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9 articles
The Annie Award Nominees are Announced
1 December 2008 12:49 PM, PST
Photo: DreamWorks Animation The International Animated Film Society announced the nominees for the 2008 Annie Awards and Kung Fu Panda is leading the way with 17 nominations followed by Disney's Bolt with 9 and the Disney/Pixar feature Wall-e earning 8. Panda picked up a healthy amount of noms in categories such as Character Animation, Character Design, Music, Production Design, Storyboarding, Voice Acting and Writing. In each of those categories it was either nominated while Bolt and Wall-e were not or secured multiple nominations giving it the outright nomination lead by 8. Could this be a sign of a Panda-over-wall-e Oscar upset? The nominees are listed below and you can check out the official award site here. Best Animated Feature Bolt (Walt Disney Animation Studios) Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks Animation) $9.99 (Sherman Pictures/Lama Films) Wall-e (Pixar Animation Studios) Waltz With Bashir (Sony Pictures Classics/Bridgit Folman, Les Films D'ici, Razor Films) Best Animated Home Entertainment
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Brad Brevet
'Benjamin' Beauty: A Quick Commentary on 'Benjamin Button'
1 December 2008 12:01 PM, PST
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Photo: Paramount Pictures via New York Times I found the above image over at the New York Times and since I am still not entirely ready to write a full review of the film and it hadn't been released yet I figured I would add it to this short article commentary since I liked it so much. After seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night my first instinct was to run home and write all about it. A few notes trickled into a couple of pieces, but for the most part I felt I would have to see it again before reviewing it. Then, as I was working, a TV spot for the film came on behind me. I turned to watch and just like the trailer for The Wrestler so much of what I felt
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Brad Brevet
Pair of 'Reader' Reviews Tell Me I'm Going to Like It
1 December 2008 12:54 AM, PST
Kate Winslet and David Kross in The Reader
Photo: Weinstein Co. I will be seeing The Reader on Tues, Dec. 9 and after reading a pair of reviews at The Hollywood Reporter and Variety I cannot wait. Kirk Honeycutt at THR has written what may be his absolute best review to date as he finally gives an opinion and gives his readers something to chew on despite his decision to discuss the film's release date schedule in his third paragraph. Honeycutt's review is also more flattering than Variety's Todd McCarthy's as McCarthy seems more interested in reviewing the film's box-office chances, but in the process brings me a sentence that makes me want to see it instantly: Stephen Daldry's film is sensitively realized and dramatically absorbing, but comes across as an essentially cerebral experience without gut impact. Keep that sentence in consideration as I tell you the film is
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Brad Brevet
DVD Review: Wanted (2-Disc Special Edition)
30 November 2008 11:50 PM, PST
Wanted marries The Matrix's visual roadmap with the self-loathing corporate worker-bee narration from Fight Club. It's arguably the most expensive movie mash-up ever released. And while the filmmakers and some easily impressed fans tout the film as a work of innovation, it just simply isn't. Other than the hilarious concept involving the characters taking their marching orders from a loom (The Loom of Fate!!! buhahaha), Wanted is a Xerox of a Xerox. Yet, that doesn't mean it isn't as fun as a roll in the sack with your sexy ex-lover. Director Timur Bekmambetov turbo charges the tale of a young corporate drone recruited into a secret society of day-time weavers, night-time assassins with enough zippy action that you can't help but enjoy the sucker. It also helps that James McAvoy makes a believable everyman turned action God, despite screaming like Kate Capshaw for the majority of the film (I'm sure
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David Frank
DVD Review: 24: Redemption
30 November 2008 11:49 PM, PST
It's been awhile since we "24" fiends have had a healthy dose of some new Jack Bauer (thanks writer's strike). So when Fox broke the news that a made-for-tv "24" movie that prequeled season 7 was in the works, oh boy did I start jonesing for some Bauer badassery. Maybe it was too much to hope for that "24: Redemption" would open up on a shot of Bauer kicking some terrorist in the throat then machine-gunning an entire room full of baddies. However, the Bauer badassery in "Redemption" (I watched the extended version) doesn't crank up until the 45 minute mark. And by that time it's too late to save a dull story that's nothing more than an overlong, bad episode from any given season -- only this time it takes place in Africa! After season 6 closed with Bauer staring at the ocean while meditating upon his internal existential crisis, "Redemption" picks up a
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David Frank
Oscar Brief: Many Predicting Oscar Will Go Slumming
30 November 2008 11:29 PM, PST
Over the weekend Slumdog Millionaire won big at the British Independent Film Awards as Danny Boyle took home director kudos, Dev Patel won for most promising newcomer and the film itself won best independent film. Of course, many are reporting the news as if this is just the start of something big as buzz around the little film has gotten louder and louder over the course of the previous week. I reviewed it and gave it a well-earned "A-", but when it comes down to awards I can't see this flick moving all the way to the big show. Take, for example, the last five Bifa "Best British Independent Film" award winners were Control, This Is England, The Constant Gardener, Vera Drake and Dirty Pretty Things. Of that bunch there are eight Oscar nominations including a win for Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener, but there isn't a best picture
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Brad Brevet
Satellite Nominees are an Embarrassment of Snubs
30 November 2008 11:22 PM, PST
The International Press Academy announced their nominees for the 13th Annual Satellite Awards and it is a mixed bag of snubs across the board and further proof the idea of separating Drama, Comedy and Musicals is just about the dumbest idea around as they are Really reaching by including Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as a comedy or a musical. I would even say Happy-Go-Lucky and Vicky Cristina Barcelona don't fit the category. What was so funny about Poppy being attacked by her driving instructor? Where was the comedy in VCB? Gimme a break. it's going to be even worse when the Globes nominate something like High School Musical 3 and Mamma Mia! instantly giving them some kind of credibility. However, category distinction aside the absence of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button from all categories makes me wonder if any of these people even saw all the films. Take for
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Brad Brevet
'Planet of the Apes' Remake Prequel Reboot Do Over is Finding Traction
30 November 2008 11:19 PM, PST
Back at the end of October Devin Faraci at Chud reported on a small bit of buzz he heard that Fox may be bringing back the "Apes" franchise in the form of a Planet of the Apes prequel to be called Genesis: Apes. The film would supposedly be along the lines of the origin story told in 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and was described as a story centering on a baby monkey raised in a human household showing signs of great intelligence and the ability to talk. The monkey grows up and sees its mother getting attacked, kills the attacker and is subsequently shipped off to an Ape Conservatory where he and the other apes are abused mercilessly. The story found a little traction online, but no real movement or excitment was generated... or was it? Faraci followed up his report with a new bit of
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Brad Brevet
First Look at Weisz in 'Agora' as Well as Several Set Pics
30 November 2008 11:19 PM, PST
Director Alejandro Amenbar and Rachel Weisz on the set of Agora
Photo: Fotogramas.es New images from Agora, Alejandro Amenbar's follow up to The Sea Inside, have shown up online as Fotogramas.es has a pair of images of Rachel Weisz as the astronomer Hypatia and AirPhoto have eight aerial shots of the set. Amenbar directed The Sea Inside, which won the Best Foreign Film Oscar, as well as the Nicole Kidman ghost story The Others. Agora, like those other two is co-written by Amenbar, and is set in Roman Egypt in the fourth century telling the story of the legendary astronomer Hypatia (Weisz), trapped in the legendary Library of Alexandria, and her fight to save the old world's wisdom from the religious riots sweeping the streets of Alexandria. Her slave Davus (Max Minghella) wrestles with his yearning for freedom and his professed love for his mistress. The pic above
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Brad Brevet
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