Category: Movies

MPL's Oscar Predictions

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I know i’m a day late on this, but here goes. My predictions and hopes for the Oscars this year:

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond”
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson”
Peter O’Toole in “Venus”
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland”

MY PICK: Ryan Gosling – WINNER: Forest Whitaker

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children”
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond”
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls”
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed”

MY PICK & WINNER: Eddie Murphy

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penelope Cruz in “Volver”
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal”
Helen Mirren in “The Queen”
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada”
Kate Winslet in “Little Children”

MY PICK & WINNER: Helen Mirren

The big picks are available after the jump

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Nerd Alert! (Halo and Battlestar Galactica)

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I found these two updates today on the glorious world wide web. You know that tubular place known as the Information Superhighway. Anyway…

Here’s a guy who developed his own Halo suite similar to that worn by Master Chief. It cost him around $15k and 2 years of his life, but it’s all worth it when you can walk around like that. The suit is protective from all bullets and explosives (and of course, women). It’s already been tested and blocked an elephant guy. You can pick one up for about 2 grand. Here’s the link.  For some reason this guy wanted to see how durable the suit was and drove all the way down the East coast sitting on his armor protected ass and claimed to be completely comfortable the entire time.   Now, only if he could reproduce Katana, i’d be happy.

The other item of note is that they’re making a film of Battlestar Galactica.  I just finished season 1 of this show and i think it’s great. Apparently the 2nd and 3rd seasons are some of the best around.  The film, which will feature all the same cast and crew as the TV show and will bridge the gap between the show’s third and fourth seasons. If you know who these guys are, it’s being produced Ron Moore and David Eick. This is all from an interview with these guys in the Chicago Tribune.

Best Trailers of the Year

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I love going to the movies, especially during the holidays when there are so many good ones to see. I also love gettign to the theater beforehand so i can watch the trailers of movies coming out in the future. Personally, i hate trailers that tell too much about a movie and basically summarize the entire movie in 2 and 1/2 minutes. Those trailers suck. What i want to list here are the trailers that don’t suck, the trailers that make you upset that you aren’t watching that movie instead of teh one you paid to see, the trailers that get to you make you research that movie later on the internet. Here are the trailers of 2006 that did that for me:

300 – By far the best trailer of the year. Can’t wait for the actual movie.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=qjD8A7h2Z9g]

The Departed – not so much of the trailer but because the anticipation of a kickass Scorcese flick (although the trailer rocks too)

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=VqKZ8ARPgC4]

The rest are available after the jump…..

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Michel Gondry is More Man Than All of Us

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I loved the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I thought it was one of the more underrated films of the past 5 years. Michel Gondry, the director and co-writer (with Charlie Kaufman) has also done some fantastic music videos. Basically, i think he’s awesome. However, that did not prepare me for this video (below) where he solves a rubix cube. Oh, he doesn’t just solve it. Oh no, that would be too simple. He solves it with his feet! That’s right, check it:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiQXgmVVGNA&eurl=]

If you haven’t seen any of Michel’s other stuff, even his shorter stuff, you should head over to YouTube and check it out. Even his commercials are pretty cool. Here’s a Smirnoff ad:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1UeNGELFSc]

Hugh vs. Bale Makes The Prestige Great

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I just saw The Prestige and while not the best movie of the year, it is really really good. I’m going 8 out of 10. It man be too slick and not the best written, but it is captivating and completely enjoyable. Not because of the magic (which i thought was really cool) but because of the rivalry between Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale and their obsession to being the best in London.

This film reminds me of a quote i heard from Steven Spielberg when he was doing the DVD commentary of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He remarked that he made that movie as a young man and it’s the type of film he would never make today. That is a movie where a man follows his gut and beliefs even though it leads to the destruction of his entire family. This is a similar movie. It’s about dreams, ambition and the sacrifice required to be the best. Jon Faverau’s character in Friends went through a similar ordeal when he was trying to be the worlds best Ultimate Fighting Champion. However, that was about 1/100 as good as this. As the film unwinds, you find yourself amazed at what the two are doing to themselves and to those they love, yet you can’t look away. It’s worth your while to check it out.

The film also does a great job of juggling between the Victorian age and industrial revolution, traditional actors (Caine) and rockstars (David Bowie), traditional film (analog) and modern techniques (digital), and most importantly between true the illusions of magic and actual science and innovation. Also, no one seems to be talking about the true rivalry to come out of this one. Do you think it’s too early to begin talking about a Wolverine vs. Batman film?

Half Nelson is One of the Year’s Best

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I recently saw the film Half Nelson. I hadn’t heard anything about it before heading to the local indie theater – but it is great. The story is about an inner-city junior high school teacher (Dan – played by Ryan Gosling) who forms an strange friendship with one of his students (Drey – played by Shareeka Epps) after she discovers that he has a drug habit.

half-nelson

I’m not going to go through the entire plot of the movie. Instead i’m going to list some themes and scenes…..

One way to look at the movie is to see Dan representing the white liberal establishment of America: well intentioned and talented but undisciplined (or destructively disciplined).  To the establishment, the black youth is an abstract idea that can be addressed by exploring history and putting some serious thought and money behind the problem. However, the establishment, like Dan, falls flat on its face when you actually see how this course of action impacts the students. There’s a reason why Dan – who actually sees the futility – self medicates.

There are 2 cats shown throughout the movie – one in Dan’s apartment and another at Frank, the local drug dealer’s house (Frank is played by Anthony Mackie and is great in the movie). To me, the cats represent the respective white and black communities. Dan’s “white society” cat is inside his home and taken care of (housing, food, car and attention) – similar to his upbringing. Dan comes from a white middle-class family and is loved by his parents. On the flip side, Frank’s cat is not allowed inside the home and kicked to the streets where it must fend for itself – similar to his and Drey’s life. That’s why it so shocking to see “proper home” cat and a man who’s been given all the opportunities dying.

I love the scene where Dan goes to confront the drug dealer Frank. He asks that Frank stay away from Drey. I was expecting to see a few punches by someone. Instead, it stumbles into a conversation, to which Frank asks, “You’re supposed to be the good guy?” and Dan responds helplessly, “I don’t know! I don’t know!” These two guys are the two options provided for today’s youth – and they both know Drey deserves better.

Drey’s mom, who’s working double shifts to create a good life for the two of them faces quite a dilemma. She’s working a legit job yet that prohibits her from actually raising her child. Because she doesn’t subscribe to a lifestyle that Frank or her brother (imprisoned for selling drugs) do, it results in her been absent most of the time and Frank and Dan doing most of her daughter’s parenting. Which in itself is tragic and unbelievably sad.

Another great scene is when Drey and Frank are driving around selling drugs. It’s here in his car when he tells he that he relationship with her teacher (Dunn) is inappropriate. That’s right, the local drug dealer, while using an 8th grader to deliver the drugs doesn’t like that her and her teacher are actually becoming friends. Ah, it’s so good.

There are so many good scenes in this film. It worth your time to check it out.

Scorsese Making a Rolling Stones Documentary

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This just in…

This year’s best movie is Scorsese’s The Departed and he’s now taking a break from gangsters and going to follow around The Rolling Stones and make a feature length film documentary. Apparently he got it started when he filmed their concert in NY this past weekend.  Let’s just hope it’s better than The Aviator (most overrated movie ever).
Scorsese is no stranger to music documentaries. He made No Direction Home in 2005 about Bob Dylan and The Last Waltz in 1978 about The Band’s last concert. Needless to say, a kick-ass director and one of the best bands ever will probably make for a solid 2 hour piece of entertainment.

And speaking of music documentaries. I have heard that the Dixie Chicks vs. Right Wing documentary in theaters now is really awesome.  Anyone seen it?

Universal Studio's "Welcome" Movie

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Back before the South Park guys made South Park, they were just looking to make a buck any way they could. Universal Studios, right after they acquired Seagram Liquors actually hired them to make a video for new employees. Luckily for us, they were still completely crazy and hysterical. Here’s a peak at the video

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-6493841613076981287&hl=en]

Also, keeping with the spirit, my friend SubjectToBlackout sent me the awesome “Make Love Not Warcraft” episode of South Park which is damn good. If you have a spare 22 minutes, i highly recommend you check it out. The episode has been taken off YouTube, but you can get it here at DailyMotion.

The episode was so awesome that it actually has its own Wikipedia page. Pretty funny. Check it out, or as Cartman says:

You can just hang around outside all day tossing a ball around, or you can sit at your computer and do something that matters.

This Trailer Will Blow Your Mind

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I loved Sin City. It’s mix of realistic images and animation was very cool and Mickey Rourke’s character was a total badass. Of course, it was a Frank Miller graphic novel moved to the screen. This next trailer of a film called 300 is also a graphic novel by Frank Miller and from the trailer it looks like it could be the badass movie of the year. Check it:

The trailer is here (sorry its not up on YouTube yet so i couldn’t embed)

The generic info for the movie is:

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=wDiUG52ZyHQ]

Atlas Shrugged and Angelina

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Note: Spoiler Alert belowjolie

According to this latest press release, they are going to make a movie of Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged and Angelina is going to play Dagney. Great book and she’d be a good Dagney

I wonder who will play the millionaire playboy Francisco D’Anconia the badass capitalist Hank Reardon, or the man behind the plot John Galt who is a brilliant physicist and philosopher and creator of “Galt’s Gulch” where the brilliant minds of the world go.

Its important to note that Dagney hooked up with all 3 of these guys, so whoever gets to play them is going to get some action. The word is that Brad Pitt wants to play Reardon even though Galt eventually ends up with her.