So OK, who here didn't have a f-king clue that Slumdog Millionaire would win? Seriously, it won probably every single nomination it was given(Sound Editing is the only category it didn't win in), the movie's awesome as hell...
Anyway, here's a full list of the winners if you didn't watch the ceremony. Starting from the all-important Best Picture, down to the more technical side of things.
Best Picture Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn (This was unexpected. I was rooting for Frank!)
Best Actress: Kate Winslet (Duh!)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (Another duh!)
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (The Academy still loves some spice; her performance was sizzling.)
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Foreshadowing of Best Picture winner FTW)
Best Animated Film: Wall-E (I'm sick of saying "Duh!", but Pixar is the best)
Best Documentary: Man on Wire
Best Foreign Film: Departures (Forgive me for laughing at the acceptance speech; I'm so sorry)
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Original Screenplay: Milk
Best Original Score:Slumdog Millionaire (Truly exotic treat for the ears)
Best Original Song: Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire (The competitors: another Slumdog Millionaire song and Wall-E's credits song)
Best Make-up: TheCurious Case of Benjamin Button (This was a given.)
Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire (The editing helps mesh the mishmash of genres together very, very well)
Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight (Well, The Dark Knight had to win some other category, right?)
Best Sound Mixing:Slumdog Millionaire (Again, a treat for the senses.)
Best Special Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Ah-mazing.)
You do know about the so-called "Oscar buzz" the Dark Knight is getting but that's just the result of fandom. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. has tricked itself into believing that The Dark Knight is Oscar-worthy by planning to re-release the movies in theaters in the next year for Oscar consideration. I'm kind of fine with that, except for one thing... ...the DVD has already been released. I even have an original copy in my hands. (Borrowed for ripping 'cause I'm cheap)
So what's the point in trying? Heath Ledger already got his Golden Globe nom, isn't that enough?
The Dark Knight Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gylenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine Released by Warner Bros. Pictures
In a nutshell: A movie that transcends the genre, and almost, almost a masterpiece.
After watching this a while ago, I have to admit that I found it to be a tad bit overrated, but nonetheless, a great movie. It's obvious that I've hotly anticipated this movie for quite a while, and I'm glad to say that the wait was worth it.
Story Set one year after Batman Begins, The Dark Knight has Batman doing what he does best: beating up the baddies and tying them up for police capture. One unprecedented thing that happens however, is that although it was Bruce Wayne's original vision for Batman to become an inspiration to the helpless citizens of Gotham, it only spawned some imitators instead as seen in the first scene.
The thing is, however, his example has influenced District Attorney Harvey Dent to take a stand against the crime wave hounding Gotham, but a new threat lurks among Gotham in the form of the Joker- a smart, flawed and psychotic man of his word.
Still, Rachel, Batman's ex-girlfriend, is dating Harvey so yeah, Wayne definitely has some issues.
Psychotic Now, this wouldn't be a review of The Dark Knight were I not to address the issue surrounding the performance of the late, great Heath Ledger. And with all the hype surrounding it since January, it would be no surprise if even professional critics got to discussing this point first. So now you're probably asking, "Was it worth the hype?".
My answer to you is a big, fat "Yes" and that's because his scenes are at times really intense, and you can even hear him and his saliva and making you think that he is indeed, a psychological mess. I mean, the Joker is indeed a nutcase, and even with all those past portrayals from Romero and the more famous Nicholson, Ledger's performance simply makes their names irrelevant, although that is not to say that Jack Nicholson is a lesser actor than Ledger, oh no, it's just that this Joker is definitely a believable, chillingly evil one that not only sends tingles to your spine at times, but balances it off with some dark humor that will guarantee your laughter.
Seriously, I was especially taken by surprise when during the part when people were being evacuated from Gotham General Hospital, a nurse that was taking care of Dent was actually The Joker. Wow, how slim is this guy?
Really, really long People will probably be put off by the fact that the movie lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes long. But then again, Spiderman 3 was also 2 hours and 30 minutes long and it broke box office records.
Personally, I don't find myself really irritated by the length of this movie, but I think it would be a prerequisite for me to give you a heads up about this aspect. I mean, it does feel long, but the content is the thing that matters. Lord of the Rings didn't get that Oscar for nothing, you know?
Comments on the movie I definitely liked the movie and frankly, it met my high expectations (although my expectations are higher for Wall-E). I mean, I never knew how the movie could tie Two-Face and the Joker's backstories together, but damn they sure did.
To be honest, I really find it hard to make comments about the movie because I risk spoiling everything for you.
With that in mind, I'm just gonna say that the action scenes are really good (the one in the trailer kicks ass) and you can see Christopher Nolan's increased confidence in his direction of these scenes, and that the movie simply doesn't care about no standards nor boundaries, it just does stuff freely, therefore it even transcends the comic book genre and the stereotype of the typical superhero movie which is mindless fun.
Intelligence Now this is where the screenplay's intelligence comes into play. It does away with the unrealistic set pieces found in its predecessors (the Joel Schumacher and 60's movies) and goes for that gritty, realistic view of the world's current problem of crime and terrorism. What I mean by that is that this, sans all the technology blahs, can actually happen in real life when you think about it.
The fact that vigilantes, despite good intentions, could also be regarded by many as a villain, is a prevailing topic in this movie, and that in reaching towards a goal, the fact that others will suffer for your endeavor is simply the inevitable truth.
Other than that, witty writing also goes to its lighter, comedic moments such as Commissioner Gordon after "re-appearing". I mean, that pun I got an hour after watching the movie. Damn, I'm so stupid.
Also a case study? You can actually consider this movie to be a case study not only between the relationship of the Joker and the Batman, but also the balance of nature: If there is one of this, there is also a contrasting that.
Another interesting case study made by the movie is the study of the righteous man itself, with Harvey Dent as Exhibit A and Batman as Exhibit B. They could either succumb to the temptation of revenge or go back to their senses and remain incorruptible- It's all about choice, and the resistance of man to sweet, but empty promises and words.
There are a lot of these to be found (I had another example in my brain, but I forgot because Nuevo buzzed me), and it would probably take a lot of analyzing and a second viewing to understand all the underlying themes the movie seems to tackle. Of course, I'll leave that to the nerds.
Simply intense I simply can't express my feelings into words, so here I give you an almost accurate representation of how I feel, through a link. Yeah, it's not me, but it sums up almost accurately how I feel about the film. And that's not exactly bad either.
A minor annoyance It's Christian Bale's Batman voice... it sounds like he should be doing Catman instead. -Growl growl growl-
Overall I can't think very straightly since it's pretty late. But bottom line, this movie is the best superhero film ever made, and it even transcends into the ranks of The Departed and that's because it just feels so seemingly real, it's creepy.
Take note though that this movie is not made for audiences looking to have a good time, that's Mamma Mia's job. But if you are looking for something that's surprisingly thought-provoking and serious, this is the movie for you. Personally, this movie has kept me pretty satisfied, that is, until Wall-E.
The only thing that scares me now is if Nolan will return as director next time! Tim Burton also made the darker movies in the early days, but after making 2 Batman movies, he was booted off. Hope Nolan doesn't meet the same fate (although I've heard he only chose to reprise his directorial role in the resurrected Batman series because the script, or rather, concept appealed to him). This, of course, is a great new addition to his budding resume, and I'm looking forward to the next Nolan film.
The movie season is at its prime yet again, and summer started out with the magnificent Iron Man and opened up more box office gold with Indy Jones and Narnia. But the question is, what's next? I introduce you to some movies that are of interest. You Don't Mess With the Zohan Adam Sandler isn't exactly the best comedian in the movies, but his new comedy has a pretty bizarre plot that goes like this: He is an Israelite fighting terrorism, and he fakes his death to go to New York to achieve his dream of becoming a hairstylist. He becomes famous immediately after giving a customer some "special treatment" and his skyrocketing fame isn't fast enough to not let his past catch up, though.
Why is an Adam Sandler movie of interest to me this time around? Well, Judd Apatow's (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dewey Cox) one of the writers of the script, so it's automatically a must-see in my book.
The Incredible Hulk I personally haven't watched the Ang Lee version, but this re-telling of the Green Giant's origin and re-casting makes it seem that it's gonna be huger and better than aforementioned version. And with that also comes new enemies, obviously.
The Happening Talented actor Mark Wahlberg topbills a new M. Night Shyamalan horror flick. And to get you up to speed with who the heck this director is, M. Night Shyamalan is the one responsible for making the acclaimed movie The Sixth Sense. So yeah, you will again be seeing more dead people- this time looking even more grotesque because the film's R-rated.
As for the plot, it's about apocalypse caused by something unknown. People are dying like hell, and everything's turning into a big wasteland. Will the schoolteacher Elliot (Wahlberg) and his family escape their eminent doom? Get Smart I featured this one the last time I made a list, and I am still putting it in this one because I just want to watch it. Not only was I instantly sold by Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway being the on-screen duo (oh, the comical opportunities!), but because the trailer also makes it seem very promising! Watch out for this one, but if you forgot what it's about, here's a synopsis:
Maxwell Smart (Carell) is an analyst for CONTROL and has always dreamed about working in the field like Agent 23 (The Rock), and when the Chief is forced to send him on a mission to thwart crime syndicate KAOS' plot for world domination, all the laughs break loose. But there to accompany him on his mission is Agent 99 (Hathaway) especially because she has the brains. Still, will the duo be enough to save the day?
Wanted The movie looks like a screamer!
Wesley Gibson is a man who is living a routine life until his father gets murdered. This happening sets to motion a lot of otherworldly happenings, that involve a woman checking him out in which he discovers is actually an assassin who worked with his dad before. He also discovers that he has inherited his father's special powers which are used- obviously- to kill people. Will he use them just to avenge his father? Or will he continue working with Angelina Jolie anyway?
Complete with explosions and butt-kicking action, the new Jolie-McAvoy flick looks like it will have what the typical summer movie has. I won't come in with high expectations though, because it also seems like the type of summer movie that is also dumb. You know, like Kung Fu Panda? But still, Iron Man surprised everyone when it went out of the stereotype because it provided not only what a typical summer movie would offer, but also a bit more humor and brains.
Wall-E OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. Just kidding. Maybe if it gets released, I'd say that. And for good reason, Wall-E is shaping up to be a real masterpiece, and I can't just resist waiting for its release, which is the around the 26th or 27th of June. Hancock If you're an avid theater patron, you probably would've seen the trailer by now. But if not, let me get you up to speed.
This new Will Smith blockbuster tells the story of a man with supernatural powers named Hancock. However, Hancock isn't exactly like any other superhero in the planet as he drinks alcohol while saving the world, among other deeds you wouldn't expect your normal superhero to be doing. However, when he saves the life of a guy named Ray Embrey, the guy becomes determined to reform him and turn him into a real hero. Question is, will that endeavor actually work for very long? I mean, he's even flirting with Embrey's wife in the midst of his comeback!
Hellboy II: The Golden Army I haven't watched the first Hellboy, however, the name Guillermo del Toro raises eyebrows- and I mean that in the best way possible. Why? Well, for starters, he's the director of the acclaimed Pan's Labyrinth and producer(?) of last year's horror movie The Orphanage. So basically, yeah, he's a damn good director. And I can't wait to see what he does to the costumed freaks of hell (corny pun intended).
Batman: The Dark Knight Yet again directed by Christopher Nolan, this new movie is the sequel to Batman Begins. All the actors reprise their roles from the first (except Katie Holmes) one and now a new crime lord has settled in Gotham. And of course, everyone knows by now who it is: it's Heath Ledger as the Joker! As if the movie hasn't got enough buzz already, Ledger's tragic death will make movie-goers want the movie even more, I mean, who wouldn't want to watch Heath Ledger's genuinely chilling performance? (It's not his last, though.) Mamma Mia! The ABBA musical gets the big-screen treatment- and the star power to match. Meryl Streep in particular is definitely gonna make the movie an instant must-watch, but the funny plot will definitely intrigue others. Speaking of plot, it's a lighthearted movie about a girl named Sophie. She's gonna be marrying to Sky- her true love- but she has no father to give her away. Fiddling with mother's diary only complicates things, because three of the men in the book might be her father! So, she sends a letter to them to see which one of them gets the right to escort her down the aisle, only to find out that the wedding's gonna become a big fat Greek wedding. No, really, it's in Greece... with accompanying Swedish tunes... Hmmm...
Step Brothers Yay, another Judd Apatow! OK, maybe he didn't direct it, but when his name is plastered onto a movie, regardless of role, it's bound to be good, and I loved John C. Reilly in the hilarious Walk Hard!
Anyway, here's the story: it's about a slacker living with his dad and another slacker living with his mom. When the parents of the two slackers get together, the slackers instantly hate each other at first sight. However, if they don't get along, and get a job, and get out of the house, the lives of the married couple might get destroyed.
I love watching movies, and it's all the better in the cinema. But in the many movies you're able to watch, only few stand out, for me at least. And without further ado, here are the movies you'll have to keep an eye out for: Where In The World Is Osama bin Laden? With such an eye-catching Indiana Jones style poster, who wouldn't stop and take a glance at this, at first glance, knock-off? Well in reality, this is the newest work of the director of the acclaimed fastfood docu Super Size Me and is about a man's quest for, well, finding Osama Bin Laden. Of course, his motive for this is to make the world safe(r) for his about-to-be-conceived child, but from the trailer, it looks like a hell of a comic search. I mean, just the witty line "If I learned anything from big budget action movies, it's that complicated global problems are best solved by one lonely guy." would make me want to see it. And clips of President Bush saying, "He may be hiding in a cave with the door open." LOLOLOL. Or maybe a line to save your life ("How do you say 'don't take me, take the cameraman'?")?
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Get Smart Though I have bad feelings that the movie won't get many raves, Steve Carell is at it again with his signature comedic acting, now with Anne Hathaway in the new spy satire Get Smart. Based from the trailer I saw, I think it starts with an agent named Maxwell Smart being assigned to a mission and is promoted but definitely not doing good with it. Therefore, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) is there to help him discover the schemes of the KAOS organization of terrorists. You know what? Expect it to be a comedy in the vein of Johnny English, only funnier hopefully. It gets even more attractive when you see its huge roster of stars like The Rock (though I haven't really regarded him as an A-list actor), Alan Arkin (of Little Miss Sunshine fame) and even Heroes' Masi Oka!!!
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The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Walt Disney and Walden Media's successful adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe proved that an age-old bible-ish series of beloved books are still great escapism, especially for the kiddies. Therefore, they're doing it again with the same director, most of the same actors and of course, a few new things. Judging from the trailer, this installment was more or less how I pictured it while I was reading the Chronicles of Narnia books in elementary (este, during Chinese), only grittier, better and even more fantastic. I have a feeling that this will be a must-see for all those Narnia fans and newbies alike, and more people will be attracted because, well, it has a less juvenile feeling than Lion! And it also has an imaginative story. The effects look like a screamer as well.
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Iron Man After Spiderman, Superman and the X-Men took the big screen, it's time for Tony Stark to get the modernization treatment. So what about this Marvel hero? Well, he's a rich inventor and industrialist who gets kidnapped to make a devastating weapon. Instead, using his cunning and wit, he makes himself a hella cool suit of armor to escape his captors. After that, he vows to be a superhero and do superhero stuff, including trying to keep the identity of the superhero undiscovered and separating that life from his corporate and personal life. The movie stars Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac) and even Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow!
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Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull Ahhh, ask any movie buff what the funnest movie in history could be, and it's indisputably Indiana Jones. Though it's not the kind of franchise that doesn't get better each time, every one of them is a very fun and entertaining ride. Really, when I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (I think that was the installment I first watched, because it had this temple with all the babes who had the ability to sort of hypnotize Indy and make him do whatever they want) as well as the first movie (Raiders of the Lost Ark), I was pretty much hooked! He would dispatch all those Nazis and makes you jump out of your seat like crazy!
But also thanks to the legendary Steven Spielberg's direction (of all three!) and the equally legendary George Lucas (in case you didn't know, he made Star Wars and the THX movie system thingy) who wrote the story, the movie experience is completely free of bad err, experiences! And 20 years after that last installment, they still got Harrison Ford at hand, as well as a few new faces (Shia LeBeouf, Cate Blanchett) for the fourth outing of an albeit older Indy. And even better is Steven Spielberg's reprising role as director, and judging from the trailer, it's gonna be really explosive. I don't think there are any Nazis left though, because the movie'll probably be set some 20 years later or something. Hopefully, its signature humor and wit and thrills also come to stay because I wouldn't want to look at a 2008 edition that would actually pale to its 80's predecessor. It's gonna have some technical polish for sure, but the feel will hopefully be the same as the last time we saw him. (Because the trailer does just that.)
There's also gonna be a lot of plotholes because of the 20 years of Harrison Ford's aging, as well as Shia LeBeouf's casting as his son.
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Batman: The Dark Knight Why so serious?
Oh what list would be complete without this? With Heath Ledger's parting performance as the Joker, and the same director (Christopher Nolan) as the highly acclaimed Begins, you can just wonder what can go wrong with the flick. And once it releases, the movie will most likely spark a debate on who's the better Joker- Nicholson or Ledger. Why? Because even in the trailer, he looks pretty terrifying instead of funny even with the heavy make-up and all. It's also bound to be very explosive and not to mention dark and gritty, because that's what Batman movies are supposed to be. Plus, it also features a lot of star power: Christian Bale, the aforementioned and late Heath Ledger, Michael Caine (Sleuth), Gary Oldman (Harry Potter 3,4,5) and Maggie Gylenhaal (as replacement to Katie Holmes). But you know what? I'm restraining myself, so I'm just gonna say this flat-out:
I CAN'T WAIT! DAMMIT JULY 18 PA TALAGA! Ahem. Here's a beautiful YouTube-uploaded trailer. Seriously, after the trailer loads (it's pretty slow), click Full Screen.
Will it be the Batman to end all Batmans? Most probably appropriately.
Persepolis It may not be part of the new film season, but I haven't really seen this flick in local theaters. Hopefully it won't be relegated to Ayala Cinema exclusivity (like There Will Be Blood or Across the Universe). But anyway, it's about a girl named Persepolis who lives life as a child in Iran which was against the shah at the time. And then the police would wrongly apprehend her uncle. But when she becomes a teenager, her boldness would cause her trouble in her home country so her family decides to send her, even if it was a very hard choice, to Austria where she would experience liberation, drugs and people who have sexual intercourse casually. But after breaking up with her boyfriend, she becomes homesick and returns to Iran, which was actually even more turbulent than when she left despite the fall of the shah.
This movie is based on Marjane Satrapi's bestselling biographies (there are currently 2 under the same name- Persepolis) and Satrapi herself directs. And you know what, I think it deserves the Oscar more than Ratatouille though I haven't even watched both. Why? Because the trailer just looks so... promising! If I get the chance to watch it now, I'd watch. Oh, and did I mention it's black and white (with a few touches of color here and there)?
...the DVD has already been released. I even have an original copy in my hands. (Borrowed for ripping 'cause I'm cheap)
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Fu Panda? But still, Iron Man surprised everyone when it went out of the stereotype because it provided not only what a typical summer movie would offer, but also a bit more humor and brains.
determined to reform him and turn him into a real hero. Question is, will that endeavor actually work for very long? I mean, he's even flirting with Embrey's wife in the midst of his comeback!
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