Video Detective's Blog

Video Detective just returned from attending a preview of  Paramount’s 2011 slate in NYC .  Brad Grey, CEO and Chairman of  Paramount Pictures, spoke about the 100 year legacy of  Paramount and showcased a reel of old and new films.  IVA    believes Paramount has one of the strongest slates of 2011  with Thor, Super 8, Transformers 3, Kung Fu Panda 2, Captain  America all hitting as summer movies.  Mr. Grey spoke of the  turnaround he led for Paramount and  introduced the special  guest of the evening:  writer, director, producer, actor and  composer J.J. Abrams.

Mr. Abrams. was touting his new film Super 8, (co-produced with  Steven Spielberg) and discussed his first foray into films making  8mm movies. After winning a Los Angeles film festival, Abrams  got a call to repair Steven Spielberg’s old Super 8 films.  He was  16 at the time and could not understand why Steven had chosen him and his partner to repair these films when he could have a lab with men in white suits restore them.  This would be the beginning of their friendship and collaboration on Super 8 the movie. Abrams then went on to discuss the unseen 20 minutes of footage from Super 8: relaying the challenge in casting kids that were not all Hollywood,  his hilarious story of the pitch call to Steven Spielberg on the phone (‘that sounds great’, click’) and how he merged the story of an alien from Area 51 being transported to a base in Ohio with kids making super 8 movies in the late 70’s.

The unseen Super 8 footage introduced us to the boy Joe (played by newcomer Joel Courtney) and his father the local sheriff (Kyle Chandler) who disapproves of Joe spending all his time making movies.  Joe’s character is very likable and is a multi-dimensional character not often found in roles for ..read more

The nominees for the Academy Award for Best Actress are out!   These talented actresses delivered portrayals of multi-layered characters who explored the obligations and conflicts of family as mothers, daughters and wives.  Video Detective celebrates the success of these actresses and invites you to share their performances.  Enjoy.

Annette Bening stars in The Kids Are All Right in a golden globe winning turn as matriarch of a same-sex household.

Nicole Kidman delivers a wrenching portrayal of a woman coping with the loss of her son in Rabbit Hole.

Natalie Portman evokes the brutal self sacrifice one ballerina undergoes to meet her mother’s expectations in Black Swan.

Jennifer Lawrence strikes dramatic gold in Winter’s Bone as a stoic daughter of the Ozarks attempting to locate her father and preserve her family.

Michelle Williams embodies strength and vulnerability as a young wife endeavoring to save her failing marriage in Blue Valentine.

The nominees for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards are out! 2010 was a year that saw the return of familiar faces (Jeff Bridges, Danny Boyle),  the reunion of star powered teams (David O. Russell and Mark Wahlberg, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen),  and bold performances from young talent  (the Social Network’s Jesse Eisenberg, True Grit’s Hailie Steinfeld).  The nominees include offerings from iconic directors who have fed our imaginations with stunning visuals and richly developed stories.  Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to produce these excellent films and invites everyone to relive some of their best moments!

Black Swan Darren Aronofsky directs Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel in a psychological thriller that explores a young woman’s devotion to her art and the darkness that consumes her as she pursues perfection.

The Fighter David O. Russell and Mark Wahlberg team up for their third time (Three Kings, I <3 Huckabees) to deliver the underdog story of a working class boxer coached to prominence by trouble his half-brother, played by Christian Bale.

Inception Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Dark Knight) takes us on a reality bending journey into a world of dreams and deception.  Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe and Tom Hardy (widely rumored to be appearing in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises) the film grossed $21 million on its opening day and went on to take over $800 million at the box office.

The King’s Speech Tom Hooper chronicles the painstaking process by which King George VI (Colin Firth) and unorthodox speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) overcame the monarch’s stammer and inspired a nation in an era of crisis.  Helena Bonham-Carter stars as the King’s devoted wife Elizabeth, who supports his efforts to rehabilitate his speech impediment.

Toy Story 3 Tom Hanks and ..read more