Various IB articles

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010371.html?categoryid=3787&cs=1&nid=2562&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Posted: Fri., Oct. 23, 2009, 8:09pm PT

Hollywood Award honorees
By STEPHEN SCHAEFER, ANNA STEWART

Supporting Actors

Julianne Moore and Christoph Waltz

The Hollywood Awards' other supporting actor honoree, Christoph Waltz, is hardly as well-known to movie auds as Moore, even though the Vienna-born actor had been working for more than three decades before Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" made his perf one of the most talked about this year.

In 1979, at the age of 19, Waltz relocated to New York to study with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. Subsequently he worked mostly on stage and in television in Europe.

"It's easy to say what sustained me," he says: "making a living. But not everything was dire. I had a few good moments. Over 30 years without a good moment, you'd go nuts. There's a difference between ambitious frustration and just going nuts. But I always kept the sense that there are things that were still ahead of me. Apparently I was right."

Regarding his "Basterds" perf as a devastatingly attractive Nazi, Waltz reveals the trick:

"Evil and charm don't contradict each other."

-- Stephen Schaefer

I like that quote

http://germess.com/featured/15-greatest-ww2-movies-of-all-time

15 Greatest WW2 Movies of All Time

Picking the best, top-notch World War II movies was no easy task – there are so many excellent films to choose from, from old classics to newer movies about this war. Movie Crunch gives you the 15 Greatest WW2 Movies of All Time… and while we know you won’t agree 100%, you should find some of your favorites on the list.
15. Enemy at the Gates (2001)

Enemy at the Gates

Jude Law
Ed Harris
Rachel Weisz
Joseph Fiennes
Bob Hoskins

Enemy at the Gates features an amazing cast in Jude Law, Ed Harris, Rachel Weisz, Joseph Fiennes and Bob Hoskins. While not loved by all, this World War II entry is an interesting story about the conflict between two snipers – a tense war drama that just barely makes our list because 1) Jude Law is a bit too pretty and 2) the accents need a little more work.
14. The Thin Red Line (1998)

The Thin Red Line

James Caviezel
Sean Penn
Adrien Brody
Ben Chaplin
George Clooney
John Cusack
Woody Harrelson
Elias Koteas
Nick Nolte
John C. Reilly
John Travolta

The Thin Red Line, Terrence Malick’s excellent adaptation of James Jones’ fictionalized memoir, brings to life the story of young soldiers during the battle for Guadalcanal. While The Thin Red Line may be lighter on action than other war films, (and some argue a bit of a snoozefest), it still manages to masterfully tell the story with stunning performances by the often overlooked James Caviezel and always-brilliant Sean Penn as Private Witt and Sergeant Welsh. This war movie makes our list for the emotional connection between the soldiers who form the bonds of family while fighting for their survival.
13. The Guns of Navarone (1961)

The Guns of Navarone

Gregory Peck
David Niven
Anthony Quinn

The Guns of Navarone is an action film at its best, with Gregory Peck leading his ragtag crew on a mission most impossible. With a cast that includes heavy weights Anthony Quinn and David Niven, Guns of Navarone’s caper includes action and suspense – and never falls short on the entertainment spectrum.
12. Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Martin Balsam
Joseph Cotten
E. G. Marshall
Tatsuya Mihashi
James Whitmore
Soh Yamamura
Jason Robards

More than just fun to say, Tora! Tora! Tora! is a much more competent retelling of the events of Pearl Harbor than that crapfest 2001 film starring Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale (don’t get us started on that mess). Tora! Tora! Tora! does justice to the history of this World War II event by giving both an American and Japanese viewpoint to the story.
11. Catch-22 (1970)

Catch-22

Alan Arkin
Martin Balsam
Richard Benjamin
Orson Welles
Art Garfunkel
Jon Voight
Anthony Perkins
Bob Newhart
Martin Sheen
Buck Henry

Purists will argue that the film version of Catch-22 can’t hold a candle to the Joseph Heller novel it’s based on, but the movie still holds a place on our top 15 WWII movie list. Alan Arkin, Jon Voight, Buck Henry, Anthony Perkins, Martin Sheen, and Orson Welles star in this tale of a guy who pretends he’s insane to get out of the war. Only, as the title of this black comedy tells, it’s a no-win situation.
10. Patton (1970)

Patton

George C. Scott
Karl Malden
Michael Bates
Karl Michael Vogler

Could anyone else but George C. Scott play General Patton? We don’t want to know – Scott was brilliant as the U.S. Army commander, depicted in this biopic that showed Patton’s life, warts and all. Plus, that iconic opening monologue with George C. Scott in front of a massive American flag and seven Oscar awards only cement how great this film is.
9. From Here to Eternity (1953)

From Here to Eternity

Burt Lancaster
Montgomery Clift
Deborah Kerr
Donna Reed
Frank Sinatra
Ernest Borgnine

If you think From Here to Eternity is just a romantic encounter between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr on a Hawaiian beach, think again. Eternity looks at military life before/during/after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, although that kissing-in-the-surf scene really sticks with you. A classic.
8. The Longest Day (1962)

The Longest Day

John Wayne
Henry Fonda
Robert Mitchum
Sean Connery

We love this one if, for nothing else, having the most stellar war movie casting of the bunch. John Wayne, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda and Robert Mitchum all in one film? Yup. Epic war movie? You got it. The Longest Day recreates D-Day and, while Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” gets top marks for the Normandy opening scene, many favor The Longest Day as being a better story when compared to Ryan’s overly sentimental tale.
7. The Dirty Dozen (1967)

The Dirty Dozen

Lee Marvin
Ernest Borgnine
Charles Bronson
Jim Brown
John Cassavetes
Richard Jaeckel
George Kennedy
Trini Lopez
Ralph Meeker
Robert Ryan
Telly Savalas
Robert Webber
Clint Walker
Donald Sutherland

The Dirty Dozen is straight up classic, directed by Robert Aldrich and starring always solid Lee Marvin as the rebel army major who has to train a dozen criminals to assassinate Nazi officers. Dirty Dozen comes in a bit short on drama, but there’s loads of action to carry this one. Plus… Lee Marvin. Did we mention Lee Marvin? Total guy movie that’s worthy of repeat viewings.
6. The Great Escape (1963)

The Great Escape

Steve McQueen
James Garner
Richard Attenborough
Charles Bronson
James Coburn

We could totally do a “Steve McQueen. ‘Nuff said” thing here, but we’ll give The Great Escape a little more to its credit than a great leading man. An all-star lineup with McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Sir Richard Attenborough, James Garner (so young!), Donald Pleasence and David McCallum as men escaping a German POW camp – it’s a testosterone adventure that includes a tunnel escape AND a motorcycle chase? Count us in.
5. Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Flags of Our Fathers

Ryan Phillippe
Adam Beach
Jesse Bradford
Neal McDonough
Barry Pepper
Robert Patrick
Paul Walker
Jamie Bell

Ken Watanabe
Kazunari Ninomiya
Tsuyoshi Ihara
Ryo Kase
Nakamura Shidō

Clint Eastwood is the man – two of Eastwood’s best efforts ever (okay, they’re all great) is Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, back to back storytelling of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Flags of Our Fathers tells of the seven US Marines who raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi at Iwo Jima and what happened after the event was captured in that very famous photo. “Letters” is a companion to “Flags,” telling the tale from a Japanese soldier perspective.
4. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan

Tom Hanks
Tom Sizemore
Matt Damon
Edward Burns
Jeremy Davies
Barry Pepper
Giovanni Ribisi
Vin Diesel
Adam Goldberg

No best of WWII movie list would be complete without Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, a slightly more sentimental entry on the list, but a winner nonetheless. Private Ryan’s opening scene of the American soldiers landing at Omaha Beach is by far one of the most memorable war scenes in recent film history. Saving Private Ryan delves deeper into character study than some of the others listed, with excellent performances by Jeremy Davies, Tom Hanks, Adam Goldberg and the rest of the cast.
3. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Inglourious Basterds

Brad Pitt
Christoph Waltz
Michael Fassbender
Eli Roth
Diane Krüger
Mélanie Laurent

Let’s face it – Inglourious Basterds totally kicked ass and put Quentin Tarantino on top of his game yet again. A World War II film starring Brad Pitt? You’ve got our attention – now add an amazing script, top-notch acting and a blend of war film and spaghetti western and you’ve got a film masterpiece. We know there are naysayers out there who will hate on Basterds, but we think it’s an instant classic.
2. Schindler’s List (1993)

Schindler's List

Liam Neeson
Ben Kingsley
Ralph Fiennes
Caroline Goodall
Embeth Davidtz

Spielberg’s masterpiece was nothing short of brilliant, placing it firmly at the top of our best World War II movie list. Schindler’s List is an emotional account of the Holocaust, with a portrayal of war profiteer Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) who saved many Jews’ lives during the horrific ordeal. The story and terrific acting make this one epic WWII drama.
1. Das Boot (1981)

Das Boot

Jürgen Prochnow
Herbert Grönemeyer
Klaus Wennemann

Is there any other WWII submarine movie that could make our list besides Das Boot? Well, maybe… but Das Boot is the best of the bunch, the holy grail of sub movies. This subtitled psychological drama about a German U-boat sub captures the claustrophobia of submarine existence in a powerful story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. If you haven’t yet, check out the Director’s Cut of Das Boot – a longer running time, but that extra footage never bores.

http://www.klaago.com/2010/09/brad-pitt-is-not-the-hottest-guy-in-quentin-tarantino-u002639s-latest/

Brad Pitt is Not the Hottest Guy in Quentin Tarantino\’s Latest

I recently saw the Quentin Tarantino-written and directed filmInglourious Basterds(the gross* spelling is Tarantino\’s, not mine!) for the first time.rolex daytona replica. It was pretty good, if you don\’t mind truly very many bleeding violence. (Hey, they\’re Nazis, extremely they deserve it, legal?) I\’m a Tarantino fan nevertheless, nevertheless I must admit I\’m a bit disappointed he didn\’t find a way to work Uma Thurman into that one.

Perhaps the zero cool thing about that piece of cinema, nevertheless, is that former heartthrob Brad Pitt is not the suspicious thing to look at. He was at the peak of his cuteness inThelma and Louise, actually, and suddenly it\’s total been declining since he hooked up with Angelina Jolie. His Tennessee accent in view of this, as Lt. Aldo Raine, is reasonably charming, nevertheless. He\’s silent Brad Pitt. He\’s reliable got competition.

The guys to watch expired for in Basterds are Daniel Bruhl, Eli Roth and Michael Fassbender.

Daniel Bruhl (whose name should properly have an umlat) plays Private Fredrick Zoller, a German soldier. The Germans consider him a war hero because he single-handedly defended a tower against 300 Allied troops. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler\’s propagandist, made a movie about, and starring, Private Zoller. It will premiere at a limited French movie house where Zoller has a crush on the peculiar, Emmanuele Mimieux. He doesn\’t know Emmanuele is really Shoshana Dreyfus, a Jewish woman whose family the Nazis killed. Zoller is a combination of legal and Nazi, candy-coated and arrogant. Bruhl, howbeit, is totally charming.

Where you may have seen Daniel Bruhl before:The Bourne Ultimatum.

Eli Roth plays Sgt. Donny Donowitz, known throughout the Third Reich as \”The Bear Jew.\” His modus operandi is beating Nazis to death with a baseball bat. Roth is sky-high and ochre and has opulent sepia eyes like a parching Israeli soldier. This movie calls for his character to pretend almost on one Italian, which reminds me that he looks a bit like Italian-Irish hottie Zachary Quinto.

Where you may have seen Eli Roth before: Quentin Tarantino\’s previous movieGrindhouse

Michael Fassbender plays England\’s Lt. Archie Hicox, recruited to help expired the Basterds for his knowledge of German cinema. Speaking English, he\’s model British and model decent. His accent and mannerisms are dishy. Speaking German, nevertheless, Lt. Hicox gets his associates in trouble by signalling the bartender for three shot glasses with his index, mainstream and ring fingers. Oops: that\’s the English-speaking way to peculiar \”3;\” Germans use the thumb, index and mainstream fingers. Bloody mayhem ensues.

Though his character in view of this movie meets a appalling end (all these characters do, as a matter of fact), Michael Fassbender is an actor to watch expired for. He\’ll be playing Magneto in the alongside X-Men film.

Where you may have seen Michael Fassbender before:Jonah Hex, or (coincidentally) the UK uncomprehensible TV seriesHex.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/pegg-agonised-over-tarantino-snub_1176409

Pegg Agonised Over Tarantino Snub

British actor SIMON PEGG faced one of the most difficult decisions of his life when he chose to snub a role in QUENTIN TARANTINO's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

The Star Trek star was overjoyed when the famed director personally reached out to offer him the part of Archie Hicox in the 2009 film.

But Pegg was devastated when he realised his lead role in Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn was scheduled to shoot at the same time as Tarantino's project.

The actor had to choose between the two films and he eventually turned down the chance to star opposite Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger in Inglourious Basterds. The part eventually went to Michael Fassbender - and Pegg is still reeling over the tough decision.

He tells Britain's News of the World, "It was a horrible decision to make. I remember sitting on my own in a hotel room for an hour, having to decide which one to do. It was agony."

http://adhocclassicism.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-5-best-alternate-history-films.html

Thursday, December 16, 2010
Top 5 Best Alternate History Films
Alternate history films can be defined by what-if scenarios, giving rise to how historical events would've played out had 'A' happened instead of 'B.' It can also be defined by a film that's obviously in a historical setting, but takes place without actual historical figures, in fictional civilizations and fictional elements of such. Though they don't have much to do with actual history, they are innovative and intriguing the same, worth at least one blog post.

5. Inglourious Basterds
Another Quintin Tarentino outing, Inglourious Basterds was a movie people either hated or loved. I cast my lot with the latter, as the movie very well done in terms of rich charactization, snappy dialogue, and the best villian I've seen on camera since Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York. There are several stories going on at once, and I enjoy coming across this element in movies. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his crew of Jewish-American "Basterds" carves German foreheads and scalps Germain hairlines on the warpath against the Nazis. Jewish-French Shosanna Dreyfus plots an elaborate scheme to toast a German audience in a scene reminiscent of the end of Carrie. British Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) seeks a scheme in which a taut session around a drinking table results in a bloody shooutout for the ages. All three scenarios are brought together by means of Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Krueger) and the show-stealing Nazi colonel, Hans Landa (Christophe Waltz). The Inglourious Basterds alter history forever when they make Adolf Hitler's face into Swiss cheese.

4. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans -
I'm a huge fan of the Underworld trilogy. Rise of the Lycans, the third in the series (shown in prequel form), is set in the time of swords and double axes, vampire kings with castles and muddy Lycan forest dwellings (bringing to mind the Roman Empire's battles against the barbarian tribes of Germania, Britannia, and Gaul). The cinematography is dark and foreboding, the vampires clad in all assortments of black leather. The vampires, led by Viktor (Bill Nighy) and his daughter, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), use Lycans, or werewolves, as their slaves in a caste system sort of medieval society. One of the vampire-favored Lycan slaves, Lucian (Michael Sheen), has fallen in love with Sonia, which is a huge no-no because of his status and because he's a werewolf, deemed the inferior species. When they are found out, Lucian establishes himself as a leader among the Lycan slaves and leads a long overdue rebellion against their bloodsucking foes. With her love for Lucian, Sonja soon fights for the Lycans and her and Lucian's freedom to love as they choose. The Lycans wield axes and rusty, pointy objects when they fight in human form, their ravenous fangs and claws when pillaging as werewolves. Of course, the vampires nor the Lycans belong to a particular actual medieval civilization, but promote medieval tendencies in terms of dress, weaponry, and overall Dark Ages feel. Great flick, and an even greater trilogy.

3. Red Dawn -
Red Dawn gives us a scary what-if scenario, as Russian and Cuban allied forces infiltrate US borders, and in the particular scenario given to our protagonists (high school kids), paratroop their way to the plains of Calumet, Colorado. The Russians open fire on teacher and student alike at the local high school, and a lucky ragtag crew of teenagers are wisked away to the safety of the mountains by way of the pick-up truck driven by Jed Eckert (a young Patrick Swayze). Loading up on rifles, bows and arrows, non-perishable foods, and sleeping bags at the local surplus store, the teens make it to high ground where Jed, a year out of high school, assumes the position of leader as the oldest of the group. After seeing their fictional town become a concentration camp and the parents killed off via firing squad, the group assumes the name of their high school mascot, the Wolverines, before fighting back with a vengeance. At first, they use their shotguns and bows, but soon incorporate the dress and automatic weapons of their Russian and Cuban enemies. The Wolverines are helped along by Erica and Toni Mason (Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey), and shot-down Air Force Colonel Andy Tanner (Power Boothe). They defend their town from extinction using guerilla tactics, utilizing the mountain terrain they've known their whole lives. The relationship between brother Jed and Matt (Charlie Sheen) is moving and heartbreaking. I can't remember the explanation the opening of the movie gives, but it basically shows what could have happened had the Soviet-Cuban relationship of the 60's had not been quelled. Made in 1984, it was the first film to earn a PG-13 rating. It scared people to death, and it's on my all-time favorite films list.

2. CSA: The Confederate States of America -
Where to start with this independent film? In a history channel-type sort of documentary, including bigotted fake commercials, CSA takes us from the Civil War all the way to modern times - as if the Confederacy had won the war against the Union. It shows Abe Lincoln banished to Canada, made fun of in fake silent films in the early 20th century in which he attempts to elude capture. Jefferson Davis takes over at the White House, replacing "National Anthem" with "Dixie" as the nation's song. For the remainder of US history, or CSA history, the confederate flag flies high over buildings and in schools everywhere, planted on the moon and touted in 20th century wars. Slavery goes far beyond the 19th century, as we're shown modern families having their breakfast cooked by African-American women with no education. A fake commercial include ad for a fake sitcom features an uneducated, bumbling black women, working in the home of a Leave it to Beave-type family. The tagline for the show is "She's always in the kitchen...but never seems to know what's cookin.'" It's sickening, but innovation and thoroughly thought out. The writers weren't racist, but merely wanted to show us what a scary world we would have lived in had Grant signed the treaty of surrender instead of Lee at Appomattox Courthouse.

1. Conan the Barbarian -
I first saw this one when I was kid. I liked it then, but like it even more now. No, the Governator isn't exactly known for his amazing acting skills, but he simply got the job done in Conan with his best movie character in my opinion (though he was great in Predator too). With his fictional god Crom watching over his every step, Conan comes from a fictional tribe of Cimmerian barbarians to see both of his parents murdered by Thusla Doom, to become a gladiator of sorts for a fiery red-headed slave owner, and to move his way around Hyboria as a thief with his pal, the Hyrkanian archer Subotai, and his woman, Valeria, a tall, blonde, Nordic-looking warrior. Once Thulsa Doom's serpent emblems start popping up everywhere he goes, Conan is back on a mission to avenge his parents and to regain his father's exquisite sword. Along the way, a Viking-like king named Osric hires the three thieves to track down and rescue his daughter, who has, conveniently for Conan, been kidnapped by Thulsa Doom and his growing serpent-worshipping cult. The end battle is amazing...almost as amazing as the one that takes place in the mountain refuge of Thulsa Doom, seen above. Good sword-wielding, good story, greatly-composed epic score that still mananges to get stuck in my head from time to time. There's a remake in the works, but from what I've seen of it, it will surely pale in comparison to the 1982 original.
Posted by Liam Hoyle at 12:04 AM

http://www.oscars.org/press/presskits/nominations/pdf/inglourious_basterds.pdf

It includes a small bit about Michael...

Quote
Irish actor Michael Fassbender was tapped to play British cinema expert Archie Hicox. Again, there was a need for the actor playing the character to be bilingual. Fassbender had to brush up on his long-dormant German language skills. “My father is German. We left there when I was two, but we used to go back and forth when I was little,” Fassbender explains. “I think I was about six where I spent a summer in Germany, and a few things managed to sort of cement in there. I just had to reawaken them with a stick.”

Fassbender explains his character Hicox, “Hicox is a British commando, but his real passion lies in films. He’s a film critic, but the fact that he can speak German makes him quite a good tool for the British.

http://ithinkthereforeireview.blogspot.com/2010/12/manly-christmas-viewing-list.html


Here's what she says directly about IB:

Inglourious Basterds – Okay, so this is actually a Michael Fassbender (Hunger) movie, too, but this is one the guys can enjoy. (If you’re gal is one of the Fassinator obsessed, you’ll be pleased by his fate here- or, you might even think he’s pretty cool, “There’s a special rung in hell reserved for people who waste good scotch” and all that.) Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 alternative World War II romp looks the period perfection and has plenty of fine irony about how film can save the world. However, I’ve seen this one a couple of times and I still can’t decide if I like it or not. Some sequences are a little too clever and full of themselves, and though he’s supposed to be an over the top send up, sometimes I just hate Brad Pitt’s (He’s Brad %^&*# Pitt I don’t need to refer to another movie!) stupid accent here. Thankfully, Best Supporting Actor winner Christoph Waltz (The Three Musketeers) adds serious charm and weight. Even if you’re not a Tarantino fan, this one deserves at least one viewing, and obsessive fans can eat this one up with plenty of multiple watches.