

It's a movie with a message, but Luhrmann provides the audience with no shortage of thrills, from a cliff hanger cattle stampede to the bombing of Darwin.

Kidman and Jackman are perfect together, Jackman's broad speaking drover a perfect foil to Kidman's snooty English rose.

Australia is full of familiar faces, from David Gulpilil to David Wenham, Bryan Brown to Ben Mendelsohn, but not so familiar places, to many Australians anyway.

Australia features some of the most beautiful photography ever seen in an Australian film, from the Bungle Bungles in the Kimberley to the Northern Territory in the midst of the wet season.

A love letter to the Australian landscape and our history, Australia has international blockbuster written all over it.

 



--DM

Docu-what-ery? For shame

This is the list of the 15 documentaries that have made it into the final round:

At the Death House Door
The Betrayal
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh
Encounters at the End of the World (Werner Herzog alert)
Fuel
The Garden
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
I.O.U.S.A.
In a Dream
Made in America
the great Man on Wire
Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Standard Operating Procedure (Errol Morris alert)
They Killed Sister Dorothy
Trouble the Water

I'll preface any or all analysis here by stating that I have not seen any of the films mentioned.
Sue me.

However, I did see one that isn't on the list (Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired), and quite frankly, I thought it was superb. It was a very sharp and intense examination of the Polanski case, and I think it documented the case, while adding a hint of humanity to Polanski as a human being, quite well.

It didn't make the cut.

If those fifteen selected films are better than that one, color me surprised. Very surprised, indeed. Somehow, though, I don't think that will be the case.

I whole-heartedly agree with Jeffrey Wells here. He himself has seen, to my knowledge, one of the films and says in no indirect words that the Polanski doc should have made the cut because it was better.

In any case, the Herzog and Morris ones should be the two big kahunas in the race, but that still remains to be seen. Most renown director ≠ best film. Sometimes even the latter is, apparently, not enough to get into the academy race. But hey, what's new?

--DM

Todd McCarthy's 'Revolutionary' Review

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939047.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&nid=2854

My thoughts mirror his, but I think I liked it a tad bit more than he did.

"['Revolutionary Road'] is constantly engrossing, as it successfully engages the Wheelers' yearning to rescue themselves from their decorous, socially acceptable oblivion, just as it clearly defines how the 'trap' is stronger than they are. The rows, tender moments and downtime in between are fully inhabited and powerfully charged by DiCaprio and Winslet. For his part, DiCaprio often achieves the kind of double register the film as a whole less consistently captures, as he indicates Frank's thought process in the split second before he decides what to say. At certain moments, the conjoined cerebral and emotional aspects of his characterization summon the spirit of Jack Nicholson's breakthrough performances around the time of 'Five Easy Pieces.'"

--DM

Lackluster scores

Film scores, that is.

Let's face it, this category is almost always a giant crapshoot.
This year, it's a little more controlled. Not that many great scores accompanying the hot films.

Some go even spartan, or very close to (e.g. The Wrestler).

This is going to be an interesting race.

I think, personally, that this will be Thomas Newman's year. The academy will not have any excuse...except maybe Desplat for Benjamin Button. That's a mighty fine score too.

All you film score enthusiasts can find a taste of Revolutionary Road's eloquent score here:
http://www.revolutionaryroadmovie.com/

Also, there are a few clips of the film under the Yates section there.

STAR TREK trailer out...

and it looks so good.

Stupid Quantum of Solace screening deprived me of the chance to see this baby on the big screen.
Oh well, I'll live.

Here it is, in 360px. :/

I say go check out elsewhere (full screen, not foolscreen), but here it is anyway:

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