Ellis at The Movies

Ellis at the Movies is back!

2011-02-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

Ellis At The Movies Oscar Picks
Hey everyone,
I decided that there would be no better night then Oscar night to bring back Ellis At The Movies I have been missing do it and this time I will not let my depression or anxiety get in the way. With that statement here are my Oscar picks for tonight. My picks will be highlighted in bold. If I didn’t highlight a category it is because I didn’t see the films in that category

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids are All Right
The King's Speech
The Social Network
127 Hours
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening (The Kids are All Right)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (Biutiful)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

Best Documentary Short Subject
Killing in the Name
Poster Girl
Strangers No More
Sun Come Up
The Warriors of Qiugang

Best Short Film (Animated)
Day & Night Teddy Newton
The Gruffalo Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
Let's Pollute Geefwee Boedoe
The Lost Thing Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary) Bastien Dubois

Best Short Film (Live Action)
The Confession Tanel Toom
The Crush Michael Creagh
God of Love Luke Matheny
Na Wewe Ivan Goldschmidt
Wish 143 Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

Achievement in Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

Achievement in Cinematography
Black Swan (Matthew Libatique)
Inception (Wally Pfister)
The King's Speech (Danny Cohen)
The Social Network (Jeff Cronenweth)
True Grit (Roger Deakins)

Achievement in Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland (Colleen Atwood)
I Am Love (Antonella Cannarozzi)
The King's Speech (Jenny Beaven)
The Tempest (Sandy Powell)
True Grit (Mary Zophres)

Achievement in Directing
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit)

Best Documentary Feature
Exit through the Gift Shop Banksy, director (Paranoid Pictures)
Gasland Josh Fox, director (Gasland Productions, LLC)
Inside Job Charles Ferguson, director (Representational Pictures)
Restrepo Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger, directors (Outpost Films)
Waste Land Lucy Walker, director (Almega Projects)

Achievement in Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman

Achievement in Film Editing
Black Swan (Andrew Weisblum)
The Fighter (Pamela Martin)
The King's Speech (Tariq Anwar)
127 Hours (Jon Harris)
The Social Network (Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Biutiful (Mexico)
Dogtooth (Greece)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Incendies (Canada)
Hors la Loi (Algeria)

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
How to Train Your Dragon (John Powell)
Inception (Hans Zimmer)
The King's Speech (Alexandre Desplat)
127 Hours (A.R. Rahman)
The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
"Coming Home" from Country Strong Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
"I See the Light" from Tangled Music and Lyric by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
"If I Rise" from 127 Hours Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
"We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3 Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Achievement in Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
TRON: Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable

Achievement in Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit

Achievement in Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2

Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours (Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle)
The Social Network (Aaron Sorkin)
Toy Story 3 (Michael Arndt, story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)
True Grit (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen)
Winter's Bone (Debra Granik and Anne Rossellini)

Original Screenplay
Another Year (Mike Leigh)
The Fighter (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silverand Paul Tamasy)
Inception (Christopher Nolan)
The Kids are All Right (Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko)
The King's Speech (David Seidler)

Next week I will be back with a review of Kick-Ass on Blu Ray. Also check out my twitter feed to hear my commentary on tonight’s Oscars http://twitter.com/#!/ellisatthemovie

My Top Ten Movies of 2009

2010-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Wow it,s been a long time since i posted here. Life and various symptoms of depression and a love life had been affecting me but one of my new years resolutions is to work more on this blog because dammit i can do it!

10.Star Trek
Kudos to J.J. Abrams for revitlzing a dieing franchise.I am excited for the sequel.

9.Up
I got to view this on DVD and fell back in love with pixar again. Which was broken up by Cars when that was released in theaters.

8.Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
I got to see this twice once in the theater and once in imax 3-D. I enjoyed the movie both times.Especially how They get the whole love triangle between Lavender Ron and Herminonie

7.Extract
Poor Mike Judge he creates another great ensemble comedy in the style of Office Space and get pretty much ignored.Very funny movie especially Ben Affleck as Dean the bartender.

6.Sherlock Holmes
I found this adaption absolute perfect.Downey is becoming a two franchise man with this and Iron Man

5.Inglorious Bastards
When i sat in theater this summer i was reminded of the summer i saw Pulp Fiction in the 8th grade and fell in love with the work of one Quentin Tarintino.

4.Julie and Julia
When i was going to see this movie i thought i would be getting a total chick flick.I was misinformed i found this to be a story of two women who were looking for an outlet for their passions and found it.

3.Paper Heart
Charlyne Yi convinced this cynical crtic that love can and will happen to anyone.

2.Up in the Air
Jason Reitmen is the next Robert Altman in my oppion. The story of Ryan Bingham is the story of the man who has been traveling all his life and is looking for a place to land.

1. Knowing
If all you could hear about was how fucked up Nic Cage finaces were.Check this flick out. It is the Dark City of the the double aughts.

Ellis at The Movies # 6 Knowing

2009-04-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

In 1998 Chicago Sun Times Film critic Roger Ebert named Alex Proyas Dark City the best movie of 1998. One year later as a teen i rented Dark City and was just mesmerized by the story of John Murdoch and his journey to figure out who or what he was. I have seen this film a couple of times since at Con-vergence and ounce at midnight at the uptown theater and with each viewing i loved this film even more and more.So when i decided to see KNOWING i had high hopes and i was not disappointed.

Here is a description from imdb.com
A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold.

What i liked about this movie.
I really enjoyed the screenplay by Ryne Douglas Pearson ,Juliet Snowden and Stiles White. They make the story blend so well. It was like you were seeing an suspense,thriller and Science fiction movie all rolled into one. The moment that had it all comes together near the very end.I am not going to post spoliers but if you this film you will know what i mean.

What i didn't like about this movie
I will says this Nicolas Cage is the reason why this is an awesome movie his portrayal of widowed MIT professor John Koestler is spot on . But i just didn't think alot of his facial expressions were right. It seemed that when there were serious moments in this film. Like when his son is kidnapped he just has a goofy ass look on his face like he is acting.To me what makes a great movie is when you believe the actor or actress is playing the person that they are playing and not havening a goofy ass grin like cage does.

My Final Thoughts
See this movie even thought Nicolas Cage has a goofy ass grin this is a film that is on par with Dark City. I would recommend this movie highly hell it may be on my top ten list for 2009.

Star Rating
I give this movie Four of Four stars you will not regret it.

Later this week i will post my review of Monster vs Aliens and have a dvd pick of the week.

Thank you for reading this and i will save you a seat

Ben

Ellis at the movies 5. The best and worst of 2008

2009-01-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

The worst movies of 2008

1. Rambo
2. Cloverfeild
3. Charlie Bartlett
4. Leatherheads
5. Baby Mama
6. Prince Caspian
7. Pineapple Express

Bens Ten Best of 2008
10. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
9. Be Kind Rewind
8. Young At Heart
7. Iron man
6. Mama Mia
5. The Dark Knight
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Burn after Reading
2. Slumdog millionaire
1. The Wrestler

Honorable mentions
Run Fat Boy Run, Horton Hears A Who
Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Tropic Thunder

Ellis at the movies 4. W.

2009-01-01T17:49:00.001-08:00

I have learned about American History through film from Patton to Nixon. This was my education about the bastards and heroes of American history. The history of our 43rd president is an interesting one. In some eyes he would be seen as hero in other eyes he would be seen as the religious rights bitch. That’s what for my forth review I have chose to review
Oliver Stones W.

Here is the description from imdb.com

Oliver Stone's biographical take on the life of George W. Bush, one of the most controversial, secretive, cynical, and ruthless president in USA history, chronicling from 1967 to his wild and carefree days in college, to his military service, to his governorship of Texas and oil businesses, leading to his 2000 candidacy for president, his first turbulent four years to his 2004 re-election campaign

What I liked about the movie.
I really enjoyed Josh Brolins performance as Bush. He makes you feel like you are watching a documentary about his life instead of a movie. A great example of this is the opening scene where the cabinet is discussing the invasion of Afghanistan. It like stone is giving you an eye into the oval office where this is being planed.

What I didn’t like about this movie.
I didn’t like how they only focused on Bush his mother father and wife. I wanted to see the impact that his actions had on his daughters and what they did bring to the family eventually.

My overall thoughts
I did like this DVD and will add it to my collection. I give this fine film 3 stars.

Next time.
Just to let everyone know I have had a rough few months so that’s why I haven’t done any reviews but my goal is to catch up by the end of the month or if not sooner. My next review will be Pineapple Express and then my 10 best

Ellis at The Movies 3 Burn After Reading

2008-09-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

This weeks film is

Joel an Ethan Coens Burn After Reading (2008)

A good movie is like falling in love for the first time. You realize that this person/movie is everything to you and whenever you think about this person/movie you just melt inside to me that is the experience i felt after seeing Burn After Reading. I fell in love with this movie.

Here is the description from IMDB.com

A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it.

What i liked about this movie.
The performance of Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt as Linda and Chad two of the employees at Hard bodies Gym. I just loved how they played these two totally idiots who have no idea what they have gotten themselves into. A great example of this is the scene where they discover the memoirs of Osbourne Cox ( John Malkovich). They see it as a big break to something bigger for both of them I also enjoyed the set design by Jess Gonchor. I liked how he created the places where the characters lived. A perfect example is The Cox home i found it very tight and cold like the characters of Osbourne Cox and Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton). Another example of this is Linda's apartment it is really plain in its design just like Linda how Linda feels that she is plain to the rest of the world

What i didn't like about this movie

I found the movie to be to short. It clocks in at 96 minutes but i just felt it could have been longer. Otherwise a brilliant film from Joel and Ethan Coen

Final Thoughts
After a rough week at Ellis at The Movie headquarters. This was the perfect movie to get me out of my funk. I recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the coen brothers films in the past or if you like a good dark comedy.

Ellis at the Movies final rating
Four our of Four stars See this movie and you will not regret it

Next week i will be back with a review of Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona and i will also share my top ten movies of summer. Thanks for reading and save a seat for me

Ellis at The Movies 2 Mamma Mia

2008-07-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

In this weeks blog i have decided to review
Phyllida Lloyd's Mamma Mia.

When i go the the pearly gates st peter will ask me what my deepest darkest secret is. I will think for one second about my life in this mortal world and tell him that I was a sucker for a good musical. Werther it is watching Gene Kelly dancing with Cyd Charisse in Singing in the Rain or Tim Curry doing the time warp in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I have always been a sucker for a good musical

Here is a description from IMDB.com

20 year old Sophie is preparing to marry her boyfriend Sky at her mother's hotel on an island in Greece. She seemingly has it all -- a carefree life, a loving fiance, and happy friends -- but one thing has been missing all her life: a father.

What i liked about this movie.
I enjoyed the cinematography which was shot by Haris Zambarloukos who was the second unit director of photography on Batman Begins. The one particular moment i enjoyed was was the opening shot of the film in which Sophie the main character sings I Have a Dream The way Zambarloukos composes the shot like a painting of muse callening out to the gods for insperation.I also enjoyed the choreography which was done by Anthony Van Laast. who was the original choreographer on the west end version of Mamma Mia. The way he transitions the dance numbers from the stage to screen is amazing, One moment that stands out is the Money number. This is the song Donna sings after the Dynamos arive on the island. i like how Laast has the performers move around the island not as if they were on the stage.

What i didn't like about the movie.
There was really nothing that i didn't like about this movie

Final Thoughts
I don't plan on going to the pearly gates anytime soon but if i do i will still say to Saint Peter That i was a sucker for a good musical during my lifetime.I give Mamma Mia Four out of Four Stars for the stunningly beautiful cinematography and for the choreography which transitioned well from stage to screen.

Next Week
I will have a review of a new movie i haven't decided which one yet and Sunday i will have the DVD review of the Second Coming posted.

Thanks for reading and i will save you a seat

Ellis at The Movies # 1 The Dark Knight

2008-07-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

0in;">Hello film geeks! For those of you that don't know me my name is Ben Ellis aka keptinben,Captinben or BobaBen in certain online forums. You see dear reader i have not done anything creative since the age of 18. I have just trudged along doing retail job after retail job and hating it. I felt like Luke Skywalker on Tatooine i was stuck doing the working on the mostiture farm/retail job without ever having the chance to join the empire or in my case be a film critic. So here i am doing it being a film critic no evil overlord aboard a Death Star or manger in a soul sucking retail job to stop me now.

The rating system.

Here at Ellis at the Movies i will post a movie review of a film i have seen in theaters and a dvd i every Friday. I will use a ratings system of four stars . Here is how the star systems works.

One star, This movie is not worth your time

Two stars There are bits of this film that you are going to like not all it but bits of it

Three Stars This movie is good but mabye it is more worth to rent on DVD

Four Stars See this movie and you will not regret it.

he first film i have chosen to review is.

Chrsitopher Nolans The Dark Knight (2008)

The year is 1989 a young geek by the name of Ben Ellis is in the Roseville movie theater in Roseville Minneasota. His mother has decied see a movie that his father and younger brother and himself would not want to see. The other choice a new movie based on the comic book/ Tv Show Batman. I was intrigued would his sidekick Robin be in it ? Would the Joker look like Cesar Romero? I would find out that both of these things wuld not be true . The movie that i saw was jaw doping to my young self as is at The Dark Knight

Here is a discription of the film from IMDB.com

Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker, whilst other forces plot against them, and Joker's crimes grow more and more deadly.

What i liked about this movie.

The writing by Christopher and Johathan Nolan is very poetic is almost like you are watching a Homer Poem on the big screen. An example of this is the many speches that Alfred The Butler portrayed by Michael Caine has in the film .It was like he was the greek cours that brought understaning of the film to the audience. I also enjoyed how they wrote The Jokers dialouges .A great example of this is the scene at Bruce Waynes party where the joker intrduces himself to Gothams ellite . I also enjoyed the preformance of Sir Michale Caine as Alfred Pennyworth Bruce waynes loya butler and friend. There is a lot of buzz around Heath Ledger getting a postumus oscar for his preformance as The Joker. However i would encourage acdamy voters to give Michale Caine a nomination since he was just so good in this movie.

Whay i didnt like about this movie

While the Nolan,s wrote good dialouge they all fell into a trap that a lot of movies fall into. They make certain points of the plot really obvious. (Spoilers begin ) Like the scene where The thug in jail and it seems like he is having a heart attack and then you cut to The Joker demanding to make his one phone call. When i was watching this it seemed to that two things had happened. 1. The Thug was having a heart attack 2. The joker had done something like planting a cell phone bomb inside the thug. What do we find out that happened The Joker did plant a cell phone bomb inside the thug(Spoilers end). I did not like the moments when you saw things like that and just knew what was going to happen they were Thats pretty much what i didnt like about the film.

Final Thoughts

When i was a kid in 1989 i walked out of the roseville theater thinking that the new Batman was the fucking bomb and as i walked out of the Lagoon Cinema in 2008 i realised that The Dark Knight is the new fucking bomb I give The Dark Knight Four out of Four Stars . For the preforman of Sir Michale Caine and brillant writing of The Nolan Brothers.

Next Week

I will have a review of Mama Mia and the frist dvd review on this site for The Second Comeing.

Thank you for reading this and i will save you a seat.

Complaints,Praise email it to ellisatthemovies@gmail.com

Ben Ellis July 26^th 2008