We finally got something to really fall in love with on Monday… Son Of Rambow.
Because of a lack of any star names and the box office misfortunate of Danny Boyle’s simialrly themed MIllions, a strong sale is not clear. But the film, which also os reminiscent of Rushmore, is a major joy to behold… smart and subtle and infused with all the joy and horror of childhood in the story of two boys who love, as it works out, storytelling…
More later…
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Review: Little Women (no spoilers)
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Review: Marriage Story (spoilers only in the broadest sense)
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
So, I guess this can be considered Garth Jennings’ apology for ruining The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
I blame Spyglass for the problems with Hitchhikers. Nice to see that curmudgeonly Poland finally has a winner to crow about.
David, Magnolia don’t acquire BROKEN ENGLISH in Sundance 2007; Magnolia already has the rights of this movie before Sundance 2007.
http://www.indiewire.com/movies/2006/09/production_repo_11.html
I can’t wait to see Rambow now…
But the movie I fell in love with on Monday was Waitress, which was perfect in just about every way. A beautiful, layered, hilarious, heartbreaking, classic performance by Keri Russell, who has finally escaped her TV character. Worthy of awards. And Searchlight is the perfect company for it.
As for Hounddog, all the hysteria in the earlier thread, from people who hadn’t seen the film, is disgusting, dishonest, and frankly sad. The film was gorgeously made, lyrical and penetrating, with, yes, an career defining performance by Dakota, a young woman who despite her age is more articulate and wise than all her detractors put together. As for scandal and exploitation, there is none. Except for the know it alls and so called morally authorities who will now need to eat so much crow. Great film.
“Dreamgirls” WON’T win Best Picture, I guess.
No Dreamgirls best picture nom Dave!!!!
Letters is in! The Academy loves Clint. Looks like it’s Marty vs Clint all over again!
And Mark Wahlberg!!!!
“…a young woman who despite her age is more articulate and wise than all her detractors put together.”
You must have felt so enlightened and evolved when you wrote that.
Could you explain in more detail for us “disgusting, dishonest and frankly sad” people how the depiction of child-rape and sexuality by an 11 year old girl was “was gorgeously made, lyrical and penetrating”?
Put your mouth where your condescension is and write a real review, Carpetmuncher. For a film this controversial, you should be able to give us more than fawning, meaningless prose steeped in rhetoric.
If you liked it, be specific and say why; give real examples. Otherwise you just come off like an uncritical poseur. A lap dog trying to seem hip in a sea of drowning animals.
Obviously the biggest surprise is Dreamgirls getting the best picture snub.
What are the others? Gosling for Best Actor?
Wahlberg for Best Supporting?
My biggest “woah” – other than the “Dreamgirls” snub – was that DiCaprio got nominated for “Blood Diamond” over “The Departed.”
“Otherwise you just come off like an uncritical poseur. A lap dog trying to seem hip in a sea of drowning animals.”
At least he’s seen the movie.
So opinions are meaningless now unless they are going against the grain? How avant-garde of you.
Am feeling all is right with the world at the moment. Glad Greengrass got the nomination and that the mediocre dreamgirls was kept to the only nominations it deserved. Great news for Gosling, this is going to make a lot of people happy. Suprised Volver didnt make foriegn language but with the Cruz nom for best actress that makes up for it and was glad to see Water, one of my favorites of the year make the cut. Am also now even more excited to see After the Wedding, I was really impressed with Open Hearts and Brothers so I am glad Biers is getting the recognition she deserves.
im pretty pleased with the nominations, though Children of Men i think is better than a lot of films being nominated.
I never saw Blood Diamond. Was Leo that good?
wow on Dreamgirls and Volver snub. Can’t believe Greengrass did get in. Good to see people did see Letters from Iwo Jima.
So “Dreamgirls will win” how does that work now?
movielocke,
Dreamgirls can still win, but it involves a few steps that might be difficult to pull off.
They need to find a way to bring back Jack Pallance from the dead, then have him be the presenter for Best Picture.
It’s a long shot… but it’s so crazy it just might work.
For God’s sake — someone put Poland on a suicide watch!
Actually, Dreamgirls not getting the best pic nomination is really going to make the award season far more interesting.
Had it gotten the nomination, it would have been 4 weeks of “It’s gonna win, It’s gonna win”
Now, there’s much more of a crap shoot involved. The “frontrunner” doesn’t even get a nomination?
HIGH-larious.
No Dreamgirls! Woohoo. I love musicals but both Chicago and Dreamgirls are so boring, they almost turned me straight.
Must think of Eric Bana in boxer shorts!
Like it or not – and I don’t like it – “Little Miss Sunshine” is the favorite. It will be the second Best Picture to win without its director(s) being nominated.
Count me as a part of Team Departed.
Anyone want to start taking bets on how DPs going to spin this news? Will it eat crow or imply that somehow this was what he was expecting all along?
My guess is he’ll divert attention by focusng on the glee of those who seem happy Dreamgirls lost.
Joe – almost pissed myself at that one.
Honestly, I half expected Dreamgirls to not get the Best Pic nom. It felt very “Cold Mountain” to me. Big “whoa” moments for me –
Greengrass (sweet)
Wahlberg (sweet)
Winslet (there’s no one better in the business)
Hounsou over Michael Sheen (fucking criminal)
Pan’s and CoM for screenplay (yes!)
No Volver (bummer)
Dave is gonna say something along the lines of “see guys, this is why I didn’t flat-out say that Dreamgirls would DEFINITELY win best picture…blah blah blah…surprises every year…blah blah blah…they love Clint…blah blah blah…nobody knows anything…blah blah blah…Jeff Wells something or other…blah”
Across the net, the reactions seem to go like this
NO DREAMGIRLS!!!!!!!!!!
and then after the joy/shock of that is a feeling that the nominations were pretty accurate. It’s been awhile since i remember so many people being agreeable about the nominations.
Greengrass for United 93 appeased fans of that film
Cruz appeased the Volver crowd
People seem pretty happy Pan’s Labrynth got some love
Gosling getting nominated and Haley getting nominated seem to make people think real performances were being nominated.
So, good year i suppose. The only real ‘controversy’ will be Dreamgirls.
I guess a screenplay nom is better than nothing for “Children of Men,” but I’m definitely not “appeased.”
God almighty, there’s going to be hell to pay in the “Dreamgirls” war room this morning. No steak knives for ANY of you!
Still a drama queen, Joe.
And you are still a thin-skinned whiner, David. Stay warm. Don’t drink too much.
Nicol, after you recent intelectually disgraceful display, its impossible for any reasonable reader of this blog to ever take you seriously again.
Go burn some more books you haven’t read. Fascist.
Saw Rambow on Poland’s rec. He was right on the money. Beautiful wonderful film. Dare I say impossible not to love. See it if you can…
If I had to choose between I’d stil take Waitress but in a perfect world I’d run away with both, and Hounddog, and anything with Parker Posey or Zooey Deschanel…
You want surprised? It’s Jan. 23rd and the CW is only now airing GILMORE GIRLS’ Christmas episode. I thought the horror that was 2006 was finally over…
Dave, back to Sundance, can you say anything about the Clubland sale? I read in the paper today that it was purchased by Warner Indi for $5mil.