2011 – FIRST HALF RECAP

July 4, 2011

Greetings again from the darkness.  Yep, it’s mid-year again.  So you can stop holding your breath waiting for me to recap the movie year thus far!  You will also get a glimpse into what’s coming up in the next 6 months.  Even in a year like this, when the overall film quality has been mediocre at best, I always hold out hope for an exciting second half … and this year is no different.

Let me remind you that it will be next January before I publish my list of favorite films in order.  What I provide below is groupings of what I think are the best so far.  Some of these may make the year-end list, while most will not.  Just for fun, I also include my list of most disappointing movies through June.  As always, these represent my opinion and may or may not be aligned with your tastes, beliefs or standards.

 So, as usual, let me start by contradicting what I just said.  Far and away my favorite cinematic experience in 2011 has been Terrence Malick‘s The Tree of Life.  It also happens to be one of the most divisive films of the year.  People either connect with it or they walk out absolutely frustrated and annoyed.  Some theatres have taken to posting a warning to patrons that the film does not follow a typical Hollywood narrative or story arc.  Mr. Malick’s latest work is either inspiration for introspection or it’s motivation to request a refund.  I understand both reactions.

Now that I cheated at my own game … here is the best (so far) of 2011, by category … and notice, they are in alphabetical order:

COMEDY

 Bridesmaids – raunchy women’s comedy that even men can appreciate

Cedar Rapids– underrated script with laughs and a message

Midnight in Paris– Woody Allen’s terrific homage to literary giants

Rango – animated hilarity and genius (for all ages)

DRAMA

 Beginners – touching story showing it’s never too late to love

The Conspirator – historical drama around Lincoln assassination

Hanna – action thriller that defies description

Jane Eyre – expert version of the iconic novel

Win Win – terrific script highlighting doing right by others

DOCUMENTARY

 Bill Cunningham New York– NYC fashion through a brilliant man’s eye

Buck – Cowboy zen

Hot Coffee – things you don’t know about the justice system

 

 

OTHER

 Barney’s Version – cynical dramedy with Paul Giamatti at his best

In a Better World – stark drama from Denmark

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – Captain Jack is back

Source Code – thrilling and humanistic sci-fi from son of Bowie

Super 8 – nostalgic Speilberg courtesy of JJ Abrams

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 – embarrassingly bad version of classic novel

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold – not Morgan Spurlock’s best work

The Hangover Part II – same jokes, different city

Larry Crowne – a thesis on bland and generic moviemaking

Sucker Punch – should have been greatness

Now, let’s look ahead at the second half “Coming Attractions”.  Here are a few movies that have piqued my interest.  They are separated by wide release films versus independent or smaller budget types that may only receive limited release.

Big Budget Releases:

 Captain America: The First Avenger – will the next Superhero come on down!

Contagion – Soderbergh sci-fi with Kate Winslet and Matt Damon

Cowboys & Aliens – James Bond and Indiana Jones, together at last

Dream House – newlyweds Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Fincher re-do of Swedish cult classic

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling may have to get a job

 The Help – film version of best seller featuring Emma Stone

The Ides of March – Dirty politics with Clooney, Giamatti, PS Hoffman, Gosling

The Iron Lady – Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher

Moneyball – Baseball, Oakland A’s style

Wanderlust – raunchy comedy with Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston

War Horse –  Steven Spielberg WWI Oscar entry

 

Independent Films/Limited Release:

 Attack the Block – Sundance favorite as London teens battle alien invasion

The Descendants – Sideways director is back w/ Clooney as mourning dad

The Devil’s Double – chilling story of Saddam Hussein’s son

Drive – action film with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan

Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times – doc on print v. social media

The Rum Diary – Johnny Depp in Hunter S Thompson story

Sarah’s Key – Kristin Scott Thomas solving puzzle of Vel d’Hiv

While it will be 6 months before we know how many of these actually make their mark, let me know which were  your favorite and least favorite movies of the first 6 months.  I see a lot of movies, but I don’t see everything … so let me know what I missed!

See you at the movies!!

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Posted by David Ferguson

ELIZABETH TAYLOR remembered

March 23, 2011

Even though she flirted with illness and death countless times over the last 50 years, it still came as a shock to hear the morning news of Elizabeth Taylor‘s passing.  Unless you are a movie buff or over 40 years old, you can’t understand what a glamorous, elegant movie star she was.  She truly was the last of Hollywood’s Golden Era.

She burst onto the scene as a 12-year-old in 1944’s National Velvet, but with the current release of Jane Eyre hitting theatres, it should be noted that she had a small, yet eye-opening role as a dying girl in the 1943 version with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine.  For the next 68 years, Elizabeth Taylor never stopped opening eyes!

 Don’t make the mistake of thinking her popularity and notoriety came only from her beauty.  She was an immensely talented actress who received 5 Oscar nominations and won the award twice.  At the age of 18, she seduced (onscreen) Montgomery Clift into killing his girlfriend (Shelley Winters) in A Place in the Sun.  Movie watchers totally understood why he did it.  Those unique violet eyes set off by rare double eye-lashes (a genetic mutation), made her a stunning beauty to go along with her captivating spirit.

 She sizzled onscreen in back-to-back Tennessee Williams scripts: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Suddenly Last Summer (1959).  In 1963, her life changed dramatically.  When approached to play the title role in Cleopatra, she laughed off the producers and told them “only for a million dollars”, which was an unheard of salary for an actress in the day.  When they agreed, she became the first million dollar actress, and more importantly, met and fell in love with Richard Burton during filming.  “Liz and Dick” became worldwide phenomenons as stars and celebrities.  Living the “high life” was a normal day for these two.

 1966 brought about what I call the first Reality Show … Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?  With an explosive performance by Liz,  many assumed their characters mirrored the couple in real life.  The film received a dazzling 13 nominations, including a win for Ms. Taylor.  There were many additional performances after this, but by 1967’s The Taming of the Shrew, she had a 20 year career that was multi-dimensional and astounding.

Speaking of astounding, the only thing more amazing than her career was Elizabeth Taylor’s personal life.  She grew up in the public eye and never left.  EIGHT marriages, including two to Mr. Burton.  When husband Mike Todd was killed in a plane crash, she fell into the arms of his best friend, Eddie Fisher.  Unfortunately, Mr. Fisher was married at the time to American icon Debbie Reynolds (Singin’ in the Rain) and they had a daughter, Carrie Fisher (the future Princess Leia of Star Wars).  Of course, Mr. Fisher ended up on the short end after Liz met Burton … but you start to get the idea.

After she divorced Burton the second time, she married U.S. Senator John Warner and became a true politician’s wife.  Her final starring role was in 1981, but she became renowned for her charity work … best known for her tireless fundraising for AIDS research – stemming from the loss of her friend, Rock Hudson.  They remained close after filming Giant (James Dean‘s last role).  Later, she became a friend and trusted advisor to the enigmatic Michael Jackson.  She was probably one of the few who could relate to his level of fame and the baggage it brought.

 While there will be no shortage of obituaries and tributes to Ms. Taylor, this may be one of the few that ends with a SPORTS story.  In 1989, Jerry Jones invited Elizabeth Taylor to perform the official coin toss at a Dallas Cowboys – Washington Redskins football game.  Ms. Taylor flubbed the moment when she actually called “heads” after flipping the coin … thereby requiring a re-toss.  Even at mid-field, she was a star!

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LAST DETAIL (1973) revisited

March 11, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness.  Last evening I attended the second film in the monthly 1970’s series being presented by the Dallas Film Society, Landmark Magnolia Theatre and Chris Vognar of the Dallas Morning News.  This one happens to be one of my all-time favorites and one that seems to have been forgotten by many … THE LAST DETAIL.

It would be easy enough to understand how the film has drifted into oblivion and become just another one of the many fine films that were born during an incredibly prolific and ground-breaking era, if not for these factors:

1. It received 3 Academy Award nominations: Best Actor (Jack Nicholson); Best Supporting Actor (Randy Quaid); Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert Towne)

2. It features what may be Jack Nicholson’s finest performance, and certainly one of his top 5.

3. The screenplay was written by the great Robert Towne from the novel by Darryl Ponicsan

4. The film was directed by the beloved (but troubled) Hal Ashby, who had a remarkable string of films that garnered a very faithful following

5. Its humor and poignancy hold up very well today as evidenced by last night’s audience response

 Admittedly, I have always viewed this as a “Guy’s movie” – one of those movies that guys love to quote and girls love to hate.  The audience last night was at least one-third female and the overall response was very strong, especially from those who had not previously seen the movie.  Sure, there was one lady who called the film “despicable”, but as Mr. Vognar pointed out, she was probably bringing her own values and morals into the story. 

To do that is to miss the point entirely.  No denying, there is an enormous amount of booze, fighting, shoplifting, prostitution and swearing.  Oh my, the amount and severity of swearing never ceases to amaze. What’s important to note, and has been stated by Mr. Towne on numerous occasions, these are lifelong military men who feel trapped and powerless most of their waking hours.  The swearing and bravado serve as their defense mechanism … their last grasp of independence. 

Though I have seen the film numerous times over the years, I was struck by two things last night.  First, Randy Quaid’s performance brings an incredible amount of humanity and sympathy to a character that demanded a certain approach.  Many actors would have over-played it, but 22 year old Quaid’s baby-face works magic in the scenes where we see the two hard-nosed sailors begin to soften their stance.  Second, Otis Young as Mulhall showed much more range than I had remembered.  He is the perfect centerpiece between Nicholson and Quaid.  As a side note, this was Gilda Radner‘s big screen debut and a couple of years before the birth of Saturday Night Live.

 A quick note on Nicholson.  This is a far different Nicholson than what we have seen recently in The Bucket List or Something’s Gotta Give.  He was coming off a star-making turn in Five Easy Pieces and was on his way to Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.  This is a great actor at his absolute peak.  Sure, there is the infamous “I am the bleepity-bleep Shore Patrol” outburst in the bar, but more impressive are his scenes on the trains, or at the picnic.  Great stuff.

Lastly, I’ll mention director Hal Ashby.  His string of fabulous “little” films include Harold & Maude, The Last Detail, Shampoo, Bound for Glory, Coming Home and Being There … each quirky, but incredibly insightful, and proof of just what a fine filmmaker he was.

Next month’s screening is the political conspiracy thriller The Parallax View.  It was directed by Alan Pakula and stars Warren Beatty.  For all you youngsters, there was a time when Warren Beatty was Hollywood royalty and not just the old guy who hangs around Annette Bening.

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCARS recap (2011)

February 28, 2011

As predicted, my Oscar predictions were predictably shaky this year … predictably shaky except for the predictions that were predictably easy to predict.

 Let’s begin with the hosting team of James Franco and Anne Hathaway.  These two gorgeous young people were supposed to have a positive impact on the 18-29 age demographic.  However, with the overall viewer numbers down from last year, I am not sure they possess the star power necessary to draw in the younger voters.  Mr. Franco should probably be grateful the numbers were down.  He was flat out horrible.  A pretty face, but boring nonetheless.

Anne Hathaway, on the other hand, was an energizer bunny onstage.  She really gave it her all.  Unfortunately, she just wasn’t capable of carrying the load at an event this size.  She is incredibly talented, but must have felt stranded … given the disappearing act of Franco and the actual last minute duet cancelation by Hugh Jackman.  How did he get to keep his front row seat after that stunt?

 Much ado about Franco’s pace these days what with acting, producing and attending film school.  Maybe he used this event to fine-tune his character should a sequel to Pineapple Express get made.  Whatever the reason, he contributed almost nothing and appeared disinterested and foggy through most of the evening.  To make it even more painful, the Academy included such classic hosts from the past as Billy Crystal, Alec Baldwin and even Bob Hope!

Anyway, this night is not about the hosts … it’s about one thing: how well or shabby do the ladies dress!  Yes, I am kidding.  Of course, it’s about the movies and the movie stars and the filmmakers.  No need to list the winners, but let’s talk some specifics:

Mothers received more frequent shout-outs than what is typical.  That’s a nice change of pace from the agents, publicists and producers.  Really, the only mother missing was the one that Melissa Leo didn’t tack on to her F-Bomb!  That’s a first for the Academy Awards’ stage, and really inexcusable … even if she did win for playing a tough ole’ broad from Lowell, Mass.

 Even the weaker sex got some recognition.  Original Screenplay winner David Seidler (The King’s Speech) had the line of the night when he said his Father had predicted he would be “a late bloomer”.  Mr. Seidler is the oldest winner of this particular award.  His story is even more interesting once you know that he struggled with a severe stutter when he was younger.

Even Grandmother’s got in on it … during the opening, James Franco’s grandmother stood up and gushed about seeing Marky Mark.

 What little defense I can offer Melissa Leo is that she had to deal with  94 year old presenter Kirk Douglas, who was obviously relishing his moment back in the spotlight.

Other than the cheesy promo to a boxing website, Christian Bale’s speech was remarkably heartfelt and even touching, as he reached out to his loving wife for her support.  Hopefully he shaves that beard before Batman starts filming next month.

Expected winners Colin Firth and Natalie Portman gave very classy acceptance speeches.  Note to future winners: when in doubt, copy one of these two speeches.

David Fincher (The Social Network) looked like he was in a horrible mood all night, but it was really nice to see the overlooked Christopher Nolan get so much praise and admiration from the technical award winners for Inception.

Second best line of the night was when Live Action Short surprise winner Luke Metheny bounded onstage and proclaimed “I guess I should have gotten a haricut”.

 Other than Franco’s lack of effort, the most amazing thing to me was listening to the four non-descript nominated Best Songs.  Luckily for us, Randy Newman won his second Oscar in 20 (yes TWENTY) nominations, so we were treated to 90 seconds of this man’s comically self-deprecating genius.

Overall, it was a pretty uneventful ceremony with almost zero “Wow” factor, and no shockers amongst the winners … probably a fitting end to the 2010 film year.  And I am guessing no one is happier to see Awards season come to an end than the VERY pregnant Natalie Portman.  She will probably be wearing sweats with her feet propped up for quite awhile!

 OK, so one quick note on the attire – I was very happy to see that most everyone dressed very well.  This has always been a glamorous event and it’s a shame when a few just don’t get it.  Heck, even Helena Bonham Carter almost blended in (and her shoes matched)!  Youngsters, Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) were especially radiant and seem to have that magical combination of grace, personality, looks and talent … stardom awaits!

A quick tally of the winners:

 The King’s Speech – 4 wins (including Best Picture)

Inception – 4 wins (including Cinematography)

The Social Network – 3 wins (including Trent Reznor’s score)

2 wins each – Toy Story 3, The Fighter, Alice in Wonderland

It always seems awkward closing out the previous year’s films in February or March, but it’s time to kick 2011 in gear.  Get thyself to a theatre!!

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCAR PREDICTIONS (2011)

February 23, 2011

Greetings again from the darkness.  Since I jumped on the soapbox in my intro for last year’s Oscar Predictions, I shall remain firmly planted on the ground for this year’s edition.  I do love movies and I have a real affinity for the Academy Awards … despite the fact that many/most winners will not be aligned with my personal preference.  No matter – it’s a glamorous event dedicated to an art form I appreciate.

With Anne Hathaway and James Franco entrusted to host the show, I believe it is the first time that a Lead Actor nominee will serve as host in the same year as their nomination.  It will be interesting to see what they do with Mr. Franco (127 Hours) during the presentation of his category.  These two young actors are immensely and diversely talented, and should bring a refreshing edge to the show.

Now for my disclaimer: Over the past 21 years, I have quite an impressive track record of predicting the winners.  However, this year, I am at a loss as to who and what are the real front-runners in some of the big categories.  The “warm-up” awards events have varied widely and provide very little hint as to what Academy voters have decided.  Below, I have recapped the main categories and offered up my predictions as well as my preferences.  I have (mostly) resisted the urge to comment if my true preference did not even receive a nomination (aka, snub).  So following are my best guesses …. Let me know yours! (I apologize for the formatting issues)

BEST PICTURE – It would be no shocker if the evening turned into a sweep for either The King’s Speech or The Social Network.  Since I am hanging my hat on the stuttering King, my sterling record will be trashed if the Facebook movie gets on a roll.

PREDICTION: The King’s Speech – very well made historical and personal drama

PREFERENCE: Toy Story 3 – no chance of a win in this category, but it deserves to be here and was my favorite movie of 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEST DIRECTOR

PREDICTION:  David Fincher (The Social Network) –I am predicting an Oscar rarity: Best Director will not have directed the Best Picture.

PREFERENCE: Darren Aronfsky (Black Swan) – since Christopher Nolan was snubbed, my meaningless vote would go to the creative force behind my number 2 movie of 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEST ACTOR

PREDICTION and PREFERENCE: Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) – not the strongest year for this category but Mr. Firth is deservedly a heavy favorite.

 

 

 

 

BEST ACTRESS

PREDICTION: Natalie Portman (Black Swan) – Annette Bening could slip in, but I hope not.  Last year was bad enough when media darling Sandra Bullock stole the prize from the great Meryl Streep. 

PREFERENCE:  Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) – no chance to win, but easily my favorite lead actress performance of 2010.  Plus, she knows how to properly prepare squirrel stew!

 

 

 

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

PREDICTION: Christian Bale (The Fighter) – very close race between he and Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech).  Not sure Mr. Rush received enough credit for providing much of the interest and entertainment value for his movie.

PREFERENCE: John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone) – Bale and Rush were superb, but Mr. Hawkes was incredible as the mysterious uncle who was both friend and foe.

 

 

 

 

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – my favorite category this year!

PREDICTION: Melissa Leo  (The Fighter) – it could be argued that Amy Adams gave a better performance, but Ms. Leo’s character best exemplified Micky Ward’s plight.

PREFERENCE: I struggle with this because Hailee Steinfeld was remarkable in True Grit, but I consider it to be a Lead role.  As for true supporting expertise, Jacki Weaver in the little seen Animal Kingdom was the most frightening onscreen mother since Faye Dunaway wielded a coat hanger!

 

 

 

 

ANIMATED FEATURE

PREDICTION and PREFERENCE: Toy Story 3.  All three nominations are strong, but TS3 is the best movie of the year, animated or not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

PREDICTION: In a Better World (Denmark) – seems to be the lead horse by winning some early awards.

PREFERENCE:  This is a very frustrating category for me this year since I have only seen Biutiful (Mexico). As often occurs, most of the films in this category will obtain limited U.S. distribution later this year.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

PREDICTION: The King’s Speech by David Seidler

PREFERENCE: Inception by Christopher Nolan

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

PREDICTION: The Social Network – by Aaron Sorkin (slam dunk)

PREFERENCE: Toy Story 3 – actually an original story with familiar characters

CINEMATOGRAPHY

PREDICTION: True Grit, Roger Deakins – a mild upset

PREFERENCE: Black Swan, Matthew Libatique – the onstage dancing was brilliantly shot

COSTUME DESIGN

PREDICTION: The King’s Speech

PREFERENCE: I Am Love – the fabrics and colors compliment the setting

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

PREDICTION and PREFERENCE: Day & Night – not winning would be due to Pixar backlash

 

 

 

 

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

PREDICTION: Wish 143

PREFERENCE: The Crush

 

 

 

 

 

ORIGINAL SCORE

PREDICTION: The Social Network – Trent Reznor onstage at the Oscars!

PREFERENCE: Inception – startling piece by Hans Zimmer

ORIGINAL SONG

PREDICTION and PREFERENCE: “We Belong Together” (Toy Story 3) Dear Academy: please don’t subject us to Gwyneth Paltrow singing that dang Country Strong song.

DOCUMENTARY

PREDICTION AND PREFERENCE – This is a very strong category full of work that deserves to win.  The only thing that would eclipse Trent Reznor onstage at the Oscars would be an appearance by the reclusive Banksy should his film Exit Through the Gift Shop win.  If I must predict a winner, I’ll go with Restrepo, but it could be that Academy voters are just as intrigued by Bansky as I am.

If you would like to see my Best of 2010 list:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/annual-bests-2/best-of-2010/

If you would like to see my recap of the Nominated Shorts:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/oscar-nominate…-animated-2010/

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS – Live Action and Animated (2010)

February 13, 2011

Greetings again from the darkness.  The Dallas Magnolia Theatre again presented showings of all Oscar nominated short films.  This has become one of my favorite movie events of the year.  Short films are quite a different art form than feature length films.  Connections with characters must be made so quickly and interest in the story must be gained within the first couple of minutes, or all is lost. 

It’s really a shame more short films don’t get distributed with mainstream movies.  It would be a nice bonus for the viewers and the filmmakers.  You know what I mean if you saw Toy Story 3 at the theatre this year.  Below is a quick recap of this year’s nominees.  They are by category and in order of my preference.

LIVE ACTION

 THE CRUSH (Ireland) by Michael Creagh.  It’s the age old tale of schoolboy crush on his teacher.  Only this one has quite a twist.  When Ardal discovers that his teacher is engaged to be married, he decides to save her from a marriage to this less-than-admirable character by challenging him to a duel.  This one makes a couple of really good statements in a short period of time and would have been even better if a real actor, rather than the director’s son, had been chosen to play Ardal.

 WISH 143 (UK) by Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite.  A teenage terminally ill cancer patient tells the make-a-wish representative that his wish is to lose his virginity before he dies.  When his story hits the newspaper, it doesn’t go as he wished.  With a little help from a Priest and a very thoughtful young lady played by the very talented Jodie Whittaker (Venus), the boy’s dreams are surpassed in a warm and surprising manner.

 THE CONFESSION (UK) by Tanel Toom.  Two young catholic school boys are on the verge of their first confession.  Being a bit confused on just what to confess, they stage a prank that inevitably goes horribly wrong.  Their response to this tragedy leads to yet another tragedy that is surely to scar for life.  Not very uplifting, but very well done.

 GOD OF LOVE (USA) by Luke Matheny.  The director plays a love song crooner who also happens to be an expert at darts, while terribly misguided on love.  His prayers are answered by the Olympus Foundation in a box of love darts.  Yes, these darts ignite the openness required for two people to fall in love.  While it doesn’t turn out exactly as he had hoped, Olympus rewards his efforts with a promotion to full Cupid status.

 NA WEWE (Belgium) by Ivan Goldschmidt.  This is mid 90’s Burundi and a war between the Hutus and Tutsis is waging.  The similarites to Don Cheadle‘s film Hotel Rwanda are inescapable, but this is limited to one incident where a van full of passengers is stopped and the frightening process of sorting out begins.

 

ANIMATION

 DAY AND NIGHT (USA) by Teddy Newton.  I feel a bit guilty selecting this Pixar production as my favorite, but it is simply another example of the genius we have come to expect from these people.  Sunny dispositioned “Day” stumbles into the dark, gloomy “Night” and the battle begins.  It’s only when they see the world through each other’s eyes that they began to celebrate their similarities and differences.  Whatever you do, don’t mistake this for the lame Tom Cruise movie, Knight and Day.

 THE GRUFFALO (Germany) by Jakob Schuh and Max Lang.  This probably would have been my favorite had it been original instead of based on the children’s book by Julia Donaldson.  The story, message and animation are all superb and it even has hints of Dr. Seuss!  Care for any Owl Ice Cream?

 LET’S POLLUTE (USA) by Geefwee Boedoe.  Created by a Disney animator, this brilliant work is done in the style of a 1960’s educational film … only with top notch satire that instructs the viewer on how to be a better polluter!  The voice-over is tremendous and the lessons can’t be missed.  Want it.  Waste it.

 MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY (French) by Bastien Dubois.  This is the most artfully drawn of the nominees.  The watercolors are beautiful and the movements are unique and eye-catching.  Even the music is terrific and unusual.  Presented to us as scrapbook pages describing a trip, we experience many people and the culture, and even the affect on the artist.  This one just needed a bit more substance and it could have jumped to the top of the list.

 THE LOST THING (Australia) by Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann.  A guy discovers a most unusual creature just by being a bit more observant than the masses who seem to be lost in their own world.  He helps the thing find it’s place in the world and proves the point that we all belong somewhere … oh yeah, and pay attention to your surroundings!

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Posted by David Ferguson

TAXI DRIVER (1976) revisited

February 11, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness.  I was excited to hear Dallas Morning News film critic Chris Vognar  put together a monthly film series focusing on the 1970’s.  The first showing was last night and, of course, I attended … Martin Scorcese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver.  The biggest surprise of the evening came when Mr. Vognar asked for a show of hands from those who had not previously seen the film … approximately HALF admitted it was their first time. 

Now I have seen the film 12-15 times, and last night made the third time on the big screen – counting the first time which was at a Drive-In!  The surprising thing about the first timers was that they were somehow drawn to it 35 years after release, but had never felt strongly enough to rent the video or include on their NetFlix list.  Maybe it was the lure of the Q&A with a noted film critic or maybe they just wanted it in a theatre setting.  Either way, it was very interesting to hear crowd reactions from so many who were witnessing the Schrader/Scorcese work for the first time.

 Whether you have seen the film or not, chances are good that you are familiar with the “You talking to me?” scene.  Robert DeNiro improvised the scene including the key line “Well I’m the only one here.”  That line goes straight to the theme of isolation and alienation that runs throughout.  Another interesting aspect to consider is the similarity between this film and John Ford’s classic The Searchers.  Both include no-holds-barred rescue missions (by war veterans losing their grip) to save a girl who may or may not want to be rescued.  In The Searchers, it’s Natalie Wood with the Comanche Indians; and here it’s 12 year old Jodie Foster with her pimp, played by Harvey Keitel. 

Taxi Driver certainly takes on a different look today, than it did when it was first released.  It was surely not endorsed by the New York Chamber of Commerce as we spend two hours in the filthiest, most crime-addled areas of the city.  Of course, today, much of that same area is touristy and revenue-producing (in a legal way!).  The campaigning by the slick politician and his idealistic supporters (Albert Brooks, Cybill Shepherd) ring as true today as then … kind of sad more progress hasn’t been made.

 This is a very tough film about one man’s slow descent from sanity caused by a seemingly impossible dream of cleaning up the streets of the city and the morals of its inhabitants.  The isolation and alienation themes hold up well today, and though it may not be Scorcese’s absolute best, it could be DeNiro’s rawest performance.  For a chuckle (you’ll need it after watching it), imagine the film directed by Brian DePalma (Scarface) and starring Dustin Hoffman … it almost happened!

Next month’s showing is the underrated Hal Ashby/Robert Towne 1973 film The Last Detail, which features a 35 year old Jack Nicholson in full scene-chewing glory … one of my all-time favorites!

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Posted by David Ferguson

REACTION: OSCAR NOMS (2011)

January 25, 2011

Greetings again from the darkness.  Announcement Day for the Oscars is always fun!  Arguing about who got a nom that they didn’t deserve? Who was snubbed?  Were politics involved? (Yes, always).  Pleasant Surprises? Disappointments?  All that makes for indigestion-inducing lunchtime banter … and the ceremony (the 83rd) is still 33 days away! So below are just a few of my observations and reactions to today’s announcements … these are NOT my predictions.  At the end, there are two links.  One to my Best of 2010 list, and the other to a full list of nominations.  
 
1. BEST PICTURE: thrilled to see Winter’s Bone get a nom (4 in total).  It’s a  shame more people didn’t see this little film (box office less than $7 million) during it’s theatrical run. It’s very compelling and features two of the best performances of the year.  Toy Story 3 (my favorite film of the year) got nominated for both Best Picture and Best Animated Feature … and it deserves both.  Other than that, I just don’t have much to say about this category as it was pretty easy to predict (except for Winter’s Bone vs. The Town).  Not a year for great movies, but there were plenty of good ones!
 
2. DIRECTOR: OK, this one actually bothers me.  How does Christopher Nolan (pictured) get snubbed AGAIN?  I certainly understand how some people don’t like his movie Inception, but it was nominated for Best Picture and it, more than any other film on the list, is clearly a director’s film.  Mr. Nolan is an amazing filmmaker who has somehow ended up on the “naughty” list for Academy voters.  With ten Best Pic nominees and only five Best Director nominees, there will always be some terrific directors who are left out.  Nolan should not have been one.  If you ask me who should have been left off for Nolan, my answer is David O. Russell for The Fighter.  It is a terrific movie, but we all know this has been Mark Wahlberg’s pet project for almost a decade.
 
3. LEAD ACTOR: Two rarities here: a Lead Actor nomination for a non-English speaking role (Javier Bardem) and back-to-back years (Jeff Bridges).  Bardem’s film Biutiful will just start gaining release this upcoming weekend, and Bridges was terrific in the Rooster Cogburn role that won John Wayne his only Oscar.  While this is not a list of my predictions, it seems pretty clear that Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) is the lead horse in this race.  I had hoped Robert Duvall (Get Low) might sneak in, but the buzz of The Social Network got Jesse Eisenberg some recognition. It will also be interesting to see how they handle James Franco’s (127 Hours) nomination since he is also one of this year’s co-hosts!
 
4. LEAD ACTRESS: Was relieved that Julianne Moore did not get a nomination.  I thought both she and Annette Bening overacted in their roles as lesbian parents in The Kids Are All Right.  Ms. Bening did get a nom and may get the win (vs Natalie Portman) since she has been wrongfully overlooked in the past. The other three nominees were all fantastic, but in movies very few people actually saw.   Jennifer Lawrence (pictured, Winter’s Bone) is my breakout star of the year.
 
5. SUPPORTING ACTOR AND ACTRESS:  Along with Jennifer Lawrence, three of my six favorite performances this year all belong to women in this category – Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), and Jacki Weaver (pictured Animal Kingdom).   My other two favorite performances are also noted in this category for the men – Christian Bale (The Fighter) and John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone).  I would not have picked Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), but it is her best work since A Room with a View.
 
6. FILM EDITING.  I know … you don’t realy care about this category, but I must mention the major snub of Inception (Lee Smith).  Whether you like the film or not, there is no argument to how well it is edited.  Not only should have been nominated, but should have been the clear front runner.  Bah.
 
7. SCREENPLAY : only oddity is that Black Swan was not nominated, and in it’s place was Mike Leigh’s Another Year.  The rest of the nominations followed the Best Picture list.
 
8. DOCUMENTARY: some will argue that Waiting for Superman should have been nominated.  I believe that argument is based on the importance of the topic, rather than the quality of the film.  Very cool that Exit Through the Gift Shop scored a nomination.  Banksy.
 
9. VISUAL EFFECTS: the third biggest snub belongs to Tron: Legacy.  The tidal wave opening scene in Hereafter was amazing, but the entire Tron film was a study in spectacular special effects.  I believe the Academy voters took it’s brilliant production for granted.
 
Sure there are some minor quibbles, but for the most part, this year’s nominations were pretty easy to predict.  That said, the eventual winners might not be so clear cut.  I will post my Oscar predictions as we get closer to the ceremony.  In the meantime, let me know what you think.  Did your favorite get snubbed?  Did one you hated get nominated?  This is much more fun to complain about than your job!!

Oscar Nominations: http://oscar.go.com/nominations

Best of 2010: https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/annual-bests-2/best-of-2010/

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Posted by David Ferguson

Best of 2010

January 4, 2011

Greetings again from the darkness.  The BEST OF 2010 has posted!  As always, it includes not just my favorites, but also some special features … “Best of the Rest” and “Oldie but Goodie“.  You can access all Best of lists since 2004 on the site, or you can click on the link below and it will take you directly to 2010.  Let me know what you think!

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/annual-bests-2/best-of-2010/

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Posted by David Ferguson

TCM Remembers 2010

December 11, 2010

Greetings again from the darkness.  Below is the just released tribute video from Turner Classic Movies for those who passed away in 2010 after leaving their mark in the entertainment business.  My friend Robert wanted it noted that the recent passing of John Leslie is not included … evidently he was one of Robert’s  favorite “performers”.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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