Top 10 Best Celebrity Role Models

Whenever we think of role models, one would say that we should think of our parents first, and that person would be right. But, I figured that since we live in such a celebrity and media-obsessed culture, why not shine a light on a few famous people that set more positive examples for those that follow their work. Here is my list of the top 10 celebrity role models:

10. Josh Hutcherson: Probably the youngest person on this list, Josh Hutcherson, star of The Hunger Games, has already set a positive example for younger men and teenagers. He is the youngest person to win the Vanguard Award from the GLAAD Media Awards for his contributions to the LGBT community and like his Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence, hasn't been photographed stumbling out of clubs thus far.

9. Anne Hathaway: One of the more polarizing actresses out there, Anne Hathaway is still a more positive example for younger women because of how she has proven her versatility as an actress, devotes her time to charitable causes, like St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and seems to make more positive life choices, since she is never in the tabloids unlike some of her contemporaries.

8. Michael J. Fox: Even though he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's early in his career, Michael J. Fox is a shining example of how you should never let whatever physical disability you have prevent you from doing what you love. Fox would still work steadily after being diagnosed and even devotes his time to being an advocate to Parkinson's research and finding a cure.

7. Taylor Swift: I didn't want to admit it at first because of how I wasn't fond of her repetitive music, but Taylor Swift is very much a good role model. Even though she has won multiple awards and earns more money than she could spent, she still hasn't let her success spoil her as she donates a lot of her money and time to numerous charitable causes, and won more special awards for her humanitarian efforts

6. Ellen DeGeneres: Not only does Ellen DeGeneres devote her time to charitable causes like others on this list, but she also is living proof that people from the LGBT community can really make it big in Tinseltown. Plus, her fun and likable personality always gets me watching her interviews.

5. Leonardo DiCaprio: Not only is Leonardo DiCaprio one of the best actors of his generation, but he is a poster child for child stars gone good. Plus, despite being one of the most successful movie stars to date, he has also become known for his philanthropic work. In particular, he receives praise for his efforts in environmentalism and fighting global warming.

4. Daniel Radcliffe: You would think that an actor like Daniel Radcliffe, who was the star of one of the most successful franchises of all time, the Harry Potter series, would let all that success go to his head. But seemingly and surprisingly, no. Instead, he manages to try and keep his personal life private, and devotes his time and wealth to charitable causes, including The Trevor Project and was even one of many celebrities to donate their glasses at an exhibit honoring victims of the Holocaust.

3. Sandra Bullock: Sandra Bullock is known to film audiences as "America's Sweetheart", and it certainly seems that way since she is known for her generous donations as well as her likable personality. Plus, when the cheating scandal involving her ex-husband was publicized, she chose not to feed into that and just devote her time to her work and her adopted son. To me, that is highly commendable and shows how she seems to truly value her private life and any actor or aspiring actor that wants to try to keep their personal life private can take a few cliff notes from her as she is quite good at it.

2. Tom Hanks: Tom Hanks is unique because of how he has become one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, and is an icon thanks to his famous and quotable roles in films like Apollo 13, Forrest Gump, and A League of Their Own, yet he is still said to be one of the nicest people in showbiz. Plus, he is intensely devoted to his wife of 26 years, which is a rarity in Hollywood, and like others on this list, is pretty charitable as well. So, Hanks is living proof that you can achieve great success and still be a modest human being.

1. Oprah Winfrey: I think that this one is pretty self-explanatory.

Now, here are a few honorable mentions that didn't quite make the list:

Jennifer Lawrence
Matt Damon
Jodie Foster
Meryl Streep
Kate Winslet
Justin Timberlake


So, that was my list of the top 10 best celebrity role models. If there is anybody you would've liked to add to the list, please feel free to write in the comments section. Thanks for reading and Happy Father's Day!

Topic Of The Day: Critics' Choice TV Awards Predictions

Hello, Bloggers, for today's Topic Of The Day, I figured I'd share a little something that isn't exactly related to film, but television. I have been pretty active on my account on the award site Gold Derby and I figured that since on that site, I made my predictions for who I think will win at the Critics' Choice TV Awards this coming Thursday. Let's take a look:

I'll start off with discussing the categories that focus on the Dramatic TV Shows. I feel that the prize for Best TV Series- Drama will hands down go to Breaking Bad. I picked that as my Super Bet to score 500 points because since the show is bidding a fond farewell, they will want the show to go out with a bang and not a fizzle since it was so successful. I also picked Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn to win Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama respectively and heavily predict Bryan Cranston to win Best Actor in a TV Series- Drama. Although, Matthew McConaughey, who is nominated for True Detective, might prove my predictions wrong and I think leading up to the Emmys in August, this category will be a battle between Cranston and McConaughey. Will Cranston go two-for-two and win the Tony and the Emmy this year as a fond farewell for Breaking Bad ending or will the McConaissance continue? Next, my pick for Best Actress in a TV Series- Drama is Robin Wright for House of Cards. She already has the momentum of a Golden Globe win and could easily add another trophy to her mantle. But, if anyone were to beat her, my guess would be Julianna Marguiles for The Good Wife. 

Next, I'll go into the Comedy categories. My prediction for Best Comedy Series is Veep, although Orange is the New Black is the odds-on favorite. Something just tells me that Veep is going to win it and there are times I listen to my inner voice. I even picked Julia Louis-Dreyfus to win Best Actress in a Comedy TV Series. Now, my pick for Best Actor in a Comedy TV Series was initially Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory, but Louis C.K. is the odds-on favorite to win for Louie, so I figured just to be safe, I would have him as my prediction to win.

Now, I'll go into the categories I am the most excited for: The TV Movie/Miniseries categories. I am pretty stoked about those because The Normal Heart is up for a few: Best TV Movie, Best Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Best Supporting Actor/Actress (Matt Bomer and Julia Roberts). I picked The Normal Heart to win all of those and I especially am heavily predicting wins for Ruffalo and Bomer. Although, I could see the Supporting Actress category turning into a battle between Julia Roberts and Kathy Bates for American Horror Story: Coven. Either one of those two is fine by me because I am quite fond of American Horror Story and I liked Kathy Bates' performance. Cicely Tyson is the heavy odds-on favorite to win Best Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries for The Trip to Bountiful, so I went with her. I would've picked Jessica Lange for American Horror Story: Coven, but I just don't see it happening, despite me really liking Lange's performance. American Horror Story: Coven is also up for Best TV Miniseries, but the odds seem to be more in the favor of Fargo since that adaptation of the famous movie has become pretty well-received. If it won big in the awards circuit, it would seem like a neat way to make up for the film not winning the grand prize at the Oscars, which in my personal opinion, was master-class robbery.

So, those are my predictions to win at the upcoming Critics' Choice TV Awards. I will probably post more predictions of different awards shows that I will make on Gold Derby in the future, just as a heads up. But until then, thanks for reading!

Indie Review: Julia (2008)

                            'Julia': A Darkly Funny And Humanistic Gem About A Rather Detestable Human Being
                                       
                     The "black comedy" genre, in my opinion, is often underused and usually when one thinks of a black comedy, they think of the essential 1996 film Fargo. But here we have a black comedy known as Julia that in my mind is criminally undersung and is done a rather gritty and realistic way.

                     Story:
                    Julia follows a misanthropic and alcoholic woman named Julia (Tilda Swinton) who feels that she just can't catch a break. As she is feeling down on her luck, Julia then partners with her neighbor to stage a kidnapping of her neighbor's son. As Julia does kidnap the kid, she then uses him as ransom in order to extort money and things begin to spiral out of control.

                   What I LIked About It:
                  First off, I absolutely loved Tilda Swinton's performance. She is just astounding at playing a character that is quite detestable. The main character of Julia hardly has any redeemable qualities as she is not only an alcoholic misanthropist, but is also a pathological liar who would do or say whatever just to save her own skin and get away scott-free. What is so great about Swinton's performance is that at first she is very serious-minded yet naive but as the film progresses and things take a turn for the worse, she gets more nervous and somewhat retains her naivete.

                  Another thing I thought was interesting was how the film portrays more serious situations, yet during those scenes, I just couldn't help but laugh. I mean, that is the whole idea of a black comedy, but still. For example, there is one scene where Julia meets up with a man who gives her a gun she uses for the kidnapping and she promises she'll give him money for it, but you're just snickering, thinking she won't be true to her promise. It's a very subtle kind of humor. I also liked how the film had a darkly comedic tone and was shot very realistically. Director Erick Zonca doesn't use any special techniques of symbolism or anything like that when shooting this film. He just shoots it in a way that makes it seems like it is real ordinary folks getting themselves into forces beyond their control. Plus, the film is almost 2 and a half hours, but there was no point where I was bored. So, that's a bonus.

                 What I Didn't Like About It:
                 Nothing.

                 Consensus:
                Overall, Julia is a devilishly comedic yet realistic drama that features a dynamite performance from Tilda Swinton. This is a highly underrated gem that I think should be seen more. I watched this online and if you are online and happen to find this film, pop some popcorn and give it a watch. You will be in a for a treat.

Rating: A+

Review: Edge of Tomorrow

                        And I Continue To Hope That Summer Blockbusters Will Have A Better 'Tomorrow'

                  Even though Tom Cruise, an actor that I've grown to admire, hasn't had the greatest opening the weekend this film came out, watching Edge of Tomorrow still gives me hope that we might have a future in quality blockbuster films, regardless of the box office numbers they pull in.

                  Story:
                 Edge of Tomorrow follows an office of the US government named William Cage (Tom Cruise) who is forced into battle with other armed forces against a species of aliens known as Mimics. After fighting a special and larger Mimic, Cage find himself caught in a time loop and fighting the same battle each time after he dies. As he continues to fight this battle, he increasingly gets better in combat and he becomes closer with a fellow soldier named Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) and they join forces.

                 What I Liked About It:
                First off, I really liked the performance from Tom Cruise. He not only pulls off the action scenes very well but he even provides very solid comic relief as well. Plus, both he and Emily Blunt have great chemistry on screen. I have always enjoyed watching Emily Blunt on screen, but after watching her play an action heroine, I would really love to see her play a role in a comic book movie. I have seen her name thrown around on a bunch of comic book fancasts.

                Another thing I liked was the creature designs. The way they looked was definitely CG, but I liked how they made the Mimics look slightly different from one another to make them more distinctive. Not only that, but I thought the 3D was excellent. If you happen to catch this in theaters, I would suggest seeing it in 3D because it makes the experience of watching the action sequences more exciting and the action sequences are very exciting. Now, the whole idea of the main character reliving the same day may have been done before, even in the sci-fi thriller Source Code, but that idea is handled much more differently in this as it is more of sci-fi actioner rather than a thriller. I know it's not wholly original, but everything is always slightly based off of or inspired by something else.

             What I Didn't Like About It:
             Nothing.

             Consensus:
            Overall, Edge of Tomorrow is a brilliant "turn-your-brain-off" actioner that features fine performances from the two lead actors. It is not meant to be thought provoking, but it is still a nice way to kill a few hours. I would not only highly recommend this, but I would recommend seeing it in 3D.

Grade: B+

Review: Man of Steel

                                         Not Just Made of 'Steel', But Pure Gold

                       When it comes to DC Comics, I'll admit, I have always been Team Batman. But with Man of Steel, I was actually able to be invested the character of Superman thanks to how the filmmakers are able to take this powerful character and ground him in reality.

                        Story:
                      Man of Steel follows Clark Kent, aka Superman (Henry Cavill), as he struggles to hide himself and his powers from the world. But with the arrival of a new enemy from his home planet named General Zod (Michael Shannon) and a bond forming between him and reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams), he must decide he should reveal himself to the world by trying to save it to become a symbol of hope for mankind.

                      What I Liked About It:
                     First off, I really liked Henry Cavill's portrayal of Superman. Before I watched this, I saw his performance in Immortals, which is a film I didn't particularly care for even though he was solid, but he was leaps and bounds better in this. He is not only charismatic but also showcases the character's darkness as well since Superman undergoes a conflict of whether or not he should hide himself from the world. Amy Adams is also brilliant as Lois Lane and I loved how they didn't reduce the character to being a yelping damsel for Superman to save, as there are a few scenes where Lane gets in on the action. Michael Shannon is quite chilling in the villainous role of General Zod and creates unflinching menace through the use of his eyes. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play Superman's adoptive father and mother Jonathan and Martha Kent and they both pull off some solid and low-key work as the stern yet supportive parents. One of my favorite scenes is when Jonathan is talking to a younger Clark Kent about Clark's past and Clark says "So I just keep pretending that I'm your son?" and Jonathan says "You are my son". That is a very tender moment. All the other actors, that include Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe, and especially Antje Traue, who plays Zod's right hand woman Faora, are all astounding as well.

                     Another thing I liked was how they were able to take the multi-powered Superman and completely ground him in reality. Zack Snyder is able to do this by his gritty direction, especially during the action scenes where he uses long takes and unlike some of his previous work, doesn't use the "slo-mo" technique. It worked for 300 and Watchmen, but if he had done that here, it wouldn't have really worked. Plus, I thought it was interesting how Kent is at first portrayed as a drifter going from place to place, which to me represents the whole conflict of Clark Kent trying to find his place on Earth. After he saves one life or many lives, he retreats to a different place as a way of possibly concealing his identity while still saving others and still struggling on whether to hide his powers like his adoptive father told him or become a symbol of hope and mankind like his biological father tells him.

                   Since I am still on the subject of the action scenes, one complaint that I keep reading is how in spite of all the destruction happening, there are plenty of deaths going on as well. But the truth of the matter is that despite how powerful Superman is, he isn't going to save everyone. He may be superhuman, but he is not a god, and if the writers had Superman able to save everyone, it would've taken away from the realism they were going for. Another complaint I've also read is that (*possible spoiler alert*) Superman never kills and there is a scene in this film where he does. But, in that particular scene, he yelps in agony after he did, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't a cake walk for him to go through that decision. Plus, as I recall when watching Smallville, Superman did take a few villainous lives, so I'm just going to disregard that argument.

                    What I Didn't Like About It:
                    Nothing.

                    Consensus:
                   Overall, Man of Steel is an astonishing and realistic adaptation of the famed superhuman character. It is not only the whole package, as it features brilliant direction, writing, and acting, but it also provides fun "turn-off-your-brain" action. This is one I highly recommend to everyone, as it might have something for everyone, especially hardcore Superman fans.

Grade: A
                 

Indie Review: Dallas Buyers Club

          Brilliant Performances Help Carry A Problematic Film That Seems Set Up To Join The Oscar 'Club'

                      In my review of HBO's The Normal Heart, I said how Dallas Buyers Club only has a few high points but doesn't really succeed in the other departments. So, I figured I'd finally do my review of Dallas Buyers Club and discuss where I thought it failed where The Normal Heart succeeded.

                      Story:
                     Dallas Buyers Club is based on a true story about a hustler named Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) who finds out that he has AIDS. When he refuses to be treated by the drug AZT, he then crosses to the border of Mexico where he discovers drugs that are illegal but work more strongly. That is where he forms a bond with a transvestite named Rayon (Jared Leto) and forms the Dallas Buyers Club, which is where Ron and Rayon charge a membership fee but give the drugs for free.

                    What I Liked About It:
                   Now, the thing that I thought was the high point of the film was the actors. Matthew McConaughey was nothing short of brilliant as Ron Woodroof, who initially goes from being a homophobic asshole and having a heart of stone to having a heart of gold. Jared Leto really becomes his character of Rayon physically and had me forgetting I was watching an actor when he comes on screen. Jennifer Garner is also good in this film and gives a more quiet performance as Dr. Eve Saks, the film's moral center. The actors are all astounding and are easily the best part of the film.

                   What I Didn't Like About It:
                  Now, here is what I didn't like about the film. First off, it gets very slow and when I saw this in the theater, there were times where I would drift and look away from the screen. Next, while I thought Leto's transformation into the character of Rayon was something to behold and I don't want to take anything away from his portrayal, I thought the role of Rayon itself was problematic. To me, Rayon was mainly used as a sassy sidekick and a plot device for Woodroof to undergo a character arc. So, I thought the role itself was a bit too "on the nose". Ron's arc brings me to my next problem. Another problem I had was how I felt the film doesn't tell us whether or not Ron was actually gay which makes his arc somewhat confusing. If they showed us that he was, then the film would've shown a self-loathing homosexual learning the error of his ways. But if he wasn't, his arc shown in the film would make more sense. You have something similar in Philadelphia, except that Tom Hanks is playing the man with AIDS, while Denzel Washington plays a homophobe learning the error of his ways. In that, it is made clear Hanks' character is gay and Washington's is a homophobe. Here, I was just left confused wondering "Is he or is he not?". It's not something I'm dying to know, I just would love to see some logic behind the main character arc.

              You see what made The Normal Heart so powerful is how it is done from the point of view from the gay community, which hasn't really been done before, and gives us an insight into the people suffering  AIDS themselves. Plus, while the main character was as aggressive as how Woodroof is portrayed in the film, he didn't need to go through an arc to gain sympathy from the audience. Plus, while that film showcases the horrors of AIDS by revealing AIDS patients with several lesions, possibly leaving some to think it is done to gain sympathy from its audience, it only does it to not sugarcoat the situation. As I have said, whenever I see a film dealing with a social movement or issue, I am all about showing and not telling, and in Dallas Buyers Club, I felt they did more of the latter than the former.

              Consensus:
             Overall, Dallas Buyers Club is a brilliantly acted yet highly problematic drama. It is painfully slow at times and at times, feels emotionally manipulative, but it worth a watch only, and I mean ONLY, for its fantastic performances from McConaughey, Leto, and Garner. It's kind of "been there, done that", but it is far from horrible.

Grade: C+
               

Indie Review: The Piano (1993)

                               This 'Piano' Plays Quite A Mysterious And Harmonious Tune
                   I have anticipated watching this film for quite a while since it was quite a success in the awards circuit and recently, kept trying to watch it online. But, today, I finally did and since I watched it not knowing what to expect, it completely blew my expectations away and I was amazed at how writer/director Jane Campion was able to take a romance and make it quite thought-provoking.
               
                   Story:
                The Piano follows a mute Scotswoman named Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) and her daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) who travel to New Zealand to unite with a man Ada is forced to marrying named Alisdair (Sam Neill), bringing Ada's piano with them. When the two women settle there, Ada then gives piano lessons to Alisdair's friend named Baines (Harvey Keitel) in order to earn her piano back. Eventually, as Ada and Baines start bonding, they eventually have an erotic affair.

                What I Liked About It:
               I'll start off by discussing Holly Hunter's performance as Ada. What was so spectacular about it was how she is able to showcase what her character was going through without uttering a single peep and even scenes where she doesn't have Flora as her interpreter. In my opinion, Hunter's task of pulling off a performance that lives in her facial expressions and her eyes is more difficult than just saying her lines entirely. For example, there is one scene where Baines makes a deal with Ada where she will give Baines sexual pleasure in exchange for teaching him different piano keys and keeping her piano. In that scene, the way she expresses emotion seems like Ada knows what she is doing isn't the wisest but does it in order for him to return her most prized possession. Another actress that really shines is Anna Paquin as Flora. What was so enriching about Paquin's performance is that even though she plays the role as a normal 12-year-old, there are times where she makes it seem like Flora has a rather underlying darkness to her. Just like Ada, Paquin's character has a rather enigmatic quality to her. Sam Neill and Harvey Keitel also give wonderful supporting performances as the lead males in the film.

               Another thing I liked was how the piano was used a heavy symbol. I feel like the piano actually has more than one meaning. It is used as the 'key' to Baines and Ada's relationship and I feel is a representation of Ada herself. During one scene where Ada plays the piano in the beach, Baines finds himself drawn to her and the beautiful way she plays and it is like the piano is as entrancing as Ada is. Plus, the piano allows Ada to have some kind of release and feel free.

               I also really liked the film's beautiful scenery and the direction by Jane Campion. I thought it was interesting how she doesn't use any special visual techniques like color to tell the story or use a handheld camera to give it a more realistic feel. The way she directs it makes it seem like we are looking from the point of view of the characters. I especially liked how she directs Hunter and Paquin. There are scenes where they move their heads in the same direction and dress much similar, making it seem like Flora is like a miniature version of her mother and vice versa. Plus, I give Campion bonus points for creating a more original and different kind of love story.

              What I Didn't Like About It:
             I'll be honest and say there is one minor complaint I had towards the end. I don't want to give anything away, but there was one thing that I felt was a cheap cop-out used to create the final resolution together. It involves the love triangle showcased in the film, so I'll just leave it at that.

              Consensus:
             Overall, The Piano is a marvelous and dark love story shrouded in mystery that is still entrancing. It features brilliant performances from its cast, has a unique premise, and masterful direction. I wouldn't recommend this to everybody because it is a rather artistic love story which won't suit everyone's taste and is definitely no Notebook. But it is still a brilliant film that I would still say give a watch.

Grade: A-