Reel Brief: Coming Attractions 2009 (2)

Previously: Part 1
Shutter Island (Paramount)- 10/02
Shutter Island is the third Dennis Lehane novel to be adapted for the screen, this time by Laela Kalogridis. It follows an eerie plot involving two US marshals (Leonardo DiCaprio & Mark Ruffalo) investigating the escape of Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer), a patient at Ashecliffe, an insane asylum on Shutter Island in remote Massachusetts.
<= The film seems to be advertised as a film noir-esque thriller, not the typical genre for the cast and director Martin Scorsese. Scorsese, who finally won his long overdue Best Director Oscar for 2006's The Departed, can once again showcase his mad cinematic skills, a welcome return for every moviegoer. I'm also looking forward to the vibrant cast, particularly the constantly underrated Ruffalo & Mortimer in their juicy roles.
Up (Disney/Pixar)- 5/29 [trailer]
Evidently, Pixar has a venerable track record of creating animated hits that always please: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, WALL•E, and my personal fave, Finding Nemo. Additionally, their films have won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature 4 times since the category was created in 2001. Now, the innovative studio has another family-friendly movie perfect for the summer. Up tells the story of 78 year old Carl Fredrickson, who finally realizes his dream of seeing the world by attaching thousands of balloons to his house and literally floating away. His plans take a turn when he finds 8 year old Russell hidden in his house. I've long grown out of kiddie movies, but Pixar's features appeal to all ages and are always worth their while.
Away We Go (Focus Features)- 6/05 [trailer]
From a screenplay written by bestselling authors Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this dramedy is about a couple (John Krasinski & Maya Rudolph) searching for the right place to settle down and raise their soon-to-be-born child. Sam Mendes adds to his unique filmography of suburban dissection (American Beauty & Revolutionary Road), mobsters (Road to Perdition), and wars (Jarhead) by shifting gears with what looks like a witty and heartwarming flick. And, our favorite Dunder Mifflin Scranton assistant regional manager Krasinski and versatile SNL alum Rudolph could potentially jump-start their fledgling movie careers with their first leading roles.
Taking Woodstock (Focus Features)- 8/14 [trailer]
The films of Ang Lee show a vast range of eccentricities, so it's no surprise that the Brokeback Mountain director has now chosen to tackle the subject of the Woodstock Festival, the arts and music gathering that remains one of the symbols of tumultuous 1960s Americana. The film follows Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), one of Woodstock's key organizers. Based on a true story, Lee regular James Schamus adapted the film from Tiber's autobiography of the same name. Martin is an interesting casting choice, seeing as that he is a comedian best known for his work as Senior Youth Correspondent on The Daily Show. He is joined by an impressive supporting cast that includes Imelda Staunton as his mother and Emile Hirsch as a soldier recently returned from Vietnam. A whole host of other actors play addtional characters who shaped Tiber and the Woodstock landscape.
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics)- Oct.
British newcomer Carey Mulligan stars in this coming-of-age indie about a naïve Londoner swept off her feet by a charming playboy (Peter Sarsgaard). The flick, directed by Danish director Lone Scherfig and written by novelist Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity), won the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival and has been riding on a lot of buzz ever since. If the buzz can last until December, look for it on the grueling awards circuit. In particular, Mulligan has received praise for her performance, and crazy Oscar pundits are already predicting a lot of traction for her in the Best Actress race.

More musings...

Reel Brief: Coming Attractions 2009 (1)

INT. THEATRE
A GIRL settles into her seat, popcorn in hand, waiting intently for the feature presentation to begin. She glances under her feet and finds gum sticking to her shoe. Slightly bothered, the girl sighs and focuses straight ahead. The lights dim, chatter diminishes, and the screen flickers.

I decided to do my most anticipated movies series differently from the way I did it last year. I picked ten films in no particular order and wrote a little blurb about each summarizing why you should look out for it. Short and sweet. And since variety is the spice of life, I've selected movies of a variety of genres and styles. Note that this is just a sampling; these are difficult to narrow down, and I always discover a few flicks later in the year, especially if they're indies. The first five after the jump.
More musings...
*Release dates subject to change
The Boat that Rocked (Universal)- 8/28 [trailer]
A new comedy from writer-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings & A Funeral), The Boat that Rocked is about a group of 1960s radio DJs, led by loudmouthed American "The Count" (Philip Seymour Hoffman in a comedic role!). The crew operates pirate broadcasts to the UK from a ship off the coast. (Historical perspective: the British government limited the amount of radio stations, so many stations would try offshore pirate broadcasting to gain an audience.) Unfortunately, this hasn't received very good reception across the pond. Critics have panned the film for a "muddled" organization and "contrived storyline." This could mean equally disappointing reviews when it premieres here. We shall see...
The Lovely Bones (DreamWorks/Paramount)- 12/11
Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh, the team behind the spectacular film version of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, adapted Alice Sebold's bestselling novel about Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), who is raped and murdered by a neighbor, George Harvey (Stanley Tucci). From Heaven, Susie watches her family cope with their loss and analyzes the choices they must make. Any literary adaptation will be strictly compared to its source material, but this team has proven itself with LOTR. They've also assembled a talented cast: besides Ronan and Tucci, Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg play Susie's parents, and Susan Sarandon plays her grandmother. Additionally, the film is sure to bring up many provocative themes.
This Side of the Truth (Warner Bros.)- 9/25
The always hilarious Ricky Gervais makes his directorial debut in this flick about "a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain." This Side of the Truth features an all-star cast of some of today's big names in comedy, including Gervais himself, Jason Bateman, Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, and SNL's featured player Bobby Moynihan. Together, its interesting premise and lineup of comics could make it one of the year's more exceptional comedies. Originally scheduled for a spring release, the film's details are still being kept under wraps until the fall. In the meantime, watch Ricky's announcement of the release date, which features some advice to the little kiddies. :)
Julie & Julia (Columbia)- 8/07 (Isn't the teaser poster cute?) =>
Here's one for the gourmands! Nora Ephron based this flick on NYC blogger Julie Powell's best-selling book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and French chef Julia Child's memoir My Life in France. The former originates from Powell's blog chronicling her quest to complete each recipe in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Ephron has recruited two lovely ladies to portray the leading roles, Amy Adams as Julie Powell and Meryl Streep as Julia Child. So, I guess this is also one for the ladies!

Nine (The Weinstein Company)- 11/25
The award-winning Broadway musical now has an screen version, thanks to director Rob Marshall (Chicago). Yours truly isn't the biggest fan of musicals and over-hyped Oscar bait, but the plot and cast could change her opinion of this particular film. Daniel Day-Lewis is Guido Contini, a director facing a midlife crisis. He must balance his relationships with his wife (Marion Cotillard), mistress (Penélope Cruz), mother (Sophia Loren), producer (Judi Dench), and protégée (Nicole Kidman). Complicated indeed. We know Kidman can handle the vocal demands (Moulin Rouge!), but it remains to be seen if the rest of these thespians have the skills to take on Nine's showy tunes.
*The other five coming soon!

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Anatomy of a Performance 08/09 -- Part 4

Asides/scattered thoughts:
Sorry these last two are shorter than the other 5. I've had a brain-frying week, particularly editing the next edition of the paper, and unfortunately, the next few weeks will be the same. Next week, tech rehearsals for our musical start, and I will also be away for two days, attending a student council conference at the state capitol (which will hopefully be worth getting up at 3 in the morning for.) As far as blogging is concerned, I've had quite a few ideas in mind that are not cinema-related, and I can utilize them now that awards season is finally coming to an end. (New readers: I assure you I have many other interests other than film!) But first, Hollywood's annual night of cinematic mercy is coming in about 48 hours, and I, like every year, will be tuning in. I may or may not live-blog, depending on if I have time, but I will try to post my quick thoughts following the ceremony. In the meantime, have an nice weekend and thanks for reading!
Now to tonight's main event: I conclude this year's Anatomy of a Performance series with a masterful Marvel and the living Legend. Drum roll please...

Sean Penn (Milk) - Harvey Milk
The astonishing Sean Penn produces his most impressive work in Gus Van Sant's Milk. But before I divulge about the performance, I must stress (and praise!) that the film and his performance manage to avoid all possible clichés of biopics. Milk provides an intimate portrait of a man who changed his environment by "never blending in." It doesn't try to preach any political message or endearing legacy; instead, it lets the audience discover its true meaning themselves. It pulls you straight into the era and the action, and while educating you about the historical perspective, it transforms into a deeply affecting eulogy for the man it epitomizes.
Even with the delightful supporting cast, all of whom I enjoyed, Penn constitutes the ultimate core of Milk. He brings in his own flavor to his eccentric character, enhancing the overall persona. Like all genuinely great biopic performances, he captures every gesture of slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk without making it purely an imitation. There's so much to admire about the performance because Penn completely immerses himself in the character. The audience doesn't see the gears turning in his head; that's what makes it all the more effective. Penn as Milk is sometimes whimsical and playful, but ultimately, his portrayal is very moving and inspirational. It is a testament to the tremendous hope that the real Milk brought to so many people in the late 1970s, and hopefully, he would have been proud of it.
Currently locked in a tight battle with Mickey Rourke for this year's Best Actor trophy, I'm predicting he will take it, but Rourke winning definitely wouldn't surprise me. Having not seen The Wrestler, I can't properly judge, but I have heard many good things about the film, especially Rourke's performance.
One last note: I wasn't always the biggest Sean Penn fan, especially after watching his campy, overrated, Oscar-winning turn in Mystic River ("IS THAT MY DAUGHTA IN THERRRRE???"); consequently because of his inspired work in Milk, he has definitely grown on me, and I now see why he is one of the most celebrated actors of our era.

Two more marvels: the late, great Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) - The Joker ("Why. So. Serious?"...'nuff said.); Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long/Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)- Juliette

Meryl Streep (Doubt) - Sister Aloysius Beauvier
While I don't think this is the best female performance of the year and certainly not as exceptional as some of Streep's other fabulous roles, as living legend #1, she hardly ever lets us down, and so I am obligated to discuss her turn as powerful Sister Aloysius. The more I ponder her performance, the more I think about how she could have made the character, a domineering and commanding nun, a total caricature. And yet, she brings many facets of humanity to this character.
On the surface, Aloysius is monstrously determined to engineer the downfall of her rival priest, Father Flynn. She has no evidence that Father Flynn committed any wrongdoing, but with her position of leadership, as well as her personal tensions with the priest, she is determined to find the proof. She makes her certainties lucid from the very beginning and immediately establishes her stance. This sets the plot in motion, and each heated exchange and testy confrontation builds up climactically. But slowly but surely, we realize that internally, her stiff and seemingly relentless facade is cracking. Her last scene, which I won't give away, is especially impacting and rather surprising.
Streep has excellent line delivery, among the many signatures of her renowned career. In each scene, the rapid-fire dialogue is precisely placed and executed. She has quite a few interesting one-liners that are always worth pondering. But bringing it back to the facets of humanity, I feel she properly managed the character when it could have become too over-the-top or even contrived, showing her meticulous skills.
Ever since her SAG win last month, many Oscar pundits have been speculating that she could pull an upset in Oscar's Best Actress race. After all, she is supremely respected in the pantheon of cinema, and the longevity of her career is astonishing. Now with 15 nominations, she has not won in over a quarter century. I think this is Winslet's Oscar to lose, but Streep could potentially surprise us.

Other noteworthy legends: none that compare to the Meryl Streep, of course. :)

And, that's a wrap! Thanks for reading this year's series. I hope you enjoyed my analyses of these varied but outstanding performances. Please understand that there were many more I wanted to write about as well, particularly the ones I mentioned as runners-up. All are highly recommended, so I strongly urge you check them out! Until next year...

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Anatomy of a Performance 08/09 -- Part 3

I've decided to, rather than cram the last three categories into one post like I originally intended to, split them into pairs like the previous posts in the series. And in Part 3, we honor a literal pair, a dynamic Duo. I had many to choose from this year, including a struggling drug addict mending ties with her family + sensible, practical sister and complete foil = brilliance from two very talented women (Rachel Getting Married) and a charismatic, driven interviewer vs. embattled, driven ex-president (Frost/Nixon), but in the end, I went with a duo that I hope you'll forgive me for dwelling too much on.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) - Frank & April Wheeler
Definitively, a duo performance is created when an individual performance cannot exist without the other and where two exceptional parts form one extraordinary whole. While watching Revolutionary Road, there's no question that the two lead roles turn into a double feature of sorts. One important advantage the DiCaprio-Winslet team behind the roles have is that they are close friends in real life. Understanding the nature of the film, it seems like without that kind of bond, the no holds barred feel to their respective performances would have been impossible. They have absolutely no limits and have pushed each other to places we have never seen them reach before as actors. Utterly engaging on every level, they pull you into every crevice of every scene. The intense characters are clearly not very likable in the beginning, but throughout the film, you gradually begin to comprehend all of their problems and motives, and both actors have the inimitable skill of making you care about their characters, no matter what stands in their way.
While there are many instances of immensely jarring verbal fireworks, much of Revolutionary Road is not about what is said, but rather what isn't said. The moments of silence are just as significant as the explosive fights featured in the film's second act. In these crucial scenes, both put to work their impressive abilities to effortlessly display their facial expressions and convey so much emotion in just their eyes. But the single most essential part of this duo is that in every scene, what one actor gives, the other is able to duplicate in a split second. It's almost like a broken record, except far more interesting. The common thread that holds it all together is that every single nuance is realized, and nothing is held back.
I was hoping the always amazing Winslet would win her richly deserved Oscar for this performance, but in about a week, she will be recognized for her other 08 film, The Reader. I haven't gotten a chance to see it yet, but many who have claim "she's going to win for the wrong role." :( In trying to be more optimistic, I think we should consider it as a reward for both roles. Seriously, she's actually going to win this year: that's enough for me! As for the also always amazing DiCaprio, I'm similarly trying to be more optimistic about his "awardage", or lack thereof. His time will come someday, and when he does win, it will be in recognition of the decade and a half (and counting) of incredible work he has given us. (Which also applies to Winslet this year.) In the meantime, I wonder what's in store for collaboration #3...something lighter, perhaps?

Other duos that just missed the cut (read: I really wanted to write about them b/c they were oh-so great): Anne Hathaway & Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) - Kym & Rachel; Michael Sheen & Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) - David Frost & Richard Nixon
The final installment in the series will be coming later this week, so stay tuned!

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Anatomy of a Performance 08/09 -- Part 2

The second part of the series highlights a Hollywood newcomer and a veteran thespian finally getting some limelight. It's the Breakthrough and Breakout.

Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) - Poppy
Up-and-coming Brit Sally Hawkins has had a banner year as the star of Mike Leigh's exuberant comedy, winning Best Actress at the 2008 Berlinale, various Critics' Associations, including the prestigious New York and Los Angeles Critics' prizes, and of course, she picked up the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy last month. Previously, Hawkins starred in Masterpiece Theatre's Persuasion and appeared in small parts in other Leigh films.
I never got around to posting my review of this flick when I saw it back in November, so long story short: the witty screenplay and memorable supporting players are brilliant, but Hawkins' performance is the heart and soul of this all-around uplifting experience. Hawkins plays Poppy, a thirty-something London primary school teacher always yearning for the best in life, even through difficult times. She deals with hardships with such bubbly optimism that it's hard not to bring a smile to your face. :) Along the way, Poppy discovers the eccentricities of life and has to find a way to deal these. She is determined not to let go of her optimism, even in dealing with her angry driving instructor (polar opposite personality!), and helping out her family and friends with conflicts.
It seems like a straight-forward character, but it requires a complex balance of simplicity and grace. Hawkins brings a sense of buoyant substance, beautifully highlighting every aspect of the character. She takes everything in stride without seeming cheesy or overwhelming like the role often entails.
Overall, Hawkins is vivacious and spectacular in this splendid role. It's a shame that despite her many accolades, the Academy overlooked easily the best comedic performance of the year. After this introduction to her, I'm highly anticipating more exceptional work to come!

Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) - Walter Vale
From a career that has spanned three decades, Richard Jenkins has played in bit parts in countless films, some of which are fairly well known. He often plays the character whose name you can never remember, but not anymore. At 61, Richard Jenkins has finally broke out of that shell that's kept him enclosed for so long. In the little-seen indie The Visitor, he takes on his first truly leading role and is finally receiving recognition for his largely unnoticed work, as well as bringing audiences to discover this fine film. (Shameless plug: I feel The Visitor is one of the year's most underrated films for its poignant look at cultural awareness in the post 9/11 world. Please check it out!)
Jenkins' character Walter Vale is a lonely college professor in small town Connecticut struggling to find liveliness in his existence. His wife has passed away, his classes and students have become humdrum and tedious, and he has lost the motivation for a fresh perspective in life. But then, he discovers two immigrants living in his New York City apartment. At first, he is wary of interacting with them, but they gradually introduce him to vibrant African and Middle Eastern music and culture. There are some drastic complications introduced in the middle of the film that change the plot, but they bring Walter even more new opportunities and unexpected friendships. Over time, he realizes how he needs to truly live his life and actively seek new beginnings.
Jenkins approaches this subtle role with meticulous ease. Every restrained expression seems effortless; every mannerism is perfectly realized. He flawlessly carries the film and the subdued nature of his character. Aside from one scene at the end, he doesn't have any flashy lines or spirited rants, which makes his performance all the more remarkable.
I am super excited that he received an Oscar nomination, which was largely due to the respect he has gained in the industry as the quintessential "actor's actor", and the nomination is a great reward for his tireless commitment to the craft.

Additional breakthroughs/breakouts worth noting: Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) - Vicky; Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) - Queenie

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Anatomy of a Performance 08/09 -- Part 1

Wow, this is sad. I'm discussing movies while everyone else in America seems to be fixated on the Super Bowl. Don't despair, football nation; I will be watching the big game too.
As Hollywood's annual night of cinematic mercy approaches, I'm kicking off the month with the first in a personal series of profiles of my favorite standout performances of the year. A brief history of the Anatomy of a Performance series: I have been a "cinephile" for nearly my entire life, and every year I get to see more and more movies. So a few years ago, I felt compelled to pick a few memorable performances and write about what makes them exceptional and why I love them. I've continued doing this each year, selecting from 3 to 5 to an unprecedented 8 this year. Why performances, you ask? Well, I guess at the time, they were the main aspects I paid attention to, but I've learned to examine other things as well. I tend to stick to the acting, writing, and directing, since they usually appear at the forefront of movies I watch.
Now that I've been blogging again, I guess I have a nice audience to share these with. Some of my selections are frontrunners in the Oscar race; others weren't even nominated. Regardless of this, they created an incredible impact on screen, even if they received divisive reception from audiences and critics. Each entry is a dissection of the performance so to speak, exemplifying why it distinguishes itself from the pack. Photo-wise, I decided to change it up a bit and use portraits instead of movie stills. You guys might be tired of seeing the stills b/c they're being used everywhere for advertising and such. ;) First up, two Scene Stealers after the jump.

To me, a scene stealer is not just any supporting player, but a seemingly minor character who ultimately matters a great deal. They take attention off of the leads, and in that moment, they fully engage the audience to understand their plight and pay attention to nothing else. The following two actors epitomize scene-stealing to its zenith. If you get to see these films, I'm sure you will agree.

Viola Davis (Doubt) - Mrs. Miller
"Someone give her a movie!" shouted Meryl Streep in her SAG acceptance speech. She was referring to her co-star Viola Davis, and that's exactly what this stage veteran deserves after her remarkable turn in Doubt. Julliard graduate, Tony winner, and now Oscar nominee: she has racked up many noteworthy achievements throughout her career. Previously, she had some small parts in movies such as Far from Heaven and Nights in Rodanthe, but Doubt marks her entrance into the spotlight. And now, we are finally introduced to her gifted work.
Viola (I love that name) has only one scene in the film, but she nails every second in that sole scene. The set-up is this: Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) suspects that Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has abused Donald, the only Black student at St. Nicholas Catholic School, so she sets up a meeting with Mrs. Miller, the student's mother, played by Davis, to discuss her suspicions, which she believes to be certain. What follows is a gripping monologue of defense from Mrs. Miller, firmly stating why she does not want to take part in the feud. She tells Aloysius about Donald's tough upbringing and why, despite the risks and the cost, she sent him to the school. She explains that Donald needs guidance from a man like Father Flynn and does not want to see her son falter simply because of his surroundings.
Davis paints a haunting portrait of a working mother determined to give her son the best she can provide for him, going toe-to-toe against another strong-willed character. Her character leads to a turning point in the film, where the audience is no longer buying Sister Aloysius' argument. Like I said in my Doubt review, Davis is truly sensational because in one scene, she impacts audiences with solid conviction in ways that many actors cannot even dream of doing in an entire film. And that, my friends, is the mark of a true scene stealer. Bravo!

Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) - John Givings
At 6ft. 4in., Michael Shannon probably looms over most people, and so it's not surprising how much he dominates the two scenes he is featured in. Like our first scene stealer, 2008 was a groundbreaking year for Shannon. He has toiled in bit parts, as well as doing much unnoticed stage work. In fact, when he auditioned for Revolutionary Road, director Sam Mendes realized he had already seen some of Shannon's theatre roles. Now, he has received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his scene-stealing.
His character in the film, John Givings, is the deranged son of Helen Givings (Kathy Bates), the perky neighborhood real estate agent. Originally a genius mathematician, his abilities have been confined due to his presumed insanity. We are introduced to him when he visits the Wheelers (Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet) with his parents, on a break from the mental asylum he resides in.
Shannon is chilling and frighteningly truthful as John. His role reminds me a lot of the equally disturbing Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight. They share the same mocking laugh and sardonic remarks, as well as similar purposes in their respective films (both provide some surprising honesty despite the chaos they are surrounded by). Shannon's presence is so controlled, even amid the fury of his second scene, which I unfortunately cannot give away in order not to spoil it. He is electrifying yet subtle, as he pokes some big holes in the seemingly picture-perfect marriage of the Wheelers. He dramatizes the "hopeless emptiness" of suburbia, making both the Wheelers and the audience question their existence. This leads to the engrossing penultimate act of the film. As bizarre as it sounds, Shannon also brings a spice of SNL's Bill Hader into the fray. I think it is his over-bearing facial expressions that manage to convey so many feelings at once that reminded me of Hader. Also, his dominance at the most unexpected times resembles that of Hader. Anyway, Michael Shannon's calm but terrifying turn glorifies the art of scene-stealing, and I hope we get to see more of his work in the future.

Additional scene-stealers worth noting: Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) - Maria Elena; Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) - Scott

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Shanghai Calling #8-- City of Blinding Lights

The very fitting title comes from the U2 song. :-) The above picture comes from the many pictures I took on Saturday's river cruise. The cruise was really cool, with its breathtaking views and refreshing breeze. It was nice just to relax and chill for a while, something I haven't done at all this summer. On Sunday, we had yet another meal for my cousin, this time for his college entrance exams. He got a high enough score to get into the college he was recommended for. He was rather disappointed because his score was much lower than those of his classmates, but they are still going to upper-tier colleges like his. So it's all good. =D (Getting into college is a lot different in China than the US. It's a long story which I would be happy to explain...later.) My aunt and uncle think my cousin slacked off on preparing for the exams because he had already been recommended for the upper-tier colleges and only had to get a certain lower score to get in. (It's a confusing process, but not as complicated as applying for college in the US.) Nevertheless, we're all really happy for him. Next, they'll be watching me, since I'm the next person in my family to go to college. Pressure's on... :O
Today, I have to pack, since tomorrow we are leaving! I have a lot to reflect on: mixed feelings, mostly, but I'm too lazy to dwell on it now. I might think about it on the long plane ride home if I don't sleep most of the time. (Probably not gonna happen...) So yeah, this is my last post from here. It's nice to finally say I'm coming home, although as always, part of me will miss Shanghai.
See you guys back in the good old USA!

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Shanghai Calling #7-- Empty Thoughts

I find myself in a very familiar situation: bored. Not much has occurred since I last posted, just a bunch of dinners with random people. Every time we come here, my parents have to visit a lot of old friends, and these friends usually insist on inviting us to dinner. Sunday brought not one, but two family gatherings. For lunch, we had a party in honor of my cousin's graduation with all 11 members of my dad's side of the family. (Immediate family: grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins). We ate homemade dumplings and a cake. Truthfully, I enjoyed it, since I kinda like hanging with that side of the family. For dinner, we went to a restaurant with a big group of my mom's family (immediate family+ some of my mom's aunts/uncles and cousins). We occupied a big room with 2 tables. My parents and I sat at the table with the older folks. :( Boring.
This weekend, we have yet another gathering of my dad's immediate side of the family. We're going on a river cruise complete with a dinner buffet. The cruise travels along the river and provides lovely night views of both sides of the city. Pictures galore! Last time I was here, I went on the same cruise with my summer camp (without the dinner, though). The scenery was nice, but my pictures didn't come out on my crappy disposable camera.
We've also been doing a lot of shopping and some sightseeing along the way.
4 days until my return! Until then, wrapping things up...

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Shanghai Calling #6-- Flourishing

10 days to go! I'm relieved to report that my boredom has slightly diminished in the last three days. The visiting people deal has toned down a bit since Thursday. Yesterday, we took a train to Suzhou, a city that is an hour outside of Shanghai. Suzhou is world-renowned for its Ming Dynasty gardens. We visited two of these gardens, and I have to say, they were intricately designed and provided a lot of shade in the scorching heat. (Yesterday's weather was very hot and humid, not favorable for traveling.) I took a lot of really lovely pictures. We also did some shopping and found that many of the prices were cheaper than Shanghai's. But, my dad insisted on having dinner at McDonald's, because our lunch was not very appetizing. The place we ate at for lunch was not well kept and the food was not well cooked, to say the least. Many relatively cheap restaurants in Chinese cities share these unsanitary qualities, which is why you kinda get tired of eating out. That's what happened to me last time, and it's starting to occur now. So that's the story behind why we had Filet-O-Fish's at McDonald's for dinner. All in all, the day was fun, and I enjoyed riding the train.
Today was a pretty special occasion: my cousin's high school graduation. I realized that Americans treat graduations with more importance than the Chinese. It's probably because the Chinese only started doing this fairly recently. My parents said that they didn't have HS/college graduation ceremonies when they graduated. Also, our graduations are far more formal, but theirs are more emotional for the students because they live together and get to know each other more closely than we do. High schools in China are like colleges: you have to take a gigantic exam that determines what high school you get into, and the students live in dorms and go home on weekends. My cousin is really smart and attends the best high school in Shanghai.
I was surprised that the ceremony was so casual, since most special occasions in China are very tradition-based. There were a few speeches by teachers, administators, and students, and a video of memories, which was kinda funny. ;) The students do some weird things sometimes, just like us! The formal part was actually yesterday, when everyone got their diplomas and dressed up in suits and dresses. Oddly enough, they don't wear caps and gowns and play "Pomp and Circumstance", the typical graduation music in the US and many other countries. But, it was still cool. I also saw my cousin's dorm, which he had to clean out. My aunt was really pissed at him, since the dorm was uber-messy. :) In conclusion, it's been a better few days. Unfortunately, we have another family gathering tomorrow and more eating meals/visiting people in the coming days. :( Until then, I should try and enjoy these good days while they're still here.

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Shanghai Calling #5-- Death & All His Friends

Credits go to Coldplay for the title. If you haven't checked out their new album, please do so, since it came out yesterday. I've heard it's somewhat of a departure from their usual style, but the pre-released singles I've actually listened to ("Violet Hill" and "Viva La Vida") still sound like typical Coldplay. Regardless of if it's the same or different, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends is getting generally favorable reviews and is the #1 selling album on Amazon. That's good news, since their last album, X & Y, wasn't so great, in my opinion. Unfortunately, I won't be able to hear this new album until I get back. :( Moving on...good news! After a bit of research, I've figured out how to get Blogspot URLs to show up! Problem solved!
This morning, we visited my grandmother's grave (hence my post title). In the pouring rain. :( She died two years ago, during our last visit here. Her death was not sudden, though; she had been sick for many years. I did not know her very well, and that is the case for my other family members as well. I recall feeling awkward at the funeral because everyone was bawling, but I didn't really react to anything. I'm not a very emotional person in general, and not knowing her like everyone else contributed to my "absence of feelings". The Chinese deal with death very differently from us Americans. I won't elaborate too much, but funerals and burials are very tradition-based. Specific rituals have to be performed at certain times. If you want any detailed descriptions, I can tell you some other time. :) But back to today. The cemetery was on the outskirts of the city, so we had take a tour van to get there. The ride was very bumpy, and I tried to catch a few z's but to no avail. On the van, we met some people who were visiting from Spain. They were like us; they live overseas, so since they're here visiting, might as well swing by the cemetery to visit their dead relatives.
When we got there, the rain had lightened a bit. The cemetery was huge, and it took us a while to find the gravesite. Once we did, we set out food and flowers on the altar in front of the tombstone. This is one of the rituals I mentioned before. Also, we lit candles and some incense and had to bow toward the tombstone. After that, we burned some paper money, which is to give wealth to the dead. For a while, I stood in silence, listening to the dripping of the rain, wondering when we could leave.
Speaking of leaving, I have to admit, I'm having sort of a lousy time here. Most of the time, I'm bored to death, except when I'm near a computer or asleep. Yesterday, my dad's old friend visited, and then my mom's old friend visited. Tomorrow, I believe we're visiting some more of their friends. Hopefully something interesting will happen in the 13 days left. Until then, I will keep counting down the days until I get back. It's the only worthwhile thing I can do.
Some other miscellaneous countdowns:
29 days until The Dark Knight - July 18
51 days until the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing - August 8
138 days until the 2008 Presidential Election - November 4

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Shanghai Calling #4-- Photo Ops

Before I delve into everything that has occurred here, I want to mention this briefly. NBC News Washington bureau chief, moderator of "Meet the Press", and veteran political guru Tim Russert died on Friday of a heart attack at the age of 58. A notable and highly trusted name in political reporting, he will surely be missed. Hmm...I knew something unfortunate would happen on Friday the Thirteenth. :(
The family lunch was very uneventful, but just as I thought, there was way too much to eat. Other than that, not much to say about it. We also strolled through some malls, which are all pretty much like the U.S. except bigger. To keep myself occupied, I've been on the lookout for ads featuring celebrities/models that aren't Chinese, people who I recognize, or just ads similar to ones we have back in the States. Yeah, I know it sounds stupid, but I saw some of the ads and had the urge to take pictures. At one mall, I was taking pictures of cosmetic ads, some of which were the same as ours. Apparently, these salespeople thought I was going to use the pictures for business or something, so some lady yelled at me. : Geez. She said it was mall policy not to take any pictures. Yeah right. I'm definitely going to go back and sneak in some pictures. I don't care if those freaking people yell at me. I did manage to get a picture of a Elizabeth Arden ad with Catherine Zeta-Jones, the same exact one I've seen at Macy's back home. Pretty cool, but I should have taken a picture of the Lancome Tresor perfume ad with Kate Winslet (also one I've seen at Macy's) and Lancome for Men with Clive Owen (2 ridiculously pretty British people, get the picture?). Sorry, I'm being lame and rather shallow. Today, we walked around The Bund and the shopping district on Nanjing Road. It was a bad day to take pictures; haze and clouds covered the skyline.
Bad news: for some odd reason, I haven't been able to access any Blogspot URLs, so I can't visit any of your blogs or mine. The problem only started on Friday, so I'm trying to figure out what's wrong. It's not a computer issue: I've tried it on multiple computers, so it might be an Internet thing. Oh well. Unfortunately, it also means I can't read any of your comments. :( Hope I figure it out ASAP!

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Shanghai Calling #3-- Boredom

OK, I'll admit yesterday's post might have been a bit too critical of Shanghai. It is actually a cool place to visit, despite its obvious flaws. I hope I didn't piss off the Chinese government. They could probably arrest me for it due to their denial of free speech. Figures. As for me, I'm enjoying the company of my extended family, but I feel my words echo back to me during conversations. It's hard to speak in tongues, and like I mentioned yesterday, everything sort of gets "lost in translation". It's also hard to describe how I feel right now: bored, I suppose. My friends back home keep sending e-mails and Facebook messages and such, so that helps when I have access to a computer. I've never been close to my family, so everytime I see them it's difficult to connect to them. Long story, so I won't go into that now.
One thing that made me happy was seeing the iPod/iTunes commercial with Coldplay in it. My cousin was watching European soccer on TV this morning, and it came on during the game. It's the exact same commercial as the one we have in the States, the one with all the cool lights and colors and "Viva La Vida". The only difference was that there were lyrics on the bottom of the screen in Chinese. But it was cool seeing that same commercial. Btw, Coldplay's new album comes out on Tuesday! I won't be able to download it until I get back, but oh well.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to keep tabs on current events. I always have this problem when I'm here. Chinese state-run TV does not put much attention on international headlines, so I check Google News whenever I can. That has contributed to my boredom.
Thankfully, my family members have had a few interesting conversations. This morning, my uncle and my dad debated the whole issue of Tibet (the people revolting). My uncle is kinda sorta wealthy on Chinese standards, so he has CNN at his house. CNN tends to be a pretty good source for unbiased news, but on this issue, they mostly report on the Western perspective. My dad tried to get my uncle to understand the Western viewpoint (they side with Tibet): the Tibetans want independence because they feel that their traditions cannot be preserved under the Chinese government. My uncle still didn't get it, but nevertheless, it was an intriguing topic to discuss. I probably could have offered my thoughts, but my Chinese isn't that fluent, at least not for intelligent conversations.
Tomorrow, we are having lunch at some fancy restaurant, the first of quite a few family gatherings here. These happen everytime I visit, so I've gotten used to the routine. Polite greetings, pleasant small talk, everyone trying to conceal any animosity they might have. And then there's a shitload of food, way too much to consume; I don't even know how many courses it is. After that, there's the family photo: too much fake smiling and flashbulbs. It's not as bad as it sounds, though.
Well, that was a lot of random stuff, considering the fact that nothing at all has happened. I will be back with more developments tomorrow, mainly of the family lunch.

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Shanghai Calling #2-- Gridlock

Ha! It's Friday the Thirteenth! Just wanted to put that out there. =D Hope nothing bad happens to any of you.
After a long, tedious plane ride (which I slept through most of, thankfully) and two stopovers, I have arrived in Shanghai in one piece. So far nothing remotely interesting has occurred, so if any of you wanted to hear about something cool, sorry. :( I'm still a little jet-lagged, but overall I feel okay. All we've done is visited both sides of my family and engaged in pointless conversations with them, plus wandered around aimlessly. I apologize for not posting until my 3rd day here, but privacy is hard to get here. Someone is constantly looking over my shoulder, curious about my online whereabouts. Grr...
This is my 3rd time visiting Shanghai. The 1st time, I was 6 years old and clueless about pretty much everything. The 2nd time was 2 summers ago, so I had a much better understanding of everything and got to know my family fairly well during the six weeks. This time I am only here for three weeks, so now I would like to properly explain and reflect on this "unique" city.
Shanghai is a very modern city, although that has its limits in a Third World country. The gap between the rich and poor is much greater here than in developed nations like the U.S. It's hard to feel at home here. I generally enjoy the feel of large metropolitan cities like New York City. Shanghai is China's equivalent of NYC, so I suppose it's a fair comparison.
After two visits plus my aimless wandering now, I have come to the conclusion that I like NYC better. Sorry Chinese people. It's safer, cleaner, and more alive. Both cities are heavily populated, and traffic is like a gridlock. But, Shanghai has the added problem of people on bikes and mopeds and such, which is a great hindrance to pedestrians. Traffic laws and regulations are not strictly enforced, so there's a lot of reckless driving. Secondly, NYC is way cleaner. The city is undergoing somewhat of a green movement, with the introduction of more energy-efficient taxis and such. Also, parks are managed well and provide a nice escape from the bustling city. In Shanghai however, there's a heavy stench everywhere you go, probably from the disgusting sewage and septic systems. Some places are better than others, but in general the city kinda reeks. All kinds of sporadic garbage litter the streets, and the air is so unbelievably polluted. (Don't even get me started on that problem. The air is a mess here.) Lastly, NYC is livelier. At least you can walk around without feeling nauseous. Shanghai is cool too, especially at night, but I always feel "lost in translation", so to speak.
That's all for today. I don't want to keep hogging this computer.

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Shanghai Calling #1-- Trans-Pacific

Sorry for the uber-long last post. I just wanted to reflect on things and take a breather.
I haven't been up to much, just chillin' at home, trying to do something productive. On Saturday, I watched Little Miss Sunshine with some friends. It's a great flick: it has a fantastic ensemble cast along with an extremely witty and clever story. I really connected to this dysfunctional family and their endeavor. All together, it creates so many memorable moments, sometimes touching, sometimes just flat-out hilarious. This is my 2nd viewing of the film, and I still rate it a 10/10. I'm also in the process of re-reading my favorite book and listening to random music, as usual. ;)
Besides that, I've been busy packing for my trip to Shanghai (just visiting family), hence the title "Trans-Pacific/Shanghai Calling". (sorry for the 2, I couldn't decide which was better.) I haven't really prepared for this trip; I'm not very excited or anxious. Maybe it's because I was just there 2 summers ago, or maybe I haven't done much thinking about it, since I've spent the last few months working my ass off in school. I suppose it's a combination of the two. Or, I'm just too indifferent about it. Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be back in the States until July 1. I'll try to blog while I'm there...we'll see if it works out. There may not be many developments to speak of, but whatever. All of my posts regarding the trip will be entitled "Shanghai Calling". This is installment #1.
Until then, bonnes vacances!

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#1---The Dark Knight

Sorry for the delay with this. I've been really busy lately. (Aren't we all?) Finally, the long-awaited #1!!!!!! But, it's coming out in only 2 months and 3 days!!! (actually the shortest wait for the 5 movies on the countdown)

1. The Dark Knight (Warner Bros., July 18)

First, a note about the trailers...
There have been quite a few trailers so far: teasers and actual 2 min. trailers. I posted only one of them, but feel free to check out the others as well. All are totally sweet and can be found on YouTube, if you're interested. (Which you should be...) Btw, a new trailer was released last week, giving us a first look at Harvey Dent. The freaking awesome trailer:


Needless to say, I am so incredibly pumped for The Dark Knight!!! Not only will it be one of the big blockbusters of the summer in an already interesting summer movie season (Iron Man = $102 million in the first weekend), but it's the second installment in a film series that is unlike most of the other comic book adaptations of this decade. I happened to really enjoy the first installment, Batman Begins, because of its dark persona and unpredictability and in general, how the whole story was presented. The cast was great, too, especially Christian Bale.
Note: I don't care what people say about Christian Bale being miscast for Batman. I happen to really like Christian Bale. He's probably one of the more underappreciated actors of our generation (depending on what you think of our generation of film). My point is, Batman Begins really exemplified what some of the other comic book movies lack: real excitement, strong writing, and fairly good acting.
The Dark Knight picks up right where the first one left off. Batman/Bruce Wayne, along with Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the newly elected District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), successfully gather up Gotham City's criminals and make the city safe again. But soon, a new threat emerges: The Joker (Heath Ledger, RIP). Dun, dun, dun. The Joker is mysterious and somewhat elusive at first, and in Heath's own words, "a psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy." Over time, Batman's conflict with the Joker turns into a deeply personal ordeal. The constant power struggle against the Joker becomes very tasking and forces him to "confront everything he believes." He must become stronger than ever before to successfully save the people of Gotham City this time.
Another new character is Harvey Dent/Two-Face. He initially joins Batman in trying to fight the Joker, but the experience traumatizes him. Eventually, this transforms him into sort of a puzzled, mixed-up vigilante, who utilizes some pretty extreme methods, apparently. He does not necessarily become an antagonist; mostly, he is just a bit twisted. The film tries to emphasize that he is still an ally and friend of Batman despite this "two-faceness." In another plot twist, Dent and Batman's relationship is put to the test when the two men develop a love triangle with assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), whom you might remember as Batman/Bruce's longtime friend in Batman Begins.
Most of the stars from the first installment are returning for The Dark Knight. One notable exception is Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, who has been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Apparently, Katie had some scheduling issues, but the exact reason is unknown. Many critics think she did not seem very convincing for the part and think Maggie will bring more to the character. That's for you to judge for yourself, I guess. (not trying to influence your opinion here; I'm just pointing out what others have mentioned...)
Obviously, audiences will be very focused on Christian Bale's performance, but more so on the power struggle with the Joker. Clearly, most of the buzz surrounding the film centers on Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker, which is said to be extremely different from the previous versions of this complex figure, mainly Jack Nicholson in 1989's Batman Returns. Heath gives the Joker a more vicious and cut-throat persona, which makes him a much more believable villain. I was really creeped out by him in the trailers, so judging from that, he's probably even more freaky in the film itself. Although films like this don't usually receive much awards attention, there has already been a lot of speculation that Heath might receive a Supporting Actor nod, due to his intense preparation for the role, as well as widespread excitement caused by the teaser trailer last December. And, his tragic and untimely death in January all but suppressed the buzz. He focused in on every last detail of this already enigmatic character, so it's no surprise that this role really took him over the top.
To sum things up here, I'm unbelievably ecstatic about The Dark Knight. It seems thrilling, intense, and probably contains a lot of depth for a film of this caliber. There's not much else to say, except that I have ridiculously high expectations for this. It should be pretty big at the box office and hopefully will receive many positive reviews. The prospect of Heath Ledger potentially getting an Oscar nomination excites me as well because it will be quite a change for the Academy to honor a performance from a comic book movie. And if he somehow posthumously wins, it will be a poignant way to honor this talented young actor who had so many great performances left in him. But, these two aspects (1. comic book film; 2. the Academy doesn't usually give posthumous nods, let alone wins) could very well go against him. Once more, it's way too early to tell, and obviously the buzz could die down. For now, I am eagerly waiting The Dark Knight, and you can bet I will invite my loyal readers to come see it with me! Mark your calendars: July 18!!! Below: the plethora of sweet posters!

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#2---Revolutionary Road

2 posts in one day! Woot!! Part of it's because I kinda want to get this movie countdown over with, but most of it's because I'm procrastinating on studying for tomorrow's Merchant of Venice test, memorizing the mercy speech, and all of the other crap I have to do. Yes, I'm also procrastinating on the Leadership Project Evaluation. (Sorry, Emily...) But oh well. FYI, I finished my Winschel Holiday paper, so that's a positive note for today!!!
Moving on...a little disclaimer: these last two movies on the countdown are two I get pretty spastic over. So beware...I guess??? I might not get The Dark Knight up for a few days due to my busy weekend, but it will be up soon. So, definitely stick around for that.
Numero dos coming your way now: (my poorly developed español skills)

2. Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage, December 19)


My favorite actor + my favorite actress = need I say more? Reason #1 why I'm ridiculously pumped! Back in March 2007, when this project was first announced, needless to say, I literally had a heart attack. To be perfectly honest, I was one of the many people that thought they would never star in a film together again, despite their close friendship and similar careers/acting styles. Well, we were all wrong, but rightly so. OK, whatever.
If you haven't figured it out yet, this is Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's first collaboration since 1997's megahit Titanic (which happens to be one of my many favorite films), and hopefully the film that earns them both their richly deserved Academy Awards. (Wishful thinking...) As of now, they have a combined total of eight nominations and zero wins. That's right, nada. (Don't get me started on that.)
Anyway, onto the film itself. Revolutionary Road, based on the acclaimed 1961 novel by Richard Yates, is directed by Kate's husband, Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty). Set in 1955, it is a tale of desolation and betrayal in suburbia and the struggle to achieve one's dreams and aspirations; "Distress in Suburbia", in a nutshell. Leo and Kate play Frank and April Wheeler, an ambitious young couple raising their two children in suburban Connecticut. Frank has a fruitless corporate job in New York, while April is an actress wannabe, forced to conform to 1950's society and become a homemaker. The film explores their deteriorating relationship as well as their constant conflict of "angst vs. conformity"; postwar disillusionment: you get the idea. RR also features Oscar winner Kathy Bates (Molly Brown in Titanic) as Mrs. Givings, the Wheelers' perky neighbor/real estate agent, Michael Shannon as her schizophrenic son John, and Zoe Kazan as Frank's secretary Maureen Grube. I'm not really going into specific plot details now, because it gets rather complicated.
I read (well, skimmed) the novel last summer, and while some parts were pretty dry and uneventful, most of it was intriguing and ultimately very haunting. I would definitely recommend it, especially because it helps to get a heads-up on the plot details before you see this film. The ending was particularly thought-provoking, and I'm anxious to see how it is portrayed onscreen by arguably two of the greatest actors of our generation.
All in all, this many layered story and brilliant cast/crew definitely equals major awards bait and excitement. I will be very surprised if this does not receive very many accolades. It has a lot in its favor: acclaimed director, notable cast, including two perennial nominees, and like Doubt, an extremely nuanced plot and intricately developed characters. It also depends on how well-written the screenplay is, but we'll have to wait and see how that turns out. But evidently, there's going to be a lot of focus on the nostalgia, a.k.a. the Leo-Kate reunion of sorts. Expect a lot of bashing from the DiCaprio/Winslet/Titanic haters. Nevertheless, if I'm still blogging by awards season, chances are you will probably hear much more about this film, because it truly deems a lot of attention. And of course, yours truly is ecstatic about it. Fin! (Felt like adding some français there to make up for my poor español, lol.)

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#3---Doubt

3. Doubt (Miramax, December 5)


Award-winning play...check. Stellar cast...check. The Most Nominated Actor in Oscar History...CHECK! These are three of the many reasons Doubt will be worth checking out this December. Of course, The Most Nominated Actor in Oscar History is none other than 14-time Academy Award nominee and 2-time winner Meryl Streep. Co-starring in this film are Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and Oscar nominee Amy Adams (Junebug).
The cast alone is enough to obsess over: Meryl, as we all know, is a living legend and one of my favorite people ever; Amy is divine in Enchanted (which I need to see!) and her small, but memorable performance in Catch Me If You Can (I have not seen Junebug, but I probably should...); and Philip is regarded as one of the most versatile actors working today.
Doubt is adapted from the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, written by John Patrick Shanley, who also directs the film. It takes place at a Catholic school in the Bronx circa 1964 and centers around the school's principal, Sister Aloysius, played by Meryl. The plot spins into motion when she suspects one of the teachers, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), might be abusing a young male student. (Questionable content, I know.) In the meantime, a novice nun, Sister James (Amy Adams), gets caught up in the intrigues of the scandal. She is not convinced there is enough evidence to prove that Father Flynn did in fact commit these crimes. Sister Aloysius, determined to find out the truth, decides she has to confront the student's mother (Viola Davis). I don't know about you, but this plot sounds uber-enigmatic = awesome; definitely a many-layered plot with lots of depth.
Embedded in the plot are various themes of religion, morals/values, and authority. Sister Aloysius is faced with a daunting challenge and needs to find the elusive truth in a crime that may or may not have actually happened. The play supposedly has many scenes of heated, quick-fire dialogue that I hope will be retained in the film. Great dialogue is always a plus.
Without a "doubt" (no pun intended...), Doubt basically screams awards. For starters, the plot is definitely the Academy's cup of tea, with its complex plot and nuanced characters. The play itself won both the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play, and the film is directed by the playwright. The aforementioned cast will probably pick up a ton of nominations as well, and perhaps wins. Meryl will be gunning for her third Oscar, and in the words of many people, she is overdue for this honor. (Well, she hasn't won in 25 years!) One thing that might be to her advantage: Cherry Jones, who played Sister Aloysius in the play, won the Best Actress Tony for this role. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams look like major contenders, and don't count out newcomer Viola Davis, who has a crucial role as the student's mother.
Once again, I must reiterate that it's way too early to speculate these awards, and plus I'm not really a fanatic, so I'm not very astute at keeping tabs on awards until they actually come. Bottom line: 2008 looks to be an uber-strong year for movies, so expect a lot of competition during awards season. Because of this, I'm greatly awaiting this year's awards contenders. Certainly keep an eye out for Doubt among them.

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#4---The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

A little reminder: please provide your thoughts, criticisms, and feedback! Take a minute and leave a comment! Thanks for reading...
I could post some political news/critiques, but I want to finish this countdown first. Politics and current events are more of my thing. I might also post my review of The Secret Life of Bees as soon as I finish reading it and write the review. Definitely not going to post much about my screwed-up life, because the point of this blog is: my life is mundane! Therefore, I rant about things not part of my life in particular, basically anything else I can think of. But whatever.
Continuing the countdown...

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount, December 19)


Looking at the two pictures above, one of them is Brad Pitt as the title character Benjamin Button at age 40-ish; the other (with the help of prosthetics and a fat suit, of course) is him at age 60-ish. Both are scenes from the upcoming film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's splendid short story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, directed by David Fincher, who last directed Brad in 1999's Fight Club.
First, a little note about the short story. It's short and sweet: only about 40 pages, and tells a simple, but bizarre story about a man who is 80 years old at birth and dies as an infant. Basically, he's aging backwards. You're probably thinking, this is going to be uber-weird. And yes, weird is definitely the correct way to describe the plot. Not much else occurs in the story besides Fitzgerald describing the many challenges Benjamin faces because of his peculiar condition: ridicule, confusion, and at one point, being around the same age as his father. There are very few other characters and subplots in the story.
Because of this, the film will most likely take many liberties with the short story and add in way more characters and plot events. One of these characters is Daisy (a ridiculously pale, but still awesome Cate Blanchett), the love of Benjamin's life. Obviously the challenge is when Daisy ages normally, Benjamin is getting younger. Very problematic indeed.
I'm not too sure what else has been added, but I know the screenplay is probably floating around somewhere online, so check it out if you would like. The fanatics on IMDb Oscar Buzz probably know where to find it. Figures. I do know that this year's Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress, Tilda Swinton, also has a supporting role in this film, more supporting than Cate's, I think. She plays Elizabeth Abbott, but like I said before, I don't really know what her character does and her relationship to Benjamin. We'll just have to see!
In terms of awards, clearly there are mixed opinions, according to some of the Oscar discussion sites I have gone to. Some say this film will do well with its fine cast, great source material, and respected director. But, others are skeptical because none of David Fincher's films have ever received major awards buzz. Also, the plot might be too bizarre, and Brad Pitt is not the most consistent actor and not a frequent nominee. (According to IMDb, he has only received one previous nomination, for 1995's Twelve Monkeys.) But enough prognosticating, speculating, guessing, etc.! Let's just wait and see...

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#5---Brideshead Revisited

#5 on my countdown of Top 5 Most Anticipated Movies of 2008!

5. Brideshead Revisited (Miramax, July 25)
Trailer:


Directed by Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane), Brideshead Revisited is a story of one man's dream and the woman destined to stop it from coming true. The main character, Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode), is stationed at the lavish estate of Brideshead during World War II. He remembers the time he spent there earlier in his life, when his friend Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw) resided here with his affluent family. The main portion of the story is told in flashback, describing what occurred when he first visited Brideshead with Sebastian.
Almost immediately after arriving, Brideshead surprises and fascinates Charles. He meets the rest of Sebastian's family, and soon, he becomes romantically attracted to Sebastian's sister, Julia (Hayley Atwell).
Meanwhile, Lady Marchmain (the uber-cool Emma Thompson, one of my favorite actresses!), the powerful matriarch of the family, keeps a close eye on everything occurring and strict control of anything at Brideshead. At first, she is very inviting and eagerly welcomes Charles. But eventually, she realizes he spends much of his time at their estate with her children. She feels this is rather odd and unacceptable, so she plots a plan to get rid of him. According to the novel synopsis, she dislikes Charles because he is not religious. (The Flytes are strict, traditional Catholics.) She quickly becomes aware of Charles' close relationships with both of her children: a solid friendship with Sebastian, and an intimate romance with Julia. Gradually, Lady Marchmain's plot to foil Charles' ambitions(not too sure what they are) unravels with explosive consequences. (I think...not positive about what happens afterwards. Guess we'll have to see it in the film!)
I must say the trailer is very convincing. It really draws the viewer in and tells a sufficient synopsis to excite and make us eager to find out what happens next, as a trailer should do. However, I disagree with its choice of music; it doesn't really fit the film, specifically since it is a period drama. The plot seems very interesting and the characters very distinct. Emma seems kinda sorta badass, in an Emma way. =D
Brideshead Revisited is the first of this year's many literary adaptations. The original novel, written by British author Evelyn Waugh, was published in 1945. It was adapted into a BBC miniseries in 1981, but this is the first silver screen version. In conclusion, this seems like an exciting film, with some newcomers and the uber-cool, uber-classy Emma Thompson. I'm hoping this is Emma's minor comeback; perhaps she might receive an Oscar nod for Supporting Actress, considering the fact that many people think she was snubbed for Love Actually and Stranger than Fiction, both of which were great performances. Anyway, we will have to see come awards season. For now, I leave you with the lovely poster.

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