This end-of-the-Mayan-Calendar crap is starting to get on our nerves over here at Movieline virtual headquarters, but it did give us an idea for a fun question to put to you, our esteemed readers: If the world was really about to end, what’s the one movie you would choose to see before things went all Michael Bay ? Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: If the world was ending, I would not be watching no movie, unh-unh. You’d be getting busy or frantically calling your shrink (who’d be frantically calling his shrink) or looting the nearest Best Buy so you could briefly experience the pleasures of the iPhone 5 without having to actually pay for one. But imagine that panic does not ensue and you have the time and desire to see one last movie before everything fades to black. What would it be? I see it as an emotional choice rather than a critical one: What is the one film that will leave you in the proper frame of mind to say goodbye to it all? I’ll get the party started. I’d have to go with the 1957 noir classic Sweet Smell of Success , starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis . To help give you an idea of why this movie means so much to me, let me tell you a very old joke: An Englishman, a Frenchman and a New Yorker are captured by cannibals. The captives are told they’re going to be killed and eaten and their skins are going to be used to build a canoe. The cannibals are an empathetic and well-equipped group, however, and they allow each of their victims to choose how they’d like to die. The Englishman asks for a gun and shoots himself. The Frenchman chooses a sword. When it’s the New Yorker’s turn, he asks for a fork. The cannibals think this is odd, but they give him one — at which point he begins stabbing himself all over his body. “So much for your fucking canoe,” the New Yorker says before he dies. That’s Sweet Smell of Success distilled into a sentence. It’s a dark, ugly (in terms of its subject matter) movie that never fails to exhilarate me because it oozes with old-school chutzpah. Curtis plays a sleazy publicist named Sidney Falco who will do just about anything to get into the gossip column of the corrupt and powerful J.J. Hunsecker (Lancaster) and the two characters’ toxic relationship unfolds like a thrilling prize fight in which the punches consist of lethal lines of dialog written by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman. I could go on about director Alexander Mackendrick’s stark black-and-white depiction of late 1950s New York and Elmer Bernstein’s score which are as ballsy as the screenplay and the performances, but this post is supposed to be about you, not me. My point is, if the end is near, I’m going to watch a movie that puts a little swagger in my step before I get devoured by a fiery serpent or whatever is supposed to happen when the Mayan calendar ends. So now it’s your turn. What movie would you pick? Leave your choice in the comments section, preferably with the reason(s) for your choice. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Nine films have advanced to the final round of pre-nominations in the Academy’s Best Foreign Language category. Previously 71 films had qualified for consideration. This weekend’s Sony Classics release, Amour , which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival is among the films making the shortlist as well as Canada’s War Witch , the Gael Garcia Bernal starter No (Chile), France’s huge global box office hit A Royal Affair , Iceland’s Baltasar Kormákur’s The Deep and lauded Romanian director Cristian Mungiu’s Beyond the Hills . Five nominees will emerge from this list via Academy members who will view the shortlist after the new year and then casting their ballots. The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT, and the Oscar ceremony will take place February 24th. The Best Foreign-Language Oscar Shortlist for the 85th Academy Awards: Austria, “Amour,” Michael Haneke, director Canada, “War Witch,” Kim Nguyen, director Chile, “No,” Pablo Larraín, director Denmark, “A Royal Affair,” Nikolaj Arcel, director France, “The Intouchables,” Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors Iceland, “The Deep,” Baltasar Kormákur, director Norway, “Kon-Tiki,” Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors Romania, “Beyond the Hills,” Cristian Mungiu, director Switzerland, “Sister,” Ursula Meier, director
Twenty-two-year-old Samantha Bark s may have been destined to play Eponine in Tom Hooper ‘s ambitious Les Miserables film adaptation, given that she’d warble the iconic character’s songs into the mirror at age six and, years later, would go on to earn acclaim playing the tragic innkeepers’ daughter in London’s West End and in Les Miz ‘s 25th Anniversary concert. But Barks really knew she’d made it when she found herself sparring with onscreen dad Sacha Baron Cohen on the Les Miserables set: “I can’t believe I actually spat in Ali G’s face!” Barks’s Eponine is a standout among Hooper’s cast of known triple-threats and familiar faces, but the production required her to undertake perhaps the most difficult transition of all – adjusting from playing Eponine onstage in front of thousands to translating the character’s heartbreaking devotion to rebellious student Marius ( Eddie Redmayne ) for the intimacy of the screen. Her version of ” On My Own ,” filmed in a long, rainy shot per the film’s more virtuoso numbers, might be the umpteenth time Barks has sung the iconic ballad in her career to date, but as the Isle of Man native told Movieline , “every time I hear that song, or perform that song, it just sets my heart on fire.” I love Eponine — she’s one of the best roles in Les Miserables , the one I identify with most. How does it feel right now to be at this point in your journey with her, this being your first film and a character you’ve lived with for so long? I feel ecstatic because I played this role on the West End for a year, took it to the O2 Arena for the 25th anniversary, and now to the film — it kind of feels surreal to have had three different experiences of this wonderfully iconic role. Each one has been different, but I’ve spent over four years of my life making her really the most consistent thing that’s been in my life for the last couple of years, and I feel so proud just to be a part of her. I happened to be on Twitter the night Cameron Mackintosh made the surprise announcement, onstage after your show in front of an entire theater, that you had landed Eponine in the film . There were Tweets left and right and it sounded like quite a magical way to learn that you’d won the role. Take me back to that moment. How do you remember it? Oh, gosh. It was the most shocking, amazing piece of news I could receive, but done in the most unique way I think you could ever find out you’ve got a role, you know? It was very unheard of to find out like that! I was in a state of shock. He walked onstage as I was taking my bow and he made a speech about Oliver Twist and Charles Dickens, and he managed to segue onto the fact that I’d won the role of Eponine in the Les Miserables film! And that reaction of mine — I was just completely speechless. It’s also exciting for me to actually be able to watch that clip; I’ve seen that clip on the internet, and it’s kind of proof that the moment actually happened. If you had to guesstimate, how many times do you think you’ve sung “On My Own” in your life? [Laughs] It’s hard because I’m rubbish at math, but basically… eight shows a week for a year, and then the O2 performance, and then some rehearsals on top of that, plus another definite 15 takes for the film, and rehearsals — so there’s a lot of singing that song! [ Ed. note: That puts Barks’ number at 400+. ] And it’s funny because every time I hear that song, or perform that song, it just sets my heart on fire. It’s such a tragic tale. It’s a role I relate to so much that getting to perform that song every single time makes me feel so alive. I feel so lucky to get to sing it. You’ve played Eponine opposite Eddie Redmayne ’s Marius — not to mention Nick Jonas’s Marius — but what do you see at the core of these two characters’ relationship that makes it so compelling no matter who’s playing the role? Girls can relate to unrequited love and that’s one thing, but what not a lot of people can relate to is exactly how dark Eponine’s life is. She has a line in a song where she says, ‘Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to,’ and that’s her life — Marius is really Eponine’s everything and it’s not just about falling in love with somebody on a teenage level, it’s also about somebody being your only piece of light in a very dark life, and that’s heartbreaking about Eponine. Was Eponine always the character you loved and identified with most? When I was six I would sing ‘On My Own’ into a hairbrush in front of a mirror and wanted to be Eponine, which is crazy because she’s got such a tragic life! It doesn’t make any sense that I’d want that for myself but it’s one of those things where you’re a young girl, ‘I want to be Eponine! Or Cosette, or Fantine, or whatever. This is your first film, and there’s a significant difference between how performers modulate their performances for the stage versus for the camera. Did film acting come naturally to you, or did it feel alien? Having never done a film before it was definitely something I had to learn, how to play it. I’d done the stage version of Les Miz , but for me when you come to the screen so many details shine through on camera, so you need to be a lot more detailed with it — you can’t have loose ends like you can in a theatrical piece because it’s heightened. With this you need to be more specific, you need to be detailed, and we’re so lucky to have Victor Hugo’s fantastic novel there to add those details and depth to these characters. You know in the book, Eponine spends a couple of months in prison. That gives you more of an insight into the background she comes from, and that’s why it’s more miraculous when she does eventually do a good deed. How helpful or challenging was it to be immersed in those environments filming musical scenes in long takes, as you did with ‘On My Own,’ literally in the rain, 15 times?I imagine it’s quite a different experience than performing it on a stage without cold water and elements being thrown at you. It was hard. The challenges were physically very difficult. Singing under a rain machine, you’re shivering all day. Someone on set was like, ‘What’s that sound?’ ‘Oh, it’s Sam’s teeth — they’re chattering!’ I can’t help it! These long takes were really fantastic because it meant that you could really build that musical arc throughout the song organically. The hard thing was sometimes Tom would say, ‘Ok guys, build a barricade — Action!’ And you’d have to build a barricade from pianos that were flying out of the windows. The adrenaline that goes through you is intense. They actually dressed up cameramen as students and sent them out amongst us. And what [Tom] does is he captures these real moments of fear that are so fantastic to be a part of, because when he yells ‘Cut!’ the adrenaline flowing through you is just like no other. It’s incredible. What was it like to have Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as parents? When I first found out that I was going to be playing their daughter I thought, that’s a pretty cool claim to fame! They are the coolest onscreen parents I could ever wish for. And working with Helena — she’s so quirky and the most unique person I’ve ever met. The things she says are so fascinating and wise, it’s incredible. And Sacha is a comic genius — I grew up so obsessed with his work. Did you watch Ali G? Oh yeah, I used to watch Ali G in da U.S.A. ! He was phenomenal. And actually, the scene we had wasn’t very comedic at all, because in the scene he slaps me and I spit in his face. And he actually slapped you? Yeah! We went for realism. I was like, ‘Bring it on!’ So I can blame no one but myself. I left the day with a very sore, red cheek, and he left feeling extremely gross because I’d spat at him all day. And I was like, ‘I can only apologize for that.’ I can’t believe I actually spat in Ali G’s face! READ MORE ON LES MISERABLES : Eddie Redmayne On ‘Unlearning’ ‘Les Miserables’ & Prince William’s Singing REVIEW: ‘Les Misérables’ Hits High Notes, But Also Skitters Early Reaction: Oscar Race Heats Up As NYC Screening Of ‘Les Miserables’ Prompts Cheers & Tears Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Damon Lindelof may be leaving Ridley Scott’s Alien universe on a vague, quasi-philosophical note that leaves no one feeling fully satisfied, indicating this week that he won’t be penning the sequel to Prometheus . Speaking to Collider , Lindelof talked first about the possible direction the Prometheus franchise-within-a-franchise could take, and then explained why he won’t be returning for round two. While he doesn’t quite come out and say it plain, he does admit circumspectly that the popular response to his script may have had a small influence on his decision. “I think what ended up happening,” Lindelof said, “was that the movie came out, and there was a reaction to the movie.” There’s far more to it than that, of course. Lindelof is, despite the haters, very busy. “…I got really wrapped up in [ Star Trek Into Darkness ] and really wrapped up in this movie that I’m producing and writing with Brad Bird,” he said, referring to the Disney film currently code-named 1952 . Lindelof also cited an upcoming TV project he’s passionate about, all of which led him to conclude he wouldn’t be able to make the kind of commitment a project like Prometheus 2 would require. Fortunately, according to his telling of events, Scott was fine with it. “I said to him, ‘I really don’t think I could start working on this movie until I do this other stuff. And I don’t know when the other stuff is going to be done.’ And he was like, ‘Well, okay, it’s not like I asked you anyways.'” But do we even need a sequel? To my mind, a continuation of Prometheus would just be an exercise in throwing good money after horrendously convoluted money. But what about you, readers? Do you want to see a return to the Alien universe? Does Lindelof’s exit from the series make you happy, or as frustrated as when you found out that the castaways were (spoiler alert) in purgatory? Sound off in the comments. [via Collider ] RELATED ARTICLES: Jon Spaihts’ Original ‘Prometheus’ Script: Better Than The Film? There Were Supposed To Be Facehuggers! ‘Prometheus’ Screenwriter Spills Secrets Of Early Scripts Prometheus Secrets Revealed: What Did David Say to the Engineer? Ross Lincoln is a LA-based freelance writer from Oklahoma with an unhealthy obsession with comics, movies, video games, ancient history, Gore Vidal, and wine. Follow him on twitter (@rossalincoln). Follow Movieline on Twitter .
This was a terrific year for movies. I don’t know that I have more to say about it as a whole than that, because 2012 was such a varied year in cinema, too. We saw procedurals, Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln , that dug into the immense work behind known moments in history; movies about the movies, like Holy Motors and The Cabin in the Woods , and sensory creations like Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Master , with their very different protagonists who each seem, at times, tuned into a clearer sense of the universe. This year also saw the continued fade-out of celluloid and the push for new cinematic experiences with the 48fps of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , the 3D wizardry of Life of Pi and the prosthetic and make-up-aided gender and ethnicity crossing-casting of Cloud Atlas . But my biggest pleasures in the theater this year tended to be the old-fashioned type: from a luscious 70mm screening of The Master at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York to the throwback sensibility at the center of Rust and Bone. Then again, it’s contemporary technology that allowed my number-one pick to be shot and smuggled to its Cannes premiere inside a cake. Film is changing, sure, but there’s no arguing its vividly alive. 10. Dark Horse “I know that life has been unfair to you because it has given you every possible advantage,” man-child Abe (Jordan Gelber) is told in a dream sequence, a perfect encapsulation of an existence spent in paralyzing, frustrated inadequacy. Both he and his eventual reluctant fiancée Miranda ( Selma Blair ) are in their thirties and living with their parents in New Jersey, crushed by their inability to prove themselves to be as special in adulthood as they’d always been as children. Todd Solondz doesn’t mock his ridiculous, defensive and unhappy protagonist with the same mercilessness that he used to skewer his back catalog of memorable losers, but he doesn’t allow Abe to be lovable or cuddly either. He’s inherited a dissatisfaction that has kept him caught between entitlement and self-loathing, and stands alone as a marvelously drawn and tragic figure of toxic ingrained American aspirations. 9. The Cabin in the Woods It’s an ingeniously geeky and loving deconstruction of the horror genre. It’s a meta-critique of what we want from slasher flicks and why we enjoy them. It’s a reworking of and an explanation for the silliest recurring habits of scary movie victims, and it’s also, somehow, a workplace comedy. Mostly, though, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s clever, clever film was maybe the best time you could have had in cineplexes this year. It was rewarding both as a reference-laden (bloody) valentine to hardcore film fans and a rollicking standalone feature that offered up far-from-disposable characters and an elaborate high-tech system to explain why they ended up running from baddies in the woods.
Back in the 90s there was a persistent (and very silly) rumor that Jet Li secretly had a ton of triad tattoos on his arms and chest, which is why he never took off his shirt on camera. Dumb, yes, but stuff like that made the Hong Kong movie biz seem so much more dangerous than ours. Now Jackie Chan has done his part by claiming in an interview with a Chinese publication that he once carried a huge arsenal for protection from organized criminals. While sharing stories about Triad hoods who bullied actors during productions, he revealed “They opened fire at me once I got off the airplane. From that moment on, I needed to carry a gun every day when I went out.” Chan also claimed that in one incident, he confronted a group of men armed with knives “with two guns and six grenades.” Proving once and for all you should never bring a knife to a Rambo fight. He is now under investigation by HKPD for violating that city’s strict gun and weapons control laws, and has since claimed in a blog post that “I told the media about my unruly behavior to express that I had the thought of resorting to violence because of my lack of education. I cannot express myself properly sometimes, I only want to say that people need discipline, and our government should manage the public and resources in a fair way.” Translation : He was probably talking shit the first time. But even if these claims are true, hopefully HKPD understands that Chan had to carry so many weapons because if he tried to fight mobsters off, he would have accidentally convinced his long-suffering girlfriend that he was cheating on her. [ Source: South China Morning Post via Kotaku ] Follow Ross A. Lincoln on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Javier Bardem booms out, “You shall love (pause) whether you like it or not.” Bardem is seen dressed as a priest in ‘To The Wonder,’ the latest film by Terrence Malick , which debuted at the Venice Film Festival . The trailer opens with a couple walking across what looks like a bridge over the Seine in Paris who then head to what looks like the tidal island Mont Saint-Michel before heading back to more suburban locales and then pastoral expanses. Starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Olga Kurylenko and Bardem, the film was originally set to star Christian Bale who later dropped out. The feature by the reclusive Malick is a romantic drama centered on an American man who is torn between the woman who moved to the U.S. to be with him (Kurylenko) and the appearance of a local woman from his past (McAdams) as his marriage falls apart. The film managed to polarize audiences in Venice. Full text of Bardem’s voiceover in the trailer below. You shall love whether you like it or not. Emotions, they come and go like clouds. Love is not only a feeling; you shall love. To love is to run the risk of failure, the risk of betrayal. You fear your love has died; perhaps it is waiting to be transformed into something higher. Awaken the divine presence which sleeps in each man, each woman. Know each other in that love that never changes. [ Source: The trailer is exclusive to TheFilmStage.com via Huffington Post ]
Game developer Crytek has hired director Albert Hughes to bring its Crysis gaming franchise to the big screen. Half of the Hughes brothers team behind Menace II Society and T he Book of Eli , Albert is directing The 7 Wonders Of Crysis 3 , an online series set in a reforested future New York 2047. Behold the teaser: Production companies often have trouble converting video game properties to film, which is why Crytek isn’t bothering — with the production companies. Using no actors or movie cameras, Hughes is directing the game engine itself, rendering his cinematic vision with the same software players will use to shoot each other in the face. And here are four reasons to look forward to it. 1. The Greatest Graphics The Crysis series has always been famous for its stunning visuals. While other games worry about the mass-market, Crytek’s approach is “Bring us your most powerful and expensive computers and we will make them cry gorgeously detailed tears with realistic fluid dynamics.” Its CryEngine is the heart of the entire company, rendering massive, fantastically detailed worlds. In fact, Crytek’s first game, Far Cry, began as a technology demo which impressed people so hard it was developed into a full game. The engine has been constantly updated every since. The latest iteration, CryEngine 3, eats supercomputers and spits out state-of-the-art graphics cards. 2. A True Video-Game Movie It was only a matter of time until someone saw video games and asked “Wait a minute, why do we even still need people?” The answer is lots of reasons. But when most of the people in your film are extras designed to catch the heroes’ bullets, those reasons become less important. The technology for vactors — “virtual actors” — simply isn’t ready yet. But computers have been better than reality at special effects for years. Live-action movies already use computers for all the difficult bits. So when you’re setting the entire movie inside a computer, the whole world’s a stage: a special-effects stage loaded with pyrotechnics. And when you consider that Crysis 3 is about a nanosuit-enhanced soldier battling corrupt security forces, like the guy above, whose name is “Psycho,” and aliens, which do you think will be a bigger part of that story: facial expressions or explosions? Big-name videogames have become more like movies every year. Where once the player was a roving character exploring a maze of hallways, now they’re a single cog in a vast cinematic machine. Carefully guided from set piece to set piece by invisible walls and an omnipresent director, distributing cutscenes between every 10 explosions. Setting the game to “play” itself by hiring a director to say what happens instead of a gamer is just the logical next step in that evolution. 3. The Product Is The Advertisement Calling The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 a fusion of video games and cinematics would be incomplete. It’s really a combination of video games, cinematics, and advertising. And that’s no bad thing. Sure, it’s blatantly designed to show off the proprietary Crytek graphics, but video games, movies, and adverts are the three fields most based on showing off amazing visuals and compelling stories that completely capture our attention. The resulting cinematic chimera has great promise. After all, Guy Ritchie has already directed an ad for Black Ops II . When the guy behind the Sherlock Holmes franchise is directing the star of that franchise in a video-game commercial, anyone who doubts they’re just as big as movies simply hasn’t been paying attention. Besides, any product is meant to be its own advertisement. Here that advice is literally true. Games As Art (And New Ideas) Hybridization always creates new ideas. And the only people still arguing about whether video games are art were eligible to retire before we started playing them. Even the most violent shooter can be stuffed with artistic flourish and deeper meanings. Bioshock was a beautiful steampunk fantasy which turned a generation onto Atlas Shrugged . The “soldier shoots other soldiers, also aliens” might not sound like a vehicle for quite as much content, but it’s beautiful. Crysis has always been about binaries, and not just in the 1s and 0s that make it happen. Every aspect of the games has a duality. You fight armed human soldiers, then inexplicable aliens. You’re outfitted with state-of-the-art technology but find yourself enmeshed in nature. You’re encased in a nanotechnological miracle of body-enhancing armor and you find yourself wielding a bow and arrow. And it looks awesome. And it looks awesome. The series started on Dec 12. You can watch the first episode right now on the Crysis YouTube channel . (Be sure to choose max HD quality for the full effect.) Luke McKinney loves the real world, but only because it has movies and video games in it. He responds to every tweet . Follow Luke McKinney on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Happy Golden Globes Nomination Day everyone! While you mull over this year’s crop of obvious picks (” Argo f*** yourself,” Academy ) and not so obvious surprises ( Salmon Fishing in the Yemen , Hope Springs , Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi? Are we really doing this, HFPA?) let’s delight in the reactions of the chosen few who’ll vie for Golden Globes glory on Sunday, January 13. (Updated as nominee reactions roll in…) UPDATED with Jack Black hilarity & more: Helen Mirren, actress, Hitchcock (Best Actress – Drama) “Alma thanks you from the bottom of her heart for the recognition of her contribution to film.” Wes Anderson , director, Moonrise Kingdom (Best Picture – Comedy or Musical) “I received this news by text message on the fast train to Berlin. The Hollywood Foreign Press has brightened a bleak snowy day in Germany for me. I could not be more pleased on behalf of our gang.” Jack Black , actor, Bernie (Best Actor – Comedy or Musical) “OK…I’m only doing Richard Linklater movies from now on. I’m so proud of our little engine that could. Thank you HFPA!” Emily Blunt, actress, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (Best Actress – Comedy or Musical) “I’m so incredibly thankful to the Hollywood Foreign Press for recognizing our little movie that could. Ewan and the entire cast and crew could not be more deserving of this honor, and I’m thrilled that I’m able to share this moment among such a fantastic group of nominees.” Ben Affleck , director of Argo (Best Director, Best Motion Picture – Drama) “I want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for honoring Argo with five nominations. These nominations reflect the courage and determination of real life heroes in the US, Canada, Iran and across the globe. They honor more than 120 actors with speaking roles in multiple languages, thousands of extras in the US and abroad as well as hundreds of extraordinary crewmembers who poured their heart into the film — including the great Alan Arkin, brilliant Chris Terrio and extraordinary Alexandre Desplat, who were nominated today as well and who have my congratulations and gratitude. Thanks again to the HFPA for their support.” Kathryn Bigelow , director/producer of Zero Dark Thirty (Best Director, Best Motion Picture – Drama) “It’s an honor, sincerely, and very humbling to be singled out this way by the HFPA. We’re grateful, and encouraged by their support, especially since our film has such a diverse, international cast, and as the HFPA represent so many countries across the globe. And a big congratulations to the amazing Jessica Chastain and my producing partner and screenwriter Mark Boal.” Anne Hathaway , actress, Les Miserables (Best Supporting Actress) “What a great way to wake up! I couldn’t be happier or more grateful for this news. Congratulations to Hugh and everyone who worked on Les Miz for their contribution to the best picture nomination!!!” Judi Dench, actress, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Best Actress – Comedy or Musical) “This is lovely news… Having had such a glorious time in India, I’m so happy for John Madden and Graham Broadbent and delighted to be included in such a wonderful group of fellow actors.” Richard Gere, actor, Arbitrage (Best Actor – Drama) “This was a complicated and challenging role. It’s nice to have the HFPA acknowledge the performance and for me to share the nomination with such brilliant actors.” John Hawkes, actor, The Sessions (Best Actor – Drama) “I’m so honored by these nominations and excited that the film is receiving this recognition.” Alan Arkin, actor, Argo (Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture) “I am deeply grateful for this honor and particularly moved in being in the company of Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Tommy Lee Jones who I deeply admire. I am also thrilled that Ben is getting the attention he so much deserves, as is Argo .” Mark Boal, writer/producer of Zero Dark Thirty (Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture – Drama) “We’re very grateful to the HFPA. It means so much to us that press representatives from around the world have reacted with such praise. It’s especially flattering as we’ve seen the film from the beginning as a global story, one that involved and impacted much of the world. Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow and Jessica Chastain on nominations much deserved.” Tim Burton, producer/director of Frankenweenie (Best Animated Feature Film) “I’m thrilled to be recognized by the HFPA. Frankenweenie is a very personal project for me and the nomination goes as much to the animators who labored frame by frame to bring this film to life.” Mark Andrews, director of Brave (Best Animated Feature Film) “The adventure of Brave began in Scotland, where the mystery and majesty of the land fueled our imaginations. From haggis to highland games, creating this film truly changed our fate. On behalf of everyone at Pixar, we would like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for the incredible honor of this nomination.” Graham Broadbent, producer, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Best Picture – Comedy or Musical) “ Marigold seems to be turning in to the ‘little film that could’. We’ve had a wonderful ride — it’s been hugely enjoyed by audiences around the world, and that’s really enough for any filmmaker. We couldn’t be happier that the HFPA and SAG are remembering our film, all our cast, and particularly our two ‘international treasures’ Dames, Judi and Maggie. Ol Parker’s script and John Madden’s vision made an experience in the cinemas that was both emotional, transforming and very funny, and reminded audiences of an important universal message, ‘there’s more life to live’ — whatever your age. We are so pleased with our passionate partners at Fox Searchlight and Participant for the care they’ve given our film.” Chris Terrio, screenwriter, Argo (Best Screenplay) “Having a screenplay produced for the first time is a tremendous gift for any writer. To see the script directed by Ben, with the brilliant cast and crew he assembled, and then honored by the HFPA, feels like winning the screenwriter lottery.” Alexandre Desplat, composer, Argo (Best Original Score – Motion Picture) “It is an honor to be nominated again by the HFPA. Writing the score for Argo was a rare experience and I wish to thank Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Chay Carter for taking me onboard their flight to Iran. I want to share my nomination with all the brilliant musicians from all over the world who performed on my score.” RELATED ARTICLES: Golden Globes Unveil 70th Edition Nominees Globes Analysis: Hooper, Russell, De Niro Snubbed & Is Waltz Really A Supporting Actor? 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Oh, Top Gun . The Sullivan to Rambo ‘s Gilbert, it cemented pop-culture love for Reagan’s aggressive foreign policy , established the late lamented Tony Scott as a successful director, and catapulted Tom Cruise to A-list status, where he has remained ever since. Now, 26 years after its initial theatrical run, Top Gun ‘s barely stifled masculine angst and jingoistic pro-military message (wait, isn’t that the same thing?) feel more relevant than they did in 1986. (I blame Dr Pepper Ten for that.) What the world clearly needs is a chance to experience the film’s many delights with fresh eyes. And now we can, as Top Gun is getting an IMAX re-release in glorious, unintentionally homoerotic 3D two weeks before the February 19 release of the two-disc Blu-Ray set. Gird your loins everyone, because at the risk of writing this thing off sight unseen, 2D films converted to 3D almost always look terrible. It’s particularly bad when the movie wasn’t filmed in a way that really benefits the 3D experience. Top Gun is action-packed, but it’s basically a drama with fast jets every 10 minutes or so. Maverick’s character arc — that would be Cruise — involves him getting past the guilt of causing his friend’s death, falling in love, and coming to terms with the legacy of his dead father. Although 3D might benefit the dogfights, will we really be better off seeing a sort of passionate, blue-lit love scene unfold as if we’d stumbled into the very bedroom where it took place? Of course we will! And personally, I can’t wait to see these other choice moments popping off the screen: 1. Tom Cruise flipping the bird at a Russian jet before performing a death-defying maneuver so he can escort a panic-stricken fellow pilot back to their aircraft carrier. Moral of the story: Maverick is a loose cannon, but he gets the job done. 2. The touching teacher-student romance between Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise, which includes sex and sexy motorcycle riding. 3. Anthony “Goose” Edwards’ tragic death as he’s rammed face-first into a cockpit window.
