For Your Anticipation: Come Closer

I was contemplating which of this week's wide releases I was least excited about, but I ultimately fell upon the obvious choice of "Immortals". This film has looked like absolute shit from the first trailer, all stacked with horrifically bad visual effects, obvious performances, and a dumb story beyond mere convolution. And it occurs to me now that it stars Henry Cavill, who is the next Superman apparently. Still don't care.

Box Office Update: Kitty's Got Claws (sorry.)

This weekend was always on pace to be 25.9% lower than the same weekend last year, when "Megamind" opened to the top spot of $46 million. I still find quite a degree of guilty pleasure out of that one, but it's such a fun little charmer, despite those corny musical cues. "Puss in Boots" didn't exactly draw me out in the same fashion, and I doubt I'll see it at all. All the same, you've gotta hand it to the film for making the best out of an at first regrettable situation. The film opened to $34 million last weekend, which nobody was really that ecstatic about. However, the film turned it around this weekend with an astonishing drop of just 3%, and just $1 million less than last weekend.

So that certainly gave this weekend an extra boost. It didn't change the fact that "Puss" was $13 million below "Megamind", "Tower Heist" $7.5 million down from "Due Date", and "Harold and Kumar" $6 million away from "For Colored Girls". Though I will say that that last comparison is in no way appropriate the way the other two comparisons are. Suffice it to say that "Paranormal Activity 3" is holding much better than its predecessor, though still going by intermittent 50% drops here and there. It'll certainly be the first $100 million hit of the fall season, though "Puss in Boots" will so follow, not to mention the windfall of holiday blockbusters on the rise. So consider this weekend to be a mild, but not outstanding, success of sorts. Be thankful for what you have.

Endgame 2011: My Hit List

The year is set and staged with just two months left before it officially clocks out. For a cinema reviewer, this is a dreaded time of year. Sure, it is a time when the strongest films of the year crop up, and I've already taken in quite a few of them. But films slip by between the cracks, and there are bound to be some that I wait impatiently for them to show up in the local indie theaters. Regrettably, the only films playing locally at present are "Attack the Block" and "Love Crime", only one of which I know anything about, and neither of which I care about. So, I figured that the best way for me to hit all the proper destinations before my year is out was to put them in list form, and I present that here. Also, if there's a film not on this list that you think I haven't seen and should, post it in the comments.

• "The Skin I Live In"
• "Bombay Beach"
• "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Directorial Highlights: Joel and Kees

Kees van Dijkhuizen and Joel Walden are far from the most renowned editors out there, at least at the time being. And yet both of them have eked out a really fantastic little budding of success off the beaten path. I'm not about to speak of authenticity and nuance in relation to YouTube, though it's often worth a solid laugh on a rainy day. Still, I've been closely following the videos of these two channels, especially this year as they both thrive within their respective series of directorial tributes. Sure, tributes are done to death, but Kees and Joel have an understanding of it that's damn near unrivaled outside their circle. Of Kees' [the films of] series, I'm a particular fan of his David Fincher video, and in Joel's The Works series, it's no secret that I adored his Stanley Kubrick tribute. Anyway, I have the full playlist of both series embedded below. They're worth it, if for nothing else, just as an excuse to explore further films of the many directors within it.

Film Review: "Senna" (***1/2)

It's been a long month since the last time I went to the theater to really see anything, and sitting alone in a large auditorium is never the way you want it to be. You want there to be several people there, and you want to share an experience with them. Then again, I suppose that's what I get for heading out on a Sunday evening at an indie theater. But in so many ways, I feel it was appropriate for me to experience it on my own, with no outlying elements really distracting me. It was me and "Senna", and it was such a welcome break from the expected greatness I've received from films like "Drive" and "Meek's Cutoff". It was, in its own way, pure.

"Senna" is not a documentary about formula 1 racing, and in so many ways, it's not a documentary. The film takes on a rare forward approach to its subject, not jumping about like some frantic child anxious to know how it ends. Nor does it set things out into these neat piles of information, feeding each sequentially and on cue. It breaks the norm, but what makes it fly is its refusal to draw attention to the fact. If nothing else, the film is pleasantly organic, unfolding at a more than reasonable pace, neither feeling rushed or packed, despite the years compacted in the constraints of the film. And funny enough, that doesn't drive out the all-important seeds of emotion, conflict, personality, and resonance.

"Fringe" Review: "Novation" (***)

I am in such deep turmoil, you cannot possibly understand. I really love "Fringe", and I've enjoyed it a great deal for the past three seasons. I don't know what they're up to right now. It feels like they're going off on a random tangent. Remember the last time they referenced the fact that the two universes are still dying? It was at the end of last season. Has that suddenly stopped. Is the progression of the important stories halted to deal with this apparently terrifying new breed of shape-shifters? I'm sorry, but so much of this season has felt really stingy, and it's honestly left me kind of cold. What does it remind me of? It reminds me of the emotionless running about of "X-Men: First Class" and the last "Harry Potter".

If that doesn't seem so harsh, please go back to my reviews of those films. I remember taking the mickey out of both of them, especially the former. This week has brought back one of the more important elements of the show, that being Peter. He's back, but we don't know why. We're not sure why he's been erased from history, how he escaped his fate, or where any of this is going. I'm not even entirely sure if the writers have a plan for this, though I certainly hope they do. In any case, this episode should have felt a great deal more interesting than it was. But the moments when it felt most in tune with itself were naturally the silent moments.

Peter arriving at Fringe Headquarters and silently arriving at a holding cell. Him silently hacking into their mainframe to keep in the loop of things. The constant undercurrent between him and Broyles. That's what was so interesting. The problem is the dialogue, which has felt unnaturally ham-fisted this season. None of these characters are as close as we remember them, so they don't have that same way of communicating. There's hostility from all corners, but even that doesn't excuse the dialogue being as bad as it is. There aren't the same smooth nuances the show has perfected in its history. Yes, it feels foreign, but not in the right way.

Carpet-Bagging: Animated Feature Submissions to 18

The Oscars continue their slow gallop to relevance within conversation, though we're still widely confused about what could and will happen in the races this year. But at least we can start making finite guesses about one particular race, that being the Best Animated Feature category. The list of submitted titles has been announced, and the two pics whose mere presence is worth talking about are "The Adventures of Tintin" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked". Having not seen anything from the latter, and still assuming they're doing what they've always done, I'm kind of surprised, but I won't get too much into it. No way in hell it makes the shortlist. And I'm also curious about "The Smurfs", but that's under the same area as "Alvin".

"Tintin", on the other hand, almost has a guaranteed spot in the nominations. There's been a great deal of positive word after the film's UK opening this past weekend. I'd consider it amongst the frontrunners of this year, as there's even severe doubt that "Cars 2" will even be nominated. If I were to lay my guesses on the nominations here, assuming there's five, I'd say the other four slots would be filled by "Chico and Rita", "A Cat in Paris", "Kung Fu Panda 2", and "Rango" tied for the lead. But that's just a far off guess. Happy to hear any other theories. Comment away!

"The Adventures of Tintin"

"Alois Nebel"
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Cars 2"
"A Cat in Paris"

Weekend Update: Pre-emptive Responses

This weekend seems to be a great deal quieter than most, of no fault to the high buzz comedies infecting the market today. There's just so little to talk about now comparative to last week or next week. With any luck, I'll actually be able to see "J. Edgar" next weekend, though given recent news out of AFI Fest, I wouldn't necessarily go ahead and call that good luck. DiCaprio is getting the most out of the film, as expected after the trailer that debuted weeks ago. I'll maintain my personal tentative feelings until next weekend, but for a more than fine dissection of the performance and the film itself, I hand off to Kris Tapley of In Contention.

Other news of note is that "Shame" finally got slapped with the NC-17 rating, which gave me a moment of rejoice on twitter (#NC17FUCKYEAH). "Young Adult" got a surprise screening to an amazingly positive response, which makes me optimistic at it being more than just a guilty pleasure. Hans Zimmer removed his name from the original score race, which is only a disappointment in regards to "Rango". And 2008 Oscar telecast producer Gil Cates passed away, which is a shame, as we're currently stuck in a sad rut of telecast producers and hosts. Let us never have duel hosts ever again.

And regarding the films releasing this weekend, my money's on "Tower Heist" to be the film to see. I've even had slight intrigue that may win out on me before the weekend is out. You can only spend so much time away from the theaters before it luring you back in. There's a solid cast, and it looks funny enough. For normal people, it would more than suffice. It's got a damn sight better of a chance than "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas" does, indulging in the same obvious and honestly not even funny approach that so many inexplicably are drawn to. But it'll do great this weekend anyway. So what are you seeing this weekend, if anything? Comment below!

"Fringe" Preview: For Real This Time

It took an extra week longer than we hoped, but Joshua Jackson is finally back on "Fringe" tonight, and as much of a fan of John Noble and Anna Torv as I am, the show isn't right without Jackson. Without him, the show has felt somewhat stingy and inorganic. Stilted and cold might be the best way to explain these past four episodes. While not without strong moments, Peter's absence has been felt. I still haven't a clue what the purpose of any of this has been, but it's becoming clear enough that the Observers don't just erase people when their purpose has been fulfilled. Peter is, or at least was, important. Now, what is his purpose in this story? I'll trust the writers for now, and cross my fingers that the show gets better from here.

For Your Anticipation: That Handsome Man

Can't say I have much interest in "A Very Harold and Kumer 3D Christmas", which sounds just as gaudy as it probably is. It looks to be playing on very generic raunch comedy strings, along the lines of weed, masculinity, and overt heterosexuality. And who better to preach the straight line than Neil Patrick Harris. His involvement in this film is somewhat confusing to me, as it seems he had some sort of purpose, however small, in the last two films. Here, they just seem to be playing him up as much as they can. And I don't even care about Kal Penn or John Cho.

For Your Anticipation: Gimme Yo' Wallets

It's all too easy to express hatred towards Brett Ratner, as the man is bound to get a high degree of flak for his work on "Tower Heist" and the upcoming Oscar telecast. But, given some of the footage I've seen from his latest film, I can somewhat give him the benefit of the doubt. There's something naturally funny about a bunch of average people trying to rob the man who ruined their lives, and failing thusly. But there's also the entitlement that most of the comedies imagine themselves to have, and that works quite detrimentally more often than not. I'm half tempted to see "Tower Heist", but it's not something worthy of the theater experience. It looks like fun, but not for $10.

Carpet-Bagging: Supp. Actress is dead on arrival

Yesterday I talked a great deal about the supporting actor race, which was far from concrete and boasted plenty of weak performances in roles of the Academy mold as well as strong performances that are far outside that mold. For men in cinema, it often relies on that key factor of going for the gut. The key job of a supporting actor is often to be that antagonistic presence, and that's what's payed off most in the past. The supporting actress branch is often seen as something quite different, but history has shown that inclination to believe female winners aren't as vicious performances as men to be false.

Mo'Nique in "Precious" is the prime example of that, but also Melissa Leo ("The Fighter") and Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Christina Barcelona") in a certain way. They're not hardcore villains, as they have redeeming factors, but they've got those unstable problems in them. I'd like to think the trend will continue, but I can't say anything for certain. After all, the most assured nomination in this category for this year thus far, is Octavia Spencer for "The Help". God willing, she's not going to ever be the frontrunner this year. Not that I don't like her performance, but there as absolutely nothing spectacular about it.