FYC Visual Effects for Atonement??????

war scenes probably

I know Gullimont's been talking about a 7 minute long tracking shot through WWII, I'm sure that was mostly digital trickery.

Hmm, somehow they couldn't fit in Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature

Actually, no. That was a live action shot. That's why it will be a strong contender for art direction and cinematography. The only digital trickery in that scene was color grading. I would imagine VFX could have been used for the planes in the few war scenes and maybe to recreate WWII London.

am i the only one that feels like atonement is basically a bigger version of Cold Mountain.

McEwan's novel isn't the easiest to adapt but, by employing occasional, targeted changes and by not jettisoning the essence of the ending (wherein lies the book's full, brutal power), Wright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton succeed in making a motion picture that is faithful in many ways to its source material. The film is gorgeous to look at, well paced (especially during the first half), and by turns touching and sad. The ending packs an emotional punch, which is what one would expect from any movie developed from a McEwan novel. McEwan may be many things, but he's no Jane Austen. Atonement is a period piece (is Knightley ever in anything else these days?) but it shows growth for Wright as he moves into darker territory.

Kiera Knightley gets star billing, but Cecilia is the least important character of the main trio. Consequently, Knightley doesn't have the opportunity to shine the way she did in Pride and Prejudice. Briony is played by three actresses: Saorise Ronan as a 13-year old, Romola Garai as an 18-year old, and Vanessa Redgrave as an old woman. Great care is taken to make Ronan and Garai look alike and have similar mannerisms. Redgrave doesn’t appear much like either, but she's like Meryl Streep or Glenn Close - if you can get her in a movie, you don't sweat the details.

If one was to categorize Juno, it would fall into the hybrid coming-of-age/teen romantic comedy category. But, as movies like Superbad have shown, such labels aren't necessarily negatives. Juno, directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking) is smart, witty, and engaging - three ingredients that, when applied to any film, comprise a recipe for success. Juno has a great heroine and is blessed by a screenplay that doesn't try to do too much and finds the perfect ending. It's a little odd that this is the third comedy this year to focus on pregnancy. I enjoyed both Knocked Up and Waitress, but Juno gets my vote for the best of the three.

While plenty of credit can be heaped upon director Reitman and his collaborator Diablo Cody (the stripper-turned-screenwriter), the lead actress deserves as much praise as either of them, if not more. I'm not of the opinion that this is a star-making turn for Ellen Page - that distinction went to last year's searing Hard Candy - but Juno confirms that she is much more than a flash in the pan. She's someone to watch. She may not get a Best Actress nomination for her role here (that depends too much on politics for a prediction at this time), but if one comes in her direction, it's no fluke. She gets able support from a strong cast. Superbad's Michael Cera creates the kind of genuine, timid guy who's too rarely seen in teen films. Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons are the parents every pregnant girl would love to have (although they wish for a school suspension instead of the "bun in the oven" news). Jennifer Garner is perfectly sincere and not at all like we have seen her before, and Jason Bateman portrays the most human character he has played in a while. However, all of these actors, as good an experienced as they may be, are simply orbiting Page's star. This is her film from start to finish.

The acting, as one might expect, is top-notch. Mathiew Almaric (Munich) provides a portrayal of Jean-Do as both the pre-stroke womanizer and the man whose force of personality shines through his useless husk of a body. It is crucial that we empathize with Jean-Do but not pity him, and Almaric's acting provides a cornerstone for that emotional response. The women in his life - Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny - fill their roles ably, each offering a slightly different prism through which to see the main character. Max von Sydow's work here is as moving as anything he has done in the last 20 years.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly triumphs because of its honesty and its refusal to allow the character to wallow in self-pity. Approached differently, this could have been a downer, but Schnabel wanted the film to act as an affirmation of life. He wants us to leave the theater appreciating what we have and what we can experience. Do not be dissuaded by the subject matter. This is a special motion picture that achieves its higher agenda of doing much more than idly plucking at a few heartstrings.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/charlie_wilsons_war/?show=all

first four reviews officially in for Charlie Wilson's War, all positive.

however, compared to Sweeney Todd's first four reviews, they are solid, whereas ST's are raves. I'm guessing this'll turn out well, but miss out on major Oscar categories.

I'm sure Hoffman's good here, but he was so fantastic in The Savages and I've heard he's even better in BTDKYD that it would probably be very difficult for him to top those in this film, where he gets less of a focus.

Atonement's at 87% with 39 fresh 6 rotten, 7.5/10 avg. If we seperate the 21-0 europe start and the America reviews, it's at 18-6 for 75%, or 78% if Slant is discounted. Not sure how fair that is, but anyways.

Personally, I would love for Atonement to go the route of Cold Mountain and free up a BP spot for a better film.