Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Academy Awards to Include Five Animated Nominationshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/academy-awards-to-include-five-animated-nominations/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Town Called PanicI'm so pleased to learn from IndieWIRE that five animated features will probably be in the running for a 2009 Academy Award. If fewer than 16 films are eligible, then only three films end up on the list of nominees. But the shortlist released today by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences includes 20 films eligible for Oscar nominations, assuming that all films on the list have a qualifying run in Los Angeles before the end of the year. That means five films will be nominated for Best Animated Feature.

Of course the list includes lots of big animated films: Pixar's Up, Disney's The Princess and the Frog, Henry Selick's Coraline, Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox and Dreamworks's Monsters vs. Aliens, among others. But I may or may not have squealed and bounced in my seat to read one unexpected candidate: A Town Called Panic, the Belgian animated film that won the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest this year, and which I reviewed. I hope the film will hit L.A. for the required time, and although it is the world's biggest longshot, I'd love to see it get a nomination. The Best Animated Feature category needs something this bizarre, original and creative. We'll find out for sure when Oscar nominations are announced on Feb. 2, 2010.

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]]>a town called panicAcademy AwardsAcademyAwardsATownCalledPanicJette KernionWed, 11 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST'Up in the Air' Songs Pulled from Oscar Racehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/09/up-in-the-air-songs-pulled-from-oscar-race/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Well, it's November, which means the awards contenders are steadily coming out of the woodwork, and just as we have the Academy Awards to look forward to, we also have their fine print to tolerate. The first of this year's disqualifications naturally come from the music end of things, the same category that didn't see fit to honor the tremendous original scores composed for The Dark Knight last year and There Will Be Blood the year before that.

According to Kris Tapley over at In Contention, both "Up in the Air" and "Help Yourself" from Jason Reitman's Up in the Air have been pulled out of the Best Original Song race. The former was written by Kevin Renick before he met Reitman (the song is presented in the film as it was presented to the filmmaker, with homemade introduction and all), not to mention that it comes halfway into the credits when only the first song over them can qualify. (Really, AMPAS?)

And a portion of the latter had existed earlier in Sad Brad Smith's career and thus means the song itself was not created in full for the film. It's an earnest and catchy tune, used prominently in the trailers and well in the film (and now available on iTunes, cough), but it now looks like those are two more slots left to be dominated by Disney's latest...

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsbest original songBestOriginalSonggeorge clooneyGeorgeClooneyjason reitmanJasonReitmankevin renickKevinRenicksad brad smithSadBradSmithup in the airUpInTheAirWilliam GossMon, 09 Nov 2009 20:45:00 ESTWhat's the State of Fox Searchlight?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/whats-the-state-of-fox-searchlight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In the 2007 awards season, Fox Searchlight had two strong films in the mix with Juno and The Savages, and then in 2008, they dominated with Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler. As many other indie arms were folding (Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, Picturehouse), Searchlight managed to keep things up on their end.

2009, however, hasn't been so kind to them. January's Notorious didn't do bad actually, though March's Miss March was indeed D.O.A. June's My Life in Ruins similarly underperformed, while July's Adam failed to catch on as that same month's (500) Days of Summer had. Post Grad was dumped in the doldrums of August, while Whip It failed to find a crowd in October.

Cut to now: Amelia has been effectively neutered as a ready-made Oscar contender, while Gentlemen Broncos (from the director of Napoleon Dynamite, which did particularly well for the same studio) is being pulled from wider release after this weekend after posting modest numbers on two screens and earning savage reviews for the most part.

With Miramax also facing tough times, it's a shame to see studios like these have an off-year, though there's time for a turn-around yet so far as Searchlight is concerned. Summer's summer release means the timing could work out to earn a push for Original Screenplay as a happy-go-lucky alternate to many dour contenders. This month's similarly light Fantastic Mr. Fox is an Animated Feature candidate at the very least, and -- according to THR -- the Jeff Bridges drama Crazy Heart is getting a last-minute test run of sorts at the moment to see if it can merit a move to be positioned for this year's race instead of next year's.

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]]>500 days of summer500DaysOfSummerameliaamelia earhartAmeliaEarhartcrazy heartCrazyHeartfantastic mr. foxFantasticMr.Foxfox searchlightFoxSearchlightgentlemen broncosGentlemenBroncosjeff bridgesJeffBridgesnapoleon dynamiteNapoleonDynamiteWilliam GossWed, 04 Nov 2009 22:02:00 ESTAdam Shankman Talks About Picking His Oscar Hostshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/04/adam-shankman-talks-about-picking-his-oscar-hosts/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday was absolutely buzzing with Oscar buzz. First, the rumor that Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. said no to the gig. Just a few hours later, the official announcement came: Next year's Oscars will be hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Entertainment Weekly then talked with Adam Shankman about the picking process. Some highlights:
  • Steve Martin was shocked that he was picked again. Shankman's response: "Yes, because I want the show to feel that we are continuing to build on the Oscars and I'm not trying to make the MTV Movie Awards."
  • He was teamed with Baldwin because: "I know that they really adore and respect each other. Plus, I know that they'll be hilarious. I wanted there to be extra comedy in the show. It will keep it high entertainment."
  • There was a plan to have two hosts right from the get-go.
  • On not picking Tina Fey, a rumored choice: "It wasn't that she turned us down but her work schedule right in that time, she's writing the last of her shows, and we realized then that it wouldn't work."

Continue reading Adam Shankman Talks About Picking His Oscar Hosts

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]]>Adam ShankmanAdamShankmanCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Monika BartyzelWed, 04 Nov 2009 19:32:00 ESTIf Ben Stiller & Downey Jr. Aren't Hosting the Oscars...http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/03/if-ben-stiller-and-downey-jr-arent-hosting-the-oscars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in October, Adam Shankman was determined to make the Oscars fun, itching to "kick up the funny a little bit" and celebrate entertainment. But there wasn't a whole new revamp in mind -- he still wanted to continue with the path laid out last year and have Hugh Jackman host ... but the actor refused. Rumors immediately started bubbling that Neil Patrick Harris was circling, but there were other funny men in his sights. Deadline Hollywood reports that Shankman and Bill Mechanic went to Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. to host as a duo.

But they said no.

Talk about a bummer. It's quite easy to imagine the red carpet coverage wind down, and Stiller and Downey Jr. dancing or strolling to center stage. They could easy bring a healthy dose of classic funny, yet still embody the new spin focused solely on entertainment and mirth. Hell, I would easily take Robert on his own. Can you imagine a series of blips where he acts out scenes from the top contenders or top grossing films? He could fall in love and be a lonely old man with a balloon house, travel into space, throw out classic Tarantino dialogue, channel Julia Child, suffer through a painful locker, feel the pressure of A Single Man...

But that dream is done. Is there any duo who could bring the same excellence? It would never happen, but if Ben and Robert are a no-go, I want insanity with a slice of brilliance by joining Christopher Walken and Jane Lynch. How about you? What other Oscar hosting duos would you suggest?

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]]>Ben StillerBenStillerCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Robert Downey Jr.RobertDowneyJr.Monika BartyzelTue, 03 Nov 2009 15:45:00 ESTSo What Do You Think the 10 Best Pic Nominees Will Be?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/so-what-do-you-think-the-10-best-pic-nominees-will-be/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/so-what-do-you-think-the-10-best-pic-nominees-will-be/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/so-what-do-you-think-the-10-best-pic-nominees-will-be/#commentsFiled under:

This year's Oscar ceremony will mark the first time we're looking at ten (count 'em, TEN!) different Best Picture nominees -- and while I firmly believe this is a bad move, it also stands as a case of terrible timing. We're still feeling the "quality pinch" that arose with the arrival of the most recent WGA strike, which means ... heck, 2009 might have had a tough time doling out FIVE legitimate Best Pic noms, let alone double that amount.

But ten it shall be, and now that we're only a few weeks away from the beginning of the Awards Bait movie season, I thought it would be fun to play a simple guessing game. More specifically, which films do you think will be nominated for Best Picture? True, there are still several films that none of us have seen yet, but you don't need a crystal ball to assume that a few December titles will earn a nomination. (Come to think of it, this particular December looks remarkably skimpy on Oscar Bait.)

Based only on the "industry buzz," I'm confident in assuming that Best Picture nominations will go to films like The Road, A Serious Man, Nine, Up in the Air, and The Lovely Bones ... but where do we look after those ones? The Hurt Locker? Precious? Invictus? Moon? (I wish.) Feel free to chime in with your predictions below, and feel free to check out this Film.com piece that asks the same questions.

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]]>oscars 2009Oscars2009Scott WeinbergMon, 02 Nov 2009 12:02:00 ESTHugh Jackman Not Hosting Oscars, Neil Patrick Harris Now Rumoredhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/hugh-jackman-not-hosting-oscars-neil-patrick-harris-now-rumored/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As award show devotees know, the Academy is always trying to make the Oscars more fun for the viewers at home. This year it seems as though the pre-show hype is starting earlier than usual, particularly with the noise surrounding Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman stepping on board as producers. But they may be one step behind, as the Oscars have already become a little less handsome, a little less musical, and a little less Emmy-winning than last year. Because Hugh Jackman won't be returning as host.

No, it's not an epic snub, or retaliation for being so darn good at everything. Variety reports that Jackman "quietly turned down the job" a few weeks ago. The reason is simply that he wants some time off in between A Steady Rain and production on Shawn Levy's Real Steel. Reportedly, he really does want to host the show again, but he didn't want to do it two years in a row. That's a showman for you. Give them just enough to have them wanting more, and avoid wearing out your welcome.

In my humble opinion, Jackman left some very dashing shoes to fill. Personally, I think Shankman should see this as the start of a new tradition, avoid a comedian, and pick the Tony-hosting Neil Patrick Harris (who's already rumored to be eying the gig). The Oscars are supposed to be all about Hollywood glamour, and what better way to celebrate that then to go old-school and musical? I'll take a jolly musical number over painful attempts to be political and relevant. What about you? What host can make the Oscars worth your while?

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]]>2010 Oscars2010Oscars82nd Academy Awards82ndAcademyAwardsAcademy AwardsAcademyAwardsadam shankmanAdamShankmanBill MechanicBillMechanichugh jackmanHughJackmanneil patrick harrisNeilPatrickHarrisElisabeth RappeFri, 30 Oct 2009 20:32:00 EST'Moon' and 'Fish Tank' Lead BIFA Nodshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/28/moon-and-fish-tank-lead-bifa-nods/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Fall brings with it awards season, and among our first round of nominations are those of the British Independent Film Awards. According to Empire, Andrea Arnold's acclaimed Fish Tank took the lead with eight, while Duncan Jones' similarly lauded Moon came up with seven, including one for lead actor Sam Rockwell.

I'm personally happy to see the savage political satire In the Loop getting due notice, especially its expletive-laden screenplay, since it'll likely go overlooked when it comes to Yank laurels (sad but true, although I'll be happy if it's not). Meanwhile, the multiple nods for An Education and Bright Star only parallel their warm reception Stateside and their likely contention in next year's Oscar race.

And after being quietly blown away by it at Fantastic Fest a few weeks back, I'm also glad to see Down Terrace get some love under the Raindance Award category. Enough of these awards, and maybe that puppy'll earn some distribution in our neck of the woods. (You listening, IFC?)

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]]>abbie cornishAbbieCornishan educationandrea arnoldAndreaArnoldAnEducationarmando iannucciArmandoIannuccibright starBrightStarcarey mulliganCareyMulligandown terraceDownTerraceduncan jonesDuncanJonesfish tankFishTankin the loopInTheLoopmichael fassbenderMichaelFassbendermoonnick hornbyNickHornbypeter capaldiPeterCapaldisam rockwellSamRockwellWilliam GossWed, 28 Oct 2009 15:48:00 EST"Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

August gave us the voice of Matt Damon in Ponyo, September gave us the inner voice of Matt Damon in The Informant!, and now October has brought us a look at his next two performances.

Clint Eastwood's Invictus is one of the last big likely contenders of the awards season, though it is as of yet unseen (unless those very few who have seen it are very good at being very quiet). Damon plays real-life rugby captain Francois Pienaar, whose team saw the support of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) as a rallying point around which they might lift the spirits of South Africa in the wake of apartheid. It's political! It's underdog! It's opening in December! It's Oscar bait for certain, and Apple has the exclusive trailer.

Paul Greengrass' Green Zone, on the other hand, was shuffled out of the Oscar race once Universal decided to sort out its slate after a lackluster summer at the box office, and that may have been a wise move. Yahoo's trailer (which is also embedded below) comes across as more of a straight-up actioner than a ready-made contender, with Damon back in Bourne mode as a betrayed soldier on the hunt first for WMDs, and then for answers. Based on the best-seller Imperial Life in the Emerald City, it opens on March 12, 2010.

Continue reading "Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'

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]]>amy ryanAmyRyanApartheidclint eastwoodClintEastwoodgreen zoneGreenZonegreg kinnearGregKinnearinvictusmatt damonMattDamonMorgan FreemanMorganFreemanPaul GreengrassPaulGreengrassrugbyRugbyWorldCupWilliam GossTue, 27 Oct 2009 22:32:00 ESTSam Rockwell Talks Oscar Nom: "Dreams Are Nice"http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/sam-rockwell-talks-oscar-nom-dreams-are-nice/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/sam-rockwell-talks-oscar-nom-dreams-are-nice/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/sam-rockwell-talks-oscar-nom-dreams-are-nice/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Moon has been the little movie that did, thanks to director Duncan Jones's tireless traveling, interviews, audience Q&As, fan interaction, and, of course, because it's a kick-ass sci-fi movie. Jones has even gone so far as to create an online petition to get Sam Rockwell nominated for a Best Actor Oscar - heck, it even has its own Twitter hashtag. You can also follow Jones on Twitter for more Moon news, and keep track of his campaign for a Rockwell nom on his blog.

Earlier tonight at a screening for Gentlemen Broncos, there was an audience Q&A session with actors Sam Rockwell, Michael Angarano, Halley Feiffer, and Mike White, and writer/director Jared Hess. (Jemaine Clement, I'm sad to say, was not there.) As for Duncan Jones's campaign, Rockwell said, "Well, you know, dreams are nice. It's very flattering. Very, very flattering. Very nice. I mean it's obviously the director so he has an agenda [audience laughs] but it's nice to see that. We worked really hard on that film." (The audience, by the way, clapped hard at the mention of Jones's campaign.)

Continue reading Sam Rockwell Talks Oscar Nom: "Dreams Are Nice"

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]]>BAFTABIFADuncan JonesDuncanJonesfeaturedGentlemen BroncosGentlemenBroncosMoonOscarOscar campaignOscarCampaignSam RockwellSamRockwellJenni MillerTue, 27 Oct 2009 09:03:00 ESTCan Adam Shankman Make The Oscars Fun?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/can-adam-shankman-make-the-oscars-fun/#commentsFiled under: ,

Does a year go by where we don't hear news about some grand plan to bring the viewers back to The Oscars? It's like it's part of the yearly plan now: Step 1: Try to make the Academy Awards relevant. After the increase in nominees, it looks like the peeps in charge are sticking with the change from comedian stand-up to showman fervor. The Associated Press is reporting that Adam Shankman, the man behind the Hairspray remake is going to produce the affair with former 20th Century Fox boss Bill Mechanic. The former will bring the pomp and circumstance, of course, while the latter brings the management and producing.

"Oscar organizers are trying to put more razzle-dazzle into the show. Instead of the usual standup comic, the Oscars called on song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman to host the show this past year." In the team's press release, Shankman noted how "The last time I was on the show was as a dancer, and to come back as a producer is such an unbelievable honor." (He was on-stage in '89.) Also, Canoe quotes the director as saying: "I personally want to kick up the funny a little bit. Movies are an invaluable source of entertainment during a very tough time in our country's history. Since entertainment is what we're selling, we want to celebrate that aspect and not just have it be that we're sitting around congratulating ourselves and patting ourselves on the back."

They're always trying to make it fun. That's nothing new. But do you think he can? Is the song and dance man the way to really cut through the boring parts of the Oscars?

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]]>Adam ShankmanAdamShankmanCinematicalOscars 2010Oscars2010Monika BartyzelWed, 21 Oct 2009 11:18:00 ESTThe Gotham Awards 2009 Noms Include 'Big Fan,' 'Serious Man,' 'Hurt Locker'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/the-gotham-awards-2009-noms-include-big-fan-serious-man-h/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/the-gotham-awards-2009-noms-include-big-fan-serious-man-h/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/the-gotham-awards-2009-noms-include-big-fan-serious-man-h/#commentsFiled under: ,

IFP's Gotham Independent Film Awards kicks off the awards season in November each year with an impressive list of nominees, and this year's list is no different. While it includes big names like the Coens for A Serious Man and buzzy films like The Hurt Locker and Big Fan, it also gives deserving nods to smaller films like Amreeka, a wonderful film about a mother and son from the West Bank who move the Illinois. The awards also include tributes to the careers of Natalie Portman, Stanley Tucci, and The Hurt Locker's director Kathryn Bigelow, as well as producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, who both worked on A Serious Man, The Soloist, State of Play, and a slew of other projects.

Previous Gotham winners include Frozen River, Trouble the Water, Into the Wild, Sicko, and Half Nelson, just to name a few. Check out Cinematical's preview coverage of the awards here.

The full list of nominees is after the jump.

Continue reading The Gotham Awards 2009 Noms Include 'Big Fan,' 'Serious Man,' 'Hurt Locker'

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]]>a serious manASeriousManbig fanBigFanCoen brothersCoenBrotherskathryn bigelowKathrynBigelowpatton oswaltPattonOswaltrobert siegelRobertSiegelthe gotham awardsthe hurt lockerTheGothamAwardsTheHurtLockerJenni MillerMon, 19 Oct 2009 16:02:00 ESTIt Doesn't Take Much to Make Spike TV Viewers 'Scream'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/it-doesnt-take-much-to-make-spike-tv-viewers-scream/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/it-doesnt-take-much-to-make-spike-tv-viewers-scream/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/it-doesnt-take-much-to-make-spike-tv-viewers-scream/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

According to Spike TV, the Scream Awards for 2009 aim to honor "the best in fantasy, sci-fi, comics, and horror." But let's be realistic -- no awards show is going to truly pick the best, because there are always other things at play -- business politics, catering to the audience, personal predilections. But I wasn't expecting the young adult males to be all about the Twilight. Either the long arm of fangirl MTV viewers infiltrated Spike, or maybe ... boys like Twilight?

The Award ceremonies got cooking on Saturday night, and one of the big winners was the big vamp romance nabbing Best Fantasy (over flicks like Coraline and Watchmen), Best Fantasy Actor, Best Fantasy Actress, and Breakout Performance for Taylor Lautner. (I never realized 3 brief conversation about trucks, vamps, and bad boyfriends was breakout material...) Beyond the sparkling vampiric action, True Blood also got four awards (Best TV, Best Villain, Best Horror Actor & Actress), and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen scored prizes for Special Effects, Best Sci-Fi Actress (Megan Fox), and Breakout Performance (Isabel Lucas).

By now you've probably gotten the hint: These aren't really the Best of anything. But there are some better perks in the mix: J.J. Abrams got Best Director for Star Trek, Drag Me to Hell earned the Best Horror Movie spot, Watchmen did get some love for Best Comic Book Movie, George A. Romero won the Mastermind Lifetime Achievement Award, and Stan Lee won the Comic-Con Icon Lifetime Achievement Award.

Like Spike's list o' winners? Sound off in the comments.

[via OMG Celebrity News' Winners List]

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]]>CinematicalScream AwardsScream Awards 2009ScreamAwardsScreamAwards2009Transformers: Revenge of the FallenTransformers:RevengeOfTheFallenTwilightMonika BartyzelMon, 19 Oct 2009 13:45:00 ESTJess Franco Receives Lifetime Achievement Sword at Fantastic Festhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/01/jess-franco-recieves-lifetime-achievement-sword-at-fantastic-fes/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/01/jess-franco-recieves-lifetime-achievement-sword-at-fantastic-fes/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/01/jess-franco-recieves-lifetime-achievement-sword-at-fantastic-fes/#commentsFiled under: ,



Director Jess Franco was on-hand at Fantastic Fest during a screening of his 1969 film Venus in Furs, and he was surprised by the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Sword. Lars Nilsen, film guru extraordinaire of the Drafthouse presented the award as part of the celebration of Franco's films going on during Fantastic Fest. The festival officially opened last Wednesday with a midnight screening of Franco's Eugenie: The Story of Her Journey into Perversion (1980), and since then they've shown Succubus (1968), and The Bare Breasted Countess (1973).

Franco has directed nearly 200 films since 1957, up to and including A Bad Day At The Cemetery from 2008. He's worked tirelessly in Spanish cinema as everything from composer, writer, cinematographer, and editor for years, and his films are truly different. To dismiss them as arthouse schlock is a crime, and if you have a chance you should seek out one of the three films featured on this special Franco poster created for Fantastic Fest. They are chock full of oddities, nudity, and era-specific slang.

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]]>AwardFF09Jess FrancoJessFrancoKevin KellyThu, 01 Oct 2009 18:25:00 ESTFantastic Fest Announces 2009 Award Winnershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/fantastic-fest-announces-2009-award-winners/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/fantastic-fest-announces-2009-award-winners/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/fantastic-fest-announces-2009-award-winners/#commentsFiled under: ,



The Fantastic Fest 2009 Awards are out, and as far as awards go, what can top a mug full of beer as the actual award? The mug is what you'll take home and put on your shelf, but an icy, cold beer is the real treat. As an example of how off-kilter Fantastic Fest is, the awards opened with the Best Shakeyface award. These were presented to badgeholders who submitted the best shakeyface photo, a Fantastic Fest staple.

There was much beer drinking, celebrating, and in the end a sword was used to open a bottle of champagne as everyone raised a toast to the 2009 winners. Highlights included Human Centipede as the Best Horror Feature, Down Terrace as the Best Next Wave Feature, and Mandrill as the Best Fantastic Feature, while A Town Called Panic took home the Audience Award for Best Feature. Check out the full list of winners, watch the Shakeyface video and more just beyond the break.

Gallery: Fantastic Fest: The 2009 Fantastic Fest Awards

Continue reading Fantastic Fest Announces 2009 Award Winners

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]]>AwardsFantastic FestFantasticFestfeaturedFF09Kevin KellyWed, 30 Sep 2009 13:02:00 ESTWhy TV is (Sometimes) Better Than The Movieshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/why-tv-is-sometimes-better-than-the-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/why-tv-is-sometimes-better-than-the-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/why-tv-is-sometimes-better-than-the-movies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



OK, take a deep breath -- I know what I'm about to say is heresy on a movie site, but have you noticed that TV has gotten pretty damn good lately? So good that sometimes it's better than going to the movies ...almost. The Emmys may be long over, and those golden totems to ad revenue are already being displayed in the trophy cases of the winners. But if you were watching the show, you might have noticed a running theme throughout the telecast: the death of broadcast television. Well I'm going to have to respectfully disagree, because while I totally get that the TV landscape is changing, and the networks may not know how to milk this whole newfangled Internet thing for every dollar its worth, audiences are still tuning in (whether its on cable or broadcast TV) for some of the most innovative entertainment in history.

Not since the days of Seinfeld has talk about TV dominated water cooler chat and flooded the Internet forums and chat rooms. When you arrive to work in the morning, are you talking about last weekend's blockbuster, or are you and your co-workers talking about last night's LOST, Mad Men, or True Blood? Now don't get me wrong: I always have, and always will love going to the movies. There will always be something about sitting in the dark alongside strangers with state of the art sound and images that makes it my favorite pastime. But, I still have to hand it to the small screen for managing to finally make TV cool again. So in honor of our friends at TV Squad, I'm going to throw a little love at the small screen - here are just a couple of reasons why I think TV is (sometimes) better than the movies.

After the jump: in defense of the boob tube...

Continue reading Why TV is (Sometimes) Better Than The Movies

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]]>30 rock30Rockbig loveBigLovebreaking badBreakingBaddamagesemmysemmys2009mad menMadMentina feyTinaFeytvtv squadTvSquadJessica BarnesTue, 29 Sep 2009 19:45:00 ESTToronto in 60 Seconds: The Wrap-Uphttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/toronto-in-60-seconds-the-wrap-up/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/toronto-in-60-seconds-the-wrap-up/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/toronto-in-60-seconds-the-wrap-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,



After a long week and a half chock full of films and celebrity intrigue, the Toronto International Film Festival has come to an end. And like any good fest, the end means the nice wrapping bow of award-giving (each link is to a review) and final hurrahs.

The Cadillac People's Choice Award: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
First runner up: Mao's Last Dancer
Second runner up: Micmacs
The New Cadillac People's Choice Award for Documentary: The Topp Twins
First runner up: Capitalism: A Love Story

The New Cadillac People's Choice Award for Midnight Madness: The Loved Ones
First runner up: Daybreakers

FIPRESCI Prize for Discovery: The Man Beyond the Bridge

FIPRESCI Prize for Special Presentations: Hadewijch

Best Canadian Feature Film: Cairo Time

Best Canadian First Feature Film: The Wild Hunt

Best Canadian Short Film: Danse Macabre

Hit the jump for a round-up and the last little bits of TIFF...

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]]>CinematicalreviewsTIFF rounduptiff09TiffRoundupMonika BartyzelMon, 21 Sep 2009 15:03:00 ESTDiscuss: How Long Until There is an Oscar for 'Best 3-D Film'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/15/discuss-how-long-until-there-is-an-oscar-for-best-3-d-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/15/discuss-how-long-until-there-is-an-oscar-for-best-3-d-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/15/discuss-how-long-until-there-is-an-oscar-for-best-3-d-film/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It may not be the future of film as some herald it, but it doesn't take a psychic to realize that 3-D, gimmick it may still seem, is here to say. Two unrelated news items today coalesced together into a dawning realization, is an Academy Awards category for Best 3-D Film inevitable? But before the examination of such a hypothetical category, let's take a look at the news that inspired this post.

The Final Destination wins the international Hollywood box office.
According to Screen Daily, The Final Destination took in $17.3mil on its opening weekend run around the globe. Considering how poorly received the newest entry in the death-claims-all franchise was critically, that may seem like a surprise, but the mere presence of eye wear is the chief explanation for the successful haul. Russia alone accounted for roughly half of the weekend total, and according to the same report, half of Russia's contributions were driven by the extra premium charged for the third dimension.

What's that mean? Well for one, more crappy horror movies are going to go the 3-D route from now on. This trend was already on the rise, but studios will not ignore a win at the domestic and international box offices. And for two, more 3-D films of all genres will be on the rise. Clearly The Final Destination is not the sole catalyst for this gimmick renaissance, but it is the latest check box in a long column of studio wins.

The Hole wins the inaugural Persol 3-D Award for the Best 3-D Stereoscopic Film of the Year at the Venice International Film Festival.

Continue reading Discuss: How Long Until There is an Oscar for 'Best 3-D Film'?

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]]>3-D3-D Oscar3-dOscarAcademy AwardsAcademyAwardsdiscussionOscarsPeter JacksonPeterJacksonSteven SpielbergStevenSpielbergThe Final DestinationThe HoleTheFinalDestinationTheHoleUpVenice Film FestivalVeniceFilmFestivalPeter HallTue, 15 Sep 2009 12:32:00 EST'The Road' Pushed Back to November 25http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/the-road-pushed-back-to-november-25/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/the-road-pushed-back-to-november-25/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/the-road-pushed-back-to-november-25/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Days after Jessica Barnes compiled a nice fall schedule for you, the Weinsteins and Dimension Films had to go and mess it up a little. According to Variety, they've pushed the release date of The Road back from October 16 to November 25 -- almost a year to the day when it was supposed to come out in 2008.

The delay isn't because Dimension has lost faith in the film -- quite the contrary. The film is playing to rave reviews at Telluride (where our Eugene Novikov saw it and loved it) and Venice Film Festival, and the Weinsteins have realized they have an awards contender on their hands. "We've been getting great audience reaction at Venice and Telluride," Dimension topper Bob Weinstein said. "We feel that this is a commercial film that's worthy of a wide release." Considering Cormac McCarthy's book was a bestseller and won a Pulitzer, you'd think that might have tipped them off, but ah well. What's good about this decision is that it not only puts it into Golden Globe contention, it also promises a wide release. One of the big fears lurking around the film was that audiences wouldn't get it, and the film could vanish into limited release hell.

The Road will now be in direct competition with Nine, Old Dogs, and Ninja Assassin. Something tells me John Hillcoat's bleak adaptation won't top the holiday box office, but it'll make a far bigger impact. I've been saying since the first stills came out that this might be a role that nabs Viggo Mortensen an Oscar, and I'll stand by that.

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]]>Bob WeinsteinBobWeinsteincormac mccarthyCormacMccarthydimension filmsDimensionFilmsGolden GlobesGoldenGlobesjohn hillcoatJohnHillcoatkodi smit-mcpheeKodiSmit-mcpheeThe RoadTheRoadViggo MortensenViggoMortensenElisabeth RappeThu, 10 Sep 2009 15:45:00 ESTRelease Date Shuffle: Scorsese Out, Zombies In, Mr. Fox Takes It Slowhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/23/release-date-shuffle-scorsese-out-zombies-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/23/release-date-shuffle-scorsese-out-zombies-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/23/release-date-shuffle-scorsese-out-zombies-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So in the midst of all the Avatar hullabaloo, we haven't yet addressed the major move on Friday of Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island from this October 2nd to next February. Considering the negative connotations that tend to come with most films pushed back, many were quick to defend the move as a savvy business strategy for a pulpy-looking film that wasn't a primary contender all along.

Fair enough. Plenty of studios made major shuffles to deal with post-strike gaps (Harry Potter, anyone?), and now they're concerned about being more fiscally responsible with what's to come. As THR's Steven Zeitchik pointed out, Paramount/Dreamworks already has two front-runners to work with between Up in the Air and The Lovely Bones, and somewhere between the reportedly sharp comedy and the prestige-heavy drama, a distinctly genre work like a Leonardo DiCaprio thriller does seem a bit like the odd man out.

In the wake of the move, two comedies -- Zombieland and Whip It -- have moved up their own October release dates to fill the void, and if there's any justice, we'll see Woody Harrelson accept a blood-splattered Oscar in DiCaprio's stead. And if Coming Soon and Box Office Mojo are to be believed, Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox will now get a limited release on November 13th before going wide on the 25th, where I suspect it will still get crushed by the likes of Old Dogs across the Thanksgiving stretch. Pity.

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]]>leonardo dicaprioLeonardoDicapriomartin scorseseMartinScorseseshutter islandShutterIslandthe lovely bonesTheLovelyBonesup in the airUpInTheAirwhip itWhipItzombielandWilliam GossSun, 23 Aug 2009 15:02:00 EST