Monthly Archives: December 2009
Thanks to cdmc, via forum posters Cédric and Cricket. Film Comment Top 10: The Hurt Locker РKathryn Bigelow, U.S. The Headless Woman РLucrecia Martel, Argentina/Spain/France/Italy Summer Hours РOlivier Assayas, France 35 Shots of Rum РClaire Denis, France/Germany Fantastic Mr. Fox РWes Anderson, U.S. Police, Adjective РCorneliu...
Thanks to reader Andrew for pointing out Kenneth Turan’s top ten. As follows: 1. Bright Star and Hurt Locker I’m going to split my No. 1 pick between two films that have a lot in common even though they seem quite different. While “Bright Star” is an emotional love story and “The Hurt Locker” is an overwhelming, tense saga of men at...
As follows (in alpha order): “An Education” – Newcomer Carey Mulligan sparkles in this smart, stylish tale of a London schoolgirl seduced by a mysterious older man (Peter Sarsgaard). Danish director Lone Scherfig, working from a screenplay by novelist Nick Hornby, paints an intoxicating portrait of London on the cusp of the swinging ’60s. The vivid...
In honor of one of my favorite films of the year being released on DVD and Blu Ray – an Awards Daily giveaway! DEADLINE Wednesday, December 23, 10 am. The winners can choose between the District 9 [Blu-ray] or the Two-Disc Edition. Probably it won’t arrive in time for Christmas but nonetheless, a great thing to receive. Two winners will be chosen at random....
I’m slightly disturbed by this whole Tilda Swinton thing. I know she’s been getting raves for her performance in Julia. This has been going on all year long. She is probably going to get a nomination – even though SAG snubbed her. She is British. The Academy already gave her a prize for Michael Clayton. So, my question is this. If Tilda Swinton gets...
Indiewire polled 114 critics and bloggers and the result was Summer Hours in the number one spot, followed closely by A Serious Man and The Hurt Locker. Bigelow was named Director of the Year, while the Coens won screenplay. Tilda Swinton won Best Actress, Christph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor. Here is the link to the actual poll and the participants. IW’s Peter...
I gotta admit, this column by Patrick Goldstein warmed my cockles a bit. It is chivalrous and kind. Nancy Meyers, Nora Ephron and Penny Marshall all fit into the group of women who make movies that become big hits like their male contemporaries and yet the women are deeply loathed, far more than male directors who make comparable films. Women, it seems, are required to...
10th Annual PFCS Awards – Dec. 22, 2009 Best Picture Inglourious Basterds Top Ten Films of 2009 (in alphabetical order) Avatar District 9 (500) Days of Summer The Hurt Locker Inglourious Basterds Precious Sherlock Holmes Star Trek Up Up In The Air Best Director Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds ...
I don’t like to report this kind of news and never have – how Academy audiences react to particular screenings of films is the stuff some people base their predictions on. Me, it hasn’t ever paid off in the ways I would have expected it to. It can often be a red herring, I find, a way to throw people off the reality of the situation.¬† The reason being...