"The Orphanage" Trailer

This one is supposed to be wonderfully scary and ust plain brilliant. Also featuring an apparently brilliant central performance. We shall see how brilliant. This is the Spanish entry for Best Foreign Film.

"Teeth" Trailer

Oh my bloody buggery lord.. thank f*ck I am a big ole poof!



This look not only disturbing, but also very very well done. However not sure of the box office potential....I can see guys staying away. The last thing they will want in to have their wing wang bitten off by their girl friends tuppence.

Mini Review - "Eastern Promises"

I have never been a Cronenberg fan. I have never really been a fan of grotesque and violent movies like these. Human suffering is never pleasurable for me to watch, and I usually look away. Right now my loving partner is engrossed in “This is England” and I cannot really bring myself to watch it. I just know something bad is coming, and I do not want to see it. I know it exists, I read it everyday, but to watch people being humiliated or tortured/beaten does not entertain me in the slightest.

However “Eastern Promises” I did like, not love, but like. This was mainly for the three central performances of Armand Mueller-Stahl, Vincent Cassel and Viggo Mortensen and also for the overwhelming homoeroticism.

Many have said that Naomi Watts did little in the film, but this is simply not true. She did amazing amounts with what little she was given, but in the end this is a mans movie.

At Christmas Anna (Watts) meets a heavily pregnant and dying young Russian teenager who dies while giving birth. Anna resolves to try and trace the baby’s lineage by having her uncle translate the diary she finds in the girls purse.
This brings her into contact with the mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin (Mortensen) is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon (Stahl), whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core.
Semyon’s son Kirill (Cassel) is a disappointment. Constantly drunk and playing about, but never having sex with, young Russian prostitutes. Krill is the likely father of this child. The deeper Anna investigates the deeper she puts herself in danger.

While the story in rather basic and the violence is indeed bloody and brutal (I really hated the fact I had to look away during the bath house scene. When else will I get to see the luscious Viggo naked and steamy?) what makes this rise above other films in this genre is the performances.

Mortensen is amazing. Such a subtle and gifted actor, he can make simple gestures and facial movements convey volumes of his character, and he does all this with a perfect Russian accent. This is a performance that could have come off as two dimensional in a lesser actors hands, fortunately we got a great one. It may not win awards, but the best ones never do.
Armand Mueller-Stahl is all warm and cuddly as the proprietor of the family restaurant, but in an instant his eyes grow dark and face tightens into a stony scowl. His Seymon is terrifying. You know at any moment he can give the order to have someone killed, or simply do it himself. So wonderful to see older actors getting a chance with such juicy roles this year.

This lastly brings me to Cassel. All paranoia and panic, Cassel invests so much depth into Krill that at the end of the film, when you learn of why he s a disappointment to his father, you feel sorry for him. Yes he is a coward, but one by his fathers making, constantly trying to be what he thinks a real man should be, but drinking himself crazy because he just does not have it in him.
Cronenberg has made a film about how hard it is to not be accepted by your own family, and how you have to look to others for the love and acceptance you crave. B

Mini Review - "The Namesake"

Sometimes there are those films that, while watching them, do not resonate until long after you have ejected the DVD. “The Namesake” fits into this category.

While watching this , I was following the story of Gogol, and how he slowly began to understand and appreciate his Indian heritage after being brought up in America. Although his parents tried to distil his heritage into his upbringing, school and friends shape a lot of who you are as a teenager, and you begin to drift.
It is only until the pressures of adulthood set in that you begin to appreciate who your parents are.
This goes for almost everyone in the known world, but here it is the story of Gogol played well by Kal Penn, but this is not the story that captured my heart and emotions.

It was only until after a few days had passed that I thought about the story of Ashoke and Ashmina, and their struggle from an arranged marriage in India, to the move to New York, and the struggles in a foreign place while raising a family and getting to know your spouse. It was then that I finally appreciated this film.

Director Mira Nair does let down the story a little in her choice to focus on Gogol, but she has still crafted a wonderful movie about identity. We do not often get such detailed studies of Indian families living in the US. In the UK it is a little more popular, but still not as common as it should be.
Perhaps this is because the culture is so different to the western world. Although based in tradition, which is something most of the English speaking world hold dear, they are such strange traditions to the average Joe, so understanding and judging performance will always be so much more difficult.

That being said Irrfan Khan is wonderful as the patriarch of the family. He is able to display his weariness as he gets older, and his disappointment in his son with such amazing control, that it seems he has lived this exact life before. He is a kind man, who has tried to the best for him family, but never feels as though he knows them.

As Ashima, Indian Actress Tabu is stunning. She is able to portray a 25 year time span amazingly (and probably with little make up). Her quiet moments display such repressed emotional honesty (especially when she first moves to New York) that you are taken aback during her uncontrollable moments of despair. When she cries she cries for everything she has bottled up. All her fears, guilt and sorrow come pouring out in a powerful wail, like a demon being exorcized.
In her last scene, where she gives her speech, you believe in this woman, and you understand her, but more importantly Tabu make you want nothing but the best for her Ashmina. Such a shame it has gone unnoticed all year.

A strong film about returning to who you are. B +

I'm Just Saying

From Lisa Schwarzbaum at Entertainment Weekly in her A - review of "Margot at the Wedding"

"Which brings us back to Kidman, who really is sensational here. She's fearless about being ''ugly,'' fully in touch with her character's voracity, and transformed into Margot with a commitment we don't tend to see enough from the striking star, even as she works tirelessly to update her stardom. Kidman's commitment to working with adventurous filmmakers has always been one of her loveliest attributes, but something in this adventure has truly set her free. The result, for the Kidman curious, is exhilarating."

And for Leigh:

"For Jennifer Jason Leigh fans, meanwhile, the ease that the characteristically taut actress evidently feels working with Baumbach — her husband — is evident in her own notably unguarded performance, her buoyancy. There'd be no itchy, scratchy Margot without a Pauline to torment, and Leigh imbues the role — that of a woman who loves and hates her maddening, famous-author sister in equal, crazy-making measure — with soulfulness, and also with a spine. Some of the movie's sweetest, realest moments are those when the two siblings fall about on the couch laughing, their blood bond thickened by shared history."

Perhaps a resurgence for this film is what is needed, in a year of weak female roles, it would be a shame for two getting these type of reviews to be overlooked because they are unlikeable characters. All I am saying is it ain't over, till it is over.

The State of the (yawn) race.

You know what?
I am not excited about the race this year.
Sure that will all change in a few weeks, but I have my sisters wedding and Christmas coming up to tend with, so Oscars are not my main thought right now.

For a blogger (albeit a tiny one on the blog-o-spere) who mainly talks about movies, awards, and performances this could be deemed as sacrilege, but I do not really care. A this point in time we all know two very important things: Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress are the weakest category in ages, but the Actors are a different story.
The most probable reason for my apathy is that I love actresses so much, it’s like flames..on the side of my face..heaving breaths.
With no super strong contenders this years race is BLAH. If I were to say who would win in each category, right now, I would say this (and be SO wrong):

Best Picture: Atonement
Best Director: The Coen Brothers
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis ( the performance is probably strong enough to over come unlikeability)
Best Actress: Laura Linney
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Barden
Best Supporting Actress: Saoirse Ronan

But that is just me not really caring…..when I start to care (around the time the Globes announce) my heart will interfere and I will change these all for other films and performances.

In the mean time I wll look to next year when my Kate will win her long overdue trophy and the Actress categories will be over run with brilliance. I have also decided (to help me get back into the Oscar spirit) to do the Best Supporting Actresses in Pictures like I did for the leads….because it was fun!

Toodles….off to see “Eastern Promises”!

"The Air I Breathe" trailer

I have heard interesting things about this movie, and it has taken a while for it to get released. It has floated on the festival circuit for a while (it even has a 9.5 out of 10 rating on IMDB) and I have heard very good things about Sarah Michelle Gellar in this.

The plot is based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. A businessman (Forest Whitaker) bets his life on a horse race; a gangster (Brendan Fraser) sees the future; a pop star (Gellar) falls prey to a crime boss (Garcia); a doctor (Bacon) must save the love of his life.

I am a bit bored with interweaving story lines, but it is nice to see Buffy taking on more challenging roles. Go BUFFY!!!

Paddy's a hoot

Two actors who I wanted better things for have a chance to shine together in “Cry Of The Owl”, a thriller based on the Patricia Highsmith novel about a woman who falls in love with her stalker.
Julia Stiles has always hinted at being a great actress, and she has chosen some interesting role but to date has never seem to fully embody her character. Paddy Considine, on the other hand is a wonderful and dedicated actor who we expected bigger things from after “In America”, but that never seemed to happen for him.

Now they will both get a chance to strut their stuff for audiences. We all know Paddy is very good at playing strange men and dark men, so this should not provide too much of a challenge for him. In the book his character is a depressed but fundamentally decent man, liked to watch (Styles) through her kitchen window—a harmless palliative, as he saw it, to his lonely life and failed marriage. It will be interesting to see how he can balance the creepiness of the being a stalker, but still get the sympathy of the audience.

Scott Speedman turns up as the ex-boyfriend, and there is something about Paddy’s character being caught up in a series of deaths in which he is the innocent bystander, but is presumed guilty.

Could meander into serial killer action territory is it is not careful. I actually have not much else to say on this. It was mainly an excuse to post up pics of Paddy.

Five flims about Nanjing

“John Rabe”, has just started shooting in Shanghai, a story based around the horrific Nanking Massacre in 1937 when Japanese forces invaded and pillaged the Chinese city of Nanjing, leaving between 150,000 and 300,000 people dead.
What is wonderful to note about this film however is despite the serious, non American. premise, the film has attracted a rather impressive international cast.
Ulrich Tukur takes the title role of Rabe, a Nazi and Siemens executive who managed to create a safe zone in the city and to save the lives of 200,000 civilians.
Steve Buscemi plays American doctor Robert Wilson, who stayed in the city during the occupation to care for the sick and wounded. What I love about Buscemi is he goes for roles you wouldn’t think of him in, and (usually) pulls them off.

Daniel Bruehl has also been cast, as has French actress Anne Consigny who will turn heads in this years awards hopeful “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Chinese stars Lu Huang and Zhang Jingchu lead the local contingent, with Akira Emoto and Teruyuki Kagawa representing the Japanese. German director and short film Oscar winner Florian Gallenberger, will be calling the shots.
What is wonderful is that this is not the only film about this subject currently in some form of production.
“Nanking Nanking” also started shooting earlier this month, from director Tian Zhuangzhuang, while Hong Kong's Stanley Tong and Yim Ho are both covering it, with “The Diary” and “Nanking Xmas 1937” respectively.

Over in England Simon West is also preparing his take in “Purple Mountain”.

This much overlooked event (I myself feel great shame that I am not very familiar with it) is finally getting the attention it deserves. As the world gets smaller we all begin to look outside of out cocoons and see that things happen in other world that we should care about.

The “John Rabe” is due in 2008 and I am hoping it is brilliant enough to make this, a thing of the past

Enchanted - Happy Working Song

I am very excited about this movie now.....it looks so much fun, and how brilliant is Amy Adams in this?

Valkyrie trailer

OMG...TOm Cruise and his non attempt at even an English accent will ruin this. Or perhaps it is just another way for movies to re-write history saying America as responsible for all the good in the war. Lets hope the rest of the British cast are stellar to make up for it.

Should have been HUGE!!

My god, if this is not one of the best revenge songs ever, I do not know what this is. A big 'up yours' to her ex girl group Brownstone, Kina shouted back with "Girl From the Gutter" and my word do I ever love this song.
She is also a beauty isn't she?

The most exciting category!

I am going to take a step back from the Oscars and all that silly silly nonsense and take a look at what is heating up to be one of the most exciting acting categories in a while.
That my friends is the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
We have an influx of potential nominations which is fantastic. With just five little ole spot to fill who it is going to be?
A role call for the funny ladies if you will, in no particular order:

1 -Will is be the young starlet chanelling Edith Piaf - Marion Cotilard?

2 -Or will it be the young up and comer who has a break out (again) as pregnant teen – Ellen Page?

3 -Will it be the brilliant and effervesant Disney Princess – Amy Adams?

4 -Perhaps previous nominee Laura Linney will make it for “The Savages”?

5 -Could anyone forget Tracy Turnblad herself – Nikki Blonsky?

6 -Pervious winner Nicole Kidman will hope she can make it again in “Margot at the Wedding”

7 -Shall they call out the name of another expectant mother, this time a “Waitress” – Keri Russell?

8 -Will “Sweeney Todd” partner in crime make it into the mix – Helena Bonham Carter?

9 -Who could forget another “Knocked Up” lady this year? – Katherine Heigl?

10 -They could easily go for “Charlie Wilson’s” partner with Julia Roberts (they are star f*ckers those pesky Globes)?

How refreshing to see such a competitive race this year. Could the world be lightening up, or is it just the women. All the men seem to be very angry, lost or grieving this year!

Crowded race….the drama category will probably be Julie Christie, Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightly, Angelina Jolie and Jodie Foster. You can probably put safe money on that (unless Giovanna Mezzogiornia is wonderful in “Love in the time of Cholera”)

Oscar on the horizon.

I get a little bored posting about movies getting made. Since my viewership is a little down and the comments dwindle I thought I would do a massive movie wrap up.

Lets have a look at some the of the films getting put into production and what it means for the awards races of the future.

Hannibal Lector himself, the endlessly working Anthony Hopkins has signed on to playt the Master of Suspense , Alfred Hitchcock, in an upcoming biopic, to be directed by Ryan Murphy . Murphy is best known for directing “Running With Scissors” , “Nip/Tuck” and “Popular”, so he does have a way with quirk, although these are hardly stellar programs/movies on which to base pedigree. He has three upcoming films in production which all sound very interesting, and could up his caliber. (“Pretty Handsome about a transsexual father, “Dirty Tricks” about the aftermath of Watergate, and the Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts film “Need”. The casts he has collected for these projects are of a very high standard, and he could even direct one or more to Oscar glory before the Hitchcok biopic.…check out the cast lists for these movies here.

The film will open with the making of Psycho, which is a very interesting place to start and will hopefully get the attention of all film geeks. There are rumours circulating that Helen Mirren might play Hitchcock's wife, so this could be a major awards magnet, especially for the actors. Maybe Hitchcock will FINALLY get his Oscar.


Only two years since his last film, but it seems Terence Malick's getting ready for another film, and it's a script he's been working on for nearly thirty years. “Tree Of Life” is finally set to go into production, with Heath Ledger and Sean Penn in talks to join the cast.
Filming's due to start in March - which means that Malick will be under some pressure to finish before the actors' strike at the end of June. Any Malick film will already get awards buzz just from hearing his name.


“The Proposition” has its major fans, and got wonderful critical notices. Director John Hillcoat is gearing up to direct Guy Pearce in “The Road” based on a book by Cormac McCarthy about a man and his son walking through a post-apocalyptic landscape in search of water, food and some place of safety.
Guy Pearce is a very talented actor (he nailed Felicia in “Priscilla”!) so with any luck he could show up in awards races…it sounds like he has the entire screentime.
Hopefully shirtless and sweaty.


This news kind of makes me a little queasy, but my friends there will be a “Dances With Wolves” sequal. “The Holy Road” picks up eleven years after Wolves, with Dunbar now married to Stands With Fist and the white man encroaching further on the lives of the Sioux as they build a railway – the titular Holy Road – across the country.
This premise does sound very very good, and I am glad they have decided to so this route. I have always wondered what happened to characters in the future. Did Christian ever get over the death of Satine?
Any way, anything that can get President Laura Roslin aka Mary McDonnell back on the big screen is alright by me.


Director of the moment, Tony Gilroy, is going to direct Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in “Duplicity”.
The couple will be playing corporate spies who work on opposite sides, but unite to stage an elaborate con and rip off corporations by stealing something of great value.
Owen would seen to be a good hand at working with Gilroy, and the material should be right up his alley (where I would like to be). Roberts has not really stretched herself as an actress since “Closer”, so it will be interesting to see what the director can get out of her. He seems to be able to get wonderful performances out of his actors, so we shall see.
Cold be possible Oscar material. Actresses are hardly allowed to play outside the box of grieving mother/wife, whore or icon so it would be nice to have a different role nominated than the usual in Best Actress, and corporate spy would be wonderful…very Faye Dunaway in “Network” – ish.

Heroes vs. Villains.

In looking through the candidates for Best Actor I noticed that there are a hell of a lot of bad characters about. This could be the shadiest Best Actor, like, ever!



We actually have no had a villain in the mix since 2002 bought us the brilliant Bill the Butcher, as played by Daniel Day Lewis. He is back, once again, as bad boy oil tycoon Plainview in “There Will be Blood”
Then there is Sweeney Todd himself, that neck slashing barber from hell as played by Johnny Depp himself (already garnering a rave from AICN).

Then there is Denzel Washington’s drug Barron Frank Lucas in “American Gangster”, not to mention the hired mob thug/driver Nikolai in “Eastern Promises” as played by Viggo Mortensen.
And lets face it, Charlie Wilson is not that noble either, just check out Tom Hanks in the trailer. Slimy and icky. And stunning though he is, Brad Pitt does play mass murderer Jessie James.

I guess dark times, call for dark measures. Many people are saying that there is no way that more than one bad boy will make it in the top five. I SO beg to differ.
Sure there are not a lot of evil doers nominated in lead actor, but there have been.
Cast you mind back seventeen years to 1991 when we not only had Dr. Hannibal Lecter, but we also had Max Cady and Bugsy Siegel. Who is to say it won’t happen again.

These bad boys do have to contend with heroes though, and most of these men are in some form or grief. James McAvoy grieving for love in “Atonement”. Tommy Lee Jones grieving for his son in “In the Valley of Elah”, John Cusack grieving for his wife in “Grace is Gone”, “The Kite Runners” Khalid Abdalia for his friend. The list goes on and on.
What does this say about the state of the world we live in. We live in a time of immense grief and evil, murderous and greedy men.
Talk about a great time to be alive.

Best Actress ain't looking so bad now. The spunky Queen, the pregnant teen, the bitter sibling, the drunken starling and the disney princess seem like a group I would be more comfortable in a room with.

And speaking of Meryl

Everyone's favourite, Meryl Streep and our new love, Amy Adams have signed on to star in Julie & Julia, a story about cooking based on the book based on a blog "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen" by Julie Powell.

The story follows a woman who decides to cook all 524 recipes in legendary chef Julia Child's book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". In, as the book title suggests, a small New York apartment kitchen.
In a year.

Streep is playing Julia Child so this should be another awards magnet. You know how they love actors to play real life people, and Meryl in this SHOULD be a hoot!

I for one am most excited to see these twwo talented ladies square off!