Hot Tub Time Machine

Directed from the writer that brought you Gross Point Blank and High Fidelity ( Steve Pink ) is this going back into the past comedy starring John Cusack, Rob Cordrry, Craig Robinson, Crispin Glover. Will see a March release date.

Don McKay trailer

Black comedy/thriller starring Thomas Haden Church, Elizabeth Suhe, James Rebhorn, David Keith, Melissa Leo and M. Emmett Walsh. Was well recieved at the Tribecca Film Festival. Out in April.

Date Night trailer

Directed by Shawn Levy ( Night At The Museum ) Starring Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco and Mila Kunis. In theaters this April.

Cop Out trailer

Written and directed by Kevin Smith. Starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Seann William Scott, Kevin Pollock and Michelle Trachtenberg. Out February.

More movie trailers for 2010

I'm going to post some trailers for some upcoming films that will be released in the next few months. Really looking forward to Scorsese's Shutter Island !

Iron Man 2 Trailer

May 7 2010

I actually like what I see in the trailer. I think they know what the fans want. New characters too. IM 2 is now on the anticpated list.

The Oscar Chances Page Top 10 of 2009

1) The Hurt Locker
2) The Messenger
3) Inglourious Basterds
4) Up In The Air
5) Avatar
6) District 9
7) Sunshine Cleaning
8) The Hangover
9) Star Trek
10)In The Loop

Honorable Mention- The Road, Public Enemies, Crazy Heart, The Blind Side, It Might Get Loud.

Most Overrated- Invictus, An Education.
Best Visual Effects- Avatar, Star Trek.
Best Laugh- The Hangover, I Love You, Man
Guilty Pleasure- Up
Underrated performance of the year- Ben Foster- The Messenger, Emily Blunt- Sunshine Cleaning, Daniel Day-Lewis- Nine. He pulls off something he's never done before on film and looked comfortable in doing so. You'd never know it was a first.
Overrated performance of the year- Morgan Freeman- Invictus ( he slips in and out as Mandela more than a couple of times ), Carey Mulligan- An Education ( she wasn't bad mind you but a top 5 performance ? I just didn't see it ).
Supporting actor- Christoph Waltz- Inglourious Basterds. Scene stealer.
Supporting Actress- Mo'Nique- A harrowing performance.
Best storytelling- The Road- Even though some things in the book were left out of the film. 500 Days Of Summer. ( tie )
Cinematography- Avatar, Nine.
Art Direction- The Road, Nine.
Score- Avatar
Editing- The Hurt Locker
Makeup- District 9, The Road
Documentary- The Cove
Original Screenplay- Inglourious Basterds, The Hurt Locker ( tie )
Adapted Screenplay- Up In The Air
Sound- Avatar
Costumes- The Young Victoria
Song- Crazy Heart- The Weary Kind- T-Bone Burnett
Best Child performance- Kodi Smit- McPhee- The Road
Breakthrough Actor- Jeremy Renner- The Hurt Locker
Breakthrough Actress- Abby Cornish- Bright Star

Robbins and Sarandon split ?

I'm don't do " rag " gossip on this site but I have to admit I'm very surprised to find out that Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins split after a long 23 years together. I point this out because I was just talking about them to a friend as being the indestructable Hollyweird couple. I guess spoke too soon.

Leap Year Preview/Synopsis

Leap Year Jan 8

Directed by Anand Tucker ( Shop Girl, Hilary and Jackie ) Starring Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott, John Lithgow, Kaitlin Olson. Written by Deborah Kaplan ( Made Of Honor ) and Harry Elfont ( Surviving Christmas ) Cinematopgraphy by Newton Thomas Sigel ( Valkyrie, The Brothers Grimm ) Editing by BAFTA nominee Nick Moore ( About A Boy, The Full Monty ) Original Music by Golden Globe nominee Randy Edelson ( Last Of The Mochicans )

Leap Year is a comedy/romance about a woman ( Adams ) who's plan it is to go to Ireland and propose to her boyfriend ( Scott ) on Leap Day, February 29, as in with Irish tradition, the man must accept the proposal. But... on the way to Dublin her plane is diverted to Cardiff where it's there she meets a Irish inkeeper ( Goode ), who assists her to go cross country through land and sea so she can make it by the 29th.

Rated PG-13 for sensuality and language.

Oscar chances ? Likely none. Too early of a release date and not strong enough material to maintain word of mouth come Oscar season.

The most expensive movie made to date...

Avatar makes 73 million in the U.S. alone. My prediction is that it will make a profit and easily be the top grossing film of 2009.

My thoughts... in short, I liked it, I liked the message and it's visually one of the best films ever made. The film will dominate the technical categories at the Oscar's.

R.I.P. Brittany Murphy

1977- 2009. Very sexy and underrated actress passes on of cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest at 32 ? Lets' hope that more sad news is not brought to light on her death. Way too young.

Hhmm.... ???

This is a simple entry. I don't think Jeremy Renner's performance in The Hurt Locker and Morgan Freeman's in Invictus are of being the top 5 performances by a leading male this year. But that's just me. Both are seeing a lot of precursor love as of late. I guess we'll see come Oscar if they'll hang on and score nods there too.

Green Zone trailer

March 12 release date. Directed by Paul Greengrass ( United 93 ) Starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan and Jason Isaacs.

Robin Hood trailer

May 14. I have seen some negative comments from people. It does look like Gladiator Part 2. Obviously I have to save my opinion as it looks rather viable as an actioner. Ridley Scott and cast are very more than capable of pulling off a entertaining film. I reserve my right to comment until I see the movie.

Creation Preview/Synopsis

Creation Jan. 22



Directed by Jon Amiel ( Sommersby, Entrapment ) Starring Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam, Toby Jones. Written by John Collee ( Master And Commander ) Cinematography by Jess Hall ( Hot Fuzz ) Edited by Melanie Oliver ( John Adams, Longford ) Original Music by Golden Globe nominee Christopher Young ( Spider-Man, Runaway Jury )

Story comes from the adapted bio by Randal Keynes, about the English naturalist, Charles Darwin, and his efforts to find the balance of his revolutionary theories and the relationship with his christian wife Emma, who's religious belief's contradict his belief's from his findings.

Rated PG-13 For some intense thematic material. 108 min.

Oscar chances ? Honestly I don't see it, but that doesn't mean it won't be a good film. Cinematography looks good though.

The Last Station Preview/Synopsis

The Last Station Jan. 15

Directed by Michael Hoffman ( Soap Dish, The Emperor's Club )Starring James McAvoy, Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, Kerry Condon. Written by Hoffman, Cinematography by Sebastian Edschmid ( Adam Resurrected ) Edited by Patricia Rommell ( French For Beginners ) Original Music by Serjei Yevtushenko ( Russian Ark )

True story about the Russian author Leo Tolstoy's struggle in achieving a non materialistic life with money and fame.
Rated R for a scene of sexuality and Nudity. 112 min.

Oscar chances ? Good. For supporting actor, lead actress, costumes and screenwriting.

The precursor awards are coming soon...

12-16 Chicago Film Critics Nods, 12-13 AFI Awards Announced, 12-13 LA Film Critics Nods, 12-14 NY Film Critics Nods, 12-14 Critics Choice Nods, 12-15 Golden Globe Nods, 12-17 SAG Award Nods, 2-2 Academy Award Nods.

The Book Of Eli Preview/Synopsis

The Book Of Eli Jan. 15

Directed by Allen and Albert Hughes ( Menace To Society, From Hell, Dead President's ) Starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Malcom McDowell, Michael Gambon, Jennifer Beals. Written by newcomer Greg Whitta, cinematography by Oscar nominee Don Burgess ( Cast Away, Forrest Gump ) Edited by Cindy Mollo ( Oz, The Sentinel ) Original music by Attic Ross ( Touching Evil )

Story is set in post apocalyptic America in 2043 where one lone man has to fight his way across a barren United States in his possession, a sacred book that may hold the answers at possibly saving mankind.

Rated R for some strong brutal violence.

Oscar chances ? It's possible it can earn a cinematography nod.

Some surprise names show at The Satellite Awards

The Satellite Awards were recently announced and there were some surprising nominations and also ommisions. Not making the cut were Oscar favorites Carey Mulligan and Gaboury Sidibe and Morgan Freeman. Some surpise names were Emily Blunt for her turn in The Young Victoria and Michael Sheen in The Damn United.

Here's how the nominations panned out...

Best Picture-Drama

Bright Star, An Education, The Hurt Locker, The Messenger, Precious, The Stoning of Soraya M.

Best Picture Musical/Comedy

The Informant, It's Complicated, Julie and Julia, Nine, A Serious Man, Up In The Air.

Best Actress- Drama

Emily Blunt- The Young Victoria, Abbie Cornish- Bright Star, Penelope Cruz- Broken Embraces, Catalina Saaverda- The Maid, Shoreh Aghdashloo- The Stoning Of Soraya M.

Best Actor- Drama

Johnny Depp- Public Enemies, Hugh Dancy- Adam, Jeff Bridges- Crazy Heart, Jeremy Renner- The Hurt Locker, Colin Firth- A Single Man, Michael Sheen- The Damn United

Best Actress- Musical/Comedy

Zooey Deschanel- 500 Days, Katherin Heigl- The Ugly Truth, Sandra Bullock- The Proposal, Meryl Streep- Julie and Julia, Marion Cotillard- Nine.

Best Actor- Musical/Comedy

Matt Damon- The Informant, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney- Up In The Air, Daniel Day-Lewis- Nine, Michael Stuhlbarg- A Serious Man.

Supporting Actress
Anna Kendrick- Up In The Air, Mozhan Morro- The Stoning Of Soraya M., Mo'Nique- Precious, Penelope Cruz- Nine, Emily Blunt- Sunshine Cleaning.

Supporting Actor

Woody Harrelson- The Messenger, Alfred Molina- An Education, James McAvoy- The Last Station, Christoph Waltz- Inglourious Basterds.

Director

Rob Marshall- Nine, Neill Blomkamp- District 9, Jane Campion- Bright Star, Lone Scherfig, Katherine Bigelow- The Hurt Locker, Lee Daniles- Precious.

As of now seems it's the Clooney and Freeman show

Are there any locks so far for the Academy Award in the Best Actor category ? Yes...as of now, the sure bets are Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in Invictus ( I for one have not seen it, I will on the 7th ) and George Clooney In Up In The Air. Both have got great reviews so far. Right now if you go by approval rating it seems both movies are about neck and neck. Same with the performances, where Freeman might have a slight edge. The rest of the pack who have a chance are Colin Firth in A Single Man, Daniel Day-Lewis-Nine, Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart ( my predicted winner )Matt Damon- The Informant ! Edward Norton- Leaves Of Grass, Viggo Mortensen- The Road, Jeremy Renner- The Hurt Locker, Michael Stuhlbarg- A Serious Man and Hugh Dancy in Adam.
Bridges is getting very good reviews as well, some even saying " career best " and then that might make him the dark horse.

Rent this- The Lost Weekend

Nominated for 7 Oscar's and winning four ( most notably Ray Milland for Best Actor and Billy Wilder for Best Director ) The Lost Weekend is a total classic. Released in 1945, the film is about the four day drunken binge of a failed writer ( Milland ) and the self destructive actions his addcition is leading him.

The film has it's over the top acting ( the withdrawl's and DT's ) and is campy in spots that aren't meant to be camp, but it's an enjoyable movie as it deals with real life problems such as a addiction but there is also redemption that prevails in the film as well.

Let the Oscar campaigning begin...