Nickel-Eye News

New Riddick Teaser

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:59:10 PDT

I probably shouldn't say this too loudly on the internet for fear of being torn apart by trolls . . . but I preferred The Chronicles of Riddick to Pitch Black.

Pitch Black was a fun quick & dirty movie straddling that line between horror and action films that John Carpenter had defined a few decades earlier, but Pitch Black was never something that ever really stirred my geek passions. The Chronicles of Riddick on the other hand was a breath of fresh air.

Despite Chronicle's easily picked out flaws I loved that they were really going for broke by attempting to create a huge and original Sci-fi mythology in their second film. Say what you will, but for my money a major Hollywood film based on an original property taking equal parts inspiration from Dune and Conan is not something to complain about. Hearing that the new Riddick film is throwing out most, if not all, of those elements to return to the franchise's "roots" of Riddick killing CGI creatures on a barren planet has me a little underwhelmed.

The passions Vin Diesel and David Twohy are showing for this project though has convinced me that the new movie at least deserves a chance at my support and to reserve judgment until I see the finished product. While the new teaser that just hit may not be the Riddick film I was hoping to see, I'd be lying if I said it didn't look pretty badass.

So check out the new teaser trailer and share your thoughts. Are you more of a Chronicles of Riddick or Pitch Black fan? Are you liking the look of this new flick? Leave a comment below to let me know!

Marvel Unveils Character Posters For The Avengers

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:39:41 PDT

As I have stated time and time again, I am all atwitter with anticipation for the May 4th release of The Avengers. Every little tidbit gets me more and more excited. Well, the latest bit of hype to hit the Internet is Marvel unveiling individual character posters for The Avengers roster on their Facebook page . For the most part these are simply re-worked images from the main poster that hit last month, that I was very lukewarm about. If nothing else, Captain America looks much more dynamic in these posters and alot less like he is posing for a Ralph Lauren catalog. Plus, as we all know at this point I am like a crackhead for this kind of stuff.

Hit the jump to check out all the posters below and let me know what you think. Do you like these posters more than the first? Are you just bothered by the photo-shopped images in general? Leave a comment below and let your voice be heard!

John Carter Review

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:41:43 PST

I am a huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series of books. From the first time I picked up A Princess of Mars as a teenager, I have been in love with the Mars(or Barsoom as the natives call it) that Edgar Rice Burroughs created. The Mars that John Carter, the ex-Confederate cavaly officer of Virginia, was miraculously transported to was a world of mystery, giant airships, 15 foot tall green men, terrifying monsters, noble warriors, beautiful maidens and high adventure. With John Carter's earthly muscles giving him super strength and the ability to jump hundreds of feet, the stories of Barsoom were an amazing amalgamation of any type of story you could want. The stories of John Carter were westerns, superhero tales, sci-fi, romance and adventure all rolled into one . . . they were just plain fun. Since first reading A Princess of Mars all those years ago I have re-read it and its sequels cover to cover half a dozen times. In that time I naturally imagined what a John Carter of Mars movie would be. Over the years as different productions started and stopped, different names got attached and then left, I was always visualising what could and should be in a John Carter movie.

That's why sitting down to review the John Carter movie that was made, is so difficult. As I was watching John Carter I felt torn between what I've been imagining for years and what I was actually seeing on screen. It's so easy to let the fanboy in yourself take over and pick something apart. I can sit here and bitch about how John Carter gets to Mars, why the Green Men aren't 15 ft tall, why the White Apes are blind, why Therns are even in the movie, why Tars Tarkas starts as Jeddak and more . . . but, that's not really fair the film. Roger Ebert, the most influential film critic in my life, often says that when criticizing a film you can't criticize what you wish the movie was, but instead you must only criticize what the film is attempting to be. It would be totally unfair for me to sit here and say, well that isn't a movie that I imagined and would want, because I am not the one making the movie. Andrew Stanton, the talented director of Finding Nemo and Wall-E, was the one who created this film. This is Andrew Stanton's John Carter of Mars.

That's the thing that I didn't quite understand when I was walking into the theater, and was probably more than a little naive about. Since I largely stayed away from marketing materials I had partially convinced myself, or maybe deluded myself with false hope, that we would be getting Edgar Rice Burroughs A Princess of Mars projected up on the screen. What I had failed to consider before the film was that we were watching Andrew Stanton's John Carter. As I was watching the movie there were moments that felt jarring to me. It wasn't a failing of the film-makers communicating with the audience, but rather me seeing the film through the prism of an Edgar Rice Burroughs fan first. My mind felt constantly engaged with questions like,why are they doing that here, why did they change that, why did they leave that out, why is that character so different from the book? Despite my reservations as a Burroughs' fan, I could not deny the obvious successes of much of the movie as well. Upon reflection since seeing the film I feel like I have been able to create better separation in my mind between Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars and Andrew Stanton's John Carter.

The way that I've explained and reconciled it with myself is the idea that the movie John Carter is not an adaptation of the book A Princess of Mars, but rather Andrew Stanton's John Carter is an adaptation of the character John Carter. The Harry Potter films were attempting to directly translate JK Rowlings' novels to the screen as faithfully as possible, but no one expects Batman movies to be a direct translation of any particular run of Detective Comics. We all understand that when we sit down in a theater to watch a Batman film that we may be getting Tim Burton's Batman or Joel Schumacher's Batman or Christopher Nolan's Batman and each film-maker is reinterpreting the character in their own way; not only do we understand this, but we embrace it. We don't get upset by the deviations from take to take, we love them because they are all celebrations of different aspects of the same great whole. Taking each individual artist's differing perspectives together they all add to our understanding and appreciation for the richness of the character and his mythos. I believe that's the best way to look at Andrew Stanton's John Carter. By making the movie John Carter unapologetically different from the source material, we are given new aspects of the property to embrace and enjoy. By diverting so largely from the original books, Andrew Stanton is able to make the property feel incredibly fresh and current, even for people who have known the characters and story for years or decades.

What drove this point home was a sequence that occurs about halfway through the film. What makes this particular scene so important was that in addition to being the most effective scene in the entire movie, that it's impact was largely based on aspects of the story which were a complete creation of the filmmakers. I don't want to go into too much detail for fear of spoiling the moment. I can tell you that the sequence involves John Carter battling a green Martian war-host single-handedly and that battle is intercut with events that were not created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In fact, it could be argued that the events of the flash back were antithetical to the character that Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote about in his stories. When I was watching this scene I wasn't thinking about that though. I wasn't worrying about the differences between what was on the screen and what I had read so many times before. I was simply in awe of the emotion of the moment. As I sat there in the theater watching this sequence I literally had goosebumps on my arms. Seeing a point for point reference copy of 100 year old story doesn't give you goosebumps, great film-making does. That moment in the film made me realize that, even if this wasn't the John Carter of the books that I'd enjoyed so many times over the years, this was still a John Carter that deserves my attention. This John Carter deserves to be experienced and enjoyed for what he is, rather than ignored or scorned for what he isn't.

Andrew Stanton's John Carter is a beautiful science-fiction fantasy film, the kind of which we don't get to see out of Hollywood often enough. The sheer artistry on display in this movie at some points is quite literally breathtaking. The entire production, from the lavish costumes, set design and creature design to the expert CGI, displayed a level of imagination and skill that is stunning. Regardless of how accurate any particular aspect of the production was, everything on screen was beautiful and had a tangibility to it. We could sit and squabble about where the green Martians eyes should be on his head, or exactly how his tusks should protrude, but what is unassailable is that Andrew Stanton and his team were able to create green men of Mars that were real for us, not to mention White Apes, Airships, Martian Dogs and more! That a believable Barsoom was delivered to us is something that truly deserves applause.

That isn't to say that John Carter is a perfect film outside of fanboy nitpicking, there are some legitimate criticisms that can be brought against it. For example, there are some plot issues which make the story seem a little artificially convoluted and unnecessarily cluttered. This is a disappointment coming from a director whose previous efforts were so effortlessly and beautifully streamlined. It's also worth noting that the exposition is at times handled a bit clumsily. The beginning of the film literally takes place in three different time periods on two different planets with two separate narrators, and it just feels a little unnecessarily muddled. Probably the single biggest criticism of the film though is that a lot of the characters are simply underdeveloped. By the end of the movie we know the names of Tars Tarkas, Sab Than, Tal Hajus and Sola but we don't feel a great emotional attachment, understanding or investment in the characters. Aside from John Carter himself, and to a lesser extent Dejah Thoris, the characters are generally archetypes rather than real characters with them their own emotions, stories, morals and motivations. I don't think of this as a failing of the actors, who turn in good performances, as much as the amount of time in the script that is spent on unnecessary plotting rather than characterization. But if the biggest thing you are criticizing in a science-fiction epic is a lacking of deep character development the movie must be doing alot right.

I said in my opening paragraph John Carter was a hard movie for me to wrap my head around. Not because it was a poor film, but because it wasn't the movie I had dreamed of and was hoping for. But, that isn't fair to myself as a film fan or to the movie and it's director. It's a minor miracle that John Carter even exists, let alone that Disney was willing to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into a first-time live-action director like Andrew Stanton. There a lot of conversations that can be had about what direction and decisions Stanton made or could or should have made with regard to the film. What is undeniable though is that he made a rip-roaring sci-fi adventure flick that is gorgeous to look at, technologically awe-inspiring and a hell of alot of fun. If, like me, you're a huge fan of the books and have read them numerous times, or very recently, some aspects of the film might be a little offputting; but, it's worth the effort to fight through that to see what enjoyment these filmmakers have to offer separate from your book experience. For people who are unfamiliar with John Carter, or those that haven't read the books in a few years, I can't recommend John Carter enough. Despite any shortcomings it is a film that sparks the imagination and takes you to another world in a believable and real way. We are lucky whenever we can get a film to do that for us. So, while John Carter may not be a perfect translation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars and it may not be a flawless narrative film, it is without a doubt an awesome movie to behold and alot of fun along the way. Andrew Stanton's John Carter is a film that absolutely deserves your attendance,excitement and recognition.

New Poster For Wes Anderson's Film Moonrise Kingdom

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:39:24 PST

I have always been conflicted about my feelings towards Wes Anderson. In every one of his films I can see and respect his control and talent as a film-maker, but aside from The Fantastic Mr Fox I have always been utterly unable to connect to his films in any way. I always feel a sense of coldness and separation from his characters; I don't know if that is his intent, but the massive amount of artifice in his movies is off-putting to me. This isn't to disparage his skill as a director, simply a statement of my inability to fully engage with his movies. I really want to find that Wes Anderson movie that will click for me, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe Moonrise Kingdom will be that movie.

The new one-sheet poster for Moonrise Kingdom was just released. Like most of Anderson's work, it presents a beautiful image filled with artifice and just a hint of melancholy. The poster shows the two young leads of the film, which I think is a nice touch instead of focusing on the much bigger name adult stars of the film like Edward Norton, Bruce Willis and Bill Murray. The movie tells the story of a boy and girl who decide to run away together and the town's reaction to their having gone missing. It will be interesting to see how I feel one the movie hits later this year.

So, take a look at the poster below, and let me know what you guys think. Are you a Wes Anderson fan? Or, do you have trouble getting into his films as well? What do you think of the poster? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

Image Of Armie Hammer & Johhny Depp In The Lone Ranger

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:04:29 PST

Jerry Bruckheimer just posted on Twitter our first image of the duo from new Lone Ranger film. The movie stars Armie Hammer as The Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as his faithful sidekick Tonto. The production is currently shooting and will be released in 2013.

I really like the more dapper look that Armie Hammer has in this picture compared to the classic Ranger style, but it is going to take seeing footage for me to believe in Depp's Tonto. I am certainly hopeful for this movie because Gore Verbinski, the director of the film, did a hell of a job launching The Pirates of The Caribbean franchise. My concern is that in each sequel Depp's Capt Jack Sparrow became more of an over the top burden for the audience endure, rather than the hammy treat he was in Curse of the Black Pearl. This image of him as Tonto just screams, offbeat and slightly silly to me; which isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it is in moderation. Only time will tell if Tonto works or not, but what is unarguable is that the costumes look great in a still photo.

I want to know what you guys think. Are you looking forward to The Lone Ranger? Are you worried Depp's silly antics are going to dominate the film, or are you a died in the wool Sparrow apologist? Leave a comment below and let your voice be heard!

PTA's Latest Film Will Release This Fall!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:13:18 PST

Paul Thomas Anderson is my favorite living director not named Scorsese. For almost half my life, from age 15, I have had connection with Paul Thomas Anderson's films that is hard to describe. I still remember watching that opening shot of Boogie Nights for the first time and feeling like I was just smacked in the head, from that moment on I was as passionate a Paul Thomas Anderson fan as there is. I used to talk about him so incessantly that for my 19th birthday, in 2001, my buddies in the dorm(furthest thing from cinephiles you could get) gave me Magnolia and Boogie Nights for my shiny new DVD player with a fake note written from Anderson to myself. I don't know how, but Anderson's films speak to me on an almost primal level, it's like he has direct access to my mind & soul and is able to create films that perfectly speak some universal truth to me. This may sound like hyperbole to you, but I can say without qualifier that Anderson has never made a less than perfect film, and three of his movies are timeless masterpieces. The only film-makers I can think of who have that type of track record are Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese and Orson Welles. Needless to say, when a movie from Paul Thomas Anderson is on the horizon it's hard for me to overstate the anticipation that I feel.

That's why I have a big smile on my face when I say that, Cigarette & Red Vines was able to confirm with Megan Ellison, the producer of Anderson's next film, that we can expect to see PTA's latest opus this fall. The news about the film(tentatively titled The Master) came as a tweet in direct response to Cigarettes & Redvines:

@cigsandredvines I know you guys are waiting on a release date for 'the Master', and it's still a bit early, but I'd keep my eyes on October

This is extremely good news because the film has been constantly dogged by problems and it has been extremely murky as to when when the movie would be finished. At one point the film didn't look like it would even be made and more recently rumors were circling that the movie wouldn't release until mid to late 2013. So a mid-fall release for the movie seems like a pleasant surprise.

The film, which will star Philip Seymour Hoffman, is about a man who upon returning from World War II is so disgusted by the horrors of man starts his own religion in response. While it has been a topic of speculation how much the film is directly telling the story of L Ron Hubbard(the founder of Scientology), I think it would be safe to assume this could be PTA's Citizen Kane. Just as Charles Foster Kane was and was not William Randolph Hearst, one way or another I'm sure this movie will be an exploration and discussion of the idea and spirit of the man regardless of it's "historical significance".

As you can tell I am an unapologetic PTA admirer and am over the moon about this news. But, I want to know what you guys think. Do you take this as good news, or are you shrugging your shoulders right now? Are you Looking forward to The Master, or are you not a Paul Thomas Anderson fan? Make sure to leave a comment below and let your voice be heard!

Kristen Bell Will Star In Frozen, Disney's Snow Queen Film

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:41:00 PST

Kristen Bell has just been cast as the lead in Disney's animated adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, which will be titled Frozen. Frozen will tell the story two friends, a boy and girl, and the girl's quest to save her friend after he has been kidnapped by the Snow Queen. The movie has taken on various forms over the last few years and will now be a computer animated film as opposed to the previously announced version as a hand drawn affair. It remains murky if Alan Menken(Beauty and the Beast) is still attached to do the music, but Chris Buck the director of Disney's Tarzan is confirmed to be helming the film which will hit theaters on November 27, 2013.

One thing that isn't made clear by THR is exactly what character Bell will be playing. While it confirms she will be playing the "lead", by providing both the speaking and singing voices, it is less clear whom they consider the lead to be. It would seem equally reasonable to imagine Bell as either the Snow Queen or the young protagonist, so this detail still needs a little sorting out. Either way, I take this as great news.

Kristen Bell is an actress I am really fond of, and deserves to have a higher profile career than she currently has. I am always interested in anything she attaches herself to and it is extremely hard to go wrong with Disney Animation. Even the fact that the movie will be computer generated isn't off-putting to me.

I would love to see more cell-animated films coming out of Disney(like the criminally underseen The Princess and the Frog) I can't complain simply because it isn't hand-drawn. Just a couple of years ago I would have argued that Disney Animation should have ignored CG animation, let that be the exclusive realm of Pixar, and stayed with traditional animation. Tangled made me eat alot of humble pie. I absolutely adored Tangled and it proved to me beyond a shadow of doubt that a computer animated Disney film can work. Tangled not only matched the warmth, beauty, style and most important spirit of a their classic hand drawn films, but showed that CG animation could bring something unique and exciting to these movies as well. I have no interest in seeing more generic kiddie CG films like Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons and Bolt; but seeing more films in the mould of Tangled is makes me very happy indeed.

I want to know what you think. Are you disappointed that the movie won't be hand-drawn? Did Tangled change your perceptions on Disney Animated movies? Which part do you think is more likely for Bell, the Queen or the girl? Leave a comment below and let your voice be heard!

Dwayne Johnson Cast In Two Action Roles, Including Hercules

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:04:58 PST

Dwayne Johnson seems to be filling up his dance card for the foreseeable future very quickly. He has stated that he will begin filming Fast Six in May, he is committed to co-starring with Mark Wahlberg in Michael Bay's crime film Pain and Gain and today it was announced that he would be signing onto not one, but two other projects!

Dwayne Johnson has just signed on to star in an action thriller named Ciudad. The movie will be written and co-directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, based on a yet unreleased graphic novel they also wrote. According to Deadline, Johnson will play a,"black market mercenary hired by a Brazilian drug lord to rescue his kidnapped daughter" in "one of the most dangerous and corrupt cities in the world." It's difficult to get any type of idea what this movie will ultimately be; the source material hasn't even been released yet and the Russo brothers have only made one theatrical film(You, Me and Dupree) and worked almost exclusively in TV comedy up until this point. Something about the project obviously attracted Johnson to the project, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. This isn't the only action film Johnson has signed onto today though.

According to Variety, Johnson has now committed to playing the titular character in Brett Ratner's Hercules. Johnson seems like a natural and quality choice to fill the sandal's of Hercules in the movie based on the comic Hercules: The Thracian Wars. I'm not much of a believer in Brett Ratner as a director but hopefully he will surprise us with a quality movie. Even if it doesn't rise to the level of great film-making, even schlocky Greek myth can serve as decent guilty pleasure. The basis certainly seems to be there for a rip roaring action film. I haven't read the comic but the description on Amazon makes it sound akin to God of War.
Hercules: The Thracian Wars

Nearly 3,200 years ago, a tormented soul walked the Earth as neither man nor god: Hercules, powerful son of the god-king Zeus, and for this he received nothing but suffering. After 12 arduous labors and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods, finding solace only in bloody battle. Over the years, he warmed to the company of six similar souls, bonded by their love of fighting and the presence of death never questioning where they go or who they fight, just how much they will be paid. Now the King of Thrace has hired these mercenaries to turn his men into the greatest army of all time, which means training them to be as bloodthirsty and ruthless as their own reputation. It is time for this band of lost souls to finally have their eyes opened to how far they have fallen and the narrow, perilous path to their own redemption.

Between the above description and the artwork on this page, it appears this movie will continue the mould of 300 and Immortals as a visually strinking and violent action film. It doesn't look like we are going to be getting Bullfinch's Mythology, but were we really expecting that?

I want to know what you guys think. Do these movies sound promising, or is Johnson signing on to be the best thing in some more mediocre films? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

RIP Ralph McQuarrie

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:26:54 PST

Movies lost one of the great unsung heroes of sci-fiction films over the weekend. Ralph McQuarrie, the visionary conceptual artist who helped George Lucas literally shape and define the Star Wars universe, lost his life at the age of 82. The Star Wars universe was born in Lucas's imagination, but it didn't start to become a tangible place that the rest of us could visit until McQuarrie made it real with his talents as an artist. McQuarrie was the first one who had to figure out what a Light-saber looked like, how an X-wing flew and of course help define the iconic visage of Darth Vader. We have lost a giant of imagination.

George Lucas has released a brief statement on StarWars.com which you can read here:

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of such a visionary artist and such a humble man. Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars. His genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'Do it like this.'

"Beyond the movies, his artwork has inspired at least two generations of younger artists—all of whom learned through Ralph that movies are designed. Like me, they were thrilled by his keen eye and creative imagination, which always brought concepts to their most ideal plateau. In many ways, he was a generous father to a conceptual art revolution that was born of his artwork, and which seized the imaginations of thousands and propelled them into the film industry. In that way, we will all be benefiting from his oeuvre for generations to come. Beyond that, I will always remember him as a kind and patient, and wonderfully talented, friend and collaborator."

—George Lucas

Ralph McQuarrie

1929 – 2012

Josh Brolin Makes The MIB3 Trailer Look Good

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:45:36 PST

I've never been a Men In Black fan. The first film wasn't terrible, but it wasn't anything special either. The second film wasn't even as mediocre as the original and I figured at that point the franchise was totally dead and even if it continued I wouldn't be interested in any subsequent films. Now comes along MIB3 and despite my better judgment my interest is piqued.

This isn't to say that the newest trailer shows any type of new direction to earn my intrigue. Nope, it looks like the same old goofy CGI, digs at odd celebrities and obvious one-liners that felt tired when this franchise launched back in the 90's. The tone is certainly consistent with the previous movies, because most of this footage looks like it could be deleted scenes from the earlier movies. What has me developing a desire to see this movie is Josh Brolin's seemingly note-perfect performance as a younger Tommy Lee Jones. I know that I shouldn't allow myself to be drawn into the obvious hype that the studio is trying to use as a hook, but I just can't help it. I'm sure I'm going to regret it, but Josh Brolin may just get me into the theater for a third MIB.

You can't judge me though. Take a look at the newly released trailer below and tell me Brolin doesn't make you smile. If you can watch this trailer and not be a little interested in checking out his performance you are a better man than I. So watch and leave a comment below to let me know what you think.

Academy Awards Reaction

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:20:04 PST

Another Academy Awards has come and gone. To me the biggest take-away from the show itself, is that even if Billy Crystal is the best Oscar host in the last 30 yrs his time has passed. His hosting was perfectly serviceable, but instead of being familiar and fun it just felt like a retread that wasn't as funny as it used to be. To be frank, aside from a couple of decent zingers, the same old-timey jokes he's used before were a bit boring. For my money the best host from the last few years was Hugh Jackman. It is a bit ironic because I was not expecting anything from him, but that guy put on a show. Hugh Jackman showed he can sing, he can dance, he is funny(and topical) with charisma and class to spare. Crystal was always my favorite but it is time to put him out to pasture and bring Jackman back ASAP.

In terms of the actual awards there weren't too many surprises. If you read my Oscar predictions articles you could see that I got 17 out of 21 correct, so the awards mostly fell how we thought they would. To me the two biggest "upsets" of the evening were Jean Dujardain winning for Best Actor and Viola Davis not taking home the prize for Best Actress. Dujardain and Meryl Streep are both fantastic actors who gave great performances so it's tough to hold a grudge, but for my money George Clooney and Viola Davis turned in the far superior performances.

The award I was particularly disappointed in was Best Picture. Now, don't get me wrong I love The Artist, but The Descendants was an almost revelation of a movie. The Descendants did some of the hardest things to do in a film and made it look both effortless and immediate. The Descendants using a naturalistic, sincere and truthful style of film-making was able to make a film about the real and sometimes awkwardness of everyday life. The Descendants was able to make the mundane engaging and important. The Descendants was a film that deserved to win the night's biggest award and upset The Artist.

Regardless of what you or I thought of the final awards though, we had some fantastic movies in 2011 that we can treasure in the years to come. To put a capstone on the year in movies 2011 gave us, I will be unveiling my top ten list on Wednesday. And, then it'll be time to move on to what we can look forward to in 2012, starting with John Carter this coming Friday!

I want to know what you think, so take a look at the a results below leave a comment. Who do you think got snubbed? Did you agree with most of the winners? How did you do on your Oscar ballot? Let your voice be heard, and make sure to the podcast on Friday for complete Oscar breakdown and reactions.

Visual Effects
Winner - Hugo
Prediction - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Sound Mixing
Winner - Hugo
Prediction - Hugo

Sound Editing
Winner - Hugo
Prediction - War Horse

Live Action Short Film
Winner - The Shore
No Prediction

Animated Short Film
Winner - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
No Prediction

Original Song
Winner - Man or Muppet
Prediction - Man or Muppet

Original Score
Winner - The Artist
Prediction - The Artist

Makeup
Winner - The Iron Lady
Prediction - The Iron Lady

Foreign Language Film
Winner - A Separation
Prediction - A Separation

Film Editing
Winner - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Prediction - Moneyball

Documentary Short Film
Winner - Saving Face
No Prediction

Documentary Feature
Winner - Undefeated
Prediction - Undefeated

Costume Design
Winner - The Artist
Prediction - The Artist

Cinematography
Winner - Hugo
Predication - Hugo

Art Direction
Winner - Hugo
Prediction - Hugo

Original Screenplay
Winner - Midnight in Paris
Prediction - Midnight in Paris

Adapted Screenplay
Winner - The Descendants
Prediction - The Descendants

Animated Feature
Winner - Rango
Prediction - Rango

Supporting Actress
Winner - Octavia Spencer
Prediction - Octavia Spencer

Actress
Winner - Merly Streep
Prediction - Viola Davis

Supporting Actor
Winner - Christopher Plummer
Prediction - Christopher Plummer

Actor
Winner - Jean Dujardain
Prediction - Jean Dujardain

Director
Winner - Michel Hazanavicius
Prediction - Michel Hazanavicius

Picture
Winner - The Artist
Prediction - The Artist

Frankenweenie Trailer Looks Good?!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:05:13 PST

I have been really pessimistic about Tim Burton for the last decade or so. His recent movies don't seem to be original visions anymore so-much as just the application of a certain brand and aesthetic to as many pre-existing properties as possible. That is a huge disappointment coming from a director who brought us three near perfect films(Beatlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood). It would be really easy to roll our eyes at the fact that he is now remaking his own short-film Frankenweenie, as a stop-motion feature, as the ultimate in creative bankruptcy. Maybe we shouldn't be so quite to condemn on this project though.

I am really digging everything we have seen from this movie so far. Whether it was the Frankenweenie poster or now this movie trailer; Frankenweenie is starting to look like a movie worth paying attention too. I love that the film is black and white and the mood from this preview instantly takes me back to the original film. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Frankenweenie looks good! Who knows, maybe the Tim Burton we used to love will rise from the grave.

Watch the trailer and let me know what you think. Am I off my rocker? Is this just more disposable crap from Burton? Do you think Burton never lost it and I'm full of it? Is Frankenweenie a movie you are looking forward to? Leave a comment below!

Indiana Jones Collection Will Hit Blu-ray This Fall!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:24:13 PST

Today is a great day to be a geek? "Why?", you may ask? Because our long national nightmare is over . . . we will finally be getting Indiana Jones on Blu-ray as we all deserve! If you aren't stoked for this, then you either aren't human or simply haven't discovered the blessing that is Blu-ray. I know I have been waiting a few years for this announcement, so I'm sure many of you have as well.

The set will release this fall and contain all four of the franchise's films along with a, "collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises." If the gorgeous Star Wars set released last summer is any indication we should be in for something really special with this collection. And, any of you complaining about the inclusion of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, get over it. It is a fun movie that honors the originals, is no more far-fetched or cartoony than the previous movies and is at least as good as The Last Crusade.

So what do you guys think? Are you as excited about this as I am? Or, are you not on the Blu-ray bandwagon yet? Leave a comment below!

If you want to place a pre-order on Amazon you can do that right here:

You can read the full press release below:

ONLY ONE NAME DEFINES THE ULTIMATE HERO…

ONLY ONE FORMAT DELIVERS THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE…

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE COMPLETE INDIANA JONES

FILM COLLECTION COMES TO BLU-RAY!

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (February 29, 2012) – The man with the hat is back – and looking better than ever! The world’s favorite globe-trotting archaeologist is, at long last, embarking on his greatest adventure – when The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection will be excavated in the fall of 2012 and will include all four of Indy’s thrilling adventures, using the highest possible high definition picture and audio presentation – along with a “best of” collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution

Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

Lucasfilm, Indiana Jones™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

New Trailer For The Avengers!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:43:54 PST

I can't wait for the Avenger's to hit theaters. If it isn't my most anticipated movie of the year, it is certainly in my top three . . . and, that's where my struggle comes in. I am so excited for this movie that I want to devour every little bit of information that I can. If you listen to Nickel-Eye NewsCast though, you know that not only do I find it hard to contain my excitement but I want to keep an air of at least some mystery around this movie. I have been conflicted ever since this newest trailer has been released. You have no idea how much I want to click and watch this ad, but I just won't let myself. Between the teaser after Captain America, the Superbowl spot I couldn't ignore and all the set photos that have been floating around, I feel like I already know more than I should. Even if I haven't been perfect about my cone of silence, I am gona stay strong on this one . . . but that doesn't measn you need too!

I want my readers to decide for themselves if they want to check the latest trailer out. So I have posted it below to tempt you. So feel free to check it out, and if you do make sure you leave a comment about what you think, since I won't be seeing it for myself! (Just stay away from specifics and spoilers or I will hunt you down like a dog!) So check it out and leave a comment below!

Jonah Hill Ready For More Drama With Pitt And Franco

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:04:37 PST

It looks like after his best supporting actor nomination Sunday night, Jonah Hill can't wait to get back into dramatic roles. Deadline just reported that he is going to be teaming with James Franco in a Brad Pitt produced drama based on the book True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa.

The movie will tell the real life story of a journalist from the New York Times Magazine named Michael Finkel(Jonah Hill). In 2002 a man from the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List named Christian Longo(James Franco) was hiding out in Mexico using Finkel's name. This ended up costing Finkel his job, but when Longo was finally apprehended Longo told authorities that he would only speak to Finkel. Longo saw this as a means to prove his innocences and Finkel saw it as a way to clear his sullied reputation.

If you would have told me 6 months ago that Jonah Hill would be co-starring in a drama with James Franco, I would have thought this had train-wreck written all over it. What a difference a couple of movies can make. Moneyball showed that Hill has the potential to be as serious an actor as anyone else. I would even argue that after his contolled performance in Moneyball he could see a carrer arc similar to that of Woody Harrelson is he so chose. Obviously, he impressed Pitt as well, since they are already working together again on this new project.

I for one see this as a very encouraging sign. After Punch Drunk Love it looked like Adam Sandler could become any type of actor he wanted to be, unfortuantely he never approached that level again(even hit an all time low this weekend with a record number of Razzie Awards). So, even though 21 Jump Street will be Hill's next film, it looks like we don't have to worry about completely losing another taleneted actor to the dung heap of big budget Hollywood comedies for the rest of his career.

What do you guys think? Would you prefer Hill stick with only comedy or drama? Or do you think it would be best if he can maintain a balance? Leave a comment and let yourself be heard!

The Avenger's Assemble On Their First Poster!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:15:58 PST

If you guys have been reading this site for any amount of time you know two things about me. 1. I couldn't be more hyped for The Avengers imminent release 2. I hate shoddy photoshopped movie posters. Well, we now have an official one-sheet for The Avengers and it hits both of those things. I absolutely love the concept of the team assembled amongst a crumbling New York ready to kick some serious ass . . . on the other hand everyone is looking off in different directions and doing their own odd little thing. A couple of them look ready for battle, others like they are posing for a Christmas card and Black Widow looks like she's either pouting or too concerned with looking cool and mysterious. The poster is so obviously photoshopped that part of me would wonder that it wasn't fan made, but this is definitely legit as it popped up on Marvel.com.

So with all that being said, how do I feel about it? I have to admit I think it is cool and I can't stop looking at it! On an objective level this is a poorly made poster, but my inner fan boy just can't be denied on this one, anything Avengers related gets me psyched for the movie at this point.

I want to know what you think. Is this a cool poster or does it actually dampen your excitement for the flick? Look at the poster below and leave a comment to let you voice be heard!

Nickel-Eye NewsCast Episode 2 - Oscar Preview And More . . .

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:07:14 PST

In today's episode of Nickel-Eye NewsCast, you will hear thoughts on some of the top movie news stories of the week, an Academy Awards breakdown, some John McClane Jr talk, thoughts on The Age of Innocence in The Rewind and so much more! After you check out the podcast, you can let me know what you think either in the comments below, email me at nickeleyenews@gmail.com or on twitter at @TheNickelEye. If the above player doesn't work for you, you can access the podcast directly here or subscribe on iTunes(make sure to leave a rating!) Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!

Please note that Nickel-Eye NewsCast is a completely unscripted progam on a subject I am extremly passionate about. Nickel-Eye NewsCast is intended for mature audiences and my contain language some may find offensive.

Oscar Picks 2012 - Best Picture And More . . .

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:58:04 PST

Actor
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt -Moneyball

Should Win: The one performance that rises above any other this year is George Clooney in The Descendants. We've known for a long time the George Clooney can act and has an amazing screen presence, he is the biggest movie stars in the world for a reason. The level of talent he shows in this role is almost shocking though. He creates an honest, awkward and humble portrait of a real man warts, idiosyncrasies and all. This isn't your typical Oscar-bait roles of a dying man and he doesn't have the opportunity for alot of histrionics. No it is a quiet portrait of a man slowing suffocating in his own life. It isn't just George Clooney's performance that shows his talent, but the way he a elevates the acting of every other person in the film. He's like a great point guard giving every other actor what they need to score. George Clooney may have given the performance of his life in The Descendants and Hollywood's leading man deserves to take home the statue.

Will Win: As much is I think that George Clooney deserves to win the Oscar for best actor, one cannot discount the possibility that Jean Dujardin may take the award. No one but the two of them has much of a chance in this category. Damian Bichir's movie is simply too small, Gary Oldman's performance is too controlled and I suspect people feel like they're still waiting for the right moment to finally award Brad Pitt and Moneyball isn't it. This award will go to George Clooney or Jean Dujardin. I love what George Clooney did and think he deserves the award, but The Artist is just poised to have a huge night. Jean Dujardin is going to be swept to the Best Actor Oscar.

Actress

Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Should Win: There is always a lot of intrigue surrounds the award for best actress, there a lot of different angles that can dictate how members may vote. That's all human interest stories and politics though, and shouldn't be what this award is about. This award should be about superb acting and in that regard, Viola Davis is at the top of the heap. Viola Davis so completely created her character using everything from her walking gate to her bold vocal mannerisms to a wide eyed yearning and embarrassment, that she ceased to be simply character on the screen became a real person for us. Viola Davis's character in The Help could have easily been one-dimensional or even patronizing. Instead her rich, soulful performance served as both an illustration of a class and a wholly realized individual. Viola Davis wasn't simply good in The Help, the quality of the entire film was raised by her performance. Viola Davis deserves to take home this prize.

Will Win: Politics and human interest shouldn't in this category but they will. Rooney Mara has the toughest times take on this award, she's playing a part that another actress has played a recently to critical acclaim. Glenn Close probably wants to win worse than any other actress. She's been nominated six times and never won an Oscar and Albert Nobbs was a dream passion project of hers for years. I just don't think enough people are excited about her film to get her a win though. Michelle Williams is great and Hollywood loves Marilyn, but if she didn't win for Brokeback mountain or Blue Valentine, I don't think this is the film to put her over the top. Meryl Streep has been went been winning a lot of awards for her role as Margaret Thatcher, and we know the Academy loves her, so common wisdom is Meryl Streep will win. I don't think that can happen though. As much as the Academy loves Streep they won't feel guilty for not giving her a fourth award. Viola Davis may bring enough people to her corner to be the surprise of the night. It may just be my own biases but Viola Davis will win best actress of the year.

Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Should Win/Will Win: I think best animated feature is a bit bloated in terms of the number of nominees, but fairly straightforward in terms of who's going to win. Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots simply aren't taken seriously enough to earn the award. A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita aren't well known enough to take the prize. That means Rango, as an offbeat and quirky Hollywood film with the star power of Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp will win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Original Song

Man or Muppet - The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
Real in Rio – Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Should Win/Will Win: Many people are wondering why we have an original song category. The rules are so archaic that a lot of best nominees can never get nominated. This year seems especially sad with only two nominees. The Academy is even so apathetic that there will not even be performances of the songs during a ceremony this year. But, these are the nominees and one of them has to win. Man or Muppet will win Best Original Song because it serves the movie better, and the film is more respected.

Documentary Feature

Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth
Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Should Win/Will Win: I have to admit that I haven't seen enough of the nominees in this category feel like I'm qualified to make a pick. From what I have seen, as well as the chatter, it really seems to be a two-way race between Paradise Lost 3 and Undefeated. Paradise Lost 3 certainly has a chance because of the huge public interest in the story and the popularity of the previous films. The movie just doesn't have the impact the first film did. That's why if I had to put money down, I would say that Undefeated is most likely to win. As both an insightful and inspirational sports documentary I think it really has the inside track on the award.

Makeup

Albert Nobbs - Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
The Iron Lady - Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Should Win: Call me a geek if you want, but when it comes to categories like best makeup I'm always going to prefer monsters and over-the-top fantasy to more subtle character driven age makeup. If I had a vote for this category it would be going to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Harry Potter is only nominated for two Oscars Sunday night and it would be nice to recognize the film as it rides into the sunset.

Will Win: I have a feeling that Harry Potter doesn't have much of a chance here just because of the more character centric work of the other two films. In particular I think alot of credit is going to be given to Iron Lady. The do such an expert job transforming Meryl Streep into Margret Thatcher through the decades you often forget just who it is up on screen. That will be good enough to take home the Academy Award.

Sound Mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
Hugo - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
Moneyball - Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
War Horse - Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Should Win/Will Win: I mentioned yesterday the difference between sound editing and sound mixing is that sound editing in the creation of sounds and sound mixing is the way the sound is lined up, where it goes and controlling it's volume, effects etc. Hugo's soundtrack is the most impressive of the year. With the ambient sounds of a train station that never is completely silent, the ticking of clock gears, the roll of a projector, the murmur of crowds and the joy of a movie set Hugo's soundtrack keeps us grounded and understanding the world we are visiting. None of the sound in Hugo ever becomes oppressive, yet we never lose important information. That is why it will take home the prize.

Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Should Win: The two movies that are most deserving of winning Best Picture are The Artist and The Descendants. I love The Artist and think it's an amazing film, but I would not vote for The Artist to win the Oscar. If you have been reading my Oscar predictions over the last few days a couple of things should have become painfully clear by now, 1. I really like a bunch of different things about all these nominees 2. I love The Descendants. The Descendants is a grown-up movie made for adults about real life situations. Even though it's got one of the biggest movie stars in the world there is no glamor for artifice in this film. The characters in The Descendants aren't extraordinary for any reason other than the fact that there are ordinary. The issues that The Descendants wrestles with aren't fantasy, war, the artistic process, Major League Baseball, the history or cinema, race relations, 9/11 or the meaning of life. The Descendants is about simple things, like how can I be happy? What does it mean to forgive someone? What does it mean to love? If we are unhappy, how can we change it? What does family really mean? What does commitment mean? The Descendants is a straight forward movie that doesn't try to answer these questions for us. It just shows us relateable characters and we them struggle with the same issues that affect us all. The reason The Descendants deserves to win Best Picture is because when the movie was over I wasn't thinking about George Clooney's masterful performance, I wasn't thinking about or the maturity and skill of Payne's direction. When I walked out of The Descendants i was thinking about my own life. When a movie can cease being about the artists that created it, and become about the audience experiencing it, you have something very , very special. That is why The Descendants deserves to win Best Picture.

Will Win: So, you just read my impassioned plea making the case for The Descendants to win Best Picture, but I really don't think it's going to win the top honor. The Descendants is a movie that requires it's audience consider it as a piece of art that has something to share with them. As a result not everyone will connect with the film and will wonder what all the fuss is about. That's why The Descendant's won't win. All of these movies will have a puncher's chance in this category because they appeal to particular groups; Woody Allen lovers, people who like accessible films about race struggles, cinephiles will be enamoured with Hugo's love of cinema, each group seems to have a movie perfectly suited to them. That is why The Artist will win Best Picture. The Artist is a movie that breaks down barriers and comes to audiences exactly where they are. No matter what you like in your movies The Artist will appeal to you. If you enjoy comedy or melodrama. The Artist is for you. If you love beautiful black-and-white photography or old Hollywood glamour, The Artist is for you. If your are a lover of history or Hollywood, The Artist is for you. If you're looking for want an homage to cinema genre or a message to parallel modern life, The Artist is for you. The Artist can appeal to any anyone from the most discerning critic to the most pretentious art-house snob to the geekiest geek to the person whose views movies is only a mild distraction. You can play The Artist for any audience anywhere in the world, and they would only understand it but they enjoy it. There is no other movie that comes close to having that broad appeal this year. The Artist will win the Academy award for best picture of the year.

So let me know what you think. Have I been right on the money or way off? Who will the big winners be Sunday night? Leave a comment below!

The First Images Of Kiera Knightly As Anna Karenina

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:57:23 PST

The first images from Joe Wright's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina have been released. It goes without saying they are absolutely gorgeous. I am a huge Joe Wright fan. He is one of the greatest directors working today. He has an ability to convey complex emotional situations with strikingly bold visuals that truly sets him apart. I couldn't be more excited for this film.

The movie is being produced by Focus Features, and will likely debut this fall. Anna Karenina is the story of love stifled by the trappings of society and the complications that can arise as a result. He is teaming with his leading lady, Kiera Knightly, for a third time. Since there previous collaborations resulted in two of the best movies of the last few years, I'd say that can only mean good things. I apologize if it seems like I am slobbering all over this project, but that is only because I am. Joe Wright is amazing and when you give him Leo Tolstoy's Russia to play in, with his favourite muse, we are in for something special.

Take a gander at the pictures and let me know what you think(hit the jump to see them all). Are you excited to see what's next from the man that brought you Pride and Prejudice and Atonement? Or does the idea of another period love story starring Kiera Knightly bore you to tears? Leave a comment below and let yourself be heard!

Oscar Picks 2012 - Best Supporting Actor/Actress And More . . .

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:10:59 PST

The 84th Academy Awards will be held this coming Sunday night, February 26th. Each day I will reveal my predictions for multiple awards with a culmination on Friday with a complete listing of all Oscar predictions and a complete breakdown of the Oscar race on a special Academy Awards edition of Nickel-Eye NewsCast! If you missed the previous picks you can find Day 1 here and Day 2 here. Let's get to today's predictions!

Original Screenplay
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids - Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call - J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
A Separation - Asghar Farhadi

Should Win: There is only one screenplay in this category that rises above the rest and deserves to win. Bridesmaids isn't that film because not only is it a straight comedy, but I didn't feel it was even that strong an example of it's genre. Margin Call is a nice film that took a topical & dry subject and made it interesting and dramatic, but it isn't a movie we will still be referring to decades from now. I absolutely loved A Separation but it is hard to judge the strength of a screenplay when only a portion of it is translated. The Artist has a great story and structure, but there is no competing with one of the strongest screenplays of Woody Allen's career. His screenplay deals with the artistic process, nostalgia, unrequited longing and self doubt in both insightful and hilarious ways. Witty dialogue in Midnight in Paris isn't an end to itself, but a way to gain insight into both character and some broad issues that we all struggle with. The brilliance of the script is that Allen puts words to emotions that we all feel yet are so often unable to vocalize. Midnight in Paris was the best written film of the year.

Will Win: I don't see how Woody Allen doesn't win this Academy Award. Even if The Artist is having a huge night, I think the Academy will want to recognize Woody Allen's work in some way. The Best Original Screenplay Oscar will becomes a consolation prize to one of America's greatest auteurs.

Foreign Language Film
Bullhead - Belgium
Footnote - Israel
In Darkness - Poland
Monsieur Lazhar - Canada
A Separation - Iran

Should Win: This is one of the few categories that is an absolute slam dunk, in terms of the film that should win will win. A Separation isn't just a great "Foreign-Language Film" is a great film by any measure. It would be easy and incorrect to try and sum up the film in one sentence as being about a man and a woman headed towards divorce. This is a movie that cannot be so easily defined. This is a film about great divides affecting everything from class, gender, religion, age, spouses, bureaucracy and even distance from one's own mind or emotions. The movie achieves the unique feat of being universally human and giving us greater insight and understanding into a society we seldom see or understand from the outside. A Separation is a great and timely film that deserves all of the recognition it can get on Sunday night.

Will Win: This is a clear case where the film that should win, will win. The only possible upset would come from the Polish film, In Darkness. The Academy has often responded well to films about the Holocaust but subject matter won't be enough to win the award. A Separation has so much momentum it even got a nomination for best original screenplay as a foreign film. This movie has a ton of support and will win the Academy award for best foreign language film.

Sound Editing
Drive - Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Ren Klyce
Hugo - Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
War Horse - Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Should Win: In case you were wondering, sound editing is the collection and creation of the sounds that you hear in a movie and sound mixing deals with the placement and volume of the sounds. So the Best Sound Editing award should go to the best individual sounds of the year. For my money it's an easy call this year, War Horse had one of the most immerse soundtracks of the year. You could clearly hear and feel every hoof fall, bullet and more. War Horse didn't simply show you World War I, you heard and felt it as well. Warhorse deserves the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.

Will Win: Warhorse and Transformers: Dark of the Moon have to be considered the front-runners for this category. They both have big robust and plentiful sound effects, but I do think that it is worth mentioning the less in-your-face work of Hugo. Whether it is the sound the clockwork gears of a toy, the ambient noises the giant train station or the flicker of a film projector; Hugo's sound editors brought many different elements into the fold. Unfortunately, it just won't be showy enough to get the win. War Horse is going to win this Oscar. It has a robust enough soundtrack to compete with a spectacle film like Transformers, but it also has more respect as an all around good movie. I would be surprised if War Horse didn't take the prize.

Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Should Win: What I'm about to say is going to surprise alot of people, but Max von Sydow deserves to win Best Supporting Actor. It is nothing against any of the other performances in this category, it is simply a matter of him elevating the material he was given to work with. Max von Sydow was able to take a character that never opens his mouth to speak and not only garner sympathy but relay so much emotional information we begin to understand him. He enters the film as a complete mystery and by the end we feel know exactly who this man is, why he acts as he does and how he feels about his life. That is truly exceptional work. Max von Sydow deserves to win.

Will Win: This one is a little harder to predict than it is to choose a favorite. Aside from Jonah Hill, each one of these men has been nominated multiple times and never taken an Oscar home. I don't think Branagh will win, because he is younger and seen as both a film-maker and an actor, they won't go out of their way to award him for a supporting role in someone else's film. That leaves Max von Sydow, Nick Nolte and Christopher Plummer. It is easy to see that awarding any of these men will be seen as a bit of a "lifetime" achievement award. The question is which one? I don't think that Nolte has the full support of Hollywood back after his decline over the last decade. Of the two men that are left Christopher Plummer would be the safest bet. He has been winning awards everywhere for his performance in Beginners. Let's face it, playing a dying man never hurt anyone's chances at winning an award either. As much as I would love for Max von Sydow to win, Christopher Plummer will take home the prize.

Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help

Should Win: This might be my favorite award of the night comes Sunday. What makes it so neat is that any woman that wins this award you can honestly call it an upset. Each of these women are underdogs for different reasons. Whether it is race, country of origin, body type or something else all of these women have struggled just to get their careers going. Any of these women getting acclaim on Sunday night will be something really exciting to see. As happy as I would be to see any of these women win the three most deserving of recognition are Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer. Looking at the two women from The Help I would be more inclined to recognize Jessica Chastain. Octavia Spencer did a beautiful job of playing a woman we can all love but it is Jessica Chastain who had the harder task. She had to play a "silly" chrachter with a hidden soulfulness. It's not an easy thing to hide pain, sorrow and embarrassment behind cleavage, big hair and comedy pratfalls while keeping the whole performance honest, but that's exactly what Jessica Chastain did. As much as I respect her performance though, and that of all the other women, Berenice Bejo deserves to take the statue home. Through her performance The Artist in imbued with heart, soul and a conscious. Wit her physical grace, beauty and skill she represents the good possibilities of all our tomorrows. I can imagine The Help without Jessica Chastain, The Artist could not exist with Berenice Bejo. THat is why she deserves the Academy Award.

Will Win: When we look at who's going to win Best Supporting Actress there are couple of people that just don't have a chance. Albert Nobbs doesn't have the awards momentum to carry relatively unknown Janet McTeer to picking up the statue. As fun as it would be to see Mike and Molly star Melissa McCarthy win an Oscar, the Academy Awards simply takes itself too seriously to award a purely comedic role. Which means we are once again left with the two nominees from The Help alongside Berenice Bejo. When it comes to voting Octavia Spencer might have a leg up on her costar. She has already picked up numerous awards, including Best Supporting Actress from the Golden Globes. The question is whether the Academy will want to knowledge Octavia Spencer for her sassy performance or will it crown a bright new star with this award as it did with Marion Cotillard four years ago. Once again, I think The Artist is going to have a big night and Berenice Bejo is such an indispensable part of the film that with those two advantages built-in she will win the award.

Sound off below with your thoughts on these categories. Am I right on the nose or way off? Leave a comment below and make sure you look for more Academy Award predictions as the week moves forward!

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope Trailer And Poster Debut

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:27:22 PST

I am a Geek. I have no problem admitting that I have a deep love for science-fiction and fantasy, I stand in line for midnight screenings and yes I even read comic books. I am not however, that special breed of Geekdom that allows their interests to dominate and define their lives. In fact, despite my shared interests, I find this subculture incredibly fascinating and cannot get enough of movies that examine people with these unorthodox passions and obsessions. Whether it is Darkon, Monster Camp or Trekkies I love these kind's of films.

Today sees the premiere of the trailer and poster for Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope. This may be the biggest budget and most polished movie on a subject like this ever made. The movie is directed by Morgan Spurlock. I am not a big fan of his because I feel his films are often agenda driven and manipulative rather than the honest investigations he purports them to be. In spite of that, I really like what I see from this trailer. The movie doesn't look like it wants to mock those with unconventional passions, but celebrate them. I really appreciate what appears to be a focus on fans using Comic-Con can be as a stepping stone to their real world goals, rather than just a place to revel in fantasy excess. When a movie has Stan Lee, Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon on board it will certainly have more than enough geek street cred to get noticed. Now let's just hope the movie can live up to the promise of this trailer.

I want to know what you think. Sound off and tell me what you would like to see in this film. Is this something you are interested in? Do you think this film could have any crossover appeal to the public at large? Leave a comment below!

New Brave Trailer Is An Extended Clip

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:31:14 PST

The promised new trailer for Brave hit the internet this morning. What makes it interesting, is that even though Disney is referring to it as a trailer, it is more or less a straight two-minute clip from the movie. I for one am not complaining, the clip confirms many of the things we assumed all along. The movie is going to be gorgeous, the setting is interesting, the humor is actually funny and these are rich characters we want to spend more time with. I am definitely excited for this one. It will be interesting to see if this "trailer" does actually play in theaters though.

So watch the clip and let me know what you think. Are you excited about Brave? What does this clip do for you? Make sure to leave a comment!

Oscar Picks 2012 - Best Adapted Screenplay And More . . .

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:33:15 PST

Should Win: My first instinct is to throw my support behind Moneyball for taking elements as disparate as old news footage, spreadsheets, actors in separate locations, text written directly on the screen and making it both understandable and emotional. The work done on Moneyball is something to truly be applauded. The Descendants and that is where I have to give my endorsement though. When discussing The Descendants it isn't so much about where the cuts are, but where they aren't. With a lesser hands guiding the flow of this film it could have easily become TV in nature, but it doesn't. Shots are held longer in this move than they often would be, sometimes uncomfortably so. Not only are the performances often allowed to breathe, but an air of awkwardsness and tension is often given to a scene. It's not something we often see in film editing and thats why Kevin Tent deserves the Oscar for his work on The Descendants.

Will Win: I am going to be rooting for The Descendants to win on Sunday night, but I don't think they will get the prize. I think the techniques which are utilized in the film are just too subtle and don't scream "look at me". I also don't think Hugo and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo have much of a chance. There just wasn't enough there for the voters to grab ahold of, and Schoonmaker already has three of these awards. That leaves Moneyball and The Artist as our two possible winners. The case for both films is fairly strong. Moneyball has the showier job of taking disparate elements and helping an audience understand them. The Artist on the other could be given credit for helping shape the film in a way that the audience remains engaged through images alone, without the aid of sound. If The Artist wins it will probably mean The Artist is in for a big night, but I think it will be edged out. Ultimately the technical prowess of Moneyball will win the day and earn The Academy Award.

Cinematography

The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Jeff Cronenweth
Hugo - Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life - Emmanuel Lubezki
War Horse - Janusz Kaminski

Should Win: Nothing against any of the other nominees in the category, but Hugo deserves this award hands down. While War Horse is an homage to war films past and present, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has sense of sharp coldness and The Artist brings the beauty of black and white film back to the masses, they simply can't compete with Hugo. Even The Tree of Life, with it's soft images of a childhood long past and barely remembered, doesn't deserve the award. What Hugo does is combine a world of bright vibrancy, wonder, imagination and the nostalgia of a past that never existed to create a world that could only live in our wildest dreams or on a movie screen. The images of Hugo are literally the stuff dreams are made of, and demand to be awarded.

Will Win: This is an award that could very well be decided by the momentum of the evening. I don't think that Tree of Life and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo have very realistic shots with their lack of awards momentum. Of the remaining films, I view Hugo and War Horse to be most worthy of the win. I think War Horse may be too classical in it's style for some voters though. The Artist could steal this category if it starts to sweep the night, but I just don't think that it will be enough in the end. Hugo will take home the prize.

Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
Hugo - Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
Real Steel - Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Should Win: Visual Effect is always a fun category because everyone understands what the award is for and this category often has many of the big summer blockbuster's that rarely get nominated in the other categories. The nominees this year also offer a bit of anything you could want from visual effects; from giant robots in Real Steel & Transformers, magical battles in Harry Potter, a painterly story book Paris brought to life or animals that can think and feel in Planet of the Apes. The one that stood out from the pack and deserves special recognition is Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The other films were impressive, but what Planet of the Apes will be graded on a curve. Perhaps the most difficult thing to do in all of special effects is to create a believable organic character and I feel Planet of the Apes did that as well or better than it has ever been done before. That is why Rise of the Planet of the Apes deserves an Oscar.

Will Win: Projecting the winner for this category could be very tricky. Real Steel could be a dark horse because the robot work was so convincing that it was sometimes difficult to tell when you were seeing CGI or a practical model on screen, but the film wasn't breaking new ground. Then you have Transformers and the destruction of Chicago is hard to ignore, but it feels like we've seen it before. One of my personal favorites is Hugo, but the fantasy style mixed with beautiful real world sets often makes you forget you are seeing an effect(which is great for the movie, but not so much for an award). That means that the Academy Award will go to either Harry Potter or Planet of the Apes. While I don't think it's much of a contest as to which film's effects were more impressive I have a nagging feeling that Oscar voters will want to honor the end of the Harry Potter franchise with some recognition. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is going to steal the award.

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Hugo - John Logan
The Ides of March - George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Should Win: This category is tough for me to be honest about. I absolutely adore Aaron Sorkin and root for him in any context. . . but Moneyball was just not the best Adapted Screenplay of the year. I would also like to give props to The Descendants and Hugo for taking books and turning them into such purely cinematic experiences that it is difficult for me to imagine them in any other context. But if I am going to be honest about who did the best job of adapting a book to a script, the award deserves to go to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The way they were able to juggle multiple time periods, locations, names, code names, spy jargon, numerous characters, a period setting & flashback and not only make it comprehensible but tense, exciting and engaging. They truly deserve recognition by the Academy.

Will Win: Aside from a small chance that The Descendants may slip in there as a way to honor the movie as a whole, this award belongs to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I was able to appreciate the amazing work that was done on the script and I was in not familiar with the source material. Those that have read the book were reportedly shocked at how they were able to take a huge novel and condense it into an effective two hour form, when the BBC struggled to fit it into a seven hour mini-series. I don't see how that work doesn't win.

So what do you think of these categories? Do you disagree with any of my picks? Or, maybe you feel there were some snubs? Make sure to leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

John McClane Jr Has Been Cast!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:19:42 PST

Tom Rothman, the chairman of Fox, has just announced on Jim Rome's radio show that Jai Courtney has been cast as John McClane Jr for next winter's A Good Day To Die Hard. You may be familiar with Jai from his work on Spartacus on Starz, but it looks like Hollywood is ready to try and make him a bone-fide action star. I'm not sure how I feel about the Die Hard franchise's current direction(especially these silly titles and PG-13 tone) and would prefer not to have a passing of the torch from generation to generation. If it has to be done though, I guess Courtney is as good a choice as any, he was able to play a sympathetic character in Spartacus so hopefully Jr won't be one-dimensional.

I want to know what you think. Sound off in the comments below about the casting of Courtney as John McClane Jr and what you would like to see happen to this franchise!

Stunning Brave Poster Is Released!

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:24:33 PST

Brave has to should be one of your most anticipated movies of the year. It is a Pixar film that doesn't have a "Cars" in the title, so that alone should be worth your ticket price. No other studio has even close to the track record that Pixar does.

Brave's story is of a princess who brings chaos to her kingdom by ignoring tradition and must use her archery skills to restore peace. If you still aren't convinced, take a gander at the stunning poster below that just premiered on iTunes and be sure to check back tomorrow when a brand new trailer will be making it's debut!

Make sure to leave a comment below to let us know how excited you are for a brand new Pixar film that isn't another sequel!