Let’s Talk Movies! #31: Pandas, Zombies, Male Models, Superheroes, Greeks and…Caesar!

[PeterG]

In the latest Cineplex magazine, they have a small article about an upcoming "Untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology Film". The date at this time is May 25th, 2018. The prequel "delves into the life of that young Han Solo before he met up with Luke and Leia". The article suggest Anthony Ingruber for the role, he's the one who made a youtube video doing impersonations of many famous leading men, including Harrison Ford. Which ultimately led to him being cast in The Age of Adaline as Harrison Ford's younger self in that movie. This Han Solo prequel will be written by Jon Kasdan and his Dad Lawrence who co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The director will be the duo behind The LEGO Movie, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

 

[MacMadame]

I may be the only one who has this opinion but I enjoyed the documentaries "The Inside Job" and "Too Big to Fail" more than "The Big Short" (maybe because the info concerning the credit crisis was old hat to me, perhaps? Not sure.)

But The Big Short isn't a documentary so isn't that an apples to oranges kind of comparison? I haven't seen any of the movies so I'm not defending The Big Short, just making a philosophical comment.

 

[watchthis!!]

Movie news.

2015: The Hits, The Flops & The Year In Box Office
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/2015-the-hits-the-flops-the-year-in-box-office-20151230?page=4

Great article, some of the interesting points:

• Four movies released in 2015 are in the top 10 of all time box office hits, plus another one at #11.
• How we’ve become more of a binge-viewing society and movies don’t stay in theatres as long as they did only five years ago
• Bad news for a handful of movies that haven’t even been released yet, including one that will have to make a billion dollars to be considered a hit
• A surprising number of movies have been kept in limited release in hopes of going wide after getting some bit Oscar nomination

Oh, and the rest of the world likes Shakespeare much more than North Americans. (Either that, or they like Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard a lot better!)


‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Box Office Surpasses ‘Titanic’, and ‘Avatar’ Is Next to Go Down
http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-box-office-passes-titanic-avatar-is-next/

Reaching the #2 spot of all time is domestic only, The Force Awakens is way down at #7 for all time for globall box office. It needs to make another 1.5 billion to take down Avatar, which might (probably?) will happen as Star Wars has only been out for 15 days.


Quentin Tarantino Talks Being A "Cheerleader" For Violence, 'Kill Bill 3'& Does Surprise 'Hateful Eight' Q&A At Alamo Drafthouse
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/quentin-tarantino-talks-being-a-cheerleader-for-violence-kill-bill-3-does-surprise-hateful-eight-q-a-at-alamo-drafthouse-20151231?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed

"I’m so unapologetic about it," he told MTV about the carnage in his films. "I’m a cheerleader towards violence in cinema. I have no problem with saying I like violent movies, and I respond to violent movies, and I actually think violence is…in some ways cinema reaching one of its fullest potentials. I have absolutely no hypocrisy or contradiction whatsoever. I abhor violence in real life, and I can love it in genre, and I can love it in stories, and I can love it in novels, I love violent anime, and I always have.”

 

[manhn]

I just finished watching "All the Way Down", a british dramedy about 4 individuals who turn up to the same place at the same time to commit suicide. Thus, a strange relationship is formed. Given the subject matter, tone is important. They weren't wholly successful here, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The main thing i got out of the film was that Toni Colette is an amazing actress. One of those actresses who is not top of mind when listing a great actor, but you're constantly reminded of her greatness when you see her onscreen. She is brilliant here.

 

[PeterG]

I think a few people have mentioned us having our own Oscars. The Academy will announce their nominations mid-January. I like the idea of us doing our own thang, but I haven't seen the majority of the movies which will probably be in the running. So I don't think it makes sense to nominate or vote for something I haven't seen yet. I expect to looooooooove Room and it's star, Brie Larson (and probably Jacob Tremblay), but there have been times when a movie I expect to love ends up disappointing...and something that I barely knew about being something that I'm delighted to find is amazing (2007's, "The Girl In The Park" starring Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth and Alessandro Nivola).

Anyway, let me know what you think. Was it just an idea? Or do you have thoughts about how many nominees we should have per category already? In the meantime, here are some possibilities for the big six categories:

BEST PICTURE

Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Carol
Creed
Ex Machina
Goodnight Mommy
Inside Out
Joy
Mad Max: Fury Road
Room
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Tangerine
The Big Short
The Hateful Eight
The Martian
The Revenant
Trumbo


BEST DIRECTOR

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"
David O. Russell, Joy
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Sean Baker, "Tangerine"
Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies
Todd Haynes, Carol
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight


BEST ACTRESS

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Brie Larson, Room
Cate Blanchett, "Truth"
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Charlize Theron, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"
Daisy Ridley, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Lily Tomlin, Grandma
Maggie Smith, Lady in a Van
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn


BEST ACTOR

Andrew Garfield, "99 Homes"
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Christopher Abbott, "James White"
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Matt Damon, "The Martian"
Michael B. Jordan, Creed
Michael Fassbender, Jobs
Michael Keaton, Spotlight
Paul Dano, "Love & Mercy"
Samuel L. Jackson, "The Hateful Eight"
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Tom Hanks, "Bridge of Spies"


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Alicia Vikander, Ex-Machina or The Danish Girl
Cynthia Nixon, "James White"
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Joan Allen, "Room"
Kate Winslet, Jobs
Kristen Stewart, "Clouds of Sils Maria"
Kristen Wiig, "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Rooney Mara, Carol


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Jacob Tremblay, Room
Jason Mitchell, "Straight Outta Compton"
Jason Segel, "The End of the Tour"
Joel Edgerton, "Black Mass"
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Keaton, "Spotlight"
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Oscar Isaac, "Ex Machina"
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Walton Goggins, "The Hateful Eight"

 

[Vash01]

I think a few people have mentioned us having our own Oscars. The Academy will announce their nominations mid-January. I like the idea of us doing our own thang, but I haven't seen the majority of the movies which will probably be in the running. So I don't think it makes sense to nominate or vote for something I haven't seen yet. I expect to looooooooove Room and it's star, Brie Larson (and probably Jacob Tremblay), but there have been times when a movie I expect to love ends up disappointing...and something that I barely knew about being something that I'm delighted to find is amazing (2007's, "The Girl In The Park" starring Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth and Alessandro Nivola).

Anyway, let me know what you think. Was it just an idea? Or do you have thoughts about how many nominees we should have per category already? In the meantime, here are some possibilities for the big six categories:

BEST PICTURE

Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Carol
Creed
Ex Machina
Goodnight Mommy
Inside Out
Joy
Mad Max: Fury Road
Room
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Tangerine
The Big Short
The Hateful Eight
The Martian
The Revenant
Trumbo


BEST DIRECTOR

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"
David O. Russell, Joy
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Sean Baker, "Tangerine"
Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies
Todd Haynes, Carol
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight


BEST ACTRESS

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Brie Larson, Room
Cate Blanchett, "Truth"
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Charlize Theron, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"
Daisy Ridley, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Lily Tomlin, Grandma
Maggie Smith, Lady in a Van
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn


BEST ACTOR

Andrew Garfield, "99 Homes"
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Christopher Abbott, "James White"
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Matt Damon, "The Martian"
Michael B. Jordan, Creed
Michael Fassbender, Jobs
Michael Keaton, Spotlight
Paul Dano, "Love & Mercy"
Samuel L. Jackson, "The Hateful Eight"
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Tom Hanks, "Bridge of Spies"


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Alicia Vikander, Ex-Machina or The Danish Girl
Cynthia Nixon, "James White"
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Joan Allen, "Room"
Kate Winslet, Jobs
Kristen Stewart, "Clouds of Sils Maria"
Kristen Wiig, "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Rooney Mara, Carol


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Jacob Tremblay, Room
Jason Mitchell, "Straight Outta Compton"
Jason Segel, "The End of the Tour"
Joel Edgerton, "Black Mass"
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Keaton, "Spotlight"
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Oscar Isaac, "Ex Machina"
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Walton Goggins, "The Hateful Eight"

I suggest sticking with the six major categories and 7 nominations per category. I also suggest one write in per category to give chance to those not on the list.

 

[Xela M]

Just watched "Babel" for the first time. Oh my God... What a film!! How on earth did it not win Best Picture?! It's absolutely genius cinema.

 

[Artemis@BC]

I just finished watching "All the Way Down", a british dramedy about 4 individuals who turn up to the same place at the same time to commit suicide. Thus, a strange relationship is formed. Given the subject matter, tone is important. They weren't wholly successful here, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The main thing i got out of the film was that Toni Colette is an amazing actress. One of those actresses who is not top of mind when listing a great actor, but you're constantly reminded of her greatness when you see her onscreen. She is brilliant here.

I quite liked it too (though it's actually called A Long Way Down). I watched because, in addition to the fact that I adore Toni Colette, I really like Nick Hornby, and his books usually translate well to film. This was probably the weakest Hornby film I've seen, but still better than the panned ratings it received.

And yes, Colette is amazing. The whole cast was great (and deserving of a better script), but Colette steals the show as she so often does.

 

[Vash01]

Just got back from seeing The Danish Girl. Beautiful movie about true love. Gorgeous cinematography and fantastic acting by Alicia Vikander. I thought Eddie Redmayne was also very good but he was outshone by Alicia in this movie. This is only the second movie I saw her in. In The man from UNCLE she didn't have much scope, but boy, She was phenomenal in this!The cinematography is the best I have seen this year. If this movie does not win the Oscar for Cinematography, I will be very upset. I have not yet seen Room, which has received rave reviews for acting, so I will reserve my judgment on the best lead actress Oscar for now. As a side note, Mathias Schoenaerts was really good in the small supporting role. I don't remember what other movie I saw him in; he looks familiar.

Spoiler

Nobody warned me to take plenty of tissue along, and I am glad that I happened to have a lot of it. I cried at lot at the end of the movie when Lily died, and after Gerda let go of the scarf at the end- letting go of her beloved husband. After I got in my car, I cried even more in the parking lot before driving home.

There were a few things I didn't quite understand in the movie. 1)Were they (Gerda and husband) just playing a game initially when he accompanied her to a party, dressed as a woman? 2)they seemed to have a happy marriage, sex included. I thought transgenders were always uncomfortable in their physical bodies, and not happy with heterosexual relationships, but this was clearly a happy couple. Why was this not a problem for them for 6 years but it appeared only after she asked him to pose for a painting (initially just wearing ladies shoes and covering himself with a dress, instead of wearing it)? May be it triggered something in him that he was no aware of? Something suppressed deep inside him? Clearly in the 1920's (in Denmark) being transgender was considered abnormal; they would have locked him up, so he had to hide it (knowing the dangers).

I just don't know enough about this, but I was very touched by this movie. I thought of Bruce Jenner immediately.

 

[Artemis@BC]

... As a side note, Mathias Schoenaerts was really good in the small supporting role. I don't remember what other movie I saw him in; he looks familiar.

Did you see last year's Far from the Madding Crowd with Cary Mulligan? He was Gabriel in that.

 

[Vash01]

Did you see last year's Far from the Madding Crowd with Cary Mulligan? He was Gabriel in that.

No, I didn't see that.

 

[Jay42]

I think a few people have mentioned us having our own Oscars. The Academy will announce their nominations mid-January. I like the idea of us doing our own thang, but I haven't seen the majority of the movies which will probably be in the running. So I don't think it makes sense to nominate or vote for something I haven't seen yet. I expect to looooooooove Room and it's star, Brie Larson (and probably Jacob Tremblay), but there have been times when a movie I expect to love ends up disappointing...and something that I barely knew about being something that I'm delighted to find is amazing (2007's, "The Girl In The Park" starring Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth and Alessandro Nivola).

I love Brie Larson, she's phenomenally talented. I still need to see Short Term 12 and I won't get to see Room until it gets released on bluRay/digitally, but she was far and away the best thing about the "Gas Leak Year" of Community. The fans liked her character so much that Dan Harmon actually brought her back in season 5 after he was given his job as showrunner back.

 

[Xela M]

As a side note, Mathias Schoenaerts was really good in the small supporting role. I don't remember what other movie I saw him in; he looks familiar.

Suite Francaise?

 

[Vash01]

Just saw this article on imdb about the real life Danish Girl Lili Elbe

(Warning: May contain spoilers)

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/danish-girl/

The movie is only loosely based on the real life story of Einar (Lili) and Gerda Wegener, but many facts seem to have been incorporated in the movie. For example, both were successful artists.

 

[PeterG]

I've been watching trailers for movies coming out next week and somehow stumbled upon this one:

Handjob Cabin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vao5rn7OHPo

"A trailer for the breakout horror film 'Handjob Cabin' – the story of 4 friends whose cabin vacation turns deadly when they find a sexually frustrated ghost."

 

[Vash01]

Suite Francaise?

Never heard of this. I will look up his bio for the list of films he is in

 

[Aussie Willy]

I've been watching trailers for movies coming out next week and somehow stumbled upon this one:

Handjob Cabin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vao5rn7OHPo

"A trailer for the breakout horror film 'Handjob Cabin' – the story of 4 friends whose cabin vacation turns deadly when they find a sexually frustrated ghost."

OMG that is some really f*cked up sh*t.

 

[Seerek]

Just watched "Babel" for the first time. Oh my God... What a film!! How on earth did it not win Best Picture?! It's absolutely genius cinema.

Looking back, given who was nominated that year, yes, I would have been inclined to give it to Babel in 2007 as well.

And Adriana Barazza and Rinko Kikuchi really did steal the movie from the A-Listers as well (a very nice surprise).

 

[Vash01]

I saw the trailer of 'Race'- based on Jesse Owen's story. Looks interesting. Could be similar to '42' in a way.

 

[Artemis@BC]

I managed to squeeze in The Stanford Prison Experiment last night before Downton (and before getting it back to the library later today). It's a dramatization of the famous prison simulation done at Stanford in 1971. I'm fairly familiar with the experiment and its findings, having studied it at uni, but seeing it visually created like that was powerful. Especially with such a talented young cast. Plus Billy Crudup, who every time I see him I'm reminded that he's one of those actors who can completely disappear into his role and you forget who he is.

I did have to put aside my personal feelings about the ethics of the experiment, and try to watch on face value and with a 1971 sensibility. But I still think they let Zimbardo off a little lightly both in the film itself and in the featurette.

Still, excellent film, I recommend it.

 

[Cachoo]

Just watched "Babel" for the first time. Oh my God... What a film!! How on earth did it not win Best Picture?! It's absolutely genius cinema.

I agree: And I always take the lessons of the film to heart. Bad things happen to everyone in that film but if you have some money and status you might---just might---prevail when disaster occurs. I see this happen over and over again in life. It is a tough lesson beautifully told in "Babel."

 

[watchthis!!]

I saw an amazing TV-movie, I think it was actually a two-part TV movie called The Red Tent. It's based on a book by Anita Diamant and it looks at the story of Jacob and his son Joseph, but from the point of view of the women in the story, specifically Jacob's daughter Dinah. She is played brilliantly by Rebecca Ferguson, who some of you were raving about for her performance in the last Mission Impossible movie. The Red Tent is a bit cheesy at times, but more often than not, it has a lot of depth and is really moving. It's one of those movies that when it ends, you start to miss the characters in it. Co-stars include Minnie Driver and Debra Winger in a small role.

 

[Xela M]

I agree: And I always take the lessons of the film to heart. Bad things happen to everyone in that film but if you have some money and status you might---just might---prevail when disaster occurs. I see this happen over and over again in life. It is a tough lesson beautifully told in "Babel."

I must say I didn't get that message from tne film. I thought it was about miscommunication and how we're all connected despite the massive gap between cultures and how brainless actions can lead to tragedy. What did money have to do with it? Brad Pitt couldn't even get an ambulance to help his dying wife for all the money he had and the one person who helped him didn't even accept his money; and the rich Japanese girl wasn't exactly happy.

 

[Cachoo]

I certainly agree about miscommunication but how many Morrocans who are shot in the middle of nowhere are eventually retrieved by a helicopter? And a child shoots a new gun and it randomly hits a tourist bus passenger which becomes a minor international incident. If the passenger who was hit was a fellow citizen would this boy have the police descend on his home so quickly? There are so many bad outcomes in this movie. In the end what happens to the American family? (And I'm not specifying "American"--they could have been European, Chinese, Russian...in the film they are American.) Yes the couple has a harrowing experience and their children also have a frightful night in the desert. But they emerge with their lives intact. Can you say that about the boy or the nanny?

 

[PeterG]

Weekend Domestic Chart for January 1st, 2016

Brace yourselves...Star Wars remained at #1 for the third straight week!!! Can you believe it??? It made a very healthy $21,829 per theatre, other than movies in limited release, the next movie that came close was Daddy's Home (#2 for the week), which made $8,739 per theatre. Surely, the force is with Mr. J.J. Abrams. Globally Star Wars has just passed the 1.5 billion mark, the amount I mentioned earlier about it needing to make in order to break even. And it did so in 17 days, pretty amazing. Star Wars is now the sixth biggest grossing movie of all time (again, in just 17 days) and in a matter of seconds, it will pass Furious 7 (#5 of all time) and Marvel's The Avengers (#4 of all time). It might even pass Jurassic World (#3) in the next week. It will take a bit longer for it to out-perform Titanic and Avatar, however.

Daddy's Home took in 29 million this weekend and it's global box office is now 115 million on a 50 million budget. That's pretty good...maybe J.J. Abrams should pair them up in the next Star Wars movie. The Hateful Eight went into wide released and jumped seven spots up to the #3 spot, making 15 million this weekend. Sisters and Alvin and The Chipmunks round out the top five.

I mentioned a few posts back that there were no new movies coming out this weekend, but a few made it onto the chart, Yosemite (James Franco) getting released a week early, a Chinese language film and "Anomalisa" an animated comedy drama starring David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, who wrote Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Here's the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT6QJaS2a-U

Movies that make big revenue jumps from last week include:

+241% - The Hateful Eight
+110% - The Himalayas (South Korean drama)
+33% - 45 Years (Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay)

 

[Allskate]

I saw "The Big Short" last weekend. It did a good job of explaining a complicated situation in an understandable and entertaining way. And there were plenty of good performances. I doubt it will attract a lot of moviegoers, though.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I saw "The Big Short" last weekend. It did a good job of explaining a complicated situation in an understandable and entertaining way. And there were plenty of good performances. I doubt it will attract a lot of moviegoers, though.

I can't wait to see this one. Looks great.

 

[Xela M]

I certainly agree about miscommunication but how many Morrocans who are shot in the middle of nowhere are eventually retrieved by a helicopter? And a child shoots a new gun and it randomly hits a tourist bus passenger which becomes a minor international incident. If the passenger who was hit was a fellow citizen would this boy have the police descend on his home so quickly? There are so many bad outcomes in this movie. In the end what happens to the American family? (And I'm not specifying "American"--they could have been European, Chinese, Russian...in the film they are American.) Yes the couple has a harrowing experience and their children also have a frightful night in the desert. But they emerge with their lives intact. Can you say that about the boy or the nanny?

No, the child did not RANDOMLY or even accidentally hit a tourist bus. They were AIMING towards the tourist bus (and a moving car before that)!! And the nanny took two young children to a wedding to MEXICO without the parents' permission and then got her drunk nephew to drive them back!! Both were acts of EXTREME stupidity and the fact that both stories ended tragically is justified. The American family survived only by chance and because it's a film. In reality, those children could have died in the desert and the mother could have bled to death and no money would have saved them. Oh, and their youngest child actually died,so having money doesn't necessarily prevent tragedies.

 

[Seerek]

I quite liked it too (though it's actually called A Long Way Down). I watched because, in addition to the fact that I adore Toni Colette, I really like Nick Hornby, and his books usually translate well to film. This was probably the weakest Hornby film I've seen, but still better than the panned ratings it received.

And yes, Colette is amazing. The whole cast was great (and deserving of a better script), but Colette steals the show as she so often does.

I agree about Toni Colette being mostly dependable in anything she's in, but I completely mis-read the titles when reading this review. I confused A Long Way Down with another movie Toni was in around the same time called The Way Way Back (a movie with a similar title, but completely different premise).

 

[Artemis@BC]

^ LOL.

I loved The Way Way Back, btw -- though IIRC Colette had a pretty small role in it.