'Dark Knight' Rerelease Could Result in Box Office and Oscar Gold

With the Dark Knight, you can envision the Joker shooting golden statuettes from the depths of his sunken eyeballs directly at Batman's heart. And now, Warner Bros. will take its box office money maker straight to the Academy Awards Bank & Trust. Or more specifically, generate even more Batman fever, turning already stricken movie goers into Oscar induced zombies. What?

Let me explain: The Dark Knight will be re-released in January 2009. Which happens to be prime voting season for Academy Award voters, who will be feeling sentimental because January also happens to be a year to the month of the untimely demise of Heath Ledger, who happens to deliver a performance as the Joker, unmatched by any previous actor fulfilling the same role. If Warner Bros. is right (and they are), the buzz of Oscar season, combined with typically slow ticket sales in January may insure an unmatched box office and a posthumous Academy Award for Ledger.

"To date, Dark Knight has rung up about $512 million domestically and $440 million internationally," reports the Hollywood Reporter. This leaves the Dark Knight second only to the once unsinkable box office record of Titanic ($600.8 mil. domestic/$1.24 bil. international). While the Hollywood Reporter appears skeptical that the Dark Knight can surpass Titanic in worldwide ticket sales, I believe the re release will make for one close race. James Cameron better not hold his breath.

Dark Knight plan re release [The Hollywood Reporter]

'Once' Duo Make the Most of Oscar Performance

Poor TV viewership (a measily 32 mil. pair of eyes) has permeated the headlines following the Feb. 24 telecast of the 80th Academy Awards, but apparently someone was watching as Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova performed the melodic "Falling Slowly" from the indie film Once.

Music publisher, Warner/Chappell Music (part of Warner Music Group Corp.), has scooped up the duo's catalog of work, including Hansard's songwriting efforts with the Frames, and music recorded for the pairs debut album, "The Swell Season"; the deal also includes all future recordings.

Tickets for The Swell Season: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, from the film Once at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota and The Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois go on sale today.

Warner label signs 'Once' duo [Variety]

Does Burton + Depp = Oscar for 'Sweeney Todd'?

When Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborate on a film, the result is often bizarre, ecclectic and surging with ghoulish delight. Together, the pair create one of the award-winningest super-threats of any actor/director team; theirs is a style that is incredibly well-suited. And the Oscar buzz has officially begun for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Now, I've seen the trailer for Sweeney Todd both online and in the theaters and it plays delightfully creepy on the big screen. The tension builds, and as Burton does so well, the color and saturation gets darker as the film progresses. Camera work becomes more erratic as the pace quickens and then ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (protracted high-pitched scream) Depp begins to sing. Okay. In the trailer he actually doesn't sound half bad. Maybe even fairly decent singing. But will this risk -- a singing Johnny Depp -- keep people away or attract them like voyeurs to a freak in a side-show.

'World Stupidity Awards' Defunct?

Fall may well be known as the season for stupidity. The ailing elderly create cardio-infarction by raking endless piles of leaves. Parents are expected to fork over astronomical amounts for school supplies and mediocre blue background Lifetouch photos with their children's hair combed within an inch of its life. And football mad-foolery begins in earnest.

Since 2003, however, autumn was also the season of The World Stupidity Awards or "Oscars of Idiocy" as they have been lovingly referred. To my dismay, nary a snark has been heard all summer about potential nominees or category changes. And I'm beginning to worry.

But the giant gaping hole of disinformation will soon be filled, as I have but one of my best sleuths on the case (me) and am awaiting a response to my requests from one of their "spokesmorons" (their word, not mine). Once I learn the fate of this most fabulous tradition of stupid-ness, I will share with you, beloved, dedicated reader. These things usually end well.

UPDATE 12/14/2007: I had almost given up hope of receiving a response to my request for more information re: the World Stupidity Awards, but low-and-behold my inbox did not disappoint this morning. Albert Nerenberg, spokesmoron, had the following to say about the whereabouts of the favorite "Oscars of Idiocy".

"Thank you for your concerned comments about the World Stupidity Awards. Although the awards have had some perilous days, they will be announced right before Christmas. Basically, the comedy festival which supported the awards, couldn't afford to stage them despite the fact they sell out every year, and told us to go and get a TV deal. That's what were working on now but it's slow progress. Needless to say, we'll be announcing an online version at Christmas and hope to have a televised version sometime in the future."

I will post more information as I receive it. And if you're some big-time TV exec who'd like to put the show on the air, and you're reading this, then have your people contact Albert's people and set this thing up. Or let's do lunch!

2007 Student Academy Awards

The finalists for the 2007 Student Academy Awards were announced on May 14, with hopefuls vying for medals of the Gold, Silver or Bronze Olympic variety, as well as cash prizes and a week-long introduction to the industry.

While the winners have now been selected, voted on by Academy members, they have not been told which medal they have actually won. This will be revealed during the June 9 ceremony held at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Gold medalist and Honorary Foreign Film winners are granted a full-length screening of their film following the ceremony.

Besides allowing Academy voters the opportunity to practice on unsuspecting college and graduate level students, the Student Academy Awards have identified some of the most creative minds in filmmaking. The list of innovative and successful filmmakers include Spike Lee, Trey Parker and Robert Zemeckis. The Academy website reports that Student Academy Award winners have been nominated for an Oscar a remarkable 35 times, with a total of seven Oscar wins either as an individual or as part of a group nomination.

Aspiring collegiate filmmakers should make the Student Academy Awards a must-do on their contest/fellowship submission list.

Academy Announces 2007 Student Academy Award Winners [Academy press release]

Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan

Six people are currently slated to play the role of Bob Dylan in the Todd Haynes' biopic I'm Not There. Cate Blanchett is one of them.

While it's difficult to envision the super-tall actress capturing the essence of a scrawny young Dylan, I'm sure she's up to the task. More of a concern is whether academy voters will be able to sort out the crazy mess come Oscar time next year, considering it's likely that each actor will have a limited amount of screen time to make his mark. This hasn't stopped Blanchett before as she landed the Oscar in 2004 for her believable portrayal of Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator, despite a minimal supporting role. Instead, they may take the less complicated route of nominating Blanchett as Elizabeth I in The Golden Age.

Gender-bending is not a new phenomenon in cinema and it typically has "awards" written all over it. Hillary Swank won her first Oscar playing Teena Brandon/Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry. And Felicity Huffman received an Oscar nomination for her work in TransAmerica. So why are we (and the Academy) so fascinated by women playing men? Or actors playing famous people for that matter? And why has it been steadily reported that seven actors will take on Dylan during different phases of his life, when the IMDb only lists six? Adrian Brody is listed in the cast, with no "character" associated with his name. Is he the seventh Dylan? Are we nearing the end times? The answer my friend is "blowin' in the wind".

It's Oscar Night - Awards Show Junkies Unite

It's 11:33 a.m. CST, and E! has already started it's red carpet coverage. Let me repeat, E! is my Oscar coverage dealer, and understands my need to have at least eight hours of pre-Oscar fix before the giant shoot-up begins. Followed by two more hours of post-Oscar party fever. After which, I will fall back on the sofa and revel in the precious hours of my life that I have invested in my pal Oscar.

Alas, I have found a reveler in kind. Each day I receive my awards show report via Google, which helps with blog entry ideas. Imagine my surprise when yesterday up popped a fellow awards show junkie. Rebecca Keister, staff writer for the Sun Chronicle, expressed her similar obsession with awards show viewing. She doesn't realize it yet, but I feel like we're journalistic mental twins. Hopefully she'll leave a comment on Monday morning, once she recovers from her Academy Award sized hangover. Either that or she'll be filing a protective order.

Cheerie-O!

We've Got the Spirit (Awards), Yes We Do

In case you haven't heard, Oscar's big night is approaching at break neck speed. The stage is set for hours upon hours of glitz and glamour and laughter (thanks, Ellen!) and tears. But if your stomache hurts and your head is spinning from all the hype, campaigning and prognosticating then tune in to Spirit Awards quietly airing the night before. Rooting for the little guy is easy as pie, as they're all "the little guy". So sit back and enjoy a low-key, but equally as relevant night of film airing on the Independet Film Channel (IFC). The most notable categories are the two "first" categories that will honor the efforts of a director/producer team and screenwriter's first film. Delicious!

SPECIAL NOTE: Netflix has been a bit promiscuous this award season, cuz their shackin' up with the Spirit's as well!

Netflix and Oscar: A Match Made in Heaven

As an avid fan of Netflix for several years (after nearly losing my house to Blockbuster due to extensive late fees), it behooves me that other video rental agencies are attempting to infringe upon Netflix's ingenious idea to mail me movies. Am I in support of a movie rental-by-mail monopoly? Yes, yes I am.

My dreams aside, rather than stoop to the level of those "other" video rental facilities, Netflix has risen to the occasion and jumped in the sack with the most respected and anticipated annual award show programming - the Academy Awards.

The term "strange bedfellows" does not apply here. In fact there could not be two more appropriate film lovers snuggling up under the covers with a giant bowl of popcorn than Netflix and Oscar. The campaign is huge and if you want to get in on the fun, the audience participation portion information can be found here.

Self-Injurious Moments of 2006 Awards Season

Without some minor injuries, your favorite awards shows would barely be watchable. Here's a few oozing scabs to pick at:

• Writer Annie Proulx wrote a short story back in 1997 that resulted in a film called Brokeback Mountain, which was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 2006. She thought it should have won that award. It did not. We’re all entitled to our opinion. Her blast of all things Academy can be viewed here.
  
  
• Conan O'Brien brought on the funny during the opening sequence of the 58th Annual Emmy Awards, including a controversial nod to the absence of a nomination for ABC's TV series Lost. Unfortunately, Comair Flight 5191 crashed earlier in the day and ruined everything.
  
  
• Carrie Underwood takes home two CMA Awards. Faith Hill takes home the Practical-Joke-Gone-Horribly-Wrong Award, by faking astonishment when Underwood won Female Vocalist of the Year. No longer wondering why Tim McGraw gets all the acting gigs in the family, are ya? Keith Urban missed all the antics while he was recovering in rehab.
  
  
• Despite giving out an award for Ringtone of the Year and featuring Shakira in a performance where only her hips were telling the truth, the MTV Music Video Awards had a disappointing television viewer turnout in 2006. To what can we contribute the loss of nearly half the 2004 viewing audience? Famine? The more likely culprit; the omission of the Breakthrough Video category.

In honor of all things outrageous, I present the following award absurdity:

Two South African rugby players, Ben Zimry and Wayne Matthee are suspects in the pummeling and kicking death of opposing player Riaan Loots. Both players were subsequently presented with a player of the year and backline player of the year at the Delicious Rugby Club's award benefit. All things equal, the award goes to the player with the highest death toll.

Good riddance, 2006 with all your bleeding wounds of entertainment.

Six Degrees of Oscar Separation in Quotes

The official Oscar commemorative poster has been released, opening the way for a walk down memory lane. As we speak, I am waiting for the Academy to grant permission to put the pic of the poster right here on my delightful blog. But while we're waiting, let's relive my top four favorite movie lines. And be prepared for the impending quotable line montage that we all know will be a part of the nostalgia-loving Academy Awards show, airing on February 25, 2007.

UPDATE: The process for me to obtain press status for the Academy Award poster pic has been far to complex for my wee little brain to handle at this juncture. So I will provide you with a description that you can envision while closing your eyes. Please refrain from closing your eyes until after you have read this post, however.

POSTER VISUALIZATION EXERCISE: Close your eyes and picture a giant golden statuette in the likeness of Oscar. Not Oscar the Grouch. Now picture a dark background (possibly black)with memorable quotes from some of Hollywood's most award winning movies in various font sizes and a stunning golden hue. Lovely, isn't it? Finally, envision this poster hovering, preferrably left margin justified, above this blog entry. There. No special press authorization required.

While not all quotes come directly from an Oscar nominated/winning film or performance, six degrees of separation will prevail, linking every one to Academy Award infamy.

"I'm not a hole in the wall, I'm Rollergirl." from Boogie Nights

• Paul Thomas Anderson was nominated in the Best Writing category for the Boogie Nights screenplay (ok, that one was easy!)

"Fat guy in little coat" from Tommy Boy

• Brian Dennehy played Big Tom Callahan in Tommy Boy
• Dennehy played Ted Montague in Romeo + Juliet
• Romeo + Juliet received an Oscar nom for Best Art Direction

"Why am I Mr. Pink?" from Resevoir Dogs

• Mr. Pink was played by Steve Buscemi
• Buscemi played the role of Garland "the Marietta Mangler" Greene in Con Air
• "How Do I Live" the theme from Con Air, was nominated in the Best Song Category

"I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!" from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

• The Austin Powers film series is a parody of the James Bond film series
• From 1962-1967 and again in 1971 Sean Connery played the role of our favorite 007, Bond, James Bond
• Sean Connery won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his turn as Jim Malone in The Untouchables

And there you have it, my favorite movie quotes and their connection to Oscar. What about you, my loyal reading public? Do you have any favorite movie lines with a dubious Oscar connection? Have at it! If you are having trouble with the visualization exercise, then take your existentialism-lacking ass to the poster website.