Acess Hollywood Goes on the set of Oliver Stones "W"

Possible Oscar Contenders 2008

ROPE OF SILICON has produced a list of possible Oscar Contenders for 2008.
You can view the list and the article preceding it here.

You can see the list below!

I have placed an asterisk (*) next to the films I believe have the most Oscar momentum based on talent involved, pedigree of source material, and current buzz.

Australia*
Body of Lies
Bolt
Brothers
The Brothers Bloom
Burn After Reading
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
The Dark Knight*
Defiance*
Doubt*
The Duchess
The Fall
Frost/Nixon*
Frozen River
Gran Torino*
Happy-Go-Lucky
Horton Hears a Who!
Igor
I've Loved You So Long
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Mamma Mia!
Milk*
Miracle at St. Anna*
Nothing But the Truth
Rachel Getting Married
Revolutionary Road*
The Road*
The Secret Life of Bees
Seven Pounds
The Soloist*
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Synecdoche, New York
The Tale of Despereaux
Tropic Thunder
Valkyrie*
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Visitor
W.
WALL•E
Waltz with Bashir

AUSTRALIA trailer

New artwork for AUSTRALIA!

You have to go back to 1998 when the behemoth TITANIC flooded (pun definately intended) cinemas to find the last great epic cinematic romance. We all know what happened with that film, it became the biggest grossing film of all time, even though GONE WITH THE WIND still holds the record if your not counting inflation, and it tied BEN HUR and LOTR: RETURN OF THE KING with a monumental 11 Oscar wins including "Best Picture." This November, Baz Luhrman (MOULIN ROUGE) will take us on an adventure across the Australian outback along with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman as they drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, only to experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces during the onslaught of World War II. Could this be the beginning of Hollywood's foree back in to big costume dramas? If it was anyone but Baz Luhrman at the helm, I might be more worried, but in any case, these pictures give us a little look into what might lay ahead come November.

10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Films of 2008

Now that Summer Blockbuster season is coming to an end, its time to look ahead to a promising slew of films that will be realeased between September and the New Year.

Here are my Top 10 Most Anticiapted Upcoming Films of 2008:

10.) THE SOLOIST

A schizophrenic, homeless musician from Skid Row, Los Angeles dreams of playing at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The Joe Wright (ATONEMENT, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) film has all the elements of a greatness including an inspirational story, excellent actors, and a proven director.

9.) REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Leonardo Decaprio and Kate Winslet, who were last seen together in TITANIC (1997), star in the upcoming Sam Mendes film. They play a young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s who struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. Mendes has proven himself to be a director to watch (AMERICAN BEAUTY, ROAD TO PERDITION), and with the re-teaming of Winslet and Decaprio, this could have Oscar written all over it.

8.) APPALOOSA

Two friends (Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris) who are hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher (Jeremy Irons) find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow (RENEE ZELLWEGER). With an alstar cast, and a seasoned Ed Harris at the helm, this could be yet another success story in Hollywood's recent return to the Western.

7.) QUANTUM OF SOLACE

What more can I say, it's Bond, and he is back again! Daniel Craig returns in his second outing as the greatest spy every dreamed up, and Marc Forster (FINDING NEVERLAND, STRANGER THAN FICTION, THE KITE RUNNER) directs. I am excited to see what Forster brings to the table in his first action film. His dedication to intimate storytelling is what makes me the most excited about this project.

6.) FROST/NIXON

Directed by Ron Howard, FROST/NIXON is a dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. If Howard is on his A-game (A BEAUTIFUL MIND, APOLLO 13, CINDERELLA MAN) than this could be the film of the year.

5.) THE ROAD

Directed by John Hillcoat (THE PREPOSITION), starring Viggo Mortensen (LORD OF THE RINGS, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE), and based on the book by Cormac McCarthy (No Country For Old Men), THE ROAD is a post-appocalyptic tale about a man trying to get his son to safety. We have seen many a post-apocalyptic films in recent years, but hopefully this one will do what all the others have failed to do, tell a good story. The fact that it is a simple father/son tale only makes me more enthusiastic, and the fact that they used all real locations to shoot.

4.) MIRACLE AT ST. ANA

Set in 1944 Italy, the story of four black American soldiers who get trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII. Directed by Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, MALCOLM X, INSIDE MAN), this could be one of this years most inspirational films. Spike Lee has not had the most success in recent years, but he is still dedicated to telling stories that have yet to find a voice.

3.) AUSTRALIA

Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand. Director Baz Luhrman (MOULIN ROUGE) is sure to bring his lucious sense of style and beauty to the epic vistas of the Australian landscape. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in this sure to be epic romance.

2.) DEFIANCE

Three Jewish brothers (Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jaime Bell) escape from Nazi-occupied Poland into the Belarussian forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and others in danger. Directed by Ed Zwick (GLORY, LAST SAMARI, BLOOD DIAMON) this is has the star power, the story, and the potential to be one of the top films of the year.

1.) THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Scott F. Fitzgerald's short story about a man that born is born old, and then begins to age backwards and the imbending consequences he and those around him are faced with. Directed by David Fincher (Zodiac, Seven, Alien 3) and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, this looks to be a cross between FOREST GUMP and BIG FISH with that touch of visual wonder that has been lacking in films for some time.

Some other films to watch for...

• THE CHANGLING


• GRAN TORINO


• BODY OF LIES


• MILK


• DOUBT


• DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

DARK KNIGHT Sequel Poster????

No, this is not an official poster for the soon to be sequel to the mega hit of the year, but it is quite exceptional in concept and design. Someone went to great lengths to come up with this and there is no question as to who they want to see as the next villian in Christopher Nolan's franchise.

I've Seen DARK KNIGHT: A Taste of Things To Come!

So the other night I was blessed with the chance to see THE DARK KNIGHT three weeks before its July 18th opening. I will not go into any lengthy review here, but I sill say the following...there is no question about it; THE DARK KNIGHT is one of the best summer blockbuster of 2008, and maybe one of the greatest films of the year! It's a step above its predecessor BATMAN BEGINS in nearly every way and may even be the greatest comic book movie to date, and one of the best sequels ever made, its just that good. It takes its viewers to a deep dark place that is uncomfortable, grim, and completely unexpected, yet offers glimmers of light that would otherwise leave the audience mentally and emotionally exhausted. This is not the fanciful theme park ride that so many other comic book movies (ala HULK, FANTASTIC FOUR, GHOST RIDER) have become, lacking in substance, excellence, or weight in favor of lucid storytelling, paper-thin characters, non stop action and overblown CGI. Thankfully, THE DARK KNIGHT does not make any of those same pitfalls. THE DARK KNIGHT is a relentless morality play, a commentary on the current state of our world and the times we live in, a meditation on the consequences of fear and the dark nature of mankind. Does it have flaws, yes, but they are minuscule in comparison to its strengths which include a sobering story, breathless cinematography, a haunting score, a complex script, and solid acting from nearly every character. But the crown jewel of this film has got to be Heath Ledgers mystifying performance as The Joker. Forget Jack Nicholson's goofy and babbling Joker in Tim Berton's BATMAN, and in place you get Heath Ledger inhabiting a man that is sadistic, chilling, and terrifying. Ledger is truly masterful here, and owns every moment in which he creates the perfect blend of cold-hearted killer, and psychopathic jokester. Look for him to get an acting nomination come Oscar time, he may even just win. A more detailed review will arrive upon the films opening, and my chance to see it for a second time.

AFI's 10 Top 10's

Every year since 1997, the American Film Institute (AFI) has come up with lists in order to honor the best in American Cinema. These lists are chosen by a body of film experts ranging from critics and historians to actors, writers, producers, and directors. In the past, AFI has made the distinction of naming the top 100 American films of all-time, subesequant years has brought us lists of the top film scores, top 50 actors and actresses, best romances, best musicals, best quotes, best thrills, best inspiration tales, as well as a 10 year anniversary revising their top 100 American Films of all-time. This year, AFI wanted to pay tribute to film genres by selecting the AFI's 10 Top 10's, which features 10 lists naming the top 10 films representing a specific genre. The genres include Animation, Fantasy, Gangster, Sci-Fi, Western, Sports, Mystery, Romantic Comedy, and Epic. And the winners are...

TOP 10 ANIMATED:

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 1937
PINOCCHIO 1940
BAMBI 1942
THE LION KING 1994
FANTASIA 1940
TOY STORY 1995
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 1991
SHREK 2001
CINDERELLA 1950
FINDING NEMO 2003

Top 10 FANTASY:

THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING 2001
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
KING KONG 1933
MIRACLE ON 34th STREET 1947
FIELD OF DREAMS 1989
HARVEY 1950
GROUNDHOG DAY 1993
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD 1924
BIG 1988

Top 10 GANGSTER:

THE GODFATHER 1972
GOODFELLAS 1990
THE GODFATHER PART II 1974
WHITE HEAT 1949
BONNIE AND CLYDE 1967
SCARFACE: THE SHAME OF A NATION 1932
PULP FICTION 1994
THE PUBLIC ENEMY 1931
LITTLE CAESAR 1930
SCARFACE 1983

Top 10 SCI-FI:

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
STAR WARS: EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE 1977
E.T. - THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL 1982
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE 1971
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 1951
BLADE RUNNER 1982
ALIEN 1979
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY 1991
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS 1956
BACK TO THE FUTURE 1985

Top 10 WESTERN:

THE SEARCHERS 1956
HIGH NOON 1952
SHANE 1953
UNFORGIVEN 1992
RED RIVER 1948
THE WILD BUNCH 1969
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID 1969
McCABE & MRS. MILLER 1971
STAGECOACH 1939
CAT BALLOU 1965

Top 10 SPORTS:

RAGING BULL 1980
ROCKY 1976
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942
HOOSIERS 1986
BULL DURHAM 1988
THE HUSTLER 1961
CADDYSHACK 1980
BREAKING AWAY 1979
NATIONAL VELVET 1944
JERRY MAGUIRE 1996

Top 10 MYSTERY:

VERTIGO 1958
CHINATOWN 1974
REAR WINDOW 1954
LAURA 1944
THE THIRD MAN 1949
THE MALTESE FALCON 1941
NORTH BY NORTHWEST 1959
BLUE VELVET 1986
DIAL M FOR MURDER 1954
THE USUAL SUSPECTS 1995

Top 10 ROMANTIC COMEDY:

CITY LIGHTS 1931
ANNIE HALL 1977
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 1934
ROMAN HOLIDAY 1953
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 1940
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY ... 1989
ADAM'S RIB 1949
MOONSTRUCK 1987
HAROLD AND MAUDE 1971
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE 1993

Top 10 COURTROOM DRAMA:

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962
12 ANGRY MEN 1957
KRAMER VS. KRAMER 1979
THE VERDICT 1982
A FEW GOOD MEN 1992
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION 1957
ANATOMY OF A MURDER 1959
IN COLD BLOOD 1967
A CRY IN THE DARK 1988
JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG 1961

Top 10 EPIC:

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
BEN-HUR 1959
SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993
GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
SPARTACUS 1960
TITANIC 1997
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 1930
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
REDS 1981
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956

Could WALL-E be the greatest PIXAR film to date?

WALL-E zooms into theatres next week, but already the buzz surrounding the cutest character to inhabit the silver screen since E.T. is off the charts. Before it has even opened reviewers are calling it...

"Arguably the best film Walt Disney has ever had its name on"
- Harry Knowles AintItCoolNews.com

...while others are calling it a science fiction masterpiece let alone the greatest PIXAR film to date. With TOY STORY 1 & 2, A BUGS LIFE, MONSTERS INC, CARS, INCREDIBLES, FINDING NEMO, and RATATOUILLE behind their belt, the thought of WALL-E being superior to any of them, let alone all of them, is astounding and mind-blowing. PIXAR is arguably the greatest film studio in Hollywood history, in that nearly every one of their films has been a complete financial and critical success. Yes, some were stronger than others, but what remains is their love and dedication to storytelling. They are the best of the best, and the fact that WALL-E could be more amazing than anyone ever hoped or imagined is truly special. Also, if WALL-E is as good as they say, could this be the year that a PIXAR film finally gets nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award? BEAUTY AND THE BEAST stands as the only animated film to ever obtain such a distinction, but if it ever happens again, you can almost be certian that it comes from within the walls and minds of PIXAR. Here's hoping in a little robot discovering what he was meant for...

Could BENJAMIN BUTTON be one of this year's best films?

Check out one of the best trailers of the year!

Review: RAMBO

RAMBO is back, and bloodier than ever! Sylvester Stallone does his best to bring attention to the genocide taking place in Burma, an atrocity that is horrific and grisly in all its factual details, details that Stallone does not shy away from showing viewers from beginning to end. However, simply bringing attention to a current atrocity does not make up for the lack of genuine and likable characters, a compelling story, a dramatic arc, or a worth while script. This film is soaked in horrific violence that is there to show us how bad things are in Burma, but that is the extent of its purpose. It is sad to think that people will go see this film with the whole purpose of being entertained as Rambo kills "the bad guys," but Rambo is no hero, and is nearly as sadistic and depraved as his victims. The fact of the matter is that RAMBO contains no hero's or likable characters at all, no one to look up to, and no one the audience can trust to do the right thing. In Rambo, there are only violent and highly arrogant people who rely on violence to solve all their problems. In SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, we understood the great cost and the purpose behind the invasion of Normandy by US and allied troops, but in RAMBO, the bloodshed seems only there for the sake of bloodshed.

GRADE: D+

RECOMMENDATION: Not recommended for those that can't take the sight of lots of blood, and excruciating violence.

Will Mr. Tumnus play Bilbo Baggins in THE HOBBIT?

It would seem that the filmmakers behind THE HOBBIT (Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro), not to be released until Christmas 2011, have possibly found their young Bilbo Baggins in James McAvoy. McAvoy became famous after playing Mr. Tumnus in 2005's THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, as well as being cast in last years Academy Award nominated ATONEMENT co-starting Keira Knightley. This is still just a rumor, but a fascinating choice altogether.

HELLBOY II Gets a SWEET New Poster!

Review: IRON MAN

What do you get when you put together an outstanding ensemble cast, witty dialogue, first-rate visual effects, and most importantly a good story? You get one heck of a summer send-off, and what might be one of the best super-hero movies ever! IRON MAN is the best film to start the summer blockbuster season in years, with an all-star cast led by a pitch-perfect Robert Downey JR. who embodies every aspect of his title character, Tony Starch. Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, and Gwyneth Paltrow flush out the supporting cast with every sensibility of charm and nuance in order to make their characters every bit as intriguing as Downey's Starch, though the lime light is definitely his.

Starch is a handsome, intelligent, sarcastic, heartless, womanizing poster boy who thinks he has something to offer the world by running the largest and most technologically advanced weapons manufacturing company around. Does this not fit Robert Downey JR's on and off-screen persona like a glove? When his weapons fall into enemy hands and his life is threatened, he if forced to create a mechanical suit of body armor that gives him the ability to fly, and to blow things up; think ROBOCOP meets the ROCKETEER only far better. IRON MAN soars through the sky like a speeding bullet with such grace you can't help but imagine yourself souring at the speed of sound right next to him. After learning that his weapons are being sold to middle eastern terrorists illegally, Starch vows to protect those that are being harmed by the weapons he created, and we finally begin to see that he may indeed have a beating heart underneath all the metal that he surrounds himself with.

The reason IRON MAN succeeds when so many other super hero movies have failed (PUNISHER, THE HULK, etc...) is that it does something that you rarely find in these types of films, or many other films for that matter, it develops memorable characters who think, feel, hurt, and most of all, who offer us a glimpse into their very soul. IRON MAN is the first movie this year to truly offer and deliver a fun and entertaining ride for audiences of all ages. Hopefully, this is just the tip of the ice berg of good summer blockbusters to come flying in to a theatre near you.

GRADE: B+
RECOMMENDATION: Go see it, and soar through the sky with IRON MAN.

Now that IRON MAN has flown, can INDIANA JONES still crack a whip, will PRINCE CASPIAN deliver more Narnian wonder, will WALL-E capture our hearts with his nuanced beeps and whistles, can the HULK be reborn, can M. NIGHT find his A-game once more (SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS anyone?), and will the DARK KNIGHT be everything we hope it to be? We will just have to wait...

LET THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEASON BEGIN!!!

THE DARK KNIGHT - New One Sheet Revealed

Is this not the coolest one sheet we have seen all year! Only INDIANA JONES comes close. Take a look and marvel and its greatness!

COMING SOON... THE HOBBIT!!!

It's official!!! Guillermo Del Toro will direct THE HOBBIT, as well as a sequel which will connect THE HOBBIT to the FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. Peter Jackson will be overseeing the project in the role of Executive Producer. Also, Del Toro will be collaborating with the LOTR writing team of Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens to come up with a script. New Zealand will once again serve as Middle Earth with Jackson's production studio, Wing Nut Films, providing all its resources including Weta Workshop, Weta Digital, sound stages, and production equipment for what will entail another massive production. Now we will just have to wait and see what this dream team does in the area of casting and crew choices. You can almost count on the fact that Andy Serkis will return as Gollum and Ian McKellen as Gandalf, for there is no one else that could fill their shoes.

You can read the official article at Variety.

My Favorite Films of 2007!!!

It is about time I presented my own top ten favorite films of 2007. Let me first say that 2007 was a great year at the movies. Not since 1999 have there been so many provocative, artistically well-crafted, and culturally relevant films. Why is it in times of great tragedy and strife in the world, that art somehow becomes greater? I think dire circumstances call for deeper thought, greater discussion, and the opportunity for artists and their audiences to ask the bigger questions that plague humanity. Tragedy tends to put our lives into perspective, and the films of 2007 did not waiver in revealing the tradgic world we all live in. ATONEMENT, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, MICHAEL CLAYTON, IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH, GONE BABY GONE, and THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, to say a few, were all about human suffering and tragedy. ATONEMENT showed us how a single mistake can destroy the lives of all those in its path, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN presented the ever increasing violence that plagues are lives and how we are nearly helpless in stopping it, and THERE WILL BE BLOOD showed how greed and obsession can destroy even the most precious of things we hold dear. It seems like this year Hollywood was making the claim that human beings do indeed suffer, and that from this side of the War in Iraq, the crisis in the Middle East, and the political indignation on our own soil, that the current state of the world is rough. Though I agree, it saddens me to think that in this time when people need Entertainment to help them cope with the world, they get films that want to spill the beans on how or why the world is the way it is rather than offer a valuable solution. I long for the days when films will return to their escapist roots, reminding us why it is we go to the movies in the first place. Why else was ALVIN IN THE CHIPMUNKS one of the biggest blockbuster successes of the year? It was exactly what audiences needed, something fun, enjoyable, and family friendly which also offered the chance for a temporary escape of life’s worries. I guess we will just have to wait and see what 2008 has to offer.

Here are my top 10 Favorite Films of 2007:

# 10: GONE BABY GONE

# 9: JUNO

# 8: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

# 7: THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES

# 6: ZODIAC

# 5: ONCE

# 4: LARS AND THE REAL GIRL

# 3: INTO THE WILD

# 2: RATATOUILLE

# 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD

NOTABLE MENTIONS (In No Particular Order):

• Enchanted
• King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters
• 3:10 To Yuma
• Atonement
• Hot Fuzz
• Amazing Grace
• Diving Bell and The Butterfly
• Away From Her
• The Hoax
• Rescue Dawn
• Michael Clayton

Young@Heart sing 'Fix You' by Coldplay

A truly heartfelt, moving, and quite touching video!!!
The man singing was supppose to sing a duet but his partner died rigt before this performance, making it all the more meaningful for those involved.
Check it out, try to hold back the tears, and then check out the movie YOUNG @ HEART opening April 18th.

Actor Charlton Heston Dead At Age 84

Charlton Heston Dies at 84

This past Saturday, Charlton Heston, one of cinemas greatest leading men passed away at the age of 84, the cause of death is still unknown but he was believed to be suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. Some of his most famous performances include Moses in Cecil B. Demille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (pictured above), an astronaut in PLANET OF THE APES, and his Oscar winning role as Judah Ben-Hur in BEN-HUR, most famously known for its spectacular chariot race scene. To this day, Heston remains one of my favorite actors. He was and still is the epitome of a man's man. He knew what it meant to lead every moment he was on screen, and was not afraid to take charge of every role. Heston was for big screen epics what John Wayne was for westerns, a symbol of strength, confidence, heroism, and dignity without the egotism that so fervently floods the screens these days. It is hard to imagine anyone but Heston parting the Red Sea, or racing a chariot in the great Roman circus. He has placed an impression upon the hearts of movie goers forever, and he will dearly be missed.

"So let it be written, so let it be done."

For the full story, please visit MSN at...http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=308325