SAG Announces Next Year's Awards Date

We just finished the awards season but SAG has already announced their next year's awards date and everything leading up to it.

Screen Actors Guild sets dates

April 15, 2006Deadline for SAG to receive November 2005 dues to be eligible for SAG Awards Nominating Committee Drawings

April 26, 2006Random Sample Drawn for Nominations Voting

July 17, 2006Submissions Open

September 25, 2006Deadline for Nominating Committee Members to Request/Change Address and Return Screener Agreements

December 1, 2006Nominations Ballots Mailed

December 15, 2006 Deadline for Paying November 2006 Dues and/or Changing Address with SAG to be Eligible for Final Balloting

December 21, 2006Labels Pulled for Final Balloting

January 2, 2007Nomination Ballots Due at the Elections Firm by 12 Noon PT

January 4, 2007Nominations Announced in Los Angeles

January 5, 2007Final Ballots Mailed to Members

January 26, 2007Final Ballots Due at the Elections Firm by 12 Noon PT

January 28, 200713th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®Submissions may be submitted online at www.sagawards.org beginning July 17, 2006.

DVD Review - Memoirs of a Geisha

When I first heard about Memoirs of a Geisha I had doubts about it. I was not a fan of Chicago and I didn't think that Rob Marshall would do a good job of directing this film. The fact that most of the reviews were not that good just confirmed these feelings and I decided to skip the theatrical run of the film and wait for the DVD. After watching the film on DVD I must say that despite some flaws I liked this film.

The story is of a young woman named Chiyo who is sold to one of the Geisha houses because her parents can no longer take care of her and her sister (her sister does not fare as well and becomes a prostitute but winds up escaping). Chiyo's life is filled with hardship as she struggles to learn the ropes of Geishahood. In addition, she falls out of favor with the wicked Hatsumomo who is top Geisha in the house. Despite the fact that Chiyo is much younger and has quite a ways to go Hatsumomo sees her as a threat because of Chiyo's great beauty. Chiyo gets into trouble because of an incident set up by Hatsumomo and as a result becomes the servant girl of one of the elder women who runs the house. Chiyo is feeling very gloomy but one day as she is walks around town a man notices her and buys her a sweet ice to cheer her up. He also gives her his handkerchief and his kindness is something that she never forgets. She vows that somehow one day they will meet again.

After a while Chiyo's luck begins to change. Mameha, who is Hatsumomo's rival Geisha, offers to train Chiyo and guarantees to pay off the debt that Chiyo owes. Mameha renames Chiyo Sayuri.
Before you know it, she is the top Geisha and Hatsumomo tries to get back at her by training Sayuri's former friend Pumpkin to be her rival.

While entertaining various clients Sayuri once again meets the man who gave her the handkerchief. He is known as The Chairman. His business partner takes quite a fancy to Sayuri but he shows no interest.

World War II comes and Sayuri has to hide in the country for several years. After the war she is persuaded to go back to being a Geisha in order to help raise funds for The Chairman and his friend to rebuild their business. At this point, I am not going to reveal any more of the plot because I don't want to give away what happens in the last part of the film.

I really learned quite a bit about the Geisha way of life. I felt very sorry for those women because they could never have a normal life with a man. I was moved by this film and at the end I had tears in my eyes. Zizi Zhang was very good as Chiyo/Sayuri and Michelle Yeoh (Mameha) and Ken Watanabe (The Chairman) were fine in their roles. Best of all was Li Gong a Hatsumomo. The viciousness just oozes out of her! The film is gorgeous to look at and the musical score is beautiful. Oh, and I must not forget to mention those beautiful costumes.

Yes, the all the accents sound different but oddly enough, that didn't bother me. What I didn't like was that at the beginning of the film people are talking in Japanese and there weren't any subtitles. That was a no-no. The film is a bit too long and could have been trimmed and tightened up. Marshall did a good job of directing the film but I think with a different director it could have been a great film. Since I didn't read Arthur Golden's book I can't say how Robin Swicord's script compares with it. But, even at almost two and a half hours, I was never bored.

Bottom line: This is film is good but far from perfect. But, the way some critics raked it over the coals made is sound like trash. It certainly is not that at all. It is a heartfelt story of women who live a subservient way of life because they have no other choice. However, it is also a story of a great love and how that love can heal. And, that is what I liked most about this film.

Inside Man

When I saw the trailer for Inside Man I didn't think much. I had little interest in seeing the film.
But because the reviews were so positive I decided to give the film a chance and am I glad that I did.

Detective Keith Frazier works with the Hostage Negotiation section of the police department. Lately he has been a bit down on his luck. However, things pick up when another detective is on vacation and he gets a call to investigate a possible bank robbery/hostage situation.

We know that four armed robbers entered the bank and threatened everyone who was there. They make everyone take off their clothing and dress just like them. Someone places a phone call to Arthur Chase, the founder of the bank, to tell him what has happened. Mr. Chase becomes preoccupied with what happened at the bank but not for the obvious reason. Enter Madeline White, a New York power player who seems to have connections to those on the top of the heap. Chase wants her to help him with a problem connected with the robbery.

In the meantime, Frazier and his partner Bill Mitchell team up with Captain John Darius of the Emergency Services Unit and try to figure out how to get the hostages out of the bank safely. As time goes on Frazier begins to realize that this is no ordinary bank robbery. I do not want to say anymore about the plot because I would be giving away too much.

Spike Lee is back in form with his best film since 25th Hour. He really knows how to capture New York City and its people with their varying shades and stripes. It helps that he has a good script to work with. This is the first screenplay by Russell Gewirtz and it is a crackling one. I read that Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) helped fine tune the script but this is something that is done all of the time. The film is suspenseful, keeps you guessing right up until the end and has a lot of humor in it. There is also a moral lesson here which comes across very clearly without hitting you on the head. What more could you ask for from a studio film?

The cast is all in fine form. Denzel Washington as Frazier is his reliably good self. Clive Owen as Dalton Russell also good and is mesmerizing when we see his face. Jodie Foster as Ms. White is nicely tart and bitchy. The great Christopher Plummer is deliciously devious as Chase. Willem Dafoe as Darius and Chiwetel Ejiofer as Mitchell nicely round out the cast. Ejiofer is British but his American accent is right on target.

While this film is not a cinematic masterpiece it is very well done and highly entertaining. It is nice to see that the studios can still make a film that is commercial and intelligent at the same time.

Thank You for Smoking

I must say that I had some misgivings about seeing this film. But, since the film got some great reviews I decided to take a chance. What I found was a mixed bag.

The film focuses on Nick Naylor, who is a lobbyist for the tobacco industry. We follow him as he tries to make the case for cigarette smoking. He also wants to win the love and admiration of his young son Joey (Nick and his wife are divorced). Joining Nick at lunch once a week is a lobbyist for the alcohol industry and a lobbyist for the gun industry. They call themselves the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death). During the film we see Nick on television trying to make his case; Nick trying to make a deal with a Hollywood producer regarding a film that shows actors having sex and smoking cigarettes afterwards; Nick having sex with a reporter who is trying to dish out some dirt on him.

The film is based on Christopher Buckley's satiric novel of the same name. Jason Reitman has written a screenplay filled with terrific lines. But, he got all of those lines from Buckley. I haven't read the book but I imagine that I would be laughing much of the time and there were a number of times that I laughed while I was watching the film. But, some great lines doesn't necessarily make a great film. There are a number of times when the film really sags.

The highlight of the film is Aaron Eckhart as Nick. Eckhardt is just so good at being bad. J.K. Simmons is also good as Nick's boss B.R. as is William H. Macy who plays a Vermont senator trying to get a smoking equals poison bill passed. One weak link in the acting department is Katie Holmes as the reporter. She is just not at all believable in that role.

The film (and the book) tries to make a case for people thinking for themselves and making up their own minds. That is the libertarian way of thinking (Buckley and his father William definitely fall in this category). Because of this, the film is neither anti or pro smoking. Now, I do understand that point of view. Everyone knows about the dangers of smoking and some people still choose to smoke. I don't have a problem if people want to smoke. That is their right and as long as they do it far away from me it is okay.

Bottom line: This is an okay but highly overpraised film. I don't know what the critics saw in it that I missed. Maybe it was something that they were smoking. Now, put that in your pipe!

Joyeaux Noel

This is the fourth 2006 Oscar nominated foreign film that I have seen (it looks like I will see the fifth one, Don't Tell, on DVD as it played for a week and it is already gone) and I think it is one of the best.

Christian Carrion has created a beautifully crafted anti-war film. On Christmas eve in 1914 British, French and German troops called a cease fire and celebrated Christmas together. But, there are events that led up to this and the film goes into some of them.

At the beginning of the film there is a scene which takes place in Scotland where a young man is working with a priest. His brother excitedly comes in and tells him that they are going to war and exclaims that now life has meaning. There were some candles that were burning but after the brothers leave the church they go out. I took that as a premonition of what was to come and from the expression on the priest's face so did he.

On the German side there is a well known opera singer in the ranks. He gets special permission to see his lover, who is also an opera singer, on Christmas eve. They both decide to go to the trenches and celebrate the holiday with the soldiers.

Things start to mellow out when the Scottish part of Britain's contingent play traditional holiday music on the bagpipes. The German soldier/singer starts to sing along. Before you know it the commanders from each group decide that there will be a cease fire for the holiday. The German commander gives back the French commander's wallet (he lost it during a battle). Everyone is eating and drinking together and having a great time. The commanders even decide to help each other bury their dead. The Scottish priest (yes, he is in the trenches) gives a very moving service which is followed by beautiful operatic singing. The German commander says that he has never been so moved in his life and this is not because it is Christmas. He is a Jew and he is moved because he sees what can happen when humankind puts down their weapons of war.

Unfortunately, the cease fire has to come to an end. But, because these men have come to know each other they have feelings of respect for those outside their squad. They even help each other keep out of harm's way when they know that an attack is coming. After all of this, you may ask, how can they kill each other? Well, they can't.

However, what they have done is not looked upon favorably by the higher ups. Each group of men is punished. Particularly chilling is when the Bishop from Britain relieves the priest of his duties and questions if the priest is even fit to be a man of God. The Bishop gives his sermon to a new group of soldiers and his is filled with fire and brimstone. He quotes a Bible that says that war is good. But, by that time in the film, we know just how wrong he is.

I don't know much about Carrion's previous work but after seeing this film I want to see what he has done in the past and what he will do in the future. The film is beautifully shot and gives one the feeling of being right there on the battlefield. This is a true ensemble piece and all of the acting is outstanding. Some of the actors are Gary Lewis as the Scottish priest, Daniel Bruhl as the German commander, Diane Kruger and Benno Furmann as the opera singers, Guillarme Canet as the French commander and Ian Richardson as the Bishop. There are many others and they all deserve credit for being part of this remarkable film.

I was so moved by this film and it will stand out in my heart and soul for some time to come. This is a film that I will want to see again because the message is pure and beautiful. The governments make wars but the heads of governments never go and fight them. When soldiers put down their arms and talk to their "enemies" they will find out that they have more in common with them than they think. This film is based on true events. At this time in history I wish that people would call for cease fires around the world. Then maybe we would have a chance to save humanity.

On a Clear Day

A friend of mine took me to a preview of this film and I couldn't be more delighted (I believe it will be released in April). I am a big fan of Peter Mullan (as an actor and a director) and I also really like Brenda Blethyn.

Mullan plays Frank, a middle aged man who just got fired from his job. From what we can tell, Frank got tired of taking crap from the higher ups so they felt that it was time for him to leave. Frank won't come out and say what he feels but from his face we can tell how much he hurts inside. It is painful to watch him go to an employment agency and try to fill out an application. He just doesn't have it in him.

Frank's wife Joan decides to become a bus driver in order to help make ends meet. Their son Rob takes care of his two kids because his wife makes a lot more money than he could ever make. But, he and Frank don't get along and he feels that his father doesn't respect him.

Frank and his mates like to go swimming. At some point Frank decides he wants to swim the English Channel. Yes, this does seem like an impossible feat for a middle aged man, even if he is a good swimmer. But, Frank goes into heavy training and by the time he is ready for his swim everyone is rooting for him.

I found this film highly inspirational and, on some level, I related to Frank. The swim is symbolic as Frank could have picked anything to challenge himself. The main thing was that he actually challenged himself because losing one's job can be demoralizing and you can start doubting yourself on many levels.

Gaby Dellal does a nice job in her directorial debut and Alex Rose's script hits all the right notes.
Mullan is wonderful as Frank. His world weary face lets us see the inner workings of the man. The always reliable Blethyn is great as Joan. There is a scene where they are eating dinner and she is really angry with him. They don't have to say a word to convey what is going on in their hearts. Frank's mates are well played by Billy Boyd, Ron Cook, Benedict Wong and the wonderful Irish actor Sean McGinley. They have all had there share of blows and Frank's swimming the Channel will be a victory for them as well. Jamie Sives as Rob also puts in a fine performance.

My only complaint is that I wish the film took a bit more time in exploring the relationship between Frank and Joan. I wanted to know more about them as a couple. But, this is a film that goes to the heart and I do hope that people will go and see it when it opens up in the U.S.

Duck Season

This film won numerous awards in Mexico and has a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Also, it is presented by Alfonso Cuaron. So, I was really expecting something special. What I got was a charming little film that is basically about nothing.

It is a lazy Sunday morning and Flama and Moko (who are both 14 years old) are left alone in Flama's apartment when his mother goes out for the day. They decide to play a video game but soon tire of that. A short time later Rita (who is 16), a girl who lives in the building, comes by to ask if she could use the oven to bake a cake because her's isn't working. Flama reluctantly lets her use it. After a while Flama and Moko decide to order a pizza. When Ulises (the pizza delivery man) shows up the boys claim that because he took over a half an hour to get there they don't have to pay for the pie. Ulises tries to get them to pay and winds up spending the whole day there as does Rita (who burns one cake, makes another one that is inedible and finally settles for making brownies).

Here is what we find out: Ulises had dreams of doing something else in life but it didn't work out. He worked at a dog pound but after he couldn't take that anymore he decided to deliver pizzas. Flama's parents are going through a divorce and they are constantly arguing about who gets what. While Rita and Mako bake a cake together she gives him his first kiss. However, it seems that Mako is more interested in Flama and is unhappy that Flama and his mother are going to move away in less than a week. Rita is wants to bake a cake because it is her birthday and it seems her family didn't remember. The brownies contain pot so everyone gets high. Somehow the boys find a gun and shoot everything they can find that Flama's parents are fighting over. That is the film in a nutshell.

The film is beautifully shot in black and white and Fernando Eimbkce does a nice job in his directorial debut. I have to say that there were a number of laughs and all of the actors were good. I guess you could say that this is a coming of age film that doesn't really go in any direction. I saw one critic compare this to The Squid and the Whale but Squid is a much better film with a lot more substance. Duck Season isn't a bad film, it just doesn't live up to all the hype.

Take My Eyes

There have been a number of films made about domestic violence but none with the skill of Take My Eyes. The film won five Goya awards in Spain in 2004 but is just now having a very limited release in the US.

Pilar and Antonio have been married for nine years and have a son. When the film starts we see Pilar and her son Juan leaving their apartment. She is going to live with her sister Ana because she can no longer take the physical and mental abuse that Antonio has been inflicting on her.
When Ana goes back to Pilar's apartment to get a few more things she sees hospital records that prove Pilar was abused. Although Ana begs Pilar to leave Antonio for good their mother begs to differ. She thinks it is better to have a man, any man, then to be alone. We later find out that she was also an abused wife.

Antonio works as an appliance salesman in the family business. He is very resentful of the fact that this is his lot in life. He suffers from an inferiority complex and is frothing with anger. He takes all of his frustrations out on Pilar. He is trying to sort things out and is going for therapy. He has privates sessions and is also in a group. The scenes in which the group of men give the reasons their partners deseve abuse are very interesting and revolting at the same time. I read that domestic violence is quite prevalent in Spain and I think that is one reason that this film made such an impact over there.

In the meantime, Pilar takes a job at a museum and starts to come into her own. However, slowly but surely Antonio wins her back. He is like a drug that is hard to kick. This leads to a rift between the two sisters. There is a very powerful lovemaking scene in which Pilar tells Antonio to take her eyes, take her breasts, etc. It seems that he must possess her body and soul in order for him to be happy.

Pilar has a chance of getting a tour guide at the museum and this excites her very much. In order to get the job she must successfully take a group in Madrid to a museum. This infuriates the jealous Antonio and he puts her through the ultimate in humiliation. I will not say what he does or what happens next because someone reading this might see the film and I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone.

Iciar Bollain does a fine job directing the film. It is many notches above the films on this subject that we have seen in the past. Luis Tosar is excellent as Antonio. Although he is a real bully we can't help but feel a bit sorry for him because he really hates himself so much. But, the real revelation here is Laia Murull as Pilar. I have seen many Spanish films but I am not familiar with her. Her performance really tore at my heart. Her pain and fear were so real that they jump right off the screen. It is easy to see why she won a Goya for this film.

This film is a highly realistic, powerful portrait of a problem that is rampant in our society. Most people will not see this film in the theaters because it is a small, foreign film. But, I would urge people to find it when it comes out on DVD (I am sure that Netflix will have it) because it is very worth while.

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days was one of the five films nominated this year for Best Foreign Film. It is a good film that should be seen because it uncovers a piece of history that many people are unaware of. However, I think that it could have been a great film and, unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to its potential.

Sophie and her brother Hans are members of The White Rose, a group of German students that are against the Nazi regime. They print leaflets and distribute them all over Germany hoping to that people will wake up and see what it is happening to their country.

A short time into the film Sophie and Hans go to a local university and distribute their flyers in different places. As they finish their task, Sophie decides to throw some of the flyers off of a ledge. Several people see this and before you know it Sophie and Hans are taken into custody for interrogation. At first Sophie makes up lies and pretends that she doesn't know a thing about the flyers. At one point Sophie is almost released but at the last minute the powers that be change their mind. The police have made inquiries about her and Hans and it becomes impossible for her to deny her involvement with The White Rose.

The rest of the film is about the last few days of her life. Many of the scenes are in the interrogation room and Sophie is asked to name names, which she refuses to do. She even tells her interrogator why she disagrees with the Nazi philosophy. Sophie is even promised freedom if she signs a statement renouncing her beliefs but she refuses to do so.

The police round up a friend of Sophie and Hans named Christoph and all three of them are given a quick trial. They are convicted of treason and sentenced to death. The most emotional scenes in the film (at least for me) come towards the end when Sophie says goodbye to her parents and when she, Hans and Christoph hug each other for the last time. Those two scenes brought tears to my eyes.

I feel that this is a powerful film. But, I think that director Marc Rothemund could have trimmed it a bit. There were times when I felt that the pace of the film was stagnant. I do realize that the film was about the last days of Sophie's life but I wish that there more scenes involving the work of The White Rose. Julia Jentsch (who was also in The Edukators) was absolutely brilliant as Sophie. She gave a flawless performance, which was important because the weight of the film falls on her shoulders. In my opinion, her performance was better than any of the five actresses nominated for Best Actress Oscar this year (she won a European Film Award for Best Actress).

The film brings many thoughts to mind. How many people would take a chance like these brave souls and risk their lives for such a cause? I don't know. The film also makes you think about how important freedom is and how easily it can be taken away. See this film not only for Ms. Jentsch's performance but also as a lesson to us all in the hopes that if something like were to ever happen again that we would not give into our fears but be brave enough to fight it off.

V for Vendetta

When I first heard about V for Vendetta I was not very enthusiastic. I saw the first Matrix film and was so underwhelmed that I didn't bother seeing the two sequels. Happily, V for Vendetta is totally different from the Matrix.

This film has an important story to tell and is based on Alan Moore's graphic novel. The book was written in 1980 when Margaret Thatcher ruled Britain. The filmmakers decided to update the material. The action takes place in the UK but it could just as well be the US as the government keeps taking away more rights and liberties from the people each day.

Natalie Portman plays Evey Hammond who is just a regular gal living in London. Evey's consciousness is raised when she decides to break the curfew by going out at night to meet someone. She is assaulted by thugs (who seem to work for the government) and is almost molested by them when a masked figure rescues her. That strange character is, of course, V.

Things get even more complicated after V blows up the Old Bailey and kills a number of people. The government and police (who are one and the same) decide they must find this mysterious V and do away with him. In the meantime, Evey becomes linked to V and he takes her to his place of hiding to keep her safe. During the investigation the officer in charge of the case, Finch (played by an excellent Stephen Rea) uncovers certain facts and begins to doubt the government.

There is a lot of suspense in the film and to reveal much more would ruin it for people who might read this. I will say that we do find out what happened to V in the past and that helps us understand why he kills certain people. Sadly, we learn that what happened to V happened to many other people as well. There is a scene at the end of the film that really blew me away. This is a political thriller (yes, political) in every sense of the word.

The film is well directed by James McTeigue and he gives it the feel of an exhilarating roller coaster ride. It is also very well written by the Wachowski Brothers who give the characters some terrific dialogue. Ms. Portman is very good as Evey and is able to convey her emotions as she learns to stand up for what she believes in. Hugo Weaving is fine as V and I already mentioned how great Stephen Rea is (he is one of my favorite actors and I am happy to see him in such a fine film). Also splendid are Stephen Fry as Evey's boss Deitrich (who happens to have a few secrets of his own) and John Hurt as Adam Sutler, the fascistic leader. The film is beautifully shot by the late Adrian Biddle (there is a dedication to him at the end) and has a great musical score composed by Dario Marianelli.

As I said before, I don't want to say too much about this film because I would give away too many things. But, I will say that it is an important film for people to see. It shows how, because of fear, people become sheep and follow anything that their government will tell them. But, it also shows how people can change their minds and demand something else. As V says, "The people should not be afraid of the government, the government should be afraid of the people." Now, more than ever, we must heed those words.

DVD Review: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

Julianne Moore seems to specialize in playing housewives in distress. This film is by no means as good as Far From Heaven or The Hours but Moore stands out in a film that is pretty good but could have been even better if the director's style was a bit more bold.

The film is the feature directorial debut of Jane Anderson who also wrote the screenplay which is based on the memoirs of Terry Ryan. Terry is the daughter of Evelyn Ryan who raised 12 children and supplemented her husband's meager income by winning jingle contests in the 50s and early 60s. Evelyn is very good with words and in another life she would have been a successful writer. But, her vocation in life is taking care of her large brood. Evelyn's husband Kelly is ill tempered and drunk much of the time. Woody Harrelson is decent as Kelly but his performance could have had more depth. You never find out why he is always on edge but I would guess that part of it is that he knows Evelyn is smarter than he is and is also his rival as the breadwinner of the family.

Evelyn is such an optimist that when Kelly goes on one of his rampages she just cheerfully ignores him and goes on with whatever she is doing. I just wanted to shake her up and say "why don't you get out of this mess?" Of course, that is easier said then done. But, when the family is about to lose their house because of Kelly's carelessness with money Evelyn finally lets him know how fed up she is.

One of the best scenes in the film comes after Evelyn wins a contest sponsored by the local supermarket allowing her to put everything she can into her shopping cart within ten minutes. That scene is very lively and shows just a glimpse of what this film could have been if it were directed in a different manner (or by a different director). There were a few scenes with daughter Terry that were also well directed and quite touching. And at the end of the film there is something very special but I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you who will see the film.

The DVD contains a commentary track (which I didn't listen to) and some photos of the real Ryan clan. I thought that was a nice touch. Despite its flaws I found myself deeply moved by Ms. Moore's Evelyn. She is simply one of the best actresses working in cinema today. I also found the story very inspirational and I recommend it to anyone who needs a lift.

Tsotsi

The South African film Tsotsi, directed by Gavin Hood, just won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Was it the best film that was nominated in that category? Since I haven't seen all of the foreign film nominees as of yet, I cannot say. But, it certainly is one of the best right up there with Paradise Now.

Tsotsi is base on playwright Athol Fugard's only novel. Tsotsi (which means thug) is an angry, violent teenager. He lives in a shantytown outside Jonannesburg in a run down shack. He and his friends think nothing of robbing and even killing people. One night when Tsotsi is out on his own he shoots awoman and takes her car. To his amazement there is a baby in the back seat. Tsotsi decides he wants to keep the baby and forces a young mother in the shantytown to feed the little one.

Having a baby brings up many emotions in Tsotsi. We learn what happened to him when he was a child and see how these events made him what he is today (we even find out what his real name is). At the beginning of the film I had very little sympathy for this young man but after I found out what his life was like I have to say that I felt compassion towards him. This doesn't mean that there should not be punishment for a crime that is committed but the back story helps one understand where Tsotsi is coming from.

The film is directed with passion and Hood's screenplay is well written and, happily, doesn't rely on sentimentality at the end of the story. The cinematography is beautiful and I loved the lively South African music performed by Zola (who also plays crime lord Fela in the film). And, Presley Chweneyagae is outstanding as Tsotsi.

One of the interesting things about the film is that all of the crime victims are well to do black people. The story doesn't focus on racism but rather the gulf between the classes. The film is very direct in showing us the different lives that people lead depending upon whether they are able to live in the nice neighborhoods or are forced to live in the shantytowns. When I left the theater I felt very sad but I was also thankful, despite whatever problems I might have, that I didn't live the life of Tsotsi and his friends. This film is a real eye opener and I highly recommend that people see it.

The Libertine

I love British period pieces so even though The Libertine got some pretty bad reviews (and the fact that its release was delayed for a year) I still wanted to see it. The fact that the cast included Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich was a great attraction.

Depp is an actor who had great range but I find many of his more recent films bland and not very risky. In this film he takes a big risk by playing John Wilmot also known as the Earl of Rochester. His monologue at the beginning of the film is superb and sets the tone. Depp gives the character his all as Rochester and what a character he is. He strays from his wife with prostitutes and drinks to his heart's content. Along the way he falls in love with Elizabeth Barry (played by the terrific Samantha Morton) who is an actress as well as a prostitute. He takes her under his wing and writes a play with her in mind. The play is filled with words that many
would think are lewd and this does not please King Charles (John Malkovich) at all. After Rochester takes his leave of London we find out that he has contracted syphilis. We watch with horror as he his condition worsens and eventually leads to his death.

As I said before, Johnny Depp is excellent as Rochester. Samantha Morton is very good as Elizabeth Barry and Rosemund Pike is also find as Rochester's wife also named Elizabeth. It is too bad that John Malkovich's part of King Charles is underwritten. I would have liked to see more from this outstanding actor. This is Lawrence Dunmore's directorial debut and it shows. There is nothing special or exciting about the way the film moves. It was too stagey for my taste (which can happen when a play moves to the screen). The makeup people did not do a very good job as Rochester looked more like a clown than a man who was sick. Stephen Jeffreys adapted his own play and the dialog is very witty and bold. But, in the end, I was left wondering what was the purpose of this film. And, a few hours after seeing, I still can't find any.

My Most Anticipated Films of 2006

Here is a list of the films I am most looking forward to seeing in 2006 (along with their directors). This is by no means a complete list. I am sure that as the year goes on I will be adding films as I find out about interesting sounding ones and deleting films if they get negative reviews. I will constantly be editing this list. But, for now, here it is:

Goya's Ghosts (Milos Forman)
Babel (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
Volver (Pedro Almodovar)
Inland Empire (David Lynch)
The Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron)
Prairie Home Companion (Robert Altman)
The Good German (Steven Soderbergh)
The Good Shepherd (Robert De Niro)
Breaking and Entering (Anthony Minghella)
Flags of Our Fathers (Clint Eastwood)
All the King's Men (Steven Zaillian)
Little Children (Todd Field)
The Last King of Scotland (Kevin MacDonald)
The Black Dahlia (Brian De Palma)
Notes on a Scandal (Richard Eyre)
Running with Scissors (Ryan Murphy)
The Painted Veil (John Curran)
The Science of Sleep (Michel Gondry)
Fast Food Nation (Richard Linklater)
Klimt (Raul Ruiz)
The Prestige (Christopher Nolan)
Fur (Steven Shainberg)
The Hoax (Lasse Hallstrom)
Lucky You (Curtis Hanson)
Infamous (Douglas McGrath)
The Departed (Martin Scorcese)
Changing Times (Andre Techine)
Copying Beethoven (Agnieszka Holland)
Scoop (Woody Allen)
Sicko (Michael Moore)
Youth Without Youth (Francis Ford Coppola)

2005 Oscars

As this year's Oscars have come and gone I don't want to spend too much time commenting on them (as I see films that I feel will be contenders for next year's awards season I will write about them). However, since they were just a few days ago I feel that I should say a few words about them, especially since there was a bit of an upset at the ceremony.

I found the Oscar ceremony a bit anti-climactic as I pretty much knew who was going to win in the major categories. I was not even that surprised by the Crash win. While it is true that Brokeback Mountain won just about every Best Picture award prior to the Oscars, for several weeks before the ceremony it seemed like many people came out publicly to support Crash. Film critic Roger Ebert went on a number of television programs talking about why Crash was such a great movie and why it was so important that it wins the Best Picture Oscar. Oprah Winfrey also came out for Crash. It didn't hurt that Lions Gate Films went on a marketing blitz by sending out thousands of DVDs to Academy members in order to make sure that they would see the film.

When I saw Crash last spring I thought that it was a good film but not a very subtle one. I thought that the message was important but it was dealt with in a heavy handed way and I thought that the writing was a bit disjointed. I never thought of it as a Best Picture contender. I thought that perhaps Matt Dillon would get a Best Supporting Actor nomination (he did) and that Thandie Newton might get a Best Supporting Actress nomination (she didn't). I think that Brokeback Mountain is definitely the better film. It is a beautifully directed and shot film and the two leads are superb. It is the type of tragic romance that I would have thought Oscar voters would love. I guess that they didn't love it enough. Is it that Hollywood is not really that liberal? Is it that their liberalism does not include same sex relationships and that they are homophobic? Or, is it that Brokeback Mountain peaked too soon and voters didn't want to be told that they must vote for that film in order to make a statement? I don't know what the reason is that Crash was the winner but I certainly do not want to dwell on the matter because there are so many pressing issues at hand. Because even if Brokeback Mountain won the Best Picture Oscar it would not mean that tomorrow people who are homosexual would be able marry the person that they love and have the same rights as heterosexuals. And, that is the real issue.

Regarding the other Best Picture contenders I liked all of them (which is unusual as there is usually at least one that I don't like) with the terrific Good Night, and Good Luck being my favorite. Ditto all of the Best Actor nominees. All of them gave magnificent performances but Philip Seymour Hoffman was the best transforming himself into the cold and calculating Truman Capote. Reese Witherspoon gave a fine performance as June Careter Cash in Walk the Line but although she did a good job singing I thought that the character was not a great stretch for her as she is a southerner. I would have preferred Felicity Huffman to win for Transamerica because it was a more difficult role.

I was happy that George Clooney won for Syriana because I wanted him to win for something. I was also pleased that Rachel Weisz won for The Constant Gardener because it was a sterling performance and it was the only thing that underrated film won. After so many years and so many wonderful films Ang Lee deserved his Best Director award. As far as screenplay awards goes, I would have preferred either A History of Violence or The Constant Gardener to win for adapted screenplay instead of Brokeback Mountain. And there is no question in my mind that Good Night and Good Luck should have won Best Original Screenplay instead of Crash.

I expected The March of The Penguins to win in Best Documentary and I was not disappointed. The only film I have seen in the Foreign Film category is Paradise Now. It is a powerful film that makes a good companion piece to Munich. But, I suppose that it was too controversial for the Academy to award it (even though won a Golden Globe and Independent Spirit award). During the next few weeks I will see the Oscar winning Tsotsi as well as the nominated Sophie Scholl and Joyeux Noel. Then I will have a better idea of which film really deserved the award. I haven't scene any of the animated films as of yet but I hope to in the not too distant future (they are all in my Netflix queue). I was pleased that It's Hard Out There For a Pimp won for Best Song. And, lastly, I was very moved by the salute to Robert Altman for his Lifetime Achievement Award. That was definitely one of the highlights of the evening.

My Best of 2005 list

As my first post I would like to present my Best of 2005 list. So, without further ado, here it is:

Top Ten Best Pictures
Good Night, and Good Luck
A History of Violence
The Constant Gardener
Head-On
Saraband
The Best of Youth
Cache
Walk on Water
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Breakfast on Pluto

Runners Up (In No Particular Order
Crash
Kings and Queen
The Squid and the Whale
Capote
Paradise Now
Munich
Match Point
The White Countess
Brokeback Mountain
Broken Flowers
The Memory of a Killer
The Edukators
Duma

Best Documentaries
Grizzly Man
The March of the Penguins
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Murderball

Best Actors
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Ralph Fiennes (The Constant Gardener & The White Countess)
Birol Unel (Head-On)
Erland Josephson (Saraband)
David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck)
Lior Ashkenazi (Walk on Water)
Cillian Murphy (Breakfast on Pluto)
Bruno Ganz (Downfall)
Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
Daniel Auteuil (Cache)
Tommy Lee Jones (The Three Burials)
Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale)
Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence)
Mathieu Amalrich (Kings and Queen)
Terrence Howard (Hustle and Flow)
Daniel Day-Lewis (The Ballad of Jack and Rose)
Sergio Castellitto (Don't Move, Katerina in the Big City & My Mother's Smile
Bill Murray (Broken Flowers)
Damian Lewis (Keane)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Mysterious Skin)


Best Actresses
Liv Ullmann (Saraband)
Joan Allen (The Upside of Anger)
Emmanuelle Devos (Kings and Queen)
Penelope Cruz (Don't Move)
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)
Juliette Binoche (Cache)
Natasha Richardson (Asylum & The White Countess)
Sibel Kikulli (Head-On)
Laura Linney (The Squid and the Whale)

Best Supporting Actors
William Hurt (A History of Violence)
George Clooney (Syriana)
Matt Dillon (Crash)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain)
Clifton Collins, Jr. (Capote)
Daniel Craig (Munich)
Barry Pepper (The Three Burials)
Kevin Costner (The Upside of Anger)

Best Supporting Actresses
Maria Bello (A History of Violence)
Scarlett Johansson (Match Point)
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
Thandie Newton (Crash)
Amy Adams (Junebug)

Best Directors
George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck)
Ingmar Bergman (Saraband)
David Cronenberg (A History of Violence)
Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener)
Fatih Akin (Head-On)
Michael Haneke (Cache)
Neil Jordan (Breakfast on Pluto)
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Original Screenplays
George Clooney and Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck
Michael Haneke (Cache)
Woody Allen (Match Point)
Guillermo Arriaga (The Three Burials)
Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers)
Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale)

Best Adapted Screenplays
Josh Olson (A History of Violence)
Jeffrey Caine (The Constant Gardener)
Neil Jordan & Patrick McCabe (Breakfast on Pluto)
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain)
Tony Kushner and Eric Roth (Munich)