Films seen so far this year: 394
Films seen this week: Young @ Heart, The Baader-Meinhof Complex, Sugar, Electric Apricot, Who Is KK Downey?, Momma's Man, A Christmas Tale, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Lion's Den, Frost/Nixon, The Secret Life of Bees, La Zona, Synecdoche, New York, I Know You Know, Lakeview Terrace
Random Film News: Frost/Nixon and Inglourious Basterds (not a typo)
This week I saw my first film that is certain to feature in the Oscar Race next year: Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon, which opened The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival. It will definitely get nominations for both Best Picture and Best Actor for Frank Langella and I wouldn't be surprised if Howard got a Best Director nomination and Sheen was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Right now, I'm convinced Langella is going to win it, to the point where I'm seriously considering placing a bet for the first time in my life. At any rate, it's Langella's to lose. In other random film news, I'm dismayed by the announcement that Quentin Tarantino's upcoming WWII-spaghetti western remake of Enzo Castellari's Inglorious Bastards is to be known by the grammar-massacring title Inglourious Basterds. Poor spelling is not a joke, Quentin! There's really no excuse for this sort of thing.
Films I'm Looking Forward To: Revolutionary Road
This week I finished reading Richard Yates' astonishing novel Revolutionary Road. (I still don't understand how I managed to do a four year degree in American Literature without once hearing Yates' name). Anyway, I'd forbidden myself from watching the trailer beforehand, so I checked it out as soon as I'd put the book down. Essentially, it's a mid-life crisis story set in 1955, with the added attraction of reuniting Titanic's star-crossed lovers, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. It also has a real Mad Men vibe, which just happens to be my favourite current TV show. I think director Sam Mendes is a good choice for this sort of material and it looks as if the film could have some serious Oscar potential, even if the trailer doesn't give that much away, plot-wise. For what it's worth, Revolutionary Road is also my prediction for this year's Surprise Film at the LFF.
Top 10 Films On Release This Week (as recommended by me):
Three new entries this week: singing pensioners documentary Young @ Heart (unmissable), Coen Brothers comedy Burn After Reading (fun, not brilliant) and Mexican thriller La Zona (chilling, worth seeking out). After all my warnings about Eden Lake and Man on Wire entering their second runs, it seems they are still clinging to single cinema releases, but both Appaloosa and Good Dick have sadly disappeared, despite having been out for a much shorter period. For what it's worth, I also really liked Eagle Eye, which would be at number 11.
1. The Dark Knight
2. Young @ Heart
3. I've Loved You So Long
4. Man On Wire
5. Eden Lake
6. Pineapple Express
7. Mamma Mia
8. Gomorrah
9. La Zona
10. Burn After Reading
DVD of the Week: The Ruins (out now, RRP £17.99)
This week's DVD of the Week is The Ruins, an effective and enjoyable horror flick based on the novel by Scott Smith, in which a group of American travellers are terrorised by MAN-EATING VINES when they're trapped on top of some ancient Mayan ruins. Aside from being a great addition to the NEVER GO ABROAD OR YOU WILL BE KILLED genre, it's a well made and genuinely creepy horror flick that transcends its ridiculous premise thanks to a strong script, some sure-handed direction and superb performances from a talented young cast that includes Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone and Laura Ramsey. The DVD has some pretty decent extras too, including: a commentary by director Carter Smith and editor Jeff Betancourt; a 15 minute Making Of documentary that includes interviews with cast and crew, two other featurettes, the trailer and four decent deleted scenes (with optional commentary), one of which includes an alternate ending.