Rated: PG-13

Director: Justin Chadwick

Cast: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana

The two Boleyn sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson), are persuaded by their elders to advance the family’s social standing by winning the affection of the King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Mary becomes his mistress and bears him an illegitimate child. Anne's relentless pursuit of the King tears apart the Queen, the country and her bond with her own sister.

The Other Boleyn Girl is based on the controversial best selling novel by Philippa Gregory. It was promising in the beginning. The elaborate sets and sumptuous costumes were impressive. But I realized the film lacked the splendor of a true epic as soon as I saw the CGI landscape and castle shots. My eyes were rolling before any of the character’s heads did due to the questionable historical accuracy. All in the name of "creative license" no doubt.

The script by Peter Morgan (Last King of Scotland) was surprisingly dull and passionless... after all, this is a story about sex and betrayal. He tediously recounts every plot point several times. At one point Anne actually says, "I've become the other Boleyn girl." The explanatory dialogue and haphazard direction from BBC veteran, Justin Chadwick, reeks of a bad TV movie. The overblown dramatic score only weighed the pace down. Even more distracting was the shoddy camera work with way too many shots from behind a lattice or partition in some failed attempt to mimic Hitchcock.

At least we had some eye candy to watch. But even hunky Eric Bana jumping back and forth between these two contrasting beauties wasn’t enough to hold my attention. All three of their performances were awkward and unconvincing. Both of the female leads fall flat and the acting just seemed forced. Bana merely does a lot of stomping angrily from one room to another. He lacked chemistry in the seduction scenes. All of the accents were faltering throughout the movie. Bana’s Melbourne twang kept popping up. Portman and Johanssen clearly needed more time with the dialogue coach. David Morrissey turned his character, the girls’ uncle, into an over-the-top villain. The only decent performance came from Kristin Scott Thomas as the girls' mother, Lady Elizabeth.

I'm usually a big fan of the period piece and since I had read the book, I really wanted to like this movie. But the truth is, this genre has been done better hundreds of times before. The Other Boelyn Girl was no more than a disappointing high-budget Lifetime movie. I can only give it 1 out of 5 stars.

Everybody loves 100... Look to the left. If I was offering to send each and every Arcader a 100 dollar bill in the mail... would any of you object?

Well, you won't be recieving any $100 bills in the mail. But the point I am trying to make is that we all love 100!

FilmArcade.Net is coming up on its 2 month anniversary. Over the past two months, it has been fun to see the site grow. We originally started off with 10 reviewers. We now have 19 successful Arcaders contributing to the success of the site. We have an amazing view count: over 200 views a day, linking to us from all over the web.

This past month, admin Tony D was featured on Mike and Alex's Blog Talk Radio show (HMF Radio), where he promoted the site. The Oscars were a huge thing here at the Arcade. We had the Oscar Cleanup, where almost every film nominated for an Oscar was reviewed by an Arcader (yes, even Norbit). We had predictions, and of course, the extremely fun Oscar Live Blog, where many of the Arcaders chatted and interacted as the Oscars were happening live. The site got over 800 hits that night. What a success.

I would like to take the time to thank Tony. He has done such an amazing job with this site. And there is still more to come! Staff pages... forums... a radio show? FilmArcade will only get better! Thank you, Tony. You are truly awesome.

Back in January, there were some issues with the domain, and the site didn't officially go up until about the 7th. However, there were 84 posts that month. I was really looking forward to hitting 100... However, I thought that the down week was what held us back. So, I looked forward to hitting it in February.

What I overlooked was the fact that February is the short month... And with today being the last day of the month, and only 83 posts, I think it is obvious that there will be no 100 in February.

However, we all love 100 right??? And March has 31 days right???

I love the number 100 just as much as the next guy. And with the site being so successful, I want to see 100 posts! Everyone here are excellent reviewers, and I know we can do it.

So everyone work extra hard this month to get those reviews on the site. I want to log into FilmArcade.Net on March 31st and see to the right:

January 84
February 83
March 103

I would like to thank all of the arcaders. It has been a pleasure, and a lot of fun, working with you all. Also once again, big thanks to TonyD. Without you none of this would be possible.

Until March 31st, Happy Reviewing! =) And get those reviews on here!!!

aka Historia sexual de O

Writer/Director: Jesus "Jess" Franco

Starring: Alicia Príncipe, Carmen Carrión, Daniel Katz, Mari Carmen Nieto, Mauro Ribera

Odile is a young naive American who is full of life and sexual energy. Mario and his wife live across from the lovely "O" and fulfill their voyeuristic and exhibitionist fantasies by watching her and making themselves visible to her while they are making love. They soon manipulate her into having a threesome with them and with that, they gain her trust. You see, the couple have a nefarious plans to sell O to the perverted Count and Countess Von Karlstein for their sadistic sexual pleasures. (READ MORE)

Rated: PG
Directed by: Christopher Rowley
Cast: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen, Tom Skerrit, Christine Baranski

Bonneville stars Oscar winners Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and three-time nominee Joan Allen. After losing her husband while on a vacation, Arvilla (Lange) returns home to cremate her husband and spread his ashes. These plans are spoiled by his vindictive daughter, Francine (played by Christine Baranski), who has a prior will ordering that her father’s ashes be returned home and leaving his house to her. Arvilla’s best friends, the wild Margene (Bates) and uptight Carol (Allen) suggest trading his ashes to Francine in order to keep her home. The friends embark on a cross-country road trip in the deceased’s 66' Pontiac Bonneville to bring the ashes to Francine.

I had high hopes for this film… expecting nothing less than perfection from a phenomenal cast like this. But sadly, Bonneville felt like a postmenopausal Thelma and Loiuse rip off to me. I guess it speaks to the fact that Hollywood just isn’t producing good roles for female actresses in this age range. This movie was an insult to these legendary ladies by casting them in parts they could have done in their sleep. They deserve better! Despite the best efforts of these veteran actresses, this feature struggled to be entertaining.


The only positive thing I can say about Bonneville is that the cinematography was enjoyable as the friends travel through scenic Utah, California, Nevada and Idaho. The score desperately tried to keep the tempo flowing, but this was a long 90 minutes. The gratingly monotonous story and dialogue were predictable, filled with clichés and droll humor. First-time director, Christopher Rowley, and writer, Daniel Davis, disappoint with this failed attempt at a middle-aged female buddy movie.

Bonneville debuted at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, but hasn’t been released until now… after all the Oscar hopefuls. That says all you need to know about its commercial viability. If you watch the trailer, you'll already know what to expect from this aggravatingly ridiculous film. Simply put, this was a tragic waste of time and talent. I can only give it 1 out of 5 stars.

Semi Pro

Will Ferrell stars in "Semi-Pro," an outrageous comedy set in 1976 against the backdrop of the maverick ABA – a fast-paced, wild and crazy basketball league that rivaled the NBA and made a name for itself with innovations like the three-point shot and slam dunk contest. Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, a one-hit wonder who used the profits from the success of his chart-topping song "Love Me Sexy" to achieve his dream of owning a basketball team. But Moon's franchise, the Flint Michigan Tropics, is the worst team in the league and in danger of folding when the ABA announces its plans to merge with the NBA. If they want to survive, Jackie and the Tropics must now do the seemingly impossible – win.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, "The Other Boleyn Girl" is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family's power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life – and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Initially, Mary wins King Henry's favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him an illegitimate child. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry's wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the king. Despite Mary's genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a king – one driven by ambition, the other by true affection – England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters.

Penelope

"Penelope" is the story of a young woman, Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci), born to wealthy socialites (Richard E. Grant and Catherine O'Hara). Penelope is afflicted by a secret family curse that can only be broken when she is loved by one of her own kind. Hidden away in the family's majestic home, she is subjected to meeting a string of blue-bloods through her parent's futile attempt to marry her off and break the curse. Each suitor is instantly enamored with Penelope (and her sizable dowry)... until the curse is revealed. When a willing mate cannot be found, mischievous tabloid reporter Lemon (Peter Dinklage) hires Max (James McAvoy) to pose as a prospective suitor in hopes of snapping a photo of the mysterious Penelope. Max, who is really a down-on-his-luck gambler, finds himself drawn to Penelope and not wanting to expose or disappoint her, disappears and leaves Lemon in the lurch. Fed up by this latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family and goes out into the world in search of adventure - curse be damned.

City of Men

In "City of Men," producer Fernando Meirelles ("The Constant Gardner") returns to the Brazilian favelas of his Academy Award-nominated film, "City of God." Growing up in a culture dictated by violence and run by street gangs, teenagers Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha) have become close as brothers. With their eighteenth birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past.

Bonneville

When the life she knew suddenly changes, Arvilla Holden finds herself at an emotional crossroads. Hijacking her two best friends, Carol and Margene, she sets off in a vintage '66 Bonneville convertible across the great American West on what turns out to be the journey of a lifetime. A friendly trucker who becomes an unlikely suitor.

Hey everyone! Remember the flop from "The Golden Compass?" Well, it cost more than it made, that's for damn sure, and today, New Line becomes a part of Warner Bros. So we'll be seeing "Sex in the City," "Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay," and "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D" being distributed by Time Warner for now on. Here's the official announcement:

This afternoon, Time Warner is announcing that New Line will become a unit of Warner Bros. This is, of course, a very difficult and emotional time for all of us who have worked at New Line. While there is not much we can say that can lessen the impact of this announcement, we did want you to know about the decision before you read about it in the press.

New Line will maintain its own identity and will continue to produce, market, and distribute movies. But New Line will now do so as part of Warner Bros. and will probably be a much smaller operation than in the past. Time Warner hopes that operating New Line as a unit of Warner Bros. will allow New Line to focus on the creative side of movie-making, while reducing costs and taking advantage of Warner Bros.’ distribution systems. The company will be holding group meeting with New Line employees tomorrow in Los Angeles and New York to discuss this announcement, and is committed to letting employees know as soon as possible about how this change affects them individually.

For our part, we will be stepping down as Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOS of New Line. This was a painful decision, because we love New Line and the people who work here have been like our second families. But we will be leaving the company with enormous pride in what all of us at New Line have accomplished together. From its humble beginnings 40 years ago, our studio has created some of the most popular and successful movies of all time. Those movies are a tribute to the amazing creative energy and entrepreneurial abilities of the talented people at New Line. They are a legacy that will endure forever.

Although we are stepping out of New Line, we intend to remain actively involved in the industry in an entrepreneurial capacity, and will keep you advised of developments.

We thank all of you who have worked so hard to make New Line such a success. We are very proud of every one of you.


Bob & Michael

Welcome everyone to the Indie Scene. My name is Tony DeFrancisco, and I have been getting tons and tons of screeners for the past few weeks. So, I have introduced a weekly column called Indie Scene that will be released every Thursday called Indie Scene. This will be basically where I just discuss screeners that filmmakers send to me. If you are a filmmaker and interesting in having your film reviewed for Indie Scene, send me an email at TonyD@FilmArcade.net.


“The Creek”
2007
**½ out of ****
Director: Erik Soulliard
Cast: Kathryn Merry, Brian Jesiolowski, Erik Soulliard


It’s been five years since the “accidental” death of their friend Billy (Tim Jesiolowski), and since then, each of the six friends (Kathryn Merry, Brian Jesiolowski, Erik Soulliard, Dave Foster, Melissa Rhoads, Nancy Soulliard) each seen him once since. They all come back together, go out to the creek where he was killed on the fifth-year anniversary to drink and have fun but most importantly remember Billy. But then someone starts dying, is it someone out in the woods, is it one of them, or is it Billy’s ghost?

“The Creek” starts out really, really good. The storyline is great and the script is doable. It speaks like a Kevin Smith film and doesn’t let a word down (and hell, this could be Kevin Smith’s “Red State,” which is coming next year into theaters). But then once the dialogue ends and the killings starting beginning, “The Creek” becomes tiring, and you begin seeing everything that you saw in “Friday the 13th” but weaker. “The Creek” feels like it’s a moment too long also, but aside from a few problems and the acting, “The Creek” received the same rating that I gave “Hatchet.” If that means anything, it means that it is almost better than a film that got released into theaters.


“Deadly End”
2005
***½ out of ****
Director: Graeme Whifler
Cast: Jack Huston, Pell James, Terry Becker


When Bob and Wendi Petersen (Jack Huston and Pell James) move to Wormwood Drive when Bob gets a promotion, they thought that starting a new life there would make it a perfect place to raise a family. But within the first night, they encounter strange neighbors. Two very deaf old people inhabit their street and crash into their mailbox, but that’s not the beginning. There’s a man across the street from them named Adrien Trumbell, (Nick Searcy) and there is something mysterious about this guy. After putting laxatives in their chocolate, Bob and Wendi had enough, but Adrien has just begun…

The premise of “Deadly End” sounds like a silly revenge comedy, but “Deadly End” is much more than that. It begins slowly, but doesn’t waste a time telling its story. We don’t even begin seeing this Adrien guy until thirty minutes into the movie. By then, the Petersens see mysterious trees, get into an encounter with a creepy electrician, and even get poison oak. The villain, played by Nick Searcy, works well. We know nothing about the guy when we first meet him other than the fact that he listens to a radio show that is so morbid and so frightening that it makes the film look really week. Aside from the ending (because everything has to be so happy), “Deadly End” was a great surprise. It’s really graphic, disturbing, and unforgiveable, but goddamnit do I love it.


“Ice Kings”
2006
***½ out of ****
Director: Craig E. Shapiro
Cast: Jim Lampley, Bill Macatee, Mount Saint Charles Academy Hockey Teams


Already if you put me in front of a hockey movie (or a hockey documentary, if you really want to make me happy), your film will automatically receive a three asterisk rating. Think about it as being biased or not, but I really don’t care. I’ve been watching hockey games for almost all of my life, and been playing it for about five years. And while I have never played ice hockey, the one thing that I’ve always been fascinated with was the story of the Mount Saint Charles Academy hockey team. I really don’t remember how I got a copy of this in the mail and how they received my e-mail address, but whether if it was from Anthony Thurber or not, I received it without knowing what the film was about. And when I put it on, I was gladly surprised to see it was about a tale of one of the greatest high school hockey teams on the planet.

In Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Mount Saint Charles Academy has always been known for its outstanding ice hockey team. For twenty-six years, they were brought nothing but championships, but even their tale wasn’t without obstacles. That would have been a boring documentary, but “Ice Kings” isn’t. It’s actually one of the best documentaries that I’ve seen in quite some time. We don’t only get a talk with the coaches, but we get inside with the players and what it was like on the rink. If you asked me what it was like on the pavement, I couldn’t tell you what it is like, but some of these guys are at age 40 or 50, and they still remember. “Ice Kings” is one of the best documentaries that I’ve ever seen. Hockey lovers should all come here.


That’s it for this week’s edition of Indie Scene. Next week I’ll have reviews for three more indie films: “Amateur Porn Star Killer,” “Baystate Blues,” and “Deaden.” So until next week, have a great week!

Thanks to AFI Dallas and Texas Frightmare Weekend, I was invited to join them for a special screening of George A. Romero's 1968 classic film, Night of the Living Dead. Attending the event would be:

Members of the original cast: Judith O'Dea (Barbara), Russ Streiner (Johnny), Bill Heinzman (cemetary zombie), Marilyn Eastman (Helen Cooper/Bug Eating zombie), Kyra Schon (Karen Cooper aka the little girl who eats her dad and kills her mom), George Kosana (Sheriff McClelland)

John Russo, the writer, and the man himself, George A. Romero would also be attending.

If that wasn't enough, also attending would be Dee Wallace Stone (E.T., Critters, the Howling), Scott Reinger (Dawn of the Dead), Eugene Clark (Land of the Dead), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Planet Terror), Michelle Morgan (Diary of the Dead), Shawn Robers (Diary of the Dead, Land of the Dead), and several others.

Hosting the event alongside AFI Dallas and Texas Frightmare weekend would be...

Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Rob Zombie's Halloween, Heroes, to name a few)!!!!

The event was in true Hollywood style. A red carpet was set up outside the theater and the guests were ushered out of Escalades and escoreted onto the red carpet. Paparazzi was all around, along with local news affiliates trying to get interviews. Jeff and I made our way inside the theater and grabbed seats before I rushed outside to take some pictures with the paparazzi.

People were already getting into the zombie spirit. Several of them showed up in full zombie costume.

As I walked up, Dee Wallace Stone was just finishing an interview.

She's the one farthest down, next to the lady with the red scarf.

This was my first red carpet event and I was nervous to get up close and get in the way of the paparazzi.

Tom Savini.Ken Foree.

As you can see, the paparazzi are all over the place.

Then I got a little more courage and pushed my way to the other side of the crowd to get some better shots.

Honestly, I could not remember who this was. He looked so familiar. I think he's Scott Reiniger, but I'm not 100% sure.

In this picture, he was telling this really funny story about when he is cut in half in Dawn of the Dead. They had such a small budget, they had to get creative with the effects. So for his guts, they used pig guts. They weren't fresh pig guts either. They were rancid. He was talking about how the putrid pig guts were all over him, and then he had zombies all over him as well, and everyone just couldn't stand the smell. It was a very funny story.

This debonair looking gentleman is Eugene Clark from Land of the Dead. He was so cute, he was the only one, other than Michelle Morgan, who posed for the camera.

Don't recognize him? This will help.

Quite the difference, huh?

Here is Michelle Morgan from Diary of the Dead. In my opinion, she was one of the only ones in that movie who knew how to act.

Blogger is messing around with me. It shows that she's sideways, but on in my photobucket, she's right-side up. Oh well. Tilt your heads.

And Shawn Roberts from Diary of the Dead.

Original Night of the Living Dead cast member George Kosana.


Original cast member Judith O'Dea.

She was so cute and expressive, I got another picture. I really like this one.

Then it was time for the host, Malcolm McDowell.

And we all knew what that meant. That the man himself was coming next.

After Romero came out and entertained the crowd, we all shuffled in. The film was introduced by the President of AFI Dallas, and he informed us that not only would we be watching the film with the cast, but we would be watching one of the original copies of the film. Complete with scratches and reel changes. What an experience! The audience is composed completely of die hard zombie fans, laughing at all the funny lines, applauding every time a famous line is said and every time someone dies or a zombie shows up on screen. Such energy!

After the film, the cast filed onstage for a Q&A led by Malcolm McDowell.

During the Q&A, Romero talked very candidly about losing the copyrights to the film. He was visibly upset about it, as can be expected, but it was touching to see such a human side of him. Especially after he spent most of the night as Romero the Entertainer.

The evening was one to remember, an experience of a lifetime. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any picture with anyone, or talk to anyone personally. That was all going down at the after party that I was invited to but was unable to attend. If I had the time off to burn, I would have taken the following day off and partied my little heart out, but I did not.

Lucky for you, the tour is going around the country. Look it up and see if it's coming to a city near you!

“The Psychomanteum”
200?
**** out of ****
Director: Dave Holt
Cast: Megon Kirkpatrick, Colleen O’Donnell, Helen Sanger


“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” – Edgar Allan Poe

“BALLS!” – TonyD, Hardcore Film Maniac


Dave Holt, you got BALLS!

No not, BALLZ, because the only one that has BALLZ is a person who will admit that they like a film such as “The Psychomanteum,” but this is the reason why I love movies folks.

Ever wonder what it was like to look inside of a universe that wasn’t your own? Ever wanted to be the kind of person to experiment in a world that wasn’t their own? What if you had the opportunity to do it? Would you take it?

That was always a reason to go to the movies – to experience a new world around you. There are some adventures in life that get too tiring that there may be a free moment that you hope just to loose steam and live in a world where the thing that you are running away from isn’t there. For some of us, it’s only every once in a while. For the rest of us – it’s every day. Most of us are afraid to admit it. And shucks, I’ll be the first one to admit it.

Ever wonder why I watch a lot of movies? Ever wonder I’m always the first one to say that one movie looks unrealistic, but then I’ll go see it and love it? A movie can depress you, but another movie can make you insanely happy that you are glad to make a trip to the cinema just to catch it. “Ratatouille” and “Enchanted” were two of the movies that did that for me last year, and this year alone I’ve just been happy to see “There Will Be Blood” and “Cloverfield” in theaters.

Another little short film gives me hope. Ever since viewing David Lynch’s midnight cult-classic “Eraserhead,” I’ve been looking to check out a film that was so visually accurate to a new world that looked like the way that we view our world today – a complete shithole. I think I found the film today – “The Psychomanteum,” an amateur short by director David Holt, is a film that is a spooge napkin that was given to David Lynch when he was nominated for an Oscar in “The Elephant Man.” The man much have done his homework, sat through the crying mutant baby enough times to know what making a film is really about.

Upon checking out the film, David Holt messaged me and said nothing but this – “It’s not a movie. It’s an experience.” I thought he was just being pompous like most directors would say about their films. Hell, John Chu considers his film an experience, and his film just plain sucks. But he was being serious – “The Psychomanteum” is as much of an experience as you can get from a film, and I’m not saying that to be a suckup – I’m saying that because it’s fucking true.

I’d be lucky to get through explaining the plot. Everyone has a unique view of the short film. We are looking into the world of a woman played by Megon Kirkpatrick, so it’s only right if we see things from her eyes. She is an alcoholic and druggie, but is only trying to quit. We watch her have seizures and she sees many things, but she’s only getting worse as the film goes on. This surreal experiment can go both ways – it can be considered art, or it can be considered terrible.

And in my opinion – “The Psychomanteum” is as artistic as it can get.

The direction, editing, and cinematography are done magnificently by Dave Holt. He creates some great camera angles and scares the living shit out of the viewer. Then by editing it by making it grittier and dirtier, he creates a masterpiece. There isn’t much dialogue here, but the kudo goes to Kirkpatrick for fitting in a character such as the character that she plays. I’m telling you that if I was to play a role like the one she played, it would fuck me up for life. I would never be able to watch another ordinary film again. Between her character in “The Psychomanteum” and Jack Nance from “Eraserhead,” they seem like the perfect nightmare.

But I can’t forget the wonderful and daringly haunting score by Adam Sandberg. When I say haunting, I’m not saying Jonny Greenwood. This guy creates a fucking HAUNTING score. It picks Jonny up, crumbles him into a ball, and Kobes him into a trash can.

As much as I want to say that I wanted more, I wouldn’t be able to watch it. There’s only so much that a man like me can take, and I’m dying for a film like this anymore, so imagine a regular movie-goer who pays for shit like “Meet the Spartans” and “Fool’s Gold.” They will watch “The Psychomanteum” and sit through “Jumper” twenty times to get the “bad taste” out of their mouths. But fuck them. They don’t deserve a film like “The Psychomanteum.” Hell, most of us don’t deserve a film like this, and I’ll admit that a critic like me doesn’t deserve a movie like “The Psychomanteum.” But being a critic and being a fan of dreams, I can finally say that…

I approve of Dave Holt’s “The Psychomanteum.”

Bavaria Film International has sold all rights to its European Film Market hit "Let The Right One In" to Magnet, Magnolia Pictures new genre arm, for North America. Right on the heels of its first market screening negotiations got under way over Thomas Alfredson's romantic horror film and two times Gothenburg award winner with Magnolia finishing the race.

"Let The Right One In", based on a best-selling novel by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, tells the story of a lonely twelve year-old boy and his friendship with a young girl, who appears to be a vampire.

"This modern-day vampire romance proves to have the right amount of poetic art house feel injected into the horror genre and therefore appeals to a wide audience", says Stefanie Zeitler, Head of Sales with Bavaria Film International. "The cross-over potential is immense and I am very glad that Magnolia sees it the same way. They are the perfect partner as they have proven the right touch for films like this and we look forward to this cooperation".

"A stand out film in any market or festival, 'Let The Right One In' is a master work of horror," says Tom Quinn, Senior Vice President at Magnolia. „What Bong Joon Ho's 'The Host' did for monsters, Tomas Alfredson's 'Let The Right One In' will do for vampires."

"Let The Right One In" is produced by Carl Molinder and John Nordling at EFTI in association with Sandrew Metronome, Filmpool Nord, Sveriges Television, and WAG.

The deal was brokered by Stefanie Zeitler with Thorsten Schaumann (Head of Bavaria Film International) and Bianca Schartl (Head of Business & Legal Affairs) on behalf of Bavaria Film International and Tom Quinn, Senior Vice President, and Jason Janego, Head of Legal and Business Affairs on behalf of Magnolia Pictures.

Aside from this deal, further sales to Germany, UK, Spain, South Korea and Latin America are imminent and soon to be announced. Strong interest is also coming from Japan, France, Italy and Australia.

"Let The Right One In" joins Magnet's already robust slate of films, which includes the exquisite corpse-style thriller "The Signal"; the sexually charged horror film "Donkey Punch"; the anticipated documentary "Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin' With The Godmother"; Toronto Midnight Madness selection "Big Man Japan (Dainipponjim)" by Hitoshi Matsumoto; Chilean action epics "Kiltro" and "Mirageman" starring Marko "the Latin Dragon" Zaror; the atmospheric French sci-fi/horror film "Eden Log"; Tony Stone's heavy metal Viking epic, "Severed Ways"; action omnibus "Triangle" from Hong Kong greats Ringo Lam, Johnnie To, and Tsui Hark; Jeremy Saulnier's darkly comic, hipster slasher flick "Murder Party"; Olivier Assayas's Cannes-selected thriller "Boarding Gate" starring Asia Argento and Michael Madsen; and Mark Hartley's expose on classic Australian genre filmmaking "Not Quite Hollywood".

Magnet is the recently launched genre arm of Magnolia Pictures (http://www.magpictures.com/) specializing in films from the vanguard of horror, action, comedy and Asian cinema. Magnolia Pictures is an operating business of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that includes 2929 Productions, HDNet Films, Magnolia Pictures, Landmark Theatres and television stations HDNet and HDNet Movies.

aka Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes
aka Seven Notes in Black

Writer Director: Lucio Fulci

Starring: Jennifer O'Neil

One day after dropping her new husband Francesco off at the airport, Virginia is overcome by visions of a murder while driving. The vision is of an old woman being buried in a wall of a home after she is killed. She doesn't think much of it until the arrives at her husband's villa which she plans to redecorate as a surprise while he is gone. When she arrives and looks around she begins to see objects in one of the rooms that was in her vision. (READ MORE)

SHATTERED (a.k.a. BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL) (2007)

DIRECTED BY

Mike Barker

STARRING

Pierce Brosnan - Tom Ryan

Maria Bello - Abby Randall

Gerard Butler - Neil Randall

Emma Karwandy - Sophie Randall

Claudette Mink - Judy

3 Howls Outta 4

The perfect family: husband & wife, 2.5 kids, the house with the white picket fence - most of us try very hard to have that kind of life once we settle down. But what happens if a stranger just steps into our lives and threatens to take that away because of some deep, dark secret you've been keeping? Would you do everything in your power to reveal your secret to save the people you love, even if it might cause you to lose them at the end? Or does the secret mean more to you than your family? In the straight-to-DVD released SHATTERED, distributed by Lions Gate, you may be bound to find out while experience many twists and turns before you get the answer.

PLOT

Abby (Maria Bello) and Neil Randall (Gerard Butler) seem to be the perfect married couple. They have a beautiful daughter (Emma Karwandy), a big house in Chicago, and enough money to go away on vacation for a weekend. However, that perfection begins to flaw when a stranger named Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan) enters their lives, taking them hostage and threatening to murder their daughter, who an associate has kidnapped. For about 24 hours, Tom keeps the couple at bay, torturing them and making them do things they don't want to do but need to in order to save their daughter. Eventually, the whole thing is leading to Tom wanting Neil to kill someone for him - in exchange for his daughter's life.

REVIEW

SHATTERED, which was known as BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL [a reference to Alexander Pope's "Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot"], is probably the best straight-to-DVD feature distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment so far. This pretty entertaining thriller/mystery was definitely made for the movie theatres, but something must have happened along the way for it to end up straight on a disc. It's too bad because this film has a lot of star power, who bring good performances to make an implausible situation actually seem believable.

SHATTERED is a hard film to review. It's the kind of film that if you really dig deep and talk about certain aspects, it may spoil and ruin the experience for someone who hasn't seen it yet. I don't want to do that, so I won't talk about the story and the characters. I will say that the film is very heavy on twists and turns until it reaches its resolution. Yes, this is very common in most modern thrillers these days but the twists actually make the film and are actually quite entertaining. I won't say whether the resolution is satisfying or not [I liked it personally], but it'll definitely make you think.

The direction by Mike Barker is very good. The film starts off very slow but picks up once Brosnan is introduced, and it pretty much doesn't let up. It builds and builds and builds as the films tries to trick you with things you may or may not have seen coming. Nice use of angles, lighting, and close-up reaction shots truly benefit the film's visual style. You're never bored and the cinematography by Ashley Rowe is beautiful. Barker truly tries to get the viewer emotionally involved with the characters, making us wonder what we would do in their shoes. The morals of people are questioned here and I thought the visual did a good job making that clear.

The acting is very good here as well. The acting by Pierce Brosnan especially, who dumps everything that was suave and cool as James Bond, and pretty much plays an immoral character who suffers from sociopathic tendecies for reasons I don't want to bring up right now. Brosnan has done great work as of late in recent films and this one is no exception. It was kind of weird seeing him as the antogonist since he's known for his good guy roles. Also, his accent was either Irish or Scottish, and didn't sound as British as Bond's. Just an interesting character change for the actor that I appreciated. Maria Bello and Gerard Butler also do well as the supporting cast, as their characters were pretty much going through the emotional wringer most of the film. Bello is solid as always and is quite believable in her performance. Butler had an issue with his accent with me, as I wasn't sure if he was American or European or what. His accent going in and out and it took something away from his performance. But for the most part, he convinced me that was capable of more than just being Lara Croft's sidekick, a phantom of an opera, or a spartan.

I also had issues with some of the twists. While I enjoyed them, I thought that the resolution really didn't explain their plausibility enough. It seemed like some were shot one way and by the end, shown at a completely different angle that didn't match to what was shown before. But then again, you gotta make your story work. Sometimes bullshit is a nice easy way out.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED WHILE BEING TAKEN HOSTAGE BY THIS FILM

1. If you wake up at the middle ofthe night and your husband is not in bed with you, he's either working hard, screwing a younger version of you, or working hard screwing a younger version of you. Either way, you're not too important in his life.

2. Don't be a handsome smug executive who acts innocent while stealing other people's opportunities at the same time. It will only bite you in the ass later on. Believe me, people have learned from the Amanda Woodward Epidemic of the 1990s.

3. Abby can't get enough of Neil. I guess she's just another in a line of women who really want to see if he's really the King of Sparta. Lucky bastard.

4. Abby wanted a younger nanny to take care of her daughter, Sophie. Has she not learned from Sienna Miller or Uma Thurman? Read the tabloids, girl!

5. Tom Ryan took Abby and Neil hostage. I guess losing the James Bond gig left him shaken, not stirred.

6. Tom Ryan claims to be God. Yeah, because DIE ANOTHER DAY was so heavenly...

7. If you tell a woman to do something, she'll do the exact opposite. And people wonder why the divorce rate is so high? All us men want is for a woman to listen to them. Is that so hard?

8. Does stress bring the ugly truth out of people?

Yeah, I guess.

That answer is....

::biting nails::

....

::shaking and sweating::

...TRUE.

9. Tom Ryan is getting annoyed by Neil's "big dick pride". How does he know about the size of his manhood? Look, I know Europeans are very comfortable with sex, but that's just a little weird...

10. Tom Ryan is making Neil's life a living hell. Maybe if Neil had kicked Tom into that big bottomless pit, none of this would be happening!

THE FINAL HOWL

SHATTERED is a pretty good thriller that deserved the silver screen treatment. Hell, if PERFECT STRANGER could get it, why shouldn't this much better film? Good-to-great performances, nice direction, a pretty entertaining story with nice twists and turns - I dug this film. It's far from perfect but it does enough well to be worth a watch. I wouldn't buy SHATTERED but I'd definitely rent it. You could do a lot worse with your free time than by watching this film.

Rated R
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis, Kat Dennings and Robert Downey Jr.

Charlie Bartlett is comedy with a message. It’s kind of like Ferris Bueller's Day Off meets Rushmore. Anton Yelchin plays Charlie, an enterprising, yet mischievous, rich kid whose antics get him kicked out of one private school after another. His strange mother, played wonderfully by Hope Davis, puts him into public school as a last resort. Charlie battles the stigma of being the “new kid” and becomes the target of the school bullies, but then appoints himself as the school therapist marketing prescription meds and he gains overnight popularity. Charlie starts dating hot girl, Susan (Kat Dennings) putting him at odds with her father, the school principal (Robert Downey Jr).

Written and directed by virtual newcomers Gustin Nash and Jon Poll, Charlie Bartlett is insightful and amusing. Yelchin gives a terrific performance and Robert Downey Jr. proves yet again that he is one of the best and most underrated actors of his generation. Tyler Hilton was perfectly cast as the bully who softens up along the way. He surprisingly deviates from the normal high school bully stereotypes. Also Mark Rendall's role in this film as the depressed boy who comes to Charlie for help showed amazing range. Davis is a superbly funny as Charlie’s quirky mom. But I found Dennings to be a bit annoying at times. Her romantic scenes with Yelchin are the weakest in the film. She was a poor casting choice given the subplot about her singing and her inability to carry a tune.

Charlie Bartlett has something meaningful to say about the chemical coping methods running amuck in today’s society. The movie follows the usual formulas of other high school comedies, but it has a uniquely clever premise and enough charm to rise above the teen movie pitfalls. At times, the story tends to be a bit preachy, but entertaining and funny enough to forgive the predictable ending. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman - Juno
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her
Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page - Juno

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Ruby Dee - American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Christopher Hampton - Atonement
Sarah Polley - Away From Her
Ronald Harwood - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody - Juno
Nancy Oliver - Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Brad Bird - Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins - The Savages

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Beaufort (Israel)
The Counterfeiters (Austria)
Katyn (Poland)
Mongol (Kazakhstan)
12 (Russia)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
American Gangster
Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
Atonement
Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Golden Compass
Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
There Will Be Blood
Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roger Deakins - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Seamus McGarvey - Atonement
Janusz Kaminski - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Roger Deakins - No Country for Old Men
Robert Elswit - There Will Be Blood

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Albert Wolsky - Across the Universe
Jacqueline Durran - Atonement
Alexandra Byrne - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Marit Allen - La Vie en Rose
Colleen Atwood - Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War/Dance

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
Christopher Rouse - The Bourne Ultimatum
Juliette Welfling - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jay Cassidy - Into the Wild
Roderick Jaynes - No Country for Old Men
Dylan Tichenor - There Will Be Blood

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald - La Vie en Rose
Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji - Norbit
Ve Neill and Martin Samuel - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Dario Marianelli - Atonement
Alberto Iglesias - The Kite Runner
James Newton Howard - Michael Clayton
Michael Giacchino - Ratatouille
Marco Beltrami - 3:10 to Yuma

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
"Falling Slowly" - Once
Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" - Enchanted
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" - August Rush
Nominees to be determined
"So Close" - Enchanted
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" - Enchanted
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis - The Bourne Ultimatum
Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter Kurland - No Country for Old Men
Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane - Ratatouille
Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Jim Stuebe - 3:10 to Yuma
Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin - Transformers

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg - The Bourne Ultimatum
Skip Lievsay - No Country for Old Men
Randy Thom and Michael Silvers - Ratatouille
Matthew Wood - There Will Be Blood
Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins - Transformers

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood - The Golden Compass
John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier - Transformers

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Freeheld
La Corona (The Crown)
Salim Baba
Sari's Mother

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
I Met the Walrus
Madame Tutli-Putli
Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)
My Love (Moya Lyubov)
Peter & the Wolf

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
At Night
Il Supplente (The Substitute)
Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)
Tanghi Argentini
The Tonto Woman



Agree? Disagree? Comment and post your thoughts!

JR - (If you don't have a google account, it literally takes two minutes to get one. So sign up and login to post comments throughout the night.)

It has begun.

The blog, not the Oscars. I have just settled down to watch the remainder of the red carpet arrivals and after five minutes, I'm already tired of Ryan Secrest. Did he really need to ask Jessica Alba about breastfeeding? And then he asked Marion Cotillard to do an American accent, after he repeated something she said in a mocking French accent? He should have just told her to be more American. Geez.

Cameron Diaz's dress doesn't fit her very well. She's not fat by any means, but her dress was too tight along the top making her look like she has fat along her back and her chest.

That's the first update for now! Jeff has just left to pick up some wings, since this is my Superbowl. He'll be back soon to help with the commentary. TonyD will be weighing in throughout the night. You won't want to miss it!

Oh, Amy Adams and Anne Hathaway look gorgeous. And Miley Cyrus looks like she's had some kind of work done to her face. Botox or something? I don't know. She doesn't look the same anymore.

TD - Hey Jenny!

I haven't been watching the red carpet. Something tells me I'd be getting mad. I was watching Reelz Channel though and saw their coverage on the films.

TD - I just caught Diaz. Agree with Jenny. I also caught Cyrus. Agree with Jenny also.

Jenny - I've decided that when I post, I'll do it in bold so we can tell the difference easily between Tony's posts and mine and Jeff's.

TD - Hey Jenny, Blogger's going bitchy, so bold won't change for me. We'll probably be keeping this bold (but that's okay. Bold doesn't really show up on blogger when your writing is white)

Jenny - Blogger is bitchy. I posted these comments a few minutes ago:

Jeff - *makes horse sounds* (directed at Hillary Swank)

Jenny - Yay! The "How Does She Know" people! I just found out today that Kristin Chenoweth is performing that song instead of Amy Adams. I heart Kristin Chenoweth.

Jenny - As cheesy as that opening was, I liked it.

Tony - I liked it also. I really don't know about Chenoweth, but I love Adams, so I'm interested in listening to Chenoweth's version

Jenny - Dude. Kristin Chenoweth rules. "Wicked" is worth listening to.

Tony - Did Stewart say 4 to 5 hours?!?! CHRIST!

Jenny - Yep. We're in this for the long haul.

Jenny - Diabolo Cody took a paycut to become a screenwriter?!! Hahaha! Jon Stewart rules.

Tony - He's cracking political jokes now. It has now become The Daily Show, folks. Diablo Cody is wearing one million dollar shoes I heard. Also heard she danced for them.

Jenny - Titler? He's hysterical. He owned that monologue.

Tony - I know ATU won't win, but I'm rooting the hell out of it.

Jenny - I KNEW Elizabeth would win! I've got one right.

Tony - Hey Jenny. Do you have a link to that Oscar Pool that you, I, and Dr. Royce and Molly are in?

Jenny - Yeah, just go to oscar.com and click on Play, then click on Predict the Winners and sign in!

Tony - Thanks! Christ look at Clooney's hair. Looks like he killed a hair-gel bottle.

Jenny - I love watching these old clips as much as everyone else, but do they HAVE to play "My Heart will go On"?

Tony - While they do that, I eat my Chinese food and I no longer care about the Oscars

Jenny - I am SO looking forward to "Get Smart".

Jeff - They showed a clip at WonderCon this weekend. ...Did Steve Carell just say shit??

Tony - Ratatouille's win surprised me just as much as it surprised everyone else. Especially when "Surf's Up"'s nomination is complete bullshit, so the only real competition Ratatouille had was Persepolis

Tony - Now if Norbit wins, I'm not watching this anymore.

Jenny - YEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "La Vie En Rose" won for Makeup! I'm three for three. God, I love that movie. I need to buy it already.

Tony - I still think Amy Adams should look into singing instead of acting.

Jeff - From the torso up, she looks like Amy Adams. Her arms, she looks like Helen Mirren.

Jenny - It must be cold in there. They're blue, poor thing. Why is she out there by herself? They just showed the entire cast of the performance of the other song from Enchanted, and Kristin Chenoweth is a pro. Not to say Amy Adams isn't, but it's different. That wasn't fair to her.

Tony - I always wondered what they did during commercials too.

Jenny - This is the first one I've gotten wrong. I voted for Pirates for Visual Effects.

Tony - I voted for Transformers. I wanted ATU to be nominated for Art Direction.

Jenny - I voted for this one too! I'm so glad Sweeney is going home with an Oscar. ...I didn't know Cate Blanchett was preggers. She's cute. I love her dress.

Tony - Cate Blanchett also played Simon Pegg's girlfriend in "Hot Fuzz."

Jenny - What? Really? I knew there were a ton of cameos in that movie, but I missed that one.

Tony - Before he leaves for Stanford, he tells her he's leaving when she's looking through an apartment complex (she was a forensic scientist or something, so she had a mask over her face so she wouldn't be recognizable). She wasn't credited either. GO JAVIER BARDEM!!!

Tony - Hey Jenny, how are you doing with the Oscar pool?

Jenny - Bardem was a shoe in, but I'm glad he won. He ruled in NCFOM. I'm tied for first place with Molly!

Jenny - What the FUCK is this montage about binoculars and periscopes?? See, this is why the show goes for five hours.

Tony - This song's better than what I remember it being. Is Hansard and Irgatov performing Falling Slowly?

Tony - You know I'd LOVE to make a joke about Owen Wilson right now, but I won't

Jenny - Yes, Hansard and Irgatov are performing. I voted for that song, "Falling Slowly". And c'mon, you know you want to make an Owen Wilson joke. Jeff did.

Jeff - What's up, wristcutter! What happened to his nose? It looks like a penis.

Jenny - It's always looked like that.

Tony - LMFAOOO. It's funny, I voted for that Mozart film, but then switched it with another one last minute.

Tony - In my opinion, Supporting Actress is the toughest category this year. I still don't know who will win it yet.

Jenny - I don't know what's happening to my comments...anyway. I didn't see Tilda Swinton coming at all. Did anyone else pick her? I picked Blanchett.

Tony - It's Blogger most likely. I didn't see Tilda Swinton either, but I was going for Amy Ryan. Guess it was a split between her and Cate Blanchett, so they went with the next best choice.

Jenny - Yeah, that's a good point. I hadn't thought about that.

Tony - Glad to see NCFOM win again, especially to see the Coens to win another Oscar for best screenplay.

Tony - I added this on Digg. Can everyone please Digg it as soon as possible? THANKS! http://www.digg.com/movies/LIVE_OSCAR_BLOG_AT_FILMARCADE_NET

Jenny - Just dugg it!

Jenny - I love everything about this song. Kristin Chenoweth, the dancers, the set, everything. I might be wrong about which song will win.

Jenny - Can I retract that previous statement partially? As much as I love Kristin, Amy Adams sings that song better.

Tony - Fucking Blogger didn't post my comment. Anyway, I agreed with your second statement. I think she could do better in "Happy Working Song". Sounded like "Kiss the Girl" a little bit too much

Jenny - Previous Oscar winners Dame Judi Dench and the girl who wishes she could wipe Judi Dench's ass, Halle Berry! ...and then Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill. LMAO! This is great!

Tony - I voted for Transformers in both. Goddamnit. How are you doing in the pool?

Jenny - Jeff really wanted Transformers to win something. He loved that movie. I'm tied for first win Molly and Dr. Clemens.

Jenny - GOOOOOO MARION COTILLARD!!

Tony - Wow, they're nominating Best Actress early this year.

Jenny - I fucking love Marion Cotillard. I'm so happy she won. I yelled a little too loud and a little too high...and the windows are open.

Tony - I rented it three times - watched it zero. Renting it tomorrow a fourth time.

Jenny - It's long and it can seem a bit drawn out at times, but it's a wonderful movie. I loved it. I thought it was extremely moving.

Jenny - Colin Ferrell just said that "once" was the little movie that could. Amen to that. I heard someone say earlier that "Juno" was the little movie that could. Bullshit. It was the factory produced indie film that was pushed to the front. "Once" was not. If there were a movie this year that is the little movie that could, "Once" is that movie.

I love this song. It's my vote to win. It's hauntingly beautiful.

Tony - That was beautiful. Once is amazing

Jenny - I loved that Best Picture montage. ON anothere note, Renee Zellweger's dress is fantastic!

Tony - I know I haven't been updating much in the past fifteen minutes but look at Kidman towering over that guy.

Jenny - She looks beautiful, but she is freakishly tall.

Jenny - This Robert Boyle...I hate to be the one making fun of an old guy, but he just said that "They support me with their love and support". And he drolled on and on. Ugh. That's where the orchestra should have cut him off with the exit music.

Tony - LOL. Yeah, I pretty much ignored him. I'm just waiting for Best Picture now - LOL. Here's to hoping that Ms. I-Sell-My-Body-For-People-To-Read-My-Blog losing that award to Gilroy.

Jenny - There's no way this "So Close" song will win. The guy singing looks like he's straining.

Tony - Of course he was going to dance out on the stage - hahahaha.

Jenny - Hoo-fucking-ray!! I'm so happy this song won! I don't care if the movie is boring, that song is amazing.

Tony - I don't think it was boring. Think it was fantastic.

Tony - But it's Hollywood... that was classic haha!

Jenny - The first of a few awards for "There Will Be Blood" hopefully.

Tony - Jerry says DRAINAGE!, so let's all join in - DRAINAGE!

Jenny - DRAINAGE!

Jenny - We lost so many good people this year. I'm still reeling from Heath Ledger...Wait, did they include Brad Renfro?

Tony - They didn't include Roy Schneider either. I don't know if his death came too late as they were making this montage, but I don't think it was.

Tony - Because I'm too busy updating this every two minutes, I haven't told my opinion of There Will Be Blood or Atonement yet. I LOVED Blood, but I didn't like Atonement. Sorry, but I just didn't like it. The twist was terrible and by then I just didn't care how it ended. Anyway, the one thing it saved itself from was its score.

Jenny - My comment disappeared again. Anyway, I was wrong about the documentary short, but it was a toss up for me. I haven't seen any of them and as cute as the winners were, crying their little hearts out, I'll probably never see any of them.

Tony - Four more awards to give out and it'll take them an hour to give them out.

Jenny - Yep. Happens every year.

Tony - WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!?!?! OMGWTFBBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!

Jenny - What? You want fucking barbeque? Anyway, this will just encourage Diabolo Cody when what she needs is a slap on the wrist. No, Diabolo, no! Bad pop culture reference!

Tony - Hearing Mirren say "cajones" makes me laugh.

Tony - DRAINAGE! I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!

Jenny - Much deserved. "I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"

Jenny - Agh!! I got this one wrong!! Congrats to the Coen brothers. This was a hard one to pick.

Tony - Big moment...

Tony - Well deserved. No Country for Old Men is the best film of 2007.

Jenny - I didn't pick No Country, I picked Atonement. For me, it was between Atonement and There Will Be Blood, so I would have been wrong either way. LOL Oh well. All of them are good films. This was a great year for film all around.

Tony - Okay guys well the Live Blog is over. Thanks every one for joining in on the discussion - Randy, Jerry, Anthony, Jeremy, and Tripp. Thanks Jenny and Jeff for joining the Live Blog with me because if it was just me I would have sounded like a douchebag. See you all next year!

Jenny - Thanks everyone! Thanks to Tony for hosting it! See you next year!

In our attempt to provide reviews for every film nominated for an Oscar, we reviewed all but six films, four documentaries, and the five foreign films. Nonetheless, here are our reviews.


Across the Universe
American Gangster
Atonement
August Rush
Away From Her
The Bourne Ultimatum
Charlie Wilson’s War
Eastern Promises
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Enchanted
The Golden Compass
Gone Baby Gone
I’m Not There
Into the Wild
Juno
La Vie En Rose
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Norbit
Once
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Ratatouille
The Savages
Sicko
Surf’s Up
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
There Will Be Blood
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers


And here are just a few of the other things posted this weekend, in case if you missed it.


It Is Not 1939, But It Will Have to Do
Are You Ready for the Oscars?
The Arcaders’ Have Spoken

Say what you want about any of the nominated films but there are only two films that have any place being discussed as the best of the year: No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Anyone that has had half a conversation with me in the past two months knows which side of that argument I stand. Just so we’re clear I will spell it out for you in grand detail:

There Will Be Blood is the best movie of this decade. Period.

“I assure you, whatever the other promise to do, when it comes to the showdown, they won’t be there…”

It is not a surprise why these two movies are being compared. Both of the movies were released by the same company. Both based on novels. Both have brilliantly abrupt endings that will be debated for years. And both are the best films their respective directors have made. For as good a movie and as well made as it is, this film is Daniel Day Lewis. Without his performance, I doubt the movie secures its spot in the pantheon of American cinema.

And that’s exactly what this movie is – American – like pickup trucks and baseball games. The story deals with themes and ideas that are not only relevant in today’s world, they still exist; both the good and the bad. This is the way civilized America was made. This is the way towns and churches were built. Cutthroat. It was literally do or die. At face value it’s as simple as good versus evil. What is interesting is the way the perceptions between the two shift and morph as the movie progresses. Below the surface is where empires were created.

“Just give me the blood Lord and get me away from this.”

At the core of the film is Daniel Plainview and he is a fighter. He fights the system that created him and anyone who gets in his way. He will stop at nothing to get what it is that he’s after. At first we think it’s simply oil or money but we realize it’s more than that. He will never be fully satisfied. His animal is fed through the chase. He wants to be the best and end up on top, but his idea of the best doesn’t exist in the known world. So he will always continue to do more. This is true in his work, his business relationships, and his widely skewed vision of a family.

“It’s the truth, you’re not my son. And you never have been. You’re an orphan… and you’ve operated like one here today.”

Among all of the struggles at play, the central conflict in the movie is between Daniel Plainview and Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). It is obvious Eli is not a true believer. He is an opportunist, same as Plainview. So you have to ask yourself, which man is worse? Plainview for being the way he is and has proven to always be, or Eli for trying to sell himself as the profit and the only true way. Does Eli’s hypocrisy make him a bigger monster than Daniel? Does his contrast to Eli make Daniel’s qualities more admirable? Both men are miserable but at least Plainview makes no bones about that fact. He has chosen not to have a family or friends. He has not allowed himself to trust enough to let people get close to him. His love is his work. The blind ambition that both men posses cause each of them to be destroyed. By implosion or explosion is left to be debated.

“I did what your brother couldn’t. I broke you and I beat you.”

This is my kind of movie in that the answers aren’t laid out there for you to pick through like the quarter box at a garage sale. You have to do some thinking and draw your own conclusions. You look hard enough you are going to see the gem in the middle. You dig deep enough and you will see this film for what it is – a masterpiece in a class all its own. It may take some doing, but once you finally get there, you will embody the same feeling Daniel Plainview has at the pinnacle of his madness at the end of the film:

Righteousness.

And there’s the rub.

**** out of ****

Welcome to Reviews from the Horror Chamber. I am your chamber keeper, Anthony Thurber.

I would normally go into a rant but I don’t feel like whining about The Weinsteins again after ranting about their handling of Diary of the Dead. You can click here to read the article, which got me upset at them again. Also, besides that you can go to to last week’s edition to read why “The Signal,” which is theaters now, is the first great horror film of 2008 by clicking here. I have two big horror films to review including an advance review, so let’s get started.

Spiral

Year: 2008
Directors: Adam Green and Joel David Moore
Stars: Joel David Moore, Amber Tamblyn, Zachary Levi
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment / Ariescope Pictures
Running Time: 91 Mins
Review Rating: 5 Stars
Official Website: http://www.sprialthemovie.com/

Spiral reteams both director Adam Green and actor/director Joel David Moore. The duo was last seen in Hatchet, which I recommend you check out on DVD. Spiral has played in various horror festivals including the Fantasia Film Festival and the London Fright Fest.

This psychological thriller is about a lonely man (Joel David Moore) who is a telemarketer. He only has one friend in life, his egotistical boss (Zachary Levi, who also executive produced this film) and enjoys drawing portraits of women. Everything is lonely in the world for him until he meets a shy girl (Amber Tamblyn) at his office. He then starts to go out with this girl and begins to draw her a portrait of herself. Then, all of a sudden, he begins to hear voices and ghosts start to creep into his head and dark secrets start to come out about him. Soon it begins to take over him as descents into a dark spiral in his mind that’s out of control.

This could also be called, the third film from Adam Green (Hatchet, Coffee and Donuts) and first for actor Joel David Moore. Battlestar Galactica’s Tricia Helfer also co-stars in the film.

It very rare that a PG-13 horror film would highly get praised by me but Spiral is very good. One of the main reasons is that this was an independent film and had no studio input. This is a completely different film compared to Adam Green’s last film, Hatchet. Much of the credit has to go to Joel David Moore, Green and co-screenwriter Jeremy Daniel Boreing. It i