Pink we want to see.

Red we absolutely HAVE TO see… Life depends on it.

*

SUMMER 2012

Photo Credit: csmonitor.com

5/4: Marvel’s The Avengers

5/11: Dark Shadows

5/18: Battleship

5/18: The Dictator

Photo credit: ZoeCarter.com

5/18: What to Expect When You’re Expecting

5/25: Men in Black III

5/25: Chernobyl Diaries

6/1: Battlefield America

Photo credit: zap2it.com

6/1: Snow White and the Huntsman

6/8: Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

6/8: Prometheus

6/15: Rock of Ages

6/15: That’s My Boy

Photo credit: EW.com

6/22: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

6/22: Brave

6/22: Seeking A Friend for the End of the World

6/29: G.I. Joe: Retaliation

6/29 Magic Mike

6/29: People Like Us

6/29: Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection

7/6: The Amazing Spider-Man

7/6: Savages

7/13: Ice Age: Continental Drift

7/13: Ted

Photo credit: moviesmedia.ign.com

7/20: The Dark Knight Rises

7/27: Neighborhood Watch

7/27: Step Up Revolution

8/3: The Bourne Legacy

8/3: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Photo credit: geeky-gadgets.com

8/3: Total Recall

8/10: The Campaign

8/10: Hope Springs

8/17: The Expendables 2

8/17: The Odd Life of Timothy Green

8/17: Paranorman

Photo credit: collider.com

8/17: Sparkle

8/24: The Apparition

8/24: Hit & Run

8/24: Premium Rush

8/31: 7500

8/31: Lawless *possible push back to 2013

8/31: The Possession

Coming soon: the look-ahead for both Oscars 2013 and next year’s biggest titles.

Photo credit: Moviespad.com

Early weekend numbers are in, and in a bit of a pleasant surprise ‘Think Like A Man’ has come out on top with an estimated $33 million. For a film that cost approximately $13 million to make, that figure isn’t too shabby.  It’s also an impressive feat because the movie- based on Steve Harvey’s self-help book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man – opened to about 2,000 screens domestically, that’s 1,000 fewer than its closest competitor this weekend, ‘The Lucky One.’

To better understand what this movie has achieved for a predominantly black audience, compare it to Tyler Perry’s most recent films – ‘Madea’s Big Happy Family,’ which brought in $25 million in its first weekend, or ‘For Colored Girls,’ which opened with about $20 million. Even Perry’s popular ‘Why Did I Get Married Too’ brought in $30.2 million.

When you really look at the way ‘Think Like A Man’ was marketed, it’s not as much of a surprise. There are several components that explain the success of the film, many of which are traditional  promotional ploys. Most obviously, it’s got one hell of a cast. From Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson, to arguably the most popular comedian today – Kevin Hart, audiences can easily find an actor they like here.

Photo credit: Zap2it.com

There’s a science behind the casting that inadvertently adds to the appeal, one I call the “family reunion.” Several of the actors have worked together in the past, either directly or by varying degrees of separation.  Gabrielle Union is a point of contact for many of her costars- Union and Regina Hall were together in ‘Honeymooners,’ and Union and Meagan Good played sisters in ‘Deliver Us From Eva.’ A cameo by Morris Chestnut reunites him with Taraji P. Henson, a romantic pair last seen in ‘Not Easily Broken.’ Chris Brown’s cameo puts him in bed with Meagan Good, costars (though the two never meet) in ‘Stomp the Yard.’ Brown also reunites with Michael Ealy, who played his older brother in ‘Takers.’  A fan favorite reunion – funny men Kevin Hart and Romany Malco also have a few moments, these two were last seen together in a hilarious scene in ‘The 40 Year-Old Virgin.’

Chalk it up to the beautiful women, but according to THR, a staggering 63% of the weekend audience flocking to see this film were men. It’s not just the leading ladies, the comedy in this film holds a lot of weight for men with Hart at the helm, Malco as a familiar face, but also Gary Owen – an understated but heavily praised comedian who frequently works with the likes of Mike Epps, Martin Lawrence and the Wayans Brothers. Another familiar face is Jerry Ferrara. Fans of the hit show Entourage often thought of Ferrara’s character Turtle as the most likeable one. His role in this film is kind of a continuation of his Turtle-ish shenanigans.

Another marketing tactic is the “aerial attack.” In an interview with IndieWire, producer Will Packer explains the importance of reaching the audiences that resonate with the film’s subject matter. Themes of relationships, wealth, and success in a big city (in this case Los Angeles) explain why they promoted heavily on shows like “Basketball Wives,” and during televised NBA games (which also explains the many basketball scenes and athlete cameos). Of course, there’s the enormous influence of social media that marries the cast and the previews to the audience directly. In this day and age, if you can get people Tweeting about a film, whether good or bad, will inevitably drive more people to see it. It certainly helps that a vast majority of black Twitter follows Kevin Hart.

Photo credit: zap2it.com

With the keen comedic eye of director Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four), ‘Think Like A Man’ pairs comedy with moments of drama in a very smart way for any romantic comedy – never too much of either. There’s just enough to laugh at, take from, and certainly enough to lust after (here’s looking at you, Michael Ealy), for everyone. That explains why, as Packer put it, “this isn’t the number one lower-budgeted film, or the number one African American Film, or the number one film for a particular audience; It’s the number one movie in America, period.”

Photo credit: TheSnipeNew.com

It’s safe to say that the odds will be in favor of most fans of The Hunger Games eagerly awaiting the first installment of the series’ film adaptation. How’s that for a one line review?

In detail:

This one… is likely to please even the most devoted Suzanne Collins reader, in the way that it accurately brings the destructive world of Panem to life. Though the film is being heralded for sticking closely to the series- and we don’t argue, it’s a very close adaptation – there are a few things left out. Whether or not that helps or hurts the film narrative is left up to us, the avid moviegoers. I say it helps.

Every film can’t perfectly emulate the books they are based on, but The Hunger Games – directed by Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Big) – does make a much appreciated point of emphasizing detail, even if only slightly. Those are the moments that make it entertaining from beginning to end. Ross is careful to play with the fantasy world, match it with the harsh realities that are themes of the book, and somehow – make it all look seamless on camera. We see all of the important moments, the ones that are core to Collins’ story.

Needless to say,  Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone, X-Men: First Class)  is an emotional powerhouse. In portraying Katniss, she concentrates on the strength of the character – strength being the very essence of Katniss – and also on the fear. There are moments where you can feel the absolute terror, and see it in her eyes. These two emotions are central to the story. These are, after all, children fighting to the death.

Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia, The Kids Are All Right) speaks little, but says a lot as the caring, conflicted Peeta. In stark contrast to his other co-star, relative newcomer Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song) who plays Gale, Hutcherson has a lot of range. He is compelling, while the best of Hemsworth is left to be seen. Though, in Gale’s defense, the full extent of this character’s emotional abilities waits until the third book, where it is certainly tested. We can look forward to that.

There are a few things that could have been emphasized more. Most noticeably, characters and their backgrounds. The relationship between Katniss and her sister Prim (played by new talent Willow Shields) gets a lot of time, but their mother’s history is only really known to those who have read the book. So is the term “avox.” And, what I thought was really important – Cinna’s team of fashion experts are nowhere to be found. Only Cinna, played by a very subdued Lenny Kravitz, is given face time. And trust me, Kravitz is no Christian Siriano about it. He is kind of just Lenny Kravitz… in a film…as himself.

What does shine through, is the fact that the teenage cast is supported so heavily in stellar performances by veterans Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland. Even Elizabeth Banks, who is quickly becoming a household name, is a scene stealer.  The Games themselves are visually stimulating. There is a lot done with CG imagery and futuristic technology (appropriately so), but that’s not the real gem. A conscious decision was made, perhaps between the director’s wishes for the narrative and the cinematographer vision for the way it manifests, to hone in on the physicality of the Hunger Games. When it comes time to battle, every footstep, run, jump, and arrow are lively.

There are moments that make a movie what it is. That capture the entire message in one quick scene, or start another conversation where the current one leaves off. One such scene in this film has nothing to do with any character we’ve already mentioned. It has to do with one tribute that dies (not a spoiler, most of them do), and the incredibly moving moment in her district that follows. It’s the first indication of tension in the series that eventually guides the sequels, and so many of us watching couldn’t help but pull that scene out of the movie and resonate with it. The underlying message of The Hunger Games is one that isn’t completely lost on this country, this reality, here today. Without spoiling, the moment that District 11 has… is a favorite.

In summary: 

The Hunger Games stays in action when necessary, and when we depart from it for something more frivolous (yes, this is where those boy things come in), it isn’t  forced. It’s a very well-guided narrative.

Photo credit: Popsugar.com

Hundreds of fans flocked to  L.A.’s Nokia Theater, awaiting the cast arrivals at the premiere of the first film adaptation of best-selling series “The Hunger Games.”  Just like we’ve seen before with tween-friendly franchises “Harry Potter” and “Twilight,” fans arrived decked out in Hunger Games garb, clutching their copies of the sci-fi trilogy for autographs, and holding up signs declaring their allegiance to either Team Gale or Team Peeta (the “teams” also carried over from Twilight), characters played by heartthrobs Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. Luckily this particular series is enjoyable for everyone – the books are heralded more for the action/adventure appeal than the leading men.

Coming from an impressive awards season run last year for her performance in “Winter’s Bone,” Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence, who plays the main character Katniss Everdeen, stunned the charcoal carpet in a floor-length, backless gold Prabal Gurung gown.  The franchise is propelling Lawrence into the same Hollywood storm of attention that at first shook “Twilight” star Kristen Stewart, and last night it was clear that she isn’t used to the screaming fans just yet. Lawrence told E! reporters “Right now I’m terrified out of my mind!”

Fan favorite Josh Hutcherson showed up in a three piece grey Z Zegna suit, and appeared to fly solo but posed for lots of pictures with adoring fans.  Hutcherson is no stranger to the action-adventure genre, having just finished promoting “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” with Dwayne Johnson, and not long ago he starred in the first “Cirque du Freak” adaptation.

Hemsworth, known a little for his film work but a lot more for his ongoing relationship with singer-actress Miley Cyrus, looked dapper in a Dolce & Gabbana suit. But it was Miley – donning a risky Emilio Pucci maxi skirt and belly shirt number – who really turned heads.  Cyrus chatted openly about how proud she is of her boyfriend (really, they gushed about each other), saying “I’m ready for the rest of the world to see it too.”

The world better get used to Lawrence, Hutcherson, and Hemsworth because “The Hunger Games,” directed by Gary Ross,  is the first of three films planned for the next couple of years. And, according to reports, production for the next one is expected to begin later this summer.

“The Hunger Games” also stars Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson and Lenny Kravitz, and is slated to be released nationwide on March 23rd.

photo credit: THR.com

A few sure things, a few surprises, a few snubs… but overall – not bad.

First off, I am thrilled to see ‘Hugo’ and ‘The Artist’ lead the pack with 11 and 10 nominations, respectively.  Sure, the self-reflective nature of those nominations hint at the Academy really praising itself, but more importantly – the acknowledgement of masterful filmmaking is exactly right. I suspect one of these two will win the Best Picture award.

That goes for the Best Director category as well.

Noticeably present in the Best Picture category is ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.’ Thank you, Oscars, for including this film where the Golden Globes couldn’t. If it were eligible for the Globes, I have no doubt in my mind that it would have won Best Drama. In this race, it might not be strong enough to edge out ‘The Artist’ or ‘Hugo’, but we’ll take the nod.

I am completely floored to see that Tilda Swinton is not nominated. I’m still going with Viola Davis for the win, but Meryl Streep is – and will always be – the elephant in the room of the Best Actress category. And, it’s a shame (wait for it) that Michael Fassbender isn’t nominated for ‘Shame.’ Ryan Gosling is noticeably missing also. But. Finally. Gary Oldman may just be the Jeff Bridges upset of this year for Best Actor.

Melissa McCarthy is every bit deserving of her Oscar nomination.  I’m also glad that the Academy can acknowledge the appeal of a blockbuster for what it is: a movie-going experience. You’ll see that films like ‘Harry Potter’ (though I think this should be a Best Picture nod… whatever), ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ and even ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ are being recognized for their use of special effects.

Like I said, a few sure things, a few surprises, some snubs… but overall – not bad.

Take it all with a grain of salt. The Oscars continue to decrease in value in my honest opinion, if only for the stickler rules that bar a lot of quality films from being celebrated (the “must be reviewed by NYTimes or LATimes to be considered rule is absolute crap. And, yes, I’m still mad about Waiting for Superman). But there’s also the perpetual ass-kissing of A-listers who genuinely don’t deserve to be recognized – and yet they always are. Perhaps the Academy will never shake the stigma of having their noses turned upwards, perhaps they don’t care to. If Billy Crystal coming back to host is any indication, the Oscars will always be for that Sunday evening crowd.

My winners in RED, upsets are BOLD. 

2012 Oscar Nominations.

Best Picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Actor

Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Director

Michel Hazanivicus, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Original Screenplay

Michel Hazanivicius, The Artist
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo, Bridesmaids
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants
John Logan, Hugo
George Clooney, Beau Willimon and Grant Heslov, The Ides of March
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Foreign Feature

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Art Direction

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Costume Design

Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Documentary Feature

Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Documentary Short Subject

(no opinion on this)

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Film Editing

Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Kevin Tent, The Descendants
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Thelma Schoonmaker, Hugo
Christopher Tellefsen, Moneyball

Makeup

Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle, Albert Nobbs
Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, The Iron Lady

Music (Original Score)

John Williams, The Adventures of Tintin
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Howard Shore, Hugo
Alberto Iglesias, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John Williams, War Horse

Music (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett

Sound Editing

Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Sound Mixing

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Everyone….

From Spike Lee, to George Lucas, to Terrance Howard, to…Ne-Yo. 

photo credit: LATimes.com

Much better, Golden Globes.

Usually….it’s the reverse, but this year I’m happier with Globe nominations than I am with the SAGs. Usually, the SAG voters cheer on the underdogs, throwing their support behind films that you may not have heard of, but can trust will be worth the watch – if only to see quality acting.  This year, the SAG Awards seemed to play favorites in some categories (others were perfectly deserving).

So here’s why the Globes win:

1. Oh, there’s young Hollywood. Shailene Woodley, Rooney Mara, Ryan Gosling, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jonah Hill are all highlighted for their performances.

2. Oh, THERE IS MICHAEL FASSBENDER. Sadly, still no Gary Oldman. (Again, you don’t need Leo DiCaprio, Academy.)

3. Could it be true? Did Hollywood really take Judd Apatow’s “more comedy recognition” bitch-fit into consideration?

Because ‘Bridesmaids’ is all over the place. Unfortunately, Melissa McCarthy is the one that deserves the nod, not Kristen Wiig.

On the television side, new names like Episodes and New Girl (oh, ok.) have replaced those staples that were ’30 Rock’ and ‘Big Bang Theory’ for comedy, but no one will be surprised if Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin win again. No one.  There are a few sure things: Kate Winslet will win again. Downton Abbey will win again. And if the Emmy’s are any indication here… the odds will work in favor of Julianne Marguiles.

Personally, I’m thrilled to see Idris Elba, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Fassbender getting recognition for their respective efforts this year. I’ve lobbied for their talent, and they deserve the accolades (and bigger roles!). I’m NOT happy about the Gary Oldman snub, nor do I think George Clooney should be nominated for best director.  Also surprised to see Nick Nolte and Armei Hammer left off the list.

The category WAY too close to call: Best Actress, Drama. 

But Glenn Close turned into a man, so she will probably win.

And several others could go any which way. But, I’ll try to guess the winners, and in the coming weeks leading up to the big night I’ll explain why these titles each deserve to be nominated (or not).

NOTE: I’ve omitted Best Foreign… though it’ll probably go to Angelina Jolie, Best Original Song, and Best Score – because I have yet to critically watch/listen to all of those nominated.

PINK IS MY WINNER. RED IS  MY UPSET.

MOTION PICTURE

BEST PICTURE, DRAMA
‘War Horse’
‘The Ides of March’
‘The Help’
‘Moneyball’
‘Hugo’

BEST PICTURE, COMEDY
‘The Artist’
’50/50′
‘Bridesmaids’
‘My Week With Marilyn’
‘Midnight in Paris’

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
George Clooney in ‘The Descendants’
Brad Pitt in ‘Moneyball’
Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘J.Edgar’
Ryan Gosling in ‘The Ides of March’
Michael Fassbender in ‘Shame’

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Viola Davis in ‘The Help’
Meryl Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’
Tilda Swinton in ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’
Rooney Mara in ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’
Glenn Close in ‘Albert Nobbs’

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Jean Dujardin in ‘The Artist’
Brendan Gleeson in ‘The Guard’
Owen Wilson in ‘Midnight in Paris’
Joseph Gorden-Levitt in ’50/50′
Ryan Gosling in ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Michelle Williams, ‘My Week With Marilyn’
Jodie Foster, ‘Carnage’
Kristen Wiig, ‘Bridesmaids’
Charlize Theron, ‘Young Adult’
Kate Winslet, ‘Carnage’

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Brooks, ‘Drive’
Christopher Plummer, ‘Beginners’
Kenneth Branagh, ‘My Week With Marilyn’
Jonah Hill, ‘Moneyball’
Viggo Mortensen, ‘A Dangerous Method’

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo, ‘The Artist’
Octavia Spencer, ‘The Help’
Jessica Chastain, ‘The Help’
Janet McTeer, ‘Albert Nobbs’
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants’

BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese, ‘Hugo’
George Clooney, ‘The Ides of March’
Michel Hazanavicius, ‘The Artist’
Alexander Payne, ‘The Descendants’
Woody Allen, ‘Midnight in Paris’

BEST SCREENPLAY
‘Midnight in Paris’
‘The Ides of March’
‘The Artist’
‘The Descendants’
‘Moneyball’

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
‘Rango’
‘The Adventures of Tintin’
‘Puss in Boots’
‘Arthur Christmas’
‘Cars 2′

TELEVISION

BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

BEST COMEDY SERIES
New Girl
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias
Damian Lewis, Homeland

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Claire Danes, Homeland
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
David Duchovny, Californication
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Laura Linney, The Big C

BEST TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Mildred Pierce
Too Big Too Fail
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Hour

BEST ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES 
William Hurt, Too Big Too Fail
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Idris Elba, Luther
Bill Nighy, Page Eight
Dominic West, Appropriate Adult

SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES 
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti, To Big To Fail
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce