Trailer Watch: Aftershock
The first one will likely be bad enough, but it's the secondary aftershocks that can be a lot worse.
Aftershock
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Plot Summary: From IMDb: "In Chile, a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare." Release Date: May 10, 2013 |
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Rating: B Commentary: It's certainly more interesting than a lot of designs out there. I don't love how limited the space usage is, but it works well nonetheless. |
Rating: B Commentary: It's an original concept, that much can be given. However, there are far too many derivative horror set-ups in the trailer to suggest a terribly rewarding or particular nouveau experience. |
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Preview Link: CLICK HERE for link to the trailer, more posters (if available) and other commentary not featured here. Oscar Chances: None. |
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Feed the Queue #120
Here are the results of last week's poll.
- The Thin Man
- The Gay Divorcee
- Imitation of Life
- Manhattan Melodrama
- The Lost Patrol
- Cleopatra
In case of a tie, my choice comes into play. And since I'm more a fan of mysteries than musicals, The Thin Man wins and goes into my queue.
Oscar Profile #135: David Mamet
Born November 30, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois to Bernard and Lenore Mamet, a lawyer and a teacher, respectively, David Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, film writer and film director. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1984 play, Glengarry Glen Ross and Tony awards for that and 1988’s Speed-the-Plow. He is known for Mamet speak, his tendency to write dialogue in which characters either stutter or speak in incomplete sentences.
Mamet’s early works were performed in his native Chicago at the American Theater Company, which he co-founded. His early works included Sexual Perversity in Chicago and American Buffalo. The latter was his first play produced for Boradway in 1977. His A Life in the Theater written that same year was his first filmed work. It was made for PBS.
Mamet’s first filmed screenplay was for the 1981 remake of James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice directed by Bob Rafelson. The script for The Verdict from the novel by Barry Reed, which he had written in the late 1970s was rejected by director Sidney Lumet who had several other writers work on their own versions, one of which was almost filmed. Eventually Mamet re-wrote his to Lumet’s satisfaction. Mamet received the first of his two Oscar nominations for the filmed result.
This Day in Oscar History: May 16 (2013)
Here's what happened today in Oscar History.
Ceremonies
1929: 1st Annual Academy Awards
(Presentation Ceremony) {for the films of 1927/28}
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Poll: What Are You Watching? (May 17-19, 2013)
Return Links
What Are You Watching? (May 17-19, 2013)
Trailer Watch: Captain Phillips
You might need a little Captain Dramamine to watch this. It is Paul Greengrass after all.
Captain Phillips
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Plot Summary: From IMDb: "The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years." Release Date: October 11, 2013 |
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Rating: None Commentary: Poster was a placeholder at the time this post was written. |
Rating: B Commentary: Spending an hour and a half with Tom Hanks trying to save peoples' lives isn't necessarily the most exciting ideas. Hanks isn't really an action star. However, Greengrass has an interesting approach to filmmaking that could make the film a bit more compelling. |
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Preview Link: CLICK HERE for link to the trailer, more posters (if available) and other commentary not featured here. Oscar Chances: With Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks involved, you can't count it out. However, other than a nomination for Tom Hanks as Best Actor and perhaps a nomination or two in the creative and tech categories, I don't see this one doing too well with the Academy. |
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Game: 2013 Summer Box Office Week 3
For a full list of rules, click here: 2013 Summer Box Office Predictions Game Rules.
Submit Your Predictions for This Week
- Top Ten Films at the U.S. Box Office of the week in order from most money to least.
- Individual monetary predictions for each film.
- Final box office tally for all new wide releases.
- # of Weeks each new wide release will spend at #1.
- # of Weeks each new wide release will spend in the top 10.
This Week's New Wide Releases
Star Trek: Into Darkness (3,700 screens)
Box Office Prediction Increments
- $50 million or higher - $5 million increments
- $25 million to $49 million - $1 million increments
- $5 million to $24.5 million - $500,000 increments
- $4.9 million or lower - $100,000 increments
Last Week's Results
Looking at the Weekend: May 17-19, 2013
There's little doubt that the sequel to the most successful Star Trek film in history will perform lower than the third week of Iron Man 3. There are two questions about how well its opening weekend goes: will it top its predecessor's $75 million opening and can it possibly pass $100 million? An opening close to Iron Man 3 is far beyond what the film can do, but to prove an opening weekend success, $100 million would be expected.
Individual Commentaries
Wesley Lovell: I'm not particuarly excited about any of this week's entries. The English Teacher looks like the most amusing of any of them.
Peter J. Patrick: A little something for everyone this week.
Tripp Burton: Finally, a big Summer Release that I am looking forward to, plus a handful of interesting smaller features, make this a weekend to venture out for.
This Day in Oscar History: May 15 (2013)
Here's what happened today in Oscar History.
Click here to continue reading this article
Trailer Watch: Violet & Daisy
It reminds me a little of something Stanley Kubrick might have done.
Violet & Daisey
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Plot Summary: From IMDb: "Two teenage assassins accept what they think will be a quick-and-easy job, until an unexpected target throws them off their plan." Release Date: June 7, 2013 |
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Rating: B Commentary: I don't think it's intended to be creepy, but it certainly succeeds at it. The design looks like it might be something better suited to a Village of the Damned remake than a stylized thriller. |
Rating: B Commentary: Part of me finds the idea entirely fascinating, but the trailer goes out of its way to tamp down any potential excitement one might have. There's either too much dialogue or too much action, the balance isn't quite right. |
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Preview Link: CLICK HERE for link to the trailer, more posters (if available) and other commentary not featured here. Oscar Chances: None. |
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5 Favorites #130: 5 Favorite Sumptuous Feasts
Every week, we'll pose a new "five favorites" question. You just list your five favorites that fit in that category (preferably in preference order) and you're welcome to discuss and debate the selections and see just how much you do or do not have in common with others. If you want to take a look back at our past articles to comment or enjoy, here is a post set aside to track all of our articles.
There are few directors like Baz Luhrmann who can make a film so brilliantly excessive that it's a visual delight, regardless of whether the film has the substantive backing one would prefer. What are your favorite films that are sumptuous feasts for the eyes regardless of quality.
What are your 5 Favorite sumptuous feasts?
The DVD Report #308
Sometimes it pays to see a film without knowing anything about it. Such is the case with three films I viewed this week with varying degrees of satisfaction.
It was only after viewing Gangster Squad; Mama; and Safe Haven that I read the films’ reviews. I agreed with the generally excellent notices that Mama received and the mostly negative reviews Safe Haven received, but was somewhat surprised by the negativity surrounding Gangster Squad.
To be sure, Gangster Squad is no great work of art, but it’s a well-made, fast-moving gangster epic based on a real life situation. It tells the story of an elite police squad put together by Los Angeles Police Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) in 1949 to bring down mobster Mickey Cohen. The squad is led by no-nonsense Josh Brolin and tough guy ladies’ man Ryan Gosling, whose latest conquest (Emma Stone) just happens to be Cohen’s latest mistress. The generic squad includes a token black guy (Anthony Mackie); a token Hispanic (Michael Pena); a token veteran cop (Robert Patrick) and a token family man (Giovanni Ribisi). They all acquit themselves well in their generic roles, with Gosling coming off best. The film’s least effective casting, however, is a crucial one in that two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn seems out of his league, hamming it up to a fare-thee-well as Cohen. It was directed by TV veteran Ruben Fleischer.
This Day in Oscar History: May 14 (2013)
Here's what happened today in Oscar History.
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Poll: Now That You’ve Seen The Great Gatsby
Return Links
Now That You've Seen The Great Gatbsy...?
Trailer Watch: Catching Fire
The revolution has begun.
Catching Fire
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Plot Summary: From IMDb: "As Katniss and Peeta embark on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts, Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games." Release Date: November 22, 2013 |
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Rating: A- Commentary: For those who've read the book, a close inspection of the sub-divided circle on the Mockingjay pin will give the viewer a jolt. Those who haven't won't be able to marvel in its simple creativity. |
Rating: A- Commentary: The trailer is a bit more open for admiration as anyone who's seen the movie can also be as intrigued as those who've read the novels. The fact that the Quarter Quell gets only a brief mention definitely adds to the suspense. |
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Preview Link: CLICK HERE for link to the trailer, more posters (if available) and other commentary not featured here. Oscar Chances: Like its predecessor, this is considered too "light" for Oscar consideration, so it will likely be again ignored. |
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- Academy Announces Animated Feature Film Rule Change May 20, 2013
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- Winnners Announced for 2013 Student Academy Awards May 14, 2013
- Academy Announces Rule Change in Two Categories May 4, 2013
- 2013 Student Academy Awards® Finalists Announced May 1, 2013