Film news
Something else I wrote for Redbrick, on film:
Welcome to the very first Redbrick film news of 2008. It’s quiet in the film industry at the moment, with everyone in the film industry too busy making New Year’s Resolutions to produce any films, sadly.
The most significant news is still the Writer’s Guild Strike, but I have been barred by a higher power (well, Ivan and Laura) from mentioning it. So I won’t.
Because of this strike, the Golden Globe awards, which were announced on Sunday January 13th, was not a glamourous red carpet affair. Actors boycotted the event after you-know-who said they would picket the event. Instead, the winners were announced at a press conference. I have seen the results of Guild President elections announced with more glitz and glamour.
Atonement won best motion picture, beating favourite No Country For Old Men. Other notable winners include Sweeney Todd for best musical or comedy, and Ratatouille won best animated feature film. Will this have any bearing on the upcoming Oscars? Probably not. The Oscars may not happen at all, at this rate. If the you-know-what is still going on, we might end up with Oscar winners being announced over a soulless tannoy. Maybe this does show that, where awards ceremonies are concerned, we don’t really care who wins. We care more about the red carpets, stupidly expensive dresses and clichéd acceptance speeches.
Enough of such high-minded ramblings. Instead, let’s talk about a gossip story with a (tentative) Birmingham connection. Tom Hanks is apparently an Aston Villa fan. Is this because of Villa’s outstanding pedigree, I hear you ask? After all, they have a proud history of seven First Division titles, seven FA Cup wins, one European Cup win and have been led by some of football’s most distinguished managers (including, er, Graham Taylor). Not only that, but they are also owned by the amusingly named Randy Lerner. Nope, Hanks likes Aston Villa because “the name is so sweet. It sounds like a lovely spa”. So now you know.
Finally, a poll by website lovefilm.com (and remember, if it’s on the internet, it must be true) has given us the top ten feel good films. The Shawshank Redemption came first. This adaptation of a Stephen King short story, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, beat Pretty Woman, Toy Story and the Life of Brian, all of which were in the top ten. So if you have the January blues and are sick of doing essays, you know what to watch.
Cory
