Welcome to Chris on Flix!
Anticipated Holiday Films 2011!
Hugo
Martin Scorsese tries a change a pace with this magical 3D fantasy!
Carnage
Roman Polanski's version of the Tony Award winning play. Jodie Foster,
John C Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz make up the high voltage,
talented cast! Need I say more!
Summer 2011 release I look forward to most?
Larry Crowne
Tom Hanks stars as victim of corporate downsizing who reinvents
himself. It doesn't hurt that his co-star is the charming Julia Roberts.
It's nice to see a big budget Hollywood film aimed at adults!
Welcome to my film website! As
an actor and lover of great films, I look forward to sharing my opinions and
views of current first-run films, flicks on DVDs and classic, alternative and
independent films.
Golden Globe Predictions 2011!
:Best Picture Drama:
The King's Speech and The
Fighter are stronger pictures but The Social Network is timely and
hot right now and count on it to continue it's winning streak.
Best Picture
Comedy/Musical:
Other than The Kids are All
Right this is a weak group. Why didn't they nominate the superior Toy
Story 3 and well-done comedies such as The Other Guys and Easy
A? The Kids are All Right without a doubt will win here.
Best Actor Drama:
All good performances but this is
Colin Firth's year and deservingly so. He will win for The King's
Speech.
Best Actress Drama:
With the exception of Halle
Berry, this is a strong group but Natalie Portman has the most vigorous role
among her competitors and she pulled it off beautiful and believably.
She's a sure bet for Black Swan.
Best Actor Comedy:
Wow, what a weak category! I've
heard great things about Paul Giamatti in Barney's Vision and I feel he
probably has the best chance in terms of quality, but Depp is a Hollywood and
world favorite so it's more likely he'll win for Alice in Wonderland.
Best Actress Comedy:
Emma Stone was delightful in Easy
A but Julianna Moore and Annette Bening have roles with more substance and
cultural significance. Though both are good, I actually prefer
Moore's funny, offbeat performance. However, Bening is a long-time nominee
and has the showier of the two roles, so count on her to win tonight.
Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale will win without a
doubt and for good reason, he's terrific in The Fighter; a brave, heroic
performance.
Best Supporting Actress:
Melissa Leo's fine performance in
The Fighter has won other critic's awards and is the type of "sink
your teeth" role that goes on to win Oscars and she may do the same at the
Globes tonight. However, I feel the Foreign Press will choose Jacki
Weaver's critically acclaimed role in Animal Kingdom or Helena
Bonham Carter's supportive spouse role in The King's Speech.
Best Director
All strong directors (although I
feel Inception is an overrated film) but again, since The Social Network
is cleaning up award after award, consider this a win for David Fincher.
Upcoming films to get over the dog days
of summer!
Blockbusters, sequels and actions flicks
tend to dominate the summer months. While some of these films can be quite
entertaining. It's nice to await some more thoughtful adult fare.
Here's two upcoming films that should fit the void!
Eat Pray Love
The radiant Julia Roberts stars in this
highly anticipated adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's popular bestseller about a
spirited woman who decides to take off on a round-the-world journey in search of
herself. Roberts is one of our finest actresses and always worth watching
(she gave the putrid Valentine's Day the only passion and dignity it had) and it
doesn't hurt that to have such high octane talent as Javier Bardem, Viola Davis,
James Franco and Billy Crudup in supporting roles!
Animal Kingdom
I have heard nothing but praise about this
Australian exploration of a crime family that took top honors earlier this year
at Sundance. The trailer looks promising with a strong ensemble of top
actors from Australia. Let's hope this acclaimed international hit gets a
wide release throughout the states!
My Oscar Predictions 2010!
Best Picture:
This will probably be the closest race of
the evening. Avatar is the kind of old fashioned, well
crafted technical achievement that fares well with Academy voters. They
rewarded James Cameron's Titanic 13 years ago and may find it hard to
ignore especially after solid reviews, a Golden Globe for Best Drama and 500
plus million at the box office. However, Kathryn Bigelow's intense and
beautifully made military drama, The Hurt Locker has won countless
critics awards and is one of the most realistic depictions of war ever put on
film. It's recent negative publicity due to producer Nicholas Chartier's
anti Avatar emails to Academy members might hurt the film's chances but I
doubt it will make a significant dent. "Locker" is the small,
well-made serious film that normally draws votes and its harsh, gritty look at
U.S. Soldiers is timely and powerful. My money is on The Hurt Locker
to edge Avatar for the big prize. If Avatar and The Hurt
Locker split votes, there's a small chance Inglorious Bastards could
take the lead (it certainly deserves too!), but I still feel "Locker"
will take the prize!
Best Actor:
Earlier in the season I would
have picked George Clooney's well-received performance in Up in the Air
as a sure bet, but veteran actor and five-time nominee Jeff Bridges has gained momentum
for his strong work in Crazy Heart as an aging country singer winning
both Golden Globe and the SAG award for his portrayal. I'd love to see
Colin Firth, so deserving of recognition in A Single Man step up
to the podium but it's going to be Bridges night!
Best Actress:
In any other year, Carey
Mulligan's terrific debut in An Education would have made her a definite
forerunner but she'll have to sit back and watch either Meryl Streep in her 16th
career nomination or Sandra Bullock walk down the aisle. I love Bullock's
work and she's probably going to win for her feisty dramatic role in The
Blind Side, however this is the year that Streep truly deserves to claim her
third prize. Her portrayal of Julia Child in Julie and Julia was
pure perfection and I wouldn't be surprised (and delighted) to hear her name
announced as winner.
Best Supporting Actress:
Comic actress Mo'Nique has won
just about every award imaginable for her strong supporting role as an abusive
mother in Precious. She's a sure bet to win her first Oscar!
Best Supporting Actor:
Though it's nice to see veteran
actor Christopher Plummer finally nominated for The Last Station,
Christoph Waltz is a sure bet for his superb performance in Inglorious
Bastards as a charismatic, frightening Nazi officer. Like Mo'Nique, Waltz
has won just about every award for his memorable portrayal and let's face it,
this is one of the finest performances in recent years. Will and should
win, count on it!
Best Director:
If there's an Avatar
sweep, there's a chance James Cameron could win his second award and Quentin
Tarantino certainly deserves to win for his brilliant work on Inglorious
Bastards; however Kathryn Bieglow's eclectic handling of the powerful scenes
in The Hurt Locker were impressive. She's only the 4th female
director to be nominated and since she has already won the DGA award for her
work, it's a sure bet she'll be the first woman to win the Oscar.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
At one time Jason Reitman's Up
in the Air looked like an early favorite for Best Picture. A win for
Reitman and Sheldon Turner will be the consolation prize. I
prefer Nick Hornby's charming and beautiful screenplay for An Education.
It's a gem and truly deserves to win!
Best Original Screenplay:
Many critics have predicted Mark
Boal will win his intense screenplay for The Hurt Locker. It's a
worthy script and he certainly may win. My guess is that voters will be
even more impressed (as I was) for Quentin Tarantino's clever rewriting of
history for Inglorious Bastards!
Ten Best Films of the Decade! (no
order of preference).
Eternal Sunshine of the
Spotless Mind (2004)
Sideways (2004)
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Chicago (2002)
Almost Famous (2000)
Gosford Park (2001)
Ratatouille (2007) (3 way tie of equally excellent Pixar
films)
WALL-E (2008)
Up (2009)
In America (2002)
The Lives of Others (2006)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
You Can Count On Me (2000)
Five Actors to Watch (2009)
Last year I shared five actors who had
made a strong impression either in leading or supporting roles. This year
the following five actors contributed strong and passionate work and are
definitely worth watching for!
Bradley Cooper
Like Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper is a handsome leading man
who can be romantic and dashing yet has a goofy, offbeat subtext that shines in
comedies. Cooper impressed me in the otherwise horrid, He's Not That In To
You. He managed to be likable and charming in a film filled with unlikable
characters and situations and his presence stood out. Over the summer, he
co-starred in the delightfully vulgar comedy, The Hangover. His comic
performance was appropriately manic and spirited with subtle shades of
compassion and strength. I like how Cooper's is willing to have fun with his
matinee good looks and get down and dirty with fare such as The Hangover while
having the charm to elevate crap like He's Not That In To You. He's an actor who
can juggle a variety of roles and it should be interesting to see his career
blossom. This winter, he'll be a part of an all star ensemble including
Julia Roberts in the romantic comedy, Valentine's Day
Hiam Abbass
Abbass is a Palestinian actress who has shined in critically
acclaimed foreign films such as Paradise Now (2005). Last year she gave a
fine performance in The Visitor as a concerned mother of a Middle Eastern
illegal alien. She gave her character a serene, strong dignity and her scenes
with Oscar nominated co-star, Richard Jenkins were quite moving. Earlier
this year, her haunting and gutsy performance in Lemon Tree was filled with
strength and passion and will hopefully generate an Oscar nomination.
These strong performances are indicators that Abbass is an actress to watch and
one who can become an international star!
Viola Davis
It takes a fine talent to outshine such co-stars as Meryl
Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. In the flawed film
Doubt, involving a Priest's relationship with a young African-American pupil in
an early 60's Catholic School, Davis has one major scene with Streep as the
boy's mother and single handily walks away with the film. Her 10 minutes
on film explode with anger and passion and are the only time in an otherwise
flat film that the audience takes notice and cares what is happening on
screen. This role won her a well-deserved Oscar nomination and I for one,
look forward to seeing more and more of Davis on screen!
Eddie Marsan
Marsan co-stared in one of last year's finest films,
Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky. Newcomer Sally Hawkins garnered numerous
accolades for her wonderful performance as a spirited young English woman, Poppy
and Marsan equaled her in spades. In the film he portrays Poppy's cranky,
lonely and mentally ill driving teacher Scott and the scenes between Hawkins and
Marsan are fantastic and fascinating! Marsan gives his explosive character
shades of humor, anger and heartbreak and doesn't miss a single note with his
performance. I like the raw power he shares as an actor and feel his
range is diverse enough to create a wide range of memorable roles.
Maya Rudolph
One of this year's best and most touching films is Sam
Mendes' Away We Go and a major reason for that is Rudolph's luminous and moving performance as a mother to be in search of the perfect town for her and
her boyfriend to raise their child. Rudolph is best known for her
work on Saturday Night Live and is the daughter of 1970's R&B singer Minnie
Riperton. Rudolph has a lovely aura and creates a vulnerable and exciting
film presence and I can't wait to see more of her work!
Summer Films that look interesting!
Up
Two of the best films of the past few
years were animated masterpieces from Pixar Studios. If this
whimsical tale of a 78 year-old man who dreams of ballooning to South America is
anywhere as fine as Ratatouille or WALL-E, we're in for a real treat. My
money is on this as one of the summer's best films!
Moon
I feel Sam Rockwell is one of the best
actors working now and will see anything with him in it. This intriguing
tale about a solo astronaut who believes he may not be alone prior to his
return home looks fascinating and with Rockwell as the helm, it should be a
sonic blast!
The Hurt Locker
This film is already getting some fine
pre-release buzz. Kathryn Bigelow directs this intense look at an elite,
US bomb squad in Iraq who come together in Baghdad and witness the horrifying
effects of the war. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce and the
film, may be an all too frightening reminder of the tragedy of war.
The Proposal
Yeah, it looks cute and contrived but I've
always liked the charming Sandra Bullock in her romantic comedies and Ryan
Reynolds is one of our best young actors and shined last year in Definitely
Maybe. Let's hope this look at a pushy boss who marries her assistant to
keep her visa status is another winner for both of these delightful actors.
My Life in Ruins
I really admired Nia Vardalos' sensitive
and comic performance in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and feel since she is
returning to her ethnic roots portraying a travel guide connecting to her Greek
background and chance for love on a trip to Greece, it might be something else
to shout " Opa! "about!
Away We Go
Sam Mendes (American Beauty and
Revolutionary Road) directs this quirky film about a young couple expecting
their first baby who decide to travel around the country looking for the
perfect place to raise their child. John Krasinski and Maya Randolph have
gotten some really good early reviews for the film and Chris Messina, so good in
last year's Humbolt County and Vicki Cristina Barcelona is featured in a
supporting role. I like the trailer and Mendes' work is always worth catching.
Taking Woodstock
Oscar Winner Ang Lee explores American
society once again with this true story about a young man who works at his
parents' motel in the Catskills during the summer of 1969 and helps to set in
motion the defining concert of the 1960's, Woodstock. The high octane cast
includes Emile Hirsch, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano and Imelda
Staunton. With that cast and director, Lee at the stern, let's hope this
is a happening experience!
My Oscar Predictions!
Best Picture:
Although The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the
beautifully made old-fashioned, Hollywood epic of a film that used to win this
award, my money is on the little indie that could, Slumdog Millionaire.
It's won every other major award for best picture including the SAG award for
Best Ensemble. Count on it to go for the big Prize.
Best Actress:
A strong group. Personally, I'd love to see Angelina
Jolie win for her powerful and heartfelt work in Changeling, but Kate Winslet
has lost 5 times previously and is one of our finest actresses, so I feel that 6
is going to be her lucky number. Maybe Meryl Streep in her 15th nomination
could pull an upset, but I doubt it (no pun intended).
Best Actor:
All fine performances but Sean Penn will emerge the
winner for his strong work in Milk. Mickey Rourke has done well with the
Golden Globes and BAFTA in this category and could sneak in for the prize, but I
feel he's too "out there" for most Academy members and they'll decide
to go with Penn.
Best Supporting Actor:
Heath Ledger. Will and should win, count
on it!
Best Supporting Actress:
My choice here is the luminous and passionate Penelope
Cruz and I feel the members of the Academy will agree. She was a
fiery, dynamo in Vicki Cristina Barcelona and 3 other actors (Michael Caine,
Mira Sorvino and Dianne Wiest) have won previously in the supporting category
for a Woody Allen film and I feel Cruz will continue the trend. Viola
Davis or Marisa Tomei could pull an upset, but I'm sticking with Cruz here.
Best Director:
Danny Boyle won the DGA award and with only a few exceptions,
the DGA winner goes on to win the Oscar. In addition, since Slumdog is
likely to win Best Picture, it's fairly certain Boyle's name will be read as
winner.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Simon Beaufoy will be keep the Slumdog Millionaire
winning streak going!
Best Original Screenplay:
Many feel Milk was one of the year's best pictures if not the
best, so this is the category where Oscar voters can redeem themselves for
overlooking the film as Best Picture. Dustin Lance Black will
emerge winner for his screenplay for Milk. There's a slight chance the
Academy will recognize their ignorance for leaving the brilliant WALL-E out of
the Best Picture and Director race and award a win for Andrew Stanton, Jim
Reardon and Peter Doctor's innovative screenplay but I feel the academy is
foolishly elitist when it comes to animation, so my pick is Milk.
3 Oscar Snubs to rant about!
WALL-E
Along with being one of the best reviewed films of the year,
Pixar once again gave us (as with last year's Ratatouille) a brilliantly made,
innovative, funny and touching film that elevated itself above most Hollywood commercial
films. Part ode to Charlie Chaplin with a breathtaking 20 minute
silent beginning and salute to Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey thrown in for good
measure, this is simply one of the finest films of the decade. Yeah it's great
the film won 6 deserved Oscar Nods including Best Animated Film and Original
Screenplay (thank God the overrated Cody Diablo is not in the running this
year), however, this is the type of strong film that deserved to be up for the
big prize and ignoring Andrew Stanton's impressive directing is a crime
indeed! Great filmmaking is great filmmaking and should be judged
accordingly regardless of live, animated or documentary form! Wake up
Academy members!
Bruce Springsteen
As expected and deservingly so, Mickey Rourke and Marisa
Tomei won nominations for their passionate and strong performances in The
Wrestler. However, Springsteen's effective title song was locked out of
the best song category after his win at the Golden Globe awards. The passionate
song seemed like a sure thing for the nod and probable win. Instead only 3
nominations were submitted and 2 for unknown songs from Slumdog
Millionaire. What gives? It seems every year there a blunder
in this category. Oh yeah, this is the group that ignored the Bee Gee's
classic score to Saturday Night Fever?
Cate Blanchette
I loved The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and was overjoyed
by its 13 nominations including recognizing the fine work of Brad Pitt and
Taraji Hensen. But what about Cate Blanchette? She was the soul and
passion of the film and had you hooked into the story from the very first fame
of the film; a terrific performance filled with passion, angst and wit.
How could they nominate Pitt and Hensen and forget about Blanchette, one of our
finest actresses?
Five Actors to Watch
It's always exciting to watch a film and witness
a terrific actor emerging and to then anticipate their next film because they
were so wonderful to watch! Often they may only have a supporting or small
role or you might have never noticed them until the right role came along.
Over the past year, I found this to true of the following five actors and
can't wait to see more and more of their performances:
Sam Rockwell:
You may have seen him recently in Choke.
No matter the role, Rockwell is always an offbeat and interesting presence.
Earlier this year he co-starred in Snow Angels, a bleak, but
fascinating character study about the intertwining lives of desperate people in
a small, Pennsylvania town. Rockwell gives his character the right amount
of frustration, anger and weirdness to make him frightening yet vulnerable.
Snow Angels is currently on DVD and is worth a look if you enjoy
independent fare. Even more impressive is his "Superhero like"
rescue of 2007's Omen wanna be Joshua. While we've seen
"the bad kid who kills" many times before, Rockwell injects his role
as Joshua's father, with enough fierce passion and guts to scare the daylights
out of Superman and Batman combined. It's always a kick to see an actor elevate
mediocre material to something worth watching! I feel Rockwell is one of
the finest actors working now!
Chris Messina:
Messina was impressive this summer in Woody
Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Cast as Vicky's fiancé,
he took the clichéd "Hollywood wrong guy for the girl" role and
invested it with compassion, charm and integrity, thus, we could really feel his
love for Vicky in contrast to him being the loser "fiancé."
He's currently starring in the independent film Humboldt County (it's
available on pay per view) and he's equally impressive as the "black
sheep" of a California family who grows marijuana and seems to stay high
often. Similar to his work in Vicky, he gives a common "cliché"
type role freshness by adding humor, conviction and depth allowing the audience
to really identify with his character. Fine work by a terrific young actor
who I want to see more of.
Isla Fisher:
Fisher was great fun in 2005's Wedding
Crashers as Vince Vaughn's psycho love interest. Earlier this year, I
watched her in the delightful, romantic comedy Definitely Maybe and she
shined bright among a high octane cast. Fisher portrayed April, Ryan
Reynolds' old girlfriend and stole every scene she graced. She's a real
dynamo on screen, a terrific mix of funny and sexy with just the right amount of
sadness underneath to enhance her vulnerability. Fisher is reminiscent of
Amy Adams (another fine talent) and I for one, look forward to her next role!
Marion Cotillard:
Sometimes Oscar gets it right and he sure did
earlier this year when Cotillard's name was called out for her sensational
performance as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. The film itself is flawed
and all over the place, but it really doesn't matter, because Cotillard is
brilliant and believable as the tragic French songstress. She transforms
herself into Piaf with sincerity and gusto. A gem of a performance.
What's even more exciting is Cotillard is cast along Penelope Cruz (muy
perfecto), Sophia Loren and Daniel Day Lewis (making his musical debut, but he
can do anything!) in Rob Marshall's (Chicago) version of the 1981 Tony winning
musical Nine. Ah, life is good!
Michael Sheen:
Sheen held his own against Helen Mirren in The
Queen. Sadly overlooked in the Best Supporting Oscar category, Sheen
was simply a marvel as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. More than
just a fine resemblance, he gave Blair depth and a slight manipulative aura that
gave his scenes with Mirren passion and bite. Last year he was
really impressive as a paraplegic Vietnam Vet in the well-meaning but flat The
Music Within. Next up for this talented actor is the
December release of Frost/Nixon where Sheen portrays another famous
Brit, journalist and interviewer David Frost.
Fall Films to watch for!
Burn After Reading
The Coen Brothers have thankfully
returned to their off-beat comic ways and with Oscar Winner Francis
McDormand back in the lead. How can it miss?
W
Yes, Oliver Stone can be a bit
over-zealous as a filmmaker, but after the last eight years of the Bush
administration and its terrors, this might be just what the doctor
ordered. What took you so long, Oliver?
Changeling
I've argued for years that Angelina Jolie
is one of our finest actresses and with veteran director, Clint Eastwood at the
helm, this might be the artistic jump this talented woman deserves!
Rachel Getting Married
Anne Hathaway has done some really fine
work recently and the early buzz is good on this study of a wild child who
causes a bit of trouble at her sisters wedding. It's also great to see
Debra Winger back on screen in a supporting role.
Quantum of Solace
Daniel Craig reinvented the James Bond
franchise with the dynamic and exciting Casino Royale two years ago and I
can't wait to see him rock as Bond again!
Synecdoche, New York
Oscar Winner Charlie Kaufman makes his
directorial debut with with another off-beat and unique film about a stage
director who sets his new play on a life-size version of New York City built
inside a warehouse. With a cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Catherine Keener and Samantha Morton and Kaufman's eclectic talent, this might
be an early Christmas present!
5 Oscar snubs that
stung! 
Into The Wild
Probably the year's best picture
passionately directed by Sean Penn and beautifully acted by a fine
ensemble. A simple story about the importance of our existence and how we
share our lives with others. Shame on the Academy for excluding the film for
Best Picture, Penn as Best Director and Emile Hirsch as Best Actor.
Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Not only was the film one of the year's
best, but Adams gave the most comical and delightful performance of the year.
How could the same Academy who rewarded an equally wonderful Disney performance
by Julie Andrews in 1964's Mary Poppins forget the joy that an actress as high
spirited as Adams brings to movie screens?
Hairspray
One of the best reviewed musicals of the
past few years and winner of the Acting ensemble award at the Broadcast Film
Critics Awards in addition to a SAG nomination for Best Acting Ensemble and zero
for zero at Oscar time. At least a Best Song nod for Come So Far?
Tsk, Tsk to those who forgot this delightful film.
Russell Crowe and Christian Bale (3:10
To Yuma)
Bale and Crowe gave new life to the
Western genre with their fine performances as two men who develop an unlikely
bond on the way to catching a train to fate. The film's strong and
touching conclusion works because of the strength and dignity these two fine
actors bring to their roles. Wake up Oscar man and please finally nominate
a deserving Christian Bale!
Pop Goes My Heart (Music and Lyrics)
The title credits of this fun Hugh Grant
comedy are a mock video send up of a 1980's Wham-type group. Adam
Schlesinger wrote an infectious, delightful song that I haven't been able to get
out of my head since I first heard it. I loved Enchanted but it didn't
need 3 Oscar nods for Best Song. Just think what a hoot it would have been
to see Hugh Grant and Scott Porter strut out on stage and do their George
Michael, Andrew Ridgeley thing! Oh I forgot, they had to reward August
Rush with one nomination to get their good deed in for the day. Barf!
Daniel Day Lewis
As many of you know I'm a big fan of Superheroes. Because I'm an actor,
one hero to me is Daniel Day Lewis. I admire his talent, grace and his awesome ability
to portray a vast array of characters and to fully commit himself into any role he's called on to play. Last night while accepting his SAG award for Best Actor in There Will Be Blood, Lewis showed true courage and
nobility as he shared his admiration to fellow actor Heath Ledger by dedicating his award to the late actor. This act of compassion
displayed all the criteria of a true hero; unselfish and self sacrificing, in short, a compassionate and beautiful gesture. I salute you,
Daniel Day Lewis. You make me proud to be an actor.
Please check out this speech at you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY0fPhgLAcM
!
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