Author(s): Ryan (N/A)
Pirate Bones
Directed by Frank Darabont
Written by Frank Darabont
Music by Thomas Newman
Principal Cast:
Ethan Hawke (Adrian Blanchard)
Jennifer Connelly (Alice Blanchard)
Tagline: "Just a Pile of Pirate Bones."
Synopsis: There is not much left to say. The huge SOS written in the sand sums it all up pretty good. I doubt anyone cares about this letter; only the people that tried to kill me and my wife, though my wife is already dead.
This pen and paper is pretty much all that survived the wreck. Don’t know why I never used it in the last month on this island. For whoever finds this letter I hope you learn what happened and send for help.
Me and my wife, Alice found a…a map. Well, not a map but some coordinates and a crude sketch, but it was authentic. Watermark, aging, stamp and signature by no other than Blackbeard himself… My wife and I are collectors, treasure-seekers, scoundrels, thieves. Most people call are misunderstood occupation as pirates and that is what it truly is, no matter what fancy words we use to disguise it. That’s what we turned into on this venture. Greed took over and now we have emptied every last drop of our lives, our bones will become dry, just like pirate bones.
We didn’t want others to find out about our discovery. The island was unmarked and a few hundred miles off the southeast coast of the Bahamas. The size of a shoebox, the island was submerged in water for the last few hundred years, but is resurfaces every so often. It is submerging again. Telling the coastguard we were going in the opposite direction to throw off our followers, well, joke’s on us.
A thunderstorm broke out and our ship took quite a beating, so did our radio back to land and our possessions. We found the treasure and it certainly was the find. Millions of dollars in gold and gems. Alice and I knew survival would be hard with a few coconuts and wet bread, but we quickly built a raft or at least a plank from what was left. Both of us could fit and not sink or one of us and the gold. Greed played a role in this decision. Greed played a role in our whole lives, how else would we…now I, be in this situation? We decided to wait. However, when Alice started coughing blood and I started to shiver in 115 degree weather, primal instincts took over. I didn’t mean to kill her, just knock her out and when I got to shore with the treasure call for help. Alice surprised me with the machete; I guess she knew what was coming. A fist to the windpipe in self-defense unfortunately did more than knock her out.
Now you may wonder why I didn’t make it back to shore. The wood rotted and a few yards out into the ocean our makeshift raft snapped in half. It was me or the treasure. I wasn’t giving up just yet. I forgot completely about Alice. I had the decency to bury her however, right in the hole where we dug up the treasure….the treasure.
No planes flew by, no ships in the distance, not even a seagull or fish. I eventually dug back up Alice.
I thought of emptying the treasure chest and going back in that, but when the island re-submerges, it will be impossible to find the treasure again. I am not sure of my next move, but time is of the essence. I am considering floating on the chest; though I worry the jewels will be damaged by the salt water. Please help me and I am offering a cut of the treasure too for rescue.
-Adrian Blanchard
What the press would say:
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Caribbean, Frank Darabont creates another masterpiece in this two person cinematic experience that will have everyone second guessing their values and beliefs in the most extreme situations.
Detailed dialogue and smart, realistic moves played by each character, Darabont brings his ideas to the screen on greed, life and relationships in one of the first films of its kind. What could be either a brilliant play or movie script, Darabont chooses the latter for his creation. Reminiscent of Tarantino’s dialogue (with a little less language), Darabont makes the screenplay down-to-earth as a real couple would speak with varying topics that make the ending of the film that more chilling; creating a connection with the audience. His camera work is smooth and captures the serene ocean yet the horror experienced by the couple it holds hostage.
However, no matter how great the dialogue, a great actor must not only read it, but feel it. This is done by the Academy Award winning and nominated cast of Ethan Hawke and Jennifer Connelly.
Hawke plays a loving husband turned sadistic wife killer in a stunning transformation along with Connelly who turns from caring wife to attempted murderer. Hawke is remorseful, but overwhelmed with greed which even blocks out his emotion of survival. Connelly also shocks the audience after she goes dead-behind-the-eyes; blinded by money and starvation. Money, greed, isolation and hunger and heat drive these people to make shocking decisions that will startle everyone.
In these two and a half hours, everyone will revaluate their lives. This small film has the same effect as an epic with an even more powerful punch. Pirate Bones may be new, but the word “classic” is written all over it.
Best Picture
Best Director: Frank Darabont
Best Screenplay: Frank Darabont
Best Original Score: Thomas Newman
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke
Best Actress: Jennifer Connelly
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Raisin
Author(s): TD (TX)
Raisin
Directed by Norman Jewison
Written by Tony Kushner and Marsha Norman
Adapted from the musical “Raisin” by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg
Produced by Norman Jewison and Patrick J. Palmer
Distributed by DreamWorks SKG
Art Direction by John Myhre and Nancy Haigh
Cinematography by Philippe Rousselot
Costumes by Sharen Davis
Editing by Martin Walsh
Makeup by Greg Cannom and Colleen Callaghan
Music by Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan
“Hope for Tomorrow” sung by the cast of “Raisin”
Principal Cast
Jamie Foxx as Walter Lee Younger
Audra McDonald as Ruth Younger
Felicia P. Fields as Lena Younger
de’Adre Aziza as Beneatha Younger
Guy V. Barfield II as Travis Younger
Corey Reynolds as Joseph Asagai
Eddie Murphy as Willie Harris
Stew as Bobo
Melba Moore as Mrs. Johnson
John Stamos as Mr. Karl Lindner
Nathaniel Stampley as the Pastor
Renee Elise Goldsberry as the Pastor’s Wife
Monique Coleman as the Bar Girl
Tagline: “The Youngers. The Money. The Drama. The Music. The Film.”
Synopsis:
Framed by the back porches, fire-escapes and blankly staring tenement windows, the Southside ghetto - its youth workers, women, Lindy-hoppers at a party, a drunk wending his way home - comes to life in a powerful street ballet that culminates in the riveting portrait of a pusher finding his victim while members of the community look on helplessly. This world provides the pulse, heartbeat and framework of the Younger family's existence. And though in it exists joy, lightness, laughter and hope, it is, nonetheless, a ghetto: a world of such soul - and body - grinding oppression that survival sometimes requires escape.
In the early morning at the Younger apartment, Ruth rouses her son, Travis while she calls her husband to breakfast. Walter Lee, desperate to leave his job as a chauffeur and join the "successful" members of his society, thinks and talks of nothing else except the imminent arrival of his father's life-insurance check - and the opportunity it provides him to go into business as partner in a liquor store. Ruth reminds him that his mother is absolutely set against the selling of liquor, but Walter tries to get his wife to "sell" Mama on the idea. The more he persists, the more Ruth retreats into her morning chores. Frustrated and angry, he tells her a man needs for a woman to back him up and scathingly remarks on how rarely women seem to care about their husband's dreams (Man Say).
Travis presents another problem: he needs fifty cents for school. Ruth tells him bluntly that she doesn't have the money but then, softening as he heads for the door in disappointment, she succeeds in conveying to him much more than fifty cents of motherly love (Who’s Little Angry Man).
On the way to work Walter Lee encounters other members of his community likewise scurrying frantically to get where they're going - which, in his eyes, is nowhere. Later, driving his employer about the city, Walter grows increasingly incense at his position in life - and at last bolts from the car to act on his liquor-store deal (Runnin’ to Meet the Man).
Mama comes home from her job as a domestic. Clearly her enormous warmth and strength have given the family solid, if not always "modern" values and roots. It is her dream to get out of the cramped tenement quarters and into a house of their own - a dream she confides to her small, struggling potted plant (A Whole Lotta Sunlight).
At a local bar, Walter Lee celebrates his deal for the liquor store with Bobo Jones, one of his new partners-to-be, and Bobo's girlfriend. The third partner in the deal, Willie Harris, arrives and prematurely - in the absence of the money - the deal is sealed (Booze). Beneatha Younger, a rebellious young college student seriously intent on becoming a doctor and just as ardent about the kind of values she wants for the world, is also serious about Asagai, an African exchange student. For her, he symbolizes the intriguing continent from which her people came. At first teasingly, then tenderly, Asagai explains the meaning of the nickname he has given her as she stand enraptured by the images he creates of his country (Alaiyo).
Walter Lee, inebriated, arrives home with the partnership papers signed and notarized to find Beneatha, awaiting Asagai, engaged in an exhilarating, if largely hypothetical, "African" dance (African Dance). Learning that the check has come, he joins his sister in a moment of wild abandon in which he sees himself as a tribal chieftain, supreme in his own land and time, leading warriors in a victory dance. When Beneatha leaves with Asagai, Ruth again tries to caution Walter that Mama might not see things his way. In bitter anger, Walter flings her from him then heads for the streets. Ruth bars his way and recalls the closeness they once shared, asking what has become of their lives (Sweet Time). Their reconciliation is interrupted by Mama, who announces that she has bought a house in Clybourne Park, a white neighborhood. When she turns to Walter Lee for his approval, he replies with bitter cynicism that she is so smart, so right and so righteous that she has done him "right out of my dreams tonight" and storms away from the house (You Done Right).
Walter has not been heard from for three days. Mama, Ruth and Travis join their church congregation in a mighty gospel song while attending Sunday service (He Come Down This Morning).
After the service, Mama goes to search for her son and finds him in a bar. She tells him she has been wrong - that she "has been doing to you like the rest of the world." She places an envelope of money before him, explaining that she had only put a small down-payment on the house, and asks him to put three thousand in the bank for Beneatha's medical schooling - the rest is Walter's to do with as he sees fit. As she leaves, he stands, moved by the depth of her love, and then clutches the money with exhilaration (It’s a Deal). Although the Youngers, as a family generally look forward to the new move, Travis is not so sure. Alone, he takes a last, fond look at the old neighborhood (Sidewalk Tree). Walter returns home and, in a private moment with his son, tells Travis of his dreams for them both.
While packing to move to the new home, Walter Lee and Ruth seem to regain something of the "Sweet Time" they once had (Sweet Time Reprise). In a moment of high hilarity, they and Beneatha are interrupted by Mr. Karl Lindner, a white representative from the Clybourne Park "Improvement Association," who offers to but the house back. When Mama returns, Walter, Ruth and Beneatha announce that she had a visitor and, assuming roles of the hypothetical "Welcoming Committee" assure her how enlightened and understanding "we in Clybourne Park" have become about the Black-White relationship (Not Anymore).
In a spirit of gaiety, the Youngers, drawn together, resume packing. Shock follows, however, with the arrival of Bobo bearing news that the Willie, the senior member of the partnership, has run off with the money. In the face of catastrophe, Walter tears from the house, then returns to inform the family that he has called Mr. Lindner to accept the Association's offer to buy back their house. He's "gonna give him a show," tell him what he wants to hear; tell him anything - just to get the family's money back. He shouts that this is the way the world is - this is America where everything has a price. "You people want that neighborhood they way you want it? Then pay for it!” (It’s a Deal Reprise) As Walter retreats, Beneatha declares him "not a man … and no brother of mine!" But Mama, understanding his anguish, demands that her daughter "measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through to get to wherever he is" (Measure the Valleys).
Lindner arrives and Walter Lee, in front of his family and with his father's memory to spur him on, rises to the occasion and says his family has decided to move into the new house. After Lindner leaves, the moving men and neighbors start moving the Youngers. Whatever they must face in their new home, once thing is certain: who they are and what they stand for is intact. As the others depart, Mama stands alone for one last look at the apartment that has held so many years of her life (He Came Down This Morning Reprise).
What the press will say:
''Raisin,'' the musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's play ''A Raisin in the Sun,'' which was produced on Broadway in 1973, makes its grand debut onto the big screen and is less a musical in the usual sense than a play with songs. The musical, which was originally written by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg and is brilliantly adapted to the screen by Broadway writers Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Caroline, or Change) and Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Color Purple), is a wonderful and beautiful work of art thanks to marvelous directing skills of legendary film director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof, In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck).
The success of ''Raisin'' as a musical is that the score by Mr. Woldin and Mr. Brittan does not disrupt the essential dramatic qualities of the play by reaching for a life of its own. Instead it underlines, colors and occasionally expands those qualities. As a result, none of the songs has had a life outside the show during the last eight years, and one receives the score now as though it were a fresh experience and the musical composition is an eccentric blend of styles: jazz swing (Booze), blues (A Whole Lotta Sunlight), African-inspired (Runnin' To Meet The Man, Alaiyo), musical theater (You Done Right, It's a Deal) and gospel (He Come Down This Morning). Measure the Valleys is the song that measures the story's true worth. Even though the song “Hope for Tomorrow” was not an original piece of the musical, it magically blends in well with the musical and the cast does a marvelous job at performing this song.
The focus of the play is on the matriarch of the Younger clan, a role to which Broadway star Felicia P. Fields brings a commanding presence that gives tremendous strength to the dramatic high points and a voice that, although a bit worn now, has the authority to fulfill the demands of ''Measure the Valleys.” But the most compelling performances are given by Guy V. Barfield III who, as the young son Travis, uses his acting skills to bring out the warmth and the depth of a young boy who wishes to not leave his neighborhood, and he displays this through his song “Sidewalk Tree.” Audra McDonald who, as the level-headed but loving daughter-in-law Ruth, delivers a performance that exceeds an extraordinary range while her gorgeous singing voice gives the production its richest musical moments. Characterization and singing blend unusually well throughout the production, and this is mostly shown through de’Adre Aziza's role as the would-be medical student Beneatha, and she brings this sassy character to life. Jamie Foxx, the amazing male lead of the film, plays the key role of Walter Lee Younger, a man who goes crazy by greed and wants to buy a liquor store to fulfill his dreams. Foxx projects the character with great emotion and delivers an outstanding performance and one of the best of the year.
“Raisin” is a wonderful feel of emotions and this is surely a contender for this month’s Oscar season. From the directing, the script, the performances, the crew and the musical composition, this film with stand out among the other films and will forever be a masterpiece in the eyes of many people.
For Your Consideration
Best Picture
Best Director – Norman Jewison
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Jamie Foxx
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Felicia P. Fields
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Guy V. Barfield III
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Audra McDonald
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – de’Adre Aziza
Best Adapted Screenplay
Raisin
Directed by Norman Jewison
Written by Tony Kushner and Marsha Norman
Adapted from the musical “Raisin” by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg
Produced by Norman Jewison and Patrick J. Palmer
Distributed by DreamWorks SKG
Art Direction by John Myhre and Nancy Haigh
Cinematography by Philippe Rousselot
Costumes by Sharen Davis
Editing by Martin Walsh
Makeup by Greg Cannom and Colleen Callaghan
Music by Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan
“Hope for Tomorrow” sung by the cast of “Raisin”
Principal Cast
Jamie Foxx as Walter Lee Younger
Audra McDonald as Ruth Younger
Felicia P. Fields as Lena Younger
de’Adre Aziza as Beneatha Younger
Guy V. Barfield II as Travis Younger
Corey Reynolds as Joseph Asagai
Eddie Murphy as Willie Harris
Stew as Bobo
Melba Moore as Mrs. Johnson
John Stamos as Mr. Karl Lindner
Nathaniel Stampley as the Pastor
Renee Elise Goldsberry as the Pastor’s Wife
Monique Coleman as the Bar Girl
Tagline: “The Youngers. The Money. The Drama. The Music. The Film.”
Synopsis:
Framed by the back porches, fire-escapes and blankly staring tenement windows, the Southside ghetto - its youth workers, women, Lindy-hoppers at a party, a drunk wending his way home - comes to life in a powerful street ballet that culminates in the riveting portrait of a pusher finding his victim while members of the community look on helplessly. This world provides the pulse, heartbeat and framework of the Younger family's existence. And though in it exists joy, lightness, laughter and hope, it is, nonetheless, a ghetto: a world of such soul - and body - grinding oppression that survival sometimes requires escape.
In the early morning at the Younger apartment, Ruth rouses her son, Travis while she calls her husband to breakfast. Walter Lee, desperate to leave his job as a chauffeur and join the "successful" members of his society, thinks and talks of nothing else except the imminent arrival of his father's life-insurance check - and the opportunity it provides him to go into business as partner in a liquor store. Ruth reminds him that his mother is absolutely set against the selling of liquor, but Walter tries to get his wife to "sell" Mama on the idea. The more he persists, the more Ruth retreats into her morning chores. Frustrated and angry, he tells her a man needs for a woman to back him up and scathingly remarks on how rarely women seem to care about their husband's dreams (Man Say).
Travis presents another problem: he needs fifty cents for school. Ruth tells him bluntly that she doesn't have the money but then, softening as he heads for the door in disappointment, she succeeds in conveying to him much more than fifty cents of motherly love (Who’s Little Angry Man).
On the way to work Walter Lee encounters other members of his community likewise scurrying frantically to get where they're going - which, in his eyes, is nowhere. Later, driving his employer about the city, Walter grows increasingly incense at his position in life - and at last bolts from the car to act on his liquor-store deal (Runnin’ to Meet the Man).
Mama comes home from her job as a domestic. Clearly her enormous warmth and strength have given the family solid, if not always "modern" values and roots. It is her dream to get out of the cramped tenement quarters and into a house of their own - a dream she confides to her small, struggling potted plant (A Whole Lotta Sunlight).
At a local bar, Walter Lee celebrates his deal for the liquor store with Bobo Jones, one of his new partners-to-be, and Bobo's girlfriend. The third partner in the deal, Willie Harris, arrives and prematurely - in the absence of the money - the deal is sealed (Booze). Beneatha Younger, a rebellious young college student seriously intent on becoming a doctor and just as ardent about the kind of values she wants for the world, is also serious about Asagai, an African exchange student. For her, he symbolizes the intriguing continent from which her people came. At first teasingly, then tenderly, Asagai explains the meaning of the nickname he has given her as she stand enraptured by the images he creates of his country (Alaiyo).
Walter Lee, inebriated, arrives home with the partnership papers signed and notarized to find Beneatha, awaiting Asagai, engaged in an exhilarating, if largely hypothetical, "African" dance (African Dance). Learning that the check has come, he joins his sister in a moment of wild abandon in which he sees himself as a tribal chieftain, supreme in his own land and time, leading warriors in a victory dance. When Beneatha leaves with Asagai, Ruth again tries to caution Walter that Mama might not see things his way. In bitter anger, Walter flings her from him then heads for the streets. Ruth bars his way and recalls the closeness they once shared, asking what has become of their lives (Sweet Time). Their reconciliation is interrupted by Mama, who announces that she has bought a house in Clybourne Park, a white neighborhood. When she turns to Walter Lee for his approval, he replies with bitter cynicism that she is so smart, so right and so righteous that she has done him "right out of my dreams tonight" and storms away from the house (You Done Right).
Walter has not been heard from for three days. Mama, Ruth and Travis join their church congregation in a mighty gospel song while attending Sunday service (He Come Down This Morning).
After the service, Mama goes to search for her son and finds him in a bar. She tells him she has been wrong - that she "has been doing to you like the rest of the world." She places an envelope of money before him, explaining that she had only put a small down-payment on the house, and asks him to put three thousand in the bank for Beneatha's medical schooling - the rest is Walter's to do with as he sees fit. As she leaves, he stands, moved by the depth of her love, and then clutches the money with exhilaration (It’s a Deal). Although the Youngers, as a family generally look forward to the new move, Travis is not so sure. Alone, he takes a last, fond look at the old neighborhood (Sidewalk Tree). Walter returns home and, in a private moment with his son, tells Travis of his dreams for them both.
While packing to move to the new home, Walter Lee and Ruth seem to regain something of the "Sweet Time" they once had (Sweet Time Reprise). In a moment of high hilarity, they and Beneatha are interrupted by Mr. Karl Lindner, a white representative from the Clybourne Park "Improvement Association," who offers to but the house back. When Mama returns, Walter, Ruth and Beneatha announce that she had a visitor and, assuming roles of the hypothetical "Welcoming Committee" assure her how enlightened and understanding "we in Clybourne Park" have become about the Black-White relationship (Not Anymore).
In a spirit of gaiety, the Youngers, drawn together, resume packing. Shock follows, however, with the arrival of Bobo bearing news that the Willie, the senior member of the partnership, has run off with the money. In the face of catastrophe, Walter tears from the house, then returns to inform the family that he has called Mr. Lindner to accept the Association's offer to buy back their house. He's "gonna give him a show," tell him what he wants to hear; tell him anything - just to get the family's money back. He shouts that this is the way the world is - this is America where everything has a price. "You people want that neighborhood they way you want it? Then pay for it!” (It’s a Deal Reprise) As Walter retreats, Beneatha declares him "not a man … and no brother of mine!" But Mama, understanding his anguish, demands that her daughter "measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through to get to wherever he is" (Measure the Valleys).
Lindner arrives and Walter Lee, in front of his family and with his father's memory to spur him on, rises to the occasion and says his family has decided to move into the new house. After Lindner leaves, the moving men and neighbors start moving the Youngers. Whatever they must face in their new home, once thing is certain: who they are and what they stand for is intact. As the others depart, Mama stands alone for one last look at the apartment that has held so many years of her life (He Came Down This Morning Reprise).
What the press will say:
''Raisin,'' the musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's play ''A Raisin in the Sun,'' which was produced on Broadway in 1973, makes its grand debut onto the big screen and is less a musical in the usual sense than a play with songs. The musical, which was originally written by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg and is brilliantly adapted to the screen by Broadway writers Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Caroline, or Change) and Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Color Purple), is a wonderful and beautiful work of art thanks to marvelous directing skills of legendary film director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof, In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck).
The success of ''Raisin'' as a musical is that the score by Mr. Woldin and Mr. Brittan does not disrupt the essential dramatic qualities of the play by reaching for a life of its own. Instead it underlines, colors and occasionally expands those qualities. As a result, none of the songs has had a life outside the show during the last eight years, and one receives the score now as though it were a fresh experience and the musical composition is an eccentric blend of styles: jazz swing (Booze), blues (A Whole Lotta Sunlight), African-inspired (Runnin' To Meet The Man, Alaiyo), musical theater (You Done Right, It's a Deal) and gospel (He Come Down This Morning). Measure the Valleys is the song that measures the story's true worth. Even though the song “Hope for Tomorrow” was not an original piece of the musical, it magically blends in well with the musical and the cast does a marvelous job at performing this song.
The focus of the play is on the matriarch of the Younger clan, a role to which Broadway star Felicia P. Fields brings a commanding presence that gives tremendous strength to the dramatic high points and a voice that, although a bit worn now, has the authority to fulfill the demands of ''Measure the Valleys.” But the most compelling performances are given by Guy V. Barfield III who, as the young son Travis, uses his acting skills to bring out the warmth and the depth of a young boy who wishes to not leave his neighborhood, and he displays this through his song “Sidewalk Tree.” Audra McDonald who, as the level-headed but loving daughter-in-law Ruth, delivers a performance that exceeds an extraordinary range while her gorgeous singing voice gives the production its richest musical moments. Characterization and singing blend unusually well throughout the production, and this is mostly shown through de’Adre Aziza's role as the would-be medical student Beneatha, and she brings this sassy character to life. Jamie Foxx, the amazing male lead of the film, plays the key role of Walter Lee Younger, a man who goes crazy by greed and wants to buy a liquor store to fulfill his dreams. Foxx projects the character with great emotion and delivers an outstanding performance and one of the best of the year.
“Raisin” is a wonderful feel of emotions and this is surely a contender for this month’s Oscar season. From the directing, the script, the performances, the crew and the musical composition, this film with stand out among the other films and will forever be a masterpiece in the eyes of many people.
For Your Consideration
Best Picture
Best Director – Norman Jewison
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Jamie Foxx
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Felicia P. Fields
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Guy V. Barfield III
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Audra McDonald
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – de’Adre Aziza
Best Adapted Screenplay
Sacred
Author(s): Jeffrey (Long Island)
Sacred
Directed by Isao Yukisada
Written by Takehiro Nakajima
Kou Shibasaki as Shiori Yuu
Kôji Yakusho as Touma Yuu
Aya Ueto as Hitomi Sakaguchi
You as Namiko Sakaguchi/Ayako Sakaguchi
and Joe Odagiri as Yasu Sato
Tagline: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.
Synopsis:
(2008) My name is Yasu Sato and I work for the Japan Times. The date is September 14th, 2008. It is 5:00 in the morning, and just a few moments ago a secret world was discovered by myself and a few of my co-collaborators. It is a world that was, for several years, drowned in fear and discrimination. No written records, just symbols telling a story; symbols that I know all too well from years ago in middle school. As I walk around a hidden town that was forgotten somewhere along the line in history, and I see the skeletal corpses dating back to the 17th century, I can feel the stories of those who suffered diffuse from rotting bones into my brain.
A woman appears from beyond the forest surrounding the abandoned town. She introduces herself as Ayako Sakaguchi, a descendant of a family from the town. She has extensive knowledge of the town's history. She sits me down and tells me a chilling story of her ancestors.
(1640) 17th century Japan. The Kirishitan are a group of Christians practicing in secret due to the government's ban on Christianity and all outside influences. Japan had isolated itself from the West, and in a way, a remote village had to isolate itself from Japan. Around 150 people in the village practiced Christianity underground, fearing every day that they might be discovered by a Tokugawa supporter.
The Yuu family is the richest of the entire village, with Touma Yuu being an entrepreneur of sorts. He runs a fishing business in addition to being an oral presenter of the Holy Bible (something that could never be written down in fear of its discovery). His daughter, Shiori, is in training to become a nun for the underground church service. Touma highly encourages Shiori to pursue this path; however, she is less than thrilled about it. Problems arise when Shiori's carelessness leads her to become pregnant.
The Sakaguchi family is also prestigious, a historical Japanese example of old money. The head of the family is one of the few men of the village who can freely leave and explore; this often leads to his wife Namiko caring for her children alone. One of her kids, Hitomi, is good friends with Shiori. She develops a plan to eradicate Shiori's problem once she learns of it. As they prepare for the procedure however, they are caught by a furious Namiko. When Touma finds out, he becomes abusive towards Shiori and convinces himself that she is carrying the devil's child. He holds an exorcism late one night in the church beneath his home.
The morning after her exorcism, Shiori is awoken not by Touma but by the sounds of deafening screams. As she steps outside to investigate the mayhem, she is introduced to the consequences of her faith. Samurai have come to maim any man, woman, or child they see. Somehow they've found out.
(2008) I am deeply engrossed in Ayako's story at this point. Unfortunately, I come to find that a story as complicated as this legend has an obligation to end. The ending is not a pretty one; I find myself horrified by her tales of the persecution that followed the night of Shiori's exorcism. The persecution that resulted from the village's discovery. People were beheaded, women were raped, and homes were razed. All because they were practicing Christians.
What The Press Would Say:
Dark, violent, and tragic are just some of the words to describe the new Japanese epic, which calls itself "Sacred". Directed by Isao Yukisada (who is known for directing Japanese hits Go! and Crying Out Love, at the Center of the World, the former of which he won numerous awards for), "Sacred" tells the story of a man who discovers, through a legend, the lives of hidden Christians in Japan from centuries ago. Yukisada's directing has never been better, and with the help of screenwriter Takehiro Nakajima (who wrote the mesmerizing film When The Last Sword is Drawn, another period piece) he constructs a bone chilling story of persecution and self-discovery.
Joe Odagiri plays a historical journalist writing an article for the Japan Times; when he comes across a destroyed village littered with rotting corpses and nearly destroyed relics, he knows that he has struck gold. Odagiri has a fascinating role as a young man who goes from ignorant to enlightened, with the help of a mysterious woman played by You (yes, she goes by You). The actress You might be familiar to foreign audiences for her role in the Japanese family drama Nobody Knows, where she plays a negligent mother who abandons her four children. You couldn't be any more perfect for the part of Ayako Sakaguchi: her voice captures the audience and keeps them invested in her tale. In an interesting decision made by Yukisada and Nakajima, You also plays one of her ancestors: Namiko Sakaguchi. Namiko is similar to Ayako in her mysterious and radiant presence on screen. If the audience wasn't that impressed with You as Ayako, they have to admit that as Namiko she effortlessly proves her acting ability.
The most well-known person involved in this production has to be Kôji Yakusho (remember him from Babel and Memoirs of a Geisha?), who plays a deeply religious father. Yakusho has by far one of the baitiest roles ever written. His religious fervor makes those watching the film tremble in their seats. His exorcism scene is sure to be considered an iconic film moment in years to come; people also will be impressed by his preaching scenes in the underground church. He gives the audience not only an ambiguous character, but also helps to give them an idea of the atmosphere of the film. His daughter Shiori is played by Japanese TV queen Kou Shibasaki, who has worked with director Isao Yukisada on numerous occasions and rose to national acclaim in Battle Royale. Shibasaki is the most focused-on character in this tale due to her moral tribulations and the emotional stress that her father puts her through. She is expected to become a nun; however there is a small part of her that hopes to live a normal life that doesn't involve faith and constant hiding. When her village is discovered, Shiori is in constant turmoil because of the brutality she witnesses occurring all around her (including the beheading of her father). Yukisada directed Kou Shibasaki to the Japanese equivalent of an Oscar in Go!, and with a wide release in the United States it looks like he may help her win the real deal for "Sacred".
Aya Ueto, who many people know from action film Azumi, plays her role as the supportive and naive friend with stunning conviction and realism. It is Hitomi's carelessness that leads to the discovery of Shiori's planned abortion. The character of Hitomi explores the themes of guilt and rebellion that are similarly seen in Shiori. Ueto's standout scene is her heart-wrenching revelation that she has let down not only her best friend, but also her mother.
Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub. That is to say, nothing can be achieved without a risk. Sitting ducks are bound to be disheveled. This old, wise Japanese saying is very important in "Sacred" and is something brought up by You's present-day character in the film's final moments. A village stifled by fear and persecution finds itself inevitably destroyed.
A story such as Anne Frank comes to mind when speaking about "Sacred". Its captivating and uniquely told story is one to be remembered for ages. The films succeeds as a riveting family drama and a terrifying historical reenactment. The audience can easily embrace the emotions that the characters feel, from their fear to their undying devotion to Christianity. Not enough can be said about the importance that "Sacred" will undoubtedly have on cinema in years to come, but one thing can be stated with certainty: "Sacred", in any language, can do nothing but win come award season.
For Your Consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director - Isao Yukisada
Best Actress - Kou Shibasaki
Best Actor - Kôji Yakusho
Best Supporting Actor - Joe Odagiri
Best Supporting Actress - Aya Ueto
Best Supporting Actress - You
Best Original Screenplay
Sacred
Directed by Isao Yukisada
Written by Takehiro Nakajima
Kou Shibasaki as Shiori Yuu
Kôji Yakusho as Touma Yuu
Aya Ueto as Hitomi Sakaguchi
You as Namiko Sakaguchi/Ayako Sakaguchi
and Joe Odagiri as Yasu Sato
Tagline: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.
Synopsis:
(2008) My name is Yasu Sato and I work for the Japan Times. The date is September 14th, 2008. It is 5:00 in the morning, and just a few moments ago a secret world was discovered by myself and a few of my co-collaborators. It is a world that was, for several years, drowned in fear and discrimination. No written records, just symbols telling a story; symbols that I know all too well from years ago in middle school. As I walk around a hidden town that was forgotten somewhere along the line in history, and I see the skeletal corpses dating back to the 17th century, I can feel the stories of those who suffered diffuse from rotting bones into my brain.
A woman appears from beyond the forest surrounding the abandoned town. She introduces herself as Ayako Sakaguchi, a descendant of a family from the town. She has extensive knowledge of the town's history. She sits me down and tells me a chilling story of her ancestors.
(1640) 17th century Japan. The Kirishitan are a group of Christians practicing in secret due to the government's ban on Christianity and all outside influences. Japan had isolated itself from the West, and in a way, a remote village had to isolate itself from Japan. Around 150 people in the village practiced Christianity underground, fearing every day that they might be discovered by a Tokugawa supporter.
The Yuu family is the richest of the entire village, with Touma Yuu being an entrepreneur of sorts. He runs a fishing business in addition to being an oral presenter of the Holy Bible (something that could never be written down in fear of its discovery). His daughter, Shiori, is in training to become a nun for the underground church service. Touma highly encourages Shiori to pursue this path; however, she is less than thrilled about it. Problems arise when Shiori's carelessness leads her to become pregnant.
The Sakaguchi family is also prestigious, a historical Japanese example of old money. The head of the family is one of the few men of the village who can freely leave and explore; this often leads to his wife Namiko caring for her children alone. One of her kids, Hitomi, is good friends with Shiori. She develops a plan to eradicate Shiori's problem once she learns of it. As they prepare for the procedure however, they are caught by a furious Namiko. When Touma finds out, he becomes abusive towards Shiori and convinces himself that she is carrying the devil's child. He holds an exorcism late one night in the church beneath his home.
The morning after her exorcism, Shiori is awoken not by Touma but by the sounds of deafening screams. As she steps outside to investigate the mayhem, she is introduced to the consequences of her faith. Samurai have come to maim any man, woman, or child they see. Somehow they've found out.
(2008) I am deeply engrossed in Ayako's story at this point. Unfortunately, I come to find that a story as complicated as this legend has an obligation to end. The ending is not a pretty one; I find myself horrified by her tales of the persecution that followed the night of Shiori's exorcism. The persecution that resulted from the village's discovery. People were beheaded, women were raped, and homes were razed. All because they were practicing Christians.
What The Press Would Say:
Dark, violent, and tragic are just some of the words to describe the new Japanese epic, which calls itself "Sacred". Directed by Isao Yukisada (who is known for directing Japanese hits Go! and Crying Out Love, at the Center of the World, the former of which he won numerous awards for), "Sacred" tells the story of a man who discovers, through a legend, the lives of hidden Christians in Japan from centuries ago. Yukisada's directing has never been better, and with the help of screenwriter Takehiro Nakajima (who wrote the mesmerizing film When The Last Sword is Drawn, another period piece) he constructs a bone chilling story of persecution and self-discovery.
Joe Odagiri plays a historical journalist writing an article for the Japan Times; when he comes across a destroyed village littered with rotting corpses and nearly destroyed relics, he knows that he has struck gold. Odagiri has a fascinating role as a young man who goes from ignorant to enlightened, with the help of a mysterious woman played by You (yes, she goes by You). The actress You might be familiar to foreign audiences for her role in the Japanese family drama Nobody Knows, where she plays a negligent mother who abandons her four children. You couldn't be any more perfect for the part of Ayako Sakaguchi: her voice captures the audience and keeps them invested in her tale. In an interesting decision made by Yukisada and Nakajima, You also plays one of her ancestors: Namiko Sakaguchi. Namiko is similar to Ayako in her mysterious and radiant presence on screen. If the audience wasn't that impressed with You as Ayako, they have to admit that as Namiko she effortlessly proves her acting ability.
The most well-known person involved in this production has to be Kôji Yakusho (remember him from Babel and Memoirs of a Geisha?), who plays a deeply religious father. Yakusho has by far one of the baitiest roles ever written. His religious fervor makes those watching the film tremble in their seats. His exorcism scene is sure to be considered an iconic film moment in years to come; people also will be impressed by his preaching scenes in the underground church. He gives the audience not only an ambiguous character, but also helps to give them an idea of the atmosphere of the film. His daughter Shiori is played by Japanese TV queen Kou Shibasaki, who has worked with director Isao Yukisada on numerous occasions and rose to national acclaim in Battle Royale. Shibasaki is the most focused-on character in this tale due to her moral tribulations and the emotional stress that her father puts her through. She is expected to become a nun; however there is a small part of her that hopes to live a normal life that doesn't involve faith and constant hiding. When her village is discovered, Shiori is in constant turmoil because of the brutality she witnesses occurring all around her (including the beheading of her father). Yukisada directed Kou Shibasaki to the Japanese equivalent of an Oscar in Go!, and with a wide release in the United States it looks like he may help her win the real deal for "Sacred".
Aya Ueto, who many people know from action film Azumi, plays her role as the supportive and naive friend with stunning conviction and realism. It is Hitomi's carelessness that leads to the discovery of Shiori's planned abortion. The character of Hitomi explores the themes of guilt and rebellion that are similarly seen in Shiori. Ueto's standout scene is her heart-wrenching revelation that she has let down not only her best friend, but also her mother.
Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub. That is to say, nothing can be achieved without a risk. Sitting ducks are bound to be disheveled. This old, wise Japanese saying is very important in "Sacred" and is something brought up by You's present-day character in the film's final moments. A village stifled by fear and persecution finds itself inevitably destroyed.
A story such as Anne Frank comes to mind when speaking about "Sacred". Its captivating and uniquely told story is one to be remembered for ages. The films succeeds as a riveting family drama and a terrifying historical reenactment. The audience can easily embrace the emotions that the characters feel, from their fear to their undying devotion to Christianity. Not enough can be said about the importance that "Sacred" will undoubtedly have on cinema in years to come, but one thing can be stated with certainty: "Sacred", in any language, can do nothing but win come award season.
For Your Consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director - Isao Yukisada
Best Actress - Kou Shibasaki
Best Actor - Kôji Yakusho
Best Supporting Actor - Joe Odagiri
Best Supporting Actress - Aya Ueto
Best Supporting Actress - You
Best Original Screenplay
Tracing a Point Elsewhere
Author(s): Pierre Davis (OH)
Tracing a Point Elsewhere
Directed by the David Cronenberg
Written by David Cronenberg
Produced by David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortenson
Editing by: Ronald Sanders
Cinematography by: Roger Deakins
Music by: Howard Shore
Starring:
Nick Stahl as Sam Stewart
Viggo Mortenson as Paul Mitchell
Paul Dano as James Mitchell
Cate Blanchett as Pamela Mitchell
Jeff Bridges as Frank Johnson
Ian McShane as the Man
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tony
Tagline: When tragedy is before you, you are left Tracing a Point Elsewhere.
Synopsis:
Looking For a Place in Life.
Sam Stewart has been a police detective for a year this month and now he gets a chance to get his first big break when the son of a mayoral candidate becomes missing. His partner is Frank an old man who has been thinking about retiring but always has second thoughts because if he retires then what would become of his life. His wife has left him and his son is off to college and not trying to connect with a father who has always put his career before his family. They begin to interview all of the suspects which include the boy’s father and mother. They also want to ask his best friend a couple questions but he has been missing for a couple of days. Sam begins to wonder if the father is setting this whole thing up for the public to connect with a grief stricken man.
Too Many Thoughts
James has just woke up tied up with his mouth duck taped shut. He see’s a shining light above him and he is in an empty room with a million thoughts racing through his head. What happened last night and where is Tony. Then a blonde haired female and brunette male comes in with surgeons’ masks on with a black bag in one of their hands. The female says one word that sends chills throughout James mind and the word is “scalpel”. The man says, “We will ask you one question and if you give the correct answer then my female friend won’t have to use this scalpel on your pinky finger.” He tightens up his fist only to have it opened by the man. As the female begins to go towards James finger with the scalpel, the man asks “Where is the tape”?
Under Suspect
Paul Mitchell grew up in a small town and always dreamt of a career in politics, wanting to become a mayor and maybe a future president but with the sudden kidnapping of his son his dream is put to aside. His wife Pamela a cancer stricken woman is fighting through chemo and her son missing is making her condition even worse. The police have been questioning Paul more and more everyday as if he has something to do with the kidnapping of his only son. Paul decides to try and put it in his own hands and hire a private eye to try and come up with his son’s kidnapper before it is too late.
Never Focus On the Light
Tony witnesses a shining light from a cars headlight as he is attempting to go to bed after a long night with his best friend James. He can still see the beautiful blonde that he seen in the club. Her eyes lit up the darkness of the dance floor but his shyness kept him from attempting to approach her. The shining light brightens as if the person in the car is just sitting there watching him. When Tony closes his blinds and turns around he sees the female that was in the club. Is this a dream? When he feels a sudden sharp pain go through his whole body he realizes that maybe it isn’t a dream. As he attempts to run to the phone his legs give up on him and he falls. He can’t feel his legs anymore and his arms also. The beautiful blonde looks into his eyes and says, “It was awful rude for you to stare and not approach me.” She pulls out a gun and Tony sees the light that was annoying him for the last time.
Questions
Tape what tape the thought is going through James mind as he is sitting there with his pinky almost gone. When James asks the man what he is talking about he seems to be annoyed and brings out a cell phone. He begins to dial numbers and he puts the phone to James ear and says, “Ask your father.” As the phone is ringing he sees the woman take the scalpel away from his finger to his throat and the man says, “If you say one wrong word then unfortunately my client will forever have to live down the god awful tape.” James asks, “What are the wrong words?” And the man says, “You will know when you begin to see your own blood dripping down your shirt.” As the phone rings there is still no answer and then there is a pick up but it isn’t his father but his mother begging him to tell him what is going on. He begs her to put his father on the phone and when he gets on the phone James asks the same question that is holding on to his life. Dad where is the tape?
Saving a Life
Sam did not see this coming. What kind of tape is putting a mayoral candidate’s son in this kind of danger? Sam gets a phone call from his partner and his partner says that one of his main suspects has just been killed with a single gunshot to the head. As Paul begins to open his mouth and tell the man, different words come out of his mouth Paul says go ahead and kill him. When Paul says this he runs and dives out of the window of the police station and he falls head first to the ground on the streets of Boston.
Selfish
The man gives a frightening look at James and says unfortunately for us our money will not be inside me and my lady friend’s pockets tonight. He takes out a gun and the lady friend stops him. With a sudden relief James sighs and begins to cry only to have the lady friend slit his throat. The last words that James hears is “so selfish” from the man.
Private Eye
Sam tries to find out where the call came from and looks at the cell phone for the last call. He sees where the phone call is coming from and gets a team to head to the place. He rushes over there with his partner meeting up with him. They force their ways into the house hoping that James is not dead. They see James in a chair bent over. They lift his head up only to find that James is actually dead and also discovers an envelope with the words refund on it with almost a thousand dollars inside. Frank pulls out his phone and makes a phone call to his son. Asking him when the next time is they can meet up to talk about whereabouts for his first vacation after retirement.
Tracing a Point Elsewhere
What is this tape and where is it? In the end Frank is trying to find out where the relationship with his son is going to go now that he has given up his first love, Pamela is dying even slower now without her family and Sam is beginning to fall under the same spell that Frank was once under putting the search for the killers and the tape above all else. In the end they are all Tracing A Point Elsewhere.
What the Press Would Say:
Phenomenal and brilliant filming, this is truly one of the best performances by a cast in a long time. They work together so well with every one of them feeding off of each other in every scene. The editing makes the movie gel so well with the moviegoer not having a time to comprehend what just happened in the previous scene. This is a movie that makes you think and finally thinking in movie is a good thing. Nick Stahl is a standout and refreshing breakthrough in a role that was made for him, as the cocky new cop looking for the big case to make his career. But what he was looking for, for so long is something that at the end he really didn’t want. David Cronenberg brings suspense to every scene and without Nick Stahl his incredible screenplay wouldn’t be brought to life. Coming off his first Oscar nod Viggo Mortenson is miserable in this role. But that is what this role is called for. He shows a man who at the beginning had so much confidence and was on top of the world believing nothing could happen to him even putting his career before his Cancer stricken wife. His role is sure to be on every voters mind. Another voter who is sure to be on not just anyone’s mind but in their nightmares is Ian McShane (We Are Marshall) who plays one of the scariest characters seen in recent years. He delivers his lines with a voice that would make sweat go down your whole body in a winter storm. Cate Blanchett shows why she is being hailed as the next Meryl Streep but with this role she is sure to have future actresses compared to her. You can always expect her to deliver no matter what. Every scene that she is apart of is sad because she opens herself up so the audience can feel her pain, feel her loss. Jeff Bridges plays the wise old man very well trying to mentor the new comer so he won’t make the same mistake as putting his career before himself. The scene at the end when he picks up the phone to make a tearful hello to his son makes your insides tingle. The young talents Paul Dano and Joseph Gordon-Levitt rounds out a brilliant cast that is sure to be a serious threat for the S.A.G. award for Best Cast. These young stars are not overshadowed at all and stand out among brilliant actors. This is David Cronenberg masterpiece, even though we all though Eastern Promises could be his defining moment we are proven wrong with Tracing A Point Elsewhere. The film is filmed as clean in the scenes when murder is happening and dirty and grungy in the scenes when the characters are revealing themselves completely. Roger Deakins does a brilliant job at this and should get his long eluded Academy Award. Audiences everywhere will be thrilled with this movie.
Best Motion Picture of the Year: David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortenson
Best Director: David Cronenberg
Best Original Screenplay: David Cronenberg
Best Actor: Nick Stahl and Viggo Mortenson
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges and Ian McShane
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett
Best Film Editing: Ronald Sanders
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Best Original Score: Howard Shore
Tracing a Point Elsewhere
Directed by the David Cronenberg
Written by David Cronenberg
Produced by David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortenson
Editing by: Ronald Sanders
Cinematography by: Roger Deakins
Music by: Howard Shore
Starring:
Nick Stahl as Sam Stewart
Viggo Mortenson as Paul Mitchell
Paul Dano as James Mitchell
Cate Blanchett as Pamela Mitchell
Jeff Bridges as Frank Johnson
Ian McShane as the Man
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tony
Tagline: When tragedy is before you, you are left Tracing a Point Elsewhere.
Synopsis:
Looking For a Place in Life.
Sam Stewart has been a police detective for a year this month and now he gets a chance to get his first big break when the son of a mayoral candidate becomes missing. His partner is Frank an old man who has been thinking about retiring but always has second thoughts because if he retires then what would become of his life. His wife has left him and his son is off to college and not trying to connect with a father who has always put his career before his family. They begin to interview all of the suspects which include the boy’s father and mother. They also want to ask his best friend a couple questions but he has been missing for a couple of days. Sam begins to wonder if the father is setting this whole thing up for the public to connect with a grief stricken man.
Too Many Thoughts
James has just woke up tied up with his mouth duck taped shut. He see’s a shining light above him and he is in an empty room with a million thoughts racing through his head. What happened last night and where is Tony. Then a blonde haired female and brunette male comes in with surgeons’ masks on with a black bag in one of their hands. The female says one word that sends chills throughout James mind and the word is “scalpel”. The man says, “We will ask you one question and if you give the correct answer then my female friend won’t have to use this scalpel on your pinky finger.” He tightens up his fist only to have it opened by the man. As the female begins to go towards James finger with the scalpel, the man asks “Where is the tape”?
Under Suspect
Paul Mitchell grew up in a small town and always dreamt of a career in politics, wanting to become a mayor and maybe a future president but with the sudden kidnapping of his son his dream is put to aside. His wife Pamela a cancer stricken woman is fighting through chemo and her son missing is making her condition even worse. The police have been questioning Paul more and more everyday as if he has something to do with the kidnapping of his only son. Paul decides to try and put it in his own hands and hire a private eye to try and come up with his son’s kidnapper before it is too late.
Never Focus On the Light
Tony witnesses a shining light from a cars headlight as he is attempting to go to bed after a long night with his best friend James. He can still see the beautiful blonde that he seen in the club. Her eyes lit up the darkness of the dance floor but his shyness kept him from attempting to approach her. The shining light brightens as if the person in the car is just sitting there watching him. When Tony closes his blinds and turns around he sees the female that was in the club. Is this a dream? When he feels a sudden sharp pain go through his whole body he realizes that maybe it isn’t a dream. As he attempts to run to the phone his legs give up on him and he falls. He can’t feel his legs anymore and his arms also. The beautiful blonde looks into his eyes and says, “It was awful rude for you to stare and not approach me.” She pulls out a gun and Tony sees the light that was annoying him for the last time.
Questions
Tape what tape the thought is going through James mind as he is sitting there with his pinky almost gone. When James asks the man what he is talking about he seems to be annoyed and brings out a cell phone. He begins to dial numbers and he puts the phone to James ear and says, “Ask your father.” As the phone is ringing he sees the woman take the scalpel away from his finger to his throat and the man says, “If you say one wrong word then unfortunately my client will forever have to live down the god awful tape.” James asks, “What are the wrong words?” And the man says, “You will know when you begin to see your own blood dripping down your shirt.” As the phone rings there is still no answer and then there is a pick up but it isn’t his father but his mother begging him to tell him what is going on. He begs her to put his father on the phone and when he gets on the phone James asks the same question that is holding on to his life. Dad where is the tape?
Saving a Life
Sam did not see this coming. What kind of tape is putting a mayoral candidate’s son in this kind of danger? Sam gets a phone call from his partner and his partner says that one of his main suspects has just been killed with a single gunshot to the head. As Paul begins to open his mouth and tell the man, different words come out of his mouth Paul says go ahead and kill him. When Paul says this he runs and dives out of the window of the police station and he falls head first to the ground on the streets of Boston.
Selfish
The man gives a frightening look at James and says unfortunately for us our money will not be inside me and my lady friend’s pockets tonight. He takes out a gun and the lady friend stops him. With a sudden relief James sighs and begins to cry only to have the lady friend slit his throat. The last words that James hears is “so selfish” from the man.
Private Eye
Sam tries to find out where the call came from and looks at the cell phone for the last call. He sees where the phone call is coming from and gets a team to head to the place. He rushes over there with his partner meeting up with him. They force their ways into the house hoping that James is not dead. They see James in a chair bent over. They lift his head up only to find that James is actually dead and also discovers an envelope with the words refund on it with almost a thousand dollars inside. Frank pulls out his phone and makes a phone call to his son. Asking him when the next time is they can meet up to talk about whereabouts for his first vacation after retirement.
Tracing a Point Elsewhere
What is this tape and where is it? In the end Frank is trying to find out where the relationship with his son is going to go now that he has given up his first love, Pamela is dying even slower now without her family and Sam is beginning to fall under the same spell that Frank was once under putting the search for the killers and the tape above all else. In the end they are all Tracing A Point Elsewhere.
What the Press Would Say:
Phenomenal and brilliant filming, this is truly one of the best performances by a cast in a long time. They work together so well with every one of them feeding off of each other in every scene. The editing makes the movie gel so well with the moviegoer not having a time to comprehend what just happened in the previous scene. This is a movie that makes you think and finally thinking in movie is a good thing. Nick Stahl is a standout and refreshing breakthrough in a role that was made for him, as the cocky new cop looking for the big case to make his career. But what he was looking for, for so long is something that at the end he really didn’t want. David Cronenberg brings suspense to every scene and without Nick Stahl his incredible screenplay wouldn’t be brought to life. Coming off his first Oscar nod Viggo Mortenson is miserable in this role. But that is what this role is called for. He shows a man who at the beginning had so much confidence and was on top of the world believing nothing could happen to him even putting his career before his Cancer stricken wife. His role is sure to be on every voters mind. Another voter who is sure to be on not just anyone’s mind but in their nightmares is Ian McShane (We Are Marshall) who plays one of the scariest characters seen in recent years. He delivers his lines with a voice that would make sweat go down your whole body in a winter storm. Cate Blanchett shows why she is being hailed as the next Meryl Streep but with this role she is sure to have future actresses compared to her. You can always expect her to deliver no matter what. Every scene that she is apart of is sad because she opens herself up so the audience can feel her pain, feel her loss. Jeff Bridges plays the wise old man very well trying to mentor the new comer so he won’t make the same mistake as putting his career before himself. The scene at the end when he picks up the phone to make a tearful hello to his son makes your insides tingle. The young talents Paul Dano and Joseph Gordon-Levitt rounds out a brilliant cast that is sure to be a serious threat for the S.A.G. award for Best Cast. These young stars are not overshadowed at all and stand out among brilliant actors. This is David Cronenberg masterpiece, even though we all though Eastern Promises could be his defining moment we are proven wrong with Tracing A Point Elsewhere. The film is filmed as clean in the scenes when murder is happening and dirty and grungy in the scenes when the characters are revealing themselves completely. Roger Deakins does a brilliant job at this and should get his long eluded Academy Award. Audiences everywhere will be thrilled with this movie.
Best Motion Picture of the Year: David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortenson
Best Director: David Cronenberg
Best Original Screenplay: David Cronenberg
Best Actor: Nick Stahl and Viggo Mortenson
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges and Ian McShane
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett
Best Film Editing: Ronald Sanders
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Best Original Score: Howard Shore
Tuskegee
Author(s): Bryce (CA)
Tuskegee
Directed by:Tony Kaye
Written by: John Logan
Produced by:Tony Kaye, Steve Tisch, and Todd Black
Principle Cast
Derek Luke as Charlie Pollard
Stephen Tobolowsky as Dr. Taliaferro Clark
Toby Jones as Dr. Oliver Wenger
William H. Macy as Dr. John Heller
Barry Shabaka Henley as Dr. Eugene Dibble
Angela Bassett as Eunice Rivers
Jessica Lucas as Mary Pollard
Tagline: "They're here to help, but not the kind of help you would want"
Synopsis: Between 1932 and 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service conducted an experiment on African-American men infected with syphilis. These men were never told what disease they were suffering from, or if it was serious, and their doctors had no intention of curing them. They were deliberately left to rot under the severe symptoms of syphilis so that their dead bodies could be used for research. This is the story of Charlie Pollard, one of the survivors of the horrific event that took place in Tuskegee, Alabama....
Charlie Pollard was surprised to see his wife of five years, Mary Pollard, in bed with another man, and even more surprised with himself when he found himself in bed with a hooker later that same night. The days that followed Charlie experienced pains that he had never experienced before. After seeking medical help, he was told to talk to Dr. Taliaferro Clark, who told Charlie about an experiment they were doing that could help him, but he would have to stay in their clinic for an undetermined amount of time.The decision wasn't that hard to make, Charlie and his wife had become distant. He no longer felt as deeply passionate about Mary as he had in the past.Thus, Charlie gladly became apart of Dr. Clark's experiments.
Years have now passed. "Cure found for major sexual diseases", was the headline that was on every newspaper in the country. Dr. Clark was eager to finally be able to help his patients, who he had grown close to. However, he was stopped by his superior, Dr. John Heller, who believed more can be learned if the experiment went on and the patients left unaware of their disease and its cure. While Dr. Clark argued over the boundaries of human rights, he was given no choice but to resign from the experiment, hoping that some day the patients he had grown attached to would be cured.
While initially Charlie's love for his wife was transparent, it had grown back to be as evident as it use to be. With every month passing, Charlie's curiosity about his love's well being grew. However, his trust for the people working in the clinic was diminishing as every month went by. Every time he wanted to leave, it was Dr. Oliver Wenger who convinced him to stay. He plagued his mind with the idea of Charlie harming the ones he loved if he left prematurely. The only ones who seemed even possible of being trusted were Dr. Eugene Dibble, who felt wrong about doing such a cruel thing to his people but needed the money, and Eunice Rivers, a nurse that manipulated patients to stay with concern and compassion, but had an agenda of her own. Mrs. Rivers felt that these men deserved what was happening to them, and believed in the experiment more than any of the other doctors.
Decades have now passed, and Charlie is still rotting in his room in the clinic. The symptoms were becoming so severe that each breathe brought a heavy load of pain inside. His mind was always playing tricks on him. He heard voices and saw people that didn't exist. His friends that he had gotten close to in the clinic were all dead, and every visit with the doctors felt like they were just eagerly awaiting Charlie's death. He has tried several times in the past to escape, but his severe pains stopped him each time. The only thing Charlie looks forward to each day is his time he gets to go outside. When he's outside many questions always flourish in his mind. Will he ever get out of here? What has the clinic really been doing? And of coarse, what has happened to his love, who he mistakingly abandoned?
What the Press Would Say
Based on true events, Tony Kaye's "Tuskegee" is much more than your ordinary asylum type drama, and it's not the type of movie that points fingers at particular groups. The heart of "Tuskegee" is a complicated look at a man's physical and mental journey through pain, suffering, trust, and dependency. While the movie shares some similarities to the popular "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", this is a much more darker take on the asylum genre than what has been seen in the past. Tony Kaye, known most for "American History X", is able to present the story in a way that doesn't make the movie feel manipulative, and instead gives us a movie in which the controversial is replaced with complex and subtle meanings. Kaye presents a question of what is really necessary when it comes to science, and leaves it up to the viewer to decide.
Derek Luke has been able to pull off some amazing performances in some of his past works, but this role is much more complicated than his past roles. Charlie Pollard is a character whose pain turns him insane, whose decisions in trust constantly lead him into the more painful and more dark path, and whose motives grow more delusional as time passes. A character whose life is dangling on to one ideal, and one hope. This is the type of character that many actors seek, but not many can actually pull off. I would of never thought Luke would be one of those actors to pull it off, but his performance is so convincing I don't think anyone will be doubting his talents after seeing the film. I referenced "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" earlier, and while Angela Bassett's character has some of the same attributes as Louise Fletcher's character in Cuckoo's Nest, overall it's much more sinister character. Her religious justifications and motives make her seem almost as insane as Luke's character, and the way how she manipulates the patients is set up to appear as a sort of torture. It's a dynamic role that gives audiences the chance to see Bassett reach a new level in her acting career.
While controversy is a sure bet with this movie's interpretation of Eunice Rivers, I think what Tony Kaye has done is bring something new to the table. He never really strides to make a historical statement with the film, but instead provides the concept of how these major events in history can be interpreted in many different ways, which ultimately helps people understand these character's motives, drives, and logic. While I'm certain some people will not agree with what has been said by the film, I think many will agree that the theme, acting, and filmmaking are all top notch, and deserving of high recognition.
Best Picture
Best Director- Tony Kaye
Best Actor- Derek Luke
Best Supporting Actress- Angela Bassett
Best Supporting Actor- Stephen Tobolowsky
Best Supporting Actor- Barry Shabaka Henley
Best Adapted Screenplay
Bennie and the Jets
Author(s): James Somerton (Canada)
Bennie and the Jets
Directed By James Mangold
Written By Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
CAST
Cillian Murphy as Bennie Vicsera
Prince as Dedrick Jones
Kimberly Caldwell as Roberta Hendrix
Robert Downey Jr. as Jonathan Bond
James Marsden as Daniel Bicks
Courtney Love as Elix
TAGLINE: "How High Is High Enough?"
SONG LIST (In Performance Order)
"I'm Still Standing" Performed By Mr. Murphy
"Bennie and the Jets" Performed By Prince
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" Performed By Mr. Murphy & Ms. Caldwell
"Your Song" Performed By Mr. Marsden
"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" Performed By Ms. Caldwell
"I Want Love" Performed By Mr. Murphy
"The Bitch is Back" Performed By Mr. Murphy
SYNOPSIS
Bennie Vicsera stands behind a thick black curtain that blocks him from view. On the other side of that curtain is a crowd of forty-thousand screaming fans, calling for him. His band, The Jets, play the first cords to their hit single "Im Still Standing". Bennie hears his cue and panics. Too many people. Too much pressure. He lets it go to his head but within five seconds of hearing his cue, Bennie Viscera bursts onto the stage in an explosion of confetti and flashing lights.
On stage Bennie Vicsera is a high energy showman that will do anything to get his fans singing and dancing along with him. But off stage he's shy. He doesn't like to reveal too much of himself to his band-mates but they all get along well. His two real best friends are his childhood friend Roberta, and fellow chart topper Dedrick Jones. Then, of course, there's everyone's best friend; cocaine.
Bennie rides the wave of chart topping success, winning countless awards and, eventually, even winning over the critics. But all of this is put in jeopardy when rumors of his sexuality begin to swarm around the tabloids. In a panic he marries Roberta in hopes that all the rumors will be swept back under the carpet. They are. For the time being anyway. It wouldn't be too hard for him to keep his sexuality a secret if cocaine wasn't making him more and more reckless. His guilt is also eating away at him. The guilt of knowing that Roberta is actually in love with him, and isn't aware that she's being used by him.
Bennie's missing shows and public appearances now. He hasn't released a new album in three years and the public is starting to lean toward more current, consistent fare. His manager, Jonathan Bond, tries everything to get him back on track but a planned intervention blows up in his face when Bennie runs off and then no one can find him.
Bennie is held up in a secret house he's renting under an assumed name in Las Vegas. He watches on the TV as new artists emerge to take his place. The only contact he has with the outside world is Daniel Bicks, a hustler whose taken to caring for Bennie, and maybe loving him. His cocaine addiction, something that Daniel joined him with at first, has reached new heights. And even Daniel can't stand what's its doing to him. He watches him waste away and begs him to try and stop but not even his declaration of true love can sway Bennie. Daniel takes his broken heart and leaves Bennie alone in his home in Sin City.
As Bennie's friends move on with their lives, and his "Wife" files for an annulment, he remains hidden from public eye. White powder is sprinkled everywhere in his home. A place that will surely be where he has his final rest. But when one of his contemporaries dies of an overdose, and its splashed all over the TV, Bennie is faced with a decision. Join his dead friend in whatever comes after life, or pick up the pieces and live.
WHAT THE PRESS WOULD SAY
"Bennie and the Jets", a new musical from the songs of Elton John, is a terrific story with some great moments of musical genius. Loosely based on the life of Elton John himself, it takes us on the journey of Bennie Viscera; from the peak of his stardom, to the near deadly downfall, and finally to his resurrection. The film stars Cillian Murphy as Bennie, a shy, self-loathing superstar who runs from the truth and hides, figuratively and truthfully. Murphy gives a great performance and really shows off his singing abilities. He makes the character entirely likable, even at his worst moments. Kimberly Caldwell stars as his lifelong best friend Roberta Hendrix, a woman so enamored with Bennie's charm that she can't see past it. This is what leads to her falling into a fake marriage that she thinks is real. Her performance is undeniably memorable but she truly shines in the "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" musical number. A heartbreaking scene where she gives up any hope of ever being with Bennie, the man she's loved since childhood. Her biggest support in the movie is Dedrick Jones, Bennie's other best friend. Prince portrays the music superstar with so much power and charisma that he's one of the most memorable characters in the movie. His rendition of "Bennie and the Jets" sums up the history of Bennie and his rocking band. He helps in organizing Bennie's failed intervention but doesn't give up there. When all of Bennie's other friends move on, Dedrick keeps his eyes open for any trace of the missing Bennie, always looking for him, and always hoping for the best. The rest of the cast give some amazing performances as well. Robert Downey Jr. appears in only a few scenes as Jonathan Bond, Bennie's manger, but he's a great character that you love to hate. He tries hard to get Bennie's life back on track but only because it means millions of dollars to him. James Marsden has a small roll as a Las Vegas hustler that becomes Bennie's lover. But he, like Roberta, falls for Bennie and has his heart broken. He's almost a throwaway character because of his lack of impact on the story, but his performance is just too good to overlook. Courtney Love as a very small roll as Elix, a rock queen whose overdose and death leads to Bennie pulling his life back together. We see her only a few times in the film, mostly in passing glances at concerts or at parties where she forces Bennie to socialize. But she comes off as very fun and likable so these little encounters are more than enough to stir an emotional reaction in the audience at the news of her death. This is when Bennie really sees what he has become. Almost broke and entirely alone, he forces himself out of his stupor and rises up like a phoenix. In the final musical number, a stage show performed in front of some sixty-thousand cheering fans, Bennie Viscera erupts onto the stage with the words "The Bitch Is Back!". This is one of the most exhilarating sequences I've seen in a long time. After seeing Bennie so lackluster for so long, its great to see him back to the amazing showman he was in the beginning of the film. "Bennie and the Jets" is like a Rise and Fall morality tale with a happy ending. James Mangold takes us on a great ride and never lets us get bored. The musical numbers become sparse for a good part of the movie, letting the story tell itself. In fact, almost the entire second half is without them. We really start to miss the great musical performances so when we get the "The Bitch is Back" at the very end, its a heart-pumping conclusion to a great ride. With some fantastic performances, already classic songs, and a great story, this is the Elton John musical we've all been waiting for.
POSSIBLE NOMINATIONS
Best Picture
Best Director - James Mangold
Best Actor - Cillian Murphy
Best Supporting Actor - Prince
Best Supporting Actress - Kimberly Caldwell
Best Original Screenplay
The Violinist
Author(s): Alex S. (Mexico)
The Violinist
Written & Directed by Andrew Dominik
Produced by Ridley Scott & JoAnne Sellar
Executive Producers Tony Scott & Brad Grey
Edited By Dylan Tychenor, A.C.E
Cinematography by Roger Deakins, A.S.C
Music by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
Costume Design by Louise Frogley
Production Design by Jack Fisk
Set Decoration by David Crant
Art Direction by Crispian Sallis & Jim Erickson
Tagline: "There's beauty to be found in madness"
Cast:
Arhtur Hackett – Lee Pace
Matilda Parrish – Melora Walters
Vanora Parrish – Rosemary Harris
Maxwell Parrish – Tom Sturridge
Amelia Baxter – Rosamund Pike
Jocelyn Davenport – Jennifer Carpenter
Alana Carrington – Sienna Miller
Edgar Dunton – Richard Griffiths
Synopsis:
A lot can happen in one day; in fact a lot can happen in mere minutes, one instant, one moment, can change someone's life forever. This is that moment.
Arthur Hackett was what you would call a frustrated artist, bred by a family of musicians, and being unable to excel in anything related he resorted to the administrative side of the artistic, management.
In the attempt of success, Hackett would never forget the day he met that little kid, little Maxie was 11 years old at the time and frankly Hackett didn't knew if a rush of excitement was going through him or a rush of envy.
Matilda Parrish was probably the poster child for unstable women, losing her father at a very young age scarred her for life and an overbearing mother didn't help either. When she got pregnant she thought her life would actually become different but instead it defined her instability even more.
Years later we found ourselves in a familiar scenery, Paris. Maxwell Parrish had become a celebrated violinist; giving concerts since he was 12 years old he was famous for his uncontrolled and fierce behavior on stage. However offstage he had proven to be quiet and even shy, very controlled and prudent, an elegant young man whose personality amazed every person he met.
This night however would change everything. Maxwell is playing a very special concert filled with celebrity guests, an orchestra conducted by maestro Edgar Dunton and a performance by famous cellist Alana Carrington. The night would be anything but perfect though. Maxwell hasn't left his hotel room since he arrived to the city, and people has commented about his erratic behavior lately, radical changes of mood and attacks of hysteria are rumored, his publicist Amelia Baxter, answers every doubt with the cold demeanor she's known for and Hackett known for his sleazy personality and control over his clients, in an attempt for calming the media offers one interview before the concert. What seems to be a very naïve and harmless reporter is in charge with it, little does Hackett knows of Davenport's real character.
Maxwell doesn't really understands what's happening to him, he sees and feels things that are not there, at least no to him, stuck in his own mind everything around him seems different, in a way clearer, he now sees how his life has changed and has been managed against his own wishes and desires, he's losing control of his own life and a grip to reality, everything is blurry now, the lies and deception of Arthur or the way he's been the only father figure he's had; he's unreliable, pill popping and neurotic mother or the woman who has always loved him unconditionally, his family. He finds himself alone right now with only the company of his controlling grandmother in a hotel room, she stand there yelling at him reprehending and medicating him, he's taking all this pills for something he doesn't even understands, nothing in his mind makes sense anymore.
Matilda can't define if its fear or denial what's keeping her away from her son, take one, take two, this isn't working anymore, the feeling doesn't goes away, the lighting of this restaurant is really disturbing her and talking with this girl Jocelyn for so long is annoying her, why is she so curious and why does she has that smile on her face, she keeps wondering where is Arthur, why is he talking to all these people instead of her.
Two hours left before the big moment, Maxwell just wants to stand up in that stage where everything works perfectly, where everything is fine.
What the press would say:
The Violinist, the new picture by the director of "The Assassination of Jesse James…" comes out of nowhere if you expected a similar piece as a follow up, yet he maintains a very particular approach to characters, is the kind of picture that isn't afraid to put its characters under a microscope, and it knows that studying their psychology is far more rewarding to the spectator.
The Violinist offers a very special charm, It is a throwback to another time when films were allowed to be unhurried, when audiences trusted multiple story lines to converge organically, and time and place were evoked with consummate craft. The old is new again, and it has never looked so breathtaking. As "Jesse James…", The Violinist makes use of extensive voice-over narration that not only describes events but also comments on the characters and their actions. The film focuses on three main storylines, while delving in the past of each of the characters, the firs is about the quivering, sycophantic leech grasping for greatness Arthur Hackett as he deals with the media frenzy and the sanity if his own client, he also faces his own responsibility and his abuse. The second one is about Matilda filled with sniveling inferiority and mumbled cadence, as she reveals accidentally everything about her son's life to a conniving journalist. And finally, the one about the violinist, as he slowly loses control of himself and his life while dealing with her villainous and abusive grandmother.
The film slowly changes focus from character to character as they walk through the hotel corridors and rooms, filled with long takes and constant music throughout the film, the film's tone begins to unravel scalding intensity, a studied film that is surprisingly engrossing, not to mention so handsomely made you can hardly take your eyes off it.
Performances are amazing, Lee Pace playing Arthur Hackett loses himself in this very subjective man, he plays with his emotions in a way that's hard to determine if he's good or bad, his actions are opened to interpretations and at the conclusion the question goes even deeper. Melora Walters borders in exaggeration but from time to time becomes extremely subtle in his delivery, her mother figure reminds a very person who has found themselves in a situation when you feel helpless and weak in trying to help your children, she offers this with boldness and magnificent intensity. The newcomer Tom Sturridge takes us on a trip to the mysterious border-crossing between rarified brilliance and madness, his versatility that ranges from quietness to explosiveness is a treat to watch and the scenes where he plays the violin are intense you feel the music inside you. Rosemary Harris takes an uncomfortable role for her but excels at it, a nice looking villain that impresses with her passive aggressiveness; Jennifer Carpenter displays an amazingly controlled and refined performance that particularly shines in an interview with Sturridge where he's losing control and she pushes the right buttons to make him tick and Sienna Miller in a very brief performance shines in one particular long scene the two musicians rehearse, in this part the story relies more in facial and corporal expressions than in dialogue and she succeeds in portraying what the violinist longs for every time he stand in the stage.
Dominik knows that life's randomness can also produce hope, humor and love. And it shows that in ways that more calculated feel good movies can't fathom. What Dominik lacks in substance is offset by his great skill with actors, his gift for shaping resonant little individual vignettes and his extraordinary intuition, his writing and directing in this explores furthermore the promise he has shown as a storyteller.
The extraordinary expressive performers, male and female; the haunting interior and exterior conflicts; the painstaking attention to detail; the intense and palpitating score; and the subtly modulated mood shifts all combine to make a modern masterpiece an epic film that's part literary treatise, part mournful ballad, and completely a portrait of our world, as seen in a distant mirror. A psychological chamber drama that attempts to explore the madness of men, the film moves at an absorbing pace and -- in the rarest of qualities – allows the bulk of its sentimentality to emerge honestly.
For Your Consideration
Best Picture
Best Director – Andrew Dominik
Best Actor – Lee Pace
Best Actress – Melora Walters
Best Supporting Actor – Tom Sturridge
Best Supporting Actress – Rosemary Harris
Best Supporting Actress – Sienna Miller
Best Supporting Actress – Jennifer Carpenter
Best Original Screenplay – Andrew Dominik
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