tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51216910928449431052024-02-08T06:10:30.611+00:00The Movie HackA blog of movie reviews, opinions, with intelligent insights and critique....Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-71183954618704218202020-10-12T14:35:00.006+01:002020-10-12T14:46:05.399+01:00Top Movies About Television<p style="text-align: left;"> It seems like TV has usurped movies these days as the medium of choice for serious storytelling, with the best directors, actors and writers flocking to it in the past two decades.<br /></p><p>Ever since Oz, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under around the turn of the century, there have been a host of quality TV programs like Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Lost, which raised the bar for what TV could do.<br />But what about the movies? Over the years there have been a series of amazing movies <i>about</i> <a href="https://www.switchrentals.co.uk/product-category/televisions/" target="_blank"><b>television</b></a>. <br />Let's take a look at some of the great flicks about the telebox.......</p><h3><b>Network</b></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvOcx9RdhG58tgGG90d20I9uwz-oO25FyhhE6z8yazqMdkf3A9yHKZLodQXdG8RjJ4ODQcAYUb26sQVAaZYILr0PCCbCDPPbj83JaQkd2kk0zK8l8IU7HpA4kHpP2JAff-sONZWLodpQ/s1920/network+movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvOcx9RdhG58tgGG90d20I9uwz-oO25FyhhE6z8yazqMdkf3A9yHKZLodQXdG8RjJ4ODQcAYUb26sQVAaZYILr0PCCbCDPPbj83JaQkd2kk0zK8l8IU7HpA4kHpP2JAff-sONZWLodpQ/s320/network+movie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" one of the most famous quotes in 1970s cinema, Network tells the story of the breakdown of ageing newscaster (played by Peter Finch) whose has grown cynical of his craft and the changing ways of broadcast media. His public breakdown on screen during a news broadcast causes a moment of truth that resonates with audiences, but he comes to find there are consequences for speaking his mind.<p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Insider</h3><p>1999's Michael Mann flick about the cover up of the health implications of cigarette smoking had an all star cast with the likes of Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Michael Gambon and Christopher Plummer. </p><p>Based around a 60 Minutes episode, Pacino plays a producer on the iconic show who reaches out to whistleblower and tobacco industry executive, Jeffrey Wigand, played by Crowe. Suffice it to say, it's not plain sailing for the TV show's crusading fight to secure an exclusive. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Good Night and Good Luck</h3><p>A rare directorial outing for actor George Clooney, the movie focusses on the Hollywood anti communist witch hunts of the 50s, during which time there was government led purge of anyone with left wing sympathies from the media. </p><p>Released in 2005 around the time of the Iraq war, the film provided and interesting commentary on the media's unquestioning promotion of the march towards war in the years prior.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Broadcast News</h3><p>A lighter entry, this 1987 romantic comedy that focusses on the relationship between news producer Holly Hunter, her friend and gifted reporter Albert Brooks and love rival William Hurt. The movie was selected for preservation as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/">National Film Registry</a> at the Library of Congress. </p><h3><b>Groundhog Day</b></h3><p style="text-align: left;">One of my favourite films, starring a mischievous Bill Murray as a reporter who goes on location to film the annual revealing of the groundhog at town Punxsutawney. He finds himself trapped, repeating</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12CxYQfvAhthZxzmo-akc4xmWDfUwKjUIrhzXVE431Uj-ne1hLZEAjsews8L_zjIbw16VmiwrPMupdEVqoAobLu4heAJjz30T7EZlfPHJZUMP2PpHLTWhORrANiz1lD9bOBVD6MxvbY8/s600/bill+murray.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12CxYQfvAhthZxzmo-akc4xmWDfUwKjUIrhzXVE431Uj-ne1hLZEAjsews8L_zjIbw16VmiwrPMupdEVqoAobLu4heAJjz30T7EZlfPHJZUMP2PpHLTWhORrANiz1lD9bOBVD6MxvbY8/s320/bill+murray.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> the same day over and over again - until he can learn to get it right. Managing to distil spiritual principles and a humanistic philosophy with a wry sense of humour, the film manages to be thought provoking and deeply funny. A film for the ages. <p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorman:_The_Legend_of_Ron_Burgundy">Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy</a></b></h3><p>Arguably lighter, sillier version of Broadcast News, Anchorman shows the skills of Will Ferrell in probably his best film, as a handsome but dim news anchor. Comfortable in his comfort zone of the male dominated world of broadcasting, he's threatened by and finds himself attracted to newly hired reporter Veronica Corningstone, played by Christina Applegate, who matches his comic chops perfectly.</p><p><br /></p>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-42820594160354129802018-08-08T14:01:00.000+01:002018-08-08T14:04:00.112+01:00Best Gambling Movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We love nothing more than a flutter at the bookies, or a spin of the roulette wheel at the casino. If you do then you should really <a href="https://www.bettingmastery.co.uk/" target="_blank">check this site out</a>. In the meantime, From high stakes games at the casino Royale, to the seedy strips of downtown Vegas, Here's out pick of the best gambing movies out there....</div>
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Rounders</h3>
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A fine 90s pick, this movie sees a young Matt Damon playing a student who pays for his college fees <br />
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by mastering the fine art of poker for big stakes. With some big names including John Malkovich, Edward Norton and John Tutturo, it has some big set pieces including a final, big stakes game which raises the pressure.</div>
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Casino</h3>
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Continuing the rich vein that Scorsese was plowing at his best after Goodfellas, this movie sees De Niro and Pesci team up again for a tale of mob controlled casinos in Vegas. Just remember, Paul Verhoven was making Showgirls at the same time, about the same city! With a Rolling Stones soundtrack, great acting, and Sharon Stone, what else could a boy ask for?</div>
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<br />Hard Eight</h3>
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Paul Thomas Anderson's first bit feature film is an underrated classic, and involves down and outs in Vegas, gambling debts, hustlers and prostitutes, as you'd expect. With a cast including John C Reilly, Gwneth Paltrow, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Phil Baker Hall, it has many of the classic hallmarks of a PTA flick. A hark back to the character driven auteur style movies of the 1970s, there's some great dialogue, and it's a great first mark for the man who would go on to make Boogie Nights next.</div>
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Croupier</h3>
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Starring a young Clive Owen (or should that be Clive Warren?) about a man who is a croupier by night, and writes in the daytime. His existing girlfriend is usurped by a head turning Alex Kingston (River Song of Dr Who), who wants to bet against the house and bring it down. With the classic line 'hold on tightly, let go lightly', it's a great showcase for a young actor who would go on to be in some amazing movies, not least Children of Men. </div>
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<br />The Colour Of Money</h3>
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Another Scorsese flick, this 80s movie starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise in which the old pool hustler takes on a protege is the stuff the decade was made of. Newman won the Academy award for the leading role of 'Fast Eddie', which he reprised from the Hustler (1961), which is, by all accounts, the better movie. By the time of this movie Eddie is a retired salesman, and spots the potential in Cruise's character, spurring him on with advice and admonition including "<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">pool excellence is not about excellent pool."</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Coming of age and the battle between young and old all make an appearance.</span></div>
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The Hustler</h3>
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based on the Walter Tevis novel of 1959, some 20 plus years earlier, Newman played "fast Eddie" in the original movie The Hustler. It's all about a pool shark who moves from town to town hustling locals for all they're worth. Like all great gambling movies, it's really about winning and losing as a metaphor for life. It's also a insight into winning and losing at the heart of the American dream.</div>
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-76575554654649940062018-08-08T13:20:00.001+01:002018-08-08T13:20:43.214+01:00Upcoming Movies for 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hi people! It's been a while since I've posted and so I thought I should check in and look at some of big movies that are forthcoming in the second half of 2018, as we head towards the end of summer and beyond.....</div>
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Slender Man</h3>
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Slender Man is an internet myth that has grown over the years, and even been allegedly been responsible for several murders. Principle photography on the movie finished just last month, but given the anticipation around the story, can only grow. A girl disappears, and her friends go on the hunt for her, only to be haunted by the eponymous character. As a premise, using this character sounds intriguing, and we can only hope that it works.</div>
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<br />Bohemian Rhapsody</h3>
Sasha Baron Cohen may have missed out on the role due to creative differences, but Rami Malek of Mr Robot takes the rein, in what looks like a faithful telling of the Queen story. Since it's produced by the band themselves, expect a conservative telling of the story. And some great sing along moments.<br />
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<br />Venom</h3>
On our favourite actors, Tom Hardy, plays Marvel character Venom. While comic book movies have reached saturation point some time ago, there is occasionally a good one ,and we're hoping that this is it.<br />
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The Predator</h3>
Fans of the 80s original will have an eye on this upcoming remake about hostile aliens coming to attack earth after an alarm is set off. With director Shane Black one of the stars of the original, it will be interesting to see what he does with it.<br />
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-84055814519023609982014-06-04T00:41:00.001+01:002014-06-04T00:44:27.190+01:00Hack Update June 2014hi ladies and gents! Long time no see. It's been a lifetime since I updated this blog, and hopefully I'll call in more often.<br />
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In recent months, my passion for movies has been rekindled somewhat, and I have thoroughly enjoyed movies including<br />
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<a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/1/10/1389376102888/Maggie-Hyllenhall-Michael-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/1/10/1389376102888/Maggie-Hyllenhall-Michael-009.jpg" /></a><b>1. Frank:</b> A whimsical tale about the bit where music and madness meet. It has various hipster touchstones in it, like references to South By South West. Don't let that put you off. It's a funny but surprisingly sad tale of a band on the run in Ireland and then Texas, as a young man played by Domhnall Gleeson comes of age as their replacement keyboard player, with pretentions of power and youthful, ruthless ambition. The show is stolen by Michael Fassbender, who spends almost all of the movie behind a giant head mask with a permanently overjoyed expression on it. He plays the eccentric, deeply confused and fragile lead singer whose genius is curtailed by being bonkers. It's worth a watch, particularly if you've ever been young and in a band.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Llewyn Davis sure loves pussy</td></tr>
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<b>2. Inside Llewyn Davis:</b> continuing the music theme, Oscar Isaac, who is currently showing in The Two Faces Of January in (wow, symmetry) a tale of thwarted musical ambition, plays a folk singer in a burgeoning early 60s Grenwich Village folk scene, with contemporaries like Bob Dylan. It's a bittersweet tale as he tries to kick start his career, and the usual random, comedic yet strange touches by the Coen Brothers. Great supporting performances from Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake. Evokes early 60s New York beautifully as a place of crampt flats, dusty dark offices, and smoke filled nightclubs - it looks great, and the bittersweetness of watching the death of a romantic person's idealism coming up against reality is very moving.<br />
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<a href="http://tothesilverscreen.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/jesse-eisenberg-annoyed-by-his-doppelganger-in-the-double.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://tothesilverscreen.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/jesse-eisenberg-annoyed-by-his-doppelganger-in-the-double.jpg" /></a><b>3. The Double: </b>Richard Ayoade continues his excellent directing career with a step up professionally, with Jesse Eisenberg as the lead, a lonely, shy beta male character working in menal, low level office job. Until he discovers a man who looks exactly like him, but who exudes a massive level of charisma and personal charm - especially with the bosses and the ladies. Lots of complaints in reviews about how this is massively derivative of stuff like <b>Brazil</b> and other stuff, but just go and enjoy, it evokes this dark, claustrophobic world that is evocative of an imagined Eastern Bloc past, and just so compelling. It has an ambiguous, <b>Fight Club </b>style payoff, which almost had me shaking my fist at the screen, though.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/e/edge-of-tomorrow-footage-reaction-157860-a-1393944364-470-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/e/edge-of-tomorrow-footage-reaction-157860-a-1393944364-470-75.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a><b>4. Edge Of Tomorrow:</b> Went in with mixed expectations, after checking out the <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/" target="_blank">Tomatometer</a> and discovering this is doing quite well critically. <b>Oblivion</b>, last year's offering by Tom Cruise, was a bit middling, and sci-fi, so that lowed my expectations, however, but this is surprisingly good. Tom Cruise plays a reluctant hero who is forced into the frontline of a major battle on edge of mainland Europe, where an alien army is quickly colonising Earth and crushing everything in it's path. After becoming contaminated with a liquid from one of the Alien-like aliens, he repeats each day, meeting supersolidier Emily Blunt, who enlists him to work out how to defeat the enemy. It's been said it has elements of <b>Halo</b>, <b>Aliens</b>, <b>Groundhog Day</b> and <b>Source Code</b>, amongst others, but it puts them together in a compelling way. The shots of a militarised London, and decaying Paris are truly impressive and believable. Blunt looks more beautiful than ever, playing a Ripley/Sarah Connor style ass kicker. The chemistry is vintage Cruise, he's on fine form. It's a movie that looks like a shallow summer blockbuster, but actually has a certain amount of hidden depth.<br />
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That's all I've got time for right now. Other movies I thoroughly enjoyed in recent months were <b>Wolf Of Wall Street</b> (3.5/5), <b>The Hunt </b>(4/5), <b>Blue Ruin</b> (4/5), <b>Dallas Buyers Club </b>(4/5), H<b>er</b> (4/5) and <b>The Grand Budapest Hotel</b> (3.5/5). I suggest you check them all out, and maybe I'll without waiting 2 years next before next time.....Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-3001979000767354242012-11-06T15:07:00.001+00:002012-11-06T15:09:10.886+00:00Smashed - TrailerAs a massive fan of Aaron Paul and Breaking Bad, I couldn't wait for his appearance in a Hollywood movie. Yes, he's popped in a few small roles previously, but the massive critical and eventual commercial success of the show was bound to open doors, as it has for his partner in crime, Bryan Cranston.<br />
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Anyway, this looks like a great choice for the actor most famous as a meth addict and cook / dealer Jesse, that was have come to know in BB. A brutal tale of star crossed lovers struggling with alcoholism, Smashed looks like everything I'd hoped AP would show us, intelligent, character driven drama. It's out now in cinemas in the US, and lets hope it follows very soon here in the UK.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Uv48b4cpLCA?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-91588805312791116872012-10-31T23:09:00.002+00:002012-11-06T15:58:57.655+00:00Review: The Ides Of March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have avoided writing reviews for some time. And, when I became of The Ides Of March last year, on its' release, I avoided it too.<br />
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There was something about the notion of Hollywood liberal and UN Ambassador George Clooney and his actor pals doing a self congratulating movie about the death of American liberalism that just turned me off. But I read it wrong. This movie is far more nuanced, a fascinating a character study, and an analysis of the corruption of the human being inside the Machiavellian US political machine.<br />
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At the heart of it is not Clooney (who directs, but doesn't even really appear until several minutes in, and then only sporadically), playing Governor Mike Morris, a Presidential Candidate going through the rigours of a Democratic Primary election in Ohio. It's his campaign staff, namely heart-throb of the moment, Canadian Ryan Gosling as Steven Myers, his second in command, who the action centres on, and his development from idealistic political ingénue to cynical insider.<br />
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While the movie begins with Myers helping his boss Paul Zara, played with effortlessly and gracefully by Philip Seymour Hoffman, when the campaign hits a snag, he embarks on an affair with beautiful young intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood), 10 years his senior, who precociously seduces him.<br />
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But it's when he gets an offer from the rival campaign manager Paul Giamatti, and discovers a secret about Morris's personal life, that things begin to unravel, and his deep emotional bond of loyalty to his boss is questioned.<br />
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I have to say, I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would, and it's partly because of the highly skilled, effortless performances, great direction, and a wonderful story. It changes direction unexpectedly, but it perfectly paced.<br />
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The sense of corrupt system in which only the manipulative can survive is perfectly communicated, and little touches like the supporting performance and sub plot with the Marissa Tomei's journalist character, underscore the sense of younger, innocent people being chewed up and spat out by older, more cynical souls. Or worse, becoming like them, and trading their innocence for advancement in the process.<br />
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<b>Movie Hack Rating 4/5.</b>
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ides-March-Ryan-Gosling/dp/B0060ZJ7DA/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&keywords=ides%20of%20march&linkCode=ur2&qid=1351885323&sr=8-2&tag=thmoha05-20">Buy Ides Of March on DVD USA</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thmoha05-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Ides-March-UltraViolet-Digital-Blu-ray/dp/B0060ZJ7AI/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&keywords=ides%20of%20march&linkCode=ur2&qid=1351885323&sr=8-3&tag=thmoha05-20">Buy Ides Of March on Blu Ray in USA</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thmoha05-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Ides-March-Ryan-Gosling/dp/B005ZCSP0K/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&qid=1351725211&sr=8-1&tag=electricbargainstore-21">Buy Ides Of March on DVD in the UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=electricbargainstore-21&l=ur2&o=2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ides-March-Blu-ray-Ryan-Gosling/dp/B005ZCSP9Q/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&qid=1351725211&sr=8-2&tag=electricbargainstore-21">Buy Ides Of March on Blu Ray in UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=electricbargainstore-21&l=ur2&o=2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-11615824601147698032012-04-20T21:12:00.000+01:002012-04-20T21:12:27.276+01:00Review: Cabin In The Woods<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQS0k2us5HcszKBHgZIyW9b_B_lMEXPC_vlDrKa02Fj8JGvIon64K0Ro-jJvgWnKrtZjPDnuTBn1rtLq_nmas_S9jnVIJGPHjpSQoPK2TjPJS0PG-DD3pUXd-8gGhz7FpM37T-UVrLxY/s1600/cabin-in-the-woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQS0k2us5HcszKBHgZIyW9b_B_lMEXPC_vlDrKa02Fj8JGvIon64K0Ro-jJvgWnKrtZjPDnuTBn1rtLq_nmas_S9jnVIJGPHjpSQoPK2TjPJS0PG-DD3pUXd-8gGhz7FpM37T-UVrLxY/s320/cabin-in-the-woods.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Movies often arouse a variety of emotions in people, as is their intention, but fury is an unusual response. <div><br />
</div><div>But that's exactly what I felt this afternoon when I spent £8.80 of my own hard earned money to watch Cabin In The Woods, the Joss Wheldon produced/written horrommedy (Geddit?), which was hotly hyped by the wonderful Christy Lemire and her cohorts on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnG3MCEieXo" target="_blank">What The Flick</a>. I respect the collective opinions of Messrs Matt Atchity and Alonso Duralde, and Mme Lemire so much that I went to see the movie on their recommendation. Oh my how you let me down guys!</div><div><br />
</div><div>The attractive and capable cast is not the problem. Innocent heroine Dana (Kristen Connolly, pictured, right) is the lead protagonist of the movie, and joined this journey into wild woodlands by Thor, or Chris Helmsworth (pictured, left), who can be seen camping it up elsewhere in the current Avengers movie, and who plays an all American jock/ part time sociologist (this is supposed to connote emotional depth apparently). Meanwhile Anna Hutchinson plays The Slut, Fran Kranz* the fool/ stoner, and male model Jesse Williams plays against type as the scholar. </div><div><br />
</div><div>If these seem like unfair tropes, the standard fayre of horror movies, this is because Cabin In The Woods intends it to be so. It's very much a post modern deconstruction of the horror movie genre, begun by precursors like Scream, a decade ago, when viewers began searching for more cerebral horror as the thrills of the overly familiar genre were perceived to have run dry. </div><div><br />
</div><div>CITW ups the ante in its self-awareness by making inevitable zombie family resurrection and gradual death of the cast the product of an international conspiracy of a murky underground organisation that chooses 5 young people each year to be human sacrifices for some otherworldly beings that hold the planet to randsom.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The perfunctory manner in which the characters were drawn and dichotomy between this and the underground shenanigans of men and women sat at computer monitors and banks of dials and switches making it all happen made me furious. </div><div><br />
</div><div>A horror movie should work first and foremost as a movie, and this didn't. A movie must have an emotional heart, and I spent much of the time not caring about anyone on screen once I realised the makers of the movie did not. The Dana character played by Connolly is supposed to service this purpose, but once you realise the authors of this movie are hell bent on unfolding a ridiculous conceit, you cease to care even about her, given the contrived nature of her surroundings.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In conclusion, then, Cabin In The Woods is a movie which is short on horror, heart, and comedy, and this renders its attempt at being cerebral irrelevant.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Movie Hack Rating: 1/5</div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">* The only thing in this movie that doesn't suck.</span></div></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-2662384167804599572011-01-07T00:20:00.000+00:002011-01-07T00:20:17.373+00:00Ones To Watch 2011: Cowboys And Aliens (TRAILER)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2KRUzFU44uXYzIQJ2jnjLyRILiVM_id7TS_UKSAbgXozun9v6cFIO_LHCRvDYD8Q_gtHTyQavoA0M5kcMUK9yCxSRB5Sryk8Hk7xWhi9uL4oBnh2UAnWLk9f-v7HysjU4g2o6oVBHR8/s1600/Cowboys+and+Aliens+Movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2KRUzFU44uXYzIQJ2jnjLyRILiVM_id7TS_UKSAbgXozun9v6cFIO_LHCRvDYD8Q_gtHTyQavoA0M5kcMUK9yCxSRB5Sryk8Hk7xWhi9uL4oBnh2UAnWLk9f-v7HysjU4g2o6oVBHR8/s320/Cowboys+and+Aliens+Movie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last seen camping up Ironman 2, director and Swingers money-man Jon Faveau is back with Cowboys And Aliens later this year, where a spaceship arrives in the Wild West, and is faced off by cowboy gunslingers. Yes, it's very much the 'Snakes On A Plane' / Ronseal of its day, and will be out in July in the UK. Aiming for the big summer blockbuster market, see? Oh, and it stars unemployed Bond star Daniel Craig, and Harrison Ford, with Olivia Wilde. Enjoy.</span><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="412" id="flashObj" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=712713325001&playerID=18866168001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAB1-JM0~,FkO2We_lk8OKCDAR78oWEi9bP3Y8Mex3&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=712713325001&playerID=18866168001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAB1-JM0~,FkO2We_lk8OKCDAR78oWEi9bP3Y8Mex3&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-83695432363861255482011-01-04T21:29:00.000+00:002011-01-04T21:29:38.911+00:00The Writers Guild Awards 2011 Nominations: The List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_bKkuXIWYuV-Nx9_wZPR3BNKSk6pW0GlATb6bS702Pvb7rCE2UZVaR1iAqcP0-Duy5jYceElsqqrP5zADRLbGFuk3y3SonBIkLt7sCuPukAfDLdTAoAhOr-pZpAjlTP9Mnabky4WyDg/s1600/wga-award_x01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_bKkuXIWYuV-Nx9_wZPR3BNKSk6pW0GlATb6bS702Pvb7rCE2UZVaR1iAqcP0-Duy5jYceElsqqrP5zADRLbGFuk3y3SonBIkLt7sCuPukAfDLdTAoAhOr-pZpAjlTP9Mnabky4WyDg/s320/wga-award_x01.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">And so, Hollywood's back slapping red carpet season cranks into gear, as the Writers Guild announce their list of nominees for their annual awards.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">There are no surprises in the nominations for Original Screenplay of Oscar Baiting movies like Natalie Portman much lauded lesbian ballet flick Black Swan and highly rated Christian Bale's The Fighter, while lesser known Please Give also gets a nod. Last year's highly grossing, thinking man's action movie Inception also makes the cut.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Though not as prestigious as the Oscars, the WGA are highly respected industry awards, and this year's ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 5, 2011, while simultaneously taking place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel-Grand Ballroom in Los Angeles and the AXA Equitable Center in New York City. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="subhead1" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">In the adapted screenplay category, it's notable to see recent Oscar winner Danny Boyle get his new movie 127 Hours listed (surely a contender), while the gay theme continues with Jim Carrey / Ewan McGregor love story of I Love You Philip Morris. The highly critically rated The Social Network also gets into the list, perhaps a chance to gain early momentum as the season inevitably marches towards the Golden Globes and Oscars.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The full list of movie nominees is below. The TV nominees, and further details can be seen at the <a href="http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1516">WGA site</a>.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a66116; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><u>ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</u></strong></div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Black Swan</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Mark Heyman</strong> and <strong>Andres Heinz</strong> and <strong>John McLaughlin</strong>; Story by <strong>Andres Heinz</strong>; Fox Searchlight</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>The Fighter</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Scott Silver</strong> and <strong>Paul Tamasy</strong> & <strong>Eric Johnson</strong>; Story by <strong>Keith Dorrington</strong> &<strong>Paul Tamasy</strong> & <strong>Eric Johnson</strong>; Paramount Pictures</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Inception</em>, Written by <strong>Christopher Nolan</strong>; Warner Bros.</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>The Kids Are All Right</em>, Written by <strong>Lisa Cholodenko</strong> &<strong>Stuart Blumberg</strong>; Focus Features</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Please Give</em>, Written by <strong>Nicole Holofcener</strong>; Sony Pictures Classics</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><u>ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</u></strong></div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>127 Hours</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Danny Boyle</strong> & <strong>Simon Beaufoy</strong>; Based on the book <em>Between a Rock and a Hard Place</em> by Aron Ralston; Fox Searchlight</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>I Love You Phillip Morris</em>, Written by <strong>John Requa</strong> & <strong>Glenn Ficarra</strong>; Based on the book by Steven McVicker; Roadside Attractions</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>The Social Network</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Aaron Sorkin</strong>; Based on the book <em>The Accidental Billionaires</em> by Ben Mezrich; Sony Pictures</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>The Town</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Peter Craig</strong> and <strong>Ben Affleck</strong> &<strong>Aaron Stockard</strong>; Based on the novel <em>Prince of Thieves</em>by Chuck Hogan; Warner Bros.</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>True Grit</em>, Screenplay by <strong>Joel Coen</strong> & <strong>Ethan Coen</strong>; Based on the novel by Charles Portis; Paramount Pictures</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><u>DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY</u></strong></div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Enemies of the People</em>, Written, Directed, Filmed and Produced by <strong>Rob Lemkin</strong> and <strong>Thet Sambath</strong>; International Film Circuit</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Freedom Riders</em>, Written, Produced and Directed by<strong>Stanley Nelson</strong>; International Film Circuit</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Gasland</em>, Written and Directed by <strong>Josh Fox</strong>; HBO Documentary Films and International WOW Company</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Inside Job</em>, Produced, Written and Directed by <strong>Charles Ferguson</strong>; Co-written by <strong>Chad Beck, Adam Bolt</strong>; Sony Pictures Classics</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>The Two Escobars</em>, Written by <strong>Michael Zimbalist, Jeff Zimbalist</strong>; ESPN Films</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?</em>, Written and Directed by <strong>John Scheinfeld</strong>; Lorber Films</div></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-68938192281800383602011-01-04T13:07:00.000+00:002011-01-04T13:07:11.787+00:00VIDEO: Pete Postlethwaite RIP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Veteran British screen and stage actor, Pete Postlethwaite has died at the age of 65, from cancer, it has been announced. The seasoned Shakespearean stage performer, once referred to by Steven Spielberg as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"the best actor in the world", </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">appeared in a host of movies, including The Usual Suspects, Brassed Off, A Private Function, In The Name Of The Father, Distance Voices, Still Lives, and Inception.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of his most notable performances have been in Brassed Off, where he plays the leader of a brass band in a beleaguered Yorkshire mining community (see his standout speech from teh movie, below) , and Distant Voices, Still Lives, which has been described as "Britain's forgotten cinematic masterpiece".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we include a selection of clips and trailers from these films, as well as a Guardian interview relating to one of his final movie appearances, The Age Of Stupid. Postlethwaite's final screen performance will be in the forthcoming movie, Killing Bono, which will be released later this year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/L9fNnulFArE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-944633773154923282010-05-05T23:11:00.000+01:002010-05-05T23:12:36.052+01:00Review: Cemetery Junction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFizWRgkWFtLXobCqsG4mNTkXQNwZhA78Oh2WsgpKJyAKMcL2Rwdi3GQIxeGOAGjkQg_39iIBuMLjthyucD0z7M2x2aEGlPe-cE6OY-icXJ68jmsSPxCQRtMxk6PdkeHDECE14zd-AXCs/s1600/cemetery+junction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFizWRgkWFtLXobCqsG4mNTkXQNwZhA78Oh2WsgpKJyAKMcL2Rwdi3GQIxeGOAGjkQg_39iIBuMLjthyucD0z7M2x2aEGlPe-cE6OY-icXJ68jmsSPxCQRtMxk6PdkeHDECE14zd-AXCs/s320/cemetery+junction.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn’t grow up in a cold, grey, wet council estate in inner city Manchester in the 80s dreaming of escape. In the world of my imagination, I in fact grew up in a small town in America, in the 70s, far cooler than I actually was, driving round in a souped-up car, smoking Lucky Strikes, pulling girls who wore flares and listening to Led Zeppelin. And so it is for so many of us here in Britain. The world of our youthful imaginations find affinity in the depictions of Americana’s finest coming of age movies, be it the small town of Richard Linklaters’ <i>Dazed and Confused</i>, the rebellious New York nightlife of <i>Saturday Night Fever</i>, the angry, misunderstood cool of James Dean in <i>Rebel Without A Cause</i>, or the mourning of lost childhood innocence and freedom in 80s flick Diner. And of course, the are the high school movies of John Hughes, classics like <i>Ferris Beuller Day Off, the Breakfast Club</i> and Pretty In Pink. Nowadays, there’s Judd Apatow, of course. I could go on, but you get the idea....<br />
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We don’t do that here. Youthful rebellion, escapism, struggling to hold onto one’s dreams in the face of a cruel, uncaring world have always been depicted in grim, tragic terms, the “kitchen sink” dramas of the 60s, like Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (think Shameless without the comedy and sense of fun), or, more recently, Shane Meadows’ This Is England. For Americans, growing up can feel good, but on this side of the Atlantic, does growing up always have to be grim?<br />
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For the makers of <i>Cemetery Junction</i>, Ricky Gervais and his lanky cohort Stephen Merchant, the film came out of a sense that we could compete on an equal footing with the Americans. Thankfully, the results are beautiful, and joyous. The story revolves around three friends, first of all, Freddie Taylor (Christian Cooke), a handsome, sincere young man whose life is changing as he starts a new job working in door to door life insurance sales, after escaping from the factory his dad (Gervais) works in. Then there’s his friend, good looking bad boy Bruce Pearson (Tom Hughes), an angry young man who is popular with the ladies, quick with his fists, and likes a drink, not unlike his alcoholic father, with whom he often clashes. Finally, there’s Snork (Jack Doolan), the loveable loser of the bunch, who is a big miss with the ladies, and provides a lot of the comedy with his efforts.<br />
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While they go out, chasing girls, and getting into fights, their lives are changing, as Freddie realises he needs to leave the larking about and “grow up”, taking his new job seriously if he’s to have any chance of escaping his humble working class background. Things take a turn for the unexpected when it turns out the bosses daughter is none other than his childhood sweetheart, Julie, who is engaged to his new mentor at work, Regional Manager Matthew Goode, an evil misogynist who prays on the fears of the people he sells life insurance to.<br />
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As for Julie, she’s trapped in the backwards sexist attitudes of the time, given the old-fashioned values of her parents and husband to be, so when she shares her dreams of seeing the world with Freddie, sparks fly for both of them, and Freddie realises he needs to leave Reading to follow his dreams, rather than spend 40 years in a job he despises.<br />
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While the couple provide the romance of the piece, it’s Bruce that provides the heart, as his carefree demeanour hides a great deal of anger. While he spends his days working the factory, outside work his childish antics often take a turn for the worse. He constantly clashes with the local police, regularly ending up in the cells, while constantly taking his anger out on his father, all because he did not standing up to the man who his mother had an affair with.<br />
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Bruce dreams of leaving his dead-end life, but never does anything about it until Freddie says he’s had enough. Meanwhile Snork, dreaming of meeting foreign girls who won’t understand his terrible chat up lines, and leaving his job at the local railway station, Cemetery Junction, agrees. But will they, or won’t they find the courage to leave their small town lives behind?<br />
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While Cemetery Junction provides these likeable, familiar characters, who we care about, and a plot that feels familiar, there no major surprises or upsets, it’s the experience that makes it worth watching. In the end, Cemetery Junction is like those train journeys on sunny days you experienced as a child. Nothing unexpected or bad happens, the sights are nice, and it leaving you with a warm, good feeling inside. And given that, in Britain, the feelgood movies we do have usually involve the affluent, upper middle class world inhabited by characters played by bumbling toffs like Hugh Grant, to see the lives and dreams of ordinary people celebrated in a joyous, glorious manner, is very refreshing indeed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hack Rating: 4/5</span>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-69845835961624898662010-03-08T00:45:00.000+00:002010-03-09T01:55:34.803+00:00Liveblogging :The Oscars, 2010!Hi People,<br />
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It's only the early hours of Monday March 8th here in England, and I may lose interest in this bullshit, but I'm going to do a bit of Oscars coverage.<br />
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00.42 GMT: The cunts covering this on E!Online are totally gaying out, and banging on about dresses, styles, and that sort of stuff.<br />
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<b>00.44</b> Ryan Seacrest is talking to some bird from Ugly Betty, who is helping to present. He's dropping a huge, clunking hint that somebody who appears at a lot of awards ceremonies, including one this year, might be making an appearance. My gut instinct says RICKY GERVAIS.<br />
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<b>00.47</b> US TV is on ad breaks. They keep showing adverts highlighting the tragedy of cervical cancer experienced by women, and advising that people go and see their doctor. What about the 40 million people in the US who don't have medical care cos they can't afford it?<br />
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<b>00.48 </b>We're back to the gayfest.Ugly Betty woman and her camp friend are complementing Meryl Streep on her dress. Sanity, in the form of Gerard Butler, prevails as the action switches to Seacrest interviewing him. Butler is explaining what a "moonie" (showing your arse) is to Seacrest.<br />
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<b>00.50</b> Now it's turn for Jason Bateman. I'm off for a piss.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGCkNghEAWfyaQ8FJHlD46DmdAu_W1LUNIpOlbf6Pt-2EJ5sAAJ89JgIPmNMzYRTwENt9SaFXdAJMlnTqvablhyphenhyphen1506k3Gp0KQyIYgUYf8myMbl8emfPpQNVzzBTYukPH8-RxffyYLoM/s1600-h/jeff_bridges_1847098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGCkNghEAWfyaQ8FJHlD46DmdAu_W1LUNIpOlbf6Pt-2EJ5sAAJ89JgIPmNMzYRTwENt9SaFXdAJMlnTqvablhyphenhyphen1506k3Gp0KQyIYgUYf8myMbl8emfPpQNVzzBTYukPH8-RxffyYLoM/s320/jeff_bridges_1847098.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>00.52 </b>Finally he's interviewing someone decent. The Dude.<br />
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<b>00.54 </b>It's all too fleeting, and we're back with the cretin twins. They have some phone in result, suggesting George Clooney will win over Jeff Bridges for best actor. Having seen Clooney's performance in <b>Up In The Air</b>, I say, furry muff.<br />
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<b>00.59 </b>Cameron Diaz is on. Looking incredible, but she's more than just crumpet, fair play to her. Doing a cheezy skit about the Hollywood extended family of beautiful people, mind.<br />
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<b>01.02.</b> Switching now from the celebrity cuntfest on the red carpet stream, to the actual ceremony inside. Hopefully better returns.<br />
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<b>01.04</b> Montage time. Following Sky movies coverage, with Claudia Winkleman. Man, she is hot.<br />
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<b>01.05</b>. I am being spoiled. She is joined by comedian / intellectual David Baddiel (not as shit as he is often depicted to be), Ronnie Ancona (just incredibly beautiful, and well spoken, and stuff), and some other cunt I don't know or care about. Oh no, actually, he does some movie stuff on British telly. He's half decent.<br />
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<b>01.07 </b>A VT tonight's Oscars are to be presented by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Both fairly decent blokes.<br />
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<b>01.13</b>.The panel are discussing the politics of Avatar vs Hurt Locker, and A Serious Man, etc.<br />
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<b>01.15</b> Another VT, more analysis. Jeff Bridges for best male? My take, the Oscars are so out of touch, it takes them years to get round to recognising people. Jeff should have won for the Big Lebowski, so I think he'll get it now, fucking years later. The Travesty that was Mickey Rourke not getting it last year is mentioned.<br />
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<b>1.22</b> I'm off for a piss again. Angela Griffin is looking hot and is on telly. She is "so in love" with Sarah Jessica Parker. I'd like to see that. Off for a piss. Again.<br />
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<b>1.28.</b> Ronnie Ancona does a great impression of a generic young female actress accepting an award in a histrionic style. Everyone around her responds with complete indifference and just moves on. Bloody fools.<br />
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<b>1.30.</b> Finally. That annoying, trashy no-business-like-show-business musak. It's showtime, ladies and gennelmen!<br />
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<b>1.33 </b>A fucking Song and dance musical theatre number with Doogie Houser MD. Fucksake.<br />
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<b>1.35</b> End of the dance. The Double Act begins. They introduce each other.<br />
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<b>1.36.</b> Apparently 6,000 members of the Academy are polled for the awards. The duo seemed to be putting on their best Anglicised accents. Why is that?<br />
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<b>1.42</b> The duo introduce most of the main contenders with a series of lame insults. The manage to set up the Cameron vs Bigelow battle, amongst other things. Alec Baldwin keeps putting on a faux English accent, for no good reason. A stream of lame gags, taking in the usual suspects. None of them particularly funny, and all within the accepted Hollywood conventions and parameters.Where is Ricky Gervais when you need him?<br />
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1.46. I saw Invictus recently and I can hardly remember it. They're showing the VT. I like Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, and Nelson Mandela for that matter but it was just not very good. Christopher Plumber is up there at the ripe old age of 80. I like that dude. Give it to him. Actually. I want Christopher Waltz to get it. He must. He will.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgfN7l7PYUz8td0RGzb0SKmtH-43VsAJCIxE-exyByG2ir_haOcSzpzC-8oVwvgUYXtPV_myYh9Lf1fx95H8g-7Iu9j4j3HcBWz5n4YWWyEJ1V3yrfWoRm0f88nhdR1T6f4Lg9mrlL7I/s1600-h/christoph_waltz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgfN7l7PYUz8td0RGzb0SKmtH-43VsAJCIxE-exyByG2ir_haOcSzpzC-8oVwvgUYXtPV_myYh9Lf1fx95H8g-7Iu9j4j3HcBWz5n4YWWyEJ1V3yrfWoRm0f88nhdR1T6f4Lg9mrlL7I/s320/christoph_waltz.jpg" /></a></div><b>1.49 </b>He Does. Surprise.He is incredibly kind and verbose as he thanks everyone else who was in Inglorious Basterds. Then off, according to this new rule limiting time. Fact is, he carried pretty much everyone in that movie, including Quentin Tarantino.<br />
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<b>1.54</b>. We're back with the Oscar panel here in England. I've just noticed this bunch are wearing tuxedos and dresses. I guess these award ceremonies bring out the social climbing, try-hards in everybody.<br />
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<b>1.56.</b> Steve Carrell, and Cameron Diaz present Animated films, I think. Diaz loses her way with the teleprompter. I shall skip the blonde jokes, as I think Diaz is pretty intelligent, and hell, who wouldn't be a bit flabbergasted by Oscar nite?<br />
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<b>1.58</b>. Shit VT with lots of animated pricks going on about being nominated for an Oscar.<br />
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<b>1.59</b>. I've seen fuck all of this, movie wise. Up wins. Fair play.There's something vaguely indie movie and alternative and rebellious about this category and the dude and the movie that won it. More of that, please.<br />
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<b>2.01.</b> Myley Cyrus is soooo hot. Jailbait.<br />
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<b>2.05 </b>It's good to see a VT of District 9, and to see Incvictus nominated, and Christoph Waltz win. Course, Slumdog sweeped the boards last year. It's good to see Oscars reaching out into the world, and go beyond the confines of the US, it makes them more relevant, I feel.<br />
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<b>2.13 </b>Vaguely mistifying fake Anglo accent from Baldwin, then the yummy Tina Fey comes on with Robert Downey. I refuse to call him Junior. There's just no need for it, frankly.<br />
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<b>2.14</b>. It strikes me as I see Brad Pitt's role in Inglorgious Basterds briefly in the VT for nominees that the horror of the violence-hungry character he plays is probably lost on US Audiences. Mark Boal wins for his script of The Hurt Locker. this was the only movie that escapes any moral evaluation of the US presence in Iraq made by Hollywood, and it is a huge critical success. What does that tell you?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2SFsqHfDPsqFRg53JBAl1iQsUbB-YNq0jJ40g6AozA9607RYsA4LxIAz0ga3vSv8d6Ek3SUsx_cspxxyYmWHHk4dJsCSW7rpBNnJde6YtOtvdIFBb18EzcP75QMlp86wWfJzWzKokRY/s1600-h/John+Hughes+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2SFsqHfDPsqFRg53JBAl1iQsUbB-YNq0jJ40g6AozA9607RYsA4LxIAz0ga3vSv8d6Ek3SUsx_cspxxyYmWHHk4dJsCSW7rpBNnJde6YtOtvdIFBb18EzcP75QMlp86wWfJzWzKokRY/s320/John+Hughes+01.jpg" /></a></div><b>2.18</b> Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick introduce and give their take on a memorial to John Hughes. Amen.<br />
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<b>2.20</b>. He captured the pain,the anger, the confusion, and the wonder of being young so beautifully. Probably better than anyone before or since. What a waste. Incredible VT.<br />
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<b>2.23</b> Some of his most famous actors get on stage to thank him. MacCaulay Culkin has me breaking up, as he pauses. Wow.<br />
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<b>2.24.</b> Samuel L Jackson presents a VT. Maaaayn.. I need me a taaaasty Buuurger.<br />
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<b>2.36</b> Some poor fucker is getting his 45 seconds of fame hijacked.<br />
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<b>2.40</b> Ben Stiller is totally weirding me and everyone else out with his makeup as a Nav'i, with some dialect to match. completely WEIRD.<br />
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<b>2.42. </b>Star Trek wins for Makeup and stuff. Who 'king cares.<br />
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I am getting the feeling I'm on to diminishing returns. Plus, I've run out of booze. That's it for now.Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-63836149829783792082010-02-06T16:34:00.000+00:002010-02-06T23:14:01.259+00:00Should the Brightest Female Star in the Hollywood Sky really be 19?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn89vfgJAsyqqJmozOGsotRahQQXONobYG5WLLV6b_SGJif_lETsC12o5URkDEXNGsaj6c8SD4_6Vq9fRh2XVMMLzM4W1SIbdf956hKKmZ0HqAzGgfxqbXNnB_zSjr6yABsRa79vgxKs8/s1600-h/emma-watson1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn89vfgJAsyqqJmozOGsotRahQQXONobYG5WLLV6b_SGJif_lETsC12o5URkDEXNGsaj6c8SD4_6Vq9fRh2XVMMLzM4W1SIbdf956hKKmZ0HqAzGgfxqbXNnB_zSjr6yABsRa79vgxKs8/s320/emma-watson1.jpg" /></a></div>Emma Watson, star of the Harry Potter movie franchise was yesterday named the highest paid female star in Hollywood, making £20 million including endorsements and advertising. The figure puts her above seasoned such as Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker.<br />
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She came 14th in the Vanity Fair list of Tinseltown's highest earners.For me, looking at the list provides a shocking insight into the priorities of the film industry. Looking at the top 5 male earners, it includes Michael Bay ($125 million), and Steven Spielberg ($85 million), and is entirely comprised of producers and directors, men with gray hair, beards and paunches. The top 10 women in the list are incredibly beautiful, all actresses, all have fashion endorsments, and all make a fraction of what the men earn. While I wish the best of luck to the lovely Watson, I cant help but think her star will fade with age, and that is terribly, terribly sad.<br />
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If It's a sign of any kind of progress, the fact that Kathryn Bigalow has gained an Oscar nomination for her work as Director on The Hurt Locker, since the it appears the big money is behind the camera, shows that things are changing, albeit painfully slowly, in Tinseltown. Her nomination makes her only the fourth woman in history to gain this accolade, while she won the 2009 Directors' Guild of America's award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, the first woman to win this prize, a further sign of progress. Here's to hoping that Hollywood goes further down the path of enlightenment sooner rather than later.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Vanity Fairs Top Male Earners in 2009:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1. Michael Bay, producer-director ($125 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">2. Steven Spielberg, producer-director ($85 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">3. Roland Emmerich, producer-director ($70 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">4. James Cameron, producer-director ($50 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">5. Todd Phillips, director ($44 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">6. Daniel Radcliffe, actor ($41 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">7. Ben Stiller, actor ($40 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">8. Tom Hanks, actor ($36 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">9. J. J. Abrams, producer-director ($36 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">10. Jerry Bruckheimer, producer ($35.5 million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vanity Fair's Top Female Earners in 2009:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1. Emma Watson, actress ($30million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">2. Cameron Diaz, actress ($27million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">3. Sarah Jessica Parker, actress ($24million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">4. Katherine Heigl, actress ($24million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">5. Reese Witherspoon, actress ($21million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">6. Angelina Jolie, actress ($21million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">7. Jennifer Aniston, actress ($20million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">8. Sandra Bullock, actress ($20million)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">9. Kristen Stewart , actress ($16million)<o:p></o:p></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-73667399265518505082010-02-04T22:46:00.000+00:002010-04-01T18:43:47.691+01:00Best Movies Of The Noughties Pt. 1: Films 1 to 25<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwSleGBglhsuzG0O0f3_ySTBwJr2eZtkeXcnVENa8E6quJlwWO7wVmt8E1EUNJC8kyXR3IHX9bFu8cP5_J51cbgMn1394JS2fWS0DnyeH4SudS2u0flsERHoQvhFi0s6AHmbnXAgIzAY/s1600-h/saville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwSleGBglhsuzG0O0f3_ySTBwJr2eZtkeXcnVENa8E6quJlwWO7wVmt8E1EUNJC8kyXR3IHX9bFu8cP5_J51cbgMn1394JS2fWS0DnyeH4SudS2u0flsERHoQvhFi0s6AHmbnXAgIzAY/s320/saville.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, with a new decade stretching before us, and a host of end of decade polls, I figured I'd add my own 2 cents on the subject. After scooting around, and reading various lists of the best films of the noughties (rubbish word for the decade, but it's all we have), I noticed a few glaring omissions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6902642.ece">The Times</a> published a <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6902642.ece">very popular list</a>, which ranks highest in the <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=best+films+of+the+noughties&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=2&oq=best+films+of+the+">google search</a>. No 24 Hour Party People? No Igby Goes Down? Ahem. Ok, the latter is my a person fav of mine rather than a general classic, but a British list should surely include a film which documents the most important musical and cultural movement of the past 30 years in the post war UK.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, this is my list of the best movies from the past decade, and in it I have tried to balance what I think are objectively the best movies, while adding a few of my own personal favourites, and including some of the incredible contributions of world cinema, the likes of City Of God, and Infernal Affairs (though to be honest, I'm still learning and discovering the wonders that foreign language films have to offer, and consider myself an ignoramus on the subject, despite knowing a bit). Bear in mind, this is IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, and please feel free to let me know what you think, what I've missed and what I've clearly over-rated! Thanks guys...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1. The Departed: </b>Scorsese directs, and an ensemble cast of amazing actors compete for his affections in a brilliant remake of the original Jap flick 'Infernal Affairs'. The result finally got the veteran moviemaker his first Oscar, after 3 decades of trying. Watch out for a prequel in the pipeline.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlx2IIegId9jXH6VP6W-xur0E12lczRgju2TuiBn0orKPS_Fk5HYdsim8gB5tk8f_Bu0tUafiqGsK3wZtp3e40u_KxGGXV1GP8TE4s5lbqM7hJ_FAJTeVykq_YL0n0ra53bC-NQz4bvU/s1600-h/alonso+training+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlx2IIegId9jXH6VP6W-xur0E12lczRgju2TuiBn0orKPS_Fk5HYdsim8gB5tk8f_Bu0tUafiqGsK3wZtp3e40u_KxGGXV1GP8TE4s5lbqM7hJ_FAJTeVykq_YL0n0ra53bC-NQz4bvU/s320/alonso+training+day.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2. Training Day:</b> Denzel Washington gives an Oscar-winning performance as corrupt LAPD narcotics detective Alonso, uttering the immortal lines "King kong ain't got shit on me", and, my person favourite, "this shit ain't checkers, it's chess". With a man shouting lines this good, it's surely a Scarface for the 21st century?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3. The Beach</b>. Essentially flawed, but I couldn't help fall in love with this movie, as it captured a beautiful moment in the early noughties, when lots of young western people were discovering the wonders of South East Asia, and trying to capture a dream. I was one of them, so it meant something to me...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4. The Wrestler:</b> It came late on, but Mickey Rourke's career-reviving portrayal of a washed-up wrestler was both tragic and moving, with excellent supporting performances including Marissa Tomei as an ageing lap dancer with a heart. It was robbed at the Oscars.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5. Avatar:</b> Not much needs to be said about this billion dollar epic, which came right at the tail end of the decade, and will probably go onto define Hollywood aesthetics and special effects for some time to come, in the way that the first Matrix movie did a decade earlier. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6. LOTR Trilogy</b>: Another special effects extravaganza, Peter Jackson's epic retelling of the J.R. Tolkien classic combined wonderful storytelling with compelling performances, and, erm, a little fella called Gollum. you'll never look at New Zealand the same way again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB0tWyn1dXyWlhf9aGibTpobA9ScQYF2zGYGqMAZeOcXQsY_86s-o5DKVWu7sgtAJh37zPBbBuLI4FtpOUjWlEoWmxVPVrIDAThgjCqjR0Y2mCrjK0ozD4SoSboi8w3vezNXIeaCoF-A/s1600-h/Gael_garcia_bernal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB0tWyn1dXyWlhf9aGibTpobA9ScQYF2zGYGqMAZeOcXQsY_86s-o5DKVWu7sgtAJh37zPBbBuLI4FtpOUjWlEoWmxVPVrIDAThgjCqjR0Y2mCrjK0ozD4SoSboi8w3vezNXIeaCoF-A/s320/Gael_garcia_bernal.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7. Amores Perros. </b>3 cleverly intertwined stories taking place in Mexico city, exploring the manifold ways that love is indeed a bitch, and including a wonderful performance by a young Gabriel Garcia Bernal. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8. Igby Goes Down.</b> A personal favourite of mine, Kieran Culkin, Macaulay's brother, in a brilliantly caustic social satire on the East coast upper classes, it has quite a resemblance to Catcher In The Rye, and a brilliant soundtrack. A cult classic of the decade, and one that it bound to be revived in the years to come.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>9. In the Loop.</b> Last year's first cinematic effort by Armando Iannucci and the team behind BBC's The Thick Of It. This has to have an award invented especially for it, for Best Swearing In A Movie Ever.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10. Bowling For Columbine. </b>The noughties was surely the decade of the documentary, and Michael Moore's contributions were exceptional. Never less than highly polemical and partial, they drew criticism and praise in equal measure, but you could never doubt his sincerity.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>11. There Will Be Blood.</b> Young director Paul Thomas Anderson produced one of the greatest movies of the late 20th century when he made Magnolia, for me, and so it was always going to be a difficult job to top that achievement, but he managed it with this critique of American capitalism in the Wild West goldrush of the nineteeth century, with a brilliant performance from Daniel Day Lewis, and an approval rating of 91% on <a href="http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/">Rotten Tomatoes.</a> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>12. Pan's Labyrinth. </b>Guillermo Del Toro produces an exquisitely beautiful, dark fairytale of a movie, which works on so many levels, telling the story of a young girl who discovers a fantastic parallel world while in desperate circumstances after the Civil War in Franco's Spain. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>13. Ratatouille.</b> A Pixar movie about a rat who dreams of being a Parisian Chef. It sounds insane, but as a story, it's perfect, winning a near-perfect score of 96 on Metacritic. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>14. City Of God:</b> This 2002 movie took me to a world I'd never seen before, it's gritty documentary style and gripping narrative reveals how desperate and dangerous life is in the favellas of Rio De Janeiro. Based on a 1997 book by Paolo Lins, it won several international film awards, and for me, it's one of the best films of all time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>15. The Lives Of Others:</b> This German-language thriller about life in Cold War East Germany deservedly won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Based on a true story, it tells the story of playwrights, actors and creatives living under the scrutiny of the Stasi in East Berlin. Any resemblance that Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds has to it is purely coincidental, ahem.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>16. Anchorman :The Legend Of Ron Burgundy:</b> The tale of a pusillanimous 70s TV news anchorman played by the delightfully idiotic Will Ferrell, whose world it turned upside down when the first ever female news reporter (Christina Applegate) joins the team in the macho world of News. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>17. 28 Days Later:</b> Danny Boyle may have come to the attention of much of the world with his Oscar smash Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, but he was building a reputation well before that. This 2002 zombie / post apocalyptic movie became a sleeper hit, and was famous for it's opening scenes, which show a deserted inner city London, and it's pioneering use of digital video cameras.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>18. Children Of Men</b>: Clive Owen and Julianne Moore inhabit a London of the near future where there has been a world crisis of fertility, and the populace live in a totalitarian state, when an illegal immigrant suddenly, mysteriously becomes pregnant. This film is worth watching for the way it looks alone, with the constantly moving documentary-style camera work and rich detail of a dilapidated England of the future, as well as a mean-ass cameo from Michael Caine as a weed-growing hippie. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNb6sMLogAibo0nDpqFYcwE_Xqag5srLqp2AgsRjYlYMmwFAYs1JMdO14awI0-3SPctQMQZ_A5EDAHFbYMCJL-DRCc3FuhZYEWfRqL-Z4sF_wcHrdsOSopFHke-m1mVj-GZwk6GUrQ2g/s1600-h/heath_ledger_as_the_joker_the_dark_knight_movie_image1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNb6sMLogAibo0nDpqFYcwE_Xqag5srLqp2AgsRjYlYMmwFAYs1JMdO14awI0-3SPctQMQZ_A5EDAHFbYMCJL-DRCc3FuhZYEWfRqL-Z4sF_wcHrdsOSopFHke-m1mVj-GZwk6GUrQ2g/s320/heath_ledger_as_the_joker_the_dark_knight_movie_image1.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>19. The Dark Knight:</b> Heath Ledger won all the plaudits for his disturbed, brilliant portrayal of The Joker in this Batman Begins sequel, but the film is so much more than that, including an interesting allegory with the War On Terror, and excellent direction from Christopher Nolan. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>20. Lost In Translation:</b> Romantic comedies are notoriously uncool, but Sofia Coppola's dreamy story of 2 very different strangers who fall in love in Tokyo was entrancing and enchanting, and it was the film that turned Scarlett Johansson into a worldwide star.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>21. Gladiator:</b> Blade Runner director Ridley Scott revived his critical fortunes with this "swords and sandals" historical epic, which harked back to a golden age of movie making. Oh, and Russell Crowe shouts a lot and looks scary. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>22. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kaazakhstan:</b> Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation Borat exposes bigotry and anti-semitism in this documentary-style comedy which was followed by a trail of lawsuits and controversy, which just added to its' huge box-office success. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xaVxnEJHXHxZ69AU-xHRIyvLglROnY-fhXLqmOYHtAnIBhr8p4men6N2dS9kf6WDqgXeAXT_CvxYpuIRyVXngLhOOBZ2izsUbTSHVvamgMwE8wdQnIaJp64ywDr2-LpXjF7smpfYkQY/s1600-h/casinoroyale+Eva+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xaVxnEJHXHxZ69AU-xHRIyvLglROnY-fhXLqmOYHtAnIBhr8p4men6N2dS9kf6WDqgXeAXT_CvxYpuIRyVXngLhOOBZ2izsUbTSHVvamgMwE8wdQnIaJp64ywDr2-LpXjF7smpfYkQY/s320/casinoroyale+Eva+green.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>24. Casino Royale: </b>Daniel Craig's ruthless, steel-eyed Bond swapped campness for killer instinct in this brilliant reboot of the indefatigable James Bond franchise, with a captivatingly seductive performance from Eva Green, though the follow up, the disappointing <b>Quantum of Solace </b>was more a coda than a movie of its' own.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>25. No Country For Old Men:</b> the Coen brothers sucked hairy balls with their comedy <b>Burn After Reading</b>, but more than made up for it with this cat-and-mouse chase across the desert, with cold-blooded Javier Bardem managing to be menacing, despite having a silly Emo Philips haircut.</span><br />
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</span>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-65603519998553293732010-02-03T18:40:00.000+00:002010-02-03T18:56:06.844+00:00Oscar Nominations 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD274VyvLtIi4GLiNyhT36Wlmu0GwAl8XgFwFQabBw_l1FH0o4HtqgXGwVPM5q6rBAHNJf-5CPAz4Cyqz-TQdljmEHZzI43Jexa4nXceBqQMnUqpiuMrPE4Op_wz64CuYWa9hFZxgdXVc/s1600-h/avatar_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD274VyvLtIi4GLiNyhT36Wlmu0GwAl8XgFwFQabBw_l1FH0o4HtqgXGwVPM5q6rBAHNJf-5CPAz4Cyqz-TQdljmEHZzI43Jexa4nXceBqQMnUqpiuMrPE4Op_wz64CuYWa9hFZxgdXVc/s320/avatar_poster.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">S</span>o, the nominations for this years' 82nd academy awards have been announced, and as usual, there are few surprises. Not much in the way of comedy, and there is a preference for worthy, preachy movies with lots of hammy acting (you know who you are The Blind Side and Precious). But the odd decent film, like Armando Iannucci's caustic political satire In The Loop has thankfully managed to sneak through. </span><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Reaffirming Hollywood's ability to win stuff on it's own turf after last years' big shock with Slumdog Millionaire, I predict a big sweep by James Cameron's Avatar. As previously predicted by myself, The Hurt Locker's gritty documentary style portrayal of life on the front line of bomb disposal in Iraq has won fans in the Academy, setting up a rather juicy confrontation for director Kathryn Bigelow with her former husband James Cameron. And of course, there's a big noise going for Sandra Bullocks' performance in The Blind Side. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">I'm glad to see Austrian Christoph Waltz in there for his show (and heart) stopping performance as Colonel Landa in Inglourious Basterds, and District 9, with its' South Africa location taking it outside the usual Academy Award territory.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Here are the nominations in full, with a 'H' for my Hack bet for who will win:</span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Picture <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b> </b></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Avatar <b>'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Blind Side<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">District 9<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">An Education<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Hurt Locker<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Inglourious Basterds<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">A Serious Man<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Up<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Up in the Air</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Director<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker <b>'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">James Cameron – Avatar<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jason Reitman – Up in the Air<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Actor <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart as Bad Blake<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">George Clooney – Up in the Air as Ryan Bingham<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Colin Firth – A Single Man as George Falconer<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Morgan Freeman – Invictus as Nelson Mandela<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker as Sgt. William James<b> 'H'</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Actress<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side as Leigh Anne Tuohy<b> 'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Helen Mirren – The Last Station as Sofya Tolstoy<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Carey Mulligan – An Education as Jenny Miller<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as Clarieece "Precious" Jones<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia as Julia Child<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Supporting Actor <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Matt Damon – Invictus as François Pienaar<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Woody Harrelson – The Messenger as Capt. Tony Stone<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Christopher Plummer – The Last Station as Leo Tolstoy<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9v5idt1CX6OpAuzkIPgcwxR03NFG0lwOk0lek-etClyXWX_JX50R0AaQB98MZ12sngC-LpSum4ZgeHZyXrxJ5FGiGGi7C7VbczPZlKOz51jHR2nCEbBbRiBPnlxLqoOH27mJ8bgKuqg/s1600-h/10bestinglourious_basterds_christoph-waltz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9v5idt1CX6OpAuzkIPgcwxR03NFG0lwOk0lek-etClyXWX_JX50R0AaQB98MZ12sngC-LpSum4ZgeHZyXrxJ5FGiGGi7C7VbczPZlKOz51jHR2nCEbBbRiBPnlxLqoOH27mJ8bgKuqg/s320/10bestinglourious_basterds_christoph-waltz.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones as George Harvey<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds as Col. Hans Landa <b>'H' </b>(pictured)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Supporting Actress<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Penélope Cruz – Nine as Carla Albanese<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air as Alex Goran <b>'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Maggie Gyllenhaal – Crazy Heart as Jean Craddock<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air as Natalie Keener<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mo'Nique – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as Mary Lee Johnston<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Original Screenplay <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Hurt Locker – Mark Boal<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Inglourious Basterds – Quentin Tarantino<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Messenger – Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">A Serious Man – Joel Coen and Ethan Coen<b> 'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Up – Tom McCarthy, Bob Peterson and Pete Docter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Adapted Screenplay<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">District 9 – Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">An Education – Nick Hornby<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">In the Loop – Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Ianucci and Tony Roche<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire – Geoffrey Fletcher<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Up in the Air – Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0642Njnf6s1bOhFAYSmTdyQLbxp6J7MlGhYkTHUF3MvNzXsxil5YTeZ3_cp7gSDmCZj0DqmF_lry2w4nV84g34WEmwysXWNuoDUxqzfeDGYTrqWs9jSp5pxvh2M6nR58AfZkIWaumugg/s1600-h/Up+movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0642Njnf6s1bOhFAYSmTdyQLbxp6J7MlGhYkTHUF3MvNzXsxil5YTeZ3_cp7gSDmCZj0DqmF_lry2w4nV84g34WEmwysXWNuoDUxqzfeDGYTrqWs9jSp5pxvh2M6nR58AfZkIWaumugg/s320/Up+movie.jpg" /></a><b>Best Animated Feature <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Coraline – Henry Selick<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Fantastic Mr. Fox – Wes Anderson<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Princess and the Frog – Ron Clements and John Musker<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Secret of Kells – Tomm Moore<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Up – Pete Docter <b>'H'</b> (pictured left)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Best Foreign Language Film<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Ajami (Israel) in Arabic and Hebrew – Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">El Secreto de Sus Ojos (Argentina) in Spanish – Juan José Campanella<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Milk of Sorrow (Peru) in Spanish and Quechua – Claudia Llosa<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">A Prophet (France) in French, Corsican and Arabic – Jacques Audiard <b>'H'</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The White Ribbon (Germany) in German – Michael Haneke</div></span></div></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-41528834583140164702010-02-03T10:28:00.001+00:002010-04-01T18:44:32.384+01:00'Moon' Review (Dir Duncan Jones) 2009<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0G93G3nOnD1dO7KbbfGGZ8kXmtzRCKgIQRP3j2ej2loBdDp5YPUDcH7I8dnTK_WAPWvG6WsnzOTY99aEViIeEGCoNY_lCDYcd-U8hFy23zvlgXMYhnM-0naZ4UFUY_Xe_LJEDI8ourI/s1600-h/moon_movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0G93G3nOnD1dO7KbbfGGZ8kXmtzRCKgIQRP3j2ej2loBdDp5YPUDcH7I8dnTK_WAPWvG6WsnzOTY99aEViIeEGCoNY_lCDYcd-U8hFy23zvlgXMYhnM-0naZ4UFUY_Xe_LJEDI8ourI/s320/moon_movie.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
There's nothing like a bit of old-fashioned futurism. Back in the 70s and early 80s, cinema produced a series of science fiction movies that not only excited the eyes and ears of the public, but captured their imagination, dealing with powerful, challenging issues raised by the anticipated shock of man's mastery of the physical and biological universe, environmental disaster, and the rapid advancement of technology. Whether it was Alien, Kubrick's 2001 or Ridley Scott's poetic visual masterpiece Blade Runner, moviemakers were capturing a golden (space) age of cinema. Sadly it wasn't to last.<br />
<br />
Roll on today, to the execrable crashes and bangs of Michael Bay's Transformers, and people, or at least movie executives that call the shots, prefer pure spectacle to being challenged to ponder the big questions of mans' place in the big scheme of things. James Cameron's Avatar being the billion-dollar exception that proves the rule, of course.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoXe-wgXjXiGFxzx4IZZbvqFHk92CfbBmVz-ePjBrxWZ8TMDxeqK0kfHrpsoHdnzxtY_IAc0lRfPjCHwdXcwlu0uZQco5h6tXHlRT8QvyolulzR3pshK0xspXcREJjM6tW0qHUtgmfTM/s1600-h/Sam_Rockwell_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoXe-wgXjXiGFxzx4IZZbvqFHk92CfbBmVz-ePjBrxWZ8TMDxeqK0kfHrpsoHdnzxtY_IAc0lRfPjCHwdXcwlu0uZQco5h6tXHlRT8QvyolulzR3pshK0xspXcREJjM6tW0qHUtgmfTM/s320/Sam_Rockwell_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival+(1).jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
<br />
Child of the 70s Duncan Jones (and son of the Man Who Fell to Earth and original space cadet, David Bowie) has created what in many ways is a love letter to that lost age of sci-fi. The action sees Sam Bell (played by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rockwell">Sam Rockwell,</a> pictured), an employee of Lunar Industries alone working a 3 year contract on the far side of the moon, extracting a rare, precious mineral required for clean energy back on earth. His only company is the a robot voiced by Kevin Spacey, whos reassuring voice nannys Sam like Red Dwarf's Kryten, while at the same time appearing to manipulate him, like 2001's Hal 9000. What is he hiding?<br />
<br />
The story begins with Sam coming to the end of his time on the moon. He is like a spacebound Robinson Crusoe, having forged a life for himself building matchstick models to entertain himself and occupy his mind, when he begins experiencing a series of visions, which raise his suspicion, causing him to investigate matters, and, well, I can't share much more without giving the story away, but suffice to say, the situation, and indeed, he himself, is not who he thinks he is.<br />
<br />
A recurring theme of movies this type is the corrosive effect corporate greed can have, rejecting the sanctity of life for the cold comfort of the financial bottom line, and in this sense, Moon is very much reminiscent of flicks like Blade Runner, and Alien : large economic forces are at work, abusing technology at the expense of social norms, forcing people to act in ways that are contrary to their human instinct, and regardless of the cost of human life. in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/">Blade Runner</a>, Deckard is made to "retire" replicants despite emerging understanding that they are capable of something approaching humanity, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliens_(film)">Aliens</a> - corporations want to capture and use the aliens for biological warefare, as a product to be researched, harnessed, and sold, irrespective of the expense of human lives lost in the process. Here, minerals from the moon must be mined at minimum cost to the business, even if it means repeatedly (*****PLOT SPOILER HERE***) cloning the one individual trained and capable to do the job.<br />
<br />
There's little in the way of overt "action", but Moon still manages to be completely engaging for its' entirety. The on screen interest lies not in explosions and effects, but in an incredible performance by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rockwell">Sam Rockwell</a>, which must surely be worth of an Oscar nomination. He has hitherto ploughed a furrow in indie flicks (he pops up in Blow and Frost/Nixon), and the odd big budget movie (remember Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?), but largely as an unremarkable, but excellent character actor in secondary roles. Here, he is the movie, and what he achieves is incredible. (***MORE PLOT SPOILING***) Through his exploration of the various iterations of the character of Sam Bell, he explores brilliantly the nature of the human experience, provoking existential questions. What makes us who we are? Is it our memories? Our emotions? Our relationships with other people? Or our experiences?<br />
<br />
In conclusion then, Moon is a truly wonderful movie, and though I suspect the Oscar interest this season will go the way of movies like <a href="http://moviehack.blogspot.com/2010/01/films-of-2009-hurt-locker-dir-kathryn.html">The Hurt Locker</a>, Up, and Up In The Air, for me this is by far more superior to any of the obvious candidates.<br />
<br />
<b>Hack Rating 5/5</b><br />
<br />
<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/twuScTcDP_Q&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></p><p></param></p><p><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></p><p></param></p><p><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></p><p></param></p><p><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/twuScTcDP_Q&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-37196256778174095142010-01-31T20:34:00.000+00:002010-02-01T02:47:37.679+00:00Best Films of 2009 : Moon (Dir. Duncan Jones)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0G93G3nOnD1dO7KbbfGGZ8kXmtzRCKgIQRP3j2ej2loBdDp5YPUDcH7I8dnTK_WAPWvG6WsnzOTY99aEViIeEGCoNY_lCDYcd-U8hFy23zvlgXMYhnM-0naZ4UFUY_Xe_LJEDI8ourI/s1600-h/moon_movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0G93G3nOnD1dO7KbbfGGZ8kXmtzRCKgIQRP3j2ej2loBdDp5YPUDcH7I8dnTK_WAPWvG6WsnzOTY99aEViIeEGCoNY_lCDYcd-U8hFy23zvlgXMYhnM-0naZ4UFUY_Xe_LJEDI8ourI/s320/moon_movie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There's nothing like a bit of old-fashioned futurism. Back in the 70s and early 80s, cinema produced a series of science fiction movies that not only excited the eyes and ears of the public, but captured their imagination, dealing with powerful, challenging issues raised by the anticipated shock of man's mastery of the physical and biological universe, environmental disaster, and the rapid advancement of technology. Whether it was Alien, Kubrick's 2001 or Ridley Scott's poetic visual masterpiece Blade Runner, moviemakers were capturing a golden (space) age of cinema. Sadly it wasn't to last. <br />
<br />
Roll on today, to the execrable crashes and bangs of Michael Bay's Transformers, and people, or at least movie executives that call the shots, prefer pure spectacle to being challenged to ponder the big questions of mans' place in the big scheme of things. James Cameron's Avatar being the billion-dollar exception that proves the rule, of course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoXe-wgXjXiGFxzx4IZZbvqFHk92CfbBmVz-ePjBrxWZ8TMDxeqK0kfHrpsoHdnzxtY_IAc0lRfPjCHwdXcwlu0uZQco5h6tXHlRT8QvyolulzR3pshK0xspXcREJjM6tW0qHUtgmfTM/s1600-h/Sam_Rockwell_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoXe-wgXjXiGFxzx4IZZbvqFHk92CfbBmVz-ePjBrxWZ8TMDxeqK0kfHrpsoHdnzxtY_IAc0lRfPjCHwdXcwlu0uZQco5h6tXHlRT8QvyolulzR3pshK0xspXcREJjM6tW0qHUtgmfTM/s320/Sam_Rockwell_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival+(1).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Child of the 70s Duncan Jones (and son of the Man Who Fell to Earth and original space cadet, David Bowie) has created what in many ways is a love letter to that lost age of sci-fi. The action sees Sam Bell (played by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rockwell">Sam Rockwell,</a> pictured), an employee of Lunar Industries alone working a 3 year contract on the far side of the moon, extracting a rare, precious mineral required for clean energy back on earth. His only company is the a robot voiced by Kevin Spacey, whos reassuring voice nannys Sam like Red Dwarf's Kryten, while at the same time appearing to manipulate him, like 2001's Hal 9000. What is he hiding?<br />
<br />
The story begins with Sam coming to the end of his time on the moon. He is like a spacebound Robinson Crusoe, having forged a life for himself building matchstick models to entertain himself and occupy his mind, when he begins experiencing a series of visions, which raise his suspicion, causing him to investigate matters, and, well, I can't share much more without giving the story away, but suffice to say, the situation, and indeed, he himself, is not who he thinks he is.<br />
<br />
A recurring theme of movies this type is the corrosive effect corporate greed can have, rejecting the sanctity of life for the cold comfort of the financial bottom line, and in this sense, Moon is very much reminiscent of flicks like Blade Runner, and Alien : large economic forces are at work, abusing technology at the expense of social norms, forcing people to act in ways that are contrary to their human instinct, and regardless of the cost of human life. in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/">Blade Runner</a>, Deckard is made to "retire" replicants despite emerging understanding that they are capable of something approaching humanity, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliens_(film)">Aliens</a> - corporations want to capture and use the aliens for biological warefare, as a product to be researched, harnessed, and sold, irrespective of the expense of human lives lost in the process. Here, minerals from the moon must be mined at minimum cost to the business, even if it means repeatedly (*****PLOT SPOILER HERE***) cloning the one individual trained and capable to do the job.<br />
<br />
There's little in the way of overt "action", but Moon still manages to be completely engaging for its' entirety. The on screen interest lies not in explosions and effects, but in an incredible performance by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rockwell">Sam Rockwell</a>, which must surely be worth of an Oscar nomination. He has hitherto ploughed a furrow in indie flicks (he pops up in Blow and Frost/Nixon), and the odd big budget movie (remember Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?), but largely as an unremarkable, but excellent character actor in secondary roles. Here, he is the movie, and what he achieves is incredible. (***MORE PLOT SPOILING***) Through his exploration of the various iterations of the character of Sam Bell, he explores brilliantly the nature of the human experience, provoking existential questions. What makes us who we are? Is it our memories? Our emotions? Our relationships with other people? Or our experiences?<br />
<br />
In conclusion then, Moon is a truly wonderful movie, and though I suspect the Oscar interest this season will go the way of movies like <a href="http://moviehack.blogspot.com/2010/01/films-of-2009-hurt-locker-dir-kathryn.html">The Hurt Locker</a>, Up, and Up In The Air, for me this is by far more superior to any of the obvious candidates.<br />
<br />
<b>Hack Rating 5/5</b><br />
<br />
<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/twuScTcDP_Q&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/twuScTcDP_Q&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-7184906747972462542010-01-17T01:05:00.000+00:002010-02-01T01:56:34.211+00:00Best Movies of 2009<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrtacEVpUaAD6JxYaRHvgAE11O4LYkrA8Qllf2SU9-wf4D0ooPV8WQKdQcouBOMZR7tI23ITg-gREyXuYBwMKhwf6KBHE_4W-u54pTCtwfQdUib1593K735UHW3J_3ANc6g2sYX0d5Zs/s1600-h/Ricky%2520Gervais.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrtacEVpUaAD6JxYaRHvgAE11O4LYkrA8Qllf2SU9-wf4D0ooPV8WQKdQcouBOMZR7tI23ITg-gREyXuYBwMKhwf6KBHE_4W-u54pTCtwfQdUib1593K735UHW3J_3ANc6g2sYX0d5Zs/s200/Ricky%2520Gervais.jpg" /></a></div>So, 2009 was a fascinating year in the movies. It ended spectacularly with Avatar, with some light relief from In the Loop there in the middle, and so much fun with Funny People. Notice I deliberated didn't mention summer turkey Transformer 2. Oh balls, I did. With my eye on the Oscars and the Golden Globes (to be presented by our very own Ricky Gervais, pictured), here's my top flicks for the last year of the noughties....<br />
<br />
<b>1. <a href="http://moviehack.blogspot.com/2009/10/hangover.html">The Hangover</a>: </b>Not quite as good as it could have been but nevertheless one of the most fun movies of the year, a Vegas caper tale with lots of hi jinks thrown in.<br />
<strong>2. In The Loop :</strong> Malcolm "shouty bloke" Tucker wonders round Whitehall tearing his hair out at Minsterial incompetence, with the bonus of a stateside cast including James Gandolfini in the run up to a fictional war somewhere in the Middle East. Lots and lots of joyous, emphatic and wonderful swearing.<br />
<strong>3. <a href="http://moviehack.blogspot.com/2009/11/movie-premiere-of-year-avatar.html">Avatar</a>:</strong> Special effects extravaganza from James Cameron turned out to not suck despite looking like a giant turkey in the trailer. He didn't scrimp on the script either, and the result is probably going to be the biggest grossing movie ever, beating the record he set with Titanic.<br />
<strong>4. Funny People:</strong> Surprisingly insightful character drama described as a comedy, with a bit of satire on Hollywood thrown in, all about a hit Hollywood comedian-actor, who's life is turned upside down when he is diagnosed with cancer. No, it's not depressing, but Judd Apatow is going to have to stop going over familiar ground soon......<br />
<strong>5. State Of Play:</strong> Classy US remake of the brilliant BBC drama minseries, turning into a movie on the grand tradition of Washington-based political conspiracy movies. <br />
<strong>6. Taking Of Pelham 123:</strong> Somewhat underrated by reviews, this actually didn't suck, and John Travolta made a pretty good, scary baddie. <br />
<strong>7. The Wrestler:</strong> a bravura acting performance from a broken down ol' piece of meat. <br />
<strong>8. The Damned United:</strong> Sheen Does it again, this time with a quip-perfect Brian Clough, in movie of Dave Peaces' novel about Ol Big Ed's disasterous spell as manager of Leeds United.<br />
<strong>9. Up In The Air:</strong> George Clooney satirises his off screen persona in this recession comedy about an executive who loves corporate loyalty cards, air miles and travellling first class more than he loves people. Quite likely to win something in this awards season....<br />
<strong>10. Frost/Nixon:</strong> Michael Sheen plays slippery, lightweight David Frost in out of his depth, in this Ron Howard directed flick that was described as being "Rocky" for journalists, giving "Tricky Dicky" the trial he never had.<br />
<strong>11. Moon:</strong> Brillant throwback sci-fi movie, harking back to the likes of 2001, Blade Runner, Alien, and Dark Star, directed by Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie), and with a truly incredibly performance from Sam Rockwell, who carries a whodunnit/ghost story/character drama. Totally different from anything else that came out this past year, and refreshing for it.<br />
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I also enjoyed Star Trek, <a href="http://moviehack.blogspot.com/2010/01/films-of-2009-hurt-locker-dir-kathryn.html">The Hurt Locker</a>, Inglourious Basterds, Gran Torino and District 9. My money's on Up In The Air, The Road, Up, and perhaps Inglourious Basterds. I'm also now realising that there's a distinct lack of foreign movies in my list, something I shall endevour to rectify this year! Anyway, best of luck, especially to Ricky Gervais with presenting the ceremony tomorrow, despite the fact that The Invention Of Lying sucked....Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-75962464371900245192010-01-02T21:19:00.000+00:002010-02-01T01:57:18.304+00:00Best Films of 2009: The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow)<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvkqdkLFwzy-tAlu9BXSBEfrsbs-xxBVQ_ZzKiG7s8z-ziLiBOGQOUzk-4Skd43YjyofZlwuhVCoq1e6MgLZzIz2Oo7YvGcCi1sctkTSLoNxJ36aPBoqC9vMM3aGnwb-JDhz5M0BcZ3U/s1600-h/the-hurt-locker_1231882171_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvkqdkLFwzy-tAlu9BXSBEfrsbs-xxBVQ_ZzKiG7s8z-ziLiBOGQOUzk-4Skd43YjyofZlwuhVCoq1e6MgLZzIz2Oo7YvGcCi1sctkTSLoNxJ36aPBoqC9vMM3aGnwb-JDhz5M0BcZ3U/s320/the-hurt-locker_1231882171_640w.jpg" /></a></div><strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hurt_Locker">The Hurt Locker</a></strong> is the most recent attempt at capturing events in the current US / Allied occupation of Iraq, following the toppling of Saddam Hussein from power in 2003. Depicting war is a tricky and difficult task, always raising questions of authenticity: It takes years, sometimes decades, for an accurate appraisal of the war as a political, moral and historical event, and perhaps we're too close to events in this recent middle east altercation to really get to the truth.<br />
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What I've been hoping for, if I'm honest, in relation to this current conflict, is an angry portrayal of it as the poorly thought-out, badly executed, and morally vacuous action it is, leading to the death of over 100,000 Iraqis. It would be good to finally see the implicating of political leaders like Bush and Blair as power-hungry Neo-Con meglomaniacs, and the true motivation being a cash bonanza for oil companies and defence contractors, the old military-industrial complex that was at fault for Vietnam, not the non-existent "weapons of mass destruction". <br />
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<strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hurt_Locker">The Hurt Locker</a></strong> isn't that movie. One of last year's most critically acclaimed movies was written by freelance writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Boal">Mark Boal</a>, who spent time emedded in an American bomb disposal squad in war-torn Iraq. The result is a mixture of action thriller and cinema verite. It follows a bomb disposal unit as they are sent out each day to diffuse bombs, praying to come back intact, and counting each minute until make it to the end of their tour of duty. When their much admired leader (a brief, excellent cameo from Guy Pearce) dies on a disposal mission, Lt James (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Renner">Jeremy Renner</a>, pictured above) is drafted in to take over as their leader and disposal expert. But James is unstable, and rather than wanting to stay alive, he's a "wildman", more intent on going for glory, and living off the heady intoxication of enemy contact, and the dangers of being blown up. His wreckless ways put him at odds with his team, and Sgt JT Sanborn (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Mackie">Anthony Mackie</a>) in particular, as they put themselves at risk with each mission, coming closer and closer to death each time.<br />
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While there are stabs at putting the actions of these aggressive, macho grunts in a political context (Lt James arrives to base to discover it has changed names from Camp Liberty to Camp Victory), it is the madness of humanity in these insanity-inducing conditions that becomes the point of focus, the kind of stuff well-captured in <strong>Apocalypse Now</strong>. War is seen as a dangerous lark for boys, an exciting rush, "fun", as one soldier calls it on the one hand, but the reality of constant fear, mistrust of every foreign face, and death is never far away. It's a disturbing but exhilerating experience, and the attention to detail by<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Boal"> Boal</a> and<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Bigelow"> Bigelow</a> is to be applauded, as the personalities of the actors ring true as they clash, as risks are taken, tempers fray, and people die. <br />
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However, <strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hurt_Locker">The Hurt Locker</a></strong> ends in an unsatisfactory manner for me, incomplete, one that would not satiate the publics' desire for a jingoistic action thriller, nor mine for a moral inventory of the conflict. Having said that, it's the most compelling, authentic portrayal of the Iraq war and its' aftermath to date, to be viewed as experiential rather than moral, and for that reason, it warrants viewing, and if predictions are to be believed, it's certainly worth watching out for at this years' Oscars.<br />
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<strong>Hack Rating: 3.5/5</strong><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9nms6_the-hurt-locker-trailer_shortfilms">The Hurt Locker - Trailer</a></b><br />
<i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Cool-Flicks">Cool-Flicks</a>. - <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/gb/channel/shortfilms">Check out other Film & TV videos.</a></i></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-31271429150402998232009-11-04T21:33:00.000+00:002009-11-05T15:05:19.455+00:00The Movie Premiere Of The Year : AVATAR<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9E24I1dxblg9Rq_6UwW1U8QwU8_2yvZ5upl-q287oQ6eC_4CRYGPdGGt6B_XbXlbFgBm6rHcJgyfrsZxCmNmHlxh6duQFv1asDi5UdxdlfjAHSV5ncWz6pLCldQG9hgCmlPMHjo9TULY/s1600-h/avatar-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9E24I1dxblg9Rq_6UwW1U8QwU8_2yvZ5upl-q287oQ6eC_4CRYGPdGGt6B_XbXlbFgBm6rHcJgyfrsZxCmNmHlxh6duQFv1asDi5UdxdlfjAHSV5ncWz6pLCldQG9hgCmlPMHjo9TULY/s320/avatar-poster.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>Some movies come with a bit of hype. This one comes with so much, you might think it was the second coming of Christ. Well, sort of. But after seeing the <a href="http://www.avatar-movie.co.uk/">trailer </a>for the James Camerons' new movie <a href="http://www.avatar-movie.co.uk/">Avatar</a>, it looks like it might actually justify the hype. <br />
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Cameron is the director that bought us Aliens, the second movie in the Alien quadrilogy, and considered by name critics to be the best. Add to that the first two Terminator movies, and the enourmous commercial success of late 90s Winslet/Decaprio vehicle <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_(1997_film)">Titanic</a>, and you have a master of big budget, visual extravaganzas. <br />
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Avatar is his first venture into directing since Titanic, with a whopping budget of $200 million dollars, and the prospect of it being shown in 3D in some theatres. The movie will make use of a modern version of motion capture techniques similar to those used by Robert Zemekis in The Polar Express, and the director, who originally wrote an 80 page script for the film back in 1994, has insisted he had to wait until now for the technology available to be true to his artistic vision. As well as being visually stunning, and full of action, Cameron, will be exploring themes of the kind that made his previous movies such a special combination of action and thought-provoking sci-fi. From what you can see in the trailer, the movie can be viewed as a metaphor for American Imperialism, and a comment on man's greed and the current climate crisis, as humans seek to mine a planet with precious mineral resources, intending to infiltrate and kill the native population who stand in their way, as he explained earlier this year at Comic Con 2009, "the humans in the film, even though there are some good ones salted in, represent what we know to be the parts of ourselves that are trashing our world and maybe condemning ourselves to a grim future.". It's also refreshing to have a central character in Australian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Worthington">Sam Worthington</a> (last seen in Terminator Salvation), who is wheelchair bound, playing a marine called Jake Sully who has been wounded in combat on Earth. While this all sounds great, and the trailer looks good, let's hope it's a triumph of moviemaking, and not a hilarious big budget turkey in the vein of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_Earth_(film)">Battlefield Earth</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Postman_(film)">The Postman</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.avatarmovie.com/">Official Avatar Movie</a>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-6002817361993145862009-10-29T21:05:00.000+00:002009-10-29T21:05:07.449+00:00London Film Festival Roundup<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLIOYcwmUjlRSdxBbGG5nbyNlp59rLGndYQtAmKVwb1KambW_NPbRXU_DygZVMGmCxzTcbPabpqCAp-I_NHHui8iK9eqWxHoDjtpZeSyNUcJDoHSTmrK0vP6EqhYNJnwO2f7kaZ2hEEk/s1600-h/UN-PROPHETE-MG-8157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLIOYcwmUjlRSdxBbGG5nbyNlp59rLGndYQtAmKVwb1KambW_NPbRXU_DygZVMGmCxzTcbPabpqCAp-I_NHHui8iK9eqWxHoDjtpZeSyNUcJDoHSTmrK0vP6EqhYNJnwO2f7kaZ2hEEk/s320/UN-PROPHETE-MG-8157.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>As the 53rd London Film Festival winds up today, it announced the winner of it's inaugural Best Film award to be french prison flick <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235166/"><strong><em>Un Prophete</em></strong></a> (starring Tahar Rahim, pictured), which follows the story of a young Arab man who ends up spending six years behind bars. The forthcoming adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's post apocalypic novel <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/">The Road</a></strong>, which stars Viggo Mortsensen and Charlize Theron was also shown at the festival, was also singled out, recieving praise from a jury which included Angelica Huston and Jarvis Cocker.<br />
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Best British Newcomer went to Jack Thorne (formerly a writer on Channel 4 program <strong>Skins</strong>), the screenwriter responsible for coming of age story <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022885/">The Scouting Book For Boys</a></strong>. <br />
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Tonight, the closing night, includes a showing of <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266029/">Nowhere Boy</a></strong>, a biopic about John Lennon's childhood, and his difficult relationship with his aunt aunt and mother, as well as his friendship with a certain Paul McCartney. The movie stars David Morrisey and Kristin Scott-Thomas. <br />
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This year's Festival has been bigger than ever, screening over 200 films, with appearances by the likes of George Clooney, the Coen Brothers, John Hurt (who was awarded a BFI fellowship), and Bill Nighy, as well as a host of newcomers. On receipt of the award, Hurt told journalists, "For me, the BFI is the heart of British cinema," Hurt said. "I consider it the highest honour possible to be awarded a Fellowship."Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-3753842092925256202009-10-26T14:10:00.000+00:002009-10-26T14:23:13.309+00:00The All New A-Team<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAg0ey7Ox-3eF1sKO2miQO11Ez4S4p2sWNPnJwW8uRj9bPBqwpaF6zdAw_lSu0-0U92MenCOuak3yHPvwbARpNhAf9zjvv52Jfei7qrfNzwqo4hqSmaMHbjKRsUfdXVNjBQCRxT4MUNc/s1600-h/A+Team.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396912267188908482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAg0ey7Ox-3eF1sKO2miQO11Ez4S4p2sWNPnJwW8uRj9bPBqwpaF6zdAw_lSu0-0U92MenCOuak3yHPvwbARpNhAf9zjvv52Jfei7qrfNzwqo4hqSmaMHbjKRsUfdXVNjBQCRxT4MUNc/s400/A+Team.jpg" /></a>However unlikely it may be that the remake lives up to the original, the first press images of next years' <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429493/">A Team movie</a> have been released (click the piccie to get up close and personal). Starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper (from the Hangover, reviewed below), Quinton Jackson and Sharlto Copley (District 9), shooting for the movie got underway last month, and the team, who, as you may remember, escaped from a maximum security stockade while under arrest for a crime they didn't commit, will be joined by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Biel">Jessica Biel</a>. It remains to be seen if B A Baracus will forced to get in a plane, but chances are, he probably will, though writer Michael Brandt has suggested a less camp, more serious, character driven movie, referencing The Bourne Identity, Die Hard, and Casino Royale. Watch this space.Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-91997440280028154882009-10-13T23:30:00.000+01:002009-10-26T14:05:56.099+00:00FlashForward<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKi1hcCnN0EoILtQzJUTvd73afmOkWTxdjIx7iQf62_wHFj0Yj6hz9Yh6GWnOE_SIOBGVwjWarD3DtOD_auDn4ltGNBHkNi-oLo6P72ZQamVBH8K5isuRRMtpXlP0JAaiw8zIfpZsSBc/s1600-h/flash_forward_5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 177px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392216130917604322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKi1hcCnN0EoILtQzJUTvd73afmOkWTxdjIx7iQf62_wHFj0Yj6hz9Yh6GWnOE_SIOBGVwjWarD3DtOD_auDn4ltGNBHkNi-oLo6P72ZQamVBH8K5isuRRMtpXlP0JAaiw8zIfpZsSBc/s320/flash_forward_5.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Ahhh, autumn, autumn. The leaves are going brown and falling from the trees, the days are shorter and colder, it's back to school and college for many of us, and the festive hat trick of Bonfire night, Halloween and Xmas awaits. Oh, and everyone is indoors, huddled around their TVs to enjoy a packed autumn schedule, which , aside from the X-Factor and Strictly, this year once more bring us another raft of big US TV dramas. This time it's <a href="http://www.hbo.com/generationkill/">Generation Kill </a>(C4) from the makers of The Wire, ultra-cool vampire series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Blood">True Blood</a> (C4), Stargate Universe (Sky 1), with the return of much loved series Heroes and Lost to follow next year.</div><br /><div><br />Then there's FlashForward, a new series premièring on Monday nights on Channel , which is based on a 1999 novel by Canadian writer Robert J Sawyer who devised the show along with co-creator David Goyer (writer of The Dark Knight, and Blade: The Series, amongst other things), and and Brannon Braga (24). The major league pedigree is complete with a cast which includes top notch British actors, as usual, this time in the form of Joseph Fiennes who plays FBI agent and recovering alcoholic Mark Benford, his wife Olivia (Sonya Walger, an escapee from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(TV_series)">Lost</a>), somewhat bizarrely, Jack Davenport, best known to older viewers as posh toff Miles from ground breaking nineties drama This Life, and more recently the Pirates of The Caribbean movies. With American <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0158626/">John Cho</a> (last seen rolling an enormous joint as Harold in the Harold and Kumar movies), and, somewhere in the first season, an appearance by former Hobbit and hairy-faced Mancunian <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0597480/">Dominic Monaghan </a>also in the cast, the list of vaguely familiar faces is complete.</div><div><br />The show is clearly a contender hoping to follow in the footsteps of the televisual behemoth that is the ratings and critical success of Lost, and as such, it is centred around a “high-concept” premise ; everyone in the world has blacked out for precisely 2 minutes and 17 seconds, with many experiencing a dream like vision, which turns out to be a “Flash Forward” to where they will individually find themselves 6 months from now, at 10pm on 29th April 2010. Such an inscrutable mystery poses countless questions, which will no doubt be strung out over countless episodes with not much resolution and more questions than answers. Thankfully, frustrated fans of Lost will be glad to know that the makers promise it will be nowhere near as convoluted as the show it hopes to replace in their affections. </div><div><br />In the early shows, we have already found that the central character of Mark Benford has envisioned his descent back into alcoholism, the collapse of his marriage, and his future role as an investigator of the mystery posed by these visions. As the FBI officers struggle to make sense of the ensuing global crisis, they have set up a website, Mosaic, for people to describe and compile their visions, to see if they correspond. Meanwhile, Marks' surgeon wife Olivia is disturbed to find the man with which she has had visions of having an affair walk into the hospital where she works, and Benfords' partner Dimitri (Cho) is troubled that he has no visions at all : in this future, is he alive? Are these visions of the future “real”? And who is the mysterious man clad in black, caught on CCTV walking through a baseball stadium in Detroit, while all around him, and the world over, everyone else has blacked out?</div><div><br /><strong>Flash Forward continues on Mondays, 9pm on Five.</strong></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-43991056181498257312009-10-04T09:12:00.000+01:002010-04-01T18:46:10.560+01:00'The Hangover' Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHpODvWoKDtGH3BsVI0i7XA360wgU7nMMU_XOnSHGhHm0HlauSe_VSC1pChcmfTB1zjg1HXXzvO8Kosg01HZDhgPYFiu9EghpzSuX-KZMgq5fgCrjZ0FgO1QKPl5UGz62YAikA79LA2s/s1600-h/hangover.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389198502207073938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHpODvWoKDtGH3BsVI0i7XA360wgU7nMMU_XOnSHGhHm0HlauSe_VSC1pChcmfTB1zjg1HXXzvO8Kosg01HZDhgPYFiu9EghpzSuX-KZMgq5fgCrjZ0FgO1QKPl5UGz62YAikA79LA2s/s320/hangover.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 214px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div><div>Another bromance movie following in the Hollywood tradition of recent years, The Hangover stands at the crossroads between 2 hollywood genres - the "what stays in Vegas" movie, and the road trip movie, as 4 male friends go away for a weekend of pre-wedding debauchery, but end up losing the groom and the plot. Indeed director and co-writer Todd Phillips' first feature was in fact 2000's Road Trip, and his second was the hilarious 'Old School', and it particularly shares the latters theme of misbehaving buddies old enough to know better.</div><div>The girls are an afterthought, either villains, super bitches, or sweet caring and perfect like Heather Graham's hot stripper/mom. But the accusations of mysogyny are missing the point. This movie's not about the girls, but the friendships between the dudes.</div><br />
<div>If the territory is familar, the execution is not without its' charms. In particular, the charming weirdness of Alan, Tracy's brother, with his fat Jesus appearance and his sweet, innocent yet insane personality (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Galifianakis" title="Zach Galifianakis">Zach Galifianakis</a>) a counterpoint to the worldly cool of Bradly Cooper's Phil, and geeky dentist Stu (played by Ed Helms). These 3 musketeers spend most of the movie trying to piece together what happens the night before (when Zach's character accidently slipped them all a date rape drug instead of Ecstasy), which somehow involves a real life tiger, an actual baby, a missing family heirloom/wedding ring belonging to Stu, and the mysterious disappearance of their friend and husband-to-be Doug (Justin Bartha).</div><br />
<div>As road movies go, The Hangover is a fun ride, hitting all the right notes with such fun ingredients, including a cameo from an air-drumming Mike Tyson, but the film never quite lives up to its' potential, and is likely to provoke laughter among the more literal-minded American viewers at which it is aimed, as the US reviews of this movie largely confirm. For the more discerning British viewer, however, some goofy ingredients like a tiger, a hooker with a wedding ring and date rape drugs will not compensate for the hit and miss humour of the movie, and a slight shortage of wittier banter or richer characterisation. For me, Phil isn't enough of a bastard, Stu isn't enough of a dork, and Alan could be just a touch weirder - in the directors' similar former movie Old School, the characters played by likes of Owen Wilsion, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn are just bigger and brasher, making for more fun.<br />
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</div>The Hangover, then ; like a great breakfast with some awesome ingredients after a great, messy night out, only slightly undercooked.<br />
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<b>Hack Rating 3/5</b></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5121691092844943105.post-76618894847595095382009-07-16T23:18:00.001+01:002009-07-17T00:09:36.402+01:00It's Been Too Long!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMG9MoprBa7pTb1SmGxb97ZE9lcZ-t5jlKoP_yBzOELRy_NATZjLY88plltKC871ddfcK5_ZAvGl9e2FSOHf_m4vSUsPlwYN5J0RB71zN1rLp4yEVZDWpM48MymLP5Lx2i9EKmZS68Fg/s1600-h/magnolia04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMG9MoprBa7pTb1SmGxb97ZE9lcZ-t5jlKoP_yBzOELRy_NATZjLY88plltKC871ddfcK5_ZAvGl9e2FSOHf_m4vSUsPlwYN5J0RB71zN1rLp4yEVZDWpM48MymLP5Lx2i9EKmZS68Fg/s320/magnolia04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359194510723055698" border="0" /></a>Ok, it's not you, it's me. I have been away, pursuing another of my passions for the past few months, and neglected this fine blog, started with such enthusiasm. Shame to waste all that effort....<br /><br />I have however, diligently been watching films throughout the year, and I'd like to give you a flavour of what I've been seeing and loving....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Magnolia (1999). </span>Intrigued by the movie since I caught a moment of it on TV a few months ago, I was absolutely blown away by this, and particularly Tom "Respect the cock" Cruises' killer performance as a angry, mysogynist self help/sex guru, at the heart of the movie. With an ensemble cast and something like 12 different, connected narratives, this is ambitious film making from a young director (Paul Thomas Anderson) who had just completed Boogie Nights to much acclaim. There's much more to it than just Cruises' performance though. The sheer ambition, confidence, and balls of the film making is worthy of props, with a randomly interspersed musical number in the middle, and a bravely arbitrary, yet poetic ending "shit happens" ending. As the movie says "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Total Recall (1990)</span>. I know. An Arnie movie surely doesn't deserve respect? Well, my opinion of the man is being reformed as I reconsider his work now, as an adult. With limited acting ability, he made the most of his skills in Terminator, and, a couple of years later, this similarly futuristic / sc-fi dystopia flick. Based on seminal writer Philip K Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", as a kid I completely missed the subtle moments of symmetry in this, where dream and reality are played off against each other throughout, and the duality keeps you guessing what's really going on. This got me thinking that Dick's contribution to Hollywood has been massive, from Blade Runner, To I, Robot, Minority Report, the list goes on. Genius, even if it looks hugely date now.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008).</span> I made it my job to sop up the last of the big movies I had missed from Oscar season, and finally got round to this one, which failed at the last hurdle against Slumdog Millionaire, which ended up sweeping this years' awards - it seems like a lifetime ago already. Having seen both, Slumdog is clearly the better movie, though both are somewhat flawed, the latter is less so. Watching Brad Pitt, a major handsome Hollywood star do "ugly", like so many Oscar hunters before him, isn't enough.<br /><br />The essential premise of a man who is born old and grows young as those around him die is in some ways pointless - it would have made no difference if he had lived his life forwards, the poignant moments of the story would still work the same, and the themes of bereavement, love, and value of each human life would still come through. Still, an enjoyable movie. and worth it partly for the exquisite aesthetics, courtesy of David Fincher, who previously worked with Pitt on mutually their most famous flick, Fight Club.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Hard Eight (aka Syndey) (1996).</span> Paul Thomas Anderson's low key debut, I chased this up since, after Magnolia, I'd seen and enjoyed everything he's done in his career, from the seedy glamour of Boogie Nights, to 2008 Oscar winner There Will Be Blood. I'd began to draw some conclusions, self evident stuff. Each film is ultimately a dissection of family, and a critique of patriarchy. Magnolia in particular is the work of someone who is very, very angry at Daddy.<br /><br />Hard Eight sees a young John C Reilly taken in by father figure Phillip Baker Hall, a classy retiree who teaches him how to work the slot machines and tables in Vegas to find a day's food and board. Hall though, isn't as benevolent as he seems, and behind his kindness lies a guilty secret, in this noir-ish tale, which sees Gywyneth Paltrow and Samuel L Jackson play against type. Paltrow is a cocktail waitress who moonlights as a prostitute, while Jackson is intriguing as as insecure, easily slighted low-level hood who lives among the seedy motels and darkened restaurants of Vegas. A big ask, particularly as only a year earlier in Pulp Fiction he had played possibly the cockiest, coolest, afro-wearing, gun slingin dude in movie history. Hard Eight is a subtle pleasure, slow moving, and compelling.<br /><br />Well, it's getting late. This past few months, I also enjoyed:<br /><br />1. Sunshine (2004, Danny Boyle). 7/10<br />2. The Lives Of Others (2006) 9/10<br />3. The Wave / Die Welle (2007). 7/10<br />4. Gran Torino (2008). 8/10<br />5. Groundhog Day. 8/10<br />6. Step Brothers. 7/10<br />7. Role Models. 6/10.<br />8. Punch Drunk Love. 6/10.<br />9. RocknRolla. 5/10.<br />10. The Wrestler. 9/10.<br />11. Tyson. 6/10.<br />12. He's Just Not That Into You. (2008). 4/10.<br />13. Frost/Nixon. 7/10.<br />14. Paths Of Glory. 8/10.<br />15. On The Waterfront. 8/10.<br />16. Slumdog Millionaire 7/10.Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562767656146501944noreply@blogger.com0