PGA Nominations Out

Producers Guild of America just announced the nominations for the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards. As usual, this is one of the great opportunities for predicting the Oscars. I think we can agree by now that having been nominated and won numerous awards, films like The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo will definitely be in the Best Picture race. Also highly likely are probably Midnight in Paris and Moneyball, as well as Steven Spielberg's War Horse.

The question may be: are there any surprises? Well, not really. And up till now we can almost be certain that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is out of the Best Picture race. Still it's sentimentally successful movie that manages to touch people, but having been "snubbed" by major awards and now even by the PGA seriously hurt its chances. The only possible bounce-back may be the Directors Guild Awards, but I think the chances are not looking bright.

Now that we can be almost sure about the seven nominees, the only fun left may be guessing what the 8th picture will be, or will there be an 8th, or even a 9th nominee? For me I think the more likely ones to fill the spot(s) will be The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Tree of Life, and should there only be an 8th spot, The Tree of Life should probably come first.

The list of nomination is shown below:


Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:

THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann
BRIDESMAIDS
Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend
THE DESCENDANTS
Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Scott Rudin
THE HELP
Producers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Brunson Green
HUGO
Producers: Graham King, Martin Scorsese
THE IDES OF MARCH
Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum
MONEYBALL
Producers: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt
WAR HORSE
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Producers: Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg
CARS 2
Producer: Denise Ream
KUNG FU PANDA 2
Producer: Melissa Cobb
PUSS IN BOOTS
Producers: Joe M. Aguilar, Latifa Ouaou
RANGO
Producers: John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski

The David L. Wolper Producer of the Year Award in Long-Form Television:

“Cinema Verite” (HBO)
Producers: Zanne Devine, Karyn McCarthy
“Downton Abbey” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Producers: Julian Fellowes, Nigel Marchant, Gareth Neame
“The Kennedys” (ReelzChannel)
Producers: Jon Cassar, Jonathan Koch, Stephen Kronish, Steve Michaels, Michael Prupas, Jamie Paul Rock, Joel Surnow
“Mildred Pierce” (HBO)
Producers: Todd Haynes, Pamela Koffler, Ilene S. Landress, Christine Vachon
“Too Big To Fail” (HBO)
Producers: Carol Fenelon, Jeffrey Levine, Paula Weinstein

*The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.
In December 2011, the Producers Guild of America announced the Documentary Theatrical Motion Picture, Television Series and Non-Fiction Television Nominations; the following list includes complete producer credits.

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Producers: Michael Rapaport, Edward Parks (*additional producers eligibility pending arbitration completion)
BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
Producer: Philip Gefter
PROJECT NIM
Producer: Simon Chinn
SENNA
Producer: James Gay-Rees
THE UNION
Producers: Cameron Crowe, Michelle Panek

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:

“30 Rock” (NBC)
Producers: Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Marci Klein, Jerry Kupfer, Lorne Michaels, David Miner, Jeff Richmond, John Riggi, Don Scardino
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
Producers: Chuck Lorre, Steve Molaro, Faye Oshima, Bill Prady
“Glee” (FOX)
Producers: Ian Brennan, Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy, Kenneth Silverstein
“Modern Family” (ABC)
Producers: Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Morton, Jeffrey Richman, Dan O’Shannon, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
Producers: Greg Daniels, Dan Goor, Howard Klein, Amy Poehler, Morgan Sackett, Michael Schur

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:

“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Producers: Eugene Kelly, Howard Korder, Stephen Levinson, Martin Scorsese, Rudd Simmons, Tim Van Patten, Terence Winter
“Dexter” (Showtime)
Producers: Sara Colleton, John Goldwyn, Chip Johannessen, Robert Lloyd Lewis
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Producers: David Benioff, Frank Doelger, Mark Huffam, Carolyn Strauss, D.B. Weiss
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
Producers: Brooke Kennedy, Michelle King, Robert King, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, David W. Zucker
“Mad Men” (AMC)
Producers: Jonathan Abrahams, Scott Hornbacher, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Blake McCormick, Dwayne Shattuck, Dahvi Waller, Matthew Weiner

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:

“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen T. Colbert, Richard Dahm, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart (*additional producers eligibility pending arbitration completion)
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (Syndicated)
Producers: Mary Connelly, Ellen DeGeneres, Melissa Geiger Schrift, Ed Glavin, Andy Lassner, Kevin A. Leman II, Jonathan Norman, Derek Westervelt
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO)
Producers: Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz, Dean Johnsen, Bill Maher, Billy Martin
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Producers: Ken Aymong, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney
“The 64th Annual Tony Awards” (CBS)
Producers: Ricky Kirshner, Glenn Weiss

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:

“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark Vertullo
“American Idol” (FOX)
Producers: Charles Boyd, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Simon Fuller, Patrick Lynn, Nigel Lythgoe, Megan Michaels, Ken Warwick
“Dancing with the Stars” (ABC)
Producers: Ashley Edens Shaffer, Conrad Green, Joe Sungkur, Rob Wade
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
Producers: Jane Cha Cutler, Desiree Gruber, Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Jonathan Murray, Sara Rea, Colleen Sands
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
Producers: Daniel Cutforth, Casey Kriley, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Murphy, Nan Strait


The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:

“30 for 30” (ESPN)
Producers: John Dahl, Connor Schell, Bill Simmons
“American Masters” (PBS)
Producers: Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
Producers: Christopher Collins, Julie Lei, Lydia Tenaglia, Tom Vitale
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)
Producers: Thom Beers, Jeff Conroy, John Gray, Sheila McCormack, Ethan Prochnik, Bill Pruitt, Matt Renner
“Undercover Boss” (CBS)
Producers: Chris Carlson, Susan Hoenig, Eli Holzman, Sandi Johnson, Stephen Lambert, Allison Schermerhorn

Movie Review - Attack the Block (RECOMMENDED)

Attack the Block (2011) is Recommended.

Entertaining Sci-fi With a Touch of "Die Hard"

"Attack the Block" reminds me a bit of the good old Bruce Willis times of "Die Hard". It is a story well-crafted and well-presented, a science fiction flick revolving around a group of gangsters in Britain. This is yet another just-for-fun film and taking this too seriously will probably land you in major disappointment.

If you're looking for pure fun, this is definitely the right kind of story to provide you with that, with a slight touch of "Die Hard" for me as well, since most of the movie takes place in a residential block. Other than the intense one hour and a half, it is also a story about the hardships of these teenagers, their friendships, and of course, gangs. But those elements aren't over-emphasized, nor do they interfere with the entertainment the plot has to offer. As I said, the theme of this movie is not too serious. As long as you love science fiction with aliens and an exciting adventure through the eyes of a bunch of teenagers, this shouldn't go wrong for you.

Visuals and sounds are not too captivating, but they remain sufficient. Violence is indeed involved but it is no doubt not among the most violent kind of movies I've seen, though I would only recommend this for 15-16 or above.


Final Rating: (7/10) / B+

Movie Review - The Sitter (7/10)

Being Unoriginal and Predictable Is Not Necessarily Bad 
Also posted on 27 December 2011 on imdb.com

As the what title suggests, I don't expect anyone looking forward to watching a drama-comedy that has depth. This is more of a pure comedy and an entertaining one at that for me, so I'd consider it successful.

And yes, The Sitter is quite unoriginal and what movie-goers call "predictable". I admit it's a kind of fun to try to expect the unexpected, but a predictable story does not equal a bad story. In fact, from the beginning of the 80 minutes or so until the end I'd been kept entertained and I honestly didn't experience much boring moments.

Other than its comedic scenes, the movie does have attempts to include moving scenes that make the audience learn something. I would say those attempts are not highly effective but not at all futile efforts.

The best way to conclude The Sitter is to say that it is a good comedy for young adults or above. Language and inappropriate behavior are main reasons this may not be suitable for children or younger teens. The Sitter is an enjoyable movie that is funny and does not require too much thinking to understand.

We give this a 7 out of 10.

Movie Review - 50/50 (8/10)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is Good Like Usual

Originally posted on 26 December 2011 on imdb.com

This will be a 3-part review.

1. As a "Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie-lover" I'm glad to say that this time Joseph Gordon-Levitt has done it again. 50/50 is successful mostly due to his stunning portrait of a young man diagnosed with cancer. Upsettingly, it seems to stop there. His strong performance aside, the rest of the cast does not offer many surprises.

2. The story does not try to be "big" or have the kind of intention to cater for a very wide array of audience groups. Nevertheless, it is still successful. The script is nicely written depicting the start to finish of a man's physical and psychological battle with a rare case of cancer. 50/50 feels like a nice little independent film and is presented throughout with that spirit.

3. If it were earlier in the year, I might say this can score a few Oscar nods. However, at the current stage almost close to the end of the race, I can only say the only possible category in which 50/50 can get a nomination is probably Best Original Screenplay, and it is not even very safe. While the Best Adapted Screenplay this year seems to have solid locks like Hugo, Descendants, Moneyball, we are still not very sure whether the Academy will nominate Young Adult or Bridesmaids over 50/50 beside the locks like Artist and Midnight in Paris. I'd be happy to see this get recognized, but with the Academy nowadays, I guess you never know. We'll just wait and see.

Movie Review - Melancholia (7/10)

Last night's Christmas was great fun. I'm looking forward to the next year. I'm sure you had a good time too. Anyway, here's another movie review for a movie released earlier this year.

The New "Armageddon" Is Different 
Originally posted on 18 December 2011 on imdb.com

Okay this should be a brief review, mostly because I cannot find much to say. The thing is that this new "Armageddon" is definitely different and one of its kind.

First, the good: The story of a possible collision between Earth and the planet of Melancholia is presented simply enough, and in a somewhat artistic way. The collision is not unheard of; it is known by the characters. Making use of that, the plot covers the reactions focusing on the lives of a few characters. The acting performed by the cast is amazingly done, and I quite like the way the ambient music and the cinematography reinforces the message of the approaching Melancholia throughout.

And the bad: Some scenes are found to be quite long and boring, and sometimes the lack of conversation is also a problem. With the film divided into the two chapters, the first part is relatively more rich in contents or interactions and less sentimental, while the latter part is quite the exact opposite. In spite of the problem of the boredom I mentioned, I still find the second chapter much more intriguing while the first falls flat.

The conclusion: Melancholia is one of the one-of-a-kind films out there and it describes a doomsday scenario relying on a more artistic approach instead of the totally "commercial feeling" of Armageddon. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed Armageddon, but I am not going to make too much comparison, as they are in two completely different categories though the plot is somewhat similar.

Oscar Predictions and My Personal Top 10 of the Year

Below are my predictions for the 2012 Academy Award nominees in several categories (I'm no expert so I won't be guessing categories like Best Live Short or Best Animated Short). At this stage, I am only predicting the nominees. After the official nominations, I will start to predict winners. As I've said before the list will be familiar and similar to the others out there. After the SAG, the Golden Globes and all the critic picks, it is almost certain that some pictures or actors are locks in the race.

Best Picture:
1. The Artist - lock
2. The Help - lock
3. Hugo - lock
4. The Tree of Life
5. The Descendants - lock
6. Midnight in Paris
7. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
8. War Horse

Best Actor in a Leading Role:
1. George Clooney (The Descendants) - lock
2. Brad Pitt (Moneyball) - lock
3. Jean Dujardin (The Artist) - lock
4. Michael Fassbender (Shame)
5. Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar)


Best Actress in a Leading Role:
1. Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) - lock
2. Viola Davis (The Help) - lock
3. Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
4. Charlize Theron (Young Adult)
5. Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin)


Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
1. Brad Pitt (The Tree of Life)
2. Christopher Plummer (Beginners) - lock
3.Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)
4. Ben Kingsley (Hugo)
5. Albert Brooks (Drive) - lock

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
1. Carey Mulligan (Shame)
2. Jessica Chastain (The Help) - lock
3. Octavia Spencer (The Help) - lock
4. Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
5. Bérénice Bejo (The Artist)

Best Director:
1. Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) - lock
2. Steven Spielberg (War Horse)
3. Martin Scorsese (Hugo) - lock
4. Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) - lock
5. Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) - lock

Best Original Screenplay:
1. Midnight in Paris - lock
2. The Artist - lock
3. Bridesmaids
4. Young Adult
5. Win Win

Best Adapted Screenplay:
1. The Descendants - lock
2. Hugo
3. Moneyball
4. The Help - lock
5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Animated:
1. The Adventures of Tintin
2. Arthur Christmas
3. Puss in Boots
4. Rio
5. Rango


Best Visual Effects:
1. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
2. Rise of the Planet of Apes
3. Hugo
4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
5. Super 8

Best Sound Editing:
1. Hugo
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
3. Super 8
4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Best Sound Mixing:
1. Hugo
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
3. Super 8
4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Best Costume Design:
1. War Horse
2. Hugo
3. The Artist
4. The Help
5. My Week with Marilyn

Best Makeup:
1. The Iron Lady
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Best Cinematography:
1. War Horse
2. The Artist
3. Hugo
4. The Tree of Life
5. Drive

Best Film Editing:
1. War Horse
2. Hugo
3. The Artist
4. The Tree of Life
5. Drive

Best Score:
1. Hugo
2. War Horse
3. The Artist
4. Drive
5. The Tree of Life

That's the list. Comments?

The Academy Awards is an honor every movie wants to obtain, but after all it is still a preference of the Academy voters. Everybody can have their own choices. That said, below are my personal top ten movies of the year.

I fell in love with these:
1. The Help
2. Hugo
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
4. Super 8

These are very good too:
5. Crazy, Stupid, Love
6. The Tree of Life
7. Real Steel
8. Drive

And finally:
9. Win Win
10. That's What I Am

Movie Review - Tree of Life (9/10)

An Enjoyable Ride for me, Certainly not for Everyone
Originally posted on 21 October 2011 on imdb.com

 The prerequisite of granting "The Tree of Life" a proper rating is the initial recognition of this as a movie. If I am to say this is a highly kaleidoscopic and sophisticated art piece, I bet most of you will nod. Nevertheless, not many will agree to this being a film to be shown in the cinema.

I am in no position to judge nor to logically refute the different points of views of others, but I would ask this: Who are we to determine the definition of "movies"? This is certainly a movie out the ordinary "boundary" of movie making. The main concern is the long length which may make the movie a bit tedious for some. Another concern is the "unnecessary" inserted section of the Discovery Channel. But is it really unnecessary? Well, I honestly do not know. But I personally have no problem with that, though I have no idea what the purpose is and why it needs to last almost 15 minutes.

If you view this as a film, the plot is quite good. It is about a young boy losing his innocence and it also discusses our attitudes towards life. Christian overtones are spread throughout, and at the very beginning of the film, it is stated that a man has two ways through life, which are the way of nature and the way of grace. Frankly speaking, I find this to be quite deep and I do not really fully understand the concept of this, let alone comprehend the whole point or the ultimate message of this picture.

The plot alone is sufficient to make this an excellent movie. I certainly fail to understand it fully. I simply do not see the point of load of things in the movie, and I believe many of you feel the same way. I don't know if it is the director's intention to make us leave the cinema with all these never-to-be-answered mysteries or is it just me that fails to understand what the hidden message is. Or maybe there just isn't any. Maybe it wants us to think whatever we want to think and learn whatever we can learn. Either way, for now, I will see this film as a little combination of arts and a drama with a good story.