“I don’t think that there’s anything worse than being ordinary.”
In spite of the white picket fences, manicured lawns, and two car garages, plaguing the heart of the American Dream is the underlying pestilence of an ordinary existence. In accordance with the old adage of “art imitating life,” contemporary American life has been and continues to be a favorite subject of satire, criticism, and reflection in film. The “picture-perfect” fallacy of the suburban lifestyle consistently fairs well (or not) in big-screen representations as a particularly potent point of fascination for both filmmakers and audiences alike. Ranging from coming-of-age stories like The Graduate (1967) and American Graffiti (1973) to unflinching satires like Fight Club (1999) and American Psycho (2000), the discussion of modern American values plants seeds of dissent between social norms and expectations and personal desires and outlooks. Two films that draw uncanny parallels to one another as musings on the disconnect between the image of American suburbia and its flawed human representatives are Sam Mendes‘ acclaimed American Beauty (1999) and Ang Lee’s lesser-known, though still appreciated, The Ice Storm (1997). Though not nearly on the same scale of resonance and cultural or cinematic impact, the obvious similarities between the two films make them rivaling meditations on American Suburbia ripe for comparison. Read more on Masters of Suburbia: How ‘American Beauty’ Weathers ‘The Ice Storm’…
 It’s time to dive, dive in deep…well, at least as deep as you can in May. As I attempted to unveil the newest set of Oscar Predictions, I realized how many promising films are left to be seen in the remaining seven months. As of now, the only real Best Picture contender that has the legs to make it until the end of the year would be Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell, and that’s a longshot at best given its genre. You can make arguments for films like The Place Beyond the Pines by Derek Cianfrance and even Mud by Jeff Nichols but those will need a well-placed DVD release with a focused campaign, something I’m not sure the studios are willing to bet on. Cianfrance’s film also has an outside shot for Screenplay and a Supporting Actor mention for Ryan Gosling. If anything, this helps him for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives, if they’re feeling like recognizing him a second time. It feels like eons ago when Gosling was nominated for Ryan Fleck’s Half Nelson (2006) and then later missed other opportunities for Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Blue Valentine (2010), and Drive (2011). Not sure when it will be before he gets back onto the Oscar radar.
Down below, why don’t we start taking a look at the slate by each studio and assess where their money will and should go throughout the season. Read more on Oscar Circuit – The Studio Assessment Part 1…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit, Oscar Predictions Tags: 2014 Oscar Predictions, Academy Awards, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, August: Osage County, Before Midnight, Ben Stiller, Blue Jasmine, Bruce Dern, Cameron Diaz, Captain Phillips, Dane DeHaan, David O. Russell, Editor, Ethan Hawke, Foxcatcher, George Clooney, Gravity, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Wells, Julie Delpy, Kill Your Darlings, Kristin Wiig, Leonardo DiCaprio, Man of Steel, Maria Bello, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, melissa leo, Michael Fassbender, Mud, Nebraska, Oscar Circuit, Pacific Rim, Paul Greengrass, Penelope Cruz, Peter Jackson, Prisoners, Richard Linklater, Ridley Scott, Ryan Gosling, Sarah Polley, Shirley MacLaine, Sony Pictures Classics, Steve Carell, Steve McQueen, Stories We Tell, The Counselor, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Seventh Son, The Way Way Back, The Wolf of Wall Street, tom hanks, Twelve Years A Slave, Viola Davis, Woody Allen
 The twelfth season of American Idol is getting ready to call it curtains this upcoming Wednesday with our first all-girl finale since Season 3′s Diana DeGarmo took on eventual winner, Fantasia Barrino. This time we have the vocally masterful Candice Glover taking on the poised and humble country girl, Kree Harrison. Staff Writer Joseph Braverman has done an outstanding job recapping all the episodes this season, as well as taking on the less than enthusiastic show from NBC.
Recapping the season, it’s been pretty impressive. We’re finally getting a female winner this year after being given the finger since Season 6′s Jordin Sparks. With a definite sign of manipulation that was set from the season jump, this year was riddled with poor choices for male contestants to set up an eventual all-five female lineup, an Idol first. There was also in the inclusion of Lazaro Arbos, the stuttering Miami native that forgot lyrics week after week and managed to outlast every guy in the competition. With Randy Jackson announcing his departure from Idol after the finale, rumors are swirling that all the judges including executive producer Nigel Lythgoe will be replaced next season. Read more on American Idol Season 12 Retrospective – Top 10 Performances of the Season!…
Categories: Article, Editor, TV/Music Tags: amber holcomb, Ameircan Idol Season 12, american idol, Angie Miller, Burnell Taylor, Candice Glover, Curtis Finch, Devin Velez, Janelle Arthur, Jr., kree harrison, Lazaro Arbos, Paui Jolley
 No big surprises here, ‘Iron Man 3‘ (BV) sits on top at #1 every day at the box office, securing its placement for the weekly count, ‘Pain & Gain‘ (Par.) slips to #2, as ‘42‘ (WB) holds onto #3. ‘Oblivion‘ (Uni.) is bumped down to #4 followed by ‘The Big Wedding‘ (LGF) at #5. ‘The Croods‘ (Fox) which has been doing quite well, takes a swing down to #6, as ‘Mud‘ (RAtt.) rises to #7, bringing ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘ (BV) up into the top 10. This week’s #9 is ‘The Place Beyond The Pines‘ (Focus) and #10 goes to ‘Scary Movie 5‘ (W/Dim.).
Read more on Box Office Results (05.12.13)…
 Superhero films often get a bad rap among AMPAS members. Not too many of them think any superhero genre film has pushed the boundaries of the cinematic scope to warrant any major citations. We often just accept that despite a movie being just freaking awesome and super entertaining à la Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) last year, there isn’t any feasible chance the Academy will recognize the mass popular film. Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 opened to decent enough reviews, no one necessarily bringing up the “O” word so this doesn’t really apply there per se but what about the other films that are scheduled to open. Better yet, how about the other films that have come before it. Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming Elysium looks like a visual splendor while Star Trek Into Darkness looks to capture the magic of its predecessor one more time. Not superhero films but genre films nonetheless that have an extra hard time being recognized no matter the quality.
When Heath Ledger was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his diabolical performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008), there’s no real way of ever knowing if Ledger hadn’t passed away prior to the film’s release, would he still have had all the momentum and get the AMPAS love he very much deserved. Read more on Superhero Omissions – What Oscar Hasn’t Recognized Over the Years…
Categories: Article, Editor Tags: Alfred Molina, batman, Batman Begins, Billy Crudup, Christopher Nolan, Editor, Heath Ledger, Hugo Weaving, Iron Man 3, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jonathan Nolan, Lee Smith, Natalie Portman, Spider-Man 2, Spiderman, Superhero, Superhero Films, The Dark Knight, the dark knight rises, V for Vendetta, Wally Pfister, Watchmen, Zack Snyder
 A trend that started in Asia is hitting the rest of the world quickly. When Toyota’s mini-series came out featuring top actors from Korea, Toyota’s popularity shot up. Not only did hundreds more people pay attention to the cars, but the mini-series itself, directed by Kyo Sung Kim, though overly dramatic and filled with beautiful people, changed the value of commercials. This, in turn, caused sales to rise, and the entertainment industry in Korea to rise. The commercial has, since then, been uploaded onto YouTube and translated into various languages, exponentially growing the popularity of the cast. Though Toyota commercials have been different from the rest in the past, this series, like most Korean dramas, target women, which isn’t surprising because the many of the Asian cultures are usually run by the matriarch, and American women are rising to the front lines of those who make major decisions, like Sheryl Sandberg.
Read more on A Bigger Picture…
Categories: Article Tags: anime, Asia, Asian, China Film Co-Production, co-production, commercial, Drama, Entertainment, Entertainment/Culture, international, Iron Man 3, korea, manga, miniseries, toyota
 Raves continue to pour in for Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell, the documentary about the family origins of writer/director Polley’s life. Standing sturdy at a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, one has to fathom if the expansion of the Best Picture field can lend itself to a documentary the way it has for animated and science fiction films.
As we get ready to get into the summer months, no film has presented itself as a strong Best Picture contender unless you believe in the odds for Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines with Ryan Gosling. A long shot at best, all the films listed on the TRACKER, haven’t been released for audiences to gander upon just yet. We know that Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight and Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station will have strong possibilities depending on how the rest of the year shapes up. Read more on 2014 Oscar Predictions – Is ‘Stories We Tell’ Our First Best Picture Contender?…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit Tags: 2014 Oscar Predictions, Academy Award Predictions, Academy Awards, Documentary Feature, Editor, Fruitvale Station, oscar predictions, Ryan Gosling, Stories We Tell, The Place Beyond the Pines
 Better late than never right…The festival has officially come to a close and the jury announced their winners for various categories. Many films made their world debut and there are some definite Oscar-worthy contenders in the mix. How they will handle their campaigns and how many voters will actually be able/willing to see the films at hand.
I was pleasantly surprised by many films, both traditional narratives and documentaries. Below is my take on the best films and performances in various categories that played in the prestigious festival held in New York. Read more on Best of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival!…
Categories: Article, Editor, Festivals Tags: 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, Almost Christmas, Amy Morton, Armando Reisco, Before Midnight, Bluebird, Daniel Patrick Carbone, Emma Roberts, Ethan Hawke, G.B.F., Hide Your Smiling Faces, Julie Delpy, Paul Giamatti, Richard Linklater, Sunlight Jr, The Rocket, Thep Phongam, Thomas Haden Church, Tribeca Film Festival, Whitewash, Xosha Roquemore
 This week, I have one film that I feel decently good about recommending to you, and a few others that are just “meh”, along with one gloriously bad title bringing up the rear. This really isn’t an especially good slate of titles making up the release day folks, but it’s better than some of the ones we’ve dealt with earlier this year (and one coming up this month…sigh). Just consider what a few of the past weeks have been like when we were at our worse and this doesn’t look nearly as iffy as it might have otherwise. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I didn’t have too much of a choice, so I opted to go with the film that wound up with a thumbs up from me…shocking, right? You’ll see which movie I’m talking about at the very end of the column as is always the case, but right now it’s time for us to dive head on into another Vintage selection, one that I hope can function as another flick for you all to enjoy at home this week. Here goes nothing!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (05/07/2013)…
 Last week, right before the opening of the new film What Maisie Knew, I was invited to participate in a series of roundtable interviews with some of the talent involved in the movie. The big gets were obviously a few moments with Awards Circuit favorite Julianne Moore and the up and coming heartthrob Alexander Skarsgard, though also on hand were actresses Onata Aprile and Joanna Vanderham as well as the directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel. Obviously, having to share time with other journalists isn’t ideal, as you’re hoping to get in maybe one or two questions at max in the same time allotted for one on one chats, but you just have to make do. Below you’ll find the bit that I got to take part in, notably with Moore and Skarsgard.
Read more on Finding out ‘What Maisie Knew’ with Julianne Moore and Alexander Skarsgard!…
 Up until Friday, ‘Pain & Gain‘ (Par.) sat on top at the box office, followed by ‘Oblivion‘ (Uni.) at #2 and ‘42‘ (WB) slid into #3. From Lionsgate, ‘The Big Wedding‘ swept into #4, ‘The Croods‘ (Fox) dropped down to #5, followed by ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘ (Par.) and ‘Scary Movie 5‘ (W/Dim) at #7. Near tying, ‘The Place Beyond The Pines‘ (Focus) took #8, ‘Olympus Has Fallen‘ (FD) fell to #9, and the dinos in 3D from Universal Studios escaped into #10.
Read more on Box Office Results (05.05.13)…
May is upon us, and while Summer might technically be another month and a half away, for us movie lovers May means the beginning of the Summer blockbuster season. Of course, there will still be a few awards-worthy dramas sprinkled in with the Iron Man 3′s of the cinematic world, so there should be plenty for all types of filmgoers. After the jump, have a look at the ten films I am most excited about seeing over the next few months.
Read more on The 10 Most Anticipated Films: Summer 2013…
 This morning the American Theater Wing announced their nominees for the 2013 Tony Awards and per usual the musicals lead the way with the nomination tally. Kinky Boots, the adaptation of the 2005 film with its all star team (Jerry Mitchell, Harvey Feirstein and Cyndi Lauper), sashayed its way to 13 nominations including two Lead Actor noms for Stark Sands and Billy Porter and Best Musical. Matilda the musical followed close behind with 12 and the smash hit revival of Pippin managed 10. On the play side, the revival of boxing drama Golden Boy won 8 nominations and Tom Hanks found himself with a Tony nom for Lead Actor in a Play as Lucky Guy gatherd 6 nominations including Best Play. Check out the rest after the jump! Read more on 2013 Tony Nominations announced, ‘Kinky Boots’ leads the pack with 13…
 This week, one of the big Oscar players of last year headlines the titles coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, but it’s thankfully not alone in terms of quality offerings. There’s one other film worth mentioning today, along with a few others that are more mixed in their worthiness, though it’s a light week in terms of quantity. This isn’t particularly a top notch slate of releases ladies and gents, but it’s another continued step in the right direction for the column and continues an upward spike in quality. Considering what many of the past weeks have been like, this is a trend I’m really enjoying and hoping continues indefinitely, even though I know that’s rather unlikely. There were two movies contending for that top honor but only one flick could emerge victorious. For my PICK OF THE WEEK I opted to go with the film that cracked my 2012 Top Ten list, as you’d expect that I would. You’ll see which movie I’m speaking of at the end of the column as per the usual, but right now it’s time for us to dive head on into another Vintage selection. Here we go folks!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/30/2013)…
 Today kicks off the second annual Montclair Film Festival in Montclair, New Jersey. Located about twenty miles outside of Manhattan, this quiet yet very compelling festival has quite a few highlights that will be showcased at this year’s festivities. In its second year, the impressive slate will have lots of films getting some extra press in preparation for their openings and plays around the circuit during the awards season.
Read more on Top 10 Anticipated Films from 2013 Montclair Film Festival!…
Categories: Article, Editor, Festivals Tags: After Tiller, CBS Films, Concussion, Dead Man's Burden, film festival, Frances Ha, Fred Melamed, Geoffrey Fletcher, Greta Gerwig, In a World..., Montclair Film Festival, Noah Baumbach, Robin Weigert, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Polley, Shailene Woodley, Stories We Tell, The Kings of Summer, The SPectacular Now, Violet & Daisy, Wasteland
Broadway is boomtown! Or at least it will be when the nominations for the 2013 Tony Awards are announced on Tuesday. The Tonys, for the uninformed, is theater’s version of the Oscar, honoring the best of the Broadway season, as well as highlighting regional theater and honorary members in the community. We here at the Awards Circuit love to do predictions, so I looked into my crystal ball to see whose name we might hear come Tuesday. Check them out after the jump! Read more on 2013 Tony Award Nominations Predictions…
 Directed by: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee
Written by: Shane Morris & Jennifer Lee
Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
Synopsis: When a kingdom is overcome with ice due to a curse created by the Snow Queen, Anna, the Snow Queen’s younger sister, must journey across the frozen land to break the curse. Along the way, Anna is joined by Kristoff, a mountain man seeking adventures, his one-antlered reindeer, and a snowman named Olaf. Both help and keep her company on her long journey.
Read more on Awards Profile: Frozen…
 Needless to mention, ‘Iron Man 3‘ shattered many international records and standards. One of the highest anticipated and first major co-productions between America and China, having gone through the fires of speculation, criticizing and approved by the stern regulations of China, the film caused a world-wide stir, though not released yet in America. Congratulations to them and their success in finding a way to work with China’s strong and narrow rules.
Read more on Box Office Results (04.28.13)…
 This week, we have a pair easy to recommend titles coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, but for a change they’re not coming to the party alone. There are some other films worth mentioning today, even if they’re not especially of the highest quality and I won’t be recommending many of them. In no way is this a top notch slate of releases, but it’s a real step in the right direction when held up against where we’ve been at with the column during the past few weeks. Even having a decision of what to make my top choice is a welcome return to form here. Both of the flicks contending for that honor are underrated and deserving of more attention than they received, but for my PICK OF THE WEEK I opted to go for the even smaller scale of the two. You’ll see what I’m talking about towards the end of the column, but right now it’s time for us to dive into a Vintage selection, so that’s where we’ll begin as usual!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/23/2013)…
 Internationally, ‘Oblivion‘ (Uni.) banks high for the charts. ‘42‘ (WB) dominated the daily charts as well as #1 this week at the box office. Surprisingly, ‘Scary Movie 5‘ (W/Dim.) placed 2nd, followed by ‘The Croods‘ (Fox), ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘ (Par.), and ‘Evil Dead (2013)‘ (TriS) at #5. ‘Jurassic Park 3D‘ (Uni.) scares up #6, ‘Olympus Has Fallen‘ (FD) falls to #7, ‘Oz The Great and Powerful‘ (BV) follows, just ahead of ‘Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor‘ (LGF) and ‘The Place Beyond the Pines‘ (Focus) at #10. Meanwhile, additional new releases include ‘To The Wonder‘ (Magn.) at #31, ‘Not Today‘ (Free) at #35, and ‘Fists of Legend‘ (CJ) at #45 within the top 50.
Read more on Box Office Results (04.21.13)…
 Directed by: Dan Scanlon
Written by: Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon
Voice Talent Cast: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi
Synopsis: The new college freshman Michael “Mike” Wazowski starts college with eager enthusiasm. Preparing for success and to stand out through hard work, Mike chooses to pledge for the Oozma Kappa fraternity, where he meets his polar opposite, James P. “Sulley” Sullivan. Through a rivalry in their chosen major of scaring, they end up fighting to be on top, while coming closer together as life-long friends.
Read more on Awards Profile: Monsters University…
 Once again this week, we’re faced with the fact that it’s a very light slate of new releases ladies and gentlemen. On the plus side though, today features one terrific film hitting shelves, and it’s a real saving grace. In fact, it’s one of my Top Ten from 2012, so that certainly says something. Sadly, it’s really the only thing worthwhile this week, something I’m getting just a bit tired of saying more than once a month, but at least the top pick is high quality, which is more than I could say just seven days ago in this very column. That certainly saves this week’s grouping somewhat. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I was delighted to be able to cite one of my favorite flicks of last year (though it’s actually towards the bottom of Ten, if that works as a hint for you), and I support this choice wholeheartedly. We’ll get to that top notch film in a bit (especially with the dearth of other new releases to talk about at any length), but for now…it’s that time again folks. Yes, it’s time for my Vintage pick!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/16/2013)…
 Internationally, ‘The Croods‘ (Fox) dominates with ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘ (Par.) on many charts across the world. At home, in the American box office this week, ‘Evil Dead‘ (TriS) strikes a chord with viewers. The Rock leads the crew of G.I.’s into #2, with ‘The Croods‘ in at #3, ‘Jurassic Park 3D‘ (Uni.) in to #4, and ‘Olympus Has Fallen‘ (FD) down to #5. Down the charts, ‘Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor‘ (LGF) slides into #6, ‘Oz The Great and Powerful‘ (BV) drops to #7, ‘The Host (2013)‘ (ORF) invades #8, pushing ‘The Call‘ (TriS) down to #9, and ‘Admission‘ (Focus) down to #10.
Read more on Box Office Results (04.14.13)…
 I thought it’d be super fun to talk about some of the great gems of my childhood. Literally, I was sitting home this morning before I had to go to work and started watching some clips of the my favorite movies from my childhood. Most of the staff are twenty-somethings (with the exception of Mark Johnson who we remind constantly) and the 90s were a memorable part of my film shaping life. I remember sitting home, watching most of these movies on VHS, then cutting to MTV, when MTV actually played music videos.
Read more on Childhood Circuit – The 90s Remembered…
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