Review: "KONG: SKULL ISLAND" is a Monster Movie Paradise

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 of 2024 (No. 1958) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language

DIRECTOR:  Jordan Vogt-Roberts

WRITERS:  Max Borenstein, Dan Gilroy, and Derek Connolly; from a story by John Gatins

PRODUCERS:  Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, Thomas Tull, and Alex Garcia

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Larry Fong (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Richard Pearson

COMPOSER:  Henry Jackman

Academy Award nominee

ADVENTURE/HISTORICAL/HORROR and MILITARY/SCI-FI

Starring:  Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz, Tian Jing, Toby Kebbell, Jason Mitchell, Shea Whigham, Thomas Mann, Eugene Cordero, Marc Evan Jackson, Terry Notary, and Richard Jenkins

Kong: Skull Island is a 2017 monster movie, sci-fi military, and period, adventure film directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts.  It is a reboot of the King Kong film franchise and is also the second film in the “MonsterVerse” film series following 2014's Godzilla.  Set at the end of the Vietnam war, Kong: Skull Island focuses on a group of military personnel and civilian scientists who must fight to escape an uncharted island full of giant monsters that includes the island's king, the mighty Kong.

Kong: Skull Island introduces Bill Randa (John Goodman), the head of the U.S. government organization, “Monarch.”  It is 1973, and the U.S. is ending its mission in Vietnam.  Randa fears his time is running out to launch a mission to a recently discovered island that has long been shrouded in mystery and legend, “Skull Island.”

He convinces a U.S. senator to fund an expedition to the island, and subsequently recruits a U.S. Army unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) to accompany him.  Also on the mission are recent Monarch recruits, geologist Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) and biologist San Lin (Tian Jing).  Randa also hires James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston), a former British Special Air Service Captain, as a hunter-tracker for this expedition.  Mason Weaver (Brie Larson), an “anti-war” photographer, forces her way onto the expedition.

The expedition begins with thirteen U.S. army helicopters penetrating the fearsome storms that surround Skull Island.  Randa and Brooks told Packard that they wanted to map the island by dropping seismic explosives, and shortly after arriving on the island, Packard's men begin dropping the explosives, which does help to map the island.  The explosions also draw the attention of a giant ape, which promptly attacks the helicopters.  Soon, the expedition is divided into two groups of survivors.  One is led by Packard who wants revenge against the giant ape, and the other by Conrad who wants to reach a rendezvous point where they will be rescued.  The giant ape, however, is “Kong,” king of Skull Island, and he isn't the only deadly, giant monster on the island.

The “MonsterVerse” is an American multimedia franchise that includes movies; a streaming live-action television series (Apple TV+) and a streaming animated series (Netflix); books and comic books; and video games.  It is a shared fictional universe that includes the character, “Godzilla” and other characters owned and created by the Japanese entertainment company, Toho Co., Ltd.  The MonsterVerse is a reboot of Toho's Godzilla franchise.  It is also a reboot of the King Kong film franchise, which is based on the character, “King Kong,” that was created by actor and filmmaker, Merian C. Cooper (1893-1973).

The fifth film in the MonsterVerse series, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, is due to be released sometime in March, so I have decided to watch and review the previous four films:  2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island (which is the subject of this review), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).  I have previously seen Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island, but only recently made attempts to review them.

Kong: Skull Island is proudly both a monster movie and a King Kong movie.  Like Peter Jackson's 2005 film, King Kong (Universal Pictures), Kong: Skull Island digs into its “lost world” pulp fiction and pre-Code horror movie roots.  Kong is as King Kong as any other cinematic version of the character, and the result is an exhilarating film that is fun to watch even after repeated viewings.  Most books about writing fiction and screenplays will emphasize that the characters should drive the narrative, but Kong: Skull Island's narrative is driven by its plot, by its other-worldly setting, and especially by its monstrous gods and god-like monsters.

There are quite a few interesting characters in the film.  Samuel L. Jackson makes the most of his Lt. Col. Packard, who is driven crazy by his insane mission to kill Kong as a salve for his bitterness about the end of the American misadventure in Vietnam.  John C. Reilly once again displays his tremendous character actor chops as the lost-in-time, U.S. Army Air Force Lt. Hank Marlow.  Tom Hiddleston is a good heroic lead as James Conrad in a film in which the human hero is not the film's most important character.  Brie Larson also shows off her acting skills by chopping out some space for his character, Mason Weaver.

However, the characters are just pawns in the film's plot, which involves surviving Skull Island's various monsters and advancing to the rendezvous point.  The setting of Kong: Skull Island is a lost world Eden that is part tropical paradise and part jungle horror, an environment in which the most beautiful place is the most dangerous.  The amazing things to see on this island are its deadly denizens, which includes gargantuan spiders, man-snatching carnivorous birds, and seemingly unstoppable lizards that are literally nothing more than perfectly designed death machines.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention the practically mute human natives of Skull Island with their dazzling array of face and body painting and eclectic costumes.

At the center of Kong: Skull Island is the film's most important character and element, Kong, himself.  He is a thing of beauty, the best special effect in a movie favored with enough impressive CGI to have earned itself an Oscar nomination for “Best Achievement in Visual Effects.”  Kong's introduction into the story, a breathtaking display of fight choreography pitting him against a squadron of military helicopters, is as good as the best fight scenes audiences will find in the top superhero movies.  Whatever glitches in the overall narrative and character development Kong: Skull Island has, Kong's introduction glosses over.  Kong is made king again in Kong: Skull Island, and that is why it is a damn shame that there is not a Kong: Skull Island 2.

[This film has an extra scene at the end of the credits.]

A-

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, March 17, 2024

NOTES:

2018 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, and Michael Meinardus)

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-----------------------------------

------------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 26th to 31st, 2018 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Actress Vanessa Marquez, age 49, was shot to death by a South Pasadena, CA police officer on Thursday, August 30, 2018, during a welfare check, after she pulled a BB gun, which reportedly looked like a real fire arm.  Marquez had appeared on NBC's medical drama, "ER," from 1994 to 1997.  She claimed that she was blacklisted from the show after making accusations of sexual and racial harassment.

----------
MOVIES - From Polygon:  There is a lesbian slasher film, "What Keeps You Alive."

-----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC's "Roseanne" spinoff, "The Conners" starts production. Deadline has a first-look photo.

----------
MOVIES - From PageSix:  Turner Classic Movies has partnered with the African American Film Critics Association to bring “The Black Experience on Film” to the network for the month of September.

----------
MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Damon Herriman will portray Charles Manson for both Quentin Tarantino ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood") and David Fincher (the Netflix series, "Mindhunter").

----------
STREAMING - From Engadget:  The DC Comics streaming service goes live September 15th, 2018 - Batman Day.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Orson Welles' uncompleted final film, "The Other Side of the Wind," has been completed.  It will appear on Netflix in November after debuting at this week's Venice International Film Festival.

----------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  For the first time in decades, Woody Allen is not officially working on a film project.  Allen usually has one filmed released annually, but there are number of complications that have arisen.  Some are related to profitability of his films and others to the #MeToo movement.

----------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's long-planned "Big Trouble in Little China" remake is not actually a remake.  It is a sequel... of sorts...

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Alec Baldwin has signed on to appear in the Todd Phillips/Joaquin Phoenix "Joker" film as Batman's father, Thomas Wayne.

----------
RELIGION - From BuzzFeed:  "We Saw Nuns Kill Children."  This is not a joke!

----------
TELEVISION - From IndieWire:  John Goodman confirms Roseanne's fate in "The Conners," the spinoff of the "Roseanne" show.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Guillermo del Toro sets the cast for "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," which he is co-writing and co-producing.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/24 to 8/26/2018 weekend box office is "Crazy Rich Asians" with an estimated take of $25 million.  The film is a repeat winner, as it won last week's race.

From Variety:  Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp" leads the global box office with $71 million in grossed in 28 markets, via its $68 million dollar debut in China.

----------
JAMES BOND - From TheGuardian:  Speculation and rumor suggest that Yann Demange, director of "'71," will take over as director of Bond 25, in the wake of Danny Boyle's departure from the production.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Jemele Hill Expected to Part Ways With ESPN, via a buyout by September 1st.

OBIT:

From Variety:  The legendary playwright, Neil Simon, has died at the age of 91, Sunday, August 26, 2018.  Called the "King of Comedy Playwrights," Simon won Tony Awards for "The Odd Couple," "Lost in Yonkers," and "Biloxi Blues," all which were adapted into films via screenplays he wrote.  Simon also won the "Pulitzer Prize for Drama" for "Lost in Yonkers."

"Kong: Skull Island" Swings Past $500 Million in Worldwide Box Office

“Kong: Skull Island” Stomps Past Half a Billion at the Worldwide Box Office

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures’ global blockbuster “Kong: Skull Island” has crossed the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office, it was announced today by Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Mary Parent, Vice Chairman, Worldwide Production for Legendary.

The acclaimed action adventure—certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes—opened at the top of the domestic box office on March 10, 2017, and has grossed more than $150 million, and climbing.

Internationally, “Kong: Skull Island” was released day-and-date in 65 markets, including Vietnam, one of the movie’s primary filming locations, where it has become the highest-grossing picture of all time. Hugely successful openings followed in Japan, as well as China. Continuing to demonstrate broad appeal that transcends borders, “Kong: Skull Island” has earned more than $358.7 million in the international marketplace, for a combined worldwide total of approximately $509 million.

In China, where “Kong: Skull Island” is being distributed directly by Wanda-owned Legendary, the film is expected to become one of the top 10 English-language releases of all time.

In making the announcement, Kroll stated, “‘Kong: Skull Island’ has taken audiences and critics on a thrilling ride, resulting in strong word-of-mouth and repeat business. These tremendous results speak not only to the powerful legacy of this mythic icon but also the crowd-pleasing monster movie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, his cast and fellow filmmakers have delivered. We congratulate them and our partners at Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures on reaching this benchmark.”

Added Parent, “‘Kong’ reaching this global milestone is fantastic news for the movie. We’re also thrilled to have another firmly established cornerstone in our goal of creating a Monsterverse that will bring some of the world’s most iconic creatures back to the big screen with a contemporary style that resonates with moviegoers across the globe. The film’s success to date in China also underscores Wanda and Legendary’s commitment to delivering content that will drive moviegoers across the region to the theater.”

From the producers of “Godzilla” comes “Kong: Skull Island,” a compelling, original adventure directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“The Kings of Summer”). The film tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

“Kong: Skull Island” stars Tom Hiddleston (“The Avengers,” “Thor: The Dark World”), Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), John Goodman (“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Argo”), Oscar winner Brie Larson (“Room,” “Trainwreck”), Jing Tian (“Police Story: Lockdown”), Toby Kebbell (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”), John Ortiz (“Steve Jobs”), Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”), Jason Mitchell (“Straight Outta Compton”), Shea Whigham (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Thomas Mann (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”), with Terry Notary (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) and Oscar nominee John C. Reilly (“Chicago,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”).

Vogt-Roberts directed “Kong: Skull Island” from a screenplay by Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly, story by John Gatins. Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, Jon Jashni and Alex Garcia produced the film, with Eric McLeod and Edward Cheng serving as executive producers.

The creative behind-the-scenes team included director of photography Larry Fong (“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), production designer Stefan Dechant (supervising art director “True Grit,” “Avatar”), Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93,” “The Bourne Supremacy”) costume designer Mary Vogt (the “Men in Black” films) and composer Henry Jackman (“Captain America: Civil War”). The team also included Oscar-winning makeup supervisor Bill Corso (“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and supervising stunt coordinator George Cottle (“Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight Rises”). Kong was brought to life by Industrial Light & Magic, with two-time Oscar winner Stephen Rosenbaum (“Avatar,” “Forrest Gump”) serving as senior visual effects supervisor, and Oscar-nominee Jeff White (“The Avengers”) as visual effects supervisor.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures present a Legendary Pictures Production, a Jordan Vogt-Roberts Film, “Kong: Skull Island.” The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language.

kongskullislandmovie.com

-----------------------

"Kong: Skull Island" Soundtrack Thunders into Stores March 3rd

Kong: Skull Island Soundtrack Available March 3, 2017

Features Music from Composer Henry Jackman

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music today announced the March 3, 2017 release of the soundtrack to Kong: Skull Island – the Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures film that reimagines the origins of one of the most powerful monster myths of all time. Directed by Jordan Vogt Roberts, the film will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theatres, and IMAX beginning Friday, March 10, 2017.

Composer Henry Jackman (X-Men: First Class; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Captain America: Civil War; the Kick-Ass films) created the film’s lush symphonic score. His music highlights Kong’s emotional connection with some of the characters by giving specific moments in the score what he says is “a bit of humanity and sensitivity. The great thing about a monster movie is that it opens the door to use the symphony orchestra in its most sumptuous way.” Jackman continues, “(Director) Jordan Vogt-Roberts was happy to celebrate the gravity and history that comes with a full orchestra, but we also explored less traditional elements. That’s a field day for a composer.”

In a nod to the film’s ‘70s period setting, Jackman infused the score with the bold, classic tones of the decade’s psychedelic guitars.

The music, which serves to both heighten the film’s emotion and underscore the action, was one of the final creative elements to fall into place during post-production. It was the culmination of a massive undertaking that had taken the production to three continents. Throughout the process, everyone involved in the film was intent on being respectful of Kong’s history, even while crafting a next-generation iteration of the mythic beast.

Listen to "The Island" from the Kong: Skull Island soundtrack. The album is now available for preorder on iTunes and on CD.


ABOUT KONG: SKULL ISLAND:
Kong: Skull Island tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston (“The Avengers,” “Thor: The Dark World”), Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), John Goodman (“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Argo”), Oscar winner Brie Larson (“Room,” “Trainwreck”), Jing Tian (“Police Story: Lockdown”), Toby Kebbell (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”), John Ortiz (“Steve Jobs”), Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”), Jason Mitchell (“Straight Outta Compton”), Shea Whigham (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Thomas Mann (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”), with Terry Notary (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) and Oscar nominee John C. Reilly (“Chicago,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”).

Vogt-Roberts directed the film from a screenplay by Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly, story by John Gatins. Kong: Skull Island is produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, Jon Jashni and Alex Garcia, with Eric McLeod and Edward Cheng serving as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures present a Legendary Pictures Production, a Jordan Vogt-Roberts Film, Kong: Skull Island. The film will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theatres, and IMAX and is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language.

kongskullislandmovie.com

ABOUT LEGENDARY
Legendary is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world's most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $13 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com

------------------------

Utah Film Critics Association Names "La La Land" Best Picture of 2016

The Utah Film Critics Association is an organization of cinema journalists affiliated with publications, broadcasting stations, and online media based in the state of Utah. The group meets every December to votr on the Utah Film Critics Association Awards.

2016 Utah Film Critics Association Awards – winners and runner-ups:

Best Picture: La La Land

Runner-up: Moonlight

Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Runner-up: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Runner-up: Joel Edgerton, Loving

Best Actress: Emma Stone, La La Land

Runner-up: Ruth Negga, Loving

Supporting Actor: (TIE) Mahershala Ali, Moonlight; John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lan

Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences

Runners-up: Naomie Harris, Moonlight and Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney, Moonlight

Runner -up: Eric Heisserer, Arrival

Original Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water

Runner-up: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Non-English Language Film: The Handmaiden

Runners-up: Elle and Toni Erdmann (tie)

Animated Feature: Kubo and the Two Strings

Runners-up: Moana and Zootopia (tie)

Documentary Feature: Cameraperson

Runner -up: Weiner

Original Score: La La Land

Runner -up: Arrival

Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, La La Land

Runner -up: Bradford Young, Arrival

------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 1st to 10th, 2016 - Update #37

Support Leroy on Patreon.

POLITICS - From RSN:   Oliver Stone speaks on the passing of Fidel Castro.

----------
MOVIES - From CNN:  Legendary actor Kirk Douglas is 100 years old today, Friday, December 9, 2016.  CNN offers a life in pictures.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  The eighth entry in "The Fast and the Furious" franchise has a title, "The Fate of the Furious."  Trailer due soon.

----------
ECO - From EcoWatch:  Leonardo DiCaprio and Terry Tamminen (the CEO of Leo's foundation) meet Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka about green jobs.

----------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  John Glenn, former NASA astronaut and U.S. Senator, has died at the age of 95, Thursday, December 8, 2016.  In 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, and he is the last of the "Mercury 7" astronauts.

From YahooMusic:  Musician and guitarist, Greg Lake, has died at the age of 69, Wednesday, December 7, 2016.  Lake was a pioneer of the ambitious rock genre known as prog-rock (progressive rock).  He co-founded the band, King Crimson and and later Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (or ELP) with Carl Palmer and the late Keith Emerson.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Poland's Supreme Court rejects bid to extradite Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski to the United States to face "justice" for having sex with a 13-year-old girl... in the 1970s.  So now Polanski can live and work freely in Poland.

----------
BOOKS - From Mashable:   George R.R. Martin says that "The Winds of Winter," the next installment of his book series, "A Song of Fire and Ice" (the inspiration for the TV series, "Game of Thrones") will not be a happy book.

----------
GRAMMYS - From YahooMusic:  A list of 2016/17 Grammy snubs, according to Yahoo Music.

From YahooMusic:   Kip Winger (yes, that Winger) has scored a Grammy nomination in a classical category.

From YahooMusic:  Five musical acts got their first Grammy nominations this year.  I was surprised that Blink-182 (which surprises me quite a bit) and Demi Lovato, who is really coming on strong as a singer.

From YahooMusic:  Beyonce, the queen of all Grammy genres.

----------
OSCARS - From Deadline:  Jimmy Kimmel will hosts 89th Academy Awards.

----------
ECO - From NPR:  Standing Rock / #NoDAPL win major victory as the Army Corps of Engineers looks for an alternate path for the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Bernardo Bertolucci trying to clear up the "rape" backlash regarding his controversial and (in)famous 1972 film, "Last Tango in Paris."

----------
OBITS - From Variety:  The actor Van Williams has died at the age of 82, Monday, November 28, 2016.  Van was best known as the star of the 1966 TV series, "The Green Hornet," in which he played the titular role and the alter ego, Britt Reid.

From YahooMovies:  The actress Margaret Whitton has died at the age of 67, Sunday, December 4, 2016.  She was best known for her role in the 1989 film, "Major League," in which she played the Las Vegas showgirl turned owner of the Cleveland Indians.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Universal debuts first full trailer for its reboot of "The Mummy" starring Tom Cruise.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/2 to 12/4/2016 weekend box office is Disney's "Moana" with an estimated take of $28.37 million.

From Deadline:  "Doctor Strange" ($419.6) has surpassed the international box office earned by "Deadpool" ($419.5) and "Iron Man 2" ($311.5).  "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Moana" lead the international box office.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Netflix renews Marvel "Luke Cage" for a second season.

----------
OBIT - From THR:  The film and TV character actress, Alice Drummond, has died at the age of 88, Wednesday, November 30, 2016.  I remember her as a frightened library in the original "Ghostbusters."

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  So it was actually rape in "Last Tango."

----------
BOOKS - From YahooNews:  "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" still being challenged in public schools.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  Warner Bros.' future flop, "Aquaman," is due October 2018.

----------
POLITICS - From YahooCelebrity:  Seth McFarlane on why Hollywood does not like Trump.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Johnny Depp and Sam Raimi are among a group of Hollywood filmmakers and actors who help a 16-year-old cancer patient finish his short film.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar hopeful Mahershala Ali ("Moonlight") hits The Hollywood Reporter's Oscar roundtable.

----------
OBITS - From Variety:  The actor Andrew Sachs has died at the age of 86, Wednesday, November 23, 2016.  Sachs was best known for playing the Spanish waiter, Manuel, on the classic British sitcom, "Fawlty Towers."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  John Goodman to star in Rupert Wyatt's sci-fi "Captive State."

TRAILERS:

From YahooMovies:  This is the first official trailer for next summer's "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

From YouTube:  Official trailer for "War of the Planet of the Apes," which is due July 14, 2017.

From YouTube:  It's opens today, so here is a new trailer for "Office Christmas Party."

From YouTube:  This is the new teaser trailer for "Baywatch."  To me, it is too long and detailed to be a teaser trailer, although it offers a lot of teasing...

From YouTube:  The oh-so-serious teaser trailer for "Transformers: The Last Knight."

From YouTube:  The first trailer for Martin Scorsese's "Silence."

From YouTube:  The second trailer for Denzel's Washington's "Fences."

From YouTube:  First teaser trailer for "The Mummy" reboot with Tom Cruise.

Warner Bros. Bringing its Biggest Pictures to 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International

Warner Bros. Pictures Brings Heroes, Magic and Myth to This Year’s Comic-Con International: San Diego

The Studio will highlight its upcoming slate of features, including “Wonder Woman,” “Suicide Squad,” “The LEGO® Batman Movie,” “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” “Kong: Skull Island” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Fans attending Q&As in Hall H and activations on the convention hall floor will see such stars as Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Will Arnett, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman and more, with special guest Conan O’Brien hosting the Warner Bros. panel presentation.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures will once again commandeer the convention when the Studio’s biggest stars, DC’s best Super Heroes and “worst” Super-Villains, fantastic beasts great and small and more head to this year’s Comic-Con International: San Diego.

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, beginning at 11:30 a.m., Warner Bros. will showcase several of its most-anticipated upcoming feature releases in its Hall H presentation, headed up by master of ceremonies Conan O’Brien:

•     “Wonder Woman” stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Connie Nielsen and director Patty Jenkins.
•     “Suicide Squad” stars Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Adam Beach and Karen Fukuhara, along with writer/director David Ayer.
•     Director Chris McKay and star Will Arnett from “The LEGO Batman Movie.”
•     Charlie Hunnam, who plays the title role in Guy Ritchie’s epic actioner “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures.
•     Stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell and director Jordan Vogt-Roberts of Warner Bros.’ and Legendary Pictures’ “Kong: Skull Island.”
•     Director David Yates with stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller and Colin Farrell from “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Also on Saturday, convention floor activities include:

•     In the Warner Bros. Booth: a “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Wand Station and talent signing; “The LEGO Batman Movie” Selfie Booth; and an autograph signing with “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” star Charlie Hunnam.
•     In the DC Booth: “Suicide Squad” and “Wonder Woman” talent signings and costume displays; lifesized LEGO Batman character.
•     In the LEGO® Booth: “The LEGO Batman Movie” talent signings and Selfie Booth; “building zone” activation for fans to help LEGO Master Builders build life-sized LEGO Batman, Batgirl and Joker from “The LEGO Batman Movie.”

Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, stated, “Comic-Con is one of our favorite annual events and we’re thrilled to have an extraordinary lineup of films to highlight this year. It’s always exciting for us to give these fans a taste of what we’re bringing to theaters in such a direct way, connecting them with the talented actors and filmmakers who work so hard to make everyone’s movie-going experience a memorable one.”


About “Wonder Woman”
“Wonder Woman” hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

Joining Gadot in the international cast are Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner and Saïd Taghmaoui. Jenkins directs the film from a screenplay by Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns, story by Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg, based on characters from DC Entertainment. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston. The film is produced by Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder and Richard Suckle, with Rebecca Roven, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with RatPac-Dune Entertainment, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, “Wonder Woman.” The film is scheduled for release on June 2, 2017, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.wonderwomanfilm.com

About “Suicide Squad”
From director David Ayer comes “Suicide Squad,” starring Oscar nominee Will Smith, Oscar winner Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Oscar nominee Viola Davis. It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super-Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?

Written and directed by Ayer based on the characters from DC, the film also stars Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Adam Beach, and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It is produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment production, a film by David Ayer, “Suicide Squad.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film opens worldwide in 3D, and in 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters August 5, 2016. “Suicide Squad” is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language. www.suicidesquad.com

About “The LEGO Batman Movie”
In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

Will Arnett reprises his starring role from “The LEGO Movie” as the voice of LEGO Batman, aka Bruce Wayne. Zach Galifianakis stars as The Joker; Michael Cera as the orphan Dick Grayson; Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon; and Ralph Fiennes as Alfred. “The LEGO® Batman Movie” is directed by Chris McKay and produced by Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. It is written by Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, with additional screenplay material by Jared Stern & John Whittington, based on LEGO Construction Toys, in association with LEGO System AS. Chris McKay also serves as an executive producer, alongside Ryan Harris. A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, “The LEGO Batman Movie” will open in theaters on February 10, 2017. It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.LegoBatman.com

About “Kong: Skull Island”
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Kong: Skull Island” reimagines the origin of the mythic Kong in a compelling, original adventure from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. In the film, a diverse team of explorers is brought together to venture deep into an uncharted island in the Pacific—as beautiful as it is treacherous—unaware that they’re crossing into the domain of the mythic Kong.

“Kong: Skull Island” stars Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Oscar winner Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly. The international ensemble cast also includes Tian Jing, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Thomas Mann, Shea Whigham, Toby Kebbell and Eugene Cordero. Vogt-Roberts directs the film from a screenplay by Max Borenstein, John Gatins, Dan Gilroy and Derek Connolly. “Kong: Skull Island” is produced by Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni with Mary Parent. The executive producers are Eric McLeod and Alex Garcia. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, “Kong: Skull Island.” The film will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theatres, and IMAX March 10, 2017, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

About “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”
Acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie brings his dynamic style to an original King Arthur epic, a sweeping fantasy action adventure starring Charlie Hunnam. Starring with Hunnam are Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen, Oscar nominee Jude Law, and Eric Bana. Ritchie directs the film from a screenplay by Joby Harold and Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, story by Joby Harold. The film is produced by Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman, Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Lionel Wigram, Guy Ritchie and Steve Clark-Hall. David Dobkin and Bruce Berman are executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Weed Road/Safehouse Pictures Production, a Ritchie/Wigram Production. Slated for release on March 24, 2017, the film will be distributed in North America by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. www.kingarthurmovie.com

About “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is an all-new adventure returning us to the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters. The film opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

Starring with Redmayne are Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton, Oscar winner Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Carmen Ejogo, Jenn Murray, Faith Wood-Blagrove and Colin Farrell. The film marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose beloved Harry Potter books were adapted into the top-grossing film franchise of all time. Her script was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, written by her character Newt Scamander. The film reunites a number of people from the “Harry Potter” features, including producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Warner Bros. Pictures has slated “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” for worldwide release in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX on November 18, 2016. www.fantasticbeasts.com

--------------------

Review: Denzel Washington Takes "Flight"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 26 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux - Support Leroy on Patreon.

Flight (2012)
Running time:  138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence
DIRECTOR:  Robert Zemeckis
WRITER:  John Gatins
PRODUCERS:  Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, and Robert Zemeckis
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Don Burgess (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jeremiah O'Driscoll
COMPOSER:  Alan Silvestri
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, Tamara Tunie, John Goodman, Nadine Velazquez, Garcelle Beauvais, Justine Martin, Melissa Leo, and Brian Geraghty

The subject of this movie review is Flight, a 2012 drama from director Robert Zemeckis.
The film focuses on an airline pilot who saves almost all his passengers on his malfunctioning airliner, which eventually crashes, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling.

In the film, SouthJet Flight 227 is heading to Atlanta from Orlando, when something goes terribly wrong.  Veteran airline Captain William “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) manages to keep the crash from being a complete and total disaster.  Suddenly, Whip is a hero, but questions begin to arise when he avoids the spotlight.  Meanwhile, the investigation by the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) into the Flight 227 accident reveals something troubling.

Flight has an Oscar-winning director in Robert Zemeckis (for Forrest Gump).  However, Flight's Oscar-nominated screenplay by John Gatins is a blistering character study of a man whose talents (as a highly skilled airplane pilot) fully come to light at the same time as the most troubling aspect of his personality (his alcoholism) begin to come to light.  As a character study, the film script provides Denzel Washington with the opportunity to give one of his best performances of the last decade.

Zemeckis guides all the actors through this thoughtful and provocative character study, but Washington is the primary focus.   Whip Whitaker is a meaty role, and the film takes him on a harrowing personal journey.  Washington does not shy away from being intimate with the stage, camera, and audience as he pulls all the mess and addiction out of the tortured Whip for the audience to see.  It is good to see an African-American actor get the chance to be so vulnerable and revealing to movie audiences.  Washington deserved the Oscar nomination he received for his performance here.

Flight is an excellent return to live-action film for Zemeckis.  He is flawless in the way he captures Washington's grand performance and Whip Whitaker's journey towards redemption and maybe, salvation.  Flight should be a blueprint for high-quality film drama.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, April 25, 2015


NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Denzel Washington) and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (John Gatins)

2013 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Denzel Washington)

2013 Black Reel Awards:  1 win: “Best Actor” (Denzel Washington); 3 nominations: “Best Film” (Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, and Robert Zemeckis – Paramount Pictures), “Best Supporting Actress” (Tamara Tunie), and “Best Ensemble” (Victoria Burrows-Casting Director)

2013 Image Awards:  1 win: “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Denzel Washington); 3 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Don Cheadle), “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture-Theatrical or Television” (John Gatin)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

D23 Expo 2015 to Offer Sneak of Upcoming Films from Walt Disney Companies

Go behind the Scenes with Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at D23 Expo 2015

Fan-Favorite Events, Including the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, Take Center Stage in New 7,500-Seat “Hall D23” Venue at the Anaheim Convention Center

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--D23: The Official Disney Fan Club announces the lineup of the most highly anticipated presentations at D23 EXPO 2015, August 14–16,2015. The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, will kick off the Expo on Friday, August 14. Later that same day, The Walt Disney Studios will give fans a sneak peek at all the latest movies from Disney Animation and Pixar. On Saturday morning, The Walt Disney Studios will preview the coming slate of live-action films from Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Then on Saturday afternoon, fans will get a preview of what’s in store at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts during a presentation hosted by Parks Chairman Bob Chapek.

To showcase these Expo favorites, Disney is creating “Hall D23,” a new 7,500-seat venue located in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center, so that more guests than ever can see the presentations live and in person.

The Schedule of Hall D23 Events and Presentations includes the following (times and additional announcements forthcoming; all events subject to change):

The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony will take place Friday, August 14. The ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, will once again honor those who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy. The creativity and innovation of these visionaries and artists have earned them a place among such names as Dame Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Annette Funicello, Sir Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Walters, and Robin Williams. At the D23 EXPO in 2013, Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell, Dick Clark, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Glen Keane, and Ed Wynn were inducted.

In two separate Hall D23 sessions, The Walt Disney Studios will unveil an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at its upcoming film slate. At Friday’s session, fans will go in-depth with the talented filmmakers at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios to get a sneak peek at films such as Zootopia and Finding Dory. On Saturday, live-action titles such as Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book and films from Marvel and Lucasfilm, along with some very special guests, take center stage.

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 15, join Bob Chapek, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, for a behind-the-scenes peek at the magical experiences and entertainment coming to Disney’s parks and resorts around the world.

Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Until June 30, 2015, tickets are $67 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $58 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $188 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.


About D23 EXPO 2015
D23 EXPO—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 EXPO 2015 news, visit D23EXPO.com. To join the D23 EXPO conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 on Twitter and use #D23Expo.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold and General Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

----------------

It's Back to School in New "Monsters University" Cartoon Short, "Party Central"

Join a monster of a party with the Disney Movies Anywhere premiere of PARTY CENTRAL.  The Disney•Pixar short is now available to view for free for the first time, and reunites everyone’s favorite monsters, Mike and Sulley, for another hilarious adventure.  Download the Disney Movies Anywhere app for iPhone or iPad to watch Party Central now, for a limited time!

Featuring Billy Crystal as Mike, John Goodman as Sulley and directed by Pixar's Kelsey Mann, Party Central features Mike and Sulley's return to Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen.

Go to Disney Movies Anywhere to find out more about collecting, watching, and taking your favorite Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies anywhere you go! Visit www.disneymoviesanywhere.com or download the app at http://di.sn/hvV

Check out a clip from PARTY CENTRAL at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/v/IfJI_quMCpY?hl

-----------------

Review: "Barton Fink" is Something ... Else (Happy B'day, John Turturro)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 72 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Barton Fink (1991)
Running time:  116 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
MPAA – R for language and some scenes of violence
DIRECTOR:  Joel Coen
WRITERS:  Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
PRODUCER:  Ethan Coen
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Roger Deakins (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Roderick Jaynes (The Coen Brothers)
COMPOSER:  Carter Burwell
Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring:  John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, John Mahoney, Tony Shalhoub, Jon Polito, and Steve Buscemi

The subject of this movie review is Barton Fink, a 1991 period drama co-written and directed by Joel Coen and co-written and produced by Ethan Coen, although both brothers likely shared in producing and directing the film.  Barton Fink focuses on a renowned New York playwright who is enticed to Hollywood to write film scripts for a film studio only to discover hellish truths about his new job and home.

In 1991, The Coen Brothers, co-writer/director Joel and co-writer/producer Ethan, took the Cannes Film Festival by storm with their film Barton Fink, winning the Golden Palm as Best Picture and the award for Best Direction (an award that Joel has since won twice more).  John Turturro also won the Best Actor award for his role as the title character.  As much as I like the Coens' work, this is by far my least favorite film of theirs.

In 1941, intellectual New York playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) moves to California to write a B-movie script for a major studio.  His new boss, Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner) wants that Barton Fink touch for a new Wallace Beery wrestling movie.  Fink takes up residence in the Hotel Earle, a rundown establishment with a sheen of faux-grandeur.  He eventually meets his neighbor, the blustery, strange, and mysterious Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), who claims to be a traveling insurance salesman.  Although he meets many interesting characters, Fink is busy fighting writer’s block, and his new home becomes a hell for him as his deadline to deliver a script looms.

The first warning to a viewer before he sees Barton Fink is that the film is surrealistic, a situation in which the story contains lots of symbolism.  This is not standard, linear filmmaking, so the viewer has to closely watch the film for visual hints and listen to the soundtrack for audio clues to understand the story in lieu of having literal, obvious story details.  Don’t read this sentence as it may spoil the surprise of unraveling this film’s mysteries:  Hotel Earle is hell, the hell in which Barton suffers writer’s block, and Charlie Meadows is not only a killer, but he may well be “the devil.”  If you try to take this film literally, you will find it atrocious and boring.  Creative people, especially writers, will certainly understand, through Barton, the intense frustration that writer’s block can cause a scribe.

Still, for all its pretensions to art and its portrayal of the intellectual’s strong need to produce “something good,” Barton Fink is a misstep.  I will give a hearty nod to the Coens' ambitious intentions.  The acting is very good.  It’s less technical and more show.  It’s flamboyant and colorful and immediately describes the characters to the audience, none of this serious method stuff, just old-fashioned, grand pretending that fills the screen.  I really liked the film’s element of suspense and mystery.  The hotel is automatically creepy, but it’s nothing compared to the unusual landscape of the relationship between the characters.  One thing that certainly kept my interest was trying to figure out what these people had going on amongst themselves.  I could understand when two people were connected, but the joy was figuring out why they had a relationship.

Overall, the film is slow and occasionally plodding, especially in between moments of drama and intrigue, but the brothers have a way of waking you up just when you think that their film is loosing steam.  I recommend this to fans of the Coens’ films and to people who like that different kind of film that is called “art,” the ones that are about something other than just entertaining you.

No sirree, Bob.  The Coens might entertain you, but never at the cost of giving you cheap candy, not when they can use their talents to make a complicated confection, even if the end result doesn’t quite taste right.

5 of 10
B-

NOTES:
1992 Academy Awards, USA:  3 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Lerner), “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Dennis Gassner and Nancy Haigh), and “Best Costume Design” (Richard Hornung)

1992 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (John Goodman)

1991 Cannes Film Festival:  3 wins: “Best Actor” (John Turturro), “Best Director” (Joel Coen), and “Palme d'Or” (Joel Coen-won unanimously)

Updated:  Friday, February 28, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

----------------------

"12 Years a Slave" Captures Las Vegas Film Critics Society

by Amos Semien

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) awarded director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave as the "Best Picture" of 2013.  McQueen also earned the "Best Director" prize.  John Goodman received the William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award.

The LVFCS is a non-profit organization that describes itself as “progressive” and “dedicated to the advancement and preservation of film.”  The LVFCS membership is comprised of “select” print, television and internet film critics in the Las Vegas area. The LVFCS presents its "Sierra" awards each year for the best in film, including The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named for the late Academy Award winning actor.

2013 Sierra Award winners:

Best Picture
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Actor
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Actress
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Supporting Actress
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Director
Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Screenplay
Spike Jonze, “Her”

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, “Gravity”

Best Film Editing
Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger, “Gravity”

Best Costume Design
Patricia Norris, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Art Direction
Andy Nicholson, “Gravity”

Best Visual Effects
“Gravity”

Best Foreign Film
“Blue is the Warmest Color”

Best Documentary
“Blackfish”

Best Animated Film
“Frozen”

Best Family Film
“Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film
“Pacific Rim”

Best Comedy Film
“This is the End”

Best Action Film
“Lone Survivor”

Best Score
Hans Zimmer, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Song
“Please Mr. Kennedy,” – “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Youth in Film
Tye Sheridan, “Mud”

Best DVD (Packaging, Design and Content):
“Breaking Bad – The Complete Series” (Blu-Ray)

LVFCS Top 10 Films of 2013
1.     12 Years a Slave
2.     Dallas Buyers Club
3.     Gravity
4.     The Wolf of Wall Street
5.     American Hustle
6.     Inside Llewyn Davis
7.     Saving Mr. Banks
8.     Nebraska
9.     Her
10.   Lone Survivor


William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award:  John Goodman

http://www.lvfcs.org/lvfcs/Home.html

END

Review: "Monsters University" a Satisfying Second Helping

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 79 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Monsters University (2013)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTORS:  Dan Scanlon
WRITERS:  Robert Baird, Daniel Gerson, and Dan Scanlon; from a story by Robert Baird, Daniel Gerson, and Dan Scanlon
PRODUCER:  Kori Rae
EDITORS:  Greg Snyder
COMPOSER:  Randy Newman

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring:  (voices) Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Charlie Day, Alfred Molina, Tyler Labine, Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza, Julia Sweeney, Bonnie Hunt, and John Ratzenberger

Monsters University is a 2013 computer-animated comedy and fantasy film from Pixar Animation Studios.  Theatrically presented in 3D, Monsters University is Pixar’s fourteenth full-length feature film, and it is also the first prequel to one of the studio’s films.  Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, it is a prequel to the 2001 animated film, Monsters, Inc.

Monsters University focuses on the stars of the original film, Mike and Sulley.  The movie looks at the early days of their relationship during their time in college, telling the story of how they went from rivals to friends.  Although it is not quite as good as the original, Monsters University is a warm and fuzzy and sweet and sentimental film that offers a return of one of the great comedy duos of animated films, Mike (ostensibly this movie’s lead character) and Sulley.

Monsters University introduces Michael “Mike” Wazowski (Billy Crystal), a young monster who dreams of being a “scarer,” a monster who enters the human world at night to scare children.  He enrolls at Monsters University, believing that is the best place to learn to be a great scarer.  Mike meets a large, blue furry monster named James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman), a privileged student from a family of renowned scarers.  The two immediately dislike each other.

Sulley joins the school’s premiere fraternity, Roar Omega Roar (ROR).  Mike has to settle for Oozma Kappa (OK), a fraternity of geeks and outcasts.  An incident between Mike and Sulley puts the two on the fast track to trouble.  Mike decides that the Scare Games, a competition between Monsters University’s select fraternities and sororities, can save his and Sulley’s college careers.  First, the two rivals will have to learn to trust each other and their new Oozma Kappa friends.

Pixar is known for animated films that offer superb character drama, but Monsters University is simply a comedy with endearing characters.  I call Monsters University Pixar’s DreamWorks Animation movie.  Like many DreamWorks animated features, Monsters University is a broad comedy with several clever set pieces and sequences in which the heroes must deal with seemingly impossible-to-overcome obstacles.  Also like DreamWorks animation, Monsters University lacks the emotional resonance of Pixar’s best films, although this movie’s director and writers try.  Similar to Pixar’s Brave, Monsters University also has a weak first half-hour.

The two best things about Monsters University are the delightful supporting characters that are members of Oozma Kappa and the Scare Games.  I found those supporting players to be endearing, and the film gives just enough of them to make you feel that you didn’t get enough.  The Scare Games are exciting and have a great ending, which a subsequent plot twist kinda ruins.

When Monsters Inc. first appeared in 2001, it was novel, maybe even groundbreaking in a way.  All Monsters University can be is a welcome return of old friends, and that’s good enough.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Amazon Studios Adds New Cast Members to "Alpha House"

Amazon Studios Casts Cynthia Nixon, Amy Sedaris, Wanda Sykes and Julie White in Alpha House

Critically-acclaimed actresses to guest star in one of Amazon’s first original series

Customer favorite Alpha House to debut exclusively on Prime Instant Video this fall

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, today announced that Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy), Wanda Sykes (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Julie White (Go On) will appear in the Amazon Original Series Alpha House, written by Doonesbury creator, Garry Trudeau. Alpha House, currently filming in New York, will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year. This all-star female cast joins Alpha House alums John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, and Mark Consuelos.

“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show”
Alpha House follows four Republican senators-turned-housemates, Gil John Biggs (John Goodman), Robert Bettencourt (Clark Johnson), Louis Laffer (Matt Malloy) and, Andy Guzman (Mark Consuelos) through re-election battles, looming indictments, parties and housemate drama. Nixon will play Senator Carly Armiston, the formidable, confident, Democratic senator from New York. She is joined by Sedaris, who will play Louise Laffer, the sweet, concerned wife of Senator Louis Laffer. Sykes will play Senator Rosalyn DuPeche, a strong-willed, funny Democrat who just happens to be a neighbor of the male senators, while White will play the tough, determined, yet charming southern wife to Goodman’s character Gil John Biggs.

“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show,” said Alpha House creator Garry Trudeau, who worked with Nixon on his celebrated show, Tanner '88 and has long admired the work of Sykes, Sedaris and White.

Following a positive response from Amazon customers, Alpha House was one of five pilots selected from Amazon Studios’ first set of 14 pilots, which debuted in April. Of the 14 pilots, Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumble Leaf were chosen, with the help of customer feedback, to become full series. The shows will stream on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014.

About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series — one that's open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and will then be notified within 45 days if that script is optioned. Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions and those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community. Recently, Amazon Studios announced six new kids pilots including Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Grid Smasher, Hard-Boiled Eggheads, The Jo B. & G. Raff Show, The Maker Shack Agency and Wishenpoof! The pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video in early next year for all customers to watch and provide feedback. Since launch, more than 18,000 movie scripts and 4,000 series projects have been submitted to Amazon Studios.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine -- and it is available in two display sizes -- 7” and 8.9”. The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless. The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es, www.amazon.com.br and amazon.in. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements 
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

"Monsters Inc." Stars Among 2013 Disney Legends Honorees

2013 Disney Legends Award Honorees to Be Celebrated During D23 Expo in Anaheim

Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Dick Clark and Other Talented Contributors To Disney History To Be Honored At A Ceremony On Saturday, August 10

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monsters Inc. and Monsters University stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman, technology visionary Steve Jobs, television icon Dick Clark and other beloved contributors to the Disney legacy will be named and honored as official Disney Legends during the D23 Expo 2013 at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, in the D23 Expo Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The Disney Legends Awards program is a 26-year tradition of The Walt Disney Company. The three-day D23 Expo provides a rare opportunity for the public to be a part of the always touching and memorable presentation, hosted by noted television personality Tom Bergeron (host of ABC’s "Dancing with the Stars" and "America’s Funniest Home Videos").

“The Disney Legend Award is our highest and most coveted honor,” said Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. “It’s reserved for the extraordinary visionaries and artists behind the Disney magic, the men and women who push the limits of innovation and creativity to ensure Disney remains truly special. The eight Legends we honor this year helped create some of our most beloved characters along with exciting new worlds and thrilling attractions. They also entertained millions of people and expanded our definition of what’s possible. They are all indelible parts of our legacy, and we are proud to recognize them as true Disney Legends.”

The 2013 Disney Legends Award honorees (listed alphabetically) are: 

TONY BAXTER has developed beloved Disney attractions including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Journey Into Imagination, Splash Mountain, and countless more over the course of his 43-year career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Revered by Disney fans, he is best known for his commitment to storytelling, attention to detail, and ability to develop new ideas and attractions by combining time-tested design practices with modern technology.

COLLIN CAMPBELL touched almost every part of the Walt Disney Company, from animated classics to legendary theme park attractions, with stints in live action film and television. Collin’s work with Walt Disney Imagineering includes the development of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as concept illustrations of Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot Center.

DICK CLARK brought rock and roll to 40 million homes across the country with the national debut of American Bandstand on ABC in 1958. He went on to produce game shows, award shows including the Golden Globes® and the Academy of Country Music Awards, comedy specials, movies, and other popular television specials. Dick might best be remembered, however, as the host of ABC’s annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from 1973 until 2011.

BILLY CRYSTAL is an acclaimed actor who lends his voice to Mike Wazowski, the frenetic, green cyclopean monster from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Best known for his memorable roles in When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, and City Slickers, Billy, who has won six Emmy Awards and one Tony Award, has also been a fixture on ABC television, where he hosted the Academy Awards® broadcast nine times and found his breakthrough role as Jodie Dallas on Soap from 1977-81.

JOHN GOODMAN is a celebrated actor of stage and screen, and the voice behind James P. Sullivan, better known as “Sully,” from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Among John’s notable film appearances are The Big Lebowski, The Flintstones, and most recently Argo and Flight. John’s appearances in Disney-produced films include the Hollywood Pictures films Arachnophobia and Born Yesterday, as well as Touchstone Pictures’ Stella, Coyote Ugly, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and Confessions of a Shopaholic.

STEVE JOBS changed the world of consumer electronics as the founder of Apple, and was known throughout the world for his visionary attitude and penchant for innovation. He was an early investor and chief executive of Pixar, and became the Walt Disney Company’s largest shareholder overnight when it acquired Pixar Animation Studios in 2006. That same year, he joined the Disney board of directors, and remained a valuable sounding board and advisor to the company until his passing in 2011.

GLEN KEANE has brought to life many of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ most popular characters. Since becoming a Disney animator in 1974, he has animated classic Disney characters such as Penny in The Rescuers, Elliott in Pete’s Dragon, Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and the titular characters in The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Tarzan. In 2010, Glen served as Executive Producer and Animation Supervisor for Tangled, a story he developed for more than ten years.

ED WYNN, a comedian whose career began on Broadway in the early 1900s, appeared in numerous Disney classics of the 1960s, including Mary Poppins, Babes in Toyland, That Darn Cat, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Son of Flubber. Fans of Disney animation know him as the manic and distinctive voice of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

Each honoree receives a two-foot-tall bronze Disney Legends sculpture that signifies the imagination, creativity and magic they have brought to the Company. Disney Legends Award recipients also participate in a handprint ceremony, and their bronzed prints will be displayed in the Disney Legends Plaza at the Company’s Burbank headquarters.

Admission to the ceremony will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is included in the price of a ticket to the D23 Expo. In addition to the 4,000-seat D23 Expo Arena, the ceremony will be simulcast into a 2,000-seat overflow theater inside the Convention Center.

The first Disney Legend, actor Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire), was named in 1987. Including this year’s honorees, a total of 237 Disney Legends have been named. Past Disney Legends include Tim Allen, Robin Williams, Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Regis Philbin, Annette Funicello, Peter Jennings, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Sir Tim Rice, Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Walters. At the inaugural D23 Expo in 2009, the Legends Awards ceremony, which honored Robin Williams, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, Rue McLanahan, Betty White, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, Harry Archinal, Don Iwerks and Leota Toombs Thomas, was presented to thousands of Disney fans for the first time.

Tickets and pricing information for D23 Expo 2013 are available at D23Expo.com Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 Expo and can be purchased for single days or for the full three days of festivities. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on admission, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 Expo for themselves and their guests. More details about D23 Expo entertainment, events, and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can keep up with all the news by visiting D23Expo.com or by following "DisneyD23" on Twitter and Facebook.

About D23 Expo 2013
The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s nearly 90-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website with members-only content at D23.com; member-exclusive discounts and special events for D23 Members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, August 9–11, 2013. Fans can join for free at D23.com.

Fans can join D23 at D23.com and at www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow us @DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Review: "Argo" is Indeed a Best Picture

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 30 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Argo (2012)
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
MPAA – R for language and some violent images
DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck
WRITER: Chris Terrio (based on the book, The Master of Disguise, by Antonio J. Mendez and the article, “Escape from Tehran,” by Joshuah Bearman)
PRODUCERS: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, and Grant Heslov
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: William Goldenberg
COMPOSER: Alexandre Desplat
Academy Award winner

THRILLER/DRAMA/HISTORICAL

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Titus Welliver, Shelia Vand, Richard Kind, Michael Parks, Adrienne Barbeau, and Mark Rhino Smith

Argo is a 2012 thriller and historical drama directed by Ben Affleck, who also plays the lead role and is one of the film’s three producers. Argo is based upon two sources: the book, The Master of Disguise, by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired magazine article, “Escape from Tehran,” by Joshuah Bearman. The film dramatizes a real-life event – the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.

At the 85th Academy Awards (February 24, 2013), Argo won the Oscar for “Best Picture.” It is not my pick for best picture of the year (which I still think is Django Unchained), but it is not far behind. Argo is not only one of the greatest American thriller films ever made, but it is also a joy to watch.

Argo opens on November 4, 1979 at the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran. Militants and protestors storm the embassy and take the occupants hostage in retaliation for President Jimmy Carter giving asylum to the recently ousted Shah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). However, six of the embassy staff escape and find shelter in the home of the Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor (Victor Garber).

The U.S. State Department begins exploring options for exfiltrating the six Americans from Iran. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA “exfil” specialist who uses the name “Kevin Harkins,” concocts a rather unusual idea. He creates a cover story in which a Canadian film production crew is scouting locations for a new science fiction film, and Iran is one of the locations he wishes to scout. With the help of his supervisor, Jack O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston), Mendez recruits John Chambers (John Goodman), an Oscar-winning make-up artist, and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), a film producer.

They pretend to have a film in development; entitled Argo, it is a science fantasy in the style of Star Wars. When Mendez moves to Iran for the most crucial stage of the operation, he discovers that he and his fake movie are always in real danger.

From the very beginning of the film, Argo grabbed me and pulled me to the edge of my seat, and from there, the movie kept me in the grip of fear and trepidation. From start to finish, damn, this is a great movie. Argo is an example of how supremely important the film editor, in this case, William Goldenberg, is to a film; Goldenberg is totally indispensable to success of the Argo. The nerve-wracking thriller that Argo is results from Goldenberg putting together what becomes a transfixing narrative. He certainly deserved and earned his best editing Oscar for Argo.

Of course, by praising Goldenberg, I do not want to take anything away from Ben Affleck as director. Affleck has made a movie that is a terrific thriller, but it is not an action thriller. Affleck uses the suspense weaved into Chris Terrio’s Oscar-winning screenplay and summons his inner Hitchcock, turning in what is one of the best heist movies in recent memory. He does it with such intimacy. Argo isn’t wide open. Affleck squeezes everything into tight and cramped visual spaces, as if it to emphasize that the characters are working hard to avoid the confines of either prison or the grave.

There are some good performances in this film, though nothing really outstanding, except for two. Alan Arkin and John Goodman turn in some of their most distinctive work in supporting roles as the unconventional Lester Siegel and John Chambers, respectively. Ben Affleck is oddly muted and stiff as Tony Mendez/Kevin Harkins. There are a few scenes when that works, but not many. Sometimes, it is as if Mendez isn’t even present in the movie, even when he’s in a scene; maybe that not-really-there act is the way a CIA operative is supposed to be.

Anyway, Argo is fantastic. This is one time when I don’t think that the “Best Picture” Oscar winner is a joke, even if it isn’t my choice. I plan to make Argo a favorite of mine, worthy of repeated viewings.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards, USA: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney), “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published” (Chris Terrio), and “Oscar Best Achievement in Editing” (William Goldenberg); 4 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Alexandre Desplat), “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn), and “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and José Antonio García), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Alan Arkin)

2013 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins: “Best Film” (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney), “Director” (Ben Affleck), “Editing” (William Goldenberg); 4 nominations: “Adapted Screenplay” (Chris Terrio), “Leading Actor” (Ben Affleck), “Original Music” (Alexandre Desplat), and “Supporting Actor” (Alan Arkin)

2013 Golden Globes, USA: 2 wins: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Ben Affleck) and “Best Motion Picture – Drama;” 3 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Alexandre Desplat), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Alan Arkin), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Chris Terrio)

Wednesday, May 01, 2013