Avatar (2009) Fish Tank (2009)

FISH TANK (2009) G.B. (BBC Films, UK Film Council, The follow-up to her Academy Award–winning short film Wasp (2003) and her Limelight Communication, ContentFilm, Kasander Film critically acclaimed debut feature, Red Road (which won the Grand Prize of Company) 123m Color the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006), Fish Tank has cemented Andrea Director: Andrea Arnold Arnold’s reputation as one of the world’s most exciting new filmmakers. As in Producer: Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Wasp, Arnold focuses on a family struggling to maintain a sense of hope Lisette Kelder, Chrristine Langan, and cohesion in economically depressed surroundings. With an intimacy Nick Laws, David M. Thompson, and immediacy reminiscent of the films of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Paul Tijbits Arnold’s camera follows the day-to-day travails of troubled fifteen-year- Screenplay: Andrea Arnold old Mia (Katie Jarvis). Alienated from her libidinous mother and foul- Photography: Robbie Ryan mouthed younger sister, Mia storms defiantly through her neighborhood Cast: Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing, streets, provokes violent confrontations with other teenage girls, steals Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Griffiths, Harry Treadaway, Carrie- money to buy alcohol, and bolts from social workers looking to place Ann Savill, Toyin Ogidi, Grant Wild, her in facilities for at-risk youths. The only release she finds is through Sarah Boyes, Charlotte Collins, Kristy intoxication and dancing. Smith, Chelsea Chase When Mia’s mother (Kierston Wareing) brings home a new boyfriend Cannes Film Festival: Andrea Arnold named Connor (Michael Fassbender), Mia’s home becomes increasingly (Grand Prize of the Jury, Golden Palm nomination) claustrophobic, and her tumultuous life grows even more complicated. BAFTA: Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Mia’s relationship with Connor, which is initially one of longing for a Andrea Arnold (outstanding father figure, begins to dominate the film, but essentially it is Mia’s British film) search for her true identity that becomes the most important element. Mia is offered an audition by a local talent agency searching for young dancers, which she believes will set her on the path to stardom. She also begins a friendship with Billy (Harry Treadaway), a young man who U.S. / G.B. (Twentieth Century- AVATAR (2009) catches her trying to free his family’s dying horse. However, her fragile Fox Film Corporation, Dune The culmination of a master filmmaker’s career, Avatar marks a decade’s worth Entertainment, Giant Studios, sense of social and familial stability is compromised when she steadily Ingenious Film Partners, Lightstorm of work and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. Though no Gone with discovers that she feels herself drawn towards Connor’s blatant flirtations Entertainment) 162m Color the Wind in complexity of character or event, Avatar is of the same monumental and realizes that her mother’s new Director: James Cameron ambition and singularity of vision. Only Griffith, Demille, Lucas, or Spielberg paramour may be hiding a deeper, Producer: James Cameron, Jon ever attained such heights of technical achievement in stories of such grand far more troublesome secret. Landau, Colin Wilson, Laeta scope while still achieving box-office success. Like these greats, Cameron raises Beautifully lit and photographed Kalogridis, Janace Tashjian the bar of what is cinematically possible. by gifted cinematographer Robbie Screenplay: James Cameron The story has been told a thousand times, in films like Dances with Wolves Ryan, Arnold’s intense coming-of- Photography: Mauro Fiore and The Thin Red Line, but it’s still a classic. A soldier tries to find inner peace age story has garnered praise from Music: James Horner during wartime by going native, finding a more grounded, loving existence audiences and film critics alike, Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, among the indigenous (alien) peoples he has been taught are his enemy. winning both the Grand Prize of the Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribsi, Michelle Inevitably, the cultures clash, and he finds himself in the middle, fighting for Jury at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival Rodriguez, Laz Alonso the side of right and love against his former allies—the greedy, the stupid, and the award for Outstanding Oscars: Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, the white. By using state-of-the-art technologies, crippled Jake Sully (Sam British Film at the 2010 British Kim Sinclair (art direction), Mauro Worthington) is able to run free in his “avatar,” a genetically engineered alien Academy of Film and Television Arts Fiore (cinematography), Joe Letteri, body that allows him to survive in the hostile atmosphere of the moon Pandora. Awards. JM Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Similarly, Cameron uses state-of-the-art film technologies to submerge his Baneham, Andy Jones (visual effects) audience in the flora and fauna of a new world; much as King Kong had done Oscar nominations: James Cameron (director), James Horner (music) in 1933, Star Wars had in 1977, and Jurassic Park had in 1993. And like those films, Avatar, hailed as a game changer, a masterwork, and a box-office record breaker, will remain beloved, but will someday, no doubt, look antiquated. JP 940 941.

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