Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Poster

A photo of a teaser poster for Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus has been released on various movie rumor sites and I have to say the poster looks pretty impressive.




I'm really looking forward to this film. I'm interested in seeing how Gilliam was able to restructure this film after the death of Heath Ledger.

Honestly, the movie already sounded fascinating. Then the unfortunate tragedy of Heath Ledger's death unavoidably affected the film's plot. Although for most films this could have been seen as disastrous, the circumstances have forced Gilliam to use even more creativity and visual artistry in telling his tale. Which in my opinion, can turn this troubled project from something potentially really cool into something potentially genius.

Inglourious Basterds Poster

Ain't It Cool News has released images of the three international posters for Inglourious Basterds.










One thing to note is that the marketing of the film really seems to push the fairy tale aspect of the movie. The trailer and the posters all feature the lines "Once Upon A Time In Nazi Occupied France."

Interesting.

Oscar Predictions 2009

I usually participate in an Oscar pool at my job at Laser Blazer. But this year I'm working for Mahalo on Oscar Night. I thought since I'm not participating in an Oscar awards contest this year, it would be fun to post my predictions right here on my site.

For all the world to see.

I think for the record, I will state which film or artist I think WILL win the Oscar and which film or artist SHOULD win.




Best Short Live action film:

Will Win: On The Line

Should Win: ?

I have no idea....this is a shot in the dark. Maybe later on I'll actually watch all the films nominated and make an educated guess. But for now....I like the title of this film.




Best Documentary Short:

Will Win: The Witness From the Balcony of Room 306

Should Win: ?

Same thing here. Just a shot in the dark.




Best Visual Effects:

Will Win: The Dark Knight

Should Win: The Dark Knight




This film should sweep all the technical awards. The film technically was just awe inspiring. Especially in IMAX.



Best Sound Mixing:

Will Win: The Dark Knight

Should Win: The Dark Knight





Best Sound Editing:

Will Win: The Dark Knight

Should Win: The Dark Knight





Best Animated Short:

Will Win: Presto

Should Win Presto



I've actually seen all the films in this category. All though they all have their strengths Presto is simply superior to all of them. If your looking for a dark horse though This Way Up could sneak in here.




Best Song:

Will Win: Jai Ho

Should Win: Jai Ho

I think it's catchy. If it doesn't win O Saya will, Peter Gabriel's song was great too.




Best Score:

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire

I can't even remember the soundtracks to the other films...which is a good sign for Slumdog.

Best Make-up:

Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Should Win: Hellboy 2



Half of the characters in Hellboy 2 weren't even human. But nobody saw this movie so I doubt it'll win.




Best Film Editing:

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire



Lots of stuff going on in the film and it was well put together.




Best Documentary Feature:

Will Win: Man on Wire

Should Win: Man on Wire



Lots of buzz surrounding the film. I found the film interesting but over-rated.




Best Costume Design:

Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I think they are going to throw this movie as much love it can get, except when it really counts.




Best Cinematography:

Will Win: Claudio Miranda for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Should Win: Wally Pfister for The Dark Knight



Benjamin Button is the obvious pick here, but Pfister did some amazing work on The Dark Knight. The scenes in IMAX were just breathtaking and the action was all incredibly captured.




Best Art Direction:

Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button




Button is the sexy pick here.




Best Foreign Film:

Will Win: Waltz with Bashir

Should Win: ?

I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't seen any of the nominated films in this category. A situation that I will remedy when they become available on DVD.




Best Adapted Screenplay:

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire


Should Win: Doubt



Slumdog will win here but John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his own play is exceptional, especially when you consider that the students in the film are not in the stage version.




Best Original Screenplay:

Will Win: Milk

Should Win: Milk



I think this is where the film will make it's mark. Even though it deserves much more.




Best Animated Film:

Will Win: Wall-E

Should Win: Wall E



No-Brainer.....had a strong argument to be nominated for Best Picture.




Best Director:

Will Win: Danny Boyle

Should Win: Gus Van Sant



See: Best Picture



Best Supporting Actress:

Will Win: Penelope Cruz

Should Win: Penelope Cruz



Really tough category. All really great performances, but Penelope Cruz stands out for her deranged and sexy character from Vicky Cristina Barcelona.




Best Actress:

Will Win: Kate Winslet

Should Win: Meryl Streep




I honestly think Winslet should've been nominated for her performance in Revolutionary Road. I think she deserves to win for that performance. Meryl Streep's performance was fantastic in Doubt, unique and multi-dimensional. But she's going to get votes taken away from her because she's the great Meryl Streep and is always good, which is a shame.




Best Supporting Actor:

Will Win: Heath Ledger

Should Win: Robert Downey Jr.




If there's any lock it's that Ledger is going to win. But Robert Downey Jr. deserves kudos for pulling this difficult performance off. Comedy is always underestimated during awards season. But the truth is, it's the most difficult type of performance to pull off. Substitute Downey Jr. with any of the nominated actors in his Tropic Thunder role and you'd have a disaster. Now if you reverse that formula and put Downey Jr. in any of those other roles, he'd probably knock it out of the park.

No joke.

Wouldn't you like to see Downey Jr. as the Joker?




Best Actor:

Will Win: Mickey Rourke

Should Win: Mickey Rourke




I'm trusting that the Academy realizes that this is a one shot deal for Rourke. It's a performance we're likely never going to see from him again. The role was tailor made and I'm not sure there are going to be other roles like this out there for him. I'm not saying Sean Penn doesn't deserve the award as well, but I think Rourke's performance is going to be seen as legendary in the years ahead.




Best Picture:

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: Milk




I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Slumdog Millionaire not only shouldn't win best picture....it shouldn't even be nominated.

Yeah...that's right I said it and in two years you're going to say the same thing too. You're going to be staring at your Slumdog Millionaire DVD on your shelf and think to yourself...

What in the hell was I thinking?

Then you're going to trade it in at Laser Blazer for three bucks with fifty other people and it'll end up in the 4.98 bargain bin with Crash and A Beautiful Mind.

I'm not exactly sure how all this Oscar buzz got started for this film, but in my opinion it's a DEEPLY flawed and at best mediocre motion picture.

Everybody wants to call the film unique and ground breaking, but it's really not. I found the film formulaic, commercial and at times just plain silly.

In any event, Milk is the most important film in this category. Especially in light of recent events and should be recognized as such THIS year. Especially since the Brokeback Mountain debacle.

Instead, a love story about a dude on Who wants to be a Millionaire?.....which was friggin canceled folks...is going to win the most prestigious award in film.

Seriously?

For the record the Best five films that SHOULD HAVE been nominated for Best Picture were Milk, Che, Nothing But the Truth directed by Rod Lurie, Revolutionary Road and Doubt.

I Miss Shaq

Yesterday Shaquille O'Neal won the NBA All-Star MVP, ironically sharing the award with former teammate Kobe Bryant.

I admit like most of the media, I was caught up in all the nostalgia.



The Los Angeles Lakers have simply not been the same since Shaq left.

Sure, they've been playing great lately but they still lack that bigger than life personality that Shaq provided.

This past weekend the media had been toying with the idea of Shaq possibly one day coming back to the Lakers but it's not realistic.

Besides the obvious salary dynamic, Kobe Bryant wouldn't want the distraction and he wants to win a championship without the big man....which is his prerogative and right.

I guess.

Kobe was able to endure the mediocre years, he should get to enjoy the fruits on his labor.

Plus any trade for Shaq would probably have to include Andrew Bynum and you'd have to be clinically insane to make that deal. Injury prone as Bynum is, he still has tremendous upside while Shaq has made it clear that his retirement is pending.

Truthfully, I would just like to see the Lakers win another championship for Phil Jackson.

I don't care how they do it.

So that Red Auerbach and the Boston Celtics can hold one less NBA record.

The Slam Dunk Contest is Back

Last night the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest provided one of the most interesting dunk competitions in a long time. The evening had drama, theatrics and even gimmicks which have been sorely missing from the event for several years.

The evening hit its high point when Nate Robinson performed a show stopping dunk.

Dressed in all green, Nate Robinson or as he referred to himself "Krypto-Nate", dunked over last year's slam dunk champion Dwight Howard. Howard a gracious prop, was wearing his signature "Superman" cape, which he wore last year when he performed his winning dunk.

Costumes aside, the feat was impressive visually, especially since Howard is close to seven feet tall, while Robinson is listed as a mere 5'9".




Further proof that the dunk contest is back, was the announcement that LeBron James would compete in the 2010 event.

Now if Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter decided to compete too we'd have something really special.

The People vs George Lucas - Teaser Trailer

Wow...seriously?

I know a lot of people out there weren't fans of the new trilogy. But is there really enough venom out there to complete a two hour documentary?



In any case, this film is sure to feature some serious whack jobs and unbalanced fan boys. Not to mention, it'll be fun seeing the makers of this film alienate themselves from one of the most powerful and influential men in Hollywood.

Good luck with that.

Brett Favre is Done

Never say never but this time Brett Favre looks like he's retiring for good. He seems content and sincere in his decision. When he first announced his retirement while playing for the Green Bay Packers in 2008, he was emotional and he seemed like he still had something left to give, that the decision wasn't his to make.

Not this time.



Of course this is February, who knows what will happen when the 2009-2010 season gets going. He may change his mind yet again. But honestly it feels doubtful.

As for the 2010-2011 season...

Tales of the Black Freighter Trailer

The companion piece for The Watchmen movie, The Tales of the Black Freighter will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 10, 2009.



This is just another excellent idea, in a long line of great marketing moves for the highly anticipated film. I know that Alan Moore really hates the idea of his graphic novels being adapted to film. But it's really hard to find fault with The Watchmen adaptation to film. The filmmakers seem intent to take great care that the movie is incredibly faithful to the original story. The fact that they even made "The Tales of the Black Freighter" as an animated feature, to work as a companion piece for the feature film speaks volumes for the entire project.

Of course one can argue it's just another way for the studio to make money.

We'll have to judge for ourselves.

Inglourious Basterds Trailer

The trailer for Quentin Tarantino's war epic Inglourious Basterds was released today and wow is it impressive.

The clip features trademark Tarantino touches, but with a menace and anger that is more palpable than anything he's done previously.



Hopefully the film can deliver the goods. Based on what people have told me, the script sounds outstanding and different than anything Quentin Tarantino has ever done.

A Rod Admits Steroid Use

Alex Rodriguez admitted today to taking steroids and I think he went a long way towards rehabilitating his image. I think it's good that he admitted to the mistake.

But it's going to be a long season for him. He's going to be unmercifully booed and criticized.

But that's what he gets paid the big bucks for right?

I'm sure he's going to struggle in some spots, flourish in others.

Hopefully he'll struggle just a little bit more when he plays against the Angels. Because he usually kills them, which as a die hard Angels fan really pisses me off.

Alex Rodriguez took Steroids

Sports Illustrated broke the news today that Major League Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez took steroids during the 2003 season.

I'm not a fan of Alex Rodriguez, especially when he plays against the Angels.

But even though I think steroids has had a negative impact on the history of baseball, I'm not one of those fans who will go out of their way to condemn a player for trying to find a competitive edge.



Do I think it sucks? Yeah, it does.

Does it send the wrong message? Of course.

But the truth of the matter is, that steroids weren't illegal in baseball until recently and players shouldn't be punished now for taking performance enhancers back then.

I have heard the argument that nobody cared that Mark McGwire used steroids when he broke the single season home run record.

I agree. Because I was one of those fans. I was guilty of turning a blind eye.

Everybody knew he was using back then. It was the worst kept secret in sports. Let's be honest, a player doesn't get arms like Popeye by doing an all natural workout.

Nobody wanted to know. They just wanted to see him break a record that was decades old.

So now that it has been revealed that A-Rod used steroids, I'm not going to condemn the man for taking performance enhancers.

That would be hypocritical of me.

But I am going to condemn him for lying to everybody about it.

Way back in 2007, A-Rod was asked point blank by Katie Couric if he ever took steroids. Rodriguez responded with an emphatic "No".

He went on to claim that he never felt the need to take steroids because he never felt the competitive pressure to take them. Rodriguez stated, "I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been in a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work as I've done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level."

Oh really?

The truth of the matter is, Rodriguez did feel the pressure to perform at an elite level. The fact that he tried to pass off his talents as completely God given, while dismissing other players skills as average in comparison is reprehensible.

Another great quote from that 2007 interview includes Rodriguez stating his disappointment in players that would be named in the Mitchell Report. Rodriguez states, "I mean, these are guys that I play with. They're my teammates. If anything comes of this, I will be extremely disappointed. And it will be a huge black eye on the game of baseball."

Keep in mind, this was 4 years after he, himself, tested positive for steroids.

The moral here is that people make mistakes, especially under extreme amounts of pressure. Don't lie and make things more complicated by putting yourself in a position of judgment or worse, claim to be cut from a higher moral cloth, especially when you are just as guilty.

Observe and Report - Red Band Trailer

I'm not one of those people who is sick of Seth Rogen...at least not yet

Although, I agree the guy seems to be one of the most overexposed actors in the Hollywood publicity machine right now. I also acknowledge the fact that he does, seemingly, appear to be in every comedic film being made in the United States.

But his latest film, due out on April 10, 2009, titled Observe and Report
seems to be a change of pace for him.

First off, the character he portrays in this film seems to be mentally unstable in the film. But most importantly to Seth Rogen critics, he doesn't appear to be playing his usual affable good guy with a wicked sense of humor role in this film.

His character actually might just be a creepy dick or an actual asshole.

I think an explanation for this comedic stretch for Rogen is that it's directed by upcoming director Jody Hill, who directed the hilarious Foot Fist Way.

Jody Hill seems to have an uncanny flair for inappropriate humor. My favorite type.

Judging from this trailer, Observe and Report has no illusions of trying to be an audience friendly PG-13. In fact this film seems to be drifting more towards the NC-17 rating range.