Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Wackness

"I look at the dopeness in life, and you look at the wackness." During the summer of 1994, 18-year-old dope dealer angst-filled Jeffrey seeks counsel from a psychiatrist in exchange for a gram of pot. It turns out his psychiatrist is more wacked than Jeffery who is just trying to earn the love of Dr. Squire's step-daughter. Jeffery is played by Josh Peck who is charming and likable -- he pushes an ice cart around New York City filled with dime bags while moping about life. The movie centers around his friendship with Dr. Squire played by Ben Kingsley who is hilarious as the depressed man-child. Their conversations about how to make it through troubled times, an unhappy marriage and arguing parents, are well-written and insightful. I really enjoyed The Wackness.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Deb wins 2009 Oscar Challenge! Bummer.

2009 Oscar Picks – The Great Deb V. Mary Challenge
Winners in bold
Mary = X 18/24
Deb = X 20/24
Winner = Deb

BEST PICTURE[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Frost/Nixon[ ] Milk[ ] The Reader[ XX] Slumdog Millionaire

DIRECTOR[ ] David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon[ ] Gus Van Sant, Milk[ ] Stephen Daldry, The Reader[X X] Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY[ ] Frozen River[ ] Happy-Go-Lucky[ X] In Bruges[ X ] Milk[ ] WALL-E

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Doubt[ ] Frost/Nixon[ ] The Reader[ X X] Slumdog Millionaire

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE[ ] Richard Jenkins, The Visitor[ ] Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon[ X ] Sean Penn, Milk[ ] Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[X ] Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE[ ] Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married[ ] Angelina Jolie, Changeling[ ] Melissa Leo, Frozen River[ ] Meryl Streep, Doubt[ XX] Kate Winslet, The Reader

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE[ ] Josh Brolin, Milk[ ] Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder[ ] Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt[ X X] Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight[ ] Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE[ ] Amy Adams, Doubt[ X X] Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona[ ] Viola Davis, Doubt[ ] Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM[ ] The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)[ ] The Class (France) [ ] Departures (Japan)[ ] Revanche (Austria)[ X X ] Waltz with Bashir (Israel)


ANIMATED FEATURE[ ] Bolt[ ] Kung Fu Panda[ X X] WALL-E

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE[ ] The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)[ ] Encounters at the End of the World[ ] The Garden[ X X ] Man on Wire[ ] Trouble the Water

DOCUMENTARY SHORT[ ] The Conscience of Nhem En[ ] The Final Inch[X ] Smile Pinki[ X ] The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

SHORT FILM - ANIMATED[ ] La Maison En Petits Cubes[ ] Lavatory - Lovestory[ ] Oktapodi[ X X ] Presto[ ] This Way Up

SHORT FILM - LIVE ACTION[ ] Auf Der Strecke (On the Line)[ ] Manon on the Asphalt[ ] New Boy[X ] The Pig[ X ] Spielzeugland (Toyland)

ORIGINAL SCORE[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Defiance[ ] Milk[ X X] Slumdog Millionaire[ ] WALL-E

ORIGINAL SONG[ ] "Down to Earth" - WALL-E[ X X] "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire[ ] "O Saya" - Slumdog Millionaire

ART DIRECTION[ ] Changeling[ X X] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] The Duchess[ ] Revolutionary Road

CINEMATOGRAPHY[ ] Changeling[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] The Reader[ X X] Slumdog Millionaire

COSTUME DESIGN[ X ] Australia[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[X ] The Duchess[ ] Milk[ ] Revolutionary Road

MAKEUP[ X ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ X] The Dark Knight[ ] Hellboy II: The Golden Army

SOUND MIXING[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ X X] The Dark Knight[ ] Slumdog Millionaire[ ] WALL-E[ ] Wanted

SOUND EDITING[ X X] The Dark Knight[ ] Iron Man[ ] Slumdog Millionaire[ ] WALL-E[ ] Wanted

VISUAL EFFECTS[ X X ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] Iron Man

FILM EDITING[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] Frost/Nixon[ ] Milk[ X X] Slumdog Millionaire

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Mary's 2009 Oscar Picks

X marks my 2009 Oscar picks. I am taking on my friend Deb for the 10th year in a row, or so. I will report results after the big event.

BEST PICTURE[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ ] Frost/Nixon [ ] Milk [ ] The Reader [ X ] Slumdog Millionaire

DIRECTOR [ ] David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ ] Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon[ ] Gus Van Sant, Milk[ ] Stephen Daldry, The Reader [X] Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY[ ] Frozen River[ ] Happy-Go-Lucky [ X] In Bruges [ ] Milk
[ ] WALL-E

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Doubt[ ] Frost/Nixon[ ] The Reader [ X] Slumdog Millionaire

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE[ ] Richard Jenkins, The Visitor [ ] Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon [ X ] Sean Penn, Milk [ ] Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ ] Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE [ ] Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married [ ] Angelina Jolie, Changeling[ ] Melissa Leo, Frozen River[ ] Meryl Streep, Doubt [ X ] Kate Winslet, The Reader

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE[ ] Josh Brolin, Milk [ ] Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder[ ] Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt [ X] Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight[ ] Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE[ ] Amy Adams, Doubt [ X] Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona[ ] Viola Davis, Doubt[ ] Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM [ ] The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)[ ] The Class (France) [ ] Departures (Japan)[ ] Revanche (Austria) [ X ] Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

ANIMATED FEATURE[ ] Bolt[ ] Kung Fu Panda [ X] WALL-E

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE[ ] The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)[ ] Encounters at the End of the World[ ] The Garden[ X ] Man on Wire[ ] Trouble the Water

DOCUMENTARY SHORT[ ] The Conscience of Nhem En[ ] The Final Inch [X ] Smile Pinki[ ] The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

SHORT FILM - ANIMATED[ ] La Maison En Petits Cubes [ ] Lavatory - Lovestory
[ ] Oktapodi [ X ] Presto [ ] This Way Up

SHORT FILM - LIVE ACTION [ ] Auf Der Strecke (On the Line) [ ] Manon on the Asphalt[ ] New Boy[X ] The Pig[ ] Spielzeugland (Toyland)

ORIGINAL SCORE[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ ] Defiance [ ] Milk
[ X] Slumdog Millionaire [ ] WALL-E

ORIGINAL SONG [ ] "Down to Earth" - WALL-E [ X] "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire[ ] "O Saya" - Slumdog Millionaire

ART DIRECTION[ ] Changeling[ X] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ ] The Dark Knight[ ] The Duchess[ ] Revolutionary Road

CINEMATOGRAPHY[ ] Changeling[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] The Reader[ X] Slumdog Millionaire

COSTUME DESIGN [ ] Australia [ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ X ] The Duchess [ ] Milk [ ] Revolutionary Road

MAKEUP [ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ X] The Dark Knight[ ] Hellboy II: The Golden Army

SOUND MIXING[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [ X] The Dark Knight[ ] Slumdog Millionaire[ ] WALL-E [ ] Wanted

SOUND EDITING[ X] The Dark Knight [ ] Iron Man [ ] Slumdog Millionaire [ ] WALL-E [ ] Wanted

VISUAL EFFECTS [ X ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] Iron Man

FILM EDITING[ ] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button[ ] The Dark Knight[ ] Frost/Nixon[ ] Milk [ X] Slumdog Millionaire

Friday, February 20, 2009

He's Just Not That Into You

I went to a movie while visiting my parents in New Mexico, -- I wanted to go to Milk or Doubt or something edifying, but no such movie existed there. So I decided to go To She’s Just Not That Into You. The movie has a huge ensemble cast: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Justin Long. I know it looks kinda cheesy, but it has all of those famous actors in it and it wasn’t getting terrible reviews like Confessions of a Shopaholic (with the super cute Hugh Dancy), so I went to it. Initially, I thought I would go to it last Saturday night. Luckily, I realized that it was Valentine’s Day. I don’t know, but going to that movie by myself on Valentine’s Day, might have made me feel like a loser. So anyway, I went to it later in the week and was mildly entertained. I enjoyed especially the cute Ginnifer Goodwin from Big Love and I also found Justin Long (the dorky teen the TV show Ed) also more charming than I could have imagined he could be. But beyond that the movie wasn’t that clever or interesting. I think it would have better they would have cut the couples by half. I think they were going for a Love Actually kinda feel and they totally missed. I was pleased to see the sleazy couple played by Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson, get their comeuppance in the end. But what was the beautiful Jennifer Connelly doing acting so pathetic? As a matter of fact, all of the female characters were so pathetic acting—but at least Goodwin’s character did it with charm.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Oscar Reflections

I didn't see any presentable movies to write about this weekend. Well, scratch that, I did watch on cable Roman Holiday for the umpteenth time. Such a grand movie if you have never seen it, do so, soon! Gregory Peck is regal and handsome and Audrey Hepburn is lovely and graceful. In fact, it’s hard to take your eyes of either of them. Well worth seeing. (see my list of favorite romantic comedies)

But I have wanted to spout my opinions about the Oscar nominations, mainly to say I am underwhelmed by the lack of greatness in the best picture nominees. The best picture nominations are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader, Frost/Nixon, and Milk. Maybe I am unenthused and a hypocrite because of the five, I have only seen Slumdog Millionaire, which is very entertaining but has a high cheese factor. Besides Milk, which I want to see, the rest don't interest me too much.

I am also disappointed that Sally Hawkins was not nominated for Happy-Go-Lucky. That seems like a huge oversight. And another favorite movie of mine this year is Vicky Christina Barcelona which only got one nomination and that was in the best supporting actress category for Penelope Cruz who was great, but I also thought at the very least the movie should have gotten a best original screenplay nomination. In Bruges did get a very well deserved nomination for original screen play, but both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson were not nominated for best supporting actor and they were AWESOME!

So, in summary, three of my favorite movies of the year did not get the kind of recognitions they deserve:
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Vicky Christina Barcelona

No Fair! :(

Monday, February 2, 2009

Weird Movie Weekend

Last weekend I saw two disturbing films, Savage Grace and the Fingersmith. I did not intend to watch two movies of such a freaky nature all in one weekend, but Netflix has control over my movie watching habits and decided it would be a good idea.

First, Savage Grace. This movie is about the real life murder of Barbara Baekeland who was killed by her son. Wait, that’s not the freaky part. The mother and son have a sexual relationship according to the movie makers – and that’s just something you don’t want to see on film – the whole family is weird as a matter of fact and I think the movie makers decided to take a strange real life story and make it even weirder. There are great actors in this movie though: Julianne Moore, Stephane Dillane, Hugh Dancy, and a newish cutie on the movie scene, Eddie Redmayne as the disturbed son (Redmayne is also Angel in the latest Tess of the Durbyville, FYI) Despite good acting and lovely filming in Spain, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to see this movie. I can’t imagine why I wanted to see this movie.

Next, weird movie on the docket, Fingersmith. Based on a Susan Waters historic novel, Fingersmith imagines a lesbian love story in Victorian England. The movie has mysterious twists and turns with mistaken identities and babies switched at birth etc. and even a tyrannical uncle who collects pornographic books. It’s sort of a modern take on a Dickens-like plot. It was actually quite good and definitely not predictable. Plus, my new favorite actress, Sally Hawkins, from Happy-Go-Lucky is in it. Strange, but worth seeing. It was originally shown in the UK on BBC and is a two part mini-series.