Indie Review: The Rover (2014)

        

      Red 'Rover', We Call David Michod Over To The Artiste To Watch Club
       After seeing this and Maps To The Stars, I can now come to this summary, since Robert Pattinson is in them: Thank the sweet merciful lord that Twilight is finished.

       Story:
       The Rover is set in a post-apocalyptic Australia that resulted in an economic collapse and follows the story of a loner named Eric (Guy Pearce) whose car, which is the one possession he has left, gets stolen. As he tries to retrieve it, he stumbles across the mentally challenged brother of one of the car thieves named Rey (Robert Pattinson) and they go on a journey of self-discovery.

      Ups:
      I'll start off with the performances. First off, Guy Pearce continues to prove just how undervalued he is in the industry. He just commands the screen and even does so with the use of his eyes. The film hardly has any dialogue yet Pearce is able to convey the anger and mystery surrounding his character through his body language and he even makes Eric more sympathetic as he bonds with Rey. Now onto Robert Pattinson. I have made it known that I despise Twilight yet I never faulted Pattinson for that and in this, he proves that he has serious acting chops. Since he plays a mentally challenged person, he manages to keep his performance grounded and never goes overboard. Thankfully, since he made so much money off those Twilight films, he can continue to pursue more legitimate smaller films.

     Next, I'll get into the cinematography. It is absolutely beautiful and captures the rather desolate and harrowing wasteland that is used as the film's setting. Also, while there were some action or shooting scenes, what surprised me was how it wasn't action-packed from beginning to end, yet I still found it interesting. It is more of a character study/road movie with action thrown in and hardly out of place with a quiet tone set in place. It is kind of like an indie Mad Max meets Of Mice And Men. 

    Downs:
    One chief complaint that I have is the pacing. There were points at times where the film dragged, but it didn't put a huge damper on the film watching experience like with Under The Skin, where practically nothing happens. But I do appreciate the subtlety that this film was aiming for.

    Consensus:
    Overall, The Rover is a quiet meditation on post-apocalyptic fare thanks to the fascinating efforts of Animal Kingdom director David Michod. The performances by the two leads are dynamic, the cinematography is beautiful, and the story's uniqueness is something to behold.

    Would I Recommend It?:
    Yes, but not to everybody. This film has a slow pace and might make some viewers asleep. But if you don't mind slow films, then you'll probably enjoy it.

Grade: B+

Indie Review: The Skeleton Twins (2014)

                           

     
            Different Sides Of The Two Actors Are Shown As If They Are Revealing 'Skeletons' In The Closet
         
             So, I'm guessing we are seeing a trend with SNL actors prove they can be serious too with names like Will Forte, Kirsten Wiig, and now Bill Hader going the indie route. Well, after watching their dramatic work that proves they can find a balance between being funny and serious, I can honestly hope for it to continue.

               Story:
               The Skeleton Twins follows the story of a struggling gay actor named Milo (Bill Hader) who, after a failed suicide attempt, lives with his fraternal twin sister Maggie (Kirsten Wiig) and her husband Lance (Luke Wilson). What follows is the learning the importance of family as well as how people fall apart then come back together.

                  Ups:
                  First off, I thought the two lead actors were absolutely outstanding and had wonderful chemistry. Bill Hader is a rather quiet revelation as Milo and reveals hidden layers to his character as Milo is someone who suffers from depression yet isn't sorry for himself and a lover with doomed optimism once he reunites with his teacher and ex-lover Rich, played brilliantly by Ty Burrell. In Bridesmaids, Kirsten Wiig showed audiences what she is made of, but here, she brings her comedic and dramatic strengths in full force as Milo's rather hypocritical and difficult sister with a heart of gold, Maggie. Even if the overall film was a failure, it would still be saved by these two.

               But while the film does have its funny and even musical moments, what surprised me was how they managed to find a balance between comedy and dark drama. The film deals with serious subject matter, like suicide, pedophilia, and depression, yet the filmmakers don't go too deep into the darkness of it all while still not making the film too light. Even as the film opens with Milo's attempted suicide, we're still not feeling completely bummed out as the film progresses even when things still get serious.

                Downs:
                I did think that the flashbacks where we keep seeing the plastic skeletons that Milo and Maggie always kept were a little heavy-handed. But that is mainly because I kept trying to figure out what the significance of the actual skeletons were.

                Consensus:
               Overall, The Skeleton Twins is a poignant yet powerful tragicomedy that successfully rests on the shoulders of the two leads. The honest performances by the cast are outstanding and the writing finds a nice balance between heavy drama and hilarious comedy.

               Would I Recommend It?:
              If you are a fan of Bill Hader or Kirsten Wiig, then I would say absolutely. Plus, if you are a fan of dysfunctional family movies or comedy-dramas, then I would say you might also like this.

Grade: A-

Indie Review: Blue Ruin (2014)

           

   
    Proof That Originality In The Film Industry Isn't In 'Ruin'
  
      Thank goodness we have a funding site like Kickstarter that allows creative voices waiting to be heard to potentially be heard. If it weren't around, I doubt we'd get the simple yet powerful piece of cinema that is Blue Ruin.

        Story:
         Blue Ruin follows the story of a man named Dwight (Macon Blair) who makes his return home to avenge the death of his parents. As he makes his return, he reunites with his sister Sam (Amy Hargreaves) while confronting the family of the man who killed their parents, thus unraveling a web of secrets and deceit.

        Ups:
       I'll start off by discussing the first 10 to 12 minutes. There is hardly a peep of dialogue, yet writer/director/cinematographer Jeremy Saulnier manages to introduce our main character through his appearance, a piece of newspaper to indicate his motives, and his habitat, which is his car. I absolutely loved that. I also loved the way Saulnier shot it. The cinematography work he does here is stunning as he makes us shutter in fear when Dwight is in a dark corner, yet still not safe in the light, thus creating a rather unsettling atmosphere. Saulnier also brings quite a bit of layers to his story. Not only is it a successful engeance thriller mixed with slight horror, but there is also a bit of black comedy thrown in. By watching this film, I am getting the sense that we might have a successful heir to the Coen Brothers.

      Next, I'll get into Macon Blair's performance. When watching Blair's work in this, it felt as if I was watching different actors playing two different roles since when the film opens and before he gets back home, he looks very rugged and is very shaky yet when he shaves his beard and cuts his hair off, his character is slightly more composed even as he continues to get more nervous once he becomes in way over his head. Very dynamic performance from an actor who I hope we get to see more of.

      Downs:
      NIL.
   
      Consensus:
      Overall, Blue Ruin is a small-scale gem that has a grand mix of being a morality/vengeancd tale combined with black comedy and a touch of creep. The performance by Macon Blair is something to behold and I can cross my fingers that he and Jeremy Saulnier will start to be on people's radars.

     Would I Recommend It?:
     Absolutely. If you are looking for something creative and fresh, I urge you to check this out. It could use a wider audience.

Grade: A+

Oscars 2016: What Lies Ahead?

Hello, Bloggers, since the 87th Annual Academy Awards are already behind us, why not take an early look at the 88th Annual Academy Awards and see what films, and actors, could easily make their way to the big show. Let's take a look:

I'll start off with members of the Oscar club who could make their return. After Lincoln, Steven Spielberg looks to strike again with St. James Place, a film based on a true story about the 1960 U-2 incident starring two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks, as well as Oscar nominees Amy Ryan and Alan Alda. Plus, the film is co-written by the Coen Brothers. Quentin Tarantino looks to venture back into Western film territory with The Hateful Eight starring Samuel L. Jackson, which could do for stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell what Pulp Fiction did for John Travolta and Bruce Willis. But how about a director that hasn't nabbed a statue yet? After American Hustle went home 0-10, David O. Russell might just return with a vengeance with the biopic Joy starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Bradley Cooper, which is about a housewife named Joy Mangano who invented the Miracle Mop. While the Ashton Kutcher vehicle Jobs failed to impress audiences and critics, the Danny Boyle-directed Steve Jobs looks to make a splash with Michael Fassbender taking the titular role and Aaron Sorkin penning the script. Interestingly, the film co-stars Seth Rogen and his frequent collaborator Jonah Hill scored his first Oscar nomination for the Sorkin-penned Moneyball. Could the same thing happen here? They do love when comedians go serious.

 Speaking of directors that haven't gotten their due yet, we also have Sea of Trees, directed by Gus Van Sant and starring recent Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and fellow Oscar club members Ken Watanabe and Naomi Watts, who looks to have a banner year with this, Insurgent, While We're Young, Three Generations, and Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. Gyllenhaal might be going for another round after getting snubbed for Nightcrawler with not just Demolition, but Southpaw, where he physically transforms himself by putting on muscle to play a boxer, and Everest, which is based off a real-life expedition. After Cate Blanchett had a quiet 2014, Blanchett is sure to potentially have a banner year with the Todd Haynes-directed Carol, where she plays a lesbian in the 1950's, Cinderella, the Terrence Malick-directed Knight of Cups, and Truth, which focuses on the last days of news anchor Dan Rather.

Now onto talent that has yet to join the Oscar club. Every year, in the actress categories, they like to shine a light on an up-and-comer. This year, that up-and-comer could be Alicia Vikander, who has quite a bit of films set for release this year: Ex Machina, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, Seventh Son, Tulip Fever, Adam Jones, The Light Between Oceans and The Danish Girl. The last two might garner her awards attention. But her Oceans co-star Michael Fassbender might have a good Oscar year with not just Oceans and Steve Jobs, but the Weinstein-produced adaptation of Macbeth. But how about an actress that has been around for quite a while yet never garnered this type of attention? Rachel McAdams, who has fallen off the radar recently, returns to the screen with a vengeance in 2015, with films like Aloha, Southpaw, and Spotlight, which deals with a Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal and co-stars Oscar club members Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo. Plus, she'll also have the second season of True Detective. 

So, those are my thoughts on what kind of films we will probably see this upcoming awards season. Even though the next Oscars aren't until next year, I will periodically cover it until we get closer to when it takes place. Until then, thanks for reading and I look forward to yet another Oscar season!

Topic Of The Day: Silver Lining To Be Found From This Year's Oscar Wins

Hello, Bloggers, even though we are already past this year's Oscars, I figured I'd still discuss the biggest silver lining that can be found from the big winners. Here we go:

  With Birdman, Grand Budapest Hotel, and Whiplash being the big winners, with the first two earning 4 and the latter earning 3, it proved to be a great year at the big show for cinema. What I mean by cinema is films that are built more on precision from every angle of filmmaking. While film is considered an art form, films that fall under the label of cinema delve into the artistey of filmmaking. So, we got to see precision triumph over prestige and sentiment. It has typically been the other way around with BP wins like Dances With Wolves over Goodfellas, The English Patient over Fargo, Rocky over Taxi Driver, The King's Speech over The Social Network, Inception, and Black Swan, etc. So, it was a breath of fresh air to see them break the mold by seeing Birdman win over more traditional awards movies. Even though the more traditional films still didn't go home empty-handed, think of their wins as one goal scored during a hockey game to prevent the winning teams from having a shutout.

   But, by honoring more cinematic achievements, it leaves me hopeful that the Academy will eventually do what they are truly meant to: honor films about the artistry of filmmaking rather than those that intend to win awards. Of course, the likes of Locke, Starred Up, Stranger By The Lake, Place Beyond The Pines, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Shame, Let The Right One In, and Dogville probably still won't have a fighting chance. But as long as the studio films deal with the artistry of filmmaking and as long as an indie like Boyhood or Whiplash can sneak in, then I'm all for it.

  So that is what I feel os the biggest silver lining to come from this year's biggest Oscar winners. If you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

 

 

Oscars 2015: Winners Reactions

Hello, Bloggers, the Oscars finally aired last night and here are my reactions to the winners and to the big show itself. Here we go:

Best Picture: Birdman

Just as I predicted, my favorite movie of 2014 prevails and wins the big prize. I love this win and consider it one of the best choices in this category.

Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Birdman

I figured it would go to Linklater to spread the love, but I am satisfied with this win nevertheless.

Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

After revisiting Theory of Everything, I can say that while I still would've gone with Michael Keaton as the winner, Redmayne was also deserving. Even though it is a more awards-y choice, still a fine win regardless. Plus, it was nice that they went much younger in one of the male acting categories because usually they honor the careers of older veterans. So this was quite a change of pace.

Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Finally! I can sleep better at night knowing one of our best actresses now has an Oscar.

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Of course. It had to be Simmons. Bonus points for an awesome acceptance speech.

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Surprisingly, Boyhood's only win of the night. But thanks to Arquette, the film didn't go home empty-handed.

Best Original Screenplay: Birdman

Yes! I had a feeling this would win since Grand Budapest Hotel was already taken care of in other categories.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Imitation Game

At first, I felt bad for Damien Chazelle and his script for Whiplash. But when Graham Moore accepted his award, I was won over by his heartfelt speech. I still would've picked Whiplash, but thanks to Graham Moore, this win doesn't sting that much.

Best Cinematography: Birdman

Chivo strikes again!

Best Editing: Whiplash

Love this win!

Best Production Design/Costume Design/Makeup: The Grand Budapest Hotel

All very deserving wins that help create Wes Anderson's colorful masterpiece.

Best Score: The Grand Budapest Hotel

I had a feeling Alexandre Desplat would suffer a vote split between the two scores he was nominated for. But thankfully, not the case. Also, he thankfully won for a less traditional score than Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game.

Best Visual Effects: Interstellar

Of course.

Best Foreign Language Film: Ida

The only film from this category I've seen thankfully won. I love this movie!

Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Guess I have to see this.

Best Animated Feature: Big Hero 6

One of the few surprises of the night. Still haven't seen this, though.

Best Song: "Glory" from Selma

Kind of like with Graham Moore's win, I felt a little bad with "Everything Is Awesome" losing, but Common and John Legend still won me over with their performance. Very powerful song that almost brought tears out of me when I first listened to it.

Best Sound Editing: American Sniper

Kind of knew this one was coming.

Best Sound Mixing: Whiplash

Glad I got this one right. I especially think it was deserving for those final 15 minutes. Oh, my lord, those final 15 minutes.

Now onto the ceremony. I thought Neil Patrick Harris was a really good host. I liked how he offered a  blend of goth prestige and edge. In other words, he did a classy musical number with a video montage of classic films at the beginning, yet he still had that spoof of Birdman where he appeared on stage in his undergarments and made a shocking yet funny quip about Harvey Weinstein. So he found a right balance, in my opinion. I also loved that bit about Harris' secret ballot and how he interacted with the seat fillers who are usually just there to fill the seats of the celebrities who get up from them and not make interaction of any kind. So, it was nice how Harris gave them a few seconds in the sun. I also loved the musical performance by Tegan and Sara ft. The Lonely Island of "Everything Is Awesome" and how they handed out Lego Oscars to the audience. Seeing Oprah's face when she got one was priceless. Plus, seeing Julie Andrews appear on stage after Lady Gaga did her Sound of Music was very nice and to see her praise Lady Gaga was also classy. The tribute may have extended the ceremony, but I didn't really care. I thought the ceremony as a whole was wonderful and I was very pleased with the list of winners. If you have seen the ceremony, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. It was a real pleasure covering the Oscars over these past few months and I will certainly cover next year's soon. Until then, thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015: Independent Spirit Awards Winners Reactions

Hello, Bloggers, the Independent Spirit Awards just aired and here are my quick thoughts on the winners. Here we go:

Best Feature Film: Birdman
I'll admit that this was a semi-surprise because since the Spirit Awards air on the IFC Channel and Boyhood was made by IFC Films, I figured that it would take it. But I love this win!

Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Not too surprising, but I still love this win. If I had an Oscar ballot, Linklater would get my vote.

Best Lead Male: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Get that Oscar, Mikey! Take what is rightfully yours!

Best Lead Female: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Looks like Moore gets to finally take what is rightfully hers.

Best Supporting Male: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Quite my tempo!

Best Supporting Female: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Glad she's likely to win.

Best Screenplay: Nightcrawler
Very good script.

Best Cinematography: Birdman
Of course.

Best Editing: Whiplash
Tight race between this and Boyhood. These are two of the best edited movies of the year, so it's hard to decide.

Best First Feature: Nightcrawler
Nice win.

Best First Screenplay: Dear White People
Still got to see this.

John Cassavetes Award: Land Ho!
Pretty neat that the only one in this category I have seen won.

Best Foreign Film: Ida
I am loving this award show!

Best Documentary: Citizenfour
I guess I have to watch this.

Robert Altman Award: Inherent Vice
Of course. Even the actors with about one or two scenes still make the most of it.

Special Distinction Award: Foxcatcher
I'm assuming it is for the main trio. If so, then I can certainly see why.

Overall, I was very pleased with the winners. Even if some pf them weren't surprising, I was still pleased with them nevertheless. If you have seen them, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Tomorrow night is the big show and I will be live tweeting throughout the ceremony. My Twitter name is @FilmGuy619. Until the big show, thanks for reading!