Well, this is frustrating. I was all set to link to my interviews with Nicolas Cage and Werner Herzog (for “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans”) and Rain (for “Ninja Assassin”), but something’s hinky with the NOW site and this week’s content isn’t online yet. So we’ll have to wait on those. But my piece on the announced closure of the Carlton Cinemas is up, so you can start there.
UPDATE: Links are live — make sure you listen to the audio clip of Cage discussing the “Wicker Man” remake, mmkay?
In the meantime, here’s some Oscar talk: AMPAS has announced its short lists for Documentary Feature and Animated Feature, and as usual there are some intriguing inclusions and surprising omissions.
There’s no sign of “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” and “Capitalism: A Love Story” among the docs, and the live-action “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel” somehow qualifies as animation. Is it because of the CGI characters? Wouldn’t that make “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” eligible for the same prize? Megan Fox has that Uncanny Valley thing going on, after all …
I have fond memories of the Carlton, having seen many foreign (or Canadian) or smaller movies there over the years. (I’m sure it added to my enjoyment of Double Happiness actually seeing it in a theatre which was at least half full of first-generation Asian Canadians killing themselves laughing in recognition.) You mention the lack of comfort, and that is a major reason why I never trek down there anymore. I’m not sure how it is north or west of downtown, but at least some of the movies I would have gone downtown for end up at Kennedy Commons. I wish more suburban multiplexes would put aside a screen or two for movies that don’t hit the prime money-spending demographic. When I do see one of these smaller, or foreign, or – ahem – grown-up movies, the theatre is usually decently full of – y’know – grown-ups. Couldn’t a theatre make these more profitable by alternating showings or nights between a couple of smaller market movies? Just a thought.
With regards to the eligibility of the Chipmunks, I’m guessing that the main characters have to be animated.
Last time I was at the Carlton, the film got stuck in the projector and melted. I’m sad to see the theatre close, but I think I mourned its loss some time ago.
Oh no! I hadn’t heard about the Carlton. Very sad news but you’re so right about the seats.
I can’t believe how correct you are about Megan Fox. She DOES have that uncanny valley thing going on. And I’m not too proud to admit that I know of the uncanny valley from 30 Rock and nowhere else.