Features
Todd Solondz’s loose, recast sequel to “Happiness” was, for me, one of the pleasant surprises of last autumn’s festival circuit — more focused and astringently funny than his last two features, it’s also about as humane a work as the now middle-aged enfant terrible is capable of conceiving. Fans of all actors in the formidable […]
Entries from March 2010
‘Life During Wartime’ trailer and poster
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:07 am · March 31st, 2010
Filed in: Daily
LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 1933 and 1934
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 2:48 pm · March 30th, 2010
Catch up with the idea behind this series here. 1933 was the only year without an Oscar ceremony as the Academy switched its eligibility calendar around and began honoring films released from January 1 through December 31. The result was the 1934 ceremony honoring films from the past seventeen months. And still they picked “Cavalcade” […]
Filed in: Life Without Oscar
SUNDAY CENTS: ‘Dragon’ slays
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 1:55 pm · March 28th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. I trust your dragons have been sufficiently trained. Despite sounding like a codename for masturbation amongst middle schoolers, “How to Train Your Dragon” is the number one movie at the box office with $43.3 million smackers. Depending on how you look at things, this result could […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
FRIDAY FORECAST: ‘Dragon’ art
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 11:30 am · March 26th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Years of frustration over how to precisely train my dragon will be resolved today as Paramount has released the informative documentary, “How to Train Your Dragon.” There’s one of these bawdy animated titles every March and they usually do pretty damn well. “Monsters vs. Aliens” debuted […]
Filed in: Box Office · Friday Forecast
‘Robin Hood’ to open Cannes
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:50 am · March 26th, 2010
More of a handy PR opportunity than an actual festival honor, Ridley Scott’s “Robin Hood” has secured the opening night slot at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival on May 12, two days ahead of its US and UK release date. Like last year’s Cannes opener, “Up,” the film will premiere out of competition, affording it […]
Filed in: Daily
Mulligan set for ‘My Fair Lady’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:09 am · March 25th, 2010
Between Carey Mulligan and Mia Wasikowska, it seems the industry has no need for other 20-something actresses — they’ll divvy up all the plum parts between them. Days after Mulligan’s name was connected to the English-language remake of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” comes the news that she’s to play Eliza Doolittle in the […]
Filed in: Daily
LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 1931 and 1932
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 1:32 pm · March 23rd, 2010
Catch up with the idea behind this series here. 1931 was the first time the Academy Awards were broadcast on the radio. Can you imagine having to tune in to Sirius channel 2174 to hear Conrad Nagel announce who won everything? I don’t even know who Conrad Nagel is. 1932 gives us my favorite Oscar […]
Filed in: Life Without Oscar
Russian trailer for ‘The Illusionist’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:17 am · March 23rd, 2010
A tip of the hat to Twitch for digging up a Russian trailer for Sylvain Chomet’s “The Illusionist,” which I reviewed out of Berlin last month. Calling it my favorite film of 2010 is faint praise at this stage, but I’ll be surprised if 10 more films come along to top it. Either way, it’s […]
Filed in: Daily
Bullock calls for real comedy
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:55 am · March 22nd, 2010
It’s not like one needed a further reason to hop on the “We Love Sandra Bullock” train in this of all weeks, but the actress obligingly provides one anyway in this highly enjoyable Guardian interview with John Patterson. Speaking of the genre that has become her bread and butter over the years, she offers these […]
Filed in: Daily
SUNDAY CENTS: Dear ‘Diary,’ Why wasn’t I in 3D?
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 9:20 am · March 21st, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. I haven’t heard a single person say “Alice in Wonderland” is anything but awful yet here we stand at its third weekend atop the box office. The film added another $34.5 million to its staggering tally of $265.8 million and I don’t really know what to […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
FRIDAY FORECAST: ‘Bounty’ soft
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 5:13 pm · March 19th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Forgive me if this entry seems a little rushed, but I’ve been flying most of the day and detoxing from South by Southwest. It was my first time attending since 2006 and the growth in scope, prestige and attendance since then was staggering. The quality and […]
Filed in: Box Office · Friday Forecast
Ubiquitous
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:24 pm · March 19th, 2010
When I heard today that Mia Wasikowska had landed the lead in Cary Fukunaga’s upcoming adaptation of “Jane Eyre” for Focus Features, my first thought was, “Well, who else?” Not that there aren’t other suitable young actresses who could ace the part. But 20 year-old Australian Wasikowska seems to have hit a sweet spot in […]
Filed in: Daily
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:58 am · March 17th, 2010
A favorite from a favorite:
Filed in: Daily
IFC previews its wares
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:25 am · March 17th, 2010
Do you live in New York? Lucky you. I say that for many reasons, but chief among them right now is that you can attend this weekend’s Focus on IFC Films mini-festival, in which the dedicated indie distributor previews a selection of their upcoming theatrical and VOD titles at Brooklyn’s BAMcinématek. I mention this principally […]
Filed in: Daily
Anton Corbijn blogs ‘The American’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 12:40 am · March 17th, 2010
If only for the names involved, Focus Features’ thriller “The American” is one of my more anticipated films of 2010 — George Clooney stars, Rowan Joffe (who had a hand in my best-of-decade contender “Last Resort,” and also has “Brighton Rock” coming up this year) writes and, best of all, Anton Corbijn directs. Corbijn’s 2007 […]
Filed in: Daily
LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 1929 and 1930
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 9:15 am · March 16th, 2010
Catch up with the idea behind this series here. A thousand apologies to everyone for the lack of a Sunday Cents column. With a respected actor/director duo putting in numbers as disappointing as “Green Zone,” there was definitely a lot to talk about but I just didn’t have the time or the access to my […]
Filed in: Life Without Oscar
Fincher and Mulligan for ‘Dragon Tattoo?’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 11:41 am · March 15th, 2010
As hard as it is to imagine the button-cute Carey Mulligan festooned with body art and facial piercings, kicking all kinds of corporate ass, it’s an intriguing possibility we must now consider. Over the past few days, the newly-minted Oscar nominee’s name, along with that of director David Fincher, has been connected with the much-fancied […]
Filed in: Daily
Was that so hard?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 11:30 am · March 15th, 2010
As a film-poster enthusiast, one of my bigger headscratchers from last year was why, with so many vivid stills to work with, the publicity team behind “The White Ribbon” couldn’t devise a one-sheet that didn’t look either fan-made or positively medicinal. Leave it to Australia’s Jeremy Saunders to finally cobble together a real poster — […]
Filed in: Daily
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