February 2012: Negromancer History Month?

Welcome to Negromancer, the rebirth of my former movie review website as a movie review and movie news blog.  February is Oscar month (for the time being, as AMPAS is considering moving the Oscars to January).  I have a lot of movie reviews from the old version of the site that I have not reposted here, so many of the Oscar nominees and winners among them will appear this month.

I’m Leroy Douresseaux, and I also blog at http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/ and write for the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phones apps and comics).

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

"Abduction" is a Broken Star Vehicle for Taylor Lautner

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Abduction (2011)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, brief language, some sexual content and teen partying
DIRECTOR: John Singleton
WRITERS: Shawn Christensen
PRODUCERS: Doug Davison, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Dan Lautner, Roy Lee, and Lee Stollman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Menzies Jr. (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Bruce Cannon
COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur

ACTION/DRAMA/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Michael Nyqvist, Denzel Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, Antonique Smith, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Dermot Mulroney

Abduction is a 2011 action thriller starring Taylor Lautner, currently best known for his portrayal of Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga film series. The film is about a teenager who sets out to discover who he really is after discovering a baby picture of himself on a missing persons website. Abduction is also the first feature film that John Singleton has directed in six years.

Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) is an ordinary teenager who lives with his parents, Kevin (Jason Isaacs) and Maria (Maria Bello). Nathan partners with longtime friend, Karen Murphy (Lily Collins), for a high school sociology project. One night while doing research on the Internet, Nathan and Karen discover a baby photo that resembles Nathan on a missing persons website.

The website also has an age-progression program that allows users to see what the child would look like when he is older. When he ages the photo of the baby who is named Steven Price, Nathan is shocked to see a picture of someone who looks exactly like he does. Then, an innocent call to that missing persons website leads to the end of the life Nathan knows. Now, he and Karen are on the run, as shadowy figures chase Nathan, insisting that he has information they want. And some of them are willing to kill for it.

Abduction tries to be several things: a suspenseful character drama, an action chase movie, a lost identity mystery, and an international espionage thriller. As any one of the four, the film is weak. As all of them together, Abduction is still weak. The premise: a high school boy discovers his picture on a missing persons website, is interesting and has real-world implications. However, that premise ends up being just a tease because Abduction wants to be an espionage thriller with international implications, but it mostly ends up being a middling action movie.

Taylor Lautner is not a terrible actor, but he doesn’t accomplish much here that would make people think that he is a good actor. Watching this, I could tell that Lautner is sincere and is making an effort to be good and to make people buy into his character and the obstacles and dangers Nathan faces. In the first half of the film, his efforts come across as overacting. In the second half of this film, Lautner really sells, especially when Nathan is forced to directly confront a character that is trying to kill him.

In early 1992, John Singleton earned two Oscar nominations for his debut film, Boyz n the Hood (1991). I am actually saddened that 20 years later, Singleton has directed a film that seems like nothing more than a straight-to-DVD version of The Bourne Identity. Still, I have to give Lautner credit for his efforts, which is why I’m giving Abduction what I consider to be a generous grade.

5 of 10
C+

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Happy Birthday, Ed

I know that you have had some difficult times lately, but you should still have a birthday shout out.

Review: "Runaway Jury" is Unrealistic, But Entertaining (Happy B'day, Gene Hackman)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 32 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Runaway Jury (2003)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, language, and thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Gary Fleder
WRITERS: Brian Koppelman and David Levien, Rick Cleveland, and Matthew Chapman (based upon the novel by John Grisham)
PRODUCER: Christopher Mankiewicz, and Gary Fleder
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Elswit, A.S.C.
EDITOR: William Steinkamp, A.C.E. and Jeff Williams

DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill, Jeremy Piven, Nick Searcy, Joanna Going, Stanley Anderson, Cliff Curtis, Jennifer Beals, and Bill Nunn with Orlando Jones and (uncredited) Dylan McDermott

Runaway Jury is a 2003 legal drama/thriller from director Gary Fleder. The film is based on the 1996 novel, The Runaway Jury, by author John Grisham.

Set in New Orleans, Runaway Jury is the story of a mysterious man named Nicholas Easter (John Cusack), who talks his way onto the jury of a landmark civil case against a gun manufacturer and attempts to influence the verdict by manipulating the other jurors. Meanwhile, on the outside, Easter’s girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz) runs a game to swindle the two lawyers involved in the case into paying her 10 million dollars if they want the verdict friendly to their clients.

Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) is a torts lawyer who represents the plaintiff, Celeste Wood (Joanna Going), the widow of Jacob Wood (Dylan McDermott), who was killed in a shooting rampage at brokerage firm. She believes the gun manufacturer knew that the killer bought the gun from a store that was careless and ignored gun laws. Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman) is a jury consultant for the defense. Fitch is almost superhuman in the way he is able to discover the pasts of jurors, examine their beliefs and mindsets, and find out who can be bought, bribed, or blackmailed. His war with Nick Easter and Marlee drives the trial to the brink of ruin for a breathtaking finale.

Runaway Jury is the latest film adapted from a bestseller by John Grisham, author of books such as The Firm and A Time to Kill, both of which were adapted into films. The novel’s original premise was about a civil action against big tobacco, but the gun industry, also a target of big lawsuits, may have seemed like an easier sell to moviegoers, as guns are a lightening rod and divider of the American public. However, the film really doesn’t turn on a change of litigants. The best thing this film has going for it is the trio of John Cusack, Gene Hackman, and Rachel Weisz because they put the drama and thrills in this film. Dustin Hoffman is good, but he seems like the odd man out. His one good chance to chew up the scenery with Hackman is decidedly one-sided with Hackman eating his lunch. Anyone seeing this movie will clearly understand what power Hackman radiates. His star power and acting ability is worlds better than most other actors. An actor in a film with him has got to bring serious game, or Hackman will sweep him away. I so loved Hackman’s performance here that I wanted to have a baby for him.

Parts of Runaway Jury certainly test the bounds of belief and reality, but this is a great legal drama even if stuff happens in this film that no judge would allow to go on in his courtroom. And I say that knowing that most judges ain’t worth crap and are as crooked as a devil in gambling parlor. Runaway Jury is wonderful entertainment, and if you turn your reasoning down a little, it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.

7 of 10
B+

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"The Help" Cleans Up at 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide. Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members. The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

The big winner last night was the 2011 hit movie, The Help.  It won two acting awards and the top prize, "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" (or Best Ensemble-Film), which is something of an upset.  Going into last night, The Artist, had to be at least a slight favorite because it has won the top prize from most film critics organizations, and it won the top prize at the Golden Globes and from both the Directors and Producers Guilds.  However, in the previous 17 years of the SAG Awards, only 9 "Best Ensemble" winners have also won the best picture Oscar.  Last year's Best Ensemble SAG winner, The King's Speech, did win the Oscar.

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented on Jan. 29, 2012 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and aired live on TBS and TNT.

18th Annual SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® Winners (for the year 2011):

FILM

BEST ENSEMBLE
"The Help" (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O'Reilly, Sissy Spacek, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Emma Stone, Cicely Tyson, Mike Vogel)

BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis, "The Help"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"

TELEVISION

BEST DRAMA ENSEMBLE
"Boardwalk Empire" (Steve Buscemi; Dominic Chianese; Robert Clohessy; Dabney Coleman; Charlie Cox; Josie Gallina; Lucy Gallina; Stephen Graham; Jack Huston; Anthony Laciura; Heather Lind; Kelly MacDonald; Declan McTigue; Rory McTigue; Gretchen Mol; Brady Noon; Connor Noon; Kevin O'Rourke; Aleksa Palladino; Jacqueline Pennewill; Vincent Piazza; Michael Pitt; Michael Shannon; Paul Sparks; Michael Stuhlbarg; Peter Van Wagner; Shea Whigham; Michael Kenneth Williams; Anatol Yusef)

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

BEST COMEDY ENSEMBLE
"Modern Family" (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons; Julie Bowen; Ty Burrell; Jesse Tyler Ferguson; Nolan Gould; Sarah Hyland; Ed O'Neill; Rico Rodriguez II; Eric Stonestreet; Sofia Vergara; Ariel Winter)

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTOR
Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTRESS
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"

BEST TV STUNT ENSEMBLE
"Game of Thrones"

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Screen Actors Guild Awards 48th Annual Life Achievement Award:
Mary Tyler Moore

Marvel Assembles "The Avengers" on Twitter for Global Chat

“Marvel’s The Avengers” Assemble on Twitter

Marvel Studios Sponsors Global Twitter Chat with Director and Cast for Fans around the World

Participants Get Tease of “Marvel’s The Avengers” 30-Second Super Bowl Spot and Chance to Win Prizes

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marvel Studios announced today that they will be sponsoring a Global Twitter Chat on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11 a.m. (PST) with cast members and the director of their highly anticipated action-adventure “Marvel’s The Avengers,” opening in theaters on May 4, 2012. The 30-minute live tweeting event features writer/director Joss Whedon and cast members Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg.

Fans around the world will be able to participate in the Q&A on Twitter by using the @Avengers handle and the #Avengers hashtag. Participating fans will have the opportunity to see a 10-second tease of the 30-second Super Bowl spot that will air during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5 on NBC. They will also have a chance to answer “Avengers” trivia for a chance to win “Avengers” prize packs.

International fans will be able to submit questions for the talent in their native language through a global translation tool provided by Ortsbo.com. The chat will be moderated by Marvel’s @Agent_M.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher, Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Follow @Avengers on Twitter for more details.

Directors Guild Chooses Michel Hazanavicius of "The Artist"

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the entertainment labor union that represents film and television directors. The DGA gives out the Directors Guild of America Award each year to honor outstanding achievement.

The winner of the DGA Award for “Feature Film” usually wins the best director Oscar. As of last year, only six DGA winners in the “Feature Film” category have not also won the best director Oscar. The last time this happened was for the year 2002. Rob Marshall was the DGA choice for Chicago. The Oscar went to Roman Polanski for The Pianist.

The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2011 (as wellas the recipients of the Guild's 2012 Career Achievement Awards) were announced Saturday night (Jan. 28th). Michel Hazanavicius won the DGA's Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Artist, which seems to be the latest step the film is taking on its way to Oscar glory.

The 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner was held at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.  There were many other categories, but I'm only concerned with the winners in the two film categories.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film:
MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS
The Artist
(The Weinstein Company)

Mr. Hazanavicius’ Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Antoine De Cazotte
Production Manager (FR): Ségoléne Fleury
First Assistant Director (FR): James Canal
First Assistant Director (US): David Cluck
Second Assistant Directo (US): Dave Paige
Second Second Assistant Directors: Karla Strum, Ricky Robinson

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
JAMES MARSH
Project Nim
Red Box Films, Passion Pictures, HBO Documentary Films, Roadside Attractions, BBC Films, UK Film Council

This was Mr. Marsh’s second DGA Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Man on Wire in 2008.