My Academy Award picks and predictions! Enjoy your Oscar Sunday everyone!
Best Picture
Me: Room
Academy: The Revenant
Actor
Me: Leonardo DiCaprio
Academy: Leonardo DiCaprio
Actress
Me: Brie Larson
Academy: Brie Larson
Supporting Actor
Me: Tom Hardy
Academy: Sylvestre Stallone
Supporting Actress
Me: Alicia Vikander
Academy: Alicia Vikander
Animated Feature Film
Me:Anomalisa
Academy: Inside Out
Cinematography
Me: The Revenant
Academy: The Revenant
Costume Design
Me: The Danish Girl
Academy: The Danish Girl
Directing
Me: The Big Short
Academy: The Revenant
Documentary Feature
Me: What Happened, Miss Simone?
Academy: The Look of Silence
Documentary Short
Me: A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Academy: Last Day of Freedom
Film Editing
Me: Mad Max: Fury Road
Academy: The Revenant
Foreign Language Film
Me: Theeb
Academy: Embrace of the Serpent
Makeup and Hairstyling
Me: The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Academy: The Revenant
Music (Original Score)
Me: The Hateful Eight
Academy: The Hateful Eight
Music (Orignal Song)
Me: Til it Happens to You, The Hunting Ground
Academy: Til it Happens to You, The Hunting Ground
Production Design
Me: Mad Max: Fury Road
Academy: Mad Max: Fury Road
Short Film (Animated)
Me: Sanjay's Super Team
Academy: Prologue
Short Film (Live Action)
Me: Shok
Academy: Day One
Sound Editing
Me: Mad Max: Fury Road (I would have said The Hateful Eight if it had been nominated.)
Academy: Mad Max: Fury Road
Sound Mixing
Me: Mad Max: Fury Road
Academy: Mad Max: Fury Road
Visual Effects
Me: The Revenant
Academy: The Revenant
Writing (adapted)
Me: Room
Academy: Brooklyn
Writing (original)
Me: Ex Machina
Academy: Spotlight
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Stragglers
Trumbo
I love the 1940s and screenwriting and Bryan Cranston! Trumbo was right in my comfort zone and I enjoyed it completely! I definitely need to look into setting up a writing desk over my bathtub, although it might be slightly more dangerous for my laptop.
Bryan Cranston is so likable, it makes me wonder if Dalton Trumbo was that likable, too. I know that Walter White in the hands of another actor would have been another thing entirely, so Dalton Trumbo may have gotten a really good deal, here!
Creed
I'm not fond of boxing movies so this movie was not in my comfort zone. These movies always come down to a final fight against all odds to prove to yourself that you can overcome your own doubts, demons and swollen eyes. So, for me, a boxing movie has to have a lot of other stuff going on really well in order to make me feel ok about watching that again.
In the case of Creed, a lot of what you saw was a nostalgic rehash of Rocky, of course. It just happened to be done really well! Everyone said Stallone was great and I just didn't believe it until I saw it. Yeah, he was really great! Also, Michael B. Jordan was great and another ignored black actor this year. It was a solid movie and very enjoyable. Can we not having any boxing movies next year, please?
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
I watched this late one night and dozed on and off throughout, which was fun because the movie was kind of like a fever dream anyway. An old man disappears and reveals all kinds of crazy stuff about his past. There were elephants and midgets and stuff. I can't properly review this movie, but the make up and the old man character really is amazing!
45 Years
I almost forgot this one!
Charlotte Rampling was nominated for this movie where after 45 years of marriage she is forced to look at her whole life with her husband differently, after learning about his previous love affair.
It is a film that holds a lot back. They don't ever let Rampling talk about what she is feeling, we just have to watch her and figure it out. Sometimes this is a really wonderful experience and sometimes it gets a little confusing. It was a very interesting watch and I also sort of just wished I was seeing The VVitch.
I love the 1940s and screenwriting and Bryan Cranston! Trumbo was right in my comfort zone and I enjoyed it completely! I definitely need to look into setting up a writing desk over my bathtub, although it might be slightly more dangerous for my laptop.
Bryan Cranston is so likable, it makes me wonder if Dalton Trumbo was that likable, too. I know that Walter White in the hands of another actor would have been another thing entirely, so Dalton Trumbo may have gotten a really good deal, here!
Creed
I'm not fond of boxing movies so this movie was not in my comfort zone. These movies always come down to a final fight against all odds to prove to yourself that you can overcome your own doubts, demons and swollen eyes. So, for me, a boxing movie has to have a lot of other stuff going on really well in order to make me feel ok about watching that again.
In the case of Creed, a lot of what you saw was a nostalgic rehash of Rocky, of course. It just happened to be done really well! Everyone said Stallone was great and I just didn't believe it until I saw it. Yeah, he was really great! Also, Michael B. Jordan was great and another ignored black actor this year. It was a solid movie and very enjoyable. Can we not having any boxing movies next year, please?
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
I watched this late one night and dozed on and off throughout, which was fun because the movie was kind of like a fever dream anyway. An old man disappears and reveals all kinds of crazy stuff about his past. There were elephants and midgets and stuff. I can't properly review this movie, but the make up and the old man character really is amazing!
45 Years
I almost forgot this one!
Charlotte Rampling was nominated for this movie where after 45 years of marriage she is forced to look at her whole life with her husband differently, after learning about his previous love affair.
It is a film that holds a lot back. They don't ever let Rampling talk about what she is feeling, we just have to watch her and figure it out. Sometimes this is a really wonderful experience and sometimes it gets a little confusing. It was a very interesting watch and I also sort of just wished I was seeing The VVitch.
Song Nominees
The Hunting Ground
Rape on college campuses is rampant and systematically ignored everyone! That's bad new for our children. The song for this one, "Until it happens to you", is performed by Lady Gaga and played right in the middle of the film, to nice affect.
50 Shades of Grey
I don't understand why this movie happened. When you think about the set up for this movie, it seems like it should really manage to be sexy or exciting in any way at all. They cast the roles in perfect sync with the novel. They are two unbearably boring people! I don't know which song is nominated from this soundtrack, but none of them moved me.
Spectre
I think Daniel Craig looks really great in clothes. Like, all of the clothes. The more, the better. How can he still look agile, lithe and sexy in layers and layers of snow clothing? I don't know! It's a mystery! Um...I'm sorry, what was the song for this one?
I ran out of time to view Racing Extinction. Youth was not available for me to screen.
Rape on college campuses is rampant and systematically ignored everyone! That's bad new for our children. The song for this one, "Until it happens to you", is performed by Lady Gaga and played right in the middle of the film, to nice affect.
50 Shades of Grey
I don't understand why this movie happened. When you think about the set up for this movie, it seems like it should really manage to be sexy or exciting in any way at all. They cast the roles in perfect sync with the novel. They are two unbearably boring people! I don't know which song is nominated from this soundtrack, but none of them moved me.
Spectre
I think Daniel Craig looks really great in clothes. Like, all of the clothes. The more, the better. How can he still look agile, lithe and sexy in layers and layers of snow clothing? I don't know! It's a mystery! Um...I'm sorry, what was the song for this one?
I ran out of time to view Racing Extinction. Youth was not available for me to screen.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Theeb
So the day came for my first of the foreign film offerings and I really wasn't in the mood for this movie. But I have to catch them when I can and so I headed out for Theeb's one screening of the day at my local art house cinema.
And I fell asleep.
Wait, let me go back.
Theeb is described as a middle eastern Western. It is a coming of age story about a Bedouin boy whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a British soldier (World War I). It is shot beautifully and acted well. For me it was all about loyalties; how do you prioritize them, what will you sacrifice for yours, and when might they shift?
It is a quiet film punctuated by brief spurts of action that were extremely interesting, if not completely gripping. So, it was a quiet film, as I say, and there were also may beautiful shots of a sleepy kind of desert and a long bit of travel and it was so very warm in the theatre...
All in all, I would guess I missed no more than eight minutes of the film. It just happened to be the eight minutes that set up the big decision that the main character had to make about his own loyalties at the end. So, that's a bummer. I sure wanted to ask if they could just roll the film back for me real quick. "Don't you know who I am? I write an obscure Oscar blog!"
Ah, well.
Updated: This screening was such a fail for me and also ended up being the only one of the five nominees for foreign film that I manages to view this year!
And I fell asleep.
Wait, let me go back.
Theeb is described as a middle eastern Western. It is a coming of age story about a Bedouin boy whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a British soldier (World War I). It is shot beautifully and acted well. For me it was all about loyalties; how do you prioritize them, what will you sacrifice for yours, and when might they shift?
It is a quiet film punctuated by brief spurts of action that were extremely interesting, if not completely gripping. So, it was a quiet film, as I say, and there were also may beautiful shots of a sleepy kind of desert and a long bit of travel and it was so very warm in the theatre...
All in all, I would guess I missed no more than eight minutes of the film. It just happened to be the eight minutes that set up the big decision that the main character had to make about his own loyalties at the end. So, that's a bummer. I sure wanted to ask if they could just roll the film back for me real quick. "Don't you know who I am? I write an obscure Oscar blog!"
Ah, well.
Updated: This screening was such a fail for me and also ended up being the only one of the five nominees for foreign film that I manages to view this year!
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Cinderella
Cinderella is only up for costume design. And it was delightful seeing Cate Blanchett parade around in such stunning dresses. I'll watch Cate Blanchett parade around in absolutely anything though.
But I can't really remember anything else about this movie being delightful. Cinderella is a hard one to sell. I like the animated movie for nostalgic reasons. But all of the messages of the movie are a mess. Cinderella is treated like a slave but never stops being sweet as pie? Nope, not my style. She and her prince fall in love by looking attractive and dancing for a few hours? They know nothing about each other at all. Please!
Animation allows these old Disney movies to read like the storybooks or fables that they are and that allows a forgiveness to outdated ideas or overly simplistic characters. Once I see them acted by real actors, the whole thing falls apart.
But the dresses look nice!
But I can't really remember anything else about this movie being delightful. Cinderella is a hard one to sell. I like the animated movie for nostalgic reasons. But all of the messages of the movie are a mess. Cinderella is treated like a slave but never stops being sweet as pie? Nope, not my style. She and her prince fall in love by looking attractive and dancing for a few hours? They know nothing about each other at all. Please!
Animation allows these old Disney movies to read like the storybooks or fables that they are and that allows a forgiveness to outdated ideas or overly simplistic characters. Once I see them acted by real actors, the whole thing falls apart.
But the dresses look nice!
Two More Docs and Short Docs, too!
Amy
I found this doc about Amy Winehouse to be incredibly moving. What a tragic tale about a girl who just couldn't get the support she needed. Many heroic people tried to help her, others failed her miserably and some just preyed upon her talent. She just didn't have the time to mature enough to act as her own savior.
Amy uses so much actual footage, either home movies or from her many interviews and performances. It really allows you to feel as if you are getting to know this girl as you watch. It is a very intimate doc in that way.
I find I watch docs like horror films these days. I sit on my couch and scream at the TV, "Amy! Don't get back with that boyfriend! He's so bad for you!" But it never feels good to be proven right. I think I need a good slasher film about now. It will cheer me up!
Look of Silence
The follow up to The Act of Killing, this year's nominee, Look of Silence has more about the mass killings that happened in Indonesia. We hear again from the brutal murderers including their gloating, celebrations and jubilant reenactments. But this time the filmmaker is accompanied by a young man whose brother, Ramli, was killed. It is painful and interesting to watch him investigate these murderers and then confront them and their families.
It makes you question what you know about humanity and how we process right and wrong. It makes you wonder how the fragile notion of civilization actually succeeds in keeping us from killing each other in large numbers all of the time. And it contains my favorite sentence spoken in any movie I have seen this year:
"Let's all get along like the military dictatorship taught us."
It feels like a dangerous doc to have made, at times. While I am grateful for the lessons, I didn't enjoy watching these.
Doc Shorts
A Girl in the River - Hey, did you know that "honor killings" are common in Pakistan? That's when girls are killed for bringing dishonor to their families! And as long as the surviving family members "agree" or are forced to forgive the murderers in court, there is no penalty!
Chau, Beyond the Lines - Hey, did you know there are camps to house all of the horribly deformed and disabled children whose parents were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War? And it is highly unusual for them to have any kind of normal life at all?
Last Day of Freedom - Hey, did you know that because they didn't even recognize PTSD as a thing that needed treatment after Vietnam that this one guy's brother struggled with mental illness and flashbacks until he mistakenly tried to hide from bombers in a woman's home and then killed her trying to keep her quiet so they wouldn't be found by the V.C.? He never got any help, instead he got the death penalty. But, I'm sure there have been more cases like this than just this one!
Body Team 12 - Hey, did you know that there were whole teams devoted to removing dead bodies from homes during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia? They spent all day, every day risking their lives by suiting up and removing thousands of infected dead and taking them to crematoriums? Sometimes the families fought them because they dearly wanted to bury their beloved departed but you can't do that during and Ebola outbreak!
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah - Hey, did you know that the filmmaker of Shoah, Claude Lanzmann almost destroyed his life by working for 15 years on a film about the holocaust? He pretended to be a neutral historian so that he could get close to Nazis and listen to them matter-of-factly discuss their atrocities.
I didn't know any of these things. And I need several strong drinks now.
I found this doc about Amy Winehouse to be incredibly moving. What a tragic tale about a girl who just couldn't get the support she needed. Many heroic people tried to help her, others failed her miserably and some just preyed upon her talent. She just didn't have the time to mature enough to act as her own savior.
Amy uses so much actual footage, either home movies or from her many interviews and performances. It really allows you to feel as if you are getting to know this girl as you watch. It is a very intimate doc in that way.
I find I watch docs like horror films these days. I sit on my couch and scream at the TV, "Amy! Don't get back with that boyfriend! He's so bad for you!" But it never feels good to be proven right. I think I need a good slasher film about now. It will cheer me up!
Look of Silence
The follow up to The Act of Killing, this year's nominee, Look of Silence has more about the mass killings that happened in Indonesia. We hear again from the brutal murderers including their gloating, celebrations and jubilant reenactments. But this time the filmmaker is accompanied by a young man whose brother, Ramli, was killed. It is painful and interesting to watch him investigate these murderers and then confront them and their families.
It makes you question what you know about humanity and how we process right and wrong. It makes you wonder how the fragile notion of civilization actually succeeds in keeping us from killing each other in large numbers all of the time. And it contains my favorite sentence spoken in any movie I have seen this year:
"Let's all get along like the military dictatorship taught us."
It feels like a dangerous doc to have made, at times. While I am grateful for the lessons, I didn't enjoy watching these.
Doc Shorts
A Girl in the River - Hey, did you know that "honor killings" are common in Pakistan? That's when girls are killed for bringing dishonor to their families! And as long as the surviving family members "agree" or are forced to forgive the murderers in court, there is no penalty!
Chau, Beyond the Lines - Hey, did you know there are camps to house all of the horribly deformed and disabled children whose parents were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War? And it is highly unusual for them to have any kind of normal life at all?
Last Day of Freedom - Hey, did you know that because they didn't even recognize PTSD as a thing that needed treatment after Vietnam that this one guy's brother struggled with mental illness and flashbacks until he mistakenly tried to hide from bombers in a woman's home and then killed her trying to keep her quiet so they wouldn't be found by the V.C.? He never got any help, instead he got the death penalty. But, I'm sure there have been more cases like this than just this one!
Body Team 12 - Hey, did you know that there were whole teams devoted to removing dead bodies from homes during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia? They spent all day, every day risking their lives by suiting up and removing thousands of infected dead and taking them to crematoriums? Sometimes the families fought them because they dearly wanted to bury their beloved departed but you can't do that during and Ebola outbreak!
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah - Hey, did you know that the filmmaker of Shoah, Claude Lanzmann almost destroyed his life by working for 15 years on a film about the holocaust? He pretended to be a neutral historian so that he could get close to Nazis and listen to them matter-of-factly discuss their atrocities.
I didn't know any of these things. And I need several strong drinks now.
Monday, February 22, 2016
The Danish Girl
Eddie. Redmayne's. Face.
Many of you already know that I disagree with it. I was not looking forward to The Danish Girl, because I was worried that Mr. Redmayne would show me his "look how hard I'm acting face." But no, I got to see a new face! This time it was the "look how good it feels to be a woman!" face.
I was equally unimpressed.
(I would like to take a moment to apologize to any Eddie Redmayne fans who are reading this. If his acting is working for you then I am truly happy about that. I know I love some actors that annoy the crap out of other people. It happens! There is just a fundamental lack of chemistry between his face and my eyes.)
Overall, this is a pretty great film. It provides such a fascinating look at a relationship between two people who love each other greatly and must figure out what that really means to them both as their relationship drastically changes.
Alicia Vikander is great in the role, not as the "suffering wife" which we see all too often in these biopics, but as a strong, talented loving human being who also suffers through losing her husband and watching Lilli struggle to be who she really is.
I felt more in touch with her struggle than I was with the struggle of Lilli Elbe, which seemed like a problem for me. I wish I had felt the real pain that "Einar" felt as a man and then later the triumph of Lilli when she was finally freed. Instead, what I got from Lilli was that she was really proud of how well Eddie was playing her.
He'll almost certainly win.
Many of you already know that I disagree with it. I was not looking forward to The Danish Girl, because I was worried that Mr. Redmayne would show me his "look how hard I'm acting face." But no, I got to see a new face! This time it was the "look how good it feels to be a woman!" face.
I was equally unimpressed.
(I would like to take a moment to apologize to any Eddie Redmayne fans who are reading this. If his acting is working for you then I am truly happy about that. I know I love some actors that annoy the crap out of other people. It happens! There is just a fundamental lack of chemistry between his face and my eyes.)
Overall, this is a pretty great film. It provides such a fascinating look at a relationship between two people who love each other greatly and must figure out what that really means to them both as their relationship drastically changes.
Alicia Vikander is great in the role, not as the "suffering wife" which we see all too often in these biopics, but as a strong, talented loving human being who also suffers through losing her husband and watching Lilli struggle to be who she really is.
I felt more in touch with her struggle than I was with the struggle of Lilli Elbe, which seemed like a problem for me. I wish I had felt the real pain that "Einar" felt as a man and then later the triumph of Lilli when she was finally freed. Instead, what I got from Lilli was that she was really proud of how well Eddie was playing her.
He'll almost certainly win.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Live Action Shorts
Live Action Shorts
Ave Maria - This had quirk and humor, but it felt unfocused.
Shok- I am in love with this short film and it's excellent story telling! This is about two Albanian boys who are friends during a heated time between Serbs and Kosovars. Every scene mattered and weighed into what followed. Tension was built incredibly well and the emotional impact of the story's climax was presented subtly and beautifully. I was allowed to watch what happened and feel what I needed to feel; I was force fed nothing. Excellent!
Everything Will Be Ok - This short had some wonderful tension and acting throughout. However, a muddled climax left me feeling confused and unsatisfied by the resolution.
Stutterer - This short was very moving and eye-opening. It follows the struggles of a protagonist with a severe stutter. We get a glimpse into the frustration and loneliness of a funny, observant, intelligent person who just can't communicate his personality to the world (or anything at all to his cable company). It is a satisfying watch.
Day One - Shok was so alarmingly subtle that this film felt clumsy and almost manipulative. The plot points for the film (which in fairness, were based on true events) felt too unrealistic to accept and I felt like they tried too hard to tell me how to feel. This was interesting but it lacked finesse just enough that it was hard for me to buy in.
Ave Maria - This had quirk and humor, but it felt unfocused.
Shok- I am in love with this short film and it's excellent story telling! This is about two Albanian boys who are friends during a heated time between Serbs and Kosovars. Every scene mattered and weighed into what followed. Tension was built incredibly well and the emotional impact of the story's climax was presented subtly and beautifully. I was allowed to watch what happened and feel what I needed to feel; I was force fed nothing. Excellent!
Everything Will Be Ok - This short had some wonderful tension and acting throughout. However, a muddled climax left me feeling confused and unsatisfied by the resolution.
Stutterer - This short was very moving and eye-opening. It follows the struggles of a protagonist with a severe stutter. We get a glimpse into the frustration and loneliness of a funny, observant, intelligent person who just can't communicate his personality to the world (or anything at all to his cable company). It is a satisfying watch.
Day One - Shok was so alarmingly subtle that this film felt clumsy and almost manipulative. The plot points for the film (which in fairness, were based on true events) felt too unrealistic to accept and I felt like they tried too hard to tell me how to feel. This was interesting but it lacked finesse just enough that it was hard for me to buy in.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was oddly unsatisfying for me.
(That's what she said.)
You've got Aaron Sorkin's jam packed, cutting dialog and yet it is packaged in a much softer kind of Danny Boyle presentation. I'm not really sure if that was the problem I had, but it did feel weird.
So the gist of this thing is, does being a genius visionary with the power to change the world also mean you have to be insufferable? I'm sure I still don't know.
Aaron Sorkin wants me to believe, yes! Just listen to the man. He is a genius and a jerk. Get over it! (However he also gives Seth Rogen the best line of the film, "It's not binary! You can be decent and talented!")
Danny Boyle says, "Ah, Lighten up! His life wasn't easy. He eventually acknowledged his own daughter! And he made the iPod, just for her!"
So I ended the film feeling ambivalent.
Also? Steve Wozniak is cast as Seth Rogen? I like Seth and all, but you can't look at him without thinking about him doing weird stuff with James Franco. Jobs gets played by Michael Fassbender? And Woz gets Rogen? It's like they are telling you not to take Woz seriously, ever. That seemed a little harsh to me.
Kate Winslett is so great. How she rocked that barely there accent the whole time, flawlessly, was beyond me.
It's an interesting look at the guy who changed all of our lives. I learned a few things and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it.
(That's what she said.)
You've got Aaron Sorkin's jam packed, cutting dialog and yet it is packaged in a much softer kind of Danny Boyle presentation. I'm not really sure if that was the problem I had, but it did feel weird.
So the gist of this thing is, does being a genius visionary with the power to change the world also mean you have to be insufferable? I'm sure I still don't know.
Aaron Sorkin wants me to believe, yes! Just listen to the man. He is a genius and a jerk. Get over it! (However he also gives Seth Rogen the best line of the film, "It's not binary! You can be decent and talented!")
Danny Boyle says, "Ah, Lighten up! His life wasn't easy. He eventually acknowledged his own daughter! And he made the iPod, just for her!"
So I ended the film feeling ambivalent.
Also? Steve Wozniak is cast as Seth Rogen? I like Seth and all, but you can't look at him without thinking about him doing weird stuff with James Franco. Jobs gets played by Michael Fassbender? And Woz gets Rogen? It's like they are telling you not to take Woz seriously, ever. That seemed a little harsh to me.
Kate Winslett is so great. How she rocked that barely there accent the whole time, flawlessly, was beyond me.
It's an interesting look at the guy who changed all of our lives. I learned a few things and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Ex Machina
Ex Machina was one of my favorite films of the year! I'm so happy it got Oscar love.
I remember loving the writing and how artfully they provided exposition. The whole ambience of this super secret billionaire genius's island mansion and laboratory were so well established and so indefinably creepy that it infused the whole movie with a wonderful tension.
The ambiguities of humanity and friendships and how trust is earned between adults were so much fun to explore. And it didn't stop short of providing me some elements of horror as well. It is just a really nicely done piece of science fiction!
Ex Machina is nominated for writing and Visual FX and is worth watching for those elements and more!
I remember loving the writing and how artfully they provided exposition. The whole ambience of this super secret billionaire genius's island mansion and laboratory were so well established and so indefinably creepy that it infused the whole movie with a wonderful tension.
The ambiguities of humanity and friendships and how trust is earned between adults were so much fun to explore. And it didn't stop short of providing me some elements of horror as well. It is just a really nicely done piece of science fiction!
Ex Machina is nominated for writing and Visual FX and is worth watching for those elements and more!
Carol
So I was looking for a deliciously naughty and forbidden coupling of two hot ladies from the 1950s, when I went to see Carol. Instead I got a tragic story about a woman being denied her right to motherhood because of who she is. What a shame!
Cate Blanchett in her self assured, high class manner, flirting with shop girls and knowing what she wants is so yummy! Rooney Mara's wide eyed eagerness to have new experiences and go where she shouldn't is delightful! They look beautiful and they are shot lovingly and they show so much restraint it could almost have been a British drama! These are all good things.
Bur reality creeps in. Divorce is not a simple task, not now and less so in the 1950s. Carol's spurned husband has no room in his heart for who his wife really is. And society will not stand for a "deviant" woman to have access to raising her own child. And so, sadness! Flirting and lesbian lovemaking, but also, sadness.
The acting is great, the pacing is slow and thoughtful without crossing too far over into ponderous, the issues feel painful and real. In the opening shot, I feared the music would be too much, sort of leading the way for us emotionally, but it quickly became a compliment rather than a leading indicator.
Carol was a solidly made film with a lot of great elements. It sort of lacked a little something that might have made it a Best Picture nomination. But from my perspective, so did Brooklyn. I don't know if I completely disagree with that decision, but it does make me question, what was the important factor that separated two otherwise quiet, emotional dramas?
Cate Blanchett in her self assured, high class manner, flirting with shop girls and knowing what she wants is so yummy! Rooney Mara's wide eyed eagerness to have new experiences and go where she shouldn't is delightful! They look beautiful and they are shot lovingly and they show so much restraint it could almost have been a British drama! These are all good things.
Bur reality creeps in. Divorce is not a simple task, not now and less so in the 1950s. Carol's spurned husband has no room in his heart for who his wife really is. And society will not stand for a "deviant" woman to have access to raising her own child. And so, sadness! Flirting and lesbian lovemaking, but also, sadness.
The acting is great, the pacing is slow and thoughtful without crossing too far over into ponderous, the issues feel painful and real. In the opening shot, I feared the music would be too much, sort of leading the way for us emotionally, but it quickly became a compliment rather than a leading indicator.
Carol was a solidly made film with a lot of great elements. It sort of lacked a little something that might have made it a Best Picture nomination. But from my perspective, so did Brooklyn. I don't know if I completely disagree with that decision, but it does make me question, what was the important factor that separated two otherwise quiet, emotional dramas?
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton was so fun! I love rap music, from this era especially. I love Dre and Ice Cube. It was just a great time revisiting this time and learning a bit more than I had known about how these young artists managed to break through and change the music industry and the trajectory of their own lives in the process.
I thought the performances were really strong. I could easily see putting Corey Hawkins or O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the Supporting Actor category instead of Mark Rylance. In all the #OscarSoWhite controversy I've been wondering if the performances were on the screen this year and then got ignored by the academy? Or if the real problem is that not enough diverse projects are even being green lit. A bit of both, I guess.
I love how the film builds to their concert performance of "Fuck the Police". I don't care how white, sheltered and oblivious you might be, by the time that song comes on, you've got to at least be nodding your head approvingly, right? I do regret running out to spray paint a cop car right then...but only because I may have missed a scene or two.
Strangely enough, Original Screenplay is the only Oscar recognition for Straight Outta Compton. And I felt like the writing fell apart at the end of this movie. There is a scene where Easy-E is breaking up with Paul Giamatti (as a manager, of course) and it was one of the most awkward scene I have viewed this year! Sometimes when I'm watching a movie, I get real still and my eyes go wide and I just wish I could re-edit the train wreck that is happening right in front of me. Usually I get that feeling when watching a scene in a movie I have edited; one I really think I could have down better. But I got that feeling watching this scene, too.
There were a few scenes from here on out that left me a little puzzled, like the film makers ran out of steam. But biopics are hard! Real life doesn't always hand us the neat little packages that play out perfectly on screen. Small complaints, aside, I was very happy to have seen this film.
Also? A father of a student at my kids' school has a small role in this film. Ice Cube tells him to "eat a dick" during an interview, and now it's so hard for me not to say that when I see him on campus! But I'm thinking it, Rob, I'm thinking it!
I thought the performances were really strong. I could easily see putting Corey Hawkins or O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the Supporting Actor category instead of Mark Rylance. In all the #OscarSoWhite controversy I've been wondering if the performances were on the screen this year and then got ignored by the academy? Or if the real problem is that not enough diverse projects are even being green lit. A bit of both, I guess.
I love how the film builds to their concert performance of "Fuck the Police". I don't care how white, sheltered and oblivious you might be, by the time that song comes on, you've got to at least be nodding your head approvingly, right? I do regret running out to spray paint a cop car right then...but only because I may have missed a scene or two.
Strangely enough, Original Screenplay is the only Oscar recognition for Straight Outta Compton. And I felt like the writing fell apart at the end of this movie. There is a scene where Easy-E is breaking up with Paul Giamatti (as a manager, of course) and it was one of the most awkward scene I have viewed this year! Sometimes when I'm watching a movie, I get real still and my eyes go wide and I just wish I could re-edit the train wreck that is happening right in front of me. Usually I get that feeling when watching a scene in a movie I have edited; one I really think I could have down better. But I got that feeling watching this scene, too.
There were a few scenes from here on out that left me a little puzzled, like the film makers ran out of steam. But biopics are hard! Real life doesn't always hand us the neat little packages that play out perfectly on screen. Small complaints, aside, I was very happy to have seen this film.
Also? A father of a student at my kids' school has a small role in this film. Ice Cube tells him to "eat a dick" during an interview, and now it's so hard for me not to say that when I see him on campus! But I'm thinking it, Rob, I'm thinking it!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Animated Nominees
Feature Length Animation
Anomalisa - Wow! This one is so weird and different that I don't even know how to compare it to the other nominees. Or to any other movie, for that matter. This is such a great example of using the medium of animation to tell a story in a way you couldn't have done with live action. This movie tackles complex psychological and psycho-sexual themes. It is at times surreal, creepy, baffling and downright funny! I challenge anyone to understand it on their first viewing! And then explain it to me, please.
Anomalisa - Wow! This one is so weird and different that I don't even know how to compare it to the other nominees. Or to any other movie, for that matter. This is such a great example of using the medium of animation to tell a story in a way you couldn't have done with live action. This movie tackles complex psychological and psycho-sexual themes. It is at times surreal, creepy, baffling and downright funny! I challenge anyone to understand it on their first viewing! And then explain it to me, please.
Inside Out - This would seem like the traditional expectation to win the Oscar. It is extremely solid story-telling; funny, poignant, exciting and truthful. I know more adults that felt like they connected with it than kids. The adults' brains are ruled by Sadness and Anger? Ok, yeah, get out of our heads, Pixar! The actors voicing the emotions were so perfectly cast! And is it just me or did we all learn a little something about our brains watching it? Really it deserves the win, just to respect the fading memory of Bing Bong. Enough said.
Shaun the Sheep Movie - I found this movie more enjoyable than I would have expected. And my kids laughed their little heads off. But honestly, it just feels like it is rounding out the category here. It is really nice to see a variety of animation styles represented this year. And it's an honor for Shaun the Sheep just to be nominated.
Boy in the World and When Marnie Was There were not available for me to screen.
Animated Shorts
Boy in the World and When Marnie Was There were not available for me to screen.
Animated Shorts
Bear Story - A sad story about a bear who gets dragged off to the Circus and fights his way back to the city he once called home only to find that his family is gone. It's in a very cool style of animation.
Prologue - Six minutes long and it had a huge warning that it contained adult content and that children should leave the room. The warming alone should have held my interest, but I couldn't stay awake. It was an interesting kind of pencil drawn looking animation and I didn't get it at all.
Sanjay's Super Team - This was super cute! A boy tries to watch his beloved cartoons while his father tries to conduct his prayers in the same room. The two get blended into something that both generations can share. I saw John Lasseter's name at the end so I'm voting for this one to win.
We Can't Live Without Cosmos - Um, weird. It had a riff on friendship, with some nice moments of humor and after that it kind of lost me.
World of Tomorrow - This was all about a future cloned Emily coming back to tell a child Emily all about cloning and digital interfacing in the future. It had a few sharply funny lines and otherwise was a little bit long and droning. I think ultimately this was a piece about trying to tell me I spend too much time on my phone, but I'm not sure. Let me ask Siri...
Prologue - Six minutes long and it had a huge warning that it contained adult content and that children should leave the room. The warming alone should have held my interest, but I couldn't stay awake. It was an interesting kind of pencil drawn looking animation and I didn't get it at all.
Sanjay's Super Team - This was super cute! A boy tries to watch his beloved cartoons while his father tries to conduct his prayers in the same room. The two get blended into something that both generations can share. I saw John Lasseter's name at the end so I'm voting for this one to win.
We Can't Live Without Cosmos - Um, weird. It had a riff on friendship, with some nice moments of humor and after that it kind of lost me.
World of Tomorrow - This was all about a future cloned Emily coming back to tell a child Emily all about cloning and digital interfacing in the future. It had a few sharply funny lines and otherwise was a little bit long and droning. I think ultimately this was a piece about trying to tell me I spend too much time on my phone, but I'm not sure. Let me ask Siri...
Monday, February 15, 2016
The Bridge of Spies
I am not even sure how to review Bridge of Spies. There is no way it can really be as bad as I thought it was when I watched it with my friends.
While the acting was fine, we did not connect to the story, the story-telling choices, or most of all the lighting scheme! We basically had a lot of questions about what was going on, why things went down the way they did and why on earth every scene seemed to be backlit by the mother ship from Close Encounters!
Unfortunately for Bridge of Spies, once a movie loses this group of viewers, it's impossible to get us back. We tried so hard to hold on and take the movie seriously. Eventually we were reduced to counting the number of lights in each room (three lamps in one parking attendant shack seems excessive, no?) and joking about how Tom Hanks is so Tom Hanks that he can charm his way through the Cold War and a cold at the same gosh-darned time!
We wondered if maybe people simply saw that this movie combined the talents of Spielberg, the Coen Brothers and Tom Hanks and just assumed it was worthy of high praise? But I figure they can't all be wrong. It must be us!
Please leave comments and tell me what you liked about this film! I'd like to know what I missed!
While the acting was fine, we did not connect to the story, the story-telling choices, or most of all the lighting scheme! We basically had a lot of questions about what was going on, why things went down the way they did and why on earth every scene seemed to be backlit by the mother ship from Close Encounters!
Unfortunately for Bridge of Spies, once a movie loses this group of viewers, it's impossible to get us back. We tried so hard to hold on and take the movie seriously. Eventually we were reduced to counting the number of lights in each room (three lamps in one parking attendant shack seems excessive, no?) and joking about how Tom Hanks is so Tom Hanks that he can charm his way through the Cold War and a cold at the same gosh-darned time!
We wondered if maybe people simply saw that this movie combined the talents of Spielberg, the Coen Brothers and Tom Hanks and just assumed it was worthy of high praise? But I figure they can't all be wrong. It must be us!
Please leave comments and tell me what you liked about this film! I'd like to know what I missed!
Three Documentaries!
Winter On Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
I started watching this film and I thought I had a setting turned on for blind people. A narrator's voice starts during the production company logos, dispassionately describing what happens on the screen, as if I can't see it. I even check my settings quickly to be sure and then I proceed.
Winter on Fire is about the Ukrainian people occupying a square and parts of the city in protest of their leader's unwillingness to join the European Union as promised and the subsequent police state to which he subjects them. It is a very inspiring recounting of ordinary people taking a stand and facing down oppression despite the danger. At one point, their elected-leader-turned-dictator issues new laws that people cannot assemble wearing helmets. So all the older Ukrainian citizens come out with pots and pans on their heads. They had a sense of humor and absurdity in their demonstration! How much do you love them? I know I do!
I even ended up liking the weird choice they made of describing everything on screen! It really worked to keep you grounded during the violent bits of footage.
Later in the weekend I started watching Jessica Jones on Netflix and what do you know? Same stupid narrator explaining everything that happens on the screen! Not a choice at all. Just a service that Netflix began offering its vision impaired customers in April but just now decided to become the default on all my devices.
Oh well, I still liked the doc, I guess.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
I thought this documentary was fantastic. Some of the concert footage of Nina Simone is riveting. It's not huge and over the top, but that lady had a fire in her that was powerful and primal and dangerous.
You get to learn about her career, her relationships, her activism and her struggles. It's fascinating looking at a woman who has made a mess of her life in many ways and yet, you still understand that she did her best, and you still respect her. That's an awesome gift for a documentarian to impart to its subject!
I am a creative woman and I sometimes wonder how much that makes me skirt the line of mental illness. So imagine being a highly creative woman? Or a genius? What Happened, Miss Simone? shows it's not always easy to have that genius and also fit into some mold that society has planned for you.
I'm really glad I got to see this one.
Cartel Land
I'm not happy about the drug cartels and their rampant and horrific violence in Mexico.
I am happy that some civilian factions have risen up to fight back where the policia are either too corrupt or too overburdened to do the job themselves.
I'm not happy that the sort of vigilante groups have their own corruption to deal with. They have a charismatic and somewhat idealistic leader that is keeping them in line, but just barely. And he won't live forever.
I am happy that...
Nope that's it. There is not much to be happy about in this whole scenario. And I don't see a single thing I can do about it, except hope that the vigilantes can win even small battles in this terrible war.
Cartel Land is done well enough. I just don't have the energy to get involved in this battle, so that's on me.
I started watching this film and I thought I had a setting turned on for blind people. A narrator's voice starts during the production company logos, dispassionately describing what happens on the screen, as if I can't see it. I even check my settings quickly to be sure and then I proceed.
Winter on Fire is about the Ukrainian people occupying a square and parts of the city in protest of their leader's unwillingness to join the European Union as promised and the subsequent police state to which he subjects them. It is a very inspiring recounting of ordinary people taking a stand and facing down oppression despite the danger. At one point, their elected-leader-turned-dictator issues new laws that people cannot assemble wearing helmets. So all the older Ukrainian citizens come out with pots and pans on their heads. They had a sense of humor and absurdity in their demonstration! How much do you love them? I know I do!
I even ended up liking the weird choice they made of describing everything on screen! It really worked to keep you grounded during the violent bits of footage.
Later in the weekend I started watching Jessica Jones on Netflix and what do you know? Same stupid narrator explaining everything that happens on the screen! Not a choice at all. Just a service that Netflix began offering its vision impaired customers in April but just now decided to become the default on all my devices.
Oh well, I still liked the doc, I guess.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
I thought this documentary was fantastic. Some of the concert footage of Nina Simone is riveting. It's not huge and over the top, but that lady had a fire in her that was powerful and primal and dangerous.
You get to learn about her career, her relationships, her activism and her struggles. It's fascinating looking at a woman who has made a mess of her life in many ways and yet, you still understand that she did her best, and you still respect her. That's an awesome gift for a documentarian to impart to its subject!
I am a creative woman and I sometimes wonder how much that makes me skirt the line of mental illness. So imagine being a highly creative woman? Or a genius? What Happened, Miss Simone? shows it's not always easy to have that genius and also fit into some mold that society has planned for you.
I'm really glad I got to see this one.
Cartel Land
I'm not happy about the drug cartels and their rampant and horrific violence in Mexico.
I am happy that some civilian factions have risen up to fight back where the policia are either too corrupt or too overburdened to do the job themselves.
I'm not happy that the sort of vigilante groups have their own corruption to deal with. They have a charismatic and somewhat idealistic leader that is keeping them in line, but just barely. And he won't live forever.
I am happy that...
Nope that's it. There is not much to be happy about in this whole scenario. And I don't see a single thing I can do about it, except hope that the vigilantes can win even small battles in this terrible war.
Cartel Land is done well enough. I just don't have the energy to get involved in this battle, so that's on me.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Mad Max: Fury Road
I was totally shocked when the nominations came out! I never even considered that Mad Max:Fury Road would get some love. And it got a lot of love! It is nominated for best film, direction, editing, sound editing and mix, costumes, make up, production design and visual effects. That's a sizable vote of confidence!
I wasn't a fan of the Mad Max franchise before, but I like Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron so much that I was curious. The first ten to twelve minutes of the movie were hard. I was really close to losing all interest right off the bat. There was a lot of grotesque, over-the-top, post-apocalyptic emptiness and I was about to stand up and shout, "I don't care!"
Then we meet Imperator Furiosa, played by Theron and find out how dire her cause is and suddenly I have something to care about. From that point on I was enthralled with the pure and joyous feminism put forth on the screen. Women fighting back? Women helping women? Women seeking their utopia? Old women warrior badasses? Oh, my goddess! Yes, yes, yes and yes, please!
The whole movie is just a big kinetic, excessive, absurdly gratifying eye party! So. Much. Going. On. And yet you never feel lost (and I always thank the editor for that).
Charlize carries the movie beautifully and Tom Hardy says more with a series of grunts than most actors can with a whole Shakespearean soliloquy! (I like him a little bit.)
It was super enjoyable for me and clearly the Academy enjoyed it as well! It would be wild if this film ran away with a bunch of wins!
I wasn't a fan of the Mad Max franchise before, but I like Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron so much that I was curious. The first ten to twelve minutes of the movie were hard. I was really close to losing all interest right off the bat. There was a lot of grotesque, over-the-top, post-apocalyptic emptiness and I was about to stand up and shout, "I don't care!"
Then we meet Imperator Furiosa, played by Theron and find out how dire her cause is and suddenly I have something to care about. From that point on I was enthralled with the pure and joyous feminism put forth on the screen. Women fighting back? Women helping women? Women seeking their utopia? Old women warrior badasses? Oh, my goddess! Yes, yes, yes and yes, please!
The whole movie is just a big kinetic, excessive, absurdly gratifying eye party! So. Much. Going. On. And yet you never feel lost (and I always thank the editor for that).
Charlize carries the movie beautifully and Tom Hardy says more with a series of grunts than most actors can with a whole Shakespearean soliloquy! (I like him a little bit.)
It was super enjoyable for me and clearly the Academy enjoyed it as well! It would be wild if this film ran away with a bunch of wins!
Spotlight
I saw Spotlight and I am pretty depressed.
The story is well told, the roles are well acted, and the editing is great.
I thought I knew enough about this story that I wouldn't get even more shocked, disgusted and angry about the whole thing. But I was wrong. I have new heaps of anger.
Everyone should see this movie, particularly if they are Catholic.
I have no more to say.
The story is well told, the roles are well acted, and the editing is great.
I thought I knew enough about this story that I wouldn't get even more shocked, disgusted and angry about the whole thing. But I was wrong. I have new heaps of anger.
Everyone should see this movie, particularly if they are Catholic.
I have no more to say.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Joy
Joy is a weird movie. I didn't really get it. Jennifer Lawrence plays the title character, an unlikely inventor who turns her life around through hard work and tenacity. I get the feeling this movie was meant as a love letter to some super, sassy lady in David O. Russell's life. I just never quite understood what it was trying to be.
Early in the film there was a real sense of hyper-reality. Joy's family is so bizarre it reminded me of that crazy house from the Willy Wonka movie. But as the story unfolds, that style gets abandoned and I think the movie loses something as it turns into more of a straight forward biopic.
What I did enjoy was a feminist take on a biopic. The men are rather infantilized and even the good ones need Joy's help to get it right. She is an everyday hero, instead of a traditional kind of soldier, first responder or public figure. However, I did find it unfortunate that a feminist, everywoman biopic ended up being a little bit boring.
I didn't even find Jennifer Lawrence to be particularly stunning in this role. I like her, so I'm happy for her, don't get me wrong. But I'm guessing one of the other performances will delight me even more.
Early in the film there was a real sense of hyper-reality. Joy's family is so bizarre it reminded me of that crazy house from the Willy Wonka movie. But as the story unfolds, that style gets abandoned and I think the movie loses something as it turns into more of a straight forward biopic.
What I did enjoy was a feminist take on a biopic. The men are rather infantilized and even the good ones need Joy's help to get it right. She is an everyday hero, instead of a traditional kind of soldier, first responder or public figure. However, I did find it unfortunate that a feminist, everywoman biopic ended up being a little bit boring.
I didn't even find Jennifer Lawrence to be particularly stunning in this role. I like her, so I'm happy for her, don't get me wrong. But I'm guessing one of the other performances will delight me even more.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a movie about the immigrant experience. It boasts really solid acting, a loving attention to the period and the world of the piece, and a well developed story.
All that being said, I found it just a touch underwhelming. It's like the kind of movie that would absolutely enchant you if you found it on TV on a rainy afternoon and you just snuggled in to be transported thru time for a little while. As unfair as it is for me to say so, I'm not sure it felt like it had quite enough going on to be an Oscar nominee.
I really don't want to knock a film for lacking a bear attack, or for failing to attempt to reinvent story telling. I don't think epic scenarios or revolutionary approaches to cinema are necessary for really great film making. Even so, the scope of Brooklyn was so quaint, it was hard to fully appreciate it in the context of all my Academy Award viewing.
My nagging doubts aside, Brooklyn excels best when providing you with well-rounded, fully-developed people in nearly all of its characters. Time is taken to show you both sides of any character, acknowledging that people who come and go in your life can be both a challenge and an ally, depending on the circumstances. We are encouraged time and again to look past our first impressions and let time and patience reveal what people, in even the smallest roles, may have to offer us.
But I don't see it winning.
All that being said, I found it just a touch underwhelming. It's like the kind of movie that would absolutely enchant you if you found it on TV on a rainy afternoon and you just snuggled in to be transported thru time for a little while. As unfair as it is for me to say so, I'm not sure it felt like it had quite enough going on to be an Oscar nominee.
I really don't want to knock a film for lacking a bear attack, or for failing to attempt to reinvent story telling. I don't think epic scenarios or revolutionary approaches to cinema are necessary for really great film making. Even so, the scope of Brooklyn was so quaint, it was hard to fully appreciate it in the context of all my Academy Award viewing.
My nagging doubts aside, Brooklyn excels best when providing you with well-rounded, fully-developed people in nearly all of its characters. Time is taken to show you both sides of any character, acknowledging that people who come and go in your life can be both a challenge and an ally, depending on the circumstances. We are encouraged time and again to look past our first impressions and let time and patience reveal what people, in even the smallest roles, may have to offer us.
But I don't see it winning.
Friday, February 5, 2016
Room
It is so exciting when I see a story I haven't seen before. Room is that gem.
The story of a kidnapped young woman, raising her son in a garden-shed-turned-prison-cell, Room is a surprising mix of gentleness, pain, truth and the power of perseverance and point of view. The themes are rich and Room says a lot without being too obvious about any of it. This is my favorite writing so far this year.
This story is about the relationship between mother and son. The kidnapper is a mere obstacle to be overcome. I appreciate that we don't spend a lot of time in the movie focusing on the main character as a victim. She is simply a mother, doing her best.
The movie works for me just as a metaphor for motherhood. A new child becomes your whole world, effectively cutting you off from everyone you know, including your former self. In the process you learn things about yourself and you grow and change and there is no going back. It's when you try to reintroduce yourself to the world that things get dicey, for some moms, anyway.
And that is what we see happen to Brie Larson's character. Her release from the confines of the room doesn't produce immediately positive results. She still has to journey a bit farther to come to terms with herself and how she fits into the world as this new person.
It was at times incredibly hard to watch but ultimately a very moving piece of cinema that has kept me thinking about it beyond the credits!
The story of a kidnapped young woman, raising her son in a garden-shed-turned-prison-cell, Room is a surprising mix of gentleness, pain, truth and the power of perseverance and point of view. The themes are rich and Room says a lot without being too obvious about any of it. This is my favorite writing so far this year.
This story is about the relationship between mother and son. The kidnapper is a mere obstacle to be overcome. I appreciate that we don't spend a lot of time in the movie focusing on the main character as a victim. She is simply a mother, doing her best.
The movie works for me just as a metaphor for motherhood. A new child becomes your whole world, effectively cutting you off from everyone you know, including your former self. In the process you learn things about yourself and you grow and change and there is no going back. It's when you try to reintroduce yourself to the world that things get dicey, for some moms, anyway.
And that is what we see happen to Brie Larson's character. Her release from the confines of the room doesn't produce immediately positive results. She still has to journey a bit farther to come to terms with herself and how she fits into the world as this new person.
It was at times incredibly hard to watch but ultimately a very moving piece of cinema that has kept me thinking about it beyond the credits!
Sicario
Sicario starts with a tense opening that is filled with danger, horror and high stakes. It is such a tightly wound little sequence and tells you that you had better buckle up because you are entering a world where anything can happen.
And then Josh Brolin shows up and ruins it all! Thanks, Josh.
I'm sorry, that's not fair. I do not blame Josh Brolin for ruining Sicario for me. It was a mere coincidence of timing. But Brolin's character shows up to introduce the central mystery to the film - who makes up the task force that is going after the drug cartels and how will they handle the problem? This is what our main character, played by Emily Blunt, is trying to figure out and this mystery just wasn't enough to keep me interested in the film.
I wasn't surprised by the nature of Benicio Del Toro's character, thgough I feel like maybe I would have liked to be. Emily Blunt keeps getting shocked over and over again that the task force is not following proper procedure or even adhering to the laws of the United States. But as soon as Brolin showed up in flip flops I knew they were up to no good, so I was frustrated with her for not catching on quicker. And maybe my own belief that there is no rhyme or reason to the violence of drug cartels made me feel as if there was no reason to get too invested.
However, the cinematography was beautiful throughout and the music was spot on for a tense and well paced piece. There was a lot to like in this movie but for some reason I just couldn't connect to or care about the mystery that was supposed to be driving it forward.
And then Josh Brolin shows up and ruins it all! Thanks, Josh.
I'm sorry, that's not fair. I do not blame Josh Brolin for ruining Sicario for me. It was a mere coincidence of timing. But Brolin's character shows up to introduce the central mystery to the film - who makes up the task force that is going after the drug cartels and how will they handle the problem? This is what our main character, played by Emily Blunt, is trying to figure out and this mystery just wasn't enough to keep me interested in the film.
I wasn't surprised by the nature of Benicio Del Toro's character, thgough I feel like maybe I would have liked to be. Emily Blunt keeps getting shocked over and over again that the task force is not following proper procedure or even adhering to the laws of the United States. But as soon as Brolin showed up in flip flops I knew they were up to no good, so I was frustrated with her for not catching on quicker. And maybe my own belief that there is no rhyme or reason to the violence of drug cartels made me feel as if there was no reason to get too invested.
However, the cinematography was beautiful throughout and the music was spot on for a tense and well paced piece. There was a lot to like in this movie but for some reason I just couldn't connect to or care about the mystery that was supposed to be driving it forward.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
The Martian
The Martian is crowd pleasing science fiction! Matt Damon gets Mars-marooned and declares his very American plan to "science the shit out of it"! (For a different take on the same story, watch Gerry, in which Matt Damon science's the shit out of using a shirt-basket to make a dirt-mattress for Casey Affleck when he gets rock-marooned. Hahaha! I'm just kidding. Don't do that.)
The Martian has drama and puzzles and acting and wit and sarcasm in heaps. It is a thoroughly enjoyable ride. I thought the casting choices were interesting. Using Kristen Wig and Donald Glover so prominently was surprising to me, though I enjoyed them both. Now I can see that this allowed them to qualify as a comedy and win a Golden Globe! So, good work!
I enjoyed the contrast between the gray and austere presentation of NASA and the wacky perpetual casual friday that is JPL. JPL geniuses abound here in my hometown. I talk to them at backyard barbecues all the time and they totally got them right.
Matt Damon slays with his charm in this role and I got really wrapped up in his journey. Only late in the film did I start to feel like they were using my own love of sarcasm and wit against me. It began to slowly dawn on me that a real scientist, quirky though they may be, probably wouldn't be slinging one-liners quite so glibly. And a real scientist watching this film might feel like, "who is this asshole? He doesn't represent me!" And then I felt really sad for the plight of all the real scientists who have been stranded on other planets and maybe they were grumpy while they figured out a way to survive. And that's ok, too! We shouldn't just throw a slick face on science and ignore the real geniuses.
Also? I had to remember that none of this has happened in real life and maybe I should calm down and just let myself enjoy a fun film. It's not like it's going to win an Oscar.
The Martian has drama and puzzles and acting and wit and sarcasm in heaps. It is a thoroughly enjoyable ride. I thought the casting choices were interesting. Using Kristen Wig and Donald Glover so prominently was surprising to me, though I enjoyed them both. Now I can see that this allowed them to qualify as a comedy and win a Golden Globe! So, good work!
I enjoyed the contrast between the gray and austere presentation of NASA and the wacky perpetual casual friday that is JPL. JPL geniuses abound here in my hometown. I talk to them at backyard barbecues all the time and they totally got them right.
Matt Damon slays with his charm in this role and I got really wrapped up in his journey. Only late in the film did I start to feel like they were using my own love of sarcasm and wit against me. It began to slowly dawn on me that a real scientist, quirky though they may be, probably wouldn't be slinging one-liners quite so glibly. And a real scientist watching this film might feel like, "who is this asshole? He doesn't represent me!" And then I felt really sad for the plight of all the real scientists who have been stranded on other planets and maybe they were grumpy while they figured out a way to survive. And that's ok, too! We shouldn't just throw a slick face on science and ignore the real geniuses.
Also? I had to remember that none of this has happened in real life and maybe I should calm down and just let myself enjoy a fun film. It's not like it's going to win an Oscar.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
I agree with so much of how this film has been widely assessed. The Force Awakens felt like a big fat apology for the Prequels. In returning us to the familiar ground of our beloved stories, JJ may have repeated a little more of A New Hope than we needed. But he delivered some amazing, fun and well performed new characters for us to enjoy and look forward to following through greater, farther reaching (we hope) adventures.
My issue was with the treatment of the original characters. I completely understand that if you can bring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford back to star in this movie, you just have to do that. Who didn't want to see Han and Chewie aboard the Millennium Falcon one more time? I'm pretty sure only Hitler would vote no to that. However, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, but I have to say Hitler may have a point on this one. (I'm not sure how I just ended up agreeing with imaginary Star Wars critic, Amos Hitler, in the course of this post. Strange things happen when you sit down to write!)
My point is this: we left our heroes thirty something years ago after they had defeated Vader and the Empire and were celebrating balance in the force and love and peace and Ewoks. Ideally, the next story would start up again some 100 years in the future and there would be rich and wonderful memories of all the good our heroes continued to do and the happiness and prosperity that they enjoyed after all of their strife. But to include them in the next story sort of means they weren't really that successful. If we need new heroes this soon, then the victories of our youth were very short lived.
Just look at what this looks like! Luke Skywalker, the great, powerful Jedi is hiding??!! He is riddled with guilt because his attempt to teach a new group of Jedis has led to a resurgence in the dark side of the force??!! And then he gave up?! And he's not 800 years old like Yoda, so he gave up FAST!!! Han and Leia couldn't make it??? What? What are you saying JJ? "I love you", "I know" is NOT the greatest recipe for love ever?? I just...I don't...I can't... And Han! That scoundrel, that nonconformist! What's he up to? Is he a spy for the good guys? Is he a black ops kind of guy? Is he kicking ass and taking names? No? What's that you say? Oh, he's a smuggler hiding from unsavory characters to whom he owes money? So he pretty much failed at marriage and parenting and life?
Why did this have to happen to my favorite characters of all time???
I will give you this. Its more real, I suppose. When does the responsible, powerful woman end up with the loser guy who happens to have animal magnetism? I guess I just didn't want to finally face after all of these years that Han was just a loser! And that Luke was just an under-trained hot head who got lucky. I wouldn't have minded a little more fantasy, is all I'm saying. I think in time, I will come to respect this less fairy tale approach, but right now the wounds are still fresh.
As for its nominations? Episode 7 was nominated for its Sound Design and Editing which I specifically think did not measure up to the previous Star Wars films. For editing, Mary Jo Markey and Maryann Brandon! They always nail the action sequences AND the small emotional moments that you can barely see on an actors' face. I love them! Visual Effects? Sure! That seems worthy! John Williams is up for score. He already won for Star Wars before and so may themes remain the same? I'm betting Ennio Morricone will beat him this time out.
But, its all good. Star Wars is back and I'm hopeful that some of the other movies they have planned will reveal a bit more good news about our old characters and what they may have accomplished in the intervening years. And if not, at least I have Rey and Finn and Poe to pin all my unrealistic hopes on!
My issue was with the treatment of the original characters. I completely understand that if you can bring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford back to star in this movie, you just have to do that. Who didn't want to see Han and Chewie aboard the Millennium Falcon one more time? I'm pretty sure only Hitler would vote no to that. However, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, but I have to say Hitler may have a point on this one. (I'm not sure how I just ended up agreeing with imaginary Star Wars critic, Amos Hitler, in the course of this post. Strange things happen when you sit down to write!)
My point is this: we left our heroes thirty something years ago after they had defeated Vader and the Empire and were celebrating balance in the force and love and peace and Ewoks. Ideally, the next story would start up again some 100 years in the future and there would be rich and wonderful memories of all the good our heroes continued to do and the happiness and prosperity that they enjoyed after all of their strife. But to include them in the next story sort of means they weren't really that successful. If we need new heroes this soon, then the victories of our youth were very short lived.
Just look at what this looks like! Luke Skywalker, the great, powerful Jedi is hiding??!! He is riddled with guilt because his attempt to teach a new group of Jedis has led to a resurgence in the dark side of the force??!! And then he gave up?! And he's not 800 years old like Yoda, so he gave up FAST!!! Han and Leia couldn't make it??? What? What are you saying JJ? "I love you", "I know" is NOT the greatest recipe for love ever?? I just...I don't...I can't... And Han! That scoundrel, that nonconformist! What's he up to? Is he a spy for the good guys? Is he a black ops kind of guy? Is he kicking ass and taking names? No? What's that you say? Oh, he's a smuggler hiding from unsavory characters to whom he owes money? So he pretty much failed at marriage and parenting and life?
Why did this have to happen to my favorite characters of all time???
I will give you this. Its more real, I suppose. When does the responsible, powerful woman end up with the loser guy who happens to have animal magnetism? I guess I just didn't want to finally face after all of these years that Han was just a loser! And that Luke was just an under-trained hot head who got lucky. I wouldn't have minded a little more fantasy, is all I'm saying. I think in time, I will come to respect this less fairy tale approach, but right now the wounds are still fresh.
As for its nominations? Episode 7 was nominated for its Sound Design and Editing which I specifically think did not measure up to the previous Star Wars films. For editing, Mary Jo Markey and Maryann Brandon! They always nail the action sequences AND the small emotional moments that you can barely see on an actors' face. I love them! Visual Effects? Sure! That seems worthy! John Williams is up for score. He already won for Star Wars before and so may themes remain the same? I'm betting Ennio Morricone will beat him this time out.
But, its all good. Star Wars is back and I'm hopeful that some of the other movies they have planned will reveal a bit more good news about our old characters and what they may have accomplished in the intervening years. And if not, at least I have Rey and Finn and Poe to pin all my unrealistic hopes on!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
The Hateful Eight
What a treat this movie was! I saw the 70mm Roadshow version complete with entr'acte and intermission. The Hateful Eight calls back to the ensemble storytelling of The Reservoir Dogs, but with all the grand scope of Django Unchained. I thought Oscar could have shared a little more love with this film. It clocked in at three hours but I wanted to stay and watch it all day.
The acting was great across the board, the dialog was delicious, the music was wonderful and the sound design really stood out for me! And seeing all those lovely snowy vistas projected on actual film was heavenly for a film geek!
It was such a delightful mix of those sweeping mountain views and then a small world play that takes place inside of Minnie's Haberdashery. I kept adapting it for the stage as I watched it, I couldn't help it! I'm a theatre geek, too! There was such a wonderful rhythm to the dialog. The characters each had a cadence. They called back to their own lines, but they called back to each others', too. The repetitions felt musical, in a way. It's not as if the lines were written in iambic pentameter, but now that I've thought about it, mixing Shakespeare with Quentin Tarantino I think is the best idea that maybe anyone has ever had.
If I had to pick something that I didn't love about the film it was the tone of some flashbacks that set up the location of Minnie's. Although that felt like its own kind of allusion to musical theatre, so maybe there's reasoning behind it.
It was a much more contained effort at storytelling than I have seen from Tarantino in a while and I really appreciated it! So much so that now I feel inspired to go add a few songs to my Shakespearean stage adaptation of The Hateful Eight!
The acting was great across the board, the dialog was delicious, the music was wonderful and the sound design really stood out for me! And seeing all those lovely snowy vistas projected on actual film was heavenly for a film geek!
It was such a delightful mix of those sweeping mountain views and then a small world play that takes place inside of Minnie's Haberdashery. I kept adapting it for the stage as I watched it, I couldn't help it! I'm a theatre geek, too! There was such a wonderful rhythm to the dialog. The characters each had a cadence. They called back to their own lines, but they called back to each others', too. The repetitions felt musical, in a way. It's not as if the lines were written in iambic pentameter, but now that I've thought about it, mixing Shakespeare with Quentin Tarantino I think is the best idea that maybe anyone has ever had.
If I had to pick something that I didn't love about the film it was the tone of some flashbacks that set up the location of Minnie's. Although that felt like its own kind of allusion to musical theatre, so maybe there's reasoning behind it.
It was a much more contained effort at storytelling than I have seen from Tarantino in a while and I really appreciated it! So much so that now I feel inspired to go add a few songs to my Shakespearean stage adaptation of The Hateful Eight!
Sunday, January 17, 2016
The Revenant
The Revenant was beautiful and desperate and brutal and bleak. Conflict boiled down to its barest (bearest) elements. Man against man, man against nature, man against himself. Die or continue, breathe or don't.
I love extremes, so I really appreciated much of what this film had to offer. What stands out? Lovely wide angle shots that take in the whole scene and these wonderful long running shots that drift around, following the action, letting it wander off and then picking it up again. You have a constant sense of environment, of the inevitability of what will happen and of how small each of us sometimes is within our own dramas.
There are breaks from the brutality in the form of very moving and enchanting fantasy vignettes. These provide a little backstory for our main character, but also illustrate how he thinks and why he is strong and how he keeps choosing to breathe.
We've all heard the acting was amazing! I'll tell you what: I cannot look away from Tom Hardy when he is on the screen! I can't stop loving this actor and it just grows with time and exposure. I used to think that he is magical because he tells you everything with his face but when I watched The Revenant I realized he tells you just enough to keep you engaged but the reason you want to keep watching him is that he is also holding something back. You always feel like there is a little bit more and so you wait attentively. Brilliant.
And Lenoardo DiCaprio? Well he has about a hundred different ways to grimace, that's for sure! I have no complaints about the Olympic performance he put in and I think I would be pretty sad for him if he went through all of that and didn't win. But in some ways, his performance was more about watching him be tortured than it was about watching a trained actor turn in a nuanced performance.
My only complaint was length. The trials and near death experiences were so numerous, I started to get numb. I had my fill of death-defying ordeals but Innaritu kept saying, "and one more thing..."
This was odd: in my screening people cheered during the bear attack. I'm not sure what to make of that. Do you suppose they knew the bear that played that role? Did they just identify with that character? If so, I bet they were really unhappy to sit through the rest of the film and not see that character return. Perhaps the director's cut will include extra bear scenes. For their sake, I hope so.
I love extremes, so I really appreciated much of what this film had to offer. What stands out? Lovely wide angle shots that take in the whole scene and these wonderful long running shots that drift around, following the action, letting it wander off and then picking it up again. You have a constant sense of environment, of the inevitability of what will happen and of how small each of us sometimes is within our own dramas.
There are breaks from the brutality in the form of very moving and enchanting fantasy vignettes. These provide a little backstory for our main character, but also illustrate how he thinks and why he is strong and how he keeps choosing to breathe.
We've all heard the acting was amazing! I'll tell you what: I cannot look away from Tom Hardy when he is on the screen! I can't stop loving this actor and it just grows with time and exposure. I used to think that he is magical because he tells you everything with his face but when I watched The Revenant I realized he tells you just enough to keep you engaged but the reason you want to keep watching him is that he is also holding something back. You always feel like there is a little bit more and so you wait attentively. Brilliant.
And Lenoardo DiCaprio? Well he has about a hundred different ways to grimace, that's for sure! I have no complaints about the Olympic performance he put in and I think I would be pretty sad for him if he went through all of that and didn't win. But in some ways, his performance was more about watching him be tortured than it was about watching a trained actor turn in a nuanced performance.
My only complaint was length. The trials and near death experiences were so numerous, I started to get numb. I had my fill of death-defying ordeals but Innaritu kept saying, "and one more thing..."
This was odd: in my screening people cheered during the bear attack. I'm not sure what to make of that. Do you suppose they knew the bear that played that role? Did they just identify with that character? If so, I bet they were really unhappy to sit through the rest of the film and not see that character return. Perhaps the director's cut will include extra bear scenes. For their sake, I hope so.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Happy Oscar Nomination Day!
Welcome film buffs and fans of me! It's time for Oscar Gluttony once again!
I decided that it would be a good idea to watch every film nominated for an Academy Award. In every category. Each year I eagerly await the nominees so I can ingest them all in a full blown film feeding frenzy! Do I believe the Oscars are always the best films ever made? No, not really. But do they provide me with a list which feeds my obsessive, compulsive need to complete things? Yes!!!! They absolutely do!!!
The Nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced this morning and you can view the complete list here. It is a smaller pool of films this year, with the same titles nominated in multiple categories. Consequently, I have only 29 films and 15 short films to watch to get caught up! Super easy, right?
The biggest surprise to me was all of the love for Mad Max:Fury Road. I'm thrilled for a blatantly feminist (and therefore controversial) action movie to get recognized. I guess I just never imagined the Academy would consider something like that. And it got 10 nominations!
The Hateful Eight did not receive as much love as I thought it deserved. Sorry, Tarantino, I think George Miller took your spot. However, I was sure they would snub Adam McKay and I was wrong! He got nominated for The Big Short.
I'm most excited to see The Revenant and least excited about watching Eddie Redmayne again. But I look forward to chasing down these titles and telling you all about them!
The Oscars air on February 28th, so let's get our eyeballs on some movies!
I decided that it would be a good idea to watch every film nominated for an Academy Award. In every category. Each year I eagerly await the nominees so I can ingest them all in a full blown film feeding frenzy! Do I believe the Oscars are always the best films ever made? No, not really. But do they provide me with a list which feeds my obsessive, compulsive need to complete things? Yes!!!! They absolutely do!!!
The Nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced this morning and you can view the complete list here. It is a smaller pool of films this year, with the same titles nominated in multiple categories. Consequently, I have only 29 films and 15 short films to watch to get caught up! Super easy, right?
The biggest surprise to me was all of the love for Mad Max:Fury Road. I'm thrilled for a blatantly feminist (and therefore controversial) action movie to get recognized. I guess I just never imagined the Academy would consider something like that. And it got 10 nominations!
The Hateful Eight did not receive as much love as I thought it deserved. Sorry, Tarantino, I think George Miller took your spot. However, I was sure they would snub Adam McKay and I was wrong! He got nominated for The Big Short.
I'm most excited to see The Revenant and least excited about watching Eddie Redmayne again. But I look forward to chasing down these titles and telling you all about them!
The Oscars air on February 28th, so let's get our eyeballs on some movies!
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