AD HOC MOVIE CLUB
Ad hoc film specs
Ad hoc films 2009

Ad hoc films 2008

Ad hoc films 2007
Ad hoc films 2006
Ad hoc films 2005
Ad hoc films 2004
Ad hoc films 2003
Ad hoc films 2002
Ad hoc films 2001
Ad hoc films 2000
Purpose of the Ad Hoc Movie Club
  • Cinema appreciation society
  • Meet for java, procrastinate
  • See a different movie on Saturday
  • email BERG
Ad hoc film for November 14
  • 2012
  • 12 noon
  • Edwards Grand Palace

Short Takes
The road to good movies is paved with bad movies. Amelia (Hillary Swank a dead ringer for the original) attempts to bring big romantic sweep to the life of Amelia Earhart. A few scenes ring with authentic movie making fervor but most of the time production values hide a vacuous story.
On one hand you want a movie to be about what you think it should be about. It's not Amelia's fault that it doesn't cover the many versions of her demise. For instance, in the 60s a book was published that looked at inconsistencies in the aftermath of Earhart's disappearance at sea. The book purported that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan, on their historical 1937 airplane flight around the world, were executed by the Japanese as spies after they crash landed in an uncharted region of the Pacific Ocean.
I could go with director Mira Nair's version of events but it's too choppy, the narrative doesn't flow. Nair views Earhart as a pioneer of women's rights who eventually married publisher George Putnam (Richard Gere, very ineffective) and also had a dalliance with aviator and West Point professor Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor also underutilized). Minor characters or plot lines are introduced and lost. We meet and greet Vidal, Earhart even has a make out session with him on an elevator, but after a while he disappears just as does another character, a teen Earhart want-to-be aviatrix who competes against Earhart at airplane festivals and likewise never reappears after the first act.
One of the most annoying of Nair's concessions to anachronistic appeal has Swank/Earhart doing celebrity endorsements for various products and shooting it with the glee of a Busby Berkeley spectacle. The main story has Earhart circling the globe with Noonan while her past exploits (Atlantic flights, love affairs, meeting other famous people) are seen in flashback. After a long flight to limited recognition Amelia will best be remembered for Swank's version of a Kansas accent.


Cinemas we love
Cinemas we eat
Cinemas we just like

2008 kudos
  • Los Angleles Film Critics Association like WALL-E
  • New York Film Critics Circle drink Milk
  • National Board of Review honors Slumdog Millionaire
  • Houston Film Critics Society salutes The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association yeahs Slumdog Millionaire
  • Golden Globes salute Vicky Cristina Barcelone and Slumdog Millionaire
  • PGA gives it up for Slumdog Millionaire
  • SAG shows the love for Meryl Streep and Sean Penn
  • WGA bestow the write stuff to Slumdog Millionaiare (Simon Beaufoy) and Milk (Dustin Lance Black)
  • DGA approves the love for Slumdog Millionaiare
  • ACE Eddie Award cuts a path for Slumdog Millionaiare and WALL-E
  • ASC likes the look of Slumdog Millionaiare
  • Indie Spirit Awards choose The Wrestler as the champ
  • Academy Awards overwhelmingly love Slumdog Millionaiare
  • 2007 kudos
    • Houston Film Critics Society goes with No Country For Old Men
    • Los Angleles Film Critics Association say There Will Be Blood
    • New York Film Critics Circle pay tribute to No Country For Old Men
    • National Board of Review honors No Country For Old Men
    • Broadcast Critics Association likes No Country For Old Men
    • Golden Globes award both Atonement and Sweeney Todd
    • PGA also likes No Country For Old Men
    • SAG likes Daniel Day-Lewis and Julie Christie, for cast No Country For Old Men
    • DGA celebrates No Country For Old Men
    • WGA strikes the gong for No Country For Old Men and Juno
    • ACE Eddie Award goes to The Bourne Ultimatum (dramatic) and Sweeney Todd(musical)
    • ASC shines light on There Will Be Blood
    • Indie Spirit Awards show Juno the love
    • Academy Awards not surprisingly hail No Country For Old Men
    • 2006 kudos
      • Los Angleles Film Critics Association love Letters From Iwo Jima
      • New York Film Critics Circle point to the excellence of United 93
      • National Board of Review salute Letters From Iwo Jima
      • Broadcast Critics Association honor The Departed
      • Golden Globes envy Dreamgirls and speak Babel
      • PGA congradulates Little Miss Sunshine
      • SAG bows to Helen Mirren (The Queen) and Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland)
      • DGA gives it up to Martin Scorsese for The Departed
      • WGA honors The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine
      • ASC shines light on Children of Men
      • Indie Spirit Awards
      • heart Little Miss Sunshine
      • Academy Awards
      • show tough love for The Departed

        2005 kudos
        • Los Angleles Film Critics Association love Brokeback Mountain
        • New York Film Critics Circle point to the excellence of Brokeback Mountain
        • National Board of Review salute Good Night, and Good Luck
        • Golden Globes rock em and sock em with Walk the Line and Brokeback Mountain
        • PGA hurrahsBrokeback Mountain
        • DGA toasts Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain
        • SAG goes mad for Reese Witherspoon & Phillip Seymour Hoffman
        • WGA gives nod to Crash and Brokeback Mounbtain
        • BAFTA also notes appeal of Brokeback Moutain
        • ASC awards Memoirs of a Geisha
        • Indie Spirit Awards dig Brokeback Mountain
        • Academy Awards come together for Crash

        2004 kudos
        • Academy Awards sock it to Million Dollar Baby
        • Indie Spirit Awards toast Sideways best film
        • The Aviator flies (dramatic) and Ray (musical) rocks at the ACE EDDIE awards for editing
        • WGA honors the scripts for Sideways (Best Adapted) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Original)
        • Art Directors Guild nods to Lemony Snicket for fantasy/period film and The Terminal for contemporary film
        • ASC awards best cinematography to Bruno Delbonnel for A Very Long Engagement
        • BAFTA takes off with The Aviator
        • SAG salutes Jamie Fox (Ray) and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)
        • DGA makes Clint Eastwood and his day with Best Director for Million Dollar Baby
        • PGA annoints The Aviator as best film
        • Golden Globes choose Sideways and The Aviator as best films
        • National Society of Film Critics knock out Million $ Baby as best film
        • New York Film Critics concur Sideaways best film
        • Los Angleles Film Critics Association spill Sideaways for best film
        • National Board of Review finds Finding Neverland best film

        2003 kudos
        • Best Picture: LOTR: The Return of the King wins every Oscar (11) for which it is nommed
        • Independent Spirit Awards honor Lost in Translation
        • ASC honors John Schwartzman for Seabiscuit
        • The Eddie ACE Award goes to LOTR: The Return of the King (dramatic) and Pirates of the Caribbean (comedy)
        • The Art Directors Guild Award goes to LOTR: The Return of the King (period) and Mystic River (contemporary)
        • Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing goes to Master and Commander
        • SAG crowns Depp and Theron and, gulp, ensemble cast of LOTR: The Return of the King
        • WGA hurrahs American Splendor and Lost in Translation
        • BAFTA Awards extoll LOTR: The Return of the King as year's best film
        • DGA knights LOTR: The Return of the King and Peter Jackson as year's best director
        • The Golden Globes shine on LOTR: The Return of the King and Lost In Translation as year's best drama/comedy
        • Chicago Film Critics pledge loyalty to LOTR: The Return of the King
        • PGA crowns LOTR: The Return of the King
        • Broadcast Film Critics Assn. choose LOTR: The Return of the King as year's top film
        • Los Angleles Film Critics Association nom American Splendor as year's best film
        • The National Society of Film Critics salute American Splendor as year's best film
        • National Board of Review rows with Mystic River as year's best film
        • Boston Society of Film Critics wow Mystic River
        • New York Film Critics Circle honor The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
        • San Francisco Film Critics Circle translate Lost in Translation

        2002 kudos
        • National Board of Review clocks The Hours as year's best film
        • European Film Awards honor Talk To Her as year's best film
        • Boston Film Critics proclaim The Pianist as year's best film
        • New York Film Critics Circle hail Far From Heaven as year's best film
        • Los Angleles Film Critics Association nom About Schmidt as year's best film
        • Tornonto Film Critics Assn adopt Adaptation as year's best film
        • San Francisco Film Critics Circle play The Pianist as year's best film
        • The National Society of Film Critics score The Pianist as year's best film
        • Las Vegas Film Critics bet on Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
        • Seattle Film Critics dub Far From Heaven year's best film
        • Washington D.C. Film Critics vote Road To Perdition as year's best film
        • Broadcast Film Critics Assn. toast Chicago as year's top film
        • The Golden Globes shine on The Hours and Chicago as year's best drama/comedy
        • ASC honors Conrad Hall for Road To Perdition
        • The BAFTAs hail The Pianist
        • American Cinema Editors clip Chicago and Gangs of New York
        • Art Director's Guild wowed by LOTR: The Two Towers and Catch Me If You Can
        • Make-up Artists/Hairstyle Guild hold firm on Sorority Boys
        • DGA harkens Rob Marshall for Chicago
        • PGA is thrilled with Chicago
        • WGA writes in Bowling For Columbine and The Hours
        • SAG honors Renee Zellweger and Daniel Day-Lewis Chicago & Gangs
        • Sound Editors Golden Reel: March 22
        • Costume Design Guild sews up Chicago & About Schmidt
        • Independent Spirit Awards praise Far From Heaven
        • The Academy Awards bow to Chicago
        2001 kudos
        • National Board of Review names Moulin Rouge year's best film (12/6)
        • New York Film Critics Circle go for Mulholland Drive
        • L.A. Film Critics Association choose In The Bedroom best picture
        • National Society of Film Critics choose Mulholland Drive
        • AFI Awards Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring best film
        • Broadcast Film Critics admire A Beautiful Mind
        • Golden Globe Awards honor Moulin Rouge and A Beautiful Mind
        • AA noms ... Feb 12
        • The ASC Award goes to Roger Deakins A.S.C./B.S.C. for The Man Who Wasn't There
        • The Art Directors Guild Award awarded to Catherine Martin for Moulin Rouge
        • British Academy Film Awards honor Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
        • ACE presents the Eddie to Jill Bilcock Moulin Rouge and Pietro Scalia Black Hawk Down
        • Chicago Film Critics gear for Mulholland Drive
        • WGA fetes Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) and Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind)
        • Producer's Guild praise Moulin Rouge
        • DGA honors Ron Howard for A Beautiful Mind
        • SAG kudos go to Russell Crowe for A Beautiful Mind and Halle Berry for Monster's Ball
        • Independent Spirit Awards go with Memento
        • Academy Awards salute A Beautiful Mind
        Year 2K kudos
        • National Board of Review names Quills year's best film (12/7)
        • New York Film Critics Circle name Traffic year's best film (12/13)
        • L.A. Film Critics Association vote Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon best film (12/16)
        • Boston Society of Film Critics choose Almost Famous best film (12/17)
        • BFC noms (12/20)
        • GG noms: 12/21
        • Toronto Film Critics Association name Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon bst pic (12/21)
        • Online Film Critic's Society choose Almost Famous best film (1/03)
        • National Society of Film Critics name Yi Yi best film (1/6)
        • Golden Globe award Gladiator [dramatic] and Almost Famous [comedy] (1/21)
        • Broadcast Film Critics deem Gladiator best film (1/22)
        • AA noms: 2/13/01
        • The ASC Award for Feature Film Competition goes to Caleb Deschanel, ASC for The Patriot
        • British Academy Film Awards honor Gladiator as best film; Billy Elliot as best British film
        • Chicago Film Critics toast Almost Famous with best pic honors
        • ACE presents the Eddie for Best Edited Motion Picture to Gladiator and Almost Famous (2/25)
        • Producer's Guild present Gladiator the Golden Laurel (3/3)
        • Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing goes to Gladiator (3/3)
        • The 5th annual Art Directors Guild Award goes to Gladiator (period) and Chocolat (contemporary)
        • WGA fetes You Can Count on Me (original) and Traffic (adapted) for best scripts (3/4)
        • DGA chooses Ang Lee for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film (3/10)
        • SAG hands best thesp awards to Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich), Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) (3/11)
        • Independent Spirit Awards name Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon best feature (3/24)
        • Academy Awards: Gladiator slays with five AAs (3/25)
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Christmas 1967 party animal
Welcome to the Dollhouse Lego robot girl
Robot chic I swear it's the same guy
Jest Everyone's a critic ...
Critic Cat Cardinal
Cardinal Wooly Digital Duck in Monument Valley
Monument Valley Big Dummy
Magic Berg and mirror
Mirror ... Au hasard
Balthazar Before Sunset, sequel to Before Sunrise
Sunset 70s Tull
Passion Play It's the same cardinal
Cardinal Junior Pan Am
2K1 Sarandon and Robbins
Bull Durham Human Voices
Till Baby Voices ... the real cat woman
Screen

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