MCN Movie Scoreboard = Oscar Nominations?

Movie City News collects a number of Top Ten Lists from critics and compiles a Scoreboard of the year’s top movies.  So far, with 184 Top Lists tallied, here are the Top Ten:

1.  Wall-E
2.  The Dark Knight
3.  Slumdog Millionaire
4.  Milk
5.  The Wrestler
6.  Rachel Getting Married
7.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
8.  Happy-Go-Lucky
9.  Man on Wire
10. Let the Right One In

Notables:

11. Frost/Nixon
12. The Visitor
13. Synechdoche, New York
13. Wendy & Lucy
17. Revolutionary Road
18. Vicky Christina Barcelona
19. Paranoid Park
20. Waltz with Bashir
25. The Reader
26. Doubt
32. Gran Torino

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So what does this mean?  Well, looking at the movies that are serious Oscar contenders, they’re mostly at the top of the list.  This includes:  WALL-E, The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  But this shouldn’t be a real reason for any films not in the top ten to worry about, like:  Frost/Nixon, Revolutionary Road, The Reader, Doubt, and Gran Torino.  It’s known that critics’ Top Ten Lists don’t always coincide with The Academy’s choices.

Let’s take a look at the past years’ scoreboard and the Best Picture Nominees (in bold… * denotes the winner):

2007:

1.  No Country for Old Men*
2.  There Will Be Blood
3.  Zodiac
4.  The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
5.  Once
6.  Juno
7.  Atonement
8.  Into the Wild
9.  Ratatouille
10. Away from Her

Notables:

13. Sweeney Todd
15. Michael Clayton
17. Eastern Promises
18. The Lives of Others

2006:

1.  United 93
2.  The Queen
3.  The Departed*
4.  Letters from Iwo Jima
5.  Pan’s Labyrinth
6.  Borat
7.  Little Miss Sunshine
8.  Babel
9.  Little Children
10. Children of Men

Notables:

11. Dreamgirls
12. Half Nelson
18. A Prairie Home Companion
25. An Inconvenient Truth

2005:

1.  Brokeback Mountain
2.  A History of Violence
3.  Capote
4.  Good Night, and Good Luck
5.  The Squid and the Whale
6.  King Kong
7.  Crash*
8.  Munich
9.  Grizzly Man
10. 2046

Notables:

11. The Constant Gardener
13. Match Point
14. Syriana
17. Pride & Prejudice
18. Batman Begins
19. Walk the Line
20. Sin City
24. Cinderella Man

2004:

1.  Sideways
2.  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3.  Million Dollar Baby*
4.  The Aviator
5.  Before Sunset
6.  The Incredibles
7.  Kinsey
8.  Hotel Rwanda
9.  House of Flying Daggers
10. Fahrenheit 9/11

Notables:

13. Finding Neverland
16. Ray
23. Closer

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For the past three years, every Best Picture nominee was on the scoreboard’s Top Ten except for one (last year’s Michael Clayton).  That’s 14 of the last 15 Best Picture nominees.  Not too shabby.    As much as people like to believe that they don’t, it seems that critics’ lists are playing a part in determining the Oscars.  My prediction as of now is that four of the five Best Picture nominees will be on the scoreboard’s Top Ten (The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).  Who will be the other film to sneak into the fifth spot?  Many feel Frost/Nixon is the best bet.  And then there’s Revolutionary Road still competing for the last spot.  But don’t forget the little, lovable robot at the #1 spot on the scoreboard:  WALL-E.  People are very passionate for this film, and for great reason.  If there’s any animated film that should be nominated for Best Picture, WALL-E should be it.  And is it really possible for the best reviewed film of the entire year to not be included in the Best Picture category?  Just look at United 93 in 2006.  So although WALL-E definitely deserves a nod, I still don’t think The Academy will take an animated film serious enough.  I sure hope I’m wrong.

Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
159 minutes
Rated: PG-13
Directed by David Fincher
Starring:  Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton

Grade:  A

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a marvelous and peculiar film about a man who ages backwards.  Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the screenplay really doesn’t withhold anything from the short except the reverse-aging aspect.  That being said, screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) and director David Fincher (Se7en, Zodiac) team up and create an epic tale that explores the life of Benjamin Button.

So what’s it like to age backwards?  I can’t imagine the possibility of a man aging backwards fitting into society so smoothly like Benjamin Button did.  There should be a whole new set of rules for a man with this type of bizarre situation, but instead he is accepted by his peers and his family.  He’s looked upon more with amazement than as a freak-showcase.  And for the most part he is encountered by generous and kind people throughout his life.

Although he puts his elderly years behind him early on, he can’t look forward to turning youthful.  He experiences the pain of losing his friends within his first ten years.  And for the people who he grows close to, he understands it’s only temporary.  They’re walking in opposite directions on the life spectrum, and no force can prevent someone from getting older, or turning Benjamin younger.  Benjamin Button is one of a kind, but along with everyone else he experiences love, lust, loss, curiosity, responsibility, and pain.

There is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of detail put into this spectacular film.  The way New Orleans looked in 1918, the progress of America through the year 2005, the way Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett played young and old Benjamin and Daisy, respectively.  Fincher’s technique of pitch-perfect effects to illuminate reality during such a fantasy film is a triumph.  And the way that the effects were so subtle… while watching the film I didn’t give it much thought because I was too wrapped up with the story… but thinking about it afterwards, it’s jaw-dropping.

It must’ve been such a difficult role for Pitt to play an old man with the innocence of a child.  He’s eager to run and play but is limited by his physical deterioration, and Pitt expressed that.  And while he’s in his twenties living with the love of his life, he has the wisdom way past what his youthful face displays.  Cate Blanchett worked well with Pitt, but her character wasn’t as compelling and therefore neither was she.  Pitt is the one who really shines in this film.  This might be his best acting performance in his entire career.  To be able to lead a film with this much power and play a character that has never been done before, Pitt should be credited highly for his ability to do all of this successfully.

This isn’t a traditional Fincher film who have dealt with the theme of obsession with a male-heavy cast for his films (Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac).  Here he strips all of that aside and tells the adventure of Benjamin Button.  He also enters an area he’s not known for, romance.  The love story between Benjamin and Daisy overpowers the rest of the psychological characteristics of aging backwards.  Because simply put, Benjamin and Daisy meet when they were both children… and they share a large portion of their life with each other.  But they can only find love when they both seem to be at the same age.  The love that they share is truly felt and it’s only more heart-breaking when you know it’s impossible for them to work it out.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button doesn’t cast the reverse-aging aspect as a gimmick; instead it uses it to enable a unique perspective on life and the unpredictability of its course.  It blends the curiosity of knowing one’s fate with the strength to allow the universe to tug on your hand and willingly go wherever it leads you.  This is without a doubt one of the best movies of the year.

What Time is it? It’s Oscar Time!

 

With less than two months away from The Academy Awards, I will be dedicating the majority of my time to analyzing the movies who are in the race to win Oscar gold.  A lot has happened thus far and there are a lot of movies in the running for the Best Picture category.  The ballots have been mailed out to all of the members of the AMPAS already.  Here is a list of the upcoming important dates until the awards presentation:

Friday, December 28, 2008 – Nominations ballots mailed
Monday, January 12, 2009 – Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 22, 2009 – Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 – Final ballots mailed
Monday, February 2, 2009 – Nominees Luncheon
Saturday, February 7, 2009 – Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 – Final polls close 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 22, 2009 – 81st Annual Academy Awards presentation

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If you’re interested in knowing how the nominees are selected, read this article:  “How Oscar nominees are selected”

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If you didn’t know already, the host for the 81st Annual Academy Awards will be the Aussie actor, Hugh Jackman.  Here is The Academy’s press release announcing the news.

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Anyway, if you don’t know me then let me tell you that I can’t get enough of awards season this time of year.  Along with the Superbowl and whenever my beloved New York Rangers make the NHL playoffs, The Academy Awards is one of my favorite events to watch every year.  I will be updating my thoughts on how the nominations seem to be shaping up frequently and maybe I can beat my 17/24 predictions score of last year.

Box Office Results: America Loves Dogs!

Studio Estimates for Dec. 25-28:

1.  Marley & Me – $51.7 million
2.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $39 million
3.  Bedtime Stories – $38.6 million
4.  Valkyrie – $30 million
5.  Yes Man – $22.4 million

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It has been proven that best selling novels succeed in the movies, or else why is every great book being adapted to screen, right?  Well, now it seems that every live-action movie with a dog or dogs in it are also big money grabbers.  Marley & Me really surprised me this holiday weekend grabbing over $50 million, well exceeding my prediction.  So the new formula is Best Selling Novel + Dog = $$$.  Should we expect to see a few more family films with dogs?  I think that’s a safe bet.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a pleasant surprise by landing the #2 spot.  It was the only film I watched this weekend and I’m glad so many people went to see this great film despite its long runtime and serious tone.  Bedtime Stories fell to #3 though it was expected to rival Marley & Me for the top spot.  And to round out the Top 5 were Tom Cruise’s Valkyrie and Jim Carrey’s Yes Man.

Check back Friday for our new predictions, though there’s no new releases.

How to shut up those annoying people during a movie

http://screenrant.com/joseph-cialella-kel-tec-shooting-benjamin-button-ross-4765/

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I found this specifically funny since I just saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button this afternoon and encountered a few people in the theater who were distracting.  To my left were an old couple.  Apparently one of them have never seen a movie before, or is simply unable to process their own thoughts, so the old woman had to give her the play-by-play commentary throughout.  If that wasn’t bad enough, to my right were a few girls who were going ga-ga over Brad Pitt.  They were giggling and whispering for a solid portion of the film.  Thank god the movie was so gripping that I was truly able to ignore the pests.

Movies I Must See

 

Here’s a bunch of films I really have to see…

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Still my most anticipated movie, I am dying to see this 167 minute fantasy/drama about a man who is born an old man and ages backwards.  Starring Brad Pitt in probably his most challenging role yet, and the always brilliant Cate Blanchett, they just add fuel to the burning fire of high expectations.  With Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) writing the adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald short, and one of my favorite directors of this generation, David Fincher, this film shouldn’t be anything less than great.  Am I hyping this movie up too much?  Maybe.  But this film has the potential for being a masterpiece.
• The Wrestler – Another one of my favorite directors, Darren Aronofsky, strips away all of his amazing visuals for the character-based, sport/drama, The Wrestler.  Starring Mickey Rourke as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, this movie has been receiving plenty of acclaim for its touching and genuine portrayal of professional wrestling.  There is a soft spot that I sense I will have when I view this movie.  Aside from being nostalgiac from watching pro-wrestling when I was younger, and seeing Marisa Tomei as a stripper… I expect the plot to be superior to most dramas this year.  This might be this year’s “Once” for me.
• Gran Torino – Possibly Clint Eastwood’s last acting performance ever, here lies a little film that has shades of Dirty Harry and other of Eastwood’s tough-guy roles from the past.  To keep on pace with my previous two entries, Eastwood is a magnificent director with the ability to turn anything he touches into gold.  I’ve read good and bad things about this film, which keeps me a bit skeptical for Gran Torino, though I did like Changeling more than the majority of the critics did.  But I must give this living legend the benefit of the doubt.
• Frost/Nixon – Another political biopic starring Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost.  Directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, there is a lot of power behind the production of this film.  This is one of those films that I really want to see asap because of the potential it has at being a Best Picture nominee, but if it were otherwise then I would’ve waited for the DVD release.
• Revolutionary Road – Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunite for the first time since Titanic.  Sam Mendes is in the director’s chair attempting to create another masterpiece since American Beauty.  The source is from a best-selling novel by Richard Yates about a young couple who struggle with their marriage but try to pass by with their two children.  It looks like one of those straight-up serious dramas with a lot of yelling and arguing and crying… maybe a bit too much.  The subject matter seems quite tricky to adapt to screen tastefully.  Was Mendes able to do it?
• Doubt – Doubt is John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winning play about a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him abusing a black student.  It has a lot of power and anyone who has seen the play has loved it.  Boasting a very strong cast in Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis, Doubt is a very strong contender in this year’s Academy Awards… but mainly for the acting categories.  There have been plenty of great movies based on plays, such as Closer, Dial M for Murder, and Arsenic and Old Lace.  I’m not not sure if Shanley’s great theater vision can translate into the silver screen.
• Defiance – Although this film hasn’t been getting the hype that I think it should, maybe that’s just because the film isn’t any good.  But it’s an Edward Zwick film, who has made some of my favoriate movies such as Glory, The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond.  He stays in his comfort zone with this war/drama of three Jewish brothers escaping Poland.  There’s still a part of me that wants to see this in theaters… but I might have to settle for DVD.
• The Reader – The Golden Globes ate this movie up even though no one else did.  Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes stars in this post-WWII drama.  I’m not exactly sure what the film is about, but with these two stars and director Stephen Daldry (The Hours), it has enough strength behind it to being a surprise gem.

Box Office Predictions (Dec. 25-28)

 

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

And it shall be a rewarding Christmas in the movie industry as well with FIVE new wide releases and the “Oscar contenders” expanding.  No matter what kind of person you are, there will definitely be a movie for you to see this weekend.

First up on the list is Adam Sandler’s family/adventure film, Bedtime Stories.  Sandler in a Disney film?  Say it ain’t so!  It’s a silly premise, but aren’t all kids films?  Sandler tells bedtime stories to his nephew and niece and finds out that the details of the stories actually come true in real life.  He then begins to manipulate the stories to benefit in real life from a hotel handyman to becoming the manager.  Adam Sandler is one of the most bankable actors in the business, and combining his star power with a Disney kids film… that spells out success!  Opening in almost 3,700 theaters this weekend, don’t bet against Bedtime Stories.

Next… the Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, and that cute dog in the family film Marley & Me.  Based on the best selling book, this is about a couple who decide to get a golden lab that ends up being the worst dog in the entire world.  Even though Aniston hasn’t done anything close to great, she’s still a high power actress that can bring in the crowds.  Opening in about 3,500 theaters, expect her to do the same for this film.

Now here’s the movie I’m super-stoked to see.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  Directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac), adapted by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump), and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.  This fantasy/romance is loosely based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short about a man who ages backwards but meets with his love, Daisy, just at the right moment when they’re the same age.  But then of course he gets younger while she gets older.  It’s a wicked premise and I’m very excited to see how Fincher plays with this dark and tricky story… plus all of the special effects.  This is a major contender for Best Picture and I believe everyone knows that.  Should that be a reason for someone to skip this long, serious film for a lighter one this weekend?  Possibly… but I don’t think that’s going to matter too much.  Opening in about 3,000 theaters, Paramount is wishing for a big box office to boost its Oscar chances.

Valkyrie hopes to soar to the top this weekend with its World War II plot of a group of German officers planning to kill Hitler.  Starring Tom Cruise (as a Nazi?) and directed by Bryan Singer (X-2, Superman Returns), this had the potential of topping the box office if didn’t have to come out this weekend.  With all the competition, don’t expect Valkyrie to land in the Top 3.

Finally, the comic-to-film, The Spirit, about a cop who takes on an entire city of corruption and villains, looks to draw in the Frank Miller crowd who loved Sin City and 300.  The visuals look the same.  It certainly feels the same.  But who wants to see the same film again, just done differently?  Oh wait, check out these stars in the film:  Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, and Eva Mendes… with Gabriel Macht (who?) as the lead.  Of the five new releases, The Spirit has the lowest theater count of 2,509.  Is the studio being cautious anticipating a possible bust?  We’ll have to see at the end of the week.

Then there are the plenty of films expanding to more theaters.  This includes many Oscar contenders such as:  Doubt (1,267 theaters), Frost/Nixon (205 theaters), Gran Torino (84 theaters) and The Reader (116 theaters). 

My Predictions:

1.  Bedtime Stories – $45 million
2.  Marley & Me – $25 million
3.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $20 million
4.  Yes Man – $16 million
5.  Valkyrie – $14 million

Phil’s Predictions:

1.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $45 million
2.  Marley & Me – $37 million
3.  Bedtime Stories – $22 million
4.  Valkyrie – $19 million
5.  The Spirit – $13 million

The Big Bang Theory – Season One

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Creators:  Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady

Starring:  Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Heldberg, Kunal Nayyar

Grade:  B+

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From CBS’ highly watched Monday night comedy lineup is this little sitcom about four ultra-geeks who are brought back to real life from the beautiful girl across the hall.  The creators Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma & Greg) are able to create such fresh and hilarious situations from a relatively normal and traditional set-up.

Our lead characters are brain-iacs Leonard (Galecki) and Sheldon (Parsons) who live in an apartment with equations on white boards, posters of planets and UFOs, bookshelves full of research texts, and every scientific toy and gadget invented.  The roommates are your cliche nerds:  pale-skinned, fragile guys with stunted social skills.  This quote sums up perfectly the intentions of the roommates:

Leonard: We need to widen our circle.
Sheldon: I have a very wide circle. I have 212 friends on myspace.
Leonard: Yes, and you’ve never met one of them.
Sheldon: That’s the beauty of it.

Sheldon steals a lot of the scenes with his arrogance of being so brilliant while Leonard is more concerned of being accepted by the rest of society and especially getting to know the girl next door.

Although the leads provide a sufficient amount of comedy to keep the show rolling, the series really picks up when its supporting characters come into the scene.  The roommates’ friends, Rajesh (Nayyar) and Howard (Hedberg), add different attributes to the usual geek.  Rajesh pathologically cannot speak with women while Howard is the complete opposite who will hit on any female he encounters (and always rejected immediately after).  Whether these friends are eating Indian food or playing Halo 3… whenever they’re all together the show excels.

The icing on the cake is the pretty blond who just moved in, Penny (Cuoco).  Leonard instantly feels attracted to her but as Sheldon put it, they’re not of the same species.  That doesn’t prevent Leonard from keeping his crush for Penny, who knows he likes her and therefore acts the kindest towards him than to the rest of his friends.  But let’s face it… Sheldon’s right (isn’t he always?).  There’s no way a girl like Penny would go for a guy like Leonard.

That’s the idea of the show, and I know it’s the oldest premise in the sitcom book… but somehow The Big Bang Theory seems unique and witty.  Maybe because these friends are such super-nerds is how it’s easy to separate this show from others.  Their fast-speaking, quirky sense of humor, and glaring innocence are characteristics that make them outcasts even from the typical smarty pants.

But Penny is the one who keeps them grounded.  She is the real force behind this series and my only complaint about her character is that she is underused.  When she interacts with the geeks, it always results in a hilarious outcome.  Leonard’s always trying to hide his enormous crush for her with awkward and stuttered responses.  Howard relentlessly hits on her and receives a wide variety of being turned down.  Sheldon never finds it necessary to converse with her since everything he needs to know can be acquired by himself.  And Rajesh… well he can’t talk to Penny (unless he’s drunk).

The show moves at a quick pace for such ordinary situations.  I’m wondering whether or not the geek-comedy will wear itself out in the second season or not.  I mean, how many physics jokes can they throw out at the audience without it being repetitive?  And by physics jokes I mean any consecutive words that I have never heard of nor care what they mean because I know the wikipedia entry will only confuse me more.  But for the first season, The Big Bang Theory was a fine show.  I look forward to the second season and hope the lineup of The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Two and a Half Men continue to air on CBS for years to come.

Flight of the Conchords Season Two Premiere

Watch the premiere of the HBO comedy-series, Flight of the Conchords, online right now at Funny or Die…

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c48f423bdf/season-2-online-premiere-flight-of-the-conchords-from-flight-of-the-conchords

Box Office Results: Yes to Jim Carrey’s ‘Yes Man’

Studio Estimate for Dec. 19-21:

1.  Yes Man – $18.2 million
2.  Seven Pounds – $16 million
3.  The Tale of Despereaux – $10.5 million
4.  The Day the Earth Stood Still – $10.2 million
5.  Four Christmases – $7.7 million

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Well we knew it would come down to Yes Man and Seven Pounds for the box office title, and Jim Carrey’s comedy edged out Will Smith’s melodrama.  The box office totals were hurt by the weather this weekend, but aside from the lower than expected grosses, our predictions were fairly accurate.

Check back later in the week for our Christmas weekend predictions.  It’s going to be a very competitive weekend with the releases of Adam Sandler’s kid-comedy Bedtime Stories, Brad Pitt’s Oscar-contender The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Jennifer Aniston’s family-flick Marley and Me, comic-book fan’s highly anticipated The Spirit, and Tom Cruise’s Nazi-thriller Valkyrie.  That’s one hell of a weekend for the holidays.