It was the Little Engine That Could against the Big Kahuna that couldn't.
In what will go down as one of the more controversial Academy votes for best picture, Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" ran roughshod over James Cameron's "Avatar" on Sunday night in a race that initially was thought of as a cakewalk for the 3D extravaganza.
Talk about a money gap: Since its release in June, Bigelow's taut Iraq War drama has mustered a measly $14.7 million at the domestic wickets, while her ex-husband's years-in-the-making epic has in three months grossed $721 million stateside and a whopping $2.6 billion worldwide. Only his other tour de force, "Titanic," comes close, with a $1.8 billion worldwide haul.
On the budget side, too, the discrepancy was huge, hers costing $15 million and his $300 million or thereabouts.
So what happened?
A lot of folks were asking that in the wake of Tom Hanks' bolt to the stage to blurt out the final winner at the end of the overlong, 31⁄2-hour awards show. The audience hardly had time to gasp before being herded to the exits. Not since -- take your pick -- "Shakespeare in Love" outshone "Saving Private Ryan," "Gandhi" edged "E.T." or "Crash" beat "Brokeback Mountain" has there been such an eyebrow-raising finale.
OK, "Hurt Locker" did have the momentum going into the final lap of awards season, especially after its recent Producers Guild triumph, but still ...
No doubt there will be a lot of theories -- conspiratorial and not -- bandied about, even though we arguably never will know what precise mixture of factors contributed and in what percentages.
But some explanations can be hazarded.
After so many Iraq War dramas that have failed to hit their marks at the boxoffice or strike an emotional chord with the public, this one seemed to hit a nerve, achieving the right thematic balance between the horrors of a conflict that just won't go away and sympathy for those who have to take part in it. This story of a wounded, addictive psyche might well do for our time and for our collective mood what, say, "Platoon" did for the Vietnam War -- the irony being that so few actually have seen "Locker."
Even so, its messages were clear and clearly portrayed, and distributor Summit did an excellent job in mounting an awards campaign that appealed to Academy voters across the various industry categories.
Then there's that preferential voting system, which likely skewed the outcome toward the indie pic. "Avatar" might have garnered more first-place ballots than any other contender, but probably just as likely it appeared way down on the ballots of other voters who didn't wish to see it win. "Locker" probably was high on most everyone's list, benefiting when the second- and third-place entries were scooped up and re-assigned.
Also playing a role in the selection might have been a predilection for the perceived underdog -- and a charming, talented, articulate woman at that -- over the self-styled king of the world who no doubt rubbed some Academy members the wrong way the last time he was onstage brandishing the Oscar.
The very idea that a female helmer made the kind of movie heretofore the exclusive reserve and prerogative of male directors also might have been too tantalizing to resist. More appealing was that a little pic with a difficult story managed the feat of amassing enough dough to shoot under adverse conditions in the Middle East while Fox for years was signing the checks for a helmer hunkered down in a high-tech hangar in West Los Angeles. Bigelow's crew faced suspicious crowds, curfews and fusillades; Cameron's crew faced a bunch of computers.
More awards coverage
In short, "Avatar" simply might have been too complicated a phenom to get one's arms around and the money it's thrown off too unseemly -- or so it would seem from how Fox variously waged its awards campaign.
First, it was all about 3D, which while an amazing advance technologically -- even Spielberg made a point of publicly praising Cameron's achievement in raising the bar for filmmakers -- never resonated widely as an emotional message.
Secondly, Cameron and company began arguing for the actors in the movie to be considered for their performances in the same category and league with traditional thespians. Many no doubt felt that computer-generated or enhanced or re-created performances are different in kind from their own -- or even a threat to their profession. As the largest voting bloc among Academy members, they might have tilted away from this Pandora's box.
Thirdly, the accent of the campaign began to tilt most recently toward the environmental themes of the film, but that approach came too late to be effective. There was also a sizable critical contingent that felt the plot lines were simplistic, fuzzy or even anti-American. "Just a more tricked-out take on 'Pocahontas' or 'Dances With Wolves,' " these detractors argued dismissively.
In the end, and despite opening the competition to 10 contenders, the Academy's decision might have come down to that reflex preference for art over commerce or to its sense of purpose in rewarding art in an increasingly corporate, commercially driven film industry. Indie pics, they might have reasoned, are an increasingly endangered species, while mainstream, studio pics have been extraordinarily counter-recessionary.
Whatever we might think of the result, the indie biz can be encouraged by the Academy's nod, and Fox still will laugh all the way to the bank.
Top News America
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
WATCH Rodney Stuckey COLLAPSES: Pistons Forward Wheeled Off Court, Taken To Hospital During Game LIVE!!!!
Detroit's Rodney Stuckey was conscious and breathing on his own as he was taken to a hospital after collapsing on the Pistons' bench during a game Friday night.
The Pistons said Stuckey was taken to the Cleveland Clinic and his vital signs were stable, but was going for further testing and observation.
Stuckey was wheeled off the court on a stretcher during the third quarter after he collapsed into a trainer's arms on the bench during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stuckey walked off the floor for a timeout showing no signs of illness. After a few moments in a chair, though, Stuckey slumped over.
Medical personnel rushed over to the Pistons' bench with a stretcher. Play was halted for 12 minutes as the medical staff worked on Stuckey, placed an oxygen mask on his face and wheeled him into an ambulance.
Cleveland players huddled together with their heads bowed, while Pistons teammate Tayshaun Prince sat silent in his chair a few feet away as Stuckey was being treated.
The Pistons said Stuckey was taken to the Cleveland Clinic and his vital signs were stable, but was going for further testing and observation.
Stuckey was wheeled off the court on a stretcher during the third quarter after he collapsed into a trainer's arms on the bench during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stuckey walked off the floor for a timeout showing no signs of illness. After a few moments in a chair, though, Stuckey slumped over.
Medical personnel rushed over to the Pistons' bench with a stretcher. Play was halted for 12 minutes as the medical staff worked on Stuckey, placed an oxygen mask on his face and wheeled him into an ambulance.
Cleveland players huddled together with their heads bowed, while Pistons teammate Tayshaun Prince sat silent in his chair a few feet away as Stuckey was being treated.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Detroit Lions Sign WR Nate Burleson
Nate Burleson
ESPN: Nate Burleson agrees to five-year, $25 million deal with Lions
The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with free agent wide receiver Nate Burleson early Friday morning, less than two hours after the NFL free agency period began.
Burleson, who had been with the Seattle Seahawks, will likely become the No. 2 receiver on the squad behind Calvin Johnson.
The veteran player should pair well with young quarterback Matthew Stafford who showed moments of greatness in his rookie season in 2009.
The Detroit squad has been relatively busy early in the free agency period.
They acquired defensive lineman Corey Williams from the Cleveland Browns in a trade on Thursday while coach Jim Schwartz went on a recruiting trip to Kyle Vanden Bosch’s house in Nashville.
ESPN: Nate Burleson agrees to five-year, $25 million deal with Lions
The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with free agent wide receiver Nate Burleson early Friday morning, less than two hours after the NFL free agency period began.
Burleson, who had been with the Seattle Seahawks, will likely become the No. 2 receiver on the squad behind Calvin Johnson.
The veteran player should pair well with young quarterback Matthew Stafford who showed moments of greatness in his rookie season in 2009.
The Detroit squad has been relatively busy early in the free agency period.
They acquired defensive lineman Corey Williams from the Cleveland Browns in a trade on Thursday while coach Jim Schwartz went on a recruiting trip to Kyle Vanden Bosch’s house in Nashville.
Watch Nityananda Swami Sex Scandal Video Updates
Nityanand Sex Scandal, Pravin Mahajan, Ranjitha
What is hot among Indian readers of news and specially net users in India.
In India for last 24 hours most of the internet users are trying to find and ken about the Swami Nityananda and two actress Ranjitha and Ragasudha which are supposed to be parts of sex scandals by the Nityananda.
DAVV Results: results.dauniv.ac.in / Devi Ahilya Vishwavidalya, Indore
Pravin Mahajan is the younger brother of Promod Mahajan whom Pravin killed, has died of Brain Hemorrhage today in Mumbai. The Parvin Mahajan came into news when he killed his older brother Parmod Mahajan
India VS Australia Hockey match is scheduled in the Hero Honda Hockey world cup 2010 which is going on in Delhi and Hockey teams are playing their scheduled games
In the Scandal video of Nityananda Swami who is supposed to be a fraud now was having large number of followers. In the video which is available on internet and can be seen the movie in which female with distorted faces have been shown in the Video but according to the search it seems that the video clipping belongs to the Tamil actress Ranjitha and Ragasudha. To know more about the Hot videos of the Ragasudha, Ranjitha, Ranjitha Hot Photos etc are still in the search.
What is hot among Indian readers of news and specially net users in India.
In India for last 24 hours most of the internet users are trying to find and ken about the Swami Nityananda and two actress Ranjitha and Ragasudha which are supposed to be parts of sex scandals by the Nityananda.
DAVV Results: results.dauniv.ac.in / Devi Ahilya Vishwavidalya, Indore
Pravin Mahajan is the younger brother of Promod Mahajan whom Pravin killed, has died of Brain Hemorrhage today in Mumbai. The Parvin Mahajan came into news when he killed his older brother Parmod Mahajan
India VS Australia Hockey match is scheduled in the Hero Honda Hockey world cup 2010 which is going on in Delhi and Hockey teams are playing their scheduled games
In the Scandal video of Nityananda Swami who is supposed to be a fraud now was having large number of followers. In the video which is available on internet and can be seen the movie in which female with distorted faces have been shown in the Video but according to the search it seems that the video clipping belongs to the Tamil actress Ranjitha and Ragasudha. To know more about the Hot videos of the Ragasudha, Ranjitha, Ranjitha Hot Photos etc are still in the search.
Crystal Bowersox and Danny Gokey wow American Idol FULL VIDEO
Following in the footsteps of fellow season 8 alums Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen, Danny Gokey returned to "American Idol." He regaled the audience with his new country sound on his hit single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me."
Danny's album "My Best Days" dropped Tuesday, March 2 and feature not only "Ahead of Me" but several other authentic, fun country numbers. We particularly liked "Get Away" and "I Will Not Say Goodbye."
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
'American Idol' Ladies Night: Crystal Bowersox Makes Triumphant Return
"American Idol" needed a shakeup, and on Wednesday night (March 3), Crystal Bowersox provided just the kick season nine has been missing. The Ohio native spent Tuesday night in the hospital, forcing a last-minute switch that had the guys performing a night early.Though we didn't find out what led to Bowersox's hospitalization, host Ryan Seacrest addressed the issue right off the bat on Wednesday's show, asking the dreadlocked singer how she was feeling just hours after it was revealed on his radio show that she would be sent home if she couldn't perform. "I feel good," she said, looking more glammed up in a purple top draped with a fishnet peekaboo sweater and big silver earrings. "I'm a tough cookie. ... Let's do this."
Luckily for her, she was first up, revealing to America that she has a kind of "square" twin brother, Carl, and that she carries around a butterfly-bedecked trinket bag. After some harsh comments for her Alanis Morissette cover last week, Bowersox went with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Long as I Can See the Light," slapping a gospel spin on the classic-rock tune.
Showing no signs of illness, she took it to church, coming off like an indie-rock Janis Joplin over a Hammond organ and her gently strummed acoustic guitar. Whatever was ailing her didn't show onstage, as Bowersox powerfully nailed the vocals, looking confident and strong.
Simon praised her for not playing the sympathy card, admitting in a George Bush-ian way that he "misunderestimated" her talents based on last week, calling her vocal "incredible" and comparing the performance to the first time the panel realized they had a star on their hands with Kelly Clarkson. "You are the truth. You do what you do," Randy Jackson told her, praising Bowersox for keeping it real. Ellen DeGeneres called her gift "pure, raw, natural talent" and Kara DioGuardi said the Americana rock vibe was the right one for her and it took her to new heights on the show.
Country wannabe Haeley Vaughn had some ground to make up after last week's Beatles stumble, and the 16-year-old headband artist tried to do it with Miley Cyrus' "The Climb," slipping into a more comfortable groove with the country ballad. The vocals were still a bit shaky at points and her lisp was sometimes distracting, prompting Randy to deem it a pitchy disaster and say that he felt she had no connection to the song by a fellow teen. Kara added that the 16-year-old could use another year of working on her voice, and Simon said it was just a "complete and utter mess. ... There's a certain irony about you singing a song about climbing when you actually fell off."
Antique refurbisher Lacey Brown, 24, got buried by Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" last week, so she went with Kara's advice and sang Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me." Unfortunately for her, while the song was more in her wheelhouse, the vocals were mostly uneven, and Randy said it was the right song choice but sounded like a karaoke performance with nothing added to it. Cowell called it "marginally better" than last week, faulting her for not being memorable enough.
Another singer who needed some redemption was Katie Stevens, 17, who revealed she can say "give me a kiss" in six languages but who got the kiss-off last week with a musty Michael Bublé cover. This time, she chose Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On," doing an admirable, if somewhat forgettable, cover in which her vocals went from chesty growl to thin falsetto.
Ellen praised her voice but said it still felt a bit old. "I don't want to hear something I would hear in my dentist's office," DeGeneres told her. For Kara and Randy, the vocals needed to be more controlled and focused, but Simon was brutally honest, saying she needed more experience and had to figure out what kind of recording artist she wants to be.
Former middle school mascot-turned-cheerleader Didi Benami took a turn from her singer/songwriter soft spot to a soul space with Bill Withers' classic "Lean on Me," which she tried to imbue with some gospel grit courtesy of wild gesticulation, foot stomping and high, reedy notes.
It was no good for Randy, who felt it pointed out her imperfections rather than highlighting her strengths, and while Ellen loves her voice, presence and smile, it was not the right Withers choice in her mind. "It wasn't good, it really wasn't good," said Kara, who urged her to stay in the singer/songwriter lane and go for consistency.
Another singer who needed to prove something, children's choir director Michelle Delamor, tried to break out of her R&B cage with Creed's "With Arms Wide Open." She turned the turgid rock song into a breathy soul ballad that felt and sounded like a big gamble, thanks to a fistful of bum notes.
Randy loved her cute outfit and felt she had a great opportunity to switch it up but didn't do enough with the tune. Ellen thought it almost worked, forgetting for a minute that it was a rock song, while Kara said it was her favorite Delamor performance so far and that it was a risk that didn't always work vocally but was believable. Cowell agreed with Kara, giving her props for choosing an unusual song and doing her best to make it her own.
One of the singers who needed to work on her stagecraft was multi-instrumentalist Lilly Scott, who got props for her indie Beatles cover last week. So she tried it again, strapping on a 12-string guitar for Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Her unique, quavering voice gave the song a modern edge and her folky redo showed some strong artistic chops.
What Randy loves about Scott is her individuality, and he liked how she nailed a very tough song. "I don't know what 'it' is, but you've got 'it,' " Ellen said. Kara agreed that it was the best performance of the night and that Scott had her moment. "You are gonna change the game," she promised, heaping praise for not trying to fit into a cookie-cutter style.
Rocking some giant doorknocker earrings and a sedate updo, Katelyn Epperly, who has aspirations of opening her own recording studio someday, went music geek with a solo piano version of Coldplay's "The Scientist." Transforming it into a jazzy torch song, Epperly made the tune her own, imbuing it with stirring emotion as she stared sad-eyed into the camera.
"I kind of love you," DioGuardi said. "You have an incredible instrument and you can do a lot of things with it, and that's your biggest problem." She counseled Epperly to stop jumping around from style to style each week and focus on figuring out who she is. Cowell called it a smart, contemporary song choice and advised her to be less corny. Ellen had her first Paula moment, praising Epperly's guitar work before correcting herself and saying the arrangement was just too snoozy and slow.
Paige Miles, 24, an avid crayon enthusiast who Simon said has the best voice of all the girls, curried some more favor with the judges by singing Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away," a song co-written by Kara. The staccato R&B take on the tune highlighted Miles' scratchy, seductive vocals and strong, soulful howl.
Ellen loved how Miles changed it up and had fun with the song, even if it was just OK for Randy, who felt the landslide of words didn't allow Miles to show off her vocals enough. Though she liked the version, Kara said Miles' cheerful, smiling take didn't really fit the intent of the lyric that should have been a bit more angsty. "I think you're getting lost in these songs ... it's like the songs are overtaking you," Cowell said, suggesting she was picking the wrong tunes and needs to find one that will mark her as the one to beat.
The primo final spot belonged to former mohawked rocker Siobhan Magnus, 19, who ripped off a big chunk of danger with Aretha Franklin's "Think." Magnus proved she had the pipes to float the big soul classic, even if her stage presence was a bit odd at times and her gigantic power wail near song's end was startling.
"You are so bold and so fearless," Randy said, howling about her unhinged bravery. "It was dope!" Ellen couldn't have agreed more, and Kara was still smiling about the gigantic note, which Magnus said she learned how to hit while singing Clarkson songs in the shower. "You are such a strange person," Simon said as a compliment. "I thought there were parts of that song which were terrible, but that note was incredible."
After another rough week of highs and lows, two men and two women will go home on Thursday night.
What did you think of Wednesday night's performances? Who was your favorite? Who deserves to go home?
Luckily for her, she was first up, revealing to America that she has a kind of "square" twin brother, Carl, and that she carries around a butterfly-bedecked trinket bag. After some harsh comments for her Alanis Morissette cover last week, Bowersox went with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Long as I Can See the Light," slapping a gospel spin on the classic-rock tune.
Showing no signs of illness, she took it to church, coming off like an indie-rock Janis Joplin over a Hammond organ and her gently strummed acoustic guitar. Whatever was ailing her didn't show onstage, as Bowersox powerfully nailed the vocals, looking confident and strong.
Simon praised her for not playing the sympathy card, admitting in a George Bush-ian way that he "misunderestimated" her talents based on last week, calling her vocal "incredible" and comparing the performance to the first time the panel realized they had a star on their hands with Kelly Clarkson. "You are the truth. You do what you do," Randy Jackson told her, praising Bowersox for keeping it real. Ellen DeGeneres called her gift "pure, raw, natural talent" and Kara DioGuardi said the Americana rock vibe was the right one for her and it took her to new heights on the show.
Country wannabe Haeley Vaughn had some ground to make up after last week's Beatles stumble, and the 16-year-old headband artist tried to do it with Miley Cyrus' "The Climb," slipping into a more comfortable groove with the country ballad. The vocals were still a bit shaky at points and her lisp was sometimes distracting, prompting Randy to deem it a pitchy disaster and say that he felt she had no connection to the song by a fellow teen. Kara added that the 16-year-old could use another year of working on her voice, and Simon said it was just a "complete and utter mess. ... There's a certain irony about you singing a song about climbing when you actually fell off."
Antique refurbisher Lacey Brown, 24, got buried by Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" last week, so she went with Kara's advice and sang Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me." Unfortunately for her, while the song was more in her wheelhouse, the vocals were mostly uneven, and Randy said it was the right song choice but sounded like a karaoke performance with nothing added to it. Cowell called it "marginally better" than last week, faulting her for not being memorable enough.
Another singer who needed some redemption was Katie Stevens, 17, who revealed she can say "give me a kiss" in six languages but who got the kiss-off last week with a musty Michael Bublé cover. This time, she chose Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On," doing an admirable, if somewhat forgettable, cover in which her vocals went from chesty growl to thin falsetto.
Ellen praised her voice but said it still felt a bit old. "I don't want to hear something I would hear in my dentist's office," DeGeneres told her. For Kara and Randy, the vocals needed to be more controlled and focused, but Simon was brutally honest, saying she needed more experience and had to figure out what kind of recording artist she wants to be.
Former middle school mascot-turned-cheerleader Didi Benami took a turn from her singer/songwriter soft spot to a soul space with Bill Withers' classic "Lean on Me," which she tried to imbue with some gospel grit courtesy of wild gesticulation, foot stomping and high, reedy notes.
It was no good for Randy, who felt it pointed out her imperfections rather than highlighting her strengths, and while Ellen loves her voice, presence and smile, it was not the right Withers choice in her mind. "It wasn't good, it really wasn't good," said Kara, who urged her to stay in the singer/songwriter lane and go for consistency.
Another singer who needed to prove something, children's choir director Michelle Delamor, tried to break out of her R&B cage with Creed's "With Arms Wide Open." She turned the turgid rock song into a breathy soul ballad that felt and sounded like a big gamble, thanks to a fistful of bum notes.
Randy loved her cute outfit and felt she had a great opportunity to switch it up but didn't do enough with the tune. Ellen thought it almost worked, forgetting for a minute that it was a rock song, while Kara said it was her favorite Delamor performance so far and that it was a risk that didn't always work vocally but was believable. Cowell agreed with Kara, giving her props for choosing an unusual song and doing her best to make it her own.
One of the singers who needed to work on her stagecraft was multi-instrumentalist Lilly Scott, who got props for her indie Beatles cover last week. So she tried it again, strapping on a 12-string guitar for Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Her unique, quavering voice gave the song a modern edge and her folky redo showed some strong artistic chops.
What Randy loves about Scott is her individuality, and he liked how she nailed a very tough song. "I don't know what 'it' is, but you've got 'it,' " Ellen said. Kara agreed that it was the best performance of the night and that Scott had her moment. "You are gonna change the game," she promised, heaping praise for not trying to fit into a cookie-cutter style.
Rocking some giant doorknocker earrings and a sedate updo, Katelyn Epperly, who has aspirations of opening her own recording studio someday, went music geek with a solo piano version of Coldplay's "The Scientist." Transforming it into a jazzy torch song, Epperly made the tune her own, imbuing it with stirring emotion as she stared sad-eyed into the camera.
"I kind of love you," DioGuardi said. "You have an incredible instrument and you can do a lot of things with it, and that's your biggest problem." She counseled Epperly to stop jumping around from style to style each week and focus on figuring out who she is. Cowell called it a smart, contemporary song choice and advised her to be less corny. Ellen had her first Paula moment, praising Epperly's guitar work before correcting herself and saying the arrangement was just too snoozy and slow.
Paige Miles, 24, an avid crayon enthusiast who Simon said has the best voice of all the girls, curried some more favor with the judges by singing Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away," a song co-written by Kara. The staccato R&B take on the tune highlighted Miles' scratchy, seductive vocals and strong, soulful howl.
Ellen loved how Miles changed it up and had fun with the song, even if it was just OK for Randy, who felt the landslide of words didn't allow Miles to show off her vocals enough. Though she liked the version, Kara said Miles' cheerful, smiling take didn't really fit the intent of the lyric that should have been a bit more angsty. "I think you're getting lost in these songs ... it's like the songs are overtaking you," Cowell said, suggesting she was picking the wrong tunes and needs to find one that will mark her as the one to beat.
The primo final spot belonged to former mohawked rocker Siobhan Magnus, 19, who ripped off a big chunk of danger with Aretha Franklin's "Think." Magnus proved she had the pipes to float the big soul classic, even if her stage presence was a bit odd at times and her gigantic power wail near song's end was startling.
"You are so bold and so fearless," Randy said, howling about her unhinged bravery. "It was dope!" Ellen couldn't have agreed more, and Kara was still smiling about the gigantic note, which Magnus said she learned how to hit while singing Clarkson songs in the shower. "You are such a strange person," Simon said as a compliment. "I thought there were parts of that song which were terrible, but that note was incredible."
After another rough week of highs and lows, two men and two women will go home on Thursday night.
What did you think of Wednesday night's performances? Who was your favorite? Who deserves to go home?
Labels:
American Idol,
Carl,
Ladies night,
Makes Triumphant Return
Watch Obama tries to remain calm during political storm FULL VIDEO
The president who so famously rejects drama and derides political theater walked into the East Room at 1:45 p.m. during one of the wildest political stretches in recent memory. In the past few days, a White House spokesman was forced to defend Obama's pugnacious chief of staff and his departed social secretary.
MOVIE REVIEW 'Alice in Wonderland' FULL VIDEO
One pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small, and the pills Tim Burton gives you don't do very much at all.
With apologies to Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit," that more or less sums up "Alice in Wonderland," the director's middling new version of the Lewis Carroll tale. It has its successful moments but it's surprisingly inert overall, more like a Burton derivative than something he actually did himself.
Through no fault of its own, "Alice" also has the misfortune of being the first major 3-D release to come out after the "Avatar" revolution, and when you add in that Burton chose to shoot in 2-D and have the footage converted, it inevitably plays like one of the last gasps of the old-fashioned ways of doing things.
Especially old-school is the framing device devised by veteran Disney animation screenwriter Linda Woolverton ("Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King"). In this version, Alice is introduced as a 6-year-old girl troubled by visions of falling down a hole and "seeing all these creatures," episodes her kindly dad assures her are nothing but dreams.
Then it's 13 years later and Alice is a pouty young woman (Australian actress Mia Wasikowska) headed for a posh garden party with her mother. Alice is a bit of a rebel (she doesn't wear a corset!) and though she doesn't know it, she's on the way to what her family hopes will be her engagement party.
But once we meet Alice's intended, a complete twit named Hamish, we know that marriage is not going to happen, and a good thing too, for this part of the film is so tedious we are all but begging for the escape the rabbit hole provides, especially because it serves as a portal to Burton's inventive mind.
Alice is soon desperate to flee as well and, following the traditional white rabbit (voiced by Michael Sheen), she hurtles down the hole and confronts a world of wonders where animals talk and even flowers speak their minds.
Given the strength of Burton's imagination, it's not surprising that many of these creatures are engaging, especially if, like that rabbit, they are voiced by top British actors.
The unsettling Cheshire Cat ( Stephen Fry) is hard to forget, as are Absolem the Blue Caterpillar ( Alan Rickman), Bayard the Bloodhound (Timothy Spall) and fright legend Christopher Lee as the dread Jabberwocky.
Rather less satisfying is the script's notion that the creatures spend much of their time bickering as to whether this Alice is the same person who came down the rabbit hole a decade earlier and, if she is, whether she has "lost her muchness" in the intervening years. They even give her a hard time for getting the name of the location wrong: It's Underland, she's disdainfully told, not Wonderland.
These disputes soon become tiresome, even if one of Alice's champions is played by Johnny Depp. His Mad Hatter is a genuine fashionista whom we get to see designing wacky headgear like there is no tomorrow. There's no denying Depp's gifts and abilities, but this performance feels both indulgent and something we've all seen before.
What is even more unfortunate is the film's attempt to turn itself into an Underland version of "The Lord of the Rings," complete with massed forces of good and evil inevitably headed toward a sadly generic CGI battle to end all battles.
Inspiring the powers of light is the White Queen ( Anne Hathaway), while heading the wicked side is her sister, the dyspeptic Red Queen ( Helena Bonham Carter) and Stayne, the Knave of Hearts ( Crispin Glover), her 7-foot-6 top general.
All these people are in a lather about Alice because it turns out that a venerable document called the Oraculum has foretold that Alice will return to lead the forces of light and slay the dark side's champion, the mighty Jabberwocky.
Alice, of course, insists she is the nonviolent sort and likely to do no such thing but, frankly, what does she know?
With those battle scenes in place to please the boys, Burton and company have taken special care to provide pictures of Alice as a warrior princess in full Joan of Arc armor as a female empowerment icon for the girls in the audience.
While that kind of thing is always in short supply, it would be nicer if that image -- and the movie as a whole -- felt less like corporate moves and more like situations that came from the heart.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Dancing with the Stars 2010 Lineup Review: Is Evan Lysacek the DWTS Season 10 Favorite? FULL VIDEO
The Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup is out, and 11 brand new celebrities are set to cha cha, samba and waltz their way toward the Mirrorball Trophy. Evan Lysacek,
the 24-year old reigning World and Olympic men's figure skating champion, will join forces with an as-yet-to-be-named pro dancer and test his moves off the ice. Is Lysacek DWTS season 10's celebrity ringer? Let's take a look at the evidence.
First off, Evan Lysacek won his Olympic gold medal not just because he outskated the competition, but because he out-danced the competition. He used his artistry and elegance to defeat Evgeni Plushenko, the pre-event favorite, despite Plushenko's powerful arsenal of jumps. In addition, and perhaps more pointedly, there's no other man included in the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup who boasts an Olympic gold medal in what essentially amounts to dancing on skates, so that's a huge checkmark in Lysacek's favor.
Secondly, by all accounts, Evan Lysacek is a serious workhorse. During the Olympic Games broadcasts, commentator Scott Hamilton repeatedly remaked on Lysacek's strong work ethic, and on the number of hours the skater spends practicing his moves. Fresh off an Olympic training regimen, he may be the best prepared of those included in the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup to deal with the rigors of ballroom and Latin dance training.
Thirdly, gold medal-winning Olympians have historically excelled on DWTS. Gymnast Shawn Johnson won Dancing with the Stars season 8 with partner Mark Ballas. Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, also paired with Ballas, took the season 6 title. Yamaguchi was, in fact, so dominant during her tenure on the DWTS that it was hard to imagine anyone else winning the title. The terms 'Olympian' and 'Dancing with the Stars' go together like peanut butter and jelly, and as the sole Olympian on the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup list, Lysacek has a leg up on the competition.
the 24-year old reigning World and Olympic men's figure skating champion, will join forces with an as-yet-to-be-named pro dancer and test his moves off the ice. Is Lysacek DWTS season 10's celebrity ringer? Let's take a look at the evidence.
First off, Evan Lysacek won his Olympic gold medal not just because he outskated the competition, but because he out-danced the competition. He used his artistry and elegance to defeat Evgeni Plushenko, the pre-event favorite, despite Plushenko's powerful arsenal of jumps. In addition, and perhaps more pointedly, there's no other man included in the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup who boasts an Olympic gold medal in what essentially amounts to dancing on skates, so that's a huge checkmark in Lysacek's favor.
Secondly, by all accounts, Evan Lysacek is a serious workhorse. During the Olympic Games broadcasts, commentator Scott Hamilton repeatedly remaked on Lysacek's strong work ethic, and on the number of hours the skater spends practicing his moves. Fresh off an Olympic training regimen, he may be the best prepared of those included in the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup to deal with the rigors of ballroom and Latin dance training.
Thirdly, gold medal-winning Olympians have historically excelled on DWTS. Gymnast Shawn Johnson won Dancing with the Stars season 8 with partner Mark Ballas. Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, also paired with Ballas, took the season 6 title. Yamaguchi was, in fact, so dominant during her tenure on the DWTS that it was hard to imagine anyone else winning the title. The terms 'Olympian' and 'Dancing with the Stars' go together like peanut butter and jelly, and as the sole Olympian on the Dancing with the Stars 2010 lineup list, Lysacek has a leg up on the competition.
Chile curfew extended as troops fail to grasp control after quake
Chilean authorities today extended a night curfew to midday as thousands of troops struggled to contain worsening looting and crime in the wake of the devastating earthquake.
Despite the heavy military presence in the badly damaged city of ConcepciĂłn, looters burnt stores and residents complained of deteriorating security and slow government delivery of food and other basic supplies. Soldiers fired teargas in efforts to restrict disorder and one person was shot dead.
Residents of the city, with a population of 600,000, said they were organising groups to defend their properties from robbers and looters.
The governor of the region, Jaime Tohá, said that 55 people were arrested on Sunday night for violating the curfew after looters raided almost every market in the city. Some residents rifled through abandoned supermarkets for basic supplies while others took advantage of the crisis to rob banks and empty stores of luxury goods.
The Deputy Interior Minister, Patricio Rosende, said that another 105 people were arrested yesterday for looting and other crimes, and that one person had been shot dead during the night. “Shots were fired. Police took control of the area,” he said, without giving details. Last night the roof of a supermarket in ConcepciĂłn collapsed when looters set fire to it after police tried to disperse them.
The city’s Mayor has said the criminal elements were now becoming more organised and systematic following Saturday morning’s 8.8-magnitude quake that killed at least 723 people.
Mayor Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe warned against serious “social tension” in the city. “We need food for the people. We are without supplies, and if we don’t resolve that we are going to have serious security problems during the night,” she said. “We are at the end of the month. There are no stocks in the households. But nothing justifies looting, vandalism and theft. We have seen people coming out of supermarkets with plasma screens. If we don’t resolve this problem of food today, we could have a very confrontational situation.”
Eduardo Aundez, a Spanish professor, said: “I feel abandoned by the authorities. We believe the Government didn’t take the necessary measures in time, and now supplies of food and water are going to be much more complicated.”
A series of strong aftershocks — some up to magnitude 6.9 — have driven thousands to flee their homes, setting up tents and makeshift shelters.
Caroline Contreras, a 36-year-old teacher, said: “Government help has been so slow to arrive. The soldiers just arrived and haven’t been able to control the situation. The neighbours where I live are organising to defend themselves because people are starting to rob houses.”
President Michelle Bachelet, who condemned the “pillage and criminality”, dispatched 7,000 soldiers to the region and imposed curfews to restore order, saying her Government was sending emergency food and medicine supplies.
The Government has acknowledged that it has battled to provide aid swiftly because of ruined roads and major power disruptions caused by the quake.
The aid effort suffered a blow last night when a small aircraft carrying a rescue team to ConcepciĂłn crashed, killing all six people on board.
Residents also criticised the Government’s response in the central city of Talca, where the main hospital partly collapsed, forcing doctors and nurses to treat wounded quake victims in a clinic.
Damian Vera Vergara, 68, said: “We have not got any help from the government. We were expecting more and are still waiting for the three basics — food, water and electricity."
Hopes for survivors in the ruins theft by the quake were still high and rescuers found signs of life in a collapsed apartment block in Concepcion.
Workers heard knocking beneath the ruins of the 14-story building and were drilling into the rubble to try to reach the possible survivors. About 60 people were thought to have been killed when the block crumbled.
The quake struck as Latin America’s most stable economy was trying to recover from a recession brought on by the global financial crisis. The total economic damage from the quake could exceed $15 billion (£10 bilion), the catastrophe risk firm AIR Worldwide said.
The World Health Organisation said that it expected the number of people known to have died to rise as communications improved.
Despite the heavy military presence in the badly damaged city of ConcepciĂłn, looters burnt stores and residents complained of deteriorating security and slow government delivery of food and other basic supplies. Soldiers fired teargas in efforts to restrict disorder and one person was shot dead.
Residents of the city, with a population of 600,000, said they were organising groups to defend their properties from robbers and looters.
The governor of the region, Jaime Tohá, said that 55 people were arrested on Sunday night for violating the curfew after looters raided almost every market in the city. Some residents rifled through abandoned supermarkets for basic supplies while others took advantage of the crisis to rob banks and empty stores of luxury goods.
The Deputy Interior Minister, Patricio Rosende, said that another 105 people were arrested yesterday for looting and other crimes, and that one person had been shot dead during the night. “Shots were fired. Police took control of the area,” he said, without giving details. Last night the roof of a supermarket in ConcepciĂłn collapsed when looters set fire to it after police tried to disperse them.
The city’s Mayor has said the criminal elements were now becoming more organised and systematic following Saturday morning’s 8.8-magnitude quake that killed at least 723 people.
Mayor Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe warned against serious “social tension” in the city. “We need food for the people. We are without supplies, and if we don’t resolve that we are going to have serious security problems during the night,” she said. “We are at the end of the month. There are no stocks in the households. But nothing justifies looting, vandalism and theft. We have seen people coming out of supermarkets with plasma screens. If we don’t resolve this problem of food today, we could have a very confrontational situation.”
Eduardo Aundez, a Spanish professor, said: “I feel abandoned by the authorities. We believe the Government didn’t take the necessary measures in time, and now supplies of food and water are going to be much more complicated.”
A series of strong aftershocks — some up to magnitude 6.9 — have driven thousands to flee their homes, setting up tents and makeshift shelters.
Caroline Contreras, a 36-year-old teacher, said: “Government help has been so slow to arrive. The soldiers just arrived and haven’t been able to control the situation. The neighbours where I live are organising to defend themselves because people are starting to rob houses.”
President Michelle Bachelet, who condemned the “pillage and criminality”, dispatched 7,000 soldiers to the region and imposed curfews to restore order, saying her Government was sending emergency food and medicine supplies.
The Government has acknowledged that it has battled to provide aid swiftly because of ruined roads and major power disruptions caused by the quake.
The aid effort suffered a blow last night when a small aircraft carrying a rescue team to ConcepciĂłn crashed, killing all six people on board.
Residents also criticised the Government’s response in the central city of Talca, where the main hospital partly collapsed, forcing doctors and nurses to treat wounded quake victims in a clinic.
Damian Vera Vergara, 68, said: “We have not got any help from the government. We were expecting more and are still waiting for the three basics — food, water and electricity."
Hopes for survivors in the ruins theft by the quake were still high and rescuers found signs of life in a collapsed apartment block in Concepcion.
Workers heard knocking beneath the ruins of the 14-story building and were drilling into the rubble to try to reach the possible survivors. About 60 people were thought to have been killed when the block crumbled.
The quake struck as Latin America’s most stable economy was trying to recover from a recession brought on by the global financial crisis. The total economic damage from the quake could exceed $15 billion (£10 bilion), the catastrophe risk firm AIR Worldwide said.
The World Health Organisation said that it expected the number of people known to have died to rise as communications improved.
President Obama's cholesterol of 209 means too many sweets, cheeseburgers
Memo to Michelle Obama: Besides taking on childhood obesity, you might try keeping your husband away from the dessert cart.
The spike in President Obama's cholesterol level detected during a physical exam Sunday was apparently caused by overindulgence in sweets and cheeseburgers, according to spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"He would be...the first to tell you that he has probably had a few more cheeseburgers and...more desserts in the last year than I've seen him eat prior to this," said Gibbs, since Obama's days in the Senate.
Though doctors deemed him "fit for duty" during a physical Sunday, Obama's cholesterol was up to a borderline-high 209 from a more desirable 173 during a physical in 2007.
"Look, those guys (chefs) make good desserts over there," Gibbs added. "And I think he's, on more than one occasion, sampled more than he needed to."
It's serious business, when you consider ex-President Bill Clinton's excessive taste for burgers and fries was blamed in part for his quadruple bypass surgery.
The First Lady has jumped on the get-healthy bandwagon, making combatting childhood obesity one of her pet projects.
"I don't think there's a magic formula except...pushing away from the table before they put the pie in front of him," Gibbs said.
The President also still smokes an occasional cigarette, but Gibbs claimed he doesn't know who Obama bums butts from.
"The President continues to chew nicotine gum and...while he's quit smoking, he occasionally falls off the wagon," Gibbs said.
The spike in President Obama's cholesterol level detected during a physical exam Sunday was apparently caused by overindulgence in sweets and cheeseburgers, according to spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"He would be...the first to tell you that he has probably had a few more cheeseburgers and...more desserts in the last year than I've seen him eat prior to this," said Gibbs, since Obama's days in the Senate.
Though doctors deemed him "fit for duty" during a physical Sunday, Obama's cholesterol was up to a borderline-high 209 from a more desirable 173 during a physical in 2007.
"Look, those guys (chefs) make good desserts over there," Gibbs added. "And I think he's, on more than one occasion, sampled more than he needed to."
It's serious business, when you consider ex-President Bill Clinton's excessive taste for burgers and fries was blamed in part for his quadruple bypass surgery.
The First Lady has jumped on the get-healthy bandwagon, making combatting childhood obesity one of her pet projects.
"I don't think there's a magic formula except...pushing away from the table before they put the pie in front of him," Gibbs said.
The President also still smokes an occasional cigarette, but Gibbs claimed he doesn't know who Obama bums butts from.
"The President continues to chew nicotine gum and...while he's quit smoking, he occasionally falls off the wagon," Gibbs said.
Monday, March 1, 2010
SPOILER: New Bachelorette named! by Mandi Bierly Full Video
Chris Harrison named the next Bachelorette during tonight’s After the Final Rose special. For you West Coast viewers, we’re going to stall for 40 words so we don’t reveal the name on our homepage. Stalling… Stalling… Stalling…. Stalling… Stalling… Stalling.
Craig Sjodin/ABCIt’s official: Ali Fedotowsky, who “chose work over love” when she walked away from Bachelor Jake Pavelka (and the other three women he was dating at the time) to save her job, is the next Bachelorette. She told Chris Harrison that she’s looking for a man who’s “funny,” “smart,” and “kind of quirky.” As we found out last month on a conference call with Fedotowsky, Southern men should apply. Her season of The Bachelorette premieres May 24. Any guesses for her theme song?
For weeks, rumors have swirled that Bachelor producers were keen on the working girl from San Francisco. When asked about the possibility last month, Fedotowsky, 25, said if asked to be the Bachelorette, “I would challenge myself to put love first. I hope I’d make that choice.” In a poll, 60 percent of PopWatch readers said they didn’t think Fedotowsky should accept the offer. Perhaps because they hate to think a woman has to take a leave of absence from the career she so clearly values and devote 100 percent of her time to a man hunt to find a mate. As we said then, “choosing love over work” doesn’t have to mean quitting your job to go film a reality show. It means when you have a choice to go out and meet new people after work or stay at your desk until 9 p.m. every night, you go out. That way, you can meet a man who would actually fit into your life, and we don’t have to read an ABC press release that proudly states, “She has let go of everything this time — her apartment, her job, her stability — to really make a life-changing commitment to put her heart first.”
Was Ali your pick for the next Bachelorette? Can working girls find love without taking a sabbatical?
Craig Sjodin/ABCIt’s official: Ali Fedotowsky, who “chose work over love” when she walked away from Bachelor Jake Pavelka (and the other three women he was dating at the time) to save her job, is the next Bachelorette. She told Chris Harrison that she’s looking for a man who’s “funny,” “smart,” and “kind of quirky.” As we found out last month on a conference call with Fedotowsky, Southern men should apply. Her season of The Bachelorette premieres May 24. Any guesses for her theme song?
For weeks, rumors have swirled that Bachelor producers were keen on the working girl from San Francisco. When asked about the possibility last month, Fedotowsky, 25, said if asked to be the Bachelorette, “I would challenge myself to put love first. I hope I’d make that choice.” In a poll, 60 percent of PopWatch readers said they didn’t think Fedotowsky should accept the offer. Perhaps because they hate to think a woman has to take a leave of absence from the career she so clearly values and devote 100 percent of her time to a man hunt to find a mate. As we said then, “choosing love over work” doesn’t have to mean quitting your job to go film a reality show. It means when you have a choice to go out and meet new people after work or stay at your desk until 9 p.m. every night, you go out. That way, you can meet a man who would actually fit into your life, and we don’t have to read an ABC press release that proudly states, “She has let go of everything this time — her apartment, her job, her stability — to really make a life-changing commitment to put her heart first.”
Was Ali your pick for the next Bachelorette? Can working girls find love without taking a sabbatical?
Son of Star Trek actor found dead Full Video
The son of Star Trek actor Walter Koenig has been found dead in Canada.
Andrew Koenig had been missing for more than a week, and police say they are not treating his death as suspicious.
He had appeared in the 1980s sitcom “Growing Pains” and was last seen in Vancouver on Valentine’s Day.
His neighbours in Los Angeles say he had recently sold all his possessions.
His father had earlier pleaded with anyone who had information to contact Vancouver police.
Andrew Koenig had been missing for more than a week, and police say they are not treating his death as suspicious.
His neighbours in Los Angeles say he had recently sold all his possessions.
His father had earlier pleaded with anyone who had information to contact Vancouver police.