Showing The Movie: Showest 2009 - Part I

After missing Showest last year because of a prior engagement plus seeing the format war of Blu Ray settled in the time between, the digital quandary which was first being discussed in a widespread way two years ago now has given way to an advanced discussion of integration of the material to get 3D going. And with the blockbuster success of "Monsters Vs. Aliens" the weekend before this Showest, it became the forefront on everybody's minds. 2D films still pepper the landscape but Hollywood always likes the next big thing...and there is alot of it.Independent Showcase @ The Orleans This night is always a grab bag and was the only area not permeated by 3D. But for the elements on opening night, the two films picked were diversive but both quite good. The only problem, as is always with independently made film, is will it resonate and connect with an audience. The first film is from Kathryn Bigelow (director of a lot Break" and "Strange Days" and more recently "K-19: The Widowmaker"). It is an Iraq film called "The Hurt Locker". But unlike films before it, this film takes place in combat following a bomb deactivation unit. Shot almost completely in Jordan, the film is very good at capturing the feeling of being on the ground but also the tension at some times of not knowing what is coming next. While it is not as good as "Black Hawk Down", it does capture that feeling. Bigelow casts mostly character actors who still are fairly unknown as her leads in the personages of Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner and Brian Geraghty. There are also small but crucial roles in the visages of Guy Pearce (almost unrecognizable in gear) and Ralph Fiennes (who Bigelow worked with in "Strange Days"). Evangeline Lilly of "Lost" also makes a small appearance at the end as a wife of one of the bomb specialists. It is a positive movie but not bogged down with ideals, sentimentality or opinions. It just wants to put you in the thick of the action. Bigelow shots most of the scenes consecutively with 4 Super 16mm cameras going which gives it a grain structure that works without having to result to extensive digital post production.A short reception outside the theaters including rice and chicken stir fry led into the second movie "Empty Virtues" which Sony Pictures Classics will release in May. It stars Jessica Biel and Ben Barnes are crossed lovers who get married and return to his parents' estate in England. Set in the 30s the beginning of the film has a great style and musical integration that makes it pop. Unfortunately the rest of the film does not keep with said style. It becomes part slapstick/part class struggle. Biel is very likable here and it is her most accessible role in quite a while. It also shows off her feminine features and wiles in a classical way. She is reminiscent of the glow Reese Witherspoon had when she starred in the period film "The Importance Of Being Earnest". Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth play the mother and father to Ben's character. Scott Thomas is good if not a little WASPy but it is Firth who plays against his "Pride" type and gives the film a balance of heart.Disney 3D Presentation Entering the Theater Des Arts at the Paris Las Vegas, the digital logo of the Walt Disney studios is prevalent. The family brand has become even more central to the Disney corporation in recent years as judged by their recent forays. However with some of their new titles, the aspect of the edge becomes a little more shiny. With, of course, the new Pixar title "Up" being at the forefront some of the new material Disney showed in their 3D arsenal looked good.The first footage shown was a new vision of Pixar's "Cars" called "Car Toons". These shorts are being made in advance of the coming "Cars 2" to be released in 2010/11. The short we saw was completely in 3D and called "Tokyo Mader". It follows Mader when he tows a Japanese car back home to the Far East (apparently he swims). You can see inspiration from "Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift" in this toon. This is a closed short but takes full advantage of the colors. It is part of what are called "Mader's Tall Tales" which you can tell is going to be a new shorts category for Pixar. This is the first of ones that will be shown in the coming years leading up to "Cars 2". Disney also announced the fact that it will be releasing "Toy Story & Toy Story 2" as a double 3D feature for a short run this October beginning on the 2nd. It is a way for new families to introduce their kids who might have not seen the originals in a totally new way. This leads into the Summer 2010 release of "Toy Story 3" which is being made completely in 3D.The second piece of 3D footage that was shown was the recalibration of Disney's 1991 Academy Award nominated "Beauty & The Beast". We were shown the opening "Belle" song sequence from the film. This scene was seemingly just completed recently. At first, it seems that the 3D is not in play until the multi-plane elements come into view. The separation then becomes greater, but not so much in the ballroom sequence which was teased at the beginning. Seeing "Aladdin", "Fantasia or "The Black Cauldron" in this way would be cool and is probably on its way. Although no footage was shown, Disney also presented concept art for both "Christmas Carol" and "Alice In Wonderland". For "Christmas Carol" there was a short featurette that showed moving concept art. You can Jim Carrey definitely in the visage of Scrooge but he is a little more hidden in the ghost characters. Of all the other characters, you see a quick glimpse of Bob Cratchit and he has the indeniable smirk and partial face of Gary Oldman. For "Alice In Wonderland", the concept art looks wonderfully dark especially the light and dark side castles which look remarkably similar to the Disney spires. The face of the flowers as well as the Cheshire Cat and Rabbit look interesting but it is the elements of the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) and a new tipped hat shot of the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) which are truly spooky. Should be good.The king clip of all was to be expected. I had heard that production might have already started on "TR2N" but the head of international motion pictures distribution said that they are due to start shooting in a couple weeks. What they showed is something that has not been seen live since last summer at Comic Con which was the test footage. They upped it here one better. I had only seen the gargled footage on the internet of this. Here they upped the ante and that footage is now in Disney 3D and takes on an even more ethereal balance. The light bike sequence is great but it is the shot of Jeff Bridges getting up and the depth of field as he approaches the glass that is truly eerie. It uses the 3D correctly for live action. I had been dying to see the footage in high quality and it is everything it needed to be.The last not seen element that was shown was the first 45 minutes of Pixar's "Up" which is opening the Cannes Film Festival in May, It is a little more introspective than say "Wall-E" but is simplistic and very effective. There is one scene undeniable shows the entire life of a couple from meeting in childhood until the wife's death that is so moving it is unreal. There is no dialogue throughout the entire sequence but Michael Giacchino's music and the simple gestures of the characters are great. The meat of the film follows the old man who lost his wife. He promised to take her to a secret falls in South America to live out the rest of her days. He never did but just as he is about to be put in a retirement home, he makes the house lift off with balloons. He has an unwilling stowaway in the form of a young Wilderness Scout who just wants to help old people. When they arrive at the falls, they meet up with two great comic characters that interact well but I don't want to give that away. The comedy between these two animals is fantastic but doesn't move too far away from some sort of realism. Director Pete Doctor then came back out and discussed some of the film before showing a short clip that had never been seen before outside of Pixar. He said that most of the action takes place in the latter half of the picture which is how they wanted to construct it. The small sequence involves a chase over falling rocks involving dogs. It actually makes you think of the dodging of obstacles in "Dragon's Lair" but with more toys. Disney sure didn't back off on 3D which is the way it should be.Real D Luncheon Entering into the Paris Ballroom, the sit down event was hosted by Michael Lewis (who did an interview with us after wards which you can listen to here and also read on the site here). Sony Pictures Animation then presented some clips from their upcoming 3D film "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs". The concept here seems a little bit more out there but a lot of fun. The two sequences that were shown in 3D were interesting and also seemed to take more advantage of the external screen presence which is the only aspect of 3D that hasn't been more used. The first scene involves a jello castle that the scientist (who is the lead of the film) creates for a girl he likes. They play inside of it which includes a small part with them jumping into a pool. There is one shot that creates that removed perspective where he is laying on top of the jello while she is embedded reaching out at us. The other scene is one that is seen in the 3D trailer which is on a pier after the scientist meets this new girl. He had tried different experiments before and was getting frustrated. Just then the rain clouds open up with a bevy of color and it starts raining cheeseburgers. Before a lunch of hamburgers and chicken nuggets, Real D CEO Michael Lewis also gave an award for progression of 3D to the makers of "Coraline" which goes into international release within the next few weeks.Paramount Dinner and The Soloist Inside the Champagne Ballroom, the wonderful "Star Trek" trailer played as a raised platform showed what looked older models of the Enterprise. The other two films sighted inside included "Imagine That" which is Eddie Murphy's Nickelodeon entry. Interestingly enough, one thought he was moving back into his older edgy humor although this does not now seem a foregone inclusion. The Wayans Brothers' new movie "Dance Flick" (directed by Damien Wayans) is their continuing presence into parody flicks. With Anna Fairs in leading woman status now, a new mostly unknown girl takes the reigns. Later in the Theater Des Arts before the screening of "The Soloist" began, a new trailer for "GI Joe" was shown. It seems action packed but maybe at times too over the top. Some of the effects are killer but seems to borrow a lot from "Transformers" but without the robots. Surprisingly nothing from "Transformers 2" was shown. The suit elements in "Joe" including rockets launched off an Escalade-type truck as two men in flying military suit twist and turn through the air in slow motion is cool but doesn't show any relevance to the story which supposedly shows the rise of Cobra."The Soloist" itself which was delayed from awards season has great pedigree. Actually during one moment in the film you see a glimmer of "Chaplin" from Downey Jr. When he is sitting on couch with co-star Catherine Keener lying next to him, director Joe Wright ("Atonement") gets a shot from the side with Downey's eyes are tearing up. It is like when Charlie gets his Oscar. Beautiful. Granted Jamie Foxx has the more showy role and the film's theme of classical music might not resonate with younger people. The inclusion of the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the LA Philharmonic which was key to the actual story is good. When the film escapes to just the music playing in Foxx's head, it takes on a really clear quality. Despite a lack of flushing on Foxx's character regarding his schitzophrenia, the movie plays well into the thought and life of the man. Solid movie but the question becomes despite the pedigree the amount of access for a regular audience.In the first portion of this year's Showest, 3D makes its splash in a big way as both distributors and exhibitors try to figure out the best way to capitalize on the effective new strategy.