Remember Moonrise

Michael C here to make sure memory one of 2012's masterpieces isn't washed away in a flood of Oscar bait. 

The more I think about the final moments of Moonrise Kingdom the more it feels like the saddest thing I’ve seen at the movies all year.

At first glance it feels like the ending couldn’t be much happier. The young lovers are reunited, the storm has passed, and even if things aren’t perfect life is left in greater balance than when the story began. Yet on repeat viewings a nagging feeling of loss rises to the surface. Sam and Suzy are together but it’s not accidental that the last thing we see them do is say goodbye to each other. We first meet Suzy as a raven and now the soundtrack sings of birds flying away in the changing seasons. In film’s closing moments we see Suzy pause to acknowledge Sam’s painting of their beachfront camp. Their stolen adventure sits there, already frozen in the past.

This For Your Consideration reminder continues after the jump...

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Double Os aren't enough any more for Bond, James Bond. You need seven 0s at this point, 8 if you count the already astounding international grosses ($4288 million to date outside of the US). My review will be posted tomorrow night and there's a few more Bond pieces coming before we say goodbye until 2014 or whenever.

3 Bond Girls. 2 ½ Sex Scenes. 2 Villains. 500 million dollars

Box Office Top Ten
01 SKYFALL  $87.8 *NEW* 
02 WRECK-IT RALPH  $33 (cum. $93.6)
03 FLIGHT  $15.1 (cum. $47.7)
04 ARGO  $6.7 (cum. $85.7)
05 TAKEN 2 $4 *NEW* (cum $131.2)
06 HERE COMES THE BOOM  $2.5  (cum. $39)
07 CLOUD ATLAS $2.5 (cum. $22.7)
08 PITCH PERFECT $2.5 (cum $59)
09 THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS $2.4  (cum $12.7)
10 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA $2.3 (cum $140.9)

Pitch Perfect just keeps humming, huh? Flight and Argo are benefiting from Oscar buzz and word of mouth and both are going to enjoy long runs. Which movies did you see this weekend? I went to Holy Motors and Lincoln (which opens wide next week but earned almost a million from very limited screens this weekend). More on both soon.

50 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Demi Moore's ½ Century Mark

Too few people speak of Demi Moore anymore and that truly saddens me. I grew up with Demi as a big screen goddess and though her star went supernova, flaring so bright you couldn't miss it before unarguably fading, she's still worth celebrating. The 80s and 90s would NOT have been the same without her. Younger generations know her best as the former Mrs. Ashton Kutchner! What a world. What an ignomious fate for someone as good at being a celebrity as she!

50 Ways to Celebrate Demi Moore. I Double Demi Dare you!

1. Scream until you're hoarse to achieve her suitably sexy voice.
2. Hook your star to a sexy bald man.
3. Indulge your inner cougar.
4. Practice the fine art of being friends with your most famous ex. (Let Bruce & Demi be role models for all)
5. Refer to yourself as "Mrs. [Whoever You're Dating]" this week on Twitter or Facebook 

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Interview: On 'Head Games' and Reshaping Oscar's Doc Branch with Steve James

Amir here. With an unusually large number of high profile contenders and a recent overhaul in the branch’s voting system, the documentary category is sure to be one of the exciting races at the Oscars this year. There are a few films firmly in the conversation already, but I recently caught up with a contender that has curiously slipped under the radar despite the talent involved.

Head Games, the newest from Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) is based on a book by former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski and takes on the issue of concussion in contact sports, a topic that is increasingly discussed among Football and Hockey enthusiasts in particular. James goes back to a more traditional structure in setting up his film with many talking head interviews and archival footage, but the end result is unexpectedly moving. Given the prevalence of these injuries in athletes, from kids who play Football or Soccer on a regular basis at school to the professionals of NFL and NHL, it’s a film that will be emotionally involving for a lot of people. I choked up a few times.

James’s history with the Oscars is well-known: despite universal critical acclaim, both aforementioned titles were snubbed by the Academy, not to mention his other powerful films. He was nominated in the editing category for Hoop Dreams, but it will be a big moment whenever he finally scores his first nomination for best documentary. On the occasion of the film’s qualifying release, I had the opportunity to chat with him about the film, his passion for sports, the Oscars, and the documentary branch’s new voting system.

 Steve James, the director of Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters and now Head GamesINTERVIEW, OSCARS & EBERT AFTER THE JUMP

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"Rise of the Guardians" Begins Its Oscar Push

This morning, very bright and early, MOMI unveiled their new exhibit "The Art of Rise of the Guardians" with an accompanying film series on the Best of Dreamworks Animation. A museum exhibit is definitely a way to announce that you are Serious For Real and not just for, you know, for kids. Methinks Dreamworks Animation wants their third Animated Feature Oscar. 

And hey, this year's Oscar is totally up for grabs. Sure Wreck-It Ralph might be the one to beat unless the Cult of Pixar regathers for Brave but it's hardly a done deal this early in the toon throwdown.

Related Oscar Chart

The only two things I could think staring at this beautiful image above is 

1. I have to see this exhibit! and...
2. Wouldn't the (admittedly unseen) movie have been more awesome if it actually looked like this image above --- so graphically compelling and painterly and not like it does with the semi generic 3D modelled CGI?

Who do you think has the edge in the Animated Feature Race?