trailer trash - Nine

I love musicals

Revolutionary Road Review

So I finally saw Revolutionary Road, the other night which may not have been the best call considering I was pretty distraught over finally admitting I was heartbroken over losing 2 close friends [they're not dead, but no longer in my life] but it was a well executed, yet dire look at a relationship between a miserable marreid couple, named Frank and April Wheeler (excellently played by Kate Winslet & Leonardo DiCaprio ) in 1950's New York. It was basically THE most depressing episode of Mad Men ever without any emotional payoff aside from great performances. The film starts off with a knock down drag out shouting match, which is incredibly intense, and then the film only gets darker. While there are faint glimmers of hope and the potential for things to get better for April and Frank Wheeler more fighting is inevitable and is reminiscent of the scenes in Closer where the couples lay it all out. Watching April and Frank shout at each other reminded me of a few arguments I had with an ex, which is probably why I found myself laughing aloud when April finally tells him:

"But I don't [love you.] I hate you. You were just some boy who made me laugh at a party once, and now I loathe the sight of you. In fact, if you come any closer, if you touch me or anything, I think I'll scream."

All in all Rev Road in my opinion is one of the best romantic dramedies I've ever seen, but that's because I coudln't help but laugh at the fact that these people hated each other, yet were together, plus Michael Shannon - who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar -was hilariously brilliant as a neighbors mentally ill, but brutally honest son was a revelation. Sam Mendes' direction was flawless and has helmed a stark, realistic tome, but all I can say is if you do decide to sit through this, brace yourself it's pretty rough, but hey so is life.

My rating: 8.8/10

"The Wrestler" Review

Though I had been wanting to see "The Wrestler" since Christmas, I saw it on a whim last Wednesday night and am still haunted by the beautiful intensity of this movie. First and foremost I have to applaud Darren Aronofsky for once again helming an cinematic triumph, with gut-wrenching and heart breaking intensity. The man is a genius who with each cinematic endeavor he oversees creates a completely original work of art that leaves an indelible memory forevermore...yes I just wrote forevermore, because Aronofsky is that brilliant- hello, have you seen "Requiem for A Dream" (oh and the site for the film is still up and absolutely nuts.) I used to wonder when - never if - Darren Aronofsky will make a studio picture. All four of the films he's directed have been utterly incredible, evocative, intense and thought provoking, but not commercially viable. Turns out Aronofsky will be directing the new "RoboCop Movie"... um ye all I can say is I hope he makes it cool.

Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood are stellar in the supporting roles, Tomei is actually nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar who plays a stripper with a heart of gold, while Wood plays his estranged daughter. And 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander, even makes a cameo. Now down to the nitty gritty,if Mickey Rourke doesn't win the Oscar for Best Actor he was legitimately robbed. What that man endured to play Randy "The Ram" is mind boggling to me, partly because I'm incredibly sedentary, but where he had to go physically, emotionally and mentally to become this character is unbelievable. This movie is an emotional and physical roller coaster and I highly recommend it, but must let you know it's certainly not like the Wrestlemania you grew up with.

My rating: 9.9/10

2 of the best quotes from the film:

"The only place I get hurt is out there. The world don't give a shit about me."

"I'm an old broken down piece of meat and I deserve to be all alone, I just don't want you to hate me."

Frost/Nixon Review

Frost/Nixon is "a dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon," that's directed by Academy Award winning director Ron Howard. Aside from all the glowing reviews that have surrounded this film for months, and subsequent Oscar Nominations, the main reasons I went to see it were Matthew MacFadyen and Sam Rockwell; two brilliant but not as well known actors, a producer and a researcher, respectively, that work with Frost to develop questions and information for the interview and "give Nixon the trial he never got." I was in no rush to see this film, but after it was nominated for Best Picture I was compelled to see it, since I had seen all the other nominees. It is a legitimately enjoyable and enteraining film, based on true events which certainly keeps you enthralled, though the outcome was already known to whoever was around during the era or anyone with access to youtube. I was hesitant about seeing the film because I thought it would be preachy and pretentious and incredibly politically oriented, and after living through a monumentally historic election season, I wanted to escape all that when going to the movies. Though F/N is steeped in political history, it's truly the story of 2 men trying to rejuventate, revitalize and rehabilitate the public image the world has of them for the better, but only 1 is capable of doing so. While Frank Langella is nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, I thought Michael Sheen was positively brilliant as David Frost in a very subtle and in no way over the top portrayal of a man, no one took seriously as a journalist. Rockwell, MacFadyen, and Oliver Platt were unexpectedly hilarious and played marvelously off each other, while Kevin Bacon once again brought the goods as Nixon's confidante and primary Secret Service Agent. If political history interests you go see this film, and if you're interested in seeing great performances & obviously well executed filmaking, definitely fo see this film.

My rating: 9/10

2009 Academy Award Nominations

Winners to be announced on Sunday, February 22nd.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Ceán Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Frost/Nixon (2008): Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Eric Fellner
Milk (2008): Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
The Reader (2008): Nominees to be determined
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Christian Colson

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor (2007/I)
Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon (2008)
Sean Penn for Milk (2008)
Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Angelina Jolie for Changeling (2008)
Melissa Leo for Frozen River (2008)
Meryl Streep for Doubt (2008/I)
Kate Winslet for The Reader (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Josh Brolin for Milk (2008)
Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder (2008)
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt (2008/I)
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008)
Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Amy Adams for Doubt (2008/I)
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Viola Davis for Doubt (2008/I)
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler (2008)


Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Stephen Daldry for The Reader (2008)
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon (2008)
Gus Van Sant for Milk (2008)


Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky (2008): Mike Leigh
In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh
Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black
WALL·E (2008): Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon


Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Roth, Robin Swicord
Doubt (2008/I): John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon (2008): Peter Morgan
The Reader (2008): David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Simon Beaufoy


Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:
Changeling (2008): Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight (2008): Wally Pfister
The Reader (2008): Roger Deakins, Chris Menges
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Anthony Dod Mantle

Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter
The Dark Knight (2008): Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon (2008): Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Milk (2008): Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Chris Dickens

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:
Changeling (2008): James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight (2008): Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
The Duchess (2008): Michael Carlin, Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road (2008): Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:
Australia (2008): Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Jacqueline West
The Duchess (2008): Michael O'Connor
Milk (2008): Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road (2008): Albert Wolsky


Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Greg Cannom
The Dark Knight (2008): John Caglione Jr., Conor O'Sullivan
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008): Mike Elizalde, Thomas Floutz

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Alexandre Desplat
Defiance (2008): James Newton Howard
Milk (2008): Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman
WALL·E (2008): Thomas Newman

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, Gulzar("Jai Ho")
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, Maya Arulpragasam("O Saya")
WALL·E (2008): Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman("Down to Earth")

Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, Mark Weingarten
The Dark Knight (2008): Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty
WALL·E (2008): Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Ben Burtt
Wanted (2008): Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño, Petr Forejt

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:
The Dark Knight (2008): Richard King
Iron Man (2008): Frank E. Eulner, Christopher Boyes
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Tom Sayers
WALL·E (2008): Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood
Wanted (2008): Wylie Stateman

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton, Craig Barron
The Dark Knight (2008): Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber, Paul J. Franklin
Iron Man (2008): John Nelson, Ben Snow, Daniel Sudick, Shane Mahan

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Bolt (2008): Chris Williams, Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda (2008): John Stevenson, Mark Osborne
WALL·E (2008): Andrew Stanton

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (2008)(Germany)
Entre les murs (2008)(France)
Revanche (2008)(Austria)
Okuribito (2008)(Japan)
Vals Im Bashir (2008)(Israel)

Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:
The Betrayal - Nerakhoon (2008): Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath
Encounters at the End of the World (2007): Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser
The Garden (2008/I): Scott Hamilton Kennedy
Man on Wire (2008): James Marsh, Simon Chinn
Trouble the Water (2008): Tia Lessin, Carl Deal

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:
The Conscience of Nhem En: Steven Okazaki
The Final Inch: Irene Taylor Brodsky, Tom Grant
Smile Pinki: Megan Mylan
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306: Adam Pertofsky, Margaret Hyde

Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:
La Maison en Petits Cubes: Kunio Kato
Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya (2007): Konstantin Bronzit
Oktapodi (2007): Emud Mokhberi, Thierry Marchand
Presto (2008): Doug Sweetland
This Way Up (2008): Alan Smith, Adam Foulkes

Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:
Auf der Strecke (2007): Reto Caffi
Manon sur le bitume (2007): Elizabeth Marre, Olivier Pont
New Boy (2007): Steph Green, Tamara Anghie
Grisen (2008): Tivi Magnusson, Dorthe Warnø Høgh
Spielzeugland (2007): Jochen Alexander Freydank

trailer trash- Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona

"Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" is Woody Allen's latest film starring Scarlett Johanssen, Penelope Cruz and Academy Award winning actor Javier Bardem. This is one of the movies, I was most excited to see this year, not only because i think Woody Allen is a genius and i'm crazy about Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, but i thought it would be just as amazing as "Match Point." sadly that wasn't the case and while it was very entertaining, Penelope Cruz steals every scene she's in, while Javier smolders (because he's F-ing incredible) and Rebecca Hall is rather endearing, i left the film wanting more. it's beautiful to watch since the vast majority of the film takes place in Barcelona and each location attempts to capture the all of the city's and Gaudi's brilliance. i just thought the film would be bigger in all aspects and it just wasn't. if i had to give it a score on a scale of 1-10, it would be a 7. i'm hoping when this film comes out on DVD I'll really be able to appreciate whatever Woody Allen was trying to do, but until then i'll probably forget i saw it. oh and this trailer basically gives away the entire movie.