Gurus o’ Gold: The Last Gasp

The Gurus make their final calls this week in two ways. First, there is a chart of categories that are the most likely to end up in Oscar night upsets.

And then, specific changes in specific races by specific Gurus. Some made as many as four changes, some made none. Many of the changes brought outlying picks into conformity with the rest of the group. A few went against the grain. But all of the categories in which changes have been made are listed.

Here are last week’s final charts for your perusal as well.

Have a great Oscar night. The Gurus know you will.

DVD Geek: Design for Living

Made before the Production Code cleaned up his innuendos and flagrant sexual metaphors, Lubitsch constantly teases the viewer with his balancing act of sharing and hiding what the characters are thinking and doing. Almost as an afterthought, each man’s fortunes rise because of his association with Hopkins’ character, and yet, for each, it is a downward trajectory of spirit when she turns her attentions elsewhere.

The DVD Wrapup: J. Edgar, Puss in Boots, On the Bowery, more

It’s the rare documentarian whose sympathizes don’t lie with common men and women, especially those dealt a weak hand at birth. Compassion isn’t something that can be taught at film school, like cinematography, history and theory. It pretty much has to be bred in the bone.

Wilmington on DVDs. J. Edgar

This is a movie you should see both for its storytelling skills and the intense interest of the story it tells. So the hell what if it’s not constructed like the usual movie. Who wants it to be?

6 Days To Oscar: You Might Be An Asshole If…

YOU MIGHT BE AN OSCAR ASSHOLE IF… you write about how this filmmaker or that filmmaker was too busy chasing Oscar to make the movie they should have made.

As someone who actually has fairly lengthy conversations with almost every filmmaker who has made an Oscar nominated picture in the last five years or more, I am particularly conscious how stupid and self-serving this notion is.

Wilmington on Movies: Ghost Rider

No screenings for critics here on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance — for reasons that become quickly apparent when you watch it — so I decided to fork over coin of the realm anyway and catch it at a multiplex. After all, I thought, how bad could it be? I mean really: How bad?

The Weekend Report: Feb 17-19, 2012

Weekend box office pushed to about $160 million and a 12% slippage for the three-day portion of the holiday frame. It was however 9% improved from the comparable 2011 session when newcomers Unknown and I Am Number Four ranked one and three in the lineup with $21.8 million and $19.4 million.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance had been tipped to top the charts by pundits with estimates in the low to mid $30 million range. While hardly a review driven title, the picture received withering response and diminished the crowd composed 61% male and 52% aged 25 years older plus. According to studio sources just 352 playdates were 3D engagements and accounted for 72% of box office … but those details seem highly questionable.

Friday Estimates: February 18, 2012

The Vow continues to hold the lead, keeping the return of Ghost Rider in the 2 spot. And Safe House, in #3, holds off This Is War.

In holdovers, The Woman in Black has become CBS Films’ highest domestic grosser. And Star Wars: Episode 1′s 3D re-release has to be seen as a bit of a bust.

9 Days to Oscar: In Memoriam

Voting closes Tuesday… but the die is pretty much cast at this point.

In the 9 days to come, there will be plenty of conversation about the nominees and who should or should not win. But at this moment in the season, I find myself thinking about the ones that got left behind.

Wilmington on Movies: The Secret World of Arrietty

Who, I pondered, were the craftsmen who made all the wonderful furniture and clothes and hand-crafted-looking household items that graced the Clocks’ house? Did these objects come from dollhouses? Are Pod and Homily master artisans as well as brilliant borrowers? As I said, I thought about it, but not much.

Wilmington on DVDs. Mozart’s Sister

The movie begins lyrically, with a scene that recalls the openings of both Bergman’s The Magician and Max Ophuls’ Lola Montes: the Mozart family traveling to an engagement in a nearly broken down coach through the woods. When it does break down, we’re made painfully aware of how vulnerable their existence really is, the dilemma of many artists.

The DVD Wrapup: Take Shelter, Tiny Furniture, More …

You’ll either buy into Aura and her world or you’ll find Tiny Furniture excruciatingly pretentious and boring.

Wilmington on DVDs: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn; A Fish Called Wanda

The movie, despite its hollow dialogue and sometimes punishing slow pace, does look sort of good. But it seems odd at times that this movie was directed by a man who made a movie about the Kinsey Report.

Gurus o’ Gold: Picking The Winners (Pt 1 of 2)

And now, The Gurus offer their (nearly) final word on the season. One Guru, One Vote.

And for the most part, there is strong consensus or unanimity in almost every category. If you’re looking for the swing vote in your Oscar poll, it’s probably in the 4 seriously contended categories: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Costume, and Doc Short.

Part One
Part Two

DP/30: 53 Oscar Nominees

There are just over 300 hours left until The Academy Awards are given out. It would take only about 10% of that time to watch the 61 half hour DP/30 interviews with 53 of this year’s Oscar nominees.

Happy viewing!

The Weekend Report: February 12, 2012

Not unexpected was the 72% female demos for The Vow (Safe House attracted 50%) but while it was anticipated to attract an older crowd, exit polls indicated an audience that was 55% aged 25 years old and younger. Conversely Safe House drew a 62% crowd aged 30 years and older. It also skewed African American with 38% of viewers compared with 31% identified as Caucasian and 23% Hispanic.

Friday Estimates: February 10, 2012

It looks like a trio of $20m+ openings, two of which are looking at $30m+. The newcomers balance between four demographics, though the Star Wars 3D re-release is likely siphoning ticket sales from two of the other new films. This will be the second time in movie history with five $20m+ openings in February with Ghost Rider 2 due next weekend to, perhaps, set a new Feb record with six $20m+ openings.

For Veterans, The Point Of No ‘Return’ Often Can Be Found At Home

Kelli, the young Ohio woman portrayed by Linda Cardellini in “Return,” joined the National Guard right after completing high school in the mid-1990s, long after it provided a safe haven for draft-eligible men who weren’t anxious to go to Vietnam to save Southeast Asia for democracy and fast-food franchises.

Wilmington on Movies. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Along the way to the credits, The Artist Formerly Known as the Rock treats us to a performance of the Louis Armstrong favorite “What a Wonderful World,” with his own ukulele accompaniment; advises Sean on his love life, smiles constantly, and tops it off by bouncing berries off his popping pectorals, making for an unprecedented 3D experience.

Gurus o’ Gold: Top 2in’ It (Pt 2 of 2)

The Gurus are now locked into their Top 2 in all Oscar award except for the 3 Shorts categories.

In these 10 categories today, the Gurus have Hugo taking 5 statues home. That would make Hugo the film with the most Oscar wins this season… though with 4 projected wins (Picture, Actor, Director, Score), some would say that The Artist was winning the war.