The Final Reel

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

2009-02-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Quentin Tarantino's latest effort Inglourious Basterds has been given an August 21st release date. Here is the synopsis, via Ropes of Silicon...

"The film begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own…"

"Basterds" features a huge cast, including Brad Pitt, Mike Meyers, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Cloris Leachman, Samuel L. Jackson, Rod Taylor and Maggie Cheung.

AUSTRALIA

2008-10-09T21:07:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA

Dir. Baz Luhrmann

Starring - Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown

Opens November 26, 2008

Australia is the long-awaited follow-up to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 spectacle Moulin Rouge!. At first I was a bit skeptical about this film. The original trailer bored me and really killed any excitement I had. But the new, more involved trailer kind of blew my mind. This movie may actually be a fantastic modern epic and from the looks of it, Kidman may have found the end to the long Oscar drought she has suffered since winning for The Hours nearly six years ago.

Luhrmann is a director who definitely knows how to visually dazzle, but will he succeed at carefully balancing the sentimentality of the romance with the grandness of the action, something he drew criticism for with Moulin Rouge? I'm hoping the answer is yes.

Check out the amazing new trailer...

MILK

2008-09-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

MILK

Dir. Gus Van Sant

Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black

Starring - Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Lucas Grabeel, Eric Stoltz

Opens November 26, 2008 (limited)

Gus Van Sant was the perfect candidate to bring Milk, the story of historical gay politician Harvey Milk, to the big screen. And from the looks of things so far, Van Sant has hit his first home run since Good Will Hunting. I predict Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor Sean Penn, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Black.

This is a big one to watch out for, as Milk is poised to capture the gay rights movement in a way never before done in a major motion picture. If it's good, this film will go down in history. Check out the brand new trailer...

BURN AFTER READING

2008-09-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

BURN AFTER READING

Dir. Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring - George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins

Opens September 12, 2008

Burn After Reading is the latest film from everyone's favorite modern maverick pros The Coen Brothers. The comedic follow-up to Best Picture winner No Country For Old Men is reminiscent of the way the Coen's followed-up the critical success of Fargo with the now classic comedy The Big Lebowski. The film recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Here is what Andrew Pulver of The Guardian UK had to say after the screening:

"Clocking in at a crisp 95 minutes, Burn After Reading is a tightly wound, slickly plotted spy comedy that couldn’t be in bigger contrast to the Coens’ last film, the bloodsoaked, brooding No Country for Old Men. Burn, in comparison, is bit of a bantamweight: fast moving, lots of attitude, and uncorking a killer punch when it can."

It doesn't seem that Burn has much Oscar potential, but if nothing else, this quirky screwball comedy should be a fun ride.

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

2008-09-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Dir. Jonathan Demme

Starring - Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger, Bill Irwin, Rosemarie DeWitt, Anna Deavere Smith, Tunde Adebimpe

Opens October 3, 2008 (limited)

The trailer for the new Jonathan Demme film Rachel Getting Married looks very, very promising. From the looks of Anne Hathaway's performance here, she could pull through with her first Oscar nomination. The buzz is definitely under way.

I love the Dogme-style approach that Demme seems to have taken with this film. Check out the fantastic trailer to see for yourself what could become a major player come Oscar time...

BLINDNESS

2008-08-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

BLINDNESS

Dir. Fernando Meirelles

Starring - Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover, Alice Braga, Sandra Oh

Opens September 26, 2008

Blindness is the new film from the acclaimed director of City of God and The Constant Gardner. Based on the novel by Jose Saramago, the story of a city suddenly inflicted by "white blindness". Julianne Moore stars as a woman who becomes the only one who can see. Keeping her sight a secret, she helps the afflicted escape quarantine.

Early buzz from the premiere at Cannes last May praises Meirelles' direction, yet finds issues with the script. Critic Dave Calhoun of Time Out London said, "But it’s the script that’s lacking: as a parable for a society – both its working and its failings – Blindness works only in fits and starts and relies too much on events and too little on ideas."

At one point, it was thought that this could be the film to garner Moore her fifth Oscar nomination, though those hopes are quickly fading. Still, the concept seems fascinating and I'll see pretty much anything helmed by Meirelles.

THE DARJEELING LIMITED

2007-09-17T23:56:00.001-07:00

THE DARJEELING LIMITED

Dir. Wes Anderson

Starring - Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Natalie Portman

The Darjeeling Limited is the latest from off-beat virtuoso director Wes Anderson (Rushmore/The Royal Tanenbaums/The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou), described as an "emotional comedy about three brothers re-forging family bonds", set on a train trip across India. After viewing the trailer, the pic seems like another fun ride, Wes Anderson style, with an impeccable soundtrack. For any die hard Anderson fan, what more could you hope for? The cast is fantastic and the setting, inspiring. I'll definitely be there when this one opens on September 29.

Not to discount the quality of the film, but as for Oscar chances, I think it's best to say Anderson hasn't found his Oscar-bound voice yet.

Release Date - September 29, 2007

Oscar Buzz - Not so much. :(

OFFICIAL - THE DARJEELING LIMITED

IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH

2007-09-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dir. Paul Haggis

Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, James Franco, Jason Patric, Josh Brolin, Frances Fisher

Release date: September 21, 2007

Despite the absolutely awful poster (see above), 'In the Valley of Elah' might make waves in the Oscar race this year. Directed by Hollywood darling Paul Haggis ('Crash', 'Million Dollar Baby'), the film centers around the father (Tommy Lee Jones) of an AWOL soldier who has just returned home from Iraq and the detective (Charlize Theron) who tries to help him find his son. With Susan Sarandon as the mother of the missing soldier and a supporting cast that includes James Franco, Frances Fisher, and Jason Patric, this film seems like it should be cemented into the Oscar race come January. But the buzz is quite mixed. On one hand, The Daily Variety says the film "is too self-serious to work as a straight-ahead whodunit and too lacking in imagination to realize its art-film aspiration." While The Hollywood Reporter praises the film, calling it "a powerful work that is as timely as it is moving."

It should become apparent very soon if this one has the guns to make the long haul to January, as it opens wide on September 21st.

Oscar Potential - I think 'Elah' is a longshot, though I keep waiting for the day that Sarandon will return to form with a solid role. Tommy Lee Jones has a good chance at a Best Actor nomination.

EASTERN PROMISES

2007-09-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Dir. David Cronenberg

Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl

Release date: September 21, 2007

David Cronenberg is back with the follow-up to his critical breakthrough 'A History of Violence', and this time he is serious about grabbing some Oscar love. 'Eastern Promises' is a dark crime-thriller set amidst the Eastern European mafia world of North London, starring Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts.

Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors, with a number of edgy classics under his belt - 'Videodrome', 'The Fly', 'Dead Ringers', 'The Dead Zone', 'Scanners' - as well as off-beat cult classics like 'Crash', 'Rabid', 'eXistenZ', and 'Naked Lunch'. This man deserves some recognition. And as much as it seems Cronenberg may be experiencing a conformative renaissance, his recent films - 'Spider', 'A History of Violence' - remain dark and twisted, yet matured with a newfound artistic precision. It has been said that 'Promises' is extremely violent, not to mention a naked fight sequence with tattoo-laden Mortensen. Therefore, Cronenberg's resurgence may not yet hit its peak, but the momentum is surely building.

Oscar Potential - In my opinion, this one will be a hard sale. Early buzz says the film is a riveting thriller with exceptional performances. After being snubbed for 'History', Mortensen may get a Best Actor nod. More solid though, would be a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Armin Mueller-Stahl. Cronenberg will most likely have to wait until next time.

THE BRAVE ONE

2007-09-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

DIR. Neil Jordan

Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Adams

Release date: September 14, 2007

Summer is nearly over, September has arrived and that can only mean one thing. Movies with Oscar potential officially start rolling in. And who better to kick off the season than two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster? Her new film 'The Brave One' gives Foster her most baity role since 'Nell', starring as a woman controlled by her tragic past, who embarks on a search for justice as a means out.

Director Neil Jordan is very hit or miss, but when he's good ('The Crying Game'), he's good. Oscar nominees Terrence Howard and Mary Steenburgen, as well as Naveen Andrews ('Lost') and Jane Adams round out the supporting cast. But this one is certainly all about Jodie.

THE HOTTEST STATE

2007-08-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

THE HOTTEST STATE is the latest directorial effort from Ethan Hawke, starring Mark Webber and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Oscar nominee for Maria Full of Grace). The film, released August 24th by ThinkFilm, has been described as a "bittersweet romance" about an actor who falls for an elusive singer-songwriter. The cast also features Laura Linney, Michelle Williams, Sonia Braga, Frank Whaley and Ethan Hawke.

What is almost more exciting than the film itself is the soundtrack, which features an array of artists - Feist, Willie Nelson, Cat Power, Bright Eyes, Norah Jones, M. Ward and The Black Keys - each covering songs by real life singer songwriter Jesse Harris. The soundtrack is available now.

The Hottest State Trailer

Posted Jul 23, 2007

Check out the new trailer for Ethan Hawke movie The Hottest State - featuring music from Bright Eyes, Feist, Cat Power, Willie Nelson, M. Ward and Jesse Harris.

BROKEN ENGLISH

2007-06-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Director Zoe Cassavettes is the daughter of indie legends John Cassavettes and Gena Rowlands, so the pressure is on when her new film BROKEN ENGLISH opens in limited release on June 22. The film stars Parker Posey and Melvil Poupaud alongside an impressive ensemble, including Jeanne Moreau, Josh Hamilton, Drea de Matteo, Griifin Dunne, Gena Rowlands, Peter Bogdanovich and Justin Theroux.

Here is a random synopsis I found on IMDB:

"Nora Wilder is freaking out. Everyone around her is in a relationship, is married, or has children. Nora is in her thirties, alone with job she's outgrown and a mother who constantly reminds her of it all. Not to mention her best friend Audrey's "perfect marriage". But after a series of disastrous dates, Nora unexpectedly meets Julien, a quirky Frenchman who opens her eyes to a lot more than love." - anonymous

MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS

2007-06-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

As is always the case with Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai, early reviews from the recent premiere at Cannes were very mixed for his latest film 'MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS'. Many die hard fans are biting their nails, waiting to see just how successfully Kar-Wai makes the transition with his first English language film, featuring American stars such as Norah Jones, Jude law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris and even Chan Marshall (aka: Cat Power). We'll just have to wait until the film opens, sometime this fall via StudioCanal.

CONTROL (Ian Curtis biopic)

2007-05-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

'Control', the new Ian Curtis biopic recently premiered at Cannes and now the trailer has emerged online. The film stars Sam Riley and Samantha Morton and was directed by Anton Corbijn, who is best known for directing music videos for Depeche Mode and U2. Check out the trailer below.

controlthemovie.com

Welcome to The Final Reel

2007-05-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is a brand new blog, which will be devoted solely to quality cinema (and not the lack thereof). Come back soon, as posts should be flying up in no time!

In the meantime, if you are also a music lover, check out my other site The Sky Report.

Scot