***Close Encounters of The Sunrise***




Thursday, November 5: THE FOURTH KIND
Saturday, November 7: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Sunday, November 8: SUNRISE (1927)


This week, we embrace the spirit of Christmas, aliens, and cold-blooded murder. Firstly we have the extra-terrestrial chiller 'The Fourth Kind', which promises to give every teenage-to-adult woman a panic attack, followed by an adaptation of Dicken's beloved 'A Christmas Carol' (which may just reveal Mr. Berardinelli to be the biggest Grinch of them all). The final film is the F. W. Murnau classic 'Sunrise', which is praised in some circles as one of the greatest of all films. Will James award a four star to this monolithic classic of silent cinema?

If James does in fact award 'Sunrise' four stars (which seems unlikely), I will not count it for the tally of four star films released this year. You may now move away from your computer screen and recline back from the edge of your seat, and rest the cold, sweaty fingers you were throttling your mouse with.


P.S. - This week I will also be encouraging posters to accompany their hopefully wrong guesses with Oscars selection in these categories. The right guesses will be awarded two points for each category (meaning if you essentially could gain up to eight points to start off next year) when the Academy Awards are held next February. Consider this a post-Christmas gift from your general misanthropist, Philflow Votes for this last section are due on midnight, Saturday (meaning essentially the beginning of Sunday).


Best Picture -
Best Actor -
Best Actress -
Best Director -



P.S. Part Deux - Bad luck, everybody!

THE FOURTH KIND - **
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - ***
SUNRISE (1927) - ***

Oscar pics coming soon

The 4th Kind: 2 stars
A.C.C.: 3 stars
Sunshine:3.5 stars

Best Picture:Invictus
Best Actor:Morgan Freeman
Best Actress:Carry Mulligan
Best Director:Clint Eastwood

Fourth Kind-**1/2
A.C.C.-***
Sunrise-***

Don't really feel like guessing the Oscars right now.

The Fourth Kind - ** A PG-13 horror movie with Milla Jovovich as the star doesn't exactly burst at the seams with promise then again what do I know (On a more personal note, the fact that a Nigerian directed this is a point of personal pride for me regardless of how well the movie actually turns out to be)

A Christmas Carol - *** Based on how well James received Zemeckis (Polar Express) and Carrey's (The Grinch) previous forays into Christmas movies, this should do just fine.

Sunrise ***1/2 James remarked in his review of The Broadway Melody that this was deserving of its Best Picture win and it seems dark enough to earn a strong recommendation from James

As for Oscar guesses, I'd much rather wait until we get a better idea of whom the key players are going to be this year.

THE FOURTH KIND - **1/2
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - ***
SUNRISE (1927) - ***

THE FOURTH KIND - 2.5
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 2.5
SUNRISE (1927) - 3.0

The Fourth Kind - ***
Disney's A Christmas Carol - ***
Sunrise - *** 1/2


Best Picture: Up in the Air
Best Director: Jason Reitman
Best Actor: George Clooney
Best Actress: Cary Mulligan

The 4th Kind: 2.0
A.C.C.: 3.0
Sunshine: 3.5

Best Picture: Nine
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Actress: Carry Mulligan
Best Director: Rob Marshall

THE FOURTH KIND - **1/2
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - **1/2
SUNRISE - ***1/2

Best Picture - Avatar
Best Director - Peter Jackson
Best Actor - Morgan Freeman
Best Actress - Carey Mulligan

Ugh, it's too early to predict the winners lol.

THE FOURTH KIND - 2
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 3
SUNRISE (1927) - 3

I don't know. I'm guessing I'm a half star off on each one of these.

Oscars picks...let me think.

Good luck everyone.

EDIT: Flow convinced me on Sunrise. I'm still half stars off though.

The selection that you think will win the award.


P.S. - Oafolay:

It might be a tad early for Oscar predictions, but that's the point. If the voters were picking from a pool of confirmed candidates, this would be much easier. Definitely not worth the potential smattering of points offered here.


P.S. II: Voting time -

The Fourth Kind - **
Disney's A Christmas Carol - ***
Sunrise - ***1/2

It's amazing how you guys seem to think 'Sunrise' will be received anywhere from panning to simple recommendation. The film's actual stature is much more towering than that; the only reason I have decided to go a half star down is because while James will almost definitely enjoy it, I believe he is also not of the mind that Murnau's picture can contend with the likes of 'Sunset Boulevard' or 'The Godfather', like many other critics believe.

In that case...then no Oscar pics from me.

Alright dammit, here are my predictions:

Best Picture: Invictus
Best Actor: Morgan Freeman
Best Actress: Carry Mulligan
Best Director: Clint Eastwood

Additionally, in terms of supporting actor, Christoph Waltz will more than likely walk away with that one easily!!!!!

Fourth Kind: **
Christmas Carol: ***
Sunrise: *** 1/2

Oscar picks coming soon.

I have no chance to win, so I think I'll be more creative from now on...

The Fourth Kind: 1.5
Disney's A Christmas Carol - 3.5
Sunrise - 4.0

Best Picture: Precious
Best Director: Jason Reitman
Best Actor: George Clooney
Best Actress: CAREY FUCKIN' MULLIGAN*

*: see Pedro's Best Actress thread.

The Fourth Kind: 2 stars
A Christmas Carol: 2 stars
Sunrise: 4 stars

OK, I realize how rarely Mr. Berardinelli gives out 4 stars. But I've seen Sunrise, and it has not diminished with age, so I'll go with my heart. In any event, Sunrise is still considered one of the best silent movies of all time, and Wings would probably be largely forgotten today if not for the trivia of it being the first Best Picture winner, so I have to think Mr. Berardinelli will award it more than the 3 stars he gave Wings.

The Fourth Kind - 2.0
A Christmas Carol - 3.0
Sunrise - 3.5

Sweet, I actually didn't get DQ'ed on the first film. Now let's see about these other two!