I (HEART) HUCKABEES

Going into the cinema I was prepared to love this film, and I was also prepared to hate it. What I got was somewhere in the middle, I loved the atmosphere that David O. Rusell created, so much that I didn’t want it to end. On the other hand the plot at some times seemed stupid, but yet entertaining at the same time. I could see a great movie within this one, the only thing that really needed to be changed was the script, not that the script was bad or anything, it just missed the pizzaz that would bring it up another level.

The story itself was quirky, but not Charlie Kauffman quirky, in this film it was more of characters far from reality; whereas Kauffman are real characters in a fictitious and crazy story. Because this film was so out of the ordinary I loved the atmosphere.

The acting was almost all very good, Isabelle Huppert, Lilly Tomlin, and Dustin Hoffman were all at the top of their game, giving rare top notch performances. My only regret about Isabelle Huppert was that her character was in the film for so short of time that it was impossible to really love the performances. Mark Wahlberg, Jason Schwartzman, and Jude Law weren’t really great in this film but very good. But Naomi Watts and all the minor characters performances were way beyond normal for people with such small roles.

The technical aspect of the film was very good, the cinematography, the sets, the score, the editing were all very good. However the only excellent technical aspect of the film was the brilliant costumes, probably the best contemporary costumes ever made. Since the academy doesn’t usually give nominations to contemporary pieces, I just hope this wins the costume designers guild award for contemporary costumes.

I really enjoyed this film, but because of the flaws in script it takes this down from a 4 star film to a 3.5.

***1/2 - 5

Predicting my own Final Ballot

An interessting idea I had is to predict my own ballot.

PICTURE :
The Corporation
Elina
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Life Aquatic
The Motorcycle Diaries

ACTOR :
Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanada
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diarie
Liam Neeson, Kinsey

ACTRESS :
Imelda Stauton, Vera Drake
Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera
Audrey Tautou, A Very Long Engagement
Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Vol.2
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

SUPPORTING ACTOR :
David Carridine, Kill Bill Vol.2
Willem Dafoe, The Life Aquatic
Rodrigio de la Serna, The Motorcyle Diaries
Thomas Hayden Church, Sideways
Clive Owen, Closer

SUPPORTING ACTRESS :
Bibi Andersson, Elina
Regina King, Ray
Laura Linney, Kinsey
Yoshie Minami, Firefly Dreams
Natalie Portman, Closer

More Stuff is coming tommorow

I promise,

just in case you need to know I've put school as my number 1 priority now. I have 98% in socials!

Gil Cates to Produce oscars

for the 12th. He has lost his charm over the years but we didn't have to live with the guy they had last year who tried to make a virtual copycate of cates ceromony. I want Laura Ziskin back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bet Whoopi will be the host this year.

Sorry

I've really been bogged down on homework the past week so there hasn't been any updates, as soon as I have a chance I'll be attempting to predict my personal ballot at year's end.

I also wanted to mention that since my last post the world's lost two of my favorite people Janet Leigh and Christopher Reeve.
Rest In Peace

New Reviews

REVIEWS :

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES:

The film the motorcycle diaries is a film that I really didn’t have any expectations for walking in to the theatre, besides the fact that I expected it to be good. As of recently I was scrapping this from my BP oscar predix; however, I’m still not convinced that it won’t do well, seeing as it’s probably the first film I’ve ever seen to recieve an ovation in the theatre. The film was not a masterpiece, but you could see the workings of one coming. The films major flaw was the first 30 minutes , it was slow to start , and some of the stuff could have been cut.
The story of the film is a beautiful tale of friendship and discorvery, between two friends during a cross continent journey. One of the reassons this film works is that there is a strong message from this movie , it’s not just Hollywood fluff.
Besides a few flaws the screenplay is brilliantly written, which fits in wonderfully with the gorgeous cinematography, and the two wonderful perforamances by Gael Garcia Bernal & Rodrigo de la Serna.
This is the first addition to my top 3 of the year since April.
9.5 / 10 stars

MINI - REVIEWS :

MR. HULOT’S HOLIDAY

Before my dad rented this I had never even heard of Jaques Tati, and this film is a beautiful film, not just a comedy. Some of the humour is a bit dated, but the films atmosphere more than make up for it.

9/10

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE

Perhaps the most entertaining movie ever made, especially because the well developped plot, with a perfect mixture of comedy and drama. The performances by Jean Adair and Josephine Hull make this film one of my faorite films of all time.

9.5/10

Full Predictions

2004 09 30

PICTURE :
Alexander
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Ray
Spanglish

DIRECTOR :
James L. Brooks, Spanglish
Taylor Hackford, Ray
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, A Very Long Engagement
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Oliver Stone, Alexander

ACTOR :
Javier Bardem, The Sea Inside
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanada
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Liam Neeson, Kinsey

ACTRESS :
Annette Bening, Being Julia
Téa Leoni, Spangish
Natalie Portman, Closer (I decided to follow kris with this one)
Imelda Stauton, Vera Drake
Audrey Tautou, A Very Long Engagement

SUPPORTING ACTOR :
Alec Baldwin, The Aviator
Rodrigo de la Serna, The Motorcycle Diaries
Thomas Hayden Church, Sideways
Val Kilmer, Alexander
Clive Owen, Closer

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, The Avaitor
Cloris Leachman, Spanglish
Laura Linney, Kinsey
Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Kate Winslet, Finding Neverland

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
A Very Long Engagement, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Gullaume Laurant
Closer, Patrick Marber
Finding Neverland, David Magee
The Morocycle Diaries, Jose Rivera
Sideways, Alexander Payne

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Aviator, John Logan
The Indredibles, Brad Bird
Kinsey, Bill Condon
Ray, James L. White
Spanglish, James L. Brooks

ANIMATED FILM :
The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Shrek 2

ART DIRECTION :
Alexander, Jan Roelfs
The Aviator, Dante Ferretti
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Rick Heinrichs
The Phantom of the Opera, Anthony Pratt
Ray, Stephen Altman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alexander, Rodrigo Prieto
The Aviator, Robert Richardson
A Very Long Engagement, Bruno Delbonnel
Finding Neverland, Roberto Schaffer
The Passion of the Christ, Caleb Deschanel

COSTUME DESIGN :
Alexander, Jenny Beaven
The Aviator, Sandy Powell
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Colleen Atwood
The Passion of the Christ, Maurizio Millenotti
The Phantom of the Opera, Alexandra Byrne


FILM EDITING :
Alexander, Yann Herve, Alex Marquez, Thomas J. Nordberg
The Aviator, Thelma Schoonmaker
Finding Neverland,
The Passion of the Christ, John Wright
Ray, Paul Hirsh

MAKEUP :
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Passion of the Christ
The Phantom of the Opera

ORIGINAL SCORE :
Alexander, Vangelis
The Aviator, Howard Shore
A Very Long Engagement, Angelo Badalementi
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, John Williams
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Thomas Newman

ORIGINAL SONG : (for now I’ll just include films till we find out all the titles)
Alfie
Closer
Finding Neverland
The Phantom of the Opera
The Polar Express
SOUND
Alexander
The Aviator
The Phantom of the Opera
Sky Captain and the World of Tommorow
Spider-man 2

SOUND EDITING
The Incredibles
Sky Captain and the World of Tommorow
Spider-man 2

VISUAL EFFECTS
I, Robot
Sky Captain and the World of Tommorow
Spider-man 2

TALLY :
The Aviator - 11
Alexander - 9
Finding Neverland - 6
Ray - 6
A Very Long Engagement - 5
The Phantom of the Opera - 5
Spanglish - 5
Closer - 4
The Passion of the Christ - 4
The Incredibles - 3
Kinsey - 3
Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events - 3
Sideways - 3
Sky Captain and the World of Tommorow - 3
Spider-man 2 - 3
The Motorcycle Diaries - 2
The Polar Express - 2
Alfie - 1
Being Julia - 1
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - 1
Hotel Rwanda - 1
I, Robot - 1
The Sea Inside - 1
Shrek 2 - 1
Vera Drake - 1

Picture

2004 09 30

NOTE : Later on today I expect to have my full predictions up, with changes since I started the categoy previews. Also expect a mini review of Jaques Tati's Mr. Hulot's Holiday.

THE CONTENDERS :

Alexander
- A epic, in the academy’s favorite style , unless this turns into a major flop , I really can’t see this one not doing well with the academy.

A Very Long Engagement
- With lukewarm reviews for The Motorcycle Diaries , A Very Long Engagement could just be the Foreign flm to watch out for.

The Aviator
- Well we haven’t heard any negative buzz on this one yet , it could just well be one of the few films that has made huge buzz all year round.

Closer
- I don’t think this will quite do what it was expected to do about a month ago.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- It depends if it’s focus’ major push , if it isn’t it’ll sadly dissapere and not get the credit it deserves.

Finding Neverland
- It seems just like the type of story the academy loves, it’ll most likely make the final five.

Hotel Rwanda
- It could do it, but we won’t really know untill the precurser’s start coming out.

Kinsey
- I don’t think it’ll make the best picture slate, but I haven’t ruled out anything yet.

The Motorcycle Diaries
- With some not so great reviews it all depends on the studio now. It could go either way.

The Passion of the Christ
- I’m still not sold on The Passions chances, it looks like another case where will have to wait for the precursers.

The Phantom of the Opera
- If it’s a hit maybe, but for now , I don’t think it’ll do well here.

Spanglish
- I’m starting to doubt it’s chances, but just for now I’ll keep it in the top 5.

Ray
- Sounds like the type of Bio-pic that the academy likes, and will likely be there on oscar nomination morning.

Vera Drake
- It could be a critical darling , or a critical darling and an oscar favorite, I really have no clue right now.

THE RANKINGS :

1) The Aviator
2) Ray
3) Alexander
4) Finding Neverlabd
5) Spanglish

6) The Motorcycle Diaries
7) Vera Drake
8) The Passion of the Christ
9) A Very Long Engagement
10) Kinsey

Actor

2004 09 29

THE CONTENDERS

Javier Bardem, The Sea Inside
- I doubt the film will have much of a chance anywhere else, but almost everyone is predicting Javier for his second nod. From the current reviews it seems very likely.

Jeff Bridges, The Door in the Floor
- I haven’t bought in to the buzz for him yet, I just don’t think he’ll end up making it in the end. He could but I really don’t think so.

Gerard Butler, The Phantom of the Opera
- Unless the film get’s a BP nod don’t expect it in the acting categries, and if it does it won’t be here because best Actor is s crowded this year.

Jim Cavizel, The Passion of the Christ
- I really don’t think the Passion of the Christ will do that well at the oscars, but if it does expect Jesus to be here.

Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
- I think at this point people are really underestimating his chances , I think he’ll probably make the final five and could possibility win.

Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
- The recent re-emergance of buzz on the film will almost guarentee his spot in my predix for now.

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
- Leo isn’t as a lock as people seem to think he is, he has to struggle to get a nod, but I think Ihe could make it.

Colin Farell, Alexander
- I don’t really think Alexander has to have a nod for Colin if it get’s a BP nod, which I predict to be the case.

Jamie Foxx, Ray
- Well what a role, unless he screws up he almost certainly will get a nod.

Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries
- With less than dazzling reviews, the whole of Motorccle Diaries is looking pretty shaky.

Paul Giamatti, Sideways
- Unless he get’s spectacular reviews it’s too croweded to really make a big show.

Jude Law, Closer
- He probably has a better chance in supporting for I Heart Huckabees, this best actor race is way to crowded.

Liam Neeson, Kinsey
- One of the most hyped roles, he probably will get a nod, as long with his co-star Laura Linney.

THE RANKINGS :
1) Jamie Foxx, Ray
2) Liam Neeson, Kinsey
3) Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
4) Javier Bardem, The Sea Within
5) Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda

6) Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
7) Colin Farell, Alexander
8) Jim Cavizel, The Passion of the Christ
9) Jeff Bridges, The Door in the Floor
10) Jude Law, Closer