Ben Stiller is one of the biggest names in comedy in the world, and he’s celebrating his 44th birthday this week. Stiller is most recognized for silly and gross-out humor. In the gross department, it’s impossible to forget the hair gel scene in There’s Something About Mary or the scene with Steve Coogan’s head in Tropic Thunder. And when it comes to silly humor, Zoolander is the movie that redefined the genre.

As a tribute to the man, I chose the five silliest moments from movies and TV (in my objective opinion), some well-known, some not, and the five grossest, yet very funny moments. And you can check out silly humor and gross-out humor on Jinni for even more. Enjoy:

Silly:

5. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

It was hard stealing the show from Will Ferrell in Anchorman, but Steve Carell managed to do so with the candle-eating Brick Tamland:

4. Human Giant (2007)

A lot of absurd and silly moments came from this MTV sketch comedy that lasted two seasons. We were supposed to get a third, but Aziz Ansari preferred Parks and Recreation instead.

3. Family Guy (1999)

Family Guy in general and Peter Griffin especially are heroes of the silly humor genre. This is why:

2. Schizopolis (1997)

Not many know that Steven Soderbergh wrote and directed a zany independent comedy called Schizopolis, and even starred in it. In this clip you’ll find the man who made Che, Solaris and Traffic:

1. Zoolander (2001)

This is a very moving, very emotional clip, a real tearjerker; it’s also extremely clever and thought-provoking. Well, no. It’s just very, very, silly:

Moving on to gross-out:

5. Yes Man (2008)

It was either this or Ace Ventura talking from his ass. I really hope I made the right choice:

4. The Sarah Silverman Program (2007)

If this is the first time you’re watching this clip, and it’s because of me, then I feel that my work on earth is done:

3. The Nutty Professor (1996)

Flatulence is funny: You know it, I know it. Before you judge me for bad taste, remember that this movie was nominated for an Academy Award (okay, for best makeup, but still…). Here’s a clip with a lot of flatulence in it:

2. The Meaning of Life (1983)

A gross-out classic, people who have watched this Monty Python bit never looked at chocolate mint in quite the same way again:

1. Along Came Polly (2004)

Bergman, Fellini, Godard, Kurosawa, Kieslowski, Tarkovsky, Bunuel, Truffaut, Chabrol, De Sica – this is a moment of true cinematic genius:

Technorati Tags: ben stiller, comedy, silly humor, gross-out humor

Popularity: 16% [?]

The Road, opening this week, might well be the big Academy Award winner of 2009. It’s based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, who also wrote No Country for Old Men, which became the major winner in 2007. The novel was recently named “book of the decade” by the Times magazine. Starring acclaimed Oscar-nominee Viggo Mortensen and 2004 Oscar winner Charlize Theron, The Road deals with compelling themes of survival, human nature and parenthood in a dystopian futuristic world.

We’ll have to wait a few more months to know whether this film will be an award winner. But either way, it’s already gaining attention, mainly because it’s based on such an acclaimed novel.

And that made me wonder: Does a good or popular book increase the chances that the movie will also be acclaimed or successful? To try to answer the question, here are 10 novels from the past decade and the movies that adapted them.

10. The Kite Runner

The highly acclaimed novel by Khaled Hosseini was the #1 bestseller in the United States in 2005 according to Nielsen BookScan. It also received the Boeke prize (2004).

The film was expected to gain the same success. Financially, it turned a nice profit. But critics and viewers gave it a lukewarm reception, and it won no important awards.

9. Atonement

Atonement won several prestigious fiction prizes, and was shortlisted in many others, including the 2001 Booker prize. Time magazine named it the best fiction novel of the year and included it in the all-time list of 100 greatest novels. So it’s obvious why expectations for the movie were high.

While the movie did not gain instant classic status like the novel, critics and viewers considered it very good, and like the novel, it won numerous awards, including at the Oscars and Golden Globes. And it’s the third most profitable film in this list, which is quite an achievement considering it’s a slow-paced period drama.

8. Slumdog Millionaire / Q & A

The rise-to-the-top story echoes the trajectory of the novel itself. Vikas Swarup was a low-profile diplomat when he published Q & A, his first novel. At first the novel gained modest recognition – although it won several awards it did not become a huge bestseller.

Then came the sleeper cinematic adaptation by Danny Boyle, the big winner of the 2008 Oscars with astonishing profits worldwide. The novel reentered bestseller lists and was translated into 40 languages.

I think it’s safe to say that in this case the movie outdid the novel.

7. The Da Vinci Code

Is there any point in talking about critical reaction or awards around this novel? Any reaction, good or bad, is dwarfed by the massive popularity of this novel. Spending over years at the top of bestsellers lists, with more than 80 million copies sold, translated into 44 languages and the focal point of countless parodies and imitations – The Da Vinci Code is a phenomenon and one of the most successful novels of all time.

What could possibly go wrong with the movie adaptation? Just about everything. The well-known stars and the blockbuster status didn’t save it from getting slashed by critics, gaining an embarrassing 24% fresh reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. The price was paid by the sequel Angels and Demons, which grossed far less despite the fact that the film was significantly better.

6. Hannibal Rising

The prequel to the Hannibal Lecter adventures was written reluctantly by author Thomas Harris, mainly because the producer who owned the franchise rights threatened that if he didn’t, someone else would be asked to do it.

So this unwanted novel was born, gained a mixed critical response… but still had enough of the cannibal’s endless charm to make it a bestseller.

Yet what is done unwillingly cannot be as good as what is done willingly, and the movie suffered from that too. It got terrible reviews and while somewhat profitable, was far from a blockbuster.

5. The Nanny Diaries

The Nanny Diaries’ rise on bestsellers charts was a surprise. The writers were students in NYU when they wrote the book. But the book captured new audiences of young, urban women, and the decision to produce a film - and try repeat the success of Bridget Jones Diary - was unavoidable.

But Scarlet Johansson’s star power combined with that of Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti and Alicia Keys was not enough. The film failed to capture the novel’s fresh, satirical tone, and didn’t match up to the book.

4. The Time Traveler’s Wife

The Time Traveler’s wife became a sensation when an extensive marketing campaign pushed the book into 9th place on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week: Very rare for an unknown author (Audrey Niffenegger)’s debut novel, and one with fantastic elements at that. The book was named Amazon.com’s book of the year in 2003.

The romantic premise called out for a movie adaptation. But something got lost on the way - the character depth and psychological complexity. Viewers were left with a kitschy love story, and voted with their feet.

3. Dreamcatcher

Stephen King is all over blockbuster lists: The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Shining, Misery… I guess there’s something very cinematic about his stories. But not all of them were successful.

Like most of King’s novels, Dreamcatcher also became an immediate bestseller. Producers were quick to buy the rights, and not even two years passed before the film was released. Unfortunately, this proved too hasty. It was one of the least successful King adaptations, both artistically and financially. The movie broke even worldwide, but that is the same as saying it flopped, barely avoiding disaster.

2. My Sister’s Keeper

My Sister’s Keeper is another example of a novel whose film adaptation emphasized its worst features and almost eliminated the good ones. So the book will be remembered on its own, despite the high profile adaptation.

The novel features an interesting moral dilemma that created public debate. It won several awards and became a readers’ favorite. But as a movie, the story became too sentimental and kitschy, the moral dilemma was flattened and even the big names like Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin and Abigail Breslin couldn’t save it. And to top it all off, the ending was altered, causing a massive protest among book fans.

1. Marley & Me

Unlike any of the previous titles, Marley & Me is an autobiographical book, based on a newspaper column by journalist John Grogan. Grogan stated that more people commented on the column he wrote after Marley’s death than on any other column.

It seemed almost impossible to fail with this movie. A cute puppy always steals the show, and so does Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston’s star power.

Financially the film did well, with over $400 million worldwide gross. The critical reception was not as great, but to be honest – the book was not the new Catcher in the Rye, and so the movie does not aim to be the new Citizen Kane.

In my sample, the novels were generally superior to their cinematic adaptations. In other words, a successful novel does not guarantee box office success, let alone critical acclaim - though many adaptations do have their day at the box office.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Open nominations are now being held for the 2009 Crunchies Awards. Jinni is in the running for Best New StartUp of 2009 - and we’d really appreciate your help! Click the image to nominate Jinni:

Technorati Tags: Crunchies awards 2009

Popularity: 2% [?]

Vampires and zombies are two of the hottest trends in TV and movies in recent years.

Now imagine a hungry zombie chewing on your arm and a thirsty vampire sucking at your neck, both asking you to choose: Will you go to the next zombie movie or the next vampire movie?

It’s time to confront the living dead with the sun-hating blood-suckers, and decide which rules! To that end, here are the ten best contemporary titles under both themes plus the bottom line – which is better:

10. TV series vs. TV series

The Vampire Diaries: As the school year begins, brother and sister Elena and Jeremy are coping with the death of their parents in a tragic accident. When Stefan, a mysterious new student, arrives, he and Elena immediately click. Elena has no way of knowing that Stefan is a centuries-old vampire, struggling to live peacefully among humans, while his brother Damon is the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality…

Dead Set: In this Bafta-nominated horror drama, a plague turns people into zombies. Meanwhile, contestants in the Big Brother house, isolated from the outside world, are not yet aware of what is going on.

And the winner is: Dead Set. More sophisticated and just better. The Vampire Diaries just began its first season so maybe it’s too soon to judge, but I have a feeling it’s not the next Sopranos or West Wing.

9. Sweden vs. Norway

Let The Right One In: In this atmospheric, acclaimed Swedish movie - an American remake is already in process - a lonely misfit finds a soul mate in the form of a vampire child who recently became his neighbor.

Dead Snow: Depending on the audience, the theme of Nazi zombies could sound like the best or worst of cinematic offerings. But Dead Snow received rave reviews at Sundance. In this Norwegian horror comedy, a group of friends think they’re in for a trip of skiing, drinking, and hooking up, but a defrosting band of Nazi zombies have something else in mind…

And the winner is: Let The Right One In. It’s a masterpiece. If you haven’t watched it, you must. Not only for vampire enthusiasts.

8. The 2007 War

30 Days of Night: The town of Barrow, Alaska experiences an entire sunless month once a year. Among the town’s tough, yet law-abiding citizens is the Sheriff (Josh Hartnett), busy brooding over the separation from his Fire Marshall wife (Melissa George). Soon after darkness descends, vampiric Marlow (Danny Huston) and his minions arrive, slaughtering everyone they can catch, safe in the knowledge that they have much longer than usual until sunup.

Fido: The world is recovering from a zombie war several decades earlier. Beyond the gates zombies rule, but in the town of Willard a huge corporation called ZomCom has domesticated the undead, turning them into faithful servants of the human race. Timmy, a young boy, develops a friendship with the zombie (Billy Connolly) his mother purchased for him. Naming him Fido, and initially treating him like a poorly-behaved dog, Timmy soon confirms what he always secretly suspected – that zombies can have feelings too.

And the winner is: I’m making the rules here, so I pick Fido because it has Billy Connolly.

7. Sequel vs. Sequel

Blade 2: Wesley Snipes returns as the part-vampire superhero, following a trail of blood to Prague in search of his abducted mentor (Kris Kristofferson). He reluctantly joins forces with a band of skilled vampire warriors called the Bloodpack to hunt down an even deadlier enemy, the monstrous Reapers, who prey on vampires and humans alike, infecting them with an incurable virus.

28 Weeks Later: The zombies from the first film have died out and England is ready for repopulation. The heavily guarded community is trying to return to normal life. Robert Carlyle has lost his wife but is reunited with his children, Andy and Tammy. But the two kids soon escape from the community, in search of their childhood home and mother. Chaos follows, with the sadistic military and forlorn survivors battling both each other and “the infected.”

And the winner is: Blade 2 grossed $155 million, while 28 Weeks Later grossed $64 million. But money is not everything, and the better sequel is 28 Weeks Later.

3-1 for the zombies.

6. Future Dystopia vs. Future Dystopia

Daybreakers: In this new movie releasing January 8, it’s 2017 and a virus has turned most of earth’s inhabitants into vampires. With their blood supply dwindling, they must find a new food source. With Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill and Willem Dafoe, and an impressive trailer, this movie looks promising.

I Am Legend: A virus has transformed the Earth’s population into an army of nocturnal zombies. Will Smith plays a military scientist, the lone survivor in post-epidemic, deserted New York City. Immune to the virus, he searches for a cure, haunted by visions of his family leaving quarantined Manhattan. He drives through the city with his German Shepherd by day, and barricades his home from the monsters at night. When Anna, another immune stranger, finds him, they will have to fight the onslaught twice as hard.

And the winner is: Daybreakers really does look promising, but I Am Legend deserves the win until proven otherwise. It’s hard to argue with a $585 million box office gross.

5. The 2004 War - Round one

Van Helsing: Destined to fight the world’s evil, Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is a warrior in a cowboy hat and a trench coat, heavily armed with a rapid-fire multi-arrow crossbow, among other gadgetry. A legion of monks in Rome sends him to Transylvania to hunt the immortal Count Dracula, who terrorizes the local people with the help of his three vampire brides.

Dawn of The Dead: In this remake of Romero’s classic 78 movie, nurse Ana (Sarah Polley) wakes up to discover her boyfriend has become a tasty midnight snack for a cute neighboring kid. To her horror, she realizes the whole town is in state of ghoulishness. She joins a small group of survivors headed by cop Kenneth (Ving Rhames) who barricade themselves inside the local mall. More survivors surface as zombies slowly taking over the planet. Against all odds, the survivors plot, scheme, and enjoy their mall paradise.

And the winner is: Dawn of The Dead. Van Helsing wasn’t a good movie, not even by Hugh Jackman’s standards.

4. Action vs. Action

Underworld: Vampires and lycans - an ancient form of werewolf - are at war, constantly innovating deadlier bullets to gain advantage. Death agent Selene (Kate Beckinsale) orders the vamps to attack the lycans. But when she discovers they have kidnapped a human medical student, she knows the worst is coming. Against the orders of her superior (who’s in love with her), she awakens the most powerful vampire of all time, Viktor (Bill Nighy) and prepares for a massive feud against lycan leader Lucian.

Planet Terror: Director Robert Rodriguez pays homage to his favorite B-movies with this old-fashioned zombie film that’s infused with enough gore and giggles to please even Peter Jackson (Bad Taste). Rose McGowan plays Cherry, a go-go dancer whose night is interrupted by a vicious zombie attack that leaves her missing a leg. Her ex-boyfriend, Wray (Freddy Rodriguez), takes charge, fashioning her a new leg from a machine gun and killing zombies along the way

And the winner is: Planet Terror, a hilarious movie, not only the better of these two, but also the better of the two Grindhouse movies (the other being Tarantino’s Death Proof).

3. The 2004 War - Round Two

Night Watch: This old-fashioned good vs. evil parable set in Moscow relies on some modern special effects to ensnare its audience. In the distant past, a delicate truce was struck between the forces of Light and Dark. Both sides keep a close eye on each other as they attempt to disguise themselves from the earth’s mere mortals. Anton, defined as “Other” by the legions of Light and Dark, lives with his cohort of vampires, awaiting the arrival of a virgin who will announce the resumption of hostilities. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent that an epic battle is just around the corner.

Shaun Of The Dead: Shaun (Simon Pegg), joined by his immature and ever-present roommate, Ed, excels at nothing but drinking pints and watching television, causing friction with his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield). Before Shaun can save his relationship, however, he’s got to fend off a horde of zombies that are slowly taking over the city. Armed with a cricket bat and a vague sense of direction, Shaun must rescue his friends and loved ones, and bring them to the only safe place he can think of – the pub.

And the winner is: Shaun of The Dead, it’s a modern classic.

2. Critically acclaimed vs. Critically acclaimed

True Blood: Oscar-winner Anna Paquin stars as Sookie, a telepathic waitress living in Bon Temps, Louisiana, who falls hard for Bill, a Civil War veteran and vampire. Their romantic romps aren’t the only draw: the coexistence of humans and vampires is uneasy, and people are dying. Clothes fall to the floor almost as often as blood spatters the walls in this TV show that blends supernatural horror, sex, mystery and just a little bit of social commentary.

28 Days Later: Cillian Murphy returns to consciousness 28 days after an outbreak turned London into a lifeless city. He wanders the surreally vacant streets. Upon entering a church littered with dead bodies, he discovers that he is not alone - “the infected” are still living. They are violently sick, fast-moving, bloodthirsty zombies who travel at night in ravenous packs. Jim manages to escape and locate a band of survivors. Joining forces, they cling to the hope that somewhere healthy humanity thrives – only to discover that humans in distress are no better than zombies.

And the winner is: It’s a tie. I think True Blood is an excellent show, and 28 Days Later gets 88% fresh reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. No decisive conclusion here.

1. Blockbuster vs. Blockbuster

Twilight: High-school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), always a bit of a misfit, doesn’t expect life to change much when she moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Washington state. Then she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a handsome but mysterious teen whose eyes seem to peer directly into her soul. Edward is a vampire whose family does not drink blood, and Bella, far from being frightened, enters into a dangerous romance with her immortal soulmate.

Zombieland: A huge success both financially and critically, humorous Zombieland is about survivors (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg) of a zombie apocalypse who join forces against the undead.

And the winner is: Zombieland. Twilight is nonsense for teens, while Zombieland is a very good action movie, with some truly funny moments and original ideas. So what if Twilight grossed triple what Zombieland made at the box office…

Conclusion: It’s 8-1 in favor of the zombies!
It seems that contemporary movies about eating flesh are better than contemporary movies about drinking blood. Will the new Twilight movie tilt the scale? Will Daybreakers be the best vampire movie of all time? Will the slow-moving zombies from the original Dawn of The Dead make room for the fast-moving Zombies from Zombieland? Only time can answer these questions of utmost important.

Spoiling the victory, as always, are statistics. According to Box Office Mojo, vampire movies since the 80s made about $1.3 billion, while zombie movies made about $700 million, barely more than a half. And when it comes to the number of movies under each theme, vampires also lead, this time in a slight advantage of 1300 vs. 1100.

Technorati Tags: horror, vampire movies, zombie movies

Popularity: 51% [?]

This week Pirate Radio is releasing to US cinemas.

It’s a cool new movie about a group of rebellious DJs playing pop and rock music (god forbid!) on an illegal radio station on a boat, back in 60s Britain… In fact, it sounds very similar to a movie I saw four month ago in Europe called The Boat That Rocked. Same actors too (check the interesting interviews with Talulah Riley and Tom Sturridge over on Gordon and the Whale). Yes, it’s the same movie!

Americans dictate world politics, influence global economics, put the first man on the moon, and even have a dream named after them. So why, when it comes to non-studio releases, and especially foreign titles, are American cinemas so very unfashionably late? And why do these movies only ever make it to select major cities (compared to thousands of screens for any bad studio flick)?

The Boat That Rocked was released on April 1st in the UK, then all over Europe. Even the people of Kazakhstan saw it at the end of April (where most people weren’t even familiar with its music until recent decades…). It’s been in Australia and New Zealand, and Argentineans can already rent it on DVD.

So, dear American distributors: First, changing the name is a cheap trick that doesn’t cover the shame of the late release. Second, have you heard of the Internet? Torrents? The Global Village? People are connected and up-to-date, from the arctic wilderness to a rundown tourist bus in the middle of Peru, where I saw Crash the same week it was released to US cinemas.

Why do distributors do this? I think it’s a mistaken belief that Americans don’t appreciate global film and dislike subtitles. As a result, distributors lose money and American moviegoers miss out.

Here is an expose of 10 more atrocities committed this year by American movie distributors. See for yourself if you think the lack of confidence really reflects American audience’s tastes.

10. Broken Embraces - March 18 vs. Nov 20, 2009

30 countries have already enjoyed the new movie by Spanish genius Pedro Almodovar, who brought us Talk to Her and All About My Mother. But apparently two international hits and buckets of awards, including an Oscar, are not enough to justify more than a limited release. The movie will roll out in one (!) city, and two weeks later, in a bold move, in one additional one. Sorry Salt Lake City and Chicago residents, you’ll have to settle for X-Men.

9. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - Sep 11 vs. Nov 20, 2009

Okay, September 11 might not be a good release date for a movie about a corrupt, drug-addicted police detective in post-Katrina New Orleans. But why wait more than two months? If you thought only subtitled, so-called “arthouse” movies suffer late releases, think again. Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Coolidge and Michael Shannon – if they were the cast of a new Hollywood thriller, they would have stormed thousands of screens. But directed by the acclaimed Werner Herzog – forget it. So this Venice Festival winner will see the light of day (or of a film projector) in just 5 cities. Well, the cast and English language help, so aside from NY and LA, Chicago, D.C. and San Francisco residents will get it first. A week later, six more cities will join.

8. City Island - Aug 20 vs. ???

A loveable cast headed by Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies (ER), and an audience award won back in April at the Tribeca Film Festival, is apparently not enough to justify even a limited release, not even in NYC. Meanwhile, the people of Israel, Brazil, Slovenia, Spain and many others already had the chance to enjoy this indie crowd-pleaser, dealing with a dysfunctional family’s secrets and lies in City Island, in the Bronx.

7. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee - July 10 vs. Nov 27

Premiered at the Berlin Film Festival back in February and released to UK cinemas in July, Rebecca Miller’s new film has already screened in Greece, the Netherlands, Israel, Hungary, Russia, Belgium, France and recently at the Toronto Film Festival. True, this talented director and writer hasn’t proved herself at the box office, but she doesn’t get much chance. Critical acclaim (82% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a stellar cast (Robin Wright, Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder, Alan Arkin - the charm of every second indie production - Monica Bellucci, Maria Bello and Keanu Reeves) still didn’t get her a vote of confidence from American distributors.

6. Hachiko: A Dog’s Story - Aug 8 vs. Nov 18

Richard Gere has lost his box office charm since Chicago. Maybe getting role advice from the Dalai Lama isn’t such a good idea. Director Lasse Hallstrom, has also seen better days (Chocolat and The Cider House Rules). Still, both have enormous cinematic credit. Jason Alexander and Joan Allen join in a Harry and Tonto type story about friendship between a man and a dog. Based on true story, it’s a remake of a successful Japanese movie. And although it was first screened back in June at the Seattle Film Festival, still Japan, Spain, Russia, Austria, Germany, Singapore and Sweden will all enjoy this touching movie first. If it was a Disney movie with the same plot and cast, I’m sure we’d already be expecting the DVD.

5. Red Cliff - June 2008 vs. Nov 20 2009

I think this one breaks all the lateness records! John Woo’s $80 million Chinese production is armed with awards from major Asian events and is another contribution to the recent slew of popular historical combat epics (following on 300 and The Warrior). But all this is not enough. Neither is Woo’s contemporary Hollywood resume. So long after dozens of countries in Asia, Europe and even Egypt, the US release finally arrives. Red Cliff II was already released in East Asia back in January 2009!

4. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Oct 16 vs. Dec 25

Terry Gilliam is the genius behind both amazing cinematic challenges like Brazil and 12 Monkeys, and unbearable cinematic challenges like Tideland. So yes, his movies are like casino gambling. He teamed again with Heath Ledger (hoping for the latter’s magical box office appeal, that even helped the critically grim former collaboration between them). He sure didn’t count on the later bailing out while still shooting, and so we gained 3 aces standing in to play the same character: Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. The critical reaction is much better than for his last works. But hey, just ask the Bulgarians or the Vietnamese, they can already say if the movie is good or not, and so can film buffs in several other countries.

3. The White Ribbon - Sep 17 vs. Dec 30

Directed by Michael Haneke, the controversial German director responsible for Caché (Hidden) and Funny Games (original and US remake), this movie swept the Cannes Film Festival this year, winning 3 of its awards, including The Golden Palm. It also won a major prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival, and has a remarkable 100% fresh rate on Rotten Tomatoes. It was already released in parts of Europe, soon in Scandinavia, but only at the end of the year in the U.S. And of course, in a limited release. (To be frank, this is the only title in the list that might indeed be too hard for some audiences, judging by the director’s former works…)

2. Gigante - May 22 vs. Jan 1, 2010

Like The White Ribbon, Gigante also swept a film festival this year, winning three of the major prizes in Berlin, followed by a win in San Sebastian. Gigante even won a prize in the Chicago Film Festival, and recently participated in the Toronto Film Festival and LA Latino Film Festival. You’d think after all this, and with Spanish being so widely spoken in the US, that an acclaimed Spanish-language movie would have strong appeal for American moviegoers and gain an up-to-date release. Think again. Maybe when it comes to Horror. But when it comes to a good psychological drama (shhh don’t say “arthouse”), then countries with “large” Latin population like Scandinavia and Poland get to see Gigante first.

1. The Young Victoria – Mar 6 vs. Dec 18

Another acclaimed late arrival: Produced by Martin Scorsese and Graham King, written by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Gosford Park, and with talented cast including Emily Blunt, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent and Thomas Kretschmann. This one left the British port way back in March on its journey to discover America. On its way, it visited more than 15 countries worldwide, including Finland, the Philippines, Israel and Singapore. UK film buffs have been able to enjoy the DVD since July! The scheduled limited release makes sense when you consider that interested American audiences have no problem watching the movie in both legal and illegal ways now.

And 3 fashionable late arriving animation flicks as a bonus:

Luc Besson’s Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (sequel to the rather successful Arthur and the Invisibles) will roll out in Europe 3 weeks before the American premiere (Dec 18); Wes Anderson’s all-star and highly acclaimed stop-motion flick Fantastic Mr. Fox is rolling out in limited release now, three weeks after the UK, before expanding on the 25th; and A Town Called Panic, a relatively anonymous French movie, also in stop-motion technique, will start Dec 16, after several European territories and a nice festivals tour.

Technorati Tags: foreign film, film festival

Popularity: 8% [?]