"No Country For Old Men," "One Day In September," "Fog of War"

Introduction:
Hello, fellow moviewatcher! So I'm still trying to figure out how I want to steer this site. I had the idea to use it as a way to track the movies I've been watching. I figured I could break it down into three categories. As an added bonus, I'll try to add a morsel of trivia. I'm still not certain about the frequency of my posts, but you can expect way more posts here than my MySpace/Facebook blogs, so be sure to make this a bookmark and check often. Let's get started and see how things works!


























IN THEATERS:

"No Country For Old Men" (2007)

Starring Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones
Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen

This movie is INTENSE. Like "United 93" intense. Like it would be hard for me to go back and re-watch this. I was off-kilter for about a day and a half. I was SO glad I didn't catch the matinee. Without revealing too much, I'll say the movie is about a soulless killer (Javier Bardem) with a psychosis on par with the Joker and Two-Face. There are people chasing people and everyone is out to kill somebody. There are a series of mind games that will keep you vested in wanting to know "Is he smart enough to figure it out?" It unfolds very much like a novel. In fact, when it ended, I turned to the person I saw the movie with and said, "I bet the book ends the same way." Sure enough, the last page is virtually word-for-word the last scene.

What works so well is that all the characters are very intelligent and very crafty and even humorous. The cinematography and the sound are also top notch. The landscape is haunting. The sound is atmospheric and almost minimal except when used with great effect for violence. It is my choice for best sound of the year.

The movie is considered by many to be the best of the year. It was nearly unanimously praised upon release. I felt it was too oblique and far too intense to be my favorite of the year, but I'm not going to argue with anyone about it. It certainly is one of the Top 10 (if not the Top 5) of the year as far as a technical achievement. Also, look for the Coen brothers' trademark colloquial dialogue, realistic use of violence, and maybe a few shadows from their past achievements.

BIT O' TRIVIA: Heath Ledger had been in talks to play Llewelyn Moss, but withdrew to take "some time off" instead.



























ON DVD:

"One Day In September" (1999)

Directed by Kevin MacDonald.

The 1972 Munich Olympics were interrupted by Palestinian terrorists taking Israeli athletes hostage. Besides footage taken at the time, we see interviews with the surviving terrorist, Jamal Al Gashey, and various officials detailing exactly how the police, lacking an anti-terrorist squad and turning down help from the Israelis, botched the operation. (Synopsis written by Jon Reeves)

This documentary won the 1999 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. That's all it took for me to watch it. I wished I had read the description because the only thing I knew about the event was that Israeli hostages were taken during the '72 Olympic games in Munich. I was very captivated by every turn of events right until the end. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that things went from bad to worse. Even more frustrating is the increasingly open opportunities officials gained yet were consistently (and with greater degree) botched up. It's a tale where the bad guys win, and that's always very sad. The hardest thing to watch was the Palestinian terrorists' bodies given a hero's welcome to their home country. As for expectations, I should've asked, "When is the Best Documentary winner ever an uplifting kind of movie?"

BIT O' TRIVIA: The Israeli version is narrated by Rafi Ginat and includes updated information regarding the claims of the families against the German authorities in the subtitles at the end of the film.



























RE-VISITING:

"Fog of War" (2004)

Directed by Errol Morris

Robert MacNamera was the Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson. Simply told, it's a rundown of his 11 Rules of War. However, it is told with breathtakingly bold frankness with enough exciting history lessons that it is hard to look upon it as "just another boring documentary." It's hard to put in words why this works so well, but it does. MacNamera's words work wonderfully as a 21st century version of Sun Tzu's "Art of War." It is my 2nd favorite documentary of all time (next to Bowling For Columbine), and I would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in history, war, or just movies in general. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature of 2004.

BIT O' TRIVIA: McNamara originally agreed to an hour-long interview for the Errol Morris PBS series, "First Person" (2000). The interview lasted eight hours and McNamara stayed for a second day of interviewing. He also returned months later, for two more days of interviews. Morris found himself with more than enough material for a feature-length documentary.

"I Christen Thee..." - My Oscars 2008 Reaction

In the wake of this morning's announcements for the Academy Award nominations of the movies of 2007, I have decided to begin my maiden voyage into the blogosphere (well, Facebook and MySpace notwithstanding).  So let's sail on!

My biggest joy this morning comes from Juno's 4 nominations (Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Directing and Best Picture).  Actress and screenplay were shoo-ins.  I didn't think it could pull off directing or picture considering the strong competition this year, but alas, the Academy gave it due recognition.  Yay!  "No Country For Old Men," "There Will Be Blood," and "Atonement" were all expected for their respective nominations.

Movies I'm glad and a little surprised to see a lot of nominations for:  "The Butterfly and the Diving Bell," "Lars & the Real Girl," "Michael Clayton."

The biggest snub?  The unflinching abortion documentary "Lake of Fire."  It was going to be my prediction to win.  Another huge snub:  Josh Brolin for "No Country For Old Men."  With other praiseworthy performances in nominated films "American Gangster" and "In the Valley of Elah," Brolin managed to slip through the cracks somehow.  I also would've liked to have seen "Hairspray" and "Across the Universe" get some more technical nominations (there's only one nomination between the two of them).

Jon Stewart returns as host this year.  He is humorously uncomfortable being a cable talkshow host amongst the world's biggest movie stars.  My highest hopes are that Steve Martin will return some day.  And I know we all would like to see Billy Crystal host again.  Perhaps next year?

Here are the list of nominees accompanied by my reactions:

BEST PICTURE

'Atonement'


'Juno'


'Michael Clayton'


'No Country for Old Men'


'There Will Be Blood'

"Juno" may be the underdog, but "Michael Clayton" was somewhat unexpected.  It was forgotten by audiences, but it is certainly considered one of the strongest movies of the year.



BEST DIRECTOR

Julian Schnabel, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'


Jason Reitman, 'Juno'


Tony Gilroy, 'Michael Clayton'


Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 'No Country for Old Men'


Paul Thomas Anderson, 'There Will Be Blood'

A lot of credit is given to the writing and acting in "Juno," but it can all be easily trashed by an untalented director.  It takes talent to pull quality together.  Reitman's previous (and first) film was my personal favorite movie of 2006, "Thank You For Smoking".



BEST ACTOR


George Clooney, 'Michael Clayton'


Daniel Day-Lewis, 'There Will Be Blood'


Johnny Depp, 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'


Tommy Lee Jones, 'In the Valley of Elah'


Viggo Mortensen, 'Eastern Promises'

No surprises.  Daniel Day-Lewis has the strongest buzz (sorry, Depp fans).  Some people thought Ryan Gosling could get a nod for "Lars & the Real Girl."  I figured his role in last year's "Half Nelson" was sufficient enough.



BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'


Julie Christie, 'Away From Her'


Marion Cotillard, 'La Vie en Rose'


Laura Linney, 'The Savages'


Ellen Page, 'Juno'

Julie Christie was the only true given here.  Cate Blanchett was famously trumped by Gwyneth Paltrow's "Shakespeare In Love" back in '97.  Maybe Blanchett will get a win for the same role.  Marion Cotillard and Laura Linney are very fine choices for nominations as well.



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR


Casey Affleck, 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'


Javier Bardem, 'No Country for Old Men'


Philip Seymour Hoffman, 'Charlie Wilson's War'


Hal Holbrook, 'Into the Wild'


Tom Wilkinson, 'Michael Clayton'

Javier Bardem is the least surprising but maybe the most deserving.  Casey Affleck is the most surprising.  Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance was my personal favorite supporting role for the year, and I was elated to see his name announced (I didn't think he'd get it due to his Hanks-like knack for winning performances).



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, 'I'm Not There'


Ruby Dee, 'American Gangster'


Saiorse Ronan, 'Atonement'


Amy Ryan, 'Gone Baby Gone'


Tilda Swinton, 'Michael Clayton'

Cate Blanchett is rightfully (but not unexpectedly) nominated for her interpretation as one of the 9 personalities of Bob Dylan.  Amy Ryan was a shoo-in for "Gone Baby Gone" and could win.  Tilda Swilton is a bit of a surprise, but she is worthy for every role she's in imo.



BEST FOREIGN FILM


'Beaufort' (Israel)


'Counterfeiters' (Austria)


'Katyn' (Poland)


'Mongol' (Kazakhstan)


'12' (Russia)

I haven't heard of any of these.  I didn't know Kazakhstan made movies.  Very strange considering how competitive this category has gotten over the past decade.  The only one I thought could make it was "Persepolis," but that didn't even make the shortlist (most likely to make room for Best Animated Feature Film).



BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY


Diablo Cody, 'Juno'


Nancy Oliver, 'Lars and the Real Girl'


Tony Gilroy, 'Michael Clayton'


Brad Bird, 'Ratatouille'


Tamara Jenkins, 'The Savages'

I'd like to see Diablo Cody win.  Everything here is a delightful surprise, especially Brad Bird's "Ratatouille."



BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY


Christopher Hampton, 'Atonement'


Sarah Polley, 'Away From Her'


Ronald Harwood, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'


Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 'No Country for Old Men'


Paul Thomas Anderson, 'There Will Be Blood'

Most interestingly, all but one also directed the film they wrote (the exception being "The Diving Bell...").  I predicted Sarah Polley for a darkhorse director.  Instead, she was thrown a nod for writing.  No other surprises here.



BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM


'Persepolis'


'Ratatouille'


'Surf's Up'

"Ratatouille" and "Persepolis" (a French cartoon about an Iranian girl who can't return home, unanimously praised by critics) were both givens.  It'll be a showdown between the two.  Interesting trend with third entries here.  It reminds me of other bizarre entries such as "Shark Tale" and "Jimmy Neutron." 



BEST ART DIRECTON

'American Gangster'


'Atonement'


'The Golden Compass'


'Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'


'There Will Be Blood'

That's all very nice.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'


'Atonement'


'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'


'No Country for Old Men'


'There Will Be Blood'

"Atonement" gets a lot of talk for its 5 1/2 minute tracking shot (similar to last year's winner "Children of Men").  "No Country For Old Men" certainly excelled here.  "The Assassination of Jesse James..." was the biggest surprise for me here.



BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE


'No End in Sight'


'Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience'


'Sicko'


'Taxi to the Dark Side'


'War/Dance'

The subject of the Iraq war dominated the shortlist.  It's more surprising to see that all but one ("Sicko") focus on war.  I've seen three of the five here.  I would give the award to "No End In Sight" (an incredible walkthrough of how we got to where we are in Iraq), although "Sicko" was easily one of my favorite movies of last year (it made me both guffaw and tore my heart all within 90mins).  "Taxi..." was way too dark and saddening for me.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

'Atonement'


'The Kite Runner'


'Michael Clayton'


'Ratatouille'


'3:10 to Yuma'

I like it when Pixar gets nominated for anything.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG


'Falling Slowly' from 'Once'


'Happy Working Song' from 'Enchanted'


'Raise It Up' from 'August Rush'


'So Close' from 'Enchanted'


'That's How You Know' from 'Enchanted'

"Once" was a shoo-in.  It'd be nice to see it win.  Very glad to see "Enchanted" get THREE songs nominated.  It may upset with "That's How You Know."  All these songs being performed for the telecast (assuming hopefully that there will be one) should make for an entertaining show.



BEST MAKEUP

'La Vie en Rose' 


'Norbit' 


'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

The two things I hear about "La Vie en Rose":  "The actress is superb!" and "Incredible make-up job!"  I know very little else plot-wise.

BEST FILM EDITING


'The Bourne Ultimatum'


'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'


'Into the Wild'


'No Country for Old Men'


'There Will Be Blood'

Glad to see "Bourne Ultimatum" get nominaed.  If that doesn't win, then whatever wins Best Picture will get it.



BEST SOUND EDITING


'The Bourne Ultimatum'


'No Country for Old Men'


'Ratatouille'


'There Will Be Blood'


'Transformers'

Pixar's sound editor is the best in the business.  The way that sound is used in "No Country..." just blows you away.  "Transformers" is a great nod, just so people can say The Academy Award nominated film "Transformers"!



BEST SOUND MIXING


'The Bourne Ultimatum'


'No Country for Old Men'


'Ratatouille'


'3:10 to Yuma'


'Transformers'

Wait... there's another one of these?  ;)



BEST VISUAL EFFECTS


'The Golden Compass'


'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'


'Transformers'

All very worthy competitors.  This category is usually relegated to 2 entries.  I'd like to see it extended to 5 some day.



BEST COSTUME DESIGN


'Across the Universe'


'Atonement'


'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'


'La Vie en Rose'


'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'

I'm happy with everything chosen here, especially "Across the Universe."  I think ATU deserves a nod for Art Direction way more than anything, but with only 1 nomination, I'm glad to see it get noticed at all.

"There Will Be Blood" and "No Country For Old Men" both tie for leading with 8 nominations.  "Atonement" and "Michael Clayton" tie for 2nd place with 7 nominations each.  The telecast is planned for Sunday, February 24th. This will be one interesting race. See you in 33 days!

If you'd like to know more, you can visit AMPAS' official website:  http://www.oscar.com