Saturday, January 06, 2007

Black Link Moan

popbytes was kind enough to post the Black Snake Moan poster. Whaddya think?
Being Boring I love top ten lists that feel like they're coming from actual people rather than groupthink hack critics. Not Boring at all
Deep Focus, a Cinemarati colleague, also lets top ten fly.
The Gilded Moose is scaring me.
David Thomson treats Brad Pitt like an actress. Over in his 40s? No way! [src]
ModFab has bad news about Broadway's best comedy The Little Dog Laughed. It's closing soon. Get your tickets! Especially if you love gossiping about who is gay in Hollywood.
My New Plaid Pants loses all remaining marbles over The Golden Compass. Sure does look beeyootiful but I worry about it being toothless since they've decimated it's thematics to not offend Jesusland
Oscar and the City asks the question on the collective awards-watching brain. Will the SAG supporting actress list transfer intact to Oscar? Four spots seem sown up. But that fifth... where will it go?

*

And speaking of Supporting Actresses --don't forget that tomorrow is another blog-a-thon. This one is hosted by Stinky Lulu and here's how to play along. And I've posted the fun promo below. The promo uses one of Sara Ramirez's (Grey's Anatomy) best moments from "Spamalot!" for which she won the TONY. The musical accompaniment to the clip is her hilarious second act ballad "Diva's Lament".

Jennifer Hudson isn't the only huge voice making it as an actress.



unnecessary addendum: I hate Grey's Anatomy as a general rule --is it because so many people I know watch and discuss it? Is it because it uses that highly annoying (at least 10 year's past its prime) cliché the "lessons learned narration framing" Or is it because Ellen Pompeo is a poor man's version of She Who Must Not Be Named? (The original is bad enough. Do not force a downgrade on us) So many reasons to hate! Yet, despite my hate I mention the show because Sara Ramirez is awesome. And if it were a Mr. Michelle Pfeiffer show instead of a whoever the hell made it show, you know Sara would've already been given a bajillion opportunities to show off her powerhouse pipes. You know how that man do. (Think Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Chicago Hope etc...)

13 comments:

Jason Adams said...

I really was a spazz yesterday wasn't I? Even more so then usual. What can I say - I've found my voice!

And I have to say, for some reason, the warning signs about them fogging up Pullman's anti-organized religion themes aren't bothering me too much. Sure, they're not calling it the Church, but I feel like it'll still be obvious what they're getting at, even if they aren't calling things by their names. I mean, the entire story, like its basis, in the end, is a repudiation of that sort of faith, and I don't know that they could even tell the same story without getting that across. And also, Pullman himself has not expressed that kind of worry, so I'm sticking with him til the bitter end. We'll see though. If nothing else it'll get kids reading the books even more.

Anonymous said...

Nat, you haven't heard about them actually keeping the themes of the novels in the films? Where have you been?!? lol.

But seriously, over the last like, month, the director, New Line, and I think Daniel Craig and even Eva Green have stated that they are not going to mush everything down to not offend everyone. I can send the sources to you if you like.

Daniel even had a very interesting insight on how you could look at the novels as NOT anti-religious but instead anti-authority (which has always been the way I looked at them as well).

You shouldn't have to worry Nat, the themes will still be there, even if they don't use the exact word GOD. And as ja said, Pullman himself has seemed to be estatic with everything he has seen in the script and the production values. All that can be found on his website.

I'm really looking foward to this.

Anonymous said...

NAT: how long will u be accepting FYC's for FB awards?

John T said...

I was reading the posts at Oscar and the City and the Supporting Actress race, and someone brought up how fantastic Sandra Bullock's FYC Ads are (and they are quite remarkable). You'd think she'd be doing some talk shows to gain that fifth slot Oscar nod. As it is, I think it's between Breslin (whose SAG nod is a strong indicator, even if she was likely fifth place) or Farmiga (depending on Departed love).

adam k. said...

Well, unfortunately for Bullock, no one on the planet has seen Infamous. I think it's really between Breslin, O'Hara, Farmiga, Epps, and Blunt.

Honestly I hope Breslin holds on. I LOVE her, and her performance.

But in an ideal world, Blanchett's category fraud would be rejected to make room for Blunt. I haven't seen O'Hara and Epps, though, so I can't say how deserving those two are.

NATHANIEL R said...

primitive --last i read was an interview with Pullman in which he stated they were removing the religion.

so maybe they changed their minds or he overstated.

eric --until categories are announced i'm still considering things. though I probably won't be seeing any more films for lack of time. we'll see. they should really get going next week because i gotta post everything before the Oscar noms as is my pattern. I don't like to post after that (unless it's extra categories)

Anonymous said...

For what it's worth, Grey's Anatomy is headed by Shonda Rhimes, who may be the only black woman running a major TV show in Hollywood.

I know you love him, but I can definitely see where Thomson is coming from regarding Brad Pitt

Yaseen Ali said...

Holy Crap. I've never heard that song before (missed out on Spamalot here in Toronto), and I think my love for Sara Ramirez just quadrupled. LOL to the power of ten.

When I do get stuck watching Grey's, I sit up whenever she's on-screen.

DL said...

I totally agree that Ellen Pompeo is bland and talentless and all those bad things. But I think the entire supporting cast does enough to make up for her - Ramirez, Heigl, Oh and Walsh in particular are all grade-A talent.

Anonymous said...

Nat- Could you post the link to that interview with Pullman? Or did you read it in a magazine? Because last I heard(a few magazines like Empire and some other one that had Craig as a story) Weitz made it very clear that they are not watering the films down like the rumors are stating and that Pullman was actually very pleased with what he had seen.

Anonymous said...

on the His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass subject, I don't see how everyone assumes that films with a controversial story are going to be changed just because a big studio is behind it. Add me on to the list of people who have seen nothing but the opposite of what has been rumored by the media: The religious aspect MUST be taken out...New Line doesn't have the balls!!

But reading the director and Pullman's thoughts (from what I have seen of him) on the film, New Line does seem to be going where we all thought they were going to be afraid to go, even if they change a couple of names. The point is, the important things are still in.


And New Line should be smart enough to know that if that aspect is taking out (which if you look closer, isn't just "anti religous") then you don't really have a movie? And so what if they don't use the word God or something. As long as those central themes stay in, there shouldn't be a problem except for those religous folks who should have better things to do then to protest a movie.


But if you want an easy way out, you could say "Hey, it didn't hurt The DaVinci Code".

Yaseen Ali said...

Having been reminded of Sara Ramirez's greatness today, I went on a net search reading all I could about her. I came across this article by her that just makes me love her even more. Really inspiring read.

Glenn Dunks said...

I sorta love Grey's Anatomy. And considering I pretty much can't watch anything set in a hospital outside of Scrubs (they make me queasy) that's high praise.