Tag: War Horse

Snap Judgments: 84th Annual Academy Award Nominations

Earlier this morning the nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced. Hugo received 11 nominations while The Artist received 10. As usual, there were snubs (sorry Albert Brooks and Tilda Swinton) and surprises (GARY OLDMAN).

Some of the nominations have left me furious and the Best Picture nomination for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has made me throw things. Gary Oldman’s nomination as well as two other nominations for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy only slightly quell my rage. I’m also crushed that we won’t get to see which Haider Ackermann pantsuit Tilda Swinton was going to wear to the Oscars. And can someone please explain to me how and why only two songs were nominated for Best Song? The voting rules for that category need to be addressed.  The complete list of nominees is here and my snap judgments are below. Share your thoughts in the comments. Continue reading “Snap Judgments: 84th Annual Academy Award Nominations”

Snap Judgments: 69th Annual Golden Globes Nominations

The Ides of March received four nominations. Unsurprising; it is perfect Globes bait.

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning. My snap judgments for some of the categories are below. Continue reading “Snap Judgments: 69th Annual Golden Globes Nominations”

Trailer Fix: War Horse, Take Two

I haven’t exactly been quiet about my general detestation of the promotional material we’ve seen for War Horse so far. The first trailer is incredibly manipulative and the poster is just boring.

So when I watched the latest trailer today I was expecting more of the same.

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In this trailer, we get a bit more of the battle scenes (those poor horses), the same painfully boring measures of John Williams’ score, less Niels Arestrup, and more glimpses of the trauma the horse will experience. We even get to stare into the horse’s very sad eyes.

Well, I definitely hate this trailer less than the other one. It will unlikely set me off into a state of rage if I see it during the previews before something else. But I still don’t care about War Horse.  So keep trying Dreamworks and I’ll just watch Au Hasard Balthazar in the meantime.

Poster Fix: War Horse

Oh look, here’s the poster for Steven Spielberg’s War Horse (due out December 28). Everybody drool!

Are you done drooling yet?

Ever since I saw the trailer for War Horse (and everytime I have had to see it since), I have been dreadfully bored by the promotional material for this movie.

I get it. World War I sucked for horses. World War I sucked for Europe. But this boy loves his horse so damn much he’ll do anything to get him back. That’s just great.

Now show me something that doesn’t scream, “Give me an Oscar” and actually makes me excited to see War Horse. Until then I will continue to be dreadfully bored by War Horse.

(For the record, I will be seeing War Horse. I may be snarking now but I’m sure I will be proven wrong come December. I usually am.)

Thursday Trailer Fix: War Horse

The trailer for Steven Spielberg’s War Horse premiered this morning. People are already making sweet love to it, declaring War Horse not only Spielberg’s return to glory but also deciding that this is the film to beat in at the 2012 Oscars.

Let me get this straight. I’m expected to “ooh” and “aah” over this trailer? Please.

War Horse, adapted from the award-winning play, does look like an excellent war epic. It boasts a great story, a stellar cast (Niels Arestrup! Emily Watson!), and a sweeping John Williams score. I’m sure I will be satisfied by the end result. But I’m not going to sit here and be seduced into thinking that trailer shows us anything other than Spielberg and company know how to manipulate viewers. I find this all so cliche and tiring.

It so premature to put this movie in any conversation about the Oscars that it makes my blood curdle.

What are your thoughts on this trailer for War Horse? Are you already on Team Spielberg or are you waving your cynic flag like me? Sound off below.

War Horse will be released in December 2012.