Terminator Salvation

Great one-sheet...

The end begins...

Confessions of a Lazy Blogger

1. I am lazy.
   
2. Although I have been lazy about blogging, I have seen a fair number of blog-worthy movies this summer.
3. I've also seen a bunch of crap this summer.

That being said, here are my Top 5 Summer '08 Favorites (movies & beyond) and 5 Things I'm Looking Forward To This Fall:

Top 5 Summer '08 Favorites

1. The Dark Knight - Even with all Heath Ledger hype and overblown promotions, this movie (3 PB Jars) exceeded all of my expectations. It's probably my favorite superhero movie of all time, a few notches above...
2. Iron Man - Sort of the yang to The Dark Knight's ying: almost as enthralling and a bit more fun. Whereas the newest Batman film seemed a tad bit dark for summer fare, Iron Man (3 PB Jars) hit the blockbuster sweetspot.
3. "I Love Money" (VH1) - A lot of TV shows have no shame, but this all-star edition of the Flavor of Love/Rock of Love/I Love New York franchise has been the ultimate summer entertainment. Pumkin, Frank The Entertainer, and The Stallionaires have filled the "Office"-less TV void quite nicely.
4. "Shark Week" (Discovery) - Favorite program: "Shark Man". A shark diver sets out to hypnotize a great white shark in open water, using a technique previously tested on much smaller, less man-eating species. At one point he's in the water with only a spear between him and eight great white sharks. Enough said.
5. Blockbuster Online - As a byproduct of my summer laziness, I rarely checked my Blockbuster queue to see what movie would be arriving next in the mail. As a result, I often had some strange DVD pairings, such as The Constant Gardener and Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. Some of the best included Gone Baby Gone (2 PB Jars), Resident Evil: Extinction (2 PB Jars), and Batman: The Animated Series Disc 1 (2.5 PB Jars).

5 Things I'm Looking Forward To This Fall

1. 1. All Things Terminator - From the exciting Terminator Salvation trailer to last night's premiere of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (FOX, Mondays 8pm), there's never been a better time to be a fan of the franchise. I plan on posting updates about the show and the upcoming 4th film throughout the fall.
2. 2. W and Religulous - The Oliver Stone-directed biopic on President Bush (Josh Brolin) and the Bill Maher documentary on religion will be in theaters just in time for the '08 election. Don't know if they'll make any difference for voters (Fahrenheit 9/11 flopped in that regard), but at least we'll all be in a political mood.
3. 3. "The Office" - The only TV comedy I watch.
4. 4. "Fringe" - It's being marketed as "X-Files" meets "Alias/Lost". Even if it can't match the quality of any of those sci-fi/action series, at least the series makes Joshua Jackson relevant again.
5. 5. Burn After Reading - Can the Coen Bros. follow up their Oscar win with another hit? I'm not a big Brad Pitt fan, but how can you go wrong with Clooney and Malkovich?

* * *

Feel free to post your comments and your own Summer/Fall Favorites below.

Welcome Back, Carter

Audio and photos from an X-Files panel I attended tonight at the SoHo Apple Store in Manhattan:

I asked X-Files creator Chris Carter a question during the Q&A:

Who would Scully and Mulder vote for in the 2008 presidential election?

(Hint: Mulder likes a candidate who has publicly discussed his belief in UFOs.

Fast forward to marker 2:18 below to hear Carter's full answer.)

Frank Spotnitz (producer and co-writer of The X-Files: Want to Believe)

and Chris Carter were quite amused by my question.

Link to Q&A Audio on YouTube

The New Face of Two Face

Before the long-awaited reveal of Aaron Eckert's deformed Two Face this Friday, you may be tempted (as I was) to rewatch Tommy Lee Jones' take on the character in Batman Forever.

Don't.

This montage should be all you need to see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6dDO7YJwrQ

Down with Joel Schumacher! Long live Christopher Nolan!

Trailer of the Month: College

It's like Hollywood isn't even trying anymore. If this "film" weren't dumb enough, it also stars "American Idol" finalist/cougar bait Kevin Covais at his "Chicken Little" best.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/college/trailer/

College is officially on my list of "movies that require sneaking a forty into the theater to enjoy".

Close Encounters of the Indiana Jones Kind

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was disappointingly mediocre.

Coming off of my Iron Man high, I hit the cineplex with big expectations for my second major blockbuster of the summer, the latest installment in the Indiana Jones series. I’m a huge fan of the trilogy, particularly Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade. I loved Raiders so much that it inspired me to dress as Indy for Halloween one year, complete with bull whip, pistol and leather fedora. Even Temple of Doom has steadily improved upon repeat viewings to acquire the same timelessness as the rest of the Indy catalog.

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will not be joining those ranks. Here's a rundown of Indy 4's hits and misses:

Hits

• Nostalgia factor: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull makes some clever and not-so-clever references to the previous films, all of which were generally appreciated - particularly the opening sequence in the warehouse from the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.


• Harrison Ford: Ford plays Indy with the same attitude and swagger I loved in the previous films.


• Shia LaBeouf: LaBeouf holds his own with Ford, despite being given horrible dialogue and a ridiculous hairdo. His attitude and humor definitely make the franchise more relevant to a new generation.


• Filmmaking Style: Spielberg and Lucas are masters of the epic blockbuster with elaborate sets, exciting special effects, and larger than life characters.

Misses:

• The Plot: It doesn't make sense. The beauty of the plots in the first three Indy films was their simplicity. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is hard to follow. Unlike the past films, there is no magic in the revelation of clues and puzzles. We don't really know (or care) why Jones is heading to a particular locale.


• The Skull: The film's namesake looks like a cheap plastic Halloween toy.


• The "Interdimensional Beings:" Since when did "Interdimensional Beings" have a place in an Indy film? So as not to completely spoil the plot for you, I'll just leave it at that.


• Cate Blanchett: Her villian is neither intelligent nor intimidating.


• The Russians: Indy's foes in this installment are seriously wimpy. Where are some creepy Nazis or monkey-brain-eating cultists when you need them?


• Shia LaBeouf''s Hair: Seriously, it looks ridiculous. I assumed the hair was a wig, but apparently not.

Overall: Mildly entertaining but not memorable. A disappointment. 1.5 PB Jars

Wall Painting Animation

Quite possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen. Enjoy!

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Flying High

Iron Man rocked!

I'm excited to return to PB & Movies on this note after an extended hiatus where you have been subjected to P's X-Files countdowns and Anthony Edwards stalkings (please accept my humble apologies). I've been keeping busy on the movie-watching front and have a post brewing with all the random stuff I've seen over the past couple months, but Iron Man was too good to wait on.

With Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man) and crew have set the bar high for the slew of summer blockbusters to come, particularly those of the superhero variety. It nearly all of the key criteria:

Badass Superhero Protagonist: Check

Cheer Inducing Special Effects: Check

Alterego Nearly as Entertaining as the Superhero: Check

Cool Superhero Outfit and Gadgetry: Check+ (he builds the first Iron Man suit from scratch!)

Megalomaniacal Villain: Check (Jeff Bridges, aka "The Dude," hams it up nicely)

Entertaining Fight Scenes: Check

Adrenaline Pumping Soundtrack: Check

Unnecessary Sidekick: N/A (thankfully, Iron Man holds his own solo)

Humorous One-Liners: Check+ (RDJ is hilariously snarky)

Superhot Female Interest: Check- (Gwyneth Paltrow is great in her role, but does not satisfy the "babe" quotient, and neither does the annoying reporter who Tony Stark nails at the beginning of the movie)

But beyond checking off all the formulaic "musts," Iron Man also brought a surprising relevance to the table in a way few superhero fantasy shoot-em-up blockbusters do. At a time when the daily headlines are chock full of war and corporate greed, the story of Tony Stark does not seem very out of place. Iron Man is easily just as relevant a character today as he was when Stan Lee invented him in 1963. So, start your summer off right and check out Iron Man before the cineplexes are overrun with blockbuster wannabes. This one is the real deal.

3 PB Jars

Summertime

And the movies are cheesy
Made of Honor
Just ain't a film that I'll try

But Indy's back
And Robert Downey is cookin'
So hush little baby
It's blockbuster time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

May 02 - Iron Man
May 09 - Speed Racer
May 22 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Jun 06 - Kung Fu Panda
Jun 13 - The Happening
Jun 13 - The Incredible Hulk
Jun 20 - The Love Guru
Jul 18 - The Dark Knight
Jul 25 - The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Dead Alien Baby Countdown: Update #4

The X-Files: The Complete First Season, Discs 4-6 (Episodes 13-24)

Just finished Season 1 and I have to say, it holds up surprisingly well after 15 years. Unfortunately it looks like my X-Files-marathon plan was a bit too ambitious, considering how long it took me to re-watch the first 24 eps. That being said, it was a fun nostalgia trip that definitely got me in the mood for the new movie.

[07/26/08 Update] So I attended an opening-day screening of The X-Files: I Want to Believe. A fitting title, but unfortunately "wanting to believe" a movie will succeed doesn't guarantee success. I don't think this movie will do well financially or critically; it just felt stale, and uninteresting, and not even on par with run-of-the-mill episodes from the middle of the show's run on Fox. I'd give it 1 PB Jar at best, despite my fanboy love for the series and these characters. I wish Chris Carter would take one more crack at an X-Files feature film, perhaps bringing in the screenwriters and a director from the show's heyday, but I wouldn't put money on Mulder and Scully ever gracing the big screen again.

PB EXCLUSIVE: Behind-the-Scenes Photos of "Motherhood"

New York City, May 5th, approx. 9:00 a.m.

During my morning walk to work, I spotted a film crew on 9th street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue. Though it's almost commonplace to see a film crew in Greenwich Village these days, most of the time they're working on a low-budget indie, or shooting a scene with secondary actors and extras only.

Today, however, I had the privilege of seeing one of my all-time favorite actors in person - an actor who starred in some of the defining movies of the '80s and the highest-rated TV drama of the '90s. That's right, folks...

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!
"Goose" is loose in Manhattan!

Anthony Edwards (Revenge of the Nerds, Top Gun, "ER"), fresh off his supporting role in the acclaimed 2007 drama Zodiac, is here in NYC working on his next project, Motherhood (set for 2009 release). The film stars Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver, and Edwards in what IMDB tells me is the story of "a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party" with "no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event".

As these exclusive photos of the Motherhood shoot reveal (below), it looks like the new film will give Edwards plenty of opportunities to show off his maternal... er, paternal side:

Gotcha!

I caught the Revenge of the Nerds star (left, sans glasses in real life) checking me out between takes. Besides playing Gilbert in Nerds I and II, Edwards also played a small role in another defining '80s comedy: Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

"I feel the need...the need for speed!"

As Edwards rushed down the sidewalk to reset for a second take (right), I couldn't help but remember this iconic scene from Top Gun. Don't forget that Edwards has some experience playing a family man; though Goose is best remembered for being Maverick's class clown wingman, he was also a devoted father and husband (to Meg Ryan in the film). In real life, Edwards left the cast of "ER" in 2002 in part to spend more time with his family.

It ain't easy being Greene

While waiting for a line of garbage trucks to pass by between takes (left), Edwards strikes a very Mark Greene-esque pose. To me, Anthony Edwards will always be synonomous with Mark Greene, the heart and soul of the once top-rated NBC medical drama "ER". At the start of his eight-season run on the show, Edwards' Dr. Greene often played straightman and second fiddle to George Clooney's fun-loving Dr. Ross. Though Dr. Greene spent most of his ER shifts furrowing his brow and looking miserable, he eventually emerged as the show's leader and most beloved character. Of course, Dr. Greene went through a helluva lot of grief along the way: divorce, custody battle, bathroom beatdown by a patient's brother, drug addiction by his protege (Dr. Carter), teenage daugher drama, near death of his baby, and ultimately a fatal brain tumor. And you thought Goose had a rough ending!



Mystery woman

Perhaps Minnie Driver with a blond dye job? The woman in the shadows (right) doesn't look like Uma, but then again, the very inconspicuous brown trenchcoat and Nicole Richie sunglasses may be throwing me off.

Ready for my close up

A makeup artist (left) applies some powder.

Katherine Dieckmann

The writer-director of Motherhood (right) gives notes to Edwards between takes. Dieckmann doesn't have an extensive directorial resume according to IMDB, but she did helm two of my favorite R.E.M. videos, "Stand" and "Shiny Happy People". Dieckmann also directed the 2006 film Diggers.

Stay tuned for future updates and movie exclusives here on PB & Movies.

What Happened In Piedmont? Debunked

I was walking to work in the East Village of Manhattan this morning when I noticed a billboard similar to the one on the right. The "ad" - with white lettering on a black background - included a single question: "What Happened In Piedmont?"


My curiosity piqued, I did a google search and found http://www.whathappenedinpiedmont.com/,

which appears to be a blog written by a resident of Piedmont, Utah. Apparently something strange happened in Piedmont: all the townspeople disappeared.


Ok, so if this is all sounding a little too "Blair Witch redux" for you, then you're on the right track. Apparently A&E Network has taken a page out of the Cloverfield playbook (remember those "What is it?" ads?). And like in Cloverfield, the danger that A&E hopes to expose is extraterrestrial in nature...

The Andromeda Strain


...an alien virus carried to earth (Piedmont, to be specific) in a meteor. This should all sound familiar if you're a fan of Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park, Sphere), the author who started his fiction career with a novel entitled "The Andromeda Strain" (1969). Crichton also wrote the screenplay for the 1971 feature film adaptation (which currently has a 7.3 rating on imdb).

Having read the novel and seen the film about 10-15 years ago, I can tell you that the story is decent - definitely worthy of a 2008 TV miniseries retelling. I'm intrigued by the fact that Ridley and Tony Scott are producing. A&E has definitely assembled an intriguing cast, including Benjamin Bratt ("Law & Order"), Eric McCormack (Will from "Will & Grace"), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin from "Lost"), and Andre Braugher ("Homicide: Life on the Streets"). We'll see whether the 4-hour Memorial Day weekend event will attract enough critical acclaim and ratings success to justify their viral yet not-so-original advertising campaign.

For more on the mini-series that premieres in 3 weeks, check out http://www.aetv.com/the-andromeda-strain/

Happy GTA Day!

Dead Alien Baby Countdown: Update #3

The X-Files: The Complete First Season, Disc 3 (Episodes 9-12)

Midway through Season 1, and here's where we stand:

9. Space [standalone episode]: Though it's one of the weirdest, least plausible episodes ever (a Martian ghost is sabotaging the space program?), it's definitely spooky. 1.0 PB Jars

10. Fallen Angel [mythology]: Finally the series returns to the alien abduction arc, only this time it's us (or I should say, the military) trying to abduct an alien. I love Mulder's Bond-esque infiltration of the army perimeter set up to hide a UFO crash site - so much so that I can forgive the episode's B-movie special effects. The episode also introduces fan-favorite Max Fenig, a self-described UFO expert with mysterious metallic implants to prove it. All of the X-Files series tropes are at work here: extraterrestrial life, government coverups, military hubris, and grassroots crusades. 2.5 PB Jars

11. Eve [standalone episode]: A classic X-Files standalone episode, "Eve" centers on two young girls with more in common than meets the eye. The girls - and their psychopathic "aunts" - provide standout performances here. (Love the scene in which the girls slip poison into Mulder's and Scully's Diet Cokes.) The subject of eugenics will return to play a major role in the alien mythology arc later in the series. 2.0 PB Jars

12. Fire [standalone episode]: A British serial killer who can control fire with his mind? It's a decent idea, but this isn't one of my favorites. The most memorable scene is definitely Scully walking in on Mulder and his Oxford ex-girlfriend reigniting an old flame (see what I did there?). I'm not sure if this episode started the debate about Mulder's and Scully's relationship (should it remain platonic or not?), but "Fire" certainly threw some fuel on the...well, you get the idea. By the way, in the Shipper vs. Noromo debate ("pro relationship" vs. "no romance"), I have to admit I always sided with the Shippers. 1.5 PB Jars

Dead Alien Baby Tally

Star Sightings: 3

Seth Green as a UFO freak [Ep. 2]; Felicity Huffman & Xander Berkeley as scientists trapped in the Arctic with extraterrestrial worms [8]

Monsters Of The Week: 6

liver-eating mutant [3]; female bigfoot [5]; self-aware computer [7]; extraterrestrial Arctic parasites [8] ; Martian ghost [9]; psychokinetic pyromaniac [12]

Dead Alien Babies: 0

Tonight's Menu: Good Morning Vietnam Spring Rolls, with a side of Willy Wonka Wasabi

I'm a big believer that movies and television are inexorably linked, and we need look no further than this week's episode of "Top Chef" for proof. To impress film critic/guest judge Richard Roeper, the chefs had to work in groups to create movie-inspired dishes:

Team 1 - Andrew, Dale, Richard - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Team 2 - Spike and Manuel - Good Morning Vietnam
Team 3 - Jen and Nikki, Il Postino
Team 4 - Mark and Ryan, A Christmas Story
Team 5 - Antonia and Zoi, Talk to Her
Team 6 - Stephanie and Lisa, Top Secret!

An eclectic selection of movies, for sure...and the culinary choices were just as strange. Some contestants, such as Spike and Manuel, came up with a food idea and then tried to fit a movie title to their creation. For some reason, Good Morning Vietnam isn't really the type of movie to get me thinking about eating spring rolls. On the flip side, Mark and Ryan struggled to think of a movie title at all. Yet once they remembered the classic A Christmas Story, the idea for a dish fell right into their laps: Chinese-style duck (which the family in the movie resorted to eating when their Christmas dinner plans went south).

If you haven't seen "Top Chef", I highly recommend you catch up with one of Bravo's frequent TC marathons.

PB & George Lucas

Yesterday, at a breakfast event hosted by The Cartoon Network on the west side of Manhattan, your faithful PB & Movies correspondent was privileged to be in the presence of the one and only George Lucas. That's right:

George...F**king...Lucas.

His entrance was fittingly epic. While a Cartoon Network executive was speaking on stage, the lights suddenly dimmed and smoke began to rise from the floor. As the Darth Vader theme began to boom from the 2-story speakers (Cartoon Net spares no expense), Lucas emerged from a side door with a cadre of "armed" Clone Trooper bodyguards. When asked by the network exec whether if was difficult to get these bodyguards through security, Lucas replied, "Not at all. Once they hold up their guns, people tend to leave us alone."

If you thought the creator of Star Wars was spending his post-movie career swimming through vaults of money on the Skywalker Ranch in Cali, you were sorely mistaken. The man just won't let go of his franchise baby, and he was in New York to observe the progress on his latest Star Wars entries. Next up is an anime-inspired CGI movie of The Clone Wars (premiering on The Cartoon Network in August). The film, set between Episodes 2 and 3 of the film series, will kick off a weekly half-hour series on the network. From the 5-minute trailer Lucas screened yesterday morning, I can tell you that this movie/series should appeal to fans of all ages, despite its kid-friendly cable home.

Check out the official trailer and website here: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/promotion_landing_page/starwars_tcw/

The Best of Stephen King Films

Let me start off by saying The Mist is not on my list. Despite the previous successes of the Stephen King-Frank Durabont partnership (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile), the most recent collaboration falls completely flat for several reasons.

First off, the dialogue sucks. Whereas Shawshank is defined by the moving conversations between Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, The Mist is undermined by its characters' idiotic utterances. Unfortunately this is hardly atypical of recent Stephen King novels and film adaptations, most notably The Cell and the film version of Dreamcatcher. He may be the king of Horror, but King could use a refresher on writing believable dialogue.

The Mist not only fails to sell its characters (whether via belieavable dialogue or otherwise), it also fails to terrify the audience. Besides a few cheap scare tactics (e.g., creature suddenly smacks against window, tentacle suddenly pulls man into the fog), this movie lacks the haunting atmosphere and authentic monsters of King's older works. A fog machine and some giant plastic bugs hardly qualify as the stuff of horror gold anymore (if ever). Where is the haunted hotel? The eery corn field? The resurrected scapel-wielding baby?

Finally, The Mist offers one of the most half-assed explanations ever provided in a sci-fi/horror movie. I won't spoil it in case anyone is actually considering renting this movie, but let's just say the explanation is both laughable and completely out of left field. The ridiculous sci-fi underpinnings of this movie also do little to explain the rather shocking ending.

I wouldn't say The Mist is the worst Stephen King film adaptation ever, but it's lucky to get 1 PB Jar from me. In contrast, here are eight Stephen King gems (plus a few I haven't seen which would probably crack the top five):

8. The Stand (1994) - A campy and hugely entertaining apocalyptic mini-series epic packed with a surprising number of big-name actors (Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Ruby Dee, et al.).

7. Secret Window (2004) - One of Johnny Depp's most underrated roles (as a deranged writer loosely based on King himself).

6. Stand By Me (1986) - Best scene: pie-eating contest turned projectile-vomiting fest.

5. Children of the Corn (1984) - This is why I refuse to live in Nebraska.

4. The Running Man (1987) - American Gladiator...in the future...to the death...with Arnold on the run, of course.

3. Pet Sematary (1989) - I'd argue it's the scariest of the King adaptations.

2. Misery (1990) - Kathy Bates plays a scary-ass bitch.

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Inarguably one of the greatest films of all time.

On My "To View" List: The Shining (1980), Carrie (1976), The Green Mile (1999)

In Theaters: U2 3D

I'm not sure if it was even better than the real thing, but this abridged U2 concert will definitely thrill fans and non-fans alike. Shot at an Argentinean soccer stadium packed with what looks like 80,000 people, the film provides a unique view of U2's most recent concert set. From the top-down camera angle on Larry Mullen's glimmering drums to the camera-in-his-face Bono solos, U2 3D surpasses any music video I've seen before. While the 3D experience simply cannot replicate the feeling of being there firsthand (as I was for the U2 "Elevation Tour" at the Boston FleetCenter in '01), just think about all the upsides: no waiting in bathroom lines, no beers spilled on your head, etc.

Probably the most confusing part of the U2 3D experience: am I supposed to sing along? to applaud? I watched the film at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ with about 100-150 people, and it seemed that the consensus was: applause = okay, singing = frowned upon. Ditto for standing up (which, thankfully, only a few people on the aisles ended up doing). There was one guy in the row behind me who decided to add an off-key harmony to "With or Without You"; needless to say, I gave him the Seinfeldian quarter-, half-, and three-quarter head turns...but to no avail. It was the last song of the show, so I decided to let William Hung have his moment while I enjoyed the final 3D images of this amazing concert.

U2 3D: 2.5 PB Jars

Dead Alien Baby Countdown: Update #2

The X-Files: The Complete First Season, Disc 2 (Episodes 5-8)

So I’m only on the second disc of Season 1 and I’m already falling behind my Marathon Schedule. Nevertheless, here’s an abbreviated rundown of the episodes, including the first episode I ever watched (way back in September 1993):

5. The Jersey Devil [standalone episode]: In a later season, Chris Carter did a black-and-white X-Files episode inspired by the Frankenstein story, but he first introduces the theme of the misunderstood monster here. Unfortunately, it’s hard to become emotionally invested in an episode about a female bigfoot that scavenges from Atlantic City garbage cans. Nonetheless, I find all of these early episodes at least mildly enjoyable – especially for their focus on the emerging Mulder-Scully relationship. 1.5 PB Jars

6. Shadows [standalone episode]: This is the first of many X-Files involving psychokinesis (moving things with your mind), and it’s a mildly interesting episode. Nothing to write home about. 1.5 PB Jars

7. Ghost in the Machine [standalone episode]: When an artificially-intelligent computer takes control of a building and begins killing visitors, Mulder must harness his inner John Connor. It’s a kitschy episode by today’s technological standards, but it’s a bit of a personal favorite. 2.0 PB Jars

8. Ice [standalone episode]: After seeing several commercials for “The X-Files”, I finally decided to check out a live episode on the night of November 5th, 1993. I was not disappointed (obviously). “Ice” ranks as a fan favorite on many websites, probably because of its claustrophobic setting (an isolated geological lab in Alaska), its intriguing monster (an alien parasite that increases the aggression of its host), and its atmosphere of paranoia. With everyone at risk of infection, Mulder and Scully even end up holding each other at gunpoint! Along with “Squeeze” (Ep. 4), “Ice” set the bar for future Monster-Of-The-Week eps. 3.0 PB Jars

Dead Alien Baby Tally

So I made the mistake of not keeping track of the “Dead Alien Baby Tally” on paper, and at this point it seems like more trouble than it’s worth to go back and re-watch the first 8 eps. Suffice it to say that Mulder eats his fair share of sunflower seeds during the course of the series. But rather than kill the Dead Alien Baby Tally all together, let’s reduce it to three interesting and easy-to-track categories:

Star Sightings: 3

Seth Green as a UFO freak [Ep. 2]; Felicity Huffman & Xander Berkeley as scientists trapped in the Arctic with extraterrestrial worms [Ep. 8]

Monsters Of The Week: 4

liver-eating mutant [Ep. 3]; female bigfoot [Ep. 5]; self-aware computer [Ep. 7]; extraterrestrial Arctic parasites [Ep. 8]

Dead Alien Babies: 0

Breaking News

Currently the 3rd most-viewed story on CNN.com:

'X-Files' creator spills some details about film
updated 2 hours, 41 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The truth about "The X-Files" sequel -- some of it, anyway -- is now out there.

"X-Files" creator Chris Carter, writer Frank Spotnitz and other crew members gathered Wednesday to discuss the TV series -- and declassify some information about the upcoming film.

The popular Fox paranormal drama, which aired from 1993 to 2002, starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

"While this is not a mythology movie, it's true to everything that's come before," Spotnitz said at the William S. Paley Television Festival. "It's true to Mulder and Scully, who they are and where they would be this point in their lives and all of the experiences that they've had."

The series first made the leap to the big screen with 1998's "The X-Files: Fight the Future." Plans for another film were grounded in 2005 when Carter sued Fox over syndication profits for the show. The lawsuit was later settled.

Carter, who also directs the new movie, said it takes place in the present and uses a story envisioned when the series ended. While the show's sprawling alien mythology isn't part of the plot, Carter said there is a reference to Scully's seemingly supernatural son, William, who was born in season eight and later given up for adoption.

The film is due out July 25.

Carter was tightlipped about the title.

"I can't tell you," he said. "I know what I want it to be, but Fox has some ideas of their own."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/27/people.chriscarter.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Dead Alien Baby Countdown: Update #1

The X-Files: The Complete First Season, Disc 1 (Episodes 1-4)

Though I plan to keep my weekly updates short and sweet, it seemed worthwhile to provide some additional context at the start of this four month, 202 episode DVD marathon leading up to the July 25th theatrical premiere of The X-Files 2:

The Pilot

When "The X-Files" premiered on September 10, 1993, few people predicted it would survive for more than one season -- let alone become an Emmy award-winning series that would eclipse the 200-episode mark. The show, which lacked any big-name actors, was sequestered to a horrible television night (Friday) on a fledgling network. (Unlike today's "American Idol"-fueled behemoth, FOX was a second-rate net at that time, best known for "Beverly Hills, 90210", "Married With Children", and "COPS".)

Like most X-Files viewers, I didn't catch the original airing of the pilot episode, nor did I see any of next 6 episodes until they re-ran during the following summer. Ahh...the days of summer re-runs, long before reality programming overtook the broadcast nets from June through August. Re-watching "Pilot" over the weekend, I realized that the first episode does a remarkable job of selling its protagonists. We first meet Dr. Dana Scully, the medical doctor turned FBI agent who is tasked to debunk Mulder's theories related to supposedly "unexplainable" cases (x-files). Scully serves as the voice of reason and science in the pilot and throughout the first several seasons of the show. She is the television forbear of Dr. Jack Shephard on "Lost".

In "Pilot", Scully ventures into the basement offices of the FBI Building to introduce herself (and us) to her philosophical foil: Fox Mulder. Scully knows his bio by heart - Oxford-educated, renowned for his spot-on profiles of serial killers, and known as "Spooky" in FBI circles for his penchant for paranormal explanations. To continue the "Lost" analogy, Mulder is the John Locke of the show; he makes leaps of faith that often lead him into trouble, even when he does turn out to be right.

The pilot episode establishes the template for many future episodes: Scully comes into Mulder's office, Mulder asks her if she's familiar with a strange case he's been reading, Mulder treats Scully to an evidentiary slideshow, and Scully reluctantly agrees to accompany Mulder on the investigation. More importantly, the pilot immediately sets the perfect tone for the Mulder-Scully relationship, inarguably the heart and soul of the show. As we watch them set off for Oregon on a mission to solve the mystery of four teen deaths near a UFO hotbed, we can't help but wonder whether and how this partnership of polar opposites will develop. Pilot: 3 PB Jars

The Episodes: Mythology or Monster-Of-The-Week?

Unlike today's TV dramas, which typically fall into either the standalone category ("CSI", "Law & Order") or the serial category ("24", "Lost"), "The X-Files" was a hybrid of the two. The first two episodes, "Pilot" and "Deep Throat", set up the overarching mythology (a conspiracy between G-men and little green men). This mythology is presented serially, but often with two, three, or more non-related episodes in between.

The third and fourth episodes, in contrast, typify the standalone episodes that provided some of the show's scariest, funniest, and most memorable moments. In my mind, "Squeeze" (episode 3) still ranks as one of the best "Monster-Of-The-Week" stories of the series. In this episode, Mulder and Scully track down a serial killer able to squeeze through narrow openings in order to attack his prey. The killer is, of course, a genetic mutant who awakens every 30 years to hunt for the five human livers needed to fuel his next hibernation. Definitely an amazing episode that was a pleasure to re-watch. "Conduit" (episode 4), the story of a family torn apart by an alleged alien abduction, doesn't have as much standalone value but does provide an emotional touchstone for Mulder (who believes his sister was abducted when they were kids) throughout the rest of the season. Deep Throat: 2.5 PB Jars, Squeeze: 3 PB Jars, Conduit: 1.5 PB Jars

Dead Alien Baby Tally

As I plow through all 202 episodes, I'll keep a running tally of defining X-Files plot points, from dead alien babies to David Duchovny sports references.

Episodes 1-4 of 202:

References to Mulder's nickname "Spooky": 2
Mulder slideshows: 2
Mulder eats sunflower seeds: 1
References to Scully's crucifix necklace: 1
Monsters who almost kill Scully: 1
UFO sightings: 1
Dead alien babies: 0

Trailer of the Month: The X-Files 2

Thanks to this teaser trailer from the recent WonderCon convention, the truth about the long-awaited new X-Files movie is out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMgJmjAxMSE

Here's a quick XF2 FAQ:

• When will the movie be released? July 25, 2008.


• What's it about? XF2 will be a standalone story, similar to the "Monster Of The Week" episodes that were among the most popular of the TV series. Based on the trailer, it looks like the plot may revolve around an FBI manhunt led by a psychic (Billy Connelly). The tentative title, "Done One", provides few clues, and I'm guesssing FOX will find a more marketable title down the line.


• Are David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson both back? Yes. And they'll be directed by series creator Chris Carter, who resolved his beef with Fox over syndication royalties last year. Carter also co-wrote the screenplay along with series veteran Frank Spotnitz.
  
• Will the movie have any appeal to non-fans? FOX is banking on it. The film was written to appeal to a mass audience, rather than exclusively to the show's cult following. It's worth repeating that, as a standalone story, XF2 is not a sequel to the 1998 film. The new movie promises to combine action, suspense, and horror in a police procedural format. Whereas X-Files: Fight The Future centered on the show's overarching alien abduction/government conspiracy mythology, the new movie will not require prior knowledge about the series -- other than the fact that Mulder and Scully are FBI agents known for kicking paranormal ass.
  
• So where does XF2 fit in the X-Files timeline? The story is set a number of years after the series finale, which aired in May 2002. It's unclear how the Mulder-Scully relationship will be portrayed, but my guess is we'll be treated to our favorite dish: a hearty portion of platonic repartee, with a side of underlying sexual tension.


• Who will round out the cast? The teaser trailer provides a few glimpses of supporting actors: Billy Connelly, Amanda Peet, and Xzibit (?). Uh...I'm not gonna lie: this last casting choice makes me a little nervous. Let's just say that I've had my sequel hopes dashed by so-called "rapper actors" in the past. (See: LL Cool J in Halloween: H20, Busta Rymes in Halloween: Resurrection.)

Even as a loyal fan of the series, I have to admit I feel a bit disconnected from the trials and tribulations of Mulder and Scully. It's been nearly 6 years since the final episode and 10 years since the previous film. To remedy this, I have decided to embark on a 202-episode X-Files marathon over the next 4 months in the lead-up to XF2. I'll be providing regular updates, along with some episode highlights for those who are new to the series or are feeling a bit rusty. I have dubbed this effort...

The Dead Alien Baby Countdown to The X-Files 2

03/21. Start Season 1 on DVD
04/04. Finish Season 1
04/18. Finish Season 2
05/02. Finish Season 3
05/16. Finish Season 4
05/30. Finish Season 5 + The X-Files movie
06/13. Finish Season 6
06/27. Finish Season 7
07/11. Finish Season 8
07/25. Finish Season 9 + see The X-Files 2

18 weeks; 202 episodes + 2 movies; 155 hours.

No celluloid love for St. Pat?

Food for thought - Does a good St. Patrick's Day movie exist?

I'm not talking about The Fugitive or similar films that maybe shot a scene or two around St. Patty's events, and I'm certainly not considering the innumerable Leprechaun slasher flicks, which probably surpass even Hostel 2 on the "embarrassment to film making" scale. What I want to see is a quality film themed around St. Patrick's Day. Halloween, Christmas, the 4th of July, Easter, and Thanksgiving all get the silver screen treatment. Why not St. Patrick's Day? Am I missing one?

The Best Movies of 2007: Part II (The Real Best Movies)

I’m going to make a bold statement and say that 2007 was the best year for movies of this new century. While Oscar viewership may have been down, this year’s crop of Best Picture nominees were a cut above (In my opinion, the best since 1994 when Forrest Gump faced off against Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Quiz Show, and Four Weddings and a Funeral).

Sadly, the most surprising part of my top 10 list will be how much similarity it bears to P’s picks. I shudder to think that 60% of my favorite 10 films of 2007 can also be found sharing space with Hostel 2 on Peanut’s slightly misguided list.

Starting off with some great flicks that didn’t quite break the top 10 but certainly deserve a rental:

The Namesake – Can you imagine Van Wilder’s Taj or Harold and Kumar’s Kumar holding down a heavy role in a serious drama? I couldn’t, but The Namesake proved me wrong. Kal Penn is surprisingly excellent in a dramatic turn as Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants seeking to preserve their culture and traditions while assimilating into life in America. The rest of the cast is terrific as well, particularly Irfan Khan as Gogol’s father.

Waitress – A film as delicious as the pies Keri Russell’s main character bakes. Funny and heartwarming, with enough weight to make it stick, Waitress is supremely enjoyable. Plus, a friend of P’s and mine worked as a production assistant on this flick, so show him some love.

My 10 through 6 can all be found on P’s list, but here are some additional thoughts:

10. American Gangster – Who was better, Denzel or Russell? Debate.

9. No Country For Old Men – Loved Stephen Root’s bit part. Made me wonder what would happen if Office Space’s Milton confronted Anton Chigurh over a Swingline stapler.

8. Bourne Ultimatum – The best blockbuster of the year surely deserves a spot on any top 10 list.

7. Michael Clayton –Clooney, Swinton, and Wilkinson all deliver pitch perfect performances in one of the more intelligent lawyer films to be made in a while.

6. Superbad – Funniest movie of the year. Break yoself foo!

Now for the really good stuff:

5. Once – If you haven’t discovered this Irish gem, go out and rent it tonight. It is a modern musical of sorts, but don’t worry, the characters don’t break into song for no reason. Plus, with real musicians playing the lead roles, this is as authentic as a musical gets. The best song in the film, “Falling Slowly,” won this year’s Best Song Oscar, and is hauntingly addictive. I’ve been listening to it daily since I saw the film over a month ago.

4. Juno – Hilarious and original. I’m surprised Juno didn’t make it on to P’s list, but then again P picked Hostel 2. He clearly has some issues. On a side note – was anyone else eerily transfixed on the ridiculously high slit of Diablo Cody’s Oscar dress as she made her way onstage to accept her Juno Screenplay award? That was one wardrobe malfunction I was not particularly looking forward to.

3. Ratatouille – Best animated movie of the Pixar age. That’s right, Ratatouille was better than Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, Cars, and even Finding Nemo.

2. There Will Be Blood – Wow. Amazing. P and B’s consensus pick for Movie of the Year. But, not quite as amazing as B’s individual pick for Movie of the Year…

1. The Lives of Others – The Lives of Others was the best movie I have seen in many years. The story, which revolves around an East German secret police officer spying on and then becoming wrapped up in the lives of a playwright and his girlfriend, is captivating. The acting is spot on. The ending packs a huge punch. All around, this was a perfect film. It deservingly won last year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar, but it was released in the U.S. last spring. Since it is in German, be prepared for subtitles, but frankly, you’ll hardly notice them once the story gets going.

The Best & Worst Movies of 2007: Part I

Last year, we kicked off the PB & Movies blog with inaugural posts that featured our "Best of '06" lists. Although we didn't plan it this way, our lists had virtually no overlap - and consequently sparked a great deal of debate, name-calling, and tears (on B's part).

This year I predict there will be more P/B agreement. The main reason: I actually saw--and liked--all of the Best Picture nominees this year, whereas the previous year I only saw two (The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine, neither of which made my '06 list). Sure, it meant forsaking a few slasher flicks that had been on my to-do list. But have no fear: I'll still get around to watching Saw IV, Grindhouse, and The Mist someday soon. In the meantime, here is my list of the 10 movies that made 2007 a year to remember -- plus 5 movies that sucked.


The Best Movies of '07

10. Hostel 2 - Okay, it's not like I didn't see any horror movies this year.
9. Superbad - I make it a rule (well, maybe more of a guideline) not to waste money on seeing comedies in the theater. But my $11 was well spent on the latest hilarious entry in the Apatow ouevre.
8. Bourne Ultimatum - Second-best action movie of the year, and a great culmnation to the Bourne series.
7. Shoot 'Em Up - Best action movie of the year, bar none. Arguably one of the funniest movies, too, from Clive Owen's carrot munching to the sex-scene shootout. A brilliantly "bad" B movie.
6. Eastern Promises - Not sure if it's superior to A History of Violence, but the David Cronenberg-Viggo Mortensen tag team proves to be a winning one yet again.
5. Atonement - The first part of the movie, set on a bucolic English estate, hinges on an interesting development that I didn't see coming. The second part uses World War II as both a backdrop and a metaphor for the dissolution of hopes, dreams, and relationships. The satisfying coda brings it all together - a great film.
4. American Gangster - Did anyone notice that the last time Denzel and Russell faced off was in the 1995 sci-fi flick Virtuosity? Well, I did. I liked both, but this was better.
3. Michael Clayton - Michael Clayton's confrontation with Tilda Swinton's immoral lawyer reminded me of Dr. Doug Ross's confrontations with Laura Innes' Dr. Weaver. Yes, I am a diehard "ER" fan (still), and yes, I do have man-love for George Clooney.
2. No Country for Old Men - Anyone who thinks the horror genre suck should be reminded that this film is, at heart, a horror/suspense movie. I dare you not to have sweaty palms when you watch this movie.
1. There Will Be Blood - The last movie I saw before Oscar Night, and still the Best Picture in my eyes.


Honorable Mentions:

Knocked Up - I couldn't put two Apatow comedies in my Top 10, but Knocked Up was a close second to Superbad in the comedy department this year.
Dan in Real Life - Steve Carrell is so talented, he can even make a movie starring Dane Cook funny. I saw this on an airplane expecting a standard RomCom, but it was actually a lot deeper and sadder. Not a pick-me-up movie for sure, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless.


The Worst Movies of '07

5. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem - Despite some decent action sequences, this movie fell flat because the acting was too awful for words (and the words in the screenplay had no hope of saving the actors). Fans of the series should see it anyway, but the disappointment factor was enough to convince me that AVP-R was one of the year's worst.
4. The Number 23 - If you want a good story about magical numbers, watch "Lost". Jim Carrey is batting about 0.167 right now in non-comedies.
3. Closure (UK: Straightheads) - Dubbed "one of the best movies of 2007" by England's "The Times", this film left me scratching my head. The promise of "copious foot-age of Gillian Anderson’s naked breasts" may have been enough for the critics across the pond, but even an unabashed X-Phile like myself found nothing redeeming in what the DVD description portrayed as "Deliverance meets Kill Bill". That comparison should have tipped me off right there.
2. The Hills Have Eyes 2 - I was deeply disturbed and entertained by the first movie, while the sequel evoked neither emotion. Maybe this film could have been more than Blockbuster shelf filler if Emilie de Ravin (Clare of "Lost") had reprised her role and (as was initially hinted) put an Ellen Ripley spin on it. Oh well.
1. Rescue Dawn - Biggest disappointment of '07. Christian Bale boasts an awful German accent. Steve Zahn fails to convince anyone (including his castmates) that he can be a convincing dramatic actor. The Vietnam War genre is a tired one by now, and Rescue Dawn does nothing to reinvent it. This movie was boring, predictable, and practically unwatchable. Worst. Bale movie. Ever.

Dishonorable Mention:

Spider-Man 3 - Definitely one of the most disappointing movies of the year, especially given my high praise for Spidey 2. Overall it was just mediocre and doesn't crack my Worsts list, but c'mon - it cost $200m t0 make this?

* * *
UP NEXT: B's take on the Best and Worst of the year that was...

And last but not least, the Extra Chunky PBs...

Most Entertaining Movie

The nominees for Most Entertaining Movie are:

Shoot 'Em Up, Superbad, Hot Fuzz, 300, and Bee Movie

And the PB goes to... Shoot 'Em Up

* * *

Most Original Movie

The nominees for Most Original Movie are:

Once, There Will Be Blood, Beowolf 3-D, and Hostel Part II

And the PB goes to... There Will Be Blood

* * *

Best "Bad" Movie

The nominees for Best "Bad" Movie are:

Transformers, Shoot 'Em Up, and Mr. Brooks

And the PB goes to... Shoot 'Em Up

* * *

Best Ending

The nominees for Best Ending are:

The Lives of Others, Bourne Ultimatum, Hostel Part II, and There Will Be Blood

And the PB goes to... There Will Be Blood

* * *

Breakthrough Performer of the Year

The nominees for Breakthrough Performer of the Year are:

Michael Cera, Josh Brolin, Shia LaBeouf, Jonah Hill, and Justin Timberlake

And the PB goes to... Michael Cera

* * *

Thank you for attending the First Annual PB Awards Show. Stay tuned for our "Best of '07" Movie Lists, which I'm sure will spark plenty of controversy (at least between the two of us).

PB Award Tally: There Will Be Blood - 4 (Screenplay, Actor, Original, Ending); No Country For Old Men - 2 (Director, Supporting Actor); Shoot 'Em Up - 2 (Entertaining, "Bad" Movie); Michael Clayton - 1 (Supporting Actress); Juno - 1 (Actress)

And the Acting PBs go to...

Best Actress
The nominees for Best Actress are: Ellen Page in Juno, Keri Russell in Waitress, Joan Allen in The Bourne Ultimatum, and Naomi Watts in Eastern Promises.

And the PB goes to...

Ellen Page for being hilariously entertaining and emotionally engaging as the "forshizz up the spout" title character in Juno. Page brought the timing and presence of a much older actor/comedian to the role. She undoubtedly has a bright career ahead of her.

Best Actor

The nominees for Best Actor are: Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood, Ulrich Muhe in The Lives of Others, Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises, Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum, and Josh Brolin in No Country for Old Men.

And the PB goes to...

Daniel Day-Lewis, for a performance as There Will Be Blood's Daniel Plainview that will remembered as one of the best ever. On screen for nearly every second, Day-Lewis carries the film and demonstrates that he has more acting chops in his spittle than most actors have in their whole bodies. His delivery of lines such as "I've abandoned my boy," "bastard in a basket," and "I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!" alone could have won Day-Lewis this award.

Agree? Disagree? Post a comment with your pick.

And the Screenplay and Directing PBs go to...

Best Screenplay

The nominees for Best Screenplay are:

Diablo Cody for Juno, Brad Bird for Ratatouille, Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton, Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood, Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen for No Country for Old Men, and Stephen Knight for Eastern Promises

And the PB goes to...

Paul Thomas Anderson, for crafting the most gripping cinematic story of the year. Despite intense competition from fellow writer-directors Joel & Ethan Coen and Tony Gilroy, there was no denying Anderson and the strength of his original tale. The screenplay's epic dimensions and heart-wrenching grittiness made There Will Be Blood this year's best.


Best Director

The nominees for Best Director are:

Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood, Ridley Scott for American Gangster, Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton, Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen for No Country for Old Men, and Paul Greengrass for The Bourne Ultimatum

And the PB goes to...

Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen. They chose ideal backdrops for their story. They struck the perfect balance of drama, suspense, and (occasional) comedy to produce a Western-like morality tale. They inspired award-worthy performances from their actors. And in the end, they shocked and awed the audience.

Agree? Disagree? Post a comment with your pick.

We'll be announcing our final awards today as we countdown to Sunday night's Oscars. Stay tuned for Best Actor and Best Actress coming up next.

And the Supporting PBs go to...

Best Supporting Actress

The nominees for Best Supporting Actress are:

Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton, Ruby Dee in American Gangster, and Kelly Macdonald in No Country for Old Men

And the PB goes to...

Tilda Swinton, for simultaneously portraying Michael Clayton's Corporate evil-doer Karen Crowder with surprising humanity and a ruthless lack of compassion.

Best Supporting Actor

The nominees for Best Supporting Actor are:

Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson’s War, Tommy Lee Jones in No Country for Old Men, Dillon Freasier in There Will Be Blood, Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton, Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men, and Woody Harrelson in No Country for Old Men

And the PB goes to...

Javier Bardem, for creating one of the most startlingly original characters in recent film history and for making No Country for Old Men's Anton Chigurh the scariest badass villain since the Terminator. On a side note, how much would you enjoying seeing Javier Bardem accept his (likely) Oscar in character?

"Look at this Oscar. It has been traveling for 80 years to get here. And now
it's here. And it's mine. You can't have it now. That wouldn't be fair. It's
mine. You're gonna let me have it. That is the best deal you're gonna get. I
won't tell you you can save yourselves, because you can't. Call it, friend-0."

Pulls out a silenced shotgun and BLAM!

Agree? Disagree? Post a comment with your pick.

We'll be posting two or more awards a night leading up to Sunday's Oscars. Stay tuned for Best Screenplay and Director coming up next.

PB Award Nominees: The Complete List

B's Nominees

P's Nominees

Our Combined List:

Best Screenplay
Diablo Cody – Juno
Brad Bird – Ratatouille
Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton
Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood
Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen – No Country for Old Men
Stephen Knight – Eastern Promises

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton
Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen – No Country for Old Men
Paul Greengrass – The Bourne Ultimatum

Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
Ruby Dee – American Gangster
Kelly Macdonald – No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr – Zodiac
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson’s War
Tommy Lee Jones – No Country for Old Men
Dillon Freasier – There Will Be Blood
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton
Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men
Woody Harrelson – No Country for Old Men

Best Actress
Ellen Page – Juno
Keri Russell – Waitress
Joan Allen – The Bourne Ultimatum
Naomi Watts – Eastern Promises

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
Ulrich Muhe – The Lives of Others
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Matt Damon – The Bourne Ultimatum
Josh Brolin – No Country for Old Men

Most Entertaining Movie
Shoot 'Em Up
Superbad
Hot Fuzz
300
Bee Movie

Most Original Movie
Once
There Will Be Blood
Beowolf 3-D
Hostel Part II

Best "Bad" Movie
Transformers
Shoot 'Em Up
Mr. Brooks

Best Ending
The Lives of Others
Bourne Ultimatum
Hostel Part II
There Will Be Blood

Breakthrough Performer of the Year
Michael Cera
Josh Brolin
Shia LaBeouf
Jonah Hill
Justin Timberlake

And P's Nominees Are...

Best Screenplay

• Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen – No Country for Old Men: While the Tommy Lee Jones monologues may have caught the Academy’s attention, my favorite scenes involved Javier Bardem (as stungun-wielding Anton Chigurh) scaring the s--- out of someone: forcing a gas station clerk to stake his life on a coin flip, and having a heart-to-heart at gunpoint with Woody Harrelson.
  
• Stephen Knight – Eastern Promises: Knight delivers on his promise to illuminate the shady world of Russian ex-pat mobsters, from their biographical tattoos to their sometimes conflicting beliefs in family and honor.

Best Director

• Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen – No Country for Old Men: The Cohen Bros. have just turned out one of the most tense and intelligent horror (that’s right, horror) movies of all-time. That’s an award-worthy feat in and of itself.
  
• Paul Greengrass – The Bourne Ultimatum: He gives hope to novice directors everywhere with his hand-held camera masterpieces, and Ultimatum is the director’s handycam tour-de-force. Case in point: Bourne’s breathtaking rooftop sprint to save Julia Stiles’ damsel in distress.

Best Supporting Actress

• Kelly Macdonald – No Country for Old Men: Her simple, down-to-earth manner makes her the perfect complement to both the hero and the villain.

Best Supporting Actor

• Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men: Anton Chigurh: most intelligent monster since the original Freddy Krueger, and probably the scariest as well. Oh, and Tommy Lee Jones: he put your coin-flipping psychopath Two Face to shame.
• Woody Harrelson –No Country for Old Men: I love it when the Academy nominates a supporting actor or actress with only minutes of screentime. On that note, my vote goes to Harrelson as the slick bounty hunter who thinks he can talk his way out of any sticky situation. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, but not when “everybody” includes a killer with a silenced shotgun.

Best Actress

• Joan Allen – The Bourne Ultimatum: As B and I discussed, it was kind of a slow year for female acting performances. I’ll give Allen a nod for her third time portraying CIA honcho Pam Landy, if for no other reason than the fact that she’s finally a major player in this installment.
  
• Naomi Watts – Eastern Promises: Watts could have turned in an over-the-top performance, but her restraint is refreshing. She’s definitely a great foil to the stone-faced Viggo Mortensen.

Best Actor

• Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises: Speaking of Viggo, the man’s got this rogue thing down (c.f., The Lord of the Rings, A Perfect Murder). Why he had to be part of a nude shower fight scene, I don’t know…but I’ll forgive Viggy in time.
  
• Matt Damon – The Bourne Ultimatum: Damon doesn’t get the props he deserves for being a believable actor and an unbelievable (in a good way) action star.
  
• Josh Brolin – No Country for Old Men: My No Country love fest rolls on with a nom for the film’s reluctant “hero”. “Solid” is the word B used to describe his performance, and I’ll second that. It’s hard to make a country bumpkin who steals a bag of money from drug runners into a likable character, yet Brolin makes it nearly impossible not to root for the guy.

And last but not least, the original categories...

Most Entertaining Movie

• 300: This is the cinematic equivalent of “World’s Craziest Car Crashes”. Take the 20 coolest gladiator-esque fight sequences you can find, film ‘em in front of a green screen, and queue ‘em up on the IMAX projector/DVD player. Play. Watch. Enjoy.
  
• Bee Movie: I had low expectations, which is why I didn’t see this film until I was on an airplane recently. To my surprise, this movie was amusing and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. Its depiction of the hive society was quite creative, and Jerry Seinfeld was gold, solid gold.

Most Original Movie

• Hostel Part II: Can a horror movie sequel qualify for the “Most Original” award? It can if it flips the script, as Part II does by letting the audience tag along with a pair of sadistic Wall Streeters. I may be alone on an island in asserting that Part II surpasses the original, but let me explain. Hostel gave us a rather conventional introduction to the hostel and it’s torture-for-profit operation. Part II gives slasher auteur Eli Roth the opportunity to change our frame of reference.

Best "Bad" Movie

• Mr. Brooks: Forget the casting choices for a second (AHEM…Dane Cook…Demi Moore). The concept is intriguing and the script is smart. And who better to play Mr. Brooks’ serial-killing alter-ego than the ever-creepy William Hurt? Mr. Brooks may not be Patrick Bateman or Dexter Morgan, but he was interesting enough to keep me captivated for two hours. The ending, because it comes out of the blue, feels oddly satisfying.

Best Ending

• Hostel Part II: To quote the tagline of Wayne’s World, “I laughed, I cried, I hurled” (not literally, of course…except for the laughing part). Director Eli Roth knows how to bring the house down (c.f., the Grindhouse faux trailer for “Thanksgiving”).
• There Will Be Blood: A fitting coda for one of the most entertaining (but violent) films of the year.

Breakthrough Performer of the Year

• Shia LaBeouf: It was a Disturbing yet Transformative year for the next Young Indiana Jones. (“I made anutha funny!”) First he gets to make out with a hot chick in a remake of Rear Window. Then he gets to make out with a hot chick in a sweet car that is actually a forty foot-tall alien robot. You’ve come a long way from digging holes, my young apprentice.
  
• Jonah Hill: Overshadowed by his Superbad co-star, Jonah probably doesn’t have a prayer here. Can’t the fat guy with the Jew ‘fro get some love around here? There’s no denying Jonah’s scene-stealing ability; the “bare-ass fart causes pink eye” explanation in Knocked Up was equally hilarious and nausea-inducing. Here’s hoping there are a few more Apatow vehicles for Jonah on the horizon.
  
• Justin Timberlake: Just kidding, though I have to admit he was pretty decent in Alpha Dog.

And B's Nominees Are...

And now for the post you have all been waiting for - The First Annual PB Award Nominees, Part I (B's Nominees). We'll be posting nominees in two parts, first my nominees, then P will post his sometime over the next week (from what I gather, P saw no more than 3 quality movies this year and is in the midst of a week-long 2007 movie-catch-up marathon). We'll be nominating for awards in the standard categories Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, and Best Actor, plus a few PB originals, like Most Entertaining Movie, Most Original Movie, Best "Bad" Movie, Best Ending, and Breakthrough Performer of the Year.

P and I will not be maintaining a requisite number of nominees per category. If we feel there were a ton of excellent performances in a particular category (e.g. Supporting Actor), there will be a ton of nominees. Likewise, if there was a dearth of quality in a category (e.g. Supporting Actress), we aren't going to give out charity nominees.

This year was a terrific year for quality film. After a few years in a row with only sporadic highlights, 2007 kept the good flicks and excellent performances coming one after the next. Without further ado, these were the best of the best:


Best Screenplay

• Diablo Cody – Juno: Hilarious but poignant dialogue in the mouths of Ellen Page, Michael Cera and J.K. Simmons takes Juno from a Knocked Up-esque summer comedy to a serious award-contender.

• Brad Bird – Ratatouille: The wittiest, most sophisticated animated movie I have ever seen. Particular highlights are the characters of Anton Ego, the food critic, and Gusteau, the deceased chef.

• Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton: The scribe of the Bourne screenplays, in his directorial debut, provided some of the best dialogue of the year in the extremely talky, but riveting Michael Clayton.

• Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood: The sheer weight of silence in There Will Be Blood magnifies the impact of what little dialogue there is.

Best Director

• Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood: A work of originality and genius that succeeds as both a captivating character study and a commentary on the dark faults of humanity. Anderson deserves a lion's share of the credit for bringing the story together with tremendous cinematography and editing.

• Ridley Scott – American Gangster: Ridley Scott pulls off yet another epic, deftly combining terrific performances, engaging action, and an authentic re-creation of 1960s Harlem.

• Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton: Michael Clayton is well paced, well acted, well shot, and extremely well written, all a credit to Gilroy.

Best Supporting Actress

• Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton: In my opinion, Swinton's performance as the all-too-human General Counsel for evil fertilizer company UNorth was the best female performance of the year, period.

• Ruby Dee – American Gangster: If you can steal scenes from Denzel Washington, you deserve an award. Plus, Dee plays the main role in the most unintentionally hilarious bit from the film and trailer (Mama Lucas: Whose house is that? Frank Lucas: It's your house mama!).

Best Supporting Actor

• Robert Downey Jr – Zodiac: Zodiac didn't nearly satisfy my lofty expectations, but Downey Jr.'s performance as journalist Paul Avery single-handedly prevented me from fast-forwarding through the first half of the 2 hr 40 min film.

• Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson’s War: Hoffman is always a pleasure to watch, and his role as humorously irreverent CIA agent Gust Avrakotos is one of his best.

• Tommy Lee Jones – No Country for Old Men: As the "Old Man" in No Country, Tommy Lee Jones delivers one of the best performances of his career and provides the moral center to a film of violence and greed.

• Dillon Freasier – There Will Be Blood: While everyone seems to be giving Paul Dano all the credit for his supporting role as a small-town preacher, my vote for the best supporting performance in There Will Be Blood goes to the young boy Dillon Freasier who flawlessly plays Daniel Day-Lewis' character's adopted son in his first acting job ever (see how he got the role here).

• Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton: Wilkinson's dynamic performance as a mentally troubled lawyer with a newly developed conscience fuels the first half of Michael Clayton. In a lesser year, Wilkinson would walk away with this award. Unfortunately for him, this is the strongest slew of Supporting Actors I can remember.

Best Actress

• Ellen Page - Juno: I don't know where Ellen Page came from (supposedly she was in X-Men 3: The Last Stand, but I don't remember her), but I hope she's here to stay. She is hilarious and refreshingly frank as Juno's title character.

• Keri Russell – Waitress: Keri Russell is as delicious as the pies she bakes in Waitress.

Best Actor

• Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood: Daniel Day-Lewis' performance as There Will Be Blood's Daniel Plainview is easily the best acting of the decade, and possibly the best since Dustin Hoffman in Rain Main or even Marlon Brando in The Godfather. It is that good.

• Ulrich Muhe – The Lives of Others: The Lives of Others won Best Foriegn Language Film at last year's Oscars, but it wasn't released in the U.S. until 2007. Muhe's performance as an eavesdropping Stasi (East German Communist Secret Police) captain makes the movie a masterpiece. Sadly, Muhe passed away this past July, leaving the incredible The Lives of Others behind as his legacy.
  

Now for a few original categories...

Most Entertaining Movie

• Shoot 'Em Up: Per my review earlier this year, Shoot 'Em Up was by far the most enjoyable 90 minutes I spent in a movie theater this year. If you still haven't seen it, this needs to be at the top of your rental queue.

• Superbad: Hilarious in the theater and equally hilarious upon repeat DVD viewing. Instant classic.

• Hot Fuzz: While the first 2/3rds of Hot Fuzz was enjoyable but not spectacular, the final 20 minutes of over-the-top mayhem is non-stop laugh, cringe, laugh, cringe.

Most Original Movie

• Once: This small-budget independent Irish film features two musicians acting the lead roles of "Guy" and "Girl," lending serious authenticity to the songs that make up the bulk of the dialogue. Equally heart warming and heart wrenching, Once is a dysfunctional love story, a romantic comedy, an inspirational drama, and a rock musical all at the same time. The feature song, "Falling Slowly," deserves to win an Oscar and be in your iPod.

• There Will Be Blood: I had never seen anything like There Will Be Blood before and I don't think I ever will again. I can't even really describe what it is other than to say that it sticks with you.

• Beowolf 3-D: I hope the box office success of Beowolf means that we will see quite a few more high-quality 3-D films in the years to come. I hadn't watched a movie in 3-D since going to Epcot Center more than fifteen years ago. The quality entertainment of Beowolf assured me that I would be returning for another 3-D adventure far sooner than that (particularly if it features a digitally enhanced Angelina Jolie).

Best "Bad" Movie

• Transformers: As bad as Transformers was, I loved watching blatant product placement ads (e.g. the Mountain Dew machine) turn into murderous robots. Plus, Shia LaBeouf made the most of bad material, Megan Fox was hot, and John Tuturro, though entirely unnecessary, was extremely entertaining.

• Shoot 'Em Up: Some critics said that Shoot 'Em Up was bad - The NYT even went so far as to call it a "worthless piece of garbage" - and bad it was... bad ass!

Best Ending

• The Lives of Others: The film seems to end twice, and both endings would have been sufficient, but it is the unexpected final scene that adds a perfect post-script to a perfect film and keeps resonating long after the credits have finished rolling.

• Bourne Ultimatum: I'll try not to spoil it for those who haven't seen the final Bourne - suffice to say, I enjoyed the swimming.

Breakthrough Performer of the Year

• Michael Cera: 2007 was the year Michael Cera broke out. With "Arrested Development" firmly in rearview, Cera gave us memorably hilarious turns in Superbad and Juno, while also co-leading the internet comedy revolution (see Cera at http://www.clarkandmichael.com/, and check out http://www.funnyordie.com/ for more internet comedy).

• Josh Brolin: Josh Brolin is the one actor who gets no credit for his solid performance in No Country for Old Men, and he certainly gets no credit for his equally solid performance in American Gangster. Maybe it is because he is so good at playing unlikeable sleaze balls? Regardless, he gets his props here on PB & Movies.