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Michael wrote:

I mean, c'mon! Shareeka effin' Epps!

Absolutely! I also saw Half Nelson last night. Loved every bit of it. Gave it 5 stars on Netflix. Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps were so riveting to watch. Even though I praised Babel and Little Miss Sunshine earlier on here, Half Nelson is a masterpiece compared to those films.

Agreed! I just caught up with Half Nelson as well and was blown away by it. And yes, Gosling and Epps played so well off each other but I really like the unusual choices that the filmmakers made, like the confrontation between Gosling's character and Frank which really seemed like it was going to head towards a violent clash but ends up getting difused in a way that was so well done. Great film. Also, I love the use of Billy Bragg's "A New England" -- major props for using that song!

Half Nelson is one very impressive film...it's the kind of film that can exceed your expection or throw you off guard with its subtle brilliance. On surface it looks like another same-old story of a young white teacher teaching inner-city kids but it devolves into something more unique and meaningful and special. It brings my mind to the best of the Dardennes. The cinematography was very nice and intimate.

The flashing bulbs inside a motel room creates a sense of disturbing disorientation for the girl. And the blue glow isolates the teacher dancing in a school gym. The teacher peeks at his cat through the doorway... I don't want to say too much about this but I thought it was so effective. The emotional distance in that particular shot was so amazingly realized. That's the kind of details I appreciate enormously.

Michael wrote:The flashing bulbs inside a motel room creates a sense of disturbing disorientation for the girl. And the blue glow isolates the teacher dancing in a school gym. The teacher peeks at his cat through the doorway... I don't want to say too much about this but I thought it was so effective. The emotional distance in that particular shot was so amazingly realized. That's the kind of details I appreciate enormously.

Me too. I also enjoyed all the little bits of business that Gosling did with his character, like how he would hum to himself or just the shots of him thinking. I've been a fan of his ever since I saw him in this small indie film called The Slaughter Rule. I know he's got no chance at the Oscar but hopefully we'll win an IFP.

HKIFF

I'll be there and will no doubt see new movies by Ann Hui, Kumakiri, Kurosawa, Oshii, Park, Weerasethakul, and Patrick Tam. And Costa, Bellocchio, Ruiz, Jacquot, Dumont, etc.

Anybody know anything about any of these other New Asian films?

Khadak, The Basement, 13 Princess Trees, The Bugmaster, Tuli, Love Conquers All, The Case, Luxury Car, Distance (Wei), Betelnut, The Bimo Records, Opera Jawa, Fourteen, Route 225, Hyazgar.

Recs? Thanks.

You should see:

Khadak
Hyazgar
Opera Jawa
No Regret
Luxury Car
Love Conquers All
Betelnut
Mukhsin
The Last Dining Table
Dancing Bells
Route 225
Sway
My Friend and His Wife
Don't Look Back
Spider Lilies

The rest I don't know about.... (I don't work for them anymore!)

There is a rumor floating around that if Scorsese wins Best Director tomorrow it will be presented by George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola.

So if those three wise men are not at the podium to present the director award, that means Scorsese will not win it?

That's quite patronizing, wouldn't you say? "Here you go Marty. Welcome to the big leagues!"

Gee, I wish Scorsese does win because at least we won't be subjected to this speculation every fucking year. Ever since Miramax's ill-fated campaign for Marty to win an Oscar for Gangs of New York, Scorsese's name has been tainted. It looks like HE is actually campaigning and whining about not having won an Oscar yet when it's EVERYONE else. I fear this may result in voter backlash from the Academy voters and he may once again be snubbed.

As far as Hollywood is concerned, Scorsese has the same unforgiveable baggage Woody Allen always had - he's a "New York filmmaker". Nevertheless, I predict he will finally win Best Director shortly before the Academy immediately reverts to form and awards Best Picture to "Little Miss Sunshine".

You may be right...."LMS" is thoroughly mediocre enough to win the Best Picture Oscar, but so is the annoyingly mispronounced "Babel."

I haven't seen Iwo Jima yet but LMS is the best of the other four films nom'd. Is it the best film of the year? No, but it is (probably) the best of those up for it. Of course, last year I strongly feel it should have gone to Good Night and Good Luck so what do I know

tavernier wrote:You may be right...."LMS" is thoroughly mediocre enough to win the Best Picture Oscar, but so is the annoyingly mispronounced "Babel."

There is probably a sub-conscious reason many people pronounce Babel as babble.

Also, Little Miss Sunshine will win Best Picture and Alan Arkin will win Best Supporting Actor. I also wouldn't be surprised if The Lives of Others wins Best Foreign Language film over the more fashionable but clearly inferior Pan's Labyrinth.

marty wrote:Gee, I wish Scorsese does win because at least we won't be subjected to this speculation every fucking year. Ever since Miramax's ill-fated campaign for Marty to win an Oscar for Gangs of New York, Scorsese's name has been tainted. It looks like HE is actually campaigning and whining about not having won an Oscar yet when it's EVERYONE else. I fear this may result in voter backlash from the Academy voters and he may once again be snubbed.

I think the only reason Scorsese didn't win for Gangs Of New York is the Academy were more snubbing the Weinsteins than Scorsese himself. I have a feeling it was a reaction to their meddling with the film and their overbearing Oscar campaign.

In comparison, the campaign by Warners is at least a lot more sympathetic and less arrogant. But you're right, the campaign in general is coming from people around the film but not from the man himself.

A serious question: what will audience reaction be like if Scorsese loses? I would be really upset if they act shitty to Eastwood (the only other person it could go to) just because people voted for him.

The reaction will be oh so polite and oh so understanding from one and all and will not contain a trace of anything remotely resembling genuine emotion. If you need to talk more about this, have your people call my people and we'll do lunch.

I may regret this this time tomorrow, but it's a little difficult to imagine Scorsese losing. This is the absolute best chance he's had to win in any year he was nominated. Each year there was some obvious obstacle except this one. His competition is by far the weakest, with Eastwood having won twice already and the most recent being only two years ago. Greengrass seems out of it, first and foremost, because his movie wasn't nominated for Best Picture. Frears has the least chance of winning since Mirren will win the award for that film. González Iñárritu probably has the best chance, aside from possibly Eastwood, to beat Scorsese but his relative youth and nationality seem to work against him. I really think Scorsese wins by process of elimination as much as for sympathy vote.

Film Independent's Spirit Awards

Best Feature - Little Miss Sunshine

Best Director - Jonathon Dayton & Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine

Best Screenplay - Jason Reitman, Thank You For Smoking

Best First Feature - Sweet Land

John Cassavetes Award (For the Best Feature made for under $500,000) - Quinceanera

Best Supporting Female - Frances McDormand, Friends with Money

Best Supporting Male - Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine

Best Female Lead - Shareeka Epps, Half Nelson

Best Male Lead - Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson

Best Cinematography - Guillermo Navarro, Pan's Labyrinth

Best Foreign Film - The Lives of Others

Best Documentary - The Road to Guantanamo

I just discovered that Terry O'Quinn was nominated for an Independent Spirit award back in 88 for the Stepfather, proving that the Independent Spirit awards are the only awards that know what's up

About fucking time.

I'll pretend you're talking about Arkin

did that just happen? Who else caught the announcer quoting scorsese as saying "Departed" is the first film he's made with a plot? I'm really happy for Arkin, he deserved it. And I think an audiobook version of Borat, narrated by Helen Mirren would be a best seller. :p

Poncho Punch wrote:About fucking time.

Amen to that. And giving his film the big one spares us the Crash-like debacle. Satisfying ending to a blah broadcast.

That was alright. I could've done without the interprative dancing though. Only a couple of huge surprises: Melissa Etheridge for best song and The Lives Of Others for best Foreign Film.

This might be the first Best Picture that I actually can say that I fully like, since American Beauty.