This year, the Academy nominated a couple of films in major(-ish) categories that are, let us say, a tad less well known than that movie about the ‘roided-out Smurfs and the big tree. Notably, one of the nominees in the Best Animated Film category is The Secret of Kells, a 9th century-set tale about monks, Viking hordes, and the ancient art of book illuminating. I haven’t actually seen Kells, but I can tell you that one of the main characters is voiced by the awesome Brendan Gleeson and that the movie was made by a company based in the Irish town of Kilkenny (a place I’ve visited a couple of times to attend its excellent comedy festival, and whose main street has three pubs in a row). The film will apparently get a proper, wider, release in the US this spring.
I have, on the other hand, seen the In The Loop, which got a deserved nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. There are basically three things you need to know about this British black comedy, whose cast includes James Gandolfini, Anna Chlumsky and the little known in America but staggeringly great Scottish actor Peter Capaldi: It’s essentially about the build-up to the Iraq war, but don’t let that put you off. It’s basically a big screen version of a British sitcom called The Thick of It, but don’t let that put off. And it may well be the most foul-mouthed movie ever to be nominated for anything, and you probably should let that put you off if you have a problem with potty-mouthed performances (seriously this thing is the Citizen Kane of swearing movies).
Take a look for yourself — trailer below for The Secret of Kells and after the jump for In The Loop.
Have you seen either of these films? What did you think?
I saw ‘In the Loop’. I thought it was going to beat ‘The Departed’ for the most use of the f-word in a screenplay.
I saw “In the Loop” at last year’s Berkshire International Film Festival and it was one of the funniest, foul-mouthed, clever films I have seen in a long time. I’ve been telling everyone I know to see it – so glad it got an Oscar nom.
A hidden treasure. In The Loop, very funny, wise, smart, and a great Peter Capaldi. I found that I didnt have to understand all the cursing with a Scottish accent to laugh out loud. Iurge everyone to see it/
“In The Loop” getting a screenplay nom NEARLY atones for “Blind Side” in the Best Picture race.
Saw In the Loop and thought it was really funny. Definitely one of the most entertaining movies I’ve seen recently. Kind of reminded me of Wag the Dog, but In the Loop much better…
I always hate when that trailer for In the Loop shows up somewhere. This one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ieUfAF_OXQ is far better and made me immediately want to see the movie months ago.
I actually have In the Loop waiting for me at home. Can’t wait to watch it!
I loved In The Loop and I’m glad it got a nom.
Don’t forget the song nom from a movie called ‘Paris 36′ that I don’t remember ever hearing about. I was hoping Karen O would get that spot.
“Kells” looks great!! Kudos to the Academy for this one!
I’ve seen Secret of Kells.
Visually it is amazing. The animation, art direction and colors are all sensational and are 100% the reason it got nominated. The story is not very strong. It has a super disappointing ending and in general is fairly bland.
This was without a doubt the best year for animation in the last decade. I feel bad for Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Mary & Max and Ponyo which seems to be the odd men out in a crowded Animation category, but I’m glad that the Kells nomination will get the film on peoples radar and hopefully the studio in Ireland that made it can continue making films.
…and ’9′
How about “Up” in Animated AND Best Picture cats! WOW!
Got In the Loop through Netflix a week ago and loved it. The scene of James Gandolfini trying to explain troop numbers with a child’s talking toy calculator was the funniest thing I saw all year.
James Gandolfini was the best thing in that movie. That was a hilarious scene.
Um…it might be a wonderful film, but is anyone else “slightly” offended by the big Sambo lips on the black character in the “Kells” movie??? I mean, really??? Didn’t we stop doing this, like, a long time ago?
nope, but the fact that the white characters have NO lips sure did offend! REally!!
Oh and “Where The Wild Things Are” got ROBBED!
People will be seeing that film as a classic years from now after everyone has forgotten “Up in the Air’ and “Avatar’s” special effects look prehistoric in hindsight.
Spike, Karen O and Carter Burwell…the film all should have been nominated. Best of the year.
And I agree with AO Scott of the NY Times: Top 10 of the decade as well.
WTWTA blew. Let’s move on.
In The Loop winning its award would absolve The Academy of all past and future snubs IMO.
“In the Loop” is fantastic. It’s nice to see it get a Screenplay nomination. It was a bitingly funny script.
“In the Loop” was like an unbridled and unfiltered Aaron Sorkin on Red Bull. It was the fastest, most furious, non-stop run of witty political dialogue ever committed to film.
More like Aaron Sorkin after all empathy and soul has been sucked out of him. How about Diablo Cody as a bitter sociopath? Some good quips to be sure, but the screenplay is overstuffed like the writers had kept a notebook of their every spiteful thought and crammed every last mean-spirited zinger into the screenplay. Characterizing the powerful elite as morons or cruelly smug just seems cynical and overly simplistic.
My, if you thought In the Loop was ‘mean spirited’ and ‘spiteful’ I would highly recommend not watching the series upon which it was based, The Thick of It. Compared to the series it was clear Iannucci had to step his humor down a bit to be palatable for US audiences. I found In the Loop funny but not in the same fashion as the series which was absolutely hilarious. And while it may be cynical to portray the ‘elite’ in power as he does, I imagine it’s closer to the truth than many want to accept (i.e. the two latest tell all books about Gordon Brown)
I had already avoided The Thick of It due to my dislike of the Alan Partridge stuff, but tried In the Loop because of the raves. The British need to come up with a new stock character, because the testy know-it-all who is constantly railing against the perceived incompetence of his co-workers has been in decline for decades. At least Basil Fawlty and Blackadder I were somewhat sympathetic – but witness what happened in the latter Blackadders as he just got meaner – it got tiresome. Later iterations such as the main guy in Black Books or Alan Partridge seemed to exist solely to string together insults. Not to mention portraying the talk show host in Partridge as a self-important fool is as obvious and uninspired a take as portraying all the government officials as over-educated egomaniacal brats or idiots. Could you imagine being trapped in an elevator with these characters? You wouldn’t want to hang out to hear the next devastating bon mot – you’d be praying for your floor to arrive. It’s not edgy or incisive satire – just annoying. Perhaps if the characters had a human dimension or were at least likeably unlikeable it would be more palatable.
Clearly, you have never worked in politics.