Star Wars - The Force Awakens: 10 Things To Look For That Happen In Every Star Wars Movie

"There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?"

Those were the words spoken at the beginning of the first Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer released a year ago, and they apply to what's currently going on in the world of Star Wars fandom at large.

Because, unless you've been living in another galaxy, you know that in only 16 DAYS, we'll finally get to see the first new Star Wars movie in 10 years -- and the first new Star Wars sequel, following the original adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo, since 1983's Return of the Jedi -- when it's released on Friday, December 18th.

And ever since the release of the third and final trailer for The Force Awakens on October 19th, excitement for the new film has reached a fever pitch. In case you haven't seen the trailer, go ahead and check it out below. We'll wait.

The Star Wars: The Force Awakens Final Trailer

Speculation runs high on the interwebs as to what this new film will be about:

• What have Han, Princess Leia and the others been up to for the last 30 years?
• Who are the new characters we've seen in the trailers, and are any of them related to the heroes we've come to know and love?
• What's the deal with the guy with the cool red lightsaber with the cross guards?
• Why is there still an Empire?
• Where the heck is Luke Skywalker?

While there are plenty of theories out there, there's no way to know anything for sure until the movie opens.

However, there ARE some things we can know ahead of time. Why do I say that? Well, because it's a Star Wars movie, and believe it or not, there are some things that always happen in Star Wars movies.

Not convinced? Well, here's an easy one: If I were to ask you to quote a line from a Star Wars movie, which one immediately comes to mind? Besides "Luke, I'm your father." (which actually isn't even the line from the movie, but that's another story).

Anyway, I bet you thought of "May the Force be with you," and that line is spoken in each and every Star Wars movie. With that kind of precedent, it stands to reason that it'll happen in this movie, too.

And if it's true for a line of dialogue, surely there are other things about these movies that we can expect to see in The Force Awakens. Well, there are, and I'd like to share a few that I've found. Keep track so we can see how many we get right:

10 Things That Happen in Every Star Wars Movie

1. After the opening crawl at the beginning of each film, the first thing we see is a large spaceship. Whether it be a Republic cruiser or an Imperial star destroyer, these movies always open big... with giant spaceships to get us into the action. Who can forget this opening shot from the original Star Wars?

The opening shot of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

2. Someone always says: "I have a bad feeling about this." Aside from the line of dialogue discussed earlier, this is the only other one spoken by a character in every movie.

3. The heroes encounter fantastic creatures and aliens. Whether it's the Rancor that threatens Luke Skywalker in a cave beneath Jabba's palace, or a wise green Jedi master named Yoda on a bog planet, Star Wars movies delight us with aliens and monsters that are always spectacular and unlike anything we've seen before. You can be sure that The Force Awakens will introduce us to a new set of both to amaze us.

The Reek, a creature from Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

4. There will be a huge battle in space or on a planet (or both). Whether it's aerial dog fights over a Death Star, a battle in the snow with Imperial walkers, an attack of the clones against droid armies, or space cruisers duking it out over an exotic planet, these movies always feature eye-popping battles of literally galactic proportions. 

It's called Star Wars for a reason.

The Battle of Coruscant from Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

5. R2-D2 proves that he's a hero. Whether it's repairing hyperdrives in the nick of time, or rescuing one of our heroes, everybody's favorite droid always finds a way to save the day.

R2-D2 rockets to the rescue in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

6. Lightsaber duels. At its heart, Star Wars is about the ancient war between the adherents to the light side of the Force (the Jedi) and the students of the Dark Side (usually the Sith). Basically, it comes down to somebody with a green or blue (and in one case, purple) lightsaber versus somebody with a red one. And one of them will lose an appendage or be cut in half. Ouch!

Luke Skywalker faces Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

7. A chase or race action sequence. The pod race in The Phantom Menace. The Death Star attack in A New Hope. The speeder bike chase in Return of the Jedi. Star Wars is known for thrilling high-speed scenes that get the blood racing. You can bet there will be a scene like this in The Force Awakens.

The podrace from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

8. Something bad will happen to C-3PO. Usually, everyone's favorite fussy protocol droid is the butt of a joke, or he suffers some kind of physical damage.

C-3PO gets attacked in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

9. Holograms. After an amazing set up in its first 30 minutes, the story of the original Star Wars movie took off in earnest with just eight simple words: "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." Since that time, every movie has featured holographic messages as the standard way that people communicate in that galaxy far, far away. Count on that tradition to continue.

Princess Leia's holographic message in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

10. Each film features a standout secondary villain.  Grand Moff Tarkin. Boba Fett, Jabba the Hutt. Darth Maul. Count Dooku. General Grievous. While Darth Vader and the Emperor were the big bads throughout the Star Wars saga, there was always a second string of villains that captured the imagination -- and devotion -- of Star Wars fans everywhere. And, if the trailers for The Force Awakens are any indication, the Captain Phasma character is tailor-made to fill this role.

Captain Phasma in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

And here's a bonus item:

11. A victory celebration at the end of the film. Now, this one doesn't happen in every episode, but it always does in the first movie of a Star Wars trilogy. 

And I guarantee you that the last shot of the movie will look something like this:

The closing shot of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

And like this:

The closing shot of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

And since the release of The Force Awakens will kick off a brand new trio of Star Wars films, in my next post, I'll share my list of Things That Happen in Each Star Wars Trilogy.

So, that's my list. What do you think? Is there anything I missed that you think should be on the list? If so, be sure to let me know in the comments below.

Whether or not any of these things happen in The Force Awakens, one thing is for sure. This movie will be BIG.

It'll be filled with amazing characters that we'll love and love to hate, heart-pulsing action scenes that will keep us on the edge of our seats, and eye-popping visual effects unlike anything we've ever seen before. 

Just like every Star Wars movie before it. Bonus points to director J.J. Abrams and company if it's as good a movie as we all hope it is.

Either way, I'm looking forward to sitting in my favorite local theater, waiting for the lights to go down and for that familiar title card to come up that reads:

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....

And with the first notes of John Williams music, I'm hopeful that the magic of Star Wars will have returned, awakening in the hearts and minds of moviegoers everywhere...

...Proving once again that the Force is still will us.

It's Oscars Time... Which 2013 Films Will Get Nominated? (UPDATED)

The 2013 Academy Award Best Picture Nominees

1. American Hustle

2. Captain Phillips

3. Dallas Buyer's Club

4. Gravity

5. Her

6. Nebraska

7. Philomena

8. 12 Years a Slave

9. The Wolf of Wall Street

Well, I got all but one right. I knew there was a chance that Blue Jasmine might not make the cut, but I completely dropped the ball on Philomena taking a slot. I figured it a long shot, at best.

Now, however, the real speculation begins, as we count down the next six weeks to Oscar night on March 2. Be sure to check back soon, as I'll be blogging about my predictions for the winners in each category.

In the meantime, you'll find me in the center seat of my local movie theater, popcorn in hand, waiting for the lights to dim...

It's Oscars Time... Which 2013 Films Will Get Nominated?

Once again, it's awards season. With the People's Choice Awards and the Golden Globes under our belts for 2014, it's hard to believe that we're already halfway through January.

Which, of course, means that it's Academy Awards season and time to place your bets on which movies will get Oscar nods this go around. But don't worry, you still have a little time left.

The Oscar nominees get announced on Thursday morning, practically an eternity to speculate on which of your favorite flicks will get a shot at taking home the little golden guy on Sunday, March 2.

If you're like me, you've probably heard a lot of titles tossed around in recent weeks, many of them winning major critics awards or nominations for a whole slew of prizes given out this time of year. Whether it's Gravity, 12 Years a Slave or The Wolf of Wall Street, it seems everybody is giving out an award, expressing an opinion or submitting a critique (or blog!) on which film is the BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR, and their many reasons why.

Well, we'll leave the "who's the best" speculation for another blog entry down the road. For now, I'm only interested in which films will get nominated by the Academy for Best Picture.

As usual, there's a wide field of possibilities to choose from. It's fully expected that there will be, once again, 8-10 nominees to choose from, as has been the case since 2009, when the field of nominees was expanded from the traditional five to accommodate films that would likely never get a nomination otherwise.

Interestingly, while in 2009 and 2010 there were ten nominees each, since then we've had slates of only nine films apiece. I strongly suspect that's what we'll get this time around, too. It seems that the Academy has settled into a nice pattern for the number of nominees, so let's take a look at which one's they'll likely be.

There's a good field of films from which to choose. There's also a diverse group of filmmakers getting attention this time around, with a number of cinema warhorses (Martin Scorsese, the Coen Brothers, Woody Allen) and younger directors with a growing body of work to showcase (Steve McQueen, David O. Russell, Alfonso Cuaron). That being said, here's the pool of likely nominees, followed by the movies I believe WILL be nominated:

Wolf of Wall Street
12 Years a Slave
Philomena
Gravity
American Hustle
Dallas Buyer's Club
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Captain Phillips
Nebraska
Saving Mr. Banks
Her
Blue Jasmine
Inside Llewyn Davis
Rush
August: Osage County

Certainly, there are other films from which to choose the coveted nominee slots. But in the end, the Academy is only going to nominate nine of them (unless, of course, I'm wrong and they nominate ten).

That being said, here are the ones I think we'll see announced tomorrow morning:

1. 12 Years a Slave
2. American Hustle
3. Blue Jasmine
4. Captain Phillips
5. Dallas Buyer's Club
6. Gravity
7. Her
8. Nebraska
9. Wolf of Wall Street

I struggled a bit with this list. While any of the films from the full list above could be nominated, I think it's going to come down to these nine. Still, I'm leaving myself a little wiggle room here. I struggled with putting Inside Llewyn Davis up instead of Dallas Buyer's Club. But I'm going with my gut on this one. If I'm wrong about any of these, I think it'll be these two. Or perhaps Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, although in Woody's case, I have a feeling that the Academy will give Woody a nod for his latest offering.

Either way, I think all of the other films on my list will make the cut. Will I be right? Who knows? We'll soon see.

In the meantime, let me know what you think before we all find out bright and early tomorrow.

Stay tuned...

A Magical Night of Movie Music

John Williams conducts the ASO in last night's concert.

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing not one, but TWO of my lifelong movie idols in the same evening. I attended a concert of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Big deal, you say? Well, keep reading my friend, because it wasn't just any concert.

In fact, it was "An Evening with John Williams & Steven Spielberg". Yes, the legendary film composer known for the music of the Star Wars movies, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Jaws, Schindler's List and so many more of the movies we've all grown up on and love -- along with the director of many of those same hits (as well as many others) -- were both in attendance.

Turns out that the ASO brought in Mr. Williams to conduct the orchestra for a night of celebration of his movie music. That, in itself, is a special treat. John Williams has been my favorite movie composer for as long as I can remember, and there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to see him in person.

I actually got to see him once before, years ago, at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A., and that was a lot of fun. He conducted the orchestra there, too, for an amazing evening of movie music. For me and a few thousand other fans in attendance that night, it was a special time where we all got to geek out to music that's so important to some of the most memorable movies ever made.

That's why I wanted to relive that experience here in Atlanta, and arguably a lot closer to the action than I was at the Hollywood Bowl.

And I wasn't disappointed.

Williams served up many of the classics for which he's known: Raiders, E.T., Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and of course, Star Wars. He gave some wonderful insights into the music behind these films before he conducted selections from them. Of particular interest was how he demonstrated the impact of music on movies through the example of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

The opening train sequence from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

First, he played a scene from the film on a big screen above the orchestra, with the music track removed. It was the opening action set piece that stars River Phoenix as the young Indy, as he makes his escape during a chase sequence that takes place, in part, on a moving train.

For those of us in the audience, many of us very familiar with this scene from the third film in the Indiana Jones series, the effect was immediate. With nothing but the dialogue and sound effects tracks to accompany the visuals, this scene felt in a way, oddly wrong.

There was something nagging me in the back of my head that said that this scene was somehow off. It felt slower and lacked a lot of the energy that I remembered from previous viewings. And it tied into Williams' observations that evening about how music adds an energy or rhythm to a movie that it wouldn't otherwise have. He was so right about that!

After watching the sequence without the music, he played it for us again with the music track intact, and the same scene just came alive in a way that it hadn't in the first viewing. What an incredible, entertaining teaching moment from one of the premiere masters of modern music! More, please!

To be honest, when I saw that the show was called an evening with John Williams and Steven Spielberg, I just didn't believe that a filmmaker of Steven Spielberg's stature would actually have the time to fly to Atlanta for one night to gush about Williams and how his music has impacted his films.

Boy was I wrong!

Spielberg (l) speaks at last night's ASO concert, while Williams (r) looks on.

Spielberg was there in the flesh, and it was obvious that he was having a great time celebrating his friend.

[Quick bit of trivia: to date, John Williams has scored all of Spielberg's movies, with the exception of one. Do you know which one that is? The answer at the end of this article.]

As a fan of both of these men, I've read a lot of the stories that have been written about them and the movies on which they've collaborated.

Still, there's no substitute for hearing them from the horse's mouth, so to speak, right in front of you!

My friends and I had such a great time at this concert, and I hope to see these two men in person again one of these days. If you ever get the chance to see Williams in concert, I strongly recommend it. You'll have a great time listening to incredible music and reliving some of your favorite moments from the movies.

One interesting thing to note is that Williams said there are rumblings that the long-rumored Star Wars sequels may, in fact, be happening, and that he'll be called on to write the music for them. I've never really believed that George Lucas would make the movies that would follow up on the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo, but if they do make them, I can't wait to sit in a darkened theater a few years from now to hear those familiar opening notes to the Star Wars theme, along with a brand new score from Mr. Williams to take us once again to a galaxy far, far away.

It'll be worth the wait.

(BTW - the only Spielberg film that Williams didn't score was The Color Purple. That movie was written by the great Quincy Jones)

The 84 Academy Awards: And the Oscar Goes To...

Well, the big night is finally here. For those of you keeping track, I always make some Oscar predictions on who will actually walk away with the little gold dude. Let's see if I fared better this time around:

Best Cinematography: Okay, I got this one wrong again this year, but I'm glad. I think the right film got this one. Just a beautiful thing to watch.
Predicted Winner: The Artist
Actual Winner: Hugo


Best Art Direction: Once again, I got this one right. I think there was no contest, so I'm glad to see that the right movie got this one. Couldn't be happier.
Predicted Winner: Hugo
Actual Winner: Hugo

TCM Classic Film Festival - Day 2 (Pt. II: Arabian Nights & Gladiatorial Games)

After lunch I made my way over to the Chinese Multiplex Theater for a screening of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I've always been a big fan of Ray Harryhausen's effects work (Super Dynamation!) in genre films from Earth vs. The Flying Saucers and Jason and the Argonauts to The Mysterious Island.

It was a real hoot seeing one of the movies that my dad saw as a kid. Sure, the dialogue is pretty hokey, and the film definitely reflects a very different era in American culture, but that was part of its charm. It was also very cool that they had on hand a film historian who talked about the film before the screening and shared some interesting tidbits about the production. All in all, it was a lot of fun.

Also of interest was the Chinese Multiplex Theater itself. Before yesterday, I didn't even know that this theater existed. The Multiplex is a collection of about a half dozen movie screens that sits between Graumann's Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. The theater lobby was completely decked out for the festival. There were all kinds of displays and standees celebrating classic movies everywhere. I don't know how long I spent wandering around after the movie.

I think my favorite display was the one that held the Best Picture Academy Award for An American in Paris (the 1951 Gene Kelly/Leslie Caron film that was restored and given a red carpet premiere for the festival this year). We're talking an ACTUAL Oscar! I'd never seen a real one up close before. It was cool to see. I wonder how much those things weigh?

After I checked out the displays in the Multiplex, I made my way back out to Hollywood Boulevard. I'd intended to stop in at the Roosevelt Hotel to chill for awhile before making my way to Graumann's Chinese Theater across the street. However, as I left the Multiplex, I walked right by Graumann's and noticed a number of people in line. Curious, I stopped and asked a man what movie he was in line for. "Spartacus, " he replied. I checked the time and saw that the Spartacus screening was still about two hours away. Yet there were already a couple of dozen folks waiting in line.

I made a quick decision. I'd already learned my lesson that morning when I was greeted by the long line for Becket outside the Egyptian. I jumped into line, ready to wait for my chance to see Stanley Kubrick's classic film and its iconic star, the legendary Kirk Douglas, in the flesh! I knew that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wasn't going to miss it.

The two-hour wait to get into Graumann's went by quickly. While we stood there, the line swelled into the hundreds. There was a lot of excitement in the air. I met a family just in front of me who saw a screening of Bette Davis' Now, Voyager earlier in the day. I'm ashamed to say that I'm not as versed on my Bette Davis movies as I should be, so I kicked myself for not making time to see this movie (guess I'll have to catch it on TCM or on DVD sometime soon).

Note to self: for the 2012 festival (and yes, you're coming back, BTW), create a list of must-see classic films that you'll make time to see.

It's sad to say, but despite being a huge movie fan and a filmmaker, classic films remain my Achilles Heel. Of course, I've seen quite a few of the movies that my parents and grandparents grew up on (my favorite film of all time is Ben-Hur for crying out loud!), but I'm not as knowledgeable about them as a group (unlike say, the films from the late 1970s on - the movies that I grew up with). Of course, one could argue, that's the entire purpose for coming to a festival like this. So I get credit for that, right?

In any case, the two hours in line went by quickly. We had plenty of entertainment in the queue on Hollywood Boulevard: dudes and dudettes dressed as superheroes (you can make a living doing that?); a street rapper who accosted people (mostly attractive women) as they walked by and improvised rhymes incorporating some bit of info about the people who agreed to participate; and tons of random of people who drew attention all on their own, including a couple of Brazilian beauties who turned heads and had tongues wagging while they wandered around the grounds outside Graumann's. I know, I know. I tried to snap a quick pic, but to no avail before they wandered off. Next time, I promise to get photographic evidence of random exotic beauties.

Finally, though, the wait was over and it was time to go into Graumann's! Getting to go into this legendary theater was a real treat. The joint is huge! It's truly a beautiful example of the old-style movie palaces of yesteryear. Just gorgeous. I could spend a lifetime seeing my favorite films on that fabulous screen. Well, at least I got a taste by getting to see Spartacus there.

Before the movie started, though, we got a double treat, in the form of Robert Osborne, Mr. TCM himself, coming out to intro the film and its star, the guest of honor, Kirk Douglas! Osborne set the evening up with a short video tribute to Douglas, which gave a good sampling of the man's amazing film career, highlights featuring assorted clips of everything from Paths of Glory to Picasso. It was pretty cool. One particularly memorable bit was a piece from a one-man show that Douglas has been doing in recent years that featured him on stage having a conversation with a younger version of himself, projected onto a screen. That was nice.

After the tribute, Osborne came back out and introduced Douglas. I was only about 8-10 rows back, so I had a great view. When Douglas first came out and stood next to our host, I was honestly a little shocked at how short and frail he looked next to Osborne. Obviously, Douglas is an older man now, and we all know about the health challenges he's faced in his later years. Still, it was a bit of a surprise. However, while time has changed the man's body, Douglas quickly proved that it's done nothing to dampen his spirit. He had a twinkle in his eye that revealed a zest for life that was unmistakable. And it was infectious. This was freakin' Kirk Douglas! He had amazing presence on that stage, and he knew how to play to his audience. Most touching of all, you could tell that he genuinely enjoyed being there for us that night.

Osborne conducted an amazing Q&A with the star that was as much fun as it was informative. Douglas, for his part, was frank, funny, and poignant in his observations on his career and his life in general. It was obvious that this was a man with a point of view -- and a lot of life left in him.

At the end of the Q&A, the audience thanked the screen legend with a standing ovation. Their chat had lasted about 45 minutes, but it went by so quickly. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and their conversation continued to resonate with me during the screening. Getting the chance to see and hear Kirk Douglas in the flesh was the perfect setup for watching him in the film we were there to see that evening, and the perfect way to end my second day at the festival. It's a memory I'm going to carry with me for a very long time.

Be sure to come back soon. My next entry will be about day three of the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival!

Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival - Day 2 (Pt. I: Royal Daze and a British Screen Legend)

This was a good day.

It started with an early screening of the 1964 Richard Burton/Peter O'Toole classic, Becket. I got to the theater (Graumann's Egyptian) an hour early (8:00 a.m. PST) only to discover that there was already a line for the film. A long one. But that was okay, for, as I was soon to learn, there was plenty of room in the auditorium, and getting a seat was no problem.

Heck, it was actually a lot of fun waiting in line, chatting with other festival attendees (not to mention flirting with one of the festival staff members as she handed out numbered slips for festival passholders in line, which gave us some priority over those who bought tickets for this single screening). You could feel the excitement coming from the other attendees, as we were all eager to discuss one aspect of the festival or another, as well as our love of film in general.

It was a real treat to see the famous Egyptian Theater up close, as this was my first time there. What I didn't know before this day was that it was the home of the American Cinematheque. The Egyptian decor was a sight to see (and an interesting contrast to the more famous Graumann's Chinese Theater). The interior was as much of a visual treat as the outside. Particularly impressive was the wrought iron ceiling work. That, along with the large screen and numerous seats, made for a wonderful film viewing venue.

All of this played wonderfully into setting the mood for the feature presentation itself: Becket. I realized as I watched the film that I'd never seen this movie all the way through. It was an amazing experience. For those who don't know, Becket is the story of real life 12th-century friends, Thomas Becket and King Henry II of England. Henry (played by Peter O'Toole) is the grandson of Norman invader William the Conqueror. Becket, played by Richard Burton, is a Saxon who is constantly reminded by those in the king's court (and the church) of his inferior status as one of the conquered.

Despite their differences, Becket and King Henry are good friends who find ways to further secure the king's position, at the same time irritating those who resent Henry and his cavalier ways. Their friendship faces a major test when Henry elevates his friend (already the chancellor of the realm) to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. Much to Henry's surprise, Becket takes the position and its responsibilities to heart. As archbishop, it is Becket's devotion to both God and his fellow man (and not to his king), that ultimately drives a wedge between the two friends and propels this incredible film to its powerful conclusion.

Becket was an amazing film that I'm glad to have finally seen in its entirety. It was a very moving experience, but not just because it's a great movie (which it is). You see, earlier this year, one of my cousins passed away. It wasn't until Michael's funeral that I learned that Becket was his favorite movie. My cousin and I had talked about our mutual love of movies on many occasions, but I never knew that this one was his very favorite.

So when I heard that Becket would be screened at the festival, I very much wanted to see it. I think for me, it became a way to honor my cousin's memory, so I'm glad I went. Now I think I see why Michael liked it so much. Great choice, Cuz.

If seeing this movie wasn't treat enough, it was all that more a memorable experience by the presence of one of its stars: Peter O'Toole. The actor showed up right after the screening to participate in a Q&A with TCM host Ben Mankiewicz. O'Toole, despite his years, proved that he's still a force to be reckoned with. He talked a good bit about the making of Becket, recalling several stories about his co-star, the late Richard Burton, with whom he shared a very close friendship.

O'Toole gave a great interview, full of warmth, wit and humor. And we in the audience ate it up, hanging on his every word, joke, and anecdote. It was a revelation to learn that TCM screened Becket at O'Toole's request. That says a lot, considering O'Toole's rich body of work, which includes my personal favorite of his films: Lawrence of Arabia. Getting to see and hear from the man who played T.E. Lawrence and King Henry II was a real treat and the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm so glad that I went to this festival!

Believe it or not, the day was just getting started with the Becket screening. It would continue with a screening of the Ray Harryhausen Dynamation vehicle, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. And this already very rich day would conclude with a screening of the Stanley Kubrick classic, Spartacus, with the great Kirk Douglas himself in attendance!

Since this entry is getting a little long, I'll cover the rest of Day 2 in my next post. Come back tomorrow for the rest of the tale...

Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival - Day 1

Today marked day one of the second annual Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival, a celebration of classic American films, sponsored by Turner Classic Movies, and attended by thousands of movie fans from all over the world. Dozens of movies will be screened, including An American in Paris, Spartacus, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, The Day the Earth Stood Still, All About Eve, and Shaft. There will be panels and discussions attended by such celebrities as Mickey Rooney, Peter O'Toole, Debbie Reynolds, Kirk Douglas, and of course, TCM host and moderator Robert Osborne.

And this year I'm in the thick of it all.

After missing the first festival last year, I decided that the next time around, I'd make sure I was there to see it for myself. And boy, am I glad that I came out for this party. There's a lot going on besides the film screenings themselves. There are swanky parties, red carpet gala celebrations, signings by stars of the films featured in the festival, and panel discussions held on an impressively diverse set of subjects, including: dancing in the movies, movie trailers, African-Americans in film, voice doubles in musicals, and film sequels.

There's tons to do, and I can't imagine anyone attending this year will be bored. That being said, day one of the festival was a little low-key for me. My flight from Atlanta got in late, late, LATE last night (or should I say this morning) and that threw my whole day off. I missed the first day's panels and screenings, but that's okay.

Thursday was the lightest day schedule-wise of the festival, so it gave me a chance to check everything out and get my bearings. I really enjoyed walking up and down Hollywood Boulevard taking in the sights and getting a feel for the vibe of the festival overall. If I had to sum it up in a word, it'd be: fun. And also style. It was exciting stomping up and down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, noting where all the festival venues were in relation to each other (Graumann's Chinese Theater and The Egyptian, for starters).

Especially impressive was walking into the historical Roosevelt Hotel, site of many an event back in Hollywood's heady glory days (including the very first Academy Awards, way back in 1929). Walking into the building, I felt as if I'd stepped back in time. I can see why TCM chose it as the hub for festival events. It's a classy, stylish place, and I could see that everyone in the joint was equally impressed by it... and having a grand old time, too.

So maybe I didn't attend any events today. It's cool. I still had fun just experiencing the festival. But trust me, I'm going to attend as many screenings and panels as I can over the next three days. And I'm going to be tweeting and blogging about all of it as much as possible (that is, when I'm not attending a screening or panel).

A bit of a slow start perhaps today, but I'll more than make up for on Day Two. Friday brings screenings (for me at least) of Becket (starring Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole, the latter of which will be in attendance to introduce the film and participate in a panel discussion after the film), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (as part of a tribute to film music composer Bernard Hermann) and Spartacus (with "I am Spartacus!" himself, Mr. Kirk Douglas present).

I'd say it's all going to be good. It's going to be fun. And it's going to be covered here in my blog. So if you want to hear more, tune back in tomorrow for another report.

Until then, I'm signing off. I'll be seeing you at the movies....

From Whence Cometh the Best Sci-Fi Films?

Anybody who knows me knows that I love science fiction: Sci-Fi novels, short stories, comics, TV shows and movies in particular. Recently, I've been thinking about the science fiction movies that have had the biggest impact on me, the ones I've enjoyed the most. One of the first things that occurred to me was that there aren't really that many SF movies out there. Sure, there are lots of science fiction movies that have been made over the years, but compared to most genres, there really aren't that many.

Maybe more than fantasy movies, I guess, but not as many as say, romantic comedies.

So, while I guess you can argue over whether or not there's tons of SF movies out there, one thing you can't argue is the number of really good ones out there. Answer: very, VERY few, like with anything else. Of course, there's any number of films that you can rattle off: Alien, Blade Runner, Terminator 2, The Matrix. All great films, but when you really think about it, how many truly outstanding sci-fi movies are there? Well, I started thinking about my favorite ones and to make it fun, I decided to limit myself to my very favorite SF films by decade.

That's right. One movie, one decade at a time.

With that rule in mind, I want to take a closer look at the SF films that matter most to me and the reasons why. So, from time to time during the year, I'll devote a discussion to each of the films that stick out for me and will post them here.

Keep in mind, the films we'll look at won't necessarily be the highest-grossing or the most popular movies. I'm going to look at the ones that are my personal favorites, the ones that most informed my grasp of science fiction and told the stories that impacted me on a personal level. So be warned, I may not cover your personal favorites, or those with the greatest cult following, or even the ones that may be considered the "best" by either popular or critical culture.

But that's okay. It'll be more fun - and less predictable - this way.

Be sure to come back soon 'cause we're gonna start with a little film that came out way back in the 1950s.

Any guesses as to what it is? Come back soon and find out...

The 83rd Academy Awards: And the Oscar Goes To...

And the big night is finally here. For those of you keeping track, as usual, I made some Oscar predictions last month for all of the award categories. Now that the awards are finally being handed out, let's see how much I got right:

Best Art Direction: I just had a feeling about this one. The movie had a unique and amazing look and my gut told me that it would be recognized for it.
Predicted Winner: Alice in Wonderland
Actual Winner: Alice in Wonderland

Best Cinematography: Okay, my prediction was off with this one. But I'm glad to be wrong. This is the one that deservedit. This movie just had an amazing look that made it a pure joy to watch. I think this is just one of a couple awards that it will win tonight.
Predicted Winner: The King's Speech
Actual Winner: Inception

Best Supporting Actress: I knew it! I really believed that Melissa Leo would take this one. What a speech she gave! Guess she forgot that she was on live TV with that dropped F-bomb! And that Kirk Douglas... great choice to have him present the award. What a ham!
Predicted Winner: Melissa Leo for The Fighter
Actual Winner: Melissa Leo for The Fighter

Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3. As usual, no surprise here. Pixar continues to dominate this category, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And yes, they have another movie out this year: Cars 2. Will it be a lock for the this category next year. Tune in next year and we'll all find out. In the meantime, once again, good job and congratulations, Pixar!
Predicted Winner: Toy Story 3
Actual Winner: Toy Story 3

Best Adapted Screenplay: He wrote a great screenplay for a very powerful movie. Plus, he had all of the buzz and momentum behind him. figured he'd pull this one off.
Predicted Winner: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network
Actual Winner: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

Best Original Screenplay: Good for late bloomers! Nice speech. One more reason why it's going to be a very good night for this movie.
Predicted Winner: David Seidler for The King's Speech
Actual Winner: David Seidler for The King's Speech

Best Foreign Language Film: Oops! I was way off with this one. Thought it really would go to Biutiful. Guess things aren't so rotten in Denmark.
Predicted Winner: Biutiful
Actual Winner: In a Better World

Best Supporting Actor: Very cool to see this win. Thank you, Batman, for not dropping the F-bomb like your co-star from The Fighter.
Predicted Winner: Christian Bale for The Fighter
Actual Winner: Christian Bale for The Fighter

Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Really expected this to go the way of The King's Speech, but looks like I was wrong.
Predicted Winner: The King's Speech
Actual Winner: The Social Network

Best Sound Mixing: Okay, I gave The King's Speech a little too much credit in this one. I should've seen that this was a no-brainer. Like I've been saying, Inception will carry several awards tonight. My only regret is that they will be in technical categories only. But they are well deserved.
Predicted Winner: The King's Speech
Actual Winner: Inception

Best Sound Editing: Ditto. Congrats to the makers of Inception.
Predicted Winner: Inception
Actual Winner: Inception

Best Visual Effects: It will be interesting to see if this movie wins anything else tonight. Unfortunately, because I believe Inception is only going to receive technical awards love tonight, I think that's all she wrote for Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking movie.
Predicted Winner: Inception
Actual Winner: Inception

Best Editing: Ok, that's another one I got wrong. Figured it'd be another feather in The King's Speech's cap, but was not meant to be. Congrats to David Fincher's editing team.
Predicted Winner: The King's Speech
Actual Winner: The Social Network

Best Original Song: And it's Randy Newman. Wow, he's having fun tonight, isn't he? As I always say, never bet against a Pixar film!
Predicted Winner: Toy Story 3
Actual Winner: Toy Story 3

Best Director: Okay, forget what I said last month. If you have any doubt as to who will win Best Picture, this award should give you a major clue. Good advice, Mr. Hooper. Always listen to your mother...
Predicted Winner: David Fincher for The Social Network
Actual Winner: Tom Hooper for The King's Speech

Best Actress: Good for you, Natalie! What a journey for this interesting actor. Honestly, I think her best acting is still ahead of her. Keep your eyes on this one.
Predicted Winner: Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Actual Winner: Natalie Portman for Black Swan

Best Actor: One more step along the way to a Best Picture coronation for this stirring film about the royal family.
Predicted Winner: Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Actual Winner: Colin Firth for The King's Speech

Best Picture: Very nice film. Glad to see it win. However, there were no surprises here. It was the hands down favorite and to be honest, I would've been surprised if any of the other films won.
Predicted Winner: The King's Speech
Actual Winner: The King's Speech

Now let's see how many of these that I got right: out of the 17 categories that I tracked and blogged about this year, I got 12 of them right. That's about 75%. Not too bad. But I'd like to get it up higher next year.

Well, once again, that's it folks. As always, I invite you to join me again next year - same time, same blog - to find out which films from 2011 will take home Oscar gold.

Until then, I hope you have a magical time at the movies. I know I will.

Look! Up on the Silver Screen! It's Superheroes!

(Or: We're 10 Years into the Current Comic Book Movie Boom – What's the Future of Cinematic Superheroes?)

This is a great time to be alive if you’re a comic book fan (and by the way, yes, I am one). Never have there been more choices for us from the burgeoning superhero movie genre.

As a kid, pretty much all that my sisters and I had to enjoy of our caped and cowled heroes were the Christopher Reeve Superman movies and the Tim Burton Batman flicks. Which, more often than not, meant that the choices for superhero fare were few and far between. And the few flicks that there were out there were almost always bad. Very bad. I remember always wondering why there were so few superhero movies (where was Spider-Man? Where was The Flash? The Justice League? And when are we finally going to get a Wonder Woman movie?)

It's always seemed to me that superhero movies were maybe (and that's a BIG maybe) rated just a little higher than cartoons on the respectability totem pole. Such fare (along with animation, in American culture at least) was (and is) typically relegated to kids' stuff. Unfortunately, it's often with good reason. Most superhero stories outside of the comics themselves have been told through animation and aimed at kids. Whether it was the Super Friends or Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, most superhero antics have a history of being pretty juvenile.

And it hasn't really been any better for the live-action projects. While the old Incredible Hulk series was pretty good, nearly everything else wasn't. Most shows and movies suffered too much from bad writing and limited budgets to be taken seriously. And maybe those are the two biggest reasons why the genre has suffered so much over the years.

But that all changed back in the late 1970s and 1980s. A couple of really interesting things happened that I think forever changed filmed superheroes. One was the release of Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie (1978), starring Christopher Reeve as the titular hero. A modern retelling of the Superman mythology, the film was both a critical and commercial success, ushering in the age of the modern superhero movie - in much the same way that 2001: A Space Odyssey set the stage for the modern science fiction film (making later entries like Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien, Blade Runner and others possible). In just the same way, Superman laid the groundwork for the Tim Burton Batman films, as well as other superhero films.

Another game changer for superheroes was that comics books themselves - and thus the superheroes they featured - changed. DC Comics gave itself a major reboot with Crisis on Infinite Earths and the revamping of some of its most iconic characters (namely Superman at the hands of writer John Byrne, and Batman through Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns). These reboots made the characters more adult, relatable and - oddly enough - more realistic.

About the same time, Hollywood, hoping to build upon the earlier successes of the Superman movies, delved deeper into the world of superheroes by producing Tim Burton's version of Batman, itself greatly influenced by Frank Miller's take on the Dark Knight. The movie was a runaway success and whetted the appetites of producers eager to make money off comic book characters.

The 1989 Batman movie was followed by three sequels. However, as with the Superman movies before them, each successive film decreased in quality following the second installments. Naturally, Hollywood wasn't deterred. If anything, it simply kept shoveling more entries of a genre it didn't understand or appreciate down our throats. Along with the Batman movies, other heroes featured in films included: Supergirl (1984), Dick Tracy (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), The Shadow (1994), and The Phantom (1996), among others. In some cases, the films attempted were so bad that they never even got a theatrical release, as was the case with the early 1990s attempts to bring Captain America and The Fantastic Four to the big screen, in 1991 and 1994, respectively.

Superhero movies flamed out quickly after early successes, and slipped back into the camp of, well, camp. (Batman & Robin, anyone?) Ironically, the early major successes with the superhero movie genre came from comic book powerhouse DC Comics (home of Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman). And it was their major competitor, Marvel Comics (home to Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, Captain, America and the Fantastic Four) that couldn't get a decent comic book movie off the ground. That began to change, however, in the late 1990s, with the advent of the Blade movies, starring Wesley Snipes as the Marvel Comics vampire hunter who was himself half-vampire. These films came in the wake of successful comic book movies The Crow (1994) and Spawn (1997), both adapted from independent comic book labels.

The first movie in the franchise, Blade (1998), produced on a modest budget of $45,000,000, would go on to gross over $130,000,000 worldwide, and produce two sequels, Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004). Marvel comics would strike gold again with the arrival of X-Men (2000), which was a surprise box office hit, also generating two sequels during the first decade of the century.

However, it was with the first Spider-Man film (2002), that Marvel proved that it had staying power. The film, well cast with Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Kirsten Dunst as girl next door Mary Jane Watson, and Willem Dafoe as the villainous Green Goblin, captured the minds and hearts of audiences worldwide and eventually raked in more than $800,000,000 in total box office receipts, placing it among the top ten highest grossing films of all time.

What followed for the rest of the decade was an avalanche of Marvel Comics-based movies based upon heroes in capes and spandex, some celebrated, some decried. In addition to the X-Men and Spider-Man movies, new heroes to grace the silver screen included the Fantastic Four, the Hulk (not once, but twice, including the 2008 reboot The Incredible Hulk), The Punisher, Daredevil, Electra, and Iron Man.



Not to be outdone, the DC Comics camp rebooted Batman with the Christopher Nolan-directed Batman Begins (2005), a far superior vision of the Caped Crusader than the Tim Burton films. And following close behind came X-Men director Bryan Singer's reboot of the Man of Steel with Superman Returns (2006), an earnest, if flawed, vision grafted into the continuity of Richard Donner's first two Superman films, starring Christopher Reeve. Nolan's interpretation of Batman would go on to spawn an even more successful, and far superior, sequel, The Dark Knight (2008), which would gross more than a billion dollars worldwide, making it the most successful comic book movie of all time.

And there’s a lot more coming from both comic book publishing titans. Next year, we’ll be treated to a revamped (read: younger) version of the X-Men, as well as the initial offerings (or as the fanboys and girls out there know, the origin stories) for Thor, Green Lantern, and Captain America, the first films in what should be very lucrative franchises. And in 2012, we'll be treated to the long-promised superhero team up film The Avengers, featuring established screen superheroes Iron Man and the Hulk, along with Thor and Captain America.

Some critics decry the saturation of the movie market with all of this superhero fare. Isn't this enough, they say? Even some of the people bringing us these superhero movies are wondering that, as evidenced by statements in this article by the helmer of the upcoming X-Men reboot, X-Men: First Class, director Matthew Vaughn.

Seems to me, however, that the naysayers have it all wrong. For decades, the same thing has been said about the western, the musical, and film noir, none of which have disappeared from the your local multiplex. Sure, there aren't as many of them as there used to be, but people still line up to see them. Or maybe the makers of Chicago and Mamma Mia! or 3:10 to Yuma and True Grit are behind the times and don't realize that their genres are dead?

Or more likely, it's that people will always want choices in their nights out when they want to go to the movies and be entertained. And superhero movies are just one more choice for those of us who love movies. Which means that our caped friends aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Which is fine by me. As far as I'm concerned, I say the more the merrier. At long last, comic book movies have finally achieved legitimate status in American pop culture, on par with romantic comedies, thrillers and traditional action movies.

Suffice it to say that superhero movies are here to stay, and it's about time.

That being said, now that we have a few superhero movies to choose from this year - and the next, and the next after that - my only question is this: just when ARE we going to finally get a Wonder Woman movie?!