Review: "Basic Instinct" is Still a Killer (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 129 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Basic Instinct (1992)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and sensuality and for drug use and language
DIRECTOR: Paul Verhoeven
WRITER: Joe Eszterhas
PRODUCER: Alan Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jan De Bont, A.S.C.
EDITOR: Frank J. Urioste, A.C.E.
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award nominee

THRILLER/CRIME/MYSTERY

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle, Bruce A. Young, Chelcie Ross, Dorothy Malone, Wayne Knight, and Daniel von Bargen

The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct, a 1992 erotic thriller and mystery film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by the great Joe Eszterhas. The film follows a police detective in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder and a beautiful and seductive woman who could be involved.

Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) is a tough, but vulnerable San Francisco detective – vulnerable because he’s under the watchful eye of Internal Affairs after he’d shot and killed some tourists during a pursuit of suspects. Nick has also complicated his life by having intimate relations with the therapist, Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), his bosses are making him see.

The story begins after a prominent community member is found bound and brutally murdered (stabbed with an ice pick) in his blood-soaked bed. Nick’s life and job get even more convoluted when he and his partner, Gus Moran (George Dzundza), are assigned to be the lead detectives in the case. The prime suspect is Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a cold, calculating, and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine takes an immediate interest in Nick and delves into his past, but is she using him for reference in her new novel or is she dragging Nick into an even more dangerous game. As the bodies pile up, Nick wonders if a jealous rival of Catherine’s or of his and Catherine’s relationship is out to frame her… and kill him. Or is Catherine behind all the murders?

Basic Instinct was one of the most talked about and controversial movies of 1992. Protests from gay rights groups marred the film’s production shoot after the script was leaked and it was learn that all the murder suspects in the film were lesbian characters. When the film was finally released, Basic Instinct’s explicit sex, tawdry subject matter, and riveting crime plot made it one of the year’s biggest box office hits and the poster child for those who believed sex and violence in Hollywood films had finally crossed too many lines.

But the film was good… no, great. Hot sex, hot girls, beautiful locations in San Francisco and the surrounding area, swanky sets, multiple plausible murder suspects, and a cop nearly out of his mind chasing hot ass – Basic Instinct was and still is a thoroughly delightful adult thriller. Director Paul Verhoeven created a murder mystery in the tradition of films such as Out of the Past and Murder, My Sweet. If Basic Instinct weren’t a color film, it would be a modern Film-Noir classic.

There were good performances all around, and the best were Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone’s. The duo had great screen chemistry, and Ms. Stone played the part for all it was worth, making her a top-billed, highly paid actress for the next few years. Rarely had there been so much sexual tension, distrust, dishonesty, and brazenness between a screen couple that couldn’t stop “being” with one another, and Douglas coolly played the role on the way to solidifying his position as an A-list actor.

One element that was absolutely necessary in making Basic Instinct such a sexy thriller is the Oscar-nominated score (Best Music, Original Score) by the late Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004). Haunting and alluring, it helps the film capture some of the screen magic of crime films from the golden age of Hollywood. Goldsmith also provided the right musical themes and rhythms to go with Michael and Sharon’s pummel-your-partner love scenes.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Film Editing” (Frank J. Urioste) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Jerry Goldsmith) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Sharon Stone)

1992 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Razzie Awards: 3 nominations: “Worst Actor” (Michael Douglas, also for Shining Through -1992), “Worst New Star” ("Sharon Stone's 'Tribute to Theodore Cleaver'"), and “Worst Supporting Actress” (Jeanne Tripplehorn)

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Review: "Basic Instinct 2" Doesn't Come Close to the Original (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 182 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexuality, nudity, violence, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR: Michael Canton-Jones
WRITERS: Leora Barish & Henry Bean (based upon characters by Joe Eszterhas)
PRODUCERS: Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, and Andrew G. Vajna
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gyulas Pados (director of photography)
EDITOR: Istvan Kiraly and John Scott
COMPOSER: John Murphy
Razzie Award winner

MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, Charlotte Rampling, David Thewlis, Hugh Dancy, Stan Collymore, Neil Maskell, Indira Varma, Heathcote Williams, and Flora Montgomery

The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct 2, a 2006 erotic thriller and mystery film. Directed by Michael Canton-Jones, the film is a sequel to the 1992 film, Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone returns from the original film, but not her co-star, Michael Douglas. In the new film, Stone’s character, novelist Catherine Tramell, is again in trouble with the law, and she lures the Scotland Yard psychiatrist appointed to evaluate her into a seductive game.

Charged with the murder of her fiancé, Kevin Franks (Stan Collymore), best-selling novelist, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), is once again in trouble with the law – this time in London. Catherine faces questioning from Dr. Michael Glass (David Morrissey), a Scotland Yard-appointed criminal psychiatrist. Before long, more people are turning up dead all around Catherine, just as it did a decade and a half ago in San Francisco. The suspects are plenty, and the players include a conniving reporter and a dirty cop, as well as many of Glass’ friends and associates. An old case of Glass’ also comes into play. Did he know that George Cheslav (unseen in the film), a psychotic patient of his, was going to kill his girlfriend? Tramell sees the case as a chance to manipulate Glass as fodder for her new novel – about a psychiatrist who may or may not have committed murder. Glass has the training to withstand Catherine’s mind games, or does he? Can he even match her willpower? And what happens when the evidence from the murders start pointing to him as much as it does to Catherine?

Basic Instinct 2 isn’t good, nor is it really bad. It starts off with a bang, but most of it is dry, dull, and awkward, in spite of a good moment here and there and a killer ending that leaves the viewer asking questions just as the first film did. One wonders why we really needed a sequel to the San Francisco-based neo-noir, Basic Instinct, although there has been talk of one ever since the film became a blockbuster hit in 1992. Leora Barish and Henry Bean’s script is a good murder mystery, but it’s wrong for the Catherine Tramell character. Tramell certainly belongs in a lurid murder mystery; this just isn’t the one. Putting her in this British-based tale of deception and hard sex is like putting Shrek in The Lord of the Rings just because the former is a fantasy-based character and the latter is an epic fantasy.

Director Michael Canton-Jones (Scandal) tries to give this film some style, and judging from the explicit “love scenes,” he knows how to direct a hot sex scene. Sharon Stone still is Catherine Tramell, but she’s trying to hard, and Canton swoops in on her every wicked facial expression. For fans of the original, this is merely a curiosity piece and one that tries the patience.

3 of 10
C-

Saturday, August 19, 2006

NOTES:
2007 Razzie Awards: 4 wins: “Worst Actress” (Sharon Stone), “Worst Picture” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too-Sony and Columbia), “Worst Prequel or Sequel” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too), and “Worst Screenplay” (Leora Barish and Henry Bean, based on characters created by Joe Eszterhas); 3 nominations: “Worst Director” (Michael Caton-Jones), “Worst Screen Couple” (Sharon Stone's lop-sided breasts.), and “Worst Supporting Actor” (David Thewlis, also for The Omen-2006)

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Chris Nolan's Next Project, "Interstellar," Due November 2014

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S “INTERSTELLAR” TO BE CO-PRODUCED AND JOINTLY DISTRIBUTED BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES

FILM WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS AND IMAX® ON NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Paramount To Distribute Domestically, Warner Bros. Pictures Internationally

Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures jointly announced today that writer/director Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” will be co-produced and distributed by the two studios, with Paramount Pictures handling Domestic distribution and Warner Bros. Pictures distributing the film Internationally. “INTERSTELLAR” will be released beginning November 7, 2014, in theaters and IMAX®.

Directed and written by Academy Award-nominee Nolan (“INCEPTION,” “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”), “INTERSTELLAR” is based on a script by Jonathan Nolan. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan of Syncopy Films and Obst of Lynda Obst Productions. Kip Thorne will executive produce. The film will depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.

Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures said, “As a filmmaker and storyteller, Chris has continuously entertained the world with his extraordinary and unparalleled talents. I am pleased beyond measure to welcome him to the Paramount Pictures family. Partnering with Chris, Emma, Lynda and Warner Bros. to release this original idea next November is the perfect way to start the Thanksgiving and holiday movie season for audiences around the world.”

Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said, “Christopher Nolan is truly one of the great auteurs working in film today, and we’re extremely proud of our successful and ongoing collaboration with him and Emma Thomas. We are excited to be teaming with Paramount, and look forward to working with the Nolans, and producer Lynda Obst, on this extraordinary new project.”


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.

About Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures meets worldwide tastes and demands with a diverse mix of filmed entertainment and is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films. The International Division operates offices in 24 countries and releases films in over 125 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures. Internationally, the Studio has been the market leader in six of the last 13 years, having surpassed $1 billion in grosses a total of 15 years, 12 of which were consecutive years, and crossed $2 billion five times, including 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

"The Wizard of Oz" Still the Greatest Fantasy Film Ever

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 115 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 mintues)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Victor Fleming
WRITERS: Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf (based upon the novel by L. Frank Baum)
PRODUCER: Mervyn LeRoy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Harold Rosson (photographed by: in Technicolor)
EDITOR: Blanche Sewell
COMPOSER: Herbert Stothart
SONGS: Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Academy Award winner

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/MUSICAL

Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, and Clara Blandick

The subject of this movie review is The Wizard of Oz, a 1939 musical fantasy and adventure film from MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). The film is based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a children’s fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900.

Although Victor Fleming was credited as the film’s director, several other directors worked on the film, including King Vidor, George Cuko, and Mervyn LeRoy (who produced the film along with Arthur Freed). In fact numerous people who contributed to this film did not receive any screed credit, such as Arthur Freed (writer and producer), Ogden Nash (writer) and Herman J. Mankeiwicz (writer).

Various critics and popular polls often name it one of the “ten best movies of all time,” and in 2010, the Library of Congress said it was the most watched movie of all time. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched it, but I consider The Wizard of Oz to be the greatest fantasy film of all time.

Since it was first released over six decades ago, The Wizard of Oz has stood the test of time as a great fantasy film. And though computers have revolutionized the use of special effects in movies, The Wizard of Oz, with its painted backdrops, handmade costumes, and ordinary makeup effects is as potent as any modern fantasy film filled with super SFX.

In the story, a tornado whisks a Kansas farm girl named Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto to the magical Land of Oz where she encounters many strange and wonderful beings. She embarks upon a quest to the Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz, who reportedly has it in his powers to send Dorothy back to Kansas. Along the way she gathers a group of fellow travelers who also wish a boon from the Wizard: The Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) who wants a brain; The Tin Man (Jack Haley) who wants a heart; and The Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. To get what they want, however, they must face off with The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) who wants a pair of magical ruby slippers that Dorothy wears.

Anyone who has seen The Wizard of Oz is already aware of the magical hold the film has had and continues to have over audiences. Like a good fantasy film, it is filled with fantastical elements, but the heart of the story is the quest for something dear. For Dorothy, it is a way home; for her friends it is something they wrongly believe is missing from their lives and personalities. Like a great family film, The Wizard of Oz endears itself by entertaining all ages with a wonderful story, memorable songs and lines, and loveable characters. It is also in a way an adventure film, but the vicarious thrill of the adventure doesn’t come from destruction, but comes from sharing the quest with friends and loved ones.

The Wizard of Oz is undoubtedly one of the great American films. Watch it, and one can’t help but marvel how the filmmakers came together to make a film that approaches perfection with nearly every scene and in nearly every moment.

10 of 10

NOTES:
1940 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Music, Original Score” (Herbert Stothart) and “Best Music, Original Song” (Harold Arlen-music for E.Y. Harburg-lyrics for the song "Over the Rainbow"); 4 nominations: “Best Picture” (M-G-M), “Best Art Direction” (Cedric Gibbons and William A. Horning), “Best Cinematography, Color” (Harold Rosson), and “Best Effects, Special Effects” (A. Arnold Gillespie-photographic and Douglas Shearer-sound)

1939 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Victor Fleming)

1989 National Film Preservation Board, USA: National Film Registry

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Five Major Studios Sign Theatrical Digital Distribution Deal

Lionsgate, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Paramount Pictures Sign on to DCDC Distribution Service Platform

BURBANK, Calif. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC) announced today that it has reached agreements with Lionsgate, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Paramount Pictures to provide each with theatrical digital delivery services across North America. DCDC, formed by AMC Theatres, Regal Entertainment Group, Cinemark Theatres, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros., has created a network for next generation satellite and terrestrial digital distribution capable of supporting feature, promotional, pre-show and live content distribution into theatres using the latest in digital distribution technologies. The network is designed to provide a highly reliable and cost effective distribution model for distributors and exhibitors alike. As digital distribution replaces the use of traditional, physical media for content distribution, users of the network will have access to a host of delivery options and resources.

Speaking on behalf of DCDC, Randolph Blotky stated, “DCDC’s service platform is the state of the art for digital delivery of various kinds of content to theatres in North America. Its business model will assure long-term consistent low cost pricing to content providers and exhibitors across the industry. We are very excited to welcome Warner Bros. Entertainment, Lionsgate, The Walt Disney Company, Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures to our service.”

Darcy Antonellis, President, Technical Operations, and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment added, “The vision of creating a cross-industry distribution service to benefit distributors, exhibitors, service providers and consumers is becoming a reality. We're extremely pleased to be working with our colleagues to bring to fruition a powerful distribution network that is advantageous for us all.”

Nikki Rocco, President, Universal Pictures Distribution, added, “With the majority of the domestic theatrical market now digital, the ability to efficiently distribute films via satellite to a large subset of our exhibitor partners will further ensure moviegoers have access to the latest and highest quality theatrical entertainment. Universal is excited to work with DCDC in the satellite delivery of our films, as it rolls out its satellite platform over the coming months.”

“DCDC’s new satellite service provides a seamless and secure system that will enable us to streamline and expedite access to our latest content,” said Dave Hollis, Executive Vice President, Theatrical Exhibition Sales and Distribution, The Walt Disney Studios. “This is a crucial advancement in theatrical distribution, and we’re thrilled to be on board.”

“The wide-spread adoption of DCDC’s platform is a game-changer,” said Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “The service ensures that audiences have the most high-quality entertainment experience while exhibitors and content providers achieve a strategic, secure and cost-effective new business model. We are very pleased to join DCDC and our partner studios in this initiative.”

“We are pleased that Lionsgate can again be at the forefront of digital cinema and be part of the state of the art digital delivery system that will benefit the entire industry,” said Richie Fay, Lionsgate’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution.

“All of us at Paramount believe the advancement of digital distribution technologies will help to further our goal to bring the finest entertainment to audiences in a seamless and secure manner, and the DCDC will be a great partner for us to achieve that goal,” said Megan Colligan, Paramount Pictures’ President of Domestic Marketing and Distribution.

“DCDC is creating a technological superhighway,” said Tim Warner, CEO and President, Cinemark Theatres. “It’s one port access to thousands of screens, for both movies and alternative content, from all content providers.”

DCDC is expected to complete the initial network roll-out before year-end. Deluxe/EchoStar LLC will be providing operations support for the DCDC network.


About Warner Bros. Entertainment:
Warner Bros. Entertainment is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to Blu-ray and DVD, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing and broadcasting.

About Universal Pictures:
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is 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 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.

About The Walt Disney Company:
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of about $42.3 billion in its last fiscal year.

About Lionsgate:
Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first installment of The Hunger Games franchise, the 13th highest-grossing domestic release of all time, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, which has grossed more than $800 million at the worldwide box office, Warm Bodies, Texas Chainsaw 3D, The Expendables 2, The Possession, Sinister, The Cabin in the Woods and Arbitrage. With the January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company has now added the blockbuster Twilight Saga franchise, which has grossed more than $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office, to its current slate, giving the Company the two premier young adult franchises in the world. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

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.

Review: "The Master" Piece

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 17 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Master (2012)
Running time: 144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexual content, graphic nudity and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson
PRODUCERS: Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison, Daniel Lupi, and JoAnne Sellar
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mihai Malaimare Jr.
EDITORS: Leslie Jones and Peter McNulty
COMPOSER: Jonny Greenwood

DRAMA

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Ambyr Childers, Rami Malek, Laura Dern, and Kevin J. O’Connor

The Master is a 2012 film drama from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood). The film follows a World War II Naval veteran who returns to America unsettled and uncertain of his future – until he is tantalized by a new religion and its charismatic leader. The Master is also noted for its similarities to the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

The Master opens with a brief look at Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) and his service during World War II. After the war, Freddie is sex-obsessed and an alcoholic, and he struggles to adjust to post-war life. Early in 1950, Freddie is jobless and drifting, when he stows away on the yacht of Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the founder and leader of a philosophical movement called “The Cause.”

Seeing something in Freddie, Dodd takes him into the movement, and Freddie travels with Dodd along the East Coast, spreading the teachings of The Cause. Freddie’s erratic and violent behavior, however, makes Dodd’s followers, especially Dodd’s wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), suspicious of him.

First, let me say, The Master is a film overflowing with quality. The cinematography by Mihai Malaimare Jr. is some of the best that I’ve ever seen. The colors practically pulse with enchantment. Every so often, I come across a film score that affects me in ways that just seem to inspire me to better things. Jonny Greenwood, the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the rock band, Radiohead, delivers such a score for The Master.

Yada, yada, yada: do I have to say that Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams deliver stellar performances? Of course, they do; it’s some of the best work these three actors have ever done.

Anderson takes what he gets from his collaborators and delivers a vibrant, uncompromising film in The Master. It is a trip down the piss-gold, yellow brick road into the American heart of darkness, delving into themes of master-disciple relationships, the yearning for success, and our urge to uncover each other’s secrets. The Master is challenging and frustrating, but for serious movie audiences, it is simply a gift.

Greenwood’s score, which Anderson uses to maximum effect, makes me think that, in some ways, The Master is a science fiction film. As much as the film delves into the past, it is about where the characters are going – their futures. At times, The Master looks like a weird science fiction film made in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The Master seems out of time, a movie that belongs to a time over a half-century ago, and it was trying to predict what the psychological state of affairs would be like after “The Cause” took over the world.

Anderson refuses to settle the matters of the characters by the end of this film –sorry for that semi-spoiler. However, The Master is the kind of movie that proves that film is indeed an art form and not merely a commercial endeavor for people and corporations that want fame and money.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Joaquin Phoenix), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Amy Adams)

2013 BAFTA Awards: 4 nominations: “Leading Actor” (Joaquin Phoenix), “Original Screenplay” (Paul Thomas Anderson), “Supporting Actor” (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and “Supporting Actress” (Amy Adams)

2013 Golden Globes, USA: 3 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Joaquin Phoenix), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Amy Adams)

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Happy Birthday, M.A.D.

I recently remembered that you loved those initials... and the magazine and it copycats and competitors.  So have a MAD Happy Birthday.