Opposition to the Academy’s plan to award eight Oscars prior to the live telecast continues to grow, with more than 350 new names — including more than a dozen Oscar-winning editors, cinematographers and production designers — added to the petition sent last week to Academy president David Rubin urging a reversal of the plan.
Among the industry professionals signing are Oscar-winning cinematographers John Seale (“The English Patient”), John Toll (“Braveheart”) and Dean Semler (“Dances With Wolves”), and Oscar-winning editors Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch (“Star Wars”), Mikkel Neilsen (“The Sound of Metal”), Pietro Scalia (“JFK”) and Zach Staenberg (“The Matrix”).
Oscar-winning production designers Hannah Beachler (“Black Panther”), Barbara Ling (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Adam Stockhausen (“Grand Budapest Hotel”) and David and Sandy Wasco (“La La Land”) also signed on.
Cinematography will be presented during the live show, but editing and production design are among the eight awards to be presented during the 4 p.
Among the industry professionals signing are Oscar-winning cinematographers John Seale (“The English Patient”), John Toll (“Braveheart”) and Dean Semler (“Dances With Wolves”), and Oscar-winning editors Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch (“Star Wars”), Mikkel Neilsen (“The Sound of Metal”), Pietro Scalia (“JFK”) and Zach Staenberg (“The Matrix”).
Oscar-winning production designers Hannah Beachler (“Black Panther”), Barbara Ling (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Adam Stockhausen (“Grand Budapest Hotel”) and David and Sandy Wasco (“La La Land”) also signed on.
Cinematography will be presented during the live show, but editing and production design are among the eight awards to be presented during the 4 p.
- 3/17/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech," Christopher Nolan's "Inception," and Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" were the big winners of the Art Directors Guild's 15th annual Excellent in Production Design Awards.
"The King's Speech" took home the Period Film prize, "Inception" received the Fantasy Film trophy, and "Black Swan" danced to the top of Contemporary Film category.
Here's the complete list of winners (bolded) and nominees of the Art Directors Guild's 15th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards (Check out my Awards Avenue for your complete pre-Oscar preparations)
Period Film
True Grit -- Jess Gonchor
The King's Speech -- Eve Stewart
Shutter Island -- Dante Ferretti
Robin Hood -- Arthur Max
Get Low -- Geoffrey Kirkland
Fantasy Film
Alice In Wonderland -- Robert Stromberg
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 -- Stuart Craig
Inception -- Guy Hendrix Dyas
Tron: Legacy -- Darren Gilford
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader...
"The King's Speech" took home the Period Film prize, "Inception" received the Fantasy Film trophy, and "Black Swan" danced to the top of Contemporary Film category.
Here's the complete list of winners (bolded) and nominees of the Art Directors Guild's 15th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards (Check out my Awards Avenue for your complete pre-Oscar preparations)
Period Film
True Grit -- Jess Gonchor
The King's Speech -- Eve Stewart
Shutter Island -- Dante Ferretti
Robin Hood -- Arthur Max
Get Low -- Geoffrey Kirkland
Fantasy Film
Alice In Wonderland -- Robert Stromberg
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 -- Stuart Craig
Inception -- Guy Hendrix Dyas
Tron: Legacy -- Darren Gilford
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader...
- 2/7/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The Art Directors Guild has announced nominees for its 15th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards! Winners will be revealed on Feb. 5.
Here's the complete list of nominees (Check our Awards Avenue for complete winners/nominees for all award-giving bodies):
Nominees For Excellence In Production Design For A Feature Film In 2010
Period Film
True Grit -- Jess Gonchor
The King's Speech -- Eve Stewart
Shutter Island -- Dante Ferretti
Robin Hood -- Arthur Max
Get Low -- Geoffrey Kirkland
Fantasy Film
Alice In Wonderland -- Robert Stromberg
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 -- Stuart Craig
Inception -- Guy Hendrix Dyas
Tron: Legacy -- Darren Gilford
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader -- Barry Robison
Contemporary Film
Black Swan -- Therese DePrez
The Social Network -- Donald Graham Burt
The Fighter -- Judy Becker
The Town -- Sharon Seymour
127 Hours -- Suttirat Larlarb
Nominees...
Here's the complete list of nominees (Check our Awards Avenue for complete winners/nominees for all award-giving bodies):
Nominees For Excellence In Production Design For A Feature Film In 2010
Period Film
True Grit -- Jess Gonchor
The King's Speech -- Eve Stewart
Shutter Island -- Dante Ferretti
Robin Hood -- Arthur Max
Get Low -- Geoffrey Kirkland
Fantasy Film
Alice In Wonderland -- Robert Stromberg
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 -- Stuart Craig
Inception -- Guy Hendrix Dyas
Tron: Legacy -- Darren Gilford
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader -- Barry Robison
Contemporary Film
Black Swan -- Therese DePrez
The Social Network -- Donald Graham Burt
The Fighter -- Judy Becker
The Town -- Sharon Seymour
127 Hours -- Suttirat Larlarb
Nominees...
- 1/6/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
hollywoodnews.com: The Art Directors Guild (Adg) today announced nominations in nine categories of Production Design for theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials and music videos competing in the Adg’s 15th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards for 2010. The nominations were announced by Adg Council President Tom Walsh and Awards co-producers Dawn Snyder and Tom Wilkins. Deadline for final voting, which is done online, is February 3. The black-tie ceremony announcing winners will take place Saturday, February 5, 2010 from the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills with Paula Poundstone serving as host for the second consecutive year.
Theme of this year’s awards ceremony is “Designs on Film” as a tribute to Cathy Whitlock’s new HarperCollins book that traces 100 years of Hollywood Art Direction. Walsh will introduce the event,
A Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Academy Award® winning Production Designer Patricia Norris with director David Lynch set to present to her.
Theme of this year’s awards ceremony is “Designs on Film” as a tribute to Cathy Whitlock’s new HarperCollins book that traces 100 years of Hollywood Art Direction. Walsh will introduce the event,
A Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Academy Award® winning Production Designer Patricia Norris with director David Lynch set to present to her.
- 1/5/2011
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Spike Jonze has worked with Absolut Vodka to launch his latest short film, "I'm Here", at the Sundance Film Festival. The 30 minute short film explores the relationship between two robots living in Los Angeles, played by Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory. "I'm here" was developed after Absolut reached out to Jonze to make a film, and gave him creative control to create the film he wanted. In addition to the 30-minute film, there are also 30 and 60 second trailers, to be used online and as TV commercials globally.
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
- 1/25/2010
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Spike Jonze has worked with Absolut Vodka to launch his latest short film, "I'm Here", at the Sundance Film Festival. The 30 minute short film explores the relationship between two robots living in Los Angeles, played by Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory. "I'm here" was developed after Absolut reached out to Jonze to make a film, and gave him creative control to create the film he wanted. In addition to the 30-minute film, there are also 30 and 60 second trailers, to be used online and as TV commercials globally.
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
- 1/25/2010
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Spike Jonze has worked with Absolut Vodka to launch his latest short film, "I'm Here", at the Sundance Film Festival. The 30 minute short film explores the relationship between two robots living in Los Angeles, played by Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory. "I'm here" was developed after Absolut reached out to Jonze to make a film, and gave him creative control to create the film he wanted. In addition to the 30-minute film, there are also 30 and 60 second trailers, to be used online and as TV commercials globally.
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
- 1/25/2010
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Spike Jonze has worked with Absolut Vodka to launch his latest short film, "I'm Here", at the Sundance Film Festival. The 30 minute short film explores the relationship between two robots living in Los Angeles, played by Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory. "I'm here" was developed after Absolut reached out to Jonze to make a film, and gave him creative control to create the film he wanted. In addition to the 30-minute film, there are also 30 and 60 second trailers, to be used online and as TV commercials globally.
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
- 1/25/2010
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Spike Jonze has worked with Absolut Vodka to launch his latest short film, "I'm Here", at the Sundance Film Festival. The 30 minute short film explores the relationship between two robots living in Los Angeles, played by Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory. "I'm here" was developed after Absolut reached out to Jonze to make a film, and gave him creative control to create the film he wanted. In addition to the 30-minute film, there are also 30 and 60 second trailers, to be used online and as TV commercials globally.
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
More about the film after the jump!
"It was a pretty incredible opportunity," says Jonze. "They (Absolut) didn't give me any requirements to make a movie that had anything to do with vodka. They just wanted me to make something that was important to me, and let my imagination take me wherever I wanted. And it wasn't like working with some huge corporation...
- 1/25/2010
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Obvious picks were Sherlock Holmes, Star Trek, And Avatar. Once again, no love for Nine, but I was pleased to see an embrace from this guild for The Lovely Bones. Now that Art Directors, Producers, Directors, and Screen Actors guilds have announced their nominees, the only other “countries” to be heard from are the Writers Guild and American Cinema Editors. We’ll hear from the WGA on Monday and the Ace on Tuesday.
From THR by way of Awards Daily, here are the nominations announced earlier on Friday by the Art Directors Guild. The Adg will hold its 14th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Feb. 13 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Feature Film Nominees
Period film:
“A Serious Man,” production, designer, Jess Gonchor “Inglourious Basterds,” David Wasco “Julie & Julia,” Mark Ricker “Public Enemies,” Nathan Crowley “Sherlock Holmes,” Sarah Greenwood
Fantasy film:
“Avatar,” Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg “District 9,” Philip Ivey...
From THR by way of Awards Daily, here are the nominations announced earlier on Friday by the Art Directors Guild. The Adg will hold its 14th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Feb. 13 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Feature Film Nominees
Period film:
“A Serious Man,” production, designer, Jess Gonchor “Inglourious Basterds,” David Wasco “Julie & Julia,” Mark Ricker “Public Enemies,” Nathan Crowley “Sherlock Holmes,” Sarah Greenwood
Fantasy film:
“Avatar,” Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg “District 9,” Philip Ivey...
- 1/8/2010
- by Michelle
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The lush and iridescent forests of "Avatar," the sooty Victorian London of "Sherlock Holmes" and even the trashed, morning-after Vegas suites of "The Hangover" all caught the collective eye of the Art Directors Guild, which announced its nominations Friday.
The Adg, which will hold its 14th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Feb. 13 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, unveiled noms in nine categories, covering movies, TV, commercials and music videos.
In the category of fantasy film, "Avatar" will do battle with two other sci-fi titles -- "District 9" and "Star Trek" -- as well as the book adaptations "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince" and "Where the Wild Things Are."
The nominees for period film range from "Sherlock Holmes," set in the 19th century, to the Depression-era America of "Public Enemies" to the World War II France of "Inglourious Basterds" as well as the post-war France of "Julie & Julia" and...
The Adg, which will hold its 14th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Feb. 13 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, unveiled noms in nine categories, covering movies, TV, commercials and music videos.
In the category of fantasy film, "Avatar" will do battle with two other sci-fi titles -- "District 9" and "Star Trek" -- as well as the book adaptations "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince" and "Where the Wild Things Are."
The nominees for period film range from "Sherlock Holmes," set in the 19th century, to the Depression-era America of "Public Enemies" to the World War II France of "Inglourious Basterds" as well as the post-war France of "Julie & Julia" and...
- 1/8/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood has always loved tales of redemption -- the poor, downtrodden or otherwise disenfranchised finding their true value with the help of an inspirational mentor. Sometimes the formula works. Unfortunately in "Gridiron Gang", Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is about as inspirational as a yawn.
A true story, based on an award-winning documentary, about Inner City kids in juvenile detention who come together to forge a winning football team, is great material, but the film never catches fire. With rabid interest in the new football season and a major marketing blitz by Sony, the film could score a few early touchdowns in its first weekend but should tail off quickly after that.
Johnson plays Sean Porter, a dedicated probation officer at Camp Kilpatrick, the last stop for teenage gang members and violent offenders before the state locks them up with adults.
Frustrated by the frequency with which the kids return to the camp after being released, he imagines that by creating a football team he can instill discipline and a sense of self-worth in his charges. In other words, he's a man on a mission, and he's got plenty of work to do.
First, he must get the institution to go along with his plan. That means convincing reluctant camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his assistant Dexter (Kevin Dunn) that it can work, and then finding other high school coaches willing to compete against convicted felons.
Then he has to put the team together. These kids, most of them from the Los Angles area, and many from rival gangs, already live in an environment of distrust and hatred.
His main reclamation project is Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker), a surly youth who killed his mother's boyfriend after losing his cousin in a drive-by shooting. Then there's his gang nemesis Kelvin (David Thomas), the angry Samoan Junior Palaita (Setu Taase), the team's water boy and mascot Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and the white but-not-too-trashy Kenny Bates (Trever O'Brien). In this sanitized version of street life, none of them are really bad kids, they just made bad choices.
Porter peppers them with uplifting messages about grit and determination and not being losers anymore. And -- surprise, surprise -- after numerous hardships and disappointments, the Mustangs, as they are called, become a self-respecting team that wins enough games to make it to the regional championship.
Director Phil Joanou, making his first feature in seven years, does a nice job giving the film a gritty, lived-in quality (much of the picture was shot at the real Camp Kilpatrick in the Santa Monica Mountains), and the football sequences, coached by Alan Graf, look and sound like The Real Thing. But screenwriter Jeff Maguire hasn't given them enough to work with.
The characters all have back stories -- Porter's mother is dying and he hates his father; Weathers is trying to go straight and win back his girlfriend; Junior longs to be reunited with his 2-year-old -- but not the depth to make them seem like anything more than types.
At an unbelievable 126 minutes, the film is bloated with story; too many things happen, mostly setbacks, to allow the movie to gather any momentum and soar, as this kind of picture must do to succeed. But Johnson is the real problem because the film is built around him. He is the latest in a long line of muscular hunks who don't so much emote as deliver lines. But in fairness, it is not easy to sell dialogue like, "accept this challenge and I promise you, you'll be winners."
Lensing by Jeff Cutter, production design by Floyd Albee, editing by Joel Negron and other tech credits are good enough to draw you into the film; unfortunately, there's nothing to keep you there.
GRIDIRON GANG
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Relativity Media an Original Film production
Credits:
Director: Phil Joanou
Screenwriter: Jeff Maguire
Executive producers: Michael Rachmil, Shane Stanley, Ryan Kavanaugh, Lynwood
Spinks
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Lee Stanley
Director of photography: Jeff Cutter
Production designer: Floyd Albee
Music: Trevor Rabin
Co-producer: Amanda Cohen
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Editor: Joel Negron. Cast: Coach Sean Porter: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Malcolm Moore: Xzibit
Ted Dexter: Kevin Dunn
Paul Higa: Leon Rippy
Willie Weathers: Jade Yorker
Kenny Bates: Trever O'Brien
Bug: Brandon Mychal Smith
Leon Hayes: Mo
Kelvin Owens: David Thomas
Junior Palaita: Setu Taase
Donald Madlock: James Earl III
Jamal Evans: Jamal Mixon
Danyelle Rollins: Jurnee Smollett
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 126 minutes...
A true story, based on an award-winning documentary, about Inner City kids in juvenile detention who come together to forge a winning football team, is great material, but the film never catches fire. With rabid interest in the new football season and a major marketing blitz by Sony, the film could score a few early touchdowns in its first weekend but should tail off quickly after that.
Johnson plays Sean Porter, a dedicated probation officer at Camp Kilpatrick, the last stop for teenage gang members and violent offenders before the state locks them up with adults.
Frustrated by the frequency with which the kids return to the camp after being released, he imagines that by creating a football team he can instill discipline and a sense of self-worth in his charges. In other words, he's a man on a mission, and he's got plenty of work to do.
First, he must get the institution to go along with his plan. That means convincing reluctant camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his assistant Dexter (Kevin Dunn) that it can work, and then finding other high school coaches willing to compete against convicted felons.
Then he has to put the team together. These kids, most of them from the Los Angles area, and many from rival gangs, already live in an environment of distrust and hatred.
His main reclamation project is Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker), a surly youth who killed his mother's boyfriend after losing his cousin in a drive-by shooting. Then there's his gang nemesis Kelvin (David Thomas), the angry Samoan Junior Palaita (Setu Taase), the team's water boy and mascot Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and the white but-not-too-trashy Kenny Bates (Trever O'Brien). In this sanitized version of street life, none of them are really bad kids, they just made bad choices.
Porter peppers them with uplifting messages about grit and determination and not being losers anymore. And -- surprise, surprise -- after numerous hardships and disappointments, the Mustangs, as they are called, become a self-respecting team that wins enough games to make it to the regional championship.
Director Phil Joanou, making his first feature in seven years, does a nice job giving the film a gritty, lived-in quality (much of the picture was shot at the real Camp Kilpatrick in the Santa Monica Mountains), and the football sequences, coached by Alan Graf, look and sound like The Real Thing. But screenwriter Jeff Maguire hasn't given them enough to work with.
The characters all have back stories -- Porter's mother is dying and he hates his father; Weathers is trying to go straight and win back his girlfriend; Junior longs to be reunited with his 2-year-old -- but not the depth to make them seem like anything more than types.
At an unbelievable 126 minutes, the film is bloated with story; too many things happen, mostly setbacks, to allow the movie to gather any momentum and soar, as this kind of picture must do to succeed. But Johnson is the real problem because the film is built around him. He is the latest in a long line of muscular hunks who don't so much emote as deliver lines. But in fairness, it is not easy to sell dialogue like, "accept this challenge and I promise you, you'll be winners."
Lensing by Jeff Cutter, production design by Floyd Albee, editing by Joel Negron and other tech credits are good enough to draw you into the film; unfortunately, there's nothing to keep you there.
GRIDIRON GANG
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Relativity Media an Original Film production
Credits:
Director: Phil Joanou
Screenwriter: Jeff Maguire
Executive producers: Michael Rachmil, Shane Stanley, Ryan Kavanaugh, Lynwood
Spinks
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Lee Stanley
Director of photography: Jeff Cutter
Production designer: Floyd Albee
Music: Trevor Rabin
Co-producer: Amanda Cohen
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Editor: Joel Negron. Cast: Coach Sean Porter: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Malcolm Moore: Xzibit
Ted Dexter: Kevin Dunn
Paul Higa: Leon Rippy
Willie Weathers: Jade Yorker
Kenny Bates: Trever O'Brien
Bug: Brandon Mychal Smith
Leon Hayes: Mo
Kelvin Owens: David Thomas
Junior Palaita: Setu Taase
Donald Madlock: James Earl III
Jamal Evans: Jamal Mixon
Danyelle Rollins: Jurnee Smollett
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 126 minutes...
- 9/16/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood has always loved tales of redemption -- the poor, downtrodden or otherwise disenfranchised finding their true value with the help of an inspirational mentor. Sometimes the formula works. Unfortunately in Gridiron Gang, Dwayne The Rock Johnson is about as inspirational as a yawn.
A true story, based on an award-winning documentary, about inner city kids in juvenile detention who come together to forge a winning football team, is great material, but the film never catches fire. With rabid interest in the new football season and a major marketing blitz by Sony, the film could score a few early touchdowns in its first weekend but should tail off quickly after that.
Johnson plays Sean Porter, a dedicated probation officer at Camp Kilpatrick, the last stop for teenage gang members and violent offenders before the state locks them up with adults.
Frustrated by the frequency with which the kids return to the camp after being released, he imagines that by creating a football team he can instill discipline and a sense of self-worth in his charges. In other words, he's a man on a mission, and he's got plenty of work to do.
First, he must get the institution to go along with his plan. That means convincing reluctant camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his assistant Dexter (Kevin Dunn) that it can work, and then finding other high school coaches willing to compete against convicted felons.
Then he has to put the team together. These kids, most of them from the Los Angles area, and many from rival gangs, already live in an environment of distrust and hatred.
His main reclamation project is Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker), a surly youth who killed his mother's boyfriend after losing his cousin in a drive-by shooting. Then there's his gang nemesis Kelvin (David Thomas), the angry Samoan Junior Palaita (Setu Taase), the team's water boy and mascot Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and the white but-not-too-trashy Kenny Bates (Trever O'Brien). In this sanitized version of street life, none of them are really bad kids, they just made bad choices.
Porter peppers them with uplifting messages about grit and determination and not being losers anymore. And -- surprise, surprise -- after numerous hardships and disappointments, the Mustangs, as they are called, become a self-respecting team that wins enough games to make it to the regional championship.
Director Phil Joanou, making his first feature in seven years, does a nice job giving the film a gritty, lived-in quality (much of the picture was shot at the real Camp Kilpatrick in the Santa Monica Mountains), and the football sequences, coached by Alan Graf, look and sound like The Real Thing. But screenwriter Jeff Maguire hasn't given them enough to work with.
The characters all have back stories -- Porter's mother is dying and he hates his father; Weathers is trying to go straight and win back his girlfriend; Junior longs to be reunited with his 2-year-old -- but not the depth to make them seem like anything more than types.
At an unbelievable 126 minutes, the film is bloated with story; too many things happen, mostly setbacks, to allow the movie to gather any momentum and soar, as this kind of picture must do to succeed. But Johnson is the real problem because the film is built around him. He is the latest in a long line of muscular hunks who don't so much emote as deliver lines. But in fairness, it is not easy to sell dialogue like, "accept this challenge and I promise you, you'll be winners."
Lensing by Jeff Cutter, production design by Floyd Albee, editing by Joel Negron and other tech credits are good enough to draw you into the film; unfortunately, there's nothing to keep you there.
GRIDIRON GANG
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Relativity Media an Original Film production
Credits:
Director: Phil Joanou
Screenwriter: Jeff Maguire
Executive producers: Michael Rachmil, Shane Stanley, Ryan Kavanaugh, Lynwood
Spinks
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Lee Stanley
Director of photography: Jeff Cutter
Production designer: Floyd Albee
Music: Trevor Rabin
Co-producer: Amanda Cohen
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Editor: Joel Negron. Cast: Coach Sean Porter: Dwayne The Rock Johnson
Malcolm Moore: Xzibit
Ted Dexter: Kevin Dunn
Paul Higa: Leon Rippy
Willie Weathers: Jade Yorker
Kenny Bates: Trever O'Brien
Bug: Brandon Mychal Smith
Leon Hayes: Mo
Kelvin Owens: David Thomas
Junior Palaita: Setu Taase
Donald Madlock: James Earl III
Jamal Evans: Jamal Mixon
Danyelle Rollins: Jurnee Smollett
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 126 minutes...
A true story, based on an award-winning documentary, about inner city kids in juvenile detention who come together to forge a winning football team, is great material, but the film never catches fire. With rabid interest in the new football season and a major marketing blitz by Sony, the film could score a few early touchdowns in its first weekend but should tail off quickly after that.
Johnson plays Sean Porter, a dedicated probation officer at Camp Kilpatrick, the last stop for teenage gang members and violent offenders before the state locks them up with adults.
Frustrated by the frequency with which the kids return to the camp after being released, he imagines that by creating a football team he can instill discipline and a sense of self-worth in his charges. In other words, he's a man on a mission, and he's got plenty of work to do.
First, he must get the institution to go along with his plan. That means convincing reluctant camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his assistant Dexter (Kevin Dunn) that it can work, and then finding other high school coaches willing to compete against convicted felons.
Then he has to put the team together. These kids, most of them from the Los Angles area, and many from rival gangs, already live in an environment of distrust and hatred.
His main reclamation project is Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker), a surly youth who killed his mother's boyfriend after losing his cousin in a drive-by shooting. Then there's his gang nemesis Kelvin (David Thomas), the angry Samoan Junior Palaita (Setu Taase), the team's water boy and mascot Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and the white but-not-too-trashy Kenny Bates (Trever O'Brien). In this sanitized version of street life, none of them are really bad kids, they just made bad choices.
Porter peppers them with uplifting messages about grit and determination and not being losers anymore. And -- surprise, surprise -- after numerous hardships and disappointments, the Mustangs, as they are called, become a self-respecting team that wins enough games to make it to the regional championship.
Director Phil Joanou, making his first feature in seven years, does a nice job giving the film a gritty, lived-in quality (much of the picture was shot at the real Camp Kilpatrick in the Santa Monica Mountains), and the football sequences, coached by Alan Graf, look and sound like The Real Thing. But screenwriter Jeff Maguire hasn't given them enough to work with.
The characters all have back stories -- Porter's mother is dying and he hates his father; Weathers is trying to go straight and win back his girlfriend; Junior longs to be reunited with his 2-year-old -- but not the depth to make them seem like anything more than types.
At an unbelievable 126 minutes, the film is bloated with story; too many things happen, mostly setbacks, to allow the movie to gather any momentum and soar, as this kind of picture must do to succeed. But Johnson is the real problem because the film is built around him. He is the latest in a long line of muscular hunks who don't so much emote as deliver lines. But in fairness, it is not easy to sell dialogue like, "accept this challenge and I promise you, you'll be winners."
Lensing by Jeff Cutter, production design by Floyd Albee, editing by Joel Negron and other tech credits are good enough to draw you into the film; unfortunately, there's nothing to keep you there.
GRIDIRON GANG
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Relativity Media an Original Film production
Credits:
Director: Phil Joanou
Screenwriter: Jeff Maguire
Executive producers: Michael Rachmil, Shane Stanley, Ryan Kavanaugh, Lynwood
Spinks
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Lee Stanley
Director of photography: Jeff Cutter
Production designer: Floyd Albee
Music: Trevor Rabin
Co-producer: Amanda Cohen
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Editor: Joel Negron. Cast: Coach Sean Porter: Dwayne The Rock Johnson
Malcolm Moore: Xzibit
Ted Dexter: Kevin Dunn
Paul Higa: Leon Rippy
Willie Weathers: Jade Yorker
Kenny Bates: Trever O'Brien
Bug: Brandon Mychal Smith
Leon Hayes: Mo
Kelvin Owens: David Thomas
Junior Palaita: Setu Taase
Donald Madlock: James Earl III
Jamal Evans: Jamal Mixon
Danyelle Rollins: Jurnee Smollett
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 126 minutes...
- 9/15/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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