Why I Love Film - #1

On days when the news is slow, or when there isn't anything new that I want to see, I like to go back through the archives and revisit the films - and the moments, thereof - that made me fall in love with film in the first place. From a crappy cartoon I loved for some reason when I was a kid, to the Missouri Waltz's inclusion in Winter's Bone, there are way too many reasons for me to count. But... I'm about to try.

So, with the first entry in this series, what better place to start than at the beginning, yes?

More after the cut --

Ridley Scott's Alien prequel births Prometheus

OH, GOOD FOR YOU.

Deadline.com released an exclusive on the formerly upcoming 'Alien' prequel directed by Ridley Scott. Basically, all the exclusive tells us is that we've held out hope for nothing. It isn't happening. BUT - at the same time, we're now holding out hope for something possibly even greater. And while Ellen Ripley won't be battling the slimy black creatures from before, Noomi Rapace is locked in to do battle with... something. Ridley isn't saying what, at this point, only that hardcore Alien fans will be able to see the film as something of a prequel, but he's found a more original and engaging plotline. 

Critics' Choice Awards are in!

And while it hasn't exactly been a frustrating year in terms of predicting the imminent Oscars, at least the 2010 canon has been up to snuff. Lots of great films, even though we had our fair share of crap. Here is a list of the major winners, with the tech winners linked below.

Those trophied after the cut --

3 is a Magic Number - Beasts, Balloons, and Toys.

Only twice in the Academy Award's history has an animated feature film been nominated for Best Picture. Beauty and the Beast broke through and achieved its nomination after its release in 1991, and Up achieved something greater after its release in 2009 - Up battled the existent Animated Feature category, which seems to relegate all animated films into its cage, to become the second animated nominee and the first CGI nominee. And the first to do it with 10 nominees, though that's probably the only reason it happened. Maybe we can thank the unforgivable Wall-E snub for this, as we can thank The Dark Knight for giving us 10 nominees in the first place.

Eddie Knows Best

In the history of the Academy Awards, the Best Editing category has been an indicator for the Best Picture winner. And what's the best indicator for our Editing nominees? The annual ACE Eddie Awards, honoring the best in the field of motion picture splicing.

Martin Scorsese once said that when editing two shots together, you have three shots to contend with. Both shots, plus the one in-between that no one sees. With that sort of mindset, you don't have to wonder why his editor Thelma Schoonmaker and he work so well together.

This year's Feature Film nominees, after the cut -

In theaters this weekend, and "The Lamest Weekend Ever"

*beep*

The first weekend of January is commonly referred to as the worst weekend for film all year. Delayed releases are pushed out of the shelves and into theaters, and the films that no one really had hope for are silently cast out. It's a dead pool of cinema. For a fair example, our only wide release so far this year has been a Nicolas Cage medieval science fiction thriller about a witch whose powers come from the Black Plague. Really? But, don't fret - the review for that is coming soon.

Yahoo! Movie News - Lamest Movie Weekend of the Year

Click above for the full article. But, most worthy of mention are the inclusions of Bride Wars, Leap Year, and Supernova. Now you know that with which we contend. January is, usually, the dead pool for filmgoers.


Last weekend, Season of the Witch was the only wide release we were given. The second weekend in, we're getting Ron Howard's lastest The Dilemma, and the Seth Rogen update of The Green Hornet. Those, and some smaller limited releases. Here's a closer look at each -

Jane Eyre

Cary Fukunaga's decidedly more Gothic adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's moving and disturbing 1847 novel comes to theaters this year. And it's shaping up to be my most anticipated of 2011, right now. 

"It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility;
they must have action, and they will make it if they cannot find it." -
Charlotte Bronte

The Girl With the Hell of a Makeover

"The tattoos aren't drawn in pencil, Mark. They're drawn in ink.
and no, you can't see them."

It could have been Emma Watson, it could have been Kristen Stewart, it could have been Lea Seydoux (I know, right? who?), it could have been... hell, Natalie Portman. Maybe Mila Kunis! It wasn't ever going to be Noomi Rapace again, unfortunately. Wisely, though, she declined to reprise the role she originated. 

Star Wars gets a re-re-release. Again.

First, they take the N-word out of Huck Finn. Now, this?

A New Set. George Lucas Strikes Back. The Return of the Trilogies.

Love and Other Oscar Hosts

"You know, there's a pill for that..."

The most comforting thing about Edward Zwick's first foray into the rom-com world is that we can be pretty sure he won't be doing it again. Love and Other Drugs was far from a success, and it's understandable why. Think back to... Autumn in New York. Or Sweet November. Or Stepmom. Or Love Story. You remember how banal those films were? This really isn't any better. That isn't to say that the film is without merit, or not at all enjoyable. It has merit, and it's a ridiculously easy watch. It's medicine that goes down smooth, but never gets to the symptoms. 

The Social Network and others on DVD today

You and 500,000,000 other people like this.

The Guild nominees - our one stop shop.

Consider this a reference post, if you will - here, you'll have a complete list of SAG, DGA, PGA, and WGA. Let's start with the most recent -

Conviction

"It's okay, sis. Annette Bening still isn't winning."

In the backwoods of Massachusetts, two children grew up relying on only each other. Betty Anne and Kenneth Waters. Years later, after being the resident “bad egg” of their town, Kenneth is locked up for life - without parole - for a murder he might not have committed.

True Grit is a true hit.

The latest film from the Coen Brothers has passed the $100 million mark, specifically, the $110 million mark, and the success is just bound to keep growing. This is the first film for Joel and Ethan to pass this mark domestically, and it speaks very highly of where film might be headed over the next couple of years.

Our movie made how much?

Numbers like this make me a bit hopeful for the immediate future, as a filmgoer. We can see the impact, both financially and in popular culture, that Black Swan has made - here, below, is a recent Jim Carrey/Black Swan spoof -