Thoughts

        I think I am definitely turning these posts into a fortnight thing which is better than them being a month thing. In this way you guys get a bigger, meatier, possibly crazier post and I get to feel less bad about my laziness. Win-win, probably. Anyways, onto the post!

1) Matt Smith is going to star in the Terminator reboot, Terminator: Genesis and will also be a major part of its 2 sequels. I'll be honest, I was kind of going to skip these movies. I like the original and really like Judgement Day but my interest had fizzled out. I would not have watched them even for Emilia Clarke (sorry Khaleesi fans) but yeah, the addition of my favourite television actor does change everything. His character is someone who will be working close to John Connor, who will be played by Jason Clarke. I am sincerely praying he doesn't play some gangly nerd dude and that he does get to bulk up a bit, especially after this :) I am happy to see at least two members of Karen and the Babes (i.e., Karen Gillan, Matt, Arthur Darvill) getting breakout roles in these blockbuster movies. Now all I need is for Darvill to get cast as Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy because he will be *perfect*.

2) David Fincher won't be making the Sorkin-Jobs movie after all, which sucks! But they're probably going to replace him with Danny Boyle, which is awesome! The last time Boyle made a sorta biopic, it was 127 Hours which I loved (coincidentally, it was my second favourite movie of 2010 right below Fincher's The Social Network). Boyle apparently wants Leonardo DiCaprio to play Jobs though and that is not great news. I really want Leo to stop doing biopics already. Yes WoWS was kind of a biopic and so is the next movie he is making with Jonah Hill but man, I thought Leo was finally embracing his comedic side! Gahhhhhh. So yes to Boyle and no to Leo.

3) Woody Allen's next movie after Magic in the Moonlight will star Joaquin Phoenix. Fuck yes!! I love Phoenix and with his recent career choices, he can do no wrong in my eyes, and Woody is still my favourite filmmaker. I can imagine the film being Sweet and Lowdown-esque for some reason, not that we know anything about the plot or whether it is a comedy or tragedy or a dramedy. It's just that Phoenix would be really great in a role like that although he can honestly do anything with that face of his. #favcinematicface

4) Oh since my last post, the Cannes 2014 lineup has been announced. Here is the full list. Some really exciting movies here like Foxcatcher, Maps to the Stars, Clouds of Sils Maria, Mommy, The Search, Saint Laurent (which stars Gaspard Ulliel, Lea Seydoux and Louis Garrel!! Their combined beauty will blind us) and most importantly for me, Ryan Gosling's directorial debut Lost River, which is the boring name they replaced How to Catch A Monster with. Anywhoo, I am super stoked about it still even though I am 97.6849203% sure I will hate it. Oh and the Cannes jury has been announced as well. It's pretty amazing. It will be headed by Jane Campion and has Sofia Coppola, Gael García Bernal, Nicolas Winding-Refn and Leila Hatami (who was in the incredible A Separation) among others. On a sidenote, I totally had a dream about Sofia Coppola the other day where I was trying to befriend her 'cuz duh. It also had Kelly Preston and Peter Sarsgaard :/

5) Jessica Chastain will be playing Marilyn Monroe in Andrew Dominik's next, Blonde. This is pretty fantastic news. I don't think anyone can *really* look like Monroe but I think Chastain can get the mannerisms right. And it's not a proper biopic but rather based on the book of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates where he has reimagined her tale of glamour and rise and fall in Hollywood and all that. Dominik has called it "a really sprawling, emotional nightmare fairy-tale type movie" so that's interesting. Naomi Watts was previously attached to this project but in La Chastain we trust. Chastain is also apparently being courted to play the co-lead in the next Mission Impossible film, which is exciting news.

6) The cast of Star Wars Episode 7 has finally been revealed and it is quite an impressive one. Like in the case of the Terminator reboot, I wasn't all that psyched about this movie but hot damn, that is one cool cast! John Boyega who was excellent in Attack the Block, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac and Domnhnall Gleeson, who are all becoming some of my favourite actors to watch, Andy Serkins who is awesome, Max von Sydow who is a legend, and the returning cast members that include Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Peter Mayhew. The only person I don't know is Daisy Ridley but it's just good to know that there is more than one female character in this.

7) Other news- So Zach Snyder will be directing the Justice League movie as well as the Superman VS Batman movie. This isn't even the worst part of it. Apparently Matt Damon is in talks to play someone called Aquaman? On one hand, I desperately want this to happen because it will be HILARIOUS and oh so cute because Ben and Matt forever OMG, but on the other hand, I like Damon and this sounds *awful*. There is a movie called Genius about writer Thomas Wolfe and editor Max Perkins that is being made. Originally, Michael Fassbender was slated to play Wolfe but he has now been replaced by Jude Law, while Perkins will be played by Colin Firth. The film will also star Nicole Kidman. I like Law though of course Fassy would have been a cooler choice. Lessee how this works. The new Jungle Book movie will have Lupita Nyong'o and Scarlett Johansson voicing some of the animals which is kind of silly because if you are going to have those two women in a film, at least make it live action. Joe Wright's Pan continues to baffle as it will now also star Amanda Seyfried and Cara Delevigne. The cast has really out-whited itself but I still have faith in Wright. Justin Kurtzel, who is directing the Fassy-Cotilard Macbeth movie will next direct the Assassin's Creed movie which will also star Fassy. I can get behind this. JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy is going to become a TV series that will be shown in BBC and HBO. I wasn't too big a fan of the book but I can see it working as a show and the studios are cool. Finally, Steven Spielberg will be directing the movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's BFG. It is one of the only Dahl books I haven't read but my brother ensures me it is brilliant and therefore this is awesome news.

8) There are sooooo many videos I want to share, from the McAvoy-Fassbender-Jackman interviews to Emma Stone's awesome awesomeness, but in order to be as current as possible, I give you this-

So funny. Especially the part he screams and the hand bit. Also, I want to be Beyonce when I grow up.

9) Pictures- A number of images from Magic in the Moonlight have been released. Though Stone's and Firth's age difference is a bit big, I can feel the chemistry already and they are both just so charming. New pictures from the aforementioned Macbeth movie. I am kind of sick of watching Macbeth adaptations but I do like the look of this a lot. A few stills from Gosling's Lost River have also been released. God, this film will be weird. Still, where's Matt Smith yo? And Robert Downey Jr. has tweeted this slice of fried gold from the shooting of Avengers 2. ZOMG SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

10) Trailers- Some good/great ones here. Maps to the Stars looks sufficiently strange but I do love the cast and as long as there are no giant rats in this one, I'm good. The Trip to Italy is funny, obviously. We can never have too many Michael Caine impressions. And the food looks wow. Let's Be Cops has Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. and looks pretty funny albeit a little stupid. Still, I adore Johnson too much. They Came Together has another of my favourite TV comedians, Amy Poehler, teaming up with the always adorable Paul Rudd. This too seems a little crazy but parodies can be fun and these two are awesome! Boyhood maybe doesn't have a super fantabulous trailer but I cannot wait for this movie! It will be beautiful and amazing and the best thing ever! Accio! My two favourite trailers in *sigh* the last month are What We Do in the Shadows and Gone Girl. In case of the former, it just looks so funny and brilliant and in case of the latter, well, it just *sounds* so funny and brilliant. Seriously, I love Fincher to death! That song and the stuff shown in the trailer is like something out of Amy's diary. It goes with the "perfect" image of the Dunnes and has enough creepiness to keep us wondering. Pure, unadulterated love.

11) Finally, the Graham Norton-Fassy-McAvoy-Jackman might be the greatest interview ever conducted. It's definitely hottest. Here are some gems from it-

These three are the only people that make "Blurred Lines" classy.

McAvoy was on fire.

McBender 4eva.

Sorry Benny, but 'tis true.

And that's it. Tata!

Thoughts

       Another late Thoughts post and I have nothing to say for myself except that I have been lazing around in my house ever since my summer vacations began last week. I haven't even started preparing for the exams that will start once the holidays are over. Sorry folks!

1) The Across the Universe Podcast that I have started with Mette and Sofia released its first episode and the feedback has been excellent so far. We are also on iTunes now where you can subscribe to the podcast and download and listen to the episodes, which are all free.

2) Andrew Garfield and Ken Watanabe will starring in Martin Scorsese's next, Silence. The film will follow Garfield's character, a 17th century priest who goes to Japan to find his mentor, but is instead faced with religious persecution. Watanabe will play his interpreter. Scorsese has been working on its script since 1988 when he read the novel of the same name by late Japanese author Shusako Endo, but has had trouble filming it due to its sensitive nature. I think this sounds excellent and so does the cast.

3) Charlie Kaufman is set to co-direct a stop-motion animated film Anomalisa which is, as its Kickstarter page reads "about a man crippled by the mundanity of his life". It will follow a character named Michael who is a celebrated motivational speaker who has, so as to speak, lost the motivation in his life, but all that changes when he meets a girl called Lisa. Sounds quite Kaufman-ish, and hence awesome. Voice cast so far includes David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Cannot wait.

4) Scarlett Johansson is going to direct her first film. Summer Crossing is based on the lost first novel of Truman Capote. It's a film that has been close to her for a long time now and it will be out in 2015. The story follows a 17 year old girl who falls in love with a Jewish parking attendant in 1945 New York.

5) Speaking of directorial debuts, my favourite one is well into its shooting now. How to Catch a Monster better be good, especially seeing how Matt Smith has shaved off his gorgeous, gorgeous hair for it. It is an interesting look overall though, and it doesn't hurt that he's shirtless throughout most of it. He is playing the antagonist Bully in the movie, and after the last Doctor Who episode "Nightmare in Silver" where he got to be a villain and was extremely effective at it, I cannot wait to see what he does.

6) Cannes Film Festival is also in full swing now. I did not know that Vidya Balan is in the jury. She is easily the best working Indian actress right now and I couldn't be happier. Plus I love her outfits. She and Christoph Waltz need to come in a film together. Also movie-wise, Asghar Farhadi's The Past is getting rave reviews so far, which is great because his A Separation is one of the most flawless films I have ever seen.

7) Jesse Eisenberg, Isabelle Huppert and Gabriel Byrne are going to star in Joachim Trier's Louder than Bombs. I have seen one film by Trier and it was Oslo, August 31st, which was a very well-made and affecting film, so I have high hopes for this. The official synopsis says that it is a Rashomon-style drama that "revolves around the character of a famous, late war photographer played by Huppert. On the eve of a retrospective of work, some three years after her untimely death, her husband and two sons discover an unsettling secret from her past." It sounds intriguing to say the least.

8) Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep and the ADORABLE James Corden are slated to star in Rob Marshall's adaptation of the musical Into the Woods. Joining them is the lovely Emily Blunt and also, scruffy gods Chris Pine and Jake Gyllenhaal are said to appear as princes. The last two are small parts but it feels like Hollywood is hacking my brain because good lord, aren't they like princes already? I am getting excited about this.

9) Reese Witherspoon is going to join her Walk the Line co-star, the great-faced Joaquin Phoenix in Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice. I really need to watch Walk the Line, but I guess this is a good choice. I have faith in PTA.

10) Nymphomiac is going to be some film. The first cast photo has been released and everyone's doing weird shit in it, as one would expect from a Lars von Trier movie. He is in the photo too with duct tape over his mouth. Read the text he sent to Nicolas Winding Refn. Read the entire interview while you're at it. It's hilarious.

11) Btw, the Doctor Who series finale is today and I am going CRAY CRAYYYYYYYYYY!!!

12) LOADS of trailers- August Osage County which looks fairly typical but I do like the idea of seeing Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts as a bickering mother-daughter pair. Also, what is up with Benedict Cumberbatch's hair? The Butler has that annoying uplifting music playing throughout which really distracts me from the trailer. Although that can be a blessing in disguise because who really wants to see John Cusack playing Nixon... sober? Still, I kind of want to watch it for Oprah. Pacific Rim has another fucking awesome trailer out. Jean-Pierre Jeunet has a delightful new movie out called The Young and Prodigious Spivet which has a lot of his characteristic elements in it. Jim Jarmusch's vampire flick Only Lovers Left Alive has two clips out (both of which are in that video). I think it looks amazing and Hiddles and Tilda Swinton have insane chemistry together. Richard Curtis is back with another awesome-looking romcom About Time which has time travel in it so huzzah! It stars Domnhall Gleeson, who looks adorbs in it, and Rachel McAdams and Curtis-regular Bill Nighy. I already wrote a whole post on the trailer of my most anticipated film of 2013, The World's End. Finally, the king of trailers this week is the one and only Gravity. It looks mindblowingly spectacular and I really hope they don't release anymore trailers because this is perfect. I want this film. Give it to me!!

13) Finally, my ultimate girl-crush Emma Watson is wowing everyone at Cannes. Her W Magazine shoot, entitled "The Prime of Miss Emma Watson" is stunning-

Just... wow.

Toodles!

The Amazing Spider-Man. NOT.

          If you ever see my face at the beginning of a movie in a cinema hall, I have a huge smile because I am genuinely excited for what I am about to see. I was like that when The Amazing Spider-Man started, but by the time it was over, I literally sprinted out of the hall. What changed you may ask? Well the movie kind of sucked pretty bad...


*SLIGHT SPOILERS*

            The Amazing Spider-Man tries to look into the origins of how Peter Parker came to be. Abandoned by his parents as a little boy, Peter grows up under the watchful and caring eyes of his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. But when he accidentally finds some clues to why his parents disappeared, they lead him to the amputee scientist Dr. Curt Connors. While trying to figure all of this out, he gets bitten by a radioactive spider from Connors lab and gets special abilities. In between finding out who he is and what he can do with his new powers, Peter also has his long-time crush Gwen Stacy, and her police captain father, to worry about. And when something drastic happens to Connors that endangers the lives of everyone, he has to save the day.


              So first of all, let me make it very clear- this whole different origin story is, in the words of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, poppycock. It sure starts off that way, but all that gets brushed aside once Peter gets his spidey powers and then we are basically watching a second-hand copy of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. One thing that The Amazing Spider-Man succeeded in doing for me was to truly appreciate the Sam Raimi trilogy, because this whole reboot was the most unnecessary thing to come out since the Conan the Barbarian remake (I haven't actually seen it or the original, but I cannot imagine people thinking otherwise). 

             The story does begin in a more secretive, mysterious way. Until the part Peter gets his powers, it is quite an entertaining and different film. One of the more ingenious sequences in the movie is Peter coming to terms with his powers. It is funny and also sort of surreal and cool. From there on though, it just goes downhill. Plot-lines get introduced and abandoned just as quickly, like what really happened to Peter's parents or the elusive Norman Osborn with his illness. There is no build-up of any kind and things just seem to happen. Of course the whole story is exactly like what we saw in Spider-Man. The dialogue is okay-ish. There are a few humorous lines and comebacks, but none which reach the sort of iconic level that big budget superhero action movies are expected to have. No "spidey senses" tingled and even this film's version of "with great power comes great responsibility" was too long to remember.


               Obviously the story suffers because nearly all of us have seen the Sam Raimi version from only ten years ago. It is a bit of a double whammy because I hated feeling like I was watching a copy, but then it wasn't even copied properly, which infuriated me even more. Like when Peter takes Gwen swinging around the city, they don't focus on them, or what comes after. Or when Connors is shown having his evil sub-conscious talk loudly to him, which was exactly what happened with Osborn in Spider-Man, but it isn't as eerie.

                 Another huge misstep for me was the way the film was made. Marc Webb, the director, has only made one feature film before this, and that was the romcom (500) Days of Summer. Apart from maybe his surname, I don't know what qualified him to make this film. There are like textbook action stuff that this film completely overlooks. For instance, when Connors has transformed into Lizard for the first time, there isn't that big revelatory moment that is so obvious when it comes to a character like this. The film jumps around and never focuses where it needs to focus. It completely fails to find the balance between action, romance and humour. Thinking back right now, I don't understand how it was two hours and fifteen minutes long since nothing was given enough time, but then again, sitting in the audience at the time, the film seemed to go on and on for me.  Most of the effects were really gimicky, especially the POV shots. Even the lizards looked fake, which was weird. The big crisis that happens at the end of such movies never really felt like one because hardly anyone seems to be affected. Even the "cool" sequences were "lame" because the film did not know how to set them up properly and what to do with them after. Cars were left dangling on bridges and schools were attacked out of nowhere and cranes were aligned and whatnot. I honestly feel that Michael Bay could have done a better job, because say what you want about him, the man knows how to construct an action scene.


           The biggest drawback is what this film did with its cast. First of all, Andrew Garfield is too good-looking to be Peter Parker. I do really love his love for the character and he does a more than decent job of playing him, but I just could not believe for a second that this wasn't a guy everyone was in love with. When he's Peter Parker, he's absolutely cool and adorable at the same time and when he's Spider-man, well, the costume um, compliments him perfectly :P I would actually count this as a plus in the sense that if not for anything, girls can watch this film to gush over his perfect looks. But then you take things into perspective, and a guy like that can never be an unpopular geek. Tobey Maguire is normal-looking, so this was very believable when he payed the part. Garfield on the other hand, is gorgeous and fine. Hell even the bully Flash looked like he was in love with him!

             And then we come to Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy- oh cruel wasted potential! My biggest problem with the Sam Raimi films was the over-emphasis on the v.v.v. annoying Mary Jane Watson. This film barely notices Gwen Stacy. Which is a shame because every second she is in the shot, the screen lights up. Her character, unfortunately, isn't allowed to flesh out at all. There is a scene with Gwen and her dad talking in their hallway about cocoa, and it is the quintessential Emma Stone humour that can make any film that much more entertaining, and that is all there is of it! I mean it is even worse that they give us this little taste of what could have been and then take it away, rather than just nothing all the way. This whole film is actually full of little tasters such as these, and nothing more! Gahhh.


             The chemistry between Garfield and Stone was superb. They are so cute together that you almost want to forgive the entire movie because it led these two perfect specimens to each other. But again, I hated the way their love story is handled because I could not digest that their two characters would end up caring about each other so much over so little time. Also their first kiss is so Bollywood, I audibly groaned with disgust when it happened.

              The villain, Dr. Connors aka Lizard, is played by Welsh actor Rhys Ifans. I did not like this villain at all. First of all, he did not feel as dangerous as the others. Secondly, I hate lizards and the whole concept gives me the creeps. Thirdly, he looks terrible. I love Ifans, but his transformation from honest scientist and pioneer to a gutter-loving ego-maniacal reptile-thing-person was not that impressive and kind of random. The action scenes between him and Spider-man are not remotely enthralling or something that takes your breath away. Then again, nothing in this film does that, but Ifans with his timing was bound to be more interesting. He just didn't invoke the kind of fear and awe that a supervillain should; just a weird need to want to bathe yourself because all of it is so icky.


              My absolutely favourite thing about The Amazing Spider-Man was Dennis Leary as Captain Stacy. He was snappy and funny and sincere. He stole the scene every time he was there because he was just such a fantastic character, and Leary played him with so much wit and honesty. He was a no-nonsense man in a stupid nonsense movie. Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, Sally Field as Aunt May and Irrfan Khan as Rajit Ratha/ that-shady-Indian-businessman-dude were all okay.

               Other things were also disappointing. There were things from the trailers that were missing. I had expected at least the soundtrack to be good, seeing how (500) Days has an excellent tracklist, but apart from a very Footloose-esque sequence of Peter skateboarding and and discovering his powers, there was zilch. As my friend pointed out, even Twilight has an adequate soundtrack. One huge plus to the movie however, was the anticipated Stan Lee cameo that may just be his best one ever.


             After mouthing-off about this film the entire day, I feel that I might have been too harsh about it. But honestly, just thinking about it right now is making me angry. No, I did not expect The Amazing Spider-Man to be "amazing" or well, The Avengers, but I thought it will be okay enough to let it pass by. Instead I got a headache watching this totally unnecessary reboot of what I now know to be a very good set of movies. It is evident that there will be a sequel because helloo?, Hollywood is cuckoo, and also since there was some extra scene at the end of the credits that I missed because I had to get out of the hall to let all the steam escape from my ears. I just hope that the studios learn from their mistakes and get a proper director who can exploit the immeasurable talents of Garfield and Stone and get an actual supervillain.


            Watch it if you must. You may like it and then tell me all about it. Or you may hate it and I'll get to tell you "I told you so". Eitherways, The Amazing Spider-Man was a terrible movie that even my fake-husband Andrew Garfield and my fake-bff Emma Stone could not save for me. Now that is depressing.

"I’m good at self-deprecation… I think." -Andrew Garfield

(Excuse me while I gush...)

"There would be a lot of really nice people saying a lot of nice things. But then I get to the one person who would say, ‘His eyebrows look big. He ought to shave his eyebrows. He looks like a freaking Neanderthal.’ I thought, ‘That’s so mean. I can’t help my eyebrows, dude.’"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

ANDREW RUSSEL GARFIELD!

(He's gonna marry me someday.)

“In a world where social structure was everything, that was THE thing.” ~FINAL WORDS ON MY BELOVED: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

        

Taken from The Film Experience Blog  

        I know...I really hope this is my last The Social Network themed post too. Not that my love for it has reduced, rather it has only been growing exponentially. But because there are only so many months you

should spend obsessing over a movie lest everyone looks at you as a crazy person (and they are now).


       So Oscars are 3 days away now and the big question arises- who will win Best Picture. My vote, as posted earlier, goes to The Social Network. But along with that, I want the film to win in almost all the other seven categories it has been nominated for (not cinematography so much- Roger Deakins for True Grit FTW). Award and Reasons:




        1) Editing- The editting in this film is mindblowing. Fincher (who I shall talk about below) is famous, or rather infamous for the many many takes he does on every scene. There is a reason for this, as only the best takes, angles, etc are chosen. This film was all over the place- dorm rooms, bars, lakes, offices, courtrooms, etc. The beauty of the film comes when it skips from one place to another, one person to another and that too at the precise point where as to create maximum interest. My favourite part- just watch the hacking scene.
       The Social Network is an almost lock for this, for all I have read. If not this, then 127 Hours as Danny Boyle films can never be as fantastic without the expert editing done. Also Black Swan would be a good choice. I really hope The King's Speech(bloody fools!)  does not unfairly win for this.

       2) Sound Mixing- The clatter at the bars, the clicking of the keys of the laptop, and the Mark's voice that emerges out. The first scene at the bar with Erica was done 99 times, so that the right mixture of noise and the converstation between her and Mark is shown. And we all know what an impact the scene had.
       I think The Social Network's biggest competitor for this is the equally deserving Inception. The cities being created, the water flooding in, the buildings crumbling down- what a beauty. Apparently Salt has a very good chance in this category, but I haven't seen it so I can't comment.




        3) Score- Oh Trent and Atticus....I love you for what you did with the film. I was watching a bit of voice-over commentary in my The Social Network DVD, and Aaron Sorkin (will talk about him next) was talking about how he wanted a really loud and sort of angry/cocky song to play when Mark walks from the bar to his dorm room at Kirkland House. Instead, Fincher got these two to write the poignant and chilling Hand Covers Bruise that comes thrice in the film to play. And that did the trick. An incredible score full of all sorts of instruments making just wonderful music is innovative and untraditional as hell- my favourite being A Familiar Taste that plays when www.facemash.com takes over.
       Again, only Hans Zimmers' ground-breaking score for Inception can give this competition. Why- because one will remember them as much as the films they're from. Alexandre Desplat is fantastic, but hardly deserving for The King's Speech(bollocks!).

         4) Screenplay- Whatever little I have seen of West Wing, the way the characters spoke always stood out for me. And now Aaron Sorkin wrote this absolute gem of a screenplay (which I am reading right now, and needless to say is simply superb). Just basing it on Ben Mezrich's Accidental Billionaires was not enough. So he investigated the whole backstory of the "inception" of Facebook, and created this whole Rashomon-type of script where no-one's a hero and no-ones a villain but just these absolutely unforgettable characters and the relationships they have with each other. The best- the courtroom scenes: "Did I adequately answer your condescending question?"
        No one other than Sorkin deserves this- just watch the film and read the script. Also- did anyone notice Sorkin playing the Ad exec. irritated with Mark's "glottal stops".

       5) Actor- So Andrew Garfield got snubbed. If not for anything then they should give Jesse Eisenberg an Oscar just to make up for this. Except, in retrospect, I realise now that he is the most deserving of the Best Actor accolade. The way he delivers the lines, the way he hardly shows emotions, but we feel everything that he does. His Mark ended up being the biggest mystery of the year- forget the Limbo and Nina's death. Why did he do everything that he did? How does he feel about Eduardo? And so on...we are just completely  enticed by an actor who has been typecast as a nerd, but by playing possibly the world's most famous and complex nerd, has broken all of his boundaries and has emerged as one of the best of his generation.
      Keeping Jesse aside, the whole film was full of these incredible young actors playing these extraordinary young people. I mean talk about ideal casting for a movie which is showing a generation and a future for the world being played by people who are exactly like this.
       Yes, Colin Firth has this 99.99% in the bag for his mesmerising role in The King's Speech (horseshit), but it will be something to see a surprise win for Jesse and what his speech could be like. (And the joy on bff Andrew's face).




       6) Director- Fincher, Fincher, Fincher...how I love thee. EW just released a list of Greatest Living Directors and David Fincher tops the list. Why? Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and yes, The Social Network. I don't care how many shots he takes, because his end results are somewhat of what one would call cinematic power-packs. As said in LAMB Devours Oscars- The Social Network, "David Fincher ended the nineteen-nineties by producing one of its most important films; with The Social Network, he has started the twenty-tens in a similar fashion." The only reason I had gone berserk about this film since the beginning was because this absolutely divine film maker was making it. And it has been one of the best of his bejewelled career. In my own review I had talked about how different it was from his other films. After seeing the film for the fifth time yesterday, I realise how wrong I was. True it did not deal with serial killers, but the dark, gritty feel remains...even sort of scarier this time round because this film uses weapons of a whole another kind. Instead of John Doe's "artillery" this film explores courtrooms and the un-chartered territories of the World Wide Web. And only Fincher could've done with it and the actors and script in order to make it the modern-day classic t is.
       Fincher should be the one winning the gold. If he doesn't (and this will lead to some sort of violence on my part), and as Christopher Nolan was snubbed, the only other deserving director is weird-and-brilliant Darren Aronfsky for Black Swan. TOM HOOPER MUST NOT WIN THIS.

      And finally, BEST FILM- I can't explain enough why I love this film so much. Nathaniel R of The Film Experience describes the film in a splendiferous way: 
'Not many movies feel like new classics whileyou're watching them. And as early as the first scene, too. Most need time to settle. Not so withThe Social Network which just speeds through, all synapses firing with rich performances (Jesse's best) inspired direction (Fincher's best) and handsome production values (many people's best?), until... "wait, it's over?" When that ending comes (spoilers: Mark Zuckerberg invented Facebook, got sued, is a gajillionaire) you want to click "refresh" yourself. Project that bad boy again! Here's why I know it's a new classic: second viewing, ending comes "wait, it's over? Refresh!"; third viewing, ending comes "wait, it's over? Refresh!"; Fourth viewing, ending comes "wait, it's over? Refresh!"'
        I've had proper arguments with people over why The Social Network deserves to win. One of my biggest reasons is that films like Black Swan and Inception could have been made 5-10 years from now and still would have the same effect; The King's Speech(stupid fools) is a period drama about royals during World War 2 and could've been made anytime *generic* and so on. However, The Social Network is about us NOW. It deserves to win NOW. And also it won't ever become obsolete as this film will define our generation forever.
       If *God forbid* The Social Network doesn't win this this then - Black Swan, Inception, Toy Story 3 or 127 Hours.
JUST WIN ALREADY!!!!!

       That's it. Last words on it. I really hope and pray it wins as this will somehow become a personal victory for me. A few links I found on this splendid splendid film:


Observations on Film Art
The Sorkin Network

-Love, Mrs. Garfield

Final Adieu to 2010

So...I finally watched all the "Oscar-worthy" films of 2010. Well, as many as possible. No more 2010 films for now. Just general ones, of any year. This is a final compilation of all possible lists regarding 2010 films

  A. Best Films
So I had already made an incomplete list of top ten 2010 films here. Now I could make a top ten list again, but instead I'll include films and their ranks till whichever place the previous number 10 spot had been. It adds up to an even top 20. Ain't I just awesome?
The New List (those in the previous list don't have a description):


1) The Social Network


2) 127 Hours- Oh My Lord! Why did Danny Boyle not make this two years back and win the Oscar for this instead of the over-hyped Slumdog Millionaire?? This film was incredible! James Franco, in his one man show, between a rock and a very hard place, and the gorgeous editting and edge-of-the-seat feel- this film is certainly one of the best this year. It's rather unfortunate it fell out of everyone's award radar, but not mine. My brain totally fuzzled in a certain would-have-been-gross-of-not-superbly-yet-chillingly-filmed-gem-of-a-scene. You know what I'm talking about *wink*.


3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1


4) Inception


5) Black Swan- Yes, an upgrade (technically not). Not because I love the now number 6 less, but after a reviewing, I love and respect Black Swan more. For Millepeid baby!


6) Easy A


7) Toy Story 3


8) Never Let Me Go


9) The King's Speech- The very first public speech in the film, when Colin Firth as King George VI or Bertie struggles to take words out of his mouth, and the echoes...oh my heart melted. Mr. Firth is a very well-spoken Englishman, but when he transformed himself into this reluctant stammering king, an unparalleled performance of a lifetime along with cinematic magic took place. Beautiful film, and great supporting performances from both "geisha girl" Geoffrey Rush and "exquisite and no-nonsense queen" Helena Bonham Carter.


10) I Love You Phillip Morris- Why does noone care about this incredibly hilarious and heart-warming film? Probably the two most underrated and under-appreciated leading men in Hollywood- Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor star in this sweet, fantastical romantic comedy that really happened. It really did.


11) I Am Love- Tilda the Goddes! She's incredible and this film, so beautifully shot mostly in sunny and snowy Italy, in quite lovely too. A simple and complicated story of a high-class Italian family and their little secrets and lives, I Am Love is the only foreign-language film I saw of last year and it mesmerised me completely.


12) Somewhere- Oh so beautiful...one of the biggest tragedies of my life is that I'm not a character in a Sofia Coppola film. I love the way everyone looks in her films, especially her women. And in this film, it was the stunning Elle Fanning. She plays the daughter of the eternally bored and widely loved actor Stephen Dorff, who's existence is confined within his weird-ass room in the very shady Chateau Marmont. Sounds boring? Believe you me, it's not, because thw way it is shot and feels and how unknowingly we feel for both the father and daughter is what the Sofia Coppola touch is all about.


13) Scott Pilgrim vs The World


14) The Town- I hate Ben Affleck. But still I could not deny the energy and the smoothness of this film. It was a great crime film, and the performance by Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm make it very interesting to see.


15) The Ghost Writer 


16) True Grit- I'm not one for westerns, having had seen only 3 in my whole life. But this film was something else. Maybe it was because it was written and made by the Coen Brothers. Maybe because it starred the Dude. Maybe because it has a character called La Beouf played by the always brilliant Matt Damon. Maybe it was because it marks the beginning of the gorgeous and superb Haille Steinfeld. I don't know, but I sure did enjoy it.


17) Blue Valentine- Fact of life: Ryan Gosling with a balding scalp can make me earthquake as much as Ryan Gosling without a balding scalp can. Now that that's established, I have to say what a great actor, and what an intense performance. Also that the almost equally accomplished Michelle Williams was able to stand up to him. A bittersweet film if there ever was one.


18) The Fighter- Finally Christian Bale'sm mazing body transformations caught attention of critics, along with nutritionalists. It's unfortunate that he's receviving acclaim as the supporting actor, as he is clearly a co-lead. Mark Wahlberg too, has completed his transformation from Marky Mark to one of the most dedicated actors in Hollywood. Add to that actual and equally brilliant supporting roles from Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, The Fighter adds up to a highly enjoyable and touching sports film.




19) The Kids Are All Right- It stars two of my favourite middle-aged actresses who can always light-up the screen with their faces and performances. I love Annette "The Goddess" Bening and Julianne "The Darling" Moore! And such a sweet film. Mark Ruffalo was too cool. A very enjoyable dramedy, though a bit too loved by the crtics.


20) Kick Ass

B. My Favourite Performances of 2010:


1) Colin Firth as King George VI- the stuttering, the pain, the anger, the warmth. Also the build-up from last year's equally amazing A Single Man. Beautiful performance from Mr. Firth, who I like just the way he is- a king.


2) Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers- The way she controls herself and the way she loses the control- so shocking and poignant and scary. The effort that she put in, both to become a pro ballerina and give just the most incredible performance, is groundbreaking.


3) James Franco as Aron Ralston- To carry a whole film alone, confined in a small scary place, and blowing the audience's mind, that's just a bit of the work Mr. Franco did in 127 Hours. And we all know, what he did, we can never do.


4) Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg- From the assumed confidence to the apparent self-doubt, from the assholeness to the loneliness, every emotion on Eisenberg's face and voice showed clear as water. A very brilliant performance, but I sure hope it won't be his best as he obviously has a lot to offer.


5) Christian Bale as Dickey Ward- It's scary whenever he loses the weight, but this performance balanced it out. Amazing.


6) Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin and Tommy D- Two beautiful and heart-wrenching performances. I'm so proud of him.


7) Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast- She delivered. Like noone else. The King's Speech had period drama, Black Swan had Aronofsky's twisted vision, The Social Network had Sorkin's witty script. Easy A had Emma Stone. 'Nuff said.


8) Jim Carrey as Steven Russel- He's such a funny man and this might be one of his best performances to date. He knows what is over the top, and he does it so well that it becomes believable. It's such an excellent quality...how does Hollywood not see it?? How???????????


9) Ryan Gosling as Dean Pereira- He's funny, musical, goofy, loving, forgiving and gorgeous. What an actor!


10) Annette Bening as Nic- She's strong and funny and sad, and the moment she breaks out in a Joni Mitchell medley we know what a performance this is. I love her.


11) Elle Fanning as Cleo Marco- She's so beautiful, and in her aloof childlike performance, she wins thousands of hearts.


12) Tilda Swinton as Emma Recchi- The classy and quintessential wife of a rich Italian household, with a dirty secret. The camera loves her, maybe because of her beauty or maybe because even when she does nothing, she's acting.


13) Jennifer Lawrence as Ree Dolly- The big discovery of this year. She's so natural, and my new favourite young actress.


14) Chloe Mortez as Hit Girl/Mindy Macready- Awesome. No other word. And well, kick ass!


15) Emma Watson as Hermione Granger- The prettiest girl in the world, and also one of the strongest. She held all Harry, Ron and the film together.


16) Jeremy Renner as James "Jem" Coughlin- Violent and volitile, his performance fuels the film.

17) Hailee Steinfeld as Mattiie Ross- Not supporting, definitely lead. What a future this young lady has has...gives me chills.Honourable mentions- Jennifer Lawrence as Ree Dolly and everyone in Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

C. My Favourite Scenes of 2010:


1) The Transformation in Black Swan- I forgot the most basic of all living things functions during this scene- how to breathe. And I'm not exaggerating.


2) Deathly Hallows Story in Harry Potter 7- what a pleasant and unforgettable surprise. Fueled by Emma Watson's beautiful voice.


3) The Condescending scene in The Social Network- BAM! Diss! Awesome!


4) The Video scene in 127 Hours- It was funny and tragic at the same time.


5) Pocket Full O' Sunshine in Easy A- I need that damn card!


6) The End of Toy Story 3- Not gonna ruin the surprise for those who haven't seen it, but I really love Woody and Andy.


7) The Betrayal in The Social Network- Eisenberg's face and Andrew's suit and anger.


8) The Beginning of Scott Pilgrim vs The World- Votte way to start a film. The credits don't roll by, they shock and startle.


9) The Hand in 127 Hours- Painfully brilliant.


10) Harry and Hermione Dance in Harry Potter 7- Poignant and beautiful, kills the romantic in me...in a good way.


11) Black Sheep in Scott Pilgrim vs The World- I guess the best singing part in the film, though there are loads to choose from.


12) The Joni Medley in The Kids Are All Right- So random and funny and sweet. I love Annette.


13) The Ice-Skating in Somewhere- Elle Fanning ice-skates to Gewn Stefani’s Cool in a beautiful light blue costume while Stephen Dorff and the audience watches on. With the Sofia Coppola effect ofcourse.


14) You Always Hurt the One You Love scene in Blue Valentine- This scene is magical. Ryan Gosling’s lovely voice accompanied by Michelle Williams’ adorable tap dancing, while they innocently sing out the story of the whole film.


15) The King’s Speech in The King’s Speech- One feels strangely proud watching it.


16) The Scream in Never Let Me Go- Heart-breaking as hell.

      All in all, 2010 was in my opinion one of the best years for films. Maybe it's because I've never cared like this, or because I was able to see so many of the films, but still this year gave me and everyone some really memorable films, performances and moments.
      Ten-twenty years from now, people will still be talking about what happened at the end of Inception and Black Swan, still wondering the truth behind The Social Network and The King's Speech, still being amazed by the true life tales of 127 Hours and I Love You Phillip Morris and of course, still loving Harry Potter 7.
      It was also a great year for breakthroughs- Andrew G, Emma Stone, Mila Kunis, Elle Fanning, Noomy Rapace, Jennifer Lawrence, Mia Wasikowska, Rooney Mara, Chloe Mortez, Hailee Steinfeld etc.

My Top Ten Films of 2010, Somewhat.

    
       Oh another year has gone by and I feel as if I've done nothing substantial. Nonetheless, I did watch a few good films. And when I say few, I mean 2010 films. I think I've watched 10 (get the connection? No. Ofcourse). However, being the list-fiend I am, I'm still gonna make a Top-Ten Films of 2010 List!! Enjoy.

NOTE: I haven't seen 127 Hours, The Kids are All Right, Blue Valentine, The King's Speech, Winter's Bone, True Grit, I Am Love etc. And yes, I do know I should jump off a cliff before calling myself a film critic again.

1) The Social Network- What is left to say that I haven't said before? This film just gives me so much joy everytime I see it. Also, I realised today it was the funniest film I've seen this year. Also, Andrew Garfield stole my heart.

2) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1- Never thought a Harry Potter film can surprise me like this. But HP7 just shook me, in a very very good way. Yes, most critics would kill me for alone putting this film on the list, and even more for putting it before the numbers 3 and 5, but the dance scene and the Deathly Hallows scene can stand up to any such animosity.

3) Inception- This is probably the coolest film of the year, or the decade. The whole concept is nothing short of revolutionary and the film might just become the uber-talented Christopher Nolan's magnum opus. Add to that a fantastic cast, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt stealing the show from Leo DiCaprio big time.

4) Easy A- I just love a good chick flick. And this one's pretty much on top this year. Emma Stone's brilliant breakthrough performance with a hilarious support cast and a really smart take on a beloved classic, Easy A is easily one of the year's best.

5) Black Swan- Darren Aronofsky's frightening and beautiful and melodramatic spin on the Swan Lake tale, with the excruciatingly stunning and talented Natalie Portman is a fantastic drama. Ah this film and it's dazzling look and feel, and the shock-factor. Quite perfect.

6) Toy Story 3- I saw this yesterday. I am very sorry for the late viewing, but still this film was just awesome!! I love Woody and Buzz and Andy! It's funny, magical and so touching at the same time. Best Animated Film his year by a mile.

7) Never Let Me Go- *wipes a tear off my face* God I loved this film. It just touched my heart so much. The story, the metaphor, Andrew and Carey. New Year Resolution- read the book.

8) Scott Pilgrim Vs the World- One might find it odd, but Michael Cera is amongst my most favourite leading men. And as the cute, confused, base-playing, ass-kicking Canadian Scott Pilgrim, he's too cool. The whole idea of the film, the way it's been made, the total lack of explanation for Scott's and Ramona's and her seven evil exes' superhuman fighting ability, and the whole comic book feel is so very novel. And I just love Kieran Culkin, and Wallace Wells is friggin' magnificent. Allison Pill, Anna Kendrick and Jason Schwartzman are superb too. I just saw that it's tagline is "An Epic of Epic Epicnes". Mindblasted.

9) The Ghost Writer- I love Roman Polanski to bits (well, I have a little crush on him actually). This was such a well-made film. Yes the whole CIA-is-the-Thought-Police-thing annoys me, but with the very subtle yet intriguing plot, and to-die-for cast, consisting of the always amazing Ewan McGregor, Pierce "James Bond" Brosnan, the very talented Olivia Williams and Kim "Samantha-fucking-Jones" Cattral; the films a hell of a thriller.

10) Kick-Ass- I just love superhero noir. Chloe Mortez as Hit Girl has easily become one of my most favourite female characters. This film was cruel, blunt and mindblowing!

      Okay, now thinking back, I did see more than 10 films, but these were the cream.

      New Year Resolution- I'll watch EVERYTHING in 2011.

HAPPY NEW YEAR PEOPLE!!