Popcorn Pick- December 2012

The end of the year always brings a mixed bag of movies: big epic action films, glittery Oscar-friendly fare, the occasional last-minute comedy or Tom Cruise action vehicle. It's one of the biggest times of the year at the multiplex, and that's not only because there's something for everyone, it's also because it often features the best films of the year.
This month has a slow start (I refused to make a Pick for the first weekend as there was nothing good coming out), but it picks up momentum so quickly that it's impossible to make just one Pick per week. Hence my multiple Bonus Picks this month.

Friday, December 7th
none
If you go see Gerard Butler's romantic comedy Playing For Keeps, I will find you and beat you.

Friday, December 14th
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

So the biggest topic surrounding this film is the fact that they decided to turn a 150-page children's novel into a trilogy of epic movies, and that many people- even die-hard fans- are accusing the studio of abusing the story and stretching what they've got for the sake of a few more bucks. I kind of agree with those people, but let's put that aside for now.
Let's instead focus on the fact that we are very soon going to be able to see a live-action movie of one of the most beloved novels ever written, a full 75 years after it was originally published. Let's focus on the fact that the greatest fantasy films ever made are now continuing their story, under their original director. In short, let's talk about how Peter Jackson is returning to Middle-Earth.
A prequel to the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings films, and yeah, the first of a trilogy, this tale follows naive hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he is sucked into an adventure involving thirteen dwarves (and the wizard Gandalf the Grey) to trek across mountains, forests, and underground caverns to reach the Lonely Mountain and battle the dragon Smaug to reclaim the dwarves' ancient homeland...along with their substantial treasure. The highlight, of course, is the finding of the One Ring in Gollum's cave, and the reappearance of that slimy schizophrenic creature, one of the greatest villains ever written or seen on screen.
I can honestly say I've been waiting for this film since the third grade.
The cast includes Martin Freeman (TV's Sherlock) as Bilbo, and returning cast members Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis as Gollum, and apparently even Ian Holm and Elijah Wood!

Friday, December 21st
This Is 40

Judd Apatow is a hit-or-miss comedy director. His first two films (The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) were spectacular hits; his next (Funny People) was a spectacular miss. For his next endeavor he returns to the world of Knocked Up for a spin-off involving that pretty coupling of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, preparing to turn 40 together, and facing the next phase of their lives.
Knocked Up is one of my favorite comedies, so I am hoping for the best from This Is 40.










Friday, December 28th
Django Unchained

What can you expect from a Quentin Tarantino movie? You can expect long scenes of nothing but dialogue. You can expect lots of blood. And you can expect that it will be weird. Beyond that, expect the unexpected.
The master of the mash-up now brings you the (not historically accurate) story of a freed slave who becomes a bounty hunter and goes on a killing spree to search for his kidnapped wife in America during the 1800s. That's about all I know about the movie, and I'm still excited.
Tarantino is a master at odd casting, and he continues that tradition in this film. Jamie Foxx plays the titular character (the D is silent), Christoph Waltz (who won an Oscar for Tarantino's last film, Inglourious Basterds) as his ally, Leonardo DiCaprio as the flamboyant villain, Kerry Washington (TV's Scandal) as Django's wife, and Samuel L. Jackson as some old dude.





Bonus Picks
This month featured more than just three good movies. A sampling of some more films worth seeing:

Jack Reacher (12/21)- Tom Cruise returns in this adaptation of the book series as a vicious vigilante searching for justice on the streets. Not as profound as the latest Batman movies, but still significant in this post-9/11 world.

The Guilt Trip (12/21)- A traveling salesman reluctantly invites his lonely mother to go on a cross-country road trip with him. Bonding ultimately ensues. Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand play the mother-son duo, which begs the question: is there anyone in the world who is both a Seth Rogen fan and a Barbra Streisand fan?

Monsters, Inc. 3D (12/21)- The Oscar-winning 2001 Pixar animated film returns to theaters (following the success of The Lion King 3D, Beauty and the Beast 3D, and Pixar's own Finding Nemo 3D). Monsters live in an alternate world where they sneak into human children's closets to scare them and collect their screams for power- but their world gets turned upside down when a young girl sneaks over through one of their doorways. John Goodman and Billy Crystal voice the main duo, a fantastic pairing if ever there was one.
Released in anticipation of next year's prequel Monsters University. (Yep, that's real.)

Parental Guidance (12/28)- Billy Crystal again! In this movie he plays a grandpa who visits his grown daughter and grandchildren, and attempts to decipher the differences between his own parental style and his daughter's. Good old-fashioned family fun.

Well, that's it for this month! My next post will be the Best and Worst Films of the Year, always a favorite.

Popcorn Pick- November 2012

Just in time for turkey day, some delectable movies are coming to multiplexes. This is gonna be gooooood.

Friday, November 2nd
Wreck-It Ralph

An ingenious idea from the guys at Disney, this computer-animated film takes us inside the world of old-school arcade games and gives each character his own personality. Ralph, a villain from an '80s game, decides to go against his programming and become a hero in another game. The fun is all the cameos from real-life video game characters, like Pac-Man, Sonic, Bowser, etc. and in the fictional games' similarity to real-life ones. John C. Reilly voices the titular character, and is joined by Sarah Silverman and Jane Lynch.










Friday, November 9th
Skyfall

The third film in the James Bond reboot franchise (and the 23rd film overall) is said to be one of the best in the series, which turns 50 this year. (This is by far the longest-running movie franchise in history.) Daniel Craig returns as Agent 007 to face off against a cyberterrorist played with extra menace-y menace by Javier Bardem, who has a past connection to Bond's boss M. An added treat? A new Q, played by a young chap Ben Whishaw (Cloud Atlas). Directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty).
All hail 007!









Friday, November 16th
Lincoln

This long-awaited historical drama is not actually a biopic of Abraham Lincoln's life; rather, it only follows his final four months, particularly the passing of the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. Only Steven Spielberg could direct a movie this important, and direct it he does. And Daniel Day-Lewis (a British guy, ironically) as the American hero is said to be the most realistic portrayal ever seen on film. The trailer makes the film look tame, but it's getting very good reviews, so it shouldn't be a disappointment to any history buff. The cast also includes Sally Field (as his wife), Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
One eyebrow-raiser: Day-Lewis chooses to give Lincoln a high voice, while the collective American subconscious always imagines him with a very deep, gruff voice. According to research, Day-Lewis' choice is accurate.
Not to be confused with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.




Friday, November 23rd
Rise of the Guardians

Based on a series of children's books, this animated film follows legendary beings like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Jack Frost as they team together to stop a Boogeyman-like evil guy. In the tradition of Shrek, this combines clever humor with exciting action, all in beautiful animation. Should be a treat for young kids.











Friday, November 30th
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2

For the record, the only reason this movie appears here is because nothing good opens this week. And if I fail to mention it at all, I will appear stubborn and/or ignorant.
In the fifth and (hopefully) final film in the franchise, Bella is now a vampire, and raising a vampire child. The vampire lords or whatever hear about it and decide to kill her and the parents. This causes vampires from all over the world to come to Bella and Edward's aid to fight against the bad vampires. Yes, there's good vampires and bad vampires, try to keep up. Part 1 angered a lot of people, fans included, with its antifeminist message and stupid story. Let's hope Part 2 can do better.
I doubt it, though.
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner all return.

Popcorn Pick- October 2012

October has arrived, and with it comes better movies than last month brought. (Alas, not a lot of horror movies; only one appears on this list.) Oscar season has apparently also started, but in my mind it's just the fall season, and that simply means good movies, award-worthy or not.

Friday, October 5th
Taken 2

I never saw the first movie myself, but it was a big hit, and people loved it, so this one will be an even bigger hit. Liam Neeson returns as a father and husband who gets really pissed off when you kidnap members of his family. In the first movie, his daughter was taken. In the sequel, it's his wife. Expect more blood and more of Neeson being an action star. (Still don't see it.) Also stars Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen.











Friday, October 12th
Argo

Ben Affleck has turned a lot of heads with his newest movie, both a directorial piece and a chance to flex his leading-man chops. Based on a true story, this is about a CIA agent who travels to Iran during the hostage crisis to rescue six Americans who are in hiding. His cover is that he's making a B-level sci-fi movie. Filled with suspense, thrills, and humor, this is sure to be one of the best movies of the year. Affleck the actor may have failed us a few times (remember Daredevil?), but as a director he never has (remember The Town?). This is churning up some major Oscar buzz, so be sure to see this one early. Co-stars Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), and John Goodman.







Friday, October 19th
Paranormal Activity 4

I think I've picked every movie in this horror franchise for Popcorn Pick. (I can't be sure, though. When did I start writing these?) When Hollywood gets a hit, they make a ton of sequels, and that rule is doubly true for horror films. This installment continues the tradition of telling the story purely through amateur video recordings, this time using Skype on a laptop. (Wouldn't that get old, carrying it around all the time?) A young girl is terrorized by a demon after the boy across the street comes to stay with her family. Screams and scary stuff ensue. Mythology deepens.









Friday, October 26th
Cloud Atlas

How can one describe Cloud Atlas? I'm not sure; the trailer is probably your best bet. That, or reading the book it's based on. From the Wachowski siblings (can't call them the Wachowski brothers anymore as Larry is now Lana), directors of the Matrix trilogy, comes a new kind of epic mind-bender. This tells several different stories, spanning several different time periods and even genres. There's a Victorian-era romance, a modern-day crime story, a swashbuckling adventure at sea, and a futuristic sci-fi action tale. Actors play several different parts to show the idea of interconnectivity. It may end up being a mess, but here's hoping that it turns out to be one of the most original movies of the year. Stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, and many others.

Popcorn Pick- September 2012

September is one of the trickier months for me: most of the films that come out in the early fall are crap. Naturally, that's not entirely true, as there are at least a couple decent films coming out mixed in with the forehead-slappers. So let's get right to it.

Friday, September 7th
The Words

Bradley Cooper continues his leading-man status with this drama about a struggling writer who discovers an unpublished manuscript and decides to plagiarize the work- and becomes famous for the resulting novel. The obvious second act happens- the real author shows up to ruin his life. Because of the nice cast and the promising plot, this might be worth a look.
Zoe Saldana plays his girlfriend, while Jeremy Irons plays the real author looking for revenge.
I would have preferred to pick Bachelorette, a Bridesmaids clone with Kirsten Dunst and Wedding Crashers' Isla Fisher, but the film was made by the indie circuit and so isn't in wide release for a couple of weeks. :(







Friday, September 14th
Finding Nemo 3D

Am I really going to pay the price of a ticket to see this movie in theaters again, with inserted-in-later 3D? You bet your tail I am!
This 2003 Oscar-winning gem from Disney/Pixar is the latest to receive a 3D "upgrade," but of course I'm mostly just excited about the theatrical re-release. Re-experience Dory, Bruce, Nigel, that fish that likes the bubbles, and the whole gang all over again on the big screen, in the digital glory it was meant to have.
(Monsters, Inc. is next! Coming this holiday season.)









Friday, September 21st
Resident Evil: Retribution

The fifth movie in this zombie series (based on a video game franchise) has more of Milla Jovovich kicking ass, alive and walking dead alike. I've kind of lost track of the plot at this point...something about the zombie apocalypse spreading worldwide. (I thought it already did that...) But, Michelle Rodriguez is back, through the magic of movie cloning! Hmm... Michelle Rodriguez in an action movie...do you think she'll die?











Friday, September 28th
Trouble With the Curve

Clint Eastwood returns to the big screen, in this little drama about a baseball scout who takes his daughter (the wonderful Amy Adams) out on scouting trips with him because his eyesight is now so bad he can't see the games. Father-daughter bonding occurs. Justin Timberlake also stars as her love interest.
Also out this week is the time-travel actioner Looper, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis (they play the same character at different ages). Buzz is building around this one, but it looks stupid to me. If it turns out to be good, someone let me know.

Popcorn Pick- August 2012

People disagree on how to label August: is it a summer month, or a fall month? I've always believed it to be a fall month- after all, August is when school starts, and everyone knows there's no school in the summer. But people insist on calling it summer to describe the seasons.
When it comes to movies, August is a strange mix of late summer and early fall- perfectly exemplified by this crop of movies I've chosen, which include actioners left over from the summer months, and the first bunch of forgettable-but-still-good fall films.

Friday, August 3rd
Total Recall

A remake of the popular 1990 flick with Arnold Schwarzenegger, this version scraps the Mars subplot and sticks to futuristic, action-packed fights and chases. Colin Farrell plays a man unhappy with his life who goes to a virtual-reality place to get some excitement, and ends up discovering that all of his memories are false. His wife is not really his wife, but an assassin assigned to kill him if he ever steps out of line. Kate Beckinsale co-stars (in a role originated by Sharon Stone), as does Jessica Biel as his ally.










Friday, August 10th
The Bourne Legacy

Just call it Bourne Without Bourne. For the fourth entry in the blockbuster franchise, we meet a new Treadstone agent named Aaron Cross, who is suddenly targeted for assassination by the people he works for. Moving away from the Jason Bourne storyline (and the star power of Matt Damon) is a tricky move, but the film looks just as intense and exciting as the original trilogy. This is clearly the studio wanting to make more money off of a popular brand name, while trying to make the continuing storyline look graceful, or at least not awkward. My attitude is the same as it was with The Amazing Spider-Man: I'm against the idea, but if you're gonna do it, at least do it well.
Jeremy Renner will finally become a full-fledged star with the leading role in this film (and his second big hit of the summer, after The Avengers). Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton co-star, alongside returning cast members Joan Allen and Albert Finney.
I feel I also have to mention The Campaign, a hilarious-looking comedy with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as rival candidates in a local campaign for Congress. Obviously Bourne is the more headline-grabbing movie, but if you're in the mood for comedy instead of action, this is your best bet.

Friday, August 17th
The Expendables 2

Following the success of the 2010 hit, Sylvester Stallone returns with an ensemble of burly (and mostly older) men to continue shooting things, punching things, and making things blow up. I wasn't a big fan of the original (too dumb), but the formula works, so it was exactly the kind of movie that demanded a sequel. Returning cast members include Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture; new cast members include Jean-Claude Van Damme as the villain, Chuck Norris (!), and Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games). Bruce Willis and (drumroll please!) Arnold Schwarzenegger expand on their cameos from the first film to get in on the action here.








Friday, August 24th
Premium Rush

The world's first bicycle thriller...at least, so far as I'm aware. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (so good in The Dark Knight Rises) plays a bike messenger in Manhattan who gets stopped by a disgruntled customer wanting his package back, then has to run for his life after refusing to give the package up. That's pretty much the whole plot right there- if you want to know more, just see the movie!












Friday, August 31st
Lawless

Originally toted as an Oscar-bait film, this is being released a little too early to gain any real attention, and so is probably not stellar. (I'm betting that most people reading this have not heard of this film.)
It follows three bootlegging brothers in the South during the Great Depression as they face off against the corrupt police force. In an interesting bit of casting, Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf play two of the brothers. (The third is played by character actor Jason Clarke.) Gary Oldman and Guy Pearce play the bad guys, while Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska play the love interests.






That's it for this month, so I'll see you later this fall.

Popcorn Pick- July 2012

Franchises are the theme of this month's movies, predominantly superhero franchises.
Not that I'm complaining.
At least a couple of the year's most anticipated movies open this month. At least one of them I'm going to the midnight premiere of. (Three guesses which one that is!) And at least one of them will break box-office records, forever.
Enough with the unnecessary introduction stuff. Let's look at July.

Tuesday, July 3rd
The Amazing Spider-Man

First off, why is this opening on a Tuesday? Wednesday would make more sense, especially since that Wednesday is the Fourth of July. Even that Thursday would make sense. The studios are getting very greedy with a six-day opening weekend.
And second of all, the big news story surrounding this movie is obviously the fact that it's a reboot that is happening way too soon. So soon that a lot of moviegoers don't even truly know what this is. (I heard one girl actually refer to this as Spider-Man 4. How wrong you are!) Like Batman Begins and Casino Royale before it, Amazing presses the restart button on a popular franchise to bring a different vision of the same story to the screen. And yes, it is too soon: it's only been ten years since the original Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire- and only five years since the last movie, Spider-Man 3! The reasons are very simple: the last film sucked spider-ass, but it made a lot of spider-bucks. Therefore they decided while that specific franchise would end with a trilogy, that the superhero himself was not yet dead.
Well, strangely enough, it seems to have worked out. Stepping in as director is Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer), who sends Peter Parker back to high school, gives us a new origin story, and a new girlfriend in Gwen Stacy (instead of Mary Jane). While there is a new villain in the Lizard (a fan favorite), the story seems more focused on Peter's dead parents, and the secrets they left behind. This one looks funnier and more intense than the original, and even though I disapprove of the project, the film itself looks worth it.
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) plays the webhead, while Emma Stone (love her!) plays Gwen and Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1) plays the bad guy.

Friday, July 13th
Ice Age: Continental Drift

20th Century Fox is milking its one animated franchise hit for all it's worth, making yet another unnecessary sequel. Regardless, these movies have been reliably entertaining, especially for the small fries, and let's face it, most everyone really just wants to see the continued adventures of Scrat, the little acorn-loving rodent.
This film's plot (the fourth in the series) has something to do with getting captured by animal pirates, I'm not really sure, it's just another pickle our three heroes have to get out of.
As usual, Ray Romano, Denis Leary, and John Leguizamo return to lend their voices to the talking animals.







Friday, July 20th
The Dark Knight Rises

Without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year. Christopher Nolan brings us his third and final Batman film to complete the trilogy.
After the immense success of the second film, The Dark Knight, still considered by many to be the best superhero movie ever made, this movie leaves us with many questions. Will the bad-guy combination of Bane and Catwoman possibly live up to the Oscar-winning role of the Joker? Will Batman die at the end of this film? Is he really flying a hovercraft in the trailer?
As usual, plot details are being kept very tight-lipped- as they should be- and so we only have to wait a little while for all the questions to be answered. What we can for sure expect? Loud music. Christian Bale's gravelly Batman voice. And that this will be one hell of a wild ride.
From what I can tell of the plot, it's many years later, and involves the terrorist Bane coming to Gotham City to cause mayhem, forcing Batman to come out of retirement, despite the people hating him after he was framed for murder.
Returning cast members Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman are joined by Tom Hardy (Inception), Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard.

Friday, July 27th
The Watch

An original comedy/action film. It's basically a buddy-cop movie with a twist: four guys started their own neighborhood watch program, and they take their volunteer jobs way too seriously. But then when aliens attack, they find a powerful weapon and a cause they can actually fight for. This experienced a small PR fiasco earlier this year after the shooting of Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watchman, which involved them changing their title and advertising campaigns. Looks stupid but funny.
The four guys include Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, the newly fit Jonah Hill, and newcomer Richard Ayoade.








Hooray for summer films!! And in case you missed the news, there is reason to celebrate in Movie Land because May's The Avengers has now become the third-highest grossing movie in American history! Something tells me things will change this month...

Popcorn Pick- June 2012

The summer trucks on, and with it comes the largest variety of films I think I've ever had on this blog. Sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, even musical- every genre seems represented in my list this month. Now, May had The Avengers, and July has The Dark Knight Rises, so while June may seem like just the middle month (indeed, while most of these movies will probably be hits, none of them look like they're going to break any records), allow me to convince you to spend your well-earned money this month on what promises to be some top-notch entertainment for all ages and tastes. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you June.

Friday, June 1st
Snow White and the Huntsman

Charlize Theron Summer Movie #1
The big news story surrounding this movie was, of course, the fact that it's the second Snow White movie this year, following March's disappointing comedy Mirror Mirror. However, this film looks so dramatically different that I think hardly any comparisons need to be made. (This is the dark action version of the fairy tale.) I think most people miss the real news story about this movie- that even though Kristen Stewart is in it- indeed, that she plays the title character- she is hardly in the advertisements at all! All the trailers and TV spots are focused on the evil queen, played by a delicious Theron. Methinks that after her bad rap starring in all those god-awful Twilight movies, the studio (or possibly the director!) seriously regretted putting young Stewart in their movie...and are trying to make people forget that she is.
What do you think it is? Her unconvincing accent? The fact that Snow White spends half her screen time biting her lip? Or is it just that no one would buy her hooking up with a guy that's not pale? (Observe the burly Huntsman, played by the now-famous Chris Hemsworth.) Only watching the movie will answer those questions.
However bad Stewart may or may not be, the film looks kick-ass, a seriously twisted and visceral take on an otherwise very familiar story. This ain't Disney's Snow White.

Friday, June 8th
Prometheus

Charlize Theron Summer Movie #2
(Yep, two movies, two weeks in a row!)
The big news story surrounding this movie is whether or not it's a prequel to Alien. (Viral promotional videos has shown that it does, in fact, take place in the same universe, but it looks like it has little to do with the original series, plot-wise.) It's too bad that most people will be going into Prometheus with that old movie rattling around in their heads, because they should be focused on this movie instead. This looks like the (original) event movie of the summer, the one with the biggest stakes and the possibility to wow the most viewers.
The plot is strangely kept tightly under wraps, but we do know it's a futuristic space thriller about a group of astronauts who travel to a distant planet looking for the secrets of the origin of life on Earth. What they find there is scary...and that's about all we know. However, the trailers are some of the best I've seen in years, and director Ridley Scott returning to the sci-fi genre after three decades is certainly a welcome sign.
The film stars Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), Michael Fassbender, and Theron. Her again! This woman's gonna have a good summer.

Prometheus is rated R, so take the kids to see Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted instead. This sequel finds the four zoo animals still trying to get back home to New York, but finding themselves in Monaco instead. Wacky adventures ensue.

Friday, June 15th
Rock of Ages

Based on a Broadway musical, this film fills Hollywood's quota of one movie musical a year. (I would say it's a dead genre except for that one-film-a-year thing that nobody plans but happens anyway. Instead I'll go with "endangered.") Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of musicals, but this one is decidedly different from the rest- and that's the point. Set in the '80s, and featuring actual hit songs from that decade, this is one movie where stopping the action to have the characters bust out in song might actually be forgivable. In a word, it looks like it rocks.
An all-star cast includes Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand (he looks like he was born to be in a movie like this), and in an against-type, surely Oscar-worthy performance, Tom Cruise as the biggest rock star of the age.





Friday, June 22nd
Brave

After last summer's disaster Cars 2 (a movie that earned the undistinguished position of #1 on my Worst Movies of the Year List), Disney/Pixar is going with something completely different for this year's movie: the studio's first fairy tale, and their first heroine as lead character.
The animation juggernaut (the minds behind the Toy Story trilogy, WALL-E, and Up) are returning to form with Brave, the amusing and exciting tale of a princess who rejects her fate of being sold off to marry a man she doesn't love, and takes her trusty bow and arrow to go on an adventure to find some magic that will help her change her inevitable doom. As usual, Pixar is keeping plot details quiet, but it looks like it has equal doses action, humor, and heart. As a long-time fan of Pixar, I am very excited for this one.
Our heroine, Princess Merida, is voiced by the excellent Kelly Macdonald (No Country For Old Men).




A note must also be made about the other big movie opening this week, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This seems destined to go the same way as Cowboys and Aliens: it's a serious movie with a silly title, and thus bound to confuse and bore audiences. Unlike last summer's misfire, this one actually looks awesome, and is, at least to me, worth a look, even if it does throw history out the window.

Friday, June 29th
Ted

To a certain group of people, this is the event movie of the summer. The mastermind behind TV's Family Guy (and the less successful sister shows American Dad! and The Cleveland Show) is breaking through not only into live action, but into movies. Ted has a simple premise: a young boy makes a wish that his teddy bear would come to life, and it does. Thirty years later, it's still alive, and living with his boy, now a grown man, like a roommate. The catch: the bear is foul-mouthed and horny. This movie is very dirty (one poster actually shows only Ted the bear proudly holding up the R rating), because it's always where Seth MacFarlane has wanted to go on television, but has never been allowed to go. That's why this is more than just a feature-length Family Guy joke. (I can totally see them doing this idea on the show in, like, 30 seconds.)
I may sound like I'm criticizing the film before I even see it, but au contraire- it looks hilarious, and definitely one to see with your buddies. (If you haven't, check out the riotous red-band trailer online.) Starring Mark Wahlberg (after The Other Guys, this guy seriously needs to do more comedy), Mila Kunis (who's been the voice of Meg on Family Guy for years), and MacFarlane himself as the voice of the CGI Ted.

July awaits, and while that month holds the real treasures of summer, June has more than enough to tide you over until then. What are you excited to see? The space adventure? The dark fairy tale? Or the randy teddy bear? Or all of the above?

Popcorn Pick- May 2012

And just like that, the summer movies have arrived once more. We have now entered my favorite time of year (with the possible exception of Oscar season) where the biggest and some of the best movies will come out. If someone goes to the theater once a year, they're likely gonna do it this month. I would, of course, advise against that, because there will be so many films coming out, it's impossible to pick just one to see. Whether you like action or comedy, vampires or superheroes, the multiplex has you covered.

Friday, May 4th
The Avengers

If you just watch the trailers or TV spots, it appears on the outside to be a standard superhero movie. Not so. This promises to be unlike anything we've seen before: it's more than just an ensemble action movie. This isn't a sequel. Or a spin-off. This is something entirely new, a culmination of four different movie franchises all leading to this project. The heroes of the Iron Man movies, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger come together (in the same time period) to form the title team and save the world. The villain is Loki, Thor's brother, who has an army of aliens looking to conquer Earth. If that sounds familiar, re-watch the films listed above: none of them features a plot about saving the world.
And I haven't even gotten to the best part: it's written and directed by Joss Whedon! Haven't heard of him? I'm not surprised. Well, you will. The creator of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly is finally getting his shot at something big-budget and mainstream and will undoubtedly impress fans around the world. (Tony Stark's dialogue written by Whedon the master? I can't even imagine!)
The impressive cast includes returning stars Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, newcomers Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson as the eyepatch-wearing badass Nick Fury, the leader of the team. I've never been a fan of comic books so I know next to nothing of what to expect, except for one of the best movies of the summer.

Friday, May 11th
Dark Shadows

The newest Tim Burton-Johnny Depp smorgasbord is even weirder than usual. Based on a soap opera no one's ever heard of, Depp plays a vampire imprisoned in a coffin for 200 years, only to escape in 1972 and take up residence with his descendants in their mansion. Part comedy, part...I don't even know what this is supposed to be going for...horror? Action? Maybe just supernatural comedy. I'm not sure exactly what the movie is, and if I don't know, then neither will moviegoers, so this probably won't be any good.
But Burton has a devoted fan base who have accepted him as their own personal Goth God, so this will naturally be a hit.
The cast also includes (duh) Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green (Casino Royale), Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), and Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen).






Wednesday, May 16th
The Dictator

Following the immense success of Borat (and the less successful but equally funny Bruno), the always-controversial Sacha Baron Cohen is unleashing his newest character on the world. This time he plays a Saddam Hussein-like dictator of a Middle Eastern country who comes to America and experiences culture shock when he is stripped of his rank. While his earlier films experimented in Punk'd-style interactions with non-actors, and were based on existing characters, this is a traditionally scripted movie and therefore less likely to end in lawsuits against its star.
The guy is offensive but usually knows which buttons to push, so I'm a fan, and I'll be looking forward to it.
The other big movie opening this week, which will undoubtedly top The Dictator at the box office, is Battleship, which is being marketed as Transformers at Sea. Yep, this is based on the old board game. (Say it with me...you sunk my battleship!!!) I grew up playing this game- still have it stashed in a closet somewhere- and I think this movie looks like the biggest piece of garbage of the summer.


Friday, May 25th
Men in Black III

This film joins the grand Hollywood tradition of long-delayed sequels. Ten years after the last film (and fifteen years after the original), this threequel brings the world of the MIB back, a world where different species of aliens live on Earth, in secret but in peace. Until the bad-guy aliens come down looking to take over. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reunite with original director Barry Sonnenfeld. This go-round, Agent J goes to work one day to find Agent K has disappeared from the face of the earth. He goes back in time to 1969 to find a younger K, played by Josh Brolin (Milk), and together they stop the bad guy from changing history.
Converting to time travel may be an old ploy, but it makes sense in this universe, and it's all for good fun, so I say tally-ho, even though it looks trifling and forgettable. (Anyone remember Men in Black II? Yeah, I didn't think so.)

Forgive me if I'm long-winded sometimes, but it's only because I get excited. There's even more good stuff coming out in the other summer months. Prometheus! The Amazing Spider-Man! Brave! And the piece de resistance, The Dark Knight Rises! Get ready for summer 2012, sure to be one of the best movie summers of the last decade!

Popcorn Pick- April 2012

Ah, the awkward spring season continues. This month brings us the usual mixed bag of comedies and thrillers while we count off the days until summer. I will use this month to catch up on the movies I haven't watched yet, while just tasting the local cuisine of what's out currently. Of course, for those who still go to the movies regularly, even in this hard-to-define month of April, here are my picks, as usual.

Wednesday, April 4th
Titanic 3D

Now, before you say anything, this is no run-of-the-mill 3D re-release. James Cameron (writer, director, producer, and co-editor) is the man who revolutionized the 3D craze with Avatar. He's also the man who has the two biggest movies of all time. So if he wants to re-release his other big epic movie with a conversion to 3D, you know he isn't half-assing it. (I'm looking at you, George Lucas!) Bonus points if you see it in IMAX.
To coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the actual sinking of the ship, the 1997 Best Picture winner is getting a facelift into the third dimension, sans any director's-cut-like changes or extensions. A young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star as passengers on the ship who fall in love despite differences in class, and must band together to survive when disaster strikes.
The movie has gotten a bad rap in the years since it's come out, but not from me. It remains one of my all-time favorites, because I believe it to be one of the all-time best.
(Now, what about the movie that's actually new that's coming out this week, American Reunion? Calm yourselves, I haven't forgotten it. See below.)

Friday, April 13th
The Cabin in the Woods

Everyone who's a fan of Joss Whedon has been aware of this film and has been waiting for it for some time. This movie got shelved for years because of MGM's financial troubles, and is finally seeing the light of day. In the vein of the Scream movies, this is a horror/comedy that borders on self-parody. It features the old plot of a group of teenagers going out into a cabin in the middle of nowhere for a drunken sex-filled vacation and end up being killed off one by one by an unknown menace. Beyond that, though, the plot is being kept tightly under wraps, which means that it goes through many twists and turns. A fine ensemble cast is led by Chris Hemsworth (Thor).








Friday, April 20th
American Reunion

There's no good movies opening this week (with the possible exception of the ensemble romantic comedy Think Like a Man), so go see this comedy sequel instead, which actually opens Friday, April 6th. The fourth theatrical movie in the American Pie series, this film reunites the entire original cast for their ten-year high school reunion. Jim, Oz, Kevin, Finch, and Stifler reflect on where their lives have gone and how it differed from what they imagined it to be. The usual raunchy humor is back, as is Jim's lovable doofus dad, but no maturity is to be found among this group of grown-ups. The ensemble cast includes Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, and Eugene Levy.








Friday, April 27th
The Five-Year Engagement

Yet another R-rated comedy, as if people ever get tired of them! This one stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt as a couple who get engaged but keep putting their wedding off while their lives get in the way. A potential one-joke idea is given the Apatow treatment with wry observations on men and women, sex, and family. And lately, Segel can do no wrong.












Other movies coming out this month I neglected to mention include The Three Stooges (looks awful) and The Raven (looks exciting but dumb). At any rate, the summer movies start in the first week of May, which is where my calendar is marked. See you then!

Popcorn Pick- March 2012

Well, the Oscars are over, and Best Picture was awarded to a film few people have even heard of, and even less people saw. I need some time to get over this tragedy.
Okay, time's up. I'm looking ahead to the future, where we have a surprisingly bright spring season to look forward to at the multiplex.

Friday, March 2nd
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Opening on what would have been Dr. Seuss' (or rather, Theodor Geisel's) 108th birthday, one of his most famous children's books becomes a feature-length animated movie, with a strong environmental message. The makers of the popular Despicable Me bring a cute and very kid-friendly musical extravaganza to the screen in animation that reflects the book's hand-drawn loopy illustrations. The voice cast includes Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White, The Office's Ed Helms, and Danny DeVito as the little orange fella himself.









Friday, March 9th
John Carter

Disney is taking a big gamble with this movie. John Carter is an adaptation of a series of books written a century ago by Edgar Rice Burroughs. (His more popular literary creation was Tarzan.) The character has fallen into obscurity since then, but Andrew Stanton, the director of Finding Nemo and WALL-E, hopes to change that. Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) plays the titular hero, a Civil War vet who is teleported to Mars and gets swept up in a revolution there between men and aliens.
Yeah, it sounds weird to me too. This is meant to start a franchise, but could very well fizzle. The first trailer looked very promising, but the two that followed make it look like a dumb Star Wars knockoff. Only time will tell how good the movie really is.






Friday, March 16th
21 Jump Street

Two young cops screw up badly on the job and end up going undercover at a high school, because they presumably look young enough to pass off as teenagers. Their mission is to look for a drug dealer, but naturally they get swept up in popularity contests, drunken parties, and drama surrounding senior prom. This action-comedy looks incredibly funny and exciting, not to mention raunchy. (Check out the tongue-in-cheek joke in the poster.) It stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum (who has never done a big comedy film before). The film is based on a TV show from the 80's that starred Johnny Depp, who has a cameo here.








Friday, March 23rd
The Hunger Games

One of the most highly anticipated films of the year? It could be argued so. Destined to be the biggest surprise hit of the year? Quite possibly.
With the Harry Potter franchise at an end, and The Twilight Saga coming to an end this year, the YA fantasy novels-turned-into-films duties seems to fall on this saga, a trilogy of books set in a dystopian future where a corrupt government and twelve districts is all that is left of the world. The first entry in the series is about a cruel tournament the government puts on, forcing 24 children to enter into an arena and fight to the death, all on live television. Our heroine is Katniss, a 16-year-old girl from a dirt-poor mining district who volunteers for the games to save her younger sister. The male tribute from her district is someone she has a past connection to. As the tournament goes on, it becomes clear Katniss is someone special.
It's really violent for a book meant for younger readers, but it's super-intelligent and opens up conversations about society in a dead world. Jennifer Lawrence (X-Men: First Class) plays Katniss, while Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) plays her rival Peeta.


Friday, March 30th
Wrath of the Titans

The sequel to 2010's remake Clash of the Titans has Sam Worthington as Perseus doing battle against the gods yet again, and features big special effects, action set pieces, and gruesome monsters. The first film was a big hit, despite being a generic big, dumb, and loud movie. (It found its way onto my Worst Films of the Year list.) This swords-and-sandals piece looks about the same, but may be an improvement. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes return as the gods Zeus and Hades, respectively.

Oscar Winners Predictions 2012

Predicting the Oscars can be difficult. Or very simple, depending on the year. This year, the winners seem to be a done deal, except for the few beloved nominees who could potentially upset. After a relatively weak year for movies (in my humble opinion), the stars shine brightest and there really are some good ones up for awards this year. So let's see how good I am at this.
And of course, I have to say, Harry Potter will always be Best Picture in my heart.

I will list which film I think will actually win, and which I think deserves to win. As usual the Academy and I differ on many things.

Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

What will win: The Artist
What should win: The Help

With nine nominees (a first in Oscar history), how the Academy handles this award will be very interesting. While The Descendants was an early favorite to win, it seems The Artist has all but already won it. While the film is certainly the most unique to come out this year (it's silent with little dialogue, and in black and white) and is an homage to a lost era of Hollywood movies, watching it brings to mind why silent films are no longer made: because without sound, something is missing. The film is clever and funny but does test its viewer's patience; it's not for everyone. However, The Descendants is mostly just unpleasant.
While I found myself surprisingly falling in love with War Horse, Steven Spielberg's ode to World War I and man's love of horses, and Hugo and Moneyball were certainly entertaining, my vote goes to The Help, the film that got people talking, and that turned out to be more than just a Lifetime movie.
For Extremely Loud and The Tree of Life, two good films for specific audiences, they are such long shots that their nominations are their victory. And Midnight in Paris sucks. Sorry.

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Who will win: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Who should win: Martin Scorsese, Hugo

The French director Hazanavicius will win to go along with the film's Best Picture win. If there's an upset, it will probably come from Scorsese (my personal pick), as recognition for his unique and moving film, very against-type for him. They could award Malick for his magnum opus, the trippy and surreal Tree of Life, for sheer balls and strength of vision. But many believe the film doesn't accomplish what it set out to accomplish and critics are definitely split on how good the film is. Allen and Payne are past winners who don't stand much of a chance.

Best Actor

Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Who will win: George Clooney, The Descendants
Who should win: Jean Dujardin, The Artist

It's a tight race between Clooney and Dujardin, and I can see either of them winning at this point. But being that he's America's sweetheart (as opposed to a French unknown), Clooney is more likely to win for his career-best performance as a dad struggling to hold his family together in the wake of a tragedy. Dujardin brought on comparisons to Charlie Chaplin for his superb performance as an actor caught in the transition between silent films and talkies, and might win. If not, at least he gets my vote.
Hats off to Oldman, a brilliant actor celebrating his first nomination. He will win one day, but not for this film. Same goes for Pitt.

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Who will win: Viola Davis, The Help
Who should win: Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This race is between Davis and Streep. The former turns in her first-ever lead role and is the best part of an already-great film. The latter is a past winner who breaks her own record this year for most nominations ever for an actress, and plays a real-life former Prime Minister of Britain. The race is tight, but Oscar voters will realize what the rest of us already do: Streep already has two Oscars. Give it to someone who has none.
My vote typically goes to a woman playing a real-life person, but instead is going to Mara, even though I would argue she had to play someone who feels real. Her Lisbeth Salander may be fictional, but has been played in movies before (quite well, I might add), and has been defined in millions of readers' minds all around the world. Casting an unknown in the part was the right move, as she transformed her appearance and turned in a haunting yet believable performance.
And sure, Close played a woman pretending to be a man- an extremely difficult task for an actor- but the film looks boring and no one has seen it. And I may be the only person who thinks Williams didn't get it right as Marilyn Monroe.

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Who will win: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Who should win: Nick Nolte, Warrior

Plummer has a lock on this award, and everyone else is just here as spectators. He plays an old widower who comes out of the closet in the last months of his life, shocking his son. While von Sydow turns in a great performance as a mute old man trying to connect to a lost little boy, my vote goes to Nolte as an ex-alcoholic father estranged from his two grown sons. Anyone who's seen the movie knows there is one scene in particular that is unforgettable.
Hats off to Hill, the kid from Superbad, who has gotten an Oscar nomination despite his history of doing crude gross-out comedies. As it often is with these things, his nomination is his victory.

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Who will win: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Who should win: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Spencer has a lock on this award, but there is room for an upset. She is the comic relief in her film, and has some great one-liners. McCarthy is a revelation in Bridesmaids, one of the most talked-about performances of the year. The Academy does occasionally honor comedy roles in the supporting acting categories, but McCarthy just won an Emmy a few months back (for the sitcom Mike & Molly), and many believe the award was actually for Bridesmaids. Thus, in their minds, she's already won. An upset could potentially come from the lovely Bejo, since the film has so much love and acting in a silent film is an art no one in this millennium has mastered. People who have seen The Help know Chastain's nomination is mostly for one shocking scene. While her performance is great the whole movie through, one-sceners rarely win here.

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

What will win: The Descendants
What should win: Hugo

As the early favorite, the super-sappy Descendants will win here. While Moneyball took a potentially boring idea and turned it into something fascinating, my vote goes to Hugo, a very strange story that shouldn't work, but somehow does, thanks to its real emotions and believable characters.

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

What will win: The Artist
What should win: Bridesmaids

It seems that despite it being a silent film, The Artist will win here, and I will applaud it if it does. It is the most unique and daring film this year (with the possible exception of The Tree of Life, which wasn't nominated). Midnight in Paris could still upset- Woody Allen hasn't won an Oscar in years, but the Academy still loves him, and this was the biggest hit of his very long career. Not surprisingly, my pick goes to the crowd-pleaser Bridesmaids, a Hangover for women- and for men who like funny women.

Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

What will win: Rango
What should win: ?

This film is just as noteworthy for its omissions than it is for what actually is nominated.
With its exclusion, Cars 2 is the first Pixar feature not nominated here- in fact, it is the first Pixar feature to not be nominated for any Oscars. (And shut up, people: The Adventures of Tintin wasn't snubbed because it's a motion-capture film, it was snubbed because it sucked.)
Both Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots are entries in franchises that have been in this category before. (The original Shrek won ten years ago.) Because of this, and since they're both DreamWorks films, they pretty much cancel each other out. Chico & Rita is a new foreign addition beloved by American critics, and could upset, but the focus seems to be on the Paramount Western/comedy Rango.
I don't have a pick here since none of them seem worthy in my eyes. (I thought Rango was clever at times but ultimately too weird for me.)

Best Original Score

The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

What will win: The Artist
What should win: War Horse

As it was often literally the only sound in the movie, The Artist's score was extremely important to the success of the film, and will easily win here. However, I don't think it was an extraordinary score. Hugo's music was lovely, but my vote goes to John Williams' epic adventurous score for War Horse. Just check out the piece used in the trailer to see why.

Best Original Song

"Man or Muppet," The Muppets
"Real in Rio," Rio

What will win: "Man or Muppet," The Muppets
What should win: "Man or Muppet," The Muppets

With only two nominees here (a first, also a tragedy), the odds are literally 50/50. While "Real in Rio" is the bigger and more elaborate of the two, voters will go with the more intimate, and funnier "Man or Muppet," which also belongs to the more beloved film. I'm excited to see if these songs will be performed live!

Best Film Editing

The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

What will win: The Artist
What should win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Since this award usually squares up with Best Picture, The Artist should take it despite having unexceptional editing. The award should go to the thriller Dragon Tattoo, an extremely complicated film that surpassed two and a half hours, but never felt confusing or dull. It could still upset, as could Hugo.

Best Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

What will win: The Tree of Life
What should win: The Tree of Life

While Hugo could upset (I think it's the first 3D film nominated here), and War Horse and Dragon Tattoo both had striking looks, and The Artist does have an advantage since it's in black and white, the Academy and I finally agree on one thing: that The Tree of Life is technically one of the most beautiful movies ever made, and features some of the best camerawork ever put on screen. Expect it to be the only win for this underdog movie.

Best Makeup

Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Iron Lady

What will win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
What should win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Sure, The Iron Lady turned Meryl Streep into Margaret Thatcher, and Albert Nobbs turned Glenn Close into a man, but Harry Potter made goblins! This award does occasionally award genre or monster movies (the last two winners were The Wolfman and Star Trek.) This one is Harry Potter's best shot, and I sense it will win as a way of recognizing the end of the franchise.
(For those who don't know, a Harry Potter movie has yet to win an Oscar in any category. This year is the franchise's last chance.)

Best Costume Design

Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

What will win: Hugo
What should win: Hugo

This award usually goes to the showiest of the costumes. In that case, it would go to Anonymous (Shakespearean times). But I sense that won't be the case. While The Artist is the clear favorite (the 1920s), the film has a distinct disadvantage because it's in black and white. Therefore I think the quasi-magical Hugo will take it (France in the 1930s, and flashbacks to the turn of the century). Jane Eyre (the 1800s) and W.E. (Britain in the 1940s) are just token nominations without much of a chance.

Best Art Direction

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

What will win: Hugo
What should win: Hugo

The visually stunning Hugo doesn't have a big chance at Best Picture, so I predict a mini-sweep of the technical categories. (Like what Inception did last year.) War Horse was also a beautiful film, showing the horrors of a forgotten war. I would vote for Harry Potter, but that film was set primarily in familiar locations (Gringotts bank, Hogwarts castle) where the look was established in earlier films. Again, The Artist is a handsome film, but is at a disadvantage because it's in black and white.

Best Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

What will win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
What should win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

A very interesting category, and one that's hard to predict. Real Steel's fighting robots looked good, but its effects are not nearly big enough to compete with the rest of the pack. Hugo's special effects are subtle and are used to help the story. Since it's the only Best Picture nominee of the bunch, it has a strong chance here. Both Harry Potter and Transformers have big, epic special effects used in huge battle scenes, and are both part of franchises that have been nominated here before but cruelly never won. Any of those three has a fighting chance, but with all the hoopla surrounding Andy Serkis and the motion-capture phenomenon, I sense Planet of the Apes will take it, despite this being its only nomination.
Of course, I vote for Harry Potter. The last film in this amazing series deserves some love.

Best Sound Editing

Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

What will win: Hugo
What should win: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

This award is for specific sound effects. This usually, but not always, goes to a blockbuster, a film that is technically-inclined. In that case it would be either Dragon Tattoo or Transformers, with the latter being the clear choice for impressive sound effects. However, as mentioned before, Hugo will probably have a mini-sweep in the technical categories, including here.

Best Sound Mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

What will win: Hugo
What should win: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

This award is for the film's overall sound. It usually goes along with Sound Editing, but not always. While Dragon Tattoo could upset, Hugo will probably take this one as well.

Best Foreign Language Film

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

What will win: A Separation
What should win: ?

A Separation is the clear favorite here, a divorce drama from Iran. In Darkness is a Holocaust film and could upset. None of these films is a big hit here in the States.

Best Documentary Feature

Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

What will win: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
What should win: ?

Pina is probably the favorite here (and Undefeated is building buzz too), but Paradise Lost is the most relevant: this is the story of the West Memphis Three, which aired on HBO shortly after they were released from prison, unofficially acquitted of triple murders they did not commit. (This is not the film that Peter Jackson made, although they are undoubtedly similar.)

Best Live Action Short

Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

What will win: The Shore
What should win: ?

Who cares?

Best Animated Short

Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

What will win: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
What should win: ?

La Luna is a Pixar film, which will run theatrically this summer with their feature film Brave. Nobody has seen it, which is exactly my problem with the three short awards: nobody has seen them, so how can anybody vote on them?

Best Documentary Short

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

What will win: Saving Face
What should win: ?

Again...who cares?

That's everything! The Oscars will be broadcast live this Sunday (!) at 6:30pm MST, on ABC. See you then!

Popcorn Pick- February 2012

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so that means it's gonna be bitter cold this month! Go to the movies to escape.
Stars are the theme this month; young ones testing out their box-office mojo and older ones cranking out stuff we've come to expect from them.

Friday, February 3rd
The Woman in Black

In his first big non-Harry Potter Hollywood movie, Daniel Radcliffe stars as a young man who stays in a haunted house, possessed by a malevolent female spirit. This classic ghost story is sure to attract a lot of attention as the film serves as a big test of how well Radcliffe does at the box office, without a big franchise behind him. Good early reviews and positive word of mouth are very promising for the film's chances.











Friday, February 10th
Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace 3D

George Lucas is the latest person to hop aboard the 3D bandwagon, re-releasing all six of his space epic films- in the "correct" order- over the next six years. An aggressive marketing campaign will ensure this will be a big hit.
The 1999 prequel follows Jedi knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his young apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they protect the Queen of Naboo from the control of the Sith, and how a fateful meeting with a young slave boy named Anakin Skywalker will change the galaxy. Action highlights include the huge Podrace sequence, the space battle against the Trade Federation battleship, and my personal favorite, the evil Darth Maul- armed with a double-bladed lightsaber- duking it out with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and of course, the young Jake Lloyd as Anakin.
As for original movies this week, check out the latest super-sappy romantic comedy, The Vow, starring the king and queen of sappy movies, Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams.



Tuesday, February 14th
This Means War

For Valentine's Day, this action-comedy looks like a very interesting movie either for dates or for buddies. Two best friends discover they are dating the same girl and enter into a personal competition to win her heart. The twist: the guys are spies for the CIA. Hence the action stuff. Chris Pine (Star Trek) and Tom Hardy (Inception) are the guys, and Reese Witherspoon is the girl who comes between them. Check out the trailer, it looks better than it sounds.











Friday, February 24th
Wanderlust

Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston star as a stressed-out married couple from the big city who go away for a vacation but end up in a hippie colony, full of nudists, swingers, and potheads. The raunchy comedy promises to be reminiscent of Role Models, since the two films share a director. Light entertainment for a slow movie weekend.












That's it for this month! Look out for my Oscars winners predictions, coming soon!

Oscar Nominations Predictions 2012

Predicting the Oscars can be tricky. Sometimes it's easy, but the beauty of the Academy is that it can surprise you at the oddest times. When it comes to Best Picture, the Academy has been extremely unpredictable the last five years or so.
After The Dark Knight failed to nab a Best Picture nomination in 2009, public opinion was so strong that the Academy changed its rules- the first time it did so since your grandparents were your age. For two years, there were ten nominees for Best Picture, even though only one film won, like always. This led to even more disapproval from critics and members alike- films were being nominated that didn't deserve it! (See: An Education, A Serious Man, Winter's Bone, even The Blind Side.) But the flip side of the coin is that films like Up and Toy Story 3- critically and publicly loved films that normally wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell- were getting nominated. But the experiment seemed to be a failed one. For this year's ceremony the Academy has changed their rules again- this time, there will be anywhere between five and ten nominees, with one winner like always. This way there can be more worthy films nominated, but without a strict number to stick to, they can "trim the fat," if you will.
Only time will tell if this tactic will work. In the meantime the Academy has created the most difficult scenario possible to predict its nominations- not only do you have to guess what films will be nominated, you have to guess how many as well!
We all know I'm never gonna get it right, so in that spirit, let's jump right in!

*Keep in mind these are what I think will get nominated, not what I think should be nominated. The Academy and I differ in our tastes for film. Also I don't predict the winners until I have the actual nominees in front of me.*

 

Best Picture (8 nominees)

The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Moneyball
War Horse

Alternate: Midnight in Paris

Seven nominees sounds like a nice round number, but I chose eight because it's so freaking hard to choose! So maybe they will have just as hard a time. The competition seems to be between two films, the silent movie The Artist and the drama The Descendants. The Help and Hugo are also critically beloved and are solid secondary films. Moneyball and War Horse had Oscar bait written all over them when they came out, but haven't been keeping up the pace they should. They will probably still get in, but they're mostly filler here. Dragon Tattoo is also being overlooked by some people, but after being recognized by almost all the guild awards, the Academy should come around. Bridesmaids is definitely the dark horse on my list, but after the critical Producers Guild nomination, the film is hard to ignore. You also can't forget the fact that it's one of the best-reviewed films of the year, created multiple headlines about how women have finally proved they're funny, and is one of the most talked-about comedies in the last decade.
My alternate is Midnight in Paris because, while the Academy does love Woody Allen, it's been many years since he's had a Best Picture nominee, and this film isn't exactly a revelation among his work.
And lastly, while we'd all love to see Harry Potter be nominated here, it's been ignored by practically every pre-Oscar award, and it came out in the summer, slimming down its chances from slim to practically none.

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Steven Spielberg, War Horse

Alternate: David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

With more than five Best Picture nominees, it makes sense that the Director nominees would all be Picture nominees as well. In that case, Allen is the only candidate who sticks out on my list, but in a normal year, it's not uncommon to see someone nominated here who's not on the Best Picture list. They may want to reward Allen for the biggest hit of his career. Otherwise, Hazanavicius and Payne are shoo-ins, as is Scorsese, for making his first kid-friendly movie. While War Horse isn't generating the kind of love it should, the Academy never misses a chance to nominate Spielberg here.
My alternate is Fincher for one of the darkest movies of the year. He got the Directors Guild nomination, so he stands a decent chance here, even though his film is slipping steadily from voters' minds.

Best Actor

George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Alternate: Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar

While Clooney and Dujardin are the shoo-ins here (and the award will inevitably go to one of them), the rest are difficult to predict. Pitt's performance in Moneyball is said to be a career-best, so even if the film is forgotten for Best Picture, he should be remembered here. Fassbender bared it all (literally) and capped off a stellar year with the movie Shame, in which his performance is actually better than the movie itself. He also can say that he is the reason the film is rated NC-17. Gosling had two Oscar-worthy performances this year, in The Ides of March and Drive. While it's possible he may split his own vote because of this, I choose the former film because he actually speaks in that movie.
Lastly, DiCaprio's decades-spanning performance in J. Edgar is truly wonderful, but the film was not warmly received, so he will probably be forgotten.

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Alternate: Charlize Theron, Young Adult

This film has four shoo-ins (four!) and only one spot which was difficult. Close turns in a career-best performance as a woman pretending to be a man to get work in Albert Nobbs. (Think of it as a humorless Mrs. Doubtfire, and as a period piece set in Ireland.) Streep can't get in front of a camera without getting nominated, but her humbleness means they never tire of doing so. Plus her performance as Margaret Thatcher was totally convincing. Michelle Williams was the best thing about her movie, as the sexy but troubled Marilyn Monroe. And no one can forget Davis as a maid holding onto her dignity in The Help.
That fifth slot is tricky. I choose the most talked-about performance of the year, in which a pretty little thing transformed herself into a vicious, ugly little thing. Mara as Lisbeth Salander was what millions of readers the world over were expecting, and more- she was truly terrifying, and yet sympathetic and believable. Young Adult isn't generating much buzz, but Theron's hilarious performance as a prom queen all grown up definitely stays in people's minds.

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Alternate: Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Not a whole lot of contenders for this category, it seems. Plummer will ultimately win the award for his sweet and hilarious turn as an 80-year-old widower who finally comes out of the closet. The rest of the nominees are just filler. Branagh is said to be grand as Laurence Olivier, Brooks was memorably cruel as a gangster in Drive (an against-type performance for him), and Hill is surprising in one of his first dramatic roles, as a math whiz in Moneyball. Nolte is really my hopeful choice here; Warrior, while it's a great film, isn't attracting a lot of attention in award season, but his performance as an ex-alcoholic father trying to hang on to his separated sons is heartbreaking.
The movie Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, based on the popular avant-garde book, isn't wooing critics like it should be, so Von Sydow might just earn the film's only nomination as a mute man who aids a young boy in his quest for answers.

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Alternate: Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

This is always an interesting category. Bejo and Spencer are shoo-ins here, being the most memorable parts of their movies. Nominating two different actresses for the same movie is actually a common practice here, so Chastain should also get nominated, not only for her funny but shocking turn as a naive housewife, but also for her great debut year. Woodley has an uphill battle ahead of her because of her young age, but the film is bound to get recognized in the Best Picture category, so it would be a crime to forget her here.
But of course, McCarthy is the one everyone will be talking about. Comedic roles do sometimes get recognized in the supporting categories, even weird ones (think Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder). Since she is by far the best part of the best comedy of the year, she would be a major omission if the Academy were to forget her.
And McTeer is being recognized in other places, but since Albert Nobbs isn't picking up much steam (it looks really boring), she will probably be forgotten, and Glenn Close may be the film's only nomination.

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Moneyball

Alternate: War Horse

The Descendants will probably end up winning here, even if it doesn't win Best Picture. The Help and Hugo were both splendidly adapted from beloved books, but don't feel like adaptations. Moneyball could have potentially been a very boring movie, but with the help of Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin, they made it pop. And, maybe I'm overestimating Dragon Tattoo's chances. But it got a Writers Guild nomination and also expertly adapted a complex (and slow-moving) book into an interesting and fast-paced thriller, and features one of the best fictional characters of the year, in Lisbeth Salander.
War Horse was adapted from a well-liked play, and while a nomination here would make sense to go along with a Best Picture nomination, the film really isn't getting that much enthusiasm, so it's bound to get left behind somewhere.

Best Original Screenplay

50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

Alternate: Young Adult

The Artist will definitely win here, even though the film features practically zero dialogue. Woody Allen's scripts frequently get nominated here, so Midnight in Paris should definitely get recognized, even if it's forgotten elsewhere. Ditto for Bridesmaids, where this category is actually where it has the best chance. A Separation is a critically-acclaimed Iranian film about a couple attempting to get a divorce. Its nomination here would cement its win for Best Foreign Language Film. And while 50/50 isn't a typical Oscar movie, other awards are recognizing how unique it is, in bringing the idea of a young person getting cancer into a comedy. The film has a pretty good shot at being recognized here.
And Young Adult was written by the Oscar-winning writer of Juno, Diablo Cody, so this script has Oscar bait all over it. But the film isn't that funny, so it'll probably be left behind.

Best Animated Feature

The Adventures of Tintin
Cars 2
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Alternate: Arthur Christmas

If I may say so myself, 2011 was a weak year for animation. Without any major box-office successes, the Academy has to make do with some critically-acclaimed films...and one token nomination for a huge disappointment.
As Steven Spielberg's first animated film, Tintin should easily score a nomination here, as should Rango, a critically-acclaimed film that disappointed at the box office. The predecessors of Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots were nominated in the past (Puss is a spin-off of Shrek, a film that won this award ten years ago), and these entries were at least better than Happy Feet Two. And even though Cars 2 was awful, Pixar always gets nominated, and the Academy often can't tell the difference between a good film and a well-made film.
While Christmas movies tend to not get nominated, Arthur Christmas still turned out to be one of the best animated films of the year, so if one of these is wrong (I'm thinking Puss in Boots), this one will swoop in and grab it.

The Academy Award nominations will be announced in the early morning hours on Tuesday, January 24th, and the ceremony itself will be the night of February 26th, on ABC. Get excited!