New Trailer Alert: Man of Steel (both versions)

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ilmozart

There are two versions of this teaser trailer for next summer’s Superman movie that we all hope to be the Batman Begins of Superman movies.

The sad sad Superman Returns (2006) was meant to be that dark reboot, but instead it was just mostly boring.

Both versions of the teaser have the same visuals, the exact same images. Both have the same haunting, Tree of Life-esque music in the background. Both end with Superman disappearing into the skies.

But what is different is the message, one version voiced by Superman’s birth father Jor-El, originally played by Marlon Brando here played by Russell Crowe, and the second voice by Jonathan Kent, his adoptive father, here played by Kevin Costner.

The Jor-El/Crowe version emphasizes Superman’s higher purpose, to give humanity something to strive towards. Superman will help mankind “accomplish wonder”, in time.

http://youtu.be/Zld8i2mRxb0

The Jonathan Kent/Costner version is far less insistent. He recognizes the uniqueness of his son, telling him, “You’re not just anyone” but rather than dictate who his son is, he reminds him that he will need to make a choice and “decide what kind of man you want to be.”

http://youtu.be/zpvOT6HJCmg

Cavill as the Man of Steel

Superman, like so many other superheroes is man made of dichotomies. He is literally a man of two worlds and I find it fascinating that we get both worlds in these teasers.

It gives me hope that this new movie directed by Zach Snyder might actually delve into Superman’s psyche and not just give us the attractive Henry Cavill in the iconic blue and red suit.

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Some Missing Emmy Categories. My Bad.

Posted on July 19, 2012 by ilmozart

I left out a few key categories in my earlier post.

Hey, the dropdown box on the Emmy site is really complicated!

Guest Actress in a Comedy:
Dot-Marie Jones, in Glee
Maya Rudolph in Saturday Night Live*
Melissa McCarthy in  Saturday Night Live (I will never look at Ranch the same way)*
Elizabeth Banks in 30 Rock
Margaret Cho in 30 Rock
Kathy Bates in Two and a Half Men

Guest Actor in a Comedy:
Michael J. Fox in Curb Your Enthusiasm
Greg Kinnear in Modern Family
Bobby Cannavale in Nurse Jackie*
Jimmy Fallon in Saturday Night Live (You’re not just a warhorse, you’re a friend horse!)*
Will Arnett in 30 Rock
Jon Hamm in 30 Rock*

Best Guest Actress in a Drama:
Martha Plimpton in The Good Wife*
Loretta Devine in Grey’s Anatomy
Jean Smart in Harry’s Law
Julia Ormond in Mad Men
Joan Cusack in Shameless
Uma Thurman in Smash (sorry, just ugh)

Guest Actor in a Drama:
Mark Margolis in Breaking Bad* (DING DING DING)
Dylan Baker in The Good Wife* (he’s just so so creepy on the show)
Michael J. Fox in The Good Wife
Jeremy Davies, in Justified
Ben Feldman in Mad Men
Jason Ritter in Parenthood

Writing for a Comedy:
Louie- “Pregnant”
Girls -“Pilot”
Parks and Recreation – “The Debate”
Parks and Recreation – “Win, Lose, or Draw”
Community – “Remedial Chaos Theory”
(I cannot make a choice. These are all worthy of the prize)

Writing for a Drama:
Downton Abbey, -“Episode 7″
Mad Men – “The Other Woman”
Mad Men – “Commissions and Fees”
Mad Men – “Far Away Places”
Homeland -“Pilot”
(Here I say anything BUT Downton Abbey. It was a lesser season.)

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2012 Emmy Nominations Announced

Posted on July 19, 2012 by ilmozart

So a few disappointments, a few “really??”‘s, a few huzzahs, and we’re off.

With Jimmy Kimmel stepping in for Nick “All your bacon and eggs” Offerman and Kerry Washington announcing this year’s Emmy nominations, it was a pretty calm affair. Though I did enjoy Kerry Washington making it clear that “The Song of Lunch” was not Masterpiece Theater, just Masterpiece.

Here are the nominations, * by those I want to win:

Outstanding Comedy:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls*
30 Rock
Veep
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory

Lead Actress in a Comedy:
Zooey Deschanel in New Girl
Lena Dunham in Girls
Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation*
Tina Fey in 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep
Melissa McCarthy in Mike & Molly

Lead Actor in a Comedy:
Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men
Louis C.K. in Louie*
Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory
Don Cheadle in House of Lies
Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock

Supporting Actress in a Comedy:
Mayim Bialik in The Big Bang Theory*
Merrit Weaver in Nurse Jackie
Julie Bowen in Modern Family
Kristen Wiig in Saturday Night Live
Sofia Vergara in Modern Family
Kathryn Joosten in Desperate Housewives

Supporting Actor in a Comedy:
Ed O’Neill in Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Modern Family
Ty Burrell in Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family
Bill Hader in Saturday Night Live (STEFON!)*
Max Greenfield in New Girl*

Outstanding Drama Series:
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad*
Downton Abbey
Mad Men*
Homeland*
Game of Thrones*
(I clearly can’t make up my mind here)

Lead Actress in a a Drama:
Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife
Michelle Dockery in Downton Abbey
Elizabeth Moss in Mad Men
Kathy Bates in Harry’s Law
Claire Danes in Homeland*
Glenn Close in Damages

Lead Actor in a Drama:
Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire
Michael C. Hall in Dexter
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad (He is the one who knocks)*
Hugh Bonneville in Downton Abbey
Jon Hamm in Mad Men
Damien Lewis in Homeland*

Supporting Actress in a Drama:
Archie Panjabi in The Good Wife*
Anna Gunn in Breaking Bad
Maggie Smitth in Downton Abbey (What is a weekend?)
Joanne Froggatt in Downton Abbey
Christina Hendricks in Mad Men
Christine Baranski in The Good Wife

Supporting Actor in a Drama:
Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad (Magnets, bitch)*
Giancarlo Esposito in Breaking Bad*
Brendan Coyle in Downton Abbey
Jim Carter in Downton Abbey (always pouring wine through a napkin)
Jared Harris in Mad Men
Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones

Miniseries or Movie:
Game Change*
American Horror Story (not really a miniseries, folks)
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (I am —- Locked)*
Luther
Hatfields & McCoys

Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie:
Julianne More in Game Change*
Connie Britton in American Horror Story
Nicole Kidman in Hemingway & Gellhorn
Emma Thompson in “The Song of Lunch” (which is really a remarkable movie)
Ashley Judd in Missing (when did a show getting canceled equal it becoming a miniseries?)

Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie:
Woody Harrelson in Game Change
Clive Owen in Hemingway & Gellhorn
Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia*
Idris Elba in Luther
Kevin Costner in Hatfields & McCoys
Bill Paxton in Hatfields & McCoys

Supporting Actress in Miniseries or Movie:
Sarah Paulson in Game Change*
Frances Conroy in American Horror Story
Jessica Lange in American Horror Story
Judy Davis in Page Eight
Mare Winningham in Hatfields & McCoys

Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie:
Ed Harris in Game Change
Denis O’Hare in American Horror Story (but he’s so much better as Russel Edgington)
David Strathairn in Hemingway & Gellhorn
Martin Freeman in Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia*
Tom Berenger in Hatfields & McCoys

Variety Series:
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart*
The Colbert Report
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Reality Competition:
So You Think You Can Dance*
The Amazing Race
Dancing with the Stars
Top Chef
Project Runway
The Voice (mesmerized by the spinning chairs are we?)

Host for a Reality or Reality Competition:
Cat Deeley for So You Think You Can Dance*
Phil Keoghan for The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest for American Idol
Betty White for Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
Tom Bergeron for Dancing with the Stars

And here are the nominees for other categories deemed less important:

Animated Program:
American Dad – Hot Water
Penguins of Madagascar: The Return of the Revenge of Dr. Blowhole
Futurama: The Tip of the Zoidberg*
Bob’s Burgers: BurgerBoss (Huzzah!)*
The Simpsons: Holidays of Future Passed (meh)

Prosthetic Makeup:
Boardwalk Empire
The Walking Dead*
American Horror Story
Game of Thrones
Once Upon a Time

Main Title Theme Music:
Touch
Great Expectations (Masterpiece)
Page Eight
Homeland
Hell on Wheels
(Don’t watch most of these and not sure I like Homeland’s opening music)

Nonfiction Series:
Weight of the Nation
American Masters
Frozen Planet*
Inside the Actor’s Studio
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

Reality Program:
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
Antiques Roadshow
Who Do You Think You Are?*
Undercover Boss
Mythbusters
Shark Tank

Full list available here. The Emmys will air on September 23.

Clearly they didn’t listen to what I didn’t want to be nominated.
More thoughts on this to come…

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Emmy Nominations Tomorrow – What SHOULDN’T Get Nominated

Posted on July 18, 2012 by ilmozart

After the Oscars, my second favorite awards show is the Emmys. Considering how much television I watch, that probably isn’t much of a surprise.

Rather than talk about what I want to be nominated (apart from Parks and Recreation, Community*, and Happy Endings), I’m going to list what received nominations last year, but I hope won’t be nominated this year:

Best Comedy:
Glee – For having such a crap season that pretty much went nowhere until the second to last episode only to have that minor victory destroyed by the season finale, Glee doesn’t deserve a nomination. And really, is it a comedy?

The Office – When Michael Scott left, the show was over. Everyone knows it but NBC is so desperate to hold on to the memory of when this show was a success, they are letting it die a slow painful death rather than let it end with dignity. For shame, NBC.

Best Drama:
Dexter – Really the only drama that was nominated last year that didn’t deserve it. It’s fine. Sure. But a ghost Adama? Really? Pulpy and sometimes fun, but not best drama material.

Lead Actress in a Comedy:
Laura Linney in The Big C and Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie – They are both amazing actresses and they are both fantastic in their roles…but these are NOT comedies. They are dramas with a comedic spin, and it is unfair to put them into this category. Maybe it’s time for a new category, “dramadey”?

Lead Actor in  Comedy:
Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory: It’s unfair for me to single him out, but Sheldon is just a little old hat right now. Without Amy Farah Fowler, his character would have become totally predictable this season. He’s great, but maybe Adam Pally instead, hrm?

Supporting Actress in a Comedy:
Jane Lynch in Glee: Sue Sylvester was great in Glee‘s first season, but now they don’t know what to do with her. This is no slight against Lynch — she’s great. But Ryan Murphy needs to find another nuance to this character because it’s all gotten too old.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy:
Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men: No. Just no.

Lead Actress in a Drama:
Mariska Hargitay in Law and Order:SVU : How can you compare a performance like Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife to this tired procedural and its rote situations?

Lead Actor in a Drama:
Michael C. Hall in Dexter: Love the guy, but again, we’ve seen it. (And Timothy Olyphant’s Raylan Givens is just so damned awesome)

Supporting Actress in a Drama:
Michelle Forbes in The Killing: My reasons for this lie directly in my disappointment in the series season 1 finale. It might be unfair, but there you have it.

Supporting Actor in a Drama:
I can’t think of anyone who is eligible and was nominated last year who shouldn’t be nominated this year. Strong strong contenders all.

Variety, Musical or Comedy:
Again, I honestly can’t point to any of these shows and say “You! You are unworthy!” We aren’t seeing Leno showing up anymore, which just goes to show, crap will sink given enough time.

Reality Competition:
American Idol: Everyone has jumped ship and it’s no surprise. We can only take so many male and female wannabe divas on our TV screens year after year after year.

Host on Reality or Reality Competition:
All I want is Cat Deeley to win. I don’t care who’s nominated as long as she finally wins.

But I guess we’ll find out more tomorrow morning.

*Six seasons and a movie!

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Beasts of the Southern Wild – One of the Best Films I’ve Seen This Year

Posted on July 16, 2012 by ilmozart

I think to understand anything I want to say about this movie, you have to see the trailer first.

http://youtu.be/ZF7i2n5NXLo

Once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in the bathtub.

Like the reviewer in The New York Times, this movie reminded me very much of The Tree of Life, one of my favorite movies of last year. It has a fluid narrative structure, with not much of an actual story to tell. It is composed of moments and images and sounds and scenes and a performance by an astonishing youngsters. But where The Tree of Life was polished and went cosmic, Beasts of the Southern Wild is rough and looks to celebrate life on earth very specifically.

Hushpuppy

The story takes place in an area near New Orleans called the Bathtub. With the world on the verge of natural catastrophe, The Bathtub already looks post-apocalyptic. People live in ramshackle huts and homes, make boats out of truck beds, and seem to be a lot happier than most of us. As our narrator, Hushpuppy (played by the unbelieveable Quvenzhané Wallis) tells us, the Bathtub has more holidays than the whole rest of the world. Indeed the opening is a string of scenes of The Bathtub coming together to celebrate … probably life itself.

Hushpuppy showing what she is made of

Hushpuppy lives with her father, Wink. Wink told his daughter that her mother swam away one day, and Hushpuppy has not given up hope that her mother is out there in the world and can hear her. Wink has made it his duty to teach his daughter, whom he frequently calls “man” or “dude”, how to survive. He teacher her how to catch a catfish with her bare hands. He has shown her how to cook her own meals, with a blowtorch. To the extent he is able, Wink tells his daughter of the world as it is, without softening the edges or hiding the dangers.

He is preparing her for the time she must be strong enough to rule on her own. He tells her that one day she’ll be King of the Bathtub. And after seeing the incredible force of nature that is Hushpuppy, you don’t doubt that for a moment.

A great storm comes and the residents of the Bathtub must either flee or wait out the storm, praying that they don’t get swept away by the water and drown. Some might say what happens after is a comment on American self-reliance and is anti-government interference. I say that is reading too much into something that I don’t think takes any stands in a political discourse. Instead, it’s a comment on this particular group of people –  the remnants of this community band together to maintain their way of life in the face of so much destruction.

Hearing the code of nature in a heartbeat

We see the world through Hushpuppy’s eyes and understand what happens from her point of view. She is so at one with the natural world around her, she believes the animals send her secret messages, encoded in the very beats of their hearts.  Hushpuppy has figured out how she fits into the world because she sees the world for how it is, everything dependent on everything else, “The entire universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If you fix the broken piece, everything can go back.” And when something dear to her breaks, she is determined to fix it. But as we know, part of growing up is learning you can’t always fix everything and somethings break beyond repair. Watching Hushpuppy learn this lesson is heartbreaking.

Hushpuppy and aurochs

The movie is touched with magical realism. Hushpuppy’s teacher (during a surprisingly foul lecture) tells the class of an extinct beast called an aurochs, that would eat them up if they hadn’t been frozen in ice thousands of years ago. It spoils nothing to say that as things break and ice melts, the aurochs make their way to the Bathtub, clearing a path of destruction of their own. When child and beast meet, it is clearly an act of fate bringing together two necessary pieces of the world, once separated by millennia, now face to face and eye to eye. It is a quiet moment that will make you hold your breath.

What is amazing about Beasts of the Southern Wild is that non of the actors are actors. Wink, Dwight Henry, is a baker. Many of the residents of the Bathtub are locals first time director Benh Zeitlin got together. This clearly contributes to the roughness of the film that I mentioned earlier. These performances aren’t studies, they are showing us their lives.

It would be a sin for me not to mention the soundtrack of the film. As you can tell from the trailer it is as essential to the story as the location is. It is at once simple and complex and wholly evocative. I cannot stop listening to it.

This is not a perfect film. It meanders beyond what it should. The camera work is at times a bit shaky. But you overlook its flaws and just immerse yourself in Hushpuppy’s innocence and passion and let it all flow over you.

As Hushpuppy says, she is recording her story for the scientists and for the people in the future so that they will know, once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in the bathtub. And you will never forget it.

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Need to get through the first 4 seasons of Breaking Bad before tonight’s season 5 premiere?

Posted on July 15, 2012 by ilmozart

Slate put together this great 10 minute summary of all four seasons.

And yes. Spoilers. A lot of them.

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A Ton of Game of Thrones Season 3 Casting News (with photos!) (updated)

Posted on July 13, 2012 by ilmozart

Remember that huge list of characters that were announced for season 3? Well, Entertainment Weekly has just announced a ton of new casting for season 3 of Game of Thrones:

Queen of Thorns aka Lady Oleanna, grandmother of Margaery Tyrell – Dame Diana Rigg

Rigg

Orell, a warg/skinchanger – Mackenzie Crook

Crook aka Gareth from The Office

Bryndon the Blackfish Tully, Catelyn Stark’s somewhat estranged uncle – Clive Russell

Russell

Missandei, Dany’s very young former slave translator – Nathalie Emmanuel

Emmanuel

Shireen Baratheon, Stannis’s daughter – Kerry Ingram

Ingram – will she have the greyscale?

Jojen Reed, friend to the Starks, particularly Bran, also a “green seer” – Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Brodie-Sangster (the kid from Love Actually!)

Meera Reed, Jojen’s sister – Ellie Kendrick

Kendrick

Berric Dondarion, Lord and leader of the Brotherhood without Banners, a group of vigilantes – Richard Dormer

Dormer

Tormund Giantsbane, a wilding warrior – Kristofer Hivju

Hivju – LOVE that beard and hair

Selyse Baratheon, Stannis’ very cold wife – Tara Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald

Edmure Tully, Catelyn’s brother – Tobias Menzies

Menzies

Qyburn, a former maester who was stripped of his chains for doing “unnatural” things – Anton Lesser

Lesser

Anguy, member of the Brotherhood without Banners and skilled archer – Philip McGinley

McGinley

Thoros of Myr, warrior of R’hllor and important member of the Brotherhood without Banners (he carries a flaming sword) – Paul Kaye

Kaye

But what about Mance Rayder??

updated to add: I forgot to mention that season 3 is set to premiere on March 31, 2013 on HBO.

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How To Prepare For The Dark Knight Rises, part I

Posted on July 13, 2012 by ilmozart

Super excited for The Dark Knight Rises next Friday?

Do you have your tickets for the already sold-out midnight showings on IMAX?

Have you studied each and every frame of every trailer, film clip, and photo that has been released?

Have you re-watched Batman Begins and The Dark Knight over and over and over and over again?

Are you already camped out in front of the theater to get best seats?

You think you’re really ready to take it all on?

Well, not yet. Not till you’ve watched this:

Watched it?
Good. NOW you’re ready.

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The Dark Knight Rises Poster to Haunt Your Dreams

Posted on July 12, 2012 by ilmozart

Bane. Big Bad Scary Scary Bane.
from Vulture

So…..that scares the crap out of me.
And I get to see it in IMAX, huzzah!

(Took me a couple of glances before I saw the shadow bat)

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Game of Thrones for Math Nerds

Posted on July 12, 2012 by ilmozart

This is pretty spectacular.

However, I disagree on a few points:

#1 – favorite character is probably split between Tyrion and Arya

#2 – I do kinda enjoy the food descriptions. George RR Martin clearly puts a lot of thought into these feasts or at least is really wishing he could be at them…

#3 – I’d give the important characters a 50/50 chance of survival. Especially because importance in these books is a very fluid thing.

I do like that he recognizes that men and women pretty watch the show equally.

Unlike some people have suggested…

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