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Sat 18 Oct 2008

Will “Adam Resurrected” get bumped to 2009?

Posted by Yair Raveh at 4:32 pm

Ehud Bleiberg and Paul Schrader are in Israel for the local premiere of “Adam Resurrected” at the Haifa Film Festival. Following a press conference Bleiberg told me that later this week a distribution deal will be signed for the movie, and until that happens he doesn’t know if the movie will be released in 2008 or only in April or May of 2009, meaning that any hopes Jeff Goldblum had for scoring a best actor nomination for his role in the movie may have to be postponed to the 2010 Oscar ceremony.
Bleiberg, feeding on the positive buzz the film - and especially Goldblum - received in Telluride and Toronto is still hoping the distributor will push for a late 2008 qualifying run and put up the money for an Oscar campaign. If not, it’ll have to wait one year. (This is not unheard of: “Away From Her” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2006, and still got two nominations in January 2008).
I told Bleiberg that I believe Goldblum has an excellent shot at getting a Golden Globe nomination for his role, but that an Oscar nomination, despite the good buzz, will be harder. Bleiberg said in reply that he believed the acting branch at the academy would have loved to nominee both Mickey Rourke and Jeff Goldblum in one year, “But you know what, I’ll settle for a Golden Globe nomination”.

“Adam Resurrected” is in most parts an impressive film - though flawed - that reminded me, in its good bits, of what Rainer Werner Fassbinder might’ve done with the same material. It is both surreal and theatrical, but at the same time not outrageous enough. Think “Shoah” meets “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” (or, in this case, “One Flew Over the Dog Kennel”).

The English language movie starring Jeff Goldblum - which is an Israeli co-production, boasting an Israeli novel as source material, Israeli actors, Israeli locations and an Israeli screenwriter - is competing in the Israeli competition at the Haifa Film Festival. Check back Tuesday to see if it has won and to read excerpts from the press conference.

Tue 23 Sep 2008

Israel picks “Waltz With Bashir” as Oscar contender

Posted by Yair Raveh at 4:07 pm

[3] Comments

Last year the Israeli Academy of Motion Pictures chose “The Band’s Visit” as the country’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. But the film was disqualified by the AMPAS for having too much English dialogue. The runner-up, “Beaufort”, then became the first Israeli film to garner an Oscar nomination in 24 years. “Band” went on to become the highest grossing Israeli film in the US, and won its share at the European Film Awards.

This year, Israel’s pick is less controversial, but not less unique and outstanding. “Waltz With Bashir”, one of the most buzzed-about films internationally since its debut in Cannes, swept the Ophir Awards, Israel’s Academy Awards, this evening. The animated war film, tagged “an animated documentary” over here, won six awards tonight, including h awards for best Direction, Best screenplay and Best Film, all going to writer-producer-director Ari Folman, who based the movie on his real-life memories - or lack thereof - of the first Lebanon war in 1982. Local smash hit “Lost Islands” took four trophies. “Seven Days” took two. And “Lemon Tree” took one, for Hiam Abbas as best actress.
It is Folman’s second movie to win Israel’s Academy Award. The first was 1997’s “Saint Clara”, co-directed with Ori Sivan. In between Folman wrote and directed episodes in some of Israel’s most prestigious TV dramas, most noticeably for “In Treatment”, which was remade last year for HBO as a series staring Gabriel Byrne.

“Bashir” is the second movie made about the first Lebanon war, after last year’s Oscar nominated “Beaufort”. A third movie dealing with the same war, called “Lebanon”, is currently in post-production.

Sony Pictures Classics are releasing “Bashir” in the States, and are trying to push the film as this year’s “Persepolis” (which failed to get a Foreign Oscar Nomination but got one in the Animated Feature category - “Bashir” could do the same). “Bashir” played Telluride and Toronto and will be shown next at the New York and London Film Festivals.

Mon 25 Feb 2008

Oscar 2008: Summing it up

Posted by Yair Raveh at 12:53 pm

[2] Comments

So how did we do?
Actually, not too bad, at least as far as it goes for the top ten categories where I pulled an almost perfect 9 out of 10. I called both actress upset, predicting Cotillard and Swinton winning. My only mistake - more of a folly in hindsight - was trying to predict an upset for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” for Best Adapted Screenplay, which went to the predictable front runners, the Coen Brothers.
And as far as I saw, no one on the web except me predicted correctly that “The Golden Compass” would win Best Special Effects.
But I bombed on the rest of the tech categories. I went for “Butterfly” and missed out on “Bourne”. But I did get best Short Documentary and Live Action Short right.
So in contrast to the impressive 9 out of 10 in the top 10 categories, I scored a measly and unimpressive 14 of 24 in total. So I’m proud and ashamed at the same time.

As for the top categories: my hunch was correct - the BAFTAS are better precursors than the Golden Globes. The acting awards in the Oscars were identical to the BAFTAs.

The highlights of the Oscars:

#1:

True, “Once”’s music was captivating, but the Oscar telecast distilled “Once”’s charm in a frame: it was Marketa Irglova, the Czech singer/actress playing “The Girl” in the film that made us adore the movie. She seems plain at first, but quickly wins over with her radiance and soul. Oscar producers picked up on it and gave her a rare encore at the ceremony and thus hitting the bull’s eye. This was a magical moment, which went along with “Once”’s best attribute: its heart.

#2:

Javier Bardem dedicated his Oscar to his mother

One of the night’s moments sure to be treasured in upcoming Oscar best-of montages is Javier Bardem movingly speaking on the stage to his mother in Spanish. Bardem hails from a family of famed actors and directors.

tilad swinton winning her Oscar for Michael Clayton

Although I only so-so liked “Michael Clayton” I was genuinely delighted to see Tilda Swinton getting an Oscar, the woman with the perfect voice (she has the most beautiful speaking voice on an actor since James Mason), and sporting an unusual yet breathtaking look. Hollywood noticed her only after her role in “Vanilla Sky” but before that she was Derek Jarman’s muse, appearing in many of his movies, and was a brave and uncompromising actress in many British films. Her quip “Happy Birthday, man” to her golden statuette will surely pop-up in future clips on Oscar’s birthdays.

#4:

daniel day lewis and his oscar for There Will Be Blood

Isn’t is incredible to realize that the roaring monster of a man that was Daniel Plainview was actually played by a soft-spoken, shy and gentle pirate sporting a haircut worse than Anton Chigurh’s?

diablo cody winning an Oscar for Juno

Many like to mention Diablo Cody’s past as a stripper (the subtext being “Come on, Diablo, please show us your breasts”) but I would like to point something else: Diablo Cody is the first blogger to win an Oscar. Sure, many screenwriters started writing blogs in recent years, and many of them started one during the recent writers-strike, but Cody is the first to go the other way round: the blogger that became an author that became a screenwriter that became an Oscar winner. As a blogger and wordsmith (yet fully clothed, even when in the privacy of my den) I am both impressed and envious. But more surprising: even this cool chick, who has become a hipster symbol of cynicism and detachment, choked up while receiving an Oscar. I guess it is an overwhelming experience that would make even the toughest nut soft (Joel Coen excluded). But this has to be said: “Juno” is the first screenplay to win for its puns, rather then for it’s structure and character study.

Sun 24 Feb 2008

Exclusive: The Oscar’s Line-up! Presenters and segments revealed!

Posted by Yair Raveh at 6:37 am

[6] Comments

Cinemascope has obtained a copy of the rundown for tonight’s Oscar telecast. The show is timed at 3 hours and 29 minutes, with Denzel Washington slated to present the award for Best Picture.

Jon Stewart’s opening monologue will last 8 minutes and include a VTR of Oprah Winfrey. VTR segments throughout the evening will introduce “oscar Icons” such as Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta Jones, Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman and Barbra Streisand.

The first prize will be awarded at 5:54 PM (PT): it will be the costume design and the presenter is Jennifer Garner.

AWARD #2
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
(Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway): 5:54 PM (PT)

AWARD #3
MAKEUP
(Katherine Heigl): 5:57

PERFORMANCE - SONG #1 (26) 6:03:09
“Happy Working Song”(2:07)
(Amy Adams-vocs, orchestra)

AWARD #4
VISUAL EFFECTS
(Dwayne Johnson): 6:09

AWARD #5
ART DIRECTION
(Cate Blanchett): 6:13

Here Jon Stewart will joke about Blanchett’s double nomination as Queen Elizabeth and as Bob Dylan.

AWARD #6
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
(Jennifer Hudson): 6:18

PRESENTER INTRO PERFORMANCE 6:27
(Keri Russell)

PERFORMANCE - SONG #2 6:27
“Raise It Up”
(Jamia Simone Nash, Impact Repertory Theatre of Harlem [21],
Total Praise Community Choir [15], Orchestra)

AWARD #7
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
(Owen Wilson): 6:30

AWARD #8
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
(Barry B. Benson=VTPB): 6:36

AWARD #9
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
(Alan Arkin): 6:39

SCI-TECH AWARDS RECAP 6:49:20
(Jessica Alba)

AWARD #10
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
(James McAvoy, Josh Brolin): 6:50

PRESENTER INTRO PERFORMANCE 6:57:38
(Miley Cyrus)

PERFORMANCE - SONG #3
“That’s How You Know”
(Kristin Chenoweth-vocs, Dancers [32],
Marlon Saunders-singer, Steel Drummer,
Kids [2], Tuba Players [4], Chorus [16]): 7:00

AWARD #11
SOUND EDITING
(Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen): 7:06

AWARD #12
SOUND MIXING
(Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen): 7:09

AWARD #13
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
(Forest Whitaker): 7:15

PERFORMANCE - SONG #4 7:27:43
“Falling Slowly”
(Glen Hansard-vocs, gtr, Marketa Irglova-vocs, piano,
Orch)

Here Jack Nicholson will present a montage of Best Picture winners over the last 80 years.

AWARD #14
FILM EDITING
(Renée Zellweger): 7:33

HONORARY OSCAR TO
ROBERT BOYLE
(Nicole Kidman, Randy Thomas VO-Live, Robert Boyle): 7:38

AWARD #15
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
(Penélope Cruz): 7:47

PRESENTER INTRO PERFORMANCE
(Patrick Dempsey)

PERFORMANCE - SONG #5 7:54:46
“So Close”
(Jon McLaughlin-vocs, Featured Dancers [4],
Ballroom Dancers [14], Band Member Extras [9],
Bill Conti-Conductor)

AWARD #16
ORIGINAL SONG
(John Travolta, Ballroom Dancer-Valentina): 7:55

Here Stewart will perform a comedy bit with a Wii console.

AWARD #17
CINEMATOGRAPHY
(Cameron Diaz): 8:04

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE (3:00) 8:11
(Hilary Swank)

AWARD #18
ORIGINAL SCORE
(Amy Adams): 8:15

(She will refer to the most famous musical phrases in movies, e.g: Jaws, Close Encounters and Rocky).

AWARD #19
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
(Tom Hanks, Special Guests [6] VTPB): 8:19

AWARD #20
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
(Tom Hanks): 8:22

AWARD #21
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
(Harrison Ford): 8:30

AWARD #22
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
(Helen Mirren): 8:37

AWARD #23
DIRECTING
(Martin Scorsese): 8:47

AWARD #24
BEST MOTION PICTURE
(Denzel Washington): 8:49

GOODNIGHTS 8:53:49
(Jon Stewart)

Fri 22 Feb 2008

Oscars 2008: Cinemascope predicts the winners

Posted by Yair Raveh at 9:31 am

[2] Comments

You can still participate in Cinemascope’s 2008 “Guess the Oscars” quiz. Here’s the ballot. A DVD of “Beaufort”, Israel’s nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, will be mailed to the one who gets the highest score.

*********

It was supposed to be so simple. With No Country taking best film, best director(s), best supporting actor and best adapted screenplay. And Julie Christie and Cate Blanchett slated for the wins in the female acting categories. Then it all kinda started to shuffle around. With some even predicting “Juno” snatching the Best Picture prize (which makes me furious because although I enjoyed “Juno” tremendously, I think “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” were superior in both the writing and the direction, and if “Juno” wins I demand John Hughes getting a lifetime achievement Oscar as soon as next year, and Ferris Bueller getting the Irving Thalberg award).

My gut feeling tells me that “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “La Vie En Rose” will be bigger winners on Sunday than most anticipate. (Remember? I said this year the Oscar will go French).

So I’ve tried throwing in the occasional wild-card into my predictions.

The top ten categories:

Best Picture: (more…)

Tue 19 Feb 2008

Things I learned this Oscar season

Posted by Yair Raveh at 10:30 am

[2] Comments

1. Anthony Minghella is Oscar’s lucky charm.
He executive-produced “Michael Clayton” (and reportedly helped Tony Gilroy polish the script), and had a tiny cameo at the end of “Atonement” (as Vanessa Redgrave’s TV interviewer). The “write without adjectives” line in “Atonement” is lifted from Minghella’s Oscar winner, “The English Patient”. Now both “Michael Clayton” and “Atonement” are Best Picture nominees.

2. Academy voters don’t like pregnancy themed movies.
Going into the Oscar season we had “Knocked Up”, “Waitress”, “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days”, “Lake of Fire” and “Juno” all dealing with unwanted pregnancies. Only “Juno” made it through.

3. Family values are not so valuable anymore.
“Juno” deals with the disintegration of a married couple, “Michael Clayton” is unhappily divorced, “There Will Be Blood”’s Daniel Plainview has no family, “Atonement” rips sisters and lovers apart, and “No Country For Old Men” presents one idyllic picture of married couple, while killing off another.

4. France is the new England
With titles in French such as La Vie en Rose, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, Persepolis, Beaufort and Ratatouille, this edition may be the most Francophonic Oscars ever.

5. The frozen Northern Mid-West is smoking hot.
The Coen Brothers come from Minnesota but they made a movie about Texas. Juno lives in Minnesota, but her mother left and moved to Texas. Diablo Cody’s career began in a Minnesota strip joint. Bob Dylan, who’s portrayed in “I’m Not There”, was born in Minnesota. Daniel Plainview (hero of “There Will Be Blood”) hails from Wisconsin. Tom Wilkinson’s character in “Michael Clayton” goes into meltdown after visiting a Wisconsin farm. And “Lars and the Real Girl” is also located somewhere North - Minnesota or Dakota - in an unnamed city.

6. The Ben Affleck curse is starting to wear off.
Casey Affleck, Brother of Ben, is nominated. Amy Ryan is nominated for Ben’s movie, “Gone Baby Gone”. And Jennifer Garner, Ben’s wife, is in “Juno”, the movie that may steal the show.

7. It’s awful to have a brother or a sister.
Paul Sunday betrays Eli Sunday. And what’s up with Daniel Plainview’s brother? Michael Clayton is estranged from his brother. The Savages are not the friendliest of siblings. Lars and his brother don’t get along. Jesse and Frank James are hardly on speaking terms. Remy the rat is embarrassed by his obese brother. The hero of “The Kite Runner” learns the true identity of his brother. Denzel brings his brother into his drug business but then threatens to kill him for his show-offy behavior. And young Briony’s vivid imagination ruins her sister’s life. And “No Country for Old Men” is the Coen Brothers’ most successful film since “O Brother Where Art Thou”.

8. The Third Revelation is upon us.
Daniel Plainview says he’s the Third Revelation, but I think Anton Chigurh is the real Third Revelation.

Mon 18 Feb 2008

Call it, friendo

Posted by Yair Raveh at 10:11 am

[2] Comments

Want to try and guess the Oscar winners? Here’s your chance.
Fill out this Oscar ballot, add your active email address (you’ll receive a confirmation message to your mail box), and whoever gets the best score will win a region 2 DVD of “Beaufort”, Israel’s Oscar nominee in the Best Foreign Language Film category (out now in theaters in New York, check it out).

Cinemascope’s bi-lingual Oscar ballot is here. You have until Sunday February 24th, 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, to participate.

Feel free to link to it from your own blog, or send the link out to your friends by email.

Mon 28 Jan 2008