Get your lean on.

Can’t. Stop. Laughing. At these.

Thx Bos!

OUT NOW

Coco Before Chanel
Audrey Tautou (Amelie) stars in this very pretty looking period biopic about Coco Chanel’s early years.
(Sony Pictures Classics 9/25)

Bright Star
This period drama from Jane Campion (The Piano ughh) is the awards films that I am least likely to see this season.
(Apparition 9/18)

The Burning Plain
Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer of Babel, 21 Grams, and Amores Perros) directorial debut starring Charlize Theron is still limping along – but don’t expect it to be around much longer.
(Magnolia 9/18)

Pandorum
I am a bit surprised that this film didn’t catch on. What isn’t to like about Ben Foster in an intense sci-fi actioner? I liked the script and hope to catch the film before it disappears. Whoops! Too late.
(Overture 9/25)

A Serious Man
I’ll post my full review in the next few days, but in the mean time you gotta watch the trailer for this Coen Bros Jewish period dramedy immediately. It is maybe the most original trailer I’ve ever seen (and is far better than the movie).
(Focus 10/2)

Whip It
I’m not sure if you would call Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut a failure – but it’s no hit. I guess not that many people want to see a movie about rollergirls.
(Fox Searchlight 10/2)

Afterschool
Antonio Campos’s indie high school psychological thriller hasn’t quite broken out yet, but it might find an audience on VOD.
(IFC 10/2)

An Education
This coming of age story of a girl in 1960s London is a run away fave for early awards consideration. I guarantee it gets a Best Pic nom and Carey Mulligan gets an Best Actress nom. Go see it!
(Sony Pictures Classics 10/9)

Adventures of Power
Ari Gold’s Sundance hit comedy about air drummers opened on two screens and then shrunk down to one. Is this one DOA?
(Variance 10/9)

The Damned United
Every time Peter Morgan writes a screenplay it becomes one of my favorites of the year (Last King of Scotland, The Queen, Frost/Nixon) and any time Michael Sheen stars in it his performance is one of my favorites as well. Well the duo is back this awards season with this film about SOCCER! As long as Tom Hooper (John Adams) stays away from the crazy camera angles, this film is bound to be one of my faves of the year.
(Sony Pictures Classics 10/9)

Trucker
There has been some buzz about Michelle Monaghan’s performance as a mother trucker. But with a crowded Best Actress field, will this ultra indie find enough votes?
(Monterey Media 10/16)

New York, I Love You
We’ve seen the format before. This city love letter sports shorts from Shunji Iwai, Mira Nair, and Brett Ratner.
(Vivendi 10/16)

Black Dynamite
Yeeah sucka! This blackspoitation martial arts send up is one of the funniest flicks of the season. I hope a few people go watch it. You betta aks somebody.
(Apparition 10/16)

Where the Wild Things Are
Look for my write-up of Spike Jonze’s impressive fantasy tale here soon. I liked the film a lot, even if it doesn’t fit the normal narrative formula.
(Warners 10/16)

Amelia
This year’s big awards biopic stars Hilary Swank as Ms. Earhart and is directed by Academy sweetheart Mira Nair (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding).
(Fox Searchlight 10/23)

Antichrist
Chaos Reigns!! This divisive film from Lars Von Trier is certainly going to make people talk… But how many will go see it?
(IFC 10/23)

Untitled
Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton star in this pretty silly looking send up of the New York art scene.
(Samuel Goldwyn 10/23)

Week of October 30

Gentlemen Broncos
Ho boy this wacky comedy from Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) is well worth seeing for Jemaine Clement’s performance alone. Plus it features a tiny role by Josh Pais. Josh Pais!
(Fox Searchlight)

Week of November 6

Precious
People have been talk talk talkin about this Harlem drama since it took every award at Sundance last January.
(Lionsgate)

The Box
I have very little in the way of hope for Richard Kelly’s (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) new film starring Cameron Diaz. …or for his career while we are at it.
(Warners)

The Men Who Stare At Goats
Reviews have been a bit mixed for actor turned director Grant Heslov’s George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey and Ewan McGregor black comedy. But there’s no denying the trailer is great.
(Overture)

That Evening Sun
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild) stars in the “Southern gothic” tale of an old man who just wants to see out his remaining years on his farm. The film did very well in the Southern festival circuit (heh).
(Freestyle Releasing)

Splinterheads
There is something that struck me as kinda charming about this little indie romantic comedy that no one is likely to see. I figured I would at least give it a shout.

The Other Side of Paradise
This is the first time I have heard of this ultra-indie comedy – but judging form the laurels flash at the beginning of the trailer it at least played at a bunch of fests. The trailer shows some promise from lead actress Arianne Martin.

Week of November 13

Fantastc Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson gets a lot of criticism for not trying anything new in his films. Well how about a stylistically animated film based on a Roald Dahl book? This will at least be something new.
(Fox Searchlight)

The Messenger
Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson star as Army officers charged with notifying family members – one played by Samantha Morton – when a soldier has been killed. This film is the directorial debut of Oren Moverman, who you probably know as the writer of the hit SKE film Married Life.
(Oscilloscope)

Pirate Radio
Phil Hoffman and Bill Nighy star in this film about 1960s radio DJ who broadcasted from a ship to bring Rock N Roll to England. This film is written and directed by Richard Curtis who wrote Four Weddings and a Funeral and then went on to write every other film like it (Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’, Love Actually, etc.).
(Focus)

Uncertainty
I think this JGL starrer is about some sort of alternate realities, but the trailer is too schizophrenic to tell for sure. I did spot Olivia Thirlby though! Good enough.
(IFC)

Week of November 20

Red Cliff
Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro star in this year’s big Chinese costumer actioner from “Legendary” director John Woo (seriously you can’t find John Woo written anywhere without Legendary before it, jeez man). The sequel is already out in China.
(Magnolia)

Broken Embraces
Almodovar returns with a another celebration of the talent and beauty of Penelope Cruz.
(Sony Pictures Classics)

Week of November 25

Ninja Assassin
From director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), comes the craziest English language Ninja movie ever made. Could be cool. Could be quite lame.
(Warners)

The Road
Viggo stars in this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic (and post punctuation) novel. The film is directed by John Hillcoat whose film The Proposition I was quite impressed by. The scenery is sure to be striking, but can the sparse and downer story sell the film?
(Weinstein Co.)

Week of December 4

Up In The Air
Jason Reitman follows up Juno with this George Clooney starrer. Apparently Jason Reitman is the real deal because anyone who has seen it is already talking Best Pic as well as Best Actor noms for Clooney and Supporting noms for Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga.
(Paramount)

Brothers
Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In America) directs Tobey, Jake and Natalie in this pretty awful looking family-war-romantic drama. It looks bad – but I can’t imagine it is as bad as that awful, awful trailer.
(Lionsgate)

Week of December 11

The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson returns with his first movie since Titanic… wait… no, since Lord of the Rings. The film stars Marky Mark and Rachel Weisz and I’m sure it is great, but I gotta say the trailer makes it look pretty pedestrian.

A Single Man
Julianne Moore and Colin Firth star in this film from fashion designer Tom Ford. After making a big splash at Venice, the film has people talking noms in all categories.
(Weinstein Co.)

Week of December 18

Avatar
James Cameron returns with his first film since Titanic and it stars blue people!
(20th C. Fox)

Did You Hear About the Morgans?
Now how is this for a premise: two New York city slickers (SJP and Hugh Grant) are having marital problems. But when they witness a murder they are forced to go into the witness protection program together and work out their differences on a ranch in Wyoming. The trailer was pretty funy… so I say Yee Haw!
(Sony)

The Young Victoria
Emily Blunt stars as Queen Victoria in this British costume drama. I caught an early screening of this pretty but rather average film and will post more thoughts in due time. You pretty much get the idea from the trailer (which ends by saying the film comes out in March 2009, heh).
(Momentum)

Week of December 25ish

Sherlock Holmes
Quite a lot to be excited about with Robert Downey Jr starring as the famed detective. Setting him next Jude Law and Rachel McAdams and then letting Guy Ritchie call the shots is just all the better.
(Warners)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Check out my Fantastic Fest write-up for my thoughts on Terry Gilliam’s Heath Ledger et al starrer.
(Sony)

It’s Complicated
With a cast of Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin, it really doesn’t matter that this is a middle aged romantic comedy. Plus no one knows middle aged romantic comedies better than director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give).
(Universal)

Sometime before January

Nine
No one seems quite sure when this is coming out, but it will be a big awards film no matter when this musical unspools, just for sheer number of great actresses in it. Rob Marshall (Chicago) directs Daniel Day Lewis along side Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, and (breathe) Judi Dench.
(Weinstein Co.)

Invictus
Here is what we know: Clint Eastwood directs Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman in a film about Nelson Mandela and rugby. Cool.
(Warners)

The White Ribbon
Michael Haneke’s (Cache, Funny Games) stylish period Palme d’Or winner will surely make it out in time for a potential Oscar nom.
(Sony Pictures Classics)

Get Low
Robert Duvall and Bill Murray star in this tale of a man who wants to attend his own funeral. There is Buzz around a possible nom for Duvall (it would be his seventh) – if it can make it out this year.
(Sony Pictures Classics)

That’s it for this Fall’s films – but there are a few holdovers that have a shot at getting Oscar noms – namely: The Hurt Locker, The Informant, Inglorious Basterds, and Up.

Looking forward there are a couple flicks coming out in January that have me pretty excited. I have already talked quite a bit about Youth in Revolt. The other January film with a lot of promise is the Hughes Brothers’ The Book of Eli. I loved this post-apocalyptic script which should provide a lot more ass kicking than The Road. And the casting of Denzel, Gary Oldman, and Mila Kunis gets an A Plus from me.

This list doesn’t cover much in the way of docus or foreign films. I’ll have more on this year’s crop Oscar contenders in those categories here soon.

The AFI Film Festival rolls out next weekend and they are trying something quite new this year. Namely, they aren’t charging for tickets (they have also moved the location from Arclight to the Mann Chinese) . You can still buy a festival pass which guarantees entry to screenings – but they aren’t selling any regular screening tickets. Instead they are asking festival goers to either sign up for the free showings the want to attend or just show up and stand in line. The order form for free tix is here – but whoops… looks like I posted this a bit late and the free tix are pretty much all gone. Well if anyone is interested in trying to wait in line for the following screenings, let me know.

Highlights

The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fri. Oct 30, 7:00 pm
The fest opens with the premiere of Wes Anderson’s puppet-astic tale that hits theaters Nov 12.

City of Life and Death
Sun. Nov 1, 1:00 pm
This arty Rape of Nanking drama premiered at TIFF to great reviews.

Precious
Sun. Nov 1, 7:00 pm
Everyone wants to see the festival darling of 2009 before it comes out Nov 6th – and you can see it for free at AFI.

Youth In Revolt
Tue. Nov 3, 10:15 pm
This Michael Cera starrer is sure to have a fun little run in the theaters – but apparently not until January.

The Road
Wed. Nov 4, 7:00 pm
Scary scary Viggo comes to theaters at the end of November – but he’ll be in person a few weeks early for this Gala tribute to him.

Transcendant Man
Thu. Nov 5, 4:00 pm
This documentary about inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil sounds quite interesting – and I don’t imagine it will have too long of a line.

Looking For Eric
Thu. Nov 5, 7:00 pm
How about a light hearted euro flick from the normally serious Ken Loach (The Wind That Shakes the Barley)?

A Single Man
Thu. Nov 5, 7:00 pm
The closing night film is Tom Ford’s surprise hit from TIFF, set to hit theaters on Dec 11.

I’m love love loving this sick new spot for the upcoming FIFA 10. In a week I hope to be love love loving the game too.

This is actually the UK version. The USA version is the same except they throw Blanco and Donovan at the end instead of Benzema and Xavi.

I just spent five great days at Austin’s Fantastic Fest and the experience was awesome. Aside form the 17 films I watched, the festival had plenty of other cool events on offer. This year founder Tim has opened up a bowling alley/party space called The Highball next to his amazing Alamo Draft House Cinema which offered the perfect place for the late night hanging and unlimited free skee-ball! The Fantastic Fest Debates were especially hilarious as after each debate (or roast) the contestants literally duked it out.

The cinema itself is something to behold. A 6 screen stadium theater with seats and sound on par with Arclight. But the real innovation is the full service restaurant built in. They have figured out the perfect system to keep the wait staff unobtrusive – you just write down your order on a little flag and they come by and pick it up. There is a long narrow table in front of each row to set your beer or burger and a little aisle below each row where the wait staff walks. I don’t know why no one has tried this in LA, but the formula is a winner.

All things considered it was a real blast. A world of thanks to Dan for making it happen. We’ll definitely do it again next year.

Now on to the film round-up (in order viewed):

FIRST SQUAD – Rating: 4 out of 10

This Russian animated feature is by the Japanese team behind Animatrix. The animation is cool but the horribly implemented documentary device of bad actors pretending to be history experts totally ruined the movie. This isn’t Waltz with Bashir, it is an action cartoon. There were a few cool story elements, but overall they weren’t enough to keep me awake.

GENTLEMEN BRONCOS – Rating: 9 out of 10

This new film from Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) is as wacky as possible and genuinely HILARIOUS. Everything works, especially Jemaine Clement as one of the best characters of the year. It slowed down a tiny bit after the very strong opening, but the ridiculous fantasy sequences go a long way to smooth out the pace. This film certainly exceeded my already high expectations.

REC 2 – Rating: 6 out of 10

I was quite impressed by this horror-thriller’s clean look. The story works and there are some good thrills, but what is most remarkable is the first person narrative device that the filmmakers fully commit to with great success. More than any movie I’ve ever seen, this film feels like a videogame – and it is fun.

KAMOGAWA HARUMO – BATTLE LEAGUE IN KYOTO – Rating: 6 out of 10

This film is about college students who train little supernatural creatures to battle teams from other colleges. While it may have a pretty bizarre premise, it is actually a quite traditional story about a loser guy who falls for a girl who is out of his league. All things considered, the film works and is pretty fun.

HARD REVENGE MILLY – Rating: 5 out of 10

This is a super low budget Japanese blood and guts actioner. The skeleton of a story doesn’t provide much to chew on, but the film does succeed at finding new ways to splatter the camera with watery blood.

ZOMBIELAND – Rating: 8 out of 10

This flick is most definitely the top of the zombie movie heap. It is maybe not quite as hilarious as Shaun of the Dead, but it certainly provides a lot more zombie killing thrills. The film has some great set pieces, an amazing cameo, and Emma Stone is Bodacious.

VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL – Rating: 8 out of 10

This is a really enjoyable wacky Japanese high school flick with some good acting and pretty decent effects. However, the real star of the film is the biting criticism leveled against fringe elements of Japanese society.

K-20: THE FIEND WITH 20 FACES – Rating: 3 out of 10

This big budget Japanese superhero film borrows heavily from every other superhero film you’ve ever seen. There may be some fun stunts and wire work, but the plot is just plain horrible. Worst of all, this film is sloooow and is far far too long.

UNDER THE MOUNTAIN – Rating: 3 out of 10

Two annoying kids save New Zealand from evil underground aliens whose story doesn’t make any sense.

YATTERMAN – Rating: 9 out of 10

Yet another genre mastered by Miike! This time it is the comic superhero comedy. The story is awesome with a lot of genuine emotion. The CG is top notch (as compared to the disappointingly low budget look of The Great Yokai War). The action sequences are fantastic and reminded me of playing the Dreamcast classic Powerstone. Overall this film in f*ing fun!

CLIVE BARKER’S DREAD – Rating: 5 out of 10

There wasn’t a whole lot wrong about this very indie thriller – but there wasn’t that much right either. I’d call it pretty damn mediocre and it is not helped by the generally unsatisfying ending.

VAN DIEMEN’S LAND – Rating: 7 out of 10

This story of a grueling prison camp escape in 18th century Tasmania is a bit slow and cerebral, but overall it is a well told story with some very nice cinematography.

MANDRILL – Rating: 8 out of 10

Mandrill is the Chilean James Bond and it is amazing! Ernesto Diaz-Espinoza follows up Mirageman by again directing the incredible Marko Zaror – who has got to become an action star around the world. The film is fun and funny and really does everything right. On top of that, the filmmakers and stars very approachable and cool guys. Way to go.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS – Rating: 6 out of 10

Terry Gilliam’s Heath Ledger swan song was the only “secret screening” I caught. I liked the performances and the way it all came together but was turned off by the very cheap CGI (where were the magic visual effects of Brazil?) and overall I was unconvinced by the plot.

DISTRICT B13 ULTIMATUM – Rating: 2 out of 10

This film was very disappointing after the awesome District B13. There with no semblance of a story and almost no parkour! What the hell?

LOVE EXPOSURE – Rating: 7 out of 10

While there is a very different 100 minute movie somewhere in there (remake?), the 237 minute version is certainly an ambitious and generally successful undertaking. Melding a coming of age story with many Japanese sexual elements and borrowing a lot of themes from A Clockwork Orange, this film goes all over the map but is quite satisfying in the end.

METROPIA – Rating: 7 out of 10

This is a pretty cool sci-fi tale about big brother, all very stylistically animated.

Check out the new Nike spot by none other than David Fincher.

Thoughts?

The Toronto Int’l Film Fest kicks off in a few days with an incredible 336 films. Yikes. I’ve read the catalog and highlighted a mere 75 or so here. Many will make the fest circuit for the next year and a good number will see a theater near you. So even if you can’t make it up north (I can’t, btw) you can still find some flicks to keep an eye out for over the upcoming months.

The following 6 films are on display in the above banner, clockwise from the top left pic of Penelope.

Broken Embraces
Straight from Cannes, Penelope Cruz is again on display in the latest from Spanish master Pedro Almodovar.

City of Life and Death
Lu Chuan’s drama taking the viewer deep inside the Rape of Nanking is said to be one of the year’s best.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Terry Gilliam’s latest fairy tale will forever be known as Heath Ledger’s final role. His decision to bring in Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to finish Ledger’s role may have created some controversy, but it has also certainly piqued interest. It is finally time to find out if Gilliam’s vision is a success.

The Trotsky
Jacob Tierney directs the hilarious Jay Baruchel as the reincarnation of Leo Trotsky in modern day Montreal.

The Young Victoria
Jean-Marc Vallee’s (C.R.A.Z.Y.) period piece stars Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria.

A Serious Man
It seems the Coen Brothers can’t take a vacation – not that I am complaining. This absurd comedy set in the 1960s is said to be one of their very best.

I have tried to loosely group these films into a few categories to make it easier on everybody…

Best of Cannes

Enter The Void
Gaspar Noe’s controversial and experimental tale of a drug dealer in Tokyo had plenty of people talking in Cannes.

A Prophet
This French prison drama is probably the most exciting film to come out of this year’s Cannes competition.

The White Ribbon
Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or winning film is set in early 20th-Century Germany and shot in striking black and white.

Antichrist
Lars Von Trier’s ultra-violent film is sure to be one of the year’s most controversial. It gets its headline-grabbing follow-up to Cannes at TIFF and will be released shortly after.

Indies

Down for Life
This LA based story (shot in Watts) follows one day for a young Latina girl trying to quit her gang. Directed by Alan Jacobs (American Gun), the film features Danny Glover and Snoop Dogg.

High Life
This crime comedy is about a couple of drug addicts (one being Tom Olyphant of Go and Hitman) going for one big score.

Suck
This vampire-rock-comedy starring and directed by Rob Stefaniuk features cameos by the likes of Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop.

The Unloved
Samantha Morton makes her directorial debut in this intensely personal story of a young English girl living in foster care.

Damned United
Woo-hoo! A soccer movie – and directed by John Adams director Tom Hooper no less. This film stars one of the best actors working today, Michael Sheen as Derby County’s great manager Brian Clough.

Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Said to be the best film at last winter’s Sundance fest, this is a tough tale of a girl growing up in Harlem.

My Dog Tulip
You don’t see a whole lot of indie animated films out there and this story of a man and his dog seems to be stylish to say the least.

Bitch Slap
3 bad girls, 6 enormous breasts, and hundreds of guns. This movie looks completely ridiculous. Just check out the trailer.

Cracks
Marking the feature directing debut of Jordan Scott, daughter of Ridley Scott, this film is set in a 1920s boarding school for girls.

Defendor
This absurd sounding film stars Woody Harrelson as a comic book crime fighter and Kat Dennings as a troubled young prostitute.

Mr. Nobody
Jared Leto stars in this film that seems to bizarre too try to explain in one sentence. Mars, the future, alternate realities, comedy… just read the write up.

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
Werner Herzog has two cop dramas at TIFF (the very poorly reviewed Bad Lieutenant is the other) – and from what I hear, this film produced by David Lynch is the better of the two.

Perrier’s Bounty
Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson star in Ian FitzGibbon’s caper comedy.

Asian Cinema

Accident
This thriller from Soi Cheang is hyped as the best Hong Kong actioner in years.

Castaway on the Moon
Lee Hey-Jun’s offbeat “romantic/social sci-fi” tells the story of a man castaway on an island in the middle of a Seoul river.

Prince of Tears
This historical drama lauded for its beautiful cinematography is about Taiwan’s 1950s anti-communism campaign known as the White Terror.

Sawasdee Bangkok
Another stories-of-a-city movie, this film features all Thai filmmakers, including personal fave Pen-ek Ratanaruang.

Bare Essence of Life
Female filmmaker Satoko Yokohama makes her much anticipated feature debut with this unique sounding view of rural Japan.

Toad’s Oil
This whimsical Japanese tale is directed by successful actor Koji Yakusho

Ong Bak 2: The Beginning
Tony Jaa is back and this time he is also taking on the reigns co-directing the follow up to the best Muay Thai actioner ever.

Air Doll
Hirokazu Kore-eda (After Life, Still Walking) returns with this whimsical story about a sex doll come to life – which seems ot bear a number of similarities, at least in terms of tone amd subject matter, to Lars and the Real Girl.

Kamui
Yoichi Sai directs this badass looking ninja epic.

Mother
Host director Bong Joon-ho tries to catch lightning in a bottle a second time with this detective horror/thriller.

Vengeance
Johnnie To’s latest and worst titled HK actioner.

The Warrior and the Wolf
The Blue Kite director Tian Zhuang Zhuang returns with this costume epic.

Wheat
Another Chinese costume epic, this one from Warriors of Heaven and Earth director He Ping. Hopefully it is better than that film.

Around the World

Wind Journeys
This road drama set in Colombia looks to be extraordinarily beautiful.

Crab Tree
The tour of Colombia continues with this film that focuses on the country’s often overlooked black communities on the Pacific coast.

Micmacs
Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) is back at last with this con-man comedy.

Kirot
This film stars uber-hottie Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) as a Tel-Aviv prostitute turned assassin.

25 Carat
This gritty thriller from rookie Patxi Amexcua is set in the Barcelona underworld.

La Soga
Gotta have respect for a film with a write-up like this: “Inspired by true events, and made on location in the Dominican Republic for the price of a high-end German car, La Soga embodies everything that independent filmmaking should be about: passion instead of money, story instead of special effects, soul instead of spin.”
Check out the intense trailer.

Deliver Us from Evil
Danish thrill-master Ole Bornedal’s (Nightwatch) latest is loosely based on Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs.

Hotel Atlantico
This very interesting sounding “Lynchian” film follows an unnamed man as he travels across Southern Brazil.

Men on the Bridge
This intimate portrait of Istanbul follows a group of men who work on the Bosphorus Bridge.

White Material
Claire Denis returns to Africa 20 years after her film Chocolat for this story of a post-colonial French family trying to save their coffee plantation.

Baaria
Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) returns with this lush Sicilian epic.

Les Derniers jours du monde (Happy End)
This film stars Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) as a man setting out across the continent on the eve of the apocalypse.

The Front Line
This film looks to be a smart and taut Italian actioner.

Documentaries

Good Hair
This Sundance award winning docu follows Chris Rock as he examines African-American hair (and probably some other socio-cultural issues).

Capitalism: A Love Story
Michael Moore returns with… well another Michael Moore movie.

The Art of the Steal
This docu examines the fate of the Barnes Art Collection – one of the best private collections of modern art ever amassed.

Collapse
Fantastic documentarian Chris Smith (American Movie, Yes Men) gets personal with Michael Ruppert and his intensely pessimistic views of America’s future.

How To Fold a Flag
This docu from the people who brought you Gunner Palace goes in depth with soldiers after they return from the Middle East.

Once Upon a Time Proletarian
These 12 portraits of modern day Chinese workers examine the social landscape of China today.

Hollywood, etc.

Youth In Revolt
Miguel Arteta (director of a number of episodes of Freaks and Geeks amongst other achievements) directs Michael Cera and others in this hilarious looking film written by Gustin Nash (Charlie Bartlett).

Get Low
After winning an Oscar for his short Two Soldiers, Aaron Schneider makes his feature debut in big fashion with this country story about a man planning his own funeral party starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.

The Men Who Stare At Goats
By this time mostly everyone has seen the great trailer for this George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges starring psychic soldier comedy which gets its premier at TIFF.

Jennifer’s Body
Scribe Diablo Cody’s follow-up to Juno stars Megan Fox as a sexy and scary monster.

Up In The Air
George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and Anna Kendrick (woo wooo) star in the latest film from Jason Reitman – in a theater near you very soon.

The Informant!
Matt Damon stars in Soderbergh’s witty and off-kilter drama

Creation
Jon Amiel directs Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly in this Darwin biopic.

Dorian Gray
Colin Firth and Ben Barnes star in Oliver Parker’s adaptation of Wilde’s only novel. The material rests in capable hands, as Parker has made his career adapting Wilde’s works.

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits
Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex) directs Natalie Portman and Lisa Kudrow is his latest mature dramadey.

Agora
Rachel Weisz stars in Alejandro Amenabar’s (The Others, The Sea Inside) impressive looking period drama set in 4th-Century Alexandria.

Solomon Kane
16th century swashbuckling and soul saving is on order in this story created by Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan.

Harry Brown
Michael Caine stars in this dark crime film by newcomer Daniel Barber.

The Invention of Lying
Ricky Gervais co-wrote, co-directs, and stars in this film… nuff said.

Leaves of Grass
Ed Norton stars in Tim Blake-Nelson’s pot comedy.

Life During Wartime
Todd Solondz returns with yet another strangely comedic drama about ugly people.

The Road
John Hillcoat (The Proposition) tackles Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic (and post-punctuation) story with the help of Viggo Mortensen in the lead.

Ondine
This mermaid fairy tale from Neil Jordan stars Colin Farrell opposite the gorgeous Alicja Bachleda.

Whip It
Drew Barrymore directs Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig and others as roller girls.

An Education
This clever comedy written by Nick Hornby is the coming of age story of a 16-year old girl in 1960s London who falls for a man twice her age.

Check out this great site of local DJ podcasts – including #79 by our own Seth (aka DJ ESSO).

Nice job dude.

Link

Mr. Brainwash is a street artist in the vein of Banksy and Shepard Fairey. Last summer he had a great exhibition (more) at the old CBS studios in H.wood. It took some pics while there and after more than a year of the photos sitting in a folder on my hdd, I have finally gotten around to doin em up and posting them to my flickr.

Check em out.

Link

Thanks for your concerns but no, I am not on fire. The Mountains above LA most certainly are though and air quality is at an all time low.

A couple cool shots by okarol and many more here.