Movie News and Views

DVD Mini Review - (500) Days of Summer

2009-12-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

When (500) Days of Summer came out I didn't see it at my local cinema. It looked okay but a bit too cute. But the critics loved it so I wanted to see it as soon as it came out on DVD. The verdict is that I liked it more than I though I would be it isn't as great as the critics said it was.

Director Marc Webb has fashioned an indie rom com that is a little bit different from other films. But it is not that much different. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel) when she starts working for his company. He immediately falls for her. She tells him right from the start that she isn't looking for commitment but he seems to be deaf. The film goes back and forth during the 500 days of their relationship (which is mostly on but sometimes off) or rather the time he spends being in it. That is the unique part of the film. But what happens during those days is typical of most relationship films.

The two actors have a nice chemistry and you can believe that they are a couple. The film belongs to Gordon-Levitt. He is very good in it and you can see that he is one of the finest young actors working today. You feel his joy and pain. I look forward to seeing what he does next.

So, yes, rent (500) Days of Summer. It works very well on DVD.

Avatar

2009-12-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

What can I say about James Cameron's Avatar? There has been so much written about it already. I will say that I liked it better than his Titanic. That has to be the most overrated film ever made. I really did not have much interest in seeing Avatar but after seeing it this afternoon I must say that I am glad that I did.

I wanted to see it in 3D but the projector broke so I saw it in 2D. I am not a big fan of 3D and it was less money to see the 2D version. The story itself is not a new one. A country/people trying to ruin a land of indigenous people. It is a typical story of greed and power. The screenplay is not spectacular and the dialog is ordinary. And the acting (by Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington among others) is okay. But this is not a film about writing and acting. It is about visuals. And what beautiful visuals there are. Cameron and his crew have created a beautiful land of forests and creatures that we have not seen before. And that is why it is worth it to see this film on the big screen. It is a feast for the eyes.

The first ninety minutes or so of the film are most interesting. However, the last part of the film is a letdown. The final battle sequence is way too long and, therefore, making the film too long. It should have been cut down.

But still and all I recommend Avatar for those of you who want to see something visually special. And, yes, there is a message in there as well. Humans must stop ruining this (and perhaps other) planet(s)!

Mammoth (MOD)

2009-12-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

I watched Lukas Moodysson's latest film Mammoth on Movies on Demand last night. It did not get good reviews but I thought that it was a good, but not great, film. It held my attention and I was not bored.

New York City power couple Leo (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Ellen (Michelle Williams) appear to be happy. He is some kind of creator/computer genius. She is a surgeon. They have a young daughter Jackie (Sophie Nyweide). When the film begins Leo is off to Thailand to make a deal for one of his creations. Ellen will soon be off to the hospital to work her shift. Jackie is taken care of by her nanny Gloria (Marife Necesito). It seems that Jackie is more attached to Gloria than her mother. And it is no wonder - she spends more time with Gloria.

The film goes back and forth between NYC and Bangkok. Leo is lonely and wants this deal to come through quickly. He is also lonely and takes off by himself. He becomes involved with a prostitute named Cookie (Run Srinikornchot). Of course, this will never amount to anything real.

Some of the film also takes place in Gloria's homeland The Philippines. We see how her sons live and we find out that she is in the US to help her sons have a better life. There is also one more strand to the film - a young boy with multiple stab wounds that Ellen tries to save.

So we see that things are connected. Moodysson does a good job structuring the film but he is not on the level of the great Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. But still and all, Mammoth (which is named for the elephant) is worth seeing. In the end, people do things to help their children but it might not be the best thing to do. Human contact and love are more important than material wealth.

Broken Embraces

2009-12-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Broken Embraces is the terrific new film by Pedro Almodovar. And when you see one of this films you know that you are seeing real cinema.

The film is the story of Mateo Blanco/Harry Caine (Lluis Homar). Yes, he is the same man. Something in his life made him chose a second name. Although many critics have revealed the plot I do not want to. It spoils things for those who have not seen it. Playing into the story is a woman named Lena (Penelope Cruz) who Mateo/Harry becomes involved in. She is the mistress of a very wealthy man named Ernesto Martel (Jose Luis Gomez). Mateo/Harry has a very devoted and over protective agent named Judit Garcia (Blanca Portillo). Her son Diego (Tomar Novar) helps Mateo/Harry out with his work. And the mysterious Ray X (Ruben Ochandiano) wants to work with our protagonist as well.

How all of these characters fit together is for you to find out. The film is a wonderful noir with melodrama running throughout. There is something old fashioned about the film. Well, for one thing there are no special effects. You need to pay attention to the details or you might miss something. The film is intelligent, suspenseful and great to look at. And those are the ingredients that make up an Almodovar film. Cruz shines as Lena but the whole cast is great. It is truly an ensemble piece. The great Angela Molina turns up as Lena's mother.

So do yourself a favor and see this film. Foreign films are not doing well these days. People are lazy and do not want to read subtitles. So please support as many (good) foreign films as you can.

DVD Mini Review - The Headless Woman

2009-12-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

The Headless Woman, directed by Argentinian Lucretia Martel, is an interesting film. In the hands of another director it could have been a great film. However, Martel's directing style is such that leaves one wanting for more.

The film starts out a bit confusing and I think that this is done on purpose. We see some lower class kids - probably of Indian extract - playing in rural Argentina. Then we see a gathering of upper middle class people talking about being upset about a pool being built near a vet's office because there are turtles around. Does this make any sense to you? These people appear to be very shallow. We then see one of the upper class people, Veronica (Maria Onetto) (who happens to be a dentist) drive off. When her cell phone rings she reaches for it. But she doesn't get to answer it because she has apparently run over something. We see a dog in the distance (there was a dog with the kids at the beginning). Veronica is in shock and loses her memory. But it comes back after she realizes that she ran over something.

I won't say what happens next. But I think that the film is an interesting (there is that word again) exploration of how things go for you depending upon what class you are in. For my mind it doesn't go far enough but it is certainly a good enough film for a DVD rental. And it is anchored by Onetto's amazing performance. She really carries the film as a woman who doesn't know where to put herself.

Check this one out on DVD.

SAG Nominations

2009-12-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

Ensemble
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Precious

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabby Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds
Mo’Nique, Precious

TV:
Simon Baker, The Mentalist
Brian Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
John Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Actress:
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Glenn Close, The Closer
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Julianna Margulies
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Ensemble:
The Closer
Dexter
The Good Wife
Man Men
True Blood

Actress, Comedy
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis Dreyfuss, The New Adventures of Old Christine

Supporting Actor, Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Tony Shaloub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

Ensemble
30 Rock
Curb
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

Miniseries:
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance
Cuba Gooding, Jr., Gifted Hands
Jeremy Irons, Georgia O’Keefe
Kevin Kline, Cyrano de Bergerac
Tom Wilkinson, A Number

Actress, Miniseries
Joan Allen, Georgia O’Keefe
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Ruby Dee, America
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers for Bobby

Golden Globe Nominations

2009-12-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

Best Motion Picture -- Drama
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sadibe, Precious

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Tobey Maguire, Brothers

Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
(500) Days of Summer
The Hangover
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Meryl Streep, It's Complicated
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Julia Roberts, Duplicity

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Matt Damon, The Informant
Daniel Day Lewis, Nine
Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mo-Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Penelope Cruz, Nine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon, Invictus
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Princess and the Frog
Up

Best Foreign Language Film
Barria
Broken Embraces
A Prophet
The White Ribbon
The Maid

Best Director -- Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Best Screenplay -- Motion Picture
Up in the Air
It's Complicated
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds

Best Original Score -- Motion Picture
Michael Giacchino, Up
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant
James Horner, Avatar
Abel Krozeniowski, A Single Man
Karen O. and Carter Burwell, Where the Wild Things Are

Best Original Song -- Motion Picture
"I Will See You," Avatar
"The Weary Kind," The Crazy Heart
"Winter," Brothers
"Cinema Italiano," Nine
"I Want to Come Home," Everybody's Fine

New York Film Critics Circle Award Winners

2009-12-14T19:15:00.001-08:00

The 2009 New York Film Critics’ Circle Award Winners:

Best Film
“The Hurt Locker”

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker”

Best Screenplay
“In the Loop”

Best Actress
Meryl Streep for “Julie & Julia”

Best Actor
George Clooney for “Up In The Air” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique for “Precious”

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz for “Inglourious Basterds”

Best Cinematography
Christian Berger for “The White Ribbon”

Best Animated Film
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”

Best Non-fiction Film
“Of Time and the City”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Summer Hours”

Best First Feature
“Hunger,” director Steve McQueen

Special Award
To Andrew Sarris for his contribution to film criticism

Critics' Choice Nominees

2009-12-14T19:09:00.001-08:00

NOMINEES FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE

* Avatar
* An Education
* The Hurt Locker
* Inglourious Basterds
* Invictus
* Nine
* Precious
* A Serious Man
* Up
* Up In The Air

BEST ACTOR

* Jeff Bridges – “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney – “Up In The Air”
* Colin Firth – “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman – “Invictus”
* Viggo Mortensen – “The Road”
* Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”

BEST ACTRESS

* Emily Blunt – “The Young Victoria”
* Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side”
* Carey Mulligan – “An Education”
* Saoirse Ronan – “The Lovely Bones”
* Gabourey Sidibe – “Precious”
* Meryl Streep – “Julie & Julia”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

* Matt Damon – “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson – “The Messenger”
* Christian McKay – “Me And Orson Welles”
* Alfred Molina – “An Education”
* Stanley Tucci – “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

* Marion Cotillard – “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga – “Up In The Air”
* Anna Kendrick – “Up In The Air”
* Mo’Nique – “Precious”
* Julianne Moore – “A Single Man”
* Samantha Morton – “The Messenger”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

* Jae Head – “The Blind Side”
* Bailee Madison – “Brothers”
* Max Records – “Where The Wild Things Are”
* Saoirse Ronan – “The Lovely Bones”
* Kodi Smit-McPhee – “The Road”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

* Inglourious Basterds
* Nine
* Precious
* Star Trek
* Up In The Air

BEST DIRECTING

* Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker”
* James Cameron – “Avatar”
* Lee Daniels – “Precious”
* Clint Eastwood – “Invictus”
* Jason Reitman – “Up In The Air”
* Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

* Mark Boal – “The Hurt Locker”
* Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “A Serious Man”
* Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – “(500) Days Of Summer”
* Bob Peterson, Peter Docter – “Up”
* Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

* Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach – “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
* Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell – “District 9”
* Geoffrey Fletcher – “Precious”
* Tom Ford, David Scearce – “A Single Man”
* Nick Hornby – “An Education”
* Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner – “Up In The Air”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

* Barry Ackroyd – “The Hurt Locker”
* Dion Beebe – “Nine”
* Mauro Fiore – “Avatar”
* Andrew Lesnie – “The Lovely Bones”
* Robert Richardson – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ART DIRECTION

* Dan Bishop – “A Single Man”
* Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg – “Avatar”
* John Myhre, Gordon Sim – “Nine”
* Naomi Shohan, George De Titta, Jr. – “The Lovely Bones”
* David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST EDITING

* Dana E. Glauberman – “Up In The Air”
* Sally Menke – “Inglourious Basterds”
* Bob Murawski, Chris Innis – “The Hurt Locker”
* Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron – “Avatar”
* Claire Simpson, Wyatt Smith – “Nine”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

* Colleen Atwood – “Nine”
* Janet Patterson – “Bright Star”
* Sandy Powell – “The Young Victoria”
* Anna Sheppard – “Inglourious Basterds”
* Casey Storm – “Where The Wild Things Are”

BEST MAKEUP

* Avatar
* District 9
* Nine
* The Road
* Star Trek

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

* Avatar
* District 9
* The Lovely Bones
* Star Trek
* 2012

BEST SOUND

* Avatar
* District 9
* The Hurt Locker
* Nine
* Star Trek

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

* Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
* Coraline
* Fantastic Mr. Fox
* Princess And The Frog
* Up

BEST ACTION MOVIE

* Avatar
* District 9
* The Hurt Locker
* Inglourious Basterds
* Star Trek

BEST COMEDY

* (500) Days Of Summer
* The Hangover
* It’s Complicated
* The Proposal
* Zombieland

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

* Gifted Hands
* Grey Gardens
* Into The Storm
* Taking Chance

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

* Broken Embraces
* Coco Before Chanel
* Red Cliff
* Sin Nombre
* The White Ribbon

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

* Anvil
* Capitalism: A Love Story
* The Cove
* Food, Inc.
* Michael Jackson’s This Is It

BEST SONG

* “All Is Love” – Karen O, Nick Zinner – “Where The Wild Things Are”
* “Almost There” – Randy Newman – “The Princess And The Frog”
* “Cinema Italiano” – Maury Yeston – “Nine”
* “(I Want To) Come Home” – Paul McCartney – “Everybody’s Fine”
* “The Weary Kind” – T Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham – “Crazy Heart”

BEST SCORE

* Michael Giacchino – “Up”
* Marvin Hamlisch – “The Informant!”
* Randy Newman – “The Princess and the Frog”
* Karen O, Carter Burwell – “Where The Wild Things Are”
* Hans Zimmer – “Sherlock Holmes”

LA Film Critics Winners

2009-12-13T15:19:00.001-08:00

PICTURE: "The Hurt Locker"

Runner-up: "Up in the Air"

DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"

Runner-up: Michael Haneke, "The White Ribbon"

ACTRESS: Yolande Moreau, "Séraphine"

Runner-up: Carey Mulligan, "An Education"

ACTOR: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"

Runner-up: Colin Firth, "A Single Man"

ANIMATION: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"

Runner-up: “Up"

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: "Summer Hours"

Runner-up: "The White Ribbon"

NEW GENERATION: Neill Blomkamp, "District 9"

MUSIC/SCORE: T-Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton, "Crazy Heart"

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, "Fantastic Mr. Fox"

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Philip Ivey, "District 9"

Runner-up: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg, "Avatar"

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Christian Berger, "The White Ribbon"

Runner-up: Barry Ackroyd, "The Hurt Locker"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo'Nique, "Precious"

Runner-up: Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

Runner-up: Peter Capaldi, "In the Loop"

SCREENPLAY: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air"

Runner-up: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche, "In the Loop"

DOCUMENTARY / NON-FICTION FILM: "The Beaches of Agnès" and "The Cove" (tie)

DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM/VIDEO: Anders Edstrom and C.W. Winter, "The Anchorage"

A Bunch of Reviews

2009-12-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

I have had computer problems and could not be on line. I am very behind with everything so I will write just a few words about a few films.

Red Cliff - John Woo's epic was nice too look at but a little too bloody. It could have been shorter. But there were great moments of beauty and I really like Tony Leung so it was worth seeing.

A French Gigolo (MOD) - Josiane Belasco directed this interesting film starring Nathalie Baye as a well off middle aged woman who pays young men for sex. Belasco plays her older sister who is looking for something more substantial. I really
liked this film.

Brothers - This is a remake of a Danish film of the same name that was directed by Susan Bier. Although not as good as the original, Jim Sheridan's version is still very good. Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal play brothers. Maguire's character is serving his country in the middle east while Gyllenhaal's character just got released from prison. When Maguire's character is presumed dead his brother gets close to his wife - played by Natalie Portman. Sam Shepard plays the men's tough as nails father. This film shows a great deal of emotion. There can never be enough films about the horrors of war - although I thought that The Messenger was even better. But Brothers is a very satisfying film and just one more reason for me to like Jim Sheridan so much.

Lolita's Club (DVD) - Based on the novel, this Spanish film stars Edaurdo Noriega as twin brothers. Raul is a cop with a lot of problems. Valentin is a simple minded fellow with a big heart. Noriega is very good in this sexy thriller.

The Road - Based on Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road is one of the best films of the year. A splendid Viggo Mortensen plays a man who is trying, with his young son (Kodi Smit McPhee) to survive some type of catastrophe. This is the real deal and not some zombie science fiction film. There is a possibility of this really happening. The whole cast, which also includes Charlize Theron and Robert Duval, are terrific. A must see.

Me & Orson Welles - Richard Linklater's new film is most interesting. It focuses on when Orson Welles (Christopher McKay) was staging a version of Julius Caesar on Broadway in 1937. Zac Efron is the young aspiring actor who is chosen by Welles to be a part of the play. Claire Danes plays the young man's love interest. McKay really shines as Welles and I also really liked Eddie Marsan and Ben Chapman.

Invictus - Invictus is Clint Eastwood's new film. Oh, he is not in the film but he produced and directed it. It is quite a powerful film that deals with forgiveness and healing. Morgan Freeman is wonderful as Nelson Mandela. Even though white people jailed Mandela for almost thirty years he wants to bring the country together. And what better way to bring them together than through rugby. Matt Damon plays Francois Pienaar, the captain of South Africa's rugby team. To be honest with you, rugby is not my cup of tea. It is way too violent. But the film is so inspirational that it didn't matter much to me. I felt good when I left the theater.

DVD Mini Review - Into the Storm

2009-12-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have had major computer virus problems and I am now back in action. But right now I do not want to stay on the computer all that much. It has been quite stressful. So just a few words about the Emmy award winning HBO film Into the Storm.

I guess that Into the Storm picks up where The Gathering Storm left off. Britain is involved with the war and not everyone supports Winston Churchill (Brendan Gleeson). It is a trying time for him. But he stands by his guns. He also tries to convince Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Len Cariou) to join him against the Nazis. The war takes its toll on his marriage to Clemmie (Janet McTeer) but they stick together until the end.

I liked the film but not as much as The Gathering Storm. Thaddeus O'Sullivan does a good job of directing the film but I think it might have been better as a mini series. It is good but it could have been great. Gleeson is a great actor and he gets the voice to a tee. But he didn't capture Churchill's look as well as Albert Finney did. I liked McTeer and Cariou.

While not as outstanding as I hoped it would be I still think that Into the Storm is worth seeing on DVD.

National Board of Review Winners

2009-12-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

Best Film:
Up In The Air

Top Eleven Films (In alphabetical order):
An Education
(500) Days Of Summer
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Star Trek
Up
Up In The Air
Where The Wild Things Are

Best Director:
Clint Eastwood, Invictus

Best Actor:
Morgan Freeman, Invictus and George Clooney, Up In The Air (tie)

Best Actress:
Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Supporting Actor:
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress:
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air

Best Foreign Film:
A Prophet

Best Documentary:
The Cove

Best Animated Feature:
Up

Best Ensemble Cast:
It’s Complicated

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor:
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress:
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut:
Duncan Jones, Moon, Oren Moverman,
The Messenger and Marc Webb, 500 Days of Summer (tie)

Best Original Screenplay:
Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up In The Air

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award:
Wes Anderson, The Fantastic Mr. Fox

William K. Everson Film History Award:
Jean Picker Firstenberg

NBR Freedom of Expression:
Burma Vj: Reporting From A Closed Country,
Invictus,
The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellseberg And The Pentagon Papers

Top Ten Independent Films (In alphabetical order):
Amreeka
District 9
Goodbye Solo
Humpday
In The Loop
Julia
Me And Orson Welles
Moon
Sugar
Two Lovers

Top Six Foreign Films (In alphabetical order):
The Maid
A Prophet
Revanche
Song Of Sparrows
Three Monkeys
The White Ribbon

Top Six Documentary Films (In alphabetical order):
Burma Vj: Reporting From A Closed Country
The Cove
Crude
Food, Inc.
Good Hair
The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg And The Pentagon Papers

Independent Spirit Awards Nominations

2009-12-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)

(500) Days Of Summer
Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe
-------------------- ---------------------------------------
Amreeka
Producers: Paul Barkin, Christina Piovesan
------- ---------------------------------
Precious
Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness
-------- -------------------------------------
Sin Nombre
Producer: Amy Kaufman
---------- ---------------------
The Last Station
Producers: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling, Jens Meuer
---------------- ----------------------------------------

BEST DIRECTOR

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
A Serious Man
--------------------- -------------
Lee Daniels
Precious
----------- --------
Cary Joji Fukunaga
Sin Nombre
------------------ ----------
James Gray
Two Lovers
---------- ----------
Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
--------------- ----------------
BEST SCREENPLAY

Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman
The Messenger
---------------------- -------------
Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
--------------- ----------------
Lee Toland Krieger
The Vicious Kind
------------------ ----------------
Greg Mottola
Adventureland
------------ -------------
Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
(500) Days Of Summer
---------------------------- --------------------
BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)

A Single Man
Director: Tom Ford
Producers: Tom Ford, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno, Chris Weitz
------------ -----------------------------------------
Crazy Heart
Director: Scott Cooper
Producers: T Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner, Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall
----------- --------------------------------------
Easier With Practice
Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Producer: Cookie Carosella
-------------------- --------------------------
Paranormal Activity
Director: Oren Peli
Producer: Jason Blum, Oren Peli
------------------- -------------------------------
The Messenger
Director: Oren Moverman
Producers: Mark Gordon, Lawrence Inglee,
Zach Miller
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BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Sophie Barthes
Cold Souls
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Scott Cooper
Crazy Heart
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Cherien Dabis
Amreeka
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Geoffrey Fletcher
Precious
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Tom Ford, David Scearce
A Single Man
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JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not listed

Big Fan
Writer/Director: Robert Siegel
Producers: Elan Bogarin, Jean Kouremetis
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Humpday
Writer/Director/Producer: Lynn Shelton
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The New Year Parade
Writer/Director: Tom Quinn
Producers: Steve Beal, Tom Quinn
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Treeless Mountain
Writer/Director: So Yong Kim
Producers: Bradley Rust Gray, Ben Howe,
So Yong Kim, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy
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Zero Bridge
Writer/Director: Tariq Tapa
Producers: Josee Lajoie, Hilal Ahmed
Langoo, Tariq Tapa
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BEST FEMALE LEAD

Maria Bello Downloading Nancy
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Nisreen Faour Amreeka
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Helen Mirren The Last Station
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Gwyneth Paltrow Two Lovers
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Gabourey Sidibe Precious
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BEST MALE LEAD

Jeff Bridges
Crazy Heart
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Colin Firth
A Single Man
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt
(500) Days Of Summer
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Souleymane Sy Savane
Goodbye Solo
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Adam Scott
The Vicious Kind
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BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Dina Korzun
Cold Souls
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Mo'Nique
Precious
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Samantha Morton
The Messenger
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Natalie Press
Fifty Dead Men Walking
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Mia Wasikowska
That Evening Sun
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BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Jemaine Clement
Gentlemen Broncos
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Woody Harrelson
The Messenger
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Christian McKay
Me and Orson Welles
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Raymond McKinnon
That Evening Sun
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Christopher Plummer
The Last Station
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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roger Deakins
A Serious Man
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Adriano Goldman
Sin Nombre
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Anne Misawa
Treeless Mountain
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Andrij Parekh
Cold Souls
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Peter Zeitlinger
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
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BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Director: Sacha Gervasi
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Food, Inc.
Director: Robert Kenner
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More Than A Game
Director: Kristopher Belman
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October Country
Directors: Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri
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Which Way Home
Director: Rebecca Cammisa
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BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)

A Prophet
Director: Jacques Audiard (France)
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An Education
Director: Lone Scherfig (UK/France)
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Everlasting Moments
Director: Jan Troell (Sweden)
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Mother
Director: Bong Joon-Ho (South Korea)
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The Maid
Director: Sebastian Silva (Chile)
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ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD - The 16th annual Acura Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Acura.

Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Easier With Practice
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Asiel Norton
Redland
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Tariq Tapa
Zero Bridge
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TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD - The 15th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Natalia Almada
El General
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Jessica Oreck
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
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Bill Ross, Turner Ross
45365
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PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD - The 13th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Karin Chien
The Exploding Girl, Santa Mesa
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Larry Fessenden
I Sell the Dead, The House of the Devil
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Dia Sokol
Beeswax, Nights & Weekends
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ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film's director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

A Serious Man
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Casting Directors: Ellen Chenoweth, Rachel Tenner
Ensemble Cast: Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Jessica McManus, Fred Melamed,
Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff
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The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

2009-11-27T20:05:00.000-08:00

The two main reasons to see The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans are Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage.

Herzog is an amazing director and his work is on par in this film. I really liked the look of the film and there are some very interesting scenes that include some lovely creatures. The script, written by William Finkelstein, is good but not great. Herzog is such a good director that he gets the most out of it. The story held my interest but I was much more impressed when something happened. I certainly will not say what.

In this film Cage has his best role in a long time. His Lt. Terence McDonagh is a drug addicted, nutty character. He really blows off steam and seems over the top but I found him a lot of fun to watch. The rest of the cast is fine but it doesn't matter because this is Cage's film.

So if you want to be entertained by a good black comedy check out The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

DVD Mini Review - Lilya 4-Ever

2009-11-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

Lukas Moodysson's Lilya 4-Ever is one of the most heartbreaking films you will ever see. It takes place in the former Soviet Union. Sixteen year old Lilya (Oksana Akinshina) thinks she is going to the US with her mother (Lyubov Anapova) and her mother's boyfriend. But she is in for a rude awakening. Her mother decides to leave her behind because Lilya will just be an inconvenience. Lilya is left to her Aunt Anna (Liliya Shinkaryova) who forces the girl to move to a smaller, rattier apartment. And this is just at the beginning of the film.

Lilya is good friends with Volodya (Artyom Bogucharsky) who is younger than she is and has a crush on her. Lilya spends many a day with little to eat. She doesn't know what to do so she starts visiting bars where older men hang out. In steps Andrei (Pavel Pomonaryov) who treats her well and promises her a better life in Sweden. But in Sweden she meets Witek (Tomasz Neuman) and things go in a different direction.

I usually cry in films that are emotionally harrowing but this one was just too shocking and I just sat there and stared in disbelief. Moodysson does a great job of bringing this sad tale to life. All of the acting is very good with the young Alinshina and Bogucharsky being outstanding. It is hard to believe but these things happen everyday. If you love world cinemas as I do then check this one out.

The Messenger

2009-11-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

The Messenger is one powerful film. It is a small film that has gotten great reviews and it needs to be seen. It is not going to get the release that 2012 or Twilight got but it is slowly opening around the country so try to catch it if you can.

The film is directed by Oren Moverman (he co-wrote the wonderful I'm Not There). He is a first time director but you would never know it. The script was co-written with Alessandro Camon. The protagonist is Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster). Montgomery is a Iraq war vet. He has suffered some injuries and he is considered a hero. He has three months left before his enlistment is complete. He is assigned to a duty that no one wants - telling families that their loved ones have been killed. Montgomery will be working with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) who is very experience in doing this. Stone is quite a character and sometimes seems too much for the reserved Montgomery.

What follows is harrowing. They go to several different families and you can only imagine their. However, one woman - Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton) seems almost cool about the news. Montgomery takes a keen interest in her and wants to get to know her better.

I really don't want to say more about what happens. The film takes its time telling the story and that is a good thing - at least for me it is. You get to know Montgomery and Stone pretty well. The film doesn't go into politics but it is an anti-war film of the highest order. Moverman was in the Israeli army and certainly knows the score. He is a filmmaker to watch and Camon is also someone to watch. Foster, Harrelson and Morton all give outstanding performances. And Steve Buscemi, as the father of one of the fallen soldiers, is simply wonderful in a two scene cameo.

So, if The Messenger is playing in your neck of the woods do yourself a favor and take yourself to see it. You won't be sorry that you did. It is definitely one of the best films of the year!

DVD Mini Review - The Unknown Woman

2009-11-18T19:51:00.000-08:00

A few words about Giuseppe Tornatore's The Unknown Woman. It is a thriller with a number of twists and turns. And it really draws you in from the beginning.

Irena (Xenia Rappoport) is a woman from the Ukraine who has become involved in the sex trade. During flashbacks we see what she went through and I can say the violence is very graphic in those scenes. But the are real and must be part of the film. She eventually escapes and tries to start over. She wants to work as a maid and she enlists the help of a porter (Alessandro Haber) to help her. However, she is hellbent of working for a couple who already have a maid. Irena will not let anything stand in her way of what she wants. She is particularly interested in the couple's young daughter Tea (Clara Dossena). Things move along but eventually a man from her past (Michele Placido) comes back to haunt her.

The Unknown Woman is such a good film and I was riveted throughout. Tornatore really knows how to make a film. All of the actors are terrific and Rappoport is just amazing in the lead role. You can't take your eyes off of her face. I would like to see her in other films. The young Dossena is wonderful as well. In addition to a great story and a good looking film you have the outstanding musical score by Ennio Morricone.

So do yourselves a favor and rent this film as soon as you can. You won't be sorry that you did.

Precious and Pirate Radio

2009-11-14T19:03:00.000-08:00

A few words about two movies I saw today.

Precious has been getting attention since it played at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It is Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. And it is one powerful film. Directed by Lee Daniels and scripted by Geoffrey Fletcher Precious really packs a punch.

Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) is sixteen and still in junior high school. She has been raped by her father and is now expecting her second child. Her mother Mary (Mo'Nique) is verbally and physically abusive. Precious is also quite overweight and although she is smart she has trouble reading. She has a miserable life. But there are people out there who want to help her. One is her teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) who sees potential in Precious. Another is her case worker Mrs. Weiss (Mariah Carey).

The film partly takes place in Precious's head through fantasies. That is how she tries to deal with reality. This is not an easy film to watch. It is pulls no punches and goes for the gut. Daniels pulls you right into the film. Newcomer Sidibe is terrific as Precious. And Mo'Nique is amazing as her witch of a mother. Carey is really good as Mrs. Weiss - I was pleasantly surprised at how good she is. And not enough has been said about Patton as the sympathetic Ms. Rain. Also good in a small role is Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John.

Look for Precious come Oscar time. I think that the film will get a number of nominations and perhaps a win for Mo'Nique. Don't let the rough subject matter keep you away from this outstanding film.

Pirate Radio was a perfect film to see after Precious. I felt a great heaviness on my head after seeing the first film. Pirate Radio is a lot of fun and I needed a few laughs.

Based on a true story taking place in the late 1960s the story is about the time the UK banned rock music over the airwaves. With all that great music coming out of there back then you wonder why. So a group of rebel disc jockeys started up a radio station on a boat. And boy did they rock! In the film the head dj is The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman). He is the king until his rival Gavin (Rhys Ifans) comes back. Bill Nighy plays Quentin, the man who appears to be in charge. He has given refuge to his godson Carl (Tom Sturridge). Kenneth Branagh plays the government official who is hellbent on shutting down the station.

I really enjoyed the film and I love the music. Sometimes the script seems a little corny and the plot goes a bit overboard. I don't think that the film is all that accurate. But it doesn't matter because you can have a very good time if you let yourself just get into the film. Nighy, Hoffman, Ifans and Branagh are all wonderful in their roles. Emma Thompson makes a cameo appearance as Carl's mother Charlotte. And Man Men's January Jones has a small role in the film.

So if you love The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones and other music from that time period do yourself a favor, kick back and enjoy Pirate Radio.

DVD Mini Review - The Country Teacher

2009-11-11T19:36:00.001-08:00

Bohdan Slama's The Country Teacher is a terrific little film. It is a simple story but one that can resonate with many people.

Petr (Pavel Liska) leaves a good teaching job in Prague to go and live in a rural area. He takes a position teaching natural science. He strikes up a strong friendship with Marie (Zuzana Bydzovska) but ultimately Zuzana wants more than a friendship. That is not possible because Petr is gay. In fact, he left Prague because he wanted to get away from his boyfriend George (Marek Daniel). Throw into the mix Marie's troubled son Lada (Ladislau Sedivy) and you have one interesting story.

The Country Teacher is a gentle film and it is quite realistic. It is a very sensitive film. It is about loneliness, friendship and redemption. And those are themes that I find very important (and personal). All of the acting was very naturalistic. Liska gives a find low key performance and Bydzovska is very strong. The scenery is lovely. And how often do we see a real calf being born to a mother cow?

The DVD features a wonderful short (10 minutes) film entitled Peter and Ben. It is a British film about the friendship between two dropouts. Peter is a human and Ben is a lamb. Both of them prefer to be with each other instead of their own species. I really liked this little film a lot.

I recommend this DVD to those of you who like good world cinema.

An Education and The Men Who Stare at Goats

2009-11-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

I am even shorter on time this weekend so I will have to make it brief. But I saw two films and I want to say a few words about both of them.

An Education, directed by Lone Scherfig, is a very enjoyable film indeed. Jenny (the luminous Carey Mulligan) is a sixteen year old living a very ordinary life in suburban London. She goes to school, plays the cello and hopes to attend Oxford. Her father Jack (Alfred Molina) and mother Marjorie (Cara Seymour) really want her to attend Oxford. That is their dream for her. But along comes David (Peter Sarsgaard) who changes her life.

David is about twice her age and really knows how to treat a woman (or in this case a girl). At first her parents are put off by him because he is older, a Jew and might take her away from her studies. But they soon submit to his charms. Jenny gets to meet David's friends Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Helen (Rosamund Pike). And she gets to go to Paris. But I knew that something was not right and if you want to see what happens then you must see the film.

Scherfig does a great job of recreating early 60s London. Nick Hornby wrote the intelligent screenplay based on Lynn Barber's memoir. All of the acting is top notch. Mulligan is a star in the making. In addition to the above mentioned actors Olivia Williams is very good as Jenny's teacher Miss Stubbs and Emma Thompson is outstanding as the headmistress of the school. A lot has been made of Mulligan's performance and she deserves the attention. But I think that Molina gives the best performance in the film. I hope that he is remembered come Oscar time (he should have been nominated for his performance in Frida - he played Diego Rivera).

An Education is a very good film. I can't say that it is an Oscar movie but it certainly is one of the better films of the year. There is some controversy about the film because some say it is anti-Semitic. I don't agree. There are a few references to David's being Jewish. But it is based on a memoir so the film is trying to stay true the actual story.

The Men Who Stared at Goats is a fun and trippy little film. I quite enjoyed it and found myself laughing throughout the film. It is directed by Grant Heslov and the script is written by Peter Straughan from a book by Jon Ronson. And this film is also based on a true story.

At some point and time the US Army had a section that dealt with paranormal activity. I always suspected this. The film tells a more fictionalized version of the story. Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) was one of the men involved in this. He retells his story to a very interested journalist named Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) as they traipse through Iraq. His (and others) guru was Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) who was the leader of this motley crew of soldiers. But a bad guy has to come along, in the name of Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey) and spoil things.

I don't want to go into too much detail about what happens because I want people to see for themselves. On the other hand, this film might be a bit too quirky for some people. But for those of you who like head trips and want to know about government secrets then you will like it.

This is Heslov's directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay of Goodnight, and Good Luck with Clooney. He did a good job for a first try. I liked all of the acting but I especially liked Clooney and the marvelous Bridges. Anyway, if you want to have a good time with a serious section see The Men Who Stared at Goats.

DVD Mini Review - Mouchette

2009-11-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Robert Bresson's Mouchette (based on Georges Bernano's novel) is a beautiful but very bleak film. And it is a true classic.

Poor Mouchette (Nadine Nortier) is just fourteen years old and has such a hard life. Her mother is dying. Her father is a drunkard and treats her poorly. She goes to school and has to come home to do all the household chores including taking care of her infant brother. It is not much of a life.

I don't want to say much more about the plot. Mouchette is a short film but a lot is packed into its 81 minutes. Nortier is so good in the film that it is hard to believe that she was not a professional actress. I don't think she ever made another film. The rest of the cast is great too.

Yes, the film is depressing. And there is some animal cruelty that I was upset about. But this is real art cinema and if you like these type of films (as I do) then you must see this film.

Of note: the DVD extras included a trailer for the film directed by Jean Luc Godard. It made the film seem lighter but it was quite interesting to watch.

The Maid, The Little Traitor and Antichrist (MOD)

2009-11-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big movie day for me. I saw three films - two in the theater and one on Movies on Demand. I will say a few words about each.

The Maid is Sebastian Silva's excellent character study of Raquel (Catalina Saavedra)a maid who has worked for a family for about 20 years. She is in her early 40s and getting tired. The woman of the house, Pilar (Claudia Celedon), wants to get her another maid to help her out. But she is resistant. During the film three new maids are hired to help her - Merecedes (Mercedes Villanueva), Sonia (Anita Reeves) and Lucy (Mariana Loyola). Different things happen with each new maid.

I was totally riveted throughout the film. To tell you the truth, I was appalled by Raquel's behavior. But my feelings changed as time went on. If this was an American film things would have been different - much less realistic. Saavedra gives an amazing performance as a very troubled woman. She has a most expressive face. I would like to see more of her work. And Silva is a talent to watch. I can't wait to see what he does next. If you can see this in a theater then do so. If not then renting it is a must.

The Little Traitor is a lovely little film directed by Lynn Roth from a short story written by Amos Oz. The story takes place in 1947 in Palestine. This was before Israel became a state. Proffy (Ido Port) lives with his family who came from Poland and very Zionistic. He and his friends hate the occupying British. But things change for Proffy when he meets and befriends Sgt. Dunlop (Alfred Molina). He sees that not all British are bad people.

The film is a coming of age tale but it is more than that. It says a lot about the notions we have about judging other people just because they are Jewish, British, Arab, etc. And we learn a something about history. Molina is very good - as he always is. And the young Port is wonderful and adorable as well. We even get a nice cameo from the legendary Theodore Bikel. This one is worth checking out either in the theater (if you can catch it there) or DVD when it comes out.

What can I say about Lars von Trier's Antichrist. It is beautifully shot by Anthony Dodd Mantle. The acting is great - Willem Dafoe is great and Charlotte Gainsbourg is outstanding (as great as Dafoe is Gainsbourg is even better with the showier role.
But this a very disturbing film and not for every (or even most) tastes.

The Prologue is really something else. Husband and wife are making passionate love. They are so wrapped up in each other that they don't hear their young son leave his crib and fall out of the window. For me that section was the best part of the film. Afterward the woman (neither one have a name) is beyond grief. Her husband is a therapist and tries to help her in a very clinical way. They wind up going to their cabin in the woods and try to heal. However, this is not such a good idea. I won't say more about the plot. I will say that there is a lot of graphic sex - which did not bother me at all. There is a lot of blame being tossed around. And Gainsbourg's woman seems to have major personality problems (to say the least). There is also some very graphic violence and some heavy symbolism. I did not hate this film but I can't say really liked it. It was interesting. As someone who loves cinema I am glad that I saw it. But I cannot recommend it to most people because I don't think that they would go for it. This one is only for a select audience. I have liked some of von Trier's work and he has an amazing way with actresses (Emily Watson, Bjork, Nicole Kidman, Gainsbourg). But there are also things about him that repulse me (killing a donkey while filming Manderlay, The Idiots was so bad that I walked out of the screening - something that I almost never do). What more can I say? He is one strange dude.

DVD Mini Review - Il Divo

2009-10-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to write a bit more about Paulo Sorentino's wonderful Il Divo but this has been a strange night and it is late. So I will just say that it is a marvelous film about former Italian Prime Minister Guilo Androetti (Toni Servillo). Androetti was elected to many terms and had a following. But he was linked to the mob and some thought that he was responsible for many deaths.

I don't know much about Italian politics but I can say that this film is not at all dry. It is very entertaining. The way it is shot, the music and the acting - all of which is top notch. And Servillo is outstanding. In the extras you see Sevillo as he really is and how he is as Androetti. No wonder his performance has been so highly praised.

Well, I wish I could write more but, as I said, it is late. So if you love European cinema as much as I do (and you didn't see this film in the theater) go out and rent Il Divo as soon as possible.

The Damned United

2009-10-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Tom Hooper's film The Damned United may not be all fact but it is a good entertainment just the same. And this comes from someone who is not a fan of soccer or any sports.

It is the story of the rise and fall of Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) who was the manager of the soccer team in Derby and then Leeds. His loyal friend Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) is also his partner during the time he managed the Derby team. Clough is overly ambitious and many times this gets him into trouble. And one of the people he crosses is the chief of the Derby Sam Longson (Jim Broadbent). And he is also at odds with the Leeds teams former manager Don Revie (Colm Meany).

I won't say what else happens. Hooper does a great job of directing his actors. And Peter Morgan's script is very well written. The film is an amazing character study of a man who wants too much. All of the acting is terrific (also including Henry Goodman as Manny Cousins) and Sheen proves he is worth his weight in gold as an actor.

I highly recommend this film to those of you who like character studies and outstanding acting.