Who the Hell Are These People?

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Lisa Marie Bowman

With the Golden Globe nominations set to be announced on Tuesday, I figured now would be a good time to recap which films and performances have already been honored by the various critics groups.

One thing that I discovered as I researched this is that there are a lot of critics groups out there! I don’t know who half these people are and most of them probably won’t have any bearing at all on who is actually nominated come Oscar time. But since I’m a lover of trivia and lists, there you go.

The following films and performances were honored by either The National Board of Review, the D.C. Film Critics, the Boston Society of Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Online,The Los Angeles Film Critics, The Indiana Film Journalists, The Southeastern Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Circle, or the San Francisco Film Critics.

Best Picture:

The Social Network (All. That’s right, it’s a clean sweep for an above average film.)

Best Director:

Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan (S.F)

Olivier Assayas for Carlos (LAFC)

David Fincher for The Social Network (BSFC, DC, NBR, NYFCC, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

Christopher Nolan for Inception (IFJ)

Best Actor:

Jesse Eisenberg (BSFC, NBR)

Colin Firth for The King’s Speech (DC, LAFC, NYFCC, SEFC, S.F.)

James Franco for 127 Hours (IFJ, NYFCO)

Best Actress:

Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

Kim Hye-ja for Mother (LAFC)

Jennifer Lawrence for Winter’s Bone (DC)

Lesley Manville for Another Year (NBR)

Natalie Portman for Black Swan (BSFC, IFJ, NYFCO, SEFC)

Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine (S.F.)

Best Supporting Actor:

Niels Arestrup for A Prophet (LAFC)

Christian Bale for The Fighter (BSFC, DC, IFJ, NBR, NYFCO)

John Hawkes for Winter’s Bone (S.F.)

Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech (SEFC)

Best Supporting Actress:

Melissa Leo for The Fighter (DC, NYFCC, NYFCO)

Juliette Lewis for Conviction (BSFC)

Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit (IFJ, SEFC)

Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom (LAFC, NBR, S.F.)

Best Documentary:

Exit Through The Gift Shop (DC, IFJ, NYFCO)

The Inside Job (NYFCC, SEFC)

Last Train Home (LAFC)

Marwencol (BSFC)

The Tillman Story (S.F.)

Waiting For Superman (NBR)

Best Animated Feature:

How To Train Your Dragon (IFJ)

The Illusionist (NYFCC)

Toy Story 3 (BSFC, DC, LAFC, NBR, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Social Network (BSFC, DC, IFJ, LAFC, NYFCO, SEFC, S.F.)

Best Original Screenplay:

Inception (DC)

The Kids Are All Right (NYFCC)

The Kings Speech (SEFC, S.F.)

A Bonus-Sized Collection Of Trailers, Part Two

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Part two of this week’s bonus-sized edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation trailers actually kinda sorta has a theme or two. One unintentional theme is that most of the movies highlighted here have not been released on DVD in the U.S. However, the other intentional theme is that, to quote the old song, “the female of the species is deadlier than the male.”

(You can view themeless part one of this week’s edition by clicking here.)

1) The Female Bunch

“They swore never again to let a man hurt them…” See, the grindhouse has a lot more to teach us than many realize. The Female Bunch was released in 1969 but it was actually filmed a year earlier at the Spahn Movie Ranch which was also the home of Charles Manson and his followers at the time. It’s rumored that members of the Manson Family can be spotted in the film as extras. It was directed by Al Adamson who, 30 years later, would be murdered and buried in cement.

2) Some Girls Do

Is it even necessary for me to state that this film came out in the 60s? 1969 to be exact. Some girls do? I certainly know I do.

3) Danger Girls

Yes, this one is from 1969 too. It was directed by the one and only Rene Cardona, Jr. For those keeping track, this one is about a “sinister organization of beautiful girls … driven by a lust for blood.”

4) Scorpions and MiniSkirts

This (as opposed to The Graduate or Bonnie and Clyde) was apparently the most surprising production of 1967. It says so right in the trailer. I just like the title, perhaps because I’m a Scorpio who likes to show off her legs.

5) The Miniskirt Mob

By 1968, scorpions were no longer in fashion but the miniskirt was still très chic. “They ride hard…no matter what they’re mounted on!”

6) 7 Golden Women Against Two 007

This is from 1966 and I really don’t know what to say about it other than … well, 1966. If any of you men out there want to know why the female of the species became deadlier than the male, the answer is to be found in this trailer here. Call it self-defense. That said, this trailer fascinates me because, seriously, what the Hell’s going on? I fear I may never know as this film has apparently never been released on DVD.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Official Trailer)

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Arleigh

I’m a big Captain Jack Sparrow fan and I really enjoyed the first film, but the two films which went after it were a tad disappointing. Depp’s performances in both sequels were pretty good as always and most of the supporting cast as well, but the characters played by Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley were so boring that they nearly sunk both sequels. Luckily, Depp’s Sparrow was too much for even those two bores to fully sink.

Everyone thought that At World’s End was the last in the franchise, but despite lackluster reviews it still made Disney a pirate’s treasure of a profit once all the box-office was tabulated. So, out goes original director of the franchise in Gore Verbinski and in to replace him is one Rob Marshall who now starts up a new trilogy for the franchise with some new faces in addition to some welcome old ones.

Penelope Cruz comes in as a woman from Jack’s past and Ian McShane takes on the role of the pirate of all pirates: Edward “Blackbeard” Teach. Just the mention of the one and only Ian Swearingen as Blackbeard was enough to raise my hopes that this milking of the franchise will at least be entertaining and that maybe new blood in the cast will keep it from being boring.

The New York Toadsuckers Have Spoken

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Lisa Marie Bowman

As I mentioned in my last post, the New York Film Critics Circle voted on and announced their picks for the best films of the year today. Looking over the winners, all I can say is — YAWN!

Best Film:
The Social Network

Best Director:
David Fincher, The Social Network

Best Screenplay:
The Kids Are All Right

Best Actress:
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Best Actor:
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

Best Supporting Actress:
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Best Supporting Actor:
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Best Cinematography:
Black Swan

Best Animated Film:
The Illusionist

Best Non-fiction Film:
Inside Job

Best Foreign Language Film:
Carlos

Best First Feature:
Animal Kingdom

Over on Awardsdaily.com, the response to the New York Critics was: “NO ONE wrote a better screenplay than Aaron Sorkin this year.”

(And yes, they specifically put that statement in bold print with NO ONE capitalized, just to make sure that the point came through.)

Really? NO ONE? It’s time to admit the truth — The Social Network has gone from being a movie to being a cult. Apparently, even suggesting that any other movie might deserve an honor or two this year is an act of heresy. Sorry, New York Film Critics. Prepare yourself to be eaten by lions while the Sorkinites watch and cheer.

That said, the screenplay for The Kids Are All Right had all the depth of a sitcom. And Mark Ruffalo’s supporting performance was good but nothing that couldn’t have been done by just about any other scruffy actor in Hollywood. And while Annette Bening did a good job with her role, this is the year of Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Noomi Rapace in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Katie Jarvis in Fish Tank, and Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone. This was a year in which so many actresses gave unique, unexpected performances in roles that redefined the stereotypical cinematic female lead. Annette Bening was good but so many were great.

It’s also interesting to note that The Illusionist (which I haven’t seen and know very little about) was named best animated feature as opposed to the presumed favorite, Toy Story 3. Just a few months ago, the general assumption seemed to be that Toy Story 3 would easily pick up a best picture nod but it seems like that storyline’s been forgotten in all the hype surrounding The Social Network.

The L.A. Film Critics Have Spoken

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Lisa Marie Bowman

A whole lot of critics’ groups announced their picks for the best films and performances of the year today and the New York Film Critics are voting as I type. I’m on lunch from work right now so a full list will have to wait until later tonight. For now, I’m just going to share the choices made by the Los Angeles Film Critics. The L.A. Critics are one of the big three as far as critics groups are concerned.

As I’ve said before, I think professional film critics are overrated but I just love awards. And, of course, all of these December awards tend to serve as a precursor for who and what will receive Oscar nominations next year. At their best, these groups can remind Academy voters of films and performances that they might otherwise overlook. Certainly, if Jacki Weaver receives a deserved nomination for Animal Kingdom, it’ll be largely due to organizations like the National Board of Review and the L.A. Film Critics.

Anyway, since my time is limited, I’m going to simply post the winners and then add a few comments on my own.

PICTURE:

“The Social Network”
Runner-up: “Carlos”

DIRECTOR:

Olivier Assayas, “Carlos,” and David Fincher, “The Social Network” (tie)

ACTOR:

Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
Runner-up: Edgar Ramirez, “Carlos”

ACTRESS:

Kim Hye-ja, “Mother”
Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Niels Arestrup, “A Prophet”
Runner-up: Geoffrey Rush, “The King’s Speech”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”
Runner-up: Olivia Williams, “The Ghost Writer”

SCREENPLAY:

Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network”
Runner-up: David Seidler, “The King’s Speech”

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

“Carlos”
Runner-up: “Mother”

ANIMATION:

“Toy Story 3″
Runner-up: “The Illusionist”

DOCUMENTARY / NON-FICTION FILM:

“Last Train Home”
Runner-up: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”

CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Matthew Libatique, “Black Swan”
Runner-up: Roger Deakins, “True Grit”

MUSIC/SCORE:

Alexandre Desplat, “The Ghost Writer,” and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “The Social Network” (tie)

PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Guy Hendrix Dyas, “Inception”
Runner-up: Eve Stewart, “The King’s Speech”

NEW GENERATION:

Lena Dunham, “Tiny Furniture”

DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM/VIDEO:

“Film Socialism”

LEGACY OF CINEMA AWARDS:

Serge Bromberg, “Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno,” and the F.W. Murnau Foundation and Fernando Pena for the restoration of “Metropolis”

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT:

Paul Mazursky

The main news here, I guess, is just how well foreign language films did in the voting. I haven’t seen Carlos and seeing as how I’m basically in fly-over country, I doubt I’ll get a chance to see it before the Oscar nominations are announced. I do have Mother on DVD and I’m going to watch it sometime before the start of the new year. It’s also nice to see some attention being given to A Prophet.

Obviously, I’m disappointed not to see more love for Black Swan but I guess it’s to be expected as Black Swan is one of those films that people either love madly or hate with a passion. I think that’s why The Social Network will win big at the Oscars this year. It’s well-made and offensive only if you’re 1) female or 2) Mark Zuckerberg.