Cinescapist

Gold-ology 2010!!! (aka Cinescapist is back!!!)

2010-02-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hi Fellow Cinescapists!!!

Wow, how fast a whole year goes by. I know, I know, I left my 4 readers on edge after my clearly brilliant and oh-so-wrong commentary on WATCHMEN (it doesn't hold up, btw).

So, inspired by a new advisary, Motion Picture Literary (or MPL as they will further be referred to), I'm thought I'd bring back the good ol' Gold-ology! Hopefully you'll find some interesting discourse about the Oscar race this year.

My initial thoughts: I thought 2009 was a really great year for movies. While critically, there weren't as many "prestige films," I do believe that there was some of the best "entertainment films" that we've seen in the last decade. Movies that will live on long past 2009, truly embody what great movies should be, and will be forever remembered fondly. For me, the list includes (but is not limited to): STAR TREK, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, AVATAR, UP IN THE AIR, and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. These are all movies that were all critically respected, but for me, also reminded me of how fun the great movies really can be. With each of the above listed movies, they all felt really personal to me and yet have been widely loved and well-received by large audiences as well. It's hard to find many years when that happens. I sincerely think that this year, regardless of what movies are rewarded at the Academy Awards come March, that there will be more than a few from 2009 that will live in the pop culture consciousness for many years to come.

And now, on to the main event. Unfortunately, I didn't get to post my nomination prediction post as I did last year (I DID, however, destroy my colleague MPL in predicting the noms, per usual). But basically, as far as nominations go, it was a fairly mild year with no real shocking surprises. Mostly this was due to the fact that the Academy is nominating 10 movies for Best Picture, instead of the usual 5. I've been back and forth on my feelings about having 10 nominees (5 makes it more elite, 10 opens up the discussion of more films and allows for a broad range of movies to be included), but ultimately I'm for it because I think the more movies we're talking about come Oscar time, the better. Plus, film is a subjective medium, so there's never going to be a true consensus of what films are "best" from any given year. My first impressions from the nominations this year is that all of the best films (IMO) are represented rightfully. I was a LITTLE surprised THE BLIND SIDE got a best pic nom, but didn't hate the movie (in fact I quite enjoyed it) enough to vilify its inclusion.

As for initial thoughts on potential winners, I think overall it will be a fairly predictable year. However, I'm going to have to disagree with my colleague MPL on some of his predictions. As has happened in past years, I think this is a year where hype and momentum are going to be very key. A good example is the Best Actress race. While most believe that this has come down to a two woman race (between Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep), it seems like Sandra Bullock has all of the momentum in her favor. She's picked up a few key awards recently (SAG, Golden Globe), and I do believe that sometimes that Oscar voters sometimes just choose the star shining brightest at that time. There are exceptions to this (usually in the supporting category), and while I'm not making a final prediction on this race yet, I do think the odds are certainly in Bullock's favor.

The other race where this is prevalent, is for Best Picture. Now, the interesting thing to note is that the voting system for Best Picture this year is different than in years past, due to the 10 nominees. Instead of a voter just choosing one film as their selection, they must rank their selections. While it makes the voting process more complicated, it basically means that the order that voters rank their selections matter, and not just their top selection will be key in helping choose a winner. While most people have agreed that it's a two film race between AVATAR and HURT LOCKER, I'm not convinced there isn't room for a third. I believe that third film is INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. The film has not been shut out of the major awards (winning SAG best ensemble was key), and it's fans are fervent (myself included). I think people are counting IB out too soon, and as we've seen in the past (notably with THE READER last year), never count out the Weinsteins. As for the top two contenders, I don't think THE HURT LOCKER, while great, is not "best picture" and I don't think I'm alone in that assessment (it totally deserves Best Director, btw), and AVATAR is hailed as being technically brilliant, but there are plenty of Oscar snobs who probably feel it ranks lower because of an unoriginal script. And, they might feel that TITANIC was reward enough for James Cameron. So, that's why I feel the race is a bit more wide open than people think. We'll know more as the weeks continue. As for now, I'm buying into the HURT LOCKER momentum.

Here are my winner picks for this week:
Best Picture- HURT LOCKER
Best Director- Kathryn Bigelow
Best Actor- Jeff Bridges
Best Actress- Sandra Bullock
Best Sup. Actor- Christoph Waltz
Best Sup. Actress- Mo'Nique
Best Screenplay (original)- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Best Screenplay (adapted)- UP IN THE AIR
Best Animated Movie- UP
Best Foreign Film- WHITE RIBBON

As always, comments and questions are welcome and encouraged!

Is Watchmen the new Fight Club?

2009-03-12T19:37:00.001-07:00

Hey readers!

Sorry again for the absence. I think I realized when it comes to this blog, it's certainly not going to be perfect. However, I'm still intending to use it as a forum for anything that strikes my interest to write about. The Oscar blogging kinda fell through (but then again, this year was a big "Who Cares?" even after the awards), but I'll still be showing up periodically as I find interesting topics to write about.

Right now, WATCHMEN, one of the most anticipated and hyped movies of the year is playing in theaters across the country. Since it's release last weekend, the reaction has been truly interesting. Some love it, some hate it, but I feel that most people who have seen it (those familiar and unfamiliar with the graphic novel) seem to regard it with a strong sense of ambivalence. I fall into this category as well. I, for one, have read the graphic novel a couple of times, and do regard it as a groundbreaking and brilliant piece of literature. Seeing the adaptation after a couple of years of excitement, I have to say my opinion was that it was in the "good" range. I can't say I disliked it, but also can't say I loved it. However, after much reflection on the film, I've come to the conclusion that this is a movie that will take a couple of viewings to make a truly fair judgement on the film. The graphic novel is a dense deconstruction of comic book superheroes that takes a couple of readings to understand and appreciate its denseness and complexity. The reason I think the film requires a few viewings, especially if you are a fan of the source material, is because I think at first viewing it's hard to fairly judge the film as an adaptation of the book, especially after so much buildup of hype and anticipation . Its hard, on first viewing, not to ask: What did they leave in, what did they leave out, how does this particular scene look as a moving picture rather than a 2 dimensional drawing? I think the interesting thing to try and understand about WATCHMEN (which many people are overlooking) is how it holds up as a FILM, rather than an adaptation. I'm sure over time, there's a point where I'll have seen the movie more times than I've read the book, and I think that will be the time to really judge how successful the film is and how well it holds up.

Now, a few days ago a thought came to mind during a discussion with a friend, and brings me to the central question of this post: Is WATCHMEN the new FIGHT CLUB? I thought about this for a while, and think there is definitely an argument to be made that it is. First of all, both were highly hyped before their release as being high profile, highly anticipated projects (WATCHMEN having the graphic novel as its basis, with Zack Snyder directing a stylized superhero movie, FIGHT CLUB having the pedigree of Brad Pitt, Ed Norton and David Fincher directing a stylized action movie). Upon their release, each were met with mixed reviews that criticized the mis-execution of their ambitious philisophical ideas and glorification of violence, among other criticisms. Both underperformed and didn't meet box office expectations (WATCHMEN had a good first weekend, but not nearly as big as predicted by everyone, and I assure you it will drop heavily in subsequent weekends). Both left audiences divided, ambivalent, and confused. FIGHT CLUB, regarded as a failure after its theatrical release, found extraordinary new life on video. This is where I discovered it, along with many others. Even on first viewing, I found the movie "interesting," but on second viewing, I found it to be a completely different and incredible experience. Over time, FIGHT CLUB became a cult classic, a movie people discovered, and after multiple viewings on video and DVD (FIGHT CLUB singlehandedly helped boom the still young DVD business) people were becoming passionate about the movie. Now, FIGHT CLUB is regarded as a true 90s classic. A movie that would most certainly never be made today (which always makes it a move to be appreciated as a classic), but a movie that both defines its time and transcends it.

It is yet to be seen weather or not WATCHMEN will follow the same path as FIGHT CLUB, but many indications show that it could become that type of movie with that kind of following. While it probably won't be the massive theatrical success that many people predicted, I think this is a movie that will be appreciated over time. First of all, on DVD more people will "discover" the film (As a first time viewer unfamiliar with the graphic novel, it's probably best to see it removed from all of the hype anyway). It will also give fans of the novel the chance to appreciate the movie on its own, rather than scrutinizing the adaptation. Like FIGHT CLUB, I believe WATCHMEN will expand it's devotees, whose love for the film will grow as time goes on. Finally, I think WATCHMEN will thrive past its time when we get to see the expanded versions of the film. Zack Snyder has already let people know that there is a longer extended cut, as well as the stand alone TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER and UNDER THE MASK, both of which are integrated within the graphic novel, but left out for understandable theatrical time constraints. When we get to see Snyder's fully fleshed out version of the movie, with the two stand alone features integrated, I would think that it would only expand fans appreciation for the film.

So will WATCHMEN, like FIGHT CLUB 10 years ago, go from hotly anticipated also-ran blockbuster to cult classic after its theatrical release? Time will tell. So far the similarities of the two films are striking (not in content, of course), and it will be interesting to see WATCHMEN's "second life" after its theatrical run. Right now, it's just great that people are talking about the movie: discussing it, dissecting it, arguing about it in every respect. That doesn't happen with many movies, and its great to see. Much like a classic music album that's re-discovered and truly appreciated after years of its release, it's always an amazing phenomenon when a movie truly gains its deserved appreciation. Weather WATCHMEN will be one of these phenomena has yet to be seen, but it sure would be fun if it did.

As always, comments are welcome and appreciated!

Gold-ology 2-22-09

2009-02-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

I'll have more detailed commentary this week about the awards, in the meantime...

Predictions for the 2008 Academy Awards:

Picture- Slumdog Millionaire

Director- Danny Boyle

Actor- Sean Penn

(possible upset: Mickey Rourke)

Actress- Kate Winslet

(possible upset: Meryl Streep)

Sup. Actor- Heath Ledger

(possible upset: none)

Sup. Actress- Viola Davis

(possible upset: Penelope Cruz)

Original Screenplay- Milk

(possible upset: Wall-E)

Adapted Screenplay- Slumdog Millionaire

(possible upset: The Reader)

Animated Feature- Wall-E

(possible upset: None)

Animated Short- Presto

(possible upset: This Way Up)

Documentary- Man on Wire

Documentary Short- The Witness

Foreign Film- Waltz With Bashir

(possible upset: The Class)

Music Score: Slumdog

(possible upset: Wall-E)

Music Song: The Wrestler (yes, I'm still bitter)

(probably upset: Jai-Ho)

Art Direction: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design: The Duchess

Editing: Slumdog Millionaire

Makeup: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Live Action Short Film- Toyland

Sound Editing: Wall-E

Sound Mixing: Wall-E

Visual Effects: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Running Time guess: 3 hrs. 10 Min.

Gold-ology 1-26-09

2009-01-26T20:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry this post is a bit late, folks. I'm actually glad I've had a few days to gather some thoughts about this years crop of Academy Award nominees. You can find the complete list of nominees here. First thoughts were both a mix of shock, apathy and disappointment. Now, I'm not one of those that are completely shocked and outraged at the fact THE DARK KNIGHT didn't get a nomination for best picture. Did I think it deserved one? Absolutely. Did I think it was going to be a complete travesty if it didn't get a nomination? Not at all. It's rare that the academy gets the Best Picture category right. In fact, it's almost impossible. Besides the obvious objectivity of choosing the "best" 5 movies of the year, what people are usually unaware of are the other factors that go into deciding the final five. Factors like a film's release timing, the Oscar campaign a studio puts behind a film, the demographic makeup of the Academy voting body, and the voting process itself. Much like the difficult process of getting a movie made, getting a best picture nomination also requires a similarly difficult "perfect storm" to come together to give a film a chance to compete.

As of today, I am ashamed to admit, I have not yet seen THE READER. Honestly, that's how big of a surprise it was. I actually had no intention of seeing the film, since I really didn't take it seriously as a contender at all. I know many had the same feeling. I think this is very telling, especially of the fact that it's curious that it would get a best picture nomination since it would require a great deal of academy voters to have a) seen the movie and b) loved the movie. This is what disappoints me about the nominations. I feel, if anything, the 5 best picture nominations should be loved by people in some regard. Meaning, they don't have to be loved by ALL, but should at least be respected films that have their devoted lovers. For example, I don't love SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, however, I understand that a great many people do. It's a movie I know that fills both of my criteria since a) many people in the industry have seen the movie and b) many of those people are fervent lovers of it. When it comes to this year's best picture nominees, I could see that all fit this criteria excluding THE READER. I just haven't spoken to many people who have seen or love the film. The most depressing aspect of this is that its nomination could be just from sheer determination and luck from The Weinstein Co. Maybe they were just THAT aggressive in getting to voters. If that seems to be the case, it's unfortunate, because I think there are some really special films that deserved to have been considered over THE READER.

In regards to THE DARK KNIGHT not getting a nomination, I'm not sure really what to make of it. I did think that the indicators (DGA, PGA, WGA noms) were really a sure sign of its nomination. Its exclusion is certainly curious. Again, while I think there are many films that are worthy of being in that 5th slot, I think the exclusion of THE DARK KNIGHT is more disappointing because I think the popularity of a film should never be a detractor. While this has never stopped any film before (there are numerous times over the years when the biggest blockbuster of the year has WON the Oscar for Best Picture), I think its often important for the Academy to acknowledge these movies as ones that struck a chord with the general public, as well as the critics and award givers. THE DARK KNIGHT transcended comic books movies, but was also masterfully crafted and well told. While it's disappointing it won't be up for the big prize, my only hope is that it got its fair consideration from the voters.

As for the other nominations, not too many big surprises/snubs/disappointments. I wasn't surprised at the Kate Winslet/Best Actress nomination. I just didn't buy the fact that voters would consider that role a supporting one. However, I do feel that her inclusion in that category, combined with her momentum going into Oscar month, will push her over the edge for a victory in that category.

It also appears to be even more of a lock that SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE will clean up at the awards. I think a combination of the love of the movie from many people, as well as the momentum that will sweep up the rest of the voters, and it's hard to see that there could be any kind of upset. I know there is the argument of BENJAMIN BUTTON making a push to upset since it has the most noms, but I think that is more of a case of a movie being admired (technically, especially) rather than loved. All in all, should make for a very anti-climactic awards night.

On a personal note, I'm extremely disappointed that Bruce Springsteen was left out of the Best Song category. I say this personally, since being a big Bruce Springsteen fan, and thinking that "The Wrester" was not only a perfect match of song to film, but also a truly amazing song on its own. It's a real disappointment that we won't get to see him perform it at the Oscars, or see him collect another one (which would have happened had he been nominated). Let the write-in campaign begin!

So, off we go for the next few weeks, deciphering who the winners will be, rewarding the best of 2008. If the awards are as disappointing as the nominees, we'll be in for a long evening come February.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

Gold-ology 1-21-09

2009-01-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is, the eve before the Oscar nominations for the year of 2008. This is always an exciting time because while it's easy to make predictions and be sure of what will most certainly get a nomination, one thing you can count on when the nominations are announced is that there will most definitely be a surprise or two. This year, as opposed to years past, the typical indicators (guild awards, critics lists, etc) seem to make the predictions easy for which films will be rewarded. However, as I've said before, the Academy doesn't really like to be told what to love, and the voting process is set up in a way that can lead to some surprising noms. Sometimes the surprises are good, and reward films and people that are truly great and deserving, and other times the surprises can be more of a product of good timing and publicity. I think this will be an interesting year, most likely more predictable than years past, but you can bet on the fact that something will come out of nowhere.

Here are my picks for each major category, along with an idea or two about changes/surprises:

Best Picture:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

While so many indicators point to these movies being the final 5, lately I've been unsure about a couple. I know that some people were questioning The Dark Knight's chances of getting a nom, but I think it had the right push at the right time and will help it get in there. The movie I think could be switched out is Frost/Nixon. I think it's certainly deserving, but I have yet to hear anyone put it as a #1, and also it seems like too many people are just predicting it for a nom by default, so I feel like that opens the door for a movie like Wall-E or The Wrestler to sneak in there.

Best Director

Danny Boyle- Slumdog Millionaire

David Fincher- Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard- Frost/Nixon

Chris Nolan- The Dark Knight

Gus Van Sant- Milk

These nominees reflect the best pic noms, and I think these noms are a bit more secure (although it's not often that the pic and director noms match up). Possible surprises: Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), Clint Eastwood (Changeling, Gran Torino).

Best Actor:

Clint Eastwood- Gran Torino

Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn- Milk

Brad Pitt- Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke- The Wrestler

Again, a solid category. I think a very possible sub/snub is Richard Jenkins for The Visitor. Odd man out may be Brad Pitt.

Best Actress:

Anne Hathaway- Rachel Getting Married

Sally Hawkins- Happy Go Lucky

Angelina Jolie- Changeling

Meryl Streep- Doubt

Kate Winslet- Revolutionary Road

Surprises: Kristen Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long instead of Angelina Jolie. Bold way out there surprise: Kate Winslet gets her nom or another nom in THIS category for The Reader instead in the supporting category

Best Supporting Actor:

Josh Brolin- Milk

Robert Downey Jr- Tropic Thunder

Philip Seymour Hoffman- Doubt

Heath Ledger- The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon- Revolutionary Road

Aka "The 4 guys who will lose to Heath Ledger" category. I think anyone else but Heath could be left out on this. The most likely is Michael Shannon, though I really feel strongly he should be nominated. The one who will take a spot if one of these guys don't come through is Dev Patel, but like Kate Winslet, the ambiguity of the size of his role could pose trouble for his chances. Bold pick #2: James Franco gets a nom for Milk.

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams- Doubt

Penelope Cruz- Vicky Christina Barcelona

Viola Davis- Doubt

Taraji Henson- Benjamin Button

Kate Winslet- The Reader

Marissa Tomei may sneak in here, and I was a little on the fence about putting her in instead of Amy Adams. Also, if my above Kate Winslet surprise happens, it'll open the door for one more nominee.

Best Original Screenplay:

Woody Allen- Vicky Christina Barcelona

Dustin Lance Black- Milk

Tom McCarthy- The Visitor

Jim Reardon and Andrew Stanton- Wall-E

Robert Siegel- The Wrestler

Toughest category to predict, by far. This one always has a few wild cards come into play. I think one or more from a list of about 5 screenplays could come into play.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Simon Beaufoy- Slumdog Millionaire

Peter Morgan- Frost/Nixon

Jonathan and Chris Nolan- The Dark Knight

Eric Roth- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

John Patrick Shanley- Doubt

Again, this reflects the 5 best picture nominees, and I think these are pretty safe best. There MIGHT be a surprise, but I think voters probably will reward these 5 very deserving nominees.

So there you have it, my picks for the nominees tomorrow. I'll be back after the nominations are announced to discuss what will be contending for the Academy Award. Hopefully we'll have some interesting nominees to discuss.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

Gold-ology 1-18-09

2009-01-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

One week after the Golden Globe winners were announced, and what can we really determine from that in relation to the upcoming Academy Award nominations? Not really much. There are a couple of really interesting things about the Golden Globe Awards to note that make it a frustratingly relevant awards show during the season. First, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is only a body consisting of about 35 international reporters. So, while for some reason the media tends to give a lot of weight to the value of the awards, it's hard to put them above any other critics groups in the overall context of the awards season. There are a couple of reasons why the Golden Globes receive more notoriety than many other awards ceremonies. As a network aired ceremony, the Golden Globes receive a great deal of visibility to a national audience. And the other main reason is that it's an ceremony that rewards both Television AND Film, so it's one of the few awards that combines both mediums and features and rewards stars from both TV and Movies at once. If there were any other awards that featured both aspects, they would most likely receive the same amount of notoriety as well.

So realizing that the Golden Globes are really more a product of their press, rather than the virtue of their awarding body, does this mean that their influence on the Academy members is minimal? Not really. In fact, what it effectively does is give more visibility to the winners, which is crucially important AFTER the nominees are announced, rather than before. At the time when the Golden Globes are aired, the nomination ballots are just about due (about a one day difference), so it shouldn't be a shock when a Golden Globe winner isn't nominated for an Oscar. So while the nominees are decided, a winner at the Golden Globes can help bring visibility to a performance or a film that the Academy members may feel a greater urgency to consider when picking their winner.

As for this year's ceremony, I think the Golden Globes only further confirmed the frontrunner status for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (In this case, the fact that the other films lost only diminished their chances, rather than improving SLUMDOG's), I think the categories that were shaken up by the Golden Globes' results were the acting categories. Notably, Best Actor and Actress. Up until the Golden Globes, it seemed like Sean Penn was a lock for MILK, and anyone BUT Kate Winslet for her respective roles. With the win for Mickey Rourke and Kate Winslet in TWO categories, things could get very interesting next month. Again, while the fact that they won may not influence anything, the visibility of the awards and the wins will probably force Academy members to take note.

In a year that, so far, has been a bit anti-climactic (we'll see if that changes on Thursday), the Academy might want to shake things up when they award the winners in Feb. If there is one thing that tends to be a recurring theme with the Academy Awards lately, it's that the Academy doesn't like to be told what to like and what to award. Again, while the Golden Globes are far from an accurate prediction of who the winners will be come February, they can certainly provide or take away the slightest bit of momentum and visibility needed to get a win.

Gold-ology 1-8-09

2009-01-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Gold-ology, readers! For the next couple of months, i'm gonna devote some time here to discuss the most competitive and prestigious time of the movie calendar, Oscar season! There's going to be quite a bit of activity in the next couple of months leading up to the big show, with nominations, other awards, and hopefully all of the great nominated movies coming soon to a theater near you.

To begin, I'd like to just say a few words about the importance of the Oscars and what they mean overall for the industry, and the past and future history of films as well. I know every year there are a few cynics that complain that the Oscars overlook films, they're too political, they only recognize "artistic films" and not popular films, and have numerous other complaints. While of course no award is perfect and unanimous in its determination of who is the most deserving, the Oscars are certainly the best and most (deservedly) respected awards for the art of filmmaking. The Academy is a body of the most accomplished and well-respected members of the film community, and even though there will always be debate about who will win or lose, it's hard to diminish the honor that this body bestows on the best of film each and every year. The last thing I'll say on this subject, is while each year there is always politics and controversy involved, it's important to keep in mind that the films will speak for themselves. I urge everyone to see as much as they can to fully appreciate the nominees and the great films of the past year. This is the time of year to honor the actual art and craft of film, so all of the noise surrounding the Oscars is not always ridiculous. I'd love to think that all of the Academy members feel the same way, so at the end, they honor truly the best films of the year.

Anyway, on to Gold-ology!

In the past few days, 3 of the major guilds (and many of the technical ones, as well) have announced their nominations. This includes the Writers Guild, the Producers Guild and the Directors Guild. Here are the noms for each guild:

WGA

Original Screenplay

BURN AFTER READING- Coen Bros

MILK- Dustin Lance Black

VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA- Woody Allen

THE VISITOR- Tom McCarthy

THE WRESTLER- Robert Siegel

Adapted Screenplay

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON- Eric Roth

THE DARK KNIGHT- Christopher & Jonathan Nolan

DOUBT- John Patrick Shanley

FROST/NIXON- Peter Morgan

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE- Simon Beaufoy

PGA

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

THE DARK KNIGHT

FROST/NIXON

MILK

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

DGA

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON- David Fincher

THE DARK KNIGHT- Chris Nolan

FROST/NIXON- Ron Howard

MILK- Gus Van Sant

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE- Danny Boyle

Now, these are usually pretty important prognosticators for the Oscars, and as you can see, there's a pretty strong commonality among the nominees. I think what can be gathered from these noms is that the actual Oscar nominations probably won't be too dissimilar or unpredictable. I know there are a lot of people who think THE DARK KNIGHT will be the odd film out, but after all these noms from the guilds, it's hard to make a case against it getting an Oscar nom. I think what will make this year interesting is the time between the announcement of the nominations to the time when the winners are announced. While there may be a few favorites at the time of the nominations, I think what you'll see is a few films gain/lose momentum. No one expected THE DARK KNIGHT to really be a contender, but since it's gaining nominations for just about every single guild award, it'll be hard to ignore it come Oscar voting time. Momentum is always important, and sometimes its more about how to stay in front of voters' faces when it comes down to make a choice. A couple of years ago, when CRASH surprisingly wom, that film gained all it's momentum in the 2 months leading up to the Oscars and took the top prize. So, at least judging from these noms, it appears that while not much has changed for most of the films, it appears that THE DARK KNIGHT's chances just improved quite a bit.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

New Year New Start

2008-12-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of my dedicated readers! As we close out 2008 and ring in 2009, just wanted to give you all an idea of what's to come from the Cinescapist.

First, to start the year, I'm gonna actually try out doing some real "blogging," rather than sporadic posting. What the emphasis will be on, is the awards season, especially the Oscars. Since we're getting into the meat of the season, no better time to get up to date on what's going on with the year end awards.

After that, I'm gonna go back to trying a few things, but mostly regular posting. The biggest change is that I'm gonna try to get a regular column going. Like once a week have a column that might cover a variety of different topics, and might be broad or specific, not too sure. Basically, I want to give you all something a bit more regular, rather than just sporadic posts. Plus, it'll keep me more disciplined.

Also, I haven't forgotten a standard top 10 list for 2008. Even though it wasn't as strong a year as last year, and the second half was a bit more disappointing than expected, I think it's still important to do one to illuminate some really great films that you all should check out.

So, that's where 2009 will be headed. Please spread the word, hopefully I'll have some great stuff that'll reward my faithful readers.

As always, comments are welcome and appreciated! Happy New Year!

Changing of the Guard

2008-11-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Cinescapists!
I meant to get this post up a month ago, since it's timely after the election and all, so sorry for the delay.
But anyway, a new era has dawned, a changing of the guard. In a few short weeks, Barack Obama will officially be the 44th President of the United States. While this will actually have quite the affect on the national and international culture as a whole, it'll probably have just as profound affect on Popular Culture as well. As the nation's attitude about the future changes from discouragement to hope, it's very possible that we'll see a change in the type of movies that audiences champion. In the past few years, we've seen a clear pattern of types of films that are both popular with critics and audiences, and they tend to be films that either deal with darker themes and anti-heroic characters, or wildly unrealistic fantasies featuring flawed superheroes. To find examples, we only need to look back to the past few years, when movies like THE DEPARTED and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN won Best Picture, and SPIDERMAN 3 and IRON MAN ruled the box office. In a time of political disillusionment, audiences were responding to either high forms of escape (superheroes) or characters that broke away from the norm (anti-heroes and villains). Most often, these themes combined, with more and more superhero films featuring protagonists that deal with darker issues. It was only this past summer when the culmination of superheroes and dark themes collided for massive success when THE DARK KNIGHT became a phenomenon for the ages.

What I believe we're going to see in this new era of hope is a turning away from darker films and people responding to lighter and more accessible films. There has certainly been historic precedence for this. Back in the 1970s, amidst a corrupt and failing government and disillusionment over the Vietnam War, the films that were produced and successful were ones that (like today) had darker themes. Movies like THE GODFATHER and THE EXORCIST were both the box office champs and award winners of the day. Truly not light fare. When 1976 came along, and with the Nixon administration gone and the war over, people were ready for change at the movies as well as in Washington. That was when ROCKY came out, and it was not only a huge box office hit, but also won Best Picture for that year. ROCKY changed everything for the movies that year and the years since, with more commercial movies from filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas becoming the big hits of the era.

While we're only at the beginning of this new phase, I think what we'll see is more of a change towards that positive attitude reflected in the movies that are made and become successful. Already there is a wave of films that are on the way that reflect this new change. Movies like MILK and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE are ROCKY-like stories with themes of hope centered around protagonists who are underdogs and have to overcome adversity to succeed. While I think both of these films will do extremely well critically (I'm predicting right now that SLUMDOG will win best picture), it will be interesting to see how well they do when exposed to a wide audience. Much like JUNO and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, these movies could easily find a groove in the national zeitgeist, and become champions of a broad audience. Even though both films deal with somewhat uncomfortable subject matter (violence in India, gay rights), at the core, the hopeful themes and underdog characters are elements that any audience can respond to and root for. And while I always believe the movie will always speak for itself, it certainly does help that the national sentiments of change and hope (two themes of the coming administration) will be prevalent ideals throughout the country and in our popular culture. It would have been interesting to see how both MILK and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE would have been received had they been released a year or two ago.

So while we'll have to really wait and see if change really does come to this country with the arrival of a new President, it's already clear to see that change is coming to the movies. Audiences are ready to be inspired again. They want people to root for, and causes to champion. We're becoming a glass-half full nation again, meaning we'd rather see the hero succeed rather than just the villain fail.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

Get the word out!

2008-11-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers!!!!

Well I'm back! Really no excuse for the delay, but since it has been a slow fall season, there really hasn't been too much to report. But hopefully with the Holiday movie season coming up, that'll all change.

So, being in the middle of the fall season we're really in the middle of an interesting time time of year for the movies. Not only do we have the upcoming Holiday movie season that will bring the end of the year blockbusters but also we will get a flood of Award season hopefuls. What this usually causes is a flood of movies, both good and bad. While many studios are advertising and positioning their "prestige" films, a lot of times, these films usually underperform, are underwhelming, or just don't get enough attention to merit award consideration. Are all of these films deserving of this lack of attention? Some yes, some no. Are there a lot of movies out there that don't get ENOUGH deserving attention? Absolutely. What's important to remember, however, is that films are made for audiences, not for critics or academy members. We, as the audience, are the ones that determine the value of a movie. What most movie "classics" or award winners have in common is a deep love from an audience. "Forrest Gump," "Titanic," "The Departed," and even last year's Oscar winner "No Country For Old Men," are examples where they have won over the audience, despite critics or award campaigns.

Why I bring this up, is because at this time of year when there is a flood of movies in theaters, and a lot of mixed messages coming from critics or the news calling movies not even released yet the "Awards contender to beat," it's important that the first and last word remain with the audience. How can anyone predict that upcoming films such as "Frost/Nixon," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," or "Revolutionary Road" are likely candidates for Best Picture? Until these movies are seen or embraced by audiences, it's really hard to predict anything. Therefore, what I'm urging my readers is to get out and see anything and everything. What turns movies into classics are people discovering something new and exciting. No one wants to be told what's good or bad, or told what's GOING to be good or bad. There are so many movies out there that might be great, but since they don't have the major press or ads running, they may be undiscovered. So, see something new, tell your friends what you loved recently, weather it's a dumb and fun comedy, or a moving drama, or a revelatory documentary. There are so many great movies waiting to be discovered, and new classics just waiting for audiences to put on their shoulders.

What are some great movies out there that you've seen that people might not know about? As always, comments are greatly welcome and encouraged!

Double Feature Fun!

2008-08-20T22:28:00.001-07:00

Hey Cinescapists,

Just an FYI for anyone in the LA area, Thurs. Aug. 21 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood there will be a double feature screening of two of the all time classics: Ridley Scott's ALIEN and James Cameron's ALIENS. One a sci-fi/horror masterpiece, the other an action masterpiece. Both are absolutely amazing films, and although they belong to the same franchise and mythology, are completely distinct and artistically different films. I'm insanely excited for this since I've never watched both back-to-back, and have never seen ALIENS on the big screen. Check it out if you are in the area.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged. What is your ideal double feature?

New Posts Coming Soon

2008-08-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the posting delay. Working on a couple of new posts which should be up soon!

Let the Games Begin!

2008-08-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

In honor of the start of the Beijing Olympics, it's only appropriate to talk about some of the great movies about the Olympic games. Actually, there's really not a whole lot of movies featuring the Olympics, but it certainly provides a compelling backdrop, weather it's a sports movie or not. Every four years, for a few weeks the world is attracted by the human drama created by obscure sports that no one watches the other 204 weeks. I think that's what makes the following movies memorable is because it exposes more of the emotion and human drama of sports rather than just the excitement of competition. Catch a couple of these before the games, you won't be disappointed and might even take more of an interest in some of the events.
CHARIOTS OF FIRE- The Olympic "prestige" film that won Best Picture in 1981, CHARIOTS OF FIRE is the story of two sprinters chasing Olympic gold in the 1924 games. It's a really compelling drama that shows the passion, dedication and sacrifice of Olympic athletes. As a runner myself, I think it does a great job in expressing the devotion runners have to their sport that many people don't get to see first hand, or really understand. It also has that really memorable Vangelis score.

COOL RUNNINGS- While most Olympic movies are already feel good movies, COOL RUNNINGS will also make you laugh. It's fun and silly at times, but has a lot of heart, and the story (based on fact) itself is pretty amazing. It's hard now not to watch the winter Olympics and not cheer on the Jamaican bobsled team.

THE CUTTING EDGE- This movie is purely a guilty pleasure, but it's still very entertaining and works well as an Olympics movie. And, it actually makes pairs figure skating seem exciting! Some of it is a bit cheesy and far fetched, and the love story doesn't work, but I think it's worthy of a spot on this list.

MIRACLE- If you're a true American, you already know the story of the US hockey team beating the Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics in NY. I wasn't even born yet, so it's not an event that I can truly appreciate the magnitude of. All that comes to mind when I hear of it is the famous clip with Al Michael's screaming at the end of the game. MIRACLE isn't an amazing movie, but I think it does a pretty good job at dramatizing a huge moment in United States sports history. And Kurt Russell is great in it, too.

WITHOUT LIMITS- My favorite of the bunch, and one of my faves of all time, WITHOUT LIMITS is a severely under-appreciated and underrated movie. It's the story of Steve Prefontaine, a legend to all distance runners and would have been an Olympic legend had he not died in a car accident at a young age. In the running world, his death is seen much like John Lennon's was to the music world- a hero taken too soon. The movie also contains the best running scene ever dramatized on film (the Munich Olympics race). WITHOUT LIMITS is a really well made (written and directed by Robert Towne and even produced by Tom Cruise), but unfortunately little-seen movie. Check this one out for sure.

Hopefully you'll enjoy one of two of these movies and get excited about the Olympics starting in a couple of days. As you can see, there are a lot of diverse movies about the Olympics, but all are very enjoyable and rewarding viewing experiences.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged. What are your favorite movies that feature the Olympics? Which of the above movies do you like best?

Dailies- 8/4/08

2008-08-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

In an effort to expand the diversity of my blog, I'm gonna try a few new kinds of columns to have, especially ones that I can post on a more regular basis. The first kind is what I'm gonna call DAILIES- meaning just random thoughts on the day's entertainment news, and also interesting links relating to the film biz. I'll try to do it with some frequency, but who knows how long that will last. Let me know what you think...

DAILIES for Monday 8/4/08

-Box office recap: THE DARK KNIGHT continues to be an unstoppable force. One note I have to say about this: I hope the repeat biz on this movie continues. One thing that's been depressing in the past few years is how quickly these megahits make their money, then disappear from movie theaters until they're on DVD in 3 months. I hope THE DARK KNIGHT breaks that trend and plays in theaters for a few more months.

- Still President Bush: The teaser trailer released last week for Oliver Stone's W was just okay, but the advertising is really intriguing. This could be an interesting movie in the fall. I'm curious to know a) if the movie will be any good and b) if audiences will respond to it.

-Rebirth of a genre?: Interesting article about PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, which after seeing I'm surprised is getting as much press as it is. While I'm sure the movie will make a bunch of money, I have a feeling audiences will be a bit disappointed. The movie is good, but not great, and certainly not as laugh out loud funny as the trailers have you believe.

-The Govenator Responds: Some interesting thoughts from the original Terminator himself. He's right about a lot of points about James Cameron's vision for the first two TERMINATOR films, but TERMINATOR: SALVATION, to me, looks pretty badass and could bring the Terminator mythology in a really cool direction.

-Hope he's okay

-Don't really care he's okay, but a crushed hand sounds pretty crappy

That's all I got for today. As always, comments are welcome and encouraged.

KNIGHTwatch continues!

2008-07-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

While I've been floating around new ideas for posts, I feel like it's only appropriate to continue some more discussion on what is now officially a phenomenon- THE DARK KNIGHT. I don't really need to recap all of the records that are currently being smashed to pieces with each passing day, but what's exciting to observe is how truly phenomenal this movie has become. I don't feel as if I can provide an accurate in-depth review of the film until I see it again, but all I can say is after the first viewing, the film itself is truly amazing in its complexity and boldness to be more fearless than any other "comic book movie" has ever been before it. It's so well crafted that I really think that it has the feel of an instant classic. And what I mean by instant classic is that it will be a film that you'll watch in a few years for the 20th time and discover something new you never noticed the first 19 times. It's a film that people will turn on, watch and say "I forgot how good this movie is."
I think right now since most of the focus on how its doing at the box office, it's important to really appreciate what we're currently witnessing. Not since TITANIC has a movie become this phenomenal and really gone above and beyond what anyone could ever have predicted. As such, here's a number of reasons why THE DARK KNIGHT's record breaking run is something that is truly amazing:

1) It's a sequel- The predecessor to THE DARK KNIGHT, BATMAN BEGINS, "only" grossed $205 million at the box office back in 2005. While the fan response to that film was very enthusiastic, it's darker and more realistic approach to the Batman mythology made it a tougher sell to audiences other than the comic fanboys. It wasn't nearly the accessible hit that IRON MAN or SPIDERMAN was, a hit that was truly four quadrant. This makes THE DARK KNIGHT's success phenomenal because for a sequel to a film that didn't have as broad an audience as you might think to do as well as it's doing is quite unexpected. While THE DARK KNIGHT surpasses BATMAN BEGINS in almost every aspect, sequels rarely outgross their predecessors, especially to this high degree.

2) It's a comic book movie, but it's kinda not- When you think of the most successful comic book movies, the films that come to mind are the ones that make the comic pages come to life in a truly cinematic way. Comic book movies are supposed to be the ultimate escapist cinema with larger than life villains, grand heroes, and action set pieces and scenarios that you wouldn't normally see in real life. While THE DARK KNIGHT certainly has touches of all of those elements, most of them to a degree seem a bit more grounded, rather than comic panels come to life. The internal and external conflicts the characters face in the film deal more with real human conflict rather than the conflict that a superhero or tortured supervillain must confront. The basic point is that when you look back on the film, it's more of a crime drama than a comic book film, and the fact that audiences are responding to the film in that regard is unexpected.

3) It's a dark (no pun intended) film- If you've seen the film, you know there are moments in THE DARK KNIGHT where you just think "I would never take a kid to see this movie." TITANIC was a movie that had something for everyone: it was a romance, and action movie, historical drama. Everyone went to see that movie multiple times (mostly teenage girls) because it had enormous broad appeal. THE DARK KNIGHT deals with murder, terrorism, corruption. It's not a light movie, and many of the themes and storylines are complex and dark. People die, the villains do truly horrible things, and the heroes aren't always the good guys. This is a new kind of epic, and there must be something in this film that's driving people to see it two, three or four times. Since it's so dark and tough to watch at moments, it would be very interesting to know what is drawing people to see the film multiple times.

It will be extremely fascinating to see where THE DARK KNIGHT ends up at the end of the day. I think it will be hard to judge if it can challenge TITANIC as the box office champ, but the picture will certainly be more clear in a week or two. This is a movie that, in a way, is rewriting the rules, and that's always a good thing. I, for one, know that one time was certainly not enough to enjoy this "new classic." This is a movie you don't want to miss on the big screen, and really want to enjoy as many times as you can. This is a movie to get anyone excited about the movies.

As always comments are welcome and encouraged. What did you think of THE DARK KNIGHT? Where does it rank on your list of classics?

KNIGHTwatch!

2008-07-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Well, it's finally here. The most anticipated movie of the summer, NAY, the year, NAY, the decade!!!! Can you feel DARK KNIGHT mania????? Apparently this is a movie that's going to change superhero, crime drama, action movies, romantic comedies, and korean horror films forever!!!!In all seriousness, I really hope this movie delivers. For me, personally, the Batman franchise is one that I hold more dear to my heart than any other. The original 1989 BATMAN is the reason why I wanted to get in the movie biz in the first place. It was the first time I remember a movie being a true event surrounded by intense anticipation. That summer, my brother took me to see BATMAN five times that summer, and I can still remember how enthralled I was each time I saw it. Plus, this was back in the day before movies came out on video 3 months later, so it played throughout the entire summer. People saw it again and again the way it was meant to be seen: in a movie theater, rather than see it once in the theater and watch it again at home on video. It was the first time I realized how truly culturally important a movie could be.
Now, THE DARK KNIGHT is about to be unleashed onto the masses, and this is the first movie in a while that has had the kind intense anticipation that a movie like the first BATMAN had. From the incredible web viral campaign, to the amazing advertising (starting with that frustratingly awesome teaser trailer last year), to the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, to the glowing reviews, this movie has given people countless reasons to be excited. Frankly, I've loved every minute of it.
Ever since DVD, multiplexes, the internet and the importance of opening weekends, etc. movies have ceased to become true "events." With online ticketing, and an insane amount of multiplexes and screens, it's pretty easy to walk into a movie theater and get a ticket to the hottest movie playing that weekend. In fact, most high grossing movies are playing to half-empty theaters their opening nights! What's so exciting about DARK KNIGHT, is that the anticipation is so high, it's now even hard to get tickets for the opening weekend! I'm loving this because there is nothing like watching a film communally in a packed theater with people who want to have an experience at the movie theater, not just waste a couple of hours.
I really feel that this movie is going to be something special. Not only because of it already being hailed as a potential classic, but also because from a historical standpoint it's a phenomenon: something everyone is talking about, something in the news, something that will be remembered forever, regardless of how good or bad the movie really is. THE DARK KNIGHT is what a true "Event Movie" should be all about. Like BATMAN and other event movies such as JURASSIC PARK, FORREST GUMP, and TITANIC, THE DARK KNIGHT is a film that feels like its already on its way to being a culturally important phenomenon.
So, I hope everyone enjoys the film itself, but also enjoy the hype, enjoy the experience of excitement in the movie theater that the other 200 or so people watching with you are enjoying. It's a rare thing these days, and it's why I love these kinds of movies.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged. What did you think of the movie?? What movie do you remember that was a true "event" for you?

2008 Mid-Year Review (Part 2)

2008-07-09T22:39:00.000-07:00

While 2008 has had its fair share of successes, it's also had its share of disappointments. With each passing year, a few films come along and give hope that maybe Hollywood has finally found the formula to making big, studio movies mean something more than just cheap laughs or explosions. However, with the nature of the biz (meaning money), it's pretty inevitable that there will always be a few disappointments. Not to say that the following movies didn't have something to offer, they just didn't deliver the fulfilling experience that you always hope you're gonna have when you leave the theater.

Disappointments

THE LOVE GURU: A couple of years ago I was fortunate to be one of the few to read this script, and I thought it was hilarious. It seemed like a return to form for Mike Myers and had that AUSTIN POWERS feel to it. Unfortunately, that's what DIDN'T work in the film. It seemed very dated, and a lot of the jokes just fall flat. While Myers is funny in the film, all the other elements are just disappointing.

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN: A movie written by Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow? You would think it wouldn't miss the mark, but ZOHAN is just a bit too overblown and silly to make it feel truly fresh. The concept is great, the Zohan character has its moments, but too many raunchy sex jokes and tiredness of the Adam Sandler-branded comedy make this one a disappointment.

INDY 4: I was really torn about putting this on my disappointment list, but the more I think about it, its a disappointment for what it COULD have been. The first half was great, a nice return to form for Spielberg, but I have to agree with the masses and say that the CGI bugged me a bit and did take me out of the movie. Not a terrible movie, just not what I was hoping for a movie I waited 19 years to see.

WORST

SEMI-PRO: Yet another comedy I had really high hopes for. I read this script for this as well and laughed my ass off. Yet, as I watched this movie, SO much of it played horribly. It was the first time I got sick of seeing Will Ferrell do his over the top acting, and by the middle of the movie, no one in the theater was laughing any more.

SPEED RACER: Wow, I really didn't like this one at all. I know it has its fans, but it was just too bizarre and the story just didn't get me at all (Corporate revenge combined with a family drama????). Even the racing scenes didn't thrill me like they did for others. In my eyes, the Wachowskis haven't really proven themselves since the original MATRIX.

HANCOCK: A schizophrenic mess. First half was really interesting, but in the second half it becomes a TOTALLY different story, which isn't a good story to begin with. I may have to write a whole column about this, but I have to say, I get angry when movies like this make money because it just excuses lazy filmmaking, as exhibited in HANCOCK.

So that concludes the year (so far) in review. What about you? Which movies were you disappointed by? Which ones did you hate? As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

2008 Mid-Year Review (Part 1)

2008-07-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

So for my first substantial post, I figured the timing was appropriate for a Year (so far) in review. The early part of the year felt a bit weak to me in terms of quality releases, and also just sheer volume of anything worth getting excited about. However, I feel like the summer season has been proving itself noteworthy so far. This year has already seen its fair share of potential classics, sleepers, disappointments and complete failures, so what follows are a few movies for each of those categories. Part 1 is my Favorites of the year so far and Sleepers, Part 2 will be the Disappointments and Worst of the year, as well as my most anticipated movies for the 2nd half of 2008.

Favorites

IRON MAN: This one really kicked off the summer season with a satisfying bang. Like BATMAN BEGINS, it was a well-crafted movie that placed the story and characters first, and it made for a more rewarding film. I also think, like BATMAN BEGINS and SPIDERMAN 1, this one is just a set up for what could be a really amazing sequel.

WALL-E: I think WALL-E is gonna be one of those movies that gets better and more appreciated over time, more so than some of the previous Pixar films. Besides TOY STORY, WALL-E is probably my favorite Pixar film so far. It just got everything right and is exhilarating, emotional and most of all a lot of fun.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL: Definitely the comedy to beat this year. Smart writing, great cast, and a story that anyone can relate to. It also has amazing comedic moments that are pretty memorable. Along with SUPERBAD and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, it's one of the best Apatow-produced comedies.

SLEEPERS (movies that took me by surprise)

KUNG-FU PANDA: I have to say, I was VERY surprised by this one. If you're a fan of SHREK, or any of those animated comedies that has a lot of humor that appeals to adults, than you'll love KUNG FU PANDA. The animation was pretty amazing during some scenes, and there were times I laughed aloud while watching. Smart humor, great animation, a simple story well told.

WANTED: WANTED isn't an amazing film, or a groundbreaking one, but it's just a lot of fun. I'm a big big fan of the director, Timur Bekmambetov, and there were a lot of elements that were similar to his past films. The story is really rediculous, but the action is totally kick ass. I wish there were more R-rated action movies like this being made.

CLOVERFIELD: Although this one had a lot of hype upon its release, I'm putting it as one of my surprises because I really admired the filmmakers for having the balls to put out a movie like this. It was a pretty intense experience watching this in the theater, partly because of the gimick of it being "real" and also because of the smart advertising campaign that didn't give any of the best secrets away.

So there's Part 1 of the 2008 review. Let me know what you think about movies you've seen that you've loved, which ones took you by surprise, etc. See ya for Part 2!

Welcome!

2008-07-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Cinescapist blog! Inspired by some of my blogging friends I decided to join the blogosphere in hopes of contributing a (hopefully) interesting point of view on the film industry. Growing up, I was always interested in reading any and everything on not just movies themselves, but also about the movie business. This included magazines including Premiere, Entertainment Weekly, Cinescape, Movieline, etc. where film was usually discussed in a more meaningful way, rather than as just mindless, Access Hollywood-type gossip.
What I hope to achieve is to provide some insight to the casual moviegoer that might make films, weather they be blockbusters, indies, award contenders, etc, as meaningful as they are to me. Also, I hope that any reader can gain some more interest in the actual workings of the movie-biz, and again, see a point of view that you can't get from everyday media.
What I'm going to attempt is to provide some variety in various posts. I'll certainly include the obvious reviews of new and up coming movies, but since everyone seems to have an opinion on the movies they see, I don't want that to be the main focus. It also won't be too much straight news reporting, since you can already find many sites that do this already (all listed in my links section) In addition, my posting will include some enlightenment on up and coming movies, comments on current issues involving the biz, and other perspectives on the industry that will make movies a bit more interesting to the average film goer.
As always, comments and suggestions are welcome and greatly encouraged. Enjoy!