"Eastern Promises" (**1/2)

There really isn't anything majorly wrong with David Cronenber's new film, "Eastern Promises;" it just does not live up to the high expectations that I had for it. "A History of Violence," Cronenberg's last film was a modern masterpiece, a marvel of a film, and his latest one just can't live up to it.

Anna Khitrova is a midwife who is investigating the background of a mother who died in her ward while giving birth. This leads her to the Vory V Zakone, the Russiana mafia. She investigates the family's role in the woman's death and strikes up a friendship with their driver, Nikolai Luzhin. The story is a fairly simple one. It is told pretty straightforward, but there is an interesting twist towards the end that I did not see coming. I just didn't find the story as engaging as Cronenber's previous films. The story isn't a bad one; I was just expecting more.

The performances in the film are pretty good. Viggo Mortensen, once again, delivers a great performance. I really hope he decides to work with Cronenberg again. His performance may not be as good as his turn in "A History of Violence," but it is a creepy, brave one that may get awards attention. The rest of the cast do well, but they can't match Viggo. Naomi Watts character is well-developed, and she delivers a good performance, but it is just not as good as her previous roles. Armin Mueller-Stahl is also noteworthy.

Overall, David Cronenberg has composed a good film. It just falls a little flat compared to his previous works. One good thing that I do see coming from this film; however, is the beginnings of a great and hopefully long relationship between Cronenberg and the film's star, Viggo Mortensen.

Random Happenings.

I haven't really posted in awhile, but I need one more post this week to meet Mr. Duncan's quota. Here is what has been going on in my life. I was going home this weekend, but now I'm not. My parents didn't think I should waste the gas money. I'm hopefully going to order my Mac this weekend; I'm pretty excited.

I also want to go see two movies this weekend. I didn't get a chance to see "Eastern Promises" last weekend so I'm going to go this weekend. Also, test screenings for "The Kingdom" have been surprisingly good, so I'm going to try to go see that. One thing that I am really mad about is I have really been looking forward to seeing "Across the Universe," but it is still not playing here. It seems like I have been waiting forever to see this film. I don't see how a film, "In the Valley of Elah," who is doing worse than "Across the Universe," could get two screens at my local independent theatre and "Across the Universe" can't even manage one.

Saturday I am going to order tickets for the New Orleans Film Festival. I only plan on seeing three films this year: "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," and "Grace is Gone." I went last year and had a great time; I expect to do the same this year.

Also, to keep everyone up to date, that is if anyone even reads my posts, I'm going to try to have a regular Oscar column. I want to keep a chart on the side with a list of my predictions, and I will do that once I find out how. I just have to find the time to figure it out.

In Response.

I created this blog because for my freshman English class at the University of Memphis we have to write a journal. Mr. Duncan, my professor, suggested that people write their journals in the form of a blog; I immediately took to this idea. I always wanted to start a blog, but I was never really motivated enough. This assignment has served as my motivation.

Now, for the most part, I have been using this blog to give my opinions on certain movies and the upcoming awards season. I have posted a few other articles not related to movies, but for the most part that is all I have been discussing. Movies are my passion, and I am constantly thinking about them.

Mr. Duncan also said that we should use our journal to answer questions that he writes on our papers. Well, I just got my first graded paper back in his class, and while he did not ask me any questions, he did make a comment to me that I would like to thank him for.

When he handed my paper back he asked me, "Are you sure you don't have a secret identity?" Now, I took this to mean that he was asking me if I write under another alias. (Hopefully, this is what he meant by it, because if not then I am sounding really stupid now.) It was an extremely nice thing to say that really moved me. It is the best praise that I have probably ever received, and I am very thankful. Writing is one of my passions, and I am an aspiring screenwriter or film director. A lot of the time I think to myself, "Do I have what it takes to make it in such a difficult, competitive field?" It scares me. This is what I want to do with my life, and I don't know what else I would do.

When I receive high praise like this I am very honored. It gives me hope and lifts my spirits; it makes me think that I can be one of the next generation of filmmakers. It reassures me that I am not moving towards a false dream but an actual reality. Thank you.

"In the Valley of Elah" (***)

"In the Valley of Elah," Paul Haggis' second directorial effort may not be as good as 2005's surprise Best Picture winner, "Crash," but it is by no means a bad film. At its core, this is a detective story. It follows Hank Deerfield, who is investigating the disappearance of his son after he had just returned from Iraq. Along the way Hank, a former military MP, acquires the help of a female police detective to help him in his investigation. It's a tightly woven script that moves at a purposefully slow pace, which is by no means a bad thing. At first, it comes off as emotionally dry, but as the film progresses the buried, subtle emotions of the characters captures the audience's attention.

Also of note is the cinematography which adds to the "dryness" of the film. The color seems unsaturated, which adds to the tone of the film and gives the film a certain level of subtlety

The performances, for the most part, are good. Tommy Lee Jones, gives an Oscar worthy performance as the missing soldier's father. He is a character that keeps his emotions locked up inside himself, but the audience can see the pain the situation is causing him in his dark eyes. It's heartbreaking to watch this character slowly realize that his son is not exactly who he imagined he was, but no matter what his son has done, he is still his son. It is one of Tommy Lee Jones' best performances, and he may get an Oscar nomination. I'm not sure, however, if this low-key performance can hold until the end of the season. Also noteworthy is Charlize Theron as the police detective helping Hank. Charlize Theron plays a tough, stubborn character who has to endure the fact that she is a woman working in a male dominated police department. Because of this, she is determined to do whatever she can to help Hank, and not only make sure justice prevails, but prove herself to her fellow employees. Susan Sarandon also has a small role in the film as Hank's wife. She had received Oscar buzz at the beginning of the year, but I think I would keel over and die if she were nominated. She is barely in the film, and when she is on screen she gives a stale performance. Her character could have been cut out entirely from the script, making Tommy Lee Jones as a single father, which would have made his intentions even more powerful, heightening his performance.

The ending of the film is also very powerful. It serves as a distress signal to what is happening in Iraq. It is a powerful image that people should not forget.

Overall, "In the Valley of Elah" is a slow moving, sometimes powerful film that basks in its subtleties. It may have some problems, and will probably be forgotten come awards season, but it is one of the better films so far during this fall season. Check it out if you get the chance.

The New Orleans Film Festival

It's almost the end of September, and that means the New Orleans Film Festival is right around the corner. The full lineup of films will actually be revealed Monday on the New Orleans Film Festival website, neworleansfilmfest.com. I actually had the time to see a few of the films last year, and it was pretty fun. I saw "Little Children," "Sherrybaby," and "Babel." It's a great way to see the films that usually don't get a theatrical run in the area. Last year's lineup was one of the festival's best yet, and I'm looking forward to seeing the full lineup of this year's films on Monday.

I'm fortunate enough this year to be able to go. Right now I'm at the University of Memphis, but our fall break falls right around the same time as the beginning of the festival. Unfortunately, I'll miss the closing night film. but hopefully it's nothing too spectacular.

Some of the films have already been announced, and it looks like this year is going to be the best yet. There are three films which I'm really looking forward to seeing. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "Grace is Gone," and "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead." I bet you one of these films will be the closing night film; just my luck.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a foreign film on the life of Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffered from a stroke and became paralyzed. The film is seen from his perspective and seems to be a highly original, thought-provoking film.

"Grace is Gone" played at this year's Sundance Film Festival, winning the Audience Award, and stars John Cusack as a man who has to cope with his wife who died in Iraq. John Cusack seems to be having a good year, and he may even get nominated for his performance in this one.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is directed by Sidney Lumet and stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke as brothers planning a robbery of a jewlery store. I believe this is one of the festival's opening night selections.

Just a partial list of the lineup has me salivating at the mouth, and I cannot wait until the full lineup is revealed on Monday. The festival runs from October 11-18. Also of special interest is that Vince Vaughn is supposed to be making an appearance this year. I'm not sure of any other high profile stars yet. The film festival seems to have grown, especially after Katrina. This is really a great thing for the New Orleans area, and I hope the festival only continues to get bigger. I will post Monday on the films that I will probably be seeing.

P.S. I caught a special screening of "Resident Evil: Extinction" last night. The film is not worthy of a review or your money. I'll give it 1/2 * out of ****.

"Good Luck Chuck" (*1/2)

I wasn't expecting much from this movie at all. After the first twenty minutes I was shocked. I thought to myself, "Hey this is pretty funny." Sure it had its problems, but it provided many laughs. Then not soon after I started to like it, the movie I expected showed up.

Basically, the story follows Chuck whose girlfriends have gone on to marry their next boyfriends after dating him. Girls are lining up to screw Chuck, but he has fallen for a klutzy girl that he has met at a wedding. He pursues her and they eventually start dating, but Chuck is afraid to sleep with her because this girl is the one. Finally, after thinking he is not cursed he sleeps with her. Up until this part the film is good; it provides plenty of laughs and keeps your attention. After this point in the film, the movie just collapses. It becomes a silly gimmick that isn't remotely funny. I lost interest and stopped caring about what was going to happen. The movie was predictable, but the laughs kept it watchable. When the laughs disappeared, so did my interest.

There is not much to day about the acting here, nothing special. Jessica Alba sounds like a little girl, which I guess is attractive to some people. Dane Cook is decent. I'm surprised because I never saw him as an actor. I would like to see him do more roles like his in "Mr. Brooks," show some range.

Also, viewers should take note that this movie is rated R, and it is very deserving of its rating. I could have done without seeing some of the sexual positions they showed, no matter if they were funny or not. There is a lot of unnecessary nudity too. I don't mind nudity in films like "Babel" when I think it serves a purpose, but this film could have gotten its point across without the nudity, earning the film a PG-13 rating, and making it more accesible to a wider audience.

Overall, "Good Luck Chuck" is a cliched romatic comedy that shows potential in the beginng but quickly flounders.

"The Brave One" (**1/2)

My initial reaction to Neil Jordan's "The Brave One" is mixed. The story is not original, but the film is kept alive by Jodie Foster's scorching performance. Also, the tone of the story seems out of place and the direction weak.

The film follows Erica Bain, a radio host, who is engaged to Dr. David Kermani. One night while walking their dog in the park they are brutally attacked by a group of thugs who kill David and leave Erica in a coma for three weeks. Erica wakes up totally changed. At first she is fearful of leaving the confines of her own home, but once she does she purchases an unregistered gun off someone in the streets. Erica patrols the streets at night, unable to sleep. In a convenient store one night she witnesses the murder of the girl working behind the counter. As the culprit is getting ready to leave he hears Erica's phone goes off, and Erica ends up killing him in self-defense. She now takes it upon herself to relieve New York of the scum that walk the streets.

While the story has been done before it does stay intriguing mostly because of Jodie Foster's electrifying performance. This film is hers, and she may even garner an Academy Award nomination. Jodie Foster is a portal into her character's head. When Erica looks in the mirror she does not see the same person staring back at her before the accident; she sees a stranger. After her first killing Erica does not know what she has done. She looks at her reflection, sees the scorching blue eyes looking back at her, and wonders who she is becoming. As the film progresses, Foster contemplates if she is doing the right thing. Is she actually doing good for society, or is she becoming what she is trying to stop? The audience really gets to see this internal struggle go through Foster's head as she gazes upon herself. It is an extraordinary performance, one of the best of the year. Also noteworthy is Terrence Howard who plays a detective investigating the murders. He strikes up a bond with Foster's character who tries to justify her actions by talking to him.

While Foster's performance is strong, the film falters because of its tone. When I was watching it I kept thinking to myself that something just didn't feel right about it. It seemed indecisive on what it wanted to be. Also, in the beginning they cut from different scenes quickly. It seemed like right when a particular scene started to get interesting they would slowly fade to something else. This also interfered with the tone of the film. It just seemed offsetting at times, and it is really hard to explain why.

Also, the ending is really unsatisfying. It seems like it is trying to send the wrong message. I can't go into great detail without spoiling the film.

Overall, the film works because of Jodie Foster's electrifying, Oscar-worthy performance.

Grade: (**1/2 out of ****)

The Toronto Film Festival.

The Toronto Film Festival is well underway in Canada, and I couldn't be more estatic. This festival is the official start of the Oscar season and usually showcases the films that will make their way to the Kodak theatre in February. Now, I haven't actually been to the festival (however I plan to before I die) but here is an analysis of the buzz that has been floating around.

Films that showcase actors' talents but not their scripts:

"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"- I knew this was coming. People have been toting this film as a Best Picture contender since March, but I just never saw it happening. For one thing, it's a sequel which is automatically one strike against it. While the original was good, it did not deserve all the attention it received. The reviews at the festival are saying it is a beautiful film with very little substance. However, the consensus is that Cate Blanchett delivers another extraordinary performance and will most likely be nominated. This was expected. She is the next Meryl Streep, and there is just no stopping her. All I can say was I called it.

"The Brave One"- People have been predicting Jodie Foster since the beginning of the year, but I never jumped on the bandwagon. The film looked good but not Oscarish in my opinion. Also, Foster's last film, "Flightplan," was a disaster. I'm not so sure anymore though. It seems like Foster has a legitimate shot at being nominated and an expected number one spot at the box office this weekend should play in its favor. I guess I'll pass judgement on this film after the weekend once I have seen it.

"Margot at the Wedding"- I had predicted this in the Best Original Screenplay category at the beginning of the year, but this does not even seem possible anymore. I do believe that Jennifer Jason Leigh will receive a nomination and possibly Nicole Kidman.

"Reservation Road"- I guess I saw this coming; I just never wanted to acknowledge it. Apparently the film is supposed to play like a thriller, but the film just doesn't convey that tone leaving the viewer with a decent film with strong performances. This was a mistake. The film should be a heavy emotional drama, not some thriller. I still think Mark Ruffalo will receive plenty of attention for this one.

Love or Hate:

"Across the Universe" and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"- Both films have received either really positive reviews or negative ones. The negative ones do stress that each film is trying hard to be great, so I guess it could be worse. These are just two of my most anticipated films of the year, and I was wishing for worldwide critical praise. I guess we won't know their Oscar chances until they are officially released, which happens to be today for "Across the Universe." "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" will be released later this month.

And the festival darling is......

"Juno"- This is Jason Reitman's follow up to last year's "Thank You for Smoking." This film has really come out of nowhere to receive all this attention. Roger Ebert is already getting the Oscar campaign ready for this one; his opinions did benefit "Crash." I cannot wait to see this film, and I hope it succeeds. It stars Ellen Page as a girl who has to deal with a pregnancy. I think Ellen Page is a force to be reckoned with. She was phenomenal in "Hard Candy," a film most people did not see, but most that did praised her performance. Ellen Page is the next big thing, and who knows, she may have herself an Academy Award after this year.

My Speech.

My hands were shaking convulsively. My knees were trembling. I wanted to move around, but I couldn't. I was locked in place like a deer in the headlights. Thoughts of people laughing at me and thoughts of saying the wrong thing circulated through my head. I imagined looks of confusion on my fellow students' faces.

If you haven't guessed, I was giving a speech. Yesterday, I had to introduce my semester topic of euthanasia to the class. I was extremely nervous, a habit I have been trying to break but is one that just won't seem to go away. Sure most people get nervous before a speech, but no one seems to embody that sense of fear better than me. I walked up and stood before my peers ready to talk, but once I started talking I wondered, "What the hell am I doing here?" Immediately after talking all I wanted to do was sit back down again. As part of my presentation I had a picture that I wanted to show the class to further my point. Once I lifted that piece of paper it started flapping rapidly in the air. It was flapping as fast as the rate of a hummingbird's wings.

After each speech the students have to write on note cards complimenting the speaker, giving one suggestion, and asking a question. I was scared to pick up mine; I envisioned all this negative feedback. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Most people noticed my lack of confidence and apparent nerves, but most also said I had a really good speech. They said there was no reason for me to be nervous or not confident. Those made me feel a tad better about myself. I also was told that I spoke too fast. Well, when I give a speech and all I want to do is sit down that is usually the best means to achieve what I want. I know I need to slow down and build my confidence, but it is just hard for me to do it. All I can do is practice. After all, if I want to direct movies I'm probably going to have to talk in front of people.

It's Been a Long Day

Whenever you have a paper to do or you have to write a speech do you ever just sit at the computer trying to put what you want to say in words, but whatever you type doesn't seem to sound right? Well this is what happens to me everytime I write. Today, I was trying to write my introductory speech for Oral Communications. My topic is euthanasia, and I have to introduce it and why I am interested. I don't know why I'm interested besides the fact that I find it interesting. Now I just need to find a way to say that in four to five minutes.

In papers, the beginning is always the hardest to write. I have things to say, but I just have trouble organizing them at first. I sit at the computer just trying to figure out where to start. I really strain myself putting my thoughts into a concise speech or paper. Today after about five hours I finally came up with a speech that I am pleasantly pleased with. Five hours of my life wasted on coming up with a speech that I have to give in four or five minutes. Then again I would write a sentence, and my fingers would realize that I was tired. They would move the mouse to the internet explorer link and then lead me to facebook. This is a habit I'm trying to control. I need to seclude myself from all these more interesting things to do than write a paper. Procrastination is my worst enemy. I'm trying to get rid of him, but he just doesn't want to go away. It's not that I don't like writing; I really like to write. It's just that I get so frustrated trying to formulate my thoughts that my brain decides to take a break from whatever I am writing without talking it over with me. Well at least my papers get done, and I usually get pretty good grades on them.

I just described this whole frustrating process of writing papers, but for some reason I like doing it. I like when my brain struggles over what to say. I like expressing myself through words. I never seem to dictate what I want to day. It always seems to come out in a misunderstood mess. Hopefully, this will help me when I'm writing screenplays. I just hope people like what I have to say.

My Most Anticipated Films of the Fall.

I believe the fall movie season is now underway, so I'm going to countdown my 10 most anticipated movies of the fall movie season.

10. Eastern Promises: This is David Cronenberg's follow up to one of my favorite films of 2005, A History of Violence. He again chooses to cast Viggo Mortensen; these two really make a great pair. Hopefuly Viggo will earn a Best Actor nomination this year after getting snubbed in 2005. It also helps that Naomi Watts is also starring, one of my favorite actresses working today. The early reviews have been positive, and I can't wait to see this film in two weeks time.

9. Lars and the Real Girl: I didn't know much about this film until about a month ago when I came across a glowing script review. I was also surprised to find out that Ryan Gosling stars in it. He gave the best performance out of any actor in last year's Half Nelson, and it won't be long until he wins an Oscar. The film seems like quirky, but nontheless, interesting film. Gosling plays a recluse man who orders a sex doll. He brings "her" around town introducing her to everyone as her girlfriend. That's just a basic premise, but that's all I really need to know that I'm going to see this as soon as I can.

8. Sweeny Todd: Like I said in my Best Picture analysis, I really wasn't expecting much out of this film until the first images and amazing one-sheet were released. Now my anticipation can't be higher. I just hope that my initial instincts weren't right.

7. There Will Be Blood: Paul Thomas Anderson is a great director who rarely puts out a film, but when he does I have to see it. He hasn't really received the credit he deserves yet with the Academy, but I think this film will change that.

6. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass: The His Dark Materials trilogy is probably my favorite fantasy series besides Harry Potter. I thought the trailer was exceptional, and the cast couldn't be better. I'm just not sure if the movie can live up to the books. I think this film could be the next fantasy to receive a Best Picture nomination, though this is an extreme long shot.

5. Reservation Road: After Hotel Rwanda I will watch anything Terry George does. Joaquin Phoenix will one day win a Best Actor award and this may be that film. The story is a good one: a family has to cope with the death of their child after a hit-and-run. The story also focuses on how the man who hit the kid copes with what he has done. The novel is good, but it drags a little in the middle. It's a good character piece that should earn high praise for the cast.

4. Southland Tales: This is Richard Kelly's follow up to Donnie Darko, my favorite film of all time. So why isn't this at the top of my list? Well, it premiered at Cannes last year, receiving negative reviews. Kelly was forced to condense much of the film, and after a year and a half of editing and redoing some of the effects it is finally being released. This could turn out to be my favorite film of the year or my least.

3. Across the Universe: The trailer for this film was magnificent! Telling a love story between two teenagers through Beatle's music is an interesting concept, and I think Julie Taymor is the perfect person to pull this off. If all goes well this could be a major Oscar contender, but I'm not so sure. Julie Taymor was forced by the studio to reedit the the film, and they had to agree on a compromise. When will studios learn not to mess with a visionary director's art? Hopefully, it will still turn out as great as it looks.

2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: This film was supposed to be released in September of last year, but the studio pushed it back after poor test screenings. The film, however, premiered at the Venice Film Festival and most people seemed to like it. The negative reviews said that it was a overly long, artsy film, which to me is awesome. The new trailer looks great, as does the cinematography. I will be first in line when this is released in Memphis.

1. Atonement: This film looks amazing. Everytime I watch the trailer to this film my heart starts pounding and a chill runs down my spine. The music in it is phenomenall; the best trailer since last year's Little Children. Early reports say the film is every bit as good as the trailer makes it out to be. I think Keira Knightley may be receiving her first gold statue this year. I just hope I'm not too excited...

It's Oscar Time!

It's that time of the year again for every movie fanatic to start gearing up for Oscar season and start making his or her predictions. The Venice Film Festival is coming to a close and the Toronto Film Festival is about to begin. The Telluride Film Festival is also underway and the New York Film Festival starts later this month.

Here is my Best Picture Analysis:

1. Atonement: To me, this is the film to beat right now. Focus Features is full of strong films this year and this stands out among the pack. The film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan, played well at the Venice Film Festival. Early reviews say Atonement doesn't stray too far from the novel, which I have not read yet but have heard that it is excellent. The trailer for the film is the best trailer to be released so far this year and left me salivating at the mouth.

2. Sweeny Todd: At the beginning of the year I was hesitant to have this film in my top five. Musicals have had much buzz and frontrunner status going into the Oscar season the past few years (Dreamgirls and The Phantom of the Opera) but have not made any significant impact in the top eight categories. Warner Bros. and Dreamworks have decided to release this film wide on December 21 rather than their planned platform release, indications that it has mainstream appeal. A few images from the film have been released and the poster is absolutely beautiful. Something tells me this film will fare well come nomination time.

3. Reservation Road: Since I started looking at early Oscar contenders back in March for the forthcoming year, this film has been on the top of my list. I was eagerly anticipating Terry George's followup to Hotel Rwanda and the story and cast for this film screamed Oscar. I bought the book the film is based on and read it over the summer. It is a really good book, but I'm not sure how it is going to fare during awards season, at least in this category. The story drags in the middle; it seems repetitive. If the middle is cut down a little then this could be the gut-wrenching, emotional film that the Academy cannot refuse. It will, however, be a major competitor in the acting categories.

4. There Will Be Blood: Paul Thomas Anderson is a god and I will see whatever he makes. His latest film is based off of Upton Sinclair's novel Oil! Early script reviews have been very positive, some even going as far to call this his best script yet. The film also has Daniel Day-Lewis playing the lead, one of the greatest actors working today. This film should be right up the Academy's alley unless it is considered too dark. It's about time the Academy truly embraces Anderson, and I think this is the film to do it.

5. The Kite Runner: I'm extremely skeptical on this pick. There are many films that could have filled this spot, but I chose The Kite Runner. The trailer was good, but not as great as I was expecting. The book, I hear, is really good. It's about time I go out and buy it to see for myself. This is really Paramount Vantage's big Oscar film of the year (I haven't made up my mind on Margot at the Wedding yet.). I think this film could play like Babel, a Best Picture nominee last year: have decent/pretty good reviews and great performances from foreign actors ending in a nomination.

Other Contenders:

6.Charlie Wilson's War: This film has received frontrunner status since the beginning of the year, and I have learned not to pick the frontrunner.

7.American Gangster: This film seems to have a lot going for it: a great, overdue director (Ridley Scott), a great cast (Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe), and it is written by Steven Zaillianv(Gangs of New York). I just never have felt as strongly about it as others. Many people are comparing the story to The Departed, which I don't think bodes well in its favor especially after The Departed just won Best Picture. Also, I didn't particularly care for the trailer. Who knows, maybe I'll end up really liking this film.

8. Elizabeth: The Golden Age: The trailer was impressive, as was Cate Blanchett, but I don't know if this film will be able to overcome the barrier of being a sequel to a previous Best Picture nominee. Only time will tell; it premiers in Toronto in a few days time.

9. No Country for Old Men: I enjoyed the trailer, and this is probaby the most buzzed film from Cannes. For some reason, however, I just don't think it is going to make the final cut, though it should bode well in other categories.

10. Once: This is the darkhorse of the year. Fox Searchlight seems to really know how to campagn, already sending out screeners of Once, The Namesake, and Waitress. This is the best film of the year so far, and I think it has a great possibility of sneaking unexpectedly into the race and becoming a major competitor (sort of like Crash except this film actually would deserve to win).

My Plea

In January of 2006 I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. I spent the best week of my life there and have memories that will last a lifetime. While I was at the festival I saw 18 films, the best being Stephanie Daley, a film about a girl who has a still birth and is accused of murdering her child. She is forced to see a forensic psychologist who happens to be pregnant and has already endured a miscarriage once before. It is a very emotional film featuring great performances from Amber Tamblyn and Tilda Swinton and is skillfully directed by Hilary Brougher. Stephanie Daley was picked up for distribution by Regent Releasing and finally released in April of 2007, grossing a meager $25,129 (boxofficemojo.com) in its entire theatrical run, which some films gross in just one showing.

Today the film was released on dvd. I went to Circuity City with the intentions of buying this great film, but they did not have it. The same goes for Best Buy, Target, Hollywood Video, FYE, and Spin Street. Blockbuster had it available to rent but not for sale. This upset me because it is a truly phenomenal film that deserves to be seen, but how can it when it is not even made available to the general public?

Today the only films really worth seeing , the ones that can truly change a person's life, are those made by independent filmmakers. The films selling, however, are these massive blockbuster films with little or no substance at all; for example, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End . This is a horrible film that has so many subplots that the viewer can hardly understand what is going on. It provides plenty of non-stop action and special effects in the hopes that the viewer will not notice these flaws. At World's End was made just because it would make money, and it completely ruins the first Pirates film, which happens to be a great film in this viewer's opinion. The films that really deserve all this money are these smaller independent films which actually have something to say. Sure, some independent films do well. Last year Little Miss Sunshine came out of nowhere to do really well at the box office while also garnering a few Oscar nominations and two wins for Best Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin) and Best Original Screenplay. The only independent films that really get attention though are the ones that receive Oscar nominations.

This is a travesty. Independent films have to be kept alive, but this is only possible if viewers like yourself give these films a chance. Today I challenge everyone to go out and search for these low budget independent films. Try to watch a film that really makes you think, that has a point to it. Don't go waste your money to stare absentmindedly at a screen for two hours, marvel at some special effects, and then walk out of the theater retaining nothing of what you just saw. Go see a film that can change your perspective of life. Go see films like Stephanie Daley.

First Posting

Hey, my name is Steven, and this is my first posting on my blog. I'm 19 years old and just started at the University of Memphis as a film and video production major. I'm from Louisiana and most of my friends went to LSU. Those are my loser friends who decided not to think outside the dirty boot that is Louisiana and decided to attend that "prestigious" college. It all sounds like a load of crap to me. They just decided to attend a university that they knew their friends were going. Well, I'm fine at the University of Memphis with my imaginary friends besides the few actual friends I have made.

I talked to my brother the other day. We're identical twins, and he just started at LSU. He told me that he had a class with 1,000 kids in it. I don't see how any class can be taught with that many kids. In that situation I would feel like just one tadpole out of 1,000 trying to survive; I bet you a lot of them don't. Most of them probably die, and most of the students in that class will probably drop out or die of AIDS (A friend told me LSU is the seventh most densely populated area of AIDS in the United States.).

Anyways, I really like the University of Memphis. The FC1 learning community that I am in is a great experience. To have four classes with the same 24 kids in a college setting is an amazing thing, and anyone who is given the opportunity to join a learning community should. We have many thought provoking discussions in our classes about civil rights. The professors really challenge their students to think outside the box and start thinking for themselves rather than let someone else do it for them. The University of Memphis seems like a great fit for me. And it better be because my dad told my brother that he doesn't think that I'm going to last a semester. I'm proving him wrong!