Xander ,'Showtime'
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Michael Phillips, the Tribune's movie critic, has a breakdown of the Oscar noms and potential wins here. I like what he said about Carey Mulligan
I love this comment:
Who should win best actor?
Three-way tie, courtesy of the Oscar ceremony currently taking place in my head, between Jeremy Renner; Colin Firth; and Bridges.
I agree with Jessica about spectacle. The best screenplay and action does not automatically win the best movie. There's more to a film. It's like when The Lion King won Best Musical at the Tony's, even though Ragtime won both best book, best music, best actor, AND best actress. It was the right decision. The Lion King had magic which that production of Ragtime sorely lacked. (The revival is supposedly better, but nobody's going anyway).
That said, I thought Avatar was godawful, and the more I think about it the more I feel that way. I didn't even think the effects were all that and a bag of chips, mostly because effects long ago reached the "Okay, I'll totally buy this" plateau for me, beyond which I don't really care. I'm good at suspension of disbelief, thanks, and if I wasn't making your blue people look more realistic wouldn't help, it just makes me feel like I finally upgraded to an Xbox 360 after years on a Playstation 1 - exciting for about 5 minutes, then I just want the game to be fun.
Alert to SF Locals:
Coraline is playing at the Castro on Thursday, in 3-D.
I've got the DVD and I love the movie but you can't get the DVD effect at home and (trying not to oversell this but, uh...) Coraline in 3-D on a movie screen has the most beautiful visuals I've ever seen in a movie.
Was that too much? Well, that's the way it is. They use the 3-D to add depth, and with stop-motion animation there's plenty of depth. The whole movie is a notch better in 3-D but there are three scenes which are beyond sumptuous in 3-D (spoiler fonted for those who haven't seen it): the Fantastic Garden, the ghost children released with the Starry Night Van Gogh background and the Other!Mother last attack in the spider web).
Also, it's on a double bill with the animated movie 9.
I've never seen any movie use 3d as brilliantly as Coraline did. The depth and detail they were able to achieve was nothing short of amazing.
That is VERY tempting. I am working from home on Thursday because the Salvation Army is supposed to pick up my couch and a bunch of furniture...if they get there early, I might just head to the Castro.
That is VERY tempting. I am working from home on Thursday because the Salvation Army is supposed to pick up my couch and a bunch of furniture...if they get there early, I might just head to the Castro.
It is. I have a work (disgruntled editors drinks pow-wow) thing, but I could cut out a bit early and make the 7:00.
I won't know the SA pick-up time window until Thursday morning.
Well, let me know.
I shall!
And I promise to actually check my phone!
(although email would be better)