First Look- The Dark Knight Rises

It’s here~ your first look at the most highly anticipated film of 2012, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. The third film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy could be his last and it looks like he’s going out with a bang. The trailer brings back your favorites including Oscar winners Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine plus Gary Oldman while introducing new a new love interest for Bruce Wayne in Oscar winner Marion Cottillard. Also along for the ride are Golden Globe nominee Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy as the brutal villain Bane, and Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman! It looks good. Check out the brand new trailer below and brace for the film which hits theatres on July 20th.

The Dark Knight Rises

First Look~ The Dark Knight Rises!

If any of you saw Harry Potter over the weekend (and that’s probably all of you, me too), you might have seen the trailer for the most anticipated film of the year. However, the year I’m speaking of is 2012 and the film is The Dark Knight Rises, the third picture in Christopher Nolan’s incredible Batman trilogy. There aren’t too many clues given in the trailer, but it’s still all kinds of awesome as we get glimpses of Oscar winner Chrstian Bale, Oscar nominee Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy (Inception) who plays new baddie Bane. Unfortunately, there are no glimpses of returnee stars Oscar nominee Liam Neeson and Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine or newbies Oscar winner Marion Cottillard, Golden Globe nominee Joseph Gordon-Levitt, or Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway who’s taking on the role of Catwoman! Nonetheless, it looks great and I, for one, can’t wait til next summer. In the meantime, check out the new trailer below.

The Dark Knight Rises trailer

The Contagion is Coming…

Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t touch anyone. Don’t leave your house…. Because it’s coming… No, I’m not talking about Carmageddon. I’m talking about Contagion, the new film from Oscar winner Steven Sodebergh (Traffic). Chronicling the aftermath of a deadly infectious disease, this action thriller follows the doctors contracted by the CDC to fight this horrible outbreak and features a bevy of big stars including Oscar winners Marion Cottillard (La Vie en Rose), Kate Winslet (The Reader), Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love) plus Oscar nominees John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), Laurence Fishburne (What’s Love Got to Do With It), and Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley). That’s a heck of a pedigree and judging from the first trailer, they all deliver. Check out the clip below and get ready to get infected by this potential Oscar contender Contagion when it hits theatres September 9th.

Contagion trailer

Ranking this Decade’s Oscar Winners…

The 2010 Oscar race is in full swing and we have some seriously exciting fights going on for Picture (The King’s Speech v. The Social Network), Actress (Annette Bening v. Natalie Portman) and Actor (Colin Firth v. James Franco) to name a few… However, before we get all immersed in a new decade of award worthy films, I thought I’d take a look back at the first decade of this millennium and it’s Oscar winners. So, I have ranked my preference of all of the early 00’s Academy Award winners in the big 6 categories below. Take a look. Who stands the test of time? Who is forgettable? And there’s a few notes on who was robbed too… After you’ve read my lists, give me your picks for the best of the past decades Oscar winners too.

Ranking the Oscar Winners~ 2000 – 2009

Best Picture:
1. Chicago (2002)
2. Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King (2003)
3. The Hurt Locker (2009)
4. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
5. No country for Old Men (2007)
6. Gladiator (2000)
7. The Departed (2006)
8. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
9. Crash (2005)~ over Brokeback Mountain? A travesty!
10. A Beautiful Mind  (2001) ~ this over Moulin Rouge and the first Lord of the Rings? Ridiculous

Best Director:
1. Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain (2005)
2. Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King (2003)
3. Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker (2009)
4. Stephen Soderbergh, Traffic (2000)
5. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
6. Roman Polanski, The Pianist (2002)
7. The Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men (2007)
8. Martin Scorcesse, The Departed (2006)
9. Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby (2004)
10. Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Best Actor:
1. Sean Penn, Milk (2008)
2. Adrien Brody, The Pianist (2002)
3. Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland (2006)
4. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Capote (2005) ~ even though I would’ve given it to Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain
5. Denzel Washington, Training Day (2001)
6. Sean Penn, Mystic River (2003)
7. Jamie Foxx, Ray (2004)
8. Russell Crowe, Gladiator (2000)
9. Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart (2009) ~ should’ve gone to Colin Firth for A Single Man
10. Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood (2007)~ should’ve gone to Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd

Best Actress:
1. Marion Cottillard, La Vie en Rose (2007)
2. Charlize Theron, Monster (2003)
3. Helen Mirren, The Queen (2006)
4. Kate Winslet, The Reader (2008)
5. Nicole Kidman, The Hours (2002)
6. Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich (2000)
7. Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby (2004)
8. Halle Berry, Monster’s Ball (2001)
9. Sandra Bullock, The Blindside (2009)~ love her, but this should not have won over Meryl Streep!
10. Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line (2005)~ love her too, but this should not have won over Meryl Streep either, or anybody else in the category for that matter.

 

Best Supporting Actor:
1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (2008)
2. Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds (2009)
3. Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men (2007)
4. Jim Broadbent, Iris (2001)
5. Benecio Del Toro, Traffic (2000)
6. Chris Cooper, Adaptation (2002)
7. George Clooney, Syriana (2005)
8. Tim Robbins, Mystic River (2003)
9. Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
10. Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago (2002)
2. Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls (2006)
3. Monique, Precious (2009)
4. Cate Blanchett, The Aviator (2004)
5. Marcia Gay Harden, Pollack (2000)
6. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)

7. Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton (2007)

8. Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener (2005) ~ I would’ve given it to Michelle Williams for Brokeback though…
9. Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain (2003)
10. Jennifer Connely, A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Be Italian! “NINE” hits dvd and blu ray tomorrow!

My favorite movie of 2009 finally hits dvd and blu ray tomorrow, the gorgeous musical Nine. Now, I know it got mixed reviews from a lot of critics and movie goers, but I blame that more on the source material. The stage musical is a very introspective tale about a filmmaker and the women that influence his life. It’s not the most easily adaptable piece, nor the most accessible show around. Nonetheless, the film is beautifully shot and features incredible performances by the heartbreakingly brilliant Marion Cottilard and sexy Oscar nominated Penelope Cruz. Plus, there are fierce numbers by Kate Hudson and Fergie who practically steals the show. Oscar winners Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench and Daniel Day-Lewis round out the cast. I highly recommend this film that grabbed 4 Oscar noms, 5 Golden Globe noms and 10 Critic’s Choice noms. For more on the film, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), and how to buy it, click here. And I’ve included a couple of the best numbers from the film below. BE ITALIAN indeed!

Fergie “Be Italian”

Kate Hudson “Cinema Italian”

Penelope Cruz “A Call from the Vatican”