Posts Tagged ‘Philip Seymour Hoffman’

One of the greatest times of the year for top notch movies is the summer! Movie execs even change the dates their movies debut in order to take part in this sweltering time of year. Here are six films we can’t wait to see during the Summer 2009 movie season…

June

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Summer is an infamous time of year for sequels and 2009 is no exception.  The trailer alone for “Transformers 2” promises amazing action, explosive destruction, CG-palooza and there’s even a plot thrown in there too. Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) discovers the back story of the giant robots that are causing demolition worldwide – Egypt, Paris and the US. The cherry on this sundae – IMAX footage, which is sure to enhance the already exciting special effects. June 24th.

Away We Go – “Go’s” trailer caught my eye when I saw “Adventureland.” The odd couple of John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph (two hugely funny actors not frequently seen on the large screen) had me scribbling down the release date in the dark theater so I wouldn’t forget. “Go” is a “road trip” film for adults as Krasinski and Rudolph travel to see family and friends to find a place that feels like home before they become parents for the first time. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels, and Catherine O’Hara are just a couple of the odd ball friends and family members visited by the pregnant couple. June 5th.

July

Public Enemies – Johnny Depp and Christian Bale – that’s all you need to be sold on this summer semi bio-pic. Directed by the successful Michael Mann (“Collateral,” “Ali,” “The Insider,” “Heat,” and “The Last of the Mohicans”) this film is already being talked about as the only summer film that will be remembered at Oscar time.  “Enemies” is a depression era crime drama about infamous bank robber John Dillinger (Depp) and the clean cut FBI agent determined to bring him in, Melvin Purvis (Bale).  Two stories from behind the scenes recount that Bale was in character 24/7 and that Depp was actually giddy at the opportunity to handle Dillinger’s actual brief case. This is going to be a real box office melter. July 1st.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – “Prince” should have been on the Fall ’08 list, but the higher ups who made the movie moved it to summer ’09 for financial reasons. The 2nd to last book in the JK Rowling series has a darker story that revolves around the origins of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Through multiple memory type flashback sequences the audience and Harry will learn a lot more about Voldemort’s history. There’s also the prospect of love for some of our favorite Hogwarts’ students (but I won’t tell you who in case you haven’t read the book). July 15th.

August

The Boat That Rocked – Haven’t heard of this movie yet? That’s ok – you’ll be dying to see it because of the cast alone: Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Doubt”), Emma Thompson (“Stranger Than Fiction’), Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”), Bill Nighy (“Love Actually”), Kenneth Branagh (“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”), January Jones (“Mad Men”), Rhys Darby (“Yes Man”), Jack Davenport (the “Pirates” movies), Nick Frost (“Hot Fuzz”), Rhys Ifans (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”), Kirsty Mather (“Mamma Mia”), and Tom Wisdom (“300”). What a line up! And it’s directed by Richard Curtis who did “Love Actually.” August 28th.

Inglourious Basterds – Yes, the movie title is spelled correctly. Leave it director Quentin Tarantino to find the craziest spelling for his latest film starring Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, B.J. Novak, Samuel L. Jackson and Cloris Leachman. “Inglourious” is two stories in one – the first is about a Jewish girl whose family is killed by Nazis, she leaves and ends up working at a movie theatre, and infatuated with a German war hero and plotting revenge for her family’s deaths. The second story – a group of Jewish-American soldiers who are working behind enemy lines plot their own scheme against the Nazis. How do the two stories relate? The movie theater is the key (how ironic). August 21st.

Oscar night is fast approaching – this Sunday – to be exact. Will it be a victory for “Slumdog” or “Benjamin Button?” Which tough guy will win: Mickey or Sean? Which of our best actresses of today is it going to be: Kate or Meryl?

If you don’t have your scorecards filled out yet, here’s Positively Celebrity’s guide to help you out because we’re predicting who’s going to walk away a winner and who we think should really be one.

Best Picture

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Milk”

“The Reader”

“Slumdog Millionaire”

Should and will win: With its nearly unstoppable wins at the Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA and guild awards, look for “Slumdog Millionaire” to take home the biggest prize come Oscar night and deservedly so. This vibrant, inspirational, romantic, and energetic film will leave you feeling like a millionaire long after you leave the theater.

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”

Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn, “Milk”

Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Should Win:  Langella has already won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Richard Nixon, and he deserves an Oscar too. He pulls off the enormous task of encapsulating the former president’s mannerisms and voice without coming off as a caricature. Just as challenging, he also makes the audience feel empathy for a man who went down in history cast off as a crook.

Will Win: This is close. It very well could be Penn, but I’ll give the edge to Rourke. Academy members love a comeback story and both Rourke and his character are the comeback kids of the year. He also showed us he’s got what it takes physically and emotionally by playing an emotionally complex wrestler with a heart.

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”

Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”

Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”

Meryl Streep, “Doubt”

Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Should and will win: Winslet for her intricate, dark turn as a tram conductor-turned-Nazi prison guard. She gave heart and emotion to a remorseless woman who was involved in Nazi war crimes and seduced a teenager. It doesn’t hurt either that she’s been racking up awards left and right this season, has five previous Oscar nominations, and stars in a film with the Academy-favorite topic of the Holocaust.

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, “Milk”

Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”

Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”

Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”

Should and will win: Ledger for his dynamic, groundbreaking, and humorously creepy performance as the Joker. He stole the show from Batman by keeping our eyes glued to him whenever his chaos-loving sociopath came on screen. Unlike Jack Nicholson’s previous mediocre Joker, Ledger, with his smeared clown make-up, truly made for one darkly twisted clown.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, “Doubt”

Penélope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Viola Davis, “Doubt”

Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”

Should win: Even though she was only in two scenes, Davis managed to bring a whole movie’s worth of character backstory, emotions, and desires into those few precious moments on screen. Plus, she more than held her own against heavyweight Meryl Streep, which is alone no easy task.

Will win: Now with Winslet out of the running (the Academy chose to nominate her in the leading category instead), Cruz will most likely win for her domineering, vivacious turn as an emotionally unstable, eccentric ex-wife. She also won a BAFTA Award last week, which is a good sign she might win at the Oscars.

Best Director

Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”

David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”

Gus Van Sant, “Milk”

Should and will win: Boyle for delivering the beautifully crafted “Slumdog Millionaire.” He delivered intricate chase scenes, oversaw soaring camera shots over Mumbai, and brought out emotional performances from his young – and even younger, untrained – actors.

The nominees for this year’s 81st annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday with not too many surprises. The top two films slugging it out are “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which leads the pack with 13 nominations, and “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and has 10 nominations.

What about the snubs? “The Dark Knight” didn’t get a Best Picture nomination, Clint Eastwood and his film, “Gran Torino,” got shut out, “Revolutionary Road” got no noms including its stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Springsteen’s song from “The Wrestler” didn’t get nominated even after it won the Golden Globe, and Sally Hawkins didn’t get a Best Actress nom fresh off her Best Actress Golden Globe win.

But the biggest surprise? Who would have ever thought Robert Downey, Jr. would get a nomination for his role as “a dude playing a dude, disguised as another dude”? 

Find out who wins on Feb. 22 at 8 pm EST on ABC, and in the meantime the nominees are:

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Gus Van Sant, Milk

Stephen Daldry, The Reader

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionare

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn, Milk

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Kate Winslet, The Reader

Meryl Streep, Doubt

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, Milk

Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt

Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, Doubt

Penélope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona

Viola Davis, Doubt

Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin

Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Best Animated Feature

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-E

Best Original Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black, Milk

Courtney Hunt, Frozen River

Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

Martin McDonagh, In Bruges

Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E

Best Adapted Screenplay

Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin

John Patrick Shanley, Doubt

Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon

David Hare, The Reader

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Before “Doubt” came to the big screen, it was a Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play. And it shows. 

Set in a 1964 Catholic school, it’s a morality tale about Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a priest who’s accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy. It’s aptly titled “Doubt” because we never know if he really did what Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is so sure he did. 

The title isn’t the only obvious element of the film. It’s filled with so many not so subtle metaphors that it almost gets in the way. For example, Sister Aloysius pulls the blinds so the sunlight hits Father Flynn right in the eyes like an FBI interrogation light. The wind blows ominously while she skulks around trying to prove that he’s guilty. A cat catches a mouse. And so on.

One metaphor that’s effectiveness I won’t argue with, however, is the tilt of the camera during intense moments of questionability. When Sister Aloysius confronts Father Flynn, the camera slants so we’re seeing the characters from a diagonal view. We’re not looking at them straight on because we don’t see the situation straight on.

We don’t know who’s telling the truth, which makes the film compelling. We’re supposed to have doubt about what is the truth, which teaches us about the validity of certainty and asks us “Do we ever know something for sure?” and “How do we know?” 

While it’s fun watching Streep and Hoffman go at in their intense verbal exchanges, you can’t help but be reminded of their previous roles. The actors are so perfect for their roles, they almost come off as caricatures of themselves.

Sister Aloysius is basically “The Devil Wears Prada’s” Miranda Priestly in a nun’s getup. She struts though Sister James’ (Amy Adams) classroom complaining about her students using ballpoint pens and pitching her cough drops, or as she says “candy,” into the trash.

It’s all too reminiscent of Miranda, the overbearing editor, strutting through the halls of “Runway” magazine deriding and rattling off demands to Anne Hathaways’ scurrying, scared assistant.

Adams’ innocent, upbeat Sister James who gets caught in between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn is also all too reminiscent of Adams herself and her previous roles in “Enchanted” and “Junebug.”

The movie revolves around the four principle characters of the two nuns, Father Flynn, and the mother of the boy in question. The mother played by Viola Davis is just in one scene, but she gives off a very real, emotional performance that’s so good it garnered her a Golden Globe nomination.

Since it originally was a play, it’s heavy on the dialogue. This story should not be action-packed by any means; yet, it’s a little disappointing that the verbal exchanges are so intense and the characters spout off such threatening and powerful words but action barely ensues. When the movie was over it left me wanting more.

It’s no surprise that John Patrick Shanley, the writer of the play, also directed the film. Besides extending the movie by 15 minutes and using actors to portray the students who were absent from the play, the movie was essentially a play just on the big screen. And it probably just should have stayed a play.