The Hush-Hush News Report 12.28.11: The Buffy Reboot Has Been Slayed...For Now

Posted by Jeremy Wilson on 12.28.2011

News and thoughts on the new trailer for Prometheus, the problems with the proposed reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, new photos from the Wachowski Brothers' Cloud Atlas, the new trailer for Underworld Awakening, thoughts on the newest holiday movie releases and more!





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I hope everyone had a great holiday and that Santa got you everything you wanted and deserved. I had a great holiday on the whole and am looking forward to the new year. 2011 wasn't great but it wasn't half-bad either; plus, On the plus side, I'll always remember how 2011 was when I got to join the 411 staff, so I can't rag too much. Here's hoping 2012 only gets better. Next week, Part One of the Best & Worst of 2011 will be included, so look for that. Now, on with the news (and yes it's a bit slow this week due to the holiday)...



Damon Lindelof Speaks About Prometheus Trailer And Ridley Scott



The trailer for "Prometheus" arrived last week and it is indeed glorious, paying homage to Ridley Scott's 1979 science fiction-horror masterpiece "Alien" but also looking to distinguish itself as something that can stand apart for those who have never seen it's quasi-predecessor. After several days featuring a new teaser, the trailer came right in time for the holiays.



Damon Lindelof recently spoke about the newly released trailer for "Prometheus" and about working with acclaimed director Ridley Scott. Some of what he said included:

"One part of me sort of wants to be working on something where I can say, ‘This is exactly what this is' without being secretive or mysterious but I think that with the genesis of this a couple of years ago — when Ridley announced that he wanted to make an ‘Alien' prequel — that's where this began and where it's evolved to is this conversation: Is it or isn't it [an 'Alien' prequel]? And I think this little sort of dance that we're doing basically existed prior to anybody seeing anything. Now that people are seeing stuff I think the material kind of speaks for itself. If you're looking at it through the prism of ‘I want it to be that,' you'll notice the way the word ‘Prometheus' comes up [in a way that resembles the 'Alien' classic logo] or look at the production design and the way the whole thing feels. If you're looking at it from the perspective of wanting it to be something more original, I think the trailer accomplishes that by being pretty cool to people who have never even seen ‘Alien.'"

"It's accomplishing what we set out to do. I wish that we didn't have to be so mysterious about it but mystery can be a good thing as long as you've got the goods to back it up. In this case, when the movie arrives, one of the most visionary filmmakers in the history of cinema will be putting his cards on the table and I'm just kind of standing behind him with my arms folded."

About working with Ridley Scott and a director of his stature: "The big surprise has been how collaborative he is. There are some people that, no matter where you eventually get to in your own career, you'll always look at them as giants and Ridley is on that very short list for me. Steven Spielberg is on that list and George Lucas is on that list and Ridley is the third part of that holy trinity of filmmakers who made a massive impression on me. When I first got the call that he was looking for someone to come in and take a shot at this, it was overwhelming just to be in the room with the guy. But he really was interested in what I had to say and he really cared about what I had to say; he was really interested in doing something new."

I think we forget about Ridley Scott being in that pantheon of all-time great directors, especially admired by those within the industry itself. Part of this is because his best films are essentially 30 years old. Not that he hasn't made some fine films in the decades since his one-two punch of Alien and Blade Runner – the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven is criminally underrated and films such as Black Hawk Down and American Gangster were fine. Gladiator garnered huge Oscar and commercial success, but I don't think even the most ardent supporters of that film would put it level with Alien and Blade Runner. Prometheus looks great so far, a real throwback to his early masterpieces. Alien is one of my favorite films and no matter the connection this picture has to that, I'll be looking forward to seeing it in theaters.


Buffy Reboot Scrapped...For Now



Of all the possible reboots, remakes, sequels, prequels and threequels coming out of the Hollywood machine these days, few garnered more widespread venom than the proposed Joss Whedon-less reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now reports have surfaced stating that the project is searching for a new writer and may very well be in limbo:

A couple of sources have told Hero Complex that the script from writer Whit Anderson fell below expectations. She reportedly "came in with some great ideas and she had reinvented some of the lore and it was pretty cool but in the end there just wasn't enough on the page…If you're going to bring it back, you have to do it right."

Criticism from the Whedonverse was widespread and loud, even including pointed statements from Sarah Michelle Gellar and Joss Whedon themselves.

Whedon: "This is a sad, sad reflection on our times," Whedon said last November when that deal was announced, "when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths — just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself."

Michelle Gellar: ""I think it's a horrible idea. To try to do a 'Buffy' without Joss Whedon, I mean that's, like, honestly, to be incredibly non-eloquent: that's the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

Good news all around. It's not dead though, so don't pretend as if this is the last we've heard of this. Somewhere right now, a studio executive is being born somewhere in the world who will green-light a remake/reboot of Buffy. We must remain vigilant and be ready for that day of Buffy-geddon.


Billy Bob Thorton and Eva Longoria Head South



The Baytown Disco, a new action-comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria has just released new posters and a synopsis which all sounds...interesting.

Synopsis: "The rousing rebel spirit of a family of Southern thugs takes off at breakneck speed in "The Baytown Disco" -- a wickedly playful, high-velocity action-comedy in which three infamously ruthless Alabama brothers find themselves on the wrong side of crooked cops, relentless Feds, mad mobsters, road pirates, tomahawk-wielding bikers, tricky femme fatales and an unforgettable cast of characters as colorful as they are lethal when they finally try to do a single good deed.

Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton and Golden Globe winner Eva Longoria headline this wildly explosive, yet ultimately moving, tale of honor breaking out among thieves with madcap results. It all starts when the fetching Celeste (Longoria) has a falling out with her nefarious ex-husband Carlos (Thornton) who kidnaps her beloved son, Rob (Thomas Brodie Sangster). Knowing her ex can be a maniacal psychopath, not to mention a bit trigger-happy, she turns for help to the most bad-ass, lawless hit-man trio in Alabama: the Oodie Brothers.

Ringleader Brick (Clayne Crawford, "24," "The Glades"), mute wrestling phenom Lincoln (Daniel Cudmore, "The Twilight Saga"), and the baby of the brothers, the kick-ass G.I. McQueen (Travis Fimmel, "The Beast") are known for being mean as a bag of rattlesnakes –and measly kidnap rescues are not on their menu of services. But when Brick is unexpectedly moved by Celeste's plight, what he thinks is going to be an easy smash-and-grab job turns out to be the most hair-raising and hilariously intense adventure of his and his brothers' harrowing careers.

Suddenly the Oodies have their hometown Sheriff (Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age," "Salt"), in a tangle; a pesky DEA Agent (Paul Wesley, "Vampire Diaries") on their trail, and Carlos and his heinous assortment of henchman out for their hides. With no one quite who or what they seem, they are headed for a showdown -- and a shot at redemption -- they never saw coming."


More Images From Cloud Atlas Revealed



"Cloud Atlas", based on the award-winning novel by David Mitchell is in post-production and we are starting to get a better picture of what the ambitious project is going to look like. The film teams Andy and Lana Wachkowski (The Matrix, Speed Racer) with Tom Tykwer ("Run Lola Run") and includes an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Ben Whisaw, Jim Broadbent and Bae Doona. The Wachowski Brothers and Tykwer are each shooting three tales (out of the six from the novel) with two parallel film crews in what will most likely be one of the more ambitious films released next year (rough date of October). The synopsis for the film is below the newly released images.







"A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in between-the-wars Belgium; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan's California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; a genetically modified "dinery server" on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilization — the narrators of Cloud Atlas hear each other's echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small."

It remains to be seen if the Wachowski Brothers can recapture the magic they had with The Matrix and their involvement in V For Vendetta. I'm one of the people who didn't absolutely hate Speed Racer, but that film and The Matrix Revolutions certainly spent a lot of the brothers' goodwill and creative capital. Cloud Atlas is evidently one of the more ambitious novels of this decade, and the Wachowskis have been known to do ambitious, although they've also been known to lose control of their stories somewhat. However, with that cast and with a look you know is going to be interesting, Cloud Atlas could definitely be one of the surprise films of 2012...if they can pull it off.


Trailer Face-Off:

This week's trailer faceoff showcases a few of the major Oscar contenders that have recently made their way into theaters – War Horse, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy and the Oscar frontrunner The Artist.

Are you planning on seeing any or all of these? Which looks better? Let me know in the comments.



OR



OR

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The Hush-Hush Editorial Section: My Week At The Movies

This holiday season saw a huge slate of movies hit theaters and since I love movies and I work here at 411 covering them, I decided to see as many as humanly possible. These aren't out-and-out reviews, but instead are stripped-down thoughts on each. I gave grades for readers who care and they are going in descending order from pictures I liked most to least.


The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

David Fincher has done it again as he delivers a cool, calculating and atmospheric take on the Stieg Larsson bestseller. I have my issues with the novel (long...) and with the initial Swedish film (functional, but visually inert), but Fincher picks up the pace and makes a 2:40 running time absolutely fly – and it is for the betterment of the picture. Daniel Craig and Stellan Skarsgård are very good, but Rooney Mara is the star as she absolutely transforms herself into Lisbeth Salander, one of the most complex and interesting literary characters in years. There remains an interesting debate about whether Larsson ended up exploting violence against women in his mission to write a story and character that represented the opposite, but Fincher seemingly strikes nearly the perfect balance. There are a lot of horrible things done (this movie is a hard R and deserving of it – no one under 16 or 17 needs to see it) but Fincher shows enough without veering into exploitation. Special recognition has to go to the opening credits sequence which is one of the best I've ever seen – even though it is essentially separate from the rest of the movie.

Grade: 9.0 (Excellent)


Young Adult

With all due respect to my 411 colleague Nolan Woodford, I disagree with his take on Jason Reitman's Young Adult. Is the character abominable? Yup, pretty much. In fact, she's probably one of the most depressing and unlikeable central characters we've seen in a Hollywood film in years (if not decades). Hollywood and American film-making in general doesn't make too many of these kind of pictures, focusing on these kinds of characters that are inherently unfriendly for a mass audience. However, what Young Adult is – and knowing what it is going in will help ease the shock of watching a terrible person for an hour and a half – is a piercing character study and dark comedy showcasing "rock bottom" for an individual who is both clinically depressed and an out-of-control alcoholic (not to mention emotionally stunted and bordering on deranged). You are not supposed to like her. The film isn't about a transformation or whether or not she will actually win Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) back. This is a broken woman, one who in a roundabout way is crying for help. The problem is that she is so screwed up and stunted that that cry for help is lost in the sound and fury of her manipulations and bitchiness; there are details in this film that lead viewers to question our first impressions of Mavis (Theron) but we're never quite sure about the whole picture and how much impact they've had that lead her to this point in her life. Ultimately, it's not a film about growth or even about answering questions. It is weird and it is different, and I believe that if viewers go in with an open mind, they'll be fascinated with what they see.

Grade: 9.0 (Excellent)


Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Quite possibly the best action movie of the year. Tom Cruise tones it down and it is for the better. Paula Patton is gorgeous and should be a star in the making. The film is nearly worth it for the Dubai sequences alone. This is one of the few films where the action and effects feel tangible and hold real consequence. More than once I found myself on the edge of my seat or flinching at some stunt or sequence. Hugely enjoyable experience and deserves to be seen in the theater (even IMAX).

Grade: 8.5


War Horse

The best line to describe Steven Spielberg's War Horse comes from Ty Burr of the Boston Globe. In leading off his review, Burr writes: "War Horse is the best film of the year. The year, unfortunately, is 1942." I ended up liking War Horse – and that is coming from someone who couldn't stop rolling his eyes at the trailer. It is an absolutely beautiful film, full of nostalgia and warmth and is better than its trailer might suggest. It is not a perfect film (by any means), but stands as a very good ode to old-school Hollywood and those grand David Lean-esque epics that used to define our grandparents' generation. The problem, of course, is that it is not 1942 and much of your final opinion on War Horse may ultimately come down to how much you accept (or not) the horse as the focal point. The biggest drawback of the film is that there is a lot of the following going on throughout its running time: "Did you see that horse! That's quite a horse. Wow, what a horse! That's a special horse. What an incredible horse! I can't believe that horse," and so on and so forth. There are grand vistas and sweeping war-time shots that recall Spielberg's own D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan. This film is much, MUCH more sentimental and gooey that that film though; the sweeping John Williams score is always there to prod you how to feel. I ended up admiring it more than loving it, but it's a safe film and one the whole family can see. In fact, because of the more sanitized take on war, it is in reality much more a war film for kids than cycnical 17-35-year olds. It is what it is.

Grade: 8.0 (Very Good)


We Bought A Zoo

Speaking of "It is what it is", We Bought A Zoo is exactly what you think it is. It is a very...cute movie. In fact, it's overly cute. After all these years, it feels like Cameron Crowe has finally given up trying to recreate his masterpiece (Almost Famous) and has settled for making cute movies. And that's fine. This is pretty standard stuff in the ABC Family vein. Mother dies. Family is losing its way. Father makes a change. They buy a zoo. After some trials and tribulations, family comes together, learns to function together again and reopen the zoo. Everyone is fine in this, but the one thing that we learned in Super 8 is confirmed in this film. Elle Fanning is going to be a star. Her sister Dakota had a great talent as well, but there is something about the younger Fanning that just literally leaps off the screen. She doesn't even do that much in We Bought A Zoo; it's just a certain "It" factor and star quality you really don't see this early in one's life. It's a perfectly harmless movie, great for kids but not much else.

Grade: 6.5 (Average)


The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn [3D]

Now, the most disappointing film I've seen in the past couple months. I don't know if being American keeps me from having a real love for this character and story. Evidently, Tintin is huge in Europe and the film has done quite nicely there. I have never read or seen previous versions of Tintin; I can only go with what is presented here. I have also never harbored any real prejedice about motion-capture animation...before now. I truly believe mo-cap was the wrong way to go with Tintin and while this may be the best use we've seen of it, that may say more about the limitations and deficiencies in the technology than the quality of the film. The opening credit sequence is wonderfully different; after awhile I wished the whole film had been done in that style. Or even simply in 2D hand-drawn. The look of the human characters doesn't even bother me in the way it bothers others; my issue is that I can't get over the issue with gravity and character movement. It just looks...noticeable. I don't really know how else to say it. It's not slow-motion, but it always appears a tick or two slower than real-life. And it just bothers me (that is a personal thing). The other problem is that this film – which desperately strives to be an animated kid's version of Indiana Jones – is exhausting and relentless. I found Tintin to be...rather annoying and just couldn't muster up much interest in him or what was happening to him. It zooms from one action-adventure set piece to another, almost afraid that if it stops or slows down for more than a moment, kids will get lost or become disinterested. The 3D is alright, but lacks the majestic use in Avatar or the creativity of those found in Hugo. If this had come out 12-15 years ago, we may be looking at this in a different way, but with the rise of Pixar and the films coming out of Studio Ghibli, "kids movies" and animated fare have risen to new heights and set a new bar that this movie just doesn't match. It's not horrible, but it is fairly mediocre and for a collaboration between Spielberg and Peter Jackson, that's not good enough.

Grade: 5.5 (Not So Good)

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This Week In Awards

Online Film Critics Society Nominations

Best Picture:
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Hugo
The Tree of Life

Best Animated Feature:
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Rango
Winnie the Pooh

Best Director:
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life
Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
Lars von Trier - Melancholia

Best Lead Actor:
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
Michael Shannon - Take Shelter

Best Lead Actress:
Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia
Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor:
Albert Brooks - Drive
John Hawkes - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Brad Pitt - The Tree of Life
Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Best Supporting Actress:
Jessica Chastain - The Tree of Life
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Carey Mulligan - Shame
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Best Original Screenplay:
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Midnight in Paris
A Separation
The Tree of Life
Win Win

Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Descendants
Drive
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Editing:
Drive
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Tree of Life
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Cinematography:
The Artist
Drive
Hugo
Melancholia
The Tree of Life

Best Film Not in the English Language:
13 Assassins
Certified Copy
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Best Documentary:
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Interrupters
Into the Abyss
Project Nim
Tabloid

Special Awards
To Jessica Chastain, the breakout performer of the year
To Martin Scorsese in honor of his work and dedication to the pursuit of film preservation

Winners will be announced on Monday, January 2, 2012

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Regarding Marvel's director issues with Thor 2:

From DeimosMasque (Guest):
I don't think Marvel's problem is that they don't understand Hollywood or are expecting too much. I think Marvel's problem is that that have (on average) 10-15 monthly titles that are (on average) 22 pages long scripts, that get edited and sent back for changes EVERY MONTH!

And with Hollywood are being told to expect the same results in 5-6 months.

From Midz (Guest):
I'm a big fan of Oldboy(actually the entire Revenge trilogy, and Chan-wook Parks body of work overall), its one of those movies I tell everybody the need to see. So I don't really feel that it needs to be remade for American audiences, I mean it was made in 2003, and even though its Korean its not like it has bad production. Korea makes badass thrillers, generally better than the American ones I've seen in recent years, so I just don't think they need that American spin. Also with them saying the twist will be darker I'm not sure what they can really do, it will end up with them trying to get too cute and edgy.

DeimosMasque: Marvel should expect a lot from the movies, since they have more riding on the movies than just one entry into the IMDB. If its a great comic film it can attract new readers, or even old readers who left. And lets be honest if your a nerd(for anything) and like something it tends to lead you purchase more merchandise of your favorite character or series. And Marvel has plenty of merchandise to sell. If they make one bad movie or something they are not happy with they fear it can sink an entire franchise, espcially when dealing with a character like Thor while a face of Marvel isn't over like Spider-Man or Wolverine.

From Guest#9936 (Guest):
I'm inclined to trust Marvel with Thor2 - they seem to have a pretty good idea where they're going and how they want things to pull together. If they were semi-forced into bringing in a new director that they weren't very happy with, who then goes off and doesn't seem to be handling it then they are probably right to replace her.

Regardless of whether she's the first female director to do a superhero movie (which is a pretty forced first) if she's not right for the role then she's not right.

I hope I'm not coming off sounding like I don't trust Marvel in regard to their own properties. That's not it at all. Marvel has shown, more often than not, that they "get it" in regards to their movie adaptations. I was merely bringing up the fact that – within Hollywood – they have something of a reputation. It's not a horrible reputation, but they are generally regarded to be a bit cheap (in negotiating with actors and behind-the-scenes creative staff) and have a very specific vision for their properties that limit what directors and others coming on-board can do with the material. Thor 2 (or whatever it is going to be called) isn't the first film to have some minor setbacks in pre-production; hell, it's not even the first Marvel film that has had them. However, Thor is relatively speaking, a minor character in the pecking order of superheroes and sits squarely behind Iron Man, Captain America, The Avengers and the X-Men (slightly different situation) in the grand scheme of things over at Marvel. That means it may struggle to get the best and brightest creative folks, especially if Marvel is seen as being demanding and tough to work with. The early issues with Thor 2 aren't good; that may not mean much for the final product, but it may have an impact on who they can get on their projects going forward. No offense to Alan Taylor, but because of his lack of feature film experience, it is something of a comedown/risk. He might do a great job and we very well may forget all this a couple years from now. We'll see.

On the issues surrounding Bane's voice in The Dark Knight Rises:

From Guest#1489 (Guest):
Bane's voice is absolutely perfect. It's psychotic, muffled, distorted, and erratic. Bane!

All of that is fine. Doesn't mean we shouldn't still be able to hear and understand it.

From pranstar (Guest):
Personally i don't have a problem understanding Bane, I think people are just bitching for bitching's sake.

Some of that might be going on, but I really don't think that's the main reason. I tend to believe I'm fairly reasonable and I try the wait-and-see approach – but I figured it was simply unfinished and would be cleaned up in post-production. Nolan's "Let Them Eat Cake" response to the criticism was somewhat jarring and unnecessary. It doesn't need to be redone...just touched up a bit.

From Gullible Reader (Guest):
i honestly dont see a problem with the bane voice.. its supposed to be muffled.. it also gives off a awesome mystery of the character.. i had no problem hearing him say the ," you have my permission to die" speech, the plane talk was alittle hard but comon. they are in a fucking plane with it split in half... and even before that when he was talking to the officer, i heard him fine also.

ppl just gotta unclog ur ears! and enjoy the movie!

The plane didn't help, but that wasn't the part that really stood out.

From G-Walla (Guest):
I don't get the defenses of Bane's voice. I could sit at my house opening night, rather than go to the theatre, and understand about as much as what Bane says, based on watching the trailer (I have not watched the prologue video). Trailers are supposed to make you want to see a movie, and I don't want to see a movie where I can only half-understand an important character.

I want to see TinTin. While I've never read any of the books, I was a fan of the cartoon show.

And that Kardashian picture just looks like a bunch of boobs under boobs.

Well, I always argue FOR going to the movies. Best way to see them. And I don't believe anyone is going to stay home and not see The Dark Knight Rises because of the issues with Bane's voice in the trailer. It is going to be a massive blockbuster regardless. The issue is going to come in the weeks after it's initial release. If word-of-mouth spreads that you can't hear/understand the main villain, people may not head back for second or third viewings. Trust me, if initial test screenings show that it is a problem, Warner Brothers will do everything in their power to fix it, with or without Nolan's help.

From Guest#4101 (Guest):
Man from reading your Oscars odds, I'm assuming that being a 30 year old heterosexual male is not the target demograhic of the Oscars. Only movies mentioned in there between all the categories I'd watch are Moneyball and Drive....and even those only on dvd.

You know, fifty years ago, men danced on screen and gave us some of the greatest films and performances of all time. Please, by all means, tell Gene Kelly you'd have to be gay to like his movies to his face and see what happens. Why exactly wouldn't The Descendants be suitable for a 30-year-old straight male? Or Hugo? Yes, we get it. Moneyball=Baseball=Manly. Drive=Hammer-wielding Ryan Gosling=Macho. And why are you even reading about movies, if you clearly don't like them...or don't like any that don't involve Stallone or lasers. Please.

From Aprince66 (Guest):
Love Oldboy, and didn't see the ending coming. With Spike Lee doing the remake, I really hopes he doesnt F the ending up by throwing his usually racial agenda in there.

I love Oldboy too, although I don't really know what to say about Lee's "racial agenda". I'm not trying to duck it or be diplomatic; I literally don't know, because we really don't know much about his take on the film. I will say I thought Lee was an odd choice to direct the film, but I'd like to know more.

From The Great Capt. Smooth (Guest):
Glad to see you got the Dave Sullivan joke!

Hobbit looks terrific! I can't wait to check it out with my dad. We would go see the LOTR movies when they came out. He's in his 70's and I don't know how much longer he'll be around. Should be fun. Digging the poster as well.

I can't wait. The Hobbit is my #1 most anticipated film for 2012 and I'm an admitted LOTR-fanboy (of sorts). Glad to hear your father is a fan and I hope he'll be able to see it with you. These really are great family films. If you haven't seen some of the Peter Jackson-featurettes and video blogs, you should really check them out. They are wonderful as well in addition to the trailer and posters.

From #Guest3606 (Guest):
since you asked, I hope no one sees Tintin because I don't like that kind of animation. It doesn't get the mouths right and it's discerning to me. Even in Tron, the the young Jeff Bridges creation has a goofy mouth. I'm not likely to see the zoo movie. Live near Zanesville, OH where some guy had a zoo, and let all his animals go before killing himself and almost all of them were shot and killed by law enforcement. Pretty sad to see piles of dead lions. A guy with a zoo doesn't seem like such a bright idea. So it's the dragon tattoo, which i'll probably get on netflix sometime.

Yeah through that prism, We Bought A Zoo might seem a bit strange. As I stated above, I really didn't like Tintin and your criticisms of that type of animation are valid. Loved Dragon Tattoo and would receommend seeing it in theaters for the holidays...maybe just not with the family.

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The Hush-Hush Racetrack Oscar Odds

The following are the racetrack odds for this years Academy Awards courtesy of Gold Derby. The odds are the result of voting and analysis by "Experts". I've taken out (for this week at least) votes from the site's editors and users. In addition to the odds is the % chance to win.

BEST PICTURE

The Artist – 6/5; 45% (last week: same)
The Descendants – 11/2; 16% (last week: 5/1; 17%)
War Horse – 12/1; 8% (last week: same)
The Help – 12/1; 8% (last week: same)
Hugo – 14/1; 7% (last week: same)
Midnight in Paris – 25/1; 4% (last week: same)
Moneyball – 25/1; 4% (last week: same)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – 33/1; 3% (last week: same)
The Tree of Life – 50/1; 2% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – 50/1; 2% (last week: 100/1; 1%)

The Artist has become the heavy favorite as of this moment for Best Picture. Small but steady declines by The Descendants and War Horse have helped solidify the possibility of a black-and-white silent film winning the biggest prize at the Academy Awards. The steep fall of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close as it is seen by more people has also paved the way for increased odds to win and solid locks on nominations for The Help and Hugo. I still believe it's a two-horse race between the top 2, however, there is no doubt The Artist is the film to beat.

BEST DIRECTOR

Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) – 11/10; 48%
Alexander Payne (The Descendants) – 3/1; 25%
Martin Scorsese (Hugo) – 12/1; 8%
Steven Spielberg (War Horse) – 14/1; 7%
Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) – 25/1; 4%
David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – 33/1; 3%
Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) – 50/1; 2%
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) – 100/1; 1%
Bennett Miller (Moneyball) – 100/1; 1%

One of the single biggest indicators for trying to figure out what film is going to win Best Picture is to watch how Best Director shakes out and who the Directors Guild of America bestows it's Best Director award to in a given year. Only six times since the DGA award's inception has that winner failed to winner the Oscar. Pretty much whoever wins the DGA, they''ll win the Oscar. It is also rare that Best Picture and Best Director split at the Oscars. It has happened, but the odds are relatively low and remains one of the more consistent patterns in forceasting the Oscars. If The Artist can get over the hump and convince Hollywood it is more than a gimmick, it has an excellent chance at sweeping Best Picture and Best Director. Payne will continue to have a good shot, as will Scorsese and Spielberg. However the latter two have already won Best Director (yes, that matters) and Payne's film is seemingly liked and admired more than loved. As of now, it is relative newcomer Michel Hazanavicius' award to lose, even against some of Hollywood's best filmmakers.

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney (The Descendants) – 21/20; 49% (last week: 10/9; 47%)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball) – 7/2; 22% (last week: 9/2; 18%)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist) – 4/1; 21% (last week: 3/1; 25%)
Michael Fassbender (Shame) – 25/1; 4% (last week: same)
Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) – 100/1; 1% (last week: 50/1; 2%)

George Clooney was at 66% a month ago, but has seemingly stablized as the frontrunner. Brad Pitt has moved into a strong second position behind his friend and has become the seeming alternative if Clooney falls or the Academy can't pull the trigger on Dujardin. Fassbender seemingly has locked himself up a nomination but it remains to be seen if the Academy can pull the trigger for a performance in an NC-17 film that has divided critics. DiCaprio is out as a serious contender to win (although I still believe he'll receive a nomination). Gary Oldman is getting very strong notices in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (as is the movie itself) and has never been nominated for an Oscar. Just sayin'.

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis (The Help) – 13/8; 38% (last week: 8/5; 39%)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) – 15/8; 35% (last week: 19/10; 34%)
Michele Williams (My Weekend with Marilyn) – 9/2; 18% (last week: 11/2; 16%)
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) – 25/1; 4% (last week: 14/1; 7%)
Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) – 33/1; 3% (last week: same)
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – 100/1: 1% (last week: same)
Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Charlize Theron (Young Adult) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)

Viola Davis and Meryl Streep remain close co-favorites and the category appears to be headed down to the wire. The Help will be well represented at this year's Oscars; it remains to be seen how many other nominations The Iron Lady will get to help bloster Streep's chances. Michele Williams has become the clear third choice and Close appears a lock for a nomiation. That leaves a fight for the fifth nomiation between previous Oscar winner Tilda Swinton and a host of Hollywood's young acting elite. I still think Dunst or Mara pips her for a nod, but Swinton is highly respected in the industry and is getting a lot of acclaim for her performance in the controversial We Need to Talk About Kevin.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christopher Plummer (Beginners) – 8/15; 66% (last week: same)
Albert Brooks (Drive) – 11/2; 15% (last week: same)
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) – 14/1; 7% (last week: same)
Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) – 25/1; 4% (last week: same)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball) – 33/1; 3% (last week: same)
Nick Nolte (Warrior) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Ben Kingsley (Hugo) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)

Plummer, Brooks and Branagh. Those are about the only three I'd wager money on getting Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor this year. After that, it's a bit of a crapshoot on which actor and film you may prefer. The big riser of the past couple weeks has been Jonah Hill for Moneyball, a fine performance in what I consider an overrated movie. It is certainly not a better performance than those given by Patton Oswalt, Ben Kingsley and Alan Rickman, all of whom are given lower odds. The fact is that the strength of Moneyball has lasted and will help a possible Hill nomination. The drag of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close continues as Max von Sydow continues to slip.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Octavia Spencer (The Help) – 1/1; 50% (last week: 10/11; 52%)
Berenice Bejo (The Artist) – 11/2; 15% (last week: 6/1; 14%)
Shailene Woodley (The Descendents) – 8/1; 11% (last week: same)
Jessica Chastain (The Help) – 9/1; 10% (last week: same)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) – 16/1; 6% (last week: same)
Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus) – 33/1; 3% (last week: same)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) – 50/1; 2% (last week: same)
Judy Greer (The Descendants) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) – 100/1; 0% (last week: same)

The power of The Help apparently knows no bounds. Remember all those wins and pushing for Jessica Chastain in The Tree of Life? Yeah, me neither. It didn't take long for the odds of her two main supporting performances to switch around. Chastain's turn in The Help has now leapfrogged her turn in The Tree of Life and stands as the fourth favorite in this week's odds. That is apparently the power of the Golden Globes, which opted for that performance. Oh well.


Trailer of the Week: Underworld: Awakening




That's all for this week. Let me know what you think in the comments section. For now, this is Jeremy Wilson, off the record, on the QT...



...and definitely, "Hush Hush!"