Sight & Sound Poll: The Forgotten Films

There's been a lot of talk lately about Sight and Sound's highly regarded "Greatest Films" poll. As you are probably aware, "Vertigo" finally toppled long-time champ "Citizen Kane" for the #1 spot. Just today, the BFI (British Film Institute) released their database which lists all the voters, their lists and all the films that were mentioned. It's incredibly fascinating to find out which films didn't receive any mentions. Personally, I'm preparing to publish my own top 50 list and I must say it's slightly disheartening to find out that 4 of my top 5 didn't receive a single nod (out of 2,045 films)! Especially when there was room for Zoolander on 2 lists! Alas, as a fellow blogger reminded me, one shouldn't feel the need to justify their own tastes.

Here are some noteworthy films that were surprisingly absent:

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ACTING SCHOOL: Brad Pitt

The LAMB has another installment of "LAMB Acting School 101" lined up and this time we are showcasing the talents of none other than...Brad Pitt. As one of the biggest movie stars of the past 20 years, his acting ability is often disregarded. However, I am a firm believer that Pitt is really one of the strongest working actors we have. For this post, I will be looking at my 3 favourite scenes from his films. In planning this, I found that a lot of his strongest work is surprisingly comedic in nature. As a result, my 3 scenes show off his considerable comedic chops:

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HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Singin' In The Rain

This week on Hit me with your best shot, we perused one of the most enjoyable films ever made – "Singing in the Rain". This joyful musical never fails to delight with its memorable songs, hilarious performances, colorful costumes and superb dancing (!!). For this assignment, I narrowed it down to 2 choices exploring different themes. In the end, I chose an image that stands out from the rest of the film.

Click below for my favourite shot...

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Oslo, August 31st

We’ve seen movies about drug addicts before, but nothing quite like "Oslo, August 31st". We always read reviews about how "realistic" and "authentic" a movie is, but this is one of them that truly nails it. This film takes an incredibly fascinating look at the post-rehab phase and thus removes all the harrowing madness of the addiction period. The story follows a rehabilitated man who gets a day’s leave to do a job interview and meet up with old friends. As he tries to assimilate into normal life again, he finds its not "a bed of roses", as he learns that life is tough even for those who seemingly lack significant "struggles". The screenplay shines as it takes such a nonchalantly frank look at the banality of everyday life. There is no overt sentimentality and yet, this film is still deeply felt. I was mesmerized by the directing, acting, cinematography, sound design and screenplay. To me, this film is simply flawless. My review could never do it justice. I highly recommend watching this film and judging its greatness for yourself.

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#FF Oscar Predictions, Podcasts and more...

As you probably heard by now, The Great Gatsby has been rescheduled to be released in summer 2013, rather than Christmas 2012. The move seems to have opened up a spot in Oscar categories across the board. Check out John's (from John Likes Movies) Best Picture predictions, along with other great posts below:

John analyzes the Oscar race and gives us his Best Picture predictions.

Ryan and Lindsay did a special episode of The Matineecast, where they talk about Step Up Revolution! I love Lindsay's enthusiasm and Ryan's embarassment due to his knowledge of dance movies.

On last week's French Toast Sunday podcast, the gang discussed their favourite travel movies. They even played my voicemail!

Andrew has been a champion of "The Deep Blue Sea" this year, especially Rachel Weisz' performance. In his latest "Scene on a Sunday" he examines an exhilarating scene from the film.

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HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Sherlock Jr.

Another edition of Hit me with your best shot brings us "Sherlock Jr.", directed by Buster Keaton. This amusing film features all the funny visual gags you would expect from a silent film. Although it didn't completely convert me into a silent film enthusiast, I could definitely see its merits. I was particularly struck by the Bond-like, blockbuster elements of the film. Although the film is low-key by today's standards, it includes explosions, chase scenes, stunts, cool gadgets, a hot chick and even some visual effects! Hence, my favourite shot highlights one of these elements.

Click below for my favourite shot...

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The Great Gatsby delayed until Summer!

Warner Bros. just released some devastating news. Ever since they announced the director and the cast, "The Great Gatsby" has been one of my most anticipated films of the year. Futhermore, they released the trailer and I finally read the novel and I really got the Gatsby fever. Unfortunately, the studio has decided to delay the film until to summer 2013. Apparently they want to take advantage of the large summer audiences. There's also the significant possibility that the movie is really bad (which I refuse to believe!). Despite my dismay, there could be some positives from this:

Oscar repurcussions:
- Leo can now focus on getting that Oscar for Django Unchained. But then again, he's got "The Wolf of Wall Street", so may once again split his own vote.

- Lightens up the end-of-year movie slate, which was looking really crowded. Could have resulted in some unfortunate snubs come Oscar time. You never know, 2013 could also be a heavy field, but at least The Great Gatsby will avoid the fall/winter season hoopla.

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: The Raid

This week's "Movie of the Week" doesn't really need reviewing, as I feel like I am regurgitating everything that has been said about it. "The Raid" lives up to all the praise. It's a well-directed, well-choreographed, violent action movie. Although the story isn't anything revolutionary, it does contain just enough plot to make it rise above a "B-movie" label. Actually, writer/director Gareth Evans makes some bold choices with certain plot elements that really pay off in the end. In addition, the artistic touches indicate a director with a firm handle on what he is doing. The graphic Tarantino-esque violence can be numbing at times, but the movie is never dull. With its brisk pacing, it's exciting from start to finish. This was the first time I saw a film that really made me think about the skills involved in fight choreography. They made the fight scenes look like they were dancing. The acting wasn't bad either. If you are looking for an entertaining action movie, you can't go wrong with this one.

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#FF Hairstyles, Earrings and more..

No, this isn't a special fashion post. The title's hairstyles and earrings are movie-related, I promise! Check out some of this week's great posts below:

Alex premiered his short film "Earrings" on Saturday. Go check it out, it's pretty well done.

Heather from Man, I Love Films recalls the Top 10 iconic movie hairstyles.

Dan wrote about Pirates of the Caribbean as part of his "Movies That Everyone Should See" series. I grew up in St. Vincent (it was filmed there), so this film holds a special place in my heart.

Anders Wotze made a hilarious parody of The Dark Knight trilogy. Go check it out.

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HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: How To Marry A Millionaire

Hit me with your best shot is back again with 1953's "How To Marry A Millionaire". This film features 3 of the hottest actresses of that era with Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall playing a trio of gold diggers in New York. It's not the most "deep" screenplay, but I had a good time watching it and was entertained from start to finish. It did bring up some interesting thoughts though, about male-female relationships during this time period. It got me thinking about "Mad Men" and how those women are objectified. When I watch this though, I start to believe it's the women who are using the men, and not the other way around.
The actresses really make this film work. These 3 leading ladies have a great knack for comedy. I loved how meticulous Bacall is in her quest (only men who wear neckties!). Grable's ignorance is cute and it was especially hilarious when she dreams of a hot dog and beer, rather than affluence like the other girls. Finally, Marilyn Monroe shines as the ditsy blonde. My favourite aspect of the film is the running gag about her poor eyesight. Pola (Monroe) refuses to wear her glasses in public out of fear that men would find her unattractive. Every time she had a mishap I was howling with laughter, she plays it so well. My favourite shot relates to her predicament.

Click below for my favourite shot...

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