Awards Party!

For the next few weeks I'll be reminding everyone about our super-cool Academy Awards Party on Sunday, March 5th. Tickets are available now at the Grand and Broadway Center box offices. We will be broadcasting the show live at the majestic Rialto Theater, projecting onto the big screen.

There will be free food from excellent local restaurants, a raffle of fun prizes, and a cash bar. Woo-hoo! Come as you are, or dress up nice - it's up to you.

See you there...
-shawn

The Nightwatch is coming...

Ok, I know, Vampire/Action films aren't usually what we play at the Grand. And if you are familiar with my previous journal posts, or have been around me anytime near Halloween (which as far as I'm concerned ought to be year round), you might know that I am CRAZY about vampires. Well, not crazy, but I think they are pretty neat in an aesthetic way, and the mythology is rather interesting and revealing about the human condition (the way that's written makes it sound like an affliction).

So, one might be tempted to think that we are scheduled to play 'Nightwatch' just because I have my own vampire teeth and live in a decrepit castle on a hill. But I must insist that is not the case. You see, this vampire film is different. It's not some half witted Hollywood production. This is a RUSSIAN vampire movie. It's a real life foreign film, replete with subtitles! And really, let's be totally honest, who is Hollywood to be making vampire films in the first place? Russia is second only to Transylvanian Hungary for being the most likely place real vampires might actually exist. So it would seem to me that they might know what they're talking about. Maybe 'Nightwatch' is actually a documentary...

Stay tuned to be scared. 'Nightwatch' plays in March.

Cache rejected by Academy Awards

The Euro hit Cache starts Friday at the Grand. Check out my earlier post for more info on the film (and why I had a problem with it for a little while - the film and I have since made up).

There is more controversy around the film than my own initial difficulties with it. Cache was rejected by the Academy Awards because they have a rule regarding the language of a film and the country it comes from. Here's a bit from indiewire.com:

'Besides strong word-of-mouth and reviews, "Cache" also may be able to benefit from a growing controversy about its ineligibility for a best foreign-language film Oscar nomination. It was nominated by Austria - Haneke's home - but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified it because the French-language film is set in Paris with a French cast.'

It seems that the film's language and the country submitting the nomination need to coincide. In a way, I understand where the Academy is coming from. If France were to submit a film in Chinese, wouldn't that seem weird?

On the other hand, this could be a real problem in coming years, what with the globe getting smaller all the time. Certain London schools are replacing Latin as a required language with Chinese. How's that for progress? What will the Academy do when a foreign film gets submitted, and three different languages are spoken equally throughout? Will the very traditional Hollywood be able to keep up with this crazy modern world? Stay tuned folks, we should know before the decade is out.

White Countess is beautiful

'The White Countess' is absolutely beautifully shot. Cinematographer Christopher Doyle brings his truly gifted eye to the visual palate of this film. Reflections of his previous work can clearly be seen here - I was reminded throughout of his brilliant work with color in the film '2046' and the shadow filled segment 'The Hand' in the erotic triptych 'Eros.' (And although that was the one segment of 'Eros' I didn't like overall, the visuals were so amazing I didn't even want to blink).

Director James Ivory ('Remains of the Day', 'Howards End', 'Room with a View') certainly knows what he's doing with his actors (he's directed five Oscar nominated performances, and one winner with Emma Thompson in 'Howards End'). With 'White Countess', he does what a director is supposed to do and immerses us in the story through great actors and powerful visual storytelling that will remind you why you like to go out to the movies. Plus he's a USC grad, so he's cool.

I can't wait for this year's upcoming film 'Paris, je t'aime' for many reasons, including the fact that Christopher Doyle shot one of the 20 segments. 'Paris' will screen at this year's Cannes, so stay tuned.

Comments, anyone?

I was recently asked why people can't post comments on this blog, and I realized I didn't know you even could do that sort of thing. I'm one of those people stuck in a time warp, who haven't really gotten completely on board with all this technology stuff. I think I'd be much better off in the 19th century, with ink all over my hands, writing my letters by candle light. That sounds so romantic, until I remember that people lived pretty crummy lives back then and the average lifespan was around 35. Which means I'd be dead. So, never mind all that 19th c. stuff and I'll just shut up and enable the comments option.

So, please feel free to comment on this rather silly blog of mine. And is there a better word for 'blog'? jeeesh. It sounds like some kind of winter squash.

Also - it just isn't right to finish this without mentioning some films. A few good new releases to rent if you haven't seen them in the theater:

'The Constant Gardener' - Ralph Fiennes is excellent as the somewhat whimpy guy on a kind of mental safari in Africa who screws up a lot of courage to right a terrible wrong. Rachel Weisz is his very well acted counterpart. And she's super-hot.

'Lord of War' - this movie really surprised me by being 100 times better than I thought it would be. Nicholas Cage is perfect for this role, and turns in a very believable performance as a post cold war gun runner. Check out the dvd extras: they talk about the real life gun runners they met and actually made deals with while making the movie. It was cheaper to buy real AK-47 assault rifles than it was to get fake movie guns. They even use a real life gun runner's plane for this incredible landing on a dirt road in Africa.

Hey wow, it was Africa night and I didn't even realize it until now.

Ok, the ones above too serious? Check out 'Waiting'. But I warn you now it's not for PG-13 minded folks. Serious toilet humor at its finest. If that's even possible.

And the fantasy/sci-fi movie of the week is 'Serenity'. I always try and rent a really bad movie at least once a week to kind of balance out the serious art films I see all the time. But I'll have to keep looking for this week's junk movie because 'Serenity' was really good. In a made for TV kind of way, but still light years ahead (cool sci-fi reference, huh?) of the stupid garbage like Stargate or the new Star Trek on TV. Those shows make me glad I know how to read.

Oscar Season

Holy smokes! The Grand played a lot of Oscar nominated films this year. Every time Oscar season rolls around, I am surprised at how many cool films get nominated. I don’t know why, but I always assume that the Academy chooses crummy films. Oh wait, I know why – it’s because every so often they do a total sell out and give the awards to some lame but oh so in vogue actor or film. grrrr.

But it seems that in recent years, they have been at least nominating some rather decent films. Maybe I’m just getting older and am less inclined to think the establishment is out to get me. Give me a few years and I’ll be wearing a red bow tie and voting for – ok, ok time to relax. This is a MOVIE blog. I’ll stay on track. (But just in case, I think it’s time I go to a real bruising punk show. Nothing like a bunch of angry kids with Mohawks to remind me of my roots.)

So, just for convenience, and as a blatant plug for the theater, here are the films nominated this year that we played at the Grand. (Hey, at least I’m honest about it). Stay tuned for details about the super cool Awards Party we'll be hosting on March 5th. For the complete list of Oscar nominations, visit www.oscars.org

Performance by an actor in a leading role

- Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Capote” (UA/Sony Pictures Classics)
- Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
- David Strathairn in “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

- Matt Dillon in “Crash” (Lions Gate)
- Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

- Judi Dench in “Mrs. Henderson Presents” (The Weinstein Company)
- *Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica” (The Weinstein Company and IFC Films)
***Slated to play March 3

Best animated feature film of the year

- “Howl’s Moving Castle” (Buena Vista)
Hayao Miyazaki

Achievement in art direction

- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
Art Direction: Jim Bissell
Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Art Direction: John Myhre
Set Decoration: Gretchen Rau

Achievement in cinematography

- “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
Rodrigo Prieto
- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
Robert Elswit
- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Dion Beebe

Achievement in costume design

- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Colleen Atwood
- “Mrs. Henderson Presents” (The Weinstein Company)
Sandy Powell

Achievement in directing

- “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
Ang Lee
- “Capote” (UA/Sony Pictures Classics)
Bennett Miller
- “Crash” (Lions Gate)
Paul Haggis
- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
George Clooney

Best documentary feature

- “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” (Magnolia Pictures)
An HDNet Films Production
Alex Gibney and Jason Kliot

- “March of the Penguins” (Warner Independent Pictures)
A Bonne Pioche Production
Luc Jacquet and Yves Darondeau

- “Murderball” (THINKFilm)
An Eat Films Production
Henry-Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro

Achievement in film editing

- “Crash” (Lions Gate)
Hughes Winborne

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

- “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features) Gustavo Santaolalla

- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing) John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

- “In the Deep” from “Crash” (Lions Gate)
Music by Kathleen “Bird” York and Michael Becker
Lyric by Kathleen “Bird” York

- “Travelin’ Thru” from “Transamerica” (The Weinstein Company and IFC Films)
Music and Lyric by Dolly Parton

Best motion picture of the year

- “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
A River Road Entertainment Production
Diana Ossana and James Schamus, Producers

- “Capote” (UA/Sony Pictures Classics)
An A-Line Pictures/Cooper’s Town/ Infinity Media Production
Caroline Baron, William Vince and Michael Ohoven, Producers

- “Crash” (Lions Gate)
A Bob Yari/DEJ/Blackfriar’s Bridge/ Harris Company/ApolloProscreen GmbH & Co./Bull’s Eye Entertainment Production
Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman, Producers

- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
A Good Night Good Luck LLC Production
Grant Heslov, Producer

Achievement in sound editing

- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing

- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline and John Pritchett

Adapted screenplay

- “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

- “Capote” (UA/Sony Pictures Classics)
Screenplay by Dan Futterman

Original screenplay

- “Crash” (Lions Gate)
Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco
Story by Paul Haggis

- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov

- “The Squid and the Whale” (Samuel Goldwyn Films and Sony Pictures Releasing)
Written by Noah Baumbach

Gee wiz, that list is longer than I thought at first glance. Say, do I get an award for choosing all these great films for the theater? I'll start writing my speech.