Star Trek "The Mission Continues" Contest

WHAT: Paramount Pictures, Bad Robot and Charitybuzz partner to offer Star Trek fans a once-in-a-lifetime oppurtunity to meet director J.J. Abrams and the cast of "Star Trek Into Darkness" at the film's Los Angeles premiere.  Proceeds will benefit "The Mission Continues."

Charitybuzz, the leading destination for online charity auctions, will host the bidding for a four-pack of VIP tickets to attend the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” premiere in Los Angeles. The winners will walk the red carpet, meet director J.J. Abrams and the cast, and attend the premiere after-party. Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot will match the winning bid, up to $25,000. Proceeds will benefit The Mission Continues and its work to empower post-9/11 veterans on their new missions here at home.

WHEN: TUESDAY, MAY 14TH, 2013
Bidding is open now through Thursday, May 9th at www.Charitybuzz.Com/StarTrek


ABOUT “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS”
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. As the heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew. “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” opens nationwide May 17th, 2013.

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” is written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams is producing with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman and Orci. Jeffrey Chernov and Skydance Productions’ David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers.

ABOUT CHARITYBUZZ.COM
Charitybuzz raises funds for nonprofits around the globe through online auctions with the world’s most recognizable celebrities and brands. Featuring access to acclaimed actors and musicians, business and political leaders, sports stars, luxury travel, couture fashion, rare memorabilia and more, Charitybuzz brings its online community of bidders exclusive opportunities to live their dreams and make a difference. Since launching, Charitybuzz has raised more than $75 million for charity. To learn more, visit www.Charitybuzz.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Charitybuzz or follow us on Twitter at @Charitybuzz.

ABOUT THE MISSION CONTINUES
Mission Continues is a community service organization that helps post-9/11 veterans transition from the military to leadership roles at home. The Mission Continues benefits veterans and communities in equal measure. The organization sponsors veterans’ enrollment in a 6-month service and leadership program. These veterans dedicate themselves to serving in their community, volunteering for at least 20 hours a week in community organizations to address issues like homelessness, illiteracy and unemployment. The Mission Continues provides the tools, the direction, and a living stipend to these veterans, while the veterans deploy their experience, their skills, and their desire against our communities' most pressing problems. Since its inception, The Mission Continues has awarded more than 600 fellowships and engaged thousands of volunteers at more than 350 community organizations. For more information, please visit www.missioncontinues.org or follow us on Twitter: @missioncontinue

Review: "Holy Smoke" is Kind of Wispy (Happy B'day, Jane Campion)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 173 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Holy Smoke! (1999)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexuality and language
DIRECTOR: Jane Campion
WRITERS: Anna Campion and Jane Campion
PRODUCER: Jan Chapman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dion Beebe (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Veronika Jenet
COMPOSER: Angelo Badalamenti

DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring: Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel, Julie Hamilton, Sophie Lee, Dan Wyllie, Paul Goddard, Tim Robertson, and Pam Grier

The subject of this movie review is Holy Smoke!, a 1999 Australian comedy-drama from director Jane Campion. The film stars Kate Winslet as an Australian tourist who falls in with an Indian guru and Harvey Keitel as a macho American deprogrammer hired to free her from that new spirituality.

Jane Campion won an Academy Award in 1994 in the category original screenplay for her 1993 film, The Piano. Whereas both the characters and the story were well written in that internationally acclaimed film, the same cannot be said of Ms. Campion’s Holy Smoke, which is not nearly as rich a film as The Piano.

When a young woman (Kate Winslet) falls under the influence of a charismatic guru and joins his ashram, her parents hire PJ Waters (Harvey Kietel, who also starred in Ms. Campion’s The Piano), an “exiter,” a counselor who specializes in deprogramming people taken in by cults. PJ, however, finds the young woman, Ruth Barron, to be not only iron-willed and intelligent, but also very sexy. Ruth engages PJ is an intense battle of wills and sexual politics that begs the question – who will win?

Ms. Winslet is nothing short of stunning in Holy Smoke, and the continual growth of her acting talent is a revelation. It’s hard to take your eyes off her, and she is so beautiful. Ms. Winslet is not one of those tiresome and too thin anorexia stars, but a big boned, baby-got-back-and-front, full figured, blond goddess. The combination of her acting prowess and raw sexuality will distract from a dull movie, and Holy Smoke, while not quite awful, needed this Meryl Streep with a body.

The film is just too up and down. It is at times funny and engaging, but at other times too dry and pointless. The other characters are quite interesting, but the screenwriters ignore them in favor of a drawn out battle between Ruth and PJ. That’s a shame because many of the other characters, including Ruth’s parents and PJ’s partner played by Pam Grier, seem to have interesting backstories. The film limps to the finish line with a tired battle of the sexes. Thankfully, a sentimental dénouement saves the film from being completely below average.

5 of 10
C+

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

2013 MTV Movie Awards Spread the Love

Ooops, we forgot to post the results of the 2013 MTV Movie Awards.  We found this at the MTV website - the winners with a summary of why they won:

2013 MTV Movie Award Winners:

Movie Of The Year:
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

An epic ensemble of superheroes, including Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and The Hulk, join forces to stop villainous Loki from subjugating the world.

Best Musical Moment Winner:
Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee
Pitch Perfect
Directed by Jason Moore

The Barden Bellas break outside of their comfort zones and step up their performance with an a capella cover of "No Diggity."

MTV Generation Award:
Jamie Foxx

Each year, the MTV Movie Awards recognizes an esteemed actor with an honorary Golden Popcorn for the Generation Award. The distinction is given to an artist who has shown us a variety of impressive roles, a personal and professional flair and of course, an awesome level of talent.

Best Villain Winner:
Tom Hiddleston
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

Tom Hiddleston's Loki is an evil mastermind out to destroy planet earth with a swift stomp of his iron-heeled boot.

Best Shirtless Performance Winner:
Taylor Lautner
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
Directed by Bill Condon

Taylor Lautner left Team Jacob drooling into their popcorn buckets with his silver screen stripdown in 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.

Breakthrough Performance Winner:
Rebel Wilson
Pitch Perfect
Directed by Jason Moore

The Aussie export kept the outrageous a capella adventure down to earth as Fat Amy, a girl whose confidence and personal pizazz provided some of our favorite LOL moments of the movie.

Comedic Genius Award:
Will Ferrell

Throughout his long and illustrious career, Ferrell continues to keep things super fresh. He pushes boundaries with his creative characters and keeps us guessing with his witty one-liners. Best of all, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Best Kiss Winner:
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

Cooper and Lawrence had us believing there was no room for romance in Pat and Tiffany's mutual misfortunes. But, after a steamy dance routine in a swanky hotel, the pair finds love in a hopeless place.

MTV Trailblazer Award:
Emma Watson

The MTV Trailblazer Award returns for a second year to highlight a phenomenal young talent in the biz. The award is given to an actor who, despite their age, has managed to inspire others with a diverse portfolio of work and a transcendent reputation in the public eye.

Best Fight Winner:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

Downey Jr., Evans, Ruffalo, Hemsworth, Johansson and Renner team up as a fully-assembled superhero clique to save the world from a Manhattan-bound nuclear missile.

Best WTF Moment Winner:
Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson
Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

In an excruciating sequence, Foxx's Django blasts servile head-servant Stephen, played by Jackson, and sets the Candieland mansion ablaze with the strike of a match.

Best Male Performance Winner:
Bradley Cooper
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

Bradley Cooper charms as Pat, a bi-polar man living with his parents who befriends a beautiful-but-equally-disturbed neighbor named Tiffany.

Best Female Performance:
Jennifer Lawrence
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

As Tiffany, a troubled young woman who forms a friendship with bi-polar Pat, Jennifer Lawrence is bewitchingly beautiful and intensely relatable.

Best Scared-As-S**t Performance:
Suraj Sharma
Life of Pi
Directed by Ang Lee

Sharma shines as 16-year-old Pi, whose life is changed forever when a startled zebra jumps into his lifeboat, forcing the pair overboard during a powerful storm.

Best On-Screen Duo:
Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane
Ted
Directed by Seth MacFarlane

The destructive pair encourages each other when it comes to just about everything unethical, and yet, you can't help but admire the unique understanding between John (Wahlberg) and his crude, rude and lewd little bear, Ted (MacFarlane).

Best Hero:
Bilbo
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Directed by Peter Jackson

Bilbo Baggins, The Shire's furry-footed hole dwelling hero, uses common sense and courage to take on Gollum in a tale of bravery on an unexpected journey.

Review: McDonnell, Woodard Shine in "Passion Fish" (Happy B'day, Mary McDonnell)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Passion Fish (1992)
Running time: 135 minutes (2 hours, 15 minutes)
MPAA – R
EDITOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR: John Sayles
PRODUCERS: Sarah Green and Maggie Renzi
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roger Deakins
COMPOSER: Mason Daring
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring: Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, David Strathairn, Lenore Banks, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Nora Dunn, Angela Bassett, Mary Portser, and Will Mahoney

The subject of this movie review is Passion Fish, a 1992 drama from writer-director John Sayles. The film tells the story of a paralyzed soap opera actress and the bond she forms with one of her nurses.

Some would decry that Passion Fish, like most John Sayles films (Matewan, Eight Men Out), lacks precisely that: passion. The truth is that John Sayles films eschew the emotional histrionics that so many filmmakers mistake for emotional honesty. Plus, many directors (American directors are afflicted with this curse) probably think that you have to turn of the intensity to capture the attentions of a jaded audience. Besides, the word “passion” is not a lone adjective in the title, but half of a whole that describes the film’s central theme.

Mary-Alice Culhane (Mary McDonnell, Dances with Wolves), a popular soap opera actress, is left paralyzed and wheel chair bound after a car accident. She returns to her Louisiana childhood home where she runs through a succession of nurses until she meets the fiery Chantelle (Alfre Woodard, Grand Canyon), who is running from her own debilitating sickness. Together, they traverse the narrow road and rough terrain of healing, because, in the end, they are alike and really need each other. In the meantime, they also both find new male friends and companions. Mary attaches to an old-fashioned Cajun (Sayles veteran David Strathairn, City of Hope) and Chantelle to a black Cowboy (Vondie Curtin-Hall, Die Hard 2).

Sayles directs this film with deliberate slowness, a languid pace that mirrors Passion Fish’s sultry and humid setting. He gives his cast a chance to slip into the skins of their roles, and there is a pay off – believable performances and characters that feel right in their environments. His script is full of his sharp wit and his lush and rich dialogue, for which he has deft ear.

The performances are excellent. Although Ms. McDonnell alone earned an Academy Award nomination for performance, Ms. Woodard turns in an exemplary performance as Chantelle, desperately fighting her addiction and desperate to reclaim her child. As a duo, they subtly draw us into their lives, and we can’t help but leave a part of ourselves with them as they chose to remain together – forever or for as long as it takes them to heal.

I can’t stress enough how Sayles builds this movie on good acting and a strong story. For those who like strong characters with which one can identify, this movie has them. Passion Fish is truly a fine film for audiences looking for mature subject matter, and is another delight in the beautiful filmography of a great American independent filmmaker, John Sayles.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Mary McDonnell) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (John Sayles)

1993 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Mary McDonnell) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Alfre Woodard)

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

New "Star Trek Into Darkness" Scotty Poster

Review: "I Vampiri" is Not Great, But is Unique (Remembering Mario Bava)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 109 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

I Vampiri (1956) – B&W
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Italy
Running time: 78 minutes (1 hour, 18 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Mario Bava with Riccardo Freda
WRITERS: J.V. Rhemo; from a story by Piero Regnoli and Riccardo Freda
PRODUCERS: Luigi Carpentieri, Ermanno Donati, and Piero Donati
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mario Bava
EDITOR: Roberto Cinquini
COMPOSERS: Franco Mannino and Roman Vlad

HORROR with elements of drama

Starring: Dario Michaelis, Gianna Maria Canale, Carlo D’Angelo, Wandisa Guida, Angelo Galassi, Renato Tontini, Charles Fawcett, Gisella Mancinotti, Miranda Campa, Antoine Balpêtré, and Paul Muller

The subject of this movie review is I Vampiri (The Vampires), a 1956 Italian horror film. The film is apparently the first sound era Italian horror film, as the genre had been banned in the 1930s and 40s.

Although Riccardo Freda, working under the name “Robert Hampton,” is credited with directing the Italian horror film, I Vampiri, the movie was actually finished by cinematographer Mario Bava after Freda quit the production. I Vampiri has been was first released in the United States as The Devil’s Commandment (1956) and later as Lust of the Vampire (1963).

After a series of young women are found dead with the blood drained from their bodies, the citizens of Paris are calling these the “Vampire Murders.” Inspector Chantal (Carlo D’Angelo) and the French police aren’t the only ones investigating the murders. Pierre Lantin (Dario Michaelis) is a curious journalist determined to solve the murders, but he finds his investigation distracted by the lovely Giselle (Gianna Maria Canale), the niece of Margheita, the Duchess du Grand, who was obsessed with Lantin’s late father.

What Lantin doesn’t know is that back at the Duchess’ castle, mad scientist, Dr. Julien du Grand (Antoine Balpêtré), is draining young women of their blood. When Lorrette Robert (Wandisa Guida), a beautiful student, turns up missing, Lantin follows his suspicions to the Duchess and to the horrifying secret deep in the heart of her castle.

By no means a great film, I Vampiri is a nice introduction to Mario Bava’s ornate style of Gothic horror films. This moody curiosity, which features beautiful dream-like photography and splendid production values, is strangely mesmerizing. Somewhat over the top and yet strangely mannered and staid, I Vampiri is a unique movie treat.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

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

Review: "Identity" Almost Great

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 61 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Identity (2003)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and language
DIRECTOR: James Mangold
WRITER: Michael Cooney
PRODUCER: Cathy Konrad
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Phedon Papamichael
EDITOR: David Brenner
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri

HORROR/MYSTER/THRILLER with elements of crime drama

Starring: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall, Rebecca De Mornay, John C. McGinley, John Hawkes, Jake Busey, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Bret Loehr

The subject of this movie review is Identity, a 2003 mystery thriller and psychological horror film from director James Mangold. The film is set at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rainstorm. There, ten strangers are stranded and being killed off one by one. It’s actually a very good film until the end.

I often think that suspense thrillers and horror movies don’t have to be great, just effective, although there are great suspense and horror films. The plot and story may be familiar (it usually is), but the execution should make us forget that we’ve seen this before. We should be too busy jumping in our seats or making sure we locked all our doors and windows before the sun went down and we started watching a scary movie. Thus, while What Lies Beneath isn’t a great film, say like Psycho, it’s very well executed and does what it’s supposed to do: make us jump in our seats and feel something akin to the fear that the characters in the story feel. That is what Identity does.

Director James Mangold burst onto the film scene with the heartwarming and heart-wrenching drama Heavy, and entered the big time with Copland, wherein which he drew a very good performance from Sylvester Stallone. Identity is his first film that tackles the suspense/horror genre, and it’s a mighty good first leap.

Through the vagaries of coincidence, ten strangers are stranded at an isolated hotel during a nasty storm. As they begin to know each other, they discover that someone, either one of them or an unknown person, is killing them off one by one. As the most likely suspects are knocked off, the survivors are further confused when the bodies of the dead begin to disappear.

Writer Michael Cooney, the mastermind behind the Jack Frost films, creates what you could call a typical, professional Hollywood script, especially for a suspense film. The story has the usual clues and subtle tricks that you have to catch in order to learn the identity of the “bad guy.” It has the usual “bumps in the night,” an isolated setting for the story, the duplicitous characters, and enough false positives to scare off any pro football team. This is very good, if not spectacular work.

The strength of the film is in its cast and in its director. John Cusack is, as ever, very good as the leading man, and especially good in this case, as the smart guy trying to figure things out. Ray Liotta continues to shine in whatever roles he takes; everyone just seems to take him for granted. Mangold makes Identity part Alfred Hitchcock and a little slasher film. He’s subtle, even when the story seems to go over the top, as he takes advantage of Cooney’s suspense thriller settings: the lonely stretch of highway, the isolated motel, the overbearing and claustrophobic rainstorm, and the characters who come in all colors: shady, sneaky, weird, mental, dangerous, dishonest, weak, and angry. Mangold lets the cast run wild with these characters. He simply and quietly follows them, his camera greedily drinking what he’s carefully staged. It seems like zany and scary fun done with abandon, and while it is, Mangold knew what he was doing. He knew the buttons to push, and he knows where to take the story, every inch of the way, every scene in its place to give us the same sense of panic, fear, and growing desperation that his characters feel.

I had hoped that Identity would be fun and it was – good, spooky fun. When the story reveals its big secret, it does knock the steam out of the film, ruining the fun…almost. With the grace and athletic skill of a Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady, the film gets back on its feet for an ending that at least slaps you in the face if it doesn’t exactly bunch you in the stomach. Early in the film is a clue as to the killer’s identity. I ignored it, because a later scene corrected what seemed like a mistake when one character wrongly accuses another. That later scene was wrong and was a trick to throw us off. So pay attention to every step you take on this creepy trip.

6 of 10
B