Ciné Matters

Review: Garden State

2005-01-30T06:31:00.000-05:00

"Garden State," the first effort by writer / director Zach Braff, is a touching sophisticated film. Braff plays Andrew Largeman, an actor who having once experienced success is now struggling in his career. A former New Jersey native, Largeman must return to the state of his youth due to his mother's death. The film recounts Largeman's experiences during his weekend visit.

Braff's performance is solid and intriguing as he gradually emerges from the prescription drug imposed stupor that has kept him from experiencing life. The movie, however, is stolen by an enchanting performance by Natalie Portman as Braff's new friend who helps him rediscover himself.

The picture itself is an exploration in character rather than plot - very reminiscent of a classic Broadway drama. The structure, however, works for this small picture. The atmosphere of suburban New Jersey life is captured well. The writing is appropriately quirky. Solid on the whole, monologues in one or two instances run on a bit too long - to the point where the entire purpose of the soliloquy is diminished.

The best known aspect of this film, however, has not been any part viewed on screen. It is the soundtrack. The CD is a superlative collection of music culled from the film. As an actual part of the movie, though, its performance is mixed. In a few instances, the songs mix seamlessly into the film, in others the music becomes noticeable but serves as a thematic enhancement. On other occasions, however, the songs distract from what is happening on the screen.

8 of 10 reels.

And the Oscar Nominees are...

2005-01-25T17:42:00.000-05:00

The 77th annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning. The nominees are:

Picture:
"The Aviator,"
"Finding Neverland,"
"Million Dollar Baby,"
"Ray,"
"Sideways."

Director:
Martin Scorsese, "The Aviator";
Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby";
Taylor Hackford, "Ray";
Alexander Payne, "Sideways";
Mike Leigh, "Vera Drake."

Actor:
Don Cheadle, "Hotel Rwanda";
Johnny Depp, "Finding Neverland";
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Aviator";
Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby";
Jamie Foxx, "Ray."

Actress:
Annette Bening, "Being Julia";
Catalina Sandino Moreno, "Maria Full of Grace";
Imelda Staunton, "Vera Drake";
Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby";
Kate Winslet, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Supporting Actor:
Alan Alda, "The Aviator";
Thomas Haden Church, "Sideways";
Jamie Foxx, "Collateral";
Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby";
Clive Owen, "Closer."

Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, "The Aviator";
Laura Linney, "Kinsey";
Virginia Madsen, "Sideways";
Sophie Okonedo, "Hotel Rwanda";
Natalie Portman, "Closer."

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Kim Krizan, "Before Sunset";
David Magee, "Finding Neverland";
Paul Haggis, "Million Dollar Baby";
Jose Rivera, "The Motorcycle Diaries";
Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, "Sideways."

Writing (Original Screenplay): John Logan, "The Aviator";
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind";
Brad Bird, "The Incredibles";
Mike Leigh, "Vera Drake";
Keir Pearson and Terry George, "Hotel Rwanda."

Foreign Film:
"As It Is In Heaven" (Sweden),
"The Chorus (Les Choristes)" (France),
"Downfall" (Germany),
"The Sea Inside" (Spain),
"Yesterday" (South Africa).

Animated Feature Film:
"The Incredibles,"
"Shark Tale,"
"Shrek 2."

Animated Short Film:
"Birthday Boy,"
"Gopher Broke,"
"Guard Dog,"
"Lorenzo,"
"Ryan."

Live Action Short Film:
"Everything in This Country Must,"
"Little Terrorist,"
"7:35 in the Morning (7:35 de la Manana),"
"Two Cars, One Night,"
"Wasp."

Documentary:
"Born Into Brothels,"
"The Story of the Weeping Camel,"
"Super Size Me,"
"Tupac: Resurrection,"
"Twist of Faith."

Documentary Short Subject:
"Autism Is a World,"
"The Children of Leningradsky,"
"Hardwood,"
"Mighty Times: The Children's March,"
"Sister Rose's Passion."

Art Direction:
"The Aviator,"
"Finding Neverland,"
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events,"
"The Phantom of the Opera,"
"A Very Long Engagement."

Cinematography:
"The Aviator,"
"House of Flying Daggers,"
"The Passion of the Christ,"
"The Phantom of the Opera,"
"A Very Long Engagement."

Film Editing:
"The Aviator,"
"Collateral,"
"Finding Neverland,"
"Million Dollar Baby,"
"Ray."

Costume Design:
"The Aviator,"
"Finding Neverland,"
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events,"
"Ray,"
"Troy."

Makeup:
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events,"
"The Passion of the Christ,"
"The Sea Inside."

Original Score:
"Finding Neverland,"
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,"
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events,"
"The Passion of the Christ,"
"The Village."

Original Song:
"Accidentally In Love" from "Shrek 2,"
"Al Otro Lado Del Rio" from "The Motorcycle Diaries,"
"Believe" from "The Polar Express,"
"Learn To Be Lonely" from "The Phantom of the Opera,"
"Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)" from "The Chorus (Les Choristes)."

Sound Editing:
"The Incredibles,"
"The Polar Express,"
"Spider-Man 2."

Sound Mixing:
"The Aviator,"
"The Incredibles,"
"The Polar Express,"
"Ray,"
"Spider-Man 2."

Visual Effects:
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,"
"I, Robot,"
"Spider-Man 2."

2005 Razzie Nominations

2005-01-25T07:57:00.000-05:00

As a tasty prelude to the Academy Award nominations, it is worth taking a moment to recognize the WORST that Hollywood has to offer. Listed below are the 2005 nominations for the Razzies:

WORST PICTURE

ALEXANDER (Warner Bros.)
CATWOMAN (Warner Bros.)
SUPERBABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2 (Triumph Films)
SURVIVING CHRISTMAS (DreamWorks)
WHITE CHICKS (Columbia/Revolution)

WORST ACTOR

Ben Affleck / JERSEY GIRL and SURVIVING CHRISTMAS
George W. Bush / FAHRENHEIT 9/11
Vin Diesel / CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK
Colin Farrell / ALEXANDER
Ben Stiller / ALONG CAME POLLY, ANCHORMAN, DODGEBALL,
ENVY and STARSKY & HUTCH

WORST ACTRESS

Halle Berry / CATWOMAN
Hilary Duff / CINDERELLA STORY and RAISE YOUR VOICE
Angelina Jolie / ALEXANDER and TAKING LIVES
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen / NEW YORK MINUTE
Shawn & Marlon (The Wayans Sisters) / WHITE CHICKS

WORST SCREEN COUPLE

Ben Affleck & EITHER Jennifer Lopez OR Liv Tyler / JERSEY GIRL
Halle Berry & EITHER Benjamin Bratt OR Sharon Stone / CATWOMAN
George W. Bush & EITHER Condoleeza Rice OR His Pet Goat / FAHRENHEIT 9/11
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen / NEW YORK MINUTE
The Wayans Brothers (In or Out of Drag) WHITE CHICKS

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Carmen Electra / STARKSY & HUTCH
Jennifer Lopez / JERSEY GIRL
Condoleeza Rice / FAHRENHEIT 9/11
Britney Spears / FAHRENHEIT 9/11
Sharon Stone / CATWOMAN

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Val Kilmer / ALEXANDER
Ah-Nuld Schwarzenegger / AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAZE
Donald Rumsfeld / FAHRENHEIT 9/11
Jon Voight / SUPERBABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2
Lambert Wilson / CATWOMAN

WORST DIRECTOR

Bob Clark / SUPERBABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2
Renny Harlin and/or Paul Schrader / EXORCIST 4: THE BEGINNING
“Pitof” / CATWOMAN
Oliver Stone / ALEXANDER
Keenan Ivory Wayans / WHITE CHICKS

WORST REMAKE OR SEQUEL

ALIEN v PREDATOR (20th Century-Fox)
ANACONDAS: HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID (Screen Gems)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAZE (Disney)
EXORCIST 4: THE BEGINNING (Warner Bros.)
SCOOBY DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED (Warner Bros.)

WORST SCREENPLAY

ALEXANDER, Written by Oliver Stone, Christopher Kyle and Laeta Kalogridis
CATWOMAN, Written by Theresa Rebeck and John Brancato & Michael Ferris and John Rogers
SUPERBABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2, Written by Steven Paul and Gregory Poppen
SURVIVING CHRISTMAS, Written by Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont and Jeffrey Ventimilia & Joshua Sternin
WHITE CHICKS, Written by Keenan & Shawn & Marlon Wayans and Andy McElfresh, Michael Anthony Snowden and Xavier Cook

Evil Resides at Top of the Charts

2005-01-19T06:30:00.000-05:00

The DVD release of Resident Evil - Apocalypse took the top spot on the DVD sales charts this week. The critically savaged film was nonetheless extremely popular with fans as it surpassed sales of three comedies in the 2 - 4 positions.

The top 10 in DVD sales:

1 Resident Evil-Apocalypse (2 Disc Special Edition)
2 Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
3 Napoleon Dynamite
4 Garden State
5 Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Pan & Scan Edition)
6 Sex & The City: The Complete Sixth Season: Part 2
7 The Lord Of The Rings: Retrun Of The King (Special Extended Editon)
8 Open Water (Widescreen)
9 King Arthur (Widescreen Director's Cut)
10 I, Robot (Widescreen)

BAFTA Award Nominations

2005-01-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

Nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards (commonly known as the BAFTAs) were announced. "The Aviator" earned the most nominations with 14. "Finding Neverland" and "Vera Drake" were also positioned well - garnering 11 nominations each. In contrast, the American critical darlings "Sideways" and Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" were virtually ignored. "Sideways" took only a single nomination (for Best Screenplay) and "Million Dollar Baby" was completely shut out. The awards will be presented on February 12th.

The complete nominations are as follows:

Film:
• The Aviator
• Eterntal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Finding Neverland
• The Motorcycle Diaries
• Vera Drake

Actor in a Leading Role:
• Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries
• Jamie Foxx, Ray
• Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
• Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator

Actress in a Leading Role:
• Charlize Theron, Monster
• Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
• Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Kate Winslet, Finding Neverland
• Zhang Ziyi, House of Flying Daggers

Actor in a Supporting Role:
• Alan Alda, The Aviator
• Clive Owen, Closer
• Jamie Foxx, Collateral
• Phil Davis, Vera Drake
• Rodrigo De la Serna, The Motorcycle Diaries

Actress in a Supporting Role:
• Cate Blanchett (news), The Aviator
• Heather Craney, Vera Drake
• Julie Christie (news), Finding Neverland
• Meryl Streep, The Manchurian Candidate
• Natalie Portman, Closer

Director:
• Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
• Michael Mann, Collateral
• Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Marc Forster, Finding Neverland
• Mike Leigh, Vera Drake

Original Screenplay:
• The Chorus
• Closer
• Finding Neverland
• The Motorcycle Diaries
• Sideways

Foreign-Language Film:
• The Chorus
• The Motorcycle Diaries
• A Very Long Engagement
• Bad Education
• House of Flying Daggers

Outstanding British Film of the Year:
• Dead Man's Shoes
• Harry Potter (news - web sites) and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• My Summer of Love
• Shaun of the Dead
• Vera Drake

Special Achievement by a British Director, Producer or Writer in First Feature Film:
• Amma Asante, Way of Life
• Andrea Gibb, Afterlife
• Matthew Vaughn, Layer Cake
• Nira Park, Shaun of the Dead
• Shona Auerbach, Dear Frankie

Film Music:
• The Aviator
• The Chorus
• The Motorcycle Diaries
• Finding Neverland
• Ray

Cinematography:
• The Aviator
• Collateral
• Finding Neverland
• House of Flying Daggers
• The Motorcycle Diaries

Editing:
• The Aviator
• Collateral
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• House of Flying Daggers
• Vera Drake

Production Design:
• The Aviator
• Finding Neverland
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• House of Flying Daggers
• Vera Drake

Costume Design:
• The Aviator
• Finding Neverland
• House of Flying Daggers
• The Merchant of Venice
• Vera Drake

Sound:
• The Aviator
• Collateral
• House of Flying Daggers
• Ray
• Spider-Man 2

Special Visual Effects:
• The Aviator
• The Day After Tomorrow
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• House of Flying Daggers
• Spider-Man 2

Makeup & Hair:
• The Aviator
• Finding Neverland
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• House of Flying Daggers
• Vera Drake

Short Animation:
• "Birthday Boy"
• "City Paradise"
• "Heavy Pockets"
• "His Passionate Bride"
• "Little Things"

Short Film:
• The Banker
• Can't Stop Breathing
• Elephant Boy
• Knitting a Love Song
• Six Shooter

Coach Carter Earns Victory at Box Office

2005-01-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

"Coach Carter," the film based upon a true story, starring Samuel L. Jackson was the clear winner at the box office this weekend, earning $23.6 million. "Meet The Fockers," dropping only one spot on the charts, continued its strong performance with $19 million. The big disappointment for the week was the Jennifer Garner vehicle, "Elektra." The Daredevil spinoff earned a paltry $12.5 million despite showing in over 3200 theaters. Elektra's only saving grace was that it cost a mere $30 million to produce, thus ensuring a limited downside for the studio.

Top 10 films at the box office:

1. Coach Carter, $23.6 million
2. Meet the Fockers, $19 million
3. Racing Stripes, $14 million
4. In Good Company, $13.9 million
5. Elektra, $12.5 million
6. White Noise, $12.2 million
7. The Aviator, $4.7 million
8. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, $3.9 million
9. The Phantom of the Opera, $3.5 million
10. Ocean's Twelve, $2.8 million

Golden Globe Award Winners

2005-01-17T06:50:00.000-05:00

The following is the list of winners in the film categories from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Golden Globe Awards:

Picture, Drama: "The Aviator."
Actor, Drama: Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Aviator."
Actress, Drama: Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby."
Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Sideways."
Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jamie Foxx, "Ray."
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Annette Bening, "Being Julia."
Supporting Actor: Clive Owen, "Closer."
Supporting Actress: Natalie Portman, "Closer."
Director: Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby."
Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, "Sideways."
Original Score: Howard Shore, "The Aviator."
Original Song: "Old Habits Die Hard" from "Alfie," by Mick Jagger and David A. Stewart.
Foreign Language: "The Sea Inside," Spain.

-----------------

Question for the day: Do you believe that the Golden Globes are a good barometer for the Oscars? Why or why not?

Review: DodgeBall

2005-01-16T18:14:00.000-05:00

"DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story" recounts the efforts by a sad sack group of misfits who try to save their beloved Joe's Gym from foreclosure by winning the big dodgeball tournament in Las Vegas against Globogym, the megafitness complex run by Ben Stiller. The movie is your typical slapstick, cookie-cutter "snobs v. slobs" comedy that producers have been trying to make well since the modern renaissance of the concept in "Animal House" and "Caddyshack." Dodgeball doesn't come close to reaching the level of hilarity in those two films, but it does have the occasional moment. For example, Gary Cole never fails to entertain in his supporting role as the hyperbolic, play by play announcer for ESPN 8, "The Ocho."

Though the film itself is average, at best, the commentary, especially for the deleted scenes, provides remarkable insight into the tension between the creative process (as represented by the film's first time, feature director) and the needs of the studio to produce a commercial product. The most interesting thing I discovered is that the "creative side" isn't always the ideal judge of what is best for a film and that the methods imposed by the studios, though flawed, aren't entirely without merit.

5 of 10 reels.

New Traffic Exchange

2005-01-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

For those who haven't yet heard the news, there is a new blog exchange on the block. It's called Blog Clicker and it looks like another good way to expand traffic to your web log. Check it out.

Winners: People's Choice Awards

2005-01-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, so the selections aren't "Citizen Kane." The People's Choice Awards still add a bit of kitschy fun to the all too serious awards season. The following is a list of this year's winners in film categories or having winners from the movie industry:

Motion picture: "Fahrenheit 9/11"
Drama motion picture: "The Passion of the Christ"
Comedy motion picture: "Shrek 2"
Animated motion picture: "Shrek 2"
Favorite sequel: "Shrek 2"
Animated movie star: Donkey in "Shrek 2" (voiced by Eddie Murphy)
Movie villain: The Fairy Godmother in "Shrek 2" (voiced by Jennifer Saunders)
Favorite on-screen chemistry: Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in "50 First Dates"
Female movie star: Julia Roberts
Male movie star: Johnny Depp
Female action movie star: Angelina Jolie
Male action movie star: Will Smith
Leading lady: Renee Zellweger
Leading man: Brad Pitt
Funny male star: Jim Carrey
Crest fans favorite smile: Julia Roberts
Pantene fans favorite hair: Jennifer Garner
Cover Girl fans favorite look: Kate Hudson

Fockers Tops Box Office Again

2005-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Meet the Fockers" once again topped the domestic box office in its third weekend of release, taking in $28.5 million ($204.3 million to date). The Michael Keaton film, "White Noise", earned $24 million in its opening weekend despite widespread negative reviews. The "Aviator", was a distant third with $7.6 million. Two films in Oscar contention, "Million Dollar Baby" and "Hotel Rwanda", performed well in limited release.

Estimated ticket sales for Jan. 7-9

1. “Meet the Fockers,” $28.5 million
2. “White Noise,” $24 million
3. “The Aviator,” $7.6 million
4. “Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events,” $7.4 million
5. “Fat Albert,” $6 million
6. “Ocean’s Twelve,” $5.4 million
7. “National Treasure,” $4.5 million
8. “Spanglish,” $4.4 million
9. “The Phantom of the Opera,” $3.4 million
10. “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” $2.7 million

Review: Before Sunset

2005-01-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

Before Sunset is the latest offering from director Richard Linklater. The film is a sequel to Before Sunrise, a film which recounted the brief Vienna encounter of Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke, and Celine, portrayed by Julie Delpy. This film takes place in Paris, 10 years after the first. Appropriately, the characters, played once again by Hawke and Delpy, have only a few hours to renew their acquaintance.

The movie takes place very nearly in real time as the characters learn about each other all over again. The direction and cinematography is light and informal. It never intrudes on the story. The real strength of this film, though, is the writing. Though some of the speeches might have benefitted from a bit of editing, the evolution of the characters' relationship over the course of the film is magical and remarkably natural. Once again Hawke and Delpy use words not only as a mechanism of communication but also as a means of obscuring their true feelings. Even the silent interludes appear full of meaning.

8 of 10 reels

Cinephiles of the World Unite!

2005-01-02T06:33:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you went to the movies and actually saw the film when it was supposed to start? Look, watching a preview of two before a movie starts is one thing. The situation has gotten so bad, though, it's now at least 20 minutes before the movie I go to see actually appears on screen. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of paying nearly $11 for a movie and then having to sit through commercial after commercial even before you get to the half dozen previews (which if we're being technical are also commercials). To add injury to insult, the price of a movie ticket over the last 5 years has gone up an average of 29% while consumer prices over the same period have grown only 13%.

If you're mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore, check out the web site of the Captive Motion Picture Audience Of America. They're trying to fight for your right to a pristine moviegoing experience.

Movie Endings

2004-12-30T07:16:00.000-05:00

Feeling left out of the conversation because you haven't seen the movie everyone else is talking about? Check out RuinedEndings.com. Though the site itself is a bit primitive and the alphabetical navigation is clumsy, it contains plot synopses and the endings to most films. The site is based on the "wiki" philosophy so you can contribute to the site as well.

Movie Trivia

2004-12-29T16:56:00.000-05:00

For those who love to test their knowledge of film trivia, check out the Huge Movie Quiz. It has a variety of tastes sure to challenge the cinephile.

Best & Worst of the Year?

2004-12-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

I am now accepting nominations for the best and worst films of the year. Readers will then have the opportunity to vote in both categories.

Meet The Fockers Tops X-mas Box Office

2004-12-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

"Meet The Fockers," the star studded sequel to Meet The Parents," topped the Christmas weekend box office in its first week of release, earning $44.7 million. "Fat Albert," the live action version of the animated television series from the 70s and 80s was a distant second in its opening week in the face of extremely negative reviews. The earnings for the Christmas weekend were down significantly from last year owning primarily to 2 factors - the absence of a strong blockbuster like last year's "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" and the fact that Christmas day fell on a Saturday this year.

Estimated ticket sales for Dec. 23-26

1. “Meet the Fockers,” $44.7 million
2. “Fat Albert,” 12.7 million
3. “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” $12.5 million
4. “The Aviator,” $9.4 million
5. “Ocean’s Twelve,” $8.6 million
6. “Darkness,” $6.4 million
7. “The Polar Express,” $6.3 million
8. “Spanglish,” $5 million
9. “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” $4.8 million
10. “Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Phantom of the Opera,” $4.2 million

Review: The Chronicles of Riddick

2004-12-27T06:12:00.000-05:00

Vin Diesel is back - reprising his role as Riddick the havoc causing fugitive with hypersensitive vision who always seems to be dragged literally and metaphorically into doing the "right thing."

This time around, Riddick is needed to fulfill a prophecy that suggests that he will be the one to stop the "Necromongers," a ravening horde of death cultists that invades planets, takes what they need and then extinguishes all life.

This overdone action flick has abysmal writing, simplistic acting, a ludicrous plot and over the top set design - all in the cause of producing a variation on the Conan The Barbarian films. That said, I'm not sure you should hold these kinds of movies to the same standards as other films, but even by the standard of the genre (indifferent acting, plot by explosion), The Chronicles of Riddick only intermittently manages to attain even these lesser criteria.

3 of 10 reels.

Review: King Arthur

2004-12-23T08:32:00.000-05:00

The latest version of the arthurian legend, courtesy of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, starts with an interesting premise. Instead of retelling the story as it has been passed down through the generations, the film creates a dramatization of the figures and milieus that might have given rise to the legend in the first place.

Clive Owen plays Artorius, half Roman captain of a calvary detachment serving on Hadrian's Wall in the waning days of the Roman Empire. His troop of knights consists of impressed horsemen seeking to finish their 15 year tours of duty and return safely to their homes in a distant part of the empire. The film recounts their exploits in the face of an invading Saxon horde.

The film has many flaws, not least the characteristic Bruckheimer bombast. One can almost hear the producer shouting after seeing the rushes, "No, no, no. I want more explosions! More fire!" The climactic battle sequence is muddled and devoid of impact.

The writing often sabotages itself. The baggage that comes with the legend of King Arthur often clashes with the needs of the plot. The film might have been better served if it retained the same time and place but discarded all reference to the Arthurian milieu. Motivations for Arthur are casually raised and then just as easily discarded. A subplot between the Saxon chieftan and his son merely serves to weaken the imposing nature of Arthur's adversary. The supporting roles of the knights of the round table rarely rise above one note caricatures. Lastly, the love story between Arthur and Guinevere starts promisingly, but is left undeveloped.

For all of its problems, the first two thirds of the film are very well done. The central themes of the picture - duty, loyalty, comraderie and sacrifice for the common good - are eloquently portrayed. As long as the film stayed within itself, limiting the action to small engagements that build tension and notions of sacrifice, it succeeds admirably.

7 of 10 reels.

Top Grossing Films Of 2004

2004-12-21T05:55:00.000-05:00

The following is the list of top grossing films of 2004 (box office estimates are calculated through December 19th):

Film
1. Shrek 2, $441 million
2. Spider-Man 2, $374 million
3. The Passion Of The Christ, $370 million
4. Harry Potter / Prisoner of Azkaban, $250 million
5. The Incredibles, $237 million
6. The Day After Tomorrow, $187 million
7. The Bourne Supremacy, $176 million
8. Shark Tale, $159 million
9. I, Robot, $145 million
10. Troy, $133 million
10. National Treasure, $133 million

The Incredibles, Shark Tale, I, Robot, and National Treasure are still in theaters.

Review: Around The World In 80 Days

2004-12-18T14:20:00.000-05:00

Disney's remake of the Jules Verne classic novel, "Around The World In 80 Days," possesses a very different sensibility from an earlier effort starring David Niven. The original film was a travelogue spectacle designed to spotlight the grandeur of cinema over the upstart challenge of television.

The new film, now available on DVD, has been redesigned as a vehicle for the acrobatic Jackie Chan. Much of the focus has been taken from Verne's main character of Phileas Fogg and placed squarely on the shoulders of Chan's role of Passpartout. This makes for a very different sort of film that is targeted at a significantly younger audience than the first film.

The various isolated vignettes that make up the structure of this film often fall flat or have the aura of "been there, done that" - particularly with regard to Chans fight scenes. Only occasionally do these scenes, such as the all too brief but nonetheless entertaining encounter by the characters with the Wright Brothers (a cameo appearance by Luke and Owen Wilson as the famous men), create a true sense of fun for the audience.

On the whole the film is a workmanlike but unexceptional piece of filmmaking.

4 of 10 reels.

DVD Player Buying Guide - Part 2

2004-12-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Are Bargain Players A Bargain?

The prices can be stunningly low ... "no-name" players costing $40, $30, even $25. The question is, are you getting any value for players in this price range. Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is often a qualified "yes." Since the information on a DVD is digital, it is extremely robust. The quality of the outgoing image from a rock bottom player may not be up to the best images from quality players, but it is comparable to players costing up to roughly $50 more. In addition, while some brands may suffer from mechanical issues, once again, the loss of mechanical quality, like image quality, is probably closer than expected to players costing under $100. Let's face it, you're not buying such a DVD player because you admire the design, fit and finish. Finally, many of the latest cut rate players can read a wide variety of disc formats - such as recordable audio, recordable DVD and MP3 encoding.

Bargain DVD players do cut corners in one significant area which can end up actually making the cost higher than a player up to twice as expensive. Most bargain players save money by limiting the available number and type of output connections. The standard configuration is a single, standard video output. This lack of flexibility can prove extremely costly in some situations. In essence, the bargain DVD manufacturers are counting on the TV manufacturers to include features that compensate for their lack. If you own a new, fairly expensive television, there is usually no difficulty. Such TVs come with a large number of video inputs in addition to the standard coaxial and analog antenna inputs. It's simply a matter of plug and play.

If, however, you're using an older or cheaper set that is lacking a sufficient number (because you're using the video input for another device) or any video input jacks, you're going to make a trip to your local electronics store for a device called an RF modulator, an A/B switch and the associated cables. Costing anywhere from $20 to $40 dollars, this device, has now taken your "bargain" and made it more expensive than your low end name brand player. Never mind that you've now got an even larger rabbit's nest of cables sprouting from your television, as well.

In the final analysis, if you plan on using your cut rate player for occasional enjoyment or as a second player and you intend to use the machine on a TV with at least one available set of video inputs - go ahead. You've got yourself a bargain. If, on the other hand, the low end DVD player is going to be used on an old set or is intended for heavy use, you're more likely to get yourself a big headache rather than a big bargain.

Golden Globe Nominations

2004-12-14T22:45:00.000-05:00

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's nominations for this year's Golden Globe awards have been released.

They are:

FILM

Picture, Drama:
The Aviator; Closer; Finding Neverland; Hotel Rwanda; Kinsey; Million Dollar Baby.

Actress, Drama:
Scarlett Johansson, A Love Song for Bobby Long; Nicole Kidman, Birth; Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake; Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby; Uma Thurman, Kill Bill: Vol. 2.

Actor, Drama:
Javier Bardem, The Sea Inside; Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda; Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Liam Neeson, Kinsey.

Picture, Musical or Comedy:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Incredibles, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, Ray, Sideways.

Actress, Musical or Comedy:
Annette Bening, Being Julia; Ashley Judd, De-Lovely; Emmy Rossum, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera; Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Renee Zellweger, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Actor, Musical or Comedy:
Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Jamie Foxx, Ray; Paul Giamatti, Sideways; Kevin Kline, De-Lovely; Kevin Spacey, Beyond the Sea.

Foreign Language:
The Chorus, France; House of Flying Daggers, China; The Motorcycle Diaries, Brazil; The Sea Inside, Spain; A Very Long Engagement, France.

Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator; Laura Linney, Kinsey; Virginia Madsen, Sideways; Natalie Portman, Closer; Meryl Streep, The Manchurian Candidate.

Supporting Actor:
David Carradine, Kill Bill: Vol. 2; Thomas Haden Church, Sideways; Jamie Foxx, Collateral; Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby; Clive Owen, Closer.

Director:
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Marc Forster, Finding Neverland; Mike Nichols, Closer; Alexander Payne, Sideways; Martin Scorsese, The Aviator.

Screenplay:
Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; John Logan, The Aviator; David Magee, Finding Neverland; Patrick Marber, Closer; Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways.

Original Score:
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Finding Neverland; Rolfe Kent, Sideways; Howard Shore, The Aviator; Hans Zimmer, Spanglish.

Original Song:
Accidentally in Love from Shrek 2; Believe from The Polar Express; Learn to be Lonely from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera; Million Voices from Hotel Rwanda; Old Habits Die Hard from Alfie.

__________________________________

TELEVISION

Drama Series:
24, Fox; Deadwood, HBO; Lost, ABC; Nip/Tuck, FX; The Sopranos, HBO.

Actress, Drama Series:
Edie Falco, The Sopranos; Jennifer Garner, Alias; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Christine Lahti, Jack & Bobby; Joely Richardson, Nip/Tuck.

Actor, Drama Series:
Michael Chiklis, The Shield; Denis Leary, Rescue Me; Julian McMahon, Nip/Tuck; Ian McShane, Deadwood; James Spader, Boston Legal.

Series, Musical or Comedy:
Arrested Development, Fox; Desperate Housewives, ABC; Entourage, HBO; Sex and the City, HBO; Will & Grace, NBC.

Actress, Musical or Comedy:
Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives; Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives; Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives; Debra Messing, Will & Grace; Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City.

Actor, Musical or Comedy:
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development; Zach Braff, Scrubs; Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Matt LeBlanc, Joey; Tony Shalhoub, Monk; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Miniseries or Movie:
American Family: Journey of Dreams, PBS; Iron Jawed Angels, HBO; The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, HBO; The Lion in Winter, Showtime; Something the Lord Made, HBO.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie:
Glenn Close, The Lion in Winter; Blythe Danner, Back When We Were Grown Ups; Julianna Margulies, The Grid; Miranda Richardson, The Lost Prince; Hilary Swank, Iron Jawed Angels.

Actor, Miniseries or Movie:
Mos Def, Something the Lord Made; Jamie Foxx, Redemption; William H. Macy, The Wool Cap; Geoffrey Rush, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers; Patrick Stewart, The Lion in Winter.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries, Movie or Series:
Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos; Anjelica Huston, Iron Jawed Angels; Nicollette Sheridan, Desperate Housewives; Charlize Theron, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers; Emily Watson, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries, Movie or Series:
Sean Hayes, Will & Grace; Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Oliver Platt, Huff; William Shatner, Boston Legal.

Magical DVD Sales For Harry Potter

2004-12-14T06:39:00.000-05:00

Will Ferrell's time as sales leader was short lived as the standard and widescreen versions of the third Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban conjured themselves into the top two positions in DVD sales this week.

DVD Sales
1 Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban (Pan & Scan 2 Disc Edition)
2 Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban (Widescreen 2 Disc Edition)
3 Elf
4 Seinfeld: Seasons 1 & 2
5 Shrek 2 (Pan & Scan)
6 Shrek 2 (Widescreen)
7 Aladdin (Special Edition)
8 Seinfeld: Season 3
9 Mickey's Twice Upon Christmas
10 The Terminal (Widescreen)

Ocean's 12 Steals Top Box Office Spot

2004-12-14T06:06:00.000-05:00

Ocean's 12, Steven Soderbergh's ring a ding sequel to Ocean's 11 garnered $40.9 million in its opening weekend despite mixed reviews. Blade Trinity, another film in its first weekend of release, took the No. 2 position with $16.1 million. The third film in the Blade series suffered a significant decline from second film - earning less than half the initial box office of its predecessor. The Life Aquatic took in $114,000 from a very limited, 2 theater release.

Estimated ticket sales for Dec. 10-12

1. “Ocean’s Twelve,” $40.9 million
2. “Blade: Trinity,” $16.1 million
3. “National Treasure,” $10 million
4. “The Polar Express,” $9.8 million
5. “Christmas With the Kranks,” $7.6 million
6. “The Incredibles,” $5.05 million
7. “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” $4.4 million
8. “Closer,” $3.75 million
9. “Finding Neverland,” $1.7 million
10. “Alexander,” $1.4 million

Top 10 Cheesiest Movie Moments

2004-12-08T17:44:00.000-05:00

A recent poll in the UK has determined the 10 most cheesy movie moments of all time. They are, in order from most cheesy to least:

1. "Titanic": Leonardo DiCaprio's "I'm the king of the world!"
2. "Dirty Dancing": Patrick Swayze's "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."
3. "Four Weddings And A Funeral": Andie MacDowell's "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed."
4. "Ghost": Patrick Swayze's "Ditto," to Demi Moore's "I love you."
5. "Top Gun": Val Kilmer to Tom Cruise: "You can be my wingman anytime."
6. "Notting Hill": Julia Roberts' "I'm just a girl ... standing in front of a boy ... asking him to love her."
7. "Independence Day": Bill Pullman's "Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
8. "Braveheart": Mel Gibson's "They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!"
9. "Jerry Maguire": Renee Zellweger to Tom Cruise: "You had me at hello."
10. "The Postman": A blind woman says to Kevin Costner: "You're a godsend, a savior." He replies: "No, I'm a postman."

DVD Player Buying Guide - Part 1

2004-12-08T07:43:00.000-05:00

This will be the first in a series of posts on how to select the ideal DVD player.

Progressive Scanning

There are two accepted means for showing a television image: interlaced scanning and progressive scanning. With the interlaced method, the television refreshes every other line on the screen with each pass. Progressive scanning refreshes the screen in order. The consensus of opinion is that you receive a superior picture using the progressive scanning technique.

It seems that many, if not most, DVD players are touting their ability to use progressive scanning for a clearer image. The problem is that the vast majority of televisions are incapable of showing images in the progressive scan format. Only televisions that can show images in EDTV or HDTV can make use of the progressive scanning feature.

Given the fact that standard televisions can't view progressive scan images and that over time prices of DVD players are expected to continue their fall while features improve, unless you already own a high definition or enhanced definition set or expect to purchase one in the very near future, don't even think about paying one penny more for progressive scan.

Elf Takes Home The Green

2004-12-07T18:12:00.000-05:00

In its opening week, the Will Ferrell holiday film, "Elf" was the top seller on DVD with the widescreen version of "The Chronicles Of Riddick", also in its opening week, taking the number 2 spot. "Shrek 2," last week's top seller followed in third and fourth position. In a sign that series television is finding a lucrative second life on DVD, series collections of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Smallville" cracked the top ten.

1 Elf
2 The Chronicles Of Riddick (Unrated Widescreen)
3 Shrek 2 (Widescreen)
4 Shrek 2 (Pan & Scan)
5 Mickey's Twice Upon Christmas
6 The Chronicles Of Riddick
7 Shrek (Widescreen 2 Pack)
8 Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie
9 Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 07)
10 Smallville (Season 03)

National Treasure Once Again Takes Home The Gold

2004-12-06T14:55:00.000-05:00

The action film "National Treasure," starring Nicholas Cage, retained the top spot at the box office for the third week in a row with weekend grosses of $17.1 million.

"Christmas With The Kranks" earned $11.7 million in its opening weekend and garnered second place in sales while "Closer," Mike Nichols’ latest offering, was a promising sixth in limited release.

Estimated ticket sales for Dec. 3-5

1. “National Treasure,” $17.1 million
2. “Christmas With the Kranks,” $11.7 million
3. “The Polar Express,” $11 million
4. “The Incredibles,” $9.2 million
5. “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” $7.8 million
6. “Closer,” $7.7 million
7. “Alexander,” $4.7 million
8. “Finding Neverland,” $2.9 million
9. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” $2.8 million
10. “Ray,” $1.9 million

Four Studios Support HD-DVD

2004-12-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Four major Hollywood studios jointly announced that they intended to begin releasing films in HD-DVD format as early as the end of 2005. At first blush, this statement of public support by Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers and New Line appears to be a major win for Toshiba and its proprietary HD-DVD standard for putting high definition movies on DVD.

Toshiba and it's HD-DVD technology is competing heavily with Sony and that company's "Blu-ray" high definition standard. It is feared that the battle could turn into a reprise of the VHS/Betamax standard wars - adding expense for consumers and potentially "stranding" millions with a standard that is ultimately abandoned. The competition has already begun to take shape along similar lines. Sony's technology can store significantly more data than HD-DVD but the company has has limited studio support other than its own film division (Fox has joined Sony's development team but has yet to endorse the use of the Blu-ray standard.). The battle over DVD technology is considered one important rationale for Sony's proposed purchase of MGM and its vast back catalog of films.

More vital than the public show of support for the Toshiba standard, however, is the fact that it will be available to the public at least a full year before Sony's Blu-ray standard hits store shelves. Just as importantly, Blu-ray is incompatible with existing DVD manufacturing techniques. This means that manufacturers will have to operate separate lines for standard and Blu-ray high definition discs. In contrast, the same manufacturing equipment can produce standard discs and those using the HD-DVD format.

With neither side showing signs of retreat or compromise, this battle is shaping up into a big loss for consumers. Why can't we all just get along?!?

Bill Criminalizes Skipping Ads

2004-12-01T18:14:00.000-05:00

To be placed in the colossally stupid file...

A bill presently before Congress would criminalize the practice of fast forwarding or skipping the ads and trailers on DVDs. The proposed statute would permit the installation of technology to track how a DVD was being used by the consumer.

It seems that Hollywood is looking to repeat the marketing fiascos of the recording industry, from suing file sharers to treating consumers like naughty children rather than valued customers.

Which John Cusack Are You?

2004-11-30T16:55:00.000-05:00

Haven't you always wondered which version of John Cusack you are? Are you the tortured, self-doubting hit man? The tortured, self-doubting con man? The tortured, self-doubting record store manager? The tortured, self-doubting figment of someone else's imagination?

Take the scientifically unsound but very entertaining quiz and find out.

Godzilla On The Walk Of Fame

2004-11-29T22:15:00.000-05:00

Godzilla, the self proclaimed "King of the Monsters" and veteran of the silver screen, will cap his 50 years in show business with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. A veteran of 27 films (The 28th, "Godzilla:Final Wars," is due out next month.), the fire breathing behemoth looks as young and scaly as he did in his first appearance in 1954. "I owe it all to regular exercise and underground nuclear testing," said the reptile. In the early days, Gojira, as he was known to his coterie of Japanese fans, was an unstoppable bringer of destruction to the extremely panicky denizens of metropolitan Tokyo. Though he quickly became a sensation in his adopted country, Godzilla achieved the international appeal few Japanese stars attain by playing himself in 1962's King Kong vs. Godzilla. Eventually, Godzilla took on the mantle of protector of Japan and ultimately the entire planet as he regularly dispatched all manner of giant beasts. An ill-fated attempt at a big budget Hollywood production in 1998 nearly devastated his reputation as effectively as he had the Japanese countryside, but an older, wiser Godzilla has returned to his roots and hopes to continue his prolific career for many years to come.

Godzilla's Film Credits:
1954 Godzilla
1955 The Return of Godzilla
1956 Godzilla - King of the Monsters
1962 King Kong vs Godzilla
1964 Godzilla vs The Giant Moth
1965 Godzilla vs Monster Zero
1966 Godzilla vs The Sea Monster
1967 Son of Godzilla
1969 Minya: Son of Godzilla
1971 Godzilla vs Hedora
1973 Godzilla vs Megalon
1974 Godzilla vs Cosmic Monster
1975 The Terror of Godzilla
1984 The Return of Godzilla
1984 Godzilla Fantasia
1989 Godzilla vs Biollante
1991 Godzilla vs King Ghedorah
1992 Godzilla vs Mothra
1993 Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
1994 Godzilla vs Space Godzilla
1995 Godzilla vs Space Destroyer
1998 Godzilla (Hollywood version)
1999 Godzilla Millennium
2000 Godzilla vs Megagurius
2001 Godzilla: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
2002 Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
2003 Godzilla: Tokyo SOS
2004 Godzilla: Final Wars

Shrek 2 Maintains Iron Grip On DVD Sales

2004-11-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Shrek 2 retained the top two positions on the DVD charts while newcomers laid claim to the next four spots.

DVD Sales
1 Shrek 2 (Widescreen)
2 Shrek 2 (Pan & Scan)
3 Mickey's Twice Upon Christmas
4 Friends: The Complete Eighth Season
5 The Stepford Wives (Pan & Scan)
6 The Stepford Wives (Widescreen)
7 Aladdin (Special Edition)
8 Mulan (Special Edition 2 Disc Set)
9 Garfield The Movie
10 Gone With The Wind (Collector's Edition)

Alexander Defeated At The Box Office

2004-11-29T14:34:00.000-05:00

In it's second week of release, “National Treasure” retained the top spot on the theater box office charts, earning in $33.1 million over the weekend.

“The Incredibles” inched into second place from last week's third with $24.1 million, while “Christmas With the Kranks” opened at No. 3 with $22.7 million. “Alexander,” starring Colin Farrell was a disappointing 6th in its opening weekend, taking in $13.4 million. In contrast, “The Polar Express” staged a minor revival - earning $20.1 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Nov. 26-28

1. “National Treasure,” $33.1 million.
2. “The Incredibles,” $24.1 million.
3. “Christmas With the Kranks,” $22.7 million.
4. “The Polar Express,” $20.1 million.
5. “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” $17.8 million.
6. “Alexander,” $13.4 million.
7. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” $6.8 million.
8. “Finding Neverland,” $4.7 million.
9. “Ray, $3.9 million.
10. “After the Sunset,” $3.3 million.

Review: Spiderman 2

2004-11-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching the DVD of Spiderman 2. The film continues the trials and tribulations of Peter Parker and his web slinging alter ego. Focusing on character development, this film is a rarity among movies based on comic books - a film whose dramatic scenes are more effective than the action.

The themes of sacrifice and unrequited love instill in Tobey Maguire's performance elements of both tragedy and sympathy. Kirsten Dunst's portrayal of Mary Jane Watson adds complexity to the central love story and highlights the notion that heroism has nothing to do with one's physical gifts. Alfred Molina, with the exception of a single, challenging expository scene in which he attempts to communicate the effect his cybernetic implants have on his sanity, transforms the comic's two dimensional "Doc Ock", into a full fledged character. The supporting cast does an excellent job of injecting humor and depth.

The CGI involving human figures, though superior to the original, still leaves something to be desired. The noticeable artificiality of some of of these scenes occasionally interrupt the viewers' suspension of disbelief. The score also creates some discordant notes against the visual backdrop. Lastly, as is typical of a first DVD release, the extras are a trifle skimpy.

These problems, however, are small blemishes on what is, even on the small screen, a terrifically enjoyable movie.

9 of 10 reels.

Rent or Buy?

2004-11-24T06:15:00.000-05:00

To rent or to buy? ... that is the question. The studios seemed to have resolved the issue according to format; rent videotape and buy DVDs. Price points of new releases for both formats are designed to reinforce this strategy and to maximize revenue streams by keeping video chains like Blockbuster on life support.

Unfortunately for the studios and the rental chains, this strategy is ultimately unsustainable. Take my personal experience, which seems at first blush to fall prey to the economic machinations of Hollywood:

I used to rent on a regular basis - not so much because I preferred renting, I never did, but because initial price points for new video releases were prohibitive and it would be some time before the new release became available for purchase as a used title. Though list prices of new DVDs are often comparable to the old video prices, DVD provides superior picture and sound - giving greater value for that money. Moreover, most chains offer promotional discounts of around 25% for sales in the first week of release. Given the benefits of DVDs, I have stopped using prerecorded videotapes entirely and almost never will I rent a DVD instead of purchase it.

To the chagrin of the studios, however, most of the time I avoid buying retail. DVD offers one additional advantage over videotape. It doesn't degrade with use. This makes used DVDs directly competitive with new discs with regard to quality, but the prices for used discs are usually discounted 50% or more. The proliferation of titles has also forced many video outlets to sell off the first copies of a new release within a few weeks of their initial release date. The end result is that for the vast majority of titles I have sufficient patience to wait until they are put up for sale. With the advent of stores devoted to used entertainment and even Blockbuster embarking on buyback programs, the cost and risk associated with buying is virtually eliminated. In some cases, even If I have no desire to see a picture ever again, I can sell the DVD under a buyback program and the end result will cost me less than if I had just rented the film in the first place.

Consequently, the decision is a simple one...buy, buy, buy (but buy used).

Only one question remains... with the eventual elimination of the pre-recorded videotape in favor of the DVD, will there be enough of a rental market to sustain the used sales market? The answer is probably "yes" if one assumes that buyback programs continue to grow in popularity. In the end, the future of your local video place could be as the modern, visual equivalent of the secondhand record store.

Shrek 2 Tramples The Competition On DVD

2004-11-22T14:47:00.000-05:00

In its opening week of sales, Shrek outdistanced the compeition in DVD sales. Shrek 2 captured the top two spots on the charts while a special edition of the first film took third position. A special edition of Disney's Mulan was next followed by the unrated version of White Chicks.

TOP DVD SALES

1 Shrek 2 (Widescreen)
2 Shrek 2 (Pan & Scan)
3 Shrek (Widescreen 2 Pack)
4 Mulan (Special Edition 2 Disc Set)
5 White Chicks (Unrated)
6 Garfield The Movie
7 Around The World In 80 Days (Pan & Scan)
8 Dawn Of The Dead (Widescreen)
9 Van Helsing (Widescreen)
10 Aladdin (Special Edition)

National Treasure Brings Home A Trove At The Box Office

2004-11-22T14:36:00.000-05:00

Despite nearly universally scathing reviews, National Treasure captured the top spot at the box office in its opening weekend - earning $35.3 million over the period. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie followed closely behind with $33.5 million in estimated gross. The Incredibles, after holding the top spot for the past 2 weeks, fell to third place with $26.8 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Nov. 19-21

1. “National Treasure,” $35.3 million
2. “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” $33.5 million
3. “The Incredibles,” $26.8 million
4. “The Polar Express,” $15.2 million
5. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” $10.1 million
6. “After the Sunset,” $5.3 million
7. “Ray, $4.6 million
8. “The Grudge,” $3.8 million
9. “Seed of Chucky,” $3.1 million
10. “Saw,” $3 million.

Is The Art Of Film Dead?

2004-11-21T11:27:00.000-05:00

Is the art of filmmaking dead? Were movies in the past better than today? Sitting through the typical Hollywood $100 million offering, it certainly might seem so. I'm not, however, so sure.

Yes, we can look back on the last 100 years of cinema and see many great accomplishments of the genre. Nostalgia, though, is a powerful thing. It is easy to forget the countless mediocre and downright bad films that were made at the same time. It seems films were consistently better because the ones worth forgetting have been forgotten. Without having done any empirical study of the subject, I suspect that the percentage of great to poor films has remained relatively unchanged over the decades.

What has been different is the difficulty of predicting where a great film is going to come from. Until the collapse of the studio system, there was at least a rough approximation between final quality and budget commitment. For example, no one ever claimed that the old serials or the cheap "B" movies of the 50s were high art. The technology was expensive and great art required great commitment. Thanks to the misguided lessons learned from movies like Star Wars and Raiders of The Lost Ark (terrific movies in their own right), the serials of yesteryear have become the formulaic blockbusters of today. At the other end of the spectrum, the technology revolution allows independent filmmakers to orchestrate coherent and dynamic visions on a shoestring budget.

It is by no means my intention to make the facile argument that small, serious films are superior to mainstream Hollywood's commercial product. Small films can, and often do, fail, perhaps even more often than big budget movies. Rather, the point is that there is no longer an easy correlation between budget and artistic quality and that disconnect serves to enhance the perception that Hollywood has lost any conception of how to produce art.

Your Home Could Be A Star!

2004-11-20T13:09:00.000-05:00

Live in the NYC area and think your home would look great on the silver screen? The web site for the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting contains information on how to go about it. Presently, Douglas Elliman and Sotheby's provide brokerage services for those wishing to rent out their homes for money and fame on film.

Start A Film Exchange

2004-11-19T17:41:00.000-05:00

As you might expect from someone who lives in the "greatest city in the world," I live in an apartment building. One thing that is always in short supply is storage space. This is, of course true for all my fellow residents. Lacking such luxurious storage solutions such as an attic, basement and garage, we tend to get creative.

Sometimes we even turn something like a storage drawback into a benefit. Case in point...the media exchange. In our communal laundry room we have placed a few bookcases. On the shelves the tenants place any books, magazines, DVDs and videotapes they no longer want. Any tenant can take any item. I've both contributed to the stock and taken. I'm invariably surprised at the quality of the items that are left. "One man's trash is another man's treasure," I suppose.

Strange as it may seem, the premium on apartment storage keeps the stock of books and videos growing despite the fact that they're free. We're going to need another bookcase soon to deal with the growth. I highly recommend setting up a film exchange for anyone who lives in an apartment building or other kind of group living complex. It's a great way to save a trip to the video store, help entertain the kids or explore new genres at no cost.

Which Is Worst?

2004-11-18T07:24:00.000-05:00

I'm having a hard time deciding which is worst:

1. The purveyors in a sexualized consumer society who so alter the thinking of consumers that those consumers feel it necessary to be "beautiful" at any cost or risk;

2. Average, everyday people who feel the so desperate to conform to some idealized, fictional conception of beauty that they resort to surgery, often as an alternative to healthy diet and exercise;

3. Stunningly beautiful people who, as they begin to age, feel the need to eradicate all vestiges of the effects of time through surgery in a hopeless attempt to recapture what they had in their youth;

4. Young, beautiful stars at the top of the entertainment profession who believe surgery is necessary to maintain or enhance a career;

5. Young, beautiful stars at the top of the entertainment profession who believe surgery is necessary to maintain or enhance a career yet cut corners on the process or fail to investigate the competency of their doctor with the result that any operation not only becomes painfully obvious but actually detracts from the beauty of the patient; or

6. Average, everyday schmoes who somehow, like a crowd at an accident site, feel the urge to observe this cavalcade of tragic vanity.

Decide for yourself at Awful Plastic Surgery.com.

Which Classic Movie Are You?

2004-11-17T07:18:00.000-05:00

Always wondered if you were a classic Hollywood film which film you would be? Wonder no more! I just came across the classic movie test. It's a personality test by the people at Similar Minds. It's all in fun so why not give it a try?

BTW, the Reelist turned out to be "Easy Rider".

Train Wreck at the Box Office

2004-11-15T14:01:00.000-05:00

"The Incredibles" continued its superhuman grip on the top box office spot with sales of $51.05 million over the weekend. The new offering, "The Polar Express," trailed far behind in earnings with a mere $23.53 million for the $170 million picture.

Estimated ticket sales for Nov. 12-14

1. “The Incredibles,” $51 million
2. “The Polar Express,” $23.5 million
3. “After the Sunset,” $11.5 million
4. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” $8.9 million
5. “Seed of Chucky,” $8.8 million
6. “Ray,” $8.4 million
7. “The Grudge,” $7.1 million
8. “Saw,” $6.4 million
9. “Shall We Dance?” $4.1 million
10. “Alfie,” $2.8 million

Finding Neverland

2004-11-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

I saw Finding Neverland last night. The film is the semi-fictionalized story of the creation of J.M Barrie's "Peter Pan." The picture is a complex and affecting piece of filmmaking. For the most part it avoids the usual film cliches. In addition, there are a number of interesting choices that enhance the experience such as the use of Dustin Hoffman (the title character in the ill-fated "Hook") as Barrie's long suffering producer.

My greatest concern is the uncertain relationship this film has with the real life individuals portrayed. Fictionalized reality has a long tradition in cinema. It is not my intention to decry the usual differences between the the historical figure and the character. Rather, knowledge of the individuals themselves completely changes the manner in which the movie is perceived. For example, Peter Davies had such a troubled relationship with the notoriety that came with being the inspiration for the fictional Peter Pan that it contributed to his suicide later in life. Consequently, when a young Peter Davies, accosted in the film by rapturous theater patrons eager to meet the "real" Peter Pan, suggests that not he, but Barrie, is the "real" Pan, one sees a tragic foreshadowing of Davies destiny rather than what was intended to be a revelatory assessment of Barrie's character.

DVD Notices

2004-11-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or does anyone else try to avoid the preliminary material on a DVD by placing the disk into the player and then waiting to turn on the TV?

Of course, I could avoid the entire process if the manufacturers didn't disable the fast forwarding controls for this material on most disks. As far as I can discern, however, there is no good reason why the fast forward is disabled for such things as the ratings page and FBI warnings against abuse of copyright. After all, it can't be illegal to permit such fast forwarding. It is always possible, by way of comparison, to do so when viewing a movie on videotape. More to the point, the copyright warning isn't invalidated if the viewer chooses to avoid it through fast forwarding. Similarly, why should those individuals who don't care about a film's rating or who have viewed the rating page before or are already aware of the film's content be forced to delay their enjoyment of the movie itself?

Filesharing Lawsuits

2004-11-09T07:07:00.000-05:00

The MPAA recently announced that the major studios, following the practice of the RIAA with audio files, has begun the process of bringing lawsuits against a number of individuals that have served as sources of copyrighted films for the file sharing services. The suits are an effort to stem the tide of video filesharing before advancing technology turns the practice into a flood that overwhelms the industry.

It's deja vu all over again. While one can legitimately question the broad scope of existing copyright law, the law as it stands today gives the industry the right to bring these suits. It does not, however, make it smart. The lawsuits might serve to deter a few individuals, but the global nature of the internet will make it virtually impossible to prevent all sources of illegal video files. Moreover, the lawsuit deterrence process is premised upon broadly frightening large segments of the film industry's customer base - generally a poor practice if you're looking to earn good will with your customers. Though the MPAA hopes to prevent illegal filesharing of videos from becoming socially acceptable. The problem is that it is the economics of the process that encourages filesharing not culture. If anything, the aura of illegaility serves as additional incentive for the industry's prime demographic.

The recording industry had years to solve the problem of internet distribution and failed miserably. Audio filesharing became widespread because the broad desire for audio datafiles existed and the recording executives, fearing for the loss of their margins, refused to fill the needs of the consumers. It took Apple, an industry outsider, to begin the process of sensible, online audio distribution. The film industry still has some time before truly high speed broadband makes the transfer of qualiity video files practical. The wiser course for the MPAA would be to immediately begin the process of creating simple, viable, legal, low cost alternatives to illegal filesharing.

The DVD and Movie Viewing

2004-11-08T15:05:00.000-05:00

Much has been written on the impact of the VCR and hard disk based recorders such as Tivo on both television and movie viewing habits. What seems to have been overlooked is the impact of the DVD on movie viewing. I don't pretend to have made any sort of scientific study of the subject but the availability of films on DVD has made a significant impact on the types of movies I am willing to see in theaters and those that I am willing to wait for on DVD.

With the VCR the breakdown was largely based upon the overall quality of a film and my particular desire to view a specific picture. Those movies that were perceived to be of lower quality or of little interest I rarely saw in theaters and, if they were seen at all, were watched only at home on the VCR.

With the DVD, that process has become both more nuanced and more advanced. The quality of the picture that comes with a film on DVD means that there is far less of a cost to viewing many sorts of filmsfrom the couch. As a result, only those films for which the visuals and sound are particularly spectacular end up meriting a trip to the theater. Due to the diminished difference in image between theater and DVD, the so-called smaller films of good quality are now relegated, absent a compelling social reason, to home viewing with their low quality brethren.

Incredible Box Office

2004-11-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

Box office numbers for this past weekend show Pixars new entry "The Incredibles" earning $70.68 million in its opening weekend to easily take the top spot. Far behind in second place was "Ray" ($13.8 million, 39.8 total). "The Grudge" ($13.5 million, 89.58 total) held down the third spot. Paramount's Alfie opened in a disappointing 5th with $6.5 million.

Sideways

2004-11-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh

For all the plaudits Sideways has been receiving from the critics, you would think Alexander Payne was the second coming of Orson Welles. In truth, Payne has produced the kind of mature, textured film everyone bemoans isn't made anymore.

Giamatti plays a wine loving middle school English teacher barely hanging on to fast dreams of success as a writer of fiction. He and Church, a onetime soap actor reduced to doing commercial voiceovers, embark on a sidetrip to the California wine country as a final adventure before Church's impending nuptials.

Far from cartoonish, each of the main characters evinces a complexity so rarely manifest in mainstream filmaking. The occasionally brilliant dialogue is filled with double entendre and allusion - especially during Giamatti's purported wine discussion with Virginia Madsen.

For all its charms, however, Sideways is an uneven bit of filmaking. The seemingly low rent cinematography distracts as much as it meshes with the themes of the film. Moments of stunning visual originality detract from the picture almost as often as they contribute to the plot. Though apparrent on the silver screen, this is the sort of film in which many of the flaws would be overlooked on DVD.

In the end one can applaud the effort while still feeling that Sideways was one or two good ideas away from being a great film.

8 of 10 Reels

Sideways Film Site

Judgment At Nuremberg

2004-11-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich Maximillian Schell, Judy Garland (1961)

After turning off the Jets in disgust at their performance against Buffalo, I decided to take a look at the DVD of the two time academy award winning Judgment At Nuremberg. The movie deals with the fictional trial of 4 jurists accused of crimes against humanity during the later stages of the Nuremberg trials.

Though I give the film credit for tackling an unusually difficult subject, the need for lengthy and fairly pedantic exposition as a means of communicating to the audience makes this a somewhat flawed piece of art. Moreover, the heavy use of major Hollywood stars, though a common practice of the time, distracts the modern viewer from the film itself.

Nevertheless, the movie took on a whole new dimension within the context of current affairs. I was repeatedly struck by the points of commonality between the events in postwar Germany and in contemporary Iraq. This alone makes Judgment At Nuremberg worth a second look.

Coming Attractions

2004-11-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Ciné Matters - a weblog devoted to all things cinematic. In an era when unprecedented importance is given to the film industry, all too often the interest of the typical moviegoer is lost. Even the citicism process is often influenced by the Hollywood marketing machine. We'll try and cut through the reality distortion field that surrounds the film community.