Yes please!

Right now, it seems that a lot of the focus is on the casting for Django. Will Smith was first approached for the role but it seems that it’s becoming more and more unlikely. Idris Elba came to the forefront due to an ambiguous tweet that he made a little more than a week ago. Movie gods, please make it Elba. Yes, he’s been in his fair share of bad films (okay, pretty much all of the films he’s been in weren’t exactly winners) but he left a strong lasting impression as Stringer Bell in The Wire. Smith has never done anything of that caliber but what it comes down to is Tarantino’s ability to get memorable performances out of his actors, regardless of past works. Even if Smith happens to get the role over Elba, QT will be able to get the most out of him, but that’s not to say that I won’t be crossing every finger for Elba to get it.

Ehhh, please no

And then there’s Leo. The script screams classic Tarantino and the opportunity to watch DiCaprio turn into a slave owner excites me to no end. He has yet to play a villain but this role could do for him what Once Upon a Time in the West did for Henry Fonda. Time will tell, but it sounds like QT has another gem on his hands. Let’s hope that we get to see this one soon.

The first official picture from The Dark Knight Rises

At this point, anything you read or hear in regards to plot or story will have to be taken with a grain of salt. In a time where studios bombard audiences with preview after preview of upcoming films, Nolan purposefully keeps a tight lid on his projects, intentionally drip feeding everyone with nuggets of information at his choosing. A cynic could look at it and attribute it to smart marketing, which it is. But it’s more than just that. As I mentioned before, when you over saturate audiences with previews and intense marketing, you start to lose the element of surprise. No one knew what was in store when Inception or The Dark Knight finally came into theaters. Using a now famous viral marketing campaign for his previous Batman film, Nolan let fans figure out information about the film for themselves. It was refreshing and exhilarating trying to second guess what would happen next without being flat out told. That’s not to say that I won’t be pouring over every single last detail or rumor that comes out within the next year. It’s gonna seem like forever, but it’s a safe bet that it’s going to be well worth it.

Pretty much summarizes the year in film so far

• Hanna was an awesome surprise during an incredibly dull film season
• 3D is starting to dawn on people that it’s fad…then again, never underestimate the bad taste of the American public
• Trailer of the year for remake of the year is LEGIT
• Terrence Malick proved that Texas directors have the chops to go toe to toe with the best of them 

Hmm. Actually, that’s about it. I honestly wish I had pages and pages of legitimate film news to write about, but it looks like slim picking so far. However, an online viral campaign started recently for what is unquestionably the most important film of next year and the subject of my next post…

Won't happen again guys...

That being said, I’ll summarize everything that needs mentioning since my last blog: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Toy Story 3 and Inception are the only films I feel like were worth seeing this year. The Academy will really need to reconsider last year’s expansion of best picture from five to ten nominees cause I’ll tell you right now, from what’s come out so far this year, it’s going to be slim pickings. Granted, the fall season has yet to pick up steam, but as you’ll see in my next post, there’s not too much to look forward during these last few months. *le sigh*

With the buzz  for this year’s Academy Awards on the rise, I’m taking a look at the best picture nominees and who I think deserves to win

Avatar: Well, James Cameron is richer than God now. While technically impressive on a scale yet to have been seen, Avatar proved to be an exciting and jaw dropping ride, despite the poor script and so-so dialogue. While it may not be the best film of last year, it’s definitely the most important one of recent memory

The Blindside: the Academy almost had a decently solid selection had it not been for this done-to-death tear jerker they always fall sucker to

District 9: a$30 million sci-fi film that takes in place in South Africa? Oh yes. Neill Blomkamp gives us a summer blockbuster with a pulse and a heart and proves that the genre can compete with the rest of them

An Education: the lesser known of all the films, it is anchored by Carey Mulligan’s performance. Despite the favorable reviews, it stands the least chance of winning

The Hurt Locker: like my pick for favorite summer film, The Hurt Locker is my pick for film of the year. Hopefully Kathryn Bigelow can win this as well as best director

Inglourious Basterds: Tarantino’s return to form after the self-indulgent Death Proof is proof of his weird genius and how much better the cinema world is with him in it

Precious: a harrowing look into a world of abuse and hate, Lee Daniels’ film shocks the viewers with the powerful performances. I hope Mo’Nique’s speech is just as good as the one she did at the Globes

A Serious Man: another critically acclaimed film by the Coen brothers, A Serious Man boasts their taste in odd ball humor mixed with pathos. An engrossing film that deservedly belongs in this list

Up: a personal favorite(hell, who doesn’t love the movie?) from the past year, Pixar’s new film practically dares any other animation studio to go toe-to-toe with their creations, and for very good reason. Too bad its  nomination for best animated film is going to split its votes

Up in the Air: Clooney was made for the role of a traveling employee reaper in this year’s most reflective film

The Oscars are right around the corner and in the past, I’ve felt pretty bitter of some of the omissions the Academy has made, but I realize that some of the greatest films ever made either never won or even nominated for one but have been able to stand the test of time(Pulp Fiction lost to Forrest Gump but is widely considered the best film of the 90′s). However, it is interesting to see that they’ve expanded their best picture nominees from five to ten this year and to be honest, they’ve done a pretty decent job of with the selections. The Blind Side not withstanding, pretty much every film nominated seems like a solid choice. I’ll be breaking down the nominees in my next post so until then, ciao.

Hey folks, sorry for the long delay (I know, I know, 3 MONTHS!) but things should be getting back to normal. It’s been a good summer for movies (nothing as memorable as last year’s Dark Knight though) so here’s a quick rundown of what I think are the summer’s best films…

• Up- c’mon, when was the last time Pixar made a film that didn’t hit paydirt? Unlike other animated features that rely on big-name voice talents(cough, cough DreamWorks), Pixar has the most important element of a great movie on their side: the ability to tell a story. No animated feature this year comes to close to being as exciting, heartbreaking and original as this one. Heck, most anything this year for that matter, animated or not.

• The Hurt Locker- Kathryn Bigelow has done what many directors have failed to do: create a film about the Iraq war that doesn’t polarize its audience. Unbearably intense, The Hurt Locker doesn’t preach about political ideologies, but rather the risks and dangers soldiers have to endure in order to do their job. And no one shows more relish in doing their job than sergeant William James(played by Jeremy Renner, who is a sure-fire lock for an Oscar), a member of the United States Army bomb squad. James’ obsessive nature and recklessness with disarming bombs unnerves his teammates. It also captivates us.

• District 9- a science fiction film with a heart? Huh? Yup. Already destined for super stardom, South African director Neill Blomkamp has turned the genre on its head, making a movie where humans are the villains and where the audience sympathizes  with the aliens. It’s said that some of the most important science fiction works act as mirrors for our society, and District 9 is no different. Strong undercurrents of apartheid that ravaged Africa 60 years ago appear throughout the film, but is never heavy handed. G.I. Joe and Transformers 2, THIS is how you make a great summer blockbuster.

• Inglourious Basterds- Quentin Tarantino gives history the finger as he attempts to re-write the past in his new World War 2 flick. Those expecting a bloodbath on the scale of Kill Bill might be disappointed, but any true Tarantino fan will have a smile on their face the second they start hearing his trademark dialogue as well as his choice of music for the eclectic soundtrack. There are scenes of pure dialogue that are just as intense as any thriller this year, a testament to his writing skills. Some may have qualms with the way Tarantino has taken liberties with such a sacred topic, but they’ll be missing the point. In this fantasy, the Nazis get what they deserve and it acts almost as a cathartic release for the horror they created. As I was leaving the theater, I overheard an audience member comment on the film. “Man, that’s the way history should have happened.” Tarantino couldn’t have said it better himself.

De Niro's hack license used for "Taxi Driver"

Since last Monday, the Harry Ransom Center displayed material from Robert De Niro’s films, donated by the actor. Located a mere thirty or so miles from here at The University of Texas, the Ransom Center holds a pretty impressive collection of memorabilia from De Niro’s films, including his robe from “Raging Bull” as well as scripts and other materials used in his films. Even though Sunday was the last day to visit the collection, it’s neat to think that one of cinema’s most important and influential actors would be generous enough to have props from his works displayed to the public, especially since the public very rarely gets a chance to delve behind the scenes of such a high caliber actor.