Hello Reader,
Some of you know me personally, others know me only through my facebook and blog. Either way thank you for following me.
No matter how you know me you know where I've been for the past 2 years. I've been through 3 jobs and 3 living locations, but there's always only been 1 "The Last Chapter". It's hard to believe that it was 2 years ago this month that I started creating this movie. 2 years ago I created River. It was June of 2009 that I sat down in scriptwriting class and began to write this story. Near the middle of June 2009 I handed it off to Erik Franklin who has been in and out of this production through out. He helped mold this into something much better than it was and helped shape the current idea. It was he who decided Charlie needed to be a woman. Months later Erik backed out of more drafts because he felt he didn't have enough time after a very brutal verbal beating from one of my favorite teachers. I was left destroyed... Naomi Hogg jumped on about October which is the same time I cast the actors, Norman Newkirk, Sara Trowbridge, and David Reyes. Naomi molded it further and finally fell off the project in late December leaving Tony and I to tweak and add. I just want to say a few words about my cast and crew before I finish my thought.
Tony Straka was a big part of this. As my co-director and co-producer he really pushed me to not think in a box and think big. We'd figure a way to do it. It's been a fantastic road with Tony making this movie. Tony fell off the project at one point, but came back full force helping me to pick up pieces left from others.
The first person I signed on for this thing was Richard Scott. His level headed and even handed way of crafting a shot in camera is one of my favorite things about how we did this thing. He is a fantastic person to work with and a natural at what he does. I will be working with Richard again. No matter where he is I'll track him down and hire him.
Chris Duerkopp was my next person to call. Chris is so laid back and so brilliant as a DP I can't imagine working without him. He takes my random bullshit pictures and ideas and makes something out of it. There were many times I or Tony came up with something, we went to Chris with it and Chris would look at us for a moment and say..."I think we can do that." There was no drama on Chris' end. He had his crew and he made something out of what could have been nothing. Arguably his cinematography is the best part of the movie.
Amber Siereveld was my AD and she helped me organize most things to keep the production moving. She did a lot of odd jobs to keep us going, like props, food, and other things. It would be hard to have done this without her doing those things.
Tyler Oquist saved my ass more than I care to admit really. I didn't have a dead body, there he was. Richard had to leave for another project, there he was. Tyler picked up where Richard left off and kept us moving. He was fantastic.
Michelle Mai Smith did a bang up job keeping the actors looking sharp and the special effect would have been infinitely more difficult if it weren't for the colors chosen. She's made a few lives much easier.
Naomi Hogg and Erik Franklin both helped me get my initial idea from something that was all over the place to the the tighter, stronger version it is now. Erik is now close to working on the special effects to help us get this done. I see it only fitting for Erik to be one of the first on the project and one of the last off.
My photographers were all fantastic and helps us chronicle this movie for most of it. Bill Doran, Brittany Bailey, and Samantha Karls really helped us out and kept our facebook and official site stocked with photos.
The latest addition to our crew is Nicholas Glenn who got Tony and I a website we can be proud of and not to mention 2 posters which are stellar. He is awesome. I'll be working with him a lot more in the future.
As for actors
Norman Newkirk came in and nailed the part before he even spoke. The guys exudes a certain cool and calm demeanor that was perfect for River. Norman not only made the character, but kept the thing moving with his flexible schedule. He was a joy to work with and is a great friend.
Sara Trowbridge came on the set and instantly lighten the place up. Between her off color jokes and happy exterior she livened up an otherwise busy crew. When casting I was looking for my Jessica Rabbit and we found her in Sara. Fantastic talent and quick on her feet. I am very happy to have worked with someone who was so much fun.
David Reyes, the pull no punches type. He came into casting and leveled the place. He embodied noir and was so well prepared we barely had to think about who Jake was going to be. David told it like it was in the best way possible and kept me on my toes as a director. When stuff was bad he asked why, when stuff was good he blended in. Terrific person and I can't wait for everyone to see what all these actors do on screen.
The long and short of it all is that the movie is getting close. I am shooting for it to be done before August. Sometimes it feels like yesterday other times it feels longer than 2 years. It's been 2 years...I want this to be done...I NEED this to be done. It's been a long journey and a roller coaster really. We're in the home stretch and as soon as this is done we're going into getting it into film festivals. It's been a long 2 year battle, but I am confident in what we have and how it's been done.
Thanks to all who have been here watching and helping.
Simon Karls
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Year in Movies 2010
Well 2010 came and went, which means it's time for my best movies of 2010 list. It's had it's ups and downs and there were very few truly brilliant films this year. Sad as it is it's been a poor year. I came in to 2010 hoping that it could be a great year, but well...it was average. Luckily it wasn't as bad as 09 or 07.
We've had to deal with crap like MacGruber, (I hate you Tony.) and The Wolfman, but we were given true gems this year and here are most of them.
10. Daybreakers
Why is there so much hate for this movie? Let me start by saying I've had it up to here with damn vampire movies, for a couple different reasons. 1. They never bring anything new to the table (Underworld) or they get everything wrong (Twilight). 2. They tell the same story in the same way we've seen a million times. That's what makes Daybreakers so good. Not only does it tell the story in a new and interesting way, it also bring new things to the table. It boasts a great cast (Ethan Hawke, Willem DeFoe, Sam Neill) and an even cooler style. It's one of the few January releases I whole heartedly endorse. I wish it did well enough to have a sequel, but it's a horror gem that's gone unseen. It really is a must.
On DVD now.
9. 127 Hours
The real life story of a man trapped in a canyon for 5 days. I just saw this one the other night and am in awe of it. It's hard to watch at times and even more intriguing on how they made a movie about a guy stuck in a canyon for so long interesting for almost 2 hours. James Franco is great and the script is decent and I loved the sound design, it really helps the movie be so difficult to sit through. The biggest issue with it is the end where you actually see the real Aaron. I am not a Danny Boyle fan, but he did earn his Best picture nomination this year.
In Theatres Now
8. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
It's the story of Scott Pilgrim who falls in love with a girl who has 7 evil exs who want to kill Scott Pilgrim. From the director of such greatness as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead comes another great comic adaptation. It's sad that it is such a niche film because it's actually really good and a lot of fun. It's not perfect by any means. The first 15-20 minutes is a tad slow admittedly, but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it. The video game jokes through out are great and the whole experience really pulls you in. They go as far as to make the distribution companies logo 8-bit as well as a lot of the music. If you're in to video games or comics at all you'll really enjoy this movie and to top it off Michael Cera is actually tolerable in this one too.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
7. The Town
The sophomore film from one of my new favorite directors, Ben Afflack, yeah you heard that right, Ben Afflack. He's a much better director than he is actor. I loved his first film, Gone, Baby, Gone and The Town doesn't disappoint. It tells the story of a bank robber who falls in love with a woman his team took hostage. It's slow and plodding, but it's highly enjoyable with some soft character moments and funny sight gags. Ben Afflack delivers a good performance as well as Jeremy Renner. It should be getting more award attention, but I am loving what is winning the awards.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
6. Shutter Island
Oh, Shutter Island. What a long forgotten movie. Sad really directed by the one and only Martin Scorsese. The story of a detective investigating the case of missing patient 69. Leonardo has slowly become one of my favorite actors. He gives a great acting job with Mark Ruffalo and Scorsese in near top form. Shutter Island is a great thriller with everything you want, action, drama, love, hatred. It has its flaws, but the story more than makes up for the problems it has technically.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
5. Tron: Legacy
Tron: Legacy is one of the coolest movies I've seen in a while. With a thumping score created by Daft Punk and advised and couched by Hans Zimmer, the score is a character in and of itself. It has visuals that will leave you spellbound and my favorite part, when you're in the real world the movie is 2D, but when you're in the computer it's 3D. That just adds an extra layer to the movie that is unmatched thus far in the tech world of 3D. Was the 3D amazing? No. This is why I am not a huge fan of 3D because it's still not that good, but over all Tron is a great sequel and a solid technical movie. Can't wait to see what's next.
In Theatres Now
4. Toy Story 3
Normally I don't put pixar on this list, but it's been a weak year and I had to fill the void. I don't care if it's "unoriginal", but I truly believe it's the best of the 3. Any body who is close to my age feels something for the toys and for Andy, I mean shit we grew up with him. This is one of the most heart wrenching and ballsy cartoons ever made. I was in tears multiple times. If you haven't seen it by now you fail at life.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
3. Black Swan
If you know me at all you know my love for Darren Aronofsky, his films are gorgeous, heart breaking and many times hard to watch. Black Swan is no exception. Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, and Mila Kunis put out a stunning performance. Aronofsky breaks his rule of minimal CGI and creates a story that all artists can relate to. It's a breath-taking view into the struggle of someone who is giving EVERYTHING to do something they're completely passionate about.
In Theatres Now
2. The Social Network
Social Network, the story of a huge contemporary icon. The script is adapted from the book, "The Accidental Billionaires" and the biggest question about the movie is how real it is. Is it fake, is the story real? The funny part is the ONLY person saying the movie is false is Mark Zuckerburg himself, the writer, Aaron Sorkin, says that everything in the movie has something to back it, may it be court documents or Mark's own blog. When Aaron Sorkin wrote the 166 page script he knew that some of it would be cut especially since the director, the brilliant David Fincher, would be under contract to make the movie at, around, or near 120 minutes. Fincher read the script and decided instead of cutting anything the best thing to do would be to make all the actors talk faster. This movie is a thing of beauty, the direction, the cinematography, and even the amazing score created by Nine Inch Nails band member, Trent Reznor. The greatest thing about The Social Network is that it's culturally relevant, it actually means something now. It was so perfectly released in history, any earlier and it would be laughed at, any later and it would be meaningless.
On DVD and Blu-Ray and in Theatres Now
1. Inception
Here it is...are you surprised...probably not. Now in all actuality The Social Network is probably the best movie of the year, but Inception has something that TSN doesn't have amazing mind blowing visuals. I know I talk a lot about movies being more than "just entertainment" and that's why Inception takes the top spot. Not only is it a terrific story, that is nothing but brilliantly and artistically well done, but it also doesn't skimp on stunning visuals and entertainment galore. Inception is the summer movie with brains and that doesn't come along every summer.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
Hidden Gems
Red Riding
It's an interesting made-for-British TV 3 part film. The story spans 3 years and multiple people dealing with a series of murders. Red Riding is a plodding, interesting piece that keeps you wondering the whole time. The new Spiderman and hopeful Best supporting actor nominee, Andrew Garfield, plays a reporter attempting to get to the bottom of the murders. Red Riding is a little seen thriller that really deserves more attention. Even I have only seen the first, but if 2 and 3 are half as good as the first it is a movie that must be seen.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
A terrific documentary about the English street artists Banksy and Mr. Brainwash. It's a very cool and slick look into a subculture that frankly very few of us have even looked at. If you haven't seen this yet I highly suggest it.
RED
You may have heard of it, but probably didn't see it. You have Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malchovich, and Helen Mirren and ex-CIA agents. With character actors, Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine as well as Carl Urban from Star Trek, it's one hell of a cast and a fun ride.
Winter's Bone
The indie movie that is very depressing and not nearly as fun to watch as one would like, but I still suggest it. It's nominated for best picture and Best actress. The story is about a girl who needs to get her father back before the bondsmen take their house away. Definitely see it to see subtle subdued acting at it's best.
Other Great Movies
Kick Ass
I loved Kick Ass. I loved the trailers. I loved the idea. Frankly it's what 2008's Hancock should have been. It's cool and stylish. It's fun and surprising. It's irreverent and doesn't care. In a world where we're all forced to be PC, it's nice to hear a 9 year old say cunt. hahaha I'd probably scream if I heard a real child say that, but that's beside the point. Kick Ass is one of those movies that may not look the best and it may not be a stunning piece of cinematic genius, but it's got a lot of heart and that counts for a lot. It's not a just a guilty pleasure it's a solidly done comic adaptation.
The Expendables
Lots of people hate it because of no story or some stupid crap like that, but come on you don't see this for the story, you see it for Sly, Arnold, Bruce, Mickey, Dolph, Jet, Jason, and other actions stars. It's a lot of fun.
Despicable Me
A great cartoon that isn't getting nearly the respect it deserves. A great story, great characters, and hilarious side characters, with great site gags.
Alice in Wonderland
It's a sequelish of the original cartoon. It's fun to look at and fun familiar characters.
How to Train Your Dragon
The rare great piece of cinema from Dreamworks. Great voice acting, amazing animation, and terrific script.
The King's Speech
Yes it's good. Yes it is superbly acted, but it's not best picture of the year. It's a movie about the true story of a king with a speech impediment, during WW2...So let's recap, period costumes, funny accents, a disability, and during WW2. That's Oscar bait, but those movies don't win. They rarely win. Dont' get me wrong it's a good movie it's just not THAT good.
The Kids Are All Right
It's this years Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. The Oscars pick one tiny comedy/drama to put on a pedestal every year as a form of charity or something. Again it's good, it's just not THAT good. The acting is above average and I LOVE Julianne Moore. I do like it, but am not a huge fan of the ending.
Get Him to the Greek
I love Russell Brand and I love Forgetting Sarah Marshall and this is a psedo sequel. You have to see this insanity!
The A-Team
It's fun and not much more. I liked the cast and loved the fun of it. It fits well with the original show.
Machete
Amazingly full of shlock, it's a great addition to the Grindhouse push from Robert and Quentin.
Worst Movies of the year
1. MacGruber
2. Clash of the Titans
3. The Wolfman
4.The Last Airbender
And Most Overrated
True Grit
People are going to hate me. I liked it, I just didn't love it. It felt too average to be a Coen movie. Jeff was mediocre. His drunkenness was over the top and not very endearing. Sad really. I wanted to love it.
So does anybody have thoughts? Any out of order in your mind? Stay tuned to discuss the Oscar nominations and my predictions in my next blog post.
Don't miss the next hidden gem.
We've had to deal with crap like MacGruber, (I hate you Tony.) and The Wolfman, but we were given true gems this year and here are most of them.
10. Daybreakers
Why is there so much hate for this movie? Let me start by saying I've had it up to here with damn vampire movies, for a couple different reasons. 1. They never bring anything new to the table (Underworld) or they get everything wrong (Twilight). 2. They tell the same story in the same way we've seen a million times. That's what makes Daybreakers so good. Not only does it tell the story in a new and interesting way, it also bring new things to the table. It boasts a great cast (Ethan Hawke, Willem DeFoe, Sam Neill) and an even cooler style. It's one of the few January releases I whole heartedly endorse. I wish it did well enough to have a sequel, but it's a horror gem that's gone unseen. It really is a must.
On DVD now.
9. 127 Hours
The real life story of a man trapped in a canyon for 5 days. I just saw this one the other night and am in awe of it. It's hard to watch at times and even more intriguing on how they made a movie about a guy stuck in a canyon for so long interesting for almost 2 hours. James Franco is great and the script is decent and I loved the sound design, it really helps the movie be so difficult to sit through. The biggest issue with it is the end where you actually see the real Aaron. I am not a Danny Boyle fan, but he did earn his Best picture nomination this year.
In Theatres Now
8. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
It's the story of Scott Pilgrim who falls in love with a girl who has 7 evil exs who want to kill Scott Pilgrim. From the director of such greatness as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead comes another great comic adaptation. It's sad that it is such a niche film because it's actually really good and a lot of fun. It's not perfect by any means. The first 15-20 minutes is a tad slow admittedly, but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it. The video game jokes through out are great and the whole experience really pulls you in. They go as far as to make the distribution companies logo 8-bit as well as a lot of the music. If you're in to video games or comics at all you'll really enjoy this movie and to top it off Michael Cera is actually tolerable in this one too.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
7. The Town
The sophomore film from one of my new favorite directors, Ben Afflack, yeah you heard that right, Ben Afflack. He's a much better director than he is actor. I loved his first film, Gone, Baby, Gone and The Town doesn't disappoint. It tells the story of a bank robber who falls in love with a woman his team took hostage. It's slow and plodding, but it's highly enjoyable with some soft character moments and funny sight gags. Ben Afflack delivers a good performance as well as Jeremy Renner. It should be getting more award attention, but I am loving what is winning the awards.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
6. Shutter Island
Oh, Shutter Island. What a long forgotten movie. Sad really directed by the one and only Martin Scorsese. The story of a detective investigating the case of missing patient 69. Leonardo has slowly become one of my favorite actors. He gives a great acting job with Mark Ruffalo and Scorsese in near top form. Shutter Island is a great thriller with everything you want, action, drama, love, hatred. It has its flaws, but the story more than makes up for the problems it has technically.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
5. Tron: Legacy
Tron: Legacy is one of the coolest movies I've seen in a while. With a thumping score created by Daft Punk and advised and couched by Hans Zimmer, the score is a character in and of itself. It has visuals that will leave you spellbound and my favorite part, when you're in the real world the movie is 2D, but when you're in the computer it's 3D. That just adds an extra layer to the movie that is unmatched thus far in the tech world of 3D. Was the 3D amazing? No. This is why I am not a huge fan of 3D because it's still not that good, but over all Tron is a great sequel and a solid technical movie. Can't wait to see what's next.
In Theatres Now
4. Toy Story 3
Normally I don't put pixar on this list, but it's been a weak year and I had to fill the void. I don't care if it's "unoriginal", but I truly believe it's the best of the 3. Any body who is close to my age feels something for the toys and for Andy, I mean shit we grew up with him. This is one of the most heart wrenching and ballsy cartoons ever made. I was in tears multiple times. If you haven't seen it by now you fail at life.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
3. Black Swan
If you know me at all you know my love for Darren Aronofsky, his films are gorgeous, heart breaking and many times hard to watch. Black Swan is no exception. Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, and Mila Kunis put out a stunning performance. Aronofsky breaks his rule of minimal CGI and creates a story that all artists can relate to. It's a breath-taking view into the struggle of someone who is giving EVERYTHING to do something they're completely passionate about.
In Theatres Now
2. The Social Network
Social Network, the story of a huge contemporary icon. The script is adapted from the book, "The Accidental Billionaires" and the biggest question about the movie is how real it is. Is it fake, is the story real? The funny part is the ONLY person saying the movie is false is Mark Zuckerburg himself, the writer, Aaron Sorkin, says that everything in the movie has something to back it, may it be court documents or Mark's own blog. When Aaron Sorkin wrote the 166 page script he knew that some of it would be cut especially since the director, the brilliant David Fincher, would be under contract to make the movie at, around, or near 120 minutes. Fincher read the script and decided instead of cutting anything the best thing to do would be to make all the actors talk faster. This movie is a thing of beauty, the direction, the cinematography, and even the amazing score created by Nine Inch Nails band member, Trent Reznor. The greatest thing about The Social Network is that it's culturally relevant, it actually means something now. It was so perfectly released in history, any earlier and it would be laughed at, any later and it would be meaningless.
On DVD and Blu-Ray and in Theatres Now
1. Inception
Here it is...are you surprised...probably not. Now in all actuality The Social Network is probably the best movie of the year, but Inception has something that TSN doesn't have amazing mind blowing visuals. I know I talk a lot about movies being more than "just entertainment" and that's why Inception takes the top spot. Not only is it a terrific story, that is nothing but brilliantly and artistically well done, but it also doesn't skimp on stunning visuals and entertainment galore. Inception is the summer movie with brains and that doesn't come along every summer.
On DVD and Blu-Ray Now
Hidden Gems
Red Riding
It's an interesting made-for-British TV 3 part film. The story spans 3 years and multiple people dealing with a series of murders. Red Riding is a plodding, interesting piece that keeps you wondering the whole time. The new Spiderman and hopeful Best supporting actor nominee, Andrew Garfield, plays a reporter attempting to get to the bottom of the murders. Red Riding is a little seen thriller that really deserves more attention. Even I have only seen the first, but if 2 and 3 are half as good as the first it is a movie that must be seen.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
A terrific documentary about the English street artists Banksy and Mr. Brainwash. It's a very cool and slick look into a subculture that frankly very few of us have even looked at. If you haven't seen this yet I highly suggest it.
RED
You may have heard of it, but probably didn't see it. You have Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malchovich, and Helen Mirren and ex-CIA agents. With character actors, Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine as well as Carl Urban from Star Trek, it's one hell of a cast and a fun ride.
Winter's Bone
The indie movie that is very depressing and not nearly as fun to watch as one would like, but I still suggest it. It's nominated for best picture and Best actress. The story is about a girl who needs to get her father back before the bondsmen take their house away. Definitely see it to see subtle subdued acting at it's best.
Other Great Movies
Kick Ass
I loved Kick Ass. I loved the trailers. I loved the idea. Frankly it's what 2008's Hancock should have been. It's cool and stylish. It's fun and surprising. It's irreverent and doesn't care. In a world where we're all forced to be PC, it's nice to hear a 9 year old say cunt. hahaha I'd probably scream if I heard a real child say that, but that's beside the point. Kick Ass is one of those movies that may not look the best and it may not be a stunning piece of cinematic genius, but it's got a lot of heart and that counts for a lot. It's not a just a guilty pleasure it's a solidly done comic adaptation.
The Expendables
Lots of people hate it because of no story or some stupid crap like that, but come on you don't see this for the story, you see it for Sly, Arnold, Bruce, Mickey, Dolph, Jet, Jason, and other actions stars. It's a lot of fun.
Despicable Me
A great cartoon that isn't getting nearly the respect it deserves. A great story, great characters, and hilarious side characters, with great site gags.
Alice in Wonderland
It's a sequelish of the original cartoon. It's fun to look at and fun familiar characters.
How to Train Your Dragon
The rare great piece of cinema from Dreamworks. Great voice acting, amazing animation, and terrific script.
The King's Speech
Yes it's good. Yes it is superbly acted, but it's not best picture of the year. It's a movie about the true story of a king with a speech impediment, during WW2...So let's recap, period costumes, funny accents, a disability, and during WW2. That's Oscar bait, but those movies don't win. They rarely win. Dont' get me wrong it's a good movie it's just not THAT good.
The Kids Are All Right
It's this years Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. The Oscars pick one tiny comedy/drama to put on a pedestal every year as a form of charity or something. Again it's good, it's just not THAT good. The acting is above average and I LOVE Julianne Moore. I do like it, but am not a huge fan of the ending.
Get Him to the Greek
I love Russell Brand and I love Forgetting Sarah Marshall and this is a psedo sequel. You have to see this insanity!
The A-Team
It's fun and not much more. I liked the cast and loved the fun of it. It fits well with the original show.
Machete
Amazingly full of shlock, it's a great addition to the Grindhouse push from Robert and Quentin.
Worst Movies of the year
1. MacGruber
2. Clash of the Titans
3. The Wolfman
4.The Last Airbender
And Most Overrated
True Grit
People are going to hate me. I liked it, I just didn't love it. It felt too average to be a Coen movie. Jeff was mediocre. His drunkenness was over the top and not very endearing. Sad really. I wanted to love it.
So does anybody have thoughts? Any out of order in your mind? Stay tuned to discuss the Oscar nominations and my predictions in my next blog post.
Don't miss the next hidden gem.
Oscar Predictions
Hey all to save some time and a lot of effort I am going to only talk about the big 5. Those are the ones people really watch for any way.
Best Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours (2010): Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network (2010): Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3 (2010): Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
True Grit (2010): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Winter's Bone (2010): Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini
This whole race comes down to The Social Network. If anybody thinks any other movie has a chance of winning they are stupid. Seriously though if I have to eat my words for this after the Oscars it will be a tragedy. The next best is Toy Story 3. It really is the only other one that has a chance...a thin chance.
Best Original Screenplay
Another Year (2010): Mike Leigh
The Fighter (2010): Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington
Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right (2010): Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg
The King's Speech (2010): David Seidler
This one is not nearly as cut and dry as Best Adapted Screenplay. Inception won the WGA, but it could very easily go to The King's Speech. My vote is for Inception. My money is The King's Speech.
Best Actress
Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole (2010)
Jennifer Laurence for Winter's Bone (2010)
Natalie Portman for Black Swan (2010)
Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine (2010)
Annette Bening was good in The Kids are All Right, but I found her character overly pissy. Jennifer Laurence was great in Winter's Bone, but the money and my vote goes to Natalie Portman. If you bet against her I can fully blame you. Aronofsky's The Wrestler was primed to win Best Actor for Mickey Roarke when in a huge upset it was given unfairly to Sean Penn, but as of right now safe money is on Natalie Portman.
Best Actor
Javier Bardem for Biutiful (2010)
Jeff Bridges for True Grit (2010)
Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network (2010)
Colin Firth for The King's Speech (2010)
James Franco for 127 Hours (2010)
This one is easy. Colin Firth. Hands down no question in my mind that this goes to anyone else and deservingly so. Jeff Bridges doesn't even deserve the nomination and James Franco was good, but was stuck in a canyon, the sound was the true star in that movie. No one has seen Biutiful. Which leaves Jesse Eisenberg, who has the best chance of an upset. I am hoping it goes to Eisenberg, but I will not be mad if Firth wins. He did a fantastic job.
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan (2010)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for True Grit (2010)
David Fincher for The Social Network (2010)
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech (2010)
David O. Russell for The Fighter (2010)
Let's get one thing straight right now, the Coen Brothers DO NO DESERVE the nomination let alone a win. True Grit was good, but Inception was better. Nolan should have been nominated, he had been nominated every award until the Oscar nom just perpetuating the loathing the Oscars have for Nolan.
Either way the race really boils down to Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and David Fincher (TSN). I'd love to see Aronofsky win, but he'll have more opportunities and I am betting his best years are ahead of him. Tom Hooper failed multiple times throughout KS with shots and over all feeling. I frankly don't believe he deserves it. My vote and my money is on David Fincher. Not only is The Social Network a pitch perfect movie, but he is amazing at hitting the right note at the right point. This really is Fincher at his best.
Best Picture
Toy Story 3 (2010): Darla K. Anderson
True Grit (2010): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
Winter's Bone (2010): Anne Rosellini, Alix Madigan
The Kids Are All Right (2010): Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The Fighter (2010): David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
127 Hours (2010): Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, John Smithson
The King's Speech (2010): Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
Black Swan (2010): Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin
The Social Network (2010): Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Ceán Chaffin
I have placed the Best pic noms in order from least deserving to most.
Toy Story is great, but IT'S AN ANIMATED MOVIE. They have their own category, they don't need to be nominated for Best Pic. They miss a part of the movie making process which is getting your hands dirty with the cameras on set. So sorry.
True Grit is painfully average and not worthy of the nomination.
Winter's Bone is a nice little movie, but I feel like there is something more that should have ended up on screen. It doesn't feel totally complete.
The Kid's Are All Right is a well written interesting movie with good character connections. It's the first on the list I feel is moderately deserving of it's nom.
The Fighter sounds great. Admittedly I haven't seen it so I'll update this when I see it possibly later this week or early next week.
127 Hours is a hard to watch taut piece of film. Well acted and even better on the technical side. I am glad it's nominated, but it doesn't deserve a win.
The King's Speech is well acted and that alone gets it this high. Set design is what pushes it up more. Cinematography is weak, but editing is terrific. This is the one that has one of the top 2 best shots of winning. It looked like it had no shot until it won the Director's guild, the Producer's Guild, and the Screen Actors Guild. So it could go here.
Inception
You know my feelings. It's well crafted, well written, and amazingly edited. (Should have been nominated for editing)
Black Swan is so superbly crafted and so insanely painful that it is so much deserving of a nomination I just really hope it gets looked at more as the years go on.
The Social Network is the best of the year in terms of great cinema. It was looking amazing for a while until King's Speech won the awards I mentioned above, but I am betting the academy will vote for the real winner this year. I am hoping the DGA, PGA, and SAG were just give me awards so they could award both King's Speech and give Social Network the Oscar and as it has already won, the Golden Globe.
Any thoughts?
Simon
Best Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours (2010): Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network (2010): Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3 (2010): Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
True Grit (2010): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Winter's Bone (2010): Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini
This whole race comes down to The Social Network. If anybody thinks any other movie has a chance of winning they are stupid. Seriously though if I have to eat my words for this after the Oscars it will be a tragedy. The next best is Toy Story 3. It really is the only other one that has a chance...a thin chance.
Best Original Screenplay
Another Year (2010): Mike Leigh
The Fighter (2010): Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington
Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right (2010): Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg
The King's Speech (2010): David Seidler
This one is not nearly as cut and dry as Best Adapted Screenplay. Inception won the WGA, but it could very easily go to The King's Speech. My vote is for Inception. My money is The King's Speech.
Best Actress
Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole (2010)
Jennifer Laurence for Winter's Bone (2010)
Natalie Portman for Black Swan (2010)
Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine (2010)
Annette Bening was good in The Kids are All Right, but I found her character overly pissy. Jennifer Laurence was great in Winter's Bone, but the money and my vote goes to Natalie Portman. If you bet against her I can fully blame you. Aronofsky's The Wrestler was primed to win Best Actor for Mickey Roarke when in a huge upset it was given unfairly to Sean Penn, but as of right now safe money is on Natalie Portman.
Best Actor
Javier Bardem for Biutiful (2010)
Jeff Bridges for True Grit (2010)
Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network (2010)
Colin Firth for The King's Speech (2010)
James Franco for 127 Hours (2010)
This one is easy. Colin Firth. Hands down no question in my mind that this goes to anyone else and deservingly so. Jeff Bridges doesn't even deserve the nomination and James Franco was good, but was stuck in a canyon, the sound was the true star in that movie. No one has seen Biutiful. Which leaves Jesse Eisenberg, who has the best chance of an upset. I am hoping it goes to Eisenberg, but I will not be mad if Firth wins. He did a fantastic job.
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan (2010)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for True Grit (2010)
David Fincher for The Social Network (2010)
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech (2010)
David O. Russell for The Fighter (2010)
Let's get one thing straight right now, the Coen Brothers DO NO DESERVE the nomination let alone a win. True Grit was good, but Inception was better. Nolan should have been nominated, he had been nominated every award until the Oscar nom just perpetuating the loathing the Oscars have for Nolan.
Either way the race really boils down to Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and David Fincher (TSN). I'd love to see Aronofsky win, but he'll have more opportunities and I am betting his best years are ahead of him. Tom Hooper failed multiple times throughout KS with shots and over all feeling. I frankly don't believe he deserves it. My vote and my money is on David Fincher. Not only is The Social Network a pitch perfect movie, but he is amazing at hitting the right note at the right point. This really is Fincher at his best.
Best Picture
Toy Story 3 (2010): Darla K. Anderson
True Grit (2010): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
Winter's Bone (2010): Anne Rosellini, Alix Madigan
The Kids Are All Right (2010): Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The Fighter (2010): David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
127 Hours (2010): Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, John Smithson
The King's Speech (2010): Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
Black Swan (2010): Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin
The Social Network (2010): Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Ceán Chaffin
I have placed the Best pic noms in order from least deserving to most.
Toy Story is great, but IT'S AN ANIMATED MOVIE. They have their own category, they don't need to be nominated for Best Pic. They miss a part of the movie making process which is getting your hands dirty with the cameras on set. So sorry.
True Grit is painfully average and not worthy of the nomination.
Winter's Bone is a nice little movie, but I feel like there is something more that should have ended up on screen. It doesn't feel totally complete.
The Kid's Are All Right is a well written interesting movie with good character connections. It's the first on the list I feel is moderately deserving of it's nom.
The Fighter sounds great. Admittedly I haven't seen it so I'll update this when I see it possibly later this week or early next week.
127 Hours is a hard to watch taut piece of film. Well acted and even better on the technical side. I am glad it's nominated, but it doesn't deserve a win.
The King's Speech is well acted and that alone gets it this high. Set design is what pushes it up more. Cinematography is weak, but editing is terrific. This is the one that has one of the top 2 best shots of winning. It looked like it had no shot until it won the Director's guild, the Producer's Guild, and the Screen Actors Guild. So it could go here.
Inception
You know my feelings. It's well crafted, well written, and amazingly edited. (Should have been nominated for editing)
Black Swan is so superbly crafted and so insanely painful that it is so much deserving of a nomination I just really hope it gets looked at more as the years go on.
The Social Network is the best of the year in terms of great cinema. It was looking amazing for a while until King's Speech won the awards I mentioned above, but I am betting the academy will vote for the real winner this year. I am hoping the DGA, PGA, and SAG were just give me awards so they could award both King's Speech and give Social Network the Oscar and as it has already won, the Golden Globe.
Any thoughts?
Simon
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Black Swan
Stunning...Visceral...Illogical...Dark...Painful...Breathtaking...
They all describe Darren Aronofsky's new masterpiece. Aronofsky is one of the most talented people in Hollywood. His previous films are Pi, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain, and The Wrestler. Pi is a solid black and white movie about math. Requiem For A Dream is one of the greatest movies you'll never want to see again, it's so dark and painful to watch that you can't help but feel bad about everything. The Fountain is quite possibly one of my favorite movies, a love story over 3 life times. and finally The Wrestler is a brilliant character drama made so much better by its should-have-been oscar winning performance by Mickey Rourke.
Black Swan is about Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who is picked to be the Swan Queen in a stage production of Swan Lake. As opening day grows near the role consumers her to the point of obsession.
Aronofsky's newest outing holds strong to his Independent roots. I am simply in awe of his simplistic style and plodding story-lines. In the past he hasn't relied on overly complex special effects or crazy camera moves. Although when it comes to Black Swan, he throws caution to the wind. He keeps his trademark stationary locked down camera style, but adds some CG effects to show the mental transformation of Natalie Portman.
Never have I been yanked into a film so emotionally. The biggest thing about the film is that it is an allegory, the whole film is about being creative person. I think my boss/friend at Envision Sean said it best, "We give up so much to be creative people, it's mentally and physically exhausting, but it's the end product that makes it worth it." This is no truer than in Black Swan. I know that in my creation of The Last Chapter and my book "True Fantasy" I have gotten to the point of being so engulfed in the characters, story, and ideas that it ends up becoming everything in my life. To the point of saying lines that the characters would say as the characters walking to my car in the rain.
Another one of my favorite lines about being a creative person is from George Lucas, "I don't make movies because I want to, I make movies because I have to."
See being creative is like being gay...you don't wake up one day and say I think I am going to be xxxxx, it's hardwired in our brain.
Through out the movie Nina slowly becomes the Swan Queen. It's a gorgeous and heart wrenching transformation too. Without telling too much there's multiple scenes where parts of Nina become Swan body parts.
There are brilliant performances from not only Natalie Portman, which is a Golden Globe Nominated performance, but Mila Kunis, also nominated, and Vincent Cassel.
Darren Aronofsky is nominated for best director, and it's nominated for best picture. This is a top 3 movie of the year. A must see and just a terrific explanation of the creative mind set.
It will be nominated for all the awards so if you watch award shows you have to see it.
Soon I'll post about the best movies of 2010.
They all describe Darren Aronofsky's new masterpiece. Aronofsky is one of the most talented people in Hollywood. His previous films are Pi, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain, and The Wrestler. Pi is a solid black and white movie about math. Requiem For A Dream is one of the greatest movies you'll never want to see again, it's so dark and painful to watch that you can't help but feel bad about everything. The Fountain is quite possibly one of my favorite movies, a love story over 3 life times. and finally The Wrestler is a brilliant character drama made so much better by its should-have-been oscar winning performance by Mickey Rourke.
Black Swan is about Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who is picked to be the Swan Queen in a stage production of Swan Lake. As opening day grows near the role consumers her to the point of obsession.
Aronofsky's newest outing holds strong to his Independent roots. I am simply in awe of his simplistic style and plodding story-lines. In the past he hasn't relied on overly complex special effects or crazy camera moves. Although when it comes to Black Swan, he throws caution to the wind. He keeps his trademark stationary locked down camera style, but adds some CG effects to show the mental transformation of Natalie Portman.
Never have I been yanked into a film so emotionally. The biggest thing about the film is that it is an allegory, the whole film is about being creative person. I think my boss/friend at Envision Sean said it best, "We give up so much to be creative people, it's mentally and physically exhausting, but it's the end product that makes it worth it." This is no truer than in Black Swan. I know that in my creation of The Last Chapter and my book "True Fantasy" I have gotten to the point of being so engulfed in the characters, story, and ideas that it ends up becoming everything in my life. To the point of saying lines that the characters would say as the characters walking to my car in the rain.
Another one of my favorite lines about being a creative person is from George Lucas, "I don't make movies because I want to, I make movies because I have to."
See being creative is like being gay...you don't wake up one day and say I think I am going to be xxxxx, it's hardwired in our brain.
Through out the movie Nina slowly becomes the Swan Queen. It's a gorgeous and heart wrenching transformation too. Without telling too much there's multiple scenes where parts of Nina become Swan body parts.
There are brilliant performances from not only Natalie Portman, which is a Golden Globe Nominated performance, but Mila Kunis, also nominated, and Vincent Cassel.
Darren Aronofsky is nominated for best director, and it's nominated for best picture. This is a top 3 movie of the year. A must see and just a terrific explanation of the creative mind set.
It will be nominated for all the awards so if you watch award shows you have to see it.
Soon I'll post about the best movies of 2010.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
It's Time
I am here at Envision, my internship, listening to the commentary of one of my favorite guilty pleasures...Batman Forever. Now to some of you this is not blog worth and believe me you are correct, but I feel very differently. It's not Batman Forever that I want/need to talk about. It's actually the song that made the soundtrack for this movie one of the highest selling soundtracks in history. That song is "Kiss From a Rose" from Seal. For those of you who have read what is of my book you know this song plays a large part. Simply put "The Gray Tower alone on the sea". It's a turning point in the book and I feel oddly lucky to have left the book just before getting to The Tower. I have not touched my book since I started college and it seems fitting now that I am almost done to really start thinking about it again.
I've got thoughts and feelings coming back that frankly I am happy that are there. I need that to finish this. "True Fantasy" has been a passion project from the beginning and it seems that passion is back. So I have finally decided that I will be writing more on my book. The time has come to do this.
I have always felt that I needed to finish this to close this chapter of my life and the more it comes up the more I realize this is true. It's the elephant in the room. The thought on the back of my mind. It's a very real part of me.
Look for more to come!
Simon
I've got thoughts and feelings coming back that frankly I am happy that are there. I need that to finish this. "True Fantasy" has been a passion project from the beginning and it seems that passion is back. So I have finally decided that I will be writing more on my book. The time has come to do this.
I have always felt that I needed to finish this to close this chapter of my life and the more it comes up the more I realize this is true. It's the elephant in the room. The thought on the back of my mind. It's a very real part of me.
Look for more to come!
Simon
Monday, November 1, 2010
Confidence
I've been talking to a few people lately and in the span of 1 week I was called cocky 3 times. I am not quite sure how to take this information. I used to be the shy, quiet, kid that wouldn't say shit with a mouth full. That was quite some time ago. Any more I'd like to think I exude confidence.
There is an insanely thin line between being confident and being cocky. Now believe me. I know I flirt with the line. Not only do I flirt with the line. I live on the line. It depends on how I feel that particular day. Some days I think "I am OK at what I do." Other days I look at myself and think "Not only am I OK, but I am the best!"
The fact of the matter is that I don't talk about things I don't know and I don't like being wrong. Therefor I spend a lot of time making sure I know as much as possible. It's not that I want to rub anything in people's face. It's the fact that I want, maybe even need to not be wrong.
The funny thing is confidence isn't just a mind set...it's also in body language. I've been told on numerous occasions that my walk is like a panther. I've also been told that that is a put off, but others tell me it's sexy. It's interesting how that works.
In my soon to be career confidence is everything. If you don't hold yourself well or you're wishy washy how is someone suppose to believe in you?
So the question is...Is cockiness a good thing, bad thing, or neutral?
There is an insanely thin line between being confident and being cocky. Now believe me. I know I flirt with the line. Not only do I flirt with the line. I live on the line. It depends on how I feel that particular day. Some days I think "I am OK at what I do." Other days I look at myself and think "Not only am I OK, but I am the best!"
The fact of the matter is that I don't talk about things I don't know and I don't like being wrong. Therefor I spend a lot of time making sure I know as much as possible. It's not that I want to rub anything in people's face. It's the fact that I want, maybe even need to not be wrong.
The funny thing is confidence isn't just a mind set...it's also in body language. I've been told on numerous occasions that my walk is like a panther. I've also been told that that is a put off, but others tell me it's sexy. It's interesting how that works.
In my soon to be career confidence is everything. If you don't hold yourself well or you're wishy washy how is someone suppose to believe in you?
So the question is...Is cockiness a good thing, bad thing, or neutral?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Protest the Crap!
So there is a new trend in Hollywood and that's complaining about all the movies being the same. It seems that everyone is whining about remakes, reboots, sequels and prequels. These ideas are not new. Now granted Reboots and Prequels are newer than the sequels and remakes but they didn't show up last week. This newest wave of these types of movies really started in 1999 with the release of Star Wars 1, which went on to be the 5th highest grossing movie of all time (At that time).
The fact of the matter is Hollywood goes in waves and trends. I've been listening to a lot of people groan about how Hollywood doesn't have any original ideas any more. This thought is laughable at best. Seriously though. There are plenty of great original ideas in Hollywood, RIGHT NOW! Seriously.
The problem is that movie making is a huge gamble. If I make a new Star Wars movie I am probably guaranteed $250 million and that's only domestic, but if I make something new and original who knows what I'll be able to make. See there are examples of insane gambles in the industry all the time. Take 300 for example. A cast of no bodies, a budget of $65 Million, a director hot off the success of a Dawn of the Dead remake and a little known graphic novel. What do you have? A juggernaut! $210 Million later everyone involved is sitting there wondering what just happened. On the flip side look at Catwoman, the budget was $100 million and it managed to only gross $40 million and frankly it was luck to make that.
Now why is it such a gamble. How can a small movie like 300 kill, but a movie with brand recognition and a big star fail so badly? Most of it is quality, but it can't all be that. To almost completely kill that theory look no further than Transformers 2. One of the worst movies I've seen in ages and here it is grossing $402 million. Another part of it is escapism, people want to get away, especially in this economy. Movies like Transformers and G.I. Joe are about as escapism as possible.
But see we don't have to give in to seeing the same crap. Don't go see or rent something because "You've have already seen everything." Save your money. Re watch something that you've seen that's the same as the garbage Hollywood is feeding us. You want escapism fun go back and watch the first two Matrix movies. You want a great comedy go re watch The 'Burbs. Just don't see the sequel or remake if you don't want there to be another. Frankly don't see the original if you don't want to see another.
You have to realize that when you buy ANYTHING you are voting with your dollar. By buying an item or event you are telling the makers that you want more of that. You are supporting that. See Hollywood has original ideas, but you aren't seeing them. When Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain hit theatres in November of 06 where were you? I know I saw it twice in the same weekend. When Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World came out where were you?
See if you don't want to see sequels and remakes. Don't see them. Don't go watch them. Encourage others not to see them. Push your friends to stay away. Have your friends push their friends not to see them. If we want new and original ideas in movies we have to come together as a society and demand it. Now if it's of quality give it money because sequels aren't evil, but bad one's are. We have to show them that new and original is good and lucrative. The good news is we've already started doing that. With the $282 million that Inception has already grossed we have helped show Hollywood that this is what we want to see in the future.
The fact of the matter is Hollywood goes in waves and trends. I've been listening to a lot of people groan about how Hollywood doesn't have any original ideas any more. This thought is laughable at best. Seriously though. There are plenty of great original ideas in Hollywood, RIGHT NOW! Seriously.
The problem is that movie making is a huge gamble. If I make a new Star Wars movie I am probably guaranteed $250 million and that's only domestic, but if I make something new and original who knows what I'll be able to make. See there are examples of insane gambles in the industry all the time. Take 300 for example. A cast of no bodies, a budget of $65 Million, a director hot off the success of a Dawn of the Dead remake and a little known graphic novel. What do you have? A juggernaut! $210 Million later everyone involved is sitting there wondering what just happened. On the flip side look at Catwoman, the budget was $100 million and it managed to only gross $40 million and frankly it was luck to make that.
Now why is it such a gamble. How can a small movie like 300 kill, but a movie with brand recognition and a big star fail so badly? Most of it is quality, but it can't all be that. To almost completely kill that theory look no further than Transformers 2. One of the worst movies I've seen in ages and here it is grossing $402 million. Another part of it is escapism, people want to get away, especially in this economy. Movies like Transformers and G.I. Joe are about as escapism as possible.
But see we don't have to give in to seeing the same crap. Don't go see or rent something because "You've have already seen everything." Save your money. Re watch something that you've seen that's the same as the garbage Hollywood is feeding us. You want escapism fun go back and watch the first two Matrix movies. You want a great comedy go re watch The 'Burbs. Just don't see the sequel or remake if you don't want there to be another. Frankly don't see the original if you don't want to see another.
You have to realize that when you buy ANYTHING you are voting with your dollar. By buying an item or event you are telling the makers that you want more of that. You are supporting that. See Hollywood has original ideas, but you aren't seeing them. When Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain hit theatres in November of 06 where were you? I know I saw it twice in the same weekend. When Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World came out where were you?
See if you don't want to see sequels and remakes. Don't see them. Don't go watch them. Encourage others not to see them. Push your friends to stay away. Have your friends push their friends not to see them. If we want new and original ideas in movies we have to come together as a society and demand it. Now if it's of quality give it money because sequels aren't evil, but bad one's are. We have to show them that new and original is good and lucrative. The good news is we've already started doing that. With the $282 million that Inception has already grossed we have helped show Hollywood that this is what we want to see in the future.
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