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Saturday, September 30, 2006 - 12:49:47
Emanuel Levy, Sasha Stone on Little Children
Emanuel Levy of emanuaellevy.com has this to say about Kate Winslet,This season, Winslet shines (again) in Todd Field’s ambitious and haunting anatomy of American suburbia, “Little Children.” With some luck, and savvy marketing campaign from New Line, Winslet’s brilliant interpretation of a tough, demanding role, that occupies the story's center, should bring her the fifth Oscar nomination and the third lead one.
Sasha Stone of Oscarwatch.com says of Little Children,
Little Children is unexpectedly funny, unsettling in a way that sets you off your rails for at least a day and more importantly, is one of the few films released so far that holds up a fairly truthful (inconvenient though the truth may be) mirror back at us: this is who we've become. This is what we've become.
Whether the Academy recognizes it or not, it is surely one of the best films of the year. It is certainly a better film that In the Bedroom was. How you respond to it will likely be a good indicator of where you are in your life - how much you can stand where you are and what you'd do to get out. Hat's off to the brave ensemble cast and the very brave Todd Field who isn't playing it safe the second time around.
Rolling Stone calls The Departed "a new American crime classic from the legendary Martin Scorsese, whose talent shines here on its highest beams."
Here's Peter Travis' review of the film. Damn, the reviews for this film our outstanding. I don't see how it doesn't become a serious contender for Best Picture. Sounds like P. Martin's early suggestion (dare I say prediction) that Scorsese will win best director may come true.Go see this film.
Tee it up
Oscar talk is in full swing. And why not? The Toronto International Film Festival is over and critics have had the opportunity to view almost every film in contention with the exception of Dreamgirls and Flags of Our Fathers. These two films seem to be frontrunners for the Oscar. Why? Bill Condon was the writer of Chicago and he brings together a very accomplished cast (Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson). 20 minutes of this film was shown at one of the early festivals and critics were very impressed. Flags of Our Fathers has all the makings of Oscar gold. Clint Eastwood, Paul Haggis and the story behind the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima (it's an adaptation of the James Bradley book of the same name).The other film that seems to have a lock on a Best Picture nomination is Babel, the latest collaboration by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros, 21 Grams). 21 Grams was one of the best films of 2003 and I have every reason to believe Babel will be just as good, if not better. After that, it's wide open.
I'm sentimental about The Departed because I think Scorsese is an exceptional filmmaker. Internet buzz and early reviews are out of this world. Little Children, the latest from Todd Field (In the Bedroom) and starring Oscar darling Kate Winslet, should make it in. I did not read the book, but following the buzz on the web, it looks fantastic. Whether Little Children actually does all seems to depend on how much momentum other films have heading into the holidays.
There is intense buzz for Stephen Frears' The Queen and Helen Mirren is a lock for Best Actress. The Queen feels to me a lot like Vera Drake did a few years ago, but Helen Mirren seems to have the gravitas to withstand the intense Oscar publicity race.
Steven Soderberg's The Good German with George Clooney, Kevin Macdonald's The Last King of Scotland with Forest Whitaker, Robert DeNiro's The Good Shepard with Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, Volver, Pedro Almodovar's film that's currently leading the pack of best foreign films are all in the mix. Bobby, The History Boys and one of the 9-11 films, either World Trade Center or United 93 all have an outside shot it seems.
Little Miss Sunshine should win a slew of critics awards as well as a Golden Globe nomination if the HFPA sees it as a comedy. That will keep it alive for Best Picture.
Everyone seems to be formulating their early Oscar picks and I've posted most of them here. You can track them on some other sites, Oscarwatch.com, Incontention.com, and some of the major publications, USA Today's Oscar Oracle for example.
If you want to track the awards race, here's another good site.
I throw out my predictions later on in the year when I've actually had a chance to see some of these films. Until then, I'll pass along what others are saying.
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "definitely in control."
So says The London Times. They profile the BSR IT girl and her four films out this year: the already released World Trade Center and Trust the Man, as well as Sherrybaby (out everywhere but LR, it seems) and Stranger than Fiction.Here's the story.
Variety: "Scorsese cooks up a juicy and bloody steak of a movie"
More praise for The Departed from Variety. This should give the film enormous buzz leading up to it's wide release this Friday. If the major papers review it the same, look for DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson and Scorsese to catapult into the Oscar picture.Mixing it up with modern mobsters for the first time since "Casino" 11 years ago, Martin Scorsese cooks up a juicy and bloody steak of a movie in "The Departed." Different from the director's earlier crime dramas in its shared focus on cops rather than on just the goodfellas, this reworking of a popular Hong Kong picture pulses with energy, tangy dialogue and crackling performances from a fine cast,
Here's the full review.
Hollywood Reporter: "Thank god we have Martin Scorsese back."
Hollywood Reporter heaps heavy praise for Scorsese's latest film The Departed.
Says Kirk Honeycutt,
After a couple of films where one of the best directors ever seemed more intent on pleasing Academy voters than millions of admirers, Scorsese returns to contemporary crime fiction with a hugely satisfying bang.
"The Departed" is a robust piece of storytelling and his best film since "Casino" in 1995. Everything is rock solid: Top actors with meaty roles that let them go to the edge without toppling over that edge, a story that keeps upping the tension and emotional ante every few minutes, Michael Ballhaus' gliding camera and shadowy lighting, Kristi Zea's atmospheric sets and Thelma Schoonmaker's tight, rhythmic editing all conspire to take us into a heart of urban darkness.
Here's the full review.
This movie looks outstanding. I have every intention of seeing it on opening day, unless someone hooks me up with a screener before then.
Friday, September 29, 2006 - 07:20:23
Film Celebrity Political Play of the Week
from none other than conspiracy man and World Trade Center director Oliver Stone,
''This war on Iraq is a disaster. I'm disgraced. I'm ashamed for my country,'' he said. ''I'm also ashamed that America has attacked itself with its constitutional breakdowns. I'm deeply ashamed," Stone said.
Stone also argued that Bush has set America back 10 years as a result of its post-9/11 policies.
Here's the report.
For what its worth, the National Intelligence Estimate "completed in April and reflecting a consensus of 16 American intelligence agencies, concluded among other things that the Iraq war had become a “cause célèbre” for Islamic extremists," according to the New York Times.
A.O. Scott has lots of love for 'Little Children'
Dana Stevens on The Queen, The Last King of Scotland
John Ford and the Duke
Did you see The Illusionist?
Who will win Best Actor?
Spain picks Volver
Reviews
Q & A with James Carville
'All Hail The Queen' says David Edelstein
Stuart Levine says "bow down to Helen Mirren"
10 great dark comedies
Last King of Scotland opens in New York
The Envelope, Hollywood-Elsewhere.com weigh in
New York Post's Oscar Predictions
Oscar predictions from Rolling Stone
Scriptland
Hollywood Film Fest names Forest Whittaker actor of the year
Oscar, round 2?
More comments . . . and my responses
InContention.com's Oscar charts
Cool Podcasts
Bring it on
What's in your queue?
Clooney for America?
Responding to comments
Jesus Camp
October 6th needs to hurry up and get here
New Trailer for Casino Royale
The Queen
Not good
What did you see this weekend?
Got that Director
Summer's over
Volver wins Fipresci Prize
Hollywood gets involved in Clinton Global Initiative
Tom O'Neil forecasts NY Film Critics
This is funny
USA Today launches Oscar Watch
Jack Nicholson. Enough said.
Latest Paul Haggis project
What they're saying about . . .
Clooney to direct Leatherheads
Q & A with BSR IT GIRL Maggie Gyllenhaal
Interesting piece on All the King's Men
More trouble for the Catholic Church?
It's at least about film
Dallas & AFI partner for film fest
Flags of Our Fathers
Pitt, Jolie put money where it counts
Kris Tapley calls The Departed one of the year's best
Emanuel Levy gives high praise for The Departed
Unknown film catches eye of N.Y. Times critic
Faith in film
Scriptland
Good for you, George
AFI taps "Bobby" as opening night film
Sean Penn speaks up
Do you like Zach Braff?
Riding in an elevator in Toronto
Opening Friday
What's in your queue?
Where they stand
Next up
Janis Joplin on the big screen
Woodstock Film Festival Lineup
The Science of Sleep
More Love for "The Departed"
Ryan Gosling, Best Actor?
Penelope Cruz vs. Meryl Streep
Philip Martin throws shout out to The Moviegoer
The Black Dahlia
Crowe to remake "3:10 to Yuma"
Sarah Polley steps behind the camera
L.A. Times Tom O'Neil on the bad films in Toronto
The Last Kiss
The latest James Bond
Old School Dos
Killing time
Ricky Bobby
My moviegoing friend
That's one way to go
Philip Martin predicts Oscar for Scorsese
What?
Toronto winners
A compromise?
Best Hollywood Noir
Saturday morning randomness
Toronto wraps up today
Arkie update
Is it just me?
Clooney addresses atrocities in Darfur
Peter Jackson to adapt "The Lovely Bones"
Where's my Sherrybaby?
What I'm seeing this weekend
Philip and Karen Martin weigh in from Toronto
Here's some really good news
Toronto winding down
The Fall Season
The 'Queue' discussed
Todd Field's latest course - delicious?
Anthony Minghella's Latest
Paul Haggis still rolling
Peter O'Toole, Oscar?
Todd McCarthy likes "Stranger than Fiction"
Paris, je t'aime
Latest Dr. Suess
L.A. Times Tom O'Neil hearts "Bobby"
Charlie Kaufman's new script
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
Good for Luc
Tom Cruise, Redskins owner strike deal
iTunes to start selling movies
Opening Friday
Michael Rechtshaffen loves "For Your Consideration"
Miami Herald loves "The Departed"
What's in your queue?
Last thoughts from the Telluride Film Festival
Oh No! "All The King's Men" Falls Flat in Toronto
High Praise for "Catch a Fire" at Toronto
Hollywoodland worth seeing
Monday at the Toronto Film Festival
Spike Lee sticking with New Orleans
Ang Lee's next pic
Here's an idea
'Little Miss Sunshine' wins at Deauville Festival
Best High School Movies
Owen Glieberman gives high praise for "Sherrybaby"
Mirren, Affleck take top prizes at Venice Film Festival
Hollywood acting couples
Premiere magazine makes early Oscar predictions
The Weekend in Toronto
Top 10 Films
More from Toronto
Food in Film
Come on, Jim Harris
The deal behind "What's in Your Queue."
"Sherrybaby" Watch
More Michael Moore
Politics in Toronto
Leading by example
It's a slow day
"The Queen," "Bobby" early favorites at Venice Film Festival
Hollywoodland Opens to positive reviews
Ellen to host the Oscars
Opening Friday
Movie Club?
This is simply absurd
Sequel to "The Player" hits bookstores
Good for Gore
Give it up for Indie Films
I just can't NOT mention it
Pirates 3 has a title
The first 9/11 film hits DVD
When's my "Sherrybaby" coming to Arkansas?
"The Illusionist" is worth seeing
Toronto Film Fest opens Thursday
September 11th at the movies
Has Affleck finally made a decent movie?
Telluride Film Festival wraps
More praise for Pedro Almodovar
What's in Your Queue?
Love those Musicals
Early Buzz from Venice
Almodovar's 'Volver' on a roll
Your Favorite Actress
Is it Oscar time?
Top 20 to see
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