Hugo (Movie Review)
11.27.2011 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, when movie history is fighting for attention inside algorithm-driven viewing, Hugo still feels like Martin Scorsese making a family film about why cinema memory matters.
11.27.2011 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, when movie history is fighting for attention inside algorithm-driven viewing, Hugo still feels like Martin Scorsese making a family film about why cinema memory matters.
11.21.2011 | By SBC Staff |
The mere thought of another movie based on Marilyn Monroe (‘Marilyn and Me’, ‘Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair’, ‘Norma Jean & Marilyn’) might send shivers down the spine of many admirers and cinephiles who chide at the feeble attempts from Hollywood to recreate The Blonde Bombshell’s essence on screen. But ‘My Week with Marilyn’ should be the elixir to any and all types of derision. It is by far the best film of Monroe to ever be put on celluloid, mainly, due to the performance of Michelle Williams. She is Marilyn Monroe for all intents and purposes, and her performance will most assuredly be recognized by the Oscars with a nomination.
The movie is based on Colin Clark’s two memoirs – ‘The Prince, The Showgirl and Me’ and ‘My Week with Marilyn’. He was the third assistant director on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’, Marilyn Monroe’s first film as both producer and star in which she played opposite Sir Laurence Olivier, who also directed. The book recounts the production’s myriad problems, fueled almost exclusively by the lack of communication and understanding between the two stars: Monroe’s erratic behavior and tardiness were exacerbated by her addiction to alcohol and prescription medication; while Olivier, a staunch traditionalist, refused to accommodate Monroe‟s idiosyncrasies or her devotion to Method acting, which she practiced under the guidance of Paula Strasberg. In the second memoir, Clark affectionately remembers one enchanted week he spent leading the troubled Monroe on a tour of the English countryside. It offers an all-too-rare glimpse of the real woman beneath the carefully cultivated image, unencumbered by the busy machinery of stardom.
At its core, the film’s best attribute is its plotline. It is one of the most appealing and interesting stories of the year in film. I mean, how did a world-famous movie superstar at the height of her fame end up spending an intimate week traveling across England with a gopher from her film set? This is the stuff that men dream of everyday. Monroe’s clashes with Olivier, her anxiety about her marriage to Arthur Miller and her own insecurities about her talent made her deeply vulnerable. She was in need of a friend and through a series of incidents, she became very close and intimate in a platonic way with Colin Clark. He was always there and was non-threatening.
What also is undebatable is Michelle Williams performance. One of the toughest tasks asked by any director of his actresses is to embody Ms. Monroe. No one has been able to do it without evading some level of scorn, except Williams. She’s so good that the talk amongst many film critics, including myself, is that only Meryl Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’, can depose her of a Best Actress award at next year’s Oscar ceremony. Williams success lies in her ability to bring Marilyn to life by extracting all her complexities such as her mannerisms, vulnerabilities, diffidence, sexiness and vocal nuances. She did this while never raching the levels of impersonation.
Director Simon Curtis and scribe Adrian Hodges have done an excellent job in deftly capturing “the real Monroe†in her heyday, the backstage controversies of a movie shoot and an innocent love story. ‘My Week with Marilyn’ is one of my favorite movies of 2011. It awoke a dormant curiosity in me to know more about the surroundings of her death, what she really meant to the world and give her acting career another look. Was she really a great actress and not just a blonde bimbo? Fortunately for many of you, this film does a stupendous job in getting closer to that answer. If you love the 50’s, glamour and romance, and of course, curious about Marilyn Monroe herself, then don’t hesitate to watch this delightful and intriguing piece of film.
11.18.2011 | By Karen Posada |
The highly anticipated fourth film of The Twilight Saga has finally arrived: Breaking Dawn-Part I. The last book of the series was broken up into two films, which was a wise choice since most of the harder to grip subjects occur in this last chapter. This last film follows the vibe from the previous one in keeping along the lines of the book series, so for those that haven’t read the books keep your eyes and ears open so that you don’t get lost in all the mind twisting things that Meyer came up with here.
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The film begins with the buzz from the wedding of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). Although the film is all about what to most people are happy occasions: marriage, honeymoon & pregnancy; there’s a tone of worry, tension and sadness all throughout that make the few happy moments tough to enjoy. The wedding itself seems just like a backdrop for the love triangle and although Stewart portrays well the nervousness of Bella during this happy occasion she doesn’t seem heartbroken to be saying her “goodbyes†to her friends, family and mortal life. The sexual tension in the honeymoon is definitely felt, the couple spends most of the time playing chess instead of enjoying the beautiful private island off the coast of Brazil. The lovey-dovey couple have a rude awakening when they encounter their first disagreement as a married couple: to bring a “monster†into the world or get rid of it. There’s no real time frame here, the storyline seems to develop within a week. The character that seems to bring the most balance to the story is Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), although he’s hot headed, in this chapter he’s more of an adult and he helps for the three worlds mixed into this story (humans, werewolves and vampires) to not get too confusing for the audience.
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The actors seem more comfortable with their characters in this film, they make them a lot more believable but they still need more work convincing us. At points the story-line gets overly dramatic for no reason and some actors seem to be by-standers that reappear from behind the shadows, which makes us want to scream at them and ask why they didn’t intervene earlier; since supposedly these are beings with more acute senses than us humans (Pattinson being the main example). All the tension culminates in the last 15 minutes of the movie when you are just waiting to see where it will get cut off. There’s so much happening towards the end that the characters try to narrate quickly about imprinting and immortal children.
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For those that have read the book and even enjoyed the movies they will be happy with the result of this one because it stays true to the series. The few funny moments help ease over the soap opera atmosphere the movie reaches at times. For the squeamish ones there are some moments where the story gets very real and bloody so beware. This film helps mature the story and keeps it in range with its followers who are probably no longer teens but young adults. You will like the film if you don’t expect too much from it and remember that very little has changed in the sense that we are still seeing the same actors develop a story that just keeps getting more complicated and wacky. The second and final part of this chapter will come to us November 16th, 2012, which might be the end of the vampire craze that The Twilight Saga began.
11.12.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Fans of ‘The Twilight Saga’! We obtained 7 exclusive scenes from ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1‘, a film which opens in the U.S. on November 18. These scenes show a bit more than what trailers have been presenting. However, you will see more of what the film offers with these videos.
The plot the Quileute and the Volturi closing in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.
11.3.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Alongside director Sam Mendes and his colleagues Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who won an Oscar for the film ‘No Country For Old Men’, takes some time out to chat about the the 23 installment of the James Bond series entitled ‘Skyfall‘ and his participation in it, as a villain, at a presentation press conference in London. Read More
10.20.2011 | By Jack Rico |
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers announced today the nominees for the Gotham Independent Film Awards™. Signaling the kick-off to the film awards season, IFP’s Gotham Independent Film Awards™ nominations were given to a total of 24 films across six competitive categories for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Breakthrough Director, Breakthrough Actor, Best Ensemble Performance, and Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near YouÒ.
The Gotham Awards’ ceremony will be held on Monday, November 28th at Cipriani Wall Street. In addition to the competitive awards, Charlize Theron, Gary Oldman, David Cronenberg and Tom Rothman will each be presented with a career tribute.
As the first major awards ceremony of the film season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ provide critical early recognition and media attention to worthy independent films. Previous winners for Best Feature and Best Documentary include WINTER’S BONE (2010), THE OATH (2010), THE HURT LOCKER (2009), FOOD, INC (2009), FROZEN RIVER (2008) and TROUBLE THE WATER (2008). The awards are also unique for their ability to assist in catapulting award recipients prominently into national awards season attention, including recent winners and ultimate Oscar® contenders: feature winners WINTER’S BONE (2010) and THE HURT LOCKER (2009); Breakthrough Actors Melissa Leo (2008), Ellen Page (2007), Rinko Kikuchi (2006) and Amy Adams (2005).
Primary criteria for nomination consideration includes American (US-based or US-born directors and producers), feature-length films made with a point of view. Additional criteria include independently distributed films made with an economy of means. For a complete list of criteria, see http://gotham.ifp.org.
Selecting this year’s nominees were 21 film critics, journalists, and curators (see list below). Separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in making films will determine final award recipients.
“The high caliber of this year’s Gotham Awards nominees’ work is truly remarkable,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP. “This extraordinary group of filmmakers and talent, both established and new, are breaking barriers and finding fresh, innovative ways to engage audiences through unique storytelling. We’re passionate about shedding light on well deserved independent cinema and excited to begin what is sure to be a momentous awards season.”
The nominees for the 21st Annual Gotham Independent Film AwardsÔ are:
Best Feature
Beginners
Mike Mills, director; Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, producers (Focus Features)
The Descendants
Alexander Payne, director; Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Meek’s Cutoff
Kelly Reichardt, director; Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia, producers (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Take Shelter
Jeff Nichols, director; Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)
The Tree of Life
Terrence Malick, director; Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Grant Hill, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Best Documentary
Better This World
Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega, directors; Katie Galloway, Kelly Duane de la Vega, Mike Nicholson, producers (Loteria Films, Picturebox, Motto Pictures and Passion Pictures; ITVS in association with American Documentary | POV)
Bill Cunningham New York
Richard Press, director; Philip Gefter, producer (Zeitgeist Films)
Hell and Back Again
Danfung Dennis, director; Mike Lerner, Martin Herring, producers (Docurama Films)
The Interrupters
Steve James, director; Alex Kotlowitz, Steve James, producers (The Cinema Guild)
The Woodmans
C. Scott Willis, director; Neil Barrett, Jeff Werner, C. Scott Willis, producers (Lorber Films; Kino Lorber, Inc.)
Best Ensemble Performance
Beginners
Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller, Keegan Boos (Focus Features)
The Descendants
George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Robert Forster, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Mary Birdsong, Rob Huebel (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Margin Call
Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Aasif Mandvi (Roadside Attractions)
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Elizabeth Olsen, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, Maria Dizzia, Julia Garner, John Hawkes, Louisa Krause, Sarah Paulson (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Take Shelter
Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon, Kathy Baker, Ray McKinnon, Lisagay Hamilton, Robert Longstreet (Sony Pictures Classics)
Breakthrough Director
Mike Cahill for Another Earth (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Vera Farmiga for Higher Ground (Sony Pictures Classics)
Evan Glodell for Bellflower (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Dee Rees for Pariah (Focus Features)
Breakthrough Actor
Felicity Jones in Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage)
Elizabeth Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Harmony Santana in Gun Hill Road (Motion Film Group)
Shailene Woodley in The Descendants (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Jacob Wysocki in Terri (ATO Pictures)
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You
Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same
Madeleine Olnek, director; Laura Terruso, Madeleine Olnek, producers
Green
Sophia Takal, director; Lawrence Michael Levine, producer
The Redemption of General Butt Naked
Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion, directors and producers
Scenes of a Crime
Blue Hadaegh & Grover Babcock, directors and producers
Without
Mark Jackson, director; Mark Jackson, Jessica Dimmock, Michael Requa, Jaime Keeling, producers
New this year, IFP is proud present the inaugural euphoria Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Filmmakers ‘Live the Dream’ grant, a $25,000 cash award for an alumnus of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film.
The nominees are:
Jenny Deller, director, FUTURE WEATHER
Lucy Mulloy, director, UNA NOCHE
Rola Nashef, director, DETROIT UNLEADED
The 2nd Annual Gotham Independent Film Audience Award will be voted on again by the independent film community, 230,000 film fans worldwide. To be eligible, a U.S. film must have won an audience award at one of the top 50 U.S. or Canadian film festivals from November 2010 through October 2011. Voting begins today at http://gotham.ifp.org/audience_award. The nominees will be announced November 7th and the winner will be revealed at the Gotham Awards ceremony.
The recipient of the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near YouÒ award is determined by the editors of Filmmaker Magazine, a publication of IFP, and a curator from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). All of these nominees will also be screened for the public at MoMA from November 18 – 21.
