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 Tonight, Tonight...
The Year of Gloomy Movies
David Bruce, Webmaster
People are gloomy. The economy is bad, the housing market isn't
good, consumer spending is down, the depressing war continues. And
interestingly enough, the Academy Award Nominations for Best Picture
reflect this current cultural gloom.
There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, Atonement, Michael Clayton, and No Country for Old Men are all gloomy films. Juno may
be the only bright film in the lot, but even it is about a not-so-pleasant topic (unwed teen pregnancy).
The general box office and the
Academy Award Nominations often reflect the mood of the time. With all
this gloominess is it any wonder that the operative word in the US
Presidential race is "change"?
I am wondering if 2008 will reflect a change to a better mood. Be that as it may, here are the nominations for this year... Click to visit the Oscars widget at HJ.
Also on tap: Tim Berroth's predictions, Darrel Manson's roundtable discussion (join in!)... plus Matthew Kinne offers a detailed analysis of why we love awards so much (more on that below).
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 Do You Stink at Being Good?
We Love Winners... God Loves Losers
Matthew Kinne
Right now, it's awards time in Hollywood,
when achievement is recognized for acting, writing, directing and many
other categories. In fact, every particular field is recognized with
awards given and received no matter how unglamorous or insignificant
they may seem... and the most coveted of all Hollywood awards are the Academy Awards.
When the recent Golden
Globes occurred with little fanfare and no celebrity turnout, TV
audiences groaned and scratched their heads. They missed the jewels,
the dresses, the glitz, and the glamour usually associated with that
event. Thankfully, the Oscars will go on as scheduled tonight with
all the customary hype, pomp, parties, and circumstance. The public
demands Hollywood royalty and they will get it.
Why do we give so many awards in Hollywood , and why do we watch them all? Why do awards resonate with us?
Is it only the winners who count? Is there such a
thing as receiving an award for something we haven't achieved?
Yes, there is...
Read more of Matthew's excellent analysis at HJ's new feature column, The Back Page...
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 Free Tickets to Expelled
12 Lucky Entrants Will Win
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 Of Thrill... and Victory!
The Latest Observations on Sport in Film
Darrel Manson, Senior Writer
Baseball, Clemens, and Steroids
Mike Gunn | 02/24/08 | Sports, Analysis
As I began to take the steroid, my "inner
Catholicism" won over. You know, some weird "super-ego" demanding that
I put those evil blue pills away. I was doomed to conscience and
sure-fire failure in the pursuit of my desires.
Million Dollar Baby
Darrel Manson | 02/23/08 | Movies, On DVD
Frankie is a puzzle in terms of faith.
Outwardly, he seems to be a person of faith. We see him kneeling beside
the bed to pray, but it's a pretty pathetic prayer. He goes to mass
every morning, but afterwards tries to bait the priest into theological
debates.
Rollerball (1975)
Darrel Manson | 02/20/08 | Movies, On DVD
Every so often a sports figure exceeds all
others in the sport-Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods. Their names are known
even by non-fans. Their accomplishments are staggering. They have
skills that transcend the sport itself. Such a person is Jonathon E.
Cinderella Man
Kevin Miller | 02/19/08 | Movies, On DVD
Stories like Braddock's give us hope that,
like him, we can also overcome the obstacles that hold us back. We can
gain a measure of dignity and self-determination-if only to the point
where we are able to choose the time and place of our ultimate defeat.
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In DVDs, Music, Books, Comix, TV & Games
The Devil Came on Horseback
Darrel Manson | 02/22/08 | On DVD
Brian Steidle, a former Marine Corps
captain, was serving as a military observer with the African Union
peace keeping forces. His job was to take pictures - to document what
has happening. He took pictures of genocide every day for six months.
The Devil Came on Horseback focuses on that genocide, but it is also
Steidle's story.
Mother of Mine
Darrel Manson | 02/20/08 | On DVD
During the Second World War, Finnish
children were sent to other countries where they would be safe from the
violence of the war. Eero is sent by his mother to neutral Sweden where
he struggles with isolation and abandonment and then when he returns,
has to struggle yet again.
American Gangster
Yo | 02/20/08 | On DVD
Frank Lucas was a self-made, no-nonsense
business man. Unfortunately, his success came at high cost: the
suffering and death of countless people. Although this is an intriguing
glimpse into a turbulent time in our history, it's ultimately a story
without a happy ending.
The Invasion
Jacob Sahms | 02/19/08 | On DVD
"Can you give me a pill to make me see the
world the way that you Americans see the world? Can you help me see
Iraq or Darfur or New Orleans, the way you see the world?" He implies
that a peaceful world would be one where humans ceased to be human.
The Brave One
Jacob Sahms | 02/19/08 | On DVD
Erica's life no longer matters to her: she
lives only for vengeance, and without it, she doesn't really live. I
might argue she doesn't really live even with it-and the movie
continues long after she has, in effect, died. How can you go back from
that? How can you change?
Blue State
Jacob Sahms | 02/19/08 | On DVD
I think we're meant to see Blue State as a
romantic comedy. Really, it involves finding out that Canadians don't
like Americans, that just because Kerry lost doesn't mean it's not
America, and that believing something strongly enough means staying
where you are.
Coldstone Creamery For Your Ears
Jacob Sahms | 02/23/08 | Music, Interviews
Children 18:3 takes a moment to chat with
Hollywood Jesus before the 5for5 Tour. "What influences us?" they ask
in response to my question. "Rancid, the Beatles, Travis Barker, Tim
Armstrong and Gwen Stefani, to name a few."
Back-in-the-Day Relient K
Jacob Sahms | 02/21/08 | Music
Eternally optimistic. Hopefully bent.
Lyrically simple. Growing up? Like Relient K, this band lets you know
that they aremature but that their outlet demands they show off and be
silly sometimes. The album works depending on your mood and your age,
and it'll get played in my car from time to time.
Real, Sanctus Real
Jacob Sahms | 02/19/08 | Music
Sanctus Real comes back with something
that's real rock material: We Need Each Other is one anthem after
another that will make you go "oh, oh!" You might be lulled to sleep by
the first few seconds, but you'll be quickly woken up. It's
introspective, theological rock'n'roll.
The Appeal
Jacob Sahms | 02/23/08 | Books
Reading three-hundred-plus pages of
courtroom drama has the ability to be both thrilling and exciting. But
somehow Grisham takes the intrigue of having a judge replaced through
the efforts of big business and turns it into CNN-worthy monotony.
Ultimate Human
Maurice Broaddus | 02/21/08 | Comix
Like Bruce Banner, a part of us realizes
that we live in a "failure condition." We largely sleepwalk through
life, wondering what it's all about, why we are here, what we're
supposed to do and be. The idea reminded me of the book New Way to be
Human by Charlie Peacock...
Transmetropolitan: Issue #6
Jesse Johnson | 02/20/08 | Comix
Ellis does a fantastic job of mixing ironic
imagery with honest storytelling. His characters are very real people
in a very possible future, reacting in extreme ways. You're left
wondering what the implications of such a future really are, and
whether you want to chide Spider, or join him.
Knight Rider
Yo | 02/18/08 | TV
Knight Rider returned to NBC recently with
a new Michael behind the wheel of a new KITT. While many fans of the
original show were concerned about KITT being anything other than a
Trans-Am, perhaps the real concern is whether or not a show like this
has any place in today's TV.
Narnia's History Filled In With The New Game
Yo | 02/21/08 | Games, Previews
As one would expect with the release of any
major movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian will have a video
game tie-in releasing around the same time as the film. At GDC '08,
developer Traveller's Tales demonstrated some of the refinements in
this second Narnia game, and some of the new material they'll introduce
into the Narnia canon.
HD-DVD: Clear Choice For HI-Def & Eternity
Toshiba Withdraws From Next-Gen Format War
Yo | 02/19/08
After a two year long battle, the choice
for hi-def DVDs is now abundantly clear. As a winner emerges from that
war, I'm reminded of the fact that our choice for something far more
important is equally just as clear, despite what some may have been led
to believe.
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Glad to be here,
The Staff
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