The Venice and Toronto film festivals are approaching. Once again we’re wondering: Which will be the best, stand-out films of the two festivals? We enlisted the help of the Movie Genome to choose the best titles of all time and predict the best titles for this year:

Venice Film Festival (September 1-11, 2010)

1.
In the Past: The Dancer Upstairs, a 2002 Venice entry by John Malkovich.

Upcoming: Black Swan, by Darren Aronofsky
John Malkovich’s first feature as a director was a tense, atmospheric, political, indie thriller, in which the main female lead was a ballet dancer. And what do you know, Aronofsky’s new entry is an atmospheric, tense, psychological thriller about ballerinas!!! Well, nothing is too strange when it comes to Aronofsky.

The impressive cast includes Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and Winona Ryder, and the trailer reveals a world very different from the one we imagine when we think about ballet.

2.
In the Past: Lost in Translation, a 2003 Venice & Toronto entry by Sofia Coppola.

Upcoming: Somewhere, by Sofia Coppola
It’s not a big deal to recommend a new entry from a beloved director, but Sofia is also back in dealing with the themes of actors’ life and introspection. The trailer for Somewhere also tries to deliver an Lost in Translation-type atmospheric mood.

It seems you either love Sofia Coppola’s films or you highly dislike them. Personally, I really love them. But this time Sofia may have crafted a consensual movie (and not in a bad sense)… Somewhere tells the story of a typical womanizer – Hollywood actor, (Stephen Dorff) receiving an unexpected visit from his 11-year-old daughter, played by Elle Fanning (yes, the sister). (Will the Dakota siblings create a more quality dynasty then the Baldwins and the Culkins…?)

3.
In the past: Paradise Now, a 2005 Toronto entry, by Hany Abu-Assad.

Upcoming: Miral, by Julian Schnabel
Paradise now was a very controversial take on the Arab-Israeli conflict, made by a Palestinian director. Miral seems to be the same, only by a Jewish director.

After the exemplary The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the expectations for Schnabel’s next feature sky-rocketed. He chose to create a film that will no doubt arouse controversy, about a Palestinian girl in an orphanage at the beginning of the first Arab-Israeli uprising in the 80s. The fact that the Palestinian girl is played by Indian actress Freida Pinto also raised some brows… It will be interesting to see what comes of this sensitive subject.

4.
In the past: The Brothers Grimm, a 2005 Venice Entry, by Terry Gilliam

Upcoming: The Tempest, by Julie Taymor
The Brothers Grimm was a disappointing fantastic, stylized, offbeat tale involving wizards and myths. But since I like this combination of themes, one of the films I’ve personally waited the longest for was chosen as Venice’s closing film – Julie Taymor’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.

Taymor has created amazingly stylized and rich-looking films in past years (for example Titus and Frida). Although a trailer has not yet been released, the few images combined with the rich imagination of Shakespeare’s play assure us this film won’t lower the standards.

5.
In the past: Walk the Line, a 2005 Toronto entry, by James Mangold

Upcoming: I’m still Here, by Casey Affleck
In October 2008, acclaimed actor Joaquin Phoenix gave a captivating performance as singer Jonny Cash in Walk the Line – then announced he was quitting acting to become a hip-hop artist. The film industry was puzzled: Was it an elaborate joke, or a mental breakdown? Or was it really his wish to explore different artistic directions?

Casey Affleck followed Phoenix for a year after this announcement and his new documentary (or maybe mockumentary?) promises to reveal the truth behind this intriguing actor.

Toronto Film Festival (September 9-19 2010):

1.
In the past: 3 Extremes, a 2004 Venice entry, by Fruit Chan, Park Chan-Wook and Takashi Miike

Upcoming: Hereafter, by Clint Eastwood
3 Extremes was a supernatural thriller-horror flick that contained 3 different segments, directed by some of Asia’s most acclaimed directors. Now we have a new movie by one of USA’s most acclaimed directors, Clint Eastwood. While this is always a source of interest, Hereafter is not the usual Eastwood material. It contains supernatural elements (of afterlife and spirituality) and is also a multiple stories thriller. Although in Eastwood’s case, the stories eventually connect and the mood will probably be much more atmospheric and less scary…

2.
In the past: Encounters at the End of the World, a 2007 Toronto entry, by Werner Herzog

Upcoming: 127 Hours, by Danny Boyle
Survival, isolation and forces of nature? Werner Herzog and Danny Boyle include plenty of these in the films mentioned, although Herzog’s film is a documentary and Boyle’s film is fictional (though based on a true story). 127 Hours tells the true story of a mountain climber trapped in an isolated canyon and his efforts to survive.

This is Danny Boyle’s first project after his amazing and unexpected success with Slumdog Millionaire – the big winner of the 2008 award season that picked up no less than 8 Academy Awards.

3.
In the past: The Son’s Room, a 2001 Toronto entry, by Nanni Moretti

Upcoming: Rabbit Hole, by John Cameron Mitchell
Moretti’s acclaimed film tells the story of a family learning to deal with the death of their son. Now an almost identical story comes to the screen, this time at the hands of a very different director. In 2001, John Cameron Mitchell directed what has become one of the greatest cult films of the 21st century – Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He gained many fans who have been waiting anxiously to see what he would create next… This was another small-scale indie production called Shortbus. Now for the first time Mitchell is undertaking a major feature with stars like Nicole Kidman (who passed up a role in the new Woody Allen film for this) and Aaron Eckhart. It will be interesting to see if, despite the big names, the low-budget, controversial spirit remains.

4.
In the past: North Country, a 2005 Toronto entry, by Niki Caro

Upcoming: Conviction, by Tony Goldwyn
Every year needs its story of lower-class people who decide to fight against the system and right wrongs: we had North Country, Erin Brockovich, Silkwood and so on. Here’s this year’s version (a rare case in which I find a film interesting not because of the director, but rather because of the cast): it includes Juliette Lewis, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver and above all Hilary Swank in a leading role that simply screams Oscar. The movie is based on the true story of Betty Anne Waters, an unemployed single mother who goes to law school in order to represent her brother, who is wrongfully accused of murder.

5.
In the past: Walk on Water, a 2004 Toronto entry by Eytan Fox

Upcoming: The Debt, by John Madden
The Debt is actually a remake of an Israeli movie from 2007 of the same name. This “upgraded” remake stars big names like Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington and Tom Wilkinson, and the trailer seems appropriately suspenseful and intriguing. It tells the story of 3 Mossad (secret service) agents on a mission to capture and kill a notorious Nazi war criminal - much like another successful Israeli feature of recent years, Walk on Water, which deals with the exact same issue albeit in a different tone.

If you have any other recommendations for these festivals, comment and let us know!

Technorati Tags: Toronto Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Black Swan, The Debt, Conviction, Rabbit Hole,  Hereafter, The Tempest, Somewhere, Miral, Clint Eastwood, John Madden, Tony Goldwyn, John Cameron Mitchell

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The Expendables and Eat, Pray, Love, two movies currently ruling the box office, couldn’t be more different. The Expendables is the consummate boys’ night action flick, while Eat, Pray, Love is a touching chick flick. But when you start to look at the actors and “genes” (semantic tags) that connect them, it seems you can draw a line between almost any two movies.

Technorati Tags: The Expendables, Eat Pray Love, movie, film

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Emmy awards are coming up. I don’t always agree with the Emmy decision makers and favorites such as Sex and the City (overrated 1), Will and Grace (overrated 2), Everybody Loves Raymond (overrated 3) and Friends (overrated 4). Bad-mouthing Jesus, Muhammad and Moses might be safer than saying that Friends is overrated, but I’m going to take my chances.

So here is my pick of the 10 funniest shows of the 2000s. These 10 actually make people laugh (maybe that’s why most of them don’t use laugh tracks…).

10. The Sarah Silverman Program
In 3 genes: Immature, silly, irreverent humor

No topic is out of range for Sarah Silverman, who made a name for herself with shocking stand-up routines and continued that line of ungodly humor in her show (especially the episode which did include god, who had sex with Sarah and then got dumped by her…). It’s a shame that after the show’s 3rd season, Comedy Central canceled this cutting-edge comedy gem that would’ve been offensive if it weren’t so darn funny.

9. Louie
In 3 genes: Performer’s life, gloomy, politically (in)correct

Filtered through the observational humor of Louis C.K. and his daily life as a stand-up comedian in New York, this new TV series is clever and absolutely hilarious. Some might find C.K’s humor too direct or his political incorrectness offensive, but you can’t please ‘em all… Just like Seinfeld, the show begins and ends with C.K doing stand up, and just like Seinfeld, this is one of the best comedy shows ever made. The reason for putting it at number 9 is that it’s only in its first season. FX already ordered a second.

8. The Flight of the Conchords
In 3 genes: Surreal, culture clash, musician’s life

Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, better known as the music band Flight of the Conchords, have moved from New Zealand to Brooklyn, New York, in an attempt to make it big in the United States. Unfortunately their unique talent doesn’t sit well with an American audience, and their hilariously incompetent band manager, Murray, doesn’t help. This series retired while ahead and unfortunately lasted only 2 seasons. Australia’s talents pale in comparison to these talents from New Zealand.

7. Arrested Development
In 3 genes: Offbeat, eccentric family, voice over

Shot with a shaky camera and a mockumentary style, Arrested Development is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tennenbaums. Truly unusual in the world of TV sitcoms, it employed a kind of humor that often exhibited a dark side. Good news for fans of the series: A movie based on the series is rumored to come out in 2012.

6. Da Ali G show
In 3 genes: Satire, interview, biting

This is the show that brought the world the Kazakh journalist Borat and the flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter Bruno. The main character, though, was Ali G. who interviewed a variety of guests from the world of crime prevention, drug enforcement, the legal system and beyond to discuss issues of crime and drugs in England and America. The absolute naivete with which he interviewed his guests frequently caught them completely off guard.

5. Family Guy
In 3 genes: Pop culture reference, cynical, irreverent humor

With parents like Peter and Lewis Griffin, a mad baby (who has an English accent and is keen on ruling the world), and two teenage kids, it’s absolutely clear that Brian the family dog is the smartest member of the Griffin clan. This series managed to insult every man, woman, ethnic group, religion and animal in existence. Those who weren’t offended by the show are the ones who really should be.

4. 30 Rock
In 3 genes: Showbiz, witty, boss and employee

A critical hit, 30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey have more trophies at home than Michael Phelps and Michael Jordan put together. Alongside Fey and Baldwin, the show has a strong supporting cast that includes a crazy Tracy Jordan/ Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Judah Friedlander. Famous guest stars also add to the appeal of the show (Jerry Seinfeld, Opera Winfrey, Al Gore, Steve Martin and Julianne Moore, just to name a few).

3. Extras
In 3 genes: Unfulfillment, showbiz, clever

One great show might be a fluke, but two great shows (The Office and Extras) must mean Ricky Gervais is a genius. Gervais stars as Andy Millman, a lowly extra who spends most of his life on film and TV sets as he awaits a mercifully brief appearance. Millman’s friend Maggie (Ashley Jensen) is also an extra and finds herself in a similar predicament. Millman usually tries to bond with the biggest celebrity on the set in a desperate attempt to get himself out of the extras business, but his lack of tact and bad luck usually leave him right back where he started.

2. Curb Your Enthusiasm
In 3 genes: Comedy of errors, showbiz, misfit.

Here is another genius who made two great shows: Larry David. In Curb Your Enthusiasm he plays himself: an incomprehensibly successful writer and co-creator of Seinfeld with $400 million in his bank account. But all this is no match for the constant disturbances that wreak havoc on his daily life. Curb Your Enthusiasm is, quite simply, television at its finest, a brilliant and hysterical work of comic genius that absurdly and perfectly blends reality with fiction.

1. The Office
In 3 genes: Obnoxious boss, workplace situations, mockumentary

My number one is shared by two series: the British and the American version of The Office. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are the masterminds behind this brilliant satire of 9-5 office life. In both versions, camera crews follow the boss and his employees around in mockumentary style. The series succeeded in capturing the quiet desperation of the employees working in a socially suffocating environment under the direction of a delusional boss. It’s as hilarious as it is uncomfortable to watch Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and David Brent (Ricky Gervais).

By the way, our favorites for the Emmy awards are: Best Comic Actor: Steve Carell (deserves it before his departure from the series), Best Comic Actress: Amy Poehler (in this I’m more optimistic than Cultural Learnings), Best Dramatic Actor: Hugh Laurie (will you give it to him already??!!), Best Dramatic Actress: Glenn Close (no competition), Best Comedy Series: Curb Your Enthusiasm (fantastic 7th season with the friends from Seinfeld), Best Drama Series: Lost (you just have to honor this series; it was one of the best ever, even if some or all of the questions were left unanswered).

Disagree and think that I should be exiled for dissing Friends? Agree with every word and want to back me up? Please add your comment below

Technorati Tags: comedy, Emmy Awards, TV, television, TV show

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Want to submit your own Gene 5 piece? More info at the end of the post.

Angie J. Han is a Brooklyn-based writer who likes thinking about pop culture, especially films, television, and how feminism relates to both. You can find her work at AngieHan.

I’d consider myself a very happy, cheerful person. But in spite of this - or perhaps a therapist would say because of this? - I’ve got a thing for movies with the “gloomy” and “unfulfillment” genes. My favorite films feature protagonists filled with longing and regret, and usually end badly. They’re not always easy to watch, but I find them satisfying in a way that the candy-coated optimism of Slumdog Millionaire could never hope to be.

1. McCabe & Mrs. Miller

Director Robert Altman takes familiar Western conventions - a larger-than-life hero, a beautiful hooker, miles of empty frontier and a can-do spirit - and turn them into a moody, bitter meditation on how the West was really won.

2. The Fountain

Yes, it’s a mess. But give in to the experience, and you’ll find that it’s an elegantly imagined, enchantingly told mess. Hugh Jackman’s arresting performance anchors three melancholy love stories that intersect through time and imagination.

3. The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke made his comeback with this crushing story of a has-been wrestler facing his twilight years with regret and disappointment. You know those uplifting tales of people who turn their lives around armed with nothing but determination and a smile? This isn’t one of those.

4. The Last Temptation of Christ

Who could be more unfulfilled than a man who had to sacrifice the best parts his life for the greater good? Martin Scorsese strips away the mythology surrounding the son of God, revealing a complicated - and undeniably human - man facing the harshest decision of his life.

5. In the Mood for Love

Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece of sexual tension plays out in the things that don’t happen, rather than the things that do. Sumptuous cinematography helps create an atmosphere heady with desire, while stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung soulfully attempt to not seduce each other.

What’s your favorite gene (search term) on Jinni? Is there one, or several combined, that especially expresses your tastes – or your life? Email us at bloggers@jinni.com with a piece about your favorite gene and the 5 movies or shows that express it for you (200-500 words; or you can present your ideas in images/video), and we’ll publish our Gene 5 selections on a rolling basis.

Technorati Tags: classic film, movie, bloggers, guest bloggers, guest blogging, mccabe & mrs. miller, the fountain, the wrestler, the last temptation of christ, in the mood for love, scorsese, mickey rourke

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Piranha 3D is opening soon, Step-Up 3D was recently released to cinemas, and the last 2 parts of the Harry Potter franchise will be in 3D. Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3 were also released this summer in 3D. We’re in the midst of a flood of 3D titles, and like the BP oil leak, it will take a lot of time to stop, if at all. Does 3D really add value? Is it a gimmick? Is it here to stay? Is it just a sophisticated trick to get us to pay more for movie tickets or flat screen TVs? Do we really enjoy wearing used massive glasses for about 2 hours, when the previous guy that wore them suffers from god-knows-which skin diseases?

But the wave is here, so let’s ride it. Which type of movie or show will get a 3D treatment next? Which classic films or shows do we want to see in 3D? Which titles do we hope will never get a 3D adaptation? Here are 6 that we would like and 6 we would most certainly pass on.

Sexual:

Give it to us in 3D: Basic Instinct
Was there any question? Yes, it’s banal and predictable, yet imagine yourself (sorry, the following would work mostly for males) sitting in that tense, steamy interrogation room, when Ms. Stone does her moves. I’ll have it in 4D if possible.

Spare us the pleasure: Crash
It was a close call with Zandalee, as I really don’t want to see Nicolas Cage in an erotic film, in any dimension (actually I’m not sure I want to see him in any kind of film anymore…). But Crash wins: getting-off from car accidents? Couldn’t they think of a less absurd excuse for a sexual film? And to experience these accidents in 3D? No thanks.

Disturbing:

Give it to us in 3D: Trainspotting
I’m not asking much: just remake it in 3D, with no deviations from the original, which was superb filmmaking with tour-de-force acting. The club, toilet and rehab scenes, the hallucinations… Getting high, the fistfights… so much 3D potential.

Spare us the pleasure: Irreversible
It was almost impossible to see this movie in 2D without getting dizzy and vomiting all over with those offbeat camera movements, dark images and disturbing, cruel events. I can’t imagine and actually really don’t want to know what it would be like in 3D (although I’m sure that if 3D was handily and cheaply available at the time, Mr. Noé would have sickeningly used it).

Captivating:

Give it to us in 3D: Big Wednesday
Talking of waves, let’s have the real deal. This inspiring movie had many heading out to learn how to catch killer waves. Not me though. So for all of us who were too scared to be breathless underwater, this is our chance to experience the rush (and to make the experience more authentic, you can splash water on us during the surfing parts).

Spare us the pleasure: Dexter – the new season (5)
Luckily they spared us, as it’s probably a little too early for TV series to hop on the trend. As much as I’m a big fan, I really wouldn’t want to experience too realistically what it’s like to chop bodies into pieces or sit in a pool of blood. By the way, even in 3D Deb would remain skinny as a pin. It’s as if she’s been appearing in 1D all along.

Fantastic:

Give it to us in 3D: Lost: The Answers
Don’t rush to the torrents looking to download this mini-series. It wasn’t created yet. But after leaving us with so many questions, the only way I’m willing to devote time to this grand charade again is if they make it in 3D - including a reminder of key happenings, so we could experience the plane crash and the smoke monster! (Here’s an idea for a new theme park ride.)

Spare us the pleasure: 2001: A Space Odyssey
I’m sorry, but watching apes jumping for about 15 minutes and waiting for a space station door to open almost at the same time would be boring in any number of dimensions. Matt Zoller Seitza may claim differently in his serious and elaborate Salon article, but I say a boring classic will remain a boring classic in 3D.

Silly Comedy:

Give it to us in 3D: Babes in Toyland & Tom and Jerry
Yep. The good old classic Laurel and Hardy in a toy land escapade, isn’t that a great premise for a 3D adventure? Which reminds me that the cartoon version of Laurel & Hardy - Tom & Jerry, with all their crazy, hilarious chases, also deserves a fun 3D revival (I hope that this is the intention with the vague 2011 Tom & Jerry project).

Spare us the pleasure: Adam Sandler/Farrelly Brothers/Ben Stiller joint, untitled project.
I don’t know if there is such a project in the works. If so, it would probably be hilariously silly and funny. I can deal with silly humor in 3D, no problem. But it would also most certainly be totally gross-out, and that, my friends, should be illegal in 3D, insofar as it involves bodily fluids and such. YUCK.

Campy Horror:

Give it to us in 3D: Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
It may be one of the most ridiculed worst horror titles ever – maybe except for the TV version from 1993 with Daryl Hannah and Daniel Baldwin – but hey, wouldn’t it be totally hilarious to see a giant feminist raging against little males all over? It would actually be like The Hulk, only with a female version of Eric Bana and not in green. I suggest Uma Thurman as she is rather gigantic as is, and has relevant experience after Killing Bill. Or Kathleen Turner, who (sadly) is also gigantic and has good experience battling males. It would definitely be the ultimate representation of our gene (semantic tag) Strong Female Role…

Spare us the pleasure: Piranha 3D
The first movie was mediocre. The second was James Cameron‘ first full length feature and not a memory he will take with him to the grave (an embarrassing 8% at Rotten Tomatoes. Luckily, it didn’t discourage him). However, it’s too late to spare us from the new installment that is just about to attack the big screens, so let’s try to focus on the positive potential: it could be cool to see deadly fish in 3D and the cast is surprisingly good.

What would you like and dislike seeing in 3D? Let us know in the comments!

Technorati Tags: 3D, film, movies, Piranha 3D, Step-Up 3D,  Harry Potter, Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3

Popularity: 2% [?]