"J. Edgar" Trailer

Today we get our first real look at Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar."  While Eastwood has not had a film in serious competition since "Letters From Iwo Jima," never underestimate him.  That's how so many people lost money the year "The Aviator" was supposed to sweep the Oscars and give Marty his much coveted Oscar.  This film is an Eastwood film, and he's directed two Best Picture winners.  It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, who routinely shows up in the Best Actor category.  It has a screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar just a couple of years ago for "Milk."  Finally, it's a biopic about a VERY controversial figure!  Yeah, we haven't seen it yet, but it might be best to consider it a contender.

"Shutter Island" Review

See folks, this is what I’m talking about. If “Shutter Island” proves nothing else it’s that horror movies don’t have to suck. Yes it’s got less deaths then the Saw movies do, but this is ten times scarier. Imagine a setting that is dark and creative. Imagine characters who you care about the outcome to. Imagine a twist ending that actually gives you a chance to realize where it came from rather then dumping it on the audience for no reason. And hey, this movie even has a story. Imagine that, a movie that is about something other then how graphic it can be. The movie takes place in 1954 and is about a US Marshal named Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has been assigned to find a missing prisoner who escaped from a mental institution on Shutter Island.

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Back In The Game

After a month long break it's time to get ready for the 83rd Academy Awards.  As it stands there are still ten films that can be nominated for Best Picture, and already there are some early stand outs.  "Alice In Wonderland" is not likely to get any major awards nominations, but Tim Burton's latest should easily sneak into some of the visual effects categories.  Right now there are two movies that look like good potential Best Picture nominees: "Shutter Island" and "Greenberg."  "Shutter Island" would make perfect sense early on even in this game.  Yeah it's a horror film but it's also directed by Martin Scoresese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  Both these men look like they are potential Best Director and Best Actor nominees (respectively).

The other Best Picture potential is Noah Baumbach's critically acclaimed "Greenberg."  This movie has potential for nominees for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress.  However if there's only one nomination for this film it very well could be for Ben Stiller's remarkable out-of-character performance as the title character.  Having finally found a role that shows he can be a serious actor, Stiller looks like a shoe-in for Best Actor at this point in time.  Other early potential nominees is Dreamworks "How To Train Your Dragon," which is threatening to defeat Pixar's winning streak in the Best Animated Feature category.

Also of note is Disney's critically acclaimed documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty."  Though the Academy ignored the last Disney doc "The Boys: The Sherman Brothers," this new movie about Disney's great revival of their animation legacy in the late 80's is getting audiences to stand up cheering after the movie is over.  Chances are something more important might win the prize in the end, but this movie has the potential to get audiences behind it enough to get the nod.  The race may just be starting, but it's looking oh so promising already.

'Inception' Goes IMAX

IMAX has scored another mature film: Chrisopher Nolan's follow-up to the cirtically acclaimed (but not by the Oscars) film "The Dark Knight."  That movie is "Inception," starring Leonardio DiCaprio, and the film has a budget someone could only get by making the second highest grossing film of all time.  This new film is a science fiction film.  You can see the trailer below.  I have to admit that I'm impressed with IMAX.  Though movies like this, "Where The Wild Things Are," and "Avatar" are helping make IMAX a legitimate experience for people who love more then documentaries and 3D family films.

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"Shutter Island" Trailer

Scorsese seems to have rejuvinated himself now that he no longer has to worry about winning an Oscar. "Shutter Island" looks to be a horror film, that much is certain. Unlike teenage slasher films you can bet this film will actually be scary. Really, truly scary. I don't know if Marty is going to have a shot at the gold with this film, but maybe Leonardo DiCaprio and/or Michelle Williams will finally walk away with the gold. Both actors look totally engrossed in their roles, and if they are as authentic in the movie as they are in the trailer...well, then expect voters to respond.

No Ladies: Zac Efron Is NOT Winning An Oscar!

So I saw "17 Again" last week. I'll be posting my full review of it on The Movie Wizard.com tomorrow (if not the following day), but I just want to mention something to all my girlfriends who were holding their breath on my opinion of this film; yes, I liked this movie. And yes, Zac Efron was very good in this film. But girls, he's NOT getting an Oscar for this movie! In fact, it's laughable to think he'd even get nominated for this film. I know that Tom Hanks got an Oscar nomination for "Big," a movie that shares a similar story with this film. But not only was that movie directed by Penny Marshall with a complexity you don't normally find in crowd-pleaser films, it starred Tom Hanks. Tom is such a likable and talented actor that even in his bad movies he can squeez out a good performance ("The Ladykillers" anyone?). Zac Efron, despite being cute and likable, is NOT Tom Hanks!

If anything his performance in "17 Again" is much like Matthew Broodricks performance in "Ferris Buelure's Day Off": Cute, sweet, and most likely the highlight of his career. "17 Again" IS better then most movies like this are! Truth be told I'll probably be buying the BluRay when it comes out because it's a movie that is so easy to like that I'll end up watching it several more times down the road. But Oscar worthy? I think you girls need to educate yourself on what a real young actor can do. If you want to see kids and teens in award nominated roles check out Justin Henry in "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense," Leonardo DiCaprio in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?," and Anna Paquin in "The Piano" (this role actually took home the gold). But if Efron gets a nomination it will only be because it was a slow year.

Cases For and Against Potential Nominees

A new predictions chart has appeared over at Awards Daily.com showing that there are five films that are predicted to be nominated for Best Picture at the end of the year ("The Dark Knight" just missed the boat, appearing at number six). Now I obviously haven't seen all of these films, but let's look at the films and, based on the trailers and posters alone, pick up some of the pros and cons of the material:

Number 1

Frost/Nixon

Cases For Nomination

• Academy Award winner Ron Howard is directing it.



• Frank Langella and Michael Sheen are looking promising.



• It's a biopic. The Academy LOVES biopics!



• It's about a lousy Republican President. The voters tend to be very liberal and eat this stuff up.



• If John McCain wins election the voters will likely vote this film in just to make a point.

Cases Aginst Nomination

• Ron Howard hasn't directed anything of much critical acclaim in the last few years.



• The subject matter might not be compelling enough to make it great.



• If Barack Obama wins voting for this film could create a backlash for kicking the opposing party while their down

Final Verdict: Unless the movie isn't good I'd say this is a pretty good bet for a nomination.

Number 2

Milk

Cases For Nomination

• Love for Gus Van Sants "Good Will Hunting" could carry over to this film.



• It's a biopic. The Academy LOVES biopics!



• Sean Penn looks like a scene stealer, which could help seeing as he's in the lead role.



• With bills debating on whether or not gay marriage is to be legalized the subject matter will be difficult to ignore.



• If voters vote down legalizing gay marriage the voters will give this film a synpathy vote.

Cases Against Nomination

• Though the trailer looks promising the movie could be a one man show (AKA: "Capote").



• The gay facter could be offputting.

Final Verdict: I think this ones in.

Number 3

The Curious Case of Benjaman Button

Cases For Nomination

• Brad Pitt attracts a lot of Academy attention



• David Fincher has been racking up critical hit after critical hit, and he's sure to be honored somewhere along the line.



• The trailer looks so very intriguing.

Cases Against Nomination

• The book isn't as popular with the general audience



• Brad Pitt tends to get more acclaim in supporting roles then leading roles.



• The secrecy surrounding this movie could hurt it in the long run.



• May be too weird for the voters taste.

Final Verdict: I personally don't see this film getting nominated unless the reviews are really, really good.

Number 4

Slumdog Millionaire

Cases For Nomination

• Raves reviews coming from Sundance



• Would fill the "uplifting comedy" criteria.



• Witty screenplay could get a big push from the writers.



• Audience discovery could make this a surprise hit at the box office.

Cases Against Nomination

• Raves could cool down.



• Audiences might not connect to film, and thus not see it.

Final Verdict: This is one of those cases where we really won't know until it's released. On paper it sounds like a sure hit, but you never know.

Number 5

Revolutionary Road

Cases For Nomination

• Kate and Lwo reunite for the first time since "Titanic."



• Subject of marriage that traps freedom ressonates more today then ever before.



• Sam Mendes first major hit since "American Beauty?"

Cases Against Nomination

• Reuion has gotten relatively little attention.



• Sam Mendes isn't an Academy favorite.



• "American Beauty" has held up poorly.



• Movies about lovely marriages are a dime a dozen since "American Beauty" was released.



• Audience anticipation for this movie is lower then the rest of the potential nominees.

Final Verdict: I'm not convinced this is going to get nominated. It might, but I would not put any stock in it happening.

Hey this was fun. How about we do this in a few days with the next potential five?