The Criterion Collection recently announced its grand entrance into the world of 3D Home Entertainment with the release of Wim Wenders’ Pina. The documentary, an Academy Award nominee, took Werner Herzog’s approach of non-fiction as technologically advanced art to another level. Displaying dance in a way that was close enough to touch, Wenders renders the nuanced details of one of the world’s greatest choreographers.
Best Cinematography Predictions (10-17-12):
Lincoln, Janusz Kaminski
Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey
Argo, Rodrigo Prieto
Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda
Skyfall, Roger Deakins
Of all the tech categories, Cinematography always has the best chance of honoring a work of artistry that may not necessarily be linked to voters’ overall opinions of the film. In the past decade, we’ve seen such inclusions as the alienating The New World (before praising Malick became en vogue) and the blockbuster Batman Begins. That said, it’s incredibly rare for the winner of Best Picture not to show up here as a nominee, so while there’s some adventure for photography, it’s a far cry from the beacon artistic appreciation in general.
Argo walks such a delicate line between historic realism and Hollywood caper commonalities, that sound design obviously had to play an integral role in creating the world. Yet, the sound was so subtle and precise that I don’t remember it particularly standing out amongst all the other wonderful craftsmanship in the film. Watching this piece, you learn that Affleck made a smart choice to keep the sound “raw and gritty.” Something I believe grounds the picture, even when it moves into its more over-the-top terrain.
And just like that, Homeland’s gone and blown the lid off the whole thinning plot problem. As its most toned down and personal episode in Season Two, “State of Independence” went deeper into the psychology its two broken characters. Filled with moments that could have easily strayed into the realm of contrivance, understated awkwardness reigned with Carrie coming out as the knowing hero and Brody looking battered and closer to capture than ever.
Between the nerve-wracking baseball playoffs and the beginning of the football season, not to mention the uniquely exciting Summer Olympics, sports have been on my brain more than usual lately. Additionally, I’m in the throes of developing a script about a former boxer and I’ve grown obsessed with the most throughly research, yet down-to-Earth internet writing out there, on Grantland – primarily a sports blog. I’ve taken this sports-mindedness as an opportunity to finally dive headlong into ESPN’s Emmy-winning documentary series ’30 for 30′. I’ve seen a number of these already, but there’s a wealth of creative storytelling out there that I was yet to get to.
My impressions of the beginning of the series were pretty mixed. Mostly, the filmmaking seems scattered, if stylistically off-putting. Often, I’m struck by the inconsistency of tone and the lackluster cinematography. However, as stories go, these pieces are solidly told. They are emotionally serious and bring 
light to just how important sports are to a nation with multitudes. Many topics are explored such as the aging of the human body, the bond of communities, and the worship of idols and teams. Yet, there’s only one real constant that appears in each iteration of ’30 for 30′. Put simply, this topic has to do with how predominately white businessmen make decisions that affect entire generations of communities and cities because of the bottom line. There’s a disconnect between the emotional prowess that sports can bring to places that are otherwise down and the needs of corporate ownership who see the team as just another product.
With themes that strike unnervingly close to today’s zeitgeist, Argo smartly takes the path of an old-fashioned thriller to unveil the neverending turmoil of international relations. A movie about the power of movies, Ben Affleck’s third feature uses all the tropes of classic suspense and humor to tell what otherwise could have been a limp historical recreation or didactic lecture on a horrifying time in American history. The world has changed quite a bit since the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran – technological, economical, and social – yet many might argue it’s remained exactly the same. What has endured for certain are motion pictures and the reasons people are drawn them.
After America accepts the exiled Shah of Iran onto their soil, protestors storm the American embassy to hold people hostage as a way of coaxing America into giving him back. All but six people are taken by Iranian extremists, when they flee unseen to the home 
of the Canadian ambassador. Argo focuses on the bizarre mission to free those six people. Lead by CIA agent, Tony Mendez (Affleck), Americans stage a fake movie, fit with big-name fake producers and make-up artists, and pretend to go into the fractured nation on a location scout. In a tense, down the wire, escape mission, Mendez drops into Iran, convinces the hostages to believe in his cockamamie idea and flies them back to America. The mission remains classified for 17 years, before Mendez or any other hero involved can take credit for its existence.
Short Take: GoldenEye might be forgettable, but its tongue-in-cheek playfulness and its suave lead are a breath of fresh air compared to the overly serious blockbusters of today.
With an aesthetic of hard-lined doorways, two-tone grays, and primitive visual effects, GoldenEye appears today as a quintessential 90s action movie; striving hard to be an amusement park ride but nonetheless unable to extinguish the soul of patient cinematic storytelling. To call GoldenEye a cross-section of the evolving times, measures as both its greatest strength and most glaring weakness. Never able to ratchet up either of its attempted elements, the film takes on an interesting tongue-in-cheek tone, even if the pace at times feels to be moving in slow motion.
Best Supporting Actress Predictions (10-12-12):
Amy Adams, The Master
Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises (or Les Misérables)
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Sally Field, Lincoln
Best Supporting Actress Notes: If I had my way, Nicole Kidman and Macy Gray would both be nominated for their performances in The Paperboy. I’m yet to see those levels of commitment to material that’s challenging for subject matter and tone. I’m hard-pressed to believe there will be better Supporting performances to come along this year, but, alas neither of them will get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Similarly, Anne Hathaway may give a far more epic performance in Les Mis, but I secretly pray that she might get nominated for The Dark Knight Rises. I didn’t like the movie all that much, however, Hathaway’s portrayal of Catwoman popped off the screen, adding another dimension to the sex appeal provided by an equally stunning performance by Michelle Pfeiffer. As the fields start to narrow, it’s becoming clearer that Hathaway too has little chance to get in for that role.
Director Paul Thomas Anderson talked with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last night. In one of the more serious discussions I’ve seen Stewart conduct, he questioned Anderson about his writing process and his ability to get such unique performances from his actors. In his recent talks about The Master, Anderson has continued to push the concept of “searching” and allowing his characters to go in directions that “they” want to go rather than where he, as creator, wants to take them to go. This frustrating mission to convey that The Master is, at its very core, about human behavior by way of, well, human behavior, has alienated more than a few who are seeking specific answers about the movie.
Seeming awkwardly uncomfortable as ever, the director did mention that filmmaking can’t “just be a process of searching,” and that at some point there needs to be a process to it. I find it interesting how much Anderson has evolved along his own course as an artist. His early works were filled with protracted indulgences (albeit, exciting indulgences) that were constructed down to every tiny camera move. His newest films are exploration of the human psyche. He hasn’t lost his interest in how cinematic expression can heighten performance, but he does seem determined to put tiny nuances of psychology on-screen that are as yet unseen by audiences.
The Academy named its Documentary Shorts shortlist today, kick-starting the 
narrowing-down portion of the movie year. I thought last year’s winner, Saving Face, was one of the most fascinating films of any kind released into theaters. I wish more people saw that film, just as I always hope these short docs could get out to wider audiences in general. With distribution means growing, perhaps that’s a possibility in the near future. For now, we’ll have to wait until five of these films get a short play early next year.
“The Education of Mohammad Hussein,” Loki Films
“Inocente,” Shine Global, Inc.
“Kings Point,” Kings Point Documentary, Inc.
“Mondays at Racine,” Cynthia Wade Productions
“Open Heart,” Urban Landscapes Inc.
“ParaÍso,” The Strangebird Company
“The Perfect Fit,” SDI Productions Ltd.
“Redemption,” Downtown Docs
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