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December is here at last. For some of you, this means holiday shopping. For me, this means film releases, and lots of them. See, to qualify for consideration for this year’s Academy Awards, a film must be released by December 31 in Los Angeles County. That means that most studios hold a lot of their Oscar-worthy fare for this time of year, resulting in a big glut of hopefully good cinema.
I’ve got my eyes on a few, some of which come out this week. Here’s a list, in no particular order.
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Atonement. Based on Ian McEwan’s novel of the same name, which is one of the best books I have ever read, the film takes place in England before the outbreak of World War II. A young girl makes a mistake that destroys lives. Very dramatic! I won’t give anything else away, but here’s the preview for those interested.
The film stars Keira Knightly and James McAvoy (he was the young dude in Last King of Scotland), and is directed by Joe Wright, who directed the recent film version of Pride and Prejudice. But it’s not so much a romance as it is a gripping testament to the power of narrative. It also looks to have a graphic depiction of work as a nurse during WWII.
It starts release in a few cities this Friday. I, for one, am saving this for when I go home to visit my parents, since Dad and I love movies that make us cry. I think Atonement has some high hankie potential.
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There Will Be Blood. Just hand the Oscar over to Daniel Day-Lewis now. I’d hate to be an actor working in Hollywood in a year in which he has a starring role in a film that has Oscar! Oscar! engraved into the negative. He is spellbinding. The film is directed by the fantastic P.T. Anderson. I think this is the Academy’s chance to give a rising young auteur his golden statue too, though whether it’s for Best Director or Best Picture remains to be seen.
If the talent isn’t enough to get you into the theater (which it should be), the story is based on Upton Sinclair’s novel OIL! DDL plays an oil man who heads out to West Texas with his infant son to make his fortune, and finds that a young faith healer is practicing his ministry atop a lake of oil. Here’s the trailer for those of you who want a little more.
I may have too-high expectations for this one, but honestly, DDL can’t disappoint this viewer, and given the epic scope of the film, I think it’s going to be thrilling. His speech about humanity? Chilling. Ooh, ooh. Limited release on December 26.
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The Savages. This very actor-driven indie film stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, and is directed by Tamara Jenkins, who also made Slums of Beverly Hills. PSH and LL play siblings faced with caring for their elderly father. It looks realistic and honest and poignant. Here’s the trailer. Check your local art house cinema for listings, though you may have to wait for video on this one.
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Sweeney Todd. Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd! Johnny Depp stars as the demon barber of Fleet Street. I saw this in its most recent Broadway incarnation, and loved it. I can’t wait to see everyone’s favorite metrosexual pirate take a singing turn. Alan Rickman is in it too, which is always a plus. Helena Bonham Carter is in it, which for me might be a minus, in part because I saw Patty LuPone in the stage version, and she kicked ass. The guy that plays Borat is in it too, which might be a plus, I’m not sure. In any case, this will certainly be an interesting film. Early buzz is good. Here’s the preview.
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No Country For Old Men. This one’s out now, and I saw it last weekend, but wanted to recommend this utterly stunning and fantastic feat of filmmaking skill. It’s a Coen Brothers movie. Josh Brolin is mesmerizing, and his utter embodiment of his West Texan good old boy is just note-perfect. His performance makes it worthwhile. I’ll note that it is Violent with a Capital V, and the body count ramps up throughout the film. But it’s so, so good. Ooh, so good. Javier Bardem plays the psychopath at the center of the film, and Tommy Lee Jones plays the aging sheriff facing the end of his career and his own mortality.
The Coens are their own editor, and their cinematographer has been with them throughout their career. I love all of their films that I have ever seen, they are masters of the craft of filmmaking. I know I’m being repetitive here, but it’s just such an astonishingly well made film. Here’s the preview. I wouldn’t be surprised if this picked up the statue for Best Screenplay, and I think it’s going to give There Will Be Blood a bit of a challenge in the top categories of Picture and Director.
What films are you all looking forward to seeing?
On to the Comments!
From A Siegel:
In my discussion of Mountain Top Removal, Pariah Dog renames a classic song and nb41 provides an extremely compelling case for a much better path for tomorrow for the Appalachias and all of us.
From sardonyx:
JLowe notes two things needed to make the restoration economy a reality in mcjoan's front-page diary The Restoration Economy: Silver Bullet for Western Dems?
From Elise:
decembersue points out that hospitals are feeling a crunch! Take some action in this diary by The Fat Lady Sings.
paraprogress, Populista, and casperr all make good points here, here, and here
about Obama in ksh01's diary Obama Supporters: A Couple of Questions, which started a great conversation.
My Picks:
From TheFatLadySing’s important diary Bush Tries to Eliminate Public and Teaching Hospitals: Action Needed, decembersue describes the situation at her local teaching hospital. (Ed. note: evidently Elise and I think alike! Oh dear.)
Do your part! Call your Rep and ask him or her to co-sponsor. leevank’s got the list of co-sponsors.
clonecone provides an unsavory mental image.
Bob Johnson doesn’t mince words in his evaluation of certain efforts to suppress the student vote in Iowa.
dannyinla on another way the studio execs are screwing the writers – product placement.
decembersue (on a roll today!) worries that the internet might be overrun by... advertisements!
Hooray for BeninSC for bringing the Top Mojo to the Party!
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments (top 30 of each plus ties):
1 She is like a drowning person... by DemDog - 107
2 Fortunately by turneresq - 80
3 Thank the lord I can't troll rate you by JustAngry - 75
4 Obama's got a real chance in Iowa by casperr - 61
5 Personality disorders are characterological by sobermom - 59
6 kudos by wu ming - 53
7 thanks by taylormattd - 51
8 Thanks for your diary by EJP in Maine - 49
9 Drowning is not gender specific. by just passing through - 48
10 privatization = deprivation by agnostic - 47
11 Nice diary by clarkent - 47
12 USA to rest of world by DWG - 46
13 "Drowning" is NOT sexist by noddem - 46
14 Cool diary! by NCDem Amy - 46
15 This story needs to be promoted by neroden - 44
16 Nice diary turneresq.... by Morgan Sandlin - 44
17 Why Obama Is The Real Landslide Candidate by Nulwee - 43
18 Thanks EJP by gchaucer2 - 42
19 It is so nonsensical to destroy our hospital by TheFatLadySings - 42
20 Geat report, be inspired. by TomP - 42
21 and his depiction is spot on----Repubs are all by dotster - 42
22 Damn! Now that's dedication! by NCDem Amy - 42
23 great piece+diary-classic Rich! Obama=Outstanding by concerned - 41
24 That is why by DWG - 41
25 Good evening. Please say a prayer tonight by blue jersey mom - 41
26 Holy Smokes! by bigtimecynic - 40
27 Yup! bad, bad, Philly, forgot catnip! For Shame by PhillyGal - 40
28 My preference is eggnog with brandy by SallyCat - 39
29 I doubt Obama will by nycvisionary - 39
30 It's amazing me how dumb the Clinton campaign by wmtriallawyer - 39
Top Mojo - everything included:
1 Tips for sanity and intelligence. by TheBlaz - 251
2 Tips and Recs by icebergslim - 222
3 tips by Nuisance Industry - 215
4 TIPS and RECs for change by JustAngry - 190
5 Tip Jar by TheFatLadySings - 166
6 Tips by turneresq - 166
7 Tip Jar by State Rep Mark Cohen Dem PA - 163
8 Let's not let this story die. n/t by gchaucer2 - 154
9 happy holidays by clammyc - 150
10 Tips for real change, by TomP - 137
11 for you! ... Tip Jar by philipmerrill - 125
12 She is like a drowning person... by DemDog - 107
13 Tips for tearing down the wall! by be inspired - 93
14 Tips / Mojo: 2 December 07 by A Siegel - 91
15 Sorry i've posted this later than I intended to by OrangeClouds115 - 89
16 tips jar by jamess - 86
17 Fortunately by turneresq - 80
18 Steady, steady! .. errr, Tip Jar! by PhillyGal - 79
19 Thank the lord I can't troll rate you by JustAngry - 75
20 Tips by masslib - 73
21 Tips by SaneSoutherner - 65
22 No tips for you whatsoever by PsiFighter37 - 65
23 Tip Jar by Newsie8200 - 63
24 Tip Jar - 2 December by Jerome a Paris - 61
25 Obama's got a real chance in Iowa by casperr - 61
26 Personality disorders are characterological by sobermom - 59
27 Tip Jar by bigtimecynic - 55
28 For Eric - I hope this finds favor by teacherken - 55
29 Tips for service members everywhere. by funluvn1 - 54
30 kudos by wu ming - 53