Fruitvale Station

After hearing so much (early) Oscar buzz about Fruitvale Station, I figured I had to check out the film for myself. Critics have been saying nothing but excellent things about the film’s star, Michael B. Jordan. I must say I agree with everything that has been said about his performance and the film. Fruitvale Station is emotionally gripping throughout but rises to a whole new level towards the conclusion of the film.

The film follows Oscar Grant on New Year’s Eve of 2008. Oscar is trying to get his life in order after being released from prison and losing his job. As he is preparing for his mother’s birthday, he spends time with his daughter, begging his boss for his job back, and meeting old friends. It is clear that Oscar is trying to improve life for his girlfriend and daughter. Flashbacks throughout the movie reflect important moments in his life that lead to where he is at present.

The movie is based on real life events. I was not familiar with shooting at Fruitvale station that inspired the movie. However, the film opened with cell phone footage of the shooting before going into the story. It presented an in-depth look at one person involved.

The cast of the film is relatively unknown. Octavia Spencer, who won an Academy Award, for her role in The Help, played Oscar’s mother. I felt she was under-utilized in the film until the very end. Michael B. Jordan is the clear breakout star of the film as he portrays Oscar Grant. Jordan’s previous work includes The Wire and Friday Night Lights. Melonie Diaz played Grant’s girlfriend, Sophina. The film was written and directed by newcomer Ryan Coogler. This was his first feature-length film. Forest Whitaker produced the film. 

To date, the film has won awards at Sundance and Cannes. Yet, this is not going to be the end of the awards for Fruitvale Station. I expect this film to receive numerous nominations and wins throughout the upcoming award seasons. Definitely expect nominations for Spencer, Jordan and Coogler at all the major shows.

Fruitvale Station is not for everybody. This is a very poignant movie, but it is truly for film buffs. The subject matter is very heavy and there are no light moments. I spent much of the last half of the film shaking in my seat and holding back tears. If you like dramas, this film is for you. However, if you are looking for some easy entertainment for the night, I don’t suggest seeing Fruitvale Station.

Despicable Me 2

After the surprise that was Despicable Me, it wasn’t hard to tell that there would be a sequel. Last week, fans were happy to welcome the villain Gru and his adorable minions back into their lives with Despicable Me 2. However, like most sequels, this one fell short. I found the film dragging in many parts and overall boring. One place it does stand out is including enough jokes to keep the parents entertained.

The sequel finds Gru in his new roles of father and legitimate businessman. He left behind his work of villain to care for his three girls. Like a single father, he is dealing with boys coming into his daughters’ lives and neighbors trying to set him up on dates. Since he is no longer a villain, Gru is called in to use his expertise to catch a new villain who stole a top-secret lab and its contents from the Arctic Circle. He teams up with Lucy of the Anti-Villain League to catch the mysterious offender.

All of the characters carried over from the original are voiced by the same actors. This includes Steve Carell voicing Gru’s indiscernible accent and his daughters voiced by Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher. Russell Brand also returned as Gru’s lab assistant, Dr. Nefario. The sequel added the voices of Kristen Wiig as Lucy and Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo. Other actors that lent their voices to the project include: Ken Jeong, Steve Coogan, Moises Arias, and Nasim Pedrad.

Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul also returned to write the film. Other than Dispicable Me, their works include Horton Hears A Who and The Lorax. The same directing team from the first film joined them: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud.

I was happy to see the minions take a bigger role in the sequel. I think they are the best part of the movie and I am still waiting for my own army of minions. This film spent a lot of time developing the family aspect of Gru and the girls, really too much time. I felt the film was dragging on at parts, talking about him being a single father. At 98 minutes, I thought it was too long.

Overall, I thought the jokes were cheap and many rolled over from the first film. Even though the children may drag their parents to see it, it’s better to wait for it to come out on DVD. Really, the film would have been better if it was just the minions for an hour and a half.

The Heat

The Heat certainly is not a highbrow film, but it is a fun way to spend the afternoon. The Heat follows an FBI agent as she teams up with her polar opposite from the Boston police force to catch a drug lord. It’s a foul-mouthed comedy that is very enjoyable.

Sandra Bullock plays the uptight, arrogant FBI agent Ashburn who is seeking a promotion. She travels to Boston to catch a big time drug dealer where she meets street smart Detective Mullins played by Melissa McCarthy. The two are the most unlikely duo. Personally, I think the biggest test of an actor is how believable he or she is in the role. I would never have pegged Ashburn as the same person as Leigh Anne Tuohy or Mullins as Sookie St. James. This makes me appreciate the actresses even more. The two perfectly fit into their roles and play it magically. 

The women completely steal the show. The rest of the cast sat nicely in the background to give Ashburn and Mullins something to talk about. Demian Bichir plays Ashburn’s boss at the FBI, Hale, and Marlon Wayans plays FBI agent Levy helping out the duo. Tom Wilson plays Mullins’ Captain at the Boston PD. Michael Rapaport plays Mullins’ brother, Jason. Dan Bakkedahl and Taran Killam join the cast as DEA agents.

The Heat is a typical buddy comedy, featuring women. Katie Dippold, known for her work on Parks and Rec, wrote the screenplay.  The film features very, very strong language and some violence and gore. Bridesmaids director Paul Feig returns to direct The Heat.

The movie takes the style of 70s cop shows. “The Heat” is the name of the duo. Overall, it was very funny. I don’t think I stop laughing throughout the whole film. I would not nominate the film for any awards, but it was a great film to go see over the weekend. I recommend it for anyone looking for a good laugh.

Jobs Trailer

The trailer for the Steve Jobs biopic was released today. The film stars Ashton Kutcher as Apple founder, Steve Jobs. From the trailer, I'm not completely sold on the idea of Kutcher as Jobs but I want to see the movie none-the-less. I'm most looking forward to seeing Josh Gad take on the role of Steve Wozniak. Check it out below and tell me what you think!

Monsters University

Pixar is back with their newest summer release, Monsters University. This is the prequel to the 2001 film Monsters, Inc. Here, we learn how Mike and Sulley went from rivals to lifelong friends. The film follows the duo through their first year of college as they compete for the role of top scarer at the famed Scaring School of Monsters University.

In the adorable opening, Monsters University reveals what started Mike’s goal of being a scarer. He finally makes it to Monsters University where he meets his fellow roommate and scarer, Randall. The two become quick friends helping each other through their first class where they are overshadowed by a cocky monster, Sulley. The film gives great background on the three characters.

Mike, Sulley and Randall are the only three characters from Monsters Inc. that are focused on in the second film. However, Monsters University adds a whole new group of monsters to the cast. Billy Crystal and John Goodman returned to play Mike and Sulley, respectively. Steve Buscemi returns as the slimy Randall. Helen Mirren brings her grace to Dean Hardscrabble and Alfred Molina is the voice behind their scaring professor, Professor Knight. Various character actors voice Mike and Sulley’s closest friends. Peter Sohn is a go-to voice in Pixar films plays Squishy. Joel Murray plays the older monster Don. Sean Hayes and Dave Foley team up to play the two-headed Terri and Terry. Finally, Charlie Day is the perfect voice for Art. And don’t worry; John Ratzenberger and Bonnie Hunt makes an appearance in the film.  

This was a fantastic film! It had all of the emotion that is expected of a Pixar film. We get to see the ups and downs of Mike and Sulley’s college days and learn a few important lessons with them. It even had some great references to Monsters, Inc. It is finally revealed why Randall has such a grudge against Mike and Sulley and why Roz wants to keep such a close eye on the two. Dan Scanlon was given the reigns of Monsters University. This is his first feature with Pixar. He previously directed a Cars short.

The story was very well written. I never felt that this was sequel as the story was strong enough to stand on its own. Robert L. Baird wrote the screenplay with Scanlon adding to the story. This film is a true testament to the young talent at Pixar. I look forward to seeing great things from these two.

Many have said that Pixar lost its shine with its past two releases, Brave and Cars 2. While I never felt that Pixar was losing its magic, I feel that this film is enough to quiet the critics. Monsters University is a great film for all ages. It will especially help the older crowd reminisce about their college days.

Like all Pixar films, Monsters University opened with a new short. TheBlue Umbrella is quite possibly the most visual stunning short to date. It follows two colorful umbrellas trying to find love in a sea of black umbrellas. The bleak city scenes looked completely realistic. The short was directed my Saschka Unseld who previously worked in the art department of part Pixar films. It’s worth seeing on its own.

Man of Steel

I was eagerly waiting the release of Warner Bros and DC Comics' new Superman film, Man of Steel. I had very high hopes for the film and was ultimately let down. I thought the film had forced dialogue and too much action for its own good. Overall, it crammed so much of Superman's origin story into the film.

I didn't think Christopher Nolan could do wrong. His Batman trilogy will always sit atop my list of favorite films. I was looking forward to him taking the helm of this film. I think this is the one flaw in his otherwise stunning filmography. The film was only produced by Nolan. Zack Snyder, known for Watchmen, directed the film. 

The film stays true to the origin story of Superman, but with a modern twist. Before he is known to the world as Superman, Clark comes to the rescue of a young bartender just like he does for Lois Lane in his premier in Action Comics 1. The opening depicts the destruction of Krypton and Superman's parents attempt to save him. The film is also riddled with flashbacks to him growing up in Kansas and Clark coming to terms with his abilities.

One place I thought the film went wrong was in its humor. It seemed that in an attempt to be more like the Marvel films. There was forced humor thrown in that actually caused uncomfortable laughter in the theater. I felt there were times people where laughing that were not intended to be humorous due to the poor writing. I don't think the film had a strong identity.

The acting stood out in the film. It was extremely well cast, especially Henry Cavill as Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Separately, they stood out on the screen; however, the lacked chemistry

when together. Christopher Meloni was great as Colonel Hardy. I had no idea he was in the film and it was a pleasant surprise to see him. Diane Lane and Kevin Costner played Clark's parents and Russell

Crowe had a very large appearance as Jor-El. Michael Shannon played the over the top that villain, General Zod, that just seemed too much.

I am not a big fan of Superman. The story never stood out to me. This film seemed too much like Thor. During the film, I just kept thinking how I like Thor so much better. The heroes are very different in their own rights, but this film blurred the lines between them.

I wouldn't recommend Man of Steel. I'm sure the film will be made into a series but this just wasn't worth it. While I did not like this version, I think the series could have potential. Man of Steel just

tried to put too much into one film and it showed. Now that the background story has been set up, I think the next film will be more enjoyable. At least I hope so.

Now You See Me

Do you believe in magic? While this may look like the premise of the new movie Now You See Me, it is actually much more of a heist movie. The film follows four magicians who appear to be robbing backs as part of the show. The magicians try to remain one step ahead of the FBI.

I love heist movies. It's one of my favorite genres of film. Now You See Me had many of the elements of a classic heist movie. The four magicians are following orders on how to carry out the heist. I was constantly looking for clues as to whom was behind the big act. I have to admit, I was completely thrown off by the ending. Looking back, I can only think of one clue that hinted at the mastermind of the mission.

This film was very well cast. Jesse Eisenberg played the cocky leader of the group, J. Daniel Atlas. It wasn't a far stretch from his portrayal of Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg; yet, I didn't feel like he was just playing the same character again. Woody Harrelson played a forgotten mentalist, Merritt McKinney, trying to get back on the magic scene. Isla Fisher is Henley Reeves, the former assistant to Dan turned headlining magician. She returned to working with Dan for the big show. Rounding out the main cast is relative new comer, Dave Franco as Jack Wilder. He was great in the film and pulled off some tricky, magical fighting scenes. The four had a great dynamic as a group act.

The film also stared Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley, a former magician that reveals how magicians do their tricks. Michael Caine is the Las Vegas businessman, Arthur Tressler, that bankrolls the group and Mark Ruffalo is the FBI agent, Dylan Rhodes, trying to stop them. French actress Melanie Laurent plays Alma Dray, an Interpol agent also working the case. These seasoned actors brought so much to the film.

One thing I have to say is that the film did get a little cheesy at points. The underlying reason the magicians are pulling off great heists is to be initiated into a magical order of the eye. While the group did need some form of motivation, I felt this was a rather dumb way to do it. It made for a lackluster ending after a good film.

The dialogue was great but there were some pointless subplots thrown into the story. Alma Dray was very interested in the history of magic.While this later becomes important to the story it was not written into the story well. Rhodes had a small romance with his Interpol counterpart, Dray. This did nothing to drive the plot of the film, which mostly was a great story.

I would recommend this film. Now You See Me is directed by Louis Leterrier and written by Ed Solomon and Boaz Yakin. It was great entertainment and really dazzled the audience. It was very well acted. I was very surprised by the outcome and it was cool to see some magic tricks broken down on the big screen.  This is definitely a good summer film!

Star Trek Into Darkness

I have been waiting for the sequel to Star Trek since the lights came on in the theater when I first saw it. I finally got to see Star Trek IntoDarkness last night and it did not disappoint. The follow-up to the 2009 film was just as exciting as the first one. J.J. Abrams has quickly become one of my favorite directors. Overall, this was an excellent film that is definitely worth seeing in theaters.

My Star Trek knowledge only extends to the first J.J. Abrams film, so I am by no means a Trekkie. I cannot debate the story or where it fits into the overall world of Star Trek, but this is very well written.

The crew of the USS Enterprise returns to track down a fugitive that has escaped to Klingon territory. They face numerous threats as they find themselves trapped behind enemy territory. Captain Kirk grapples with whom to trust and how to save his crew when he finds himself in what only looks like a no-win situation.

All of the crew from the first film returns for the second installments. Many characters take an even larger role in this film. Uhura (Zoe Saldana) becomes much more important to the story, as does Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). Alice Eve joins the crew as Carol, a weapons specialist. The ensemble includes: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and John Cho. They are fantastic together. I was floored by Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as Khan. He clearly stood above the rest with his award-worthy performance. 

J.J. Abrams is a master of sound manipulation in film. He knows how to perfectly use it to grab the audience’s attention and play with their emotions. While nothing will beat the opening of Star Trek, this is a very close second. Michael Giacchino did the music for the film. He worked with Abrams on many series and films; he is also noted for his work with Pixar films, such as: Up and Ratatouille.

This was the best 3D film I have ever seen. Usually, I don’t go for the 3D films, but I decided to for Star Trek Into Darkness. I was flinching at the film; it was so realistic. The direction of the film was perfect for 3D. It is definitely worth the extra ticket price.

Star Trek Into Darkness is fantastic. It is a great blend of humor and action. Plus, there is not harm in staring at Chris Pine’s eyes for two hours. I absolutely recommend this film to everyone, even if you are not a fan of the series. It is worth the time to see it in theaters. I'm still waiting for the next film!

The Great Gatsby

If you enjoyed the book, The Great Gatsby, then Baz Luhrmann’s version is not for you. I went to see The Great Gatsby on the night it came out. I was so excited to see one of my favorite books brought to life, but I was truly disappointed. The film was beautiful and well acted with a fantastic soundtrack and costume design; however, this was not enough to save the changes to the story.

The film version added onto the story Nick Carraway, blatantly mentioned the symbolism and revealed the secrets of Gatsby too quickly. F. Scott Fitzgerald certainly had his demons. He was a noted alcoholic, which contributed to death. In this version of the film, the lines between Nick Carraway and F. Scott Fitzgerald were blurred. The film opens with Nick in sanatorium being treated for alcoholism. It is at this time he tells the doctor, and begins writing, the story of Gatsby.

The Great Gatsby is filled with symbolism. In Luhrmann’s version, Nick says all of the meanings behind the symbols. They are completely overplayed. Early in the film, Gatsby is literally grabbing at the green light on Daisy’s dock. Nick narrates its as if he is grabbing at the green light of hope… I felt the film completely discredited the intelligence of the audience.

Gatsby is a mystery. He should be a mystery to the audience. Only at the end should the truth about him be revealed to the audience. However, the film tells Gatsby secret in the middle of the story. It completely kills the awe of the man. I was very disappointed by the writing of the film. I felt like it was overkill for the story.

The Great Gatsby did stand out in many ways. Baz Luhrmann’s directing style is very opulent. This was the perfect film for him to direct. I would love to attend a Gatsby party, with the music and dance. It was very similar to Moulin Rouge.

The soundtrack for the film blew me away. Jay-Z is an executive producer on the soundtrack. Music definitely sets Baz Luhrmann’s films apart from others. He completely manipulates songs to alter their genre. Luhrmann even co-wrote the song “Young and Beautiful” with Lana Del Ray. I believe this song will win Best Original Song.

The acting was a wide range. Leonardo DiCaprio and CareyMulligan were fantastic. They had wonderful chemistry throughout the film. Tobey McGuire did not impress me at all. He was the weak link amongst the cast. Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, and Jason Clarke rounded out the main cast. Elizabeth Debicki, who is relatively new to film, did an amazing job playing Jordan. I expect to see great things from her.

Overall, it was a decent film. The people I talked to who were not familiar with the book really enjoyed it. I think it was a bad adaption. It’s worth seeing for the style and art. Though, don’t worry about seeing it in 3D. 

42

The story of Jackie Robinson is brought to life in the movie 42. This film was exceptionally done as it told the story of the many people who helped desegregate baseball, and the people who were against it. The film featured a large ensemble cast, many of which I was not familiar with their work before this movie. It was written and directed by Brian Helegland, known for L.A.Confidential, Robin Hood and Man on Fire. The film was very emotional as it reflected on how Jackie not only changed the game, but also many people’s attitudes.

The film is partially narrated by Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), a reporter from Pittsburgh and later a close friend of Jackie. It is later discovered that Wendell’s narration is an article he’s writing on Jackie. The film opens with Branch Ricky’s (Harrison Ford) announcement to members of his staff that he plans to sign a black player to the Brooklyn Dodgers. This is met with some resistance but the search for the player will be begins. At the time, Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) is playing with the Kansas City Monarchs, the best team in the Negro League. The film follows Jackie’s conversation with Branch and his rise from the Montreal Royals to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The film also explores his home life with his new wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie). It also stars Christopher Meloni as Leo Duroucher. The film shows a lot of the resistance that Jackie faced with his move to the big league.

42 has very strong language. In many scenes, Jackie and his teammates are verbally attacked because of his presence on the team. While the film has very little violence, Jackie does receive some hard hits from opposing teams. This film presents a look at the struggles of breaking the color line in baseball and the history behind the seasons leading up to Jackie’s rookie year with the Dodgers. I think the film did a wonderful job analyzing why Jackie was chosen, as to other players. Jackie Robinson was a phenomenal player, but the chosen player could not fight back against the racist attacks. Additionally, 42 addressed the Lou Durocher’s role in helping the Dodgers accept Jackie and his suspension from baseball. This was an in-depth look at tough time in America’s history.

This film was great all around. I even have to give credit to the effects department for recreating the now demolished Ebbet’s field. This will be award-winning film. I expect to see it nominated for the top prizes, even this far out from awards season. The cast was had great chemistry and I hope that Boseman, Meloni and Ford will be recognized for their work. At times, I a skeptical of the writing in sports films, but Helgeland wrote a great film with no cheesy dialogue. This is a must see for any sports or history fan. I definitely recommend 42 to anyone looking for something to see this weekend.  

Oz: The Great and Powerful

Disney's long awaited Oz: The Great and Powerful finally reached theaters this past weekend. This is the prequel to the story that we grew up loving: The Wizard of Oz. Just how did the Wizard get to Oz? That question and more is answered in the film. Staying true to The Wizard of Oz, the film starts in black and white and transitions to color only in the land of Oz. While this movie is visually stunning, it falls victim to a horrible script. Not even the actors could save it. 

Oz is a cheating magician out to achieve greatness. He cons women into helping with his act at each stop of the traveling circus. When the husband of one of the women catches up to him, he narrowly escapes by way of hot air ballon but takes off into a tornado. He is transported to Oz and meets Theodora, the good witch. She explains to him how Oz has fallen to an evil witch and the King's prophecy states the city will be saved by a wizard with the same name as the city. 

I truthfully did not expect a great performance from James Franco. He perfectly hit my expectations with his lackluster performance. He seemed dazed and distant throughout the entire movie. Not even the lovely Michelle Williams, who played Glinda, could save his performance. She seemed to be trying too hard to put life into the film. Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz were over dramatic in their roles as the witches. The acting just brought light to the bad script. The screenplay for Oz was filled with cheesy lines that just made me role my eyes. It was ripe with sexual innuendos that seemed to be the only thing Franco was excited to say. It was far from the best screenplay. 

One thing that stood out in the film was the style. Visually, this was stunning. Both the stylistic black and white opening and the land of Oz were breathtaking to watch. The film was directed Sam Raimi. He is beat known for the Spider-Man Trilogy. I saw the film in 3D, which I would definitely recommend for this film. This movie did have a lot of things popping out of the screen. It would be too scary for young children (it even was for me sometimes). If you wanted to see this film, I would suggest seeing it in theaters. If not, it's not worth the time. 

Oscars Recap

Just like Christmas, all the hype builds for months and in one night it was done. This year’s Oscar ceremony was quite the show! Seth MacFarlane did a wonderful job his first time as host of the ceremony. He brought a refreshing, sometimes offensive, comedic style to the show. Personally, I loved it. It was a huge turn around from last year’s dud. A few things stood out to me this year making the show great.

I really loved Seth’s opening. I think it would have been flawless if not for William Shatner’s appearance. MacFarlane is said to be a trekkie, so I guess he wanted to showcase the original James T. Kirk. I never knew Seth MacFarlane could sing and I instantly fell in love with him after his musical-filled opening. Overall the show paid homage to the great musicals.

John Travolta came out as the representation of the music revival in film with Saturday Night Fever. Since then, the Academy has recognized great musicals in the past decade.  I cannot believe Catherine Zeta-Jones can still move like that! She reprised her role of Velma Kelly in Chicago to do a live musical number. Followed by the always-stunning Jennifer Hudson who brought to the audience to their feet with her performance. She won the Oscar in 2007 for her role as Effie White. Then the cast of LesMiserable joined together to sing my favorite song from the film, “One Day More,” plus Anne Hathaway thrown in there as Fantine. Music played a huge part of this show.

I absolutely loved the James Bond tribute. For fifty years, Bond has made our hearts race. Dame Shirley Bassey sang “Goldfinger” as part of the tribute. I was really hoping she would sing “Diamonds Are Forever,” my favorite Bond song, at least until “Skyfall.” Adele continued the night of Bond with taking home the Oscar for Best Original Song. Though, it was no surprise she won.

The major awards were pretty predictable this year. Pixar continued its dominance of the Best Animated Feature category, beating out Wreck-It Ralph to take home the award for Brave. I still whole-heartedly believe that Ralph was a better-animated film with a much better story while still visually stunning. One thing that definitely did throw me was the tie for sound editing. From the gasps of the audience, I know I was not the only one taken aback by this news. This is only the fifth time in Oscar history that this has happened. It’s definitely something for the record books.

Jennifer Lawrence secured her spot as one of my favorite human beings with her fall on the stairs as she was accepting her award for Best Actress. As she took the mic, she joked with the audience about it, “You’re just standing up for me because I fell and that’s really embarrassing.” She is one of the classiest actresses in Hollywood and carries herself with the maturity of someone much older. The video of her falling is very funny but I do want to congratulate on winning.

Argo took home of the award for best picture. One of the producers, Grant Heslov, was not subtle about his displeasure for Ben Affleck’s snub. He continuously congratulated him on directing the show. Ben handled it with grace, as I’m sure he wanted to take the mic and shout “Argo fuck yourself.” I was glad to see Argo get the appreciation it deserved.

Overall, I thought this was one of the best shows in the recent years. The pacing was perfect. I didn’t notice the show was going so long. Seth MacFarlane certainly did with his numerous jokes about the time. However, it was worth waiting until the end to see his final musical number with the great Kristen Chenoweth consoling the losers of the night. He was an absolutely delightful host. I hope to see him host the Oscars again. 

Complete List of Oscar Winners

Here is the complete list of winners from the 55th Annual Academy Awards:

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Best Animated Short Film: Paperman

Best Animated Feature Film: Brave

Achievement in Cinematography: Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda

Achievement in Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Achievement in Costume Design: Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran

Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling: Les Miserables

Best Live-Action Short Film: Curfew

Best Documentary Short Subject: Inocente

Best Documentary Feature: Searching for a Sugar Man

Best Foreign-Language Film: Amour (Austria)

Achievement in Sound Mixing: Les Miserables

Achievement in Sound Editing: Zero Dark Thirty & Skyfall

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserable

Achievement in Film Editing: Argo

Achievement in Production Direction: Lincoln

Original Score: Life of Pi, Mychael Danna

Original Song: "Skyfall," Adele & Paul Epworth; Skyfall

Adapted Screenplay: Argo, Chris Terrio

Original Screenplay: Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino

Achievement in Directing: Ang Lee, Life of Pi

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Motion Picture: Argo

Thank you to the Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences for another great award show!

House of Cards

Netflix shocked the entertainment industry with their declaration that they would be creating original content. Many questioned how the online streaming company would be at developing their own material. House of Cards, the second “Netflix Original” series, was released a few weeks ago. So far, I was able to watch half the series and I’m immediately hooked. I can’t wait to see where the show will go with the amazing cast and extremely well written story. The show attracted some very big names in the film industry and made headlines with its $100 million cost for thirteen episodes. All the hype for the show leading up to its online release was great at grabbing audiences’ attention.

House of Cards is based off a book and British mini-series of the same name. This adaptation switches from the House of Parliament to the House of Congress. Francis Underwood is passed up to be the next Secretary of State. This sets him off to take down the new administration. House of Cards is a look into the dirty political world and the plots to further oneself.

The teams of producers behind House of Cards create high expectations for the show before an episode is even watched. David Fincher takes the helm with Beau Willimon and Eric Roth. These three are known for their critically acclaimed films: The Social Network, The Idesof March, and Forrest Gump, respectively. Their expertise creates on of the most beautifully shot shows I’ve seen in a long time. In fact, I often forget that I’m watching mini-series and not a cinematic masterpiece.

The acting in this show is stellar. I absolutely adore Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood, the conniving Majority Whip from South Carolina. He is ruthless, backstabbing, and cunning but I still genuinely like the character and loathe his actions. Underwood is perfectly offset by his wife, Claire, played by Robin Wright. Claire is right behind all of Francis’s schemes while maintaining the illusion of a perfect political wife. Kate Mara, who I was not familiar with before, plays Zoe Barnes. She is a young reporter who teams up with Underwood to take down major political players.  Corey Stoll rounds out the main cast as Congressman Paul Russo, who is under the control of Underwood. This is one the best ensemble casts I’ve seen. I cannot find a weak link among them.

House of Cards is going to present an interesting scenario when it comes to awards. This is a mini-series, yet does not fit into any of the traditional categories through the Emmy’s, Golden Globes, or Oscars. House of Cards is so well made that it could sweep award shows in a variety of categories from acting to writing and directing. I’m interested to see how House of Cards will play into the award shows. How do you think it will work?

Django Unchained

Django Unchained caught the cinematic world by surprised with it’s numerous nominations at the biggest award shows. Truthfully, that is when I first thought about seeing Django Unchained. This weekend I went to see what the hype was about. Django started off strong, but quickly lost its luster. Quentin Tarantino returned to the big screen to release his idealistic dream of an American slave extracting his revenge. In Tarantino fashion the film has extreme gore, more than logically possible for the human body.

Django is about a German bounty hunter, Dr. Schultz, who buys a slave, Django, to help him track down slave owners. Django works with Dr. Schultz to buy his freedom and rescue his wife from some vicious slave owners. While this is the simple plot of Django Unchained, the film goes much further than this. Django dragged on through three acts. There is something to be said about leaving things to the imagination, which Tarantino ignores. There are three places I would have ended the movie, but Tarantino disregards the basic rule of screenwriting to add plot points. Django was an epic, much like Kill Bill, but released as one film.

While I thought the film went on for far to long, I did love the cast. Django was phenomenally acted with great chemistry, though I do not believe it was award worthy from any of the actors. Christoph Waltz (Dr. Schultz) already won the Golden Globe for actor in a supporting role. He played the same character he did in Inglourious Basterds, though this time he was likable. Jamie Foxx played the title role of Django. Leonardo DiCaprio actually surprised me with his portrayal of Calvin Candie. He stood out to me the most in this film. His bi-polar attitude came across believable. KerryWashington and Samuel L. Jackson rounded out the cast as slaves on Candie’s farm. I don’t think any of the acting was particularly award-worthy, I do think it was one of the best ensemble casts this year. They were very strong on playing off of each other.

My favorite part of Django Unchained was the original sound track. The original songs were a combination of mo-town with a western feel. Throughout the film, the score contained western music, unfitting for it’s southern setting. Tarantino wanted to convey the western feel while on the southern plantations. This was the most creative part of the movie. It certainly changed the overall feel of the film.

Overall, I would not suggest seeing Django Unchained. While it does have its strong points, it is not worth seeing in theaters. I recommend renting Django Unchained. 

Golden Globes Recap

Last night, awards season officially started with the Golden Globes. The Globes, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, combine film and television into one fun-filled night. Big winners of the night included: Les Miserable, Argo, Homeland, and Girls. The show was held in the Beverly Hilton Hotel and aired on NBC It was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

There were some great highlights to night. First off, Adele’s acceptance speech was absolutely hilarious. She most definitely deserved to win for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme song “Skyfall.” In her speech she stated that she and her friend were just looking for a night out, but she is bringing home a nice piece of hardware for the mantel.

My other favorite moment was Lena Dunham’s speech for Best Actress in a TV Comedy. She mentioned the other nominees in the category and how she worshiped them. The more I see of Lena Dunham, the more I find her relatable, as I also worshiped the comedians she was nominated with. It was a beautiful speech and the audience could clearly tell she was nervous to be up there. My favorite moment following that was Tina and Amy on stage immediately following Dunham’s speech. “Congratulations Lena, glad we got you through middle school” Fey slurred. Truthfully, there were a lot of girls the other nominees got through middle school. I was one of them.

For the most part, I agreed with the awards. There was one, however, that I think the HFPA got completely wrong. Brave won for this year’s Best Animated Feature Film. While I absolutely love Pixar, this did not deserve to win. Wreck-It Ralph was the star of this year’s animated competition. The field was much stronger this year than what it was in the past. I think this was a huge sub towards Wreck-It Ralph, which in my opinion is one of the best Disney movies of all time.

Overall, I thought the show was very well done. Tina and Amy did a wonderful job hosting and the stars provided great entertainment for the night. I look forward to the other awards show coming up. What did you think of the show?

Here is a complete list of nominees and winners:

MOTION PICTURES
Best Drama
"Argo"
Best Musical/Comedy
"Les Miserables"

Best Director
Ben Affleck, "Argo"
Best Actress in a Drama
Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Best Actor in a Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"
Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"
Best Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"
Best Foreign Language Film
"Amour"
Best Animated Feature
"Brave"
Best Original Song
"Skyfall," music and lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")
Best Original Score
Mychael Danna, "Life of Pi"

TELEVISION
Best TV Comedy or Musical
"Girls"
Best TV Drama
"Homeland"
Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Best Actor in a TV Drama
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
Best Actress in a TV Comedy
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Best Actor in a TV Comedy
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Best Miniseries or TV Movie
"Game Change"
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Julianne Moore, "Game Change"
Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Kevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys"
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Maggie Smith, "Downtown Abbey: Season 2"
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Ed Harris, "Game Change"

Gangster Squad

This week, Gangster Squad hit theaters. The action packed film follows a group of police officers that act off book to bring down a mobster threatening to take over Los Angeles. Set in LA in the 1940s, Gangster Squad draws on the classic film noire style of movies like Chinatown and The Big Sleep. The combination of the classic noire, fast-paced action, and funny one-liners makes this film great for movie fans. Gangster Squad is based off a true story.

Gangster Squad has an ensemble cast that shines in the costumes of 1940s. Josh Brolin leads the squad of officers, which includes Ryan Gosling, Robert Patrick, Anthony Mackie, Michael Peña, and Giovanni Ribisi. Nick Nolte makes an appearance as the Chief of Police. On the other side of the law, Sean Penn plays Mickey Cohen, the Brooklyn born gangster taking over Los Angeles. Emma Stone rounds out the cast as the woman on Mickey’s arm. The film was very well acted. The cast had great chemistry and it was great to see Gosling and Stone back on the big screen together after Crazy Stupid Love.

As a gangster film, I knew it would be violent, but I actually found it to be a bit gory at points. The film had a lot blood, in addition to the violence. Gangster Squad delayed release due to the extreme violence. Scenes of the film were actually reshot following the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Due to change in release date, it was taken out of consideration for this award season. I’m curious to see how it will do next year.

The film presents an interesting look at vigilantes and law enforcement. Since the law was bought out, the officers on the “squad” had to leave the law behind. The secret force violated the law and stooped to Cohen’s level to take him down. For these officers, they leave the squad room and become vigilantes. In their own way, they tear apart the city of Los Angeles to bring down Mickey. Do police officers need to throw out the law to take down a criminal?

Overall, I thought it was great movie. It was an engaging period piece, something I find rare.  The costumes and set design were beautiful. I would suggest this if you are looking for a good film to see. It’s definitely something you should see in theaters.