by Amos Semien
The Creative Arts Emmys are the Emmy Awards presented in recognition of technical and similar achievements in American television programming. These Emmys are commonly awarded to behind-the-scenes personnel such as art directors, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, and sound editors. The Creative Arts category also includes awards for outstanding animated programs and guest acting in comedy and drama television series.
The Creative Arts portion of the 2013 Primetime Emmys handed out 77 awards on Sunday, September 15, 2013 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.
65th Annual / 2013 Primetime Emmys winners:
GUEST ACTING
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bob Newhart, "The Big Bang Theory"
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Melissa Leo, "Louie"
Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Dan Bucatinsky, "Scandal"
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Carrie Preston, "The Good Wife"
VARIETY SPECIAL
Variety Special: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Directing: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Writing: "Louis C.K.: Oh, My God"
REALITY
Reality Host: Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn
Reality Program: "Undercover Boss"
ANIMATED/CHILDREN
Animated Program: "South Park"
Short-Format Animated Program: "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant de Triomphe"
Achievement in Animation: (6 honorees announced earlier) "Adventure Time," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney TRON: Uprising," "Dragons: Riders of Berk," "The Simpsons"
Children’s Program: "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee"
ART DIRECTION
Multi-Camera Series: "Master Chef"
Variety or Nonfiction Programming (Tie): Olymphic Games, "Saturday Night Live"
Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
CASTING
Drama Series: "House of Cards"
Mini/Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Comedy Series: "30 Rock"
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Reality Programming: "The Deadliest Catch"
Single-Camera Series: "House of Cards"
Miniseries or Movie: "Top of the Lake"
Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Nonfiction Programming: "Anthony Boudain: Parts Unknown"
COMMERCIAL
Outstanding Commercial: "Inspired," Canon
COSTUMES
Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Series: "The Borgias"
Variety Program or a Special: Grammy Awards, "Portlandia," "Men Who Built America" (juried award)
HAIRSTYLING
Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra:
Multi-Camera Series or Special: "Saturday Night Live"
Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
INTERACTIVE
Interactive Program: "Night of Too Many Stars"
Creative Achievement in Interactive Media: Original Interactive Program: "Lizzie Bennet Diaries"
LIGHTING DESIGN/DIRECTION
Variety Series: "The Voice"
Variety Special: Super Bowl Halftime Show
MAKEUP
Prosthetic - Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Non-Prosthetic - Miniseries or a Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Non-Prosthetic - Single-Camera Series: "Game of Thrones"
Non-Prosthetic - Multi-Camera Series or Special: "Saturday Night Live"
MUSIC
Music Direction: Tony Awards
Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): "Downton Abbey"
Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Original Dramatic Score): "World Without End"
Original Music and Lyrics: Tony Awards
Original Main Title Theme Music: "Da Vinci's Demons"
Main Title Design: "Da Vinci's Demons"
NON-FICTION
Direction for Nonfiction Programming: "American Masters"
Writing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Documentary or Nonfiction Special: "Manhunt: Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden"
Documentary or Nonfiction Series (Tie): "American Masters," "Inside the Actor's Studio"
Informational Series or Special: "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown"
PICTURE EDITING
Picture Editing for Reality Programming: "Deadliest Catch"
Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Calpa: Silence in the House of God"
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: "Breaking Bad" ("Gliding Over All")
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "The Office" finale
Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Single Camera Picture Editing for a Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Picture editing for Short-Form Segments and Variety Specials: "Daily Show"
SOUND EDITING
Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera): "Men Who Built America"
Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
SOUND MIXING
Variety Series or Special: Grammy Awards
Nonfiction Programming: "History of the Eagles"
Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour): "Boardwalk Empire"
Miniseries or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Comedy or Drama Series (Half Hour) and Animation: "Nurse Jackie"
SPECIAL CLASS
Special Class Programs: Tony Awards
Special Class Programs - Short Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs: "Children's Hospital"
Special Class - Short-Format Nonfiction Programs: "Remembering 9/11"
STUNT COORDINATION
Comedy Series or a Variety Program: "Supah Ninjas"
Drama series, Movie or Mini: "Revolution"
TECHNICAL DIRECTION
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series: "The Big Bang Theory"
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: Tony Awards
VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: "Game of Thrones"
Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role: "Banshee"
VOICEOVER
Voice-Over Performance: Lily Tomlin, "An Apology to Elephants"
Thanks to Gold Derby.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Amazon Studios Adds New Cast Members to "Alpha House"
Amazon Studios Casts Cynthia Nixon, Amy Sedaris, Wanda Sykes and Julie White in Alpha House
Critically-acclaimed actresses to guest star in one of Amazon’s first original series
Customer favorite Alpha House to debut exclusively on Prime Instant Video this fall
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, today announced that Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy), Wanda Sykes (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Julie White (Go On) will appear in the Amazon Original Series Alpha House, written by Doonesbury creator, Garry Trudeau. Alpha House, currently filming in New York, will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year. This all-star female cast joins Alpha House alums John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, and Mark Consuelos.
“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show”
Alpha House follows four Republican senators-turned-housemates, Gil John Biggs (John Goodman), Robert Bettencourt (Clark Johnson), Louis Laffer (Matt Malloy) and, Andy Guzman (Mark Consuelos) through re-election battles, looming indictments, parties and housemate drama. Nixon will play Senator Carly Armiston, the formidable, confident, Democratic senator from New York. She is joined by Sedaris, who will play Louise Laffer, the sweet, concerned wife of Senator Louis Laffer. Sykes will play Senator Rosalyn DuPeche, a strong-willed, funny Democrat who just happens to be a neighbor of the male senators, while White will play the tough, determined, yet charming southern wife to Goodman’s character Gil John Biggs.
“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show,” said Alpha House creator Garry Trudeau, who worked with Nixon on his celebrated show, Tanner '88 and has long admired the work of Sykes, Sedaris and White.
Following a positive response from Amazon customers, Alpha House was one of five pilots selected from Amazon Studios’ first set of 14 pilots, which debuted in April. Of the 14 pilots, Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumble Leaf were chosen, with the help of customer feedback, to become full series. The shows will stream on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014.
About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series — one that's open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and will then be notified within 45 days if that script is optioned. Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions and those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community. Recently, Amazon Studios announced six new kids pilots including Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Grid Smasher, Hard-Boiled Eggheads, The Jo B. & G. Raff Show, The Maker Shack Agency and Wishenpoof! The pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video in early next year for all customers to watch and provide feedback. Since launch, more than 18,000 movie scripts and 4,000 series projects have been submitted to Amazon Studios.
Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine -- and it is available in two display sizes -- 7” and 8.9”. The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless. The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es, www.amazon.com.br and amazon.in. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Critically-acclaimed actresses to guest star in one of Amazon’s first original series
Customer favorite Alpha House to debut exclusively on Prime Instant Video this fall
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, today announced that Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy), Wanda Sykes (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Julie White (Go On) will appear in the Amazon Original Series Alpha House, written by Doonesbury creator, Garry Trudeau. Alpha House, currently filming in New York, will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year. This all-star female cast joins Alpha House alums John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, and Mark Consuelos.
“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show”
Alpha House follows four Republican senators-turned-housemates, Gil John Biggs (John Goodman), Robert Bettencourt (Clark Johnson), Louis Laffer (Matt Malloy) and, Andy Guzman (Mark Consuelos) through re-election battles, looming indictments, parties and housemate drama. Nixon will play Senator Carly Armiston, the formidable, confident, Democratic senator from New York. She is joined by Sedaris, who will play Louise Laffer, the sweet, concerned wife of Senator Louis Laffer. Sykes will play Senator Rosalyn DuPeche, a strong-willed, funny Democrat who just happens to be a neighbor of the male senators, while White will play the tough, determined, yet charming southern wife to Goodman’s character Gil John Biggs.
“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show,” said Alpha House creator Garry Trudeau, who worked with Nixon on his celebrated show, Tanner '88 and has long admired the work of Sykes, Sedaris and White.
Following a positive response from Amazon customers, Alpha House was one of five pilots selected from Amazon Studios’ first set of 14 pilots, which debuted in April. Of the 14 pilots, Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumble Leaf were chosen, with the help of customer feedback, to become full series. The shows will stream on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014.
About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series — one that's open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and will then be notified within 45 days if that script is optioned. Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions and those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community. Recently, Amazon Studios announced six new kids pilots including Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Grid Smasher, Hard-Boiled Eggheads, The Jo B. & G. Raff Show, The Maker Shack Agency and Wishenpoof! The pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video in early next year for all customers to watch and provide feedback. Since launch, more than 18,000 movie scripts and 4,000 series projects have been submitted to Amazon Studios.
Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine -- and it is available in two display sizes -- 7” and 8.9”. The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless. The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es, www.amazon.com.br and amazon.in. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Review: "Star Trek Into Darkness" a Spectacular Trip
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content
DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams
WRITERS: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof (based upon the television “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCERS: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dan Mindel (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino
SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER with elements of drama and comedy
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Noel Clarke, Nazneen Contractor, and Bruce Greenwood with Leonard Nimoy
Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 science fiction and action film from director J.J. Abrams. This movie is the 12th film in the Star Trek film franchise, which is a continuation of “Star Trek,” the beloved 1960s television series. Star Trek Into Darkness (also known as “STID”) is the follow up to the 2009 film, Star Trek, which was a reboot of the franchise by J.J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. STID pits the crew of the Enterprise against an unstoppable and mysterious force of terror from within their own organization.
The 2009 film was stunningly clever and wildly imaginative, and a jittery, sexy, and fresh take on a venerable science fiction classic. STID is not necessarily fresh (or not as fresh its predecessor), but it is a crazy, sexy blast.
Star Trek Into Darkness opens in the year 2259. Captain James T. “Jim” Kirk (Chris Pine) still commands the starship, the USS Enterprise. Kirk’s top officers and the most trusted members of his crew are Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto), Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Lt. Commander Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), Lt. Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg), Lt. Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin). Together, they are in the midst of another wild adventure.
Early in the film, Capt. Kirk pulls a stunt that gets him into trouble with Starfleet. He gets a chance at redemption after Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) launches a series of terrorist attacks against the Federation (United Federation of Planets). At the behest of Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller), commander-in-chief of Starfleet, Kirk leads the Enterprise on a mission against Harrison. To capture this fugitive, however, the Enterprise must travel to Kronos, the home world of the Klingons, an alien race that is practically in a state of war with the Federation.
Star Trek Into Darkness is epic; it’s like three or four mini-movies put together to form one big, massive, sci-fi extravaganza. It is a rousing adventure, a riveting action-adventure in space, and a swashbuckling, seafaring adventure set on the tumultuous oceans of the starry space-ways.
The film largely focuses on Kirk and Spock, and thematically, the story revolves around their personality traits, quirks, and flaws. Revenge is also a theme, best personified by the “John Harrison” character, although I am conflicted about Benedict Cumberbatch’s casting and performance as Harrison. Physically, Cumberbatch is miscast because he is too pasty-faced and looks more like a sneering kid than a monster/terrorist. His athletic build looks pudgy even in a sleek bodysuit. Cumberbatch vacillates between being too posh or too pissed off; it makes the character occasionally comical. Cumberbatch is STID’s big misstep that luckily does not become a fatal flaw.
On the other hand, Simon Pegg is superb as Scotty. He provides spot-on, dead-on humor in the film, and Pegg maximizes his impact upon each scene in which Scotty participates. Pegg is STID’s best foot forward.
I understand that some hardcore Star Trek fans (Trekkies or Trekkers) were upset about at least not exited by STID. I am not a hardcore fan, but I love me some Star Trek – the original television series, especially. Star Trek Into Darkness feels like Star Trek to me. J.J. Abrams’ two Star Trek films are the breathtaking, mind-blowing adventures that earlier Star Trek television series and films could not be – mainly for budgetary and technical reasons.
Thus, the Star Trek movies of J.J. Abrams and writer Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof, in some ways, do not look like their Star Trek predecessors. But the spirit of Star Trek is there, even behind all that shiny computer-generated, special visual effects. I unreservedly endorse that you, dear readers, follow Star Trek Into Darkness into a grand time at the movies. This film is not without its flaws, but somehow, STID’s imperfections make it seem all the more beautiful to me.
9 of 10
A+
Thursday, September 19, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Official Poster for Jason Reitman's "Labor Day" is Released
LABOR DAY
Labor Day” centers on 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers, a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives.
DECEMBER 25, 2013 (Limited release)
Official site: LaborDayMovie.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/LaborDayMovie
Twitter: Twitter.com/paramountpics
Review: "Lost in Translation" is Superb (Happy B'day, Bill Murray)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexual content
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sofia Coppola
PRODUCERS: Sofia Coppola and Ross Katz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lance Acord (D.o.P.)
COMPOSER: Kevin Shields
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/ROMANCE with some elements of comedy
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris, Nancy Steiner (uncredited voice), Fumihiro Hayashi, Hiroko Kawasaki, and Akiko Takeshita
The subject of this movie review is Lost in Translation, a 2003 drama and romantic film from writer-director Sofia Coppola. Sofia’s legendary filmmaker father, Francis Ford Coppola, is also this film’s executive producer.
In 1990, film critics howled in derision when director Francis Ford Coppola cast his daughter, Sofia, in The Godfather: Part III, when another actress had to drop out early in filming schedule. Over a decade later, Sofia Coppola has firmly established herself as a directorial talent to watch thanks to her excellent film, Lost In Translation, the story of two displaced Americans in Tokyo who form a unique friendship of platonic love.
Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a fading TV star who goes to Tokyo after he’s paid $2 million to appear in an ad for Suntory whiskey. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is in Tokyo with her husband, John (Giovanni Ribisi), who is photographing a rock band for a major magazine. Bob and Charlotte spend most of their time stuck in a hotel. Charlotte is frozen in her life, unsure of where her marriage is going and of what’s she going to do in life. Bob’s marriage is kind of shaky as he goes through a midlife crisis.
Bob and Charlotte meet in a hotel bar and bond. It’s that bond that helps them to deal with their feelings of confusion and loneliness, and in that special friendship, they share the hilarity caused by the cultural and language differences they encounter in Tokyo. They turn their time in a strange land into a wonderful and special week in Japan.
Lost in Translation was one of 2003’s best films. It’s smartly written, beautifully photographed, and splendidly directed. If there’s an adjective that suggests good, it belongs in descriptions of LiT. There is a patience in the filmmaking that suggests the filmmakers allowed the film to come together in an organic fashion, each adding their talents in the correct measure.
Ms. Coppola is brilliant in the way she lets her stars carry the film. She does her part to give LiT a unique visual look, something that suggests a documentary and an atmosphere of futurism. If you’ve heard that Bill Murray is just doing himself in this movie, you’re hearing ignorant people. Yes, Murray brings a lot of his personality to the role, but Bob Harris is mostly a stranger to us. Bill builds the character before our eyes, showing us a character new and rich in possibilities, someone with whom we can sympathize. Bill shows us just enough to know him and keeps enough hidden to make Bob mysterious and intriguing.
Ms. Johansson carries herself like a veteran actress of many films. She’s beautiful, but she’s puts those good looks to more use than just being eye candy. She’s subtle and crafty, and a lot of her character is revealed in her eyes, in the careful nuances of facial expressions, and in the understated movements of her slender, sexy frame. She’s a movie star.
For people who are always looking for something different in film, this is it. Lost in Translation is like sex, lies, and videotape or Reservoir Dogs, an early film in a director’s career that is more foreign than American, and announces the coming of a director who might just be a visionary. Plus, it’s a great romantic movie, as good as any classic love story.
9 of 10
A+
NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards, USA: 1 win “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Sofia Coppola); 3 nominations “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Bill Murray), “Best Director” (Sofia Coppola), “Best Picture” (Ross Katz and Sofia Coppola)
2004 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Bill Murray), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Scarlett Johansson), and “Best Editing” (Sarah Flack); 5 nominations: “Best Film” (Sofia Coppola and Ross Katz), “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Kevin Shields and Brian Reitzell), “Best Cinematography” (Lance Acord), “Best Screenplay – Original” (Sofia Coppola), “David Lean Award for Direction” (Sofia Coppola)
2004 Golden Globes, USA: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Bill Murray), “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Sofia Coppola); 2 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Sofia Coppola) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Scarlett Johansson)
Updated: Saturday, September 21, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Friday, September 20, 2013
"We're the Millers" Crosses $200 Million Mark in Worldwide Box Office
New Line Cinema’s “We’re the Millers” Drives Past $200 Million at the Worldwide Box Office
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its successful run at the box office, New Line Cinema’s smash hit comedy “We’re the Millers” has surpassed $200 million at the worldwide box office. The announcement was made by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has grossed an estimated $206 million globally, and still climbing.
“We’re the Millers” has taken in an estimated $132.6 million domestically and is still going strong. Internationally, the film has grossed $73.4 million, opening at #1 in key European markets such as Germany and breaking records in Russia, where it has become the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time. Major markets set to release in the coming weeks include Spain, France and Brazil.
Fellman stated, “‘We’re the Millers’ has demonstrated terrific playability from coast to coast, and the phenomenal word of mouth has kept the weekly drops notably low and the attendance consistently high. We congratulate our partners at New Line, as well as director Rawson Marshall Thurber and the terrific cast, led by the tremendously talented Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston.”
Kwan Vandenberg noted, “The international rollout has been fantastic, with number one openings and powerful holds. International audiences have responded in a big way to the film’s outrageous humor, and the chemistry of Jennifer and Jason and the entire cast. We join New Line in congratulating Rawson and his cast and crew on crossing this exciting benchmark.”
From New Line Cinema comes the action comedy “We’re the Millers,” starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis under the direction of Rawson Marshall Thurber.
David Clark (Sudeikis) is a small-time pot dealer whose clientele includes chefs and soccer moms, but no kids—after all, he has his scruples. So what could go wrong? Plenty. Preferring to keep a low profile for obvious reasons, he learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished when he tries to help out some local teens and winds up getting jumped by a trio of gutter punks. Stealing his stash and his cash, they leave him in major debt to his supplier, Brad (Ed Helms).
In order to wipe the slate clean—and maintain a clean bill of health—David must now become a big-time drug smuggler by bringing Brad’s latest shipment in from Mexico. Twisting the arms of his neighbors, cynical stripper Rose (Aniston) and wannabe customer Kenny (Will Poulter), as well as streetwise teen Casey (Emma Roberts), he devises a foolproof plan. One fake wife, two pretend kids and a huge, shiny RV later, the “Millers” are headed south of the border for a Fourth of July weekend that is sure to end with a bang.
The film also stars Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Will Poulter and Ed Helms.
Thurber directed “We’re the Millers” from a screenplay by Bob Fisher & Steve Faber and Sean Anders & John Morris, story by Fisher & Faber. Vincent Newman, Tucker Tooley, Happy Walters and Chris Bender produced, with David Heyman, J.C. Spink, Marcus Viscidi, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener and David Neustadter serving as executive producers.
Thurber’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Barry Peterson; production designer Clayton Hartley; editor Mike Sale; and costume designer Shay Cunliffe. The music is by Theodore Shapiro and Ludwig Goransson.
New Line Cinema presents a Newman/Tooley Films, Slap Happy Productions/Heyday Films and Benderspink production, “We’re the Millers.” The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
“We’re the Millers” is rated R for “crude sexual content, pervasive language, drug material and brief graphic nudity.”
www.werethemillers.com
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its successful run at the box office, New Line Cinema’s smash hit comedy “We’re the Millers” has surpassed $200 million at the worldwide box office. The announcement was made by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has grossed an estimated $206 million globally, and still climbing.
“We’re the Millers” has taken in an estimated $132.6 million domestically and is still going strong. Internationally, the film has grossed $73.4 million, opening at #1 in key European markets such as Germany and breaking records in Russia, where it has become the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time. Major markets set to release in the coming weeks include Spain, France and Brazil.
Fellman stated, “‘We’re the Millers’ has demonstrated terrific playability from coast to coast, and the phenomenal word of mouth has kept the weekly drops notably low and the attendance consistently high. We congratulate our partners at New Line, as well as director Rawson Marshall Thurber and the terrific cast, led by the tremendously talented Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston.”
Kwan Vandenberg noted, “The international rollout has been fantastic, with number one openings and powerful holds. International audiences have responded in a big way to the film’s outrageous humor, and the chemistry of Jennifer and Jason and the entire cast. We join New Line in congratulating Rawson and his cast and crew on crossing this exciting benchmark.”
From New Line Cinema comes the action comedy “We’re the Millers,” starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis under the direction of Rawson Marshall Thurber.
David Clark (Sudeikis) is a small-time pot dealer whose clientele includes chefs and soccer moms, but no kids—after all, he has his scruples. So what could go wrong? Plenty. Preferring to keep a low profile for obvious reasons, he learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished when he tries to help out some local teens and winds up getting jumped by a trio of gutter punks. Stealing his stash and his cash, they leave him in major debt to his supplier, Brad (Ed Helms).
In order to wipe the slate clean—and maintain a clean bill of health—David must now become a big-time drug smuggler by bringing Brad’s latest shipment in from Mexico. Twisting the arms of his neighbors, cynical stripper Rose (Aniston) and wannabe customer Kenny (Will Poulter), as well as streetwise teen Casey (Emma Roberts), he devises a foolproof plan. One fake wife, two pretend kids and a huge, shiny RV later, the “Millers” are headed south of the border for a Fourth of July weekend that is sure to end with a bang.
The film also stars Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Will Poulter and Ed Helms.
Thurber directed “We’re the Millers” from a screenplay by Bob Fisher & Steve Faber and Sean Anders & John Morris, story by Fisher & Faber. Vincent Newman, Tucker Tooley, Happy Walters and Chris Bender produced, with David Heyman, J.C. Spink, Marcus Viscidi, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener and David Neustadter serving as executive producers.
Thurber’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Barry Peterson; production designer Clayton Hartley; editor Mike Sale; and costume designer Shay Cunliffe. The music is by Theodore Shapiro and Ludwig Goransson.
New Line Cinema presents a Newman/Tooley Films, Slap Happy Productions/Heyday Films and Benderspink production, “We’re the Millers.” The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
“We’re the Millers” is rated R for “crude sexual content, pervasive language, drug material and brief graphic nudity.”
www.werethemillers.com
Review: "Office Space" is Still a Classic (Happy B'day, Gary Cole)
Office Space (1999)
Running time: 89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)
MPAA – R for language and brief sexuality
DIRECTOR: Mike Judge
WRITER: Mike Judge (based upon his animated short films, Milton)
PRODUCERS: Daniel Rappaport and Michael Rotenberg with Mike Judge
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tim Suhrstedt
EDITOR: David Rennie
COMPOSER: John Frizzell
COMEDY
Starring: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Ajay Naidu, David Herman, Gary Cole, Stephen Root, Richard Riehle, Joe Bays, John C. McGinley, Paul Wilson, Diedrich Bader, Kinna McInroe, Todd Duffey, Greg Pitts, Orlando Jones, and Kyle Scott Jackson
The subject of this movie review is Office Space, a 1999 workplace comedy from writer-producer-director, Mike Judge. The film follows a group of workers at a software company who hate their jobs and decide to rebel against their greedy boss.
In 1999, 20th Century Fox released a comedy by “Beavis and Butt-head” creator Mike Judge that quickly disappeared from theatres. This is, however, one of the instances since the advent of widespread home video entertainment that videocassettes and DVD’s have saved a great film from obscurity, and thankfully so. Anyone who has ever worked as a drone in a thankless job will thrill at the outrageous and dead-on comedy of Judge’s film, Office Space.
Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) is a software engineer at the company Initech. Peter is a cog at the company, writing code in an ultimately thankless job, but the job is only one portion of a seemingly meaningless life. His difficult girlfriend takes him one Friday evening to a hypno-therapist who promptly dies after putting Peter in a state of total bliss. From then on, Peter takes a new look at his life, and his new dismissive attitude about his job catches the attention of efficiency experts hired by Initech to fire extraneous employees.
The efficiency dudes get Peter a promotion, but get his co-workers, Michael Bolton (David Herman) and Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu), fired. The trio then hatches a plan to steal money from an Initech corporate account using a computer virus. But a coding error may get the guys caught and in a federal “pound me in the ass” prison, and Peter may not be able to win back his new girlfriend, Joanna (Jennifer Aniston).
All props to Judge for getting the most traction out of many of the film elements. The script has an uncanny sense of verisimilitude about the workplace, especially the corporate cubicle world of white-collar labor, but the humor and themes capture the dead spirit of most workaday jobs. Judge’s direction is light, breezy, and quick, and he still manages to capture the right moods in which to communicate particular messages, ideas, and themes to the audience. Also, his use of music, he particularly 80’s, old school, gangsta and hardcore rap somehow really works for this film.
What especially makes Office Space memorable is its cast. Ron Livingston sells himself as both the everyday working man and the frustrated white-collar worker. Gary Cole is slimy, smooth, and cool as Peter Gibbons' do-nothing, pencil-pushing boss, Bill Lumbergh. However, the star-making turn in the film is Stephen Root’s nerd, percolating psychopath, Milton Waddams. I don’t know if viewers recognize Milton in themselves or their co-workers, but maybe we all just find him so funny.
If it has one major flaw, it is that Office Space is a riot of laughs almost to the halfway point until it slips on a subplot. When the script takes the film deeply into the genre plot about the money scam, the film seems to lose focus of the fact that it’s the workers versus their workplace annoyances that really make Office Space a gem, not some half-assed sub-plot. Thankfully, the film returns to the workers’ trials and tribulations before it closes.
8 of 10
A
Updated: Friday, September 20, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
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