Animation, Classic Film, Filmmakers, Foreign Film, Narrative, Sci-Fi, Short Film

Short Film: “A Trip to the Moon”

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Martin Scorsese’s recent film Hugo prominently features pioneering French filmmaker Georges Méliès and his works, chief among them is his 1902 short “A Trip to the Moon” (“Le Voyage dans la lune”). This film has the distinction of being the very first science-fiction film. It follows a small group of astronomers who journey to the moon and discover its inhabitants.

This film features innovative animation and special effects. It was named one of the 100 greatest films of the 20th century (#84) in a Village Voice poll.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYRemE9Oeso&ob=av1n]
Top Films

My Top 20 Films of 2011

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These are my top 20 films of 2011—my 10th annual list! I went to the movies 56 times last year. This list comprises the 20 top films I saw last year in a movie theatre or screening room. Some of the films were released in 2010, but I did not see them until early 2011.

For all top 20 lists from 2002 to the present, click on “Top 20 Lists” at the top navigation. For my brief movie reviews and ratings, follow me on Twitter (@dan_quiterio).

What are your top films of 2011? Let me know in the comments section.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJOLOvyZQN0&feature=plcp&context=C3070616UDOEgsToPDskLNp2vBIocz5040V0EPmESy]
Comedy, Filmmakers, Foreign Film, In Theatres, Independent Film, Narrative, Oscars, Review

Review: The Artist

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NOTE: This review contains spoilers.

Some time last year, I thought to myself, “Why doesn’t anyone make a silent film today? It would be interesting to see a contemporary filmmaker’s take on early cinema.” And then The Artist came along …

I had been looking forward to seeing The Artist since it screened at Cannes mid-last year. The film follows 1927 silent screen superstar George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) as he holds firmly onto his principles at the expense of his career in the wake of the emergence of “talkies.” Following a chance encounter with one of his fans, Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who bumps into him (literally), she is immediately bitten by the Hollywood bug. As her acting career takes off in the talking pictures, Valentin’s begins to flounder. It’s the stuff A Star Is Born is made of.

Typically, I’m a sucker for movies about movies, and being a classic film buff, I was excited about the prospects of watching a modern-day silent film set in the ’20s, a pivotal period in early cinema. Having just watched it, I can say that it’s a terrific film. As is the case with any great film, all elements come together to make one great picture—a reminder that the sum should always be greater than its parts. The film, much like its leading man Dujardin, is debonair, classy, and charming. The beautiful black-and-white cinematography by Guillaume Schiffman merges with some dazzling performances by Dujardin, Bejo, and John Goodman (who plays a Cecil B. DeMille-type studio executive).

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Awards, Classic Film, Oscars, Poster

Official Oscar Poster Unveiled

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(Re-posted from The Hollywood Reporter)

by Michael O’Connell
December 28, 2011

For the 84th annual awards, the one-sheet pairs the Oscar statuette with images of eight winning films from eight decades.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the poster for the 2012 Academy Awards on Wednesday morning. And it promises the 84th annual Oscars will celebrate — as one might expect — movies.

Under the banner “Life. Camera. Action,” the poster features eight Oscar-winning films from eight decades of the show. Gone with the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1943), Giant (1956), The Sound of Music (1965), The Godfather (1972), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Forrest Gump (1994) and Gladiator (2000) make up the films highlighted. Only one of them, however, did not win best picture. That distinction goes to Giant, which won George Stevens an Oscar for directing.

Academy President Tom Sherak addressed the chosen tagline, “Celebrate the movies in all of us,” in an accompanying release. “Whether it’s a first date or a holiday gathering with friends or family, movies are a big part of our memory,” said Sherak. “The Academy Awards not only honor the excellence of these movies, but also celebrate what they mean to us as a culture and to each of us individually.”

The poster is available for public download on the Oscar website.

Animation, Coming Soon, Narrative, New Release, Oscars, Preview

Coming Soon: The Adventures of Tintin

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Belgian artist Georges Remi—under the pen name Hergé—introduced Tintin to the world in 1929. The beloved character who is a Belgian reporter sets out on a series of adventures with his dog Snowy and best pal Captain Haddock. Though the characters originally lived in a comic strip, throughout the years they were reproduced in a variety of media, including books, movies, TV, and theatre, and were translated into more than 50 languages. It seems the popular series is well known and loved in almost every part of the world—except America. But that’s soon to change.

As is by now widely known, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg (director) and fellow Oscar-winner Peter Jackson (producer) will bring The Adventures of Tintin to US audiences starting this Wednesday, following the film’s initial bow in oversees markets, where the characters and stories first found success and praise. In this first of at least two films by the filmmaking duo, Tintin (Jamie Bell) and Haddock (Andy Serkis) set off on a quest to find a sunken ship that was commanded by Haddock’s ancestor. (Though Spielberg directs this first installment, it’s been reported that Jackson will sit in the director’s chair for the film’s follow-up effort.)

Continue reading Coming Soon: The Adventures of Tintin →

Actors, Awards, Oscars

My “Official” Oscar Nomination Predictions

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Awards season is upon us and several critics circles, SAG, and the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globes) have listed their best films lists, awards, and nominations in a variety of categories. There’s no reason for me to sit back silently and not get my two cents in. Overall, there haven’t been many surprises, though a few notable snubs immediately come to mind upon reading some of these lists and nominations.

Based on my years of following such lists and awards shows, I’ve put together my “official” Oscar nomination predictions for the four acting categories and Best Picture. I follow each prediction with a “preliminary” winner. These are not my “official” winner predictions, as those will come closer to the Oscars.

The nominations for the 84th annual Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 24.

Best Actor

Demián Bichir – A Better Life

George Clooney – The Descendants

Leonardo DiCaprio – J. Edgar

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Brad Pitt – Moneyball

Alternates:

Michael Fassbender – Shame

Ryan Gosling – The Ides of March

Preliminary Winner:

Jean Dujardin

Continue reading My “Official” Oscar Nomination Predictions →

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Celebrating the 170 in a Big, LA Way

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It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, so I wanted to make this next one worthwhile.

Last month, I completed an eight-year odyssey in completing my 170 list just before my 30th birthday. I wanted to celebrate finishing my list and this milestone birthday in a big movie way, so I decided to take my first trip to LA. Together with my friend Stephanie, we spent six days and six nights making our way through the Hollywood Walk of Fame, movie studios, and Sunset & Vine. Here’s how it all went down last month.

(For over 300 photos of my trip, click here.)

Day 1

November 8

We departed from New York’s JKF Airport and touched down at LAX on Tuesday, November 8. For years, I had heard about how great In-N-Out Burger is, but all of the restaurants seem to be concentrated around the West Coast, so I knew our first stop after landing had to be the famous burger joint where the food is always fresh. I had a Double Double with fries and a shake, and I have to say, although it was very good, it was just a burger and some fries. I’m left scratching my head, wondering where the hype ever came from. But this was just the beginning of what would be a long and exhausting day.

Stephanie and I took our rental van straight to Hollywood, where we headed straight to the Kodak Theatre, the home of the Oscars. I had been wanting to take a tour of the theatre for a long time, so I was excited to finally get the opportunity. We were the only ones on our tour, which made our trip through those hallowed halls a private one, making it that much more special. Our tour guide’s name was Barbara, and I have to say she was pretty awesome. A movie buff herself, she was thrilled to have Stephanie and me on the tour. She said that some people take the tour without ever having even heard of the Oscars! Blasphemy! She said she was happy to have real movie folk on the tour and Stephanie and I both engaged her in an educated way. In fact, the 30-minute tour was extended to just passed an hour, and no one minded. This was the highlight of my entire LA trip. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside.

Next up was Hollywood & Highland, the outdoor shopping mall that sits right in the heart of Hollywood (and just outside the Kodak Theatre). I was surprised to see a Crumbs Bake Shop there, as I didn’t know my favorite cupcake shop existed outside New York. Of course, I had to pay a visit. It was the day before my birthday, after all.

Next door to the Kodak is the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, which was being set up for one of its many premiers to be held later that night. The film was The Artist, which will undoubtedly be a Best Picture nominee this year. Since the inside of the theatre was closed off, we had to come back another day. More on that later.

We walked down Hollywood Blvd. and found ourselves at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, which was playing some AFI Fest films. (The festival was running during the first days of our visit, though we didn’t partake.) We stepped inside to take a look at the lobby and snap some photos before heading over to the Roosevelt Hotel, the site of the very first Academy Awards in 1929. Stephanie and I made our way inside, taking in the 1920s decor. I felt like we stepped into a Bogart film. The hotel was beautiful, inside and out.

Continue reading Celebrating the 170 in a Big, LA Way →

Coming Soon, Narrative, Preview, Trailer

Snow White vs. Snow White: The Battle of the Trailers

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Tarsem Singh’s Immortals is dominating the box office in a big way, but the filmmaker is not losing sight of his next project, the Snow White flick Mirror Mirror. The film’s first trailer just hit the interwebs, and it’s going head to head against the recently released trailer for the “other” Snow White movie, Rupert Sanders’s Snow White and the Huntsman.

Mirror Mirror

Director: Tarsem Singh (Immortals, The Fall, The Cell)

Snow White: Lily Collins (Abduction, The Blind Side)

Evil Queen: Julia Roberts (If I have to tell you what she’s been in, I’ll say a prayer for you.)

Release Date: March 16, 2012

Snow White & the Huntsman

Director: Rupert Sanders (debut)

Snow White: Kristen Stewart (Twilight series, Adventureland)

Evil Queen: Charlize Theron (see “Julia Roberts”)

Release Date: June 1, 2012

Classic Film, Drama, Narrative

I’VE DONE IT!

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After eight years, I finished my 170 list, and I did it one day ahead of schedule (my 30th birthday)! My final film was DW Griffith’s 1916 epic Intolerance, starring Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, and Robert Harron.

Next up: the remaining 18 Oscar Best Picture winners that I have not yet seen. I’m giving myself until the 2013 Oscars to complete that list.

Coming Soon, Drama, Independent Film, Narrative, Preview, Trailer

Official Trailer: We Need to Talk About Kevin

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Official Synopsis:

A suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller, Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin explores the factious relationship between a mother and her son. Tilda Swinton, in a bracing, tour-de-force performance, plays the mother, Eva, as she contends for 15 years with the increasing malevolence of her first-born child, Kevin (Ezra Miller).

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, We Need to Talk About Kevin explores nature vs. nurture on a whole new level as Eva’s own culpability is measured against Kevin’s innate evilness. Ramsay’s masterful storytelling simultaneously combines a provocative moral ambiguity with a satisfying and compelling narrative, which builds to a chilling, unforgettable climax.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozm-hlPNGX4]

a film blog by Daniel Quitério