It seems like the more news I read about this new TMNT movie that Michael Bay is producing, the more I just want to scream at my computer until it shatters. Michael Bay recently posted some news on the Turtle project including the new title of the film, now simply titled Ninja Turtles. He also continued his attempt to calm the masses that are protesting the changes made to the backstory.

Here is the statment made from his webite www.michaelbay.com:

Paramount marketing changed the name. They made the title simple. The characters you all remember are exactly the same, and yes they still act like teenagers. Everything you remember, why you liked the characters, is in the movie. This script is being developed by two very smart writers, with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles. They care VERY MUCH about making this film for the fans. Everyone on this team cares about the fans. Just give them a chance. Jonathan the director, is a major fan of the whole franchise. HE’S NOT GOING TO LET YOU DOWN.

Michael

So if I’m reading this right, the Ninja Turtles won’t be teenagers at all. They’ll be aliens that just act like teenagers. I can’t emphasize enough how I am not excited for this film. The wound is still fresh from when Michael announced that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will no longer be teenagers, or mutants. This reboot is separating itself so much from the original storyline that I don’t know how they can even claim it’s the same franchise.

If Michael Bay wants people to calm down over his new take on the Ninja Turtles, all he has to do is keep changing things. By the time the movie comes out, no-one will even recognize that it’s a reboot. Mission accomplished.

Matthew’s Take on the News: 

Like Josh, as a kid I was a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan — and I mean HUGE. I had the bed sheets, stuffed animals, t-shirts, and more Turtles toys than you can imagine. The news of a live-action reboot is something I have followed closely. At first I was happy Michael Bay was simply a producer of this film, a position that isn’t always highly involved in the construction of the project’s storyline or script. But as this project has evolved, I’ve been dismayed to learn he has a large role in construction of this reboot.

I’m even more concerned when Bay says things like, “This script is being developed by two very smart writers.” Bay’s perception of ‘smart writers’ and mine are very different. Bay assured me and audiences his third Transformer film would not be like the second. He understood the second lacked in many areas, most of all writing, and it was too cheesy. Cue Transformers: Dark of the Moon — was this film any better? The action was in 3D, it wasn’t as long thankfully, but it was not a well crafted story. Michael Bay movies and good writing have never gone hand in hand (minus The Rock). So despite Bay promising a better third film, no such results were produced.

Here is my reply to you Michael Bay:

You aren’t helping me chill Michael, your calming words are making my ears bleed. If you sat there and said you were going to have amazing action, I would more than likely calm down, because Michael Bay & Co. have a handle on that. When you tell me that your ‘crack’ team is writing a great script, I don’t believe you for a fraction of a fraction of a second. If you want me to chill, quit changing crucial things to the storyline. If you want me to chill, don’t give me updates on your Ninja Turtles movie with what most consider BAD news. Believe it or not, I remember the characters being mutant and teenagers, not aliens. I remember and like those things, and they are NOT they same. If you care about the fans, why are you changing so much of the origins? If you care about the fans, why aren’t you at least listening to our outrage now? Quit telling us to chill. You’re changing what we know and love so much. You cared VERY MUCH about the Transformers movies, and only one of them was really any good. Your attempts to calm us by throwing supposed Ninja Turtles director Jonathan Liebesman’s name into the mix will only comfort those who HAVEN’T seen Battle: Los Angeles. The origins of the story are not something we can readily forget. If you tell a new, more ‘rad’ version of the Turtles, we aren’t going to eat it up because you made the movie look pretty or feature a lot of explosions. We want the story told right. We don’t want aliens. You can say what you want Michael, but if you continue on this path, YOU WILL LET US DOWN. 

Sincerely, 

Matthew Deery and all other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans

I’m not saying this movie couldn’t be good, but everything I’ve heard about it so far tells me it won’t. Especially considering Michael Bay has close ties with its development.

What Do You Think Of This News?

Follow Josh on Twitter: @JWingface

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

Nominations for the 2012 Golden Raspberry Awards, a.k.a The Razzies, were announced last night — it appears Adam Sandler’s movie Jack and Jill could win every one of them. The movie is nominated 13 times in 10 categories. I guess you could say “congratulations” to Adam by personally being nominated 9 times this year for his work on Jack and Jill. But as someone who deeply respects the art of film making, I feel the need to say, it’s time Mr. Sandler to exit stage left.

A wise man once said, “The skill in going to a party is knowing when to leave.” Adam Sandler doesn’t seem to understand that concept. Over the past five years, Adam has made movies that have not only been disappointing in terms of comedic value, but also in terms of movie making. Someone needs to stop this white Tyler Perry from spending millions of dollars just to waste our time. Because of him, we have been subject to substandard flops such as Jack and Jill, Just Go With It, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, Zookeeper, Bucky Larson, Grown Ups, The House Bunny and Strange Wilderness. All of which Adam had a role as an actor, producer or writer. Jack and Jill was the final turning point for me, as I’m sure it was for many others, in realizing the fact that the golden days are over and his latest movies are bad.

If you compare Adam’s first flicks to today, the difference is undeniable. We had Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and The Waterboy to make us laugh. They are staples in the comedy genre and always will be. Since then it’s been garbage on top of more garbage. In a world that’s growing up, he seems to be doing the exact opposite, and showing it on film. He has the potential to make great comedies and be funny again, it just doesn’t feel like he’s trying. When you’re a guy who is known for making comedies, it’s better to not be nominated for a Razzie, much less 9. I don’t think there is anything worse than a really bad comedy, because you have one job: to make people laugh and have something that resembles a story. In Mr Sandler’s case, not only did he fail at those objectives, but the Razzie nominations basically mean you just don’t care about what you’re putting out there. Thanks to the 2012 Razzie Nominations, maybe he’ll get the hint…. but probably not.

One thing that is very disturbing about this years Razzies is the financial comparisons between the Best Picture and the Worst Picture Nominations. The total box office earnings between the 5 Razzie Worst Picture nominations are over $1.98 billion; thanks in large part to Transformers: Dark Of The Moon earning more than $1 Billion on it’s own. The Oscar’s Best Picture Nominations however, made a total of $1.03 Billion between it’s 9 movies. It’s hard not to take those numbers as a sign as to why movie studios feel the need to make poor quality films. Simply because people pay and wait in line to watch them. While the Oscars may have all the glam, prestige and celebrities, it’s the Razzies that bring in the big money.

The Golden Raspberry Awards will be held on April 1st, 2012.

Here is how the Razzie Nominations look.

WORST PICTURE

• BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR
• JACK & JILL
• NEW YEAR’S EVE
• TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART I

WORST ACTOR

• Russell Brand – ARTHUR
• Nicolas Cage – DRIVE ANGRY 3D, SEASON OF THE WITCH and TRESPASS
• Taylor Lautner – ABDUCTION and THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKDING DAWN – PART 1
• Adam Sandler – JACK & JILL and JUST GO WITH IT
• Nick Swardson -BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR

WORST ACTRESS 

• Martin Lawrence (As “Momma”) – BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
• Sarah Palin (As “Herself”) – SARAH PALIN: THE UNDEFEATED
• Sarah Jessica Parker – I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT and NEW YEAR’S EVE
• Adam Sandler (As “Jill”) – JACK & JILL
• Kristen Stewart – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART I

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Patrick Dempsey – TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
• James Franco – YOUR HIGHNESS
• Ken Jeong – BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, THE HANGOVER PART II, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON and ZOOKEEPER
• Al Pacino – JACK & JILL
• Nick Swardson – JACK & JILL and JUST GO WITH IT

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Katie Holmes – JACK & JILL
• Brandon T. Jackson – BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
• Nicole Kidman – JUST GO WITH IT
• David Spade – JACK & JILL
• Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

WORST SCREEN ENSEMBLE

• The Entire Cast of BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR
• The Entire Cast of JACK & JILL
• The Entire Cast of NEW YEAR’S EVE
• The Entire Cast of TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
• The Entire Cast of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART I

WORST DIRECTOR

• Michael Bay – TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
• Tom Brady – BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR
• Bill Condon – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART I
• Dennis Dugan – JACK & JILL and JUST GO WITH IT
• Garry Marshall – NEW YEAR’S EVE

WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF OR SEQUEL

• ARTHUR
• BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR (Rip-Off of BOOGIE NIGHTS and A STAR IS BORN)
• THE HANGOVER PART II (Both a Sequel AND a Remake!)
• JACK & JILL
• (Remake/Rip-Off of Ed Woods’ GLEN OR GLENDA)
• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART I

WORST SCREEN COUPLE

• Nicolas Cage & Anyone Sharing the Screen with Him in Any of His Three 2011 Movies
• Shia LeBeouf & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
• Adam Sandler & EITHER Jennifer Aniston OR Brooklyn Decker / JUST GO WITH IT
• Adam Sandler and EITHER Katie Holmes, Al Pacino OR Adam Sandler / JACK & JILL
• Kristen Stewart & EITHER Taylor Lautner OR Robert Pattinson / THE TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART I

WORST SCREENPLAY

• BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR – Written by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert and Nick Swardson
• JACK & JILL – Screenplay by Steve Koren & Adam Sandler, Story by Ben Zook
• NEW YEAR’S EVE – Written by Katherine Fugate
• TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON – Written by Ehren Kruger
• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART I – Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg

Follow Josh on Twitter: @JwingFace

This morning the 2012 Oscar nominations were revealed, which of course annually provides both heartbreak and jubilation for those nominated and those snubbed. This year, the Best Picture nomination pool is nine, and not the ten of years past. The nominations were reduced from the ten made standard in 2010, down to however many Best Picture nominees the voting body feels is necessary. This year they felt nine was appropriate, a number I do not agree with. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was left off the nominee list, as was its director David Fincher. In my opinion, these two headline the snubs this year, along with Steven Spielberg being left out of the nomination for Best Director despite War Horse earning a Best Picture nod. Hit the jump for the full list, and a few brief thoughts from yours truly.

To be honest, I do not understand the award committees not rewarding The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. While I don’t think the film has to win Best Picture, I find it odd that it has rarely been included amongst the Best Picture nominees. It is even harder to comprehend considering award committees tend to lean towards films that tackle difficult to swallow or hard hitting issues — Fincher’s latest has no shortage of rape, incest, domestic abuse, mutilation, and murder. From my stand point, this 2011 version accomplished lightyears more than the 2009 mediocre Swedish take — that alone should merit some recognition. Last year the Best Picture field held ten nominees, why not this year? The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo isn’t deserving? What about Drive? (And what about Ryan Gosling?) What about Martha Marcy May Marlene?

And while my personal bias comes into play here, Fincher not being amongst the Best Directors this year is another disservice to the industry. I challenge any person to watch the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and then Fincher’s film and see the distinct difference an experienced and talented filmmaker brings in terms of final product. Fincher killed it on his end, and his work as a storyteller is rivaled by few in the game today — his name should be in the mix. In my opinion, every film nominated for Best Picture should be coupled with the film’s director. Period. If the film is good enough to be nominated for Best Picture, the person who was a central figure, if not the central figure, in molding the acclaimed final product should get due credit. That’s my two cents.

It’s nice to see that Leonard DiCaprio was left off the Best Actor list, as I felt his portrayal in J. Edgar was one of the worst performances of his career (that is still pretty damn good by most standards). His acting felt forced, and I didn’t think he deserved to be included like he was for this year’s Golden Globes. Also getting snubbed in their sophomore effort are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their work on… you guessed it, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The pair won the Oscar last year for The Social Network, and despite composing an amazing score for the film, they were left off the list of nominees. Yet, if you look at the list, John Williams is nominated twice for two different films. I don’t agree with that at all.

I think the category to watch will be Best Actress. Those listening to the podcast know my position on Meryl Streep winning Best Actress at the Golden Globes this year (I was not happy), and now she is up against even more talent with Michelle Williams being added to the mix for her work in My Week With Marilyn. Williams also won at the Globes, but in a different category for actresses (Comedy/Musical). I will get this out of the way now, if Streep wins the Academy Award for Best Actress I will lose faith in all humanity. She is up against Rooney Mara (who should win), Michelle Williams (who also deserves a W), Viola Davis (who could be the dark horse here) and Glenn Close. I really want Mara to win for her total transformation into the dark persona that is Lisbeth Salander, but I’d be fine with Williams or Davis winning. Just not Streep! She shouldn’t get awards in 2012 just because she has had a long and illustrious career.

You can tune into the Oscars Sunday, Feburary 26th. And of course, after the awards show, we will have all our thoughts right here on the Mash.

Best Picture

“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer

“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer

“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined

“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”

George Clooney in “The Descendants”

Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”

Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”

Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”

Nick Nolte in “Warrior”

Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”

Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”

Viola Davis in “The Help”

Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”

Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”

Jessica Chastain in “The Help”

Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”

Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”

Octavia Spencer in “The Help”

Animated Feature Film

“A Cat in Paris” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli

“Chico & Rita” Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

“Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer Yuh Nelson

“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller

“Rango” Gore Verbinski

Art Direction

“The Artist” Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan

“Hugo” Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

“Midnight in Paris” Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil

“War Horse” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography

“The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth

“Hugo” Robert Richardson

“The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki

“War Horse” Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design

“Anonymous” Lisy Christl

“The Artist” Mark Bridges

“Hugo” Sandy Powell

“Jane Eyre” Michael O’Connor

“W.E.” Arianne Phillips

Directing

“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius

“The Descendants” Alexander Payne

“Hugo” Martin Scorsese

“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen

“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature)

“Hell and Back Again” Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner

“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman

“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs

“Pina” Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel

“Undefeated” TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject)

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin

“God Is the Bigger Elvis” Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson

“Incident in New Baghdad”James Spione

“Saving Face” Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing

“The Artist” Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

“The Descendants” Kevin Tent

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

“Hugo” Thelma Schoonmaker

“Moneyball” Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film

“Bullhead” Belgium

“Footnote” Israel

“In Darkness” Poland

“Monsieur Lazhar” Canada

“A Separation” Iran

Makeup

“Albert Nobbs” Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng

“The Iron Lady” Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)

“The Adventures of Tintin” John Williams

“The Artist” Ludovic Bource

“Hugo” Howard Shore

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Alberto Iglesias

“War Horse” John Williams

Music (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

“Real in Rio” from “Rio” Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Short Film (Animated)

“Dimanche/Sunday” Patrick Doyon

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

“La Luna” Enrico Casarosa

“A Morning Stroll” Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe

“Wild Life” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)

“Pentecost” Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane

“Raju” Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren

“The Shore” Terry George and Oorlagh George

“Time Freak” Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey

“Tuba Atlantic” Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing

“Drive” Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Ren Klyce

“Hugo” Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl

“War Horse” Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson

“Hugo” Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

“Moneyball” Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin

“War Horse” Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson

“Hugo” Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning

“Real Steel” Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

“Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan

“The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon

“Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“The Artist” Written by Michel Hazanavicius

“Bridesmaids” Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig

“Margin Call” Written by J.C. Chandor

“Midnight in Paris” Written by Woody Allen

“A Separation” Written by Asghar Farhadi

What Do You Think Of The Nominees?

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

I came across a trailer for Dominik Johnson’s new album World/Acoustic/Cinematic not knowing anything about him or his music. At only 24 years old, Dominik is making his passion for an array of world string instruments a key asset for making quality modern music productions unique and intriguing. With this multi-instrument talent, he has landed the opportunity to do a good deal of soundtrack production and design for multiple independent film productions, the BBC, Channel4, and NBC. He even got the chance to play the bouzouki and saz for parts of the 007: Blood Stone video game soundtrack under the guidance of the highly successful composer, Richard Jaques. Hit the jump to learn more about what Johnson thinks of his rising success as a session artist, composer, and producer, and view the World/Acoustic/Cinematic trailer.

Up to this point, Johnson has released four library albums featuring the following instruments from around the world (via his website):

How to Watch Movies is a series of articles designed to help our readers get the most out of their movie watching experience.  I find that I get the most enjoyment from films when I take the time to really appreciate the deeper levels of the movie.  I hope the advice and methods that I give you can help you enjoy the movies you watch even more.

For a lot of movie fans film theory has a bad rap. It seems to most people that thoughtful film critics get off on tearing apart horrible or popular movies. While that may be true for some of them, most critics, theorists and cinephiles value quality film making and technical prowess and find entertainment value in decoding the complex language of film. I for one would like to set the record straight.

There is a marked difference between good movies and movies you like. I can, and certainly do, like movies that are not good and there are some very good movies that I don’t like. These categories are not mutually exclusive. As a prime example of the former, I LOVE Pauly Shore movies. They are just the right kind of funny for me, but shoot me the day I say any one of them is actually a good film. Basically there are a lot of different ways to view a film and I would like to introduce you to some of the ways I have learned to digest them. Let’s start with the fairly basic, mise-en-scène and how this lens can be applied to my favorite film The Fall.

To start I can say that, over the course of my education, mise-en-scène has never really been properly defined. According to Wikipedia (I know, it’s a second rate source, but none of my books even gave me a translation from French!) the term means “placing on stage.” Originally, it was a term used in stage theater to describe set dressing. Like much of the vocabulary taken from stage, it has been changed over time and adopted by film theorist as a particular “lens” through witch to watch and analyze movies.

First a working definition. Mise-en-scène, for our purposes, will mean anything you see on the screen. To fully grasp this, one has to realize the fundamental nature of movies; that nothing about filmmaking is natural!  The props, sets, lighting, music, angles and actors are all placed specifically by the director and crew; thus everything is in the shot for a reason and nothing is “just there.”

With this in mind, I would like to say that mise-en-scne analysis should not be looked at as a separate mode of film analysis but as a fundamental part of all methods of study. Attention to detail is incredibly important to analyze any film, so every shot should be scrutinized at length. What this tool of analysis is really about is seeing what the director places in front of you and deciphering his or her message.

Film has a language; it is one of images, sound, tone and performance. Combined, these pieces create the picture in front of you, one that is almost always coded, hidden beneath layers of meaning and abstract signs. The practice of reading signs is called semiotics, but we will come to that at another time. First, watch this video for the title sequence of Tarsem Singh’s The Fall.

To fully appreciate what is going on in this clip you would have to watch the entire film, which I highly recommend, but for now, we can simply look at what Tarsem has done here. The first image, the man breaking the surface of the river and the synchronization with the music immediately convey to the viewer the feel of the film; subtle and beautiful. Harmony in every aspect of production.

The real magic of the scene, however, lies in the use of foreshadowing. Many of the images and themes are reproduced later in the film. The violence in the water, the wounded leg, the shape of the steam engine’s chimney, the enamored woman with the locket. Characters are reused as well; the Indian, the mustached man, and the handsome gentleman all reappear in different roles (some with different faces). The director shows us what to look for before the movie properly starts!

In the sequence to follow, camera movement and choreography come in to play as well as props and set design. The same care taken to sync action and music during the credits is seen in this sequence, but used to frame shots and depict motion to create near perfect symmetry. Within one minute of seeing the dead horse lifted from the water, an equine marionette is seen in the children’s ward of the hospital. The same ward has beds lining each side of the room, if two characters move screen right, two more move screen left, when a nurse leaves a building a patient enters. There are examples of balance throughout this sequence, hinting at the chaotic story still to come.

Mise-en-scène analysis is above all tools to be utilized to better assess the quality of the film making. As I stated before, nothing about the production of a film is natural, I know this from experience. Every little piece has to be placed just right in order to convey actual, deep meaning.

In watching a movie like The Fall, it is obvious the director had a very specific plan, one that required everything on screen to be placed perfectly. Looking specifically at mise-en-scène, however, is not enough to glean any real themes or messages; what you see are simply signs that need to be decoded. Other modes of reading film rely heavily on your ability to see patterns and signs, so for now, use your eyes and pay attention!

What Do You Think? Discuss.

As many movie buffs know, the Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday for the 83rd Oscars ceremony set to take place on February 27th. Of course not all of our favorite movies, actors, directors, or writers can be nominated; but seriously, some of the snubs by the snobs on the nomination panel are starting to get a little sickening. This year’s list of nominees is not only missing a few notable names, but features an actress being placed into the wrong category. The list this year is so absurd in places it has infuriated me so much I will vent to anyone who says “Oscars.” Hit the jump to read my frustrations with this year’s nominees.

First things first, some little known director named “Christopher Nolan” was left off the nominees list for Best Director. I haven’t seen any of his movies or anything, but I hear he is a solid director and deserved a nomination. Seriously Academy, how in the eff could you possibly in your right mind leave Nolan off this list of nominees?

Granted, you don’t have to pick him to win, because we all know you love the ‘art house’ film that employs camera aesthetics to reveal character emotions, but to leave his name off the list is simply an insult. Inception was one of the most visually breathtaking movies I have ever seen in my entire life. The concept alone, also conceived by Nolan, was mind bending. But the fact the man was able to pull it off for the screen in a coherent fashion is a feat I doubt many others could have accomplished.

Just think for a minute about how many of the scenes from Inception were absolutely astonishing; think of the action sequences that your mind had to be working at full capacity to comprehend the drama unfolding on the multiple layers of the dream. The images in this film were amongst the best of the year. You could tell Nolan had his hands all over this project, one of the highest grossing films of the year, and his exclusion from this list is a mockery of the entire film industry.

I personally loved The King’s Speech, I thought it was one of the best films of 2010. But including Tom Hooper’s name on the list of Best Director is simply because the film is a front runner in the Best Picture category, not because his effort was extraordinary. Hooper had a lot of great shots that helped tell this story, but to choose him over Nolan, really? The same can be said for the Coen Brothers grabbing a nomination in the category. True Grit had great cinematography, and the Coens are always in the mix come award season, but to add them to the list for a film with nothing special over Inception that was nothing but special is disgraceful.

The other three nominees truly deserved their inclusion in this category (David Fincher for The Social Network, Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan, and David O. Russell for The Fighter). All three used visuals to help tell these stories — especially Fincher. For a movie comprised of almost all dialogue, The Social Network never felt dull or boring. In my opinion, the opposite can be said for True Grit. The film dragged on for me because of the overwhelming amount of dialogue coupled with the Coen’s lack of creative storytelling.

On the topic of Inception, the film was also left off the Best Editing list of nominees. As I said above, for this film to come off as understandable by the end is the work of top notch directing and editing. The various dream sequences stacked on top of each other is something that could only be pulled off with superb editing. Inception had a large team of editors led by Lee Smith. Inception is arguably the most complex film of the year, and the fact it came together so well is the result of inventive editing.

This might sound like a rant from a fanboy, but that isn’t the case. I love comics, superhero movies, etc., but my movie taste is well-rounded. I didn’t love Inception because I am a Nolan die-hard, I did because it was a jaw-dropping intelligent blockbuster. If The King’s Speech had better direction than Inception, I would be fine with Hooper making the cut. I just want justice and the Academy committee to quit leaving out a deserving film because of its ‘blockbuster status.’

I have highlight the fact Leonardo DiCaprio got the shaft from the Academy once again. Seriously? Did you see him in Shutter Island? My dislike for True Grit is widely known; but I did think Jeff Bridges did a fine job acting his shallow written character. However, him being nominated over Leo’s emotionally unstable and psychotic character Teddy is a joke, an outrage — maybe a scandal? The transition for Leo’s character in that film from scene to scene, from beginning to end, is difficult to swallow. Initially he is a callous cop that is hell-bent on solving the mystery of the missing woman. By the end, Leo’s character is an emotionally unstable mess discovering haunting things about his past. How was he not nominated?

Shutter Island SPOILER ALERT:

I like Bridges as an actor, but his character in True Grit wasn’t profound, deep, or very interesting at all. To say he deserved a nomination over Leo is reprehensible. The scene in Shutter Island where Leo discovers his three young children drowned by his insane wife is one of the most powerful moments in cinema I have ever witnessed — ever. Each time I watch the scene I am connected with Teddy’s devastation as he swims to pull his lifeless children to the shore. The emotion pouring from Leo’s character in that scene alone warrant him a nomination. Will Leo ever get his golden statue?

My last beef with this year’s nominees comes with the nomination of Hailee Steinfeld for her role in True Grit. Please don’t think for a second she doesn’t merit the nomination because she was excellent in the film. My problem stems with her being under the Best Supporting Actress category. How does a film’s leading character get nominated as a supporting actress? She is not only the female lead in the film, she is almost the only female in the entire film. Yet, she is nominated in the Best Supporting category.

I heard one expert claim this was done strategically to give her a chance to win because the Best Actress category is so strong with performances from Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Annette Benning in The Kids Are Alright, and Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole. I honestly do not understand how this is even possible. If a character is the film’s lead, then Best Actor/Actress is the nomination. If the character is supporting the lead, then Best Supporting is the nomination. Is there really a gray area to blur the lines and nominate an actor in a different category?

On a quick note, how did TRON: Legacy get left off the list for Best Visual Effects? The only really great thing from the film was the visuals –Hell, most of the film is computer generated visuals. Alice in Wonderland was nominated, and the visuals in the movie were terrible in the post converted 3D — Truly baffling.

Anyway, another year, another list of deserving people getting wrongfully left on the outside looking in. For the full list of nominees, hit the LINK. Check out the 83rd Academy Awards February 27th, 2011.

What Do You Think? Discuss.

The five Oscar nominations for Best Score have been announced for the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony. The list goes as follows: The Social Network by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Inception by Hans Zimmer, The King’s Speech by Alexandre Desplat, 127 Hours by A.R. Rahman, and How to Train Your Dragon by John Powell. All of these soundtracks are worthy of a nomination. I have a hard time zoning in on one soundtrack I want to see take the cake. However, I can give you some insight as to what exactly these soundtracks have to offer. That way you can understand where the competition is coming from within each soundtrack on February 27th.

First up, The King’s Speech by Alexandre Desplat, which has more of a melodic, slow-paced feel to it. There is a range of emphasis on symphony instruments with a lot of gorgeous buildups that sometimes surprise viewers by the intensity. One minute you will be listening to the slow rhythm of a piano and within seconds you are engulfed by the whirlwind of a loud and beautifully controlled symphony. Desplat is well known for his recent works on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts 1 and 2) soundtrack, which up to this point has not got the recognition it deserves. Regardless, while listening to The King’s Speech soundtrack you may be able to pick out sounds that remind you of Harry Potter. The King’s Speech is a beautiful soundtrack that has a firm hold on its nomination spot. I would not be surprised if Alexandre Desplat wins the award.

127 Hours has a great soundtrack that ranges from ambient, down tempo beats with slow strums of a guitar, to melodic strings, to unbelievably intense strings that pick up in the heat of the moment. Clearly, this is perfect for the film’s desert setting. Some of the songs in the soundtrack include vocals for harmonization, while other songs like “If I Rise” feature vocal accompaniment by Dido. “If I Rise” is composed ambient sounds, down tempo beats, and a simple guitar rhythm mixed with Dido’s captivating voice for a serious ear pleasing experience. I have a serious obsession with this song, along with many other of the songs on the soundtrack. I think A.R. Rahman’s soundtrack brings uniqueness to the table featuring an abundance of down tempo beats and ambient themed songs.

As you may know, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross already won the Golden Globe for Best Original Soundtrack on The Social Network. I tip my hat to the cover of “Creep” by Scala and the Kolacny Brothers that made an epic memorable entrance in the film. The rest of the soundtrack for The Social Network is compelling to people with taste in electronic music. Electronic music does not always receive a lot of recognition in movies. Maybe due to its lack of original instrumentation. However, Reznor and Ross did compile some distinguished dark electronic music for this soundtrack. The opening sequence with the song “In Motion” really gets the audience going from the get go. The nightclub scene also stands firm in my memory as one of my favorite parts in the film, and from the soundtrack. Overall, The Social Network features a good soundtrack that has earned its place, but does it deserve an Oscar? We will see.

[Editor's Note: If you own The Social Network on Blu-Ray or DVD, check out the special features disc for an in-depth look at the the creation of the music for the film.]

Obviously, the legendary Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for Inception made it into the nominees. It contains enormous amounts of energy from a full band and orchestra that makes any music enthusiast proud. All of the music within the soundtrack contains appropriate transitions that are not always predictable, which makes listening to the soundtrack simply enjoyable. From the strong brass and strings to the slow decrescendo of a piano, the soundtrack has a captivating ability to make you feel the intensity of the movie Inception. If you have seen the movie, I suggest going YouTube to listen to a track or two. I would be surprised if you could not recall the moment in the movie where the music was resonating through the speakers. Hans Zimmer has once again, made a strong standing as a nominee at the 2011 Academy Awards.

Indeed, the underdog in the nominations is John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack. Not because the soundtrack barely made it into the running, but because the film was made for children. Yes, I know that is not supposed to play a factor in Best Score, but this is the Academy Awards. I have a feeling the Academy thought they were making themselves look good by adding John Powell to the list of nominees. However, I think the soundtrack is one of the most solid soundtracks of the five nominations. The soundtrack does an amazing job of capturing the enchantment and setting in the animated fantasy. The music includes a lot of emphasis on strings and the occasional flute for an Icelandic feel, which is the location setting for the film. If you have not seen the film as an adult viewer, I highly recommend you watch it or read Matt’s review. It would be awesome to see How to Train Your Dragon take home Oscar because of its underdog status.

There you have it folks, the contenders for Best Score at this year’s Oscar. I hope my information has provided you with some quick insight as to what these soundtracks have to offer. I still cannot say exactly who I want to win the Oscar. I will tell you that I am not pulling for The Social Network, and I hope to see one of the other four take it. I will let you draw your own conclusions about the soundtracks and who you think deserves the ‘W.’

Who do you want to see take home the Oscar for Best Score?

What Do You Think? Discuss.

Let me start by saying that I did not go into Beauty and the Briefcase with an open mind. Netflix recommended it to me based on my interest in Desperate Housewives, or something equally appealing. In desperate need to unwind after the first week of the semester, I decided to give it a try despite my hatred of Hilary Duff, whose career, if you ask me, should have been halted when Lizzy McGuire came to an end.

First of all, the story line was predictable, sexist and so cutesy that it made me want to projectile vomit all over Duff’s character’s Cosmopolitan magazine shrine that’s posted on her bedroom wall. Journalist Lane (Duff), goes under cover at an office in search of her dream man. She’s supposed to find him and write a cover story for Cosmo on romance in the work place. The problem is that she stumbles upon her dream man one night at a bar and he doesn’t sport the mandatory suit. After going back and forth and finding out that he’s a gigantic liar, Lane drops the man and writes her story about not finding her prince. Then (shock, I know), she falls in love with her boss. The end. I was surprised that I made it all the way through.

The talent was what could be expected from Duff: shallow, boring, and the same old ditsy girl role. Chris Carmack played the lying heart throb, who you may remember from old Abercrombie & Fitch ads or Luke in the OC. He makes for excellent eye-candy, but terrible acting. If there was a reason that I resisted shutting off the movie one third of the way through, it was solely thanks to his looks. Jaime Pressly made a few brief appearances as the Cosmo editor and Michael McMillian played the love interest boss. Neither performed well enough to be all that memorable.

After wasting 86 minutes of my life on Beauty and the Briefcase, I’ve lost a bit of faith in Netflix’s recommendations. I’ve also found a new appreciation for Carmack. One thing that remains the same is my extreme dislike of Duff and all of her work.

Do NOT Netflix this.

What Do You Think? Discuss.