Shooter

Coming off of his astounding performance in Martin Scorsese's The Departed, Mark Wahlberg shows why he is one of the finest actors in the business. In Shooter, Wahlberg plays an ex-military man who is brought back in to try to stop a possible assassination of the President. Or so we think. Along the way, Wahlberg gets setup by the villainous Danny Glover and the scheming Senator, played by Ned Beatty.

Aside from a story line that seems to wander at times, the film works well with Wahlberg in the lead. What really works well in the film is use of the camera to tell the story. Using a mixture of shots, director Antoine Fugua, known mainly for Training Day, creates a film that has sustained suspense. B+.

Reign Over Me

While many people have a deep affection toward Adam Sandler, he once again proves in this film that he is a single-dimensional bit player. Although Don Cheadle manages to salvage this debacle of a film - not to mention a boring film - Sandler just doesn't cut it as the disturbed widower. Sandler plays former dentist Charlie (and believe me, that name gets really annoying when you hear 878 times throughout the film), a man who loses his family during the 9/11 attacks.

What the film attempts to do is capture the essence that propelled Robert Redford's Ordinary People in 1980. However, the film falls flat. Unlike Timothy Hutton, who played the disturbed son in Ordinary People, Sandler can't make it work in Reign. While Hutton's performance is seamless and believable as he copes with the unfortunate death of his brother, Sandler comes off as someone not suffering from a deep depression, but someone who is severely schitzophrenic. It appears that Sandler doesn't need therapy; rather, he needs an exorcism.

All in all, Reign is a bad film. Moreover, it's boring. Don't waist your time with this one folks. D+.

Will the real Stan Grossman please stand up?

As I was bored out of my mind a couple weeks ago during a weekend blizzard, I decided to pop in one of my favorite films - Fargo. As I started watching it, I found that I had forgotten just how great it really was. What I also realized was that there was a blatant character similarity between Fargo and Little Miss Sunshine. A character who appears as a savvy businessman in Fargo, Stan Grossman, also appears in the film Little Miss Sunshine. Speaking to a film professor recently, I learned that the character reference in Little Miss Sunshine was probably more of an homage than an error in character. In Fargo, Larry Brandenburg plays the wealthy businessman Grossman. In Little Miss Sunshine, Bryan Cranston, notably from Malcom in the Middle, plays the character. Both characters are similar in that they are spoken of quite highly in each film, but they ultimately end up making the lead males angry.

Zodiac

Is it just me, or has Robert Downey, Jr. been cropping up in some great roles lately? In Zodiac, Downey steals the show as a journalist who struggles with substance abuse. But that's not really the story here. The film revolves around the Zodiac killer who killed numerous individuals in the late 60s and early 70s. Along with Downey, Jake Gyllenhal fits perfectly into his role as a comic artist for the local newspaper. However, when the Zodiac case breaks open, Gyllenhal's character, Robert Graysmith, becomes intrigued by the unfolding murders.

The film, directed by the ever talented David Fincher, shows us why Fincher is a great director. He is able to keep us intrigued for the whopping two hour and forty minute running time. Not many films today would risk being so long, but Fincher and company manage to pull it off. My only gripe with the film is that, like Hollywoodland, there isn't necessarily a major resolution. However, without spoiling the film for others, it plays as a great period piece that will surely stand highly next to Fincher's other works, including Fight Club, Seven, etc.

The supporting cast is also a force to be reckoned with. Anchored by Mark Ruffalo, the major players in the film all create a sense of mystery that works well within the given context. Moreover, the other supporters, including the likes of Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, and Philip Baker Hall fits squarely in the time period that the film is set. With all of the testosterone running rampant on screen, it's up to Chloe Sevigny to reign in. She does just that. The underrated actress shows why she is one of the finest in her generation as she plays the wife of the obsessed Graysmith. A.

Reno 911!: Miami

Although I am not a self-proclaimed fan of the series, Reno 911!: Miami provides a great dose of farcical comedy. With the Reno gang on a trip to Miami for a police convention, chaos ensues as the group is forced into action when a large hotel containing police officers becomes quarantined. The group then must manage the streets of Miami. It's a perfect example of great comedy with little point.

The film is able to go places that the show never could - expletives are bleaped out and the sexual inuendo is in full force. It's not a film to bring little kids to, but it sure is funny. With the success of Borat coupled with the success of this film, look for every screwball comedy to surface during the coming year. A-.

Wild Hogs

Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, and John Travolta do their best to entertain for an hour and a half. Although there are a few funny points to Wild Hogs, many of the laughs seem forced and predictable. It's really too bad the writers didn't try for more with this one, seeing as the cast was so great.

As four men venture out on a male bonding experience that takes them on a trip through the south, they accidentally blow up a biker roadhouse. Ray Liotta, in a role that seems to work well for him, leads the roadhouse gang to find and severely hurt the heroes. While the film has a good premise, it just falls flat. There are too many cliches along the way. It's a valiant effort, but it just doesn't work. C+.

Ghost Rider

Coming off of his tear jerking performance in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, Nicholas Cage does little to show his Academy Award worthy-side as the title character in this latest comic book to film adaptation. While the film is not overly smart, it doesn't try to be either. Consider this to be another Fantastic Four style film - it's good but it's not Spiderman 2.

While the plot involves Cage battling Satan and his cronies, which might seem a bit over the top, the film does justice to a comic book hero that is not well known. The film's major accomplishment is the effects that are extremely well done. The lavish fight sequences, along with an even superior soundtrack, leaves the viewer believing that this might not be so bad after all.

The main problem with the film is that the story is weak at best. The whole idea of fighting Satan is a little too sacharine for the viewer seeking something smart. However, with the great box office receipts enjoyed on opening weekend, look for Ghost Rider 2 to hit theatres soon. B-.

Oscar Reactions

Well, I was right for the most part. Unlike all of those crazy people out there who had Babel and Little Miss Sunshine pegged to win Best Picture, I stuck to my guns and predicted that The Departed would win. The only thing I really messed up on what the incorrect choice of Eddie Murphy. It didn't surprise me, however, that Alan Arkin won.

Just so you know, here are the winners. There are stars (*) by the winners that I correctly predicted.

Best Picture: The Departed*
Best Director: Martin Scorsese*
Best Actor: Forest Whitaker*
Best Actress: Helen Mirren*
Best Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson*
Best Original Screenplay: Little Miss Sunshine*
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Departed*

Oscar Predictions

And the Oscar goes to...

With the Oscars only days away, I decided that I had best get my final predictions out there. This year, I added a "Dark Horse" category for a nominee that could possibly take Oscar gold. However, I copped out in the Best Picture category as I didn't really choose a dark horse winner. My predictions of who should win are somewhat different that who I think will win. If everything goes well, maybe my "Should Win" category will shine through.

Hannibal Rising

As my first film of 2007, Hannibal Rising did little to quench the thirst Hannibal the Cannibal. From the very beginning, the film explodes onto the screen with so much idiocity that it seems like it could not even belong to the same family that Anthony Hopkins made famous. The attitude of the film's star, Gaspard Ulliel, is enough to make me want to reconsider my love for the Lecter series.

Set around the upbrininging of Lecter, the film never really finds a rhythym. Likewise, the entire plot of the film is shotty at best. Written by series author Thomas Harris, I expected this film to fit nicely into the Hannibal series. However, the directing and acting were so incredibly bad that this film should have never been made. While there are a few redeeming qualities to the film, namely the cinematography and the performance by The Wire alum Dominic West, the film fails to capture the suspenseful horror that graced the presence of Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, and of course the (subpar) Hannibal. C-.

Letters from Iwo Jima

Clint Eastwood's Oscar nominated film Letters from Iwo Jima lives up to all the hype as it follows the Japanese side of the war on the island of Iwo Jima. Made as a companion film to Flags of our Fathers, Letters is a better film than its other half. The film works on many levels, but it is the characters that stand out as the beacon.

The film revolves around the Japanese troops preparing for battle and the ultimate defeat. None of the cast from Flags appears in this film, which is a good thing. The general in command, played by Ken Watanabe, struggles to retain control of his troops in the ill-fated battle. Eastwood seems to perfect his craft with this film, and the screenplay, which again is given help by Paul Haggis, does not insult the viewer.

This film is one that will most likely stand the test of time (as far as war films go), and it shows the true ability that Eastwood has. Shown along with Flags of our Fathers, the two films create an uncompromising view of the triumph - and tragedy - that occurred on Iwo Jima. A+.

The Good German

Set in the style of the films of old, namely Casablanca, Steven Soderbergh's latest film The Good German falls flat. The story, which is a bit flimsy, is a story that has been done before. It's one thing to set a film in the style of earlier works, but it is quite another to actually copy the stories as well. The film revolves around a reporter, played by George Clooney, who attempts to help his old girlfriend, played by Cate Blanchett, and her husband get out of Berlin shortly after World War II ends. The story seems a lot like Casablanca, and the look of the film is clearly a copy.

There are, however, two redeeming aspects of this film. First, it is great to see Tobey Maguire play a different role for a change. He plays a young American who gets in over his head. He seems like a nice guy, but he shows an angry side as well. Second, the look of the film is a pure treat to see. Soderbergh goes after a new look for his film which turns out to be great. The black and white palate, coupled with the minimal sets create the notion that I really was watching an old movie. B.

Film Rankings for 2006

Here are the latest film rankings for 2006. I have yet to see a few films, namely Letters from Iwo Jima and The Good German.

The Departed (A+)
The Queen (A+)
Flags of our Fathers (A)
Blood Diamond (A)
Children of Men (A)
The Last King of Scotland (A)
World Trade Center (A)
Babel (A)
Casino Royale (A)
An Inconvenient Truth (A)
Bobby (A-)
Little Miss Sunshine (A-)
The Pursuit of Happyness (A-)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (A-)
United 93 (A-)
X-Men: The Last Stand (A-)
A Prairie Home Companion (A-)
Stranger than Fiction (B+)
Clerks II (B+)
The Good Shepherd (B+)
All the King's Men (B+)
The Illusionist (B+)
Dreamgirls (B)
Miami Vice (B)
Snakes on a Plane (B)
V for Vendetta (B)
Superman Returns (B)
Inside Man (B)
Hollywoodland (B)
MI: 3 (B)
Thank you for Smoking (B)
Strangers with Candy (B)
The DaVinci Code (B-)
Man of the Year (C+)
Poseidon (C)
Scary Movie 4 (C)
You, Me & Dupree (C-)
Night at the Museum (C-)
The Black Dahlia (F)

The Last King of Scotland

Forest Whitaker shows commanding force as the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. The film follows the rise of Amin and the way he runs the country of Uganda. The story revolves around a young Dr. Garrigan, played by James McAvoy, who travels to Uganda to help the battered people. Along the way, Amin befriends Dr. Garrigan, and Amin uses him as a close advisor. However, after a while, Garrigan learns how Amin runs the country, and he tries to escape.

Whitaker is positively amazing as Amin, and he could easily secure an Oscar for his performance. McAvoy is also great, and thus far he has been somewhat ignored for his stellar performance. The film uses a good dose of closeups that really exemplify the feeling on Whitaker's face. While the film does seem a bit drawn out at times, the ferocious performance by Whitaker more than makes up for any shortcomings. A.

Oscar Nominee Breakdown

First things first. God bless the Academy. It is so wonderful to see that Mark Wahlberg got nominated in the Supporting Actor category, but it is even more amazing to see that Dreamgirls did not get nominated for Picture or Director. Personally, I didn't think it was that great of a film. Now, the breakdown.

Best Picture

1) Babel

2) The Departed

3) Letters from Iwo Jima

4) Little Miss Sunshine

5) The Queen

The only big surprise is the obvious omission of Dreamgirls. I really thought that either Letters or Little Miss Sunshine would be nominated - not both. However, I think the Academy made the right choice here.

Best Director

1) Allejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)

2) Martin Scorsese (The Departed)

3) Clint Eastwood (Letters from Iwo Jima)

4) Paul Greengrass (United 93)

5) Stephen Frears (The Queen)

Again here, the surprise is that Bill Condon did not get nominated for Dreamgirls. This is going to be a tough race, but I think Scorsese is the early front-runner.

Best Actor

1) Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond)

2) Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)

3) Peter O'Toole (Venus)

4) Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)

5) Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)

I was right on with my predictions for this category. Right now, Forest Whitaker has the early momentum.

Best Actress

1) Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal)

2) Penelope Cruz (Volver)

3) Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)

4) Helen Mirren (The Queen)

5) Kate Winslet (Little Children)

Again here, there were no surprises. Congratulations, Helen Mirren.

Best Supporting Actor

1) Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine)

2) Jackie Earl Haley (Little Children)

3) Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond)

4) Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)

5) Mark Wahlberg (The Departed)

My incorrection in this category was that I had Jack Nicholson getting a nomination for The Departed. Instead, Alan Arkin scored a nomination for Little Miss Sunshine. The bigger story is that Mark Wahlberg got nominated for The Departed. Right now, Eddie Murphy has the momentum, but stranger things have happened. I would just like to point out that this is the toughest category of all. All the performances, including those listed in my predictions, are deserving of an Oscar. It is too bad that Michael Sheen did not get nominated for his role as Tony Blair in The Queen.

Best Supporting Actress

1) Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal)

2) Adrianna Barraza (Babel)

3) Rinko Kikuchi (Babel)
4) Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
5) Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)

I had no incorrect predictions in this category. Jennifer Hudson is the early leader, but it would be great to see someone else get the Oscar. Wait and see.

Oscar Nominee Predictions

Here are my Oscar nominee predictions for the 79th Annual Academy Awards that will take place on Sunday, February 25, 2007. The nominees will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007.

Best Picture
1) The Departed
2) Babel
3) The Queen
4) Dreamgirls
5) Letters from Iwo Jima

Darkhorse candidates: Little Miss Sunshine, Flags of our Fathers

The top four choices as nominees for this category are almost for certain. My choice of Letters from Iwo Jima is sort of a risky choice, but I think Academy voters tend to like Eastwood, and they will probably go for this film. However, Little Miss Sunshine could just as easily secure the fifth spot.

Best Director
1) Martin Scorsese (The Departed)
2) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)
3) Stephen Frears (The Queen)
4) Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
5) Clint Eastwood (Letters from Iwo Jima)

Darkhorse Candidates: Paul Greengrass (United 93), Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men)

A very unlikely occurence may happen for the second year in a row. The Best Picture nominees may follow suit with the Best Director nominees. If there is one person who really does deserve a nomination, it is most definitely Alfonso Cuaron, as his film was one of the best of the year, but it never really got any help from critics. Both Clint Eastwood and Bill Condon are risky nominees, but I think they will ultimately beat out the other Darkhorse potentials.


Best Actor
1) Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)
2) Peter O'Toole (Venus)
3) Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond)
4) Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)
5) Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)

Darkhorse Candidates: Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed)

I think this category is pretty much set with the given nominees. Unlike the Golden Globes, I think it is unlikely that DiCaprio will score two nominations. It seems more likely that he would get a nomination for Blood Diamond. However, if the Academy decides to go wild for The Departed (and that very well could happen), he may just get nominated for that film instead. It also seems unlikely that Cohen would get nominated for Borat, but considering his success at the Golden Globes, he may just pull off a nomination.


Best Actress
1) Helen Mirren (The Queen)
2) Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)
3) Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal)
4) Penelope Cruz (Volver)
5) Kate Winslet (Little Children)

Darkhorse Candidates: Beyonce Knowles (Dreamgirls), Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine), Maggie Gyllenhal (Sherrybaby).

It really doesn't matter who gets nominated in this category, because this is a runaway for Helen Mirren. However, the outsider who could most likely get nominated would probably be Toni Collette, if and only if the Academy goes crazy for Little Miss Sunshine.

Best Supporting Actor
1) Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)
2) Jackie Earl Haley (Little Children)
3) Jack Nicholson (The Departed)
4) Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond)
5) Mark Wahlberg (The Departed)

Darkhorse Candidates: Michael Sheen (The Queen), Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Alan Arkin
(Little Miss Sunshine), Adam Beach (Flags of our Fathers), and Brad Pitt (Babel).

This is a really rough year to be in this category. Every single one of these actors deserves to take home Oscar gold. I'm going out on a limb for Wahlberg, but I think he may just get nominated due to his great performance in The Departed, coupled with the overall success of the film. It would be nice to see Michael Sheen sneak in somewhere, as his performance in The Queen was riveting.

Best Supporting Actress
1) Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
2) Rinko Kikuchi (Babel)
3) Adrianna Barraza (Babel)
4) Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)
5) Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal)

Darkhorse Candidates: Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada), Catherine O'Hara (For Your Consideration)

This category also seems pretty well set with the top five listed here. Emily Blunt's performance in Devil was good but probably not good enough to get her a nomination.


Final Thoughts
There are a few variables that could take place with each of these categories. First, any of these films could be THE film that voters go gaga for. Second, I think that voters will probably make that film The Departed since it did well at the box office and the cast is so amazingly great. The riskiest choice by far is to give Letters from Iwo Jima a top nod. It could happen, and I think it might given Eastwood's success at the Oscars.

The Queen

Helen Mirren engages in the year's greatest tour de force as she plays Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears' The Queen. The film, set around the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana, follows the royal family in what became a publicity nightmare. While British Prime Minister Tony Blair, played brilliantly by Michael Sheen, becomes the love of the people, the royal family becomes a target for criticism as the Queen refuses to make a public statement.

This film is a lot like Capote from last year. It is a small film that is ultimately driven by one character. Similar to Philip Seymour Hoffman's turn as the infamous writer Truman Capote, Mirren captures the very essence of Queen Elizabeth II, and she makes the viewer forget that she is really not the Queen. Like Capote, The Queen offers a wonderful supporting character of the opposite sex. Just as Catherine Keener (Harper Lee) was the yin to Hoffman's yang, Sheen functions in the same capacity forMirren, who is sure to be an Oscar shoo-in for Best Actress.

I've only given out one A+ this fall, and that was for The Departed. I'm happy to say that while this film is just a hair shy of the excellence achieved by The Departed, The Queen runs a close second. A+.

Golden Globe Breakdown

The Golden Globes solidified the chances of some Oscar front-runners, and created some confusion with others. With Martin Scorsese's win for Best Director, he can now be considered the front-runner for the Directing Oscar. However, Babel's Globe win for Best Drama only helps its chances of winning the Best Picture prize that has eluded Scorsese for years.

In the major acting acting, categories, all of my predictions were correct: Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker, Meryl Streep, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jennifer Hudson, and Eddie Murphy. Likewise, my choice for Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) of Dreamgirls was also correct. I did choose The Departed, but it did not necessarily surprise me to see Babel win as it is a worldly film, and after all we are dealing with the Hollywood Foreign Press.

I think Clint Eastwood's win for Letters from Iwo Jima may help him get a Best Picture nod for that film. He may even pick up a directing nod by the Academy as well.

On the television side, I was not quite as correct with my predictions. Let me, however, be very frank about this. The television awards that have been given out, namely the Globes and the Emmys, are grossly incorrect in who they have chosen to honor over the last couple years. It is disappointing to see quality shows such as The Wire be denied the accolades they so richly deserve. When a show like Ugly Betty wins Best Comedy and Best Actress I just cringe and think that these people are losing their minds.

Overall, of the 25 categories in which awards were presented, I was correct 13 times, incorrect 10 times, and I had no idea about two categories. If one only includes the film categories, I was correct 11 times, incorrect once, and I had no idea about two categories. The one category that I got wrong was again the Best Picture (Drama) category. I chose The Departed while Babel was the winner.

Up next....Oscar nomination predicitions

Babel

Like his previous film 21 Grams, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's latest film Babel moves flawlessly through interconnecting story lines and tragic ends for many characters. Set in mostly in Morocco, the film follows the shooting of an American traveler, played by Cate Blanchett. The interwoven stories of a nanny, two young boys, two American travelers, and a Japanese girl create a scene true to the title of the film. Wherever one goes, there is sure to be some misunderstanding.

In a role much different from previous parts, Brad Pitt shines as the husband of his wounded wife. Unlike other films with Pitt, this one places him in a more supporting role. In effect, there is no dominating role within the film. What works so well in this film is that while there are different stories happening, no one story dominates. Moreover, the writing and directing work flawlessly in that the viewer must put the pieces of the puzzle together - it isn't spelled out completely.

While this film will most likely get nominated for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, it may have a more difficult time bringing home the top prize. However, given the uncanny surprise of Crash at last year's Oscars, this film could just sneek up and take Marty's prize. A.

Golden Globe Predictions

The Golden Globes will be held Monday, January 15th. Here are my predictions for who will take home the prize. The full list of nominees can be found at the Golden Globe Web site: http://www.hfpa.org/nominations/index.html.

* * * FILM * * *

Best Picture - Drama - The Departed

Best Picture - Musical/Comedy - Dreamgirls

Best Actress - Drama - Helen Mirren (The Queen)

Best Actor - Drama - Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy - Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)

Best Actor - Musical/Comedy - Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat)

Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)

Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)

Best Animated Feature - Cars

Best Foreign Language Film - Letters from Iwo Jima

Best Director - Motion Picture - Martin Scorsese (The Departed)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture - The Queen

Best Original Score - Motion Picture - NO IDEA

Best Original Song - Motion Picture - NO IDEA

* * * TELEVISION * * *

Best Television Series - Drama - 24

Best Television Series - Musical/Comedy - The Office

Best Actress - Drama - Edie Falco (The Sopranos)

Best Actor - Drama - Kiefer Sutherland (24)

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy - Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine)

Best Actor - Musical/Comedy - Steve Carell (The Office)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Elizabeth I

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Helen Mirren (Elizabeth I)

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Andre Braugher (Thief)

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television - Toni Collette (Tsunami, The Aftermath)

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television - Jeremy Piven (Entourage)