LISTINGS/SCREEN Opening
SCREEN/THE BIG SCREEN
WHAT IF YOU RAN THE OSCARS? BARNEY’S VERSION—Based on the life of Barney Panofsky, Mordecai Richler’s awardwinning novel comes to the big screen. Braiding life lessons with love and family themes, director Richard J. Lewis weaves the complex story starring Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Minnie Driver. (R) Flicks
Polling our peeps leads to some interesting answers GEORGE PRENTICE If BW readers comprised the Motion Picture Academy, what a wonderful world it would be. According to our online poll, our readers would dole out some gold to an audience favorite (Colin Firth), understand that youth should indeed be served (Hailee Steinfeld) and drop a bombshell by awarding the big prize to something edgy (Black Swan). We asked readers to tell us who they think will win the Oscar and more importantly, who should win.
I AM NUMBER FOUR—Falling in love with Dianna Agron (blonde cheerleader from Glee) leaves John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), a fugitive on the run, feeling connected and trapped at the same time. (PG-13) Edwards 9, Edwards 22 TINY FURNITURE—Acting alongside her real-life sister and mother, Lena Dunham wrote, directed and starred in the this story of the fictional Lena trying to figure out who she really is after graduating from college. Flicks (NR)
UNKNOWN—A man awakes from a coma to realize his identity has been stolen and not even his wife, January Jones, can help. Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Frank Langella and Aiden Quinn star in this thrilling mystery. (PG-13) Edwards 9, Edwards 22
Special Screenings CALL OF THE WILD—You’ve read the book, now here’s your chance to catch the cinematic version of Jack London’s classic tale. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 4 p.m. FREE. Star Library, 10106 W. State St., Star, 208-286-9755. JOURNEY INTO TIBET—A slide show highlighting Tibetan life in conjunction with a month-long celebration of the country and its culture. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m., FREE, donations accepted. Shangri-La Tea Room, 1800 W. Overland Road, Boise, 208-424-0273, shangri-la-tea.com. MI CHACRA—Director Jason Burlage’s film tells the stor y of a young indigenous Peruvian man and his love of the farmland he grew up on and the struggle within himself to leave it in pursuit of an education. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m. $10 plus $3 ticket fee. Boise Contemporar y Theater, 845 Fulton St., Boise, 208-331-9224, bctheater.org.
BEST ACTOR—BW readers know that Colin Firth is the man to beat in this category. Last fall we got our first glimpse of The King’s Speech at the Toronto International Film Festival. Firth has since heard hosannas from across the globe and filled his trophy case with statutes from every academy sans one: the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Science. On Sunday, Feb. 27, his life will change forever. From that moment on, he will be introduced as Oscar-winner Colin Firth.
Rumors are circulating whether Exit Through the Gift Shop’s Banksy will be bold enough to not only attend the ceremony but to accept the award should the film win.
SUPPORTING ACTOR—BW readers must know that Oscar loves South Boston (The Departed, Mystic River, Good Will Hunting) and actors in movies about South Boston: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Robin Williams. Christian Bale in The Fighter is about as South Boston as it gets. SUPPORTING ACTRESS—BW readers, a very astute group, think Melissa Leo (The Fighter) will win, but they think that Hailee Steinfeld should win for True Grit. Steinfeld gives a wonderful performance in what is truly a leading role. Placing her in the supporting actress category could make things very interesting.
BEST ACTRESS—BW readers think this Oscars air on Sunday, Feb. 27, on ABC. one is a slam dunk, BEST DOCUMENtoo. They think TARY—BW readers Natalie Portman think Exit Through the Gift Shop will win (Black Swan) will and should win. No one and should win. By the way, this category else comes close. could provide one of the more interesting
moments of the evening. Banksy, the subject (and eventual director) of Exit may attend the ceremony. So what, you say? Banksy is a wanted criminal. BEST PICTURE—BW readers have read the tea leaves on this one, seeing The King’s Speech has nabbed the most nominations (12) and already collected the best picture award from the Screen Actor’s Guild and Producer’s Guild. That’s why they think that it will win. But the real surprise, is they think Black Swan should win the Oscar (with The King’s Speech and Winter’s Bone close runners-up). The biggest buzz of the evening won’t be generated by any Hollywood superstar. It will come from a group of elementary schoolkids from PS 22 in Staten Island, N.Y. They’ve been invited to perform in front of a worldwide audience of about 1 billion people. You’re in for a real treat.
SCREEN/THE TUBE they require guitars, microphones and other musical instruments. While extra songs can be purchased for download, this isn’t enough to keep Guitar Hero was a spike in the timeline of the video game industry. the games profitable. But in spite of improvements across the board, “Activision’s shares tumbled after the aninterest in the game has been waning. The pubnouncement, but investors were more conlisher, Activision Blizzard, announced on Feb. 9 cerned with the disappointing financial forecast that it will discontinue the franchise. from the company than the demise of Guitar The series, first launched in 2005 for the Hero. As far as investors go, discontinuing an PlayStation 2, was a critical hit, but sales unprofitable product isn’t the end of the world, have declined over the years with successive even if Guitar Hero fans disagree.” releases. According to a report by the AsActivision has yet to release an official sociated Press, game industr y analysts have statement about the decision or the AP report, long lamented the “weakness in the music but at this stage, it appears that the 2010 genre,” as they call it—that is, the inability of release of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is the the games’ makers to drum up demand for final installment in the franchise. There is no the products after a surge in popularity in the word on whether new songs will be released as mid-2000s. downloadable content moves forward. “Music games are often more expensive Farewell weirdly rendered guitar gods. than your typical shoot-em-up game because —Michael Lafferty
ACTIVISION PULLS PLUG ON GUITAR HERO
Ye shall be missed.
24 | FEBRUARY 16–22, 2011 | BOISEweekly
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