Taking a break from all this Bat-talk. Trekking through the year 2000 was a daunting task. There were many films I hadn’t seen in years, while others I’ve never feasted my eyes on before. Naturally this brings on a dilemma. A 15-year-old Clayton watching movies is very different from a now, 28-year-old Clayton. I like to think there is a maturity there that lacked before. I realized that after re-watching Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In 2000, I found the film immensely overrated and couldn’t understand what people were so mesmerized by. Naturally, I’ve never officially appreciated it or thought it to be among Ang Lee’s best. Enter last weekend. Talk about being fantastic a second-time around, the film was nearly hypnotic in its style and approach. Do I consider it the best of the year? Not really. One of the best? Definitely so.
With our ACCA 2000 closing up on Friday, and winners being announced on Sunday’s podcast, I have to let you in on my favorites of the new millennium. Please include yours in the comment section and let’s see what commonalities or differences we have. Bold denotes winner. Enjoy after the jump: Read more on Davis Awards 2000 Announced!…
Categories: Article, Community, Editor Tags: Almost Famous, American Psycho, Awards Circuit Community Awards, Benicio Del Toro, Billy Crudup, Cast Away, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Christian Bale, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Darren Aronofsky, Davis Awards, Davis Awards 2000, Ellen Burstyn, Frances McDormand, Gladiator, Jennifer Connelly, Joaquin Phoenix, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Laura Linney, michelle yeoh, Requiem for a Dream, Ridley Scott, Robert Zemeckis, Russell Crowe, Scary Movie, Steven Soderbergh, tom hanks, Traffic, Ziyi Zhang
*Sigh* You guys…sometimes I don’t have the energy for this. Well, just because I personally cannot muster up any excitement whatsoever for the newest releases this weekend doesn’t mean I can neglect my duty to you, dear readers. Without further ado…

Look, I’m not naïve. I understand that moviemaking is a business, and with risky passion projects must also come those aimed to make a profit. I have no problem with companies exercising their power over franchise installments and popcorn flicks for commercial purposes. It’s business…it’s life. But dammit, a line has to be drawn somewhere, and the debate over whether or not a reboot of Spider-Man so soon after the previous trilogy ended was “necessary” sidesteps why it exists in the first place. Because the truth of the matter is that The Amazing Spider-Man – retelling the iconic superhero’s origin story with Andrew Garfield web-slinging through New York City – was made for the sole purpose of fulfilling a fine-print contractual obligation regarding licensing rights. There was no personal ambition in the creation of this film, either artistically or financially. Even the popular canard that Columbia and Sony Pictures are trying to redeem the franchise à la Batman Begins doesn’t fly; the only reason they didn’t move forward with a Spider-Man 4 was because Sam Raimi was frustrated with their strong-arming of the third film and called it quits when they were planning to do it again. Read more on Weekend Openings (July 6-8)…
Categories: Weekend Openings Tags: Andrew Garfield, Benicio Del Toro, Blake Lively, comics and superheroes, demian bichir, emma stone, Jay and Mark Duplass, John Travolta, katy perry, Marc Webb, Oliver Stone, popcorn movies, Rhys Ifans, Salma Hayek, Savages, Taylor Kitsch, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Do-Deca-Pentathlon, Weekend Openings
Hello readers! Late Pass is back with your quick update of news we’ve missed this week.
Casting News
Vince Vaughn will play a man who fathers 533 children in a new movie Starbuck- Variety
Cameron Diaz and Benicio del Toro will team up for action comedy Agent: Century 21. Diaz seems to fit this movie well having made Knight and Day but del Toro? Action comedy? Should be an interesting project. – The Hollywood Reporter
Michelle Monaghan will join Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan in action thriller The Coup. The story “revolves around American family that moves to Southeast Asia and finds themselves embroiled in a violent coup where rebels mercilessly attack the city.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Read more on Late Pass: Casting and Production News…
Categories: Blog, News Tags: Benicio Del Toro, Cameron Diaz, Cannes Film Festival, Late Pass, Lisa Cholodenko, Michelle Monaghan, news, Owen Wilson, Pierce Brosnan, upcoming projects, Vince Vaughn
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Written by: Oliver Stone, Shane Salerno, and Don Winslow (based off of Winslow’s novel)
Cast: Taylor Kitch, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch, Benicio Del Toro, Uma Thurman, Joel David Moore, Demian Bichir, Trevor Donovan, and Jonathan Patrick Moore
Synopsis (courtesy of IMDb): Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
Read more on Awards Profile: Savages…
Categories: Award Profile Tags: Awards Profile, Benicio Del Toro, Blake Lively, book adaptation, demian bichir, Emile Hirsch, John Travolta, Oliver Stone, Oscar hopeful, Salma Hayek, Savages, Taylor Kitsch, Uma Thurman
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