Austin360 blogs > Austin Movie Blog > Archives > 2007 > February
February 2007
Changes for ‘Austin Movie Show’
Look for a couple of new faces on “The Austin Movie Show,” which airs on Time Warner Cable’s Channel 16.
Christina Fernandez is the show’s new co-host, joining Jegar Erickson. Alia Al-Yafi also joins the show as a reporter.
The show will air daily March 9-14 to cover the South by Southwest Festival and Conference.
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Whistlin’ Dixie at the Texas Film Hall of Fame
The Dixie Chicks have just been added to the star-spangled lineup for the Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards, where the group will receive the AMD Live! Soundtrack Award. Natalie Maines won’t attend the March 9 ceremony, but bandmates Martie Maguire and Emily Robison will be there to accept the trophy.
The Grammy-laden group joins other honorees Ann-Margret, Richard Linklater, Bill Paxton and Elizabeth Avellan. Presenters include Julie Delpy and Lily Tomlin.
Find out more at the Austin Film Society.
Heads up
Apparently Jack Nicholson has agreed with Britney Spears that bald is beautiful. We didn’t see him on the red carpet, but Ellen just singled him out.
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Night of the montage
From the earliest days, a technique Hollywood refined to a fine point was the montage, and it’s still among the highlights of each Oscar ceremony. The evening’s opening sequence featuring the candid nominees and the spliced-together foreign-language films were funny and moving and gave audiences windows on what filmmakers can accomplish through editing.
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Factoids away!
I know there can be no silence at the Academy Awards ceremony, but do we need the errant factoids voiced over the winners’ trips up to podium. Let’s play a little game: Which is the most inappropriate factoid of the evening? Or the most clueless musical interlude following an acceptance speech. (My first nomination: The upbeat march after the touching thanks to the soldiers who fought at Iwo Jima.)
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Stomper chompers
A huge chorus of men and women just performed a mesmerizing and really weird sound-effect symphony, using only their teeth, lips, vocal chords and contortionist tongues. They made a world of frenetic noises, from shower sprays and wind storms to screams and cyclonic rustles. It was “Stomp” for mouths.
(Hey, did Alan Arkin just choke up a little when he stole the best supporting actor Oscar from Eddie Murphy?)
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Ellen DeGeneres steps up
What? This was really Ellen DeGeneres’ first time at the rodeo? The comedian and talk-show star had bantered her way through the Emmys, Grammys and other awards ceremonies, but never the big one.
Stalking the stage in a scarlet velvet tuxedo, open, white blouse and matching white shoes, she employed her signature speed-up-to-pause timing. Her opening jokes drifted around her childhood dream to host the Oscars. “Let that be a lesson to you kids out there: Aim lower.”
She didn’t wait long to warm up a little pointed controversy, however, referring to contemporary stereotypes: “If not for blacks, Jews or gays, there would be no Oscars.” She even squeezed in a little partisan humor. “America didn’t vote for Jennifer Hudson, but she’s here. America did vote for Al Gore, but he’s here.”
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Comedy showstopper
Matching Ben Stiller’s hysterical (and courageous) comedy fandango at last year’s ceremony, Will Ferrell, sporting a poofy Afro and holding the “sad clown” flower, performed a mock musical number with fellow cutups Jack Black and John C. Reilly.
Best part was when the three stooges started picking fights with acting nominees, with Black telling Leonardo Di Caprio he would “elbow (him) in the larynx,” before all three of them openly fawned over Helen Mirren, telling her they wanted to take her home. She giggled and beamed.
The showtune Black, Ferrell and Reilly belted bemoaned how their comedies never get Oscar nods. So they vowed, voices quavering, to act in more serious films. Ferrell promised to “lose 40 pounds to play Ralph Nader.”
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fashion statements
The red carpet isn’t just glitz and glam. “Blood Diamond” stars and acting nominees Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou are wearing a diamond-free, red teardrop pin, distributed by Amnesty International and Global Witness, to raise awareness about human rights abuses in the diamond industry. The pin was designed by Alessandra Gallo Jewellery and hand-made by Ricardo Basta of Beverly Hills.
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Pre-show Ellen DeGeneres
Like the Oscars themselves, the DeGeneres show commenced well before the actual ceremony. One E! Channel segment featured her kidding around backstage with red-carpet host Ryan Seacrest, claiming to steal fashion secrets from him. A behind-the-scenes American Express documentary/commercial showed DeGeneres hosing down an elephant. “Parent: Hose your kids off. It’s so much easier.”
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Big stars, with words to match
In a single two-minute red carpet interview, Ryan Seacrest uttered the word “plethora” and the elegant Cate Blanchett used the term “hierarchical.”
Is this the best Oscars ever?
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
God save the queen
Seacrest just showed us his Calvin Klein underwear, with the distinguished (and quite sexy) Helen Mirren standing directly behind him.
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Black and blue
Blue is ruling the red carpet so far. Emily Blunt in a strapless sapphire number, and Jodie Foster in a lighter Vera Wang confection. Portia de Rossi and Maggie Gyllenhaal both took a risk with dark blue dresses trimmed in black. Maggie’s asymmetrical dress, with a band of black feathers at the bottom, has just the right touch of vintage elegance. Portia’s, with black fringe, is what you might call a mess.
What does Ryan have to say about all this fashion? “It’s just hottie after hottie.”
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Lost at Seacrest
We’re only a few minutes into E’s red carpet show, and Ryan Seacrest already has managed to mangle an interview with two of Hollywood’s most exciting, talented stars. A beautiful Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Stranger Than Fiction”) and the father of her new baby, Peter Sarsgaard, seemed prime for some fun repartee, but it was over poor Ryan’s head. He didn’t even try to announce Peter’s last name, which makes us wonder if even knows who he is. And his first question to Gael Garcia Bernal? “How was it working with Brad Pitt?” It’s going to be a long couple of hours.
(Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Get your film chops at Austin FilmWorks
Austin film-teaching legend Steve Mims has another class, the Summer Intensive Workshop, June 4-8 at Austin FilmWorks. For ages 16 and up, the class tackles all the technical aspects of shooting on film and digital video, providing students “bedrock filmmaking techniques with elegant digital tools.”
Get all details, including price, at www.austinfilmworks.com.
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Michael’s Oscar picks
Movies: As I overhear the ninnies on the TV Guide Channel red-carpet team, it feels right to secure my bets on the top awards.
Picture: Should win: “The Departed.” Will win: “Babel.”
Director: Should win: Martin Scorsese. Will win: Martin Scorsese.
Actor: Should win: Peter O’Toole. Will win: Forest Whitaker.
Actress: Should win: Helen Mirren or Judi Dench. Will wn: Helen Mirren.
Foreign: Should win: “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Will win: “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
It actually was a very good year for motion pictures. My only disappointment: so few honors for “United 93.”
I’ll update this all evening at Out and About, but check here with the Austin Movies blog for Oscar news.
First Oscar oddness: Jennifer Holliday singing on top of the Kodak Theater. Why? I guess we’re going to hear “(And I Am Telling You) I’m Not Going” several times tonight.
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Austin Cinematheque delivers the goods
More knockout films screening FREE by the Austin Cinematheque:
March 5, Hiroshi Teshigahara’s harrowing 1964 classic “Woman in the Dunes”
March 26, Ozu’s elegiac 1953 family melodrama “Tokyo Story”
April 2, Wong Kar-Wai’s 1991 “Days of Being Wild”
April 9, Bunuel’s twisted 1977 romance “That Obscure Object of Desire”
All shows at 7:30 p.m. at the Texas Union Theater.
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Help Joe Self
Joe Self, a crew member on the Austin shoot of “Friday Night Lights,” was badly hurt when he was hit by a car while on his motorcycle. He was on his way to work Feb. 5 when the collision happened.
A fundraiser show, the Joe Self Help Fund Benefit, featuring raffles, food, drink and a raft of great local bands happens 3 to 10 p.m. March 4 at La Zona Rosa.
Learn about Joe, the benefit and how you can help at www.joeselfhelp.com.
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SXSW expands with stars
Expanding on some previous SXSW news — all of which can be had at SXSW.com — we have some of the latest celebrity additions to the conference panel lineup:
“Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane, Al Jean of “The Simpsons” and comedian Rob Corddry of “The Daily Show” will be on the March 13 panel “Ready for Primetime: TV Comedy Today.”
Acting workhorse Bill Paxton owns the panel “A Conversation with Bill Paxton” on March 10.
And filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Shortbus”) joins the March 12 session “Sex Scenes Stay Hard.”
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More (pant) ‘Grindhouse’ (inhale) news!!
The latest bold-faced headlines from Hollywood’s publicity apparatus has a local tinge:
Scream it, breathlessly:
UNPRECEDENTED WORLDWIDE TRAILER DEBUT FOR DIMENSION FILMS’ “GRINDHOUSE” FROM LEGENDARY FILMMAKERS QUENTIN TARANTINO AND ROBERT RODRIGUEZ … MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THEATRICAL TRAILER WITH SIMULTANEOUS AVAILABILTY ONLINE, VIA MOBILE PHONES, ON TV AND IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE
(Hey, where are the exclamation points?)
Starting today, the release continues, “The trailer will debut exclusively online on Yahoo! Movies, for mobile users on Verizon Wireless V CAST, on television during CW’s “WWE Friday Night Smackdown!” and the Sci-Fi Channel’s ‘Special Unit 2,’ and in theaters prior to ‘Ghost Rider.’ This marketing strategy that will reach millions of viewers has never been done before.”
Wee!
“Grindhouse” hits theaters, finally, April 6.
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Dentler on Iraq movies
SXSW’s Matt Dentler is quoted in this Associated Press story on films about the Iraq war.
From the story:
Matt Dentler, producer of the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas, where “My Country, My Country” and “Occupation: Dreamland” both had their North American premieres, expects that fewer documentaries and more features will come. It just takes time and historical perspective.
“It’s all about trying to make the quote-unquote definitive film about the subject and it’s hard to make a film that stands as a milestone,” Dentler said. “Look at Vietnam. A lot of people, whether you like Oliver Stone or not, consider ‘Platoon’ one of the definitive Vietnam films and that was released in 1986. People also cite ‘Apocalypse Now.’ That came out in the ’70s but that was an adaptation of ‘Heart of Darkness,’ adapted to fit the Vietnam War.
“We’re seeing some really interesting filmmaking going on in Iraq but they’re about so many other things that surround the war itself,” he said. “They are about what’s going on in Iraq but they’re about such bigger truths.”
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Dunn’s doc gets gushed over
Austin documentarian Laura Dunn’s eco-doc about the battles surrounding Barton Springs — and much more — was picked up by the Sundance Channel during the Sundance Film Festival last month.
A positively gushing review of the movie, which is co-executive produced by Terrence Malick and Robert Redford, recently ran in Variety, and it can only help the film get theatrical distribution.
We quote in part:
Observing locally and thinking globally, Laura Dunn’s astonishing debut doc feature “The Unforeseen” is the kind of transformative viewing experience that has made the current period a golden age for nonfiction film. Pic takes the history and battles over development and sprawl in Austin, Texas, and launches into a visual, scientific and philosophic rumination of humanity’s place on the planet and the limits to growth. Fests will scramble for this prestige title, and bigscreen values demand a theatrical run.
Magnificently lensed in HD and 16mm by Lee Daniel, the pic attains Malick’s kind of lyrical beauty, and links the images with a resourceful and mind-altering use of maps and motion graphics (care of producer Jef Sewell). Music selections, from Arvo Part to Sigur Ros, are interesting and suited to the pic’s depth. Forceful pic will get its first Austin public screening at South by Southwest fest.
See that last line? Yep, you can see it in March during SXSW.
We interviewed Dunn while she was at Sundance last month. Read the story here.
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Coming to Austin: that Taco Bell dog
Comedian-actor Carlos Alazraqui will do his stand-up act and answer questions about his new movie “Reno 911: Miami, based on the Comedy Central series, on March 3 at the Alamo Lake Creek.
Alazraqui plays Officer Garcia (no relation to this author) on the comedy show and in the film and does voice work in stuff like the penguin fandango “Happy Feet.” But get this: He’s best known as the “Yo Quiero Taco Bell” chihuahua, a cur-slur many of you wanted to drop kick.
Get details and tickets at the Alamo site.
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Get slammin’ for screenplay comp
Rev the keyboard, pump the creative juice for the 2007 Slamdance Screenplay Competition, which is taking submissions now for narrative, experimental and animated scripts (both features and shorts).
Submission forms, rules and regulations are at www.Slamdance.com.
Early submission deadline is March 23. Final submission deadline is May 18th.
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More young filmmaker ops
The Mobile Film School, self-described as “a media arts education program focused on underserved communities,” starts its pilot program in Manor from Saturday to Feb. 24th.
Happening in partnership with the Manor Independent School District, says MFS organizers, “the inaugural one-week, total immersion documentary film workshop will provide qualified high school seniors hands-on training in key aspects of film production and appreciation.”
Get all you need to know here.
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Kids, join the MAFIA!
Young filmmakers are wanted for the second installment of the Youth MAFIA Day Film Festival (MAFIA stands for Make a Film in a Day), which lets aspiring Linklaters ages 14 to 19 crank out a movie — scripting, shooting, editing and all — in the course of 24 hours.
It happens during SXSW, March 10 and 11. Films will screen March 12 at The Hideout.
More information will be coming from sponsor the Austin School of Film @ Motion Media Arts Center. 236-8877.
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SXSW film fest schedule news
Head over to the SXSW film site for news that will help you plan your time at the fest. Just announced are panel highlights, the short-films lineup and additions to the features lineup.
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Anna Nicole: the new Tupac?
Speaking of posthumous — a word we’ve been dying to use — Anna Nicole Smith’s final film will still be released on DVD in May, praise the movie gods.
The movie’s description from its distributor:
“At first look, ‘Illegal Aliens’ appears to be just another low budget sci-fi comedy poking fun at Hollywood’s big budget flick. Now, with the passing of its star, [boldface ours] you’ll find it to be replete with metaphors of her life. … This movie may just be the ‘Abbey Road’ of films for Anna Nicole Smith fans.”
(The “Abbey Road”!)
It goes on:
“Three aliens morph into super-hot babes and arrive to protect the earth from the intergalactic forces of evil. … They are willing to use every trick in the book and every sexy outfit in their wardrobe to accomplish their mission!”
We will leave it at that.
Rodriguez screens influences behind ‘Grindhouse’
Prepping Austin audiences for his and Quentin Tarantino’s splatter-flick tribute “Grindhouse,” Robert Rodriguez is personally presenting a double feature of hardcore exploitation movies on the second night of South by Southwest, 8 p.m. March 10, outside in Republic Square Park.
Rodriguez has handpicked a pair of Italian horror classics, Sergio Martino’s “Torso,” which, we’re told, features a traumatic hacksaw dismemberment segment, and Lucio Fulci’s “Zombie,” which I can attest is worth every sickening sight, including a zombie fighting and biting a real shark underwater. Pure genius.
The show is sponsored by SXSW and the Alamo Downtown. Free with SXSW badge, $10 general. Tickets on sale at noon Feb. 23 at www.originalalamo.com. Beer and food service available at the event.
Details here.
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New look coming for Alamo Web site
— The Alamo’s Web site is getting a makeover.
— Upcoming films in the AFS@Dobie series: “Tears of the Black Tiger” (Friday), “Maxed Out” (March 9) and “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” (April 20).
“Wind” won the Palme d’Or last year at Cannes, and “Maxed Out” is a veteran of last year’s South by Southwest.
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Free ‘Nobelity’ for teachers
Middle and high-school teachers in the Austin Independent School District can see the documentary “Nobelity” for free on Feb. 18.
The film, directed by and featuring Turk Pipkin, gets the perspective of Nobel laureates on global problems. Pipkin and the documentary’s producer, Christy Pipkin, will be on hand for the screenings, which are scheduled 5 and 8 p.m. at the Arbor theater.
Teachers can bring one guest each. RSVP’s are required, and are accepted at marym@educationaustin.org or 472-1124.
The screenings are sponsored by Education Austin, Liveable City and The Nobelity Project.
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Nice boxing shorts, Bob
Ogle the outfits worn by Robert De Niro in 13 movies, including “Awakenings,” “Backdraft,” “Great Expectations,” “Meet the Fockers” and “Raging Bull” during the Ransom Center exhibit “Robert De Niro in Costume: Selections From the Archive” inside the first floor main entrance of The University Co-op from March 19 to April 1.
It’s part of the massive De Niro archives the Ransom acquired last year. The collection is still being processed, but expect to see more of it later.
The Ransom Center is also presenting a De Niro film series: “Greetings” (1968) on Feb. 20; “Bloody Mama” (1970) on Feb. 27; “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1973) on March 19; and “Mean Streets” (1973) on March 27. Screenings are free and take place at 7 p.m. inside the Ransom’s Prothro Theater.
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SXSW unveils March line-up
SXSW Film has bullhorned its full roster of feature films for this year’s fest March 9 through 17. As reported a ways back, the bash opens with Scott Frank’s “The Lookout.”
Other highlight films:
Judd Apatow’s “Knocked Up”
Katy Chevigny’s “Election Day”
Jonathan Levine’s “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane”
Ryan Eslinger’s “When a Man Falls in the Forest”
Adam Rapp’s “Blackbird”
Macky Alston’s doc “Hard Road Home”
Learn about the movies, the Robert Rodriguez “Grindhouse” panel and everything else at SXSW Film.
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Got Oscar fever?
Check out austin360.com’s Academy Awards page here.
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Angelina Jolie Watch
Movies: We understand that Angelina, absent Brad, will be in town to shoot a scene for “A Mighty Heart,” which depicts the story of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Anyway, if you see Jolie anywhere, anytime, e-mail us at mbarnes@statesman.com or call (445-3647).
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Austin drops to No. 3 in movie city poll
Austin has slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in MovieMaker magazine’s annual Top 10 American Cities to Live, Work and Make Movies tally, jostled from its perch by Philadelphia (Philadelphia?), which climbed from last year’s No. 5 ranking.
The glossy quarterly cites the usual Austin virtues — Linklater, Rodriguez, Judge, Austin Studios, the UT Film Institute — and quotes Louis Black, Alamo Drafthouse co-founder Tim League and Austin Film Commission director Gary Bond.
New York took top honors for the third year in a row. Slots 4 through 10 are Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Shreveport-Bossier City, Memphis, Miami, Portland and Salt Lake City.
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Want to go to film school?
MovieMaker Magazine wants to give you a scholarship to Vancouver Film School. Details here.
Romantic ‘Sunset’
Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunset” makes the list of the best romantic movies of all time at toptenreviews.com.
The film, which stars Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, comes in at No. 10 and adds some indie flavor to a list that includes more traditional romantic favorites such as “Titanic” and “Gone With the Wind.”
According to a news release from toptenreviews.com, the site “ranks and compares reviews of every movie released” and compiles lists by categories such as year and genre.
Personally, we find “Sunset” totally swoon-worthy, but we know that others find it talky and irritating.
What are your picks for best romantic movies?
‘Hitcher’ props for sale
Out-now horror flick “The Hitcher” — a remake of the ’80s cult fave — was shot in Austin last year and all its junk needs to be gotten rid of.
So this weekend the Austin Film Society and Austin Studios, where the production headquartered, is selling props, office supplies, set dressings, wardrobe and furniture used in the movie’s making.
Details for the big garage sale are one scroll down, courtesy of AFS:
WHAT: “The Hitcher” garage sale
WHO: Austin Film Society
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Hangar 2 of Austin Austin Studios (1901 E. 51st St.)
WHY: All proceeds benefit the programs and services of AFS
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“Elvis” will be in the building
The Austin-made romantic fairy tale “Elvis and Anabelle” gets its world premiere during the South by Southwest Film Festival at 6:30 p.m. March 10 at the Paramount Theatre.
A love story between a beauty queen and a mortician’s son (Max Minghella), the movie was produced by Burnt Orange Productions and the UT Film Institute. It co-stars Blake Lively, Mary Steenburgen, Joe Mantegna and Keith Carradine, some of whom will be at the screening, and was written and directed by Will Geiger. See the “Elvis and Anabelle” Web site.
Steenburgen talked to us last year about the film while she was in Austin. You can read the interview here.
This is the second Burnt Orange/UTFI movie to premiere at SXSW. Last year “The Cassidy Kids” made its bow. The production team’s caveman comedy “Homo Erectus” premiered at Slamdance last month.
Screenwriter shows “Trading Places”
Screenwriter Herchel Weingrod presents his 1983 hit comedy “Trading Places” — starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd and directed by John Landis — at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Alamo Lake Creek.
The special show is part of the Austin Film Festival’s screening series. Weingrod, who also wrote “Twins” and “Falling Down,” will introduce the movie and do a Q and A about the screenplay (which he co-wrote) afterward. Austin Film Festival members are free. $4 general admission. Get them here.
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