Cinema and Popcorn

"As she did in her breakthrough film Winter's Bone, Jennifer Lawrence anchors this futuristic and politicized elaboration of The Most Dangerous Game with impressive gravity and presence, while director Gary Ross gets enough of what matters in the book up on the screen to satisfy its legions of fans worldwide. (...) On the other hand, the costumes and makeup are a riot of imagination designed to evoke a level of topped-out decadence comparable to that of Nero's Rome or Louis XVI's Paris. (...) At the center of things most of the time, Lawrence remains compelling all the way." by Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter "The screen Hunger Games radiates a hot, jumpy energy that's irresistible. It has epic spectacle, yearning romance, suspense that won't quit and a shining star in Jennifer Lawrence, who gives us a female warrior worth cheering (...) But even wearing a PG-13 harness to ensure profitability, The Hunger Games gets your pulse raci

Director: John  Hillcoat Starring: Tom Hardy , Shia LaBeouf , Guy Pearce , Jessica Chastain , Gary Oldman and Mia Wasikowska Writers: Nick Cave (screenplay); Matt Bondurant (novel) USA release date: 31st August , 2012 " Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits " COMMENT: I knew people loved the source novel " The Wettest County in the World ", but Lawless is far more than what I was expecting. John Hillcoat is a gifted director and the cast he reunited is just "impressive"! I smell strong acting all around, but Tom Hardy , Gary Oldman and Guy Pearce promise to steal the show. The tension we ca feel from the trailer is exciting - the whole movie seems outstanding - and I smell some award buzz around this flick. Lawless is getting a lot of points from my consideration and I really hope it will be great, because there's nothing better t

Director: Jacques Audiard  Starring: Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts  Writers: Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain (screenplay); Craig Davidson (book)  USA release date: ?? - ?? - 2012 ; May 17 , 2012 ( France )  Alain van Versch (Matthias Schoenarts) is 25 years old and lives in the North. He has no money and has never had any. When you’re young and alone, money is not a problem. It becomes one when the girl with whom you have had a child places it in your hands. Now, obviously, Ali has a problem: his name is Sam, and he’s five years old. Running on and running out of ideas Ali calls his sister who lives in Antibes in the south. This is where the father and the child who don’t know each other will find shelter for the winter, in the basement of a house. Ali agrees with the song: misery is less painful in the sun. He does odd jobs: night watchman, bouncer … And it is in a nightclub, le Fever, that he meets Stéphanie (Marion Cotiilard). She is 28 ye

1. Samantha Barks for Les Misérables Born: October 2, 1990 - Isle of Man Previous Oscar acting recognition: none Oscar snubed performances: none Oscar chances comment: She's the girl contending for the breakthrough performance in the Best Supporting Actress category and her character, the dreamy Éponine, is one of hearts of Les Misérables alongside Fantine, being a very sympathetic (but tragic) character and she has a couple of the most symbolic moments in the musical: " On My Own " song and her death. Barks received raves for portraying this same character in the West End production of Les Misérables some years ago, so portraying Éponine again will be "easy" for her, which may allow her to pull her performance to the next level. She has a wonderful voice and making a big-screen debut in such an high-caliber production may impress the AMPAS members who may want to see her as part of its family. In fact, I can see Barks as one of the Oscar co

Director Olivier Dahan is onboard to helm the biopic of Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly , who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became Monaco's monarch. The movie will be set during the 1961-1962 period, when Grace was the star of some behind the scenes of the political relations between her country and France. Variety reports that Nicole Kidman is in final negociations to star the project. Dahan directed Marion Cotillard in her Oscar-winning performance as Édith Piaf in La vie en rose , so there are some expectations around Kidman's performance: a talented actress playing a former Hollywood godness, playing royalty and playing a strong woman is awards buzzy. I do not see Kidman as Grace Kelly easily, mostly because of the looks... Don't get me wrong, I think Kidman would be perfect for the role some years ago, but she's getting older and she doesn't look a "natural looking beauty" like Grace Kelly anymore (maybe it's because of p

1.  Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln Born: April 29, 1957 - Greenwich, London, England, UK Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1990 - Best Leading Actor for My Left Foot ( win ); 1994 - Best Leading Actor for In the Name of the Father (nom); 2003 - Best Leading Actor for Gangs of New York (nom); 2006 - Best Leading Actor for There Will Be Blood ( win ) Oscar snubed performance(s): 1997 - The Boxer Oscar chances comment: Playing a political figure is always Oscar-baity, but when we are talking about one of the most famous American presidents such as Abraham Lincoln played by the always great Daniel Day-Lewis, things get even more serious. Steven Spielberg's upcoming biopic Lincoln is drawing big expectations in the Oscar predictions foruns for a big couple of reasons, but while biopics aren't a guarantee of Best Picture nomination, they are a good vehicle for talented actors getting Oscar nominations. Day-Lewis has been away from the Oscar predictions lists sin

1.  Keira Knightley for Anna Karenina Born: March 26, 1985 - Teddington, Middlesex, England, UK Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2006 - Best Leading Actress for Pride & Prejudice (nom) Oscar snubed performance(s): 2007 - Atonement ; 2008 - The Duchess Oscar chances comment: It seems that everytime Keira Knightley and Joe Wright work together, the young actress delivers a Oscar-caliber performance, like what happened in Pride & Prejudice (she got an Oscar nod) and in Atonement (she got an Oscar snub). So it is no surprise to see people expecting her to be great in Wright's adaptation of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina , where Keira plays the title role of the married aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina who has an affair with the affluent Count Vronsky. There are some people who are getting tired of seeing her in period pieces...  you know, Knightley is the queen of period films, so she must be completely mesmerizing in order to not be just one more Ann

Director: Woody Allen Starring: Woody Allen , Alec Baldwin , Roberto Benigni , Penélope Cruz , Judy Davis , Jesse Eisenberg , Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page Writers: Woody Allen USA release date: 8th June , 2012 " A story about a number of people in Italy, some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors, and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into. " COMMENT: Well, it does not look as magic and unique and charming as Midnight In Paris,  as sexy and seductive as Vicky Cristina Barcelona or as tragic and thrilling as Match Point ... In fact To Rome With Love  (only) looks like a well-balanced Woody Allen comedy, which isn't a bad thing at all! The cast seems really well-chosen (we can't blame Mr. Allen for bad casting in any of his movies) and some situations in the trailer make To Rome With Love a promising funny romantic-comedy. Love Woody, love Roberto Benigni , love Alec Baldwin , love Ellen Page , love Jesse Eisenberg and...

1. Beasts of the Southern Wild Director: Ben Zeitlin Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry Synopsis: " Faced with her father's fading health and environmental changes that release an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy leaves her Delta-community home in search of her mother. " It's the most acclaimed movie from Sundance Film Festival and the winner of the Grand Jury Prize and while I'm concious about how small this project is, this is by far the strongest Best Picture contender of the year (maybe because most of the Oscar-looking movies weren't released yet). Sometimes, the AMPAS goes for independent filmmaking ( Precious or Winter's Bone , for example) and according to reviews, Beasts of the Southern Wild is award-worthy, moving, honest, ambitious and it talks about poverty and Katrina - and the Academy members tend to love a movie like this. 2. The Master Director: Paul Thomas