Review: "Michael Clayton" is a Powerful Social Drama (Happy B'day to Goddess, Tilda Swinton)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Michael Clayton (2007)
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
MPAA – R for language including some sexual dialogue
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tony Gilroy
PRODUCERS: Jennifer Fox, Kerry Orent, Sydney Pollack, and Steve Samuels
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Elswit
EDITOR: John Gilroy
2008 Academy Award winner

DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O’Keefe, Austin Williams, Ken Howard, Robert Prescott, Terry Serpico, Sean Cullen, and David Lansbury

In screenwriter Tony Gilroy’s Michael Clayton, his debut as a film director, a burned out corporate lawyer who has built a career on cleaning up his clients’ messes faces his biggest mess when a guilt-ridden colleague threatens the settlement of a multi-million-dollar case. Gilroy is best known for writing the three Jason Bourne films, including most recently, The Bourne Ultimatum.

Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house “fixer” or “bagman” at Kenner, Bach & Ledeen, one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton is burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, but his divorce, a failed business venture, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. The firm is defending U/North (United Northfield) a giant corporation in a multimillion dollar class action lawsuit, but Kenner, Bach & Ledeen’s brilliant litigator, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), has a meltdown that threatens to upend a potential settlement entirely in favor of the plaintiffs against U/North.

Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and life to reign in Edens. Meanwhile, U/North’s general counsel, Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton), who operates on a hair-trigger, knows that her career rests on the multi-million dollar settlement that once seemed to be heading to a successful conclusion for U/North. Edens’ rogue status means that Crowder may have to take matters into her own ruthless hands.

At one point in Michael Clayton, Sydney Pollack’s Marty Bach says, “People are fucking incomprehensible,” and that seems to be one of the dominant themes of Gilroy’s absolutely gripping legal thriller. Sure, Michael Clayton is an exposé of what evil corporations can do (poison their customers) and the way corporate law firms help them get away with it. The greed, the lies, and the under-the-table murder-for-hire deals are in evidence here, and while we’ve seen this in other muckraking dramas, what sets Michael Clayton apart is that we’re watching a film about people and not just characters.

It is in these people we see both the beauty and ugliness of humanity. We can admire how George Clooney’s Michael Clayton chases his ideals even if no one else believes in them or even if those ideals are the antithesis of others’ beliefs. The manner in which Gilroy tackles such mature themes through his star Clooney makes this an accomplished movie for adults. It’s a crackling delight full of standout performances including Tom Wilkinson’s Oscar-nominated turn as Arthur Edens and Tilda Swinton’s Oscar-winning performance as the neurotic viper Karen Crowder.

And Clooney: what can I say? He’s a movie star in the Old Hollywood tradition and also an exceptional actor that modern American filmmaking would be lost without.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 1 win for “Best Performance by Actress in a Supporting Role” (Tilda Swinton); 6 nominations: “Best Achievement in Directing,” “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (James Newton Howard), “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox, and Kerry Orent), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (George Clooney), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Tom Wilkinson), “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen”

2008 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Supporting Actress” (Tilda Swinton); 4 nominations: “Best Editing” (John Gilroy), “Best Leading Actor” (George Clooney), “Best Screenplay – Original” (Tony Gilroy), and “Best Supporting Actor” (Tom Wilkinson)

2008 Golden Globes: 4 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (George Clooney), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Tom Wilkinson), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Tilda Swinton)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

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

"Best Animated Feature" Oscar Has 18 Suitors

18 Animated Features Submitted for 2011 Oscar® Race

Beverly Hills, CA (November 4, 2011) – Eighteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®.

The 18 submitted features are:
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"Alois Nebel"
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Cars 2"
"A Cat in Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Gnomeo & Juliet"
"Happy Feet Two"
"Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Mars Needs Moms"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"
"Rio"
"The Smurfs"
"Winnie the Pooh"
"Wrinkles"

Several of the films listed have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying runs. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and meet all of the category's other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

"Justice League: The New Frontier" Simply a Rousing Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 91 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
Running time: 75 minutes (1 hour, 15 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violent content/images
DIRECTOR: Dave Bullock
WRITERS: Stan Berkowitz with Darwyn Cooke (based upon the comic book by Darwyn Cooke)
PRODUCERS: Stan Berkowitz, Darwyn Cooke, Michael Goguen (supervising), Gregory Noveck (executive), Sander Schwartz (executive), Kimberly Smith (line), Bruce W. Timm
EDITOR: Elen Orson
COMPOSER: Kevin Manthei

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) David Boreanaz, Miguel Ferrer, Neil Patrick Harris, Keith David, Lucy Lawless, Kyle MacLachlan, Lex Lang, Phil Morris, Kyra Sedgwick, Brooke Shields, Jeremy Sisto, Corey Burton, and John Heard

Justice League: The New Frontier is a direct-to-video superhero animated film from Warner Bros. Animation. Starring DC Comics’ beloved superhero team, the Justice League of America, this film is based on the 6-issue comic book miniseries, DC: The New Frontier, written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke and published from 2003 to 2004. Justice League: The New Frontier is also the second feature in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line.

Set in a period from 1953 to 1960, Justice League: The New Frontier begins with an unknown entity called The Center (Keith David). It has witnessed the evolution of life on Earth and has now decided to destroy all humans on the planet. Slowly, superheroes, costume heroes, and adventurers band together to save the world from the Center. The story features Superman (Kyle MacLachlan), Batman (Jeremy Sisto), and Wonder Woman (Lucy Lawless), among others. However, much of the story focuses on the sagas of Hal Jordan, who would become the Green Lantern (David Boreanaz); J’onn J’onzz of Mars, who would become the Martian Manhunter (Miguel Ferrer); and the speedster known as the Flash (Neil Patrick Harris).

I read Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier several years ago, and I was also skeptical when I first read that it would become one of DC Comics’ straight-to-video films. I am happy to say that my skepticism was smashed. Justice League: The New Frontier is an excellent animated superhero feature. I wish it were an actual television series rather than just a movie barely over 70 minutes in length (in terms of actual story).

The animation is good, but it’s the character and production design that really shines in terms of the film’s visuals. The designers and animators retain the Jack Kirby-influenced art of Cooke’s New Frontier comic book art, with its clean lines and art deco styling. The story is good, and the action of the various subplots satisfactorily rises and falls as the overall story builds to a crescendo. The only disappointing thing is that the last 20 minutes, while exciting, looks like an animated version of some Michael Bay nonsense.

The voice performances are all good, but I’m particularly partial to Jeremy Sisto’s Batman. In fact, I love this film’s interpretation of the character, and I wish Warner Bros. would make an entire animated film built around Sisto’s Batman. Thus far, I’ve found DC Universe Animated Original Movies to be average, but Justice League: The New Frontier is a hit. I wish there would be a sequel.

7 of 10
A-

Friday, November 04, 2011

Review: Animated "Superman: Doomsday" is Not Super

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 90 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Superman: Doomsday (2007) – straight-to-video
Running time: 74 minutes (1 hour, 14 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13
DIRECTORS: Bruce Timm, Lauren Montgomery, and Brandon Vietti
WRITERS: Duane Capizzi; from a story by Bruce Timm and Duane Capizzi
PRODUCER: Bruce Timm
EDITOR: Joe Gall

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, James Marsters, John Di Maggio, Tom Kenny, Swoosie Kurtz, Cree Summer, Ray Wise, and Adam Wylie

Superman: Doomsday is a 2007 direct-to-video animated superhero film. It is based on “The Death of Superman,” a 1992 storyline that ran through DC Comics’ various Superman comic books, which culminated in the death of Superman in Superman (Vol. 2) #75. Superman: Doomsday is the first release in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies from Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation.

Lex Luthor’s (James Marsters) company, LexCorp, unleashes a powerful alien monster known as “Doomsday,” from his burial place deep in the earth. Doomsday then goes on a murderous and destructive rampage. It’s up to Superman (Adam Baldwin) to defend the Earth, but at the apparent cost of his life.

Later, after his burial, Superman appears to have risen from the dead. Lois Lane (Anne Heche), his secret lover, is suspicious. With the reluctant assistance of fellow Daily Planet reporter, Jimmy Olsen (Adam Wylie), Lois seeks the truth and discovers that Lex Luthor is behind this risen Superman, who certainly doesn’t seem like his old self.

Bruce Timm is known as one of the minds behind the popular animated TV program, “Batman: The Animated Series.” He wears many hats in the production of this straight to video film, Superman: Doomsday, although the look of the animation in this film is different from Timm’s earlier work. In fact, the character design is streamlined with crisp line work, and the art direction emphasizes rich, dark colors. Technically, the animation is quite good (although the movement of the characters is often a bit awkward and stiff), which is essential in a film with so many extended, elaborate fight sequences and scenes of destruction and explosions that rival big-budget Hollywood sci-fi and action movies.

The problem is the story and voice acting. Not only is the narrative’s mood very dark, but the film is often violent, shockingly so, as Doomsday often kills humans – sometimes ever so slightly off screen. That’s not really a problem, except for very young viewers. The problem is the leaden pacing and flat mood in what should otherwise be an exciting and riveting movie. Superman’s death and resurrection just doesn’t have the emotional impact they should have.

Superman: Doomsday is a picture show of pretty and quality animation. It just doesn’t live up to its potential as an epic story.

5 of 10
C+

Thursday, November 03, 2011

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

"Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva" on DVD November 8th

VIZ MEDIA TO RELEASE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE ETERNAL DIVA

Based On The Popular Nintendo Video Game, Tea-Loving Archeologist And Polymath Sets Out To Solve His Toughest Puzzle Yet!

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, will release a new anime feature-length film, PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE ETERNAL DIVA, on DVD November 8th. The movie is based on the highly popular PROFESSOR LAYTON series of video games for the Nintendo DS and will be suitable for All Ages. The DVD features both subtitled and dubbed English dialogue options, and will carry an MSRP of $19.97 U.S. / $19.98 CAN.

Professor Layton, a true English gentleman, renowned archaeologist, and the world’s greatest amateur super sleuth, embarks on his most daring adventure yet when he receives a letter from his old student, the famous opera diva Janice Quatlane. She is set to perform at the legendary Crown Petone Opera House and invites him to attend as her special guest. Meanwhile, a spate of disappearances hits London. Two young school girls are the latest victims and the Professor suspects it’s related to the mysterious occurrences at the theatre. The Professor and his loyal assistant Luke travel to the Opera House to solve their toughest puzzle yet, the mystery of Eternal Life!

“PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE ETERNAL DIVA combines plenty of action and mystery with intriguing puzzles and a healthy dose of fun English wit to make for an inviting whodunit sure to captivate a wide audience,” says Brian Ige, Vice President, Animation. “The many puzzles that made the original Nintendo DS video game a hit are also present throughout the new feature film, and viewers are allowed time to formulate their own solutions to the riddles and brainteasers before Professor Layton provides the final answer. We invite new and established fans alike to join the fun as the Professor searches to solve the mysteries of Eternal Life hidden at the Crown Petone Opera House!”

The PROFESSOR LAYTON video game series is one of the most successful Nintendo DS exclusive titles. In addition to the popular movie, which was released in Japan in 2009, the property features five games developed by Level-5 for the Nintendo DS as well as two more game titles for the Nintendo 3DS. The games each feature various puzzles and mysteries that must be solved in order to advance to the next level.

For more information on Professor Layton and The Eternal Diva, please visit: http://www.viz.com/.

Universal Preps New Werewolf Flick for Halloween 2012

UNTITLED WEREWOLF THRILLER

THE ALL-NEW UNIVERSAL DVD ORIGINAL® BEGINS PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY

There’s no safe place to hide as the all-new supernatural Untitled Werewolf Thriller begins principal photography in and around Bucharest, Romania. Universal celebrates its storied history of creatures and horror with an exhilarating original adventure that embraces the popular cultural resurgence of the age-old werewolf myth. Breathtaking action and nail-biting suspense collide as an army of bounty hunters descend on a tiny hamlet in search of the most terrifying monster they have ever fought. The latest entry in the hugely successful DVD Originals™ line from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Untitled Werewolf Thriller will be released on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand in time for Halloween 2012.

“Universal introduced the movie-going public to the ‘creature feature’ more than a half century ago,” said Glenn Ross, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Universal 1440 Entertainment. “Today, audiences are once again enthralled by supernatural creatures in books, on television and in movies. Audiences young and old will enjoy this completely new take on a timeless story that is an essential part of Universal’s legacy.”

Untitled Werewolf Thriller stars Stephen Rea (V for Vendetta, The Crying Game), Steven Bauer (Scarface, Primal Fear), Ed Quinn (“True Blood,” “Eureka”), Nia Peeples (“Pretty Little Liars,” “Walker Texas, Ranger”), Guy Wilson (Almost Kings, Little Black Book), Adam Croasdell (“Supernatural,” “East Enders”) and Rachel DiPillo (“Law & Order,” “The Gates”).

Louis Morneau (Joy Ride II, Hitcher II: I’ve Been Waiting) directs the nightmarish hunt through an idyllic countryside shattered by an unstoppable beast. The film is produced by Mike Elliott (The Devils Rejects, Smokin’ Aces 2), from a screenplay by Michael Tabb and the writing team of Louis Morneau & Catherine Cyran. A top-flight production team has also been assembled, including director of photography Philip Robertson, production designer David Hirschfield and costume designer Oana Paunescu. The editor is Mike Jackson.

SYNOPSIS
A monstrous creature terrorizes a 19th C European village by moonlight and a young man struggles to protect his loved ones from an unspeakable scourge in Untitled Werewolf Thriller, Universal Studios’ all-new addition to its time-honored legacy of supernatural thrillers. During his studies with the local doctor (Stephen Rea), Daniel (Guy Wilson) witnesses the horrific consequences of werewolf attacks. Watching as the beast’s fearsome reputation draws bounty hunters, thrill seekers and charlatans to the tiny town, Daniel dreams of destroying the ruthless predator. So when a mysterious stranger (Ed Quinn) and his team of skilled werewolf hunters (Stephen Bauer, Adam Croasdell) arrive to pursue the monster, he offers to join them, despite his mother’s (Nia Peeples) protests. But it soon becomes clear that this creature is stronger, smarter and more dangerous than anything they have faced before. As casualties mount and villagers see their neighbors transformed into ravening monsters, the townsfolk take up arms against each other to find the true identity of the werewolf. Amid the hysteria, Daniel begins to suspect he’s closer to his target than he ever dreamed.

Universal 1440 Entertainment is a production entity of Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE). USHE is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com/). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

"Bridesmaids" Offers More Than Just Belly Laughs

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 89 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux


Bridesmaids (2011)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – R for some strong sexuality, and language throughout
DIRECTOR: Paul Feig
WRITERS: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, and Clayton Townsend
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert D. Yeoman
EDITOR: William Kerr and Mike Sale

COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Jill Clayburgh, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Tim Heidecker, Rebel Wilson, Matt Lucas, Michael Hitchcock, Franklyn Ajaye, Terry Crews, Jon Hamm, and Wilson Phillips (Carnie Wilson, Wendy Wilson, and Chynna Phillips)

Bridesmaids is a 2011 comedy and drama starring and co-written by Kristen Wiig, a current cast member of “Saturday Night Live” (as of this writing). Produced by Apatow Productions, Bridesmaids follows a down-on-her-luck maid of honor whose personal problems threaten to derail a friend’s wedding.

Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) is a single woman in her mid 30s and lives in Milwaukee. In recent years, she has seen her dream bakery (called Cake Baby) fail and drain away her life savings. Her current boyfriend, the self-absorbed Ted (Jon Hamm), really isn’t her boyfriend; Ted is just someone who uses Annie for sex. When her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), announces that she is engaged to marry her boyfriend, Doug (Tim Heidecker), Annie should be happy for her, but Lillian’s impending nuptials only make Annie think about her own sad state of affairs.

Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor, but at the engagement party, Annie is shocked to discover that one of the other bridesmaids, Helen Harris III (Rose Byrne), has a relationship with Lillian that can best be described as “best friends.” Annie is also put off by the other bridesmaids: raunchy, cynical, frustrated housewife, Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey); idealistic new bride, Becca (Ellie Kemper); and Lillian’s crude, but lively future sister-in-law, Megan (Melissa McCarthy). Annie’s attempts at being maid of honor are disastrous and her life isn’t much better. Meanwhile, a local cop, Officer Nathan Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd), takes a liking to Annie.

The title, Bridesmaids, is a little misleading. This film is really about Annie Walker; all the other characters are supporting players to one degree or another. Even Lillian’s wedding, an event that weighs heavily on the story, is merely a subplot in Annie’s complicated life. I would say that much of what was shown in trailers and in television advertisements for this film, especially the hijinks of the Bridesmaids, mostly comes from a section of this film that runs from the end of the first hour to the first 30 or so minutes of the second hour.

That’s not to say that this movie isn’t funny. It’s quite funny. I found myself laughing out loud (really loud, sometimes) at many moments throughout this movie. The bridesmaids live up to the expectations, especially Melissa McCarthy, an Emmy winner for the CBS sitcom, “Mike & Molly.” McCarthy steals practically every scene in which she appears; there should be, at least, some kind of award nomination coming her way. On the other hand, one of this film’s faults is that Maya Rudolph’s Lillian is not in this movie enough. Every time Lillian appears, the movie seems to beg her to stay longer.

Still, this movie is really about Annie Walker, and to that extent, it is well-written by Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumolo. Wiig also gives an excellent comic performance, one that brings humor and sarcasm to Annie’s troubles without making them seem less troublesome. Annie’s life is pretty crappy. That Annie’s dilemmas feel so real is probably why having the policeman, Nathan Rhodes, show up in her life, adds such a lovely romantic touch to this movie. Irish comedian and actor Chris O’Dowd gives what is probably a career-turning performance as the genial, extremely likeable Rhodes, who is a kind of a knight in shining armor. Even I have a crush on the character.

For all the credit that Kristen Wiig, her co-writer, and the rest of the cast deserve, credit should also go to director Paul Feig. He knows just what tone to strike for each scene and also which genre conventions should be present depending on the moment. It’s one thing to direct a comedy-drama, but to also direct a romantic comedy that is connected to a spirit-crushing mid-life crisis is quite a feat.

Do believe the hype. Bridesmaids was a big hit in theatres because people liked it and kept spreading the word about it. And the word I want to use for it is “classic.” I hope it lives up to that. I think it will.

8 of 10
A

Tuesday, November 01, 2011