Now Playing: Diving Bells and Savages

Oscar Watching

In Hollywood's effort to jam all awards season contenders into December --annoying the hell out of me and other year round moviegoers -- Julian Schnabel's artful disability weepie The Diving Bell and Butterfly (my review) and Tamara Jenkins comedic nursing home weepie The Savages have finally opened on both coasts. Either one could catch on with wider audiences if they catch on with Academy voters. They might -- and for similar reasons, too. Both expertly portray moving familial bonds with the aid of brilliant actors. At this point we need to crown Laura Linney as the best "sister act" in all the cinema, don'cha think? Max Von Sydow's confused father in Diving Bell is a major highlight of the other film.  Cross your fingers for both actors to make it to the endless red carpets this winter.

psssst. I also interviewed Max Von Sydow today. He was gracious, friendly, well spo

ken and I'll try to have the interview up real soon.

Also opening:

Awake -Jessica Alba freaks out because Hayden Christensen might die on the operating table. Please let it be so! ...what was that... It's only a movie!? damn, never mind
Aaja Nachle -a new Bollywood film starring Madhuri Dixit
Chronicle of an Escape Rodrigo de la Serna (Motorcycle Diaries) stars in this film about an Argentinian kidnapping.
The Protagonist -a documentary with Greek drama overlay. Looks interesting.

The Rocket an ice hockey biography

Most importantly:
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass sneaks on nearly 900 screens tomorrow. Eeep. The Boyfriend decided yesterday whilst rereading the great book this is based on that my cat Montgomery is actually my daemon, since we are both wildly moody and often [cue twilight zone music] in the exact same mood. But get this... when I went to the official website and asked to meet my daemon they tell me her name is Melania and she's ... a mouse ??? 

Monty will not be pleased and "Melania" probably won't survive for too long in his apartment. (Then again the website also tells me I'm "spontaneous, modest, outgoing, competitive and inquisitive" and  well, interactive games aren't perfect. I suppose 3 1/2 out of 5 isn't so bad as character trait guesswork goes...)