On the Upcoming Oscar Season 08-09 Part 2

So back on track ....

I have posted earlier about some movies to look out for next season , and this is part two of that post.These are other 5 movies to look out for; that are potentailly award magnets for next season.

6.The Changeling

Clint Eastwood returns with a star vehicle movie starring Angelina Jolie,which is based on a true story about a woman whose child was abducted in the 1920s and the government corruption she met in her despair. The movie aparently is now called the Exchange instead. Whatever that is but to now it sounds like a spy drama instead.

The movie has recieved rave reviews in Cannes where it competed alongside other critically reviewed movies .Special Prize "Prix de 61st Festival de Cannes" was awarded to both Catherine Deneuve for her participation in Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) (by Arnaud Depleschin) AND Clint Eastwood for Changeling.

7. Frost/Nixon

Frost/Nixon is another dram athat might be sort of equivalent to the efforts of the makers of The Queen a couple years ago.It provides insights into the life of President Nixon(played by Frank Langella ) through dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost(Martin Sheen) and former president Richard Nixon. Ron Howard is directing and Peter Morgan who has written both the Last King of Scotland and The Queen joins as the movie scribe.

8. MILK

According to IMDB ,Milk is the story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.It stars Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch and many other actors .It is directed by Gus Van Sant who brought to us the likes of Good Will Hunting and To Die For. Milk will make the festival rounds in the fall, and with luck, will have a wide release soon thereafter.This is a very highly anticipated movie that has been generating a lot of buzz, but will Hollywood succumb to the gay card or will it pull another BrokeBackMountain-esque rejection.

9. Blindness

Based on a novel by Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago, Blindness tells the story of a doctor's wife who becomes the only person with the ability to see in a town where everyone is struck with a mysterious case of sudden blindness. She feigns illness in order to take care of her husband as her surrounding community breaks down into chaos and disorder. Fernando Mierelles directs Julianne Moore in this picture that has recieved mixed reviews in Cannes so far and was nominated for the Golden Palme.We have to wait and see.

10. Synecdoche, New York

In his first effort as a director, Charlie Kauffman writes and directs his script about a theater director (Phillip Seymor Hoffman) who struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play.Supporting cast includes actresses such as Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton,Michelle Williams, Emily Watson and others.This remains the most mysterious sort of movie so far.We will have to wait and see

On The Dark Knight

It has been quite a long time since I wrote in this blog.I have had midterms, work and other crap to attend to.

So anyway, The Dark Knight .... right ...

The Dark Knight is the much anticipated sequel to Chris Nolan' Batman Begins which brought back life to one of the iconic superheroes ever.Christain Bale reprises his role as Batman (no nipples on the suit ) with Heath Ledger as the notorious Joker, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Daws and other actors such as Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman reprising their roles from the first movie.

This happens to be one of my most anticipated movies for the year.Not necessarily because I was such a die hard fan of Batman Begins.I like it, dont get me wrong .I thought Christopher Nolan brought depth, and reality to the characters in this saga.

However, I am even more interested in seeing what the late Heath Ledger will create of such aa complex character such as the JOKER. While Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent does not excite me as much , I will have to reserve my judgement until I see the movie.

Now, there is a possibilty, I feel that the very much hyped movie might lose momentum when the movie is released actually OR it will score big .In addition , the hype of the fans and critics may create also a possibilty that in recognition , Heath Ledger might earn a few post mortem nominations;possibly awards (Oscar nomination maybe ; fingers crossed) for best supporting actor, but also that depends on the screen time, ( I dont think of that as a factor, Ruby Dee ;American Gangster) and the depth that he would add to playing such a villain.(Javier Bardem won last year's best supporting for playing cold blooded villain in No Country for Old Men)But, this however is a summer movie and we all know that these movies havent been taken much seriously by the academy.If it would have then Michelle Pfiefer deserved a nod for her Catwoman.

In addition, Warner Brothers havent done a bad job in marketing.Least of all is the viral marketing campaign with the numerous websites online.

May is approaching, and we have to wait and see !

On Movies - The Orphanage

Guillermo del Toro is a master of his craft.He knows what he does and does it well.

I saw The Orphanage last night.It is about a woman that brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. This movie is a foreign picture that you rarely see distributed in Bahrain so I was excited to check it out.It is directed bu Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by Guillermo Del Toro. It was a good movie, one that slipped under the radar, somehow !The story is well developed, well acted and well produced.Props go to Belén Rueda who plays Laura ,the mom.She manages to get your attention always,waiting for the next thing to happen.

This movie was sheer fantasy. While some may call it this years Pan' Labyrinth, I do not necessarily agree.They both shared the same childhood fantasy kind of elements but they are both different in their own way.

Pan's labyrinth was the thing that got me hooked up on Guillermo Del Toro's work. Now, that I liked bith movies, I am even more excited to see what kind of magic he will summon and bring to life in the Peter-Jackson-produced The Hobbit that is slated for release in two parts ; 2010 and 2011

I think with Hellbiy 2 coming up, I might as well check Hell Boy , the first part.At the begining, I just dismissed as another comic book movie but seeing Pan's Labyrinth and The Orphanage, I am seriously considering both.

If only Guillermo Del Toro would helm the final Harry Potter movie.I would be ONE AWESOME MOVIE, in quality ,essence, concept and style.

Wishful thinking ! Cant blame me !

On Stomp

Over the weekend, we went to the most anticipated show of Spring of Culture, (besides Fairouz obviously) and .... I tell you this was ONE HELL OF A SHOW.

We went to the first show of three.It was supposed to start at 8:30 but it took alot of time until people got settled and it finally started around 9ish. It was worth the wait.

The show starts with people cleaning the floor with broomsticks.I never, in my life, imagined that people can be quite creative with broomsticks.The sounds, the co-ordination , the comedy.Magnificent.

Then there was part with other stuff including sticks, barrels, pipes , garbage bins, garbage-bin-lids , kitchen sinks, newspapers, plastic bags .... you name it.

My favourite part was the scene when they start drumming on a wall of aluminium plates, wheel rims, bottles, etc etc.This was so creative, energetic and full of fun.

Add to that the comic relief that was contributed by a small guy from the group.He had great comedic timing.The whole group knew what they were doing and did it well.

It was a great weekend