Category: Movies

“[T]he nicest man to work with that ever lived in movies.”

Orson Welles about Charlton Heston, quoted by Manohla Dargis in The New York Times.

Gone with the Wind would make my list, but doesn’t crack Yahoo’s 10 Most Historically Inaccurate Movies. Still, an amusing list.

Thanks to Debby for the link.

Jill, official older daughter of NewMexiKen, reports:

I was just reading a short article about Leslie Mann, the wife of writer/director Judd Apatow. She played the uptight sister in Knocked Up. The two met in 1996 and married in June, 1997.

At the end of the article is a quotation from Apatow, saying of their relationship, “At its core, that’s what Knocked Up is about: It makes no sense that this woman likes this guy. And that’s the story of Judd and Leslie.”

I then thought, “Isn’t their older daughter around ten years old?” I checked, and the daughter was born sometime in 1997.

So they weren’t dating long, and she got pregnant, and they got married. And she is a blond hottie who had a rising career. And he’s a kind of shlubby guy who hadn’t really hit it big yet. And they had a girl.

So why did nobody bring this up in ANY of the articles about Knocked Up?

I’ve talked to a number of people now about the Best Picture Oscar-winner No Country for Old Men and pretty much without exception women dislike it and men like it. And the ending seems to particularly fall into this polarity.

Is my sample just too small?

Take a look.

This is kind of cool — a graphic representation of The Ebb and Flow of Movies: Box Office Receipts 1986 – 2007.

Kottke has some issues with the Tilda Swinton character in Michael Clayton: “She was the only prominent woman character in the movie and was the only character who was insecure, emotional, and tentative. None of the other main characters appeared unsure of themselves for even an instant, not even the crazy guy.”

He has more.

The Daily Howler seems to have liked this movie.

We rarely use the term “work of art” around here. But what else can you possibly say about a film as great as 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days? We strongly suggest that you go see it—and we’ll suggest that you go at a time when there will be people in the hall. We’ve never seen a film reach out and grab the throat of an audience in quite the way this brilliant work did. Seeing this film with a group really matters. You may be slightly cheating yourself if you attend the Tuesday matinee—or if you see it at home, alone.

There was a fuss when this film wasn’t included among the foreign language Oscar nominations. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

Not playing in Albuquerque currently. Seven theaters are showing Jumper though.

Below are the five polls on the Oscars we’ve run this week. You can see you have some heavy favorites — “No Country for Old Men,” Daniel Day-Lewis and Javier Bardem. Rudy Dee is your favorite for best supporting actress. The only close race is for best actress with Julie Chrisitie edging ahead of Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard and Cate Blanchett. Thanks for participating.

Personally NewMexiKen selected “Juno” for Best Picture, George Clooney and Marion Cotillard for best actor and actress respectively, and Saoirse Ronan and Tom Wilkinson for the best supporting roles. (I’m playing the long shots.) I also think the Coens will win the director’s award, and Cody Diablo and the Coens the screenplay awards.

Update: My long shots weren’t such a good idea, eh? Well, except for Marion Cotillard.

[POLLS REMOVED. BEING CONSOLIDATED ON ONE PAGE.]

“On Saturday, Hollywood’s biggest names made their way to the Kodak Theater one by one, in 15-minute increments, to walk on stage and practice their lines.”

— Gossip Girls

Strange because I’ve been watching the Oscar telecast over at least 40 years and I never once thought the presenters had ever, ever practiced their lines.

The Reel Geezers rundown the categories (in two parts). Very, very entertaining.

Today is the fourth in NewMexiKen’s five polls leading up to Sunday’s Oscar presentations. Like the previous polls, this poll will run for one day (until Saturday morning).

You are being asked to pick who you think will win. You do not have to have seen the movies to vote (I’ve seen just two of these performances). And, if you haven’t voted, you may still do so in the earlier polls.

Sunday I’ll have the results of all the polls and my picks — and ask for yours.

[POLLS REMOVED. BEING CONSOLIDATED ON ONE PAGE.]

Today is the third in NewMexiKen’s five polls leading up to Sunday’s Oscar presentations. Like the previous polls, this poll will run for one day (until Friday morning).

You are being asked to pick who you think will win. You do not have to have seen the movies to make a pick (I’ve seen three of these performances).

[POLL REMOVED. BEING CONSOLIDATED ON ONE PAGE.]

As this is written there have been 12 votes in the poll for Best Supporting Actress.

• Ruby Dee, “American Gangster” has six
• Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement” and Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton” have two each
• Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There” and Amy Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone” have one each

And, as this is written, there have been 17 votes for Best Supporting Actor.

• Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men” received 12
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War” and Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton” each received two
• Hal Holbrook, “Into The Wild” received one
• Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” received no votes

Today is the second in NewMexiKen’s five polls leading up to Sunday’s Oscar presentations. Like yesterday, this poll will run for one day (until Thursday morning).

You are being asked to pick who you think will win. If you don’t know, like Anton Chigurh you can always flip a coin.

[POLL REMOVED. BEING CONSOLIDATED ON ONE PAGE.]

As this is written there have been 16 votes in the poll for Best Supporting Actor.

• Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men” received 11
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War” and Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton” each received two
• Hal Holbrook, “Into The Wild” received one
• Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” received no votes

We saw La Vie En Rose this evening and it’s better than any of the five films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. And Marion Cotillard in the lead as Edith Piaf — Bravo! A magnificent performance.

Don’t miss this extraordinary film.

Roger Ebert has a good review.

Atonement is an interesting if depressing story told with some good acting. Beyond that

it is sooooooooooooooooooooooo sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

and

draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn outttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

and

self-indulgent.

Indeed, at times I assumed the title “Atonement” came from what the audience was doing — atoning for some horrible misdeed by sitting through the movie.

(OK, not quite that bad.)

NewMexiKen has seen all five. I still pick Juno to win the Best Picture Oscar.

“No Country for Old Men”: 1-3
“Michael Clayton”: 6-1
“There Will Be Blood”: 7-1
“Juno”: 8-1
“Atonement”: 40-1

The Envelope – LA Times

For educational purposes only.

I am, by the way, putting my money on “Juno.” The other four are very depressing, so I’m figuring it’s one of those years the comedy might win.

From The Young Turks.

Thanks to Raymond for the pointer.