Fab Film Forum

Although I've never seen Lars...., people either l...

2008-09-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

Although I've never seen Lars...., people either love it or don't buy it. This is the only review that has essentially explained both, and why. The prologue is inspired!

Definitely not the first gay buddy movie of theirs...

2008-01-20T13:42:00.000-06:00

Definitely not the first gay buddy movie of theirs. In fact, *all* of Dean and Jerry's movies are extremely campy ^^ and that whole sharing a bed thing, they've done that before, many many times, even on the Colgate Comedy Hour. Even in their old radio show together the boys were really obvious.

Have you ever seen 'Color Me, Lavender'? It's a documentary about gays in cinema and it mentions Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis. It's well worth looking into.

Maxine Ballard writes the True Story of Florence B...

2007-03-30T16:33:00.000-05:00

Maxine Ballard writes the True Story of Florence Ballard!

Florence "Blondie" Ballard, Diane "Diana" Ross and Mary Wilson met and
became childhood friends during the 1950's. Under the watchful eye and
skilled tutelage of Milton Jenkins, the friends later became the trio
The Primettes, ultimately transformed into the greatest female singing
group of all time – The Supremes. In 1967, Florence Ballard left the
group, and though much has been written about her life after the
Supremes, the true facts of her story have never surfaced - until now.
Maxine "Precious" Ballard Jenkins – the sister of Florence Ballard –
has written the true account of Florence Ballard's life, including her
reasons behind leaving the group, the relationship she shared with
childhood friends, Mary and Diane, and the dramatic turn her life took
in later years. The book also helps to dispel many of the rumors
surrounding Florence Ballard's death. Your view of Florence Ballard
and her life will be dramatically reversed after reading this book!

Buy the book now:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=precious4max%40gmail%2ecom&undefined_quantity=1&item_name=The%20True%20Story%20of%20Florence%20Ballard&item_number=LIMITED%20EDITION%20by%20Maxine%20Precious%20Ballard%20Jenkins&amount=49%2e95&no_shipping=2&return=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2emaxineballard%2ecom%2fpaymentThankyou%2ehtml&cancel_return=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2emaxineballard%2ecom%2fpaymentCancel%2ehtml¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dBuyNowBF&charset=UTF%2d8

or on the website - www.maxineballard.com

OK, my previous comments contained some inaccurate...

2007-02-27T07:01:00.000-06:00

OK, my previous comments contained some inaccurate info and a lot of typos. Here is a cleaner version:

In the past 40 years of the Academy Awards (1967-2006):

-----------------
EDITING/DIRECTING
-----------------

19 (47.5%) films that won Best Editing also won Best Picture

32 (80%) films that won Best Director also win Best Picture

Number of films that won Best Editing and Best Director but NOT Best Picture: 4
1972 Cabaret (Best Picture: The Godfather)
1989 Born on the Fourth of July (Best Picture: Driving Miss Daisy)
1998 Saving Private Ryan (Best Picture: Shakespeare in Love)
2000 Traffic (Best Picture: Gladiator)

Number of films that won Best Picture and Best Editing but NOT Best Director: 2
2002 Chicago (Best Director: The Pianist)
2005 Crash (Best Director: Brokeback Mountain)

Number of years in which different films won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing: 1 (1981)
Best Picture: Chariots of Fire
Best Director: Reds
Best Editing: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Not once in the past 40 years did a film that won Best Director not be nominated for Best Picture

Number of films that won Best Editing that were not nominated for Best Picture: 4
1968 Bullit
1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit
1999 The Matrix
2001 Black Hawk Down

----------
SCREENPLAY
----------

Number of films that won Best Adapted Screenplay that also won Best Picture: 20 (50%)

Number of films that won Best Original Screenplay that also won Best Picture: 9 (22.5%)

Number of films that won Best Adapted Screenplay that were not nominated for Best Picture:2
1996 Sling Blade
1998 Gods and Monsters

Number of films that won Best Original Screenplay that were not nominated for Best Picture: 8
1968 The Producers
1971 The Hospital
1972 The Candidate
1980 Melvin and Howard
1991 Thelma & Louise
1995 The Usual Suspects
2000 Almost Famous
2002 Talk to Her

--------------
CINEMATOGRAPHY
--------------

Number of films that won Best Cinematography that also won Best Picture: 10
Number of films that won Best Cinematography but were not nominated for Best Picture: 10

Number of films that won both Best Editing and Best Cinematography: 10

Number of those that also won Best Director: 7

Number of those that also won Best Picture: 5

Number of those that also won Best Screenplay: 4
1982 Gandhi
1987 The Last Emperor
1990 Dances With Wolves
1993 Schindler's List

Number of those that also won any acting award: 1 (Ghandi)

------
ACTING
------

Number films that has won more than one acting award: 18 (45%)
Number films that has won more than one acting award, but not Best Director: 11
Number films that has won more than one acting award, but not Best Picture: 12

For each acting award, the number of times the winner was from the film voted Best Picture:
Best Actor 13 (32.5%)
Best Actress 7 (17.5%)
Best Supporting Actor 6 (15%)
Best Supporting Actress 5 (12.5%)

Film that won the most acting awards: Network (3)

The number of times the Best Actor and Best Actress were from the same film: 6
1975 One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
1976 Network
1978 Coming Home
1981 On Golden Pond
1991 The Silence of the Lambs
1997 As Good As It Gets

* Interesting to note that none of these films won for Editing or Cinematography. However, 2 of them won for Best Picture and Best Director: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest & The Silence of the Lambs

The number of times the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress were from the same film: 3
1971 The Last Picture Show
1977 Julia
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters

The number of times a film won for Best Actor or Actress AND Best Supporting Actor or Best Supporting Actress: 10
1972 Cabaret - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor
1976 Network - Best Actor AND Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress
1983 Terms of Endearment - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor
1987 Moonstruck - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress
1989 My Left Foot - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress
1993 The Piano - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress
1998 Shakespeare in Love - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress
2003 Mystic River - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor
2004 Million Dollar Baby - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor

JRD, no contest!

2007-02-25T23:51:00.000-06:00

JRD, no contest!

Having just recently seen The Queen and Notes on a...

2007-02-25T04:54:00.000-06:00

Having just recently seen The Queen and Notes on a Scandal, I agree with you Joe. While Helen was fantastic in the Queen, I'd much rather have seen her win for Gosford Park; Judi pulled off the better performance of the two this year.

But Cate Blanchett for Notes? I think we've stumbled into auto-nomination for all the Cates/Kates.

In a post last month, I spoke of my temptation to embargo the Oscars this year. Little did I know how prophetic my words would be! By the time the first award is given out, I'll be on my lunch break Monday in Sydney. If I can restrain myself from looking up the winners on the Internet, I could watch the ceremony Monday night. But watching the Oscars alone from a hotel room doesn't sound quite so fulfilling. So everyone, have fun and dis a dress for me!

And another thing...Why is it that only the Afrime...

2007-02-22T16:12:00.000-06:00

And another thing...Why is it that only the Afrimerican Sup Actress nominee gets your "could she have done the other roles very well" challenge? Given the proper contextual tweaking, I think she could have. I'd like to see Cate Blancett play Effie White!

I just don't understand the Djimon Honsou dis. If...

2007-02-22T12:49:00.000-06:00

I just don't understand the Djimon Honsou dis. If anyone deserves the supporting actor award this year it is him. He was not all anger and angst and showed a lot of vulnerability. It sounds like someone didn't see the movie. Jackie Earle Hailey?? Anybody can scream and smash Hummels.

Hey pallie Quinn, thanks for some interestin' insi...

2007-02-11T13:28:00.000-06:00

Hey pallie Quinn, thanks for some interestin' insights on this Dino and Jer flick. It has been said that "women wanted Dean and men wanted to be Dean," but you are addin' a new twist to this sayin. One thing for Dinosure, never was, never will be anyone as cool as Dino. Oh, to return to the days when Dino walked the earth.

I think its all a done deal. Its going to be Hudso...

2007-02-04T10:47:00.000-06:00

I think its all a done deal. Its going to be Hudson, Murphy, Mirren and Whitaker. I really dont see any surprises this year.

I do think that Gosling could possibly pull a MY LEFT FOOT or PIANIST upset maybe.

And Judi Dench was superb in a less BORING movie then the Queen.

BUT..............Im just hapy that Jackie Earle Hailey got nommed. His performance was the most haunting of 2006 and stuck with me more then anyone else on this list.

Rented the Departed in my hotel room in San Jose but fell asleep thu half of it. Not due to quality but just cuz I was tired. I did see most of the 12 minutes Marky Mark was on screen though. He was pretty good I thought!

NO to Will Smith and anything to do with Miss Sunshine. GAWD, people it was another quirky road trip movie! If you like that sort of stuff......see Daytrippers with Hope Davis. I liked it much better.

Miss Meryl is always welcome but where was Emily Blunt on this list? She matched her screen for screen shot. Oh welll,,,,,,,,,I guess Abigail Breslin had to fill the cute kid quota ala Tatum and Anna Paquin (i still love that little beaded cap she wore in her Oscar moment!)

I wonder if Al Gore will win for best doc.? Would that be the first time a VP won an Oscar? Ponder that BUSH. He may have lost Florida but he may win an Oscar! Natch. Altho....George should win an honorary Oscar fo his attempt at playing our President for the past 6 years........or should that go to Rove and Cheney???? :)

HURRAY! I think I finally figured out how to poast...

2007-02-02T08:50:00.000-06:00

HURRAY! I think I finally figured out how to poast to your blog!!!

Bravo Joe for you indepth analysis. I think a better answer to your Best Actor comments is does anyone really care?

Forrest Whitaker in a movie about Idi Amin, not something the average moviegoer is running out to see. And Blood Diamond was poorly marketed. Will Smith should disappear from all media and poor old Peter O'Toole will be there climbing out of the bottle and lucid long enough to watch his career Award go to someone who played one of the most vile humans to ever walk this planet. SHOULD WIN: Ryan Gosling, a revelation in Half Nelson(but won't).

Oh Brian. I feel your pain. Crash? Tom Hanks in...

2007-01-18T22:01:00.000-06:00

Oh Brian. I feel your pain. Crash? Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump? Gwyneth Paltrow? Titanic? Helen Hunt? No, No, No, No, NOOO!!! And although Quinn's and your posts pretty much address different things (Quinn is the witty jokester - thankfully he's really good at it! - and we're the straight men...so to speak), you both touched on 1 specific thing that I also vociferously agree on: Hilary Swank - I can't even go there. Even Babel this year - really liked it, but it was so much....work. Alright, Babel needs a post, since it won best pic and neither of you have seen it yet....

I thought the Globes were boring. They have so ma...

2007-01-18T11:01:00.000-06:00

I thought the Globes were boring. They have so many awards to give that they have no time for anything but to name the nominees, call out the winners and suffer through the acceptance speeches. They show no clips other than the best Picture nominees, so unless you've seen all the films, there's no taste of what exactly the awards are honoring, no banter from the MC, no sense of being a part of the event.

The awards themselves are meaningless to me. They're chosen by entertainment writers, for God's sake, the reporters from the French equivalent of People magaizine, or the Spanish Entertainment Weekly. I could care less what they consider the "Best" of the year is. That they give Sasha Baron Cohen an "acting" award for his Eastern European caricature is evidence enough that these people have no sense of film aesthetics. That the Globes foretell, in some respects, the Oscars speaks more to the fact there's there's precious few Hollywood films (or Hollywood-friendly independent films) to choose their honorees from, then to the notion that the Foreign Press Association and the Academy are somehow aligned in their preferences. Or worse, that somehow a Globe and an Oscar is some indication that you really did pull off the "best" of that year (I'm looking right at you Hilary Swank, you joke of an actress. You, too, Tom Hanks).

Besides, just what possible value could there be in a category called "Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Series"?? Jemery Irons in an HBO film against the guy from Heros? That's like the Dallas Cowboys playing my high school junior varsity team inthe Super Bowl. Is Jeremy celebrating this week or just laughing himself silly?

I'm fast becoming equally disillusioned with the Oscars, as well. It was pretty eye-opening when I took a look at the past 10 years of Best Picture winners and realized that only two of the films would I rate *** or better. Yet, I watch every year, most likely out of habit, or out of nostalgia of the 70s and 80s when more often than not, the film chosen as Best Picture was indeed a quality film. Or the performance being honored was actually a moving performance.

But these days, a film's profit is mostly derived from its peripheral sales: its DVD sales, sales to pay-per-view and subscription movie channels, and not from its box office intake. To guarantee the huge peripheral sales, you need the press and buzz that a huge opening weekend brings you. And to get the huge opening, you need to bring in the under-30 crowd, the ones more likely to see a film in its first week of release. You don't have the luxury of putting out a quality film that will generate word-of-mouth and critical acclaim that brings in the over-30 set. So the truly talented have abandoned Hollywood by now, off to work the more artistically fruitful independent arena, producing great work and getting the occasional accolade from the Academy, but no longer members of the Academy itself, no longer lending their weight, their sense of aesthetics to the Awards. Those who are left hold up crap like "Titanic" and "A Beautiful Mind" up as the Best Film of the Year, confuse celebrity impersonation with dramatic interpretation, and award gimmick as though it equated with creativity.

Despite all this I do still watch the Oscars every year. I watch because the Oscars do, at times, get it right and honor an excellent movie, or a superior performance, and for a moment I am heartened and hopeful that the glory days are returning. That the ability to spot talent and originality is not so out of reach for the Hollywood-crowd of today, that the gold statuette carries some prestige again and not just a promise of a three-picture deal. But then Jack Nicholson will open an envelope and declare to the world that Hollywood has chosen "Crash" as the best it can do for the year. And I promise myself then and there that the next year I'm not going to waste my time on this claptrap, that I'll make a silent protest by going to the movies that night and seeing a film that wasn't nominated, but that carries the promise of quality and entertainment.

And I keep to that promise, right up to the day that the nominations are announced.

I need to see Pans this weekend. I cant see United...

2007-01-16T19:18:00.000-06:00

I need to see Pans this weekend. I cant see United 93. Babel is a maybe but most likely will view on its DVD release in Feb.-still before oscars right?

Golden Globe post coming tomorrow. Im too tired to deal with it tonite. One hint....that Sasha Baron Cohen cleans up very nicely........

you kind of remind me of M. Night Shyamalan or wha...

2007-01-16T19:15:00.000-06:00

you kind of remind me of M. Night Shyamalan or whatever his name is..........

Yes I forgot the Kill Bill chronicles which she wa...

2007-01-14T17:09:00.000-06:00

Yes I forgot the Kill Bill chronicles which she was great in but the supporting cast, script and direction helped as well.

Diane Lane is a cinematic goddess! I fell in love with her as did Laurnece Olivier and the rest of the planet in A Little Romance. No to mention her 80s teen angst films with Matt Dillon, they are both still hotties. Proof that over 40 is still cookin! As I reach that milestone shortly................

While I did see #5 on your list, My Super Ex-Girlf...

2007-01-14T16:46:00.000-06:00

While I did see #5 on your list, My Super Ex-Girlfiend (United in-flight to LA, what can you do?), I actually didn't think it was horrendous. Anna Faris (can somebody get her a great comedy script stat so she can become a superstar?!) has the best, PERFECTLY delivered line in the movie, after a jealous Uma heaves large sealife at her ex and his naive new girlfriend (Faris), "Why did G-Girl throw a shark into your apartment?!" HAHA - that was so funny!!Uma Thurman does need a better agent. She was great in the Kill Bill movies, but otherwise her talent outsizes (I think) her talent for choosing projects.

I wish to place an honorable mention onto your list: Hollywoodland. Yikes, this piece of dreck got good reviews for Ben Affleck?? As usual, the always wonderful Diane Lane rises above the material and was the only interesting actor in the movie. Otherwise, I kept thinking of where I wanted to go eat after the movie...and I wonder why only every other row of seats in the Evanston Theaters reclines......Thai?.....I'm glad I'm in a reclining row....

You have to admit that the nekked furry love-in in...

2007-01-14T16:17:00.000-06:00

You have to admit that the nekked furry love-in in Borat will go down in cinematic history as one of the most foul but sickly humorous (I was gasping along with the rest of em) moments ever on celluloid. next to Kathy Bates jumping into the hot tub in About Schmidt. Americans have such a revulsion/attraction to body types. Gets them every time!

I agree, she even made She-Devil bearable. Not to ...

2007-01-14T11:09:00.000-06:00

I agree, she even made She-Devil bearable. Not to mention the dingo eating her baby brouhaha. I think Meryl, the snappy script, and the whole New York vibe all take this one past the standard fare. And now we have Ugly Betty, which was probably barely hatched until the b.o. started piling up for Prada............

I agree, she even made She-Devil bearable. Not to ...

2007-01-14T11:06:00.000-06:00

Wow, I just saw the movie - a strong ***1/2, like ...

2007-01-14T00:51:00.000-06:00

Wow, I just saw the movie - a strong ***1/2, like you gave it. What an observant movie! First, the droll narration (loved it!) puts us in the frame of mind that we're dissecting these lives to see what they're really made up of. Second, great performances. Dame in waiting indeed - Kate Winslet is superb - and Oscar nom #5 on the way (and she's only 31!). Don't overlook how spot-on her American accent is. I agree with you on Mr. Hailey. And stage actor Patrick Wilson - uh, yeah, my heart skipped a few beats! Third, it was the little things that added up and made this such a rich film for me: the antsy wife waiting for the husband to get home so she can have a semblance of her own time for a few hours; the loser guy (ex-cop) who places all his self-worth in others; the guy who's skated by in life on his looks and not much else and doesn't even realize what he is missing; the nosey mothers (and really everyone) who misplace all of their pent up frustrations, problems, anger, whatever... into activities, affairs, or causes that validate their existence because nothing else does. The ending became suprisingly suspenseful, and I was thankful it did not go for easy payoffs or thrills, but instead continued toward the truth - which, sadly, will ultimately lead the characters further from theirs. Beautifully done movie, and one of my top movies of the year.

I completely agree with you on Borat. I did laugh...

2007-01-14T00:32:00.000-06:00

I completely agree with you on Borat. I did laugh at many parts, but as a movie overall, I got bored about half-way through. But I diverge on your other 2 ratings. I loved both Casino Royale and the Departed (did you noticed that CR earned something like 10 nominations from the British Academy this week?). I though the Bond flick was exciting, multi-faceted, and had interesting characters - especially Bond. I like that it was less gadgetry and tongue-in-cheek and more regular action (long chase scenes) and real drama and suspense. Could've used some better editing - it was too long in stretches. And The Departed - while I loved it, I am loving it less than before. That being said, I thought all of the actors were outstanding - but what was up with the female psychiatrist character? After having written/directed great female roles (played by Ellen Burstyn, Lorraine Bracco, among many others), Scorsese really messed up this one character. But I enjoyed the suspense and psychological games - and the trademark Scorsese directing and editing. Could've done without Jack Nicholson doing his Jack thing. Boring. Why couldn't Scorsese have cast someone like Robert Duvall...or Warren Beatty would have been an interesting choice. Yes Warren, I think you've reached the Dustin Hoffman phase of your career - go for the interesting supporting roles and chew the scenery for all its worth!

This is sick...but I found this one sexier than th...

2007-01-10T16:38:00.000-06:00

This is sick...but I found this one sexier than the first one.

Yes, it sounds like you suffered from the high exp...

2007-01-09T19:24:00.000-06:00

Yes, it sounds like you suffered from the high expectations over-hyped films can bring. I saw Miss Sunshine before it became the “Sideways” of 2006 and found it charming, entertaining and harmless (***), but not Best of the Year quality. I got hit three times last year by disappointments brought from film critics and other media’s tendency to over-inflate a film’s achievements.

Casino Royale (*1/2)
James Bond, newly anointed with a license to kill, is sent to confront a man known to fund terrorism and (oh, the thrill of it) beat him at poker. Along the way, we witness Bond’s enthralling transformation from uber-buff, plucked and waxed metero rogue to uber-buff, plucked and waxed metero rogue with a fussy drink order. Fill it up with two hours of standard-issue drink poisonings, seductions of the villain’s girlfriend, and lots and lots of car chases, stir lightly (for God’s sake, don’t shake it up) and serve at room temperature.

The Departed (**)
“I left The Departed shaken” is what one film critic said about this bland piece of Scorsesean melodrama. What movie did everyone see that I missed? What stellar performance did everyone see out of Mark Wahlberg’s portrayal of a foul-mouthed Boston cop that I hadn’t (and I LOVE him in nearly everything else)? I didn’t find the exploration (as it was) of moral confusion profound, nor did I find anything in this movie that I hadn’t seen in five seasons of the Sorpanos, three Godfather movies and half of Scorsese’s previous films (and any one Jack Nicholson film). That’s three clunkers in a row from the man I once regarded as one of the best filmmakers alive.

Borat: Cultural Learnings...(**1/2)
Somehow this two hour Comedy Central skit became the darling of film critics who piled on layers and layers of deep meaning which clearly were not there. Was it, in the words of Slate’s Wesley Morris, “Part Swiftian satire, part Buñuelian social X-ray, part de Tocqueville anthropology adventure?” No, it was a man with a fake accent telling another man his wife is ugly. Thought I found some of it was really funny (I loved the Kazakh parade where Mrs. Jew laid an egg), a lot of it was really easy (naked wrestling with a fat man, bring a hooker to a dinner party) and a good deal of it mean-spirited. And though it is disheartening to hear a Texas redneck talk about his ambition to have every homosexual in the country killed, it is hardly eye-opening and certainly not entertainment.

Hey, are you guys going to do a Best/Worst of the year list? So commonplace, I know, but I’d be interested in what you guys thought of the past year.

I agree....cute but not top 5. I think this has mo...

2007-01-09T07:46:00.000-06:00

I agree....cute but not top 5. I think this has more to do with what a crappy year in film it was, never should have been made sequels and rank horror film remakes, then anything else. Arkin was the best in this ensemble fer sure. I would give it **12 stars as well for enjoyable fluff factor and nothing else. It kinda reminded me of the little indie comedy groudswell that BIG FAT GREEK LADY IN WEDDING had. I refuse to ever see that on principle. What happeend to the hot for 5 seconds NIA? Connie and Carla is my guess!