Showing posts with label Editorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Editorial. Show all posts

Monday, February 15, 2010

Editorial: No More Newt?


First off, sorry for lack of updates recently. Had some personal and computer problems.

Now, here's something interesting. Newt may be dead acoording to the animation god Floyd Norman Newt is dead. I'm not so sure about this, as I've heard a-many sources say the film is alive and well. Then again, this could be a top-secret thing for Lassetter/Catmull/Rhydstorm eyes only. However, what I've mainly heard is that, like Cars 2, the seocnd act is having a bit of trouble. Plus, Brooke is turning out to be TOO rough. I'm keeping my eye on this however as this could turn out to be a first: PIXAR's first deleted project.

Keep you updated.

SYS

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

BREAKING NEWS: Nominations For The 82nd Oscars Announced!!


HO BOY!! Here are the noms for this years Oscar race. Congrats Up! I'll have an Editorial up tomorrow on the Oscar snubs.

BEST PICTURE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), A Lightstorm Entertainment Production, James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
The Blind Side (Warner Bros.), An Alcon Entertainment Production, Nominees to be determined
District 9 (TriStar), A Block/Hanson Production, Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), A Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production, Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), A Voltage Pictures Production, Nominees to be determined
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), A Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production, Lawrence Bender, Producer
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), A Lee Daniels Entertainment/Smokewood Entertainment Production, Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
A Serious Man (Focus Features), A Working Title Films Production, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
Up (Disney•Pixar), A Pixar Production, Jonas Rivera, Producer
Up in the Air (Paramount), A Montecito Picture Company Production, Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

DIRECTING:
James Cameron - Avatar (20th Century Fox)
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)
Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
George Clooney - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Colin Firth - A Single Man (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman - Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side (Warner Bros.)
Helen Mirren - The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Carey Mulligan - An Education (Sony Pictures Classics)
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Matt Damon - Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger (Oscilloscope)
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones (Paramount)
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Penelope Cruz - Nine (The Weinstein Company)
Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
District 9 (TriStar), Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), Screenplay by Nick Hornby
In the Loop (IFC Films), Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air (Paramount), Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Written by Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Written by Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger (Oscilloscope), Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man (Focus Features), Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Up (Disney•Pixar), Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Ajami (Kino International), An Inosan Production, Israel
El Secreto de sus Ojos (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haddock Films Production, Argentina
The Milk of Sorrow, A Wanda Visión/Oberon Cinematogràfica/Vela Production, Peru
Une Prophéte (Sony Pictures Classics), A Why Not/Page 114/Chic Films Production, France
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), An X Filme Creative Pool/Wega Film/Les Films du Losange/Lucky Red Production, Germany

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Coraline (Focus Features), Henry Selick
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Wes Anderson
The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), John Musker and Ron Clements
The Secret of the Kells (GDKIDS), Tomm Moore
Up (Disney•Pixar), Pete Docter

ART DIRECTION:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro, Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Art Direction: John Myhre, Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood, Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Art Direction: Patrice Vermette, Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Mauro Fiore
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros.), Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Robert Richardson
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), Christian Berger

COSTUME DESIGN:
Bright Star (Apparition), Janet Patterson
Coco Before Chanel (Sony Pictures Classics), Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Monique Prudhomme
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Sandy Powell

FILM EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
District 9 (TriStar), Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Joe Klotz

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Burma VJ (Oscilloscope Laboratories), A Magic Hour Films Production, Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
The Cove (Roadside Attractions), An Oceanic Preservation Society Production, Nominees to be determined
Food, Inc. (Magnolia Pictures), A Robert Kenner Films Production, Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (First Run Features ), A Kovno Communications Production, Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home, A Mr. Mudd Production, Rebecca Cammisa

MAKEUP:
Il Divo (MPI Media Group through Music Box), Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

ORIGINAL SCORE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Hans Zimmer
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Giacchino

ORIGINAL SONG:
"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36 (Sony Pictures Classics), Music by Reinhardt Wagner, Lyric by Frank Thomas
"Take It All" from Nine (The Weinstein Company), Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

SOUND MIXING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro, Distributed by Paramount), Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

SOUND EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Wylie Stateman
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
District 9 (TriStar), Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province, A Downtown Community Television Center Production, Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, A Just Media Production, Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, A Community Media Production, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
Music by Prudence, An iThemba Production, Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
Rabbit à la Berlin (Deckert Distribution), An MS Films Production, Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
French Roast, A Pumpkin Factory/Bibo Films Production, Fabrice O. Joubert
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (Brown Bag Films), A Brown Bag Films Production, Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte), A Kandor Graphics and Green Moon Production, Javier Recio Gracia
Logorama" (Autour de Minuit), An Autour de Minuit Production, Nicolas Schmerkin
A Matter of Loaf and Death (Aardman Animations), An Aardman Animations Production, Nick Park

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM:
The Door (Network Ireland Television), An Octagon Films Production, Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
Instead of Abracadabra (The Swedish Film Institute), A Directörn & Fabrikörn Production, Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
Kavi, A Gregg Helvey Production, Gregg Helvey
Miracle Fish (Premium Films), A Druid Films Production, Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
The New Tenants, A Park Pictures and M & M Production, Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson


SYS

Friday, January 29, 2010

Anticipating 2010: Part 3


Here's the final part. Read our other two parts here and here.

*Due Date: The top two stars instantly make this a must-see. Who are these two juggernauts? Robert Downy Jr. and Zach Galfanakis. Need I say more? (November 5, 2010)

*Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part I: Harry Potter's last outing was avergae at best, but at least this one is adpating the best book in the series. With it's large cast and Digital 3D, this one could become a winner after all. (November
19, 2010)

*Rapunzel: I have now the utmost confidence in Disney's animation department. Although I don't like Disney's CGI, I do like ALen Menken's music and the idea of htem doing the last classic Princess, so I'll be first in line to see this. (November 25, 2010)

*Tron Legacy: The first Comic-Con footage blew my mind and I totally see this becoming an event film like avatar. It looks amazing and the fact that it has the brilliant Jeff Bridges is just icing on the cake.

*The Green Hornet: Seth Rogen as superhero dosen't make me happy, it's Christoph Wlatz as the villain. something tells me we have another great winner on our hands with this film (Anvil also makes it great too). (December 22, 2010)

*Little Fockers: Ben Stiller and the cast return in what's sure to be a hillarious journey (December 22, 2010)

*True Grit: Jeff Bridges strieks again! The Choen Brothers are remaking the John Wayne film and it seems like a grand match! Can't wait to to see the final result! (December 25, 2010)

Have a great year!

SYS

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Anticipating 2010: Part 2


Let's continue on our search for the viable films in the second part of the trilogy posts dealing with the new year.

The A-Team: Remake an 80's Show is as common as the cold. But this one looks actually *GASP* good. Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Quinton Rampage Jackson and Sharlto Copley are in the cast and it looks like a fun combo. Some great action and lines might make this a great action film. (June 11)

Toy Story 3: The most wanted film of the year, this brilliant gem follows two fo the greatet films of all-time. With a sad premise, fun new characters and some secrets yet to be revealed, Toy Story 3 is gonna rule whether you want it to or not. (June 18)

Grown Ups; Adam Sandler is always fun, but pair him with Kevin James and Chris Rock and David Spade AND Rob Sdhneider and you have what looks like the knock-out comedy of the summer like The Hangover was. (June 25)

Despicable Me: I was all ready to say Boo to this...but I can't resist a film that gives Chuck Jones homages and the animation looks clever. I love Steve Carrel so this could be the surprise flick of the summer. (July 9)

Inception: Christopher Nolan follows the matserpiece The Dark Knight with this odd thriller. No one knwos what it is about or even what it may end up being. But I keep getting intrigued by the little things we see and I trust Nolan a lot so I'll give it a try. (July 16)

Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Zach Snyder is a visionay. Watchmen was an abomination story-wise but it's visuals....wow. Whenever I read about this film I think of when Wes Anderson made Fantastic Mr. Fox (another movie ased on an animal book). Zach may have the same impact here when he directs this owl fable. (September 24)

The Social Network: David Fincher is about to bring us the man behind...Facebook! Well put that with Flash of Genuis as another odd inventor film, but I just can't get the film out of my head. I think this might work after all. (October 1)

The final part will be published this weekend.

SYS

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Edtorial: iLove The iPad


The iPad has been unveiled! This ultra-secret new Apple item has been quite anticipated for a while now, but now that we have seen it up close...wow. Here's the press release:

Apple® today introduced iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad’s responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch™ display lets users physically interact with applications and content. iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds— thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting at the breakthrough price of just $499.

“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”

iPad features 12 next-generation Multi-Touch applications. Every app works in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. The precise Multi-Touch interface makes surfing the web on iPad an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Reading and sending email is fun and easy on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Import photos from a Mac®, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD or flip through pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.

iPad runs almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. The iTunes® Store gives you access to the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 11 million songs, over 50,000 TV episodes and over 8,000 films including over 2,000 in stunning high definition video. Apple also announced the new iBooks app for iPad, which includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. The iBookstore will feature books from major and independent publishers.

Apple also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. With Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers® you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for $9.99 each.

iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or PC. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

iPad’s brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display features IPS technology to deliver crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. The highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive whether scrolling web pages or playing games. The intelligent soft keyboard pioneered on iPhone takes advantage of iPad’s larger display to offer an almost full-size soft keyboard. iPad also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

iPad is powered by A4, Apple’s next-generation system-on-a-chip. Designed by Apple, the new A4 chip provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life of up to 10 hours.* Apple’s advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.**

iPad comes in two versions—one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. Apple and AT&T announced breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.

Continuing Apple’s dedication to designing and creating environmentally responsible products, each iPad enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy-efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iPad contains no brominated flame retardants and is completely PVC-free.

Apple today released a new Software Development Kit (SDK) for iPad, so developers can create amazing new applications designed to take advantage of iPad’s capabilities. The SDK includes a simulator that lets developers test and debug their iPad apps on a Mac, and also lets developers create Universal Applications that run on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Pricing & Availability
iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. International pricing and worldwide availability will be announced at a later date. iBookstore will be available in the US at launch.

*Apple tested wireless battery life by browsing web pages and receiving email over an AirPort® network, never letting the system go to sleep during the test, and keeping the display at half brightness. This is a typical scenario of use on the go, resulting in a battery performance number that is very relevant to mobile users.

**A properly maintained iPad battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity during a lifespan of up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings


I plan to get one immedatley get one when it comes out.

SYS

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Editorial: How Bad Is The Weinstein Problem


If you went to anyone in the Hollywood business right now, most would be giddy. For instance, FOX is ecstatic that Avatar is the biggest film of all-time. One studio (besides MGM of course) is unhappy. That studio is The Weinstein Company. They've had minor cash problems for a few years now, but their problems have just got worse.

You see, The Weinstein's haven't had a hit since the 2007 thriller 1408. After a string of flops like Zach and Miri and Fanboys they finally hit the gold mine with their biggest film ever: Inglorious Basterds. That film hit 121 million and is (to date) their highest grossing picture ever. Hoodwinked! was also another hit, but their most recent film was such a big bomb, it puts the whole company at jeopardy.

The film that failed was Nine. With a ton of big names in the posters, it seemed like a can't miss film. Imagine the money and Oscars the film would reap. However, this 80 million dollar film has cost The Weinstein's nearly 60 million. With layoffs after layoffs occuring, I think it's inevitable the film goes bankraupt faster than MGM. Unless Hoodwinked 2 and Pirhana 3D are juggernauts, I think this company is heading to the garbage bin.

SYS

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Anticipating 2010 Part I


You might think this is way too late. After all, 2010 is 24 days old. However, some new trailers for a majority of 2010 films have come in, giving a good opinion on what they'll be like (though they can be misleading, see Extraordinary Measures). So, without further ado, let me introduce some of the can't wait flicks of the year.

Shutter Island: Martin Scorsese. Need I say more? A little? Alright then. This film may have been post-poned from October, but that seems to have been because of some budget problems: the film looks amazing. This could be a great thriller like The Shining if Martin can really do it right. I have the utmost confidence though we'll be seeing a master at work when this baby hits theatres. (February 5, 2010)

The Lightning Thief: I actually am a fan of the books and of Percy Jackson and his demigod buddies. Camp Half-Blood seems like a great place to be and surprisingly this film looks like it good be great too. I like the casting of Pierce Brosnan and Brandon T. Jackson, casting choices that may say they wanted the film to have good actors that could really portray the characters well, a rarity these days. (February 12, 2010)

Alice In Wonderland: This one is near the top of my list. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton have been a dynamite combo before, but this film looks to be a mind-blower, perhaps even close to an Avatar scale. This is one film that looks to be hailed by all ages and maybe get Johnny Depp that Best Actor Oscar he so richly deserves. (March 5, 2010)

Season of The Witch: Say what you will, but I love Johnny Depp and this looks right up his alley. He definitely looks great here, but it's also the brilliant Ron Perlman that looks great. It may be dark, but the film still looks like a grand piece of kick-butt action. (March 19, 2010)

How To Train Your Dragon: This film looks like it's gonna break the DreamWorks tradition like Kung Fu Panda did and be much better than people thought it would. The trailer looks touching and perhaps a little adventurous. The Lilo and Stitch director Chris Sanders directs this film and it shows. It looks much different than most animated movies and I hope it's differ net as well in one single department: good quality. (March 26 ,2010)

Date Night: Tina Fey and Steve Carrel are funny alone. Together? That can only add up to hilarity, especially when you put them in a James bond like situation. The trailer is uproarious and I can't wait to see the final product (April 9, 2010)

Iron Man 2: Robert Downy Jr. has hit his peak right now..or will when this baby comes out. I loved the 1st Iron Man, probably one of the best of 2008. I have been waiting for a sequel and BOOM! here it is! Although Don Cheadle's casting could be awkward, but I still think this could be one of 2010's best pictues right here.

Robin Hood: Russel Crowe where have you been (except for the classic Body of Lies)? Filming this I guess. The fact that Ridley Scott directs this only adds to the intrigue. True, it may not be a classic like Iron Man 2 or laice in Wodnerland oculd be, but Robin Hood sure looks fun and I'll be there on oepning weekend to see it.

Prince of Persia: It was bound to happen that Disney would want to get a new Pirates like frnachise started. But who knew it would be based off this game? Though it's property is odd, it could be a fun movie, espicially since it takes place in a rare Egyptian time that you don't see of tne in films.

Look for Part II soon (there MAY be a PArt III. I'll see soon enough.)

SYS

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Editorial: Late Night Fight


The Internet hasn't been this buzzing since...well Spider-Man got rebooted. Jay Leno will move to 10:30, Conan is leaving, Jimmy Fallon's bumped and Carson Daly is leaving. It looks like a tornado has struck NBC and made it a disaster area.

The thing is, Conan is so immensely talented he shouldn't have to be fodder for NBC's "We need Jay Leno forever" crud. I love Jay Leno (adored his quote last night about 'you can either watch skaters on Vancouver Ice or two talk-show hosts on thin ice!') His Jay Leno Show was misguided and not that good overall.

Conan is also getting support, with celebrities like Roger Ebert, Rosie O'Donnel, Jim Gaffigan, Paul F. Tompkins, Doug Benson, Ahmir Thompson, Alyssa Milano, Chris Parnell, Jimmy Kimmel, Marlee Matlin, Ice-T, Matthew Perry, Ricky Gervais, Patton Oswalt, David Letterman and me, Doug (had to say it!). Patton Oswalt even said this:

Comedians who don't like Jay Leno now, and I'm one of them, we're not like, 'Jay Leno sucks;' it's that we're so hurt and disappointed that one of the best comedians of our generation... willfully has shut the switch off."

So true, Patton, So true.

Of course, he's right. Jay Leno is funny, but Conan doesn't need to take this crud. He should be able to stay in his time slot and have Jay go home. It's sad that despite 88% of people on Twitter are in favor of Conan and want him to stay.

I am one of those people on 'Team Conan". And this is a Conan Blog.

SYS

Friday, January 15, 2010

Editorial: A Web of Rumors


Ever since Sony announced 4 days ago that Spider-Man was getting the reboot, I have been getting reports after report of rumblings going on about the new franchise. What do I know? Here is what I have now:

* Sam Raimi dropped out because he felt he couldn't match that 2011 date and still be creativley good.

* Sony had been devolping the reboot and Spider-Man 4 side-by-side. The 4th film would be the final part of the Sma Raimi quadology and the reboot would be out the following year in 2012.

* A slew of directors are trying to get into the film. The one that's likely to be chosen is Marc Webb, direcotr of (500) Days of Summer. David Fincher, James Cameron, Wes Anderson and even Neil Blompkamp are also in the running to direct.

* Who is likely to play Peter Parker? None other than Robert Pattison or Tyler Lautner. My spidey-sense is tingling now...for all the wrong reasons.

This disaster could be good if Wes ANderson driected...but I don't know. We'll see come 2012.

SYS

Monday, January 11, 2010

Breaking News: Spider-Man Got Rebooted!!!!!!!!!


Holy crackers and cheese, Sony has pulled the reboot button on Spider-Man. Due to script problems, they have decided to put the 2 billion dollar franchise into overdirve. The following is what Sony announced:

"A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three 'Spider-Man' films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We're very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning," said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Me, I don't like the idea. It just sounds like they have no faith in Sam Raimi. I'm dissapointed. Expect a LOT of insults at Sony this coming weeks.

SYS

Editorial: Time To Jay Up


If you have even been near the internet recently, you know about the big battle going on with NBC and Jay Leno. The atrocity that is The Jay Leno show isn't even getting 2 million viewers these days, so NBC decided that, effictive this Spring, Jay Leno runs a 30 minute show at 10:30 PM. So the big question is this: whydid it all go wrong?

Simply put, it's hard to watch a show 5 times a week at 10. The kids are likely to still be up and there's much better shows on like Fringe and 30 Rock you'll want to watch on your Tivo.

If Jay Leno had kept himself once a week, he'd probably still be a hit. Right now though, he's derided by his critics and a ratings disaster. NBC, it's time to quite on Jay Leno. Time to move on.

Come February, we'll see if it was time slot problems that hurt the show or Jay himself.

SYS

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Editorial: The Princess and The Screwed Up Ads


The Princess and the Frog is one of the best films of 2009. It's a classic, on par with Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. So why is this film going to struggle to make 100 million. This film SHOULD beat Lilo & Stitch. Instead, it's going take less than half off the gross of the crud that is Alvin and The Chipmunks 2.

Why did it dissapoint? Marketing. This film (and Avatar) had the worst marketing department ever. I mean, the only things they sold were for Disney Princess toys. They needed to get a wider age range. Perhaps highliting all the voodoo spirits would've gotten a couple of boys in there.

I do know for a fact that the following things would've been great for the film:

*Thanksgiving Day parade float. Why the heck did they not do this? Some of those songs blaring from the float would've had the audience hooked.

*Better Preivews- How about declaring that this film is the 49th classic from Disney? Plus, they should've showed the musical numbers Dig A Little Deeper & Friends on The Other Side as previews like The Lion King did as they had Circle of Life as it's preview. That film was a hit. Plus, at the end of those ads, state that the songs are on iTunes. That would've gotten the tech generation to love the songs and film.

*Look at the banner above. Does that make you wanna rush out to see it? No. Personally, fleshing out the story more in the ads would've done the film better justice.

I think Disney also should've just said that this was an event film like Avatar. Pump it up, make it look big. If Disney dosen't fine-tune their marketing by the time Rapunzel hits 3D theatres in November...well, Disney could be looking at more dissapointing grosses.

Sad

SYS

Monday, January 4, 2010

Editorial: To 3D...Or Not 3D


Right now, over 200 million of Avatar's USA gross has come from 3D. Companies are pouring millions into getting films like Robin Hood and Eclipse to become 3D pictures. And now TV is about to go 3D. So the big question right now is this: is 3D a fad or a revolution?

If someone had suggested the latter 5 months ago, I would've said BAH! But now that could be a possibility. Audiences find a mere 2-3 dollars extra for the eperience much better than the 15 dollar IMAX showings. Plus, consumers find that there is a difference. Most studios find this equation when seeing 3D:

3D = Money + Film = Profit

Sad but true, the only reason STUDIOS are giving a darn about this is becuase there's a ton of money in this investment. 3D movies oculd be sold on Home Video for 35 dollars. Wow. That's a ton of money. But I guess that's what we're willing to pay for something we didn't have 5 years ago.

Hollywood seems to be in the 1st transition in nearly 50 years. The last one was color TV. Now 3D imagery is coming and people can't get away from it. Steven SPielberg, DreamWorks Animation, MArvel, James Cameron, PIXAR, George Lucas, PEter Jacdkson & Disney have pledged loyality to 3D and more (like Ridley Scott and Jon Favreu) are bound to come.

SO my opinion on the ordeal is this: Audiences can be choosey and they seem to be choosing 3D. Plus, we just hit 10 billion last year and Avatar could hit Titanic's mega-gross if 3D keeps staying at it's side. Now that's some cash no studio head will refuse.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Editorial: Best of The Decade: Part I The TV Shows

There's no particular order to the list, just in any order you please. So, here for your viewing pleasure, is the 10 shows that shaped us as a whole this decade.

Glee: Where else could singing high Schoolers roam? Plus, it made it okay to laugh and actually dance to a TV show again.



Dexter: Violence. Sounds bad? Dexter made it cool to wtach an assassin kill people. And you can't help but chuckle when you think that a man can be a father and still be a grand murderer.

Survivor: Classic. Never in a billion trillion years. But half (maybe even 75%) of the shows on TV wouldn't even exsist without this reality sensation that paved the way for American Idol and Jon and Kate.

The Shield: Wow. Michael Chiklis played the ultimate cop and shaped Cable forever. He may have been a cop, but breaking laws still weren't below him...or even being worse than the criminal.

24: Kiefer Sutherland IS Jack Bauer. And he IS the best action star on TV. With so many iconic things (the split screens!), it's hard to know when to stop praising the ultimate action show on TV.



Breaking Bad: This hillarious and dark show is quite a powerhoue both ratings and cticaly wise. It's the ultimate show for anyone who likes drama and tension.

Lost: This show (which will end in May) is nerdvana, combining WHAT WAS THAT with mystery. J.J Abrahms has shifted TV not only with fringe, but with Lost.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Scoff if you must, but this show is no kiddie fare. On the contrary, it's as riviting as Lost with it's dark and powerful stories. It's a treat to see someone besides Hayo Myaski and PIXAR using animation to it's full potential.

American Idol: The reaility hit is one heckuva show, putting great talent and people behind great music. Plus, we met Adam Lambert. Now that's love at first sight!

The Sorprano's:
How could we even mention the 200's without mentioning this gem? The Godfather of television, you really know the characters as if they are your own. Though the climx was...climatic, the show still rests as one of the greatest ever, something for generations to come to behold and awe.



SYS

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Editorial: Traveling The Globe



I have been asked recently what I think of the Golden Globe nominations that have come out and gotten some bad press. I somewhat agree with the negativity though. Why?

Well, for starters, whoever thought Julia Roberts in Duplicity was worthy of some kind of award was crazy. I'm just glad Jamie Preesly didn't get a nod for Confessions of a Shopaholic! The nods in Best Comedy/Musical reallt stretch good taste. I highly doubt the Oscars are going to give (500) Days of Summer, The Hangover and It's Complicated Best Picture noms. Those slots will be replaced with the notable absent Invictus, Up & A Serious Man.

The male acting nods were much better. Matt Dammon actually deserved both of his noms & Robert Downy Jr. probably needed a nom for Sherlock Holmes. I'm surprised Sigourney Weaver dosen't get a Suporting Actress nom for Avatar, but maybe the Academy will scoop her up.

My bottom line is that these noms are ok, but defenitly not the REAL best ones. There are some awards coming around this blog, so maybe you can see who is really the best of the year!! I'll tune in to the Globes though. After all, Ricky will probably put on a show.

SYS

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Editorial: Disney Being Sucked Into The Black Hole of Creativity



Disney has just announced a remake of The Black Hole. Don't remember it? It's that 1979 film that bombed. Disney hopes to make it a franchise. Brrr. What an ugly word: franchise. Some things are destined for that (Star Trek, Star Wars, Toy Story), but studios that once were havens for small filmmakers to get their start has quickly evolved into a cesspool of get-rich-quick films like Twilight and the upcoming Prince of Persia.

I can remember when Walt Disney himself famously stated: "You Can't Top Pigs With Pigs". They must have a motto now that says: "You Can't Top Pigs With Pigs, But You Can Top Pirates With Pirates!". Disney refuses to let anything that makes cash slip through their fingers. At least Dick Cook (the previous head of Disney films) had reasonings behind the underrated Confessions of a Shopaholic and the masterpiece Up. He made films that were great!! Rich Ross (the current head of Disney films. He joined in October. See him below.), however, has sunk more from Disney since Eisnier (Ghastly figure from Disney's past).



Rich seems to have a new idea that Disney needs to srengthen women into cinema's. Forgive me for saying so, but that's a load of garbage. Disney just scored 163 million this past summer from The Proposal and they have the Disney Princess and Fairies line to back up little girls. His new position is to make franchises and chick flicks to last forever. Translation: He wants franchises they can milk, like DreamWorks does with Shrek.

Meanwhile, Disney Feature animation is on a roll. The Princess and The Frog is coming out in next week and they hit 117 million dollars last year with Bolt. Princess is making them a bundle in dolls, and yet they have QUALITY!! Next year, Disney will premiere Rapunzel in 3D and I couldn't be more excited for it. Plus, we know PIXAR has made a film about an old man and still made 700 million dollars off of it.

What's my point? My point is that Disney Animation is looking for franchises, yes, but they don't forget the quality. Disney will make millions (maybe billions) off Princess and the Frog, but that's partially because it'll be a good film! You don't just make a film based on a PC game (below) and a 1979 Sci-Fi flop and then expect the cash to roll on in.



In coclusion, I think Disney films is in trouble, whereas Disney Animation is booming, and they should learn a lesson from the Animation group.

SYS

Monday, November 30, 2009

Editorial: Top 20 Simpson Episode Titles



On December 17, 2009 The Simpson's turn 20 and here at Doug's Domain we are going to celebrate! Here's the second of 20 Top 20 lists.

20. Mypods and Boomsticks (Season 20)

19. Homerazzi (Season 18)

18. Grandpa Simpson, The Raging Flying Heckfish and His Grumbling Grandson, Bart Simpson (Season 7)

17. Bart Gets a Z (Season 21)

16. Goo Goo Gai Pan (Season 16)

15. Rednecks and Broomsticks (Season 21)

14. Last Exit To Springfield (Season 4)

13. Who Shot Mr. Burns (Season 6 & 7)

12. HOMR (Season 12)

11. Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words (Season 20)

10. The Last Temptation of Krust (Season 9)

9. He Loves To Fly (And He D'ohs) (Season 19)

8. Alone Again Natura-Diddily (Season 11)

7. Beyond Blunderdome (Season 11)

6. E. Pluribus Wiggum (Season 19)

5. Bart Gets an Elephant (Season 5)

4. She of Little Faith (Season 13)

3. The Great Louse Detective (Season 14)

2. Homer Vs. The Monorail (Season 4)

1. $pringfield (Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Legalized Gambling)

Be back soon with more lists.

SYS

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Editorial: Top 20 Simpson Characters.



On December 17, 2009 The Simpson's turn 20 and here at Doug's Domain we are going to celebrate! Here's the first of 20 Top 20 lists.

Obviously, The Simpsons would be fave's, so this is the Secondary Characters

20. Chief Wiggum- Most cops are buff and played by Andy Griffith. This one has SUNG that 'fighting crime is not really my cup of tea'. He is a loyal father, but he still has no interest in his real job: taking down the crime.

19. Dr. Nick Revera: This doctor has become a staple of the show and being one of the best things in The Simpsons Movie. He obviously wants the money and has made many-a screw-ups, notable a patient with legs for arms and arms for legs!

18. Snake Jailbird: Snake is unlikely to be forgotten as he has always been Wiggum's foil. He may be one of Springfield cleverest, but he can still fall in love, as shown by his affection to Gloria. He also had one of the most wise quotes about Springfield: 'Could this town be any stupider?'

17. Capital City Goofball (Below): This character may have been in the show for only a few episodes, but he has a permanent place in our hearts. Also, he's a congressman to boot!



16. Lionel Hutz: One of two characters discontinued, this lawyer used to be a sure-fire person for laughs, including his pitch perfect quote on the biggest scam: 'Mister Simpson this [all you can eat] scam is the biggest mismarketing since the poster for The Neverending Story'

15. Itchy and Scratchy: Think of an ultra-violent Tom and Jerry and you have this great parody of cartoons inside a cartoon (my mind just exploded too, don't worry). Each cartoon is a clever spoof, my favorite being Reservoir Cats with a Quentin Tarantino cameo!

14. Sideshow Mel: Krusty's abused sidekick is actually among the smartest in the town. However, he's repeatedly bruised and abused to no avail. His Wowee sauce scene in I Love Lisa was a terrific one as well.

13. Lenny and Carl: The duo have been friends forever and are always there for Homer...perhaps for a price. The two can be found at Moe's, either sad, happy or just plain asleep. Lenny and Carl also gave one of my favorite lines:

Lenny: Hey Carl, remember when we used to kiss like that...with our girlfriends?

Carl: Yeah, good times.

12. Nelson Muntz (Below): A once one note bully has morphed into one of the most philosophical characters, including his dream of being an event planner. His love life has also been vibrant, including a relationship with Lisa.



11. Seymour Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers: These two runs Springfield Elementary and have quite a friendship. In fact, it's hard to imagine Bart's school without the duo in it's halls.

10. Apu: Apu is the runner of the Kwik-E-Mart and one of the few major Hindu's on TV. HE and his wife have a nice marriage, though they have octuplets that strain everything. He has quite great lines, including the classic song 'Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?'

9. Kent Brockman: The newscaster is against Democracy, which of course gets him high ratings. But that's not all you'll remember him for. You'll also remember him for the quote: 'I welcome our new insect overlords', now an internet meme,

8. Sideshow Bob: Kelsey Grammar voices this masterpiece of a bad guy, who is a genius, but can be foiled with singing opera and his large feet. His episodes are always welcome, especially when they involve his brother Cecil, played by David Hyde Pierce.

7. Kang and Kodos: These aliens have great stuff every Halloween when they appear and have the honor of having one of the best lines ever: "Good lord! We wouldn't eat you! Do you know how much trans fat are in a human arm?"

6. Edna Krabapple (below): Bart's teacher is lonesome and always desperate for a man. However, she has good intentions and only wants the best for her students. She and Skinner have had a rocky relationship, elading them to a uproarious school strike.



5. Moe Syslack (below): The bartender of Springfield has no friends or living family, yet always has Homer to remind him he's a loser. Still, he dosen't lose hoep that love is out there. His best quote was: 'Moe has no friends, family, aquatinces, girlfriends or even bats to keep in cages. God help me, I loved those bats.'



4. Waylon Smithers: As loyal as you get, Smithers would rather die than losa his job to Mr. Burns. He also seems to have a good work ethic, as he once went 15 hours without sleep.

3. Krusty (below): This Jewish clown has always been great for attacking pop culture, and has one of the best range of personality on the show. His show shtick is never failed to make me bust a gut.



2. Ralph Wiggum (below): Ralph is the oddball on the show. He rarely says 6 word at a time and is always in his own world. Still, he adorable and always funny and has made himself Lisa's best lover so far.



1. Mr. Burns (below): The greedy monopolistic owner of the Nuclear Power plant is selfish and mean. Yet, he's always wonderfully greedy and you just want to see what he will do next. He's easily the best character on the show, hands down.



We'll be back later on with more lists including best lines ever!

SYS

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Y Bomb: Land of The Lost



In this weekly column, we'll look at movies that bombed and why they were a flop

I just reviewed Land of The Lost and felt it was a really funny film. So why did it bomb?

I remember when the film came out. There was a ton of marketing for it. Yet, it seemed to look either too child-friendly or too mature. It's hard to take a film seriously when you first see it's trailer on Disney's Earth and then on Drag Me To Hell. You just don't think the film is worth your time.

Also, Land of The Lost fell into the same problem Bruno and Funny People had: it's unrelatable. Earlier this year we had I Love You, Man. Everyone relates to needing a pal and feeling dated. Who relates to going through time warps? The everyday situation is becoming the norm for comedies. That's probably why Mike Myers flopped with The Love Guru last year.

There may be a market for out-of-this-world comedies, but it's getting smaller by the year. In my opinion, that's why Land of The Lost bombed. Marketing and poor demographic.

SYS

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Editorial: Female Films




For some strange reason, people are always shocked when women go out to the films. Me? I always think, why wonder? Women like good food, books and movies. In fact, they like films better than men. After all, films are a good chance for girls to get together. Here are a list of films that have come out recently that have SHOCKED critics due to their success.

*The Blind Side
*Sex and The City
*The Proposal
*The Ugly Truth
*The Devil Wears Prada
*Mamma Mia!

The tradition is likely to continue with Sex and The City 2 and It's Complicated. So why is it so surprising when you have this list of female films?

My theory, is that while it is a big list, the list for films that are powered by men dwarfs it. When you compare the two, it looks like males are the only ones that see movies, whereas women actually make up a good chunk of the audience of the movie market.

It just makes you wonder why executives just keep using the same old "WOW!! A female film was hit! That's new!" excuse over and over. Really makes you wonder.

SYS