A Picture Review of 'The Science of Sleep'

It's official: I'm obsessed with the innovative and trippy aesthetic of French auteur Michel Gondry. His surreal 2006 mindtrip, 'The Science of Sleep' is even more visually stunning than his other popular work (that I have seen), 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. The story doesn't keep up with the insane visuals, but it doesn't necessarily lag. It simply doesn't make an ounce of sense at times. But whatever, it's an unforgettable love story and the performances get better and better as the film goes along. Here are a bunch of shots I took of the film. Pretty crazy shit.

Assessing The Big Brother 11 Field

Okay, I have a confession you're going to have to get over: I'm semi-obsessed with the "classic" CBS reality show, "Big Brother." And this summer, since it's just so fascinating to me, I'm going to blog about the guilty pleasure on a weekly basis, probably. The season premiere was last night, and it was just as good as always. This sounds so pathetic, but at the end of the episode, I said to myself, "I'm going to be spending my summer with these people." Scary, huh? Well here are the houseguests:

Braden: "My names is Braden. Like "braidin'" hair, it's as easy as that." He's the surfer dude, part-time cocky bastard. I kind of already hate him. He was already showing off in the first competition (then was promptly eliminated) and has the aura that he thinks he's pretty great.

Casey: The Obligatory Old Guy, except he's only 40. I think he'll be a surprisingly good physical competitor and might be able to make friends, as he comes across sort of self-deprecating and likable. My pick to win it, as of now.

Chima: Annoying as hell, mostly because she laughs hysterically at everything she says. Otherwise, I see her slipping under the radar for a few weeks and maybe have an outburst during the season. That's to be expected.

Jeff: So far he's the heartthrob of the household. The heartthrobs always go the same way: hold up a showmance for a few weeks, have decent gameplay, are gone midway through and then forgotten.

Jordan: The Obligatory Fun-Lovin' Southern Belle. God, this season is predictable. Not much to say about her, really.

Kevin: The Obligatory Snarky Gay Guy. Holy shit. He was hilarious, though, and told it like it was. Maybe a bit too much. He'll inevitably make a ton of enemies, have a few tirades and get out after a few weeks. I know these things.

Laura: Huges ones. You know what I'm talking about. Let's just say Kevin called her "voluptuous." Look for her to hook up with Jeff.

Lydia: Tatooed, punkish girl. I'm already picking up on signs of her being insane. You have to look at the little details. Like when the houseguests were picking rooms she of course had "been shafted" and ended up "with the worst room." She's defensive, moody and angry. Should be interesting to watch.

Michele: She's already rubbing me the wrong way. After she blabbed about the fact that she's not going to tell the house about the fact that SHE HAS A PH.D. Also, she wants to "let loose" in the Big Brother house and not be the "nerdy lab girl" that she apparently is. Ergh.

Natalie: Simply diabolical. Like, seriously? You're already lying? You really think the house is going to suddenly think you don't know your elbow from your ass if you tell them you're four years younger than you actually are? Another insane one. What are we up to in the insanity tally?

Ronnie: Don't really know what to think of him. I'll probably end up hating him, which, you know, isn't a big deal in the Big Brother house. X-Factor: No one wants it more than he does. I can tell.

Russell: Jesse Version 2.0, except with a dash of humanity. Speak of the devil...

Jessie: Okay, I detest this guy, let me say that much. But, there is almost no player more interesting to watch. To get in his psyche and figure what he's actually thinking. Insecure, mad at the world, cocky, manipulative, and bordering on psychotic. The ideal Big Brother houseguest.

My Top Ten Favorite Michael Jackson Songs

Okay, I know this is a week late, and the craziness that has come with the death of Michael Jackson has made some nauseous with MJ excess, but I really want to write this post, so I'm going to. Anyway, "Michael Jackson" and "MJ's" are still trending topics on Twitter, so clearly the mourning hasn't subsided.

I'd be lying, really, if I told you I was a huge Michael Jackson fan. I had liked his music, but casually. I didn't ever listen to him voluntarily, but if one of his songs were to come on the radio, I'd remember my fondness of his music. So clearly, with his passing, there has been loads of MJ music in all media. I couldn't help but totally get addicted to his music over the past two weeks. He's pretty much all I've listened to in that span of time, and the way his artistry has evolved over his roller-coaster career fascinates me and gives his music an even deeper meaning. So here are my ten favorites:

10. Rock With You

Cool beats and synth make the song, really, and you can't help but the think of the very disco video, made at a time when Jackson looked his best. It was all downhill from there.

9. We Are The World

Really bumped up in my rankings after it was played at the memorial on stage. A simple, yet beautiful song that has become synonymous with humanity and philanthropy.

8. Scream

Sung with his little sister, this was really a change of pace for Jackson. Verges on hard rock, and he pulls it off. The lyrics are heartfelt and sum up the reason for his demise: "Stop pressuring me."

7. Black or White

A really cool, innovative video (though the Macaulay Culkin part always makes me laugh nervously) and Slash's guitar riff gives the song an edge. Another great song that truly has something to say.

6. Bad

It's almost unfortunate that every time I hear this song, I think of Weird Al Yankovic's parody, "Fat." But, I mean, talk about a song that sticks in your head endlessly. Honestly, though, I don't mind humming this song all week.

5. You Are Not Alone

I'm starting to love this song more and more every time I listen to it. The lyrics are great and it's a perfect showcase for MJ's incredible falsetto and overall vocals.

4. Smooth Criminal

Not only is the song great and extremely iconic, but the video shows Jackson at his coolest. My heart skips a beat every time I see him do "the lean." He really was smooth.

3. Man In The Mirror

Probably the best vocal work of any of his songs. Add a choir to the background and I start getting choked up. The first MJ song I truly fell in love with.

2. Billie Jean

I mean, it's the essential. It's made its mark in the hall of fame of greatness for a reason. It is the musical peak of Michael Jackson's solo career.

1. I'll Be There

So simple but so important. I'm convinced it may have some of the best lyrics of any song. I know I'm really diving into hyperbole here, but this is most certainly one of my favorite songs, period.

Summer = Freedom/Laziness

The best part of the summer vacation is the fact that I'm free, for once. My heart rate is down, I'm not stressing about homework or tests or, or...Latin (aka the most torturous class ever, though oddly the funniest). In Summer, I'm free to hang up in my room and just listen to music and pointlessly browse Netflix (my idea of hardcore good times). I can sit and watch a movie without being interrupted with other more "important" things.

I can sleep in and then go running and chill with some friends. I'm not locked down by the constant dreariness and impending doom of the school year. Yes, doom. I don't know, but I just feel more stressed and uncomfortable and almost miserable during the school year. I feel like Alvy Singer (from Annie Hall, for those who are uninformed):

Alvy Singer: I feel that life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. That's the two categories. The horrible are like, I don't know, terminal cases, you know, and blind people,crippled. I don't know how they get through life. It's amazing to me. And the miserable is everyone else. So you should be thankful that you're miserable, because that's very lucky, to be miserable.

Laziness is summer. Summer is freedom. Freedom is laziness. Laziness. Freedom. Summer!

Anyway, during this summer I've become lazy and free, so much so, that I've quasi-given up on blogging. This poor, neglected blog. This blog is like a dog whose neighbors leave it outside all the time. Even in the rain and snow and blistering sun. I left this blog out when it needed me. When the AMPAS decided to broaden the field to ten nominees. Where was I? I left this blog alone when I saw great, great movies like Children of Men and Dancer in the Dark. Where was I? This blog was empty during the shocking death of the King of Pop. I could have writen a few posts on that. Where was I, man?!

But whatever, it's in the past. At least, I'm happy, right? It's summer, bitches.

And so, since I've been such a dick to my blog over the past month, here is a little something I wanted to tell my blog. Let's let MJ do the talking, shall we?



Whenever you need me, I'll be there
I'll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you
Just call my name and I'll be there

Thoughts on 'Drag Me To Hell'

Drag Me To Hell is two things: the funniest movie of the year and the most confusing movie of the year. It's hysterical really, introducing bizarre, "horrifying" situations that are just...crazy. I mean there's really no other way to explain it more aptly. The scene opens and then just builds on itself, piling on more insanity as it goes. I haven't laughed that hard in a theater in awhile. I mean, literally, my friends and I were shrieking with laughter.

The first episode of horror is really one of the funniest scenes I've seen in a damn long time. To say you have to suspend belief is an understatement (an old lady gets under a car, gets some sort of machinery from under the car, smashed a window with it and then go in the car and started to kick major senior citizen ass). Or when was the last time you had an eyeball in your cake? Or had an eruption of blood pour out of your nose, onto your boss? I could go on and on. This film is really built on its individual scenes that are unforgettable and borderline genius.

But do some great scenes build a great movie? Eh. The film itselft if a little bit all over the place. The story is a simple stage for building a ton of awful, hellish situations for poor Allison Lohman. It really sucks to be her. But the story has trouble resolving itself, as weird, illogical voodoo, psychic shit is thrown in, and then a terrible seance scene with Adrianna Barraza popping up in what will go down as possibly the most unintentionally funny performance of the year.

The plot's problems aren't glaring enough to dramatically take away from the film, as a whole. I mean, it comes down to entertainment in the end, and this is a ten out of ten in that department. An awesome experience at the cinema. I screamed, laughed hysterically, yelled at the screen and made a fool of myself. But I wasn't the only one. Calling a movie a thrill ride is so cliched and over-used, but on a thrill ride you do the same exact thing you're prone to do at a screening of 'Drag Me To Hell.' Lose all dignity and self-control.

Thoughts on 'Up'

Pixar has basically reached heights of immortality, though not for nothing. They continually pound out movies that are not only beautiful to look at, but they are also infused with originality and simple, well-told stories. 'Nemo', 'Monster's Inc.' and most recently 'Wall-E' have taken animation and turned it into an artform, not just a cheap way to get kids into the movie theater.

How could 'Up' be any different?

It's a strikingly simple story, really, about an old codger and a young wilderness scout (they're basically night and day) who form a bond as they trek to the famed Paradise Falls in a house carried by hundreds of balloons attached to the top. When's the last time that story was told? The film begins with an incredible montage that told the story of the main character Carl's long, wonderful marriage to his recently deceased wife, Ellie. This is one of those moments in a film when you can't deny the talent of the director and screenwriter who helmed this beautiful element to the story. Kudos to Pete Doctor, who will hopefully join the ranks of Pixar primary wizards along with Brad Bird, John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton.

The story breezes along from there, opposed to what my fellow theater companions (mom and dad, haha) and some other reviewers have said. Within 20 minutes, we're immersed in this tropical location near Paradise Falls and from there the story picks up. The situations in which Carl and the lovable Russell are thrown into set up for the great message the film successfully conveys: It's never to late to go on an adventure. And in this film, Carl goes on a second adventure. He didn't know it at first, but his marriage to Ellie, though quaint and "unadventureous" had truly been the adventure of a lifetime.

'Up' is like really smart, unique children's book. It's so pleasant and harmless, yet it throws at you a moral that can choke you up. Now that you say it, why do I cry at every Pixar movie I see (except for Wall-E. Eh.)? These stories are just like, whoa. Damn.

Every technical aspect of the film is stunning. Actually, maybe the most visually stimulating animated film I've seen. Those shots of the house with hundreds of balloons, the colors of the rainbow, floating above are iconic. Come to think of it, balloons are kinda pretty and a nice little cinematic device. Also the voice work is great. Ed Asner knows when to tweak his voice just a little when he needs to be tender, and he pulls off the pole-up-the-ass old man saracasm just right. Jordan Nagai is actually genius as Russell. It's impressive as to how much he understood his rather complex little boy of a character. He's also hysterical.

Not to be too over-the-top, but this is sort of what movies are made for. 'Up' tells a wonderful, poignant story that is beautiful to look at on screen. In the end, what really beats that? I was entertained. I laughed, I cried. Very, very good movie. A-

My Top Five Cinematic Influences

Someday I hope to make movies of my own. It seems like a daunting, grueling profession but also extremely rewarding. I cannot imagine sitting down in a theater and watching my movie, and my script, come to "reality."

My intense movie-viewing and nerdy study of various filmmakers could certainly influence if I were to ever become a filmmaker myself. Even now, when I think of a plot or visualize a film in my head, certain plot devices and themes that are common among some of my favorites come up in my pointless, delusional, little thoughts. A certain level of influence is good, but obviously you don't want to see a ripoff film. Here's a question, though: Is it possible to make a film with no influence from past works? Is it still possible, in 2009, to totally break ground in filmmaking? Probably not.

So here, in no order, are the top five (yet ever-growing) influences on my future filmmaking career (...if that makes any sense?):

Charlie Kaufman - He's almost hard to be influential because he's basically making his own original genre. But just the intelligence in his scripts is something I dream of replicating. Sometimes it's almost as if he's too smart for all of us. Yet he's not just being mind-beinding; he's creating a heartfelt story that has a message. Not many people have written four perfect screenplays.

Quentin Tarantino - Who isn't influenced by him? There have been numerous knock-offs of his work over the past ten years, but no one can get dialogue so brilliant of a film so cool in its hip style. Pulp Fiction changed movies forever. Yes, he's a little crazy and a total dick, but even that comes across kind of cool in a snobby way. Whatever, the appropriately constant violence in his movies and the trademark non-linear plots are one-of-a-kind.

Ethan and Joel Coen: The characters, plot and even setting reveal the type of movie the Coens wanna make and they follow through. They have basically made their own fascinating little genre of crime, drama, comedy-type vehicles. The best thing about the Coens though, has to be their characters. They're written so well, that in my book, a few of their best characters have become legendary.

Baz Luhrmann - Maybe not influential in the story and plotting area, but certainly in his aesthetic. I'm maybe not as off-the-walls but I think a film can be enhanced so much by, like, colors and ADHD camerawork. A movie can also be killed by that type of thing, but Baz can pull it off.

Billy Wilder - His ability to morph into various genres yet relay a distinguishable style and theme throughout his filmography is just pure talent. His screenplays are almost a little silly, yet so intelligent at the same time, and very few writers have written better dialogue than he. An ode to his talent: his movies remain entertaining after half a century.

Who are your biggest cinematic influences?

The Kiddo Awards - Day 5 (Majors)

This is when the big hahunas come on out. The biggies:

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay

~~~

Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire – Messy and beautiful, but most of all, different. A story so optimistic and refreshing, fueled by the amazing setting that sets the stage for a unique cinematic experience. There’s nothing quite like it.
The Dark Knight – Sometimes you sit at the theater and watch a movie. Sometimes, though, you experience one. The Dark Knight blends action, drama, a smart screenplay and a great ensemble to make one of the most unforgettable films of the decade.
Synecdoche, New York – A mind-bending character study that doubles as a parable about life, death, love, work and more death. A breathtaking directorial debut for Kaufman.
Frozen River – The most thrilling movie of the year, backed by an impressive performance from Leo. An extremely emotional and intense film. I cannot wait to see more from Courtney Hunt.
Milk – Avoids being a Conventional Biopic, instead instilling a story of pure hope that is so relevant for the times. Tells an essential American story.

Bronze
Slumdog Millionaire

Silver
Synecdoche, New York

Gold

The Dark Knight



Best Director
Chris Nolan, The Dark Knight – Nolan elevated his film from a popcorn flick to an intelligent crime drama that should go down as Nolan’s masterwork.
Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York – Brought his vision to the film so effortlessly. Such a story could have gone off the rails, but Kaufman never become self-indulgent or too over-the-top, and kept his film on the right track.
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River – Has a gift for giving you an emotional punch in the gut, while also establishing so much tension and purpose in the story.
Gus Van Sant, Milk – Evoked a very communal and buoyant connection with the film and brought out Penn’s, Franco’s, Brolin’s and Hirsch’s best work to date.
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire – Brought together a technically flawless film while never hitting a wrong note in bringing such a wacky narrative to the screen. Truly epic filmmaking.

Bronze
Danny Boyle

Silver
Charlie Kaufman

Gold

Christopher Nolan

Best Original Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, Milk – A very sincere screenplay that portrays Milk and the other characters as real people with real emotions and in the end it all comes together poignantly. Can’t wait for Black’s next script.
Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York – So ridiculously ingenious and full of meaning. I’m almost speechless.
Robert D. Siegel, The Wrestler – Siegel’s screenplay creates great characters that fit together so impeccably and could easily have become clichéd and melodramatic, but fortunately never do.
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River – At times so thrilling and intense, that I was actually sweating. Not only that, but the script has beautiful and authentic drama, written impressively.
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky – Again, it’s all in the characters. Leigh creates such unique and truly unforgettable characters. Quite an achievement.

Bronze

Dustin Lance Black

Silver

Courtney Hunt

Gold

Charlie Kaufman

Best Adapted Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire – Beaufoy’s screenplay is brilliant in its way of warping chronology that translates into an incredible pay-off at the end of the film.
Jonathan and Chris Nolan, David S. Goyer, The Dark Knight – An extremely smart screenplay with dialogue better than any other film this year. It’s smart, intense and entertaining.
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt – Brilliant in how it tinkers with the mind of the viewer. Shanley’s script is masterful in the way that it keeps you guessing, while also injecting the movie with thought-provoking moral dilemmas.
David Gordon Green, Snow Angels – Gut-wrenching as hell and so draining by the end. Between this and Frozen River I’m going to need a hell of an anti-perspirant…or some heavy drug. So intense and captivating.
John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let the Right One In – So creative and ingenious, as there is nothing like LTROI this year. It takes its time in developing great characters and a story unlike any other. So many inventive scenes.

Bronze

Simon Beaufoy

Silver

John Ajvide Lindqvist

Gold

Jon and Chris Nolan and David S. Goyer

(Chris Nolan pictured above)

Where Has Of Montreal Been All My Life?

You probably know what I mean when you get to that point of listening to music, where you're bored of all the bands you've been obsessing over lately and all your essential bands aren't really exciting you, so you randomly put on a band you're not very familiar with and just listen, to see if you like what you hear. I did that with Of Montreal and the results were extraordinary.

My brother once said this and I feel it's true, and I paraphrase: "When you hear Of Montreal for the first time, you either want all their albums right away or you want the music turned off." He's been to two of their concerts, so he knows what he's talking about.

Anyway, I fall into category one, finding their music so over-the-top, extravagent and addictive. Crazy synths and piano and god knows what are the background to Kevin Barnes' insane falsetto that occupy each song. It's hard to really classify the music as it's so far ranging, but who really cares? The song below, "The Past Is A Grotesque Animal" is an epic, poetic masterpiece that you must take the ten minutes to listen to.

The Kiddo Awards - Day 4 (Extras Part 2)

More fun extras, today touching on:

Tagline of the Year
Trailer of the Year
Poster of the Year
Best Scenes (oodles of spoilers)
Best Ending (even more)
Most Aesthetically Pleasing Film of the Year

~~~

Tagline of the Year
"Why So Serious?" - The Dark Knight
"A Life Misunderestimated" - W.
"Life Is the Ultimate Work of Art" - Vicky Christina Barcelona
"Intelligence is relative." - Burn After Reading
"Get Carried Away" - Sex in the City

Bronze

A Life Misunderestimated. W.

Silver

Life Is The Ultimate Work of Art. Vicky Christina Barcelona

Gold

Why So Serious? The Dark Knight

Trailer of the Year
The Dark Knight – We got a glimpse of the dazzling effects and Heath, which got everyone insanely excited. When a movie makes half a billion dollars, the marketing must be doing something right.
Milk – The titles cards and music were all perfect and synced up with the previewed scenes just right.
Eagle Eye – Okay, so the actual film sucked ass, but this trailer set up the pretty cool premise and the action looked good. Luckily, the trailer didn’t give us a preview of the feature’s crappy execution.
Burn After Reading – The music worked and the trailer effectively captured the craziness of the film.
Benjamin Button – The teaser with Arcade Fire’s “My Body Is a Cage” (= amazingness) was simply stunning and showed us many of the film’s impressive visuals. I was nearly moved to tears when I first saw it.

Poster of the Year
Kabluey – Simple but clean and it really fit into the film’s overall look.
The Dark Knight – So original and weird and epic and awesome.
Be Kind Rewind – Okay, a tad messy, but so is the film. Really, a poster needs to capture the essence of the film, and the poster did just that.
Funny Games – Every strand of Watts’ ruffled hair; every cloudy tear that leaves a stream of liquid on her cheeks; every facial blemish, a result of her torture = artistic perfection.
The Bank Job – Simple, yet no less effective.

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Best Scene
Joker dressed as a nurse from The Dark Knight
The pile of poop from Slumdog Millionaire
Opening bank heist from The Dark Knight
The last driving lesson from Happy-Go-Lucky
Randy at the Deli counter from The Wrestler
Kym’s speech at rehearsal dinner from Rachel Getting Married
Juan's dinner proposal from Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola’s mucus-filled monologue from Doubt
Driving the Muslim couple from Frozen River

Flamenco Class from Happy-Go-Lucky
Walking between the Twin Towers - at last from Man On Wire
“Could You Open the Blinds?” from Let the Right One In

Bronze

TDK's opening bank heist

Silver

"Could You Open The Blinds?" from LTROI

Gold

Joker as a nurse


Best Ending (Major Spoilers!)
Synecdoche, New York – Every time I watch it again on YouTube, it never ceases to amaze me. Finally, minutes before he’ll die, Caden realize what life is all about. “Die.” Damn.
Milk – An air of foreboding doom coats the last fifteen minutes of the film. We see Dan. We see Harvey. He really never did make it to fifty.
The Wrestler – “I’m really here.” Holy shit, if that doesn’t make you cry, you don’t have a heart. Perfectly shot, acted and then Bruce chimes in.
Happy-Go-Lucky – Poppy gets a dose of pessimism and for a minute we think she may go to the glass-half-empty side. But, no, she’s rowing happily. What will break her optimism?!
Let the Right One In – That scene in the pool is simply mind-blowing. Ingenious, and then when Alfreddson has the shot hold on the dead bullies, I basically shrieked with amazement.

Bronze

The Wrestler

Silver

Synecdoche, New York

Gold

Let The Right One In

Most Aesthetically Pleasing Film of the Year
Synecdoche, New York – Art direction, costumes, make-up cinematography. They work together to build a world quite surreal yet on the flip-side, surprisingly realistic and true to life.
Milk – Captures the look of the seventies with flying colors. The look of the film is so consistent and clean throughout.
Benjamin Button – The home-sweet-home-ness is genuine and incredibly well-done. The slight darkness only works to the film’s advantage, creating a unique atmosphere.
The Wrestler – Bleak New JERSEY? Woods in the back of a trailer park. It’s all so raw and dirty. These little true-to-life details aren’t seen enough on film. I call that realism, bitches.
Slumdog Millionaire – A kaleidoscope of colors and images. The grittiness of the Mumbai streets are shot masterfully. Even the subtitles are awesome. A beautiful film to watch.

Bronze

Slumdog Millionaire

Silver

Milk

Gold

Synecdoche, New York

The Kiddo Awards - Day 3 (The Extras - Part 1)

These extra categories are a little offbeat, but that makes them all the better, really. Part one (or two), for extras will include the following:

Best Male Cameo

Best Female Cameo

Body of Work Award

Best Character

Best Villain

~~~

Best Male Cameo Performance

Tom Noonan, Synecdoche, New York – Steals two scenes, where Noonan becomes totally engrossing. He’s funny, heartfelt and totally weird in that span of like seven minutes on screen. He’s also pretty good in Snow Angels.
Nonso Anonzi, Happy-Go-Lucky – He was the chiropractor (or something along those lines) and seemed to show pretty good chemistry with Hawkins as she’s in hysterics, finding humor in her back being cracked.
Josh Pais, Synecdoche, New York – He was the doctor who argues with Caden whether or not eyes are apart of the brain. He’s cringe-enducingly awkward and grumpy.
Charlie McDermott, Frozen River – Verges on an actual supporting role, playing Ray Eddy’s son. He’s complex and truly a good kid, cutting a “deal” with his friend to buy his five year-old brother a Hot Wheels set for Christmas.
William Fichtner, The Dark Knight – The bank manager during the first scene of TDK, he’s a brave soul willing to stand up to the Joker. In his few minutes, he contributes a great deal of drama to the scene.

Bronze

William Fichtner, The Dark Knight

Silver

Charlie McDermott, Frozen River

Gold

Tom Noonan, Synecdoche, New York

Best Female Cameo Performance
Allison Pill, Milk – Really contributed every time she came into the frame. What struck me the most, was how genuine she came across when Harvey died in the end.
Amy Sedaris, Snow Angels – Like Kate Beckinsale’s character said about Sedaris’ Barb in Snow Angels, “There are good people. Barb is one of them.” And she really comes across that way, as maybe the most likable character of the year.
Caroline Martin, Happy-Go-Lucky – She plays Poppy uptight younger sister who is already married and pregnant. Her characters sense of self-consciousness and uncertainty with her decisions, makes her one of the high-lights of the movie.
Deidre O’Connell, Synecdoche, New York – The lady from the last scene in Synecdoche, with whom Caden sits. She’s, like, a saint. When I’m slowly slipping away, I want to rest my arm on her shoulder.
Anisa George, Rachel Getting Married – The original bridesmaid. One of Kym’s many antagonists, you can sense the disdain she has for Kym so truly.

Bronze

Caroline Martin, Happy-Go-Lucky

Silver

Amy Sedaris, Snow Angels

Gold

Deidre O'Connell, Synecdoche, New York

Body of Work Award
Richard Jenkins – An Oscar-worthy performance (The Visitor), a likeable supporting turn (Burn After Reading), the best part of a pretty shitty movie (Step Brothers). Now we know who Richard Jenkins is.
Robert Downey Jr. – One hell of a comeback. Had The Soloist been released in ’08, he’d have this category, walking away.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman – I was extremely close to giving him a double nomination. He was incredible in Synecdoche and pretty great in Doubt as well.
Josh Brolin – Was a spot away from making my Lead Actor line-up and was a shoe-in (and medalist) for Supporting Actor. Great actor; great year.
Meryl Streep – Continues to break the rules being a plus-50 summer box office hit (and will be again in ’09), while turning in great work in Doubt.

Bronze

Josh Brolin

Silver

Richard Jenkins

Gold

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Best Character Award
Harvey Milk, Milk – There wasn’t a "character" I rooted for more this year. Contagiously hopeful and optimistic, while earning bonus points for being totally relevant today.
Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, The Wrestler – He’s a good guy, yet so self-destructive. His wrestling is a pain he inflicts upon himself. I was so heartbroken when his life began to unravel again at the end of the film.
The Joker, The Dark Knight – Has his eye on the prize (anarchy) the whole film. He comes across as not being layered at all – just a terrorist with catchy lines – but, really, he is the most layered and complex character of the year. God, I could write an essay on him.
Caden Cotard, Synecdoche, New York – A severe hypochondriac. A pessimist. A depressed soul. A narcissist, above all things. Rarely do we see someone this messed up on screen.
Jamal Malik, Slumdog Millionaire – There’s something so refreshing and moving about Malik. Rags to riches is such a done-to-death theme, yet Jamal just embodied so pitch-perfectly, that you couldn’t help but smile.

Bronze

Harvey Milk

Silver

Caden Cotard

Gold

The Joker

Villain of the Year
Adele Cotard, Synecdoche, New York – From far away in Berlin, she taunts Caden indirectly. She lets his daughter become a prostitute for the sake of art. She is interviewed as saying she only wants to be around joyous people. Most of the crap in Caden’s life is a result of her inner-evil. Played perfectly by Catherine Keener.
The Joker, The Dark Knight – I couldn’t leave him out of this, could I?
Dan White, Milk – SOOO insecure and conflicted. Brolin plays the mannerisms of stiffness and lack of confidence incredibly. The fact of the matter is that he is the polar opposite of Harvey, setting the stage for a great good vs. evil narrative.
Anita Bryant, Milk – I loathed this bitch. God, was she awful. I especially hated when she said something along the lines of that she really likes gay people and that she’s trying to protect them from God. Shut up.
Kym, Rachel Getitng Married – Her self-destruction is so frustrating to watch, yet you realize she has most of it coming, and it’s deserved. Her encounter at the salon with a former mate at rehab made you truly realize that this woman is an attention-whore and her behavior will make her and people around her unhappy forever.

Bronze

Dan White

Silver

Anita Bryant

Gold

The Joker

The Culture Kid Tweets

Yeah, I'm finally on Twitter, for some reason. Spontaneously I decided I'd join, and conform, with the masses. Seems like my kinda thing.

So you can follow me here: twitter.com/msteiny1212 and I might put up a link on the sidebar.

Enjoy?

The Kiddo Awards - Day 2 (Techs)

Today the huge umbrella of all things technical will be discussed and awarded. The categories include:

Best Costume Design

Best Cinematography

Best Art Direction

Best Editing

Best Visual FX

Best Makeup

Best Sound Mixing
Best Sound Editing

Best Original Score

Best Original Song

~~~

Best Costume Design
Milk – Glicker should have won an Oscar for his costumes that set the tone for the film’s great aesthetic.
Benjamin Button – More-than-solid period work that looked natural and authentic.
Synecdoche, New York – Messy and just the kind of clothes you’d picture a struggling artist to wear.
The Duchess – No explanation needed, really.

Indiana Jones 4 – Strong all around, especially Blanchett’s weird get-up.

Bronze

Synecdoche, New York

Silver

Benjamin Button

Gold

Milk

Best Cinematography
Milk – So level and clean throughout. Some beautiful little touches throughout the film reminded us why Savides is, like, the man.
Synecdoche, New York – The film’s dark tone and style was exponentially enhanced by the wonderful photography.
The Dark Knight – Innovative and iconic and perfect and whoa.
The Fall - The definition of orgasmic, my friends. Totally stunning to a point where you almost can't look away. An epic achievement.
Let the Right One In – In a few scenes, the cinematography stole the show (that goddamn pool, for instance). Inspired and unforgettable.

Bronze

Let the Right One In

Silver

Milk

Gold

The Fall

Best Art Direction
Synecdoche, New York – It’s all in the details with this art direction. Every set and part of the film’s design is enhanced by the genius of Friedberg’s direction.
Benjamin Button – Nothing short of stunning, as the art direction helps build the incredible atmosphere of the film.
Milk – Dripping with faithfulness to the 1970s and all the unique style of that demographic during that time. It all feels so real.
Indiana Jones 4 – The most fun art direction of the year. Some of the sets, like the mini-town type thing, were achievements.
Let the Right One In – The most atmospheric film of the year owes a ton to the clean art direction. Sweden is weird.

Bronze

Milk

Silver

Benjamin Button

Gold

Synecdoche, New York

Best Editing
Frozen River – Sharp cuts make the film all the more exciting.
The Wrestler – Muddled and somewhat chaotic; fits the tone of the film perfectly.
Slumdog Millionaire – Full of life and a great compliment to the film’s flare.
The Dark Knight – One of the first movies in which I noticed the editing – but in a good way. The editing contributed so much to the film.
Milk – The documentary footage so vital to the story was incorporated very well.

Bronze

Frozen River

Silver

The Wrestler

Gold

The Dark Knight

Best Visual FX
Benjamin Button – Without the infrickincredible scene on the ship, I wouldn’t have even considered nominating this film.
The Dark Knight – Very, very realistic and all of it is clear and coherent.
Indy 4 – Again, fun and visually impressive. Extremely well-done.

Silver

Benjamin Button

Gold

The Dark Knight

Best Make-up
Synecdoche, New York – Gave Samantha Morton a very genuine saggy neck. Yeah.
The Dark Knight – The Joker’s make-up is simply legendary. Two-Face's whole look is a work of art, my friends.
Hellboy – Okay, so I haven’t seen the film, but the previews make the whole the look of the characters appear incredible.

Silver

The Dark Knight

Gold

Synecdoche, New York

Best Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight

Silver

Slumdog Millionaire

Gold

The Dark Knight

Best Sound Editing
WALL-E
Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight

Silver

The Dark Knight

Gold

WALL-E

Best Original Score
Milk – Simple and not overpowering. It’s a rather small movie, so this rather small score fit like a glove.
The Dark Knight – Haunting strings play, what I thought to be, a huge role in this film. Every scene’s tension rose with this score hissing in the background.
Benjamin Button – Musically, the best score of the year, yet almost not used in the film as effectively as it could have been.
Slumdog Millionaire – Exotic and enjoyable. Played a huge part in establishing that hyper air that defined Slumdog.
Burn After Reading - Fits the screwball thriller appropriately. Slick and catchy.

Bronze

Benjamin Button

Silver

The Dark Knight

Gold

Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Song
Ray’s Echo – Embodies the bleakness, yet shadow of hope that springs at the end of Frozen River. A better song couldn’t have played over the closing credits.
Little Person – Like, the best lyrics ever, plus incredible vocals. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head for weeks. Stunning.
Jai Ho – Maybe the catchiest song of the year, period. Totally infectious instrumentals.
Song for Caden – Similar in greatness to ‘Little Person.’ This song truly embodies the whole story and feeling of Synecdoche.
The Wrestler – Very well-written, and yeah Springsteen can sing pretty well. The song has almost gotten to the point where it’s what you think of when you think of The Wrestler, in general.

Bronze

Silver

Gold

The Kiddo Awards - Day 1 (Acting)

It begins. Let's not beat around the bush; today's categories are:

Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Ensemble Cast

~~~

Yep, it's all about the acting today, so first up...

Best Actor
Sean Penn, Milk – The definition of a lived in performance. Never for one moment do we think it’s Sean Penn acting. Without his performance, the film wouldn’t be half as good.
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler – Gets all of the talking-without-saying-anything and pitch-perfect line-readings that are just a clinic on dramatic acting. You can tell much of the “Ram” is Rourke’s creation.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Synecdoche, New York – His performance is all in the subtle details that shape his character of Caden Cotard. I can’t think of anyone who could have undertook such a complex character.
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor – As Roger Ebert said: “Richard Jenkins is an actor who can move his head half an inch and provide the turning point of a film.”
Josh Brolin, W. - He brings more to the table that just an impersonation of the most impersonationable person ever. There's depth in his performance, and without him W. would be far less enjoyable.

Bronze

Mickey Rourke

Silver

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Gold

Sean Penn

Best Actress
Melissa Leo, Frozen River – Plays a gruff, burnt-out mom with a warm heart if you get to know her. Leo brings such realism and you can truly sense her character’s urgency.
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky – A testament to her tour de force performance is how goddamn annoying Poppy is. She played the character perfectly and was one of the funniest performers of the year.
Meryl Streep, Doubt – Over-the-top in the best way possible. She get’s the Brooklyn accent and the nun-bitchiness down perfectly and overall, creates an extremely complex woman.
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married – At times hilarious, and always trying to escape the shadow of all that is wrong with her. We cringe with the rest of the family, just watching her.
Cate Blanchett, Benjamin Button – Blanchett gives the film a much-needed heartbeat (I still haven’t gotten over the disappointment…). Everyone on screen with her in the film pales in comparison.

Bronze

Anne Hathaway

Silver

Meryl Streep

Gold

Melissa Leo



Best Supporting Actress
Samantha Morton, Synecdoche New York – Hazel is the one thing Caden and we, the viewer, hold onto throughout the film. You can sense her feigned perkiness, done so naturally by Morton.
Viola Davis, Doubt – What hasn’t already been said?
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler – All kinds of incredible as the Stripper With a Heart of Gold. Never becomes cliché. I cared about her character more than any other this year. Proof of her brilliance.
Hiam Abbass, The Visitor – So subtle and understated. Each time her character enters the frame, the film gets a little bit better.
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona – Off-the-walls and daring as Maria Elena and follows in the footsteps of Dianne Keaton, Mira Sorvino and Dianne Wiest as one of the great, neurotic Woody Allen creations.

Bronze

Samantha Morton

Silver

Penelope Cruz

Gold

Marisa Tomei

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight – Legendary and genius and everything synonymous with those adjectives.
Emile Hirsch, Milk – At first, I thought he was overplaying Cleve (awesome name, by the way) but he started playing his character just right and ended up evoking a very realistic and funny performance.
Josh Brolin, Milk – In some ways, he’s similar to Penn’s performance of Harvey Milk. Both performances get every mannerism down and truly are their characters. Brolin is stunning at the end of the film.
Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky – Tortured and set-in-his-ways, Marsan should somewhat thank Mike Leigh, because Scott is flawlessly written. But Marsan steals a bunch of scenes and at times, runs away with the film.
John Malkovich, Burn After Reading – The award for most ‘f--ks’ also goes to him. He’s f—king crazy throughout the film and really is one of the great Coen characters.

Bronze

Eddie Marsan

Silver

Josh Brolin

Gold

Heath Ledger

Best Ensemble Cast
Milk – Career work from so many great actors (and an actress) in a movie that feeds off of the spirit the actors bring to the movie.
Synecdoche, New York – No other film this year can say it sports about a dozen great characters and performances. From Weist to Watson, this cast is stunning.
The Dark Knight – Every performance opens up another door in this complex plot, each character effectively helping in telling an incredible story.
Doubt – There are four performances in this film that I wouldn’t have minded winning the Oscar. Consistently great across the board.
Burn After Reading – A film built up in the small characters that work together to string together an awesome film. Like, a thousand very good performance add up to one hell of an ensemble.

Bronze

The Dark Knight

Silver

Milk

Gold

Synecdoche, New York