Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” is It at the boxoffice

Posted by editor@vimooz.com on November 2, 2009 under Box Office | Comments are off for this article

michael_jackson_documentary_this_is_it

Michael Jackson’s  documentary “This Is It” was king of the box office, opening to $68.5 million at the international box office and to a more modest domestic haul of $32.5 million in its first five days.  The big opening convinced the distributor Sony to announce it is extending the film’s two-week run by three weeks in North America. Overseas, the decision to extend will be made on a territory-by-territory basis.

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SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE NAMED 2008 BEST FILM OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW

Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 4, 2008 under Awards | Comments are off for this article

The National Board of Review, celebrating its 100th year, named Slumdog Millionaire the 2008 Best Film of the Year.  Directed by Danny Boyle, this inspirational drama reflects back on the tumultuous life of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) while competing to win 20 million rupees on India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The film was released on November 12th by Fox Searchlight.

For Best Actor and Actress of 2008, the NBR honors two artists whose performances were exceptional and brave. The 2008 Best Actor, Clint Eastwood, was selected for his performance in Gran Torino. For the 2008 Best Actress honor, the NBR has selected Anne Hathaway for her performance in Rachel Getting Married.

Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:

Best Film: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Director: DAVID FINCHER, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actor: CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino

Best Actress: ANNE HATHAWAY, Rachel Getting Married

Best Supporting Actor: JOSH BROLIN, Milk

Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Foreign Language Film: MONGOL

Best Documentary: MAN ON WIRE

Best Animated Feature: WALL-E

Best Ensemble Cast: DOUBT

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: VIOLA DAVIS, Doubt

Best Directorial Debut: COURTNEY HUNT, Frozen River

Best Original Screenplay: : NICK SCHENK, Gran Torino

Best Adapted Screenplay: SIMON BEAUFOY, Slumdog Millionaire and ERIC ROTH, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Spotlight Award: MELISSA LEO, Frozen River and RICHARD JENKINS, The Visitor

The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: TRUMBO Read more of this article »

‘Choke’ is easy to swallow

Posted by Laura Artesi on October 3, 2008 under New Release | Comments are off for this article

choke ‘Choke,’ the satirical dark comedy by the author of Fight Club, Chuck  Palahniuk, directed and written for the screen by Clark Gregg, and released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, is nothing to cough about. For all you viewers expecting another ‘Fight Club,’ don’t think this movie is the same, however do expect to find a movie that is arguably as good.

When I first saw the various commercials for ‘Choke’ I was a bit confused. The commercials mentioned cherry daiquiris, getting hit with a knife, and brief colonial excerpts that left me saying, ‘what on earth is this movie about? And what is the deal with the guy with the legs sticking out of his mouth? ‘

Although it seems to set up for various semi porn-like scenes – and certainly delivers– this movie is hardly a mere sex film. I’m not bothered by the gratuitous nudity when the story is so poignant and the off-beat characters are so well executed.

Sam Rockwell , as the main character Victor Mancini, may not be your typical leading man, but as a sex addict prone to choking scams, he’s not a typical romantic character. Somehow he manages to exude sexuality by being so blatantly sexual you aren’t quite sure how to say ‘no.’ Of course his delivery is coupled with a brilliant script and more than one catchy double entendre.

Kelly McDonald drops her accent for this film (you may remember her from Trainspotting, or if this is a more G-rated audience – from Nanny Mcphee). I have to admit she did not sell me right from the beginning as the sometimes shy and sometimes sexy love interest, but managed to bring everything home in her reveal towards the end of the film that made me, for one, love her all the more.

The two strange lovers meet while Victor visits his mother, Ida J. Mancini , who is being treated for dementia – and is played by a still brilliant Anjelica Huston. This is no easy love story nor is it just another ‘mommy screwed me up and I’m trying to find myself’ film. Victor’s main obstacle – the ever present 4th step of sex addicts anonymous – sets up for sporadic poignant flashbacks his childhood, where we see the ins and outs of his and Ida’s relationship, and get a sweet performance by the 11 yescenear old Jonah Bobo as young Victor.

The best part is, due to the nature of a sex addict, it sets the film up for a lot of random hysterical scenes, such as a fake rape and an excursion with the colonial milkmaid. There are serious problems for the characters in this film, but the levity of other scenes and subplots creates the perfect balance between the inner serious demons.. and the outer hilarious ones.

I’m not going to say this film is better than ‘Fight Club,’ but believe it or not it’s a more palatable film, simply because it makes time for random lighthearted moments and friendships. It’s easier to relate to and appeals on a more human level, rather than a surreal one. Plus, I’d rather see a film about a sex addict than a schizophrenic any day.

Honestly though, I laughed, I cried and I got a bit turned on – overall a great film.

‘Choke’ is now playing in theaters across the US – I may have choked but it left a good taste in my mouth

For further details, images, and trailers see the offical website http://www.foxsearchlight.com/choke/

Fox Searchlight finds Mickey Rourke’s “The Wrestler”

Posted by editor@vimooz.com on September 9, 2008 under Industry | Comments are off for this article

 

Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” a drama starring Mickey Rourke that won Best Film last weekend at the Venice Film Festival, was picked up Monday for U.S. distribution by Fox Searchlight and is scheduled for release in December, 

 

“The Wrestler” features Rourke in a mesmerizing role as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a former wrestling star who describes himself as a broken-down piece of meat but still scrapes by on gigs in the ring, though he’s reduced to working a day job at a supermarket to survive.

The film co-stars Marisa Tomei as a stripper he pursues romantically and Evan Rachel Wood as his estranged daughter.

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