Up – We Are Movie Geeks

WAMG Salutes Director Russ Meyer – Here Are His Ten Best Films

” For I am Superwoman, and you have spurned her!”

Russell Albion “Russ” Meyer was born in California in 1922 and spent WWII as a combat photographer. In 1953 Playboy magazine debuted and Meyer was one of its first centerfold photographers. Meyer had a knack, and a passion, for photographing gorgeous, busty women and felt that the gals in the nudist camp movies that were popular in the ’50s were far too plain-looking for his tastes. In 1959, Meyer scraped together $24,000 and made THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS, a quaint, colorful, and cartoonish movie about a nerdy fellow whose life is constantly interrupted by beautiful large-breasted women in various stages of undress. There was no sex in Meyer’s film and he made no pretense of presenting nudity as a lifestyle choice, as did the nudist camp movies. It was a simple and honest film about voyeurism and the display of the unclothed female form. THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS was a huge hit, the genre known as the nudie-cutie was born, and for the next twenty years, Russ Meyer was known as the “King of the Nudies”.

Russ Meyer was a true American film artist who wrote, directed, edited, photographed and distributed all his own films. He financed each new film from the proceeds of the earlier ones, and became a wealthy man in the process. A Russ Meyer film is instantly recognizable – superior production values, rhythmic editing and wide-angle shots leering up at the impossibly top-heavy actresses that populated his films. Meyer spent a lot of time at The Body Shop, a famous Sunset Boulevard strip club where he discovered many of these bra-busting starlets. After achieving success with more ‘Nudie Cuties’ such as EVE AND THE HANDYMAN (1960 which starred his wife Eve Meyer), and WILD GALS OF THE NAKED WEST (1961), Meyer embarked on a more ambitious phase in his career with quartet of black-and-white films that combined his love of female anatomy with potboiling melodrama. LORNA (1964) and MUDHONEY(1965) were Erskine Caldwell-inspired backwoods morality tales while MOTORPSYCHO and FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL! (both 1965) were violent desert gothics. All four are bold and energetic films that were way ahead of their time on many levels and have aged well but these actually contained less much nudity than his earlier color films and were not box-office successes.

His next film, MONDO TOPLESS was a hit in 1966 but Russ Meyer’s first real blockbuster was VIXEN in 1968, after which he was hired to make studio films by 20th-Century Fox. The first of these, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1970 with a screenplay by Roger Ebert) was a smash but after the failure of the second, THE SEVEN MINUTES (1971), Meyer went back to independent filmmaking. BLACK SNAKE (1973), SUPER VIXENS (1975), UP (1976) and BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRA-VIXENS (1979) completed his filmography.

Meyer owned all of his films (except the two for Fox) and in the 1980’s, his video label, Russ Meyer Enterprises, released them on VHS and sold them for $60.00 each. Even by the late 1990’s, when most videos had come down to the 10-20 dollar range, Meyer stubbornly insisted on his $60.00 price tag. His tapes were in red clamshell boxes that all said Russ Meyer’s Bosomania across the top. On the back of the video box was the phone number of Russ Meyer Enterprises if you wanted to buy more tapes. For years, Russ Meyer himself would answer the phone if you dialed that number! I never called it myself (I wish I had) but I’ve been told stories by friends who did that Meyer was always ornery and cranky, refusing to offer bulk discounts or even combine shipping costs. By 2000, Meyer had developed alzheimers and suffered from severe dementia, but was still answering that phone! Today, Meyer’s estate runs things and is known as RM Films International (www.russmeyer.com). They still sell his films on VHS (!), though they’ve finally come down to $40.00 a pop and most of Russ Meyer films are available on DVD for the same price. In September of 2004 Russ Meyer, King Leer himself, died of pneumonia at age 82. His tombstone reads: “RUSS MEYER, King of The Nudies – I Was Glad to Do It!”. Russ Meyer directed 25 films between 1959 and 1979 and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best.

10. THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS (1959)

THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS, Russ Meyer’s first foray into adult entertainment, was a big deal and a big hit in 1959. Mr. Teas (Meyer’s army buddy Bill Teas) is a dirty-minded voyeur, a dental parts salesman who can’t help but notice the curvy women in his office, at the bar and at the beach, and imagines them nude, picturing them in suggesting poses. MR. TEAS was filmed without live sound, just the hilariously bombastic narration that would become a Meyer trademark. Risque for its time, THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS seems so innocent today and it’s hard to believe there was once an entire industry based around a few mild shots of topless women, but of course Russ Meyer was a pioneer of these so-called ‘Nudie-Cuties’ and would go on to make the similar WILD GALS OF THE NAKED WEST and EVE AND THE HANDYMAN. One moment, when Meyer cuts from a fruit stand full of melons to a headless shot of the ample chest of popular British nude model June ‘The Bosom’ Wilkinson, is a nod to Meyer’s subsequent jokey directorial style and well-documented preoccupation with top-heavy women. Watch for Meyer himself in a cameo as a burlesque club patron

9. UP! (1976)

Meyer’s 1976 comedy thriller UP was was co-written by Roger Ebert and contains Nazis, lesbianism, rape, buggery, a backwoods sheriff, piranha, kinky sex—and that’s just the first 10 minutes! The gorgeous Raven Delacroix stars as the wonderfully named Margo Winchester, one of Meyer’s strongest female characters. Constantly victimized by most men, yet refusing to play the victim, spitting out her lines in a Mae West-type drawl, Delacroix and her bountiful figure totally steal the movie. Totally nude and usually running around outdoors for most of the film, Delacroix is incredibly sexy and funny as Margo. Meyer’s usual quick editing style is on display, with lots of shots of feet walking and running, plus lots of outdoor sex. The plot veers wildly from outrageous laughs to explosive violence, and contains riffs on PSYCHO, TEXAS CHAINSAW, ALICE’S RESTAURANT, CITIZEN KANE (!) and others. And just in case you don’t quite get all the plot details, we have the added bonus of Kitten Natividad as our onscreen narrator—totally nude, of course—to fill in the blanks. Also look for B-movie regular Janet Wood (ANGELS HARD AS THEY COME, CENTERFOLD GIRLS) as Alice.

8. CHERRY, HARRY, AND RAQUEL (1969)

In CHERRY, HARRY, AND RAQUEL Charles Napier plays Harry, the Sheriff of a Arizona border town who traffics narcotics for an old, rich pervert named Mr. Franklin and gets involved in mayhem and murder. While trying his best to ignore his crime fighting duties Harry beds down with two very interesting young ladies, the British nurse he lives with, Cherry (Linda Ashton) and the blonde hooker who also works for Mr. Franklin, Raquel (Larissa Ely). Since this is Meyer’s fantasy, the two women know all about each other and do not mind sharing Harry. In fact, they have their own plans to “get together soon”. This was the first of Meyer’s colorful and violent sex cartoons that set his rapid fire editing style for the remainder of his output, a style that arose out of necessity when the original negative for half of CHERRY, HARRY, AND RAQUEL was lost by the film lab. Meyer had to mostly reconstruct from outtakes and some hastily-shot padding consisting of the jaw-dropping Uschi Digard, a Swedish goddess of exquisite 44DDD-26-35 proportions, frolicking, dancing, and posing in the desert wearing nothing but an American Indian headdress. Charles Napier was one of the few Russ Meyer leading men to graduate to roles in mainstream films (he was a Jonathan Demme regular) and he brings just the right amount of over-the-top square-jawed masculinity to counterbalance the massive bosoms of his female co-stars. Napier and Ms Digard returned five years later for Meyer’s SUPER VIXEN.

7. MUDHONEY (1965)

Prior to his grand opus FASTER PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! Russ Meyer filmed another black and white melodrama, this time exploring the Southern gothic world of Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. MUDHONEY concerns the tawdry town of Spooner, Missouri around the time of the Depression and Prohibition ( the exact setting year is pretty vague ). Hero Calif McKinney is out to find work on his way West, when he becomes embroiled in the town’s many scandals. Meyer’s other main influence here besides the mentioned authors is Al Capps’s classic comic strip ” Li’l Abner “. Now, Spooner one ups Dogpatch USA in that they have three Daisy Maes ( rustic blonde bombshells ). There’s lonely mistreated wife Hannah, voracious partygirl Clara Belle ( played by Meyer star Lorna Maitland ), and mute , not-too-innocent Eula ( we first see her cuddling a kitten! ). But the film does feature a buxom brunette, the tragic Sister Hansen. Meyer mainstays Mickey Foxx, Stuart Lancaster, and the grinning, toothless Princess Livingston support the hero, the ladies, and a very vile villain, Sidney Brenshaw ( love his white suit and big, floppy Panama hat! ). Culminating, of course, with an angry lynch mob, MUDHONEY is one of Russ Meyer’s little seen, early exploitation gems.

6. BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRA VIXENS (1979)

What began as a showcase for a new screen celebrity became the final fiction film for the fantastic Russ Meyer. While many site animation director Chuck Jones as an influence for his desert epic SUPERVIXENS, here Meyer is steering more towards Tex Avery and Frank Tashlin especially in the slapstick comedy gag sequences and rat-a-tat editing. Also this film established Kitten Natividad as a Meyer movie icon with not one, but two roles. After a strange deviant scene involving a buxom blonde, a sheet, a coffin, and, could it be… Martin Boorman (!), we zip to the trailer park home of Lamar Shedd. Seems his preferred lovemaking method just doesn’t, er..uh, sit well with the ladies. Particularly his wife Lavonia ( Natividad ), who seeks pleasure from the burly trucker Mr. Peterbuilt ( look out for that hot, lamp bulb….YEOOWW! ). Later on she dons a wig and Spanish accent to become stripper supreme Lola Langusta. Meanwhile, a lonely radio shack broadcasts the non-stop sermons of Eufaula Roop ( buxom Ann Marie ), while a raspy-voiced, Humphrey Bogart sounding narrator helps guide us along ( his identity is revealed in the final moments ). BENEATH may be the ultimate live-action adults-only cartoon and an entertaining finale for one of the movie’s most unusual visionaries

5. MONDO TOPLESS (1966)

MONDO TOPLESS (1966) is Russ Meyer’s send up of the swinging ’60s, a pseudo-documentary portrait of San Francisco, and most of all, a tribute to Meyer’s favorite subject.The 61-minute sort-of-documentary is sparse, even by Russ Meyer standards – just a rock soundtrack by The Aladdins accompanied by an overexuberant announcer who provides double entendre narration as stacked women dance about. With MONDO TOPLESS Russ Meyer abandoned all traces of plot. The movie is about one thing alone: Wall-to-wall bosoms. You see breasts indoors, outdoors, in cars, and underwater. You see breasts gyrating, jiggling, bouncing, and flopping around. You see breasts covered in water, whipped cream and mud. If breasts are your thing you’ll no doubt find MONDO TOPLESS a certain type of spiritual nirvana. Pat Barringer shakes it topless at atop a telephone tower, in a swimming pool, and in the desert. Darlene Grey hops into a muddy lake. Lorna Maitland writhes in the desert. Sin Linee dashes naked through the woods and does a berserk go-go routinein an abandoned. Diane Young, a tiny pigtailed busty blonde boogies down on a beach, shimmying to the music while holding her reel-to-reel tape deck! Cut back to Bouncy Babette Bardot as she hoofs it topless some more, this time on a railroad track as a train roars past her. If there’s a star in MONDO TOPLESS it’s the amazing Ms Bardot. In his book Big Bosoms and Square Jaws Russ Meyer biographer Jimmy McDonough decribed Bardot as having “a body so ripe flies might be interested”. As crazy as it sounds, MONDO TOPLESS overflows with aggressive energy and is one of Meyer’s very best films.

4. VIXEN! (1968)

Erica Gavin royally chews up the scenery—and everything else– in VIXEN (1969), Meyer’s ode to supreme bitchiness. Gavin is the Vixen (yes, that’s her name) of the title, a nymphomaniacal, racist, and downright nasty-tempered woman who is stuck in the Canadian outback with her loyal but somewhat dim husband and his charter flying business. Looking for kicks at any and every opportunity, Vixen seduces just about every other character in the film—including the wife of a client, a Canadian Mountie (I guess they always get their woman, too), and her own brother! There is a subtext of racial prejudice in the film, and the latter half of the movie bogs down somewhat with lots of debate amid racial slurs, all in the name of social justice. However, the movie is most fun when watching Vixen do her thing and have her way with anyone she chooses, all the way to a happy ending. A few years later Gavin played essentially the same role in ERIKA’S HOT SUMMER, but without Meyer’s dramatic flair, and of course returned for a more tragic role in Meyers’ classic BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Like many of Meyer’s actresses, Gavin’s onscreen beauty and persona seemed to blossom fully under his direction, though she did a wonderful turn in Jonathan Demme’s CAGED HEAT , sadly, her final film to date.

3. BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1970)

In the late 1960’s the major Hollywood studios faced a crisis. How could they produce films that would get young audiences back in the movie theatres? 20th Century Fox had noticed the big box office generated by Russ Meyer and signed him up. Talk about giving the keys to the inmates. The house that Zanuck built probably had no inkling that he would turn out this bizarro look at the counter-culture. The plot ( there is a bit of one ) follows the rags to riches, rise and fall of an all girl rock band called the Carrie Nations. Meyer brought aboard two of his film veterans, square-jawed Charles Napier and VIXEN Erica Gavin along with his missus, Amazonian bombshell Edy Williams playing adult film star Ashley St. Ives who spouts one of the film’s most hilarious pick-up lines, ” You’re a groovy boy. I’d like to strap you on sometime”. Speaking of lines, the screenplay is credited to Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Roger Ebert. This helps make the films final moments, a violent Manson-like blood bath at the beach home of record producer Z-Man ( one of cinema’s strangest villains ) surprising. Is the same stodgy ole’ Uncle Rog that was so appalled at the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD? At least before the mayhem we get a tender lovemaking scene between two women dressed as Batman and Robin ( wonder if West and Ward had actually donned these suits since this was shot at the same studio ). Well to quote Z-Man ( as Austin Powers repeated several decades later ), ” This is my happening and it freaks me out! “

2. SUPERVIXENS (1975)

Regarded by many as the crowning achievement in the Russ Meyer canon, SUPERVIXENS (1975) certainly deserves its reputation. All the usual Meyer touches are on display—the rapid editing, bosomy actresses, extreme violence, etc. What sets SUPERVIXENS apart is the audacious unpredictability of the plot, told in the most surrealistic style of any of Meyer’s films. Always one to constantly whiplash his audience back and forth between uproarious comedy and explosive action, here Meyer’s sense of absurdity reaches new heights. In perhaps no other Meyer film—even FASTER PUSSYCAT—do we literally not know what will happen from one minute to the next. This accomplishment is aided by two outstanding performances. As the sadistic lawman Harry Sledge, veteran character actor Charles Napier gives the performance of his life. Napier played many villains in his long career, but none with more gusto than Sledge, and had featured roles in everything from the original STAR TREK to AUSTIN POWERS, plus several other Meyer pictures. Meyer’s ace in the hole, however, was former model Shari Eubank, who plays the dual roles of the title. Mixing sweet and innocent with mean and deadly, Eubank is mesmerizing from start to finish. Unfortunately for film fans, the talented Eubank made only one other film (the forgettable CHESTY ANDERSON USN) before quitting the movies.

1. FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL! (1965)

Opening with a narrator intoning “Ladies and gentlemen – welcome to violence!”, FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL! tells the sordid tale of a trio of bisexual amazon go-go girls on a neck-breaking crime spree in the Californian desert. This politically incorrect, black-and-white desert Gothic melodrama was made as a quickie for the Southern states’ undemanding drive-in market in 1965 but over the years has developed into one of the most beloved cult films of all and is the crown jewel of Meyer’s career. John Waters called it “The best movie ever made, and possibly better than any movie that will ever be made.” FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL! is a prime example of female empowerment. The pussycats consistently dominate the male characters, showing them up as wimps, dolts, or both. Tura Satana’s Varla, the scary-yet-desirable dominatrix with her black stretch jumpsuit, leather boots and gloves, who wears her troweled-on mascara proudly across her evil eyes is one of the great villains in movie history. The director’s audacious sense of eroticism (though there’s no actual nudity), comic timing, and social satire is off the charts in FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL!, everyone’s favorite Russ Meyer movie.

The Top 21 Movies of the 21st Century……So Far!

It’s one thing to come up with a list of the best movies in any given year, but the best movies of a century that’s just in its 16^th year? We Are Movie Geeks polled a group of 30 carefully-selected (and mostly St. Louis-based) movie critics, movie bloggers, movie academics, movie promoters, and just plain old movie fans and asked for a list, in order of preference, of their Top Ten Favorite Films so far this century. Somewhere among the endless superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels, some really great movies have come out in the last 16 years. And some of them were indeed superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels! The 21^st century has another 84 years to go, and there’s no doubt that these choices will change as the years go by, but since it’s doubtful any of those polled will be around when the century ends (unless Stephen Tronicek – born in 1999 – makes it to 101), we might as well do this now. To come up with our top 21, a super-scientific algorithm was generated….just kidding! We simply scored each movie based on its rank in any given list. If a movie was #1 on any list, it received 10 points, #2 received 9 points, and so on (a movie ranked #10 received 1 point – get it?). Of course, all of these lists are highly subjective and some favorite titles will be omitted, so prepare to argue with the selections of these 30 film buffs (and yes, we’re naming names!).

HERE ARE THE RESULTS!:

21. GLADIATOR (2000 – Ridley Scott)

20. UP (2009 – Pete Docter)

19. THE LEGO MOVIE (2014 – Phil Lord)

18. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007 – The Coen Brothers)

17. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013 – Steve McQueen)

16. THE REVENENT (2015 – Alejandro Innaritu)

15. INSIDE OUT (2015 – Pete Docter)

14. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOLESS MIND (2004 – Michel Gondry)

13. O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (2000 – The Coen Brothers)

12. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009 – Quentin Tarantino)

11. THE AVIATOR (2004 – Martin Scorsese)

10. SYNECEDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008 – Charlie Kaufmann)

9. MEMENTO (2000 – Christopher Nolan)

8. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001 – Wes Anderson)

7. BOYHOOD (2014 – Richard Linklater)

6. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (2003 – Peter Jackson)

5. THE DEPARTED (2006 – Martin Scorsese)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (2015 – George Miller)

3. PAN’S LABYRINTH (2006 – Guillermo Del Toro)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007 – Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001 – David Lynch)

Directors Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers each had two films on this list, as did writer Charlie Kaufman and Pixar director Pete Docter. Nothing from beloved directors Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Darren Aronofsky, Woody Allen, Cameron Crowe, Alexander Payne or David Fincher, but the all of them were well-represented on the individual lists, all of which are presented here:

Tom Stockman (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE AMERICAN (Anton Corbijn)

9. BLUE JASMINE (Woody Allen)

8. GRAN TORINO (Clint Eastwood)

7. THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (Rob Zombie)

6. CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles)

5. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)

4. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

3. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. LIFE OF PI (Ang Lee)

1. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

Andrew Wyatt (St. Louis Magazine, Gateway Cinephile)

10. UNDER THE SKIN (Jonathan Glazer)

9. THE TURIN HORSE (Bela Tarr)

8. OF TIME AND THE CITY (Terence Davies)

7. ZODIAC (David Fincher)

6. CERTIFIED COPY (Abbas Klarostami)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

3. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

1. CACHE (Michael Hanake)

Stephen Tronicek (FilmAnalyst)

10, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

9. BIRDMAN (Alejandro Innaritu)

8. CLOUD ATLAS (Tom Twyker, The Wachowski Brothers)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. A SERIOUS MAN (the Coen Brothers)

5. INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn)

4. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

3. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

2. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

Dana Jung

10. SIN CITY (Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller)

9. THIS IS THE END (Evan Goldberg)

8. AVATAR (James Cameron)

7. DISTRICT 9 (Neill Blomkamp)

6. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

5. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

2. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miler)

1. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

Mathew DeKinder (Suburban Journals of St. Louis)

10. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

9. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

8. MAD MAX FURY ROAD ROAD (George Miller)

7. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

6. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

5. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (Quentin Tarantino)

4. ANCHORMAN (Adam McKay)

3. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

Jim Batts (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (Judd Apatow)

7. CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER (Joe Johnston)

6. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

5. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

4. GHOST WORLD (terry Zwigoff)

3. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

Lynn Venhaus ( Belleville News-Democrat, Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. NEBRASKA (Alexander Payne)

8. 28 DAYS LATER… (Danny Boyle)

7. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

4. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher)

2. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

Kent Tentschert (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. THE DESCENDANTS (Alexander Payne)

9. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

8. BIUTIFUL (Alejandro Innaritu)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. THE READER (Stephen Daldry)

5. NIGHTCRAWLER (Dan Gilroy)

4. INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan)

3. THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan)

2. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

1. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

Rob Garica (HEC-TV)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. OVERNIGHT (Tony Montana)

8. BAMBOOZLED (Spike Lee)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MAN (The Coen Bothers)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. CITY OF GOD (Fernanso Meirelles)

4. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

3. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

Sam Smucker

10. WINTER SLEEP (Nuri Ceylan)

9. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Kar Wai Wong)

8. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

7. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

6. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR (Abdellatif Kechiche)

5. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

4. THE LOOK OF SILENCE (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. THE PAST (Asghar Farhadi)

2. SILENT LIGHT (Carlos Reygadas)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

Robert Hunt (The Riverfront Times)

10. AMERICAN SNIPER (Clint Eastwood)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guilermo del Toro)

8. THE TRIP (Michael Winterbottom)

7. SITA SINGS THE BLUES (Nina Paley)

6. NOTRE MUSIQUE (Jean-Luc Godard)

5. 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai)

4. WHAT TIME IS IT THERE? (Ming-Liang Tsai)

3. I’M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes)

2. WENDY AND LUCY (Kelly Reichardt)

1. CARLOS (Oliver Assayas)

Sam Moffitt

10. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

9. WHIP IT! (Drew Barrymore)

8. THE BABADOOK (Jennifer Kent)

7. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

6. SLITHER (James Gunn)

5. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

4. BLACK SNAKE MOAN (Craig Brewer)

3. MOON (Duncan Jones)

2. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

Michael Haffner (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

8. IN BRUGES (Martin McDonagh)

7. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sophia Coppola)

6. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

5. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

3. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Renee Hirshfield (Webster University, Southwestern Illinois College)

10. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

9. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

7. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

6. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

5. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

4. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (Andrew Jarecki)

3. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

1. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

Sarah Hirshfield (Mount Holyoke College)

10. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller)

9. ELEPHANT (Gus Van Sandt)

8. SNOWPIERCER (Bong Joon Ho)

7. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Ana Lily Amirpour)

6. 4 MONTHS 2 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS (Cristian Mungiu)

5. SUPER 8 (J.J. Abrams)

4. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

3. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Davis Fincher)

Kathy Kaiser (Matinee Chat)

10. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

9. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

8. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

7. IRON MAN (John Favreau)

6. CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis)

5. THE IMITATION GAME (Morten Tyldum)

4. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

3. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

2. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

Melissa Thompson (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. BILLY ELLIOT (Stephen Daldry)

9. A MIGHTY WIND (Christopher Guest)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. HAIRSPRAY (Adam Shankman)

6. ELF (John Favreau)

5. SPIRITED AWAY (Hayao Miyazaki)

4. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

2. MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann)

1. LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

Pete Timmerman (Webster University)

10. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

9. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

8. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

7. PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuaron)

5. TROPICAL MALADY (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

4. THE ACT OF KILLING (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. DOGTOOTH (Yorgos Lanthimos)

2. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (Don Hertzfeldt)

2. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Wong Kar Wai)

Michelle McCue (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. GRAVITY (Alfonso Cuaron)

9. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

8. AN EDUCATION (Lone Scherfig)

7. THE LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

6. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

5. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

4. THE LORD OF THE RINGS FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Peter Jackson)

3. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola)

2. MOON (Duncan Jones)

1. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

Tim Venhaus

10. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

9. SUPERBAD (Greg Mottola)

8. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

7. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

6. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

5. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain)

4. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

3. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUM’S (Wes Anderson)

1. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

Travis Keune (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

8. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

7. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

6. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

5. THE WRESTLER (Darren Aronofsky)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

3. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Cate Marquis (We Are Movie Geeks, The Jewish Light)

10. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

9. A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

7. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

6. THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski)

5. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

4. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

3. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

1. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

Matt Myers (Allied Advertising)

10. LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson)

9. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

6. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

5. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

4. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

3. AMÉLIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

2. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

Max Foizey (ZekeFilm)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU (The Coen Brothers)

8. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

7. ATONEMENT (Joe Wright)

6. UP (Pete Docter)

5. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

4. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

3. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

Sandy Olmsted

10. THE FAIRY ( Dominique Abel)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. PARANORMAN (Chris Butler)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

5. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ( Jonathan Dayton)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler)

2. HOCOLAT (Lasse Hallström)

1. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

Carl Middleman (KFTK – 97.1FM)

10. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

9. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

8. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

7. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

6. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

5. UP (Pete Docter)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (The Coen Brothers)

3. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

2. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

Jim Tudor (ZekeFilm, ScreenAnarchy)

10. BUBBA HO-TEP (Don Coscarelli)

9. HOLY MOTORS (Leos Carax)

8. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

7. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

6. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

5. HER (Spike Jonze)

4. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

3. STAR WARS EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (George Lucas)

2. TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)

1. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

Dane Marti

10. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

9. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

8. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

7. MINORITY REPORT (Steven Spielberg)

6. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Iñárritu)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg)

3. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

2. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Ian McDonald (Allied Advertising)

10.THE LIFE AQUATIC (Wes Anderson)

9. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

8. CABIN IN THE WOODS (Drew Goddard)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro)

6. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

5. HOT FUZZ (Edgar Wright)

4. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

THE HURT LOCKER, UP and THE COVE Win PGA Awards

In a shocking surprise to this humdrum awards season, THE HURT LOCKER was voted by the producers as Best Feature over the behemoth and assumed winner AVATAR. Such a thrilling, huge victory for Kathryn Bigelow and her team, to say the least. This, along with Saturday’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS SAG win, now blows the Oscar race wide open. In the last 20 years, the winner of the PGA Award has gone on to win Best Picture 13 times. Thank the maker, we have a real Best Picture race at last.

Greg Kinnear kicked off the 21st Annual Producer Guild of America Awards on Sunday night at the Hollywood Palladium. For the first time, the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures had a playing field of 10 picture nominees this year. Other categories were the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures, the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures, and various television awards as well.

Winner of the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures – THE HURT LOCKER, Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicholas Chartier and Greg Shapiro

Winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures – UP, Producer: Jonas Rivera

The winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures – The COVE, Producers: Paula DuPre Pesmen, Fisher Stevens

In a TOY STORY reunion of sorts, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks presented the PGA Selznick Award to John Lasseter. Dr. Horrible and Neil Patrick Harris presented the Vanguard Award to Joss Whedon. Mo’Nique presented The Stanley Kramer Award to PRECIOUS producers Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel Magness and Gary Magness. Will Smith presented The PGA Milestone Award to Sony’s Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton.

Source: Producers Guild of America

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Kirk’s Top 10 of 2009

2009, for any number of reasons, was a long year. It had its definite ups and its definite yada-yada-yada. I’m not worried about that last part right now. I’m more concerning myself with the happier times, the times I left the theater thinking to myself, “My God, this is why I love doing what I do. This is the reason I love movies, and I cannot wait until the moment I have this invigorating feeling yet again.” All of these movies gave me that feeling, some of them more than just once. Here are my choices for the top 10 movies (my favorite or what I consider the best, take your pick) of 2009.

10. THE HANGOVER

When I left the theater the first time seeing THE HANGOVER, I knew I had just watched a very funny movie, a great comedy that made me laugh more and harder than any film I had seen in years. What didn’t occur to me until I viewed the film a second time is just how nuanced and successful it is as a film. The relationships between the characters are superb, and the dynamic of the group as a whole is what makes just about every aspect of the film work wonderfully. Here are four guys, three goofballs of varying degrees and one straight man, the glue, if you will, who holds it all down to some kind of socially acceptable level. Now take the straight man out and force the other three to find him. It’s such a basic idea, and one that writers Jon Lucas & Scott Moore and director Todd Phillips execute with stunning clarity. Besides, any film that features Mike Tyson air drumming to Phil Collins can never be bad in my book.

SCOTT’S FULL REVIEW

9. DISTRICT 9

If you were not sold that DISTRICT 9 was going to be something not to miss when you heard Peter Jackson had taken it and writer/director Neill Blomkamp under his wing, you had to have been when you saw that first teaser. Just that awe-inspiring (and it inspired awe in me a great deal) first shot of the teaser when you saw the ship hovering above Johannesburg was selling point enough. We knew we were in for an exciting thrill ride. What we weren’t expecting was one of the most enjoyable and unforgettable action films to come along in ages. Blomkamp’s film has so much more going on under the surface of the surface-level and highly bloody action. 2009 was a stellar year for sci-fi, and DISTRICT 9 was just a very important part of that. Blomkamp and star Sharlto Copley are going to take off huge in the coming years, but it is going to be extremely difficult for either of them to top the work they put into this film.

MY FULL REVIEW

8. THE COVE

Before seeing THE COVE, all I knew was that it was about a dolphin massacre in Japan and that some considered it a horror film in the truest sense of the word. What I didn’t realize until I sat down to watch the film was just how moving and incredibly executed an informative story it turned out to be. Director Louie Psihoyos is not a film director by choice. He is an activist, and his passion for what he does is seeped into every frame of this film. It touches on so many aspects of the central story, renown dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry and his crusade to make aware the brutality going on Taiji, Japan. The film is so heart wrenching, particularly the final 10-15 minutes, which some animal lovers may not even be able to stomach. Eye-opening, moving and even quite suspenseful in some places, THE COVE is a film that effortlessly succeeds in the areas every documentary should be aiming.

7. A SERIOUS MAN

I have to be honest, I was not a huge fan of Joel & Ethan Coen’s follow-up to NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. I felt BURN AFTER READING was comical in places, very stupid in others, and an outright let-down in even more. With A SERIOUS MAN, they craft a thinking man’s comedy, one that has so much going on just under the surface and hands you very little in the area of tangible narrative. It is a film that digs deep into the nature of theology, of the eternal questions that make up the universe and the overlying equation that holds us all together. We aren’t supposed to know the answers. We aren’t supposed to figure things out. Just when we think we have some sort of grasp on what the universe is going to throw our way next, a tornado comes out of nowhere, and our world cuts to black. It’s the difference between knowing the answer and understanding the equation. The Coens get that, and that, among other things (the casting in this film is spot-on brilliance) is what makes A SERIOUS MAN such an amazing film.

TRAVIS’ FULL REVIEW

6. UP

Can we just accept the fact that, every year, without question, whatever film PIXAR has to offer will instantly go somewhere on the best of the year list? I’m sure others have grasped that concept long before I have. I was a naysayer. I remember hearing about UP and its premise, seeing the first trailer, and thinking it was going to be an ever-loving borefest. I love, love, love when I find myself wrong on that side of the coin upon seeing a film. UP is such a heart-warming picture, an adventure of the mind, the body, and the spirit that is made for anyone who has ever dreamed of something greater. I’ll give you a little hint about that. Everyone, at some point in their life, has had that dream. PIXAR knows this, and that is why they make such effortlessly brilliant films for everyone. An adventurous and moving piece of film making, UP is yet another grand success from a an animated studio who seems able to churn out brilliant story ideas like an assembly line.

MY FULL REVIEW

5. AWAY WE GO

I knew very little about this film going in, just that it was Sam Mendes, a director who I have been following like a loyal dog since 2002’s ROAD TO PERDITION graced before my eyes, and it starred Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski. Coming out the other side, I knew I had just seen the most uplifting and genuinely optimistic film I had seen all year. Most “feel good” films are saccharine beyond belief, so full of fake emotion and blithesome idiocy that their hold on the audience is never more than past the first knuckle. AWAY WE GO takes hold of you, charges you, and spits you out with an ear-to-ear grin across your face. It does it, too, without false promises, without the hammy movie magic that makes up most films that are considered heartfelt. It does it with three, simple things: heart, heart, and heart. The compatibility between Krasinski and Rudolph is astounding, and they embody characters who are the ultimate antithesis to Frank and April Wheeler, the couple in Mendes’ last film, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. AWAY WE GO is yet another clear-cut home run from a film maker who knows how to grasp his audience and simply make them feel. Whether that feeling is going to be cheerful or not is up to him, but, whatever he decides to do, he succeeds.

TRAVIS’ FULL REVIEW

4. FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Say what you want about the controversy surrounding how Wes Anderson handled the direction on FANTASTIC MR. FOX. What he has achieved here is a next level, in my opinion, in stop motion animation, beautifully crafted characters and environments that aid a truly hilarious screenplay. What’s more, FANTASTIC MR. FOX is a great film for the family, not a “family film.” It is, in no way, dumbed down to be more user friendly or acceptable for general audiences. If you don’t get the humor found in this film, then you simply don’t get it. Personally, I thought it was non-stop hilarity throughout, and the voice work by actors like George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, and Jason Schwartzman, in particular, is just one more element of FANTASTIC MR. FOX that makes it the best, cussing, animated movie of the year.

TRAVIS’ FULL REVIEW

3. MOON

If your personal tastes in movies run parallel to mine in any way, then you love it when an independently backed science fiction film is on the horizon. They have to rely more on story than the complex special effects that overburden even the simplest of narratives. Writer/director Duncan Jones’ MOON is one such film, an incredibly compelling and emotionally driven science fiction story that is aided in no small part by luxurious yet practical effects and a hauntingly staggering performance by Sam Rockwell. This is one film that benefits from going in blind. The less you know about it before viewing, the better, as every twist and turn Jones’ story takes is both conceivable and unanticipated. As confidently crafted a film as MOON is, you would not think that A) it is considered a low-budget film and B) it is Duncan Jones’ first attempt at feature film making. Be on the lookout for this man in the future, because, dare I say it, I feel we may have another Christopher Nolan on our hands.

MY FULL REVIEW

2. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

After watching, or should I say “experiencing”, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS for the first time, I couldn’t help but think I had just seen Quentin Tarantino’s best written film since PULP FICTION. Now, some months and a few more viewings of the film later, I am of the opinion that this could easily be the best film yet of an auteur who holds back on nothing. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is an outstanding film driven by both amazing dialog (as if there was any question of that) and visually stunning action. The scenes Tarantino crafts in his first endeavor into the genre of war are filled with so much suspense and anxious expectation that he often teases you with the notion that nothing may happen. He’s also a film maker who loves playing with his audience, and just as you are about to rest comfortably, all hell breaks loose. Without revealing too many spoilers for the film, I will say that, for a man who loves bending and breaking the rules of film making, I cannot imagine the look of glee on Tarantino’s face when it dawned on him to break the rules of history, as well. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is an amazing achievement in film craftsmanship from a writer/director who seems poised to top himself every time out of the gate.

SCOTT’S FULL REVIEW

1. 2012

Shit blowed up real good!

REAL #1. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

If there were 1000 words that all meant emotional and genuine, I would use each and every one of them here to describe (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, probably the most authentic and moving look at a relationship in years. Director Marc Webb, another first-time director, and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have created and executed a luring and eloquent tale of the real way we think back on past loves. We don’t remember them from beginning to end, from meeting to the final look upon one another. Past loves are remembered in fits and starts, happy times here and gloomier days there, and, sometimes, even the same moments are remembered differently depending on our own attitudes at the time. The film makers behind (500) DAYS OF SUMMER get this. They know that, somedays, you feel like dancing in the street, like everyone around you is dressed in the same shade that matches the eyes of the person you love. Other days, you feel like standing in your kitchen and unemotionally smashing every dish in your cupboard. What’s more, the performances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are flawless, and they are easily two of the best actors working today. Throw in a few, exquisite songs by Regina Spektor and one of the most revealing and realistically affecting scenes that compare real life to expectation, and you have not only my favorite film of the year, but, perhaps, one of the most amazing films about love I have ever seen.

MY FULL REVIEW

Also, check out this music video that is not found in the film, but serves as a brilliant companion to it:

UP For Your Consideration

I loved Pixar’s UP so much. It makes my heart warm to see that this film is campaigning for a spot in the ten Best Picture nominees for this year’s Academy Awards. Variety has the spread below in their daily edition, which has been scanned by the kind folks over at Awards Daily. I personally love the use of these two photos, the first being Carl running up the hill to Ellie, leading to the second where the two of them are pointing out cloud forms. Ah this film just warms my heart. Go ahead, call me a sap. Do it. The film is campaigning for the ambitious Best Picture category and of course, Best Animated Feature. Check out the full quality version over at Awards Daily!

Do you guys think UP will get nominated for Best Picture?

Box Office Battle: Ferrell Vs. Hangover

Despite the ‘Battle of the Smithsonian’ and the return to horror by Mr. Sam Raimi, nothing could top the box-office take of PIXAR’s biggest opener in five years. Not since 2004’s ‘The Incredibles’ has a PIXAR film opened at more than $65 million, and look for those numbers to hold pretty steady this coming weekend. It’s rather interesting to note that the top three films this weekend are likely to be rated PG, PG-13, and R in that order.

‘Up’ is definitely going to be number one again. Not even Will Ferrell in a Summer blockbuster can beat that. Ferrell has had some pretty big openings in his lifetime, but nothing has topped $47 million (‘Talladega Nights’), and ‘Land of the Lost’ isn’t likely to do so, either. Right around the low $30 million range is a good estimate for ‘Land of the Lost.’ If you are to compare the film to another in Ferrell’s filmography, the closest would have to be ‘Bewitched,’ which opened to just over $20 million in 2005. ‘Land of the Lost’ will do better than that. The fact that the trailers, despite the PG-13 rating, make it look more kid-friendly will help bump up its numbers a tad.

The real head-scratcher this weekend is ‘The Hangover,’ though. This film has been hyped for months and months, and the marketing behind it has been ingenious. Todd Phillips isn’t exactly an opener, though. His biggest opening was ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ but even that made just under $30 million in its opening weekend. That was with a PG-13 rating, to boot. ‘The Hangover’ has a lot going against it. It’s rated R. It really has no star appeal. The main thing it has going for it are the trailers, TV spots, and people who have seen it convincing others that not all of the funny parts are revealed in the previous two. It will have a nice weekend take, but it’s not going anywhere near $30.

Look for ‘Night at the Museum’ to hold onto the number 4 spot, and ‘Drag Me to Hell’ will probably just edge out ‘Terminator Salvation’ and ‘Star Trek’ to make the top 5.

Speaking of which, ‘Star Trek’ topped the $200 million mark, the first film of 2009 to do so, and it couldn’t have happened to a better film. It’s like the really nice and popular guy in high school who also ends up winning a college scholarship. You just can’t help but fell proud of it. ‘Terminator Salvation’ will more than likely hit the $100 million mark this weekend, but don’t look for it to have much stamina after that. It looks to make back about 2/3 of its $200-million budget worldwide. Not exactly a barn burner. That new, planned trilogy may not be happening after all.

Here’s the way I see the weekend breaking down:

Up – $40.4 million
The Land of the Lost – $30.5 million
The Hangover – $25.6 million
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian – $16.7 million
Drag Me to Hell – $7.9 million

Shoot us your numbers in the comment section below!

Weekend Box Office: Raimi or PIXAR?

Last week saw the battle between Stiller and the T-800s, and Stiller and the inhabitants of the Smithsonian won out. This weekend, the battle might not be such a toss-up. Sam Raimi’s return to horror, ‘Drag Me to Hell,’ is going up against PIXAR’s latest, ‘Up.’

Everyone and their dog is saying ‘Up’ is going to come out on top of this one, and some are even claiming ‘Drag Me to Hell’ could come in third place this weekend behind ‘Night at the Museum.’ ‘Up’ opens on 3766 screens and ‘Drag Me to Hell’ bows on 2508 screens, so the gap on those numbers are pretty wide. PIXAR has a pretty good history with opening numbers. The only PIXAR film since the first ‘Toy Story’ to open with less than $57 million was ‘Rataouille’ in 2007. Even that one opened with $47 million. The chances of ‘Up’ doing worse are slim to absolutely none, and slim just left town.

If you’re looking at Sam Raimi opening weekend numbers, you kind of have to look outside the ‘Spider-Man’ bubble. ‘Spider-Man’ was a brand unto itself, and Raimi’s name really didn’t have much bearing on those opening numbers. Outside of the ‘Spider-Man’ movies, the best opening Raimi has had was just over $13 million for ‘For Love of the Game.’ Even that movie didn’t draw much on the Raimi name, since it wasn’t much of a Raimi film. Nonetheless, ‘Drag Me to Hell’ and its marketing of plastering Raimi’s name all over the posters and commercials should help it pull in some decent numbers. The fact that it is getting glowing reviews from all over won’t hurt, either.

If we’re talking Ben Stiller and second weekend numbers, you might be impressed, as well. The second weekend take for the original ‘Night at the Museum’ were, actually, up from the first weekend. This was the last weekend in December, so don’t expect to see the same thing happen here. However, the big battle this weekend could be for second place between ‘Drag Me to Hell’ and ‘Night at the Museum 2.’

What do you think? Drop us a comment or two below with your takes on this upcoming weekend and its box office? ‘Up’ will surely be number one. How much will it rake in? Will ‘Drag Me to Hell’ come up at number two, or will ‘Night at the Museum’ shine once again? How much of a dropoff do you see ‘Terminator Salvation’ having? Speaking of, is it too early to consider ‘Terminator Salvation’ the first, box-office bomb of the Summer?

Here’s the way I see the weekend breaking down:

‘Up’ – $65 million
‘Drag Me to Hell’ – $31 million
‘Night at the Museum 2’ – $30 million
‘Terminator Salvation’ -$18 million
‘Star Trek’ – $15 million

Give out your numbers in the comments section below!

Review: ‘Up’

up-pixar

When you think about it, it has to be a difficult challenge to move your audience with animated characters. The emotional distance created by not using live action character is something animators have worked to bridge for decades. Judging from the genres that have come out of the animated world in this span of time, it seems it is easiest to make someone laugh with an animated character.

Evidently, it is very difficult to move someone to tears with an animated film. ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ was able to do it, but that story was designed to tugg at the heartstrings. Miyazaki is a master at emitting a certain level of emotion withi his animated characters, but I wouldn’t say any of them would move the viewer to tears.

Picture perfect PIXAR. That’s really what they should change the name of their company to, because, with ‘Up,’ they do something seemingly effortlessly that has never been done before. They project an emotion based on their characters alone that has, to my knowledge, never been topped or even matched before.

With 78-year-old Carl Fredericksen, PIXAR has a central character who can elicit emotional responses that range from one end of the spectrum (laughter) to the other (tears). And, with Pete Docter (‘Monsters, Inc.’) and Bob Peterson (‘Finding Nemo’) at the helm, the film isn’t satisfied with just telling you about Carl. They show you.

When we are introduced to Carl, he is a child sitting in a 1930s movie theater, watching news reels about famed explorer Charles Muntz who is venturing to South America to discover an elusive, giant bird. As a child, Carl is a lover of all things adventure, and he finds his lifemate in Ellie, a slightly older girl who also has a passion for adventure. The two quickly fall in love, and, in an opening montage that ranks up there with the very best, we witness their life together. They are dreamers, and they desire to run off to South America to be adventurers, as well. Unfortunately, as is often the case, life intervenes. Before they can go off on the adventures they had always dreamed of, the couple find themselves aged, and their dreams have fallen behind. Before too long, Carl finds himself alone.

As an aged widower, Carl becomes a recluse. City planners are building office buildings around the home he and Ellie made for themselves. Just as the retirement home is coming to take Carl away, he decides it is time to make his and Ellie’s dreams a reality. Tying thousands of helium balloons to his house, he lifts off the ground and sets sail for South America. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned, and Carl soon realizes he is not alone. An 8-year-old wilderness explorer named Russell is also on board. The two quickly find themselves in the middle of the adventure Carl had always dream of.

After ‘Up’s emotionally moving opening sequences, the thought of a man tying thousands of helium balloons to his home in order to lift it off the ground takes you aback a little bit. It is a pretty major change in emotional and logical direction the film takes. The early moments featuring Carl and Russell in the floating house are, no pun intended, the low points of ‘Up.’ Fortunately, this film isn’t all about the two in the house as they float towards South America. There are a few moments aboard the house, but, for the post part, ‘Up’ is about the adventure the duo gets into after they find themselves in South America.

‘Up’ is a film that, through and through, is the perfect Summer movie. It truly has everything you might want. There is drama. There is comedy. There is a grand sense of adventure. Docter and Peterson, as well as the top-notch animators at PIXAR, truly outdo themselves in every department imaginable.

And, not only does ‘Up’ have all of these elements, it pulls every one of them off brilliantly. The comedy in ‘Up’ is amazing. Even certain moments that, on the surface, seem cheap and easy turn ingenious by unpredictable out comes. There is a pack of guard dogs Carl and Russell come across who are all wearing bark-to-English translators around their necks. The leader of the dogs is a Doberman Pinscher whose translator is malfunctioning, and the effects on the dogs voice are hilarious, even if you know where the joke is going long before it shows up.

The level of adventure found in ‘Up’ is off the chart, and this is a combination of everything. The story is such that you care about every character. The voice acting (Ed Asner as Carl was an inspired choice) solidifies the embodied nature the animators began with the characters. The lush environment the PIXAR animators put these characters in is breathtaking, oftentimes more beautiful than anything found in the real world. Docter and Peterson’s direction of the action is superb, never allowing the film to rest for one moment. Even in the scenes where there is no action, when Carl and Russell are merely trudging through the South American jungle, there is an intensity that is often missing from such, animated features.

PIXAR has always been know for mixing heart and comedy into their films with immaculate results, but this combination has never reached the level found in ‘Up.’ It may not be PIXAR’s best film, and there are, indeed, moments early in Carl’s adventure that don’t quite work as well as others. Regardless, ‘Up’ is yet another glowing example of the level of work going on at PIXAR. What’s more, they appear to be doing it with a minimal amount of effort.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Full ‘Up’ Trailer Not the Best PIXAR Has to Offer

I’m gonna be honest with you.Ã‚ I’m just not feeling the same sense of awe that I generally get when I know there’s a new PIXAR film coming out.Ã‚ For some reason, I just don’t feel like ‘Up’ is a labor of love for anyone within the company.Ã‚ I felt ‘Ratatouille’ and ‘Wall-E’ were labors of love for the creators behind them, but I feel the same way about ‘Up’ that I felt with ‘Cars’.Ã‚ It just seems like PIXAR is putting a movie out just for the sake of putting a movie out.

On top of that, I can’t imagine ‘Up’ is going to be the best animated film I see all year.Ã‚ I have good reason to think this.Ã‚ I won’t say why I think this (I’m not allowed until March 27th), but I have my reasons.

Nonetheless, Disney and PIXAR have released the first full trailer for ‘Up’, which you can check out right here:

The dog is funny.Ã‚ The animation, as always, is flawless.Ã‚ I’m just not getting an excited feeling about this at all.Ã‚ We’ll find out on May 29th when ‘Up’ comes out.Ã‚ Until then, there’s another animated feature coming out two months prior that I presume might be better.

Source: Trailer Addict

‘Monsters, Inc. 2’ Coming in 2013?

Alex over at First Showing has just put up some interesting information.Ã‚ His buddy over at Upcoming Pixar pointed him to an article published on a blog called Blue Sky Disney.Ã‚ On that sight, they announce that director Peter Doctor has decided on his next project, and it will be none other than a sequel to 2001’s ‘Monsters Inc.’

The sight says while Doctor won’t be talking about this openly until press junkets for ‘Up’ are through, PIXAR has a tentative release date for ‘Monsters Inc. 2’ in 2013.

If this turns out to be true, this means PIXAR has a pretty loaded slate for the next four years.Ã‚ ‘Up’ comes out this coming Summer.Ã‚ ‘Toy Story 3’ will be released in 2010.Ã‚ The company has ‘John Carter of Mars’ and ‘1906’ slated for 2012.Ã‚ That last one looks to be the first PIXAR, live-action film.

We’ll bring you more news once anything official comes out.

Source: Blue Sky Disney

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Overall: 4.5 out of 5

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