AICN-DOWNUNDER: the Jasper Morello feature, Baz's Australia, Shantaram and The Fountain!!
Published at: Jan. 19, 2007, 11:10 a.m. CST by merrick
Death is the road to awe.
AICN-DOWNUNDER
It never ceases to amaze me how angry people get at best of lists. When you're describing your favourite films of the past year and you describe the reasons they're your favourites, people will come on and tell you that some films should have been on there, others should have been omitted, and the rest are in the wrong order. Everybody's aware that this is a personal list, right? I'm not incorrect for putting PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 on there if it was one of the ten most enjoyable film experiences I had in the past year.
The thing is, someone asked me what films I was most looking forward to in 2007, and all I could name were the big ones (SPIDER-MAN 3, OCEAN'S 13 PIRATES 3, etc). Those films usually take up one or two spots on the list, but the rest are the ones that sneak up on you. The ones you catch at film festivals, or suddenly appear on limited release schedules, or you go to on a whim. These are the films I'm looking forward to the most. The ones I have absolutely no idea about. And, fingers crossed, a bunch of them will be Australian.
NEWS
Last week, I interviewed Anthony Lucas for my show (see the complete interview here), and got a few interesting pieces of information. You'll remember Lucas as the guy who was nominated for an Academy Award for his incredible film THE MYSTERIOUS GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORATIONS OF JASPER MORELLO. Well, there are two more JASPER shorts about to begin production. (In fact, while we were setting up the interview, he was making notes on the script for JASPER 3!) We asked him about the previously-reported JASPER MORELLO feature film, and he said it's in early stages. So early, in fact, that they've not yet decided whether it's to be an animated film or a live action. He told us that he's a bit more confident about the prospect of a live action MORELLO film after seeing SIN CITY, and that if it were live action, it would likely be a remake of the first film, rather than a continuation. Again, none of this is set in stone, but it's interesting to hear about the ideas being thrown around for the film at such an early stage. Lucas also did some third unit directing of miniatures on WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, but was more inclined to talk about the enormous confidentiality agreement he signed than any details about the film itself. He did give us the impression that the film was turning out very, very well, but even when we lied about turning the cameras off he still wouldn't divulge anything juicy. Oh, except for the fact that the key crew who came over from America totally fell in love with Melbourne. As a die-hard Melbournite, that endeared me to them pretty quickly.
The unbelievably-titled AUSTRALIA is upping its actorial quota. Baz Luhrmann has apparently been talking to Barry Otto (STRICTLY BALLROOM), Joel Edgerton (Lars Owen) and Jack Thompson (every Australian film ever made) about joining Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in the epic romance thingy.
Variety's got a piece about Mira Nair directing SHANTARAM, the true story about the Australian heroin addict who escapes from prison and becomes a doctor in Bombay. Johnny Depp is still set to star (once again, we can't have an actual Aussie playing the role? I love Depp, but we have quite a few big Australian stars now, and the Australian accent is nearly impossible to get right), but it's the director's seat that has me interested. Peter Weir was initially set to direct, and then the whole production went quiet. Now, the story of a guy who goes from Australia to India has ditched its Australian director for an Indian one. Nothing huge about that fact other than the odd symmetry of it. The film is likely to come out in 2008.
AWARDS, FESTIVALS AND SCREENINGS
79TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS
After the big kerfuffle made about the rules of eligibility for Foreign Language nominees being changed, it now looks like TEN CANOES has missed the cut. A shortlist was released the other day, and Rolf's film sadly missed out. Currently, the list sits at nine, and will be whittled down to five in a few days by Ms Salma Hayak. (She's announcing the nominees, in case you thought I was just being non-sequitorial. Also, Rosario Dawson.)
25TH FAJR FILM FESTIVAL
The Aussie thriller MODERN LOVE, directed by Alex Frayne, will play at Fajr, Iran's biggest film festival. I'd make a joke here about Iran, but I'm far too chicken to try that. Renny Harlin's a much easier target.
6TH ANNUAL TASCAPE
Sydney fans of "Farscape" may want to head along to the Arthur Byrne Reserve picnic for the annual TaScape BBQ. The event is this Sunday (the 21st). Email tascape@hotmail.com for more details.
BOX OFFICE
Wow, CASINO ROYALE's still in there. I loved CASINO ROYALE, but I didn't think it was still in the top five. There you go.
A standard cop-thriller-with-high-concept titularly acknowledges the irony, the most overrated film of the past year begins its campaign to steal Oscars, and del Toro rocks my socks.
It doesn't surprise me in the least that this didn't make any money. It doesn't surprise me that people didn't take to it. It doesn't even surprise me that so many in the film festival/film critic arena didn't like it. Unless you get on board with what Aronofsky is trying to do, it's a very difficult film to like.
Now, I'm wary that this review will come off as "I love this film, but you won't, and it's because you're not smart enough, but that's okay". Because the truth is it's not okay that you're not smart enough. No. Scratch that. My point is that the two most-maligned genres are melodrama and fantasy, and this is a melodramatic fantasy. It's weird, because I can't remember ever liking a melodrama before.
I don't want to go into details of plot, because one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much is that I went in knowing nothing. Or, at least, as little as possible. I do want to arm you with certain preconceptions that may actually enhance your enjoyment of the film, such as the fact that, as I say, it's a melodrama. A lot of the dialogue is really obvious, and if you're not paying close attention, it will simply sound like lazy dialogue. It's anything but. Every line is there for a reason, and if you think it's not a thoroughly-measured script, then you don't get what the film is about.
I'm not here to vilify those who don't like. I completely understand why this film was poorly-regarded. I am at loathe to laden those who haven't seen it with an unreasonable expectation, but this is the closest I've ever seen a film come to emulating the feel of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. I'm not saying it's on the same level as 2001 (and, to be fair, what film is?), but it aims high and I think it comes pretty damn close to getting there. I'm predicting than in thirty years or so, THE FOUNTAIN will be revered as a classic. I think it's a film people will discover over time, and that's a good thing.
I really want people to see this film, but make sure you go in with an open mind. More than any other film, this one requires and deserves it.
PREVIOUSLY ON THE BAZURA PROJECT
I've decided to add a little bit to the end of the column to totally pimp my TV show. Partly because I've become really shameless about trying to get people to watch it, and partly so it doesn't continue to infest other regular parts of the column. Er, moreso than it's been doing.
Since I last got my AICN-D freak on, the following has happened on The Bazura Project: we've chatted to producer Melanie Coombes, director Rohan Michael Hoole, and animator Anthony Lucas; we've passionately reviewed Dreamgirls, The Fountain, and our best/worst of 2006; we've instructed you on proper cinema etiquette, explored the truth behind three big movie myths, and discovered what exactly all the obscure crew roles on films are; we've also shamelessly sent up three classic movie scenes, none of which I want to spoil for you here.
I guess the big question is: why haven't you watched it yet? Pick and choose the clips you want to see by going to www.bazuraproject.com and clicking on the Videos link at the top of the page.
NEXT WEEK
- Ed Zwick to direct the English-language remake LETTERS FROM IDAHO
- Platinum Dunes to produce rival horror franchise THE MOUNDS HAVE TEETH
- The Palestine Liberation Organisation begins dating P. Diddy, and soon announces a name change to P-Lo
