The BAFTAs, the British equivalent of the Academy Awards, are today. Anyone who has the BBC on their cable or satellite system can watch the awards broadcast starting at 4 PM EST. Later, BBC America, which most Americans are likely to have on their cable and satellite services, will begin coverage at 8 PM Eastern and Pacific, but by then, I'm pretty sure the awards ceremony will have concluded.
BBC America's blog, Anglophenia, will live blog the event beginning at 2:30 PM EST. Meanwhile, I'll update as often as I can and have a full list of winners by tomorrow.
Thanks, as always, for visiting.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
2001 BAFTA "Best British Film" Winner: BILLY ELLIOT is Amazing
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 137 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
Billy Elliot (2000)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some thematic material
DIRECTOR: Stephen Daldry
WRITER: Lee Hall
PRODUCERS: Greg Brenman and Jonathan Finn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Brian Tufano (D.o.P)
EDITOR: John Wilson
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA
Starring: Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis, Jamie Draven, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Stuart Wells, and Nicola Blackwell
When Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) takes a fancy to ballet dancing over boxing, his newfound love comes at the most inopportune time - his family is slowly disintegrating. His dad Jackie (Gary Lewis) and his brother Tony (Jamie Draven) are striking coalminers. His mother’s passing has made his father a broken man, and his brother is a violent strike agitator. His teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson (Julia Walters who received an Oscar nomination for this supporting role), however, sees something in Billy and encourages him to think about auditioning for a position at the Royal Ballet Academy in London. With her encouragement, Billy strives through his self-doubt and his personal troubles to dance to his heart’s content.
Set in an northern England mining town in 1984, Billy Elliot is an inspirational movie that exceeds beyond the usual expectations even for a movie of its type. You don’t have to go very far into the film before you realize how this movie can make you feel so good while being, for the most part, quite sad. Through the despair and hardships, Billy has to succeed at being himself. A young lad (11), he stands in the face of obstacles and rushes headlong into doing what he wants. He simply uses the bumps in the road as momentum for his next dance step. It is easy to see why audiences took this fine film to heart.
The acting is exquisite from top to bottom with the director making the most of his cast and the actors drawing every last drop of quality storytelling from the script. Every now and again, a child actor has a performance that stands out as so good it matches the performances of the best adult actors, such as Anna Paquin in The Piano and Haley Joel Osmet in The Sixth Sense. Mr. Bell’s performance joins their company because he does something few children can do: to hold the audience’s attention and to carry the film with the craft of acting, rather than with the trick of being cute, precious, and precocious.
As Billy’s suffering father, Jackie, Gary Lewis nearly steals the show. Lewis plays Jackie as a man on shaking ground. He’s lost his wife and his job, and his elder son seems to run the house. When Jackie finally sees his son dance, Jackie has a reason to live, and he’s ready to fight for his son’s ambitions. Lewis totally sells us on the Jackie’s transformation from the beaten man to the loving, supporting dad.
Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Lee Hall, do more than just play to our emotions. Daldry is certainly a director to keep an eye on despite a misstep like his follow up to this film, The Hours. In Billy Elliot, he and Hall have created a film that sends our spirits soaring and inspires us to dream or to, at least, vicariously enjoy the triumph of Billy. It is truly a work of art when you can engage the mind, the heart, and the soul. Billy Elliot will stand out as one of the finest films in recent memory.
9 of 10
A+
NOTES:
2001 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Julie Walters, “Best Director” (Stephen Daldry), and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Lee Hall)
2001 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins “Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film” (Greg Brenman, Jonathan Finn, and Stephen Daldry), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Jamie Bell), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Julie Walters); 9 nominations “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Stephen Warbeck), “Best Cinematography” (Brian Tufano), “Best Editing” (John Wilson), “Best Film” (Greg Brenman and Jonathan Finn), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Gary Lewis), “Best Screenplay – Original” (Lee Hall), “Best Sound” (Mark Holding, Mike Prestwood Smith, Zane Hayward), “Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer” (Stephen Daldry-director and Lee Hall-writer), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Stephen Daldry)
2001 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Julie Walters)
Billy Elliot (2000)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some thematic material
DIRECTOR: Stephen Daldry
WRITER: Lee Hall
PRODUCERS: Greg Brenman and Jonathan Finn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Brian Tufano (D.o.P)
EDITOR: John Wilson
Academy Award nominee
DRAMA
Starring: Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis, Jamie Draven, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Stuart Wells, and Nicola Blackwell
When Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) takes a fancy to ballet dancing over boxing, his newfound love comes at the most inopportune time - his family is slowly disintegrating. His dad Jackie (Gary Lewis) and his brother Tony (Jamie Draven) are striking coalminers. His mother’s passing has made his father a broken man, and his brother is a violent strike agitator. His teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson (Julia Walters who received an Oscar nomination for this supporting role), however, sees something in Billy and encourages him to think about auditioning for a position at the Royal Ballet Academy in London. With her encouragement, Billy strives through his self-doubt and his personal troubles to dance to his heart’s content.
Set in an northern England mining town in 1984, Billy Elliot is an inspirational movie that exceeds beyond the usual expectations even for a movie of its type. You don’t have to go very far into the film before you realize how this movie can make you feel so good while being, for the most part, quite sad. Through the despair and hardships, Billy has to succeed at being himself. A young lad (11), he stands in the face of obstacles and rushes headlong into doing what he wants. He simply uses the bumps in the road as momentum for his next dance step. It is easy to see why audiences took this fine film to heart.
The acting is exquisite from top to bottom with the director making the most of his cast and the actors drawing every last drop of quality storytelling from the script. Every now and again, a child actor has a performance that stands out as so good it matches the performances of the best adult actors, such as Anna Paquin in The Piano and Haley Joel Osmet in The Sixth Sense. Mr. Bell’s performance joins their company because he does something few children can do: to hold the audience’s attention and to carry the film with the craft of acting, rather than with the trick of being cute, precious, and precocious.
As Billy’s suffering father, Jackie, Gary Lewis nearly steals the show. Lewis plays Jackie as a man on shaking ground. He’s lost his wife and his job, and his elder son seems to run the house. When Jackie finally sees his son dance, Jackie has a reason to live, and he’s ready to fight for his son’s ambitions. Lewis totally sells us on the Jackie’s transformation from the beaten man to the loving, supporting dad.
Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Lee Hall, do more than just play to our emotions. Daldry is certainly a director to keep an eye on despite a misstep like his follow up to this film, The Hours. In Billy Elliot, he and Hall have created a film that sends our spirits soaring and inspires us to dream or to, at least, vicariously enjoy the triumph of Billy. It is truly a work of art when you can engage the mind, the heart, and the soul. Billy Elliot will stand out as one of the finest films in recent memory.
9 of 10
A+
NOTES:
2001 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Julie Walters, “Best Director” (Stephen Daldry), and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Lee Hall)
2001 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins “Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film” (Greg Brenman, Jonathan Finn, and Stephen Daldry), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Jamie Bell), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Julie Walters); 9 nominations “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Stephen Warbeck), “Best Cinematography” (Brian Tufano), “Best Editing” (John Wilson), “Best Film” (Greg Brenman and Jonathan Finn), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Gary Lewis), “Best Screenplay – Original” (Lee Hall), “Best Sound” (Mark Holding, Mike Prestwood Smith, Zane Hayward), “Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer” (Stephen Daldry-director and Lee Hall-writer), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Stephen Daldry)
2001 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Julie Walters)
-------------------------------
Saturday, February 12, 2011
London Film Critics Join "The Social Network"
If I understand correctly, the London Film Critics’ Circle is part of a larger organization, The Critics’ Circle, which makes an annual award for Services to the Arts. This circle is comprised of the five sections: dance, drama, film, music, and visual arts.
On its website, The Circle says that its aims are “to promote the art of criticism, to uphold its integrity in practice, to foster and safeguard members’ professional interests, to provide opportunities to meet, and to support the advancement of the arts.” Currently there are 430 members of the Circle, mostly from the UK, and the majority of them write regularly for national and regional newspapers and magazines. Membership is by invitation.
Thursday night, the film critics announced their 2010 film award winners.
Winners list of 31st London Critics’ Circle Film Awards:
* FILM OF THE YEAR: ‘The Social Network’
* DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: David Fincher – ‘The Social Network’
* SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR: Aaron Sorkin – ‘The Social Network’
* ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Colin Firth – ‘The King’s Speech’
* ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Annette Bening – ‘The Kids Are All Right’
* THE ATTENBOROUGH AWARD: BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR: ‘The King’s Speech’
* BRITISH DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: Tom Hooper – ‘The King’s Speech’
* BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
* BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Lesley Manville – ‘Another Year’
* BRITISH ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Andrew Garfield – ‘The Social Network’
* BRITISH ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Olivia Williams – ‘The Ghost’
* YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Conor McCarron – ‘NEDs’
* BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER: Gareth Edwards – ‘Monsters’
* DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM: Kristin Scott Thomas
* FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR: 'Of Gods and Men'
On its website, The Circle says that its aims are “to promote the art of criticism, to uphold its integrity in practice, to foster and safeguard members’ professional interests, to provide opportunities to meet, and to support the advancement of the arts.” Currently there are 430 members of the Circle, mostly from the UK, and the majority of them write regularly for national and regional newspapers and magazines. Membership is by invitation.
Thursday night, the film critics announced their 2010 film award winners.
Winners list of 31st London Critics’ Circle Film Awards:
* FILM OF THE YEAR: ‘The Social Network’
* DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: David Fincher – ‘The Social Network’
* SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR: Aaron Sorkin – ‘The Social Network’
* ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Colin Firth – ‘The King’s Speech’
* ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Annette Bening – ‘The Kids Are All Right’
* THE ATTENBOROUGH AWARD: BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR: ‘The King’s Speech’
* BRITISH DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: Tom Hooper – ‘The King’s Speech’
* BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
* BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Lesley Manville – ‘Another Year’
* BRITISH ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Andrew Garfield – ‘The Social Network’
* BRITISH ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Olivia Williams – ‘The Ghost’
* YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Conor McCarron – ‘NEDs’
* BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER: Gareth Edwards – ‘Monsters’
* DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM: Kristin Scott Thomas
* FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR: 'Of Gods and Men'
Review: "Cursed" is an Odd Werewolf Movie (Happy B'day, Christina Ricci)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux
Cursed (2005)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for horror violence/terror, some sexual references, nudity, language, and a brief drug reference
DIRECTOR: Wes Craven
WRITER: Kevin Williamson
PRODUCERS: Marianne Maddalena and Kevin Williamson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Robert McLachlan with Don McCuaig
EDITORS: Raúl Dávalos, Gregg Featherman, Patrick Lussier, and Lisa Romaniw
HORROR/MYSTERY with elements of comedy and thriller
Starring: Christina Ricci, Jesse Eisenberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Kristina Anapau, Michael Rosenbaum, Mya, Judie Greer, Jonny Acker, Eric Ladin, Shannon Elizabeth, Scott Baio, Craig Kilborn, Lance Bass, Portia De Rossi, Bambi Allen, and Derek Mears
It’s released delayed over a year, Cursed, the teen/20-something oriented werewolf movie from director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson, the creators of Scream, finally made it to wide release the last weekend of February 2005. The film was not screened for critics and early word on the Net from fans who claimed to have seen it was poor… But I liked it. Cursed is not great and it has some problems; the makers don’t seem sure if they want a horror movie or a comedy, but scares and laughs mix a little better than oil and water in this instance. Thus, we have a new horror sub-genre – comic horror.
In the film, estranged siblings still dealing with their parents’ death (the film is never quite clear how recent they died or if they were killed) are attacked by a werewolf while trying to help a young woman in a car accident. Ellie (Christina Ricci), the sister, is some kind of producer for The Craig Kilborn Show. She’s always busy juggling guests for the show, and she’s hit a rough patch with her boyfriend, Jake (Joshua Jackson). Her younger brother, Jimmy (Jessie Eisenberg), is dealing with trials of high school as painfully shy nerdy kid who gets grief from the jock types, especially after he becomes attracted to Brooke (Kristina Anapau), a jock’s girlfriend.
At first, Ellie is reluctant to believe that a werewolf attacked them, and it deepens the riff between her and her brother, but eventually the physically changes to her body and her strange behavior convinces Ellie of the truth. A sexy gypsy fortuneteller informs Ellie that she is cursed, and that she must find the werewolf that attacked her (whom Ellie and Jimmy assume to be “the master”) and destroy it in order to break the curse of the werewolf or they too will become beasts. As usual, things are a lot more complicated, and there are several suspects, and it seems more than one villain wishes to harm Ellie and Jimmy.
The bad in Cursed: cheesy CGI to create a werewolf. I hate CGI werewolves, and there's a transformation scene in this movie that is more a mixture of live action and animation than it is computer generated imagery. Also, a lot of the acting is flat or is more pretending than acting, and a few cast members seem to be going through the motions or doing a paint-by-numbers version of acting. The characters are mostly a bunch of pretty people who drive expensive, high-end, luxury cars and act dumb. There’s not much to the plot, which the filmmakers stretch almost to the breaking point, and the story is limp. The film also lacks some poignancy, and it too conveniently resolves family and relationship problems.
The good: Christina Ricci and Jessie Eisenberg really buy into the concept. Everything about the duo rings true: their backstory, living situations, social relationships, and plight. They, more than any other element, sell Cursed to the audience. Rick Baker does some stellar makeup and mechanical effects work, but what else can one expect from this master effects man? The film’s atmosphere is also very good. It’s sometimes funny and outrageous and other times pretty scary, and there are also some nice character twists. Drop disbelief and don’t take Cursed too seriously. I had a blast.
6 of 10
B
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Cursed (2005)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for horror violence/terror, some sexual references, nudity, language, and a brief drug reference
DIRECTOR: Wes Craven
WRITER: Kevin Williamson
PRODUCERS: Marianne Maddalena and Kevin Williamson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Robert McLachlan with Don McCuaig
EDITORS: Raúl Dávalos, Gregg Featherman, Patrick Lussier, and Lisa Romaniw
HORROR/MYSTERY with elements of comedy and thriller
Starring: Christina Ricci, Jesse Eisenberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Kristina Anapau, Michael Rosenbaum, Mya, Judie Greer, Jonny Acker, Eric Ladin, Shannon Elizabeth, Scott Baio, Craig Kilborn, Lance Bass, Portia De Rossi, Bambi Allen, and Derek Mears
It’s released delayed over a year, Cursed, the teen/20-something oriented werewolf movie from director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson, the creators of Scream, finally made it to wide release the last weekend of February 2005. The film was not screened for critics and early word on the Net from fans who claimed to have seen it was poor… But I liked it. Cursed is not great and it has some problems; the makers don’t seem sure if they want a horror movie or a comedy, but scares and laughs mix a little better than oil and water in this instance. Thus, we have a new horror sub-genre – comic horror.
In the film, estranged siblings still dealing with their parents’ death (the film is never quite clear how recent they died or if they were killed) are attacked by a werewolf while trying to help a young woman in a car accident. Ellie (Christina Ricci), the sister, is some kind of producer for The Craig Kilborn Show. She’s always busy juggling guests for the show, and she’s hit a rough patch with her boyfriend, Jake (Joshua Jackson). Her younger brother, Jimmy (Jessie Eisenberg), is dealing with trials of high school as painfully shy nerdy kid who gets grief from the jock types, especially after he becomes attracted to Brooke (Kristina Anapau), a jock’s girlfriend.
At first, Ellie is reluctant to believe that a werewolf attacked them, and it deepens the riff between her and her brother, but eventually the physically changes to her body and her strange behavior convinces Ellie of the truth. A sexy gypsy fortuneteller informs Ellie that she is cursed, and that she must find the werewolf that attacked her (whom Ellie and Jimmy assume to be “the master”) and destroy it in order to break the curse of the werewolf or they too will become beasts. As usual, things are a lot more complicated, and there are several suspects, and it seems more than one villain wishes to harm Ellie and Jimmy.
The bad in Cursed: cheesy CGI to create a werewolf. I hate CGI werewolves, and there's a transformation scene in this movie that is more a mixture of live action and animation than it is computer generated imagery. Also, a lot of the acting is flat or is more pretending than acting, and a few cast members seem to be going through the motions or doing a paint-by-numbers version of acting. The characters are mostly a bunch of pretty people who drive expensive, high-end, luxury cars and act dumb. There’s not much to the plot, which the filmmakers stretch almost to the breaking point, and the story is limp. The film also lacks some poignancy, and it too conveniently resolves family and relationship problems.
The good: Christina Ricci and Jessie Eisenberg really buy into the concept. Everything about the duo rings true: their backstory, living situations, social relationships, and plight. They, more than any other element, sell Cursed to the audience. Rick Baker does some stellar makeup and mechanical effects work, but what else can one expect from this master effects man? The film’s atmosphere is also very good. It’s sometimes funny and outrageous and other times pretty scary, and there are also some nice character twists. Drop disbelief and don’t take Cursed too seriously. I had a blast.
6 of 10
B
Saturday, February 26, 2005
---------------------------
Friday, February 11, 2011
Review: Wam! Bam! Thank You "Machete"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Machete (2010)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity
DIRECTORS: Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez
WRITERS: Robert Rodriguez and Álvaro Rodríguez
PRODUCERS: Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez, and Rick Schwartz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jimmy Lindsey
EDITORS: Rebecca Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez
ACTION
Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson, Shea Whigham, Lindsay Lohan, Daryl Sabara, Gilbert Trejo, and Tom Savini
Robert Rodriguez’s recent hell-raising flick, Machete, first hit the screen as a fake trailer in the 2007 Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino double feature, Grindhouse. Part tongue-in-cheek action comedy and part exploitation movie, Machete offers deranged fun that includes everything from dismemberment to a mini-race war.
The film focuses on Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo), a former Mexican Federale turned illegal immigrant. Three years after the powerful drug lord, Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal) killed his wife and daughter, Machete roams Texas looking for work. A shady businessman named Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) offers Machete $150,000 to assassinate corrupt Texas State Senator John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro). After he is double-crossed, Machete joins forces with immigration agent Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) to take down McLaughlin and a far-ranging conspiracy that includes anti-immigration racists and Machete’s old nemesis, Torrez. Luckily, Machete and Rivera find help in the form of Machete’s brother, the gun-wielding priest, Padre (Cheech Marin), and the taco-truck lady, Luz (Michelle Rodriguez).
I enjoy Robert Rodriguez’s films so very much, and although he has a co-director, Ethan Maniquis, for this film, Machete is true to the spirit of mayhem inherent in movies produced by Troublemaker Studios, Rodriguez’s production company. Machete does seem a bit long, and the narrative is occasionally clunky, but the action sequences have a seamless quality that gives the violence maxim impact upon the viewer.
The cinematic art of beheading, dismemberment, gouging, puncturing, and bladed-weapon-thrusting have rarely looked so good (obviously thanks to computer effects enhancement). Those of us who like that sort of thing will howl with pleasure. The terrific gunfights and pitched gun battles are the giant, juicy, succulent cherry on top of this hack-and-slash fun.
As well-made as this film is from creative and technical points of view, the cast is what assures that Machete manages not to take itself seriously, but also still work as an over-the-top action movie. Of course, Robert De Niro is good; in fact, his spot-on creation of the opportunistic, chauvinistic Senator McLaughlin is gold for this movie. Steve Seagal, Jeff Fahey, and Don Johnson were all, at one point in their careers, B-movie action stars, and they deliver some of their best action flick work here, especially Johnson. The girls are all good here, but Lindsay Lohan effortlessly outshines Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez in a much smaller role.
Machete ultimately relies on Danny Trejo. Seemingly hewn from granite (sans the pretty boy looks), Trejo is an action star with the soul of a thespian. As good as this movie is, there actually isn’t enough of him on screen. Trejo has palatable film presence, and he makes Machete not just a good action movie, but also a good movie, regardless of genre.
7 of 10
A-
Friday, February 11, 2011
Machete (2010)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity
DIRECTORS: Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez
WRITERS: Robert Rodriguez and Álvaro Rodríguez
PRODUCERS: Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez, and Rick Schwartz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jimmy Lindsey
EDITORS: Rebecca Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez
ACTION
Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson, Shea Whigham, Lindsay Lohan, Daryl Sabara, Gilbert Trejo, and Tom Savini
Robert Rodriguez’s recent hell-raising flick, Machete, first hit the screen as a fake trailer in the 2007 Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino double feature, Grindhouse. Part tongue-in-cheek action comedy and part exploitation movie, Machete offers deranged fun that includes everything from dismemberment to a mini-race war.
The film focuses on Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo), a former Mexican Federale turned illegal immigrant. Three years after the powerful drug lord, Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal) killed his wife and daughter, Machete roams Texas looking for work. A shady businessman named Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) offers Machete $150,000 to assassinate corrupt Texas State Senator John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro). After he is double-crossed, Machete joins forces with immigration agent Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) to take down McLaughlin and a far-ranging conspiracy that includes anti-immigration racists and Machete’s old nemesis, Torrez. Luckily, Machete and Rivera find help in the form of Machete’s brother, the gun-wielding priest, Padre (Cheech Marin), and the taco-truck lady, Luz (Michelle Rodriguez).
I enjoy Robert Rodriguez’s films so very much, and although he has a co-director, Ethan Maniquis, for this film, Machete is true to the spirit of mayhem inherent in movies produced by Troublemaker Studios, Rodriguez’s production company. Machete does seem a bit long, and the narrative is occasionally clunky, but the action sequences have a seamless quality that gives the violence maxim impact upon the viewer.
The cinematic art of beheading, dismemberment, gouging, puncturing, and bladed-weapon-thrusting have rarely looked so good (obviously thanks to computer effects enhancement). Those of us who like that sort of thing will howl with pleasure. The terrific gunfights and pitched gun battles are the giant, juicy, succulent cherry on top of this hack-and-slash fun.
As well-made as this film is from creative and technical points of view, the cast is what assures that Machete manages not to take itself seriously, but also still work as an over-the-top action movie. Of course, Robert De Niro is good; in fact, his spot-on creation of the opportunistic, chauvinistic Senator McLaughlin is gold for this movie. Steve Seagal, Jeff Fahey, and Don Johnson were all, at one point in their careers, B-movie action stars, and they deliver some of their best action flick work here, especially Johnson. The girls are all good here, but Lindsay Lohan effortlessly outshines Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez in a much smaller role.
Machete ultimately relies on Danny Trejo. Seemingly hewn from granite (sans the pretty boy looks), Trejo is an action star with the soul of a thespian. As good as this movie is, there actually isn’t enough of him on screen. Trejo has palatable film presence, and he makes Machete not just a good action movie, but also a good movie, regardless of genre.
7 of 10
A-
Friday, February 11, 2011
----------------------------
Review: Danny Trejo Revealed in "Champion"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Champion (2005)
Running time: 81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Joe Eckardt
WRITER: Cecily Gambrell
PRODUCERS: Joe Eckardt and Cecily Gambrell
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Vitaly Bokser, Dana Gonzales, and Daniel S. Haas
EDITORS: Joe Eckardt and Joseph Lorigo
DOCUMENTARY – Biography/Interview
Starring: Danny Trejo, Cecily Gambrell, Edward Bunker, Steve Buscemi, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, and Robert Rodriguez
His body covered in tattoos, actor Danny Trejo has appeared in such films as Desperado, Con Air, and Spy Kids. Trejo is mostly known for playing tough guys, criminals, and villains. You’ll recognize him when you see him, and you may not be surprised to learn that Trejo has a past that includes substance abuse, drug dealing, and prison.
There is another side to Trejo. His troubled childhood, which included drug addiction, armed robbery, and extensive prison time, eventually led him to a career as a counselor, where his vocation became helping people who are struggling with alcohol, drugs, and gang-banging. That in turn led Trejo into acting, beginning with work in the 1985 film Runaway Train. The 2005 documentary Champion offers an intimate and detailed look at Trejo’s life and journey and includes testimonials from actors Steve Buscemi, Dennis Hopper, and Val Kilmer, among others.
The first hour of Champion mainly deals with Trejo’s troubled youth and a 20-year period from the 1950s to the late 1960s in which Trejo beat up people and/or robbed them, while selling drugs and doing time in juvenile and prison facilities. Although interesting, some of this first hour is repetitive or dry and slows the film. Then, Champion has a Saul-to-St. Paul moment and seems to suddenly open up, revealing the man who has a great big heart and a drive to help people. Champion is not a traditional documentary; in fact, it is essentially one long interview film. What the film ultimately documents is an inspirational story of how far up someone can come from being so down. Watch it and understand why Danny Trejo is indeed a champion.
7 of 10
B+
Friday, February 11, 2011
Champion (2005)
Running time: 81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Joe Eckardt
WRITER: Cecily Gambrell
PRODUCERS: Joe Eckardt and Cecily Gambrell
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Vitaly Bokser, Dana Gonzales, and Daniel S. Haas
EDITORS: Joe Eckardt and Joseph Lorigo
DOCUMENTARY – Biography/Interview
Starring: Danny Trejo, Cecily Gambrell, Edward Bunker, Steve Buscemi, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, and Robert Rodriguez
His body covered in tattoos, actor Danny Trejo has appeared in such films as Desperado, Con Air, and Spy Kids. Trejo is mostly known for playing tough guys, criminals, and villains. You’ll recognize him when you see him, and you may not be surprised to learn that Trejo has a past that includes substance abuse, drug dealing, and prison.
There is another side to Trejo. His troubled childhood, which included drug addiction, armed robbery, and extensive prison time, eventually led him to a career as a counselor, where his vocation became helping people who are struggling with alcohol, drugs, and gang-banging. That in turn led Trejo into acting, beginning with work in the 1985 film Runaway Train. The 2005 documentary Champion offers an intimate and detailed look at Trejo’s life and journey and includes testimonials from actors Steve Buscemi, Dennis Hopper, and Val Kilmer, among others.
The first hour of Champion mainly deals with Trejo’s troubled youth and a 20-year period from the 1950s to the late 1960s in which Trejo beat up people and/or robbed them, while selling drugs and doing time in juvenile and prison facilities. Although interesting, some of this first hour is repetitive or dry and slows the film. Then, Champion has a Saul-to-St. Paul moment and seems to suddenly open up, revealing the man who has a great big heart and a drive to help people. Champion is not a traditional documentary; in fact, it is essentially one long interview film. What the film ultimately documents is an inspirational story of how far up someone can come from being so down. Watch it and understand why Danny Trejo is indeed a champion.
7 of 10
B+
Friday, February 11, 2011
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2011 Black Reel Awards Nominations List
The Black Reel Awards are scheduled to be handed out tonight. What are the Black Reel Awards? These awards annually honor African-Americans in feature, independent and television film. The awards were launched in 2000, and this is the 11th year of the awards.
From what I understand, 60 film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet comprise the voting members of the Black Reel Awards. Voting was conducted from December 10 – 13, 2010. Winners will be announced on Friday, February 11, 2011.
2011 Nominations:
Outstanding Film
The Book of Eli
Brooklyn’s Finest
For Colored Girls
Night Catches Us
Just Wright
Outstanding Actress
Thandie Newton – For Colored Girls
Queen Latifah – Just Wright
Kerry Washington – Night Catches Us
Anika Noni Rose – For Colored Girls
Kimberly Elise – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Actor
Don Cheadle – Brooklyn’s Finest
Denzel Washington – The Book of Eli
Jaden Smith – The Karate Kid
Anthony Mackie – Night Catches Us
Denzel Washington – Unstoppable
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Phylicia Rashad – For Colored Girls
Kerry Washington – For Colored Girls
Viola Davis – Eat Pray Love
Janet Jackson – For Colored Girls
Shareeka Epps – Mother and Child
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Wesley Snipes – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sean Combs – Get Him to the Greek
Samuel L. Jackson – Mother and Child
Brandon T. Jackson – Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Laurence Fishburne – Predators
Outstanding Director
Antoine Fuqua – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sanaa Hamri – Just Wright
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches
Allen and Albert Hughes – The Book of Eli
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches Us
Michael C. Martin – Brooklyn’s Finest
Michael Elliott – Just Wright
Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Lussenhop and Avery Duff – Takers
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Score
The Karate Kid
Brooklyn’s Finest
Night Catches Us
The Book of Eli
For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Song
Shine (John Legend) - Waiting for Superman
Champion (Queen Latifah) - Just Wright
Run This Town (Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kayne West) - Brooklyn’s Finest
Never Say Never (Justin Bieber featuring Jaden Smith) - The Karate Kid
I Know Who I Am (Leona Lewis) - For Colored Girls
Outstanding Ensemble
For Colored Girls
Brooklyn’s Finest
Unstoppable
Night Catches Us
Takers
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
Omari Hardwick – For Colored Girls
Tessa Thompson – For Colored Girls
Amari Cheatom – Night Catches Us
Zoe Kravitz – It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Yaya DaCosta – The Kids Are All Right
Outstanding Feature Documentary
The Lottery
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Waiting on Superman
My Mic Sounds Nice
Outstanding Indie Feature Film
Preacher’s Kid
Kings of the Evening
Toe to Toe
Black Venus
Finding God in the City of Angels
Outstanding Indie Short Film
Cred
Stag and Dow
Katrina’s Son
Outstanding Indie Documentary Film
For the Best and For the Onion
One of These Mornings
Gefilte Fish
Outstanding Television Documentary
If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise
The Black List, Vol. 3
A Small Act
From what I understand, 60 film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet comprise the voting members of the Black Reel Awards. Voting was conducted from December 10 – 13, 2010. Winners will be announced on Friday, February 11, 2011.
2011 Nominations:
Outstanding Film
The Book of Eli
Brooklyn’s Finest
For Colored Girls
Night Catches Us
Just Wright
Outstanding Actress
Thandie Newton – For Colored Girls
Queen Latifah – Just Wright
Kerry Washington – Night Catches Us
Anika Noni Rose – For Colored Girls
Kimberly Elise – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Actor
Don Cheadle – Brooklyn’s Finest
Denzel Washington – The Book of Eli
Jaden Smith – The Karate Kid
Anthony Mackie – Night Catches Us
Denzel Washington – Unstoppable
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Phylicia Rashad – For Colored Girls
Kerry Washington – For Colored Girls
Viola Davis – Eat Pray Love
Janet Jackson – For Colored Girls
Shareeka Epps – Mother and Child
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Wesley Snipes – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sean Combs – Get Him to the Greek
Samuel L. Jackson – Mother and Child
Brandon T. Jackson – Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Laurence Fishburne – Predators
Outstanding Director
Antoine Fuqua – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sanaa Hamri – Just Wright
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches
Allen and Albert Hughes – The Book of Eli
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches Us
Michael C. Martin – Brooklyn’s Finest
Michael Elliott – Just Wright
Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Lussenhop and Avery Duff – Takers
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Score
The Karate Kid
Brooklyn’s Finest
Night Catches Us
The Book of Eli
For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Song
Shine (John Legend) - Waiting for Superman
Champion (Queen Latifah) - Just Wright
Run This Town (Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kayne West) - Brooklyn’s Finest
Never Say Never (Justin Bieber featuring Jaden Smith) - The Karate Kid
I Know Who I Am (Leona Lewis) - For Colored Girls
Outstanding Ensemble
For Colored Girls
Brooklyn’s Finest
Unstoppable
Night Catches Us
Takers
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
Omari Hardwick – For Colored Girls
Tessa Thompson – For Colored Girls
Amari Cheatom – Night Catches Us
Zoe Kravitz – It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Yaya DaCosta – The Kids Are All Right
Outstanding Feature Documentary
The Lottery
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Waiting on Superman
My Mic Sounds Nice
Outstanding Indie Feature Film
Preacher’s Kid
Kings of the Evening
Toe to Toe
Black Venus
Finding God in the City of Angels
Outstanding Indie Short Film
Cred
Stag and Dow
Katrina’s Son
Outstanding Indie Documentary Film
For the Best and For the Onion
One of These Mornings
Gefilte Fish
Outstanding Television Documentary
If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise
The Black List, Vol. 3
A Small Act
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