by Dave Thomas

Keria Knightley in Atonement

As December creeps in, it becomes clear that this year's Oscar race is going to be exceedingly dull. Where's the Dreamgirls to get all the hype but no Best Picture nod? Where's the Pan's Labyrinth to make us all really, really uncomfortable when that guy sews his own face shut? Still, it's an interesting month, and that's a lot more than we'll probably get in January.

December 7

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Not Narnia.

WILL IT SUCK?
Philip Pullman, who wrote the His Dark Materials series of novel upon which this is based, has said it was an attempt, in part, to counterpoint the Christian themes in the C.S. Lewis series. However, most of the anti-religious stuff got nixed by New Line in the adaptation. So much so, that writer/director Chris Weitz initially walked before coming back when things didn't work out with his replacement.

Assuming that drama didn't blunt Weitz's mad skillz, we could be in for a surprisingly good genre treat, if his work on About a Boy is any indication.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No one is taking it on this weekend, but the following weekend, the one-two punch of Alvin and Legend could wipe out its demo. $145mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Bound to get its share of technical nods. I mean, it's got fighting polar bears. You can't beat that.

------------------------------------

ATONEMENT

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Little girl totally fucks over this couple, then tries to make up for it later in life through and act of...um...there's a word for this.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is sick, topping the decent job director Joe Wright did with Pride and Prejudice (also with Keria Knightley). In addition, screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, The Quiet American) knows how to adapt.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Has the best buzz out of an extremely crowded pack. $29mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
And how. Looking to get all the major nods, including a second nod for Knightley.

------------------------------------

GRACE IS GONE

(Delayed from October)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Man (John Cusack) delays telling his two daughters that their mother has died in Iraq by taking them on a road trip.

WILL IT SUCK?

Early buzz is good but not great, focusing on Cusack as the film's strongest asset. The directorial debut of the guy who wrote Lonesome Jim, for the five of you who saw that.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The Weinsteins haven't got long to up the buzz on this one. $4mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Cusack's got a shot at his first nod.

------------------------------------

THE AMATEURS

(Delayed many, many times since March 2006)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Small town decides to shoot a porno.

WILL IT SUCK?
The writer/director wrote Dead Man on Campus. And though the following actors are strong - Jeff Bridges, Joey Pants, Tim Blake Nelson, William Fichtner - the idea of seeing them in a porno is not an inducement to buy (sadly I've already seen full-frontal on Nelson in The Good Girl). On the other hand, Lauren Graham and Jeanne Tripplehorn are in it, too.

Early buzz, if it can even be called "early" anymore, is not encouraging.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The Chumscrubber had a huge cast, too, and nobody saw it. $75,000.

------------------------------------

JUNO

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Not Another Unplanned Pregnancy Comedy

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is even better than Atonement. Director Jason Reitman is clearly suffering no sophomore slump from Thank You for Smoking. The script from Diablo Cody (who's also been tapped to write the pilot for the new Spielberg-created series The United States of Tara, starring Toni Collette and directed by Reitman) is getting raves.

Michael Cera and Ellen Page lead a stellar cast, including Rainn Wilson, Jason Bateman (teaming with Jennifer Garner for the second time this fall), Allison Janney and Smoking vets J. K. Simmons and Cameron Bright.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Like Grace, needs more exposure. Unlike Grace, has the advantage of being funny. $15mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Doesn't have as much time as Little Miss Sunshine (to which it's being compared) to build buzz (or even Smoking), but there's a shot here for everything from screenplay to nods for Page or Cera.

------------------------------------

REVOLVER

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Guy Ritchie goes all Kabbalah on your ass.

WILL IT SUCK?
More than you can possibly imagine. The Jason Statham vs. Ray Liotta revenge plot sounds simple enough, and for the first thirty minutes or so, Guy Ritchie manages to keep it afloat before it becomes completely lost in a sea of pretentious would-be metaphysical crap. Put another way, it's the suckiest bunch of sucks to ever suck.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Already out on DVD in Region 2. Smells like a body dump to me. $250,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
I'm sure that was the idea when it premiered at the Toronto Film Fest in 2005.

------------------------------------

THE WALKER

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
D.C. gigolo gets involved in a murder case.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, with most of the credit going to Woody Harrelson in the lead as opposed to Paul Schrader as the writer/director, though this material seems right up his alley.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Nobody knows about it. And Schrader films tend to have a tough time as it is. $1mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Schrader has directed folks to a nod in the past (most notably James Coburn's surprise win for Affliction), but I don't see that happening here.

------------------------------------
December 14
------------------------------------

I AM LEGEND

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
The Omega Man, Big Willie Style

WILL IT SUCK?
A lot of people are griping about Constantine director Francis Lawrence being at the helm, but I think he's perfect, especially if he gets a good script. Which is where the question comes in...
Co-screenwriter Akiva Goldsman is about 50 percent from the free throw line, but he provided a better-than-expected script for Smith's I, Robot, and this has "I' in the title, too, right? (Of course, it also has "Legend" in the title, and try finding a worse Smith film than The Legend of Bagger Vance.)

The other screenwriter did Poseidon and The Cell, but I'm trying to block that out of my head now.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A little bit of competition from Alvin and the second frame of Compass and more serious competition the following week from National Treasure, but if that's what it takes to compete with you, you're in a good place. $145mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Goldsman is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, but not this time.

------------------------------------

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Holiday romantic comedy (Homcom?) with Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut.

WILL IT SUCK?
On behalf of the African American community, let me just say that I'm pleased as punch that there are enough "urban" holiday comedies out this season for me to begin to lose track, but did this one have to be from the director of The Cookout?

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If you shouldn't have bet against Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? or This Christmas, you probably shouldn't bet against this. $44mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
That's a nut that virtually no holiday comedy has cracked.

------------------------------------

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Jason Lee debases himself for the second time this year.

WILL IT SUCK?
Balance writers from The Simpsons and The Adventures of Pete & Pete with the helmer of Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties and a painful trailer.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Besides The Golden Compass, nothing else is being marketed directly at kids. $73mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Eligible for the Best Animated Film Oscar, but no.

------------------------------------

THE KITE RUNNER

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Guy tries to find best friend's son in Afghanistan.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, with audiences far more consistently impressed than critics. Director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction) usually has his shit wired tight and screenwriter David Benioff is no stranger to adaptation (25th Hour). By the way, Forster's helming the next Bond film, while Benioff's writing that Wolverine flick.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Its only real competition is the second frame of Atonement and the first frame of Youth Without Youth. $21mil.

WILL ANYONE REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Seems to be between this and Charlie Wilson's War for the Middle East-themed entry into the major categories.

------------------------------------

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Nazis try to get the formula for immortality from Tim Roth. Like you never tried that.

WILL IT SUCK?
Again, audiences love it, critics not so much, turned off by the magical realism (read: goofiness). But it is Francis Ford Coppola's first film in ten years, so you gotta believe.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This film is keeping a surprisingly low profile for its pedigree. That won't serve it well. $5mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
It'll be hard for the Academy to stay away, but depending on word of mouth, they just might.

------------------------------------

NANKING

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Doc about the Japanese invasion of the Chinese city of Nanking during WWII and the atrocities that followed.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is fantastic. Judging by the trailer, the first-person accounts read by celebrities seem a bit out of place, but maybe that's just me.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Even without this much competition, it's a hard sell. $1mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The filmmakers won in 2003 for Best Doc Short Subject (Twin Towers).

------------------------------------
December 21
------------------------------------

NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
More treasure hunting with Nicolas Cage and Friends.

WILL IT SUCK?
I've gotta admit, I rather liked the original, and they've basically brought everyone back in front of and behind the camera (while adding Helen Mirren and Ed Harris), so I'm psyched. Don't look at me.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not the easiest weekend, but this is the frontrunner. $140mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Bruckheimer's magic is to add Academy Award-winning actors to action films, not win them.

------------------------------------

WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Musical Biopic Movie

WILL IT SUCK?
Normally I would dismiss this out of hand as an especially narrow attempt at an Airplane-style parody, but Judd Apatow is all over this. He wrote it, and Undeclared and Freaks and Geeks alum Jake Kasdan (yeah, I didn't know he worked on those, either) directed and co-wrote. And, as usual, we have the Apatow Players making for a kick-ass cast.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Has the advantage of being the lone wacky comedy of the season. $71mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The Apatow love will probably go to Knocked Up, if anything.

------------------------------------

P.S. I LOVE YOU

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Gerard Butler (300) leaves messages for the woman (Hilary Swank) he widowed. Unfortunately, they are not "Madness!?! This! Is! The AFTERLIFE!" or "Tonight, we dine in hell! I'll pick up the tab, sweetie."

WILL IT SUCK?
Swank must love her some Richard LaGravenese. She starred in his Freedom Writers earlier this year. He co-wrote and helmed this one, as well. As I remember, Writers got a better-than-expected reception, so that may bode well. Also, it has James Marsters (you know, Spike), so it has to be good.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No direct competition, but National Treasure will tug on that demo. Also, Swank is an unproven quantity in the romcom space. $37mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
A few winners up in here, but no.

------------------------------------

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Kind of like Barbershop, but with fewer black people and more dead people.

WILL IT SUCK?
Great cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Anthony Head and Sacha Baron Cohen. They didn't skimp on the screenplay, either (John Logan of The Aviator, The Last Samurai, Gladiator and RKO 281). But the main thing is Tim Burton. Harry Knowles is already calling it his best since Ed Wood.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If it weren't opening against National Treasure, better. $54mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Burton has been dissed so many times before, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be his Departed.

------------------------------------

STEEP

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Really extreme skiers parachute off of mountains.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz on this sports doc is mixed. Critics no, audiences yes. From a guy who's done a couple of Peter Jennings reports on aliens and Kennedy. If he does a doc on aliens and Kennedy extreme skiing together, I'm there.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A strangely quiet weekend in indieville, but the market will already be so glutted with the second and third frames of major indie releases that it won't matter. $500,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Not so many extreme sports fans in the Academy.

------------------------------------
December 25
------------------------------------

THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Free Nessie

WILL IT SUCK?
The director may have done My Dog Skip and the writer may have done Chocolat, but the trailer looks like straight-up cheese. It doesn't help that the monster looks like the one that Mr. Burns found.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Nicely distanced from Golden Compass, and not much else to take your kids to on Christmas Day. $55mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Based on a novel by the same guy who wrote Babe, but no.

------------------------------------

ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you over my weeping.

WILL IT SUCK?
Writing about this makes my fingers sad. They got the writer of that Shaft remake to do the screenplay. Now, if a predator and an alien teamed up to solve a crime, I would totally see that movie. Especially if they were both played by Samuel L. Jackson. "Yes, those colonial marines deserved to die, and I hope they burn in hell!"

I have to admit, though, I clicked on the link that shows what a "predalien" looks like.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Sadly, this is on people's radar and there's very little genre competition. $40mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Sadly, this is Shareeka Epps' follow-up to Half Nelson.

------------------------------------

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Remember those guys in Afghanistan we're fighting right now? Funny story. We armed them. Here's how.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, but not "Holy Shit, Give It The Oscar Now" good. Admittedly, expectations are kind of high given the combo of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (not to mention Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams) being helmed by Mike Nichols and speaking Sorkin (he's in West Wing territory here, not Studio 60 - or, to put it another way, he's not "STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD IN AFGHANISTAN!!!").

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Honestly, Denzel could give Tom and Julia a run for their money, especially when the topic is the Middle East. $66mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Probably not quite as many nods as you'd expect from a Nichols/Sorkin/Hanks/Roberts ticket.

------------------------------------

THE GREAT DEBATERS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Remember the Debate Team

WILL IT SUCK?
The second directorial effort of Denzel Washington. He stars again, this time alongside Forest Whitaker. And, yes, I'm happy that you can have two Oscar-winning black actors in the same movie without having to search high and low for options. There's totally, like, four now.

Denzel did a decent job with Antwone Fisher, but it remains to be seen if the screenwriter behind both the Darkman and The Birds sequels can adapt the true story of the Wiley College debate team.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Denzel rocks this historical shit. $77mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Most of Denzel's heat will probably be on American Gangster.

------------------------------------

THE BUCKET LIST

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Title refers to a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are two old fogies who try to do them.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz has this as tolerably sappy. I've lost faith in director Rob Reiner so many times now that it's hard for me to take this seriously.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Probably the strongest leads of any indie this week. $20mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The Academy seems incapable of not giving Jack a nod, but they did it with The Departed, and I can tell you right now this will get worse reviews.

------------------------------------

PERSEPOLIS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Animated biopic about a young girl's coming of age in Iran.

WILL IT SUCK?
The kind of movie that critics praise with terms like "ever made." That, plus a Grand Jury Prize at Cannes lessens the suck risk significantly.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Best case scenario is a Triplets of Belleville-style reception. $5mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The film for Ratatouille to beat for Best Animated (though France is submitting it for Best Foreign, as well).

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THERE WILL BE BLOOD (December 26)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
An oil prospector (Daniel Day Lewis) comes to turn-of-the-century Texas to strike it rich and chew scenery.

WILL IT SUCK?
Critics and audiences are impressed (and, in some cases, perplexed) by Paul Thomas Anderson's first flick in five years. IMDB users hail it as his best.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A lot of competition, but anybody paying attention to the indie field is going to put this at the top of their list. $22mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Look for just about every category.

------------------------------------

THE ORPHANAGE (December 28)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Horror film set in an abandoned orphanage.

WILL IT SUCK?
Seems to be securing a place of prestige in the modern wave of Spanish-language horror, with favorable comparisons to one of the co-producer's films, something called Pan's Labyrinth.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Sadly, a lot more people will probably go see the English-language remake of One Missed Call the following week. At least it's already a hit in Spain. $1miil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
It's not THAT favorably compared to Pan's Labyrinth.

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CASSANDRA'S DREAM (December 28)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Woody Allen goes all London thriller on us again.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. Not Match Point good. But good. Hard not to get psyched for Colin Farrell, Ewan McGregor and Tom Wilkinson all working off a decent script.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
There Will Be Blood is a bit of an issue, but this has to do at least as well as Scoop, right? Please? $10mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Even Match Point only managed a screenplay nod.

Next Month: Isn't there already a movie called Rambo?

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Needless to say, this exchange about immigration from last night's debate isn't going to win over the Hispanic vote. Didn't the GOP get their fill of racial insensitivity with George Allen?

ROMNEY: I think it is really kind of offensive actually to suggest, to say look, you know what, if you are a homeowner and you hire a company to come provide a service at your home - paint the home, put on the roof. If you hear someone that is working out there, not that you have employed, but that the company has.

If you hear someone with a funny accent, you, as a homeowner, are supposed to go out there and say, "I want to see your papers."

Is that what you're suggesting?

GIULIANI: If you're going to take this holier than thou attitude . . .

TIM: Yeah, we're Republicans, it's not like we ever do that.

ROMNEY: I ask the mayor again. Are you suggesting, Mayor, that if you have a company that you hired who provide a service, that you now are responsible for going out and checking the employees of that company, particularly those that might look different or don't have an accent like yours, and ask for their papers . . .

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

From BrooklynVegan

SILENT BARN needs your help! ConEdison As some of you may know, Silent Barn is an all ages performance / art / work / living space in beautiful Ridgewood, Queens. We've had a good run so far, hosting shows and events for a wide variety of groups, having extreme fun the whole time, and we'd like to continue that onward and into the unforeseeable future. But here's the catch: we just found out that we lost our appeal of a suit with ConEd, and are receiving notices daily that we owe them back power bills for the power used by the previous residents of the space, to the tune of almost $7,000 with interest. OUCH. We are reaching out to our community for help and ideas, because if we don't come up with the money soon, ConEd will send some sort of federal official to shut off the power, effectively ending Silent Barn for good. [KEEP READING]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Christ. What happened to Kyle MacLachlan? More here. [hat tip Rumproast]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

From TimeOut

I’ll be at the IFC Center for a week, including Thanksgiving night, so if people are lonely I hope they’ll come celebrate Thanksgiving with me.

His last film What Is It was actually kind of entertaining interesting, in a David Lynch sort of way. That is if you're not too disturbed by kids with Down's Syndrome pouring salt on snails.

It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE.opens Wed 21. at IFC.

It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. trailer

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"24" in 1994

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is strangely not safe for work since the clips are taken exclusively from our moral crusaders at Fox News:

FoxNewsPorn.com has a full collection of sex-filled clips. Sorry kids, there's sadly no falafel.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Deer Tick-- "Art Isn't Real"

From Todd P's site:

last minute loft party in WBurg -- 2NITE! --> Castanets, DEER TICK, Phosphorescent, New Villagers @ 66 HOPE STREET

====> -2NITE- 11/13 @ 6 HOPE STREET <====

:: DEER TICK
:::: Castanets
:::::: Phosphorescent
:::::::: New Villagers

[ 66 HOPE STREET ]
66 HOPE ST @ Havemeyer St | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Lorimer, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 9PM | $3+ donation | ALL AGES

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We just do this. Amnesty International films a reenactment of the "Stress Position" and "Belly Slap" techniques, two methods commonly used on detainees (along with waterboarding) who in many cases have not even been charged with a crime:

Add your name to the unsubscribe campaign here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This is from www.intothebox.tv, a new NY real estate video blog. Today, they're featuring Greenpoint. Check it out:

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Now the Rudy camp has their own Obama Girl-style video. Sample lyrics:

Global Warming, it won't matter
if we get bombed and all get splattered.
After the election you can bet
We'll be safer from all those threats
Chill'n', and Reminincisn on days before 911.

Rumproast has the video here. Warning...may cause uncontrolled vomiting.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's an excellent, previously-unreleased set of Okkervil River tracks over at DayTrotter.com. We're huge fans of the band—their latest The Stage Names is fantastic—and the Daytrotter Sessions are essential for any fan of the band. Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We checked out these guys Saturday night at East River Bar and thoroughly enjoyed their set. Their sound is a combination of Peter Gabriel meets early Prince sprinkled with, as our friend Jeff points out, a little yachtiness. Their very fun EP is available here for download, but given the band's David Byrne theatrics and three percussionists, Francis and the Lights is a band to be experienced live which you'll be able to do this Thursday at Galapagos. [Thanks for the image Jeff]

Update: andiamnotlying.com has a great post on the band here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[Thanks Ralph]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Huffington Post just launched a new comedy blog, 236.com. It's definitely worth a visit. We've been enjoying their Swift Kids For Truth videos. Check 'em out here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gorilla vs Bear has got it. From Gorilla vs Bear

Here's the first single from Cat Power's upcoming (mostly) covers record, Jukebox. We had the pleasure of hearing this song -- a Cat Power original making its first appearance on the Jukebox LP -- live (twice, I think) during Chan and crew's 2+ hour marathon set here in Dallas back in August, and it was definitely one of the highlights of the night (both times). The studio version is a little more stripped down than most of the material on the new record, and Chan's voice is definitely the star here. Thanks to our friend Adam for the tip.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hypeful has two new live track's from Sufjan's The BQE here. From Asthmatic Kitty

The BQE, [is] a 30-minute symphonic and cinematic exploration of New York City’s infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. A controversial roadway since its inception in the 1930s, the BQE tears through 11.7 miles of Brooklyn and Queens, severing neighborhoods, pillaging industrial yards, and contouring waterways with the brute force of modern urban planning.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And they have wursts and a retractable canopy. Has anyone been yet? More info and the website are here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

This is too bizarre to not share. More pics and the story are here. [Thanks Nick]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've been looking forward to Todd Hayne's upcoming Dylan film, "I'm Not There." Seeing David Cross as Alan Ginsburg will be worth the price of admission. Luckily, Aquarium Drunkard has two MP3 downloads from the soundtrack to hold us over. You can grab Jim James and Calexico covering "Goin’ to Acapulco" and Mark Lanegan covering "Man in the Long Black Coat" here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This will cure Monday blues. [Thanks Rumproast]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Dave Thomas

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Southland Tales

It's November, which means it's time once again for the studios and their indie divisions to start pulling out the heavy hitters, family films and occasional horror counterprogramming.

November 2

AMERICAN GANGSTER

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Denzel vs. Crowe

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is excellent to the tune of #120 in the IMDB Top 250, pre-release. You'd expect no less from Steve Zaillian writing, Ridley Scott directing and the leads I've already mentioned. And those of you who thought you saw Common in the trailer, you did.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Opening in fairly thick competition, but this will be hard to beat. $65mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Who won't get a nod from this movie?

---------------------------------------------

MARTIAN CHILD

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Kiddie K-Pax

WILL IT SUCK?
Variety describes it as "sententiously moralizing." I'm not 100% sure what that means, but it doesn't sound good. They like the leads, though: John Cusack and newcomer Bobby Coleman as the Martian tyke. From the director of Max, which was, well, okay.

Incidentally, in the book on which this is based Cusack's character is a gay, single father. In this version, he's a hetero widower. Hmm...

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Feel good dramedy is gonna come more from Dan in Real Life's second frame than this. $22mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Cusack has a better shot with his other hetero widower role.

---------------------------------------------

BEE MOVIE

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Antz with wings. And Jerry Seinfeld.

WILL IT SUCK?
All the hallmarks are there for a good Seinfeld ep, from the setting to the writers. Co-director did Prince of Egypt, which was, well, okay. Haven't seen anything from it yet that actually looks funny, though. I get the feeling I'd rather watch Seinfeld do stand-up for 90 minutes.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Basically has the demo to itself, with just the slightest leeching from Fred Claus the following week. $120mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Depending upon how reviews pan out, it's easy game for Best Animated.

---------------------------------------------

DARFUR NOW

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Doc about six activists (including Don Cheadle) who try to make a difference in the Sudan.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. It'll be interesting to see if people can get past their prejudices against celebrities touting causes to get into the film (Clooney's up in here, too).

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If Leo can't sell global warming, I don't know if Cheadle can market Darfur. $1mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Might be in contention with Devil Came on Horseback for doc.

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JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Doc about Clash icon Joe Strummer.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is outstanding. From perennial musicphile Julien Temple.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Nobody knows about this. $500,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Musical docs rarely make the short list.

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November 9
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LIONS FOR LAMBS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Robert Redford, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise wax polemic on Afghanistan.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is not so good, which is too bad since director (and star, in this case) Robert Redford hasn't really knocked one out of the park since 1994's Quiz Show. Matthew Michael Carnahan (Joe's brother) wrote the script, so maybe I have to give the buzz a little salt since I like The Kingdom and a lot of other folks, not so much. Oh, and this is Tom Cruise's first shot at not looking crazy since...the troubles.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Even without American Gangster the week before, Fred Claus this week and Beowulf the week after, war films are just not doing it this season. $23mil.

WILL ANYB0DY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Not with these reviews.

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FRED CLAUS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Vince Vaughn as Santa's brother.

WILL IT SUCK?
David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) directs a script by Dan Fogelman (one of the fifteen writers on Cars). Great cast: Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Spacey, Rachel Weisz, Miranda Richardson, Kathy Bates, John Michael Higgins, and any movie where Ludacris gets the credit "Angry Elf" has gotta be good. And keep an eye out for Frank Stallone as Frank Stallone. The only real question is can Dobkin handle PG comedy as deftly as he did R.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Just the slightest bit of a challenge from Beowulf next week. $109mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
No. But, I think Vince should host the pre-show.

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P2

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Career woman vs. creepy parking lot attendant (Wes Bentley).

WILL IT SUCK?
Well, if you're into that sort of thing, Alexander Aja (Haute Tension, The Hills Have Eyes) is your man. He didn't direct this one, but he co-wrote with his writing partner Grégory Levasseur. I'm actually more psyched for Aja's next couple of projects, one of which is a remake of Piranha with prehistoric piranhas. See what they did there?

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not a good year for horror. $8mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
No, but there will be an intervention for Wes Bentley's career during the show.

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NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Coen Bros, baby. That's all you need to know.

WILL IT SUCK?
The best-rated film of their career. And I've never been more psyched for one of their films based on the trailer alone. Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, and Stephen Root star.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not getting the marketing push of a Fargo, but not much competition, either. $12mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
I think the Coens could at least be looking at another screenplay nod, maybe even director (do they give out co-directing nods?).

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November 16
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BEOWULF

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Guy kills monster. Pisses off monster's mom. Naked CG Angelina Jolie ensues.

WILL IT SUCK?
Robert Zemeckis doesn't exactly suck as a director, and his FX team seems to have learned a thing or two since Polar Express. He's also got Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary on screenplay duty. Add to that a stellar voice cast (Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone, Robin Wright Penn, Crispin Glover, John Malkovich, Alison Lohman, Brendan Gleeson) and you've got anticipation.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Audiences may have a tough time resolving the 300-style mood with the often kid-friendly medium. Families will go see Mr. Magorioum's Wonder Emporium instead, but the die hard goth/renfest faithful will turn out. $57mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Have you seen Angelina Jolie all Grendel's mommed-up? Shoo-in for Best Animated nod. Also, there were some rumors at Comi-Con that Anthony Hopkins could get the first-ever nod for a CG performance.

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MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Old guy (Dustin Hoffman) leaves magical toy store to young woman (Natalie Portman).

WILL IT SUCK?
Zach Helm, who wrote Stranger Than Fiction, writes and directs here. That's the only reason I'm interested in this.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Has a head start on next week's slew of family films, but that head start is abbreviated by the fact that they all open on a Wednesday. $41mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Hoffman has to do more than be a wacky old guy to cut it.

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LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Lovers separated by time and distance, blah, blah, blah...

WILL IT SUCK?
Should an adaptation of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez have a MySpace page and a soundtrack by Shakira? While you ponder that, know that the early buzz is good, probably because combining director Mike Newell with the screenwriter from The Pianist and casting Javier Bardem as the lead are all good choices. This, in spite of a trailer that seems to be a collection of Jane Austen clichés.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
It's almost noble to use MySpace and Shakira to get the kids interested in the magical realism, but I don't think it's going to work. $4mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
With good reviews it's got a shot. Maybe 50/50 for Best Adapted screenplay or even a directing nod. I'd almost rather see Bardem get his props for Country, though.

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MARGOT AT THE WEDDING

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Two sisters clash over one of the sister's choice of fiancé.

WILL IT SUCK?
This is Noah Baumbach's follow-up to The Squid and the Whale and it's not getting nearly the same kind of unanimous approval. Critics overall are down on it (though some love it) while audiences are mostly on board. I have to admit I'm curious to see what he can do with Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, Ciaran Hinds and John Turturro in his line-up.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Has to deal with the higher-profile I'm Not There next week plus I'm not even sure most people who liked The Squid and the Whale know this is coming out. $8mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
If the best they could do for Squid was a screenplay nod, I don't have high hopes for this.

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SOUTHLAND TALES

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko follow-up has weird goings-on in L.A.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is not good. Even audiences seem to be kind of "meh." Does have an ecclectic cast, however, including The Rock, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean William Scott, Mandy Moore, Cheri Oteri, Miranda Richardson, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Smith, Wallace Shawn, John Larroquette, Amy Poehler, Justin Timberlake, Curtis Armstrong, Janeane Garofalo, and Christopher Lambert. You could probably just spend the whole movie playing "spot the celeb."

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Delayed releases and multiple trips to Cannes and Comic-Con could actually help this open before word of mouth kills it. $5mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Conceptual and Wacky tend not to go over so well with the Academy, especially with bad reviews.

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REDACTED

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Casualties of War: Iraq Edition

WILL IT SUCK?
This is the kind of movie over which people get their panties in a bunch long before anyone actually sees it. A fictional depiction of the real life rape and murder committed by U.S. troops against an Iraqi family, it has managed to piss off even the writer/director Brian De Palma (you may have heard of him), who is incensed that actual images of dead Iraqis have been...wait for it...redacted from the close of the film. For all the controversy (which is the majority of ink it will get) the actual reviews are middling.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Just like Death of a President generated a whole lot of controversy and not a lot of box office, this, too looks to be much ado about a very limited release. $1mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
The controversy could help if the reviews were there to support it, but that just isn't the case here.

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November 23
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ENCHANTED

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Animated princess is banished to the very real New York City.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz has this pulling off the Shrek satirical vibe well. Director of the underrated Tarzan and writer of the I've-heard-it's-underrated Blast From the Past on board with Amy Adams, James Marsden and Susan Sarandon rounding out the cast.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Very crowded field, but this has the Disney label. $54mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
No, but this could put former nominee Amy Adams on the mainstream map.

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AUGUST RUSH

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Musical prodigy (Freddie Highmore) and his birth parents (Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers) try to find each other with a little help from Robin Williams.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. This film has a very strange pedigree. It's directed by Jim Sheridan's daughter Kirsten, who co-wrote In America with him and her sister, and its writers include scribes behind Escape From New York and Coppola's Dracula. If this somehow turns out to be a combination of those three films, I am so going.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A crowded time of year for this sort of fare. $12mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
I think Russell's got a better shot with Waitress.

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THE MIST

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Group trapped in store vs. big-ass monsters shrouded in the title.

WILL IT SUCK?
This is the first time recidivist Stephen King adapter Frank Darabont has decided to envision one of the author's horror stories - and he picked an especially creepy one at that. If he can make this half as good as Shawshank or The Green Mile it'll be light years beyond most of this year's horror crop.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Relatively little competition, and a lot of King fans love this story. $30mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
If anyone can get horror on the Academy radar, it's three-time Oscar nominee Darabont. But it's not gonna happen.

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HITMAN

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Guy kills people for money. What did you think it would be about?

WILL IT SUCK?
Interesting combination of talents here. You've got the director of the film-fest-fave horror flick Frontières and the writer of the shameless-yet-addictive Swordfish, so I'm thinking this will turn out to be a good 3 a.m. TNT watch. In addition to Timothy Olyphant in the lead, I'm liking the casting of Dougray Scott and Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond on Lost) as well.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Video game on which this is based has a decent following and there's little or no action competition. $29mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
No, but Olyphant's turn in Die Hard IV puts me in mind of adding an Oscar for films that exceed expectations.

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THIS CHRISTMAS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Why Did I Come Home for Christmas?

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, which is better than you'd expect from Preston A. Whitmore II, writer/director of Crossover (Check the IMDB bottom 100. Lower. Lower. Lower.) I'm liking the casting of Delroy Lindo and Regina King, and the trailer actually looks decent.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
That Tyler Perry crack is for real (and I swear I thought of it before I saw IMDB do the same thing). Expect a similar marketing campaign with diluted results given the glut of holiday fare. $22mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
If either ever do make it to the show, it'll be Perry will before Whitmore.

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I'M NOT THERE

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw ARE Bob Dylan.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. Props to Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, Velevet Goldmine) for pulling off an audacious project and getting his best IMDB love ever. Also, you gotta love that David Cross is Allen Ginsberg.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Savages will be kind of big deals next week, but none of them have six people playing Bob Dylan. $9mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
This is the kind of quirky fare that could maybe get a screenplay nod. Poss. supporting actress nod for Blanchett since she's been there before and is playing, you know, a dude.

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STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Grad student (Lauren Ambrose) tries to rejuvenate old writer (Frank Langella).

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed with audiences not nearly as in love with it as critics.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Like, five people in New York are gonna watch this thing. $750,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Langella's performance is getting mad buzz, but will anyone see it?

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NINA'S HEAVENLY DELIGHTS

(Delayed from October)

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Indian woman returns to Scotland to save her deceased father's failing restaurant.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed. From the screenwriter of Dear Frankie.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
They've moved this to a less crowded weekend, but it's still in over it's head. $500,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Not enough eyeballs.

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November 30
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AWAKE

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Man (Hayden Christensen) overhears his own murder being plotted while under really ineffective anesthesia.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. Terence Howard plays the doctor who may have betrayed Christensen.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A little competition from the second frame of The Mist, but next week Golden Compass obliterates everything in its path. $14mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Hustle & Flow it is not.

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THE SAVAGES

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney play siblings putting their father in a home.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is outstanding, having this surpass writer/director Tamara Jenkins last effort as a double threat, 1998's The Slums of Beverly Hills.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Fox Searchlight has got to get the word out. $1mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Provided enough people see it, Linney and Hoffman could get some love.

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THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
The French Sea Inside

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is fantastic. Like, best director at Cannes award for Julian Schnabel (Before Night Falls) fantastic. Ron Harwood (The Pianist) adapts the memoir written by Elle France editor Jean-Dominique Bauby one blink at a time after he suffered a stroke. Mathieu Amalric (Louis in Munich) plays Bauby. Oh, and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski works for someone besides Spielberg for once.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Has an uphill battle. Foreign, indie and no star. $3mil.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
Looks lined up to be that foreign film that gets nominated for more than just Best Foreign Film.

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TEETH

WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Story about a woman who has teeth, you know, down there.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good. FYI, the writer/director is Roy Lichtenstein's son.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Indie horror comedy usually does better on DVD. $500,000.

WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME??
No, but lead Jesse Weixler could see an Indie Spirit nod to go along with her Special Jury Prize at Sundance.

Next Month: There Will Be Paul Thomas Anderson

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

They're getting huge overseas and their record features Feist! Check out "Diamonds On Fire" (with Feist) here. Strangely, they haven't been picked up by a label yet in the U.S. From their MySpace page:

Danceable folk, bedroom disco, and lost love laments; these are just a few facets of Rubies. California-based trio, Rubies, are three young ladies that push the boundaries of how we perceive pop music. The poised and dynamic range of songwriting keeps the listener excited by offering fresh and honest versions of future dancefloor and living room classics. Simone Rubi (lead vocals, keyboards) entices the crowd while Terri Loewenthal (bass) keeps them dancing. Add Amy Cooper's shimmering guitar, the harmonies of all three voices and beats provided by machine or borrowed man. While it could be in a crowded avant-garde discotheque in NYC, a motorik infused warehouse in Berlin, or the pine-needle carpeted redwoods of Big Sur, the energy of Rubies will have you dreaming of your first crush. Rubies have just finished their first album. We were lucky enough to have helping hands from Eirik Glambek-Boe (Kings of Convenience) and his new group "Kommode", Leslie Feist, Karl-Jonas Winqvist (Blood Music), Dan Judd (Sorcerer), Lars Skoglund (Laakso, Peter, Bjorn and John), Maria Eriksson (The Concretes) and a small army of other talented folks from all over the world.