Soundtrack 2011

There is some time until the Golden Globe and Oscar awards, so I decided to continue summing up the previous film year. This time it is all about music.

I picked ten songs and compositions, which became my favourite ones.

1. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (feat. Karen O) - "Immigrant Song"
Film: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by David Fincher.

This song became even more popular than its original, which Led Zeppelin sang. It channeled the dark atmosphere of the film and made the opening sequence incredibly creepy and beautiful.



2. Kavinsky - "Nightcall"
Film: "Drive" by Nicolas Winding Refn.

"Drive" soundtrack is one of the best I heard this year, and "Nightcall" is a very catchy track, which always reminds me of Ryan Gosling driving away.



3. Alexandre Desplat - "Statues"
Film: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" by David Yates.

Alexandre Desplat knows how to create a magic and feisty composition. The scene before the Battle of Hogwarts is very impressive, especially the part when teachers, students and the Order of the Phoenix are trying to protect the school. It was breathtaking to watch and not the less to listen.



4. Rival Sons - "Torture"
Film: "Real Steel" by Shawn Levy.

"Real Steel" has a combined soundtrack of hip-hop and rock songs, but this one matches my taste perfectly.



5. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - "I've Had the Time of My Life"
Film: "Crazy, Stupid, Love" by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, originally from "Dirty Dancing" by Emile Ardolino.

I fell in love with this song a long time ago, since I saw "Dirty Dancing" for the first time, so I was glad to hear it in this romantic comedy. You have to be a really good dancer to lift a girl like that.



6. Hans Zimmer - "I See Everything"
Film: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows" by Guy Ritchie.

Less than a minute, but it gives me goose bumps.



7. Hans Zimmer - "Blackbeard"
Film: "Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" by Rob Marshall.

The film was average, but the score is great. Hans Zimmer made the first appearance of Blackbeard very badass.



8. Kerris Dorsey - "The Show"
Film: "Moneyball" by Bennett Miller.

Such a sweet girl with a very good voice sings for his father. I didn't like this film, but two scenes, where this song is featured, are very good and sentimental.



9. Henry Jackman - "Magneto"
Film: "X-Men: First Class" by Matthew Vaughn.

I'd call it "The Rise of the Great Villain". Fassbender's character got the best composition, which is good at describing his inner world.



10. Alexandre Desplat - "Lily's Theme"
Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" by David Yates.

The most tragic melody I've heard in the last Harry Potter films. It prepares the audience for a serious final of this story.



Which are your top-10 songs you heard in films the previous year?

5 Sexiest Film Characters of 2011

Inspired by Empire magazine, I made my own list of the sexiest characters. But it is so hard to choose, so I decided to make it in the limit of one year.

P.S. Those characters are in no particular order.

1. Captain Jack Sparrow
Film: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"

Yes, Johnny Depp still has it. His pirate is one of the most memorable, sly, and funny characters of the decade. And, of course, I like his hair and make-up. If someone says it makes him less manly, I will laugh, because he is more manly than half of todays' Hollywood.

2. Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
Film: "X-Men: First Class"

Michael Fassbender played a few memorable characters in 2011, but I choose his young version of the great villain. Why? He is handsome, powerful, a bit mysterious. Thanks to him I wasn't missing Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in this X-men film.

3. Jamie Rellis
Film: "Friends with Benefits"

There were a few similar films about friendship and sex this year, but this one I enjoyed the most, mostly because of Mila Kunis. She is smart, independent and beautiful, and her Jamie Rellis was the same. I'm glad that this Ukrainian girl makes her dreams come true.

P.S. I bet many men were jealous of Justin Timberlake, while they were watching "Friends with Benefits".

4. Marilyn Monroe
Film: "My Week with Marilyn"

Marilyn was a sex symbol, and she is still one of the most beautiful and charismatic women of all times, so she totally deserves to be included in my list. Michelle Williams is a good actress and she perfectly channeled the inner beauty of miss Monroe, which always made her so special.

5. Driver
Film: "Drive"

This film is one of my favourite of the previous year. Ryan Gosling shocked me again, because he played his part very well. We don't know the real name of his character, but I admire the choice he made. If "Drive" had another final, I probably wouldn't include its main character here. Yes, it is incredibly sexy when a man saves a woman.

Who are your top-5 sexiest characters of the previous film year? Leave your list in comments below.

"Shame" (2011) - Tailer and other stuff

"Shame" tells us a story of a 30-year-old man, who has serious sex addiction. But it gets even more interesting, when his wayward sister starts helping him, moves in with him and makes his life more complicated. The jury at the Venice Film Festival was very impressed by Michael's performance and gave him Coppa Volpi for the Best Actor (a huge goblet). And critics love this movie for its provocation and power.

Warning: there are some naked scenes including the main character. It's for you to decide whether you'll like it or not.

Directed by Steve McQueen ("Hunger", 2008). It is his second collaboration with Mr. Fassbender.
Starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan as Brandon and his sister Sissy.

Release dates - December 2, 2011 (USA), December 7, 2011 (France), January 13, 2012 (UK).

More about "Shame" (2011)!

Trailer



These dirty bed sheets... I like this poster.

Poster - Hollywood reporter

Venice Film Festival 2011 - Winners

The 68th Venice Film Festival is officially over. This year's Jury had to choose among 23 movies, but they were so deeply impressed by one of them so it was obvious (for them) who should get the main prize. I'm very glad for Russian director Aleksander Sokurov, whose movie won it, and I'm sure Michael Fassbender deserved his one. Now I'm very exited to watch "SHAME" he starred in.

More about Venice Film Festival 2011! (all days, premieres, reports, press conferences, interesting video, pictures etc.)

Closing ceremony - Darren Aronofsky and Marco Muller

GOLDEN LION for the Best Film - "FAUST" by Aleksander Sokurov (Russia)

SILVER LION for the Best Director - Shangjun Cai for "REN SHAN REN HAI" ("PEOPLE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE SEA") (China, Hong Kong)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - "TERRAFERMA" by Emanuele Crialese (Italy)

COPPA VOLPI for the Best Actor - Michael Fassbender in "SHAME" by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom)

Coppa Volpi for the Best Actress - Deanie Yip in "Tao jie" ("A Simple Life") by Ann Hui (China - Hong Kong)

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress - Shôta Sometani and Fumi Nikaido in "Himizu" by Sion Sono (Japan)

Osella for the Best Cinematography - Robbie Ryan for "Wuthering Heights" by Andrea Arnold (United Kingdom)

Osella for Best Screenplay - Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou for "Alpis" ("Alps") by Yorgos Lanthimos (Grecia)

More photos from Venice are at ZIMBIO.

"A Dangerous Method" (2011) - Two posters

IMP awards revealed new posters of "A Dangerous Method", which was presented a couple days ago at the 68th Venice Film Festival. It is directed by David Cronenberg and tells a story about relationship between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Starring Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Vincent Cassel.

Official website - http://adangerousmethod-themovie.com/

More about "A Dangerous Method" (2011). (trailers, premieres, photocalls, press conferences, synopsis etc.)

"X-Men: First Class" - Funny deleted scene

I've found this video on The Huffington Post and just couldn't resist sharing it. It shows a fragment from "X-Men: First Class", when Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) were visiting a strip club to find there a new mutant. To persuade this girl, Charles demonstrates his power in a very unusual way. Magneto looks charming, doesn't he?

"A Dangerous Method" (2011) - Trailer

Viggo Mortensen and Michael Fassbender star in director David Cronenberg's adaptation "A Dangerous Method" of Christopher Hampton's play detailing the deteriorating relationship between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung as they contend with a particularly troubled patient. The year is 1904. Carl Jung (Fassbender), a disciple of Sigmund Freud (Mortensen), is using Freudian techniques to treat Russian-Jewish psychiatric patient Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) at Burghlzli Mental Hospital. But the deeper Jung's relationship with Spielrein grows, the further the burgeoning psychiatrist and his highly respected mentor drift apart. As Jung struggles to help his patient overcome some pressing paternal issues, disturbed patient Otto Gross (Vincent Cassel) sets out to test the boundaries of the doctor's professional resolve. Meanwhile, Jung and Freud's continued sessions with Spielrein lead to a series of profound breakthroughs in the methods that doctors use to treat their patients. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Вигго Мортенсен и Майкл Фассбендер играют главные роли в адаптации пьесы Кристофера Хэмптона «Опасный метод» от режиссера Дэвида Кроненберга об ухудшениях отношений между Зигмундом Фрейдом и Карлом Юнгом, когда в их жизни появляется особенно проблемный пациент. Идет 1904 год. Карл Юнг (Фассбендер), ученик Зигмунда Фрейда (Мортенсен), использует фрейдистские методы для лечения русско-еврейской пациентки Сабины Шпильрайн (Кира Найтли) в психиатрической больнице Burghlzli. Но чем дальше развиваются отношения Юнга и Шпильрайн, тем дальше отдаляются друг от друга начинающий психиатр и его уважаемый наставник. В то время, как Юнг изо всех сил пытается помочь своему пациенту решить отцовские вопросы, проблемный пациент Отто Гросс (Венсан Кассель) проверяет границы докторской решительности.  Между тем, Юнг и Фрейд продолжают занятия с Шпильрейн, что приводит к серии прорывов в методике, используемой докторами для лечения своих пациентов.

Release dates - September 2011 (Venice Film Festival), November 10, 2011 (Germany), February 10, 2012 (UK)

Official trailer -