30 Day Film Challenge: Day 06

Day 06: A Film That Reminds You of Somewhere

Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)

My first weekend away at college I watched this film late at night with a couple of new friends, one of whom is still one of my closest friends on the planet. I had already seen it before, but I still remember grimacing throughout the finale and being thoroughly depressed afterwards. Fun times in the dorms!

Well Played, Black Swan

Even if you, like me, weren't totally bowled over by Black Swan, there's no denying that its marketing campaign is all sorts of brilliant. From the multitude of posters, to its trailer and the general word of mouth for months on end, Black Swan has quite possibly been the most buzzed about film of the year. And in a year when a massive Christopher Nolan film was released, that is saying a lot. The most impressive feat of this campaign, however, is perhaps small in scale but enormous in terms of impact. I was speaking with my mother yesterday and she was asking if I had seen Black Swan yet. I told her yes and that she would most likely enjoy it. She then told me that she was so excited to see it she asked her co-worker if she wanted to go see it with her in theaters. They couldn't go see it because it hadn't opened in their area yet, but I was still stunned. My mother works at a library and gets free movie rentals whenever she wants. She's also the biggest cheapskate on the planet, so she would rather wait until the DVD comes out instead of paying money to see it in theaters. The last movie she saw in theaters was The Da Vinci Code way back in 2006 and that was only because my dad was a big fan of the book and wanted to see it. To be honest, I can't remember the last movie she saw in theaters just because she wanted to see it. So, to sum everything up, Darren Aronofsky and his marketing team deserve all the praise they have earned thusfar. They may not win the Best Picture Oscar come March, but I think my mother's $8 for a movie ticket is even more valuable.

2008 Diva Cup Awards: Best Picture, Director & Original and Adapted Screenplay

Forgive the lack of justification and explanation, but it's nearly July and I need to finish these once and for all. If you're dying to know about something, however, either leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail (address on the right) and I'll be sure to fill you in.

Best Picture

(for more in-depth reasoning behind these choices, check out my Top 10 List of 2008)


A Christmas Tale
Director: Arnaud Desplechin
Screenwriter: Emmanuel Bourdieu and Arnaud Desplechin
Cinematographer: Eric Gautier
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emile Berling, Laurent Capelluto, Anne Consigny, Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Devos, Chiara Mastroianni, Melvil Poupaud, Jean-Paul Roussillon

In Bruges
Director and Screenwriter: Martin McDonagh
Cinematographer: Eigil Bryld
Starring: Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson

Rachel Getting Married
Director: Jonathan Demme
Screenwriter: Jenny Lumet
Cinematographer: Declan Quinn
Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, Anisa George, Anne Hathaway, Bill Irwin, Anna Deavere Smith, Debra Winger, Mather Zickel

Reprise
Director: Joachim Trier
Screenwriter: Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
Cinematographer: Jakob Ihre
Starring: Henrik Elvestad, Espen Klouman-Hoiner, Anders Danielson Lie, Christian Rubeck, Viktoria Winge

WALL-E
Director: Andrew Stanton
Screenwriter: Pete Docter, Jim Reardon and Andrew Stanton
Starring: Ben Burtt, Jeff Garlin, Elissa Knight, Kathy Najimy, John Ratzenberger, Sigourney Weaver, Fred Willard

And the Diva Cup Goes to: A Christmas Tale

Best Director


Darren Aronofsky
The Wrestler

Jonathan Demme
Rachel Getting Married

Arnaud Desplechin
A Christmas Tale

Andrew Stanton
WALL-E

Joachim Trier
Reprise

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Arnaud Desplechin, A Christmas Tale

Best Original Screenplay


Burn After Reading
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

A Christmas Tale
Emmanuel Bourdieu, Arnaud Desplechin

The Edge of Heaven
Faith Akin

In Bruges
Martin McDonagh

Rachel Getting Married
Jenny Lumet

And the Diva Cup Goes to: In Bruges

Best Adapted Screenplay
(Not exactly a stellar year for adaptations, huh? In a normal year, and by that I mean a year where the corresponding Oscar nominees don't leave me in a pool of my own tears from boredom, at least two of these would have barely made my top 10)


Blindness
Don McKellar

Boy A
Mark O'Rowe

Choke
Clark Gregg

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Lorene Scafaria

Savage Grace
Howard A. Rodman

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist