It’s time for the Oscars! Some good films nominated that tie in with curriculum areas – Life of Pi (novels, philosophy, psychology – just wonderful); Argo (history; global relations); Silver linings playbook (psychology, mental health – really good film); Zero dark thirty (global relations, psychology, crime & deviance, history); Lincoln (history); Les mis (history, novels, great songs). Good luck Hugh Jackman and Jacki Weaver!
http://oscar.go.com/nominees/
Interesting: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/feb/21/oscars-2013-what-nominations-say-about-america
All the awards through the years – Oscars, Globes, SAGs, BAFTAs etc – IMDB is certainly an excellent site!
http://www.imdb.com/oscars/nominations/?ref_=rto_nb_acd
Other upcoming films to look forward to – good for courses in sci-fi, fantasy, fiction to film, media, popular culture…rather a long list…sorry – film fever!
Star Wars: episode VII
3 new Star Wars films are coming & 2 peripheral movies (since George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Co last year). The first will be Star Wars: episode VII – directed by J. J. Abrams (Star trek 2009, Super 8, Lost – TV series). To be released 2015. Some (including William Shatner) feel that Abrams should not be directing 2 of the biggest franchises – Star wars AND Star trek!
http://starwars.com/news/star-wars-is-being-kick-started-with-dynamite-jj-abrams-to-direct-star-wars-episode-vii.html
Star trek: into darkness
Director: J.J.Abrams. Follow-on from Star trek (2009). Opens May 2013. Stars Chris Pine as a young Kirk and Benedict Cumberbatch as villain John Harrison…aww Sherlock! “After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction”.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WzJXmY2xrg
Beautiful creatures
Now showing. Based on the well-regarded young adult Gothic romance novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, their debut novel. Directed by Richard LaGravenese. Stars Alice Englert (daughter of Jane Campion), Emma Thompson, Jeremy Irons. Not Bella and Edward this time, but Lena and Ethan. A young man in a small Southern town falls for troubled new girl Lena – a witch who will be claimed for the light or dark on her 16th birthday. Apparently much better than the Twilight series!
Movie info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1559547/
Movie review: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/movies/movie-review-beautiful-creatures/story-e6frf9h6-1226582786824
Book info: http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Creatures-Kami-Garcia/dp/0316231673
Oz the great and powerful
Previews look excellent! Prequel to the Wizard of Oz. Directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man). Stars James Franco, Mila Kunis (Wicked Witch of the West) and Michelle Williams (Glinda). Opens 7 March 2013. A small-time unethical magician lands in Oz and is drawn into the problems facing the inhabitants, where he must find out who is good and evil in order to redeem himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1NGnVLDPog
Great expectations
Based on Dickens’ novel about the orphan who becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor. Directed by Mike Newel. Stars Jeremy Irvine as Pip, Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch and Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham. Opens 7 March 2013.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/toronto-film-festival-great-expectations-review-helena-bonham-carter-369565
Jack the giant slayer
Directed by Bryan Singer. Stars Nicholas Hoult (the cute kid from About a boy), Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor. Opens 21 March. A young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the world of humans and a race of giants, thus reigniting an ancient war.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1351685/
Warm bodies
A paranormal romantic zombie comedy based on the novel by Isaac Marion; directed by Jonathan Levine. Stars Nicholas Hoult (yes the cute kid from About a boy). The film is told from the zombie’s perspective – “R” falls in love with Julie, a living human and love helps him develop some human characteristics again. Extensive voice-overs are used, as zombies have trouble speaking. Opens 11 April.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588173/
JOBS
The Steve Jobs biopic recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival, to mixed reviews. Stars Ashton Kutcher as Jobs and Josh Gad as Steve Wozniak. Directed by Joshua Stern. Opens here June 2013. The film focuses on Job’s life from when he dropped out of college to when the first iPod came out in 2001. They even filmed in the Silicon Valley garage where the first Apple computer was created. Sony Pictures is also planning a separate Jobs biopic, based on Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography and to be written by Aaron Sorkin (The social network).
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/ashton-kutcher-talks-steve-jobs-tech-and-fruitarian-diets-20130201-2doi0.html
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/great-jobs-kutcher-praised-for-biopic-20121205-2avb6.html
The Fifth Estate
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Julian Assange in the drama depicting the early days of WikiLeaks. He looks different with that hair!
Directed by Bill Condon, who explores “the complexities and challenges of transparency in the information age”. Opens late 2013.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9821056/Benedict-Cumberbatch-as-Julian-Assange-in-The-Fifth-Estate-first-look.html
Assange accuses the film of being a “massive propaganda attack”: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/24/julian-assange-attacks-wikileaks-film
The mortal instruments: City of bones
Based on the popular urban fantasy book series by Cassandra Clare. Stars Lily Collins. Opens here Aug 2013. When her mother is taken by a demon in New York, a teenage girl finds out truths about her past and bloodline that changes her entire life.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1538403/
Ender’s game
Based on the acclaimed sci-fi novels Ender’s game & Ender’s shadow by Orson Scott Card. Directed by Gavin Hood. Stars Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Abigail Breslin. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, an unusually gifted child, is sent to an advanced military school in space to prepare for a future alien invasion. There he is honed into an empathetic killer who begins to despise himself as he learns to fight in order to save Earth and his family. Opens late 2013.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/
Hunger Games 2 : Catching fire
Katniss and Peeta head back into the Games in Nov 2013.
The graveyard book
Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed 2008 children’s book will be filmed as a live-action movie (instead of animated), directed by Ron Howard. The book is the only title to ever win both the Carnegie and Newbery Medals for Best Children’s Book. Young Nobody Owens is raised by ghosts in a cemetery after his family is murdered. As a teen, he is pursued again by the murderer.
http://www.movies.com/movie-news/ron-howard-set-to-resurrect-neil-gaimans-the-graveyard-book/11023
20 000 leagues under the sea
Based on Jules Verne’s 1870 novel. Currently in development with Disney with David Fincher (The social network) to direct in 3D. The Federal Government has offered an incentive for it to be filmed in Aust. – but despite rumours, there will be no Brad Pitt in a wetsuit…
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/pitt-sunk-20000-leagues-under-the-sea-rumours-hosed-down-20130216-2ejqg.html
Relax with a good film – based on a good book!