"Real Steel" Has Real Heart

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Real Steel (2011)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language
DIRECTOR: Shawn Levy
WRITERS: John Gatins; from a story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven (based upon Richard Matheson’s short story "Steel")
PRODUCERS: Shawn Levy, Susan Montford, and Don Murphy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore
EDITOR: Dean Zimmerman
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman

SCI-FI/DRAMA/FAMILY with elements of action and sports

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis, James Rebhorn, Karl Yune, and Olga Fonda

Real Steel is a 2011 science fiction boxing drama from director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum), and Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis are among this film’s executive producers. Real Steel’s screenplay is based upon Richard Matheson’s short story, “Steel,” which was also adapted into a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone. Although the film’s boxing sequences offer plenty of action, Real Steel’s heart is a gripping father/son story that will jerk a few tears from some viewers (as it did with me).

The film is set in the near future, the year 2020. By then, robot boxing has replaced human boxing as a top sport. Charles “Charlie” Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a former boxer turned robot boxing promoter. Charlie’s most recent robot boxer, a robot named “Ambush,” is destroyed in a fight, and his erstwhile partner/girlfriend, Bailey Tallet (Evangeline Lilly), thinks that it is time for Charlie to make a change. Then, Charlie’s life takes a stunning turn. He learns that his ex-girlfriend has died, and that means he must show up in court to decide the custody of his 11-year-old son, Max (Dakota Goyo), whom Charlie has not seen in a decade.

Max’s Aunt Debra (Hope Davis) and her wealthy husband, Marvin (James Rebhorn), want custody of Max, which Charlie is more than happy to give. Charlie makes a $100,000 deal with Marvin that would have Charlie keep Max over the summer. Charlie and his estranged son are at odds; then, Max discovers a second generation robot, called Atom. Suddenly, Max has dreams of the Real Steel Championship, but can an old boxer and an old robot climb up from the bottom of the heap?

I would not describe Real Steel as a robot version of the Oscar-winning film, Rocky, although Atom the robot is also a little guy/underdog in a world of elite boxers. Real Steel is about a father-son conflict, and before there can be hope of reconciliation, the screenplay makes father and son fight their way back to each other. I honestly bought this film’s conceit that Charlie and Max might not ultimately make it. Yes, the loser father reunited with his chip-on-shoulder son has been done to death in Hollywood films, but when done right, as it is here, it seems so fresh and new. Real Steel is exceptionally well-written because it makes the characters really work for that happy ending, while also offering science fiction/action set pieces that had me jumping out of my seat and cheering on the heroes.

Director Shawn Levy gets everything right. The character drama has excellent character and drama, and the sci-fi is fantastic. As the father, Charlie, and as the son, Max, Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo, respectively, carry this film in way that seems effortless. They may not be Oscar-worthy, but they’re close. Although I’m a big fan of Hugh Jackman, I ignored Real Steel when it was first released to theatres. I was so wrong, but now I can do right with my Real Steel movie review by recommending it.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2012 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Danny Gordon Taylor, and Swen Gillberg)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Louisiana Film Studio "Moonbot Studios" Gets Oscar Nomination

[Editor's note: Last year, I was excited to discover that there is a computer animation studio located in Louisiana.  I wish them the best, so, of course, I was happy to learn that the studio received an Academy Award nomination earlier this week.]

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” Nominated for Best Animated Short in 2011 Oscars

Moonbot Studios’ first original animated short film moves ahead in race for Academy Award

SHREVEPORT, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moonbot Studios announced today that its animated short film, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, is one of five animated short films that will be considered for outstanding film achievements of 2011 in the 84th Academy Awards®, which take place on February 26, 2012. The newly opened Moonbot Studios is based in Shreveport, Louisiana and The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is the company’s first released animation project.

Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques, including miniatures, computer animation, and 2D animation, award-winning author and illustrator William Joyce and co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a hybrid style of animation that harkens back to silent films and MGM Technicolor musicals.

“’The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore’ overwhelms me every time I watch it and it is exactly the kind of film I want to be a part of helping discover every year,” said Michael Rabehl, programming director of Cinequest. “It is a story that completely entertains and simultaneously focuses on the strength of its characters and story to reach our minds and our hearts. It’s an incredible visual journey that must be seen by everyone.”

“We made Morris Lessmore with passion, sweat and every nickel we could rub together,” said William Joyce, managing creative partner of Moonbot Studios. “To see it embraced by the Academy is the biggest smile imaginable.”

In tandem with the film, Moonbot Studios also created a best-selling, interactive “Morris Lessmore” iPad App available on iTunes for $4.99 in the App Store. Moonbot is also working on a hard copy book version of the story with Simon & Schuster that is due out in late 2012.

“‘Morris Lessmore’ has paved the way for a whole new class of storytelling,” said Brandon Oldenburg, co-founder of Moonbot Studios. “We envision a future where stories transcend boundaries between traditional film and written text to transform the art of storytelling into a seamless multimedia experience.”

Film Awards Won by “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” - To date, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” film has drummed up fans all over the world taking home the following awards:

Cinequest Film Fest: Best Animated Short
Cleveland International Film Festival: Best Animated Short Film Award
Florida Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Short Film
Nashville Film Festival: Special Jury Prize for Imaginative Storytelling
Seattle International Film Festival: Golden Space Needle Award Palm Springs International ShortFest: Audience Favorite Award
SIGGRAPH: Best in Show
Rhode Island International Film Fest: Grand Prize Winner
Burbank International Film Fest: Curator’s Choice Awards
Tacoma Film Festival: Best Animated Film
Austin Film Festival: Best Animated Short and Audience Award Winner
Chicago International Children’s Film Fest: 1st Adult Jury Prize and 2nd Children’s Jury Prize in the Animated Shorts category
Traverse City Film Fest: Best Short Film for Kids

What People Are Saying About “Morris Lessmore”

"It was a pleasure and an honor to have ‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,’ as part of the 2011 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival. Chosen as Best-in-Show out of roughly 1,000 submissions, by the 2011 Computer Animation Festival Jury, ‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore’ was a beautiful story, wrapped in an elegant package of visually stunning animation. " – Joshua Grow, Program Director, 2012 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival

“We were delighted to present this moving, inventive film as part of the 2011 Chicago International Children's Film Festival. The artistry of its animation and its clever use of film references created a depth of setting and character, opening eyes to a love of literature for the Chicago children who became part of the wondrous journey of Mr. Morris Lessmore.” – Ann Vikstrom, Programming Director, Chicago International Children’s Film Festival

Academy Award Details
Forty-four films originally qualified in the animated short category and the winner of the top five will be announced live at The 84th Academy Awards 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.


About Moonbot Studios
Founded in 2010, Moonbot Studios is an animation and storytelling company based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Moonbot Studios was co-founded by award-winning artists and filmmakers William Joyce, Brandon Oldenburg and veteran film producer Lampton Enochs. Moonbot Studios’ philosophy is to develop our stories as books, interactive applications, games with a compelling emotional narrative and exciting visual aesthetics. For more information, visit www.moonbotstudios.com, interact with them on Twitter @moonbotstudios, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moonbotstudios or on their blog at moonbotstudios.blogspot.com/.

Oscar-Nominated "Rango" Returns in Limited Engagement

PARAMOUNT TO RE-RELEASE ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED “RANGO” BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 27th

The now Academy Award®-nominated Rango, from director Gore Verbinski and starring the voice of Johnny Depp, saddles up for a one week limited engagement at the ArcLight Hollywood beginning this Friday, January 27th. The original animated comedy-adventure from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies a Blind Wing/GK Films Production that takes moviegoers for a hilarious and heartfelt walk in the Wild West, was this morning nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film.

Rango is the winner of the National Board of Review and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature, while top critics’ groups around the country have declared Rango the Best Animated Film of 2011, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

The incomparable Johnny Depp voices Rango, a chameleon living as an ordinary family pet who dreams of being a fearless hero and is challenged to become just that when he inadvertently becomes the sheriff of a lawless desert town called Dirt. Story by John Logan, Gore Verbinski, and James Ward Byrkit, Written by John Logan, Directed by Gore Verbinski, the visionary behind the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Rango delighted audiences of all ages, earning more than $230 million worldwide. The film also features the voices of Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone and Timothy Olyphant.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

The Ides of March movie review

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Ides of March (2011)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language
DIRECTOR: George Clooney
WRITERS: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon (based upon Beau Willimon’s play “Farragut North”)
PRODUCERS: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Brian Oliver
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Phedon Papamichael
EDITOR: Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER: Alexandre Desplat
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/POLITICS with elements of a thriller

Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, and Max Minghella

The Ides of March is a 2011 political drama directed by George Clooney. The film is based on the 2008 play, Farragut North, by Beau Willimon, who also co-wrote the screenplay for this film adaptation. Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the film’s executive producers, and his production company, Appian Way Productions, is one of this film’s financial backers. The Ides of March is kind of a thriller, but it doesn’t really work as a thriller. The best moments are when the film puts two characters together in a clash or test of wills.

The film focuses on Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling), the Junior Campaign Manager for a Democratic presidential candidate, Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney). Morris’ campaign is competing in the Democratic primary, and the latest battleground is the state of Ohio, where Morris battles the other Democratic presidential candidate, Arkansas Senator Ted Pullman. Both campaigns are also attempting to win the endorsement of U.S. Senator Franklin Thompson (Jeffrey Wright), D-North Carolina.

Meyers is doing well at his job, but he gets involved in two troublesome situations. First, he holds a secret meeting with Pullman’s Campaign Manager, Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Then, he becomes embroiled in drama with a Morris campaign intern, Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood). One entanglement could ruin Meyers, but the other has the potential to destroy the Morris campaign.

The Ides of March feels restrained to me. The entire movie simmers like a dish that needs to boil-over, but doesn’t know how or when to do it. The best moments in the film are when two characters clash. The best confrontations feature Meyers and Senior Campaign Manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) or Meyers and Molly Stearns. There is one major test of wills between Meyers and his boss, Mike Morris (who is Governor of Pennsylvania), and another between Meyers and Sen. Thompson. Both occur in the film’s last act, but these moments made me realize that this movie should have had more scenes featuring Meyers, Morris, and Thompson in some combination. It is as if the best stuff is happening off-camera.

Honestly, I can recommend The Ides of March to people that enjoy watching particular members of this cast act in dramas, especially Gosling and Clooney. I think people who like political dramas will like this, although they should not expect this to be humorous or satirical (at least not in an obvious way). Although it has an electrifying second half, The Ides of March isn’t as good or as visceral as it could be.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2012 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published” (George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon)

2012 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Adapted Screenplay” (Beau Willimon, George Clooney, and Grant Heslov) and “Best Supporting Actor” (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

2012 Golden Globes: 4 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (George Clooney), “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Ryan Gosling), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, and George Clooney)

2012 Image Awards: 1 nomination: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Jeffrey Wright)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Producers Guild of America Names "The Artist" Best Picture

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced this year’s winning motion picture and television productions at the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 21, 2012.  The Artist, a black and white, silent film, won the Producer's Guild's version of a best picture award.  Back in December when The Artist started winning critics' awards, I thought, "No way will it win the best picture Oscar."  Now, it seems inevitable that it will win.

The PGA also honored several individuals with tribute awards:  Leslie Moonves (Milestone Award), Steven Spielberg (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures), Don Mischer (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television), Stan Lee (Vanguard Award).  Angeline Jolie's directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, received The Stanley Kramer Award.

As for The 2012 Producers Guild competitive categories, I'm only listing the film categories, but you can go here to see the complete list, including the television categories.

The theatrical motion picture nominees and winners (denoted by an *) are:

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

*THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann

BRIDESMAIDS
Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend

THE DESCENDANTS
Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Scott Rudin

THE HELP
Producers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Brunson Green

HUGO
Producers: Graham King, Martin Scorsese

THE IDES OF MARCH
Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

MONEYBALL
Producers: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt

WAR HORSE
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

*THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Producers: Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

CARS 2
Producer: Denise Ream

KUNG FU PANDA 2
Producer: Melissa Cobb

PUSS IN BOOTS
Producers: Joe M. Aguilar, Latifa Ouaou

RANGO
Producers: John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

*BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Producers: Debra Koffler, Frank Mele, Edward Parks, Michael Rapaport

BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
Producer: Philip Gefter

PROJECT NIM
Producer: Simon Chinn

SENNA
Producer: James Gay-Rees

THE UNION
Producers: Cameron Crowe, Michelle Panek

Review: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" Remains a True Classic Film (Happy B'day, Tobe Hopper)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 65 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Running minutes: 83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)
MPAA – R
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Tobe Hopper
WRITERS: Kim Henkel and Tobe Hopper
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel Pearl
EDITOR: Larry Carroll and Sallye Richardson
COMPOSERS: Wayne Bell and Tobe Hooper

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring: Marilyn Burns, Allen Dazinger, Paul A. Purtain, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen, John Dugan, and Ed Guinn with John Laroquette (narrator)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 1974 horror film directed by Tobe Hopper. Filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and Rob Zombie have cited this independent film as being an influence on their work. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most famous and infamous American horror movies ever made. It spawned two direct sequels, a prequel, and a 2003 hit remake.

The film follows a group of young people (or hippies, depending upon your point of view), traveling through Texas by van in the 1970’s, when they encounter a family of murderous cannibals. Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) and her brother, Franklin (Paul A. Purtain), visit their grandfather’s grave after hearing news about vandalism and grave robbing at the cemetery. Three friends have accompanied the Hardestys on this trip, which becomes weird when they pick up a hitchhiker who turns violent. While looking for gas, things get worse, and these young people must fight a chainsaw wielding, masked manic – known as Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) for their lives.

The film (itself based on the Ed Gein murder, upon which Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is based) has spawned many urban legends, most built around the idea that there are people in Texas selling delicious barbeque made out of human flesh in roadside quick stops and shacks. View the film carefully, and it’s easy to see why. Hooper’s direction is brilliant, and it is a shame Hopper’s career never quite reached the heights that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre promised.

The film is documentary-like, but also has a dreamlike quality that is very effective. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie is often like a nightmare that’s over quickly, but while you’re experiencing it, the nightmare seems to go on forever. Its jarring finale not only furthers the idea that this is a bad dream, but it also makes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre seem like a fairy tale. It’s like a really nasty Grimm Brothers story of careless and naughty youth who are so oblivious to nature and so focused on their own wants that they ignore the sense of evil and foreboding around them.

Hooper really had a solid vision for his crew and the assisting filmmakers. The shots, editing, lighting, and music go a long way into creating the sense of dread and psychological horror in the film. The cast is mostly inspired and never slacks up, which allows the level of intensity and fear to keep increasing as the film narrative unfolds. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is unsettling, frightening, and just plain freakish, but it’s also funny and has some odd moments of satire and social commentary.

8 of 10
A

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

 

2012 Academy Award Nominations: Best Motion Picture of the Year

Best Motion Picture of the Year Nominees:

(There are 9 best picture nominees this year.)

The Artist (2011): Thomas Langmann

The Descendants (2011): Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011): Scott Rudin

The Help (2011): Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan

Hugo (2011): Graham King, Martin Scorsese

Midnight in Paris (2011): Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

Moneyball (2011): Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt

The Tree of Life (2011): Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill

War Horse (2011): Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy