¿Cuál película?

Some of you may have seen Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Ellah," which scored him a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role at this years Oscars.  Even more likely, you saw him this year as Sherrif Ed Bell in "No Country For Old Men."  But, I am confident, that many of you did not see him in 2005's "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada."

Jones both directed and starred in this gut/heart-wrenching modern western about a cattle rancher seeking retribution and a little revenge for the death of his friend Malquiades Estrada.  Lee gives a strong performance and, in my opinion, he contributes his most vulnerable character to date.

(This is the part when you quit reading this blog, make a run to your local video store and watch the film.  If you need a little more convincing, feel free to read on.)

Without giving too much away, the general synopsis is as follows.  Mike Norton (played by Barry Pepper) is a young and presumptuous border patrolman who mistakenly kills an illegal immigrant worker named Malquiades Estrada.  Norton quickly buries his body in the desert and plays it cool.  But, when Estrada's body is discovered by accident, it is reburied in town and the police don't look any further into the matter.  Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones), Malquiades' best friend and boss, is heartbroken over the loss of his friend and forces Norton to bury Malquiades' body in his hometown in Mexico.  Both men set off on horseback with the corpse strapped to a mule and the journey begins.

Tommy Lee Jones usually plays characters who are stoic, learned, or action oriented, but that is why his performance in "The Three Burials" is so astonishing.  He is tender, heartbroken, irrational, and often angry.  This film truly highlights the breadth of his acting ability and is highly recommended.  There are some rather graphic scenes, which borderline slapstick (oddly enough) in the film, but they surprisingly enhance, not detract, from the severity of the situations at hand.

For those of you who just can't get enough Tommy Lee Jones after this year's Oscar season, you can't go wrong with "The Three Burials of Malquiades Estrada."  Check out the trailer below and, as always, let me know what you think about his performance.

Oh, I wish I was an Oscar Mayer...

Well ladies and gents,  the Oscars are finally over.  The votes have been tallied, the results are in, and the winner is...

"No Country for Old Men" for best picture.

Though I was rooting for "There Will Be Blood," I can fully understand why this one got 1st place this year.  The cinematography was beautiful.  The writing was impeccable.  The performances were strong all around.  And, not to mention it's the Coen Brothers' first film to be declared "Best Film of the Year."  In my opinion, it's about time.

Thank God, however, that "There Will Be Blood" went home with Best Cinematography.  'Nuff said.

As for best actor, the award rightly went to Daniel Day-Lewis.  As if there was any other option for the Academy?  Day-Lewis put forth the best performance of his career and he earned that Oscar with every bead of sweat and drop of blood.

This is Day-Lewis's second Oscar for best actor in a leading role.  The first he won way back in 1989 for his role in "My Left Foot."  Good for him!  There is a shortage of method actors in Hollywood these days and their craft should be respected.

It seems, though, that Johnny Depp was snubbed again for the prestigious award.  I would like to point out that he's been nominated three times and still has yet to take home that pretty little golden anthropomorphism we so light heartedly call Oscar.  Maybe next year Mr. Depp.

Best actress in a lead role went to Marion Cotillard for her performance in La Vie En Rose.  Still have to see this one, but I hear it's well done.  An update on my opinion of her performance will eventually be posted.

Well, how did you feel about the divvying of the awards last night?  Leave me a few comments about your predictions, disappointments and reliefs!

Image taken from www.oscar-the-grouch.com.

You and Miike

To begin with, I am a huge fan of Asian cinema.  Whether it's the infatuation with character development or their blatant disregard for ultra-violence, something about it just works for me.  So, for this blog post, I've decided to highlight the career of a director that many Westerners have never heard of:  Takashi Miike.

This Japanese director has accumulated a cult following for his ultra violent, absurd, and uncomfortable style of filmmaking.  He currently has 76 (I can hardly believe this one myself) films under his directorial belt, averaging at almost five films per year.

These aren't merely home-movies either.  These are full-length feature films.

His most notable films in the West are, debatably, "Audition," "Visitor Q," and "Ichi the Killer."  Each are special for their unique style and direction, but they are also extremely violent.  These are highly recommended if you can stomach the ride, but do pay heed to my warnings.

According to Wikipedia, "Ichi the Killer" had 15 minutes cut out of the Honk Kong version and was banned by Britain for its high levels of violence against women.  Currently, the US has the full uncut version available as an unrated DVD.

For a (slightly) more light-hearted flick, check out "The Happiness of the Katakuri's."  This musical zombie film tells the story of the Katakuri family, who buy a guest house in the country.  As their guests start dying by accident and murder, they bury them in order to salvage their business and the hilarity ensues.

At present, I'm looking forward to Miike's 2008 release of "Sukiyaki Western Django," a remake of the 1966 spaghetti western "Django."  It's colorful, it's violent, and it's got a cameo by Quentin Tarantino. Perfection.

Watch the trailer and let me know what you think.  Sometimes I think I'm crazy for liking this sort of stuff, but who knows, maybe you just might like it too.

Let's Hope It's a Snap Tite

The brilliant mind of Charlie Kaufman is at it again. Not only is he at it again, but he allegedly has one of the most mind-blowing scripts of 2008. And the name of it, you (I too) probably can't pronounce.

Synecdoche, New York. Pronounced (si-neck-duh-key).

The term "Synecdoche", refers to "a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole."

The plot outline of this film follows a dismayed theater director who believes he is dying. This, in turn, changes the way he interacts with the world around him, his craft, and his love life. But, the meat of the plot revolves around his newest play.

The one that requires him to build a life-size replica of New York City in an abandoned warehouse to perform it.

The film will star Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, and Jennifer Jason Leigh and is due out sometime this year.

Did I mention this will be the first film the acclaimed screenwriter will direct? Yet another facet of this project to look forward to.

Now, if you are not acquainted with Kaufman's previous work you have some watching to do. He is the mastermind screenwriter behind such infamously good movies as "Being John Malchovich," "Adaptation," and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." All heralded for their originality and complexity.

And, if you have any doubt as to the complexity Kaufman reaches in his scripts, just watch any one of the aforementioned films and become a believer. In "Adaptation," he actually wrote himself into the script of the movie, whilst the character in the film (of the same name) wrote himself into his own movie (all within the movie).

Confused yet?

For an in-depth article about the film, read this article from Jay A. Fernandez of the LA Times. It may give you some sense of how the film is shaping up.

Look for "Synecdoche, New York" sometime this year and be sure not to miss it. I have a feeling we're in for a treat.

(Photo taken from www.firstshowing.net)

Black, White, and Benday

Well ladies and gentlemen, we're officially in the graphic novel to movie adaptation era.  Like movie fads before it (the sequels era, the comic book movies era), we can fully expect to see numerous projects popping up and into our theaters very soon.  

Don't be fooled, though.  These are not, by any means, ordinary, run-of-the-mill comics.  Graphic novels differ from comics, both in length and arguably, story-line.

If the first bout of films is any indication of quality and integrity, then we have much to look forward to.  Take for instance "Frank Miller's Sin City," which almost mirrors, frame for frame, the original graphic novel.  This film was a milestone not only for its visual effects, but also its stability as a film.  Perhaps you are more familiar with Zach Snyder's "300" (based on Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name).  This film dominated the box office and grossed approximately $210,000,000 (The-Numbers).  Even "30 Days of Night" made $50 dollars (Rope of Silicon) at the box office.

Yes, it seems like a pretty impressive track record.  Even adaptations pre-dating our recent ventures have done well too.  "From Hell,"  "A History of Violence," and "V for Vendetta" are just naming a few.

So, what do the next few years have in store for we, the devoted movie goers?

I'm glad you asked.

Frank Miller and Robert Rodruigez are scheduled to shoot a second Sin City film, highlighting different stories from the 7 seedy novels (IMDB).  Judging from the first film, this one would be a shame to miss.  Other films on the horizon include "Button Man," "The Dark Knight," and my own personal fascination:  "The Watchmen."

"The Watchmen" will be Zach Snyder's second graphic novel adaptation and from the looks of things, this is shaping up to be huge.  I just hope you like film noire, because most of these projects seem to thrive on the genre.

Start reading, get hooked and stay posted for further updates on our beloved stories of black, white and Benday.

(Photo taken from www.firstshowing.com)

Cloverspew

As I sat in "Cloverfield" this weekend I witnessed six people running from the theater.  Now, I know what you may be thinking.  Was it really that scary?  To answer your question - yes it was, in a manner of speaking.  You see, these people covering their mouths in horror as they ran from the theater were not afraid of the 300 foot monster appearing on the screen before them.  They were afraid of regurgitating their $5 popcorn into the waste receptacles just outside the theater.

These monster-movie fans are part of 33% of human beings (Wikipedia) who suffer from what is known as kinetosis - also known as motion sickness.  I,  unfortunately, subscribe to this 33%.

Now I had heard from a few people that this movie used a "shaky-cam" effect.  "It couldn't be worse than the 'Bourne' movies, which are known for their "shaky" chase scenes," I said.  So, I naively galavanted off to the theater none-the-wiser.  Low and behold, I was wrong, dead wrong.

To say "shaky-cam," is a grave understatement.  Try Parkinson's-cam.

According to IMDB, there were warnings issued to the public about possible motion sickness problems arising from the film, but these were apparently under publicized.  

But, how was the quality of the film?  To be blunt, "Cloverfield," is an amazing adventure that wreaks of originality and it sticks to its guns through the whole ride.  That being said, know that it may make you nauseous along the way.

After interviewing director Matt Reeves, Bloody-Disgusting.com says that a sequel can be expected.  Reeve's said, "The fun of this movie was that it might not have been the only movie being made that night, there might be another movie!"

For the love of God please let the documenter of the sequel be a film student.

Those who have not had a chance to see the film can refer to my list below for any assistance they might need.

Top 5 Things to Do Before/During Viewing Cloverfield:

1. Buy a pack of Dramamine.
2. Do not eat before the show.
3. If you insist on eating, buy popcorn so you can use the tub if you need to.
4. While in the movie, try staring at the ceiling above the screen and watch the movie through your peripherals (it worked for me).
5. Develop a mantra to repeat over and over to help soothe your motion sickness (mine was: please don't throw up...please don't throw up...etc).

For those 77% of humans on the planet, enjoy the film!  It's a wild ride.  To my 33%, well, just don't say I didn't warn you.

(Image taken from www.iwatchstuff.com)

Bilbo Baggins Heading to Spain?

Well, it appears that Peter Jackson has been rejected for the direction of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit."  According to IGN, Universal Studios wanted a fresh perspective on the franchise.  Jackson, however, will be producing the film.

Here is where the story gets good.  Many of you, I'm sure, are familiar with last year's fantasy film "Pan's Labyrinth," or heard of its director, Guillermo Del Toro.  You also may have seen his other films like "Devil's Backbone," "Hellboy," and "Blade II."  According to IGN, Del Toro has been selected to direct, not one, but two major motion picture releases from the aforementioned author.

"The Hobbit" will be Del Toro's first work of the series and will be due out sometime in 2010.  He will also be directing another film (unspecified at this time) based on the Tolkien universe.

Now I know what you may be thinking.  "The guy who directed "Hellboy" and "Blade II" has been trusted with arguably one of the most acclaimed series' of our time?"  

Allow me to interject.

Jog your memory a bit and think back to "Pan's Labyrinth," or even "Devil's Backbone" if you are familiar with it.  What is the one thing that Del Toro excels at?  Blurring the line between fantasy and reality.  "Pans Labyrinth" was a extraordinary film, for sure, but what if those short and sweet snippets of the fantastic spanned a two and a half hour epic?

The possibilities are endless.

Get excited and keep updated on what could shape up to be one of my most anticipated films of 2010.

*Update:  Apparently, as I was writing this blog, news has broken that Del Toro has not been "officially" signed onto the Hobbit project.  Negotiations are still underway, but the director seems enthused about directing the film (IMDB).  Stay tuned for more updates.

(Picture taken from www.wicknet.org)

Bloody Weather

The question on everyone's mind after the death of Heath Ledger in Jan. 2008 was assuredly:  "Will 'The Dark Knight' still be released?"  Thankfully the film was in post production when Ledger died.  This was followed by another equally important, but less widely contemplated question:  "What about Terry Gilliam?" 

Terry Gilliam, is the man behind "Brazil" (one of my all time favorites), "The Fisher King," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," and the brilliant and humorous animation of the "Monty Python Series," among others.  Unfortunately, he was in production with Ledger on "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," when Ledger died.

Production has crawled to a standstill as the director decides how to play his cards.  According to Variety, Ledger was a "key component in raising the finance" for the movie.  It seems as though Gilliam is center stage in a catch-22.

This, however, is a position Gillaim is familiar with.  During the 2001 shooting of "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote," lead actor Jean Rochefort was unable to complete filming after contracting an illness (IMDB); the film subsequently fell apart never to be released.  Also, Gilliam reportedly had two projects, "Good Omen" and "The Watchmen," turn sour after script troubles (IMDB).

Poor Terry Gilliam.  Such a fine director with impeccably bad luck.  If "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" ever does get released, I suggest making the trip to the theaters to see it for two reasons.  First, Gilliam's filmmaking is not to be missed.  He has a wonderful eye for the fantastic.  Secondly, see it because the guy could use the support.  With such a shortage of cinematic visionaries these days, it's a cardinal sin not to make it to the theaters when they do release a film, or at least it should be.

(Photo taken from www.cinemastrikesback.com)