Screen Rant » black swan

DVD/Blu-ray Breakdown: March 29th, 2011

Mike Eisenberg — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:36:29 +0000

The last week of March is one of the year’s best in DVD and Blu-ray releases. Natalie Portman’s award-winning performance and Disney’s 50th animated feature film hit home video, as well as a pair of fantastic Blu-ray re-releases.

Although some controversy between Natalie Portman and her dance double has overshadowed the home video release of Black Swan, it could also be considered extra publicity. Disney’s latest blockbuster, Tangled, hits shelves as well as Fair Game and All Good Things, a pair of small films that might grab a few new looks.

The following titles can now be found on DVD and Blu-ray:

NEW RELEASES

Black Swan – One of the most heralded films of 2010 also helped Natalie Portman ...

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Movie Technology: The Continuing Battle of Film vs. Digital

Mike Eisenberg — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:23:07 +0000

The film industry is constantly in motion. While the stories that keep the Hollywood money machine churning run in cycles, technology continues to evolve with every passing decade. A new revolution is stirring as 3D releases, DSLR cameras and free Internet distribution (YouTube, etc.) bring the digital age of filmmaking to Hollywood’s front door.

One of the industry’s most renowned cinematographers, Roger Deakins, recently revealed his intention to move into digital photography. The man with nine Academy Awards nominations is making the switch. Many filmmakers already sit comfortably on the “dark side,” including the most well-known proponent of the digital format – Michael Mann.

But why would a 35-year veteran give up the authenticity of film for the sleek look of digital? The recent developments in 3D might have something to do with it. With around 25 movies ...

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SR Live Chat: The 83rd Academy Awards

Anthony Ocasio — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:53:07 +0000

Check out the list of winners for the 83rd annual Academy Awards and our recap of the ceremony: 83rd Academy Awards Winners List & Recap

Tonight, the who’s who in Hollywood are gathered at the illustrious Kodak Theatre for the 83rd Academy Awards.

With The Social Network and The King’s Speech proving to be this year’s favorites, it appears that all of the suspense is gone of hearing who will take home the coveted Oscar. Of course, if the mixture of Hollywood and live television has taught us anything, surprises can and do happen.

As James Franco and Anne Hathaway take the stage to host tonight’s gala, film fans from around the will be wondering whether these two can talented actors can compete with some of the Academy Awards’ most memorable hosts.

Fortunately, no matter ...

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Oscars 2011 Spotlight: ‘Black Swan’ Director Darren Aronofsky

Roth Cornet — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:57:03 +0000

Darren Aronofsky will attend the Academy Awards as a Best Director nominee for the first time this Sunday. His film, Black Swan, is a Best Picture contender, and his leading lady, Natalie Portman, is the overwhelming favorite as Best Actress for her portrayal of the fractured, and haunted, ballerina struggling to integrate two vastly divergent sides of one, complete, person.

With Black Swan Aronofsky once again draws us into a world in which an individual is faced with battling the demons that only arise from the most opaque recesses of the human mind. The film invites viewers into a darkly depicted fairytale. With one of the most beautiful and tragic tales told in the world of ballet, Swan Lake, as its template, Aronofsky creates a modern myth about the outward manifestation of an internal war that is profoundly human. For so ...

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Oscar 2011 Predictions: Who Will Win – And Who SHOULD Win

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:19:33 +0000

UPDATE: Well the Oscars are over and we nailed it in all except two categories with our predictions. Check out the full list of Oscar Winners 2011.

This weekend movie fans will bear witness to the 83rd Academy Awards, and like in years past, the 2011 Oscar race is shaping up to be more a confirmation of what everybody already suspects, rather than a thrilling race between neck-and-neck films, actors, and directors who are all hoping to walk away basking in Oscar’s glory.

With films like Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, True Grit, The Social Network, The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, Toy Story 3, and even Iron Man 2 up for nominations in different categories, the 2011 Oscars ceremony will offer something for arthouse, mainstream, and fanboy cinephiles alike.

In this 2011 Oscars ...

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Oscars 2011 Spotlight: Best Cinematography

Mike Eisenberg — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:47:06 +0000

This year’s crop of nominees for Best Cinematography all bring something unique to the visual table. Some went with a traditional hand-held approach, while others show vast landscapes and the characters within. Only one can walk away with the Oscar, but each is deserving of a nomination.

Four established cinematographers challenge a relative newcomer, but the crop is filled with pure talent. Each film approached the visual aesthetic in a different way and the result is a compilation of films that stand out from one another, but make for an inspiring year in cinematography.

While each of the five nominees are deserving, some snubs deserve mention. Robert Richardson’s cinematography in Shutter Island helped it stand out, but the lengthy gap between its release and the Oscars may have hurt its chances. Enter the Void is arguably ...

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Inception Leads 2011 Saturn Award Nominees

Ross Miller — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:57:31 +0000

As we edge ever closer to the biggest movie award ceremony around, the Oscars, we have another set of nominations to mull over: The 37th Annual Saturn Awards.

While the Oscars, Golden Globes and the BAFTAs tend to recognize the more “serious” films (some would say in a way that is out of touch), award ceremonies like the Saturn Awards nominate films that average moviegoers would likely champion as their favorites of the year – not to mention the ceremony also recognizes the best TV shows and DVD release the year had to offer.

Last year the Saturn Awards were dominated by a little film called Avatar (you may have heard of it), but as you’ll see below fan favorite Inception dominates things this year with a whopping nine nominations, while other popular films ...

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‘King’s Speech’ & ‘Social Network’ Win Big at BAFTAs

Ben Moore — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:48:21 +0000

The British Academy Film Awards – or as most Americans refer to them, “the British version of the Academy Awards” – were held last night. As one of the more respected entertainment awards shows, the BAFTA film awards tend to, but don’t always, predict the big winners for the subsequent Oscars, which will be held in two weeks’ time on February 27th.

In an unsurprising turn, Tom Hooper’s favored film, The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush, and David Fincher’s The Social Network, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, were the big winners of the night.

Without further adieu, the 2011 BAFTA Film Awards went to:

Academy Fellowship

Sir Christopher Lee

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema

The Harry Potter Films

Best Film

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Natalie Portman Cries A Lot [Video]

Mike Eisenberg — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:36:34 +0000

Natalie Portman is one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood. But she isn’t new to the scene and has played a variety of roles in her 17-year film career. It’s easy to see why Portman continues to get opportunities – she is beautiful, talented, charismatic and dynamic. She also cries a heck of a lot. We compiled as many of her onscreen weeps as we could fit in a 3-minute mashup video and still left out nearly 10 minutes of footage!

Portman is fresh off her latest tear-jerking role as Nina in Black Swan and soon sheds tears again in The Other Woman. We scoured the rest of her work and found over 45 scenes in which the water works were flowing. Crying is definitely listed in the Special Skills section of this girl’s résumé.

It is ...

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: February 6, 2011

Niall Browne — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:14:31 +0000

This week:

The box office finds a Roommate while James Cameron gets that sinking feeling with Sanctum; Brad Fuller talks horror sequels and Ninja Turtles, Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy reunite after getting Lost with Carlton Cuse; Mike Newell has Great Expectations; get ready for the Unexpected and Jesse McCartney is under Locke & Key.Box Office

Thriller The Roommate topped a weak box office over the weekend with an estimated gross of $15.6 million. The low budget Screen Gems film should be profitable once it finishes its run – which shouldn’t be too far in the future.

The James Cameron produced Sanctum (read our review) opened in second place with a weekend take of $9.2 million. The weak gross for the 3D adventure shows that the third dimension and Cameron’s name will only go so far at the box office.

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 30, 2011

Niall Browne — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:13:33 +0000

This week:

The Rite scares away the competition at the box office; Streisand and Rogen suffer My Mother’s Curse; The Beatles Get Back; three more join New Year’s Eve; Firelight gets a writer; Travolta eyes Gotti and Jackman and Pine are Guardians.Box Office

This week Anthony Hopkins’ latest fright fest The Rite (read our review) topped the box office with an estimated $15 million.

The exorcism drama opened in the middle of analyst expectations. If it goes the route of most horror films then it will likely see a heavy drop next weekend.

Last weekend’s champion No Strings Attached dropped to number two. The Natalie Portman comedy grossed $13.7 million for a $39.7 million total gross.

The Green Hornet was fourth after taking in another $11.5 million. The superhero film has now upped its ...

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 23, 2011

Niall Browne — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 22:20:11 +0000

This week:

There are No Strings Attached for Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher at the box office; Will Gluck asks About Last Night; learn about Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho; Ben Affleck ponders his next film as director and Josh Lucas takes flight for Clint Eastwood.

Box Office

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher’s No Strings Attached topped the box office over the weekend with a decent $20.3 million debut. The R-rated comedy surpassed the start of recent adult-themed comedies, a major factor in this was more than likely Portman’s Black Swan publicity blitz.

The Green Hornet dropped to second place after grossing a smidgen over $18 million. The super hero film has now upped its cume to over $63 million.

Ron Howard’s The Dilemma was down to number three after bringing in another $9.7 million. $33 million in the ...

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Darren Aronofsky Working On New Comic Book That Has Movie Potential

Sandy Schaefer — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:45:54 +0000

It’s a good time to be Darren Aronofsky. His Black Swan leading lady, Natalie Portman, snagged a Golden Globe for her performance (see the complete Golden Globes winners list); Aronofsky himself looks to at least receive an Oscar nod for his work on the psycho-horror-drama; he’s also got The Wolverine (a.k.a. Wolverine 2) on the horizon as well.

Now there’s word from Aronofsky himself that he’s developing a comic book based on a script he describes as “hard to make”, and given the nature of Aronofsky’s previous work, that’s an intriguing description to say the least.

Aronofsky was interviewed by Clothes on Film recently when he revealed his involvement in a new graphic novel project. The Requiem For A Dream director had the following to offer:

“[This comic book project] hasn’t really been announced… But ...

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2011 Golden Globe Award Winners

Anthony Ocasio — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:11:15 +0000

For 68 years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been celebrating their favorites in film and television with the Golden Globe Awards.

Once again, the multifaceted and generally hilarious Ricky Gervais will be serving as host of tonight’s gala. While those in attendance will be filled with anticipation about whether or not they will take home the award in their chosen category, viewers at home will be anxiously waiting to see how far Gervais will push the comedic envelope with his monologue and numerous ad-libs throughout the night.

With 25 separate categories having to fit within tonight’s given time slot, something tells me that Gervais will be moving things along at a swift pace – all while sipping from his iconic glass a beer that always remains not-so-hidden beneath his podium.

Review

Gervais was scathingly blunt as usual ...

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 16th 2011

Niall Browne — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:49:36 +0000

This week:

The Green Hornet stings the top of the box office; Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg say I Hate You Dad; Robert Downey Jr. talks sequels and Sherlock Holmes; Jeffrey Dean Morgan opens the Dibbuk Box for Sam Raimi; Nick Stahl is under Locke & Key and get ready for an Alien Sleeper Cell.

Box Office

Seth Rogen’s often delayed The Green Hornet (read our review here) will top the box office over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The film which also stars Jay Chou as sidekick Kato should pull in an estimated $40.5 million over the holiday weekend ($34 million for the three days). While it’s not a disastrous result, it is a bit on the low side for a $100 million plus budgeted superhero film. It’ll be interesting to see how this holds up in the weeks to come.

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 9th 2011

Niall Browne — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 13:22:08 +0000

This week:

The box office shows True Grit, while Season of the Witch fails to cast a spell over audiences; Will Smith and Brett Ratner are Wheeler Dealers; Diego Luna and Lukas Haas get caught with Contraband; we travel back to the 60s using Pan Am and when we get there we meet a Playboy in the Magic City; Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and John Goodman are Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eminem commits Random Acts of Violence.

Box Office

The Coen brothers and Jeff Bridges have shown some true grit and determination with their latest effort… er… True Grit. This seems to have paid off because, according to estimates, the western has taken the top spot at the box office – defeating nearest rival Little Fockers. The remake of the John Wayne film (if that’s what you want to call it) banked $15 million over the weekend, ...

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Our Favorite Movies of 2010

Sandy Schaefer — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:55:01 +0000

We’ve spent the last few days carrying on about the worst films of 2010 and the biggest disappointments in the hopes of healing our and your collective psyches from the damage sustained after watching inane movies like Jonah Hex or Furry Vengeance (*shudder*).

Now we turn our attention to the high points of 2010 – namely, the movies that met or exceeded our expectations and entertained us enough so as to earn a permanent spot on our personal favorites films list.

While a favorite movies list does not strictly correspond with a best movies list (case in point – flicks like Citizen Kane or The Seventh Seal aren’t traditionally considered proper choices for a fun Saturday night viewing), there’s certainly a good deal of crossover between the two. A number of this year’s critical ...

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The Top 10 Movie Moments of 2010

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:19:41 +0000

As 2010 comes to an end, most sites are busy compiling top 10 lists ranking the best films of the year. While I always appreciate a good top 10 movie list, I’ve slowly come around to the opinion that at year’s end, it’s not just the discussion of entire films that dominates the talk around my holiday dinner table, but also the best scenes and/or moments that stuck in moviegoers’ minds.

So, following in the tradition started by our list of the best movie moments of 2009, I’d once again like to submit to you, the readers, Screen Rant’s top 10 movie moments of 2010.

This was an odd year in cinema. 2010 started off with moviegoers still caught up in the phenomenon of James Cameron’s Avatar; people were wondering just ...

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Toy Story 3, The King’s Speech & More Ineligible For WGA Screenplay Awards

Ross Miller — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:39:08 +0000

When awards season rolls around every year there always seems to be a group of films that are tapped to pick up their share of the major awards. 2010 is no exception and this year the likes of Toy Story 3, Inception, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, Black Swan and The Fighter are among those which have won awards already and look likely to pick up some Oscars as well.

However, when it comes to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), there are rules which often prohibit certain awards favorites from winning in some of the big categories offered by awards ceremonies.

Following the Oscars deeming the scores for Black Swan, True Grit and The Fighter ineligible ...

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SR Pick [Video]: ‘Cinema 2010′ – A Beautiful Look at the Year in Movies

Sandy Schaefer — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:32:40 +0000

The end of 2010 is nigh and with it comes the expected avalanche of features, articles, and videos chronicling the best/worst movies to hit theaters over the past 365 days or so. Whether you think 2010 was a weak or strong year for cinema overall, there’s no denying that it had its share of poignant drama, side-splitting humor, nightmarish horror, gritty action, and lots of eye-popping visuals in both 2D and 3D.

Most 2010 film retrospective videos released so far have attempted to cram in as many visually dazzling or intensely memorable moments from this year’s most popular releases as possible – so chances are we’re all gong to be mildly sick of seeing the same exact clips (awesome though they may be) from films like Inception or The Social Network by the time 2011 finally arrives.

A 17-year ...

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