So the erstwhile Michael Moore made his latest film, his first since 2009's Capitalism: A Love Story, basically in secret over the last few years, and suddenly announced he was premiering it at TIFF just weeks ago. It actually debuted last night, and while it got a warm reception and was said to be funny and provocative as always, it was also said that Moore seems to have lost the fiery passion and outrage that fueled the biggest docs of the filmmaker's career (coincidentally, they all came out during the Bush administration). Moore seems to be in a better mood these days, but this new movie still argues for America to adopt many policies of other western countries that do a lot of things better.
Monsters Attack in 'The Hallow' Trailer
Now for some more traditional horror, although I have no idea why this film is coming out November 6th instead of a week before, which would be in time for, you know, Halloween. The Hallow was a British-Irish co-production that played at Sundance to some very positive notices and it indeed looks pretty scary. Monsters in the woods are always an inherently creepy premise, but I like the Irish woodland creatures/fairies aspect to it. It's showing on VOD around the same time, so if you're in the mood for some true thrills, look out for this one.
Horror Comes For the Holidays in 'Krampus' Trailer
Okay, this looks...odd. It's from the director of 2007's Trick 'r Treat, which definitely had its fans, and I really like the cast here, from Adam Scott to Toni Collette and hey, is that Allison Tolman from Fargo? There might be something a little bit subversive about this. It's coming out Dec 4th, and for a weird comedy- horror movie, it doesn't look too bad. Of course, it depends on whether they pulled the tone off, but I'm getting a possible Shaun of the Dead vibe from it.
Chloe Grace Moretz Battles Aliens in 'The 5th Wave'
If it wasn't for the January 15th release date, I would say this doesn't look too bad- that is, for being based on a YA sci-fi novel. Low expectations for those. Aliens attack the earth in this one, leaving teen Chloe Moretz to fight them off as they inhabit the bodies of ordinary humans, so kind of an Invasion of the Body Snatchers thing. Again, I would say it doesn't look totally awful, but never trust a movie coming out in January.
Telluride 2015 Round-Up: 'Steve Jobs' Rises in the Oscar Race; Acting Contenders Emerge for 'Black Mass' and 'Suffragette'
The Telluride Festival has become the go-to destination for the Oscar race. Six of the past seven Best Picture winners screened at Telluride first before going on to Oscar glory, and the past five in a row. A pattern can always be broken, but if recent history is any indicator, the Best Picture of 2015 has already been seen by festival goers (of which there are many Academy members at this particular fest). So which one got the best reception?
First off we have Room, a harrowing independent film from Lenny Abrahamson, the director of Frank, starring Brie Larsen of Short Term 12, and the early word is that the performances in this film are everything. Larsen is incredible once again, and should be in the conversation for Best Actress (just like she should have been for Short Term 12 two years ago). It's a tough, dramatic performance about a kidnap victim and her young son, with Jacob Tremblay also receiving excellent reviews here, but we have to see if the tiny studio A24 can pull off a successful Oscar campaign, which it hasn't been able to yet. We'll see, but I'm a big Brie Larsen fan, so I'm definitely keeping an eye out for this one.
"'Room' has unforgettable, must-witness performances and its soulful mother and son narrative is one of the most touching dynamics you'll see in theaters this year." (The Playlist)
"Lenny Abrahamson guides Jacob Tremblay to the finest performance by a young actor since Quvenzhané Wallis in 'Beasts of the Southern Wild.'" (Hitfix)
Next we have Suffragette, which I mentioned a couple of days ago premiered to respectable reviews, but now that a few more are in, it appears that the reaction from critics and apparently festival goers was fairly muted. I'm guessing people didn't really want to dump on a movie made entirely by women and about such an important topic, but it doesn't look like the film overall will be too enthusiastically received. Its best shot is still Carey Mulligan in Best Actress, but we'll have to see how kind critics will be to this when it officially comes out.
"A picture whose politics prove rather more commendable than its artistry." (Variety)
"It's a tremendous, awards-worthy performance from Carey Mulligan." (Time Out)
"Screenwriter Abi Morgan isn't able to make the fictional Maud more interesting than her historical counterparts." (Hitfix)
Now we come to the big hit of the festival, Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, which debuted to outstanding reviews and high enthusiasm, especially for Michael Fassbender's performance in the title role, but also for Aaron Sorkin's dazzling script. Described as a bold, operatic and unconventionally filmed and structured biopic about the American icon, it drew some comparisons to last year's Birdman (I guess in terms of its cinematography), and I think we're looking at a major, across-the-board contender from the sound of it. Picture, Actor, Director, Supporting Actress, Screenplay, the works. There are some divisive responses over how accessible it is, but that certainly didn't stop Birdman last year, did it? I'm predicting big things for this movie going forward. It comes out October 9th.
"Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who's written about America's Great Flawed Men with such fire and hyperarticulate pathos that he's threatened to become one himself, outdoes his work on 'The Social Network' with an even sharper and more savage script." (Time Out)
"An enthralling performance by Michael Fassbender fuels this brilliant, infuriating and richly unconventional take on the life of an American visionary." (Variety)
"Racing in high gear from start to finish, Danny Boyle’s electric direction temperamentally complements Sorkin’s highly theatrical three-act study." (Hollywood Reporter)
Finally, there's Johnny Depp's rumored comeback role (although he hasn't really gone anywhere, he's just made some bad movies lately) as the mob boss Whitey Bulger in Black Mass, which is hard to tell from the reaction whether it's a decent movie at all, or a good one but just not much of an awards play. Depp will for sure be in contention for Best Actor, and Joel Edgerton is receiving standout notices as well, but this seems to be a film that some really like a lot but others dismiss as slightly above average. We'll have to see where it lands with more critics and a mass audience (this one looks to be more commercial) which will be soon since it's coming out September 18th.
"Scott Cooper’s 'Black Mass' is a big, brash, horribly watchable gangster picture taken from an extraordinary true story and conceived on familiar generic lines." (The Guardian)
"This is Depp’s show all the way, featuring his best dramatic performance since another organized-crime movie, 1997’s “Donnie Brasco.” (The Wrap)
"As a movie, 'Black Mass' often drowns its dramatic potential in a dreary atmosphere and grisly violence used to dubious effect. Depp, however, operates on another level." (Indiewire)
If you ask me, I'd say the major contenders to emerge out of Telluride and Venice this year were Steve Jobs and Spotlight (the latter, left, played very well at Telluride, even better than it did at Venice, which is a very good sign). Keep an eye out for those as we plow forward, with Toronto set to start to tomorrow. TIFF's stock has dipped in recent years as far as Oscar potential goes, but they still have some significant movies to premiere (Our Brand is Crisis, The Martian), so stay tuned.
Brie Larsen Rescues Herself and Her Child in Trailer for 'Room'
As I mention in my Telluride roundup today, I really think Brie Larsen is insanely talented, so I can't wait to see this movie, but I have to admit it does look potentially wrenching to sit through. Apparently it's a tearjerker, but how could it not be considering the subject matter? This is pretty dark stuff, as was the novel it's based on. But I'm checking it out as soon as I can anyway.
Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara Find Love in Full Trailer for 'Carol'
Finally, the official trailer for Carol is here, and it looks absolutely exquisite. I'm excited about this one because I really love Todd Haynes, who directed Far From Heaven and I'm Not There, so I'll pretty much see anything he does. The movie is expected to feature heavily in the Oscar season for the acting by Blanchett and Mara at least, although the film overall was received fairly mildly by crowds when it relaunched at Telluride. It could be that this is a movie that appeals more to critics than audiences, but so were Haynes's other films too, I guess. I'm looking forward to it.
Jake Gyllenhaal Pieces His Life Back Together in 'Demolition'
So, oddly, this movie was supposed to come out this year and was suddenly moved to 2016, usually indicating the studio doesn't think its strong enough for a fall release, yet I don't see anything particularly worrisome in this trailer. Actually it looks kind of interesting, and director Jean-Marc Vallee has been on a roll lately, what with Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, and if anything this one looks a little less conventional than those two. I also wonder why they seem to be all but hiding Naomi Watts in this, although she apparently has the leading female role, and not the Gyllenhaal character's late wife, as the trailer seem to imply. Strange.
Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015)
This week I'm recommending the best action movie of the year and probably one of the best movies you'll see all year, so if you missed it this summer, now's your chance. Tom Hardy takes the reigns from Mel Gibson as the lone warrior Max, who this time teams up with a group of female escapees, led by a badass Charlize Theron, as they make their way through the apocalyptic hellscape and away from their crazed captors. This movie is bound to develop a cult following if it hasn't already (and it might have if the recent Mad Max-themed Uber rides here in Seattle are any indication). It's a thrilling jolt to the system, and I think it's safe to say that director George Miller has definitely still got what made 1981's The Road Warrior such an enduring classic.
Trailer:
Sandra Bullock Fixes Elections in 'Our Brand is Crisis'
I don't know if this is going to be pushed as an awards movie or not, but it looks pretty entertaining anyway. Sandra Bullock is a top campaign strategist battling Billy Bob Thornton as they duke out an election in Latin America- apparently this part was written for a man, but Bullock stepped in to take the role, and it looks absolutely perfect as a star vehicle for her, don't you think? This is premiering at Toronto next week, so we'll hear soon enough if it's any good, and it's coming out October 30th.
Movie of the Day: "Working Girl" (1988)
For Labor Day we're doing a one off Movie of the Day entry, and I'm choosing a great comedy that celebrates a woman's rise in the workplace, perfect for the occasion, don't you think? Melanie Griffith is a secretary for a big Wall Street investment bank who pitches a great idea to her boss (Sigourney Weaver), who then steals it as her own, which ignites a war as Griffith tries to take back the credit that's hers. This movie is perfectly structured as a workplace fairy tale and kind of romantic comedy actually, with Harrison Ford playing way against type as the love interest role usually reserved for the woman in these movies. It's a movie that flips the gender roles perfectly while never making an overt or in your face statement about women's rights- this is just one woman's rise to the top to claim what's hers . It's a feel good movie for the holiday, although it's admittedly SO 80's (I wish there would be a movie like this today, but I doubt the picture for ideal success would be to rise up the ranks of Wall Street, right? Morally speaking, anyway?)
Original Trailer:
Venice Round-Up 2015: Oscar Season Begins
It's time to get going on Oscar season 2015 people, and that's where the fall film festivals come in. Venice began last Wednesday and is still going on, while Telluride wrapped today after its annual three-day festivities. So it's high time to start gathering the information on the various significant movies that saw their premieres in the last week and hope to discern what that might mean for their Oscar hopes this coming season. To be honest, it's not all that hard to do, because the reaction of the festival crowd is often in line with the Academy's tastes (especially the Telluride one) and what the early critics reviews are saying can also tell you what may or may not be worth looking at- whether it's an awards movie or just a commercial play. So here is what came out of Venice this year (I'll be back to round up Telluride on Thursday).
First up we have Everest, the Balthasar Kormakur directed action-adventure epic based on the true life tragedy that occurred on the mountain in 1996. This got a pretty good response, although you can tell that it's more of a commercial play than an awards hopeful- but the reaction to the special effects and the visceral you-are-there feel of the direction has me looking forward to this much more than the usual CG-infested videogame stuff that afflicts all action movies now. You can probably expect some tech nods for this, like cinematography, special effects, sound for sure, and maybe a couple more depending on if it's a hit when it comes out at the end of the month.
"The screenwriters have avoided the usual disaster-movie ploy of inserting baddies...as fine as the cast is, the stand-out star is right there in the title." (The Daily Mail)
"Everest offers a gripping and refreshingly unsentimental reenactment of its grim true-life tale." (Forbes)
"A nausea-inspiring 3D adventure." (Indiewire)
Then there was the premiere of Netflix's Beasts of No Nation, which is garnering stellar reviews, but almost immediately seems like something that will not have much Oscar play due to the violence of the subject matter and the explicit nature of the brutality. You can maybe expect some attention for Idris Elba, if he has a big enough campaign and if enough people actually watch the film, which is going to be available on Netflix in November. Kind of a tough call on this one.
"The unsentimental education of an African child soldier is captured with savage beauty and matter-of-fact horror in 'Beasts of No Nation,' a tough-minded, tough-viewing chronicle of a civil war as seen through the eyes of one of its youngest casualties." (Variety)
"'Beasts of No Nation' is gripping and persuasive, but isn't for the faint hearted." (Scotsman)
Now Spotlight looks to be something different, an old-school, conventional procedural that nonetheless pack an effective punch in the storytelling about the reporters who exposed the child molestation scandal being covered up by the Catholic Church for decades. I really can't wait to see this, as the comparisons to All the President's Men and Zodiac make the movie sound right up my alley. Michael Keaton might land his second Oscar nod in a row (this time for supporting), and frankly, the kind of movie it is makes it sound like something that could very well appeal to the Academy's tastes, so look out for this one. The reviews are excellent and if Open Road hits the campaign hard, they could have their first Best Picture nominee here, and certainly gain some attention in other categories as well, like Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor.
"A superbly controlled and engrossingly detailed account of the Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into the widespread pedophilia scandals and subsequent cover-ups within the Catholic Church." (Variety)
"It's that all-too-rare beast: a movie that's both important and engrossing." (Time Out)
The Danish Girl had a mixed-positive response so far, but nonetheless garnered raves for the acting of Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, and frankly it's the kind of movie that lands Oscar attention even if reviews aren't totally stellar (and they aren't bad either, it just sounds like a conventional period drama, and the Academy eats that shit up, as we all know). I'd place this one down for the leads for sure, and if this gets a better response from the crowd in Toronto, which it very well may (Venice can be much more highbrow in the tastes of its attendees), this could still be in the running for major nominations across the board, like Picture, Screenplay, Costumes, Production Design, maybe Director, etc. It's certainly in play right now, because of the kind of film it is (and some responses were very enthusiastic, so we have to see where it lands after further screenings).
"If the movie remains safe, there's no questioning its integrity, or the balance of porcelain vulnerability and strength that Eddie Redmayne brings to the lead role." (Hollywood Reporter)
"The Danish Girl ends by sandblasting away every last trace of ambiguity. [Redmayne's character] deserves to have been portrayed as an actual person rather than a shiny monument to a cause." (BBC.com)
"Destined to be the year's most talked-about arthouse phenomenon." (Variety)
