January26

Truth On Cinema Welcomes "Chris" To The Staff

By: Dan


In a continued effort to bring more voices to Truth On Cinema and allow you, the reader, to hear from a variety of different movie people, we are glad to welcome "Chris" to our staff of writers here at Truth On Cinema. Chris will be writing mostly op-ed pieces that are suitable and unique to his style and gifting.

Instead of trying to write a brief bio about him, I thought it would be more beneficial to let him intro himself. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Chris.

Greetings.

My name is Chris. Just Chris. I'd share my last name but have learned that things you do on the Internet can stick around longer than you actually agree with them.

Anyway. I am in no way a trained or skillful movie critic. No, wait, I took a Film Studies course in my undergrad. So I can tell you a little bit about The Graduate, Orson Welles, Buster Keaton, Michael Keaton, Diane Keaton, and Alex P. Keaton.

Most people disagree with my opinions and vice versa. I am very opinionated. Don't even try to get into it with me in the comments section of my posts, most likely I'll forget I even posted something and won't check, but if you do, I won't even listen to you or your dumb opinion. But go ahead and leave comments, they make me feel important, and I imagine leaving comments for others or possibly the author to read, makes you feel a little important too. It's ok to be vain.

Maybe send Dan an e-mail and ask him why he wants me to do this.

What to expect? Garbage. Lazy, pathetic, lame half-baked opinions on movies I see (some of which I won't even finish), and some I've only seen a preview of or heard someone talk about once and didn't like.

I'm mostly negative. But if I say something nice, it means I really liked it (finished it, maybe posted something on my Facebook about it...)

Hmm. I guess I should list some of my favs (that's slang for "favorites" in the biz which is short for "business" in the biz... pay attention, I'll teach you lots of awesome stuff like this).

  1. Harry and the Hendersons
  2. Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend
  3. Jurassic Park
  4. The Land Before Time (just the first one, the later sequels lost their heart)
  5. Dinosaurs (the TV show. I know it's not a movie, shut up)
  6. Super Mario Bros. (the movie and the games)
  7. Cold Mountain

And that's my list of Big Foot, Dinosaur and Cold Mountain favs.

That list looks like a pretty good weekend. Do yourself a favor and watch those this weekend. You've got nothing better going on, I can tell cause you're still reading this.

Lots of Love,

Chris

Posted in: Featured0 comments

January24

The Book of Eli Review

By: Steven


I turn around and stare at the steep incline I have just conquered, wiping the dirt from my palms. Two bridges, plenty of sharp brush, and a highway couldn't possibly stop me. I'm going to see Eli. The fact that I, a broke college student with no car, would hike an hour to the nearest theater says something about this movie. The fact that other people went with me says something about the hype. This is the big question I'm facing down: is Eli worth all this excitement, or is it an effort to extort a Christian target audience? I feared it would be the latter.

The opening scene is a simple invitation to drink deep from the monochromatic cup of a world that Hughes, Hughes, and Whitta are offering. We hear little more than Eli (Washington) breathing for the first few minutes and little more than him talking to himself for the next two. This makes it all the more shocking when he encounters others in the world. I'll be the first to admit, the post-apocalyptic thing has been pushed to the edge. There's only so much we can really do with it anymore. And what there is, Eli does exceptionally well. Channeling that Western feel we've heard so much about, the Hughes brothers create a world that is strikingly real. Famished cats become feasts, water becomes gold, and the American wonderland becomes a vast expanse of nothingness.

Perhaps the most obnoxious and awe-inspiring tool available for a film-maker is the capability to give or withhold information. The film revolves around the audience's willingness to be held by the hand and led through the darkness (a metaphor made all the more entertaining by the premise that many inhabitants of this world are blind). Of course we want to know what the book is. Why is it so important? But around this large, if somewhat predictable, solution lies a series of smaller intrigues. Why does everyone wear shades? What is the significance of the phrase “his hands aren't shaking, he's not one of them?” Where did Eli learn to fight like that? Are wet-naps really currency now? Why does Mila Kunis look cute in a world where shampoo is a rare gift? Some of these turn out to be oddly significant, others are merely things to toy with (American history buffs will giggle at our antagonist's moniker). Go in willing to overlook a bit of logical fallacy.

The violence, I have to say, is an improvement by Hollywood standards. The same industry that gave us gore-filled splatter-fests like 300 and Shoot 'Em Up somehow manages to convey the brutality of combat with an artistic flare. Yes, we have to see a few Spartan-style be-headings. No, we do not need two dry mops and a Swiffer to clean up afterward. That said, a world such as this cannot afford to avoid conflict. When someone comes at you with a chainsaw, you don't ask if they'd rather sort this out over coffee and Chinese checkers. And yet, Eli goes to great lengths to avoid fighting. When he says “I'm not looking for trouble,” he legitimately means “let's not do this please,” rather than the standard machismo “Give me a reason, punk.” That said, Eli can scrap with the best of them. The scene under the overpass is particularly elegant without being overdone.

Now the kicker. Yes, Eli has a very Christian undertone. No, it is not a weakness. I understand that, as a Christian, I'm not 100% qualified to say that. But Eli manages to walk the thin line between "Shameless Jesus Plug" and "Overly Zealous Bible Flick." It's not meant to sell you on the gospel, it's meant to get you thinking. There's a thousand different interpretations to pull up, but all of them seem strong. The movie speaks to the difficulty of walking the Christian path, the difference between the power of God and the power of Religion, and that lovely little thing called Faith. And the beauty of it, is that the packaging almost escapes you. As the credits rolled, I found myself saying “this was a pretty good film,” but a few steps out of the theater, and what I had just seen, truly hit me.

Anyone who has read anything on this movie knows that there is a twist ending. Not the M. Night twist just because, either. This is the kind of twist that means something. It's not a silly trademark or a weak attempt at mind games. It is a powerful statement about what God can do. The entirety of the film is a build up of terrible leading to one beautiful glimpse of hope. By the time you get sick of the shades-of-brown-and-gray atmosphere, the directors have one more little trick for you. Let's hope they keep this going for a long while.

Posted in: Reviews1 comments

January20

Jon Favreau Talks Iron Man's Secret Weapon

By: Dan


With the onslaught of superhero movies in Hollywood that are constantly either being adapted from a comic book, rebooted from a franchise that is fairly new, or made into 10 sequels, it's becoming increasingly harder to come up with different varieties of heroes. Jon Favreau, though, says that he has a secret weapon in Iron Man that sets his movie apart from the rest of the caped crusaders.

"The superhero genre has been picked over pretty thoroughly with all the different titles, sequels, reboots. It's tough to keep it fresh and not do something that is derivative of something someone else has done. By taking a left turn at the end of the first film and making him a public figure, it opened it up to a whole lot of new possibilities. It goes beyond your standard secret identity/caped crusader model."

In talking about the story and dealing with the expectations that come along with fame and fortune, "The rise of Ceaser -- there are mythic proportions to that. Other genres tackle that type of story on a regular basis but the superhero genre has not, up to this point. We were able to deal with the ramifications of fame and notoriety and high expectations." With the high publicity that Downey Jr. attracts everywhere he goes and the past issues that have come with being a celebrity, Favreau says that RDJ brought that into the mix of his portrayal of Iron Man.

"It allowed us to draw upon our experiences and certainly Robert's experiences," the filmmaker said. "Robert had strong points of view on these things. He was propelled quite publicly to a much more successful station and we were able to draw upon that. We were able to comment on the phenomena of celebrity as we know it today....There are only so many stories there. We're flying in a different direction."

What do you think? How will Iron Man 2 fair at the box office? Will it be as loved and as big of a hit as the first on was?

Source: Hero Complex

Posted in: News3 comments

January20

It's Official: Marc Webb Will Direct Next Spider-Man Franchise

By: Dan


We reported just last week about the possible rumor that (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb would be taking over as the director of the new Spider-Man franchise that Sony is rebooting, and yesterday Sony made it official in a press release.

Before we get to the official word from Sony, some of the more interesting news that's come out so far about the entire deal include the possibility of Webb directing a complete trilogy of new Spider-Man films, as well as the story focusing more on the high school Peter Parker who already has his powers and has to cope with being a teenager and Spider-Man at the same time. According to the press release, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony, is really in love with Webb's vision and has this to say about the story:

“At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.”

CULVER CITY, Calif., January , 2010 – Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Written by James Vanderbilt, Webb will work closely with producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin in developing the project, which will begin production later this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, “At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.”

Arad and Ziskin added jointly, “Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure.”

Webb said, “This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.”

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, “I’m excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see what Marc comes up with next.”

Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, “The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the world’s most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen.”

MARC WEBB has won acclaim with his film debut (500) Days of Summer. He has several MTV VMAs™ including 2009’s Best Director award for Green Day’s “21 Guns,” 2006 Best Rock Video for AFI’s “Miss Murder,” and Best Group Video for The All-American Rejects’ “Move Along.” The Music Video Production Association honored him in 2006 as the Director of the Year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and My Chemical Romance.

In addition to two Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture (musical or comedy), his first feature film, (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. Webb was also awarded the Spotlight Award, which honors outstanding directorial debuts, by the National Board of Review.

What do you think? With an estimated budget at only $80 million, how does a smaller, more focused-on-character Spider-Man film sound to you?

Posted in: News5 comments

January19

"Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" Starts Filming This Summer

By: Dan


If you didn't know, and how would you, I haven't really written about it yet because everything has been up in the air lately, but there will be a 4th Pirates of the Caribbean film. The next one is going to be called Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and is being written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, who wrote the previous three films, but this time it will be directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine). The only cast member that is confirmed to be coming back is Jack Sparrow himself, Mr. Johnny Depp.

While the script has been kept under wraps as well as anything else about the film at this point, word comes today from the Governor of Hawaii in the form of a press release that the islands of "Kaua’i and O’ahu will be sites for the production of the feature film, which will begin shooting this summer and is slated to be released in summer 2011." Check out the full press release below.

Governor Linda Lingle today announced that Hawai'i will be the location for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth installment of the highly successful Walt Disney Pictures' action adventure film series from Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger met with Governor Lingle on Friday to share the news that the islands of Kaua'i and O'ahu will be sites for the production of the feature film, which will begin shooting this summer and is slated to be released in summer 2011. The production is expected to generate an estimated $85 million in direct and indirect spending in Hawai'i, providing a needed economic boost for the state's economy as well as creating hundreds of jobs for local residents. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" will star Johnny Depp, returning to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow.

The film is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Rob Marshall. The writers are Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and the executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Barry Waldman, Elliott, Rossio and John DeLuca. "Disney's long-term commitment to Hawai'i - from ABC's 'LOST' to the new Disney resort on O'ahu scheduled to open in 2011, and now the upcoming filming of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' - is a testament to the company's confidence in our state as a great place to do business," said Governor Lingle.

"The Walt Disney Company has a great relationship with Hawai'i that we're looking forward to building upon with the filming of the latest adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew," said Iger. "I thank Governor Lingle and her team for their tremendous support of the projects Disney has underway in this great state." "We've always sought out the most extraordinary and exotic locations for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films," said producer Jerry Bruckheimer, "and previously shot briefly on both Maui and Moloka'i for 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.' Hawai'i provides an amazing range of both land and seascapes, and we're delighted to return for 'On Stranger Tides.'"

The state's Creative Industries Division and the Hawai'i Film Office, which are housed in the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, began working with Disney last year and organized a series of meetings and conference calls to help secure the business. Georja Skinner, the State's Creative Industries Division administrator who oversees operations of the Hawai'i Film Office, worked collaboratively with the Governor's office, Department of Taxation and Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert, along with Hawai'i Tourism Authority, Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau, Kaua'i Visitors Bureau, the Kaua'i Film Office, the City and County's Honolulu Film Office, The Resort Group, Ko Olina Resort and Disney Vacation Club to help secure "Pirates of the Caribbean" for Hawai'i.

"Hawai'i competes on a global basis for productions and to have Disney choose Hawai'i over other states and countries is a huge win for us," said Skinner. "Creative industries are by nature collaborative and what I think made a difference for us is the combination of our tax incentive as well as local film, travel and destination industry support." "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" joins a growing list of feature film and television productions slated to film in Hawai'i this year. Warner Bros. feature "Hereafter," directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon completed filming on Maui last week. Pre-production is also beginning for the feature film "The Descendents," starring George Clooney and directed by Academy Award®-winning writer/director Alexander Payne. The film is based on the book by Hawai'i resident Kau'i Hart Hemmings. Several network pilots, as well as a Japanese drama series and a Korean drama series are also scouting Hawai'i for projects this year.

What do you think? Are you excited about a 4th Pirates film? What would you like to see happen in the next film?

Posted in: News6 comments

January19

J.J. Abrams Says He Is Working On Cloverfield 2

By: Dan


Ever since 1.18.08 came and went and we all experienced the greatness of Cloverfield, I have been salivating at the news of a possible sequel to this monster hit (of course the pun is intended). I was one of the few fans who actually paid to see this film twice, I just love the mystery of the monster and the hand-held journey for survival.

J.J. Abrams appeared on the National Board of Review red carpet last week and spoke briefly with MTV about many things, among them a joke about Star Trek, and towards the end of the interview, he quietly mentioned that "We're working on something right now with that and again, you know, it's early stages."

I know that's not huge news, but the last time we heard anything from him regarding Cloverfield was back in March of last year where he said that he had an idea that could be cool, but that he didn't want to just do a sequel for the money. Well, Mr. Abrams, whether you do it for money or for the inspired story you are working on, I will be forever watching this story close!

What do you think of this news? Did you like Cloverfield enough to want to see a sequel?

Posted in: News3 comments

January18

Golden Globe Winners

By: Dan


The 67th Annual Golden Globes happened last night from rainy Beverly Hills, California, and in case you didn't catch it or care anything about it, I have broken down the entire night into an ordered bullet list of winners and losers. I didn't watch the entire presentation, but what I caught was classy and well done. The winners weren't total surprises to me and it was nice to see some very heartfelt and emotional speeches at the podium.

The winners will be in BOLD.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Avatar (20th Century Fox)
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Up in the Air (Paramount Pictures)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
George Clooney – Up in the Air
Colin Firth – A Single Man Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Tobey Maguire – Brothers

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
(500) Days of Summer (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
The Hangover (Warner Bros. Pictures)
It’s Complicated (Universal Pictures) Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures)
Nine (The Weinstein Company)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Sandra Bullock – The Proposal
Marion Cotillard – Nine
Julia Roberts – Duplicity
Meryl Streep – It’s Complicated
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Matt Damon – The Informant!
Daniel Day-Lewis – Nine
Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg – A Serious Man

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Sony Pictures Animation)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Coraline (Focus Features)
The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney Pictures)
Up (Disney•Pixar)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Baaria (Italy)
Broken Embraces (Spain)
The Maid (Chile)
A Prophet (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Mo’Nique – Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Penelope Cruz – Nine
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Julianne Moore – A Single Man

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Matt Damon – Invictus
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
James Cameron – Avatar
Clint Eastwood – Invictus
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell – District 9
Mark Boal – The Hurt Locker
Nancy Meyers – It’s Complicated
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Michael Giacchino – Up
Marvin Hamlisch – The Informant!
James Horner – Avatar
Abel Korzeniowski – A Single Man
Karen O and Carter Burwell – Where the Wild Things Are

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Cinema Italiano”; Mysic & Lyrics by Mary Yeston – Nine
“I Want to Come Home”; Music & Lyrics by Paul McCartney – Everybody’s Fine
“I Will See You”; Music by James Horner and Simon Franglen, Lyrics by James Horner, Sion Franglen and Kuk Harrell – Avatar
“The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)”; Music & Lyrics by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett – Crazy Heart
“Winter”; Music by U2, Lyrics by Bono – Brothers

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
“Big Love” (HBO)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“House” (Fox)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Glenn Close – “Damages”
January Jones – “Mad Men”
Julianna Margulies – “The Good Wife”
Anna Paquin – “True Blood”
Kyra Sedgwick – “The Closer”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Simon Baker – “The Mentalist”
Michael C. Hall – “Dexter”
Jon Hamm – “Mad Men”
Hugh Laurie – “House”
Bill Paxton – “Big Love”

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
“30 Rock” (NBC)
“Entourage” (HBO)
“Glee” (Fox)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“The Office” (NBC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Toni Collette – “United States of Tara”
Courteney Cox – “Cougar Town”
Edie Falco – “Nurse Jackie”
Tina Fey – “30 Rock”
Lea Michele – “Glee”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alec Baldwin – “30 Rock”
Steve Carell – “The Office”
David Duchovny – “Californication”
Thomas Jane – “Hung”
Matthew Morrison – “Glee”

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
“Georgia O’Keeffe” (Lifetime Television)
“Grey Gardens” (HBO)
“Into the Storm” (HBO)
“Little Dorrit” (PBS)
“Taking Chance” (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Joan Allen – “Georgia O’Keeffe”
Drew Barrymore – “Grey Gardens”
Jessica Lange – “Grey Gardens”
Anna Paquin – “The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler”
Sigourney Weaver – “Prayers for Bobby”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Kevin Bacon – “Taking Chance”
Kenneth Branagh – “Wallander: One Step Behind”
Chiwetel Ejiofor – “Endgame”
Brendan Gleeson – “Into the Storm”
Jeremy Irons – “Georgia O’Keeffe”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jane Adams – “Hung”
Rose Byrne – “Damages”
Jane Lynch – “Glee”
Janet McTeer – “Into the Storm”
Chloe Sevigny – “Big Love”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Michael Emerson – “Lost”
Neil Patrick Harris – “How I Met Your Mother”
William Hurt – “Damages”
John Lithgow – “Dexter”
Jeremy Piven – “Entourage”

There you have it. I haven't seen all of the movies that were considered for nominations, but I can say that I don't think that this necessarily paves the way for the Oscars. I still think The Hurt Locker will win out and beat Avatar! Mark that down right now, I said it here first.

Were there any surprises to you? Did the Globes this year prove worthy to the Oscars, or is it still a mediocre precursor to the real showdown, kind of like how the Pro Bowl is?

Posted in: News1 comments

January14

Our 24 Most Anticipated Films Of 2010

By: Dan


We are currently at 14 days into the new year and with the new year comes a brand new bunch of movies to look forward to. I realize, given the date, that this list is a little late since I have already missed two weekends of releases, but to be honest, I wasn't anticipating any of the ones that have already been released.

Counting down from 24 all the way to my #1, here are my 24 Most Anticipated Films of 2010.

24. From Paris With Love

Release Date: February 5
Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Synopsis: From the director of the sleeper hit Taken comes a thriller starring John Travolta as an American spy who teams up with a young US Ambassador employee in Paris to stop a terrorist attack in the city. I don't know if it's a guilty pleasure or what, but I like John Travolta as a tough guy. His shaved head and piercings and overall attitude really fit his character, and it's nice to see Jonathan Rhys Meyers all bloodied up as well. This should be an awesome action-spy-thriller.

23. The Green Hornet

Release Date: December 22
Starring: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Jay Chou
Synopsis: By night, debonair newspaper publisher Britt Reid (Rogen) fights crime as a masked superhero known as The Green Hornet. At his side is martial arts expert Kato (Chou). I am not very familiar with the Green Hornet comic world and will have to step back and let my Truth On Cinema Comic Book Gurus weigh in on what it's all about. I am mainly interested in this film due to my love for Michel Gondry, the director. He directed one of my all-time favorite movies, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and I can't wait to see what he does with film.

22. Tron Legacy

Release Date: December 17
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Garrett Hedlund
Synopsis: Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his fathers disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. I hate to admit that although I grew up in the 80's, I've never seen the original Tron. I know I just shocked the world and will forever be labeled as "that guy who hasn't seen Tron", but I plan on watching it this year in preparation for this highly stylized and modern sequel/reboot/re-imagining.

21. Jonah Hex

Release Date: June 18
Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich
Synopsis: In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter tracks a voodoo practitioner bent on liberating the South by raising an army of the undead. What's not to be excited about: it's a comic book adaptation, it stars the great Josh Brolin and John Malkovich, it's a western, and it involves the undead! Oh yeah, Megan Fox is in it, which I'm sure will make some people excited (not this guy).

20. The Expendables

Release Date: August 13
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li
Synopsis: A team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator. The premise couldn't be any simpler but the movie looks like an awesome action flick! I think Sly Stallone is an underrated director and is more of a joke to people, so I can't wait to see what he does with a cast of almost every major action star, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and explosions!

19. Kick Ass

Release Date: April 16
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Aaron Johnson
Synopsis: Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so. I know that a lot of you will be offended by my inclusion of this film in my list, but after seeing the trailers and my love for Mark Millar and his writing, a movie about a bunch of kids who want to fight back and just kick ass sounds great to me! (send all hate mail to me if you want)

18. The American

Release Date: September 1
Starring: George Clooney, Bruce Altman, Thekla Reuten
Synopsis: An assassin hides out in Italy for one last assignment. Here is another music video director debuting his first film and he happens to land George Clooney as an assassin: golden!

17. Edge of Darkness

Release Date: January 29
Starring: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston
Synopsis: As homicide detective Thomas Craven investigates the death of his activist daughter, he uncovers not only her secret life, but a corporate cover-up and government collusion that attracts an agent tasked with cleaning up the evidence. We haven't seen Mel Gibson in a starring role since 2002 in Signs, and after all of the off-the-camera problems he's had, it's good to see him back in a role where he can take care of business. Maybe it's because I'm a Dad now, but I am just loving these Father-revenge-the-death-of-their-kids stories that are coming out of Hollywood. I don't know what it is, but it works.

16. The Losers

Release Date: April 9
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Synopsis: After being betrayed and left for dead, members of a CIA black ops team root out those who targeted them for assassination. Again, I will have to let the comic book guys shed more light onto the details of this comic, but what I've seen and read, it looks awesome! This movie, if the characters are done right, could be one of the coolest comic book adaptations to-date.

15. The Wolfman

Release Date: February 12
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins
Synopsis: Upon his return to his ancestral homeland, an American man (Del Toro) is bitten, and subsequently cursed by, a werewolf. The long gestating and oft-delayed Wolfman has finally made it to the screen. It was at first slated to hit cinemas in 2007, but the difficulties in finding a director made this release date impossible. Then a new release date was set for February 2009, then November 2009 and then finally February 2010. It has a bunch of really big name actors and is directed by the man who has been called to helm the Captain America movie sometime in 2012...what does all that mean? I guess we'll find out.

14. The A-Team

Release Date: June 11
Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, "Rampage" Jackson
Synopsis: A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed. Although I am not as excited about this after seeing the first trailer, it's still one of the films I just HAVE to see this year. I'm just not sure how I am going to like the new direction, but I am willing to give it a chance.

13. Date Night

Release Date: April 9
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mila Kunis
Synopsis: In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous. 2010 isn't just chalked full of action thrillers and comic book films, there's also going to be a great comedy starring two of the funniest people around right now. It'll be nice to see a romantic comedy with real comedians instead of casting dramatic actors and actresses and hoping they can be funny. This should be a real fun date night for a lot of people....pun intended!

12. The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Release Date: May 28
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley
Synopsis: Based on the video game, which follows an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. Jake Gyllenhaal gets buff and stars in a film that has been waiting to be made ever since we played the computer game in middle school. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this looks to be a fun ride in the vein of National Treasure and Pirates of the Caribbean. Whether or not it's cheesy or if Jake's accent will muck it up remains to be seen, but consider me anxious.

11. The Last Airbender

Release Date: July 2
Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Noah Ringer
Synopsis: The story follows the adventures of Aang, a young successor to a long line of Avatars, who must put his childhood ways aside and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations. M. Night Shyamalan is back ladies and gentlemen! I don't know a lick about the Avatar world (no, not the blue people movie) that this film is based from, but from the teaser trailer, it looks EPIC. Although his last film was a complete flop and a waste of anyone's time, hopefully he'll be able to redeem himself and get back in the good graces of the audience with this one.

10. Toy Story 3

Release Date: June 18
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton (all voices)
Synopsis: Woody, Buzz, and the rest of their toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college and hilarity ensues. Do I need to really sell you on seeing the 3rd Toy Story? I hope that Pixar can reclaim the same magic that the previous two films delivered and satisfy the craving we have had since #2. To Infinity and Beyond!

9. Clash of the Titans

Release Date: March 26
Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Synopsis: The mortal son of the god Zeus embarks on a perilous journey to stop the underworld and its minions from spreading their evil to Earth as well as the heavens. Though this won't be as good as the original with Harry Hamlin, it still looks like an action-packed-300-esque thrill ride that will sure find its audience in the middle of the spring. I wish they would throw in a stop-motion-animation Kraken just for the fun of it though.

8. Alice in Wonderland

Release Date: March 5
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway
Synopsis: 19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror. When I first saw this story as a made-for-TV film, and then grew up and learned who Tim Burton was, I knew he HAD to take this on. This was a story just waiting for Burton to take and have his way with. I am looking forward to the zaniness, the craziness, the insanity, and the heart that will come out of this film. Who knew that Tim Burton could see color?

7. Green Zone

Release Date: March 12
Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan
Synopsis: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer (Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons on Mass Destruction in an unstable region. Directed by Paul Greengrass, who directed the last two Bourne films, Green Zone is being heavily compared to the Bourne films and in fact some people are even speculating that it IS the 4th film, just with a different name (ridiculous). Whatever the case, I love Matt Damon and I love the action style Greengrass shoot his films in. I can't wait to see Damon in action again!

6. Shutter Island

Release Date: February 19
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Synopsis: Drama is set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. There is no way I am going to miss the award-winning combination of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio in another thriller. These two can't make a flopper even if they tried (I don't know why they would try). I am certain that this will be a film that I'll have to see with my Dad as it looks way too creepy for my wife to want to go.

5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Release Date: December 10
Starring: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley
Synopsis: Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world. This was one of my most favorite books of the series and I can't wait to see it on film. There hasn't been much in the form of footage or even talk of the film lately and so I am hoping that this release date doesn't get pushed. They lost some of the magic in the second film that they captured with the first, so here's hoping they return to form and whisk us away to a magical land.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

Release Date: November 19
Starring: Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe
Synopsis: Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for them, so everything they do must go as planned. How can I even to begin to describe to you my excitement for the last in the Harry Potter series. Finally, we can get past the school, we can get past the teachers, we can get past the mundane schoolwork and get down to business fighting for your life against the dark lord. The only rain cloud over this film is that we have to wait an entire year to see the next one.

3. Robin Hood

Release Date: May 14
Starring: Mark Strong, Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett
Synopsis: The story of an archer in the army of Richard Coeur de Lion who fights against the Norman invaders and becomes the legendary hero known as Robin Hood. I am super excited about seeing this version of the classic Robin Hood tale and though it sounded better a while back when it was going to be called "Nottingham" and it was going to be from the perspective of the Sheriff, I still want to see Crowe in the tights.

2. Iron Man 2

Release Date: May 7
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell
Synopsis: With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances -- and confront powerful enemies. The film that stole the 2008 movie season will be opening the 2010 Summer Movie Season and fans can't wait. This is no doubt going to make a boatload of cash at the box office and will probably be the front runner for months following. Jon Favreau, we are waiting...

1. Inception

Release Date: July 16
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Synopsis: A CEO-type becomes involved in a blackmailing scandal. That's literally the shortest summary of any film on this list and that right there is one of the reasons why it's my #1 Most Anticipated Film for 2010. Christopher Nolan has already said that this is his biggest film yet, bigger than The Dark Knight, and with the tagline of "Your mind is the scene of the crime" it's going to be one heck of a mind-bender. I literally can't wait.

Posted in: Featured7 comments

January14

Weekly Round Table

By: Dan


Look out everybody, it's the return of the Weekly Round Table.

For those of you that are new to the Round Table, let me explain: this is a weekly post that is wholly and 100% created and driven by you, the reader. This is your chance to talk about anything you want, as long as it's related to Movies, TV, Comic Books, or even Truth On Cinema itself.

It doesn't matter what it is, or what you want to say, here is your opportunity to talk about whatever you want.

For those of you that are very familiar with the Round Table, it's good to be back.

Posted in: Featured1 comments

January13

Marc Webb To Spin Spider-Man's New Web At Sony?

By: Dan


According to Mike Fleming over at Deadline Hollywood, (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb has jumped to the top of the list of directors that Sony would like to helm its new Spider-Man franchise. There have been some big names already talked about like James Cameron, David Fincher, and Wes Anderson, but the emergence of Webb to the top is a huge surprise to everyone.

Supposedly, according to Fleming's sources, Webb has already met with the film's producers and executives, "looking to get the picture into production later this year for a Summer 2012 release." Webb has no superhero experience to date and although at first that might make some of you loyal fans nervous, remember that both Sam Raimi and Christopher Nolan had never done a superhero film before.

What do you think? Ryan, since you've seen (500) Days of Summer, do you think Marc could handle the new Spidey world?

Posted in: News3 comments

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