Features
• David Poland is still in two minds about “Benjamin Button,” but agrees with Kris that “Slumdog” is the one to beat. [The Hot Blog] • Kim Voynar, meanwhile, surveys the Best Picture contenders, and is as confused as the rest of us. Interesting point about the potential impact of current events on “Slumdog,” though. […]
Entries from November 2008
11/28 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:49 am · November 28th, 2008
Filed in: Daily
Word
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:00 pm · November 27th, 2008
Roger Ebert has written an eloquent and impassioned response to what he sees as the demise of film criticism as an artform, prompted by the depressing news that the Associated Press has posed a 500-word limit on all entertainment-related articles, including all reviews and think pieces: Why do we need critics? A good friend of […]
Filed in: Daily
Under the radar: ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:09 pm · November 27th, 2008
Quite why the Yari Group has chosen the mid-December maelstrom to unload “What Doesn’t Kill You” is something that escapes me. Brian Goodman’s debut film was warmly received at Toronto and then seemingly disappeared from people’s memories altogether, only to resurface now with this rather enticing trailer. But with such a late arrival, it seems […]
Filed in: Daily
Kate Winslet: going for broke?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:01 pm · November 27th, 2008
I’m getting so many mixed messages about “The Reader,” I don’t know what to make of it anymore. Some concrete reviews would help, but the embargo is obviously still in place. I admit I’m unfamiliar with the intricacies of the business, but I’m not sure how beneficial it is to withhold word on a late […]
Filed in: Daily
To you and yours
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:44 am · November 27th, 2008
I’m taking a serious vacation for the next four days. Minimal updates if any. I know, scandalous. A blogger taking the risk of losing traffic by ducking out for more than 24 hours. WTF?? But you know what? I deserve it. And you do too. So go do what makes you happy and enjoy Thanksgiving. […]
Filed in: Et Cetera
Clint Eastwood growls through the opening of Best Original Song contender
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:19 am · November 27th, 2008
I like Clint. I really do. I’m sticking up for him against all this timidity regarding his “cranky old guy” performance in “Gran Torino” because I know the role is something special. Despite considering his recent string of success to be the most overrated era of any filmmaker’s career, I’m glad he’s out there making […]
Filed in: Daily
Grace
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:15 am · November 27th, 2008
A little something to get you in the spirit. (Remember Christina Ricci’s cool days? I miss those.) No holiday for me, of course — lousy unthankful non-American that I am. So I’ll be holding fort around here for the next few days, while Kris takes a well-deserved breather. It’ll be quieter than usual, but feel […]
Filed in: Daily
11/27 Oscarweb Round-up — THANKSGIVING EDITION
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:59 am · November 27th, 2008
• EW rounds up eight memorable Thanksgivings at the movies. “The Ice Storm” wins for me. No contest. [Entertainment Weekly] • Anne Thompson on the indies hoping to score in the acting races. [Variety] • Dave Karger lays out the Oscar prospects for “Milk” and “Australia.” [Entertainment Weekly] • Todd Martens reports on some alternative […]
Filed in: Daily
First set of winner predictions
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:04 am · November 27th, 2008
Before the holiday I thought I’d make my first calls on the year’s Oscar winners. Bear in mind we don’t even have a list of nominees yet and anything can happen. I think around this time last year I was predicting “Into the Wild” for across-the-board wins and it only managed two nominations at the […]
Sigh
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:41 pm · November 26th, 2008
Screen Daily delivers the bewildering news: Day one sales of “Mamma Mia! – The Movie” have beaten “Titanic”‘s record, to become the fastest selling DVD of all time in the UK. Sales reached 1.669 million units, following its launch on November 24. The previous record for day one DVD sales was held for 10 years […]
Filed in: Daily
Something for spring
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:49 pm · November 26th, 2008
Ever get taken completely unawares by a film’s existence? It’s no doubt my own oversight, but before happening upon this trailer, I had never heard of “Duplicity.” (In my defence, who would remember that title?) Kind of surprising considering it reteams “Closer” co-stars Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, and comes from the hand of recent […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Reader’ stirring the awards season dust
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:16 am · November 26th, 2008
Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil attended an east coast screening of “The Reader” this week, which featured a Stephen Daldry Q&A session afterward. He reports as follows: “I tried to leave things ambiguous,” Daldry said. “I want to keep what she learned and what she didn’t from us. It’s not for us to know.” During the […]
Filed in: Daily
“Yeah, you do, baby.”
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:10 am · November 26th, 2008
“I enjoy playing real-life people. I’ve always had a knack for taking on characteristics or mannerisms. And I was the most spoiled actor on the movie because I was able to spend every day with the real Cleve [Jones],” who was on set as a historical consultant. “Cleve would watch me and be like, ‘I […]
Filed in: Daily
You can’t stop what’s coming
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:50 am · November 26th, 2008
Filed in: Daily
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:45 am · November 26th, 2008
“A.R. was the most established, amazing producer…He works with 100-people orchestras, and his sound is huge. Then on the other end of the room was me, making music on GarageBand [software] and playing Danny these really gritty, badly recorded MP3s. We had all these meetings and stuff, and then I realized that’s what the movie […]
Filed in: Daily
Oscar screener Christmas
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:36 am · November 26th, 2008
Filed in: Daily
11/26 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:34 am · November 26th, 2008
• Jeff Wells is beside himself because Oscar prognosticators understand “Che” has a snowball’s chance in hell at a best Picture nomination. [Hollywood Elsewhere] • Noah Forrest podcasts “Changeling” screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski. [Movie City News] • Anne Thompson gets the “Australia” goods from Hugh Jackman. [Thompson on Hollywood] • Tom O’Neil, meanwhile, wonders if […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Reader’ gets a poster
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:19 pm · November 25th, 2008
Same as the artwork on the cover of a special “author’s notes” booklet by Bernhard Schlink, handed out at yesterday’s press screening:
Filed in: Daily
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