Favorite Movie Sequences: Define Dancing from Wall-E

In today's blog post, I'm going to talk about favorite sequences.  Usually in a movie, there's always a sequence which defines the whole film experience for you.  One that pushes the movie into all time best films of all time for you.  You know when it happens, it could be the image that takes your breath away, makes you cry, or in my case, gave me goosebumps.

Pixar films are always a delight to watch in the theater and Wall-E was no exception.  I was enjoying the little robot's adventures with a smile on my face throughout and then this sequence transformed the movie into a keeper.  The combination of Thomas Newman's incandescent score and the onscreen antics of Wall-E and Eve are truly infectious.  Andrew Stanton, the director of Wall-E, shows us with emotion is the true king of animation.  The vastness of space is turned into a dancing floor as Eve and Wall-E "dance" by the enormous spaceship.  The sequence also contains one of my favorite lines from the film.  The Captain asks the Ship's Computer, "Define, 'dancing'." as he has never seen dancing before.  To which the Computer replies, "Dancing: A series of movements involving two partners, where speed and rhythm match harmoniously with music." as Wall-E and Eve fly past them, dancing.  Best definition ever!  This is "Define Dancing" and it is one of my favorite sequences of film.

BAFTA winners 2012

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held their 64th annual awards show this past Sunday.  I really like their telecast, it's never live as it usually gets broadcast 2 hours later and there's no silliness present just awards handed out.  Brilliant!  This year, Stephen Fry was back as host with his superfluous compliments to the presenters and the winners too.  The Artist won big with 7 awards and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy won for Best British film.  Formula 1 racing documentary Senna also won big with wins in Best Documentary and Editing.  And of course, Meryl Streep won for The Iron Lady for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher.  Martin Scorsese was also honored with the BAFTA's highest honor, the Fellowship award for his contribution to cinema.  The final Harry Potter surprised even me with a lone win in the visual effects category.  Finally!

Best Film

The Artist

Outstanding British Film

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine (Director), Diarmid Scrimshaw (Producer)

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema

John Hurt

Film Not In The English Language

The Skin I Live In

Best Documentary

Senna

Best Animated Film

Rango

Best Director

The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius

Best Adapted Screenplay

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan

Best Leading Actor

Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Best Leading Actress

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Original Music

The Artist, Ludovic Bource

Best Cinematography

The Artist, Guillaume Schiffman

Best Editing

Senna, Gregers Sall, Chris King

Best Production Design

Hugo, Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo

Best Costume Design

The Artist, Mark Bridges

Best Make Up & Hair

The Iron Lady, Marese Langan

Best Sound

Hugo, Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley

Best Special Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery

Best Short Film Animation

A Morning Stroll

Best Short Film

Pitch Black Heist

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award (voted for by the public)

Adam Deacon

Visual Effects Society Winners 2012

I'm a bit late updating these winners list but here are the victors from feature film categories Visual Effects Society (VES) 10th annual awards gala.  As expected, both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Rango topped in their categories but Hugo was a surprise winner in the supporting category.  Way to go, Hugo!  

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture

Hugo

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Rango

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Caesar

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Rango - Rango

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 155 Wacker Drive

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Rango - Main Street Dirt

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Hugo

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Rango - The Dirt Saloon

Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Driller

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture

Captain America: The First Avenger - Skinny Steve

Oscars: Class of 2012

(Photo: Oscars.org)

The special luncheon honoring the Oscar nominees for 2012 was held this week and all the nominees, technical and otherwise got to meet their competition.  I always like the photo of all the people together like a class photo, a very special class photo, mind you.  Can you spot your favorite actors like Meryl Streep or George Clooney in here?  The awards show will be held on February 26, 2012.

Art Guild Winners 2012

Here's an award ceremony where I wished I could have been there to see to see the winners because I think they thoroughly deserve it.  I'm really hoping that Harry Potter wins at the Oscars too; it'll be the last chance for it to do so.  Fingers crossed!  Here are the winners from the 16th Annual Art Directors Guild. 

Period Film
Hugo, Production Designer: Dante Ferretti

Contemporary Film
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Production Designer: Donald Graham Burt

Fantasy Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Production Designer: Stuart Craig

Annie Award winners!

The 39th annual Annie Awards were held last night and Rango did extremely well picking up a lot of the big awards.  History was also made as Jennifer Yuh Nelson won for Best Director for a feature film for Kung Fu Panda 2, the first female to do so in this category.  Congratulations!  Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Transformers: Dark of the Moon won in the live-action categories too.  Read on below for the rest of the winners in the feature film categories.

Best Animated Feature
Rango

Best Animated Special Production
Kung Fu Panda - Secrets of the Masters

Best Animated Short Subject
Adam and Dog - Minkyu Lee

Animated Effects in an Animated Production
The Adventures of Tintin - Kevin Romond

Animated Effects in a Live-Action Production
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Florent Andorra

Character Animation in a Feature Production
Rio - Jeff Gabor

Character Animation in a Live-Action Production
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Eric Reynolds

Character Design in a Feature Production
Rango - Mark "Crash" McCreery

Directing in a Feature Production
Kung Fu Panda 2 - Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Music in a Feature Production
The Adventures of Tintin - John Williams

Production Design in a Feature Production
Kung Fu Panda 2 - Raymond Zilbach

Storyboarding in a Feature Production
Winnie the Pooh - Jeremy Spears

Voice Acting in a Feature Production
Arthur Christmas - Bill Nighy as Grandsanta

Writing in a Feature Production
Rango - John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit

Editing in a Feature Production
Rango - Craig Wood, A.C.E.

Juried Awards

Windsor McCay Award - Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, Ronald Searle

June Foray - Art Leonardi

Special Achievement - Depth Analysis

Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue 2012

On the cover: Rooney Mara, Jennifer Lawrence, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Shailene Woodley, Adepero Oduye, Paula Patton, Felicity Jones, Lily Collins and Brit Marling.

One of the best things about February is the Vanity Fair Hollywood issue also known as the Oscar issue.  To be featured on the cover means you actually made "it", or what whatever that means.  This year's cover features the up and comers of young Hollywood, the young women who feature in the big releases of the past few months and will do so in this new year too.  The cover was photographed by Mario Testino and is a throwback to old Hollywood and glam gowns.