Citymovies.Com MovieBlog

Oscar Buzz

Bridget Byrne has published an essay in the Washington Post (free subscription required) that examines the Oscar Buzz phenomenon. The premise of the article is that it's easy to recognize Oscar buzz when we're in the thick of its ear-splitting drone. Tracking the origin of the buzz -- when, where and how it starts -- is trickier.

The Stone Angel film

Peter Howell of the Toronto Star has written an article about the new film version of "The Stone Angel" written by Margaret Laurence. Laurence was born in Neepawa, Manitoba and fittingly enough the film is being shot in rural Manitoba with a 2007 release date being targeted.

Controversial Film scores TIFF critics' prize

The controversial British film Death of a President, which depicts the assassination of U.S. President George W. Bush, won the international critics' prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. The awards were handed at the festival wrapup this past Saturday (Sept 16th). The film is described as having a "unique premise, told in the style of a retrospective documentary, which offers a critique of the contemporary U.S. political landscape."

Other winners were:

• People's Choice Award: Bella, directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde. A story about two individuals whose lives converge in New York City beat runner-up Patrice Leconte's Mon Meilleur Ami.
• Best Canadian First Feature: Sur La Trace D'Igor Rizzi, by Montrealer Noel Mitrani, is about a former professional soccer player whose life spirals downward after leaving France for Montreal in the wake of the death of his Québécois girlfriend. Jury members said the film is a "truly cinematic meeting of style and substance."
• Cultural Innovation Award: Takva — A Man's Fear of God, directed by Ozer Kyzyltan of Turkey, concerns a man's belief in God that is put to the test.
• Discovery Award: Reprise by Norway's Joachim Trier is billed as a "comedic portrayal of two young men whose shared dream of becoming a writer is trampled upon by the harsh face of reality."
• Toronto: City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film -- Manufactured Landscapes by Jennifer Baichwal. It chronicles Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky as he travels the globe shooting landscapes transformed through industrial production. The award comes with a cash prize of $30,000
• Short Cuts Canada Award - Les Jours directed by Maxime Giroux of Montreal. The Quebec filmmaker's "exacting approach to composition, movement and sound brilliantly reinforces this exploration of loss in the days that follow a tragic death in the woods," the jury said. This award also had a cash prize of $10,000.

Lucas Donates $175 Million to USC Film School

"Star Wars" creator George Lucas is giving USC their biggest single gift ever — $175 millions US that largely will be used to build a new home for its prestigious film school. Lucas, who earned his film degree from USC in 1966, said in a press release that USC was where he "discovered [his] passion for film and making movies". He went on to state that he sees himself as "an ardent advocate for education at all levels, and encouraging young people to pursue their ambitions by learning." Lucas also said he considers himself "very fortunate to be in a position to combine [his] two passions and to be able to help USC continue molding the futures of the moviemakers of tomorrow."

Much of the donation is to pay for a 137,000-square-foot complex. According to preliminary information provided to Los Angeles city officials, it would be designed to evoke the architecture of the era when the film school was founded in 1929. The new centerpiece building will expand the current cramped quarters and provide modern facilities that will boost the school's emphasis on merging Hollywood-style storytelling with emerging multimedia technologies. The USC film school, established 67 years ago as a collaboration between USC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has long been cited as one of the best in the United States, if not the world. USC can boast that every year since 1973 at least one of its former students has been nominated for an Academy Award.

Will Smith becomes a "Thief"

In yet another film adaptation of an old TV series, Will Smith, who previously starred in the adapted Wild Wild West, is attached to star in It Takes a Thief. Smith will also produce “Thief” through his Overbrook Entertainment company.

The film is based on the TV series of the same name, which starred Robert Wagner and ran from 1968 to 1970. Smith will play a master thief blackmailed by the CIA to work undercover for them. No director is attached, though David Elliot and Paul Lovett, wirters of "Four Brothers", will work on the script. A film version of this series has been set up at Universal for nearly a decade, originally with Michael Douglas attached to star. Some rumours are calling the film To Catch a Thief, which is incorrect. To Catch A Thief is a 1955 film that was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starred Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. There was also a reality TV show called It Takes a Thief.

Ron Howard to direct Iraq war film

Director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13) is set to helm a movie set in war-ridden Iraq, according to reports.
The film will be called Last Man Home and is about a soldier missing in the country. The film is set in Iraq days before the US-led invasion in 2003, while the soldier disappeared during the Gulf War conflict some 13 years earlier.

With 2005's Jarhead leading the way, Iraq-based films are a popular trend with a number of productions in the works. Samuel L Jackson will star in Home of the Brave and play an army medic dealing with the aftermath of a tour of duty in Iraq. Harrison Ford is currently filming The Battle For Fallujah and there are a variety of other projects based on the events of 9/11 and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

50 best animated Canadian shorts

The National Film Board has put 50 of its greatest animated shorts online. The collection spans 60 years and features 41 directors, with some Oscar-nominated works thrown in. My personal favourite is The Cat Came Back directed by Cordell Barker.

Last King of Scotland trailer

In an incredible twist of fate, a Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) on a Ugandan medical mission becomes irreversibly entangled with one of the world's most barbaric figures: Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Impressed by Dr. Garrigan's brazen attitude in a moment of crisis, the newly self-appointed Ugandan President Amin hand picks him as his personal physician and closest confidante. Though Garrigan is at first flattered and fascinated by his new position, he soon awakens to Amin's savagery - and his own complicity in it. Horror and betrayal ensue as Garrigan tries to right his wrongs and escape Uganda alive.

Grind House

Grind House is the CityMovies.com term of the day apparently :) I mentioned it in my preview of The Protector and in doing some research I discovered that Robert Rodríguez and Quentin Tarantino are collaborating on a film using that name. The film will consist of two segments, both of which are feature-length attractions. One segment, Planet Terror, is a zombie film written and directed by Rodríguez. The other segment, Death Proof, is a slasher film written and directed by Tarantino. The current plan is to have trailers between the segments that will advertise fake blaxploitation, kung fu, sexploitation and spaghetti western films. I like the sound of the concept and as much as I may slag him at times, I'm glad that Tarantino is still taking some risks in creating his new films.

You can read more about the film at this fan site. Grind House is expected to be released on April 6, 2007.

Cobain biopic at TIFF

Today marks the launch of the Toronto International Film Festival and with it comes word of a new movie, "Kurt Cobain: About a Son". The film, created by writer Michael Azerrad and director A.J. Schnack, is based on 25 hours of interviews with the late Nirvana frontman that were compiled by Azerrad as he was preparing to write the band's authorized biography “Come As You Are.” The film is descibed as a “dream-like account of Cobain's own successes and failures, thoughts and experiences, allowing the audience unprecedented intimacy with a legendary figure in popular culture.” It is intended to be a touching portrait of the man behind the persona and the film features audio footage of Cobain speaking more intimately than ever before.

The Azzerad interviews are spliced between footage of the three cities which Cobain spent most of his formative years in -- Aberdeen, Olympia and Seattle. Aside from Cobain's voice, the film also contains music that he loved, including songs by The Melvins, David Bowie, Queen, R.E.M. and Cheap Trick. Death Cab for Cutie's frontman Ben Gibbard and legendary grunge producer Steve Fisk provide a "plaintive, ambient soundtrack," according to MTV.

Kurt Cobain committed suicide in the garage of his Seattle, Washington, home in April 1994. The film will make its worldwide debut at the festival on September 10 though there is no news yet of a general release date for the film

For more information, check out Schnack and Azzerrad's interview with MTV regarding the film or have a look at the film's official website.

Top 25 Musicals

Over the Labor Day weekend, the American Film Institute announced its picks of the "Top 25 Movie Musicals". Working from a long list of nominees, over 500 industry professionals (including composers, musicians and film critics) cast their votes, and John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra presented the winners, during an evening of musical celebration. As with any "Top" list, no one will agree completely. People always have their own personal favorites, and some won't be on the list. With that in mind, here is the AFI's Top 25 Movie Musicals: