Monthly Archives: June 2010
Tony Goldwyn’s “Conviction” Trailer
This film was originally titled “Betty Anne Waters” but I guess Fox Searchlight decided to steer away from the “a person’s name” film title route. Hilary Swank is hit or miss, but when she’s good she’s really good (hence the two Oscars). Sam Rockwell is one of the most under-rated actors working in Hollywood today. I still think he should have gotten an Oscar nom for Moon last year. Maybe this will be his golden ticket.
Trailer and synopsis after the cut.
The Thin Red Line to be released on Criterion DVD and Blu-Ray
This is so exciting! Terrence Malick is my favorite director and The Thin Red Line is one of my Top Ten Favorite movies of all time. The news leaked a few weeks ago, but I was waiting for the cover artwork to get released before writing about it. I actually thought Fox or someone would release a ten-year anniversary edition in 2008 but that never happened. I may already own the crap Fox War Classics version of this film on DVD, but I also own two versions of Malick’s The New World. so I have no qualms about buying this again.
DVD/Blu-Ray specs after the cut.
“Somewhere”, “Never Let Me Go” trailers
Rewatching the trailer for The American reminded me that in the last two days trailers have gone online for two other films I’m looking forward to this year: Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere and Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go.
Poster for Anton Corbijn’s ‘The American’
This is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Anton Corbijn’s debut film, 2007’s Ian Curtis biopic Control is one of my favorite films of all time. I think Corbijn’s background as a photographer and music video director gives him a really great point of view when it comes to his films. Add to the mix George Clooney, who has pretty much, aside from one or two not-so-great films, been on fire for the last ten years and you’ve really got something. Look for the trailer after the cut.
Oscar Vault Monday – The Cider House Rules, 1999 (dir. Lasse Hallström)
I first saw this film on an airplane on my way back from London in 2000 and I loved it immediately. I didn’t see it again for a few years, but when I finally did watch it again I still loved it as much as I did then. At the time of its release it was up for seven Oscars – Best Score, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Picture and won two: Best Adapted Screenplay John Irving and Best Supporting Actor Michael Caine. Best Picture-wise it was up against The Insider, The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense and winner American Beauty.
Oscar Vault Monday – Gosford Park, 2001 (dir. Robert Altman)
This is one of those movies I remember really love when I first saw and then didn’t watch again for years only to rediscover it all over again. It features a stellar ensemble cast consisting of pretty much every British person ever. The cast went on to win the Best Ensemble at the SAG awards. I remember when Sir Ian McKellan won the SAG for his role in the first Lord of the Rings movie, he quipped something about being the only British actor not in Gosford Park. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress Dame Helen Mirren, Best Supporting Actress Dame Maggie Smith, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and won Best Original Screenplay – Julian Fellowes. The curious thing about Julian Fellowes is that, at least for me, I loved this film to death and was absolutely bored by two of his latest efforts – Vanity Fair and The Young Victoria. It makes me wonder if perhaps those screenplays would have been fine if he’d had the same calibre director as Altman, or if this screenplay was a one hit wonder?
the diary of a film history fanatic 