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2 New Friday the 13th Posters

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LA Readers: See Pinocchio on the big screen!

In honor of Pinocchio’s 70th anniversary, Disney is showing the beloved classic at the historic El Capitan Theatre starting today and running through February 12.

Senior vice president of world wide special events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Lylle Breier, says, “We are thrilled to have our El Capitan guests experience the magic and adventure of this timeless classic. With a state-of-the-art digital restoration Pinocchio will shine at the Ep Capitan like never before. And with the opportunity to see Pinocchio live on stage, this will be great fun for the entire family.”

I attended a special showing last night that featured a wonderful panel discussion with artists, sculptors, and Dick Jones, the man who voiced the legendary character 70 years ago. We had the chance to see some of the old story boards and artwork for the film as well as see the artists create a cell and sculpt before our eyes.

The film has been digitally restored and looks fantastic. It’s crystal clear and better than ever. I’m not personally a huge fan of the older Disney cartoons but really enjoyed rediscovering this one last night. It’s certainly better than I remember and looking on it now I really don’t know why I thought I didn’t like it before.

We’re going to be reviewing the Platinum Edition Bluray next month but it was nice to be able to see such a classic on the big screen. I’m sure it is going to look incredible on Bluray.
If you are in the Los Angeles area grab the kids, heck go yourself if you don’t have kids, and enjoy this landmark film on the big screen.

The screenings include a live appearance by Pinocchio himself. Weekends will have a special character breakfast with Mickey and Minnie at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store prior to the first showing of the day.

Pinocchio starts tonight at the El Capitan Theatre and arrives on Platinum Edition DVD and BluRay on March 10.

The El Capitan Theatre
6838 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Showtimes:
10:00 am, 12:25 pm, 2:50 pm, 5:10 pm, 7:30 pm, and on Friday and Saturday there is a 9:55 pm late show.

The Dark Knight Returns

One of the best films of the year, The Dark Knight, returns to IMAX theaters around the country today. Head out and experience this brilliant movie again or for the first time, or fourth, or tenth.

Celebrate Heath Ledger’s nomination or show support for a film that should have received more recognition in terms of Oscar nominations (Picture and Director).

Street Fighter : The Legend of Chun-Li poster

I predict a $200,000 opening.

Paging Doctor Ross

Reports are swirling that George Clooney is not only returning to his star making role of Dr. Doug Ross on ER but that he is going to be filming these scenes this week!

I’m really interested in how they are going to wrap up this show. I’ve been watching since it began and am excited to see George return.

NBC recently extended the shows swan song so ER will officially take its final bow in April.

UPDATE: It appears that Juliana Margulies will also be reprising her role as Nurse Carol Hathaway!

81st Annual Academy Awards Nominations

This years Oscars are being handed on on February 22 and we have the nominations today. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 nominations including Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actress. I have to see a few more of these movies so our picks are forthcoming but if I had to choose right now I would say that Slumdog Millionaire needs to sweep.

The Dark Knight received ten nominations including one for Heath Ledger (on the anniversary of his death) however it was snubbed for Directing, Writing, and Best Picture which was seeming more likely in recent weeks.

There are a few surprises in this list including a Best Picture nod to Milk (I’m not sure anyone saw that coming) and nominations for Melissa Leo, Taraji P. Henson, Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, and especially Robert Downey Jr.

It should be an exciting show this year. Now I just have to catch up on my movies so I can make some accurate picks (not to mention my best of list).

Here are the nominations:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
• Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
• Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
• Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
• Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
• Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Best animated feature film of the year

• “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
• “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

Achievement in art direction

• “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

Achievement in cinematography

• “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design

• “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Sear
  Publish Post

  chlight), Danny Boyle

Best documentary feature

• “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
• “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
• “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
• “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
• “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best documentary short subject

• “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
• “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
• “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
• “The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

Achievement in film editing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year

• “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
• “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
• “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
• “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
• “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

Achievement in makeup

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
• “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
• “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

• “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
• “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
• “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam

Best motion picture of the year

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
• “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer

Best animated short film

• “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
• “Lavatory – Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
• “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
• “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
• “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

Best live action short film

• “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
• “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
• “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
• “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
• “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank

Achievement in sound editing

• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
• “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
• “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
• “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay

• “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
• “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
• “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Artist To Watch: Chris Pureka

A few months ago if you asked me who Chris Pureka was I’d have no answer. I had never heard the name, never knew she existed, and didn’t have the slightest idea what I was missing.

Cut to a few months ago. I was watching a new tour video from our Best Album of 2008 winner, Jay Brannan, and he had a clip of this absolutely amazing singer. I was instantly captivated.

It was, of course, Chris Pureka. From that shaky footage shot from a balcony, I was instantly captivated.

Pureka is a master of her craft. A musician and lyricist who plays and writes with such passion it is impossible not to fall under her spell. Her music just catches you and carries you away. Such richly textured and emotional music is hard to come by nowadays. I love music that just takes you places. I’ve talked about it before on the site. The best music is the kind you can lean back and disappear in and Chris Pureka’s songs are easy to lose yourself in.

For those who like comparisons, Chris Pureka would be well at home among the likes of Tracy Chapman, Patty Griffin, or Brandi Carlile. I have even heard of some comparisons to Ani DiFranco. To be honest, I’d rank her quite a bit higher than Ani. Chris is not nearly as abrasive or political.

If I had to make a list of the top five folk singers performing today Chris Pureka would certainly have a spot firmly in hand.

Chris just released a new EP, her fourth album, entitled Chimera and we’ve been graciously allowed to share a track from that album. I chose California. It’s a gorgeous tune and my favorite off the album. It makes me think of road trips over long empty stretches of highways.

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I have heard three of her albums: Driving North, Dryland, and Chimera. There is not a bad track in the bunch. Pick up these albums and see for yourself just how great she is. I have a shortlist of some independent artists that I’d love to feature on my podcast (once it launches that is, it’s becoming the Chinese Democracy of Podcasts) and Chris has skyrocketed to the top of that list. If I didn’t think I could get anyone to come to this apartment and play music into an iMac I’d already start booking people. I should do it fast though…she’s an episode of Grey’s Anatomy away from becoming a household name.

With a brand new studio album coming this summer and the Chimera EP available now, Chris is hitting the road. We’ve got her east coast tour dates below and will have the west coast dates in a few weeks. In the meantime, check out some videos of Chris after the tour dates!

*Wed. Jan. 21stSouthpawBrooklyn, NYWith Erin McKeown

*Thurs. Jan. 22ndThe Tin AngelPhiladelphia, PANicole Reynolds opens.

*Fri. Jan. 23rdJammin' JavaVienna, VANicole Reynolds opens.

*Sat. Jan. 24thClub Caf?Pittsburgh, PAJudith Avers opens

*Tues. Jan. 27th"Take a Chance Tuesday"!The ArkAnn Arbor, MIFREE SHOW!

*Wed. Jan. 28thThe Beat KitchenChicago, ILNicole Reynolds opens.

*Thurs. Jan. 29thCaf? MontmartreMadison, WINicole Reynolds opens.

*Fri. Jan. 30thHotch-a-DoMilwaukee, WI

*Sat. Jan. 31stIndy Indie Concert SeriesIndianapolis, INJudith Avers opens.

*Sun. Feb. 1stOhio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH

Fri. Feb. 13thSmith CollegeNorthampton, MAWith Andrea Gibson!

Fri. Feb 20thMe and Thee CoffeehouseMarblehead, MA

Sun Mar 29Wheaton CollegeNorton, MA

Mon Mar 30Club PassimCambridge, MA

For more information on Chris Pureka visit:

MySpace
Official Site
Faux Pas Productions