46th Golden Horse Awards Winners

From news sources and the official site here are the winners in *Red.

--end of update--

Recently the Tapei Golden Horse Film Festival announced the nominations for the prestigious awards and here they are.

Best Feature Film
*No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Leon Dai, Taiwan
Cow, Guan Hu, China
Crazy Racer, Ning Hao, China
Face, Tsai Ming Lian, Taiwan
Like A Dream, Clara Law, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong

Best Director
*Leon Dai for No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Taiwan
Guan Hu for Cow, China
Tsai Ming Liang for Face, Taiwan
Clara Law for Like A Dream, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong

Best Leading Actress
Sandrine Pinna in Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-Chieh, Taiwan
Yolanda Yuan in Like A Dream, Clara Law, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong
Zhou Xun in The Message, Chen Kuo-fu and Gao Qun-Shu, Taiwan and China
*Li Bingbing in The Message, Chen Kuo-fu and Gao Qun-Shu, Taiwan and China

Best Leading Actor (tie)
Chen Wen-Pin in No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Leon Dai, Taiwan
*Nick Cheung in The Beast Stalker, Dante Lam, Hong Kong
*Huang Bo in Cow, Guan Hu, China
Daniel Wu in Like A Dream, Clara Law, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong

Best Supporting Actress
Liou Yiin Shang in Sleeping With Her, Wen Chih-Yi,Taiwan
Lu Yi-Ching in A Place of One's Own, Lou Yi-An, Taiwan
*Wai Ying Hung in At the End of Daybreak, Ho Yu-Hang, Malaysia
Zhang Ziyi in Forever Enthralled, Chen Kai-Ge, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong

Best Supporting Actor
Cai Zhen Nan in Ending Cut, Liao Chi-Hua, Taiwan
Huang Chien-Wei in Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-Chieh, Taiwan
Zhang Han Yu in The Equation of Love and Death, Cao Bao-Ping, China and Hong Kong
*Wang Xue Qi in Forever Enthralled, Chen Kai-Ge, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong

Best New Performer
Chen Wen-Pin in No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Leon Dai, Taiwan
Her Sy-Huoy in Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-Chieh, Taiwan
*Yu Shao Qun in Forever Enthralled, Chen Kai-Ge, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong
Michelle Chen in Hear Me, Cheng Fen-Fen, Taiwan

The Outstanding Taiwanese Film of the Year
Let The Wind Carry Me, Chiang Hsiu-Chiung and Kwan Pun-Leung
*No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, Leon Dai, Taiwan
Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-Chieh, Taiwan

The Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year
*Lee Lung-Yue
Jack Kao
Leon Dai

Lifetime Achievement Award: Ming Ji
Special Contribution Award: George Wang
FIPRESCI Award: Yang Yang, Cheng Yu-Chieh, Taiwan

To check nominees and winners in all the categories go here and to read info about each movie go here. The awards ceremony will be held on November 28. To check the news release with all the awards (published 3 minutes ago) go here.

Eloïse

An uneven drama by Jesus Garay that at moments tries too hard to be arty and annoys with the long takes where nothing is really happening; but also has some very good moments when finally Asia and Eloïse get together.

Tells the story of Asia and how she discovered her sexual self. The story intertwines present and recent plus not so recent past which is not a bad idea as otherwise the film would have been a true tragedy and the director would have not been able to ease the end the way he did. Still the story is tragic, but once all the lead and secondary characters are thoroughly introduced you will enjoy how Asia (Diana Gómez) and Eloïse (Ariadna Cabrol) slowly fall in love and for me this is the value of this story and film.

If it wasn’t for the few very good moments with Asia and Eloïse romance, I will tell you that the movie is not really worth watching as acting is not in the good side, camera languishes too much on Asia and production values are not that good. But because those moments I do recommend this movie to many that read the blog. New lesbian cinema releases have been very slow lately, so I suggest to go ahead and give this 2009 movie a try.

I can’t say that I disliked the movie, but I can’t say that I like it. In the lesbian interest genre is an okay movie, better that many really bad; but not as good as many really good. I believe that has a weak story, weak acting, weak director and the only good thing is the editing to ease the tragedy. I believe the movie put me in a down mood, so if you enjoy only happy movies, I suggest to avoid it until the you find the right moment to watch it.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

2009 Lux Cinema Prize

As some of you remember this award is given by the European Parliament and this year the following films were selected to compete for the prize.

Eastern Plays, Kamen Kalev, Sweden and Bulgaria
Sturm, Hans-Christian Schmid, Germany, Denmark and Netherlands (yes, is with Anamaria Marinca)
Welcome, Philippe Lioret, France

The winner is Welcome by Philippe Lioret.
"The Lux Prize is a young and forward-looking initiative, and one of which Parliament expects much. We want the medium of film to spark debate on subjects that attract public attention in the EU’s Member States, and give rise to questions that can be of relevance to us all, questions that are also relevant to this Parliament. This year’s winner meets that challenge in it's own particular way. Philippe Lioret’s ‘Welcome’, takes us into the world of immigrants in Europe and their hopes for a better future. This is an issue both important and relevant to society, one to which we cannot remain indifferent".

To learn more about this interesting award and to read the official announcement please go here.

2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards

Yesterday they had the award ceremony at Queensland, Australia and here are the winners.

Best Film: Samson & Delilah, Warwick Thornton, Australia

Jury Grand Prize (tie):
Elia Suleiman for The Time That Remains, Palestine, France, Italy, Belgium and UK
Asghar Faradi for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Iran

Achievement in Directing: Lu Chuan for Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death), China

Best Performance by an Actress: Kim Hye-ja in Mother, Korea
Best Performance by an Actor: Masahiro Motoki in Okuribito (Departures), Japan

To check award winners in all categories go here and if you want to watch the complete award ceremony (1 hour 28 minutes) with clips of all nominees go to the official site. There are four films that I'm simply dying to watch.

27th Torino Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest closed and here are the award winners.

Best Film: La Bocca del Lupo, Pietro Marcello, Italy, 2009 (gay interest)
Jury Special Award (tie)
Crackie, Sherry White, Canada, 2009
Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Damien Chazelle, USA, 2009

Best Actress: Catalina Saavedra in La Nana, Sebastian Silva, Chile, 2009
Best Actor (tie): Robert Duvall and Bill Murray in Get Low, Aaron Schneider, USA, 2009

FIPRESCI Award: La Bocca del Lupo, Pietro Marcello, Italy, 2009
Scuola Holden Award: Calin Netzer for Medalia de Onoare (Medal of Honor), Romania and Germany, 2009
Audience Award: Medalia de Onoare (Medal of Honor), Calin Netzer, Romania and Germany, 2009
Mauricio Collino Award – A Look at Youth: Welcome, Philippe Lioret, France, 2009

To check awards in all categories go here.

20th Stockholm International Film Festival Lineup

Since last week one of the fests’ that I like to follow has been running and here are the films in the main competition.

Amreeka, Cherien Dabis, Canada and USA
Anonymes (Buried Secrets), Raja Amari, Tunisia, Switzerland and France
Kynodontas (Doogtooth), Yorgos Lanthimos, Greece
Einaym Pkuhot (Eyes Wide Open), Haim Tabakman, Israel, Germany and France
Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold, UK
Frontier Blues, Babak Jalali, Iran, UK, and Italy
Gordos, Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, Spain
J'ai tué ma mere (I Killed My Mother), Xavier Dolan, Canada
Metropia, Tarik Saleh, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland
Miss Kicki, Håkon Liu, Sweden and Taiwan
Mr. Nobody, Jaco Van Dormael, Canada, Belgium, France, and Germany
Nothing Personal, Urszula Antoniak, Ireland and Netherlands
Ordinary People, Vladimir Perisic, France, Switzerland, Serbia, and Netherlands
Precious, Lee Daniels, USA
Shifty, Eran Creevy, UK
Sin Nombre, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Mexico and USA
The Unloved, Samantha Morton, UK
Sammen (Together), Matias Armand Jordal, Norway
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman, USA
Whip It, Drew Barrymore, USA

The fest has many more interesting films that if you wish to check go here.

This year’s Stockholm Lifetime Achievement Award went to Susan Sarandon and the Stockholm Visionary Award to Luc Besson.

In two days we will know who the winners are this year.

19th Gotham Independent Film Awards News

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) announced that will present a live webcast of the award ceremony; the show will be streamed live in its entirety to a GLOBAL audience and if you wish to watch please go here on Monday, November 30th at 8:00pm Eastern Time.

I think that this is an extremely good idea that most fest and awards should emulate as they do have a global audience.

Cheers!!!

50th Thessaloniki International Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest closed and here are the winners.

Golden Alexander for Best Film: Ajami, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Israel and Germany

Silver Alexander – Special Jury Award: Medalia de ONoare (Medal of Honor), Calin Netzer, Romania and Germany (Great a new Romanian movie!)
Best Director: Rigoberto Perezcano for Norteado (Northless), Mexico and Spain
Best Actress: Ruth Nirere in Le jour où Dieu est parti en voyage (The Day God Walked Away), Philippe van Leeuw, France
Best Actor: Victor Rebengiuc in Medalia de ONoare (Medal of Honor), Calin Netzer, Romania and Germany

FIPRESCI Award: Medalia de ONoare (Medal of Honor), Calin Netzer, Romania and Germany
Human Values Award: Lebanon, Samuel Maoz, Israel, France and Germany
Cinema and The City Award: La Sangre y la Lluvia (Blood and Rain), Jorge Navas, Colombia and Argentina

To check the awards in all the categories please go here.

Oscar’s Very Early Predictions

A few days back a friend asked me for my predictions for nominees in the main categories. Wasn’t until that moment that I noticed that I haven’t seen many American movies that I can consider for a nomination; obviously there are a few exceptions and you’ll notice when I mention them below. So, here are my guesses for the time being and for sure in the coming weeks many Oscar contenders will be released to qualify.

Best Movie

Haven’t seen any that I would nominate; but probably with 10 spots Inglourious Basterds will get one. From the ones I haven’t seen and have Oscar’s buzz we have: Avatar (the most expensive movie ever), Nine (dying to see it), Clint Eastwood’s Invictus (must be seen for me), Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones (read the book have to see the movie), Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man, and Lone Scherfig’s An Education.

Best Director

Ditto as above with maybe Quentin Tarantino getting an honor. But this category has some almost sure possibilities like Lee Daniel’s for Precious (even if the movie won’t make it, the director will). I won’t guess more as I have to watch the movies to guess directors.

Best Actress

Meryl Streep has to add another nomination as the perfect Julia Child. Too much buzz for Penelope Cruz in Almodovar’s Broken Embrances, but more important for Nine. Looking forward to watch Jane Campion’s Bright Star and see Abbie Cornish performance that many say should get a nomination; ditto for Carey Mulligan in An Education.

Best Actor

No, haven’t seen the movie but Colin Firth in A Single Man is the loudest buzz around. I would definitively nominate Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. Have to see the movie but Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela in a film directed by Clint Eastwood means high probabilities.

Best Supporting Actress

No idea yet.

Best Supporting Actor

I can’t believe someone dare to put Christoph Waltz in this category, but if it happens for sure he will get the Oscar.

Special Effects: almost sure 2012 will get nominated.

I know is too early to guess right and that many films will be released in the coming weeks so after watching them I’ll dare to guess more predictions.

Do you have any predictions? Please share with us.

Wanted

Wanted (2008)

Genre:
Action | Adventure


Cast:
James McAvoy
Morgan Freeman
Angelina Jolie
Terence Stamp


Director:
Timur Bekmambetov

Wanted is based on a comic book miniseries created by Mark Millar. This action movie is directed by a Russian director, Timur Bekmambetov. Starring Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy, and Terence Stamp.


Summary:
The storyline follows Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy), a cube-dwelling, frustrated office worker with a dull and depressing life. Until he crossed path with a hot female assassin named Fox (Angelina Jolie) and introduces him to The Fraternity, a secret guild of the best assassins being led by the enigmatic Sloan (Morgan Freeman).

As a new member of The Fraternity, he must undergo a series of physical tests and discover his special skills - which is similar to his father. Thru this, he could take revenge on his father's death who's once a member of the secret guild. It's his destiny to be part of The Fraternity but there some secrets that he must uncover about the guild in order to find out his own destiny.


"Working a niche somewhere between the black comedy of Fight Club and the ultrafashionable mayhem of The Matrix, Wanted is an experience that's hard to defend as a whole but mesmerizing in a highway-accident rubbernecking kind of way."
-from RottenTomatoes


Movie Trivia:

• James McAvoy undergo trainings to improve his physique for preparation for his role as Wes.
• James McAvoy suffered an injured knee and a twisted ankle during shooting.
• According to Angelina Jolie, she based her role in Wanted on Clint Eastwood.

Source: Internet Movie Database

Inglourious Basterds

A friend of mine told me that wanted to see the latest Brad Pitt movie and after using my memory archive I said: " you better think twice because that’s not Pitt’s movie; is a Quentin Tarantino’s movie. You know, the one with the Kill Bill series that you didn’t like". Oh boy! You have no idea how right I was as this is not Pitt’s best performance and this is 100% Tarantino at its best playing around with cinema styles, old music scores, some smarty dialogue, violence, WWII, and a very amusing fictional story around the last days of Hitler.

Since I saw all the celebrity marketing for Pitt and so little for other actors or even the director, I was concerned about watching the movie as for me he’s more a celebrity than an actor; thus I delayed seeing as they were making too much noise for Pitt. Please do not do as me, this is a must be seen movie even if you haven’t much enjoyed Tarantino’s films before. Why? Long answer, but let’s try to make it short.

For starters this is not your typical American war (or not war) movie, this feels and looks absolutely European cinema! There is one exception for me, the segment where we meet Brad Pitt character. Then you can’t miss the incredibly outstanding performance by Christoph Waltz! Some have been saying that he has the best role and I don’t agree. Is his excellent performance what makes his Col. Hans Landa eye-catching since the very first segment where you will be exposed to excellent conversation with Perrier LaPadite (Denis Menochet). In this first segment (from five) I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen and my ears were having a true delight. What a performance! As many will recall he won the Best Actor award at 2009 Cannes and even if is not likely, he should get a nomination for the Oscar. Yes, that’s how good Waltz performance is in this segment and the entire film.

Also with an outstanding performance is Mélanie Laurent and to me it was obvious that Tarantino gave her the most spectacular scenes that totally showcased her beauty. The rest of the cast gave very good performances especially Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger and Daniel Brühl. See, the best performers are European and most speak their original language and easily -and very credibly in the story- switch to English. I like this as to me reflects real life in Europe.

Enough about actors. Production values are excellent with good indoor and outdoor cinematography and some arresting scenes like the one in the end, the amazing forest where someone surrenders to Brad Pitt character. I imagine that Tarantino had lots of fun writing this script and more (good) crazy fun directing this film. You can tell as the film is impeccable and for 153 minutes you will ride his oeuvre that in many moments it feels like a “war western” and is done on purpose as he says the film is a spaghetti western that just happens to be in WWII. Gosh, you have no idea how good and entertaining the film is.

The story. Not easy to describe but starts with a young Jewish woman Shosanna (Laurent) escaping from Col. Landa (Waltz); next we meet the Basterds, a group of very violent men under Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) command whose only purpose is to kill Nazis and collect their scalps. Shosanna is older, living in Paris and has a movie theater, Pvt Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl) is a movie buff that falls for her and decides to help her by switching a movie premiere to her theater. What follows is how the British (Fassbender) with the help of the Basterds plus a German actress (Diane Kruger) plan to blow the theater while Shosanna plans her revenge. The grandiose final act shows the most crazy-good movie premiere.

I liked a lot the movie but I know that those that want to see it because Pitt or because is a war movie will be totally disappointed. This is an excellent Tarantino crazy-good film with many references to other movies and if you really enjoy and know your cinema, you will immediately get them.

Another good movie from Cannes that’s more mainstream than what the fest usually showcases and if producers didn’t marketed as a Pitt film, viewers will probably enjoy it a lot more.

Me, I had lots of fun watching this crazy-good film, when was over I wanted MORE and strongly recommend it to those that like Tarantino.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

2012

Yeah, I’m still in my entertainment mood and decided to give a try to the Roland Emmerich film that from trailer I was expecting great special effects more than anything else. My expectations were met. The film has outstanding special effects that you start to LIVE after the too long first 30 minutes with terrible, boring and annoying main character introductions. But as I mention I wasn’t expecting great dialogues, great actors performances or great cinematography. Still I was surprised by the so many known actors in the film that include old timers like George Segal and the likes of Oliver Platt, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, and Thandie Newton; I knew about John Cussack and yes, I’ll watch everything with him.

I’m not particularly fond of disaster movies but have to admit that I always succumb to watch them, even the TV ones! There is always something weird that attracts me to the “end of the world”, earthquakes (I have lived real ones), sinking vessels (who didn’t watch Titanic?), tornados, hurricanes, etc. So a story inspired by Mayan predictions that set 2012 to relive something similar to what caused the disappearance of dinosaurs, had to appeal me more that just whatever disaster movie. Unfortunately according to what I read around the net, the theatrical cut doesn’t include the Mayan references and reduced them to a news broadcast. I believe that instead of boring characters introductions the Mayan references could have given the story more credibility.

Anyway the film has its very good thrilling, tense and awesome effects moments; but also has too silly, cheesy and boring moments that made me wish to have a remote control to fast forward to the next exciting moment with the special effects that definitively set a new standard and will make older disaster movies look pale in comparison.

I do recommend the movie to movie lovers as I believe is a must be seen for the special effects, but please don’t expect much more. For entertaining purposes the 158 minutes film will definitively entertain you for about two hours, so it’s not that bad, isn’t?

Enjoy! (Many Awesome special effects!!!)

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

82nd Academy Awards – Documentary Short List

Here are the 15 films in the Documentary Feature category -from 89- that qualified to continue in the nomination process.

The Beaches of Agnes, Agnès Varda
Burma VJ, Anders Østergaard
The Cove, Louie Psihoyos
Every Little Step, James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo
Facing Ali, Pete McCormack
Food, Inc., Robert Kenner
Garbage Dreams, Mai Iskander
Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders, Mark N. Hopkins,
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Mugabe and the White African, Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey
Sergio, Greg Barker
Soundtrack for a Revolution, Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
Under Our Skin, Andy Abrahams Wilson
Valentino The Last Emperor, Matt Tyrnauer
Which Way Home, Rebecca Cammisa

I’m happy that have seen at least one. If you want to read the official press release please go here. The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

50th Thessaloniki International Film Festival Line Up - Update

Today, November 18, the news are out with more than 200 directors, producers and screenwriters withdrew 52 films from the fest. The official site does not have the news, but if you wish to learn more, please go Variety. Not good news for the fest but filmmakers in Greece want to change an older cinema law.

I'll be checking if any of the films in the Official Competition were withdraw and post accordingly.

--end of update--

Yesterday the other TIFF that I always check opened with the screening of Faith Akin’s Soul Kitchen out of competition. The fest will run until November 22 and these are the films in the International Competition.

International Competition

Apafold (Father's Acre), Viktor Oszkar Nagy, Hungary, 2009
Ajami, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Israel, Germany, 2009
Bakal Boys (Children Metal Divers), Ralston Jover, Philippines, 2009
Dancing on Ice, Stavros Ioannou, Greece, 2009
El Ultimo Verano De La Boyita (The Last Summer Of La Boyita), Julia Solomonoff, Argentina, Spain, and France, 2009
Es Kommt Der Tag (The Day Will Come), Susanne Schneider, Germany and France, 2009
Heliopolis, Ahmad Abdalla, Egypt, 2009
La Sangre Y La Lluvia (Blood And Rain), Jorge Navas, Colombia and Argentina, 2009
Le Jour Ou Dieu Est Parti En Voyage (The Day God Walked Away), Philippe Van Leeuw, Belgium and France, 2009
Medalia De Onoare (Medal Of Honor) Calin Netzer, Romania, 2009
Norteado (Northless), Rigoberto Perezcano, Mexico and Spain, 2009
Sarameul Chatseumnida (Missing Person), Seo Lee, Korea, 2009
Small Revolts, Kyriakos Katzourakis, Greece, 2009
St. Nick, David Lowery, USA, 2009
The Unloved, Samantha Morton, United Kingdom, 2009

Out of Competition
J' Ai Tue Ma Mere (I Killed My Mother), Xavier Dolan, Canada, 2009
La Teta Asustada (Milk Of Sorrow), Claudia Llosa, Spain, and Peru, 2009
Nord (North), Rune Denstad Langlo, Norway, 2009, 78’

There is a Werner Herzog Retrospective with many of his films, if not all; a Tribute to Jeremy Thomas and interesting sections like Philippines Rising, Independence Days, Pink Eiga, Balkan Survey and others that you can check here.

In the year of its golden anniversary the fest was inspired by the words of Jean Renoir "In order to stay alive cinema will have to invent everything from scratch," organizers hope that the festival will be an occasion for dialogue and a redefinition of cinema, during the screenings of dozens of films from around the world and open discussions with famous guests. Hmm… let’s hope something interesting comes out from such an important issue in cinema as we know that cinema has to reinvent itself periodically to keep alive its raison d’être.

Solo Quiero Caminar (Just Walking)

Imagine a movie with Victoria Abril, Ariadna Gil, Elena Anaya and Pilar López de Ayala. Can you? This movie has this stellar cast and surprise, is entertaining with particular nod to quite interesting and good cinematography. Okay, is not perfect as it has its moments when is too predictable, long unnecessary dramatic takes (they had to allow dramatic screen time to each leading role), the narrative is fragmented as if they want us to know everything about the background but left to our imagination many things and among all the macho Mexican men there had to be one that was not that macho Gabriel (Diego Luna). But in general is entertaining, grabs your attention beyond watching the actresses, and there are some moments where you really get into the story about half the movie.

Someone who reads this blog was asking for the female Ocean Eleven and yes this is the one as is about a heist; the difference to Ocean is that here are only four women that can do everything (and more) eleven men did in Ocean. Do the math and you will guess that these women are not the traditional weak females cinema love to portrait and no matter how skinny or tiny the actresses are at moments whatever they do is quite credible; helps a lot that in many scenes they look like if they’re not wearing makeup.

This Agustín Díaz Yanes mainstream oeuvre (he writes and directs) starts with the four women doing a heist to Russian gangsters in Spain; something goes wrong and one ends up in jail. Simultaneously we meet two Mexican gangsters in Mexico City, who eventually travel to Spain and meet two of the women. One Mexican decides to marry Ana (Elena Anaya) and the action moves back to Mexico where eventually the women get together to execute a plan to steal from Ana’s husband. There are many little twists in the story, some are successfully unexpected but some are not.

The movie was honored with a 2009 Goya for cinematography and Ariadna Gil won Best Actress at the 2209 Cinema Writers Circle Awards from Spain, an award that Gil deserves as she delivers quite good the best role of the four.

I was expecting a light movie (still in the same mood) but this is not light, is darkish and not only because the cinematography but also because some of the spoken dialogues which definitively was an unexpected surprise that allowed me to enjoy the film beyond watching the strong female portraits by actresses I could not imagine doing those roles at all.

The film cinematography is interesting but this is a mainstream movie that I believe could appeal to adult audiences as an escape moment and as such I do recommend it. If you like watching any of the actresses, then the film is must be seen for you and I strongly recommend do not miss seeing Ariadna Gil as probably you’ll be as surprised as me with her performance.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

The Proposal

I was in the mood for something light, very light. A romance drama just sounded perfect especially because the leads are Ryan Reynolds (that I like in serious roles) and Sandra Bullock. The Anne Fletcher film is light but the story too predictable about a boss that falls for the secretary/assistant and changing the gender roles does not make the story less predictable. There are some funny moments where even I laugh, Bullock does stiff good and Reynolds is a doll as the assistant/secretary.

I like Sandra Bullock but lately she (or her agent) have not been selecting good roles as her movies are okay, but not outstanding in whatever genre (romance, thriller, comedy, drama) like the ones she used to do before. Hope her next movie is more than okay.

If you feel like watching a very light movie for pure entertaining (or killing time) purposes then this is the movie for you.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

2009 Viennale

Not long ago the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the award winners.

Wiener Filmpreis for Best Feature Film: Lourdes, Jessica Hausner, Austria and France, 2009
“I have never seen anything like it before, at least not in such an aesthetic form!’ This sentence springs to mind when watching Jessica Hausner’s film-passion “Lourdes.” In its unconventional film language, at times reminiscent of still life, in its various aspects, direction, acting performances, and camerawork, it is a truly outstanding film experience. It is about the unbelievable, hope and longing, and believers waiting for a miraculous healing in the Marian pilgrimage site of Lourdes, where this film was also shot.”

Der Standard Readers’ Jury Prize: Darbareye Elly, Asghar Farhadi, Iran, 2009
“Darbareye Elly is an artistically convincing, multi-layered drama about morals, responsibility to oneself and others, as well as the relationship to truth revealed by the dynamics of interpersonal relations. At the same time, it provides a rare view of Iran’s middle-class.”

FIPRESCI Award: Xiao Li Zi (Survival Song), Yu Guangyi, China, 2008
“For its strong portrayal of an area so remote, told through filmmaking so fresh with innocence and innovation, it almost seems like witnessing the invention of cinema at a place it never before existed.”

To read awards in all categories and browse the film program please go here.

82nd Academy Awards – Animated Features Line Up

Here is the full press release with the list of animated films submitted to the Academy before the deadline; if you wish to read it at the Academy official site please go here.

Twenty features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 82nd Academy Awards®.

The 20 submitted features are:

“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”
“Astro Boy”
“Battle for Terra”
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”
“Coraline”
“Disney's A Christmas Carol”
“The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”
“Mary and Max”
“The Missing Lynx”
“Monsters vs. Aliens”
“9”
“Planet 51”
“Ponyo”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure”
“A Town Called Panic”
“Up”

“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” “The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Planet 51,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “The Secret of Kells” and “A Town Called Panic” have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and meet all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process.

Under the rules for this category, a maximum of 5 features can be nominated in a year in which the field of eligible entries numbers at least 16.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

--end--

It's no surprise that I have seen only one of the above movies, lol! I'll wait to find which movies make the 5 nominations (if there are 16 left at least) to watch the nominated.

Julie & Julia

Not very often I can call a movie Adorable! but believe that this film totally fits what the word means. The story is nice but what makes the movie Adorable! are the outstanding performances by Meryl Streep and Amy Adams reunited again since The Doubt, but here they do not have one single scene together. Still both real-life characters, Julia Child (Streep) and Julie Powell (Adams) couldn’t exist -in the story- one without the other.

Directed and co written by Nora Ephron the film is inspired by books written by both real women and as some of you may know, Julia Child is an American icon (yep, saw some of her TV shows and yes, they were really funny in a darkish way) and Julie Powell wrote the book with the same name as the movie.

The film tells the story of how Julia Child while living in Paris, France end up learning French cuisine and started to write her very famous book (in the 49th printing). Follows Julia while traveling to other European cities with her American diplomat husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) until they have to comeback to America where Julia becomes the Julia some of us know. Intertwined is the story of Julie Powell that felt like a loser in her writer profession as she was reaching 30 and was not published yet, how she decides to start her blog and well the rest you have to see the film, as perhaps Powell story is the less known for many.

I concur with many that the third fourth of the movie does not have same pace and rhythm, consequently becomes a littler downer; but I do believe that picks up for the “happy” finale. Production values are top notch and most remarkable are the tricks that they had to do to make Meryl Streep look as tall as the real Julia Child that include platform shoes but also the many great camera angles, smaller objects, etc.

This movie will become a classic, perhaps as strong as Ephron’s Oscar nominated script for When Harry Met Sally and I don’t doubt that Meryl Streep will (has to) get an Oscar nomination for her extraordinary, remarkable and unforgettable performance as Julia Child, she really becomes her. Some not really familiar with the real Julia Child find Streep’s character odd; well that’s the way the real woman was portrayed on her TV show, she was a true spectacle.

A very entertaining film with extraordinary performances by Streep and Adams that I do recommend to everyone that wants some joy in their lives. Strongly suggest that if you LOVE French cuisine (as I do) do not watch this movie on an empty stomach! Lol!

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

2009 European Films Awards Nominations

Yesterday the nominations were announced at the Seville fest and here they are.

Best European Film

Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold, UK
Lat Den Ratte Komma In (Let the Right One In), Tomas Alfredson, Sweden
Un Prophete (A Prophet), Jacques Audiard, France
The Reader, Stephen Daldry, UK and Germany
Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle, UK
Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon), Michael Haneke, Germany, Austria, France and Italy

Best European Director
Pedro Almodovar for Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embrances)
Andrea Arnold for Fish Tank
Jacques Audiard for Un Prophete (A Prophet)
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Michael Haneke for Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)
Lars von Trier for Antichrist

Best European Actress
Penelope Cruz in Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embrances)
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist
Katie Jarvis in Fish Tank
Yolande Moreau in Seraphine
Noomi Rapace in Män som Hatar Kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Kate Winslet in The Reader

Best European Actor
Moritz Bleibtreu in Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (The Baader Meinhof Complex)
Steve Evets in Looking for Eric
David Kross in The Reader
Dev Patel in Slumdog Millionaire
Tahar Rahim in Un Prophete (A Prophet)
Filippo Timi in Vincere

Carlo Di Palma Cinematographer Award
Christian Berger for Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)
Anthony Dod Mantle for Antichrist and Slumdog Millionaire
Maxim Drozdov & Alisher Khamidkhodzhaev for Bumazhny Soldat (Paper Soldier)
Stéphane Fontaine for Un Prophete (A Prophet)

Best European Screenwriter
Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain for Un Prophete (A Prophet)
Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire
Gianni di Gregorio for Pranzo Di Ferragosto (Mid-August Lunch)
Michael Haneke for Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)

European Film Academy Prix D’Excellence
Alexandre Desplat for Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel)
Jakob Groth for Män som Hatar Kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Alberto Iglesias for Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embrances)
Johan Söderqvist for Lat Den Ratte Komma In (Let the Right One In)

European Discovery
Ajami, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Germany and Israel
Gagma Napiri (The Other Bank), George Ovashvili, Georgia and Kazakhstan
Katalin Varga, Peter Strickland, Romania, UK and Hungary
Sois Sage (Be Good), Juliette Garcias, France and Denmark
Sonbahar (Autumn), Ozcan Alper, Turkey and Germany

People’s Choice Award for Best European Film
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (The Baader Meinhof Complex)
Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embrances)
Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel)
The Duchess
Fly Me To The Moon, Ben Stassen
Män som Hatar Kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Lat Den Ratte Komma In (Let the Right One In)
Pranzo di Ferragosto (Mid-August Lunch)
Slumdog Millionaire
Transporter 3, Olivier Megaton

To check nominations in other categories please go here. The awards ceremony will take place at Germany’s Ruhr Metropolis on December 12th.

If you’re wondering why movies like Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader and other “older” movies are nominated, remember that regulations for eligibility require the film to have their official screening after July 1, 2008.

This year categories like Best European Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Cinematographer are really hard because, for example, in the best film we have multiple award winner Slumdog Millionaire (that I didn’t consider that good) along excellent movies like The White Ribbon and A Prophet, plus the great vampire movie from Sweden, the great UK indie, and good The Reader. I wouldn’t be surprised if Slumdog wins, but I hope the EPA members could give us a good (and truly well-deserved) surprise and gives the award to Haneke’s or Audiard’s master oeuvre.

I’m happy because I have seen most of the nominated movies (except for the ones in the Discovery category) and from the major categories I think I’ll watch Looking for Eric that I have delaying for the theme even when is a Ken Loach film.

In my opinion this has been an excellent year for European cinema and the nominations reflect the films theme diversity from well-known and just starting filmmakers. In about a month we will know who wins.

Cheers!

陽陽 Yang Yang

This is a movie all about cinematography and starts loud with a light saturation that will hurt your eyes, then almost all the movie is filmed with hand-held camera (which means the screen constantly moves), almost all scenes are close-ups and many scenes have texture. Sounds interesting isn’t? Well could have been interesting if the director paid more attention to the narrative as 112 minutes of not always interesting images is too much without a strong story to follow.

There are many so-called “beauty shots” of Sandrine Pinna, the exotic girl of Miao Miao that’s Eurasian and here plays an Eurasian character, but in most of the shots she doesn’t look beautiful because lenses and director were more interested in giving texture to the movie than in showing Pinna’s clean and young beauty that delighted my eyes in Miao Miao. Shame.

Most surprising is to find when the credits roll that Ang Lee is the consultant. I do not know what kind of consulting Lee did but this movie is nothing similar to any of his excellent movies, including the ones when he started. Shame.

I cannot recommend this movie and if someone says that is art… hmm, then is very pretentious and irrelevant artish cinema. Shame.

Sigh.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

The Danish Girl - Update 1

The news are out and the new actress playing Nicole Kidman's wife is none other than Gwyneth Paltrow.

Here is the announcement that if you want to read it at the original site go here.

"Gwyneth Paltrow will join Nicole Kidman in “The Danish Girl,” an adaptation of the David Ebershoff novel that tells the story of a relationship between the first post-operative transsexual, Einar Wegener, and his wife Greta.

Thomas Alfredson (“Let the Right One In”) is directing a script by Lucinda Coxon. Gail Mutrux, Anne Harrison and Linda Reisman are producing, along with Kidman and Per Saari.

One afternoon in 1920s Copenhagen, Greta, a portrait painter, asked her husband to stand in for an absent female model. Slipping on a dress, stockings and woman’s shoes began a metamorphosis into Lili. When the photos became wildly popular, Greta encouraged her husband to do more, but a harmless game evolved into something deeper that threatens their marriage.

Kidman had already been attached to play Einar, and Paltrow will play Greta, who stood by her partner through the sex-change operation, finally letting go when she realized the man she married no longer exists."

I don't know about you readers, but I enjoy Paltrow in the screen. I'm curious to find how the two will look together, as I think they resemble each other.

--end of Update 1--

There are good news and bad news about the project.

The bad: Charlize Theron quit the project.

The Excellent News: Tomas Alfredson, who made Swedish vampire film Let The Right One In, will adapt David Ebershoff's novel for the big screen.

The film will be released by the end of 2010.

-end of update-

Since yesterday that I saw the news on TV I was speechless and today the news are spread allover the net so, why not include them also in this blog? Unfortunately serious and reliable resources are not carrying the news, so I have to use “unreliable” sources that sometimes publish more gossip than facts.

Anyway the news is that Nicole Kidman is co producing and starring in this film along with none other than Charlize Theron. The movie is based on the true story set in early last century of Danish artists Einar (Kidman) and Greta Wegener (Theron), that when Einar had a successful sex change surgery and became a woman (Lili Elbe) the king of Denmark annulled their marriage, as two women cannot be married. Yes Nicole Kidman plays a man that becomes a woman and he/she is married to Charlize Theron!!!

Then Einar in his female guise “Lili” often posed for his wife paints and illustrations and for me the best part is to learn that Gerda Wegener was a renowned painter and while living in Paris did illustrations for Vogue, La Vie Parisienne, and many other magazines; also among the books she illustrated we find none other than "Une Aventure d'Amour a Venice'' by Giacomo Casanova! But more interesting was to find that she has many lesbian erotic art watercolors that if you wish you can check some here. She’s recognized as one of the leading Art Deco artists of the early twentieth century.

The story of Einar/Lili is quite interesting and perhaps the best site I found to read about it is here that details his transformation in a very clinical way, as well as gives details of his/her life.

Well, all the above is about the real life story of both artists, but the movie is a fictional and novelized recount of their story based on the book "The Danish Girl" by David Ebershoff. So, with all the information I shared with you all I didn’t spoiled the movie as the book is described as dealing more with “the mysterious and ineffable nature of love”.

According to The Hollywood Reporter the movie is in pre-production and hopefully they'll film and release it very fast, as not only the casting is more than superb, but the story can be very interesting and absolutely a must be seen.

Awards Season News

Here are some excerpts from an article by Timothy M. Gray published today in Variety with info about the Oscar's and other awards. If you feel like reading the complete article please go Variety.

"I've always liked awards because they are like time capsules, offering clues about the tastes and priorities of each era. As such, the 2009-10 season should be one of the craziest and most unpredictable in memory -- because this has been a year of massive changes.

In the past six months, four of the majors have seen top-level exec shifts, reflecting the turbulence as everything changes: the backing (so long, hedge funds!), the salaries (au revoir, first-dollar gross!) and the marketing (auf wiedersehen, ad buys in consumer newspapers!).

There are changes in film budgets: The marketing for "Paranormal Activity" cost a gazillion times more than production; Is this an anomaly or an omen?). And there have been shifts in word of mouth (Twittering and texting were credited with "Bruno's" 39% B.O. drop from opening day to Saturday) and in audiences' viewing rituals (Redbox, Netflix, downloads, VOD have all found places in the release window).

So what does all this mean for awards season? Changes have begun; the question is whether these are just cosmetic changes or whether they portend fundamental shifts in the kudos business:

* The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the Producers Guild have expanded their best-pic races to 10 nominations.

* There are so many films from female, gay, minority and foreign-language helmers that seem worthy of consideration this year that it's possible the best-director noms might not include a single English-speaking, Caucasian, straight male. It's not likely, but, for the first time, it's possible. In the days of "Bwana Devil" and "It Came From Outer Space," who thought 3D would be a factor in awards consideration?

* The list of companies on the kudos scene includes new players (such as the Bob Berney-Bill Pohlad Apparition), and newish ones (Summit, Overture), while established ones are stepping up (IFC, Magnolia) and one of the old mainstays is seriously altered (Miramax).

Every past awards season has been keyed to one premise: Who will win the big prizes? But this year, there's another question: What will the shows look like? The February Oscarcast, under Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, showed kudocast folks that you can break with tradition to the benefit of both those in the auditorium and those watching at home.

Perhaps inspired by this radicalism, the Golden Globes will have a host for the first time since 1995. The Academy Awards will have two hosts, and has shifted its Governors Awards to a separate ceremony. The Independent Spirit Awards have traded venues and dates. The Critics Choice Movie Awards have a new name and a new location. And the Gotham Awards noms were announced Oct. 19 via Webcast."

--end--

There are so many changes happening in the American Film Industry that I have the impression that maybe not next year but by 2011, the industry will look different. Just today the movie theater owners are lobbying in Washington to stop a regulation that will allow studios to broadcast via Internet New Releases directly to consumers; this means that if the regulation is approved, many of us adults that do not appreciate full and noisy movie theaters wont have to wait until after the film does its run in theaters; we will be able to watch them as soon as they're released!

Now I just hope that eventually they remove the region regulations and really hope they'll do not import them into the net... that will be terrible! Also many studios, filmmakers, talent, etc. should start to negotiate World rights, so they stop that silliness of films only allowed to view in certain countries.

But one thing I definitively agree with the article, this award season could be very exciting if the different Awards (and especially Oscar) open to include all genres in their nominations.

Cheers!

Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile)

Good film with excellent performance by Cécile De France that according to what I read, did extensive research to portrait Jeannine Deckers, aka Sister Gabriel, better known as “Sister Smile” (her pseudonym) or The Singing Nun in America, as close as possible. I never met the real nun, but from today on I will imagine that the real woman/nun was just like Cécile’s impersonation. Then De France sings and plays the guitar for real which makes her character totally believable. Extraordinary and non-forgettable performance.

The Stijn Coninx film tells the story of Jeannine and tells why she became a nun, her life in the convent, her success, she leaving the convent, trying to be a singer as Jeannine Deckers and not Sister Smile (she was not allowed), finally gave up and went to live with Annie, her lover for something like 20 years. The story focuses in the “happy” beginnings and briefly shows the downturn. This was done on purpose to make a more entertaining movie according to an interview, as the downturn ends tragically. Unfortunately what they left out is her life with Annie, but still this is totally a lesbian interest film, even if what is shown is not the traditional love story. I suggest that after watching the movie you browse the net to read about the end of her story that’s fast forwarded in the movie to the tragic finale that in the film looks not tragic at all.

The movie as a movie is gorgeous with impeccable recreation of the sixties and great filming in a real convent. Performances by all actresses playing nuns are really credible and the film in general has quite high production values. What I really didn’t like was the way they rushed the end to have a pathetic sort of happy finale.

This is not a biopic as they took many artistic liberties to make the movie entertaining and have to say that they succeeded, except for the abrupt end that leaves you knowing that there has to be more to the story than what they showed. Also I better mention that I got the impression that the general movie message is not in favor of the Catholic Church; but then what they show is typical Church business behavior.

I enjoyed the movie a lot and simply loved Cécile De France characterization. The story is not really a happy one but the film is done in such a way that makes it very entertaining and honestly, it’s impossible to take your eyes from the lead actress while she’s on the screen… which happily, is almost always!

Not a masterpiece but a very entertaining movie that I recommend to many that read the blog and appreciate a story of a strong, maybe vain and surely lonely women looking for someone that loves her and to love back.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

Ne Te Retourne Pas (Don’t Look Back)

My first thought when I learned that the leads were two actresses that I really enjoy in the screen, Sophie Marceau and Monica Bellucci, I wondered how the movie and story was going to be with such good looking women together. Never in my dreams could I imagine seeing Sophie and Monica as ONE. Bizarre. You'll see the strangest transformation that allows close-ups to a face that is half Sophie and half Monica. But have to admit that the special effects are great; is what you see while they are one what is not pleasant to watch at all.

Had a vague idea of the movie story but you know that I don’t like to read before watching a movie to not spoil it and freely allow surprises. The story starts fine and grabs your attention. You feel the tension. Soon enough you ask, what’s happening? Is a visual representation of madness? No. Then what? While you have many questions in your head and no answers, something weird happens: you lose interest and you do not really care about the answers. Shame!

Still when the transformation happens is interesting visually (even when looks bizarre), but you lost all interest in the story that starts in France with full Sophie, goes to a very slow transformation, moves to Italy with full Monica, more strange visual transformation and ends in France with full Sophie.

So what’s the story all about? Reconciliation of your present with your past. Obviously the story is told in the most unusual way. So unusual that is not interesting at all and the transformation gimmicks totally distract viewers from the storytelling.

In my opinion director and co writer Marina de Van took a huge risk and this time it didn’t pay off. Maybe if she used less narrative distracting special effects the film would have been a lot more interesting to watch.

I cannot recommend this film but if you wish to see with your own eyes how Sophie Marceau transforms into Monica Bellucci then this film is must be seen for you.

Sigh.

Watch trailer @ Movie On Companion

39th Molodist Kyiv Film Festival Award Winners

Yesterday the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the winners.

Grand Prix: La Pivellina, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Italy and Austria
Best Full-Feature Film: Gagma Napiri (The Other Bank), George Ovashvili, Georgia and Kazahstan

Best Acting: Patrizia Gerardi in La Pivellina, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Italy and Austria

FIPRESCI Prize: Volchok (Wolfy), Vasiliy Sigaryev, Russia
FICC Prize: Volchok (Wolfy), Vasiliy Sigaryev, Russia

Ecumenical Prize: La Pivellina, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Italy and Austria
Special Mention: Volchok (Wolfy), Vasiliy Sigaryev, Russia

Audience Award: Vanvittig Forelsket (Love & Rage), Morten Giese, Denmark

To check all the award winners go here.

54th Valladolid Film Festival Award Winners

Recently the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the winners.

Official Selection

Golden Spike: Honeymoons, Goran Paskaljevic, Serbia and Albania
Silver Spike: Lille Soldat, Annette K. Olesen, Denmark
Jury Award: L’armée du crime, Robert Guédiguian, France
Best New Director: Estigmas, Adán Aliaga, Spain
Best Actress: Trine Dyrholm in Lille Soldat, Annette K. Olesen, Denmark
Best Actor: Alberto San Juan in Isla Interior, Félix Sabroso and Dunia Ayaso, Spain

Punto de Encuentro Section (tie)
La journée de la jupe (Skirt Day), Jean-Paul Lilienfeld, France and Belgium
Aram bash va ta haft beshmar (Be Calm and Count to Seven), Ramtin Lavafipour, Iran
FIPRESCI Award: Honeymoons, Goran Paskaljevic, Serbia and Albania
Cultural Diversity Award: Amreeka, Cherien Dabis. Canada, Kuwait, and USA
Audience Award
Official Selection: Le Hérisson, Mona Achache, France and Italy
Punto de Encuentro: La Causa de Kripan, Omer Oke, Spain

To read about other awards go here.