The Sound of (Impromptu) Music

For anyone who ever dreamed of being adopted into The Von Trapp Family singers, wearing Julie Andrews curtain line of play clothes, or just frolicking in Central Station... This is for you.



Bliss. What a great way to start the day.
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Later today: Rosengje's final reports from ShoWest, and yes... your collective Best Actress predictions.

Whatever Works at ShoWest

Here's another report from Film Experience regular Rosengje from sunny Vegas where ShoWest is closing. She has just seen Woody Allen's latest Whatever Works (previously discussed here)! I am green with envy. Let's jump right in to her slightly spoilerish thoughts.

In many ways, Whatever Works is an amalgam of all of the neuroses and preoccupations that have defined Woody Allen's previous films. Larry David plays Boris, a misanthrope who fled his "rational" marriage to live downtown in isolation, teaching chess to children through methods that involve repeated name-calling and knight-throwing. Boris's life is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of Melodie (Evan Rachel Wood), a runaway from Mississippi. Melodie is eventually followed by her mother (Patricia Clarkson) and father (Ed Begley, Jr.).

Patricia Clarkson storms into the movie after approximately 40 minutes, and plays a role in many ways comparable to Penélope Cruz's tempestuous Oscar-winning Maria Elena. While I was initially skeptical of Allen's treatment of Wood as a young Lolita, Clarkson actually plays the much more sexualized character. After showing up on Boris's doorstep in a hot pink ensemble (scrunchy included!) fit for the Southern pageant circuit, she is quickly awakened to the culture of New York. Naturally, this involves sex and art. In an interesting inversion of the much discussed relationship between ScarJo, Javier Bardem, and Penélope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Clarkson moves in with two men without giving it a second thought. Her character transitions from praising Jesus to opening an exhibit of nude collages. Clarkson is dynamic and sexy and once again demonstrates her unbeatable range. I don't think it is any stretch to consider her worthy of this year's Oscar race.

Patty sandwich! Apparently Woody is really into threesomes now.

The rest of the cast is also effective, pulling the humor out of frequently dark material. David's character first seems like the typical Allen prototype, but there is a bitterness to him that reminded me more of Max von Sydow in Hannah and Her Sisters. Evan Rachel Wood is very likable, but the vitality of her performance is trounced by the arrival of the inimitable Clarkson. Begley Jr. gives a hilarious turn, and Henry Cavill is both endearing and smarmy as a late love interest for Melodie.

The biggest stylistic change Allen makes in this film is having Boris directly address the audience. The film opens with a lengthy treatise on the character's views on death and the cretins that populate the world. We end with a similar address, but this time it is tinged with a kind of optimism unique to Woody Allen. The character's refrain of "whatever works" takes on a slightly sweet quality. I suspect audiences and critics will debate the sincerity of its happy ending. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and believe it provides the same level of insight into the director's fears and desires that many pegged on Deconstructing Harry.

I'm encouraged to hear rosengje's positivity regarding Patty Clarkson (she who really needs an Oscar) but maybe she'll have to get there from Shutter Island instead? Would they really reward a similar role to last year's winner to get back-to-back Woody Allen Best Supporting Actress citations?

Film Experience podcast guest Katey also liked what she saw, speaking highly of Evan Rachel Wood's performance, too. I am so eager to see this. I have to have my annual Woody.
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Wolverine... starkers

I normally don't link to ohmygodhesnaked type posts but I'll make an exception this time because i'm exhausted, it was a long day, i love Hugh Jackman and... ohmygodhesnaked! At the very least this is a much needed encouragement to go see Wolverine because I am so worried about the quality of this movie. (I can't even get a bead on what they're trying to do with it in the various marketing spots... why are there so many characters? I thought this was Wolverine's show).

If you can't offer quality, at least provide eye candy.
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Rosengje @ ShoWest

Rosengje, a regular commenter here @ the Film Experience, sent me some thoughts from ShoWest, the motion picture industry convention which ends today, to share with y'all. I'm all about sharing. I haven't been to Vegas in years -- never really enjoyed it -- but I admit jealousy since so many blogposts and tweets were flying at me directly from Sin City.

Here's Rosengje....

The primary topic of conversation at ShoWest has been the digital and 3D revolution. Jeffrey Katzenberg's commitment to converting as many theaters as possible to 3D prior to the release of Monsters vs. Aliens was highlighted in Jim Gianopulos's opening remarks. (Incidentally, can anyone think of Gianopulos without reminiscing about Mickey Rourke's ill-fated attempt to thank the Fox honcho during the Spirit Awards?) The K in Dreamworks SKG made a special appearance and participated in a panel on "How to Stay Ahead of the Curve as the Industry Confronts the Future."

There was a lot of self-congratulating: the success of Monsters vs. Aliens and the industry's proven strength despite the recession were both highlighted. The tone quickly shifted during the panel, as Katzenberg was increasingly pitted against the exhibitors. The undeniable rock star of the event was Cinemark's Lee Roy Mitchell. Mitchell was interrupted three times for applause, primarily over encouraging distributors to help bear the cost of the digital conversion. Mitchell emphasized the importance of giving breaks to small towns in order to encourage digital appreciation in under-served markets.

Most relevant to the Oscar race was the discussion over the importance of programming a 52-week year. As any good Oscar watcher knows, studios relentlessly push their product to late fall. Not only does this limit audience investment in the outcome of the myriad awards bodies, but it leaves cinephiles with limited reasons to frequent the theater during off-peak months. This topic was broached, but with a mainstream focus. Almost all of the exhibitors protested the summer blockbuster glut. Perhaps the success of Monsters last weekend can help shift this paradigm.

Tuesday morning featured a presentation from Alan Horn on Warner Brothers' summer schedule. McG made an appearance to introduce a 5-minute preview of Terminator: Salvation. An extended trailer for upcoming comedy The Hangover surprisingly got huge laughs. Alas, those presentations paled in comparison to a surprise appearance by Robert Downey, Jr. to introduce the first trailer for Sherlock Holmes. The footage looked slightly campier than anticipated, but RDJ and Jude Law had a clearly defined camaraderie and Rachel McAdams provided a great spark.

I can never decided whether to be enthused about this film or not. Any suspicions out there? Seems like a wildcard equation what with Guy Ritchie behind the camera x totally brilliant cast ÷ dusty franchise character = ??? What exactly?

The most exciting development on Tuesday was the Disney Digital 3D Presentation. The audience was treated to previews of Disney's 3D projects through 2011. This included early artwork for Alice in Wonderland, in which Anne Hathaway looks divine, Tron 2 and G-Force. Disney made a number of exciting announcements. Alongside the release of Cars 2, Pixar will provide "Cars Toons." Cars is my least favorite offering in their oeuvre, but "Tokyo Mater" was endearing. The same model they'll be using for the 3D rereleases of the Toy Story movies will be applied to a 3D release of Beauty and the Beast in February 2010. This is the decision I found most problematic. We were treated to Beauty's opening song in 3D and while it is a novel experience, it seemed redundant.

Er... I'm trying to imagine this with more shadows or something.

The real, treat, however, was ushered in by the arrival of Up director Pete Doctor (Monsters Inc). Pete introduced 47 (!) minutes of footage from the film. The movie looks to continue Pixar's unbeatable cinematic magic streak. The movie played slightly less cerebral and more mainstream than WALL-E, but still featured heavy elements like the death of the main character's wife early on in the proceedings. Pixar's approach to 3D varies quite a bit from the other products that have been previewed thus far. Instead of seeking "wow" moments, the technique is deployed to heighten the spectator's emotional connection to the screen. This includes strategic flattening of images or expansion to grant a scene a more dynamic quality. We were also shown an action sequence at the end of the film that was just as thrilling as those featured in Paramount's G.I. Joe trailer.

A little more a little bit later from Rosengje. I wish I could've taken in the Vegas sun (so gray here) with Rosengje and me pal Katey among other film folks... but I'll get a little film-related travelling of my own this month. I'm jurying the Nashville Film Festival in a couple of weeks and will report about that right here. Nicole Kidman has been known to show up at screenings there so wish me luck at spotting the goddess or any star wattage equivalent... not that there's a Kidman equivalent. There's only one!
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A Long Fade To A Fade To Black

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JA from MNPP here. The night before last I watched the 2006 French thriller Tell No One (Ne le dis à personne). I'm sure many of you have seen it. It's a nice, solid, little piece of work - smart and character-based in a way not enough American thrillers are and just twisty enough (plus it's got Kristin Scott Thomas flexing her Gallic-skills, which is always a treat). I had a couple of issues with the film (I'm never gonna hate on getting to listen to the entire length of a Jeff Buckley song, but the music-video-like montages were a little distracting), but mostly I was entirely involved in its drama - I found myself shouting at the screen! - and enjoyed it thoroughly.

And then it ended. Or rather, it should've ended. I saw the cut to black coming, I felt it in my very bones. Right... now. Black.... now? Fin. The End? No? You gonna keep going movie? Okay... another thirty seconds of overly sentimental hooey. Blurgh. Thanks for that, movie! Thanks. Send me out on an annoyed note.

It's just... it was so there. In my mind. That cut to black. I wanted numerous heads of lettuce and cauliflower to toss at the screen. Bales of hay. I wanted to rewind time, step into the editing suite, and smack them about the face and hands until they got it.

The movie that always gets called out for its over-extended ending is Return of the King, but that one didn't so much bother me (but then, I am a geek). I last remember this feeling hitting during Australia (and there was like forty more minutes of film to go on that one). But this did get me thinking of that very specific gut-feeling I get when I sense a perfect ending and the subsequent sense of violation when it is crossed, and was curious when the last time y'all felt that twinge... and if you take it as personally as I appear to...
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Dance, Fools, Dance

(I'm feeling the need for rapid vigorous musical movement today). What's your favorite dance number from a movie?

A Call From the Vatican

I wish my distractions were as delicious as Guido's in the musical Nine... beautiful actresses on every side, serenading me.

Jane Krakowski's TONY winning show-stopper "A Call From the Vatican"
Penélope Cruz will be interpreting this for the movie version

Oh wait! Those are my distractions. The nuts and bolts of tabulating all the submissions for this Actress Psychic Contest are keeping me quite busy. I know my own Oscar predictions for 2009 are due but the delays can't be helped. Other duties call as well. None of them are as welcome as Jane Krakowski (sigh). Posting will be light tomorrow. Collective Prediction and details will be up Thursday night / Friday morning. I'll aim for a big weekend. Thanks for your patience.

Coochie coochie coochie coo...
I've got a plan for what I'm gonna do to you

Time is Up. Actress Psychic

Update: Best Actress Psychic Contest closed for entries. Thanks to the 260 readers who entered. Do they have mad psychic skillz like Professor Charles Xavier? Do they have 'The Gift' that Cate Blanchett once had? On a clear day, can they see (Oscar) forever? 260 entries were received with 78 performances receiving at least one vote of confidence. The Ballots.
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"Corn Nuttttts!"

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of the classic high school satire Heathers.

Dear Diary, My teen angst bullshit has a body count.

It's quite a formative movie and the primary reason that people of my generation will always consider Winona Ryder's fall from the A-List a lost opportunity for filmmakers and audiences alike. Yet I didn't write about it to celebrate. No, I don't know what my damage is. In the absence of my own commentary read this fine anniversary post at Film.com. My New Plaid Pants is also celebrating in typically sick fashion.

Heathers will be on my personal canon list (the one that will be completed sometime late this century at the rate its developing) but until I get around to it, enjoy the brief group appearance of the Heathers in The Film Experience's classic "She's a B**** at the Movies" video... [NSFW]

She's A B**** At The Movies
Uploaded by nathanielr

Glenn Close Must Have Great Vision

Will she star in a Bugs Bunny biopic next?

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

lol. Tonight is the season finale of Damages. If they ever want to work a little more humor into the show Close is up for it.

Hump Day Hotties, Nathaniel's Favs!

Onesies beats twosies but nothing beats three.


Pure joy (tripled). I'm especially pleased that between them they have three Oscars!
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For the record... If we'd been doing this in the 1980s, Melanie Griffith would have occupied the same treasured room in the Film Experience mansion currently occupied by Hilary Swank in the Aughts (she won't move out!). I completely understand what Antonio Banderas has always seen in her, don't you?! The cinema was a better place when he dumped that hack Pedro Almodóvar for Melanie's possessive embraces and the opportunity to make Hollywood classics like Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, Never Talk to Strangers, Original Sin, My Mom's New Boyfriend, Play it to the Bone, Two Much (was ever a film more aptly titled?) and The 13th Warrior.

April Fools!