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The 2011 Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Mack Chico
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2010/11/30 at 12:00am

Movies

The 2011 Independent Spirit Award Nominations

11.30.2010 | By |

The 2011 Independent Spirit Award Nominations

LOS ANGELES (November 30, 2010) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards.  Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner served as presenters and 2011 Spirit Awards host Joel McHale was also on hand.  Nominees for Best Feature include 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Winter’s Bone.

Please Give was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

“The artistic side of independent film is stronger than ever, and it’s especially impressive to see the developed craft of extraordinary independent filmmakers who have only gotten better over the years.  Past nominees such as Darren Aronofsky, Noah Baumbach, Danny Boyle, Lisa Cholodenko, Debra Granik, Nicole Holofcener and John Cameron Mitchell continue to create original and compelling films that move and amaze us.” said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson.

Selected from 220 submissions, this year’s winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. on the beach in Santa Monica.  The 26th annual awards show will air exclusively that night on IFC at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.  Winners of the Filmmaker Grants will be highlighted during the Spirit Awards and announced at the 2011 Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch celebration on Saturday, January 15th at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.

On Wednesday, February 23, a selection of Spirit Award nominees will discuss their films and their craft at Film Independent’s Directors Close-Up, a 5-week series that features conversations with directors and their collaborators.

The Jameson FIND Your Audience Award, a new filmmaker grant, was established this year to help make it possible for one Spirit Award-nominated film to find a broader audience.  Spirit Award-nominated films in need of expanding their marketing and distribution efforts will be considered.  The award includes a $50,000 marketing and distribution grant, funded by Jameson Irish Whiskey.  The grant was designed to meet independent filmmakers’ biggest challenge today: How to get their films out into the marketplace.  A blue-ribbon committee will determine the winner.

2011 SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)

127 Hours Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, John Smithson
Black Swan Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver
Greenberg Producers: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Scott Rudin
The Kids Are All Right Producers: Gary Gilbert, Philippe Hellmann, Jordan Horowitz, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, Daniela Taplin Lundberg
Winter’s Bone Producers: Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Anne Rosellini

BEST DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky Black Swan
Danny Boyle 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik Winter’s Bone
John Cameron Mitchell Rabbit Hole

BEST SCREENPLAY

Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini Winter’s Bone
Nicole Holofcener Please Give
David Lindsay-Abaire Rabbit Hole
Todd Solondz Life During Wartime

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)

Everything Strange and New Director: Frazer Bradshaw

Producers: A.D. Liano, Laura Techera Francia
Get Low Director: Aaron Schneider
Producers: David Gundlach, Dean Zanuck
Night Catches Us Director: Tanya Hamilton
Producers: Sean Costello, Jason Orans, Ronald Simons
The Last Exorcism Director: Daniel Stamm
Producers: Marc Abraham, Tom Bliss, Eric Newman, Eli Roth
Tiny Furniture Director: Lena Dunham
Producers: Kyle Martin, Alicia Van Couvering

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Diane Bell Obselidia
Lena Dunham Tiny Furniture
Nik Fackler Lovely, Still
Bob Glaudini Jack Goes Boating
Dana Adam Shapiro, Evan M. Wiener Monogamy

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000.  Award given to the writer, director, and producer.  Executive Producers are not listed

Daddy Longlegs Writer/Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Producers: Casey Neistat, Tom Scott
Lbs. Director: Matthew Bonifacio

Writer/Producers: Matthew Bonifacio, Carmine Famiglietti
Lovers of Hate Writer/Director: Bryan Poyser

Producer: Megan Gilbride
Obselidia Writer/Director: Diane Bell

Producers: Chris Byrne, Mathew Medlin
The Exploding Girl Writer/Director: Bradley Rust Gray

Producers: Karin Chien, Ben Howe, So Yong Kim

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right
Greta Gerwig Greenberg
Nicole Kidman Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman Black Swan
Michelle Williams Blue Valentine

BEST MALE LEAD

Ronald Bronstein Daddy Longlegs
Aaron Eckhart Rabbit Hole
James Franco 127 Hours
John C. Reilly Cyrus
Ben Stiller Greenberg

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Ashley Bell The Last Exorcism
Dale Dickey Winter’s Bone
Allison Janney Life During Wartime
Daphne Rubin-Vega Jack Goes Boating
Naomi Watts Mother and Child

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

John Hawkes Winter’s Bone
Samuel L. Jackson Mother and Child
Bill Murray Get Low
John Ortiz Jack Goes Boating
Mark Ruffalo The Kids Are All Right

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Adam Kimmel Never Let Me Go
Matthew Libatique Black Swan
Jody Lee Lipes Tiny Furniture
Michael McDonough Winter’s Bone
Harris Savides Greenberg

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)

Exit Through the Gift Shop Director: Banksy
Marwencol Director: Jeff Malmberg
Restrepo Directors: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger
Sweetgrass Directors: Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
Thunder Soul Director: Mark Landsman

BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)

Kisses
(Ireland) 		Director: Lance Daly
Mademoiselle Chambon
(France) 		Director: Stéphane Brizé
Of Gods and Men
(Morocco) 		Director: Xavier Beauvois
The King’s Speech

(United Kingdom)

Director: Tom Hooper
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
(Thailand) 		Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul

ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 17th annual Acura Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Acura.

Hossein Keshavarz Dog Sweat
Laurel Nakadate The Wolf Knife
Mike Ott Littlerock

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 14th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

In-Ah Lee Au Revoir Taipei
Adele Romanski The Myth of the American Sleepover
Anish Savjani Meek’s Cutoff

AVEENO® TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 16th annual AVEENO® Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by AVEENO®.

Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor Sweetgrass
Jeff Malmberg Marwencol
Lynn True, Nelson Walker Summer Pasture

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

Please Give Director: Nicole Holofcener
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Ann Guilbert, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Lois Smith, Sarah Steele
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Jack Rico
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2010/11/30 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

11.30.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.
Release Date: 2010-06-30
Starring: Melissa Rosenberg
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.eclipsethemovie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,’ directed by David Slade (30 Days of Nights), is the best film of the series and it is indisputably the most entertaining of the three movies. It has depth, a gripping and sexual tension to it, a surfeit of action, visually appealing special effects and entertaining drama. ‘Twilighters’ are going to love this second sequel and newcomers will be hooked on the tension filled decision Bella’s love life has to make.

The first sequel left us on a cliffhanger with Jacob telling Edward to watch out, he’s coming after Bella. Eclipse continues the churning novela with Bella (Kristin Stewart) once again finding herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), a malicious vampire who is out for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward (Robert Pattinson) and her friendship with Jacob (Taylor Lautner) — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampires and werewolves. What’s it going to be Bella – Edward or Jacob? That’s been the question pop culture media has been toying with for a year now.

The film’s predecessor, New Moon, was a test of endurance in tediousness. My criticism of the aforementioned was that it lacked entertainment value. If it only had an ounce of divertissement. Subsequently, Eclipse repaired the damage done and threw me a biscuit in the process. The improvements are rooted in the insertion of several battle sequences, which provided a much-needed injection of energy to the saga, accompanied by quality-eye-candy computer generated effects. Add to that a much more interesting plot and of course, the main event, the confrontation between the films two male leads. The acting is modest, and let’s be honest, it is not exemplary. It does though behoove the genre and the style of the film.

Amazingly enough, Eclipse possesses two Oscar nominated actresses in its cast: Anna Kendrick (Jessica Stanley) and Catalina Sandino Moreno. Kendrick, coming off her ‘Up in the Air’ nomination, seemed to be fulfilling contractual obligations or spoofing herself in the pic. Moreno on her part, the Colombian Oscar nominated actress for Maria Full of Grace, made a pleasant and surprising cameo. Her appearance, along with Christian Serratos (who plays Angela Weber), represented Hispanics in the film. Some of Catalina’s dialogue was in Spanish, which I must confess was a bit off brand, but welcome nevertheless. She whispered the word “chupar” in a Colombian accent and I automatically thought it was strange, yet cool to listen to within one of the most successful franchises in modern cinema. Regrettably, she went uncredited as Summit Entertainment decided not to include her in their 113 page long production notes, a document usually reserved for press to ascertain microscopic details on cast members, set designs, etc. The reasons for her exclusion in the notes is baffling since she could have served as a great Latino marketing angle for their promotional strategies. I’m glad a site like ShowBizCafe.com exists to give Ms. Moreno and Latino actors their props.

‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ is a step in the right direction and it exemplifies what the film adaptations should have been like from the beginning. The intense, heavy teen romance is still there but layered with a much more entertaining ambiance of thrills and chills to it. I saw the film in standard 2D and was pleased with it. The IMAX version must be even better. I’m just glad it is not in 3D because with all sincerity, it does not need it. The fans of the books will be fanatical with it, newcomers will be entertained and drag-ons will at least be gratified with the notion that they saw the best of the series.  I hope the fourth chapter Breaking Dawn, which will be split into two parts next year, is just as good as this one.

Vampires Suck
Jack Rico
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2010/11/30 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Vampires Suck

11.30.2010 | By |

Rating: 1.0

Rated: PG-13 for crude sexual content, comic violence, language and teen partying.
Release Date: 2010-08-18
Starring: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.vampiressuckmovie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘Vampires Suck’ directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer plain ol’ sucks. Now don’t get me wrong, I like spoof movies, but ones that are full of hilarity such as The Naked Gun, Hot Shots and the Scary Movie series to name a few. The level of creativity to get this film off the ground is elementary, nothing seems to be out of the box thinking and 10 year old girls must have been consulted.

The premise, as you can tell by the trailers and posters, is a spoof on the Twilight films where teenager Becca (Jenn Proske) finds herself torn between two boys, a vampire (Matt Lanter) and a wolf (Chris Riggi). As she and her friends wrestle with a number of different dramas, everything comes to a head at their prom.

‘Horror-ble’ and painful comes to mind when I think of having watched this, though I must admit that actress Jenn Proske mimics Kristen Stewart’s delivery and speech patterns to a tee. Not much else can be praised from this film as a chuckle might as well be interpreted as a ‘pity chuckle’ for the sake of all the honest hard working technicians that put the production together.

I’m not going to get into revealing scenes of what I think is awful and boorish, but for the sake of your pocket and mental sanity, stay away from this film full of dreadful, inept jokes, paltry pop culture references and awful dialogue. ‘Vampire Sucks’ is on my top 10 lists of one of the worst movies of the year.

Hathaway, Franco to host 83rd Oscars
Mack Chico
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2010/11/30 at 12:00am

Movies

Hathaway, Franco to host 83rd Oscars

11.30.2010 | By |

Hathaway, Franco to host 83rd Oscars

Two very unorthodox presenters have been selected to be co-hosts of the 83rd ceremony on Feb. 27 – James Franco and Anne Hathaway will be running the show at the next Academy Awards.

James Franco is a fine actor but can he host? Anne Hathaway is surprisingly a fantastic entertainer who showed her chops at last year’s Oscars and The Tony’s.

The announcement creates the prospect that one or both hosts might also be nominees. Franco is considered a solid best-actor prospect for the survival drama “127 Hours,” while Hathaway has a chance for a best-actress slot for the romance “Love & Other Drugs.”

Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, producers of the Oscar telecast, said it’s not unprecedented for Oscar hosts also to be nominees.

It’s the second-straight year the Oscars have tapped a pair of actors as hosts. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin teamed up as hosts last time.

Burlesque
Jack Rico
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2010/11/27 at 12:00am

Reviews

Burlesque

11.27.2010 | By |

Burlesque

I know it’s going to be hard to for many critics who panned ‘Burlesque’ to understand, but the film is a guilty pleasure that will be embraced mostly by women, the gay and Latino communities. I say the Latino community as well because they are the most avid and indulgent consumers of telenovelas – the preeminent guilty pleasure in the US, in my book. They’re so bad, yet so good. As many know, most bad films possess characteristics that make them dementedly pleasurable – this movie provides us with a plethora. If I can highlight one component that kills this movie over and over again is the tired and shameful setups that lead to repeated and unrelenting risible clichés. To be frank, the barrage is interminable, but it manages to be sporadically entertaining, somehow.

Christina Aguilera plays Ali, a small-town girl with a big voice and big dreams. Like countless girls before her, (Ruby Keeler’s Peggy Sawyer from “42nd Street” and Judy Garland’s Esther Blodgett from “A Star Is Born”) she leaves behind whatever she has and heads for uncertain future in the entertainment capital, Los Angeles. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner. Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician.  With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal.

Cinematically, Burlesque is a mess, whether that is intentional or not is a future conversation. The acting was subpar to abysmal, the dialogue was criminal and the script was 75% old, stale tricks that have been worn out for decades. Even so, the camp charm manages to lure you in even through the dreadful moments of banality. I am sure director Steve Antin set out to do an entertaining and dignified project without the perversely sophisticated appeal… or did he? Only time will tell.

There will be a tendency to compare this film with Cabaret, Chicago and most recently Nine. Doing so would be unfair. Those movies had at the helm Bob Fosse and Rob Marshall, two stylistic and visual geniuses known for cinematic works of art. Antin looks like he was shooting a music video. It would have been interesting to see what heights the film could have achieved if it fell into more capable hands. Nevertheless, there’s some enjoyment to be had from the musical numbers, which are picturesque and staged with presence. Aguilera did a pretty good job for her first time out, I’ve seen worse (Paris Hilton). I never thought of Cher as a great singer, but her longevity as a performer lays that opinion to rest. Her credibility as an Oscar winner permits her to have a bad film here and there, but we all assumed this was a comeback film of sorts.

Burlesque will win many Razzie nominations, but as bad as it is, history will tell how bad made cult status.

Faster (Movie Review)
Jack Rico
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2010/11/23 at 12:00am

Reviews

Faster (Movie Review)

11.23.2010 | By |

‘Faster’ is 2010’s Dirty Harry and its star, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, inhabits his character as menacingly as the perilous Clint Eastwood ever did. This is a serious revenge thriller with some moments of gun slinging action; the jokes are absent and the raw pounding revenge only moves one way – forward. The action is light so don’t expect any Jason Bourne choreographed fight sequences or Michael Bay explosions as the star walks away unscathed. With ‘Faster’ you get a deeply tormented man, hell-bent on revenge as he points, shoots and kills his victims without consideration of any consequences or regard for the law. It is genuine, uncensored, R rated fun. Read More

The Expendables
Mack Chico
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2010/11/23 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Expendables

11.23.2010 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: R for strong action and bloody violence throughout, and for some language.
Release Date: 2010-08-13
Starring: Dave Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://expendablesthemovie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘The Expendables‘, the latest film by Sylvester Stallone, is a no holds barred movie full of man sweat, rampaging bullets, vomiticious wounds, 80’s tattoos and biceps … What more can you ask of from a film with a cast like this? Well, honestly, you could ask for much more. Let’s be clear: ‘The Expendables’ is not an action movie, rather it is a love story with moments of action. It also doesn’t merit a detailed analysis on my part, nor do I think that deserves to be battered, because it does serve up a large dose of nostalgia . Anyway, it is far from achieving what was intended, largely due to a faulty script. Despite this drawback, the plot conforms to what is asked of it and it won’t be unpleasant, it won’t be anything remarkable.

The premise is simple and straightforward – leader and mastermind Barney Ross (Stallone), former SAS blade expert Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), hand-to-hand combat specialist Yin Yang (Jet Li), long barrel weapons specialist Hale Caesar (Crews), demolitions expert Toll Road (Randy Couture), and precision sniper Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren).  Living life in the fringes of the law, these hardened mercenaries take on what appears to be a routine assignment: a covert, CIA-funded operation to infiltrate the South American country of Vilena and overthrow its ruthless dictator General Garza (David Zayas).  But when their job is revealed to be a suicide mission, the men are faced with a deadly choice, one that might redeem their souls…or destroy their brotherhood forever.

Some of the negative highlights can be narrowed down to a few but no larger than the misuse of Jet Li. Known for his spectacular martial arts moves and fast paced fights without the use of weapons, there should have been some intense and epic battle to remind us of the old days. Although there is a small fight with Lundgren, it fails to impress and for the rest of the film he goes almost unnoticed.
 
Obviously by now, you’ve all seen the trailer with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in THE SCENE. It really is worth all the hoopla just to experience that.

This film is bad and wonderful. It doesn’t have a great script, the plot is chaotic, and it’s an old dick party reminiscing of the good ol’ days. I’ll give it this, it has some nice moments, but the story is unchallenging which leaves us unsatisfied.

If it had tried something more daring or have brought the full potential of what they had (Stallone and Drago II), it would have hit a bigger jackpot. Nevertheless, the word is that  there is a sequel in the works where they can perfect the imperfections. Let’s toast to that.

‘Linda Lovelace’ says no to Lindsay Lohan
Jack Rico
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2010/11/21 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Linda Lovelace’ says no to Lindsay Lohan

11.21.2010 | By |

'Linda Lovelace' says no to Lindsay Lohan

Porn gets a new star. Malin Akerman (Couples Retreat, Watchmen, 27 Dresses) is now confirmed to replace Lindsay Lohan in Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story according to Deadline.com. “My understanding is that Lindsay was dropped as she’s impossible to insure and the producers loved Malin,” an insider emails.

Malin, mostly known for her work in ‘Watchmen‘ and The Heartbreak Kid, has a few upcoming credits that include Wanderlust (Paul Rudd, Jen Aniston), Happythankyoumoreplease (Josh Radnor) and The Bang Bang Club (Taylor Kitsch, Ryan Philippe). She is also attached to star opposite Ethan Hawke in The Numbers Station. The Lovelace project (we really need another after Brian Grazer did one?) is based on the novel Ordeal: An Autobiography by Linda Lovelace with Mike McGrady.  The producers include Chris Hanley of Muse Productions and Jordan Gertner.

Can she pull-off the porn actress bit? According to pic below, she more than fits the criteria, ahem.

First stills on the set of ‘Men In Black 3’!
Mack Chico
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2010/11/18 at 12:00am

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First stills on the set of ‘Men In Black 3’!

11.18.2010 | By |

First stills on the set of 'Men In Black 3'!

New York (USA), Nov. 18 (ShowBizCafe.com) – We are two years away until the release  of ‘Men In Black 3’, but we already have the set pics of the star cast in ol’ New York – Will Smith, Emma Thompson, Nicole Scherzinger and Tommy Lee Jones.

In the stills, Will Smith is wearing a white lycra t-shirt showing a jacked up body. British actress Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee), is wearing a black dress and flip-flops. She is said to be the new head of the MIB group. Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, plays a villain named Lilly. Her scenes are unfortunately scarce. Finally, Tommy Lee Jones, a.k.a. Mr. Grumpy, is carrying what looks to be a Louis Vuitton.
briefcase.

From what we understand, the shooting schedule is not conventional. The sequel will take a break for two months after the coming holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The funny thing is that film productions rarely take breaks that long. Either way, the film, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who is responsible for the two previous installments, will focus on Agent J (Will Smith) who returns to 1969 to stop a villain. Once there, he will get the help of the younger version of Agent K (Josh Brolin) and together, join forces to defeat Yaz, to prevent the destruction of his partner in the future (Tommy Lee Jones) and saving the Earth.
Men In Black 3 will be released in 3D and is scheduled to play theaters on May 25, 2012 courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

The Next Three Days
Jack Rico
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2010/11/18 at 12:00am

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The Next Three Days

11.18.2010 | By |

The Next Three Days

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