The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or was that a Forrest Gump Look-A-Like?

Well now, we've gotten the first article out in quite some time. Alas, it was full of vinegar for the media and pleading for people to go see the movie. It never really...examined the movie. I guess it just takes a minute to settle in again. Let's see if we can't get back on track with our next entry: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

As always, we thank IMDB.com for the brief synopsis with as little a spoiler as possible: 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918 to the 21st century.

Truth be told, I am finding it hard to write about this movie. Certainly there are a million little things that happen during the near 3 hour run time of this film. That's not the problem. The problem is, which thread to hold on to and grasp firmly. It would seem obvious to write about the road that our main character takes through life and all the events that transpire around him. But then I would be holding back. Because, while this is Benjamin's story seemingly, it is also the life story of countless other people. This is the life story of everyone around him and without their stories we wouldn't get Benjamin Button's.

When you write a character like Benjamin, one born with such an obvious difference, people will tend to gravitate there attention solely to that oddity. That would be a mistake, as I sat through this movie I realized that Benjamin's birth was merely a window for us to look through. He is our guide on the journey that the movie takes and while he is certainly front and center, I believe that we are meant to take in everything around him. From the moment his father abandons him, to the kindly women that accepts a strange baby on the step, to the loves of his life, to the places he travels, to the men he travels with, and finally the place he finds in this world for himself. All of it. We are meant to examine all of it through his experiences, all the while not forgetting what brought us to this tale: the sad story of a man born the wrong way.

I alluded to the movie Forrest Gump in the title, but there is one difference that I now see. Gump's life was also one of travel and history before our eyes, but there is one glaring difference. Forrest had an active influence on every event he witnessed. He affected in some manner history while it happened, thus making his an improbable but highly exciting life. In our movie, rarely does Benjamin act in any manner that would influence events. He is merely one of the currents in the river. On the occasions where he consciously takes action, it never works the way he hopes and certainly causes some sort of pain to someone else, if not himself. The epic in both films is there, the road is much, much different.

The bright shining spot in this movie is all the supporting cast. Every one of the characters shines in some fantastic way. You'll laugh all the way through at Benjamin's surrogate mother, enjoy all the various elderly people that Benjamin grows up with, agonize as the love of his life slips through his life again and again, and feel just a little bit sad as we are simultaneously read the story of his life through a journal and experience the life of Daisy, the one he just couldn't or wouldn't hold on to. I almost didn't the mention the highly eccentric tugboat crew that Benjamin meets, but I don't want to spoil you now, do I?

Brad Pitt puts forth an excellent performance in this role, and while I could see many other actors pulling this character off well, he was suited for it. I see a lot of naivety in this character, much like his character of Death in the film Meet Joe Black. His transformation is amazing throughout the film and while he doesn't physically play every moment of his character life, his face and voice are there throughout. Kudos to the special effects team on a wonderful job. No doubt there is at least an Oscar nomination for costume and makeup in the near future.

Cate Blanchett plays the second main character of Daisy as we see her life unfold in front of us in tandem with Benjamin's. I love watching Cate Blachett on screen. I can't pinpoint any one thing, I just know that she entertains and I must chalk it up to her being an excellent actress. She certainly doesn't disappoint in this film either. Her trials are just as eye opening to the main plot as Daisy narrates us through a second plot of the film; her entirely separate life away from the man she could apparently love, would she only give herself the chance.

I have to mention two other performances before I close out. First, the job done by Taraji P. Henson is top notch. Her portrayal of Benjamin's surrogate mother Queenie is heartwarming and hilarious throughout the film and she does a fantastic job bringing that character to the screen for the audience to love. Second, Jared Harris brings the character of Captain Mike the tugboat man to life in this film and he's just another odd, eccentric man for the audience to laugh with and at. Both characters add spice to the film and it would be noted if they were played any differently.

Of final note, Julia Ormond makes an appearance in this film. She is the catalyst for the story in one sense, as Daisy is recalling her life to Julia's character Caroline, while at the same time discovering the story of a man named Benjamin Button. Ms. Ormond has been very active in European cinema the past few years, and it was a pleasant surprise to see her pop up here in an American film after so long. I assume her association with Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall must have had something to do with it, and I wish we could see much more of her in the future. She knows her craft well.

Lastly, we are giving The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 3.5 backward moving clocks out of 5. This is a perfect movie for a rainy afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday. I didn't mind paying matinee prices and I would also recommend it for a slow afternoon on the couch as a dvd rental. In fact, you can thank a rainy Saturday in Portland for this review, otherwise I might have skipped right over this movie. I'm glad I didn't.

I'm just saying,

Elijah.

Welcome Back...

Your favorite movie review blogger returns! After being bombarded by summer blockbusters and sub par fall fare, we've finally seen a couple of movies that demanded a return to the keyboard. God knows you don't need our input when it comes to summer movies; you're going to see what you are going to see and nothing I can do will stop it. But, if there is a film come Oscar season that you might not see if I don't persuade, prod, or poke you...then damn it, you need me. So we are back.

Enjoy our first review below: Valkyrie. Then, if you are new to the site and haven't read any of our stuff, then keep going! If you're a return reader, feel free to go back and compare your feelings with ours. I'd love to have comments on anything.

We expect to have our next review up tomorrow, so look back for "The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button" as soon as you can!

This is Jake and Elijah and we're just saying!

Valkyrie: I'm sorry, did you say that was a Tom Cruise movie?

As always, here is your spoiler free plot summary (which is ironic, since history itself has spoiled ending for you), brought to you by IMDB.com: At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in order to end the war.

I have a real problem with media outlets when it comes to this movie. The only noise being made in regards to this film have been and continue to be negative on the whole. It started two years ago with production problems in Germany related to Scientology's negative reputation and then tumbled to Tom Cruise's personal media problems. Finally, with the movie approaching, the headlines of the reviews have been mostly negative. If you investigated a bit you'd actually see that the majority of reviews, admittedly a smaller majority than I'd prefer, have come down on the plus side. Where are those headlines? Is it really easier to sell the story by bashing Mr Cruise after all this time?

I must admit that I had acquired the communicable disease known as ThomasCruisitis during the last few years as many of you did. Thankfully, we have been given a cure. If not a cure, at least a chance for remission. This film is just the shot in the arm we need to give us the courage to peek around the corner and see if any couch jumping or psychology attacking is taking place. I'm happy to say there are no shenanigan's taking place.

People, there is a reason why practically every British "A list" actor signed on for this film. It is well written and well directed. It is driven. By plot. By deeds. By necessity.

In the past I've written first about the actors, this time I'd like to start by mentioning the writers Nathan Alexander, Christopher McQuarrie and director Bryan Singer. The latter two are the fantastic team that brought us The Usual Suspects and this is their first collaboration since. I am happy to say that they still have the gene for suspense, despite the ending you already know. This screenplay is amazingly well researched and through my own investigating I've determined that very little was changed for the film. A substitute character fulfilling an action or two is the only discrepancy I can find. While a living relative may find fault with their father/uncle/grandfather not being credited correctly with an action, you won't notice and nothing detracts from the film.

I find absolutely no fault with the acting. This film is chalk full of first class actors; most British, some Germans, and a few Americans. You may not recognize the names, but you most certainly will recognize the faces. A short list of them follows, and let me say the the first man on the list has, to my mind, turned in some of the best work going in the last 10 years:

Bill Nighy

Kenneth Branagh

Terence Stamp

Tom Wilkinson

Eddie Izzard

Kevin McNally

Christian Berkel

Tom Hollander

Last would be Tom Cruise. You've seen him in practically every movie he's made and you've seen this type of role from him before. But you've never seen this before. This marks the first time that grim determination and moral righteousness are not just part of a sci-fi or fictional movie, but are by necessity required by history and fact. It's not a bi product of the characters psyche, it's a plot point that moves the movie forward. Mr. Cruise pulls it off. You've seen his character defiant of authority before. Now you see him take authority and turn it around to become authority. You see greater men bow to his unwavering determination and you believe it.

I for one am quite happy to be able to enjoy a Tom Cruise film again.

I fought myself over the decision to see this movie. In the end the craving for historical knowledge won, and I am better for it. I never knew any of this German history or the fact that this was one of 15 different assassination plots that failed against Hitler. I am giving Valkyrie 4 explosive bricks of plastique out of 5 explosive bricks of plastique. You do yourself and history in general a disservice if you miss this film. Some movies should inspire something in you; I immediately walked from the theater to the bookstore and purchased a copy of "The Men Who Tried to Kill Hitler". I hope that some film, somewhere inspires something in you the way this one caused me to want to learn more.

I'm just saying,

Elijah.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall was easy...the rest of the cast, not so much.

This weekend afforded the time to finally make it out to the theater and hopefully this will be the start of a string of good movies hitting. With May just around the corner, expect the big movies to start appearing in two weeks. However, this weekend saw a couple of smaller movies leading the way. Though it wasn't the leader at the box office over the weekend, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" held up incredibly well and I'm still laughing as I refer back to a couple of scenes in my mind.

From IMDB.com, here is your spoiler free plot outline: Devastated Peter takes a Hawaii vacation in order to deal with recent break-up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah. Little does he know Sarah's traveling to the same resort as her ex ... and she's bringing along her new boyfriend. Classic tale, done just a little bit over the top.

With any feature that has the name Judd Apatow attached to it in any form, you can expect an "R" rating, and this doesn't disappoint my friends. Although Mr. Apatow is only credited with a producer tag, some of the gang comes along for the ride. Jason Segel returns from his minor roll in "Knocked Up" to not only star in this film, but as the writer of the pic. The great thing about this film is that some of the more outrageous moments are based on actual events in Mr. Segel's life.

Returning from recent turns in Superbad are Jonah Hill and Bill Hader for minor supporting roles. Just seeing Jonah Hill makes me crack up before he utters a word, and Bill Hader's straight man gig provides great comic moments to boot. Paul Rudd pops up as the classic surf instructor, whom one would think would offer the life outlook; you'd be partly wrong. But I'm neglecting the three other leads: Kristen Bell in the namesake roll, Russell Brand as the new boyfriend and Mila Kunis as the hotel employee that takes Jason Segel's character under her wing.

Oh Miss Veronica Mars, how I've been waiting to see you on the screen in more than just the vignettes we see of you on Heroes. Of course, Kristen Bell as Sarah Marshall is not to be admired or sympathized with from the outset of the movie. You definitely get to see some of that bitchiness that made Kristen Bell famous on Veronica Mars. You also get to see a little regret and jealousy seep in during the film and she handles these emotional changes so well that you actually have to question if she's really feeling any of this or is the character disguising a malicious intent. One scene I've been debating on talking about here actually lets us see her side of the relationship and this, while allowing a little sympathy for Sarah, actually adds a dimension to Jason Segel's character, Paul Bretter.

Paul Bretter as played by Jason Segel is our hero, but in a way, an anti-hero that you want to slap a few times. Our hero has to spend most the movie wallowing in sorrow and trying to rediscover himself; one of the more oft used rom-com plots out there actually. If you are familiar at all with Jason Segel from "How I Met Your Mother", than you won't see a new character in this movie, it's almost the same character, just taken up a notch. Now that I think back, it seems like this guy plays pretty much the same type of character in all his major roles. Back all the way from "Freaks and Geeks" to "Undeclared" to this. Doesn't matter, because it works. I've got nothing to complain about, except perhaps the numerous flashes of his full frontal nude scenes.

I love Mila Kunis in this movie. It's something we haven't seen from her really and I sat there thinking that this may be close to what she's like. It's a nice, real world departure from Jackie on "That 70's Show" and obviously nowhere near her voice acting on "Family Guy". She provides a lot of grounding in this movie, where the goofy hotel staff is just that: goofy. Not to mention the three other leads that are clearly above and beyond in their roles, but her Rachel Jansen offset's their personalities by being human and vulnerable. Kudos Ms. Kunis.

The final leading role of Aldous Snow is played by Britain's Russell Brand. Let me begin by saying that his character really steals the spotlight nearly every time he opens his mouth. He was an absolute perfect choice for the character and I hope that it's not a once and done for American audiences. If you can cut through the English accent and his mutterings you will have a real treat. Pay attention, because sometimes it's a bit hard to understand. That might just have been the fact that I couldn't hear over the audience laughter.

Overall the movie really gave me the feeling of a lot of Adam Sandler's recent films. For example, "Mr. Deeds" and certainly "50 first dates". First you've got the revolving cast, much like all of Sandler's films and secondly, the background characters are the ones that are providing the majority of the laugh out loud lines and moments. Which I love! The reason being, you can center the plot on the four leads and then break away for a good shot at laughter without breaking the feelings and story that is going on. Additionally, the peripheral characters are allowed to be completely insane, ridiculous characters that are/do completely unsocial, crazy feats. You'll know what I mean when you are introduced to the honeymooning couple at the resort and all the resort employees.

To sum up, I really enjoyed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and would recommend the movie to any person out there that doesn't mind over-the-top comedy and a little heart thrown in. Apatow fans shouldn't and probably haven't missed this film. I'm rating "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" with 4 dracula puppet shows out of 5 dracula puppet shows. It's worth paying for a weekend matinee.

I'm just saying,

Elijah

Stopping by your local video store today?

I don't post on dvd releases too often, but if you weren't paying attention this week you may not have realized that three great movies were added to the shelves this week! Of course, here at Skip The Concessions, we've got the reviews for you on all three and you can click on the links below to read them.

Lars and the Real Girl ended up being a bit of a sleeper and didn't get the best actor nomination I was hoping for. Nonetheless, this is a terrific movie and you'd be remiss if you didn't watch it. you can read our review here.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead was another sleeper at the box office. Once again, our reviewer Jake loved the movie and you can read his article here.

Juno. The darling of the award season; the little movie that did. Still love it. You probably don't need to read our review on this one, but go do it anyway. Find it here.

If you didn't buy these movies on Tuesday when they were released, then make sure you rent them this weekend or the next. No excuses, check them out.

I'm just saying,

Elijah

What would you do with 88 Minutes?

Nobody held a gun to my head to watch this movie. In fact, I was jazzed to get the advanced copy before this Friday's release, but the more I watched, the more I felt like Al Pacino in the picture above.

Here is a spoiler free plot synopsis from our friends at IMDB.com: A thriller about a college professor who, while moonlighting as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI, receives a death threat telling him that he has only 88 minutes to live. In narrowing down possible suspects, he frantically seeks to communicate with a problem student, an ex-girlfriend, and a serial killer on death row.

That's a fairly good description while leaving out some key points. I was half expecting this movie to be akin to Colin Farrell's "Phone Booth" from 2002. You know, waiting around for an hour and a half to see if the guy would live or die. Which in the end that's pretty much how it felt.

As I was actually watching the movie though, I was constantly reminded of the last Pacino movie I saw, "Insomnia", also from 2002. The whole thing must have been filmed with a blue lens, because the whole film was completely washed out, much like what they did to make the Alaska town seemed washed out in constant daylight for "Insomnia." The difference of course being that I did actually like that film.

The overall problem that plagues this film is the actual screenplay and to point a more direct finger, the dialogue. This was clearly written by an unpolished writer or perhaps it was unable to be edited because of the writer's strike last fall. I don't know, so I won't name the offending party. But God, was it horrible. It would show up in the worst places and absolutely stop the movie's suspense for me, ripping me out of the story to wonder who in the hell thought that would be a good line or plot point to throw in there.

Overall the acting wasn't bad considering what they had to work with. Given that handicap, I'd say it was fairly good actually. Al Pacino does a good job and finds a way to make the most of his role. I do find myself wondering why he tied himself to this movie, but in the end, he finds a way to rise above the dialogue and the horrible plot devices.

Alicia Witt as the professor's assistant turns in a passable performance, but right in the worst spot possible the writer gives us a totally unnecessary, and frankly, very awkward scene. Some may argue that the scene is meant to be awkward. I get that. I'm just trying to remember the last time someone came on to me, while we were desperately looking for a murderer and fighting against the clock as I was only given 30 more minutes to live. I'm just saying. But by all means, please remove your shirt to reveal your undergarments, I'm just going to continue sifting through this possible evidence.

Leelee Sobieski. Why do you do this to yourself? Why can't you get hired on a top shelf movie? Sure, if someone offered me a part and told me Pacino was doing the film I'd jump at it too, no matter if it was a remake of Pee Wee's Big Adventure. You've got potential though! We saw it in the Joan of Arc miniseries you starred in, then again briefly in "Eyes Wide Shut." You've grown into a beautiful young women and not a bad actress; why aren't you in more A and B movies? If you do more of these films you're not going to get where I, personally would like to see you get to.

Amy Brenneman shows up as Pacino's professional assistant for his practice, and she performs well too. It's just that the things they are given to say and do are so ridiculous at times that I actually laughed out loud incredulously.

To sum up: 88 Minutes failed before the cameras even started rolling. The actors did their best and some of them managed to shine, but the cast is peppered with B and C level actors that don't help the movie rise above the written page. My advice to you: don't bother seeing this film, unless it's coming on HBO and you've already paid your monthly bill. I am giving this movie 1 1/2 serial murders out of 5 serial murders, because the overall premise of the film could have been killer, and Al Pacino adds something.

I'm just saying,

Elijah

Death of a Legend, Charlton Heston

The following is the Associated Press' release, though I note that it mentions nothing of Mr. Heston's ill-fated appearance in the Michael Moore film, "Bowling for Columbine."

LOS ANGELES - Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.

The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.

Powers declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details.

"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played," Heston's family said in a statement. "No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country."

Heston revealed in 2002 that he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, saying, "I must reconcile courage and surrender in equal measure."

With his large, muscular build, well-boned face and sonorous voice, Heston proved the ideal star during the period when Hollywood was filling movie screens with panoramas depicting the religious and historical past. "I have a face that belongs in another century," he often remarked.

Publicist Michael Levine, who represented Heston for about 20 years, said the actor's passing represented the end of an iconic era for cinema.

"If Hollywood had a Mt. Rushmore, Heston's face would be on it," Levine said. "He was a heroic figure that I don't think exists to the same degree in Hollywood today."

The actor assumed the role of leader offscreen as well. He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and chairman of the American Film Institute and marched in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. With age, he grew more conservative and campaigned for conservative candidates.

In June 1998, Heston was elected president of the National Rifle Association, for which he had posed for ads holding a rifle. He delivered a jab at then-President Clinton, saying, "America doesn't trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don't trust you with our guns."

Heston stepped down as NRA president in April 2003, telling members his five years in office were "quite a ride. ... I loved every minute of it."

Later that year, Heston was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. "The largeness of character that comes across the screen has also been seen throughout his life," President Bush said at the time.

He engaged in a lengthy feud with liberal Ed Asner during the latter's tenure as president of the Screen Actors Guild. His latter-day activism almost overshadowed his achievements as an actor, which were considerable.

Heston lent his strong presence to some of the most acclaimed and successful films of the midcentury. "Ben-Hur" won 11 Academy Awards, tying it for the record with the more recent "Titanic" (1997) and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003). Heston's other hits include: "The Ten Commandments," "El Cid," "55 Days at Peking," "Planet of the Apes" and "Earthquake."

He liked to the cite the number of historical figures he had portrayed:

Andrew Jackson ("The President's Lady," "The Buccaneer"), Moses ("The Ten Commandments"), title role of "El Cid," John the Baptist ("The Greatest Story Ever Told"), Michelangelo ("The Agony and the Ecstasy"), General Gordon ("Khartoum"), Marc Antony ("Julius Caesar," "Antony and Cleopatra"), Cardinal Richelieu ("The Three Musketeers"), Henry VIII ("The Prince and the Pauper").

Heston made his movie debut in the 1940s in two independent films by a college classmate, David Bradley, who later became a noted film archivist. He had the title role in "Peer Gynt" in 1942 and was Marc Antony in Bradley's 1949 version of "Julius Caesar," for which Heston was paid $50 a week.

Film producer Hal B. Wallis ("Casablanca") spotted Heston in a 1950 television production of "Wuthering Heights" and offered him a contract. When his wife reminded him that they had decided to pursue theater and television, he replied, "Well, maybe just for one film to see what it's like."

Heston earned star billing from his first Hollywood movie, "Dark City," a 1950 film noir. Cecil B. DeMille next cast him as the circus manager in the all-star "The Greatest Show On Earth," named by the Motion Picture Academy as the best picture of 1952. More movies followed:

"The Savage," "Ruby Gentry," "The President's Lady," "Pony Express" (as Buffalo Bill Cody), "Arrowhead," "Bad for Each Other," "The Naked Jungle," "Secret of the Incas," "The Far Horizons" (as Clark of the Lewis and Clark trek), "The Private War of Major Benson," "Lucy Gallant."

Most were forgettable low-budget films, and Heston seemed destined to remain an undistinguished action star. His old boss DeMille rescued him.

The director had long planned a new version of "The Ten Commandments," which he had made as a silent in 1923 with a radically different approach that combined biblical and modern stories. He was struck by Heston's facial resemblance to Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses, especially the similar broken nose, and put the actor through a long series of tests before giving him the role.

The Hestons' newborn, Fraser Clarke Heston, played the role of the infant Moses in the film.

More films followed: the eccentric thriller "Touch of Evil," directed by Orson Welles; William Wyler's "The Big Country," costarring with Gregory Peck; a sea saga, "The Wreck of the Mary Deare" with Gary Cooper.

Then his greatest role: "Ben-Hur."

Heston wasn't the first to be considered for the remake of 1925 biblical epic. Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster and Rock Hudson had declined the film. Heston plunged into the role, rehearsing two months for the furious chariot race.

He railed at suggestions the race had been shot with a double: "I couldn't drive it well, but that wasn't necessary. All I had to do was stay on board so they could shoot me there. I didn't have to worry; MGM guaranteed I would win the race."

The huge success of "Ben-Hur" and Heston's Oscar made him one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood. He combined big-screen epics like "El Cid" and "55 Days at Peking" with lesser ones such as "Diamond Head," "Will Penny" and "Airport 1975." In his later years he played cameos in such films as "Wayne's World 2" and "Tombstone."

He often returned to the theater, appearing in such plays as "A Long Day's Journey into Night" and "A Man for All Seasons." He starred as a tycoon in the prime-time soap opera, "The Colbys," a two-season spinoff of "Dynasty."

At his birth in a Chicago suburb on Oct. 4, 1923, his name was Charles Carter. His parents moved to St. Helen, Mich., where his father, Russell Carter, operated a lumber mill. Growing up in the Michigan woods with almost no playmates, young Charles read books of adventure and devised his own games while wandering the countryside with his rifle.

Charles's parents divorced, and she married Chester Heston, a factory plant superintendent in Wilmette, Ill., an upscale north Chicago suburb. Shy and feeling displaced in the big city, the boy had trouble adjusting to the new high school. He took refuge in the drama department.

"What acting offered me was the chance to be many other people," he said in a 1986 interview. "In those days I wasn't satisfied with being me."

Calling himself Charlton Heston from his mother's maiden name and his stepfather's last name, he won an acting scholarship to Northwestern University in 1941. He excelled in campus plays and appeared on Chicago radio. In 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and served as a radio-gunner in the Aleutians.

In 1944 he married another Northwestern drama student, Lydia Clarke, and after his army discharge in 1947, they moved to New York to seek acting jobs. Finding none, they hired on as codirectors and principal actors at a summer theater in Asheville, N.C.

Back in New York, both Hestons began finding work. With his strong 6-feet-2 build and craggily handsome face, Heston won roles in TV soap operas, plays ("Antony and Cleopatra" with Katherine Cornell) and live TV dramas such as "Julius Caesar," "Macbeth," "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Of Human Bondage."

Heston wrote several books: "The Actor's Life: Journals 1956-1976," published in 1978; "Beijing Diary: 1990," concerning his direction of the play "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" in Chinese; "In the Arena: An Autobiography," 1995; and "Charlton Heston's Hollywood: 50 Years of American Filmmaking," 1998.

Besides Fraser, who directed his father in an adventure film, "Mother Lode," the Hestons had a daughter, Holly Ann, born Aug. 2, 1961. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1994 at a party with Hollywood and political friends. They had been married 64 years when he died.

In late years, Heston drew as much publicity for his crusades as for his performances. In addition to his NRA work, he campaigned for Republican presidential and congressional candidates and against affirmative action.

He resigned from Actors Equity, claiming the union's refusal to allow a white actor to play a Eurasian role in "Miss Saigon" was "obscenely racist." He attacked CNN's telecasts from Baghdad as "sowing doubts" about the allied effort in the 1990-91 Gulf War.

At a Time Warner stockholders meeting, he castigated the company for releasing an Ice-T album that purportedly encouraged cop killing.

Heston wrote in "In the Arena" that he was proud of what he did "though now I'll surely never be offered another film by Warners, nor get a good review in Time. On the other hand, I doubt I'll get a traffic ticket very soon."

It is with regret that I say to you Mr. Heston, "At least now those Apes will keep their Damn, Dirty Hands off of you"."

I'm just saying,

Elijah

'HORTON HEARS A WHO!' MOVIE TRAILER

Used my 5 year old as an excuse to see this over the weekend. Look for the review to hit overnight, with childish commentary. My daughter might have something to say as well...

I'm just saying,

Elijah

Anthony Minghella, Oscar Winner, Serious Director Passes

The celebrated director of "The Enlish Patient", "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain" died Sunday. He was most recently associated with the Oscar nominated "Michael Clayton" as an executive producer. The following is today Associated Press article:

LONDON - Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella, who turned such literary works as “The English Patient,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Cold Mountain” into acclaimed movies, has died. He was 54.

Minghella’s death was confirmed Tuesday by his agent, Judy Daish. No other details were immediately available.

“The English Patient,” the 1996 World War II drama, won nine Academy Awards, including best director for Minghella, best picture and best supporting actress for Juliette Binoche.

Based on the celebrated novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje, the movie tells of a burn victim’s tortured recollections of his misdeeds in time of war.

Minghella (pronounced min-GELL’-ah) also was nominated for an Oscar for best screenplay for the movie and for his screenplay for “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”

His 2003 “Cold Mountain,” based on Charles Frazier’s novel of the U.S. Civil War, brought a best supporting actress Oscar for Renee Zellweger.

The 1999 "The Talented Mr. Ripley," starring Matt Damon as a murderous social climber, was based on a nomve by Patricia Highsmith. It earned five Oscar nominations.

Among his other films were “Truly, Madly, Deeply” (1990), and last year’s Oscar-nominated “Michael Clayton,” on which he was executive producer.

Minghella was recently in Botswana filming an adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith’s novel “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.” It is due to air on British television this week.

The book is the first in a series about the adventures of Botswanan private eye Precious Ramotswe; a 13-part television series was recently commission by U.S. network HBO.

Producer David Puttnam said Minghella was “a very special person.”

“He wasn’t just a writer, or a writer-director, he was someone who was very well-known and very well-loved within the film community,” Puttnam told the BBC. “Frankly he was far too young to have gone.”

Minghella also turned his talents to opera. In 2005, he directed a highly successful staging of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” at the English National Opera in London. The following year, he staged it for the season opener of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. It was the first performance of the Met’s new era under general manager Peter Gelb.

Jeff Ramsay, press secretary to Botswanan President Festus Mogae, called Minghella’s death a “shock and an utter loss.”

He said the director had been coming to the country ahead of the detective film and learning about Botswana.

Ramsay said Minghella had told him how he had been forced to shoot “Cold Mountain” in Romania and that it had “seemed wrong.” He said this made the director “more sure that the film could only be shot in Botswana.”

Born the second of five children to southern Italian emigrants, Minghella came to moviemaking from a flourishing playwriting career on the London “fringe” and, in 1986, on the West End with the play, “Made in Bangkok,” a hard-hitting look at the sexual mores of a British tour group in Thailand.

He worked as a television script editor before making his directing debut with “Truly, Madly, Deeply,” a comedy about love and grief starring Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman.

In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Minghella said “English Patient,” which starred Binoche, Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas, was the pinnacle of his career at the time.

“I feel more naked and more exposed by this piece of work than anything I’ve ever been involved with,” Minghella said.

He said too many modern films let the audience be passive, as if they were saying, “We’re going to rock you and thrill you. We’ll do everything for you.”

“This film goes absolutely against that grain,” he said. “It says, ‘I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to make some connections. There are some puzzles here. The story will constantly rethread itself and it will be elliptical, but there are enormous rewards in that.”’

I'm F***cking Matt Damon

The one that started it all...

I wanted to put the Seth Rogen/Elizabeth Banks version on here, but felt that it was out of context. So here are all three vids in the order that they dropped.

Enjoy

I'm F***cking Ben Affleck

Jimmy's great response to Sarah and Matt's video.

I'm F***cking Seth Rogen

This was pretty obscure, but it ties in fairly well with the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck video's above.

1. Kevin Smith produced it, which keeps it in the family, because Matt, Ben and Kevin came up together in hollywood making Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma before they were all really famous.

2. The featured Actors (Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen are currently filming Kevin Smiths new movie "Zack and Miri make a porno."

3. Elizabeth Banks is one of the main actors in the movie I just reviewed below, "Definitely, Maybe".

Definitely, Maybe...Sure, why not?

Once again, Thanks go out to IMDB.com for the following spoiler free synopsis of "Definitely, Maybe": Will Hayes, a 30-something Manhattan dad is in the midst of a divorce when his 10 year old daughter, Maya, starts to question him about his life before marriage. Maya wants to know absolutely everything about how her parents met and fell in love. Will recounts the history of his romantic relationships with three very different women. The twist? He changes the names and forces Maya to figure out which woman ultimately became his wife and her mother.

This movie was just what the doctor ordered. That said, I'm not going to turn this movie into something it's not. What I mean is, I spend 2 - 3 months during Oscar season watching considerably heavy, probably dark, mostly depressing, sometimes suffocating, theater fare. If you're lucky, you may catch a light-hearted movie around Christmas time that doesn't totally suck. Unfortunately, I never made it to the theater to catch National Treasure 2, so it was a very long, dark winter. The one spot of sun being Juno; even that was a bit heavy in a fun quirky way. Read that review here.

Flash forward to Valentine's day and you are generally guaranteed something that will lift that cloud a little bit, if it's not all crap. Thankfully, "Definitely, Maybe" is not all crap. It helps that I've been a big fan of Ryan Reynolds since the "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" days. Throw in Isla Fisher and I'm first in line at the box office. Isla Fisher, with this movie, cemented herself on my list of 5, which the sitcom "Friends" made popular, and our fellow reviewer, Jake, made reference to in his "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" review found here.

With Elizabeth Banks (who's not universally known, but has been around for about 10 years) and Rachel Weisz to complete the womanly trio, you've got a good core group to build around. Let us not forget young Abigail Breslin who was made famous by the movie "Little Miss Sunshine" just over a year ago and you've really got some good actors to work with. Thank God, because with lesser actors, this truly could have fell flat. The result, however, is a delightful romantic comedy, with a bit of mystery thrown in to string the viewers along.

Adam Brooks wrote and directed this film and, I gather, really was able to shape the story into what he wanted. He hits all the right beats and knows just when to break the tension with a little levity. He knows when the action might be getting a little heavy for an 11 year old and finds a way out of it, with a quip or a break in the action for Abigal Breslin's character Maya. All done with a wink at the audience to remind them that this is a comedy and a story within a story.

I can think of a few leading men out there that could have pulled this movie off fairly well, but Ryan Reynolds is perfectly suited to this role and this was probably just what he needed after some heavy turns in "Smokin' Aces" and "The Nines". He doesn't knock this role out of the park, but like I said, this role suits him. It returns Reynolds to that happy place of "Two Guys and a Girl" that helped him stand out. The fact of the matter is I like Ryan Reynolds in just about everything he does and he really is becoming an everyman. I'll follow his film career anywhere, except Amityville. I'm never going back there again, no matter how many times it's remade.

Abigail Breslin's portrayal of Maya is also not a stretch for her. She really has little screen time, but her scenes set up the whole movie and we do get some comic moments when she's on screen. What really happens is that you begin to see how Maya becomes Jiminy Cricket to her father Will. Whether you agree with that comment or not, you can't deny that she grounds the film and becomes the emotional avatar for the audience. Kudos to Ms. Breslin's parents who must have approved the language and insinuations that she gets to vocalize in her opening lines. These are truly some of the funniest moments and I couldn't help inserting myself and my daughter in that conversation that will undoubtedly occur in about another 6 years.

Elizabeth Banks is solid as the first of the three women we meet in the tale. Her Emily is sweet and portrays the down-to-earth, girl-next-door character well. It strikes me that, for all her screen time, I didn't get any depth in the character. You don't really notice it and it doesn't hurt the movie, but I didn't realize that until I thought about Emily's impact on the overall story.

The second woman to enter the picture is Isla Fisher as April. She pops in and out of the movie at random intervals. Every time she comes on screen it's like a breath of fresh air. But that's probably just me. Ever since "Wedding Crashers" I'm probably a hairs breadth away from packing up the tent, moving to L.A. and joining the stalkarazzi when it comes to Ms. Fisher. I digress. Her character is fun, completely the opposite of Will in every way and truly is a free spirit. You can see every emotion that April feels coming through her eyes. This is the perfect balance to the uptight, hometown girl that we see in Emily and the goal-oriented, focused, and "experienced" third woman named...

Summer. As played by Rachel Weisz, whom most people will recognize. If not for 2005's "The Constant Gardner", then certainly for the first two "Mummy" movies. I love Rachel for this movie. Fact is I love her in almost every movie, but her Summer Hartley here is a perfect foil for Will's emotional balance. The whole time I watched this, I just felt like she was going to eat his soul and ruin him. If not with her personal drive, then by the mere fact the Will seems like a child next to her. She lights up the screen in her own way and her Manhattan, been there done that, way of living adds some life to the story.

As the story plays out and the mystery deepens, then twists, turns and the main players continue to pop in and out of Will's life, you wonder how it's all going to end. You feel it coming, you have your choice in your mind, Maya has her feelings, you want it all to end happily but you already know that it ends in divorce! This movie has a lot of cohones messing with you. But it all works! You want to know, and when you do...well, that would be telling. Let me just say that it doesn't end where you think it will.

In the end I'll give "Definitely, Maybe" 3.25 packs of Marlboro Lights out 5 packs Marlboro lights. I mean come on, it is a chick flick. That said, it's a great movie to take a date or your wife/girlfriend, or all three if that's how you roll. Personally, I didn't mind paying matinee prices to catch it. This movie isn't going to change your life, but it's great escapism that might let you forget about your life for a couple of hours. If nothing else, you get to see Isla Fisher, and that's good cinema.

I'm just saying.

Elijah

52.9%? I've seen better...

I blame it on the women. yeah that's right, the women. I must admit, even a week later I'm still baffled at the winners in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Categories.

In all fairness, I never did see Le Vie En Rose, so Marion Cotillard may very well have been the most deserving actress. But I can't remember the last time someone had so much press and soooo many people saying it was a lock as Julie Christie had, including this site. You know, because we pull so much weight.

As a matter of interest, in our pole on this site, 62% of respondents chose Ellen Page who had been predicted as a strong second in the media. Julie Christie had one vote and the winner Marion Cotillard garnered 0% of the vote.

Taking a look at our two other polls, the results tended to be a bit more in line. Best Picture nominee "There Will Be Blood" took the biggest percentage of votes at 37%. While the winner, "No Country for Old Men" took only 25%. Finally, Best Actor Winner Daniel Day-Lewis received 62% of your votes with a smattering of votes amongst the remaining nominees.

Another interesting point in this years results is that for the first time since 1965, all four acting honors went to Europeans.

Congratulations to "Ratatouille" for it's best animation win! I really wanted that film to win but had picked "Persepolis" because the academy is known for it's artistic picks rather than it's penchant for the "popular". The wild card I didn't figure in my actual pick was Brad Bird. That guy is very well respected in Hollywood circles as a great writer and director.

I'm not going to go through all of the picks, I'll just say that in the end I was 9 out of 17 picks with a bunch of dark horses pulling through this year.

I'll end with the following congratulations to "The Bourne Ultimatum": nominated for three Oscars and picked them all up. That film has a special place in my heart as the first film I reviewed for this site and my first 5 star pick.

This is Elijah, and I'm just saying.

2008 Oscar Predictions

With 5 days left until the 80th Academy Awards presentation, I thought I'd just run down my predictions for the major categories. Traditionally I have picked through the nominations in two distinct ways: Who I expect to win and who I want to win. Sometimes these picks are the same. Other times emotion and an unbending stubbornness overrule common sense. What can I say? I'm still pissed about the lack of nominations for Gone, Baby Gone. But, you've read all that before. If not, click here.

If you need a rundown of the full nominees go here, and if you'd like a printable ballot to keep track for yourself, click here. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's proceed to the picks:

Best Actor:

Want: Daniel Day Lewis. This guy is just amazing. He becomes his characters more than any actor alive.

Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. See above.

Best Supporting Actor:

Want: Casey Affleck. Just can't believe he wasn't nominated for best actor and this is a make-up nom.

Winner: Javier Bardem. Wow, another guy who sells crazy like it's his job.

Best Actress:

Want: Ellen Page. C'mon, have you seen this girl act? First of many nominations I hope.

Winner: Julie Christie. Shoe in. The academy loves mental illness and tons of anguish.

Best Supporting Actress:

Want: Amy Ryan. She absolutely transformed herself to become this deplorable woman.

Winner: Amy Ryan. The competition just wasn't as strong, but Cate Blanchett is dark horse for playing a man.

Animated Film:

Want: Ratatouille. Have you seen this film? it's all heart.

Winner: Persepolis. The buzz on this movie is still high, and it's still playing in theaters.

Art Direction:

Want: There will be Blood/No Country for Old Men. Both are beautiful movies.

Winner: There will be Blood. Dark horse to Sweeney Todd, it is a musical you know.

Cinematography:

Want: There will be Blood. The camera shots in this film are intense, amazing angles

Winner: Atonement. If this film wins in this category, it will be for the one 5 minute long tracking shot.

Costume Design:

Want: Elizabeth: The Golden Age. This film was shot in order to emphasize the costumes.

Winner: Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Period pieces Atonement, and Le Vie en Rose are the dark horses.

Editing:

Want: The Bourne Ultimatum. You've never seen film cuts like this.

Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum.

Makeup:

Want: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Those artists worked 24/7.

Winner: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Dark horse - Norbit, pirates did have a lot of CGI.

Original Score:

Want: Ratatouille. I just really like that movie.

Winner: Atonement. yeah, that's a typewriter incorporated into the music.

Original Song:

Want: I don't care.

Winner: "Falling Slowly" - Once. The Academy just loves this type of movie.

Visual Effects:

Want: Transformers. It's the frickin' Transformers man!

Winner: Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End. Tons of action, and don't forget all those little crabs.

Adapted Screenplay:

Want: No Country for Old Men.

Winner: There Will be Blood. A lot of work went into this and pullling from different sources.

Original Screenplay:

Want: Juno. With a pen name like Diablo Cody, you can't go wrong.

Winner: Juno. Two words: Diablo Cody.

Best Director:

Want: There Will Be Blood. Paul Thomas Anderson put a lot of sweat and blood in, but it Does plod in places.

Winner: No Country for Old Men. It's the Coen's, and the media loves them. No plodding in this film.

Best Picture:

Want: Juno. It's just the little film that could and I love it for that. Plus, Ellen Page. Can't do anything wrong.

Winner: No Country for Old Men. This one is a coin toss with There Will Be Blood, my money's on Old Men.

Well there you have it. I didn't put the Sound Categories in, but I predict that Transformers will sweep. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of the shorts, despite the neighborhood theater showing all of them currently. Also, for the first time in years, I've not seen any of the foreign films nominees, and they aren't garnering any buzz in the media. I skipped all the Documentaries this year, even "Sicko", though I think it will win.

If anyone would like to go Head-to-Head with me on winning picks, send in an e-mail and we'll post the results next week.

This is Elijah, and I'm just saying.